The Bargain (Merlin fanfic)

Chapter 11

Eira woke up first in the morning, finding with comfort that Gwaine's warm arms were wrapped around her.

The memories of the previous night came to her and she smiled happily. She didn't care about their fight or the bandits, the only thing that mattered was him.

Gwaine.

Just saying it in her head was enough to make her heart flutter. She looked at the box on the chair by the screen and remembered the gorgeous stone he had given her. With him by her side, she had everything.

Deciding to let him sleep a while longer, she slowly removed his arms from around her, feeling how she faltered slightly at the absence of his touch. Using the bed as support, Eira stood up, knowing that the coming day wouldn't bring anything easy. She looked down at her leg, pulling up her nightgown. It wasn't hurting as much as it had yesterday and the red area around the cut had started to fade. Maybe her wounds would heal quicker than Gaius had assumed, which would mean that they could leave to Caerleon sooner. A meek breeze from the open window filled the room with promising air and Eira turned around to face it. Open window.

Who had opened it?

A yawn from Gwaine snapped her back to the present and she lowered her tense shoulders just in time for him to open his eyes and smile at her sleepily.

She focused on the toned muscles of his chest as he got out of bed to distract herself from the anxiety that was already building inside her head. Gwaine stretched his arms casually and as he lowered them he sneakily placed them around her.

''Good morning,'' he said and kissed her forehead.

''Good morning to you too,'' she replied.

''How's your leg?'' he asked with a hopeful glance.

She showed him the already healing cut.

''It hurts more than the snake bite obviously, but I think my arm is getting better as well,'' she replied. But it wasn't just a snake bite. It wasn't just a snake bite. It wasn't just a snake bite. She tore herself from uneasy thoughts and concentrated on Caerleon.

Gwaine's thoughts seemed to lead to the same conclusion as hers.

''That means we might be able to go to Caerleon sooner,'' he said.

''That's what I hope too,'' she said happily, hiding an unease that was growing taller.

There was a knock on the door and Gaius entered. His eyes went from the clothes all over the floor to the pillows and sheets all over the floor to the disorganized bed to Gwaine and Eira. He looked like he was about to make a comment on the state of their chambers, but didn't and lifted his gaze.

''How are your wounds today Eira?'' he continued busily.

''They are much better, thank you,'' Eira replied.

Gwaine put a shirt on from the closet, walked over to the bed and started tidying up, feeling the physician's humored glances. He knew something was going on between them.

Gaius then took care of Eira's wounds and re-dressed them.

''I think these wounds will heal quicker than we thought if we give them a bit more time,'' Gaius quickly concluded and after a few moments he left, obviously in a hurry to get all his work done.

''Well that's good news,'' Gwaine said and Eira nodded contently.

She helped him tidy up and sat down at the table to wait for him to get a maid that could tidy the rest of the room up. All of a sudden she heard a tapping somewhere and realized that it was coming from the window next to the one that had been open. She walked towards the window to look, assuming that it was some children playing a prank. When she didn't see anything except for the usual view of Camelot's Lower Town, she opened the second window. It creaked open and she jumped backwards when a raven suddenly flew in and perched on the windowsill. She looked at it, puzzled, until she realized that someone had tied a piece of parchment to its left leg.