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    Gwen folded the sheets and arranged them nicely at the edge of the huge bed. Wiping the sweat that trickled down the side of her temple, she circled Uther’s kitanda and walked over to the late king’s cupboard. She thrust it open, took out some of Uther’s favourite attire and closed the cupboard. She took the attire and hung it over Uther’s favourite chair kwa his meza, jedwali and took a step back.
    “Hmm… this will do nicely today,” she alisema to herself and smiled.
    Stepping forward, she wiped the speck of dust on Uther’s shoulder pads and looked around. After Uther’s death, she had little to do around the ngome and Arthur had strictly forbidden her to go back to her awali role as the ngome maid. He restrained her from resuming the servant’s role and only allowed her to serve him, with his permission that is, as he wanted her to learn the ways of being the Queen of Camelot. He instructed her to learn the royal duties from Gaius and whenever she found the old physician free, she would take up her lessons with him. But right now, she has this important task to complete and she needs to get it done before Arthur returns from his hunting trip. Arthur still misses his father and would come to see his late father’s chamber before heading out to meet the council au before heading out for his mission, be it royal duties au simply leisure outings. And though the chamber is well kept kwa the servants, he still wanted Gwen to do it for him.
    “Promise me something, Guinevere,” he asked her one day, in the late evening when they were strolling in the garden.
    “What is it, Arthur?”
    “I know this sounds pretty insane, but… will wewe promise to look after my father’s chamber? I know it is being well kept kwa the servants and it’s always clean but… I need wewe to look after it.”
    “Of course I will, Arthur. I will do anything for you.”
    “I want wewe to keep the chamber as if my father still lives in it. Hang his vazi like he used to, like he was going to use it. Arrange his things on his meza, jedwali like he did when he used them. Do anything wewe want, but just remind me that he is still around.”
    “Arthur?”
    “I know I’m asking wewe to commit to a huge responsibility