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Published:
2021-04-16
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1/1
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A Lover’s Quest

Summary:

Gwaine has been on patrol for a while, but arrives home early. Merlin is happy to see him. Only it turns out Arthur sent Gwaine on a quest whose legitimacy is questionable. The things Gwaine does for love.

Notes:

Hope you feel better soon, Anarchy!

Work Text:

Merlin is cut off mid sentence as the doors to the great hall swing open. All the knights jump to their feet, hands poised at their swords, ready to face the enemy combatant. The moment passes and everyone relaxes. The figure stumbling into the great hall is no enemy after all.

“My love! I have returned!” Gwaine calls out and staggers his way towards Merlin.

His normally immaculate hair is a tangled rats’ nest, his clothes are heavily wrinkled like he went swimming in them and let them dry on his body, and smudges of dirt are caked under his nails. There is a scratch high up on one of his cheeks, but despite his general dishevelment his grin is triumphant.

“I thought you were still meant to be out on patrol for a few days.” Merlin says and tugs Gwaine close.

Gwaine staggers forward, places a clumsy kiss on Merlin’s cheek, and then sags with his full body weight onto Merlin’s shoulder. Merlin staggers a little under the unexpected pressure, but this is hardly the first time he’s borne a fumble footed Gwaine somewhere. Hell, within a day of knowing each other Merlin helped him stagger back to Gaius’s from the tavern.

“I wasn’t on patrol.” Gwaine mumbles, “I wanted to surprise you.”

“Surprise me with what?”

“This.”

With that pronouncement, Gwaine digs a smooth black stone from his pocket and presses it into Merlin’s palm.

“I think I’m missing something…”

“What? It’s the courtship token.”

“What courtship token?”

“Arthur told me that it was an ancient Camelot tradition. I had to retrieve a stone from the bottom of the Lake of Shadows to present to you if I wanted to propose.”

“Arthur told you, did he?” Merlin asks and glances around the great hall.

Arthur is standing hands on hips a few feet from them. His face is stoic and unyielding, which means he is absolutely full of shit and has just been caught out.

“I’m starting to think there was no quest.” Gwaine complains.

Merlin scowls at Arthur.

Arthur lasts for all of five seconds before drawing himself up to his full height, “He asked my permission as king for your hand a week before he left. A challenge had to be issued.”

“You didn’t have to go on a quest before proposing to Gwen!”

“That was different.”

“No. I don’t think it is. I think you should have to go on this quest if Gwaine did.”

“Now hang on.” Arthur protests, “If anyone should be issuing a challenge on Gwen’s behalf it should be Elyan. He’s her family.”

“You issued the challenge even though you aren’t related to me.”

“The challenge was issued on Hunith’s behalf via myself as proxy.”

“Arthur, you were there when my mother met Gwaine. She adores him.”

“Camelot tradition has to stand.”

“She live over the border in Essetir.”

“But your marriage will be officiated in Camelot.”

“In that case,” Elyan interjects, “I agree with Merlin. You are the one who installed the round table as a sign that we were all equal.”

“And you’ve said before there cannot be one law for you and one for everyone else.” Merlin adds.

Arthur lets out an irritated huff through his nose as he struggles to come up with a response to the combined forces of Elyan and Merlin.

Before he can say anything clever, Gwaine lifts his head from Merlin’s shoulder and says, “Gentlemen, as much as I like watching Arthur get picked on I would very much like to go to bed. It took me three attempts before I got deep enough to get a stone, and I had a run in with a particularly spiny fish.”

“We’ll address this situation tomorrow. I think we should consult Gwen on the matter before we go any further.” Arthur says, clearly thinking that he’s managed to dodge this blow, “You’re all dismissed.”

Merlin wraps his arm around Gwaine’s waist and they leave the great hall together. Thankfully the knights’ quarters aren’t too far from the great hall, and Merlin is able to get them to Gwaine’s room before his listing topples them both over.

He dumps Gwaine on the bed and sets to work undressing him. Once all dirty clothes have been removed, Gwaine sort of flops around on the bed until Merlin gives in and turns down the bed clothes. Gwaine slips underneath them and groans softly into his pillow.

“I think I drank half the lake.”

“I’m going to turn Arthur’s hair pink again.” Merlin threatens, drawing a chuckle from Gwaine.

“Ah, I didn’t mind. He deserves to get a good prank in once and a while, and he was only doing it to protect you.”

“Maybe.”

“You know I’m right.” Gwaine says and stretches out his sore muscles. When he settles into his pillow once more, his eyes are heavy lidded with approaching sleep, “I know you have duties, but could you stay for a while? I’ve missed you.”

Merlin grins and kisses him, “Yeah. I can stay for a while.”

*

Merlin blinks awake in the morning sunshine and instinctively rolls over to find Gwaine. He’s still in bed, but sitting up and looking much more hearty and whole than he did yesterday. His hair is still a rats nest because he hasn’t had time to try to comb it out and the sheets pool around his waist. Whatever it is he’s looking at out the window has him grinning ear to ear.

“What are you looking at?” Merlin asks sleepily.

Gwaine looks over at him, mirth glittering in his eyes, “Looks like Gwen decided Elyan should issue the challenge. Arthur is mounting up right now.”

“I always said Arthur was an idiot.”

“You’re right as always.”

Gwaine shifts closer and stretches back out on the bed, and Merlin rolls into him just like he does every morning they get a chance to wake up together. He is wrapped in Gwaine’s free arm as soon as he’s settled in comfortably.

“In all the chaos yesterday I never got to ask you what I wanted.” Gwaine says thoughtfully.

“What were you going to ask?”

“There’s probably a more romantic way to do this, but considering I fell in love with you while we were hiding from pheasants this is a step up. Merlin, will you marry me?”

Merlin’s grin is so wide it makes his face hurt. “Thought you’d never ask.”