SOULMATES | Merthur Soulmate AU

Chapter 3 | Gwen

Merlin was distracted as he, once again, made his way trough the familiar white stone corridors of Camelots castle. Even though it was evening already, the air around him was warm, normally he would enjoy the summer heat, but right now it made him dizzy it felt suffocating.

Sweat ran down his forehead, he clenched his fist, as his wrist turns numb, and he sped up a little.

Why would he never believe me, why won't he let me keep him safe?

After all these years he should be used to this, and after all he was always able to protect him. And still the lack of trust caused a pain deep in his chest.

He was too wrapped up in his thoughts to see a figure coming right towards him, not dodging, since her view was blocked by a large pile of clothing.

With a soft bump he collided with the figure, which gave a surprised shriek as the clothes fell to the ground.

Merlin stared at the maid for a moment, the sick feeling fades "Gwen!" He quickly bend down to collect the freshly washed clothing from the rather dirty floor "I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking." He said. "It's fine, don't worry." Her smile warm as always, but something was off, she had slight bags under her eyes, her hair was messier than usual.

"Are you alright, you look horible." He commented straight forward.

"Sure, I'm just a bit tired it's all" She said as she tries to take the pile Merlin just had picked up

"I'll help you. You already seemed so stressed earlier." He needed distraction anyways and didn't feel like doing any chores for Arthur.

"That's kind of you, Merlin."

For a while they walk silently next to each other, it wasn't necessarily uncomfortable, but Merlin could still feel that something bothered his friend, the way she walked a lot faster, and how she frowned just a tiny bit.

"Are you sure everything's alright?" He asks more worried, she was one of his closest friends after all. For a while he had even thought she was her soulmate.

He had seen her violet glowing wrist and when she told him "purple suits you." he just couldn't believe its just a coincidence. But he soon found out it acually was.

Gwen hesitates, but her steps slowed down. "You know you can tell me." he gave her a reassuring smile.

"It's about my soulmate." She begins but pauses, half expecting Merlin to interrupt her but he still looked her, waiting for her to continue "She's feeling distressed more often lately." She now stops walking "It worries me, I can't sleep, but there's nothing I can do!"

He saw tears forming in her eyes. He would have hugged her if there wasn't a pile of clothing taking that spot in his arms.

"I know that feeling." He said instead and she smiled thankfully in return "Do you know them?" He continues.

"I do... It makes things harder." She answered still smiling but now filled with misery. 

"Because you can't be with them..." Merlin finished her thought.

"Yes, something like that."

"Something like that?"

Gwen stayed quiet for a moment unsure if it's okay to tell him, it wasn't normal in Camelot to discuss such matters, in Uthers regime one would have to spent weeks in a cell if the wrong person overheard their conversation.

But she had been quiet for so long, it would feel good to tell someone.

"She made decisions I just couldn't support. It separated us. But I know she isn't happy, I can feel her pain. Literally." She gave a sound that was probably meant to be a laugh but ended up to be moreof an shaking exhale.