A Friend in Need [Gwaine]

[em]

Today had been an achievement in itself. He'd found Gwaine, got involved in a tavern brawl and was now on his way to the Perilous lands. A good result so he thought.Tracking down Gwaine proved to be more easier than he thought. He only had to check the taverns and he just happened to be in the first one he stepped through.

The reason why Merlin had decided to find Gwaine was because he was one of the strongest fighters he knew, and he would need help in finding Arthur - should Gauis story about the Fisher King be anything to go by. That and the Pheonix eye bracelet that Morgana had given to Arthur as a 'gift'. That was no gift of good gesture. Merlin had sensed it, and after learning exactly what it was capable of - he was taking no chances in Arthur completing this quest alone. It was his duty to make sure his friend didn't come to any harm. The Pheonix eye could kill after all. He knew that much and had been on a horse riding out of Camelot as soon as he'd found out.

Both Merlin and Gwaine were now riding through the woods, the journey would be long and they'd been riding for an hour or so already. Merlin shot a sideways glance at Gwaine. "Still talking to strangers then" he smirked, referring to the group who had chased them out of the tavern earlier. "and here was me thinking thar after one brawl, that you had learnt your lesson." This was Gwaine he was talking about. He'd always stay the same, drinking, brawling. "What did they want anyway?"

Tagged: Gwaine
Timeline: S3 - The Eye of the Pheonix
Setting: Woods and Forests, Anywhere Else

[thegwaine]

It had come as a complete shock to be sought out by Merlin after months of not being in Camelot. He hadn’t been expecting Merlin to come and find him for any reason, and he was more shocked that he’d tracked him down. Then again, he was always guaranteed to be in a tavern, so he supposed Merlin had a better chance than many at actually getting hold of him. Smiling to himself, Gwaine nudged on his horse, he had only got the basic details of what they were doing. Of course Arthur had got himself into some bother. Knowing him, he wouldn’t accept their help even if they found him, and even if he really needed it. Arthur was too typical sometimes, but Gwaine was glad that Merlin had found him. He’d been wondering after his friend after their last meeting, and though he was used to people floating in and out of his life, he was hoping that Merlin would pop up again.

Naturally, his friend had caught him in a bar brawl. Honestly, he’d get a reputation at this rate. He smirked back at Merlin as his friend jested with him. “Well, even when I win fairly, seems I can’t win.” It was true, men seemed to want his money no matter if he was the victor or whether he was the loser. It never seemed fair to Gwaine, but there you go. It was the way of the tavern, Gwaine didn’t point out to Merlin that he never won fairly, because there was no other way to win really. Gwaine nudged on his horse again, he didn’t really like the fact that they were on their way to the Northern Lands, there was a reason no one went there, and Gwaine didn’t really want to find out why. There wasn’t even a tavern that far north, how ridiculous. Why couldn’t Arthur be in trouble somewhere near a tavern, or in a tavern. Well, that would be too much good luck on Gwaine’s part wouldn’t it? “So what’s Arthur got himself into then?”

[em]

Merlin smirked at Gwaine's answer. It was typical Gwaine and he wouldn't change. Merlin liked him like that though. "Then perhaps it's time to stop?" he chuckled and nudged on the horse to speed up a little. They were never going to get to Arthur in time if they were just going on a gentle trot.

Gwaine was now asking the question of what Arthur had got himself into this time. "He's on a quest to bring back the trident of the Fisher King, unfortunatly it happens to be in the Perilous lands, so you can guess why I asked your for help." He couldn't do this alone, especially when Arthur's life was in danger. It would take two for something as big as this. Whether Arthur thanked them or not, at least Merlin would be safe in the knowledge that he would hopefully get him out of there alive. "Then again, I knew you wouldn't turn down an opportunity like this."

Gwaine seemed to thrive on danger and so Merlin knew that this would be right up his street.

[thegwaine]

Stop? Jesu no, Gwaine would have to reach a low point in his life before he considered giving up bar brawls, drinking and women. He’d have to be old, and incapable of stomaching any of those things, though Gwaine doubted his appetite for women and ale would ever subside. Really, he should just marry a bar maid, or a tavern owner’s daughter. That would set him up for life, set him up with ale that was. It was safe to say Gwaine was a man of pleasure, and enjoyed forging his own fate about these sorts of things. He didn’t want to be out on the streets in his old age, but that was preferred so serving some stuck up noble. Gwaine had respect for Merlin, sort of, for his loyalty to Arthur. He didn’t understand it, he thought Arthur should let up on his friend, but he respected Merlin for just being so enthusiastic about everything all the time. Not any old average servant would go across the Perilous Lands for their Lord after all. It was something Gwaine hadn’t come across before, but he still didn’t understand it. Anyway, Gwaine wasn’t here for Arthur, he was here for his friend; Merlin. “The day I give up drinking will be the day I die.” Gwaine said rather comfortably, and nudged on his horse.

The trident of the Fisher King? Wasn’t that well… lost? For a reason? In a way, Gwaine liked the idea of going and helping to retrieve it. There must be a reason that it hadn’t been sought out before, and that reason was probably dangerous and exciting, and everything Gwaine wanted out of life. “So why is he doing this exactly?” Gwaine then asked, as much as he liked the idea, it wasn’t something you just decided as you got up out of bed. Or at least Gwaine assumed not. Did Arthur do completely stupidly dangerous tasks like this all the time? “I never miss an opportunity for adventure.” Gwaine replied with a grin, “It gives me something to brag about in the taverns.”