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Story Notes:

I do not own Merlin nor it's characters, it belongs to it's respective creators, I'm just a fan.

Personally, I think the the show demonized Uther "Arthur's father" to the point of no return so I chose to give him some humanity in this fic.




Author's Chapter Notes:

The story has beeen nagging me for a while so I thought I might as well put it out there.




Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHNuBUuDxGg 

There was a gentle tap on the door of his chambers, he knew that sound anywhere. “Sire, you requested my presence.”



“Guinevere, tell me the tales I heard were filled with falsehood. Tell me you were not about to leave Camelot, and leave me without words.”



She didn’t bother to pretend or lie. “I’m afraid it’s true my lord.”

He hated it when she hides under titles, she only usually uses it when trying to emphasis the difference in their status. “Guinevere, you are my queen.”



“No…right now , I’m the servant, soon to be called palace tramp who carries the bastard child of the prince.” Her words hurt, they really got to him.


“Guinevere, wait a little longer. I can’t lose you, I can’t lose our child.”



“No Arthur, this child,” she stroked her barely showing belly, “ won’t wait very much longer before coming to the world. Being born out of wedlock, especially to a royal blood, the purity of its birth will be criticized. If she’s a girl, she would never be able to look up to you or any man, because you would have already shattered her heart into pieces before she’s born. What if it’s a boy, and he has your blond hair? Your sparkling blue eyes? Your cocky smile? Your arrogant stride? Your extreme confidence? What if he looks more and more like you each day and wishes to know you? How do I explain myself without bringing shame to him… …to the crown…to the throne…to Camelot? There’s too much at stake, it’s almost mid-day, my carriage leaves in a while.”

She made to leave but he stopped her with those three words. “ I love you.” Those words, from his mouth always make her tremble in the knees and soft at heart. But today, she had to be strong for her baby.


“I know, and I love you too. But love hasn’t done much for us lately.”



“The king will-“



“He killed my father because he thought he conspired against the throne, he almost burned me to death because he thought I was a witch. Do you know the consequences that awaits me, us, when he finds out, the consequences that this child would have to partake in? He will think I’m the loose girl who lured you into her arms and seduced her way into your chambers.”



“We both know that’s not true, we love each other. The throne, my father will eventually come around.”


“And if he doesn’t?”



“We’ll have a long wait ahead, just wait till I’m king.”



“Camelot has a king, your father. And as much as I hate him, I do not pray death upon him any time soon.”


“Gwen,. I’ve never had to beg before for anything in my life, but I’m begging you, this may sound selfish…I know I’m selfish. But I’m a man about to embark on a battle, I beg of you, do not send me out there with a broken heart. I need to know that I’ll come home to you, I need something, someone to live for, fight for, awaiting my return. I need reassurance that I will come home to you.”



“Sire.”


“Don’t…call me that. You always do that when you’re about to stump on my heart, my pride. You do it to put a distance between us. It drives me insane and you know it so please, not now, not today, not ever again, not in that particular tone.” He warned.


“Arthur, what about my heart, what about my pride, what about the pride and the heart of the little one beating inside my womb? I don’t mind waiting for you, but this day of freedom that you speak about, how long before it comes? Two days, two years, twenty years? This seed would grow, and taint your name by then, he will have to endure the sneers of his peers and the mockery of Camelot because of us. He will look back at me and despise the day he was created. This is a battle of hearts Sire and there are no winners. It doesn’t matter how much faith we have, we will all come out of this beaten, battered, broken and bruised. I love you, I know you can protect yourself, but I also love this child and it is my duty to protect it from Uther, from Camelot and from you if need be.”



“Guinevere.”


“I’m sorry, I cannot allow our child to be Arthur Pendragon’s best kept secret. I will pray for you every day, I will long for you each passing night. And every time I hear of your triumphant return from war, listen out for my voice in your heart. It will be the loudest in the cheering crowd.”



“I have never been ashamed of you, us. I knew the time would come when I would have to choose between duty and love.” He embraced her and inhaled her lavender scent, he delicately combed his hand through her soft curly hair. “Guinevere, my queen, the owner of my heart, the light in my darkness, my source of sweetness in days of sorrow, I will follow you to the end of the earth.”



“Sire,” she pulled out of his hold. “ let’s stop here, I beseech thee, let’s stop lest we keep dragging our fragile hearts in the dusts. I love you too much to ask you to choose between your allegiance to your king and Camelot and I. Let’s face it, you are spoilt royal prat, you snore like a pig and you grit your teeth when you don’t get your way. I’m not sure what I see in you.” They both let out a weary laughter.


He pouted and put her right hand on the left side of his chest, “You said I had a kind heart.”



She removed her hand from his chest, breaking their contract in an excruciating manner. “ If you so desire, you could eventually force your wish on the king. But in the end, Uther will take you away from me. He will turn you against me, he will corrupt our child. I know my place and it’s not in this palace. Uther has taken enough from me don’t you think? He will try to destroy this child and I won’t stand for it. You’ll be the greatest king to ever rule Camelot, Arthur, but I cannot be your queen.”


All he did was stared at her lips as she spoke. He wanted to kiss her fears away but he questioned himself. Was she right, would Uther destroy the unborn Pendragon?


There was a pregnant pause between them, he finally decided to do something about the distance between them. He closed the gap, they were just about to kiss when Merlin came in, blindly bursting through the back door. “Arthur , Lancelot is in to-.” He saw them and realized he had just broken an intimate moment.
Merlin gave himself a mental kick because he knew that Lancelot’s presence would always be a bone of contention between the two lovers. He should have kept the news to himself. Not wanting to create more tension, he quietly disappeared through the back door.



Arthur’s eyes were rolling in the back of his head, not a good thing. “ He’s here? And it just so happens that you are leaving. There is no way in hell that I’ll let you pass off my child as his.”



“Thank you Sire. I guess being a servant that laid with you means that I must have been slutting it up with every other knight in Camelot. Now I know what you really think of me? You are a jerk, maybe it’s good thing that we can’t be together.” He wanted to apologize, the closer her moved toward her, the further she stepped backwards from his reach.”


“It’s just that it took a while for you to get over him, and every time he’s around, I’m on edge because I’m terrified your feelings for me will be shaken by his presence.”
She took a look at the somewhat crooked teeth that accented his boyish charms on last time, she took a mental picture. “It’s over, goodbye Sire.” She bowed and ran out of the room in a hurry. She almost knocked someone over by the door but she didn’t even notice because she was blinded by pain, anger, rage and tears.



Uther had been by the front door for a while now, he had heard enough. So this was the servant girl his wayward son favors, the only woman to ever put him in his place and set him on the path of righteousness when necessary. The woman who held his son’s heart captive.



So this was what all the whining and sudden training outburst was all about. His son couldn’t bear the thought of life without her so he had to take his misery out on his helpless knights….throwing tantrums at the dinner table, making Merlin muck the stables twice a day. Oh damn you Arthur Pendragon, I had plans for you, lady Vivian, Sir William’s daughter was suppose to be the end game. We were suppose to form new alliances with the neighboring kingdom.



As Uther returned to his own chambers, his physician, Gaius encourage him to talk to his son. Gaius looked up at the king, “Do something Sire.”



The throne shook his head, “No.”



He carefully pushed the matter, “You have to let him realize that he has your support.”



Uther jerked his head adamantly, “ How can he rule Camelot if he can’t defend his woman against his king?”



“Sire, so he has your support but what about the traditions and laws of Camelot?”


“Gaius, the last time I checked, I’m still the law.”



“He’s too afraid to disappoint you, he wants your approval on every decision he makes.”


“Disappointment comes to those who are too afraid to take risks.” The throne laughed at his advisor, “He didn’t ask for my permission before he laid with her,” he continued to laugh even louder. “Do you know how many times that son of mine sneaked out of the palace to see lady Morgana’s- to see Gwen.”


A part of Gaius was happy that Uther refrained from calling Gwen a maid, the king has definitely gone softer these days. “Gaius, Arthur is a lot like me, he scares the gods out of me sometimes, let’s face it, he does what he wants with or without permission.”


“Jus-“



“No Gaius, that little girl has Arthur trained more than I do, it would be a shame if he-“



Just as Gaius looked at Uther, he notice the king was entranced by something else. They both stared over the throne’s balcony it was slightly drizzling outside but that wasn’t just it.


Only the sound of a battle gong can make Arthur run that fast, they both watched as he caught up with a running Gwen.


“Guinevere, there’s something I need to tell you, there’s something I need to do..”



She refused to look at him, “It’s all been said and done Sire, that’s what got us in this mess.” She held on to her luggage and walked faster.


As your prince, I command you to stop and look at me. She stopped in her tracks, “My Prince!!!” she sighed. “The prince knows better than to interfere in the private affairs of his citizens doesn’t he?



He began to move closer. “No. As the man your heart desires, I’m telling you that I made a grave mistake, I’m asking for leniency and forgiveness, I’m asking you to let us finish this conversation. I’m not done saying my piece.” He tapped her luggage till it fell out of her hand, her clothes were covered in mud. Her mouth was squeezed together, he knew she was losing her patience with him. He reached for her hands and place tender kissed all over them.



She blushed. “Arthur, we are in the middle of Camelot.”



“I will shield you from my father, I will protect you from Camelot, you will not lose our honor, I promise.”


He moved closer and pulled her into a passionate kiss. More than a few audience had gathered, they watched from a safe distance.



A few of the people gasped, some of them cheered, an elderly citizen was so floored that she passed out on the ground. “I love you Guinevere, I’m taking you home to be my wife.”



She instantly pulled away, “And Uther-what are we going to tell him.”



Arthur pointed up, Gwen’s eyes followed his hand, they both looked up, Gwen gasped. “Arthur grabbed her and kissed her again, “I think we just told the throne and the rest of Camelot.”


Gwen replied, “Well the devil’s horns are not sprouting out of his head yet, that’s a good sign right?”


Uther looked at Gaius, “We must have a feast.” The physician smiled, the world may be vanishing but according to the king, all things Arthur always ends with having a feast.


Six months later



It was around two in the morning, Arthur was almost stomping around the castle with a baby stroller in his hands, Eliza and Luther had been putting their little lungs to work all night. Just as he turned the corner next to the banquet hall, he bumped into Uther.



The throne looked at his son and let on an amusing grin. “Arthur, what are you doing out here with the babies at this time of the night?”



Arthur gritted his teeth, “Taking a stroll.”



Uther shook his head as if he had caught his son in a web of lies. “she kicked you out of your chambers didn’t she?”


The prince rolled his eyes, “She says to take them for a stroll.”



Uther smiled, “They have been crying all night, where are the chamber nurses when you need them?”


“Just my luck, Gwen gave them the night off,” he grumbled.


With the sound of Uther’s voice, the grumpy twins were finally calming down, “Gwen is not worn out is she?”He asked with genuine concern.



“She’s stronger than she looks,my Guinevere.”



“Arthur, any woman who can take you on is insane…in a good way.”



“By the way, Gwen says if I bumped into you tonight, I should tell you, you’re it. “ Arthur shrugged his shoulders, he never thought the day would come where his father and his wife would be sharing secret codes. “Whatever it means.”



Uther knew his days were numbered, and tonight, he was finally happy again. His daughter in-law was beginning to trust him after all the evil he had committed against her.



Uther took the baby carriage from his son, “Men may be the sword bearers but women are the rulers of this world. They can build us up and they can tear us down. You have a good woman, don’t starve her of your affection lest she finds comfort in someone else’s arms.”



Arthur took the carriage back in agitation, then he gave his father a baffled look, he knew the throne was referring to Lancelot. “I’ll just have to cut off that someone else’s arms. Besides, I trust Guinevere with my life.”



“I know son. It’s that dirty knight that I don’t trust, I think he will always be in love with the crown’s wife.”


Uther grabbed the baby carriage from Arthur’s hands again, “I’m it. Diaper duty calls.”


“Father are you sure about this? They are babies, they poop and scream all night and I doubt you have the skills to pacify them for the rest of the night.”



“These little lizards can’t slay de dragon, I breath and speak fire, they barely know how to puff out smokes out of their little lungs. Besides, babies adore me. I’m immune to poop.”



“Father, did you by any chance take the wrong medicine today?”



“No son. But believe me or not, with this spear holding hands, I once changed and wiped your little ass Arthur.”


Arthur was stunned as Uther began to push the children toward his personal chambers, this wasn’t his father. As if he could read his son’s thoughts, Uther began, “You are precious to me son, you are the most important gift in my life. I couldn’t put up too much resistance between you and Gwen because I knew she makes you happy. Tradition be damned, but no sane father would deny his child of real happiness. With my last breath, I will be able to look your mother in the eyes and tell her that I did something right with you.”



Arthur almost got choked up with his father’s words. ”Thank you, father.”



Uther shook his head, “Thank Gwen. Go and crawl into bed with that lovely wife of yours, tell her how beautiful the children she gave you are, tell her how she makes your heart flutter. Thank her for making an honest man out of you.”



When Arthur walked back into his chambers, he saw his wife standing by the window, she was taking a peek at the world she is still trying to get familiar with. Whether she likes it or not, being married to the prince has changed more than a few things, mostly for good.
She still finds it somewhat distracting that everyone now bows respectfully at her feet. The sound of her husband’s footsteps intercepted her thoughts, she felt him wrap his arms around her, he took in her lavender scent. “Arthur, where are the piglets?”



“They are with the dragon.”


She smiled and held on to his arms as they were firmly positioned in around her waist. “Darling, promise you never let go.”


Those words carried more weight and meaning than anyone could ever imagine. “Never. I can’t even if I want to. Because you are my salvation, you are my peace. You are everything that’s right with my world. You have given me everything I wanted and much more. I love you Guinevere Pendragon.”


“I love you too Arthur Pendragon.”

End 


If you are a regular of the show, you would get where the term piglets came from. There was a time Arthur stayed over at Gwen's, she told him that she thought a pig had gotten into the house because he snored like a pig.


Thanks for reading, This is my first Arthur and Gwen fanfic, let me know what you think of it.






Chapter End Notes:
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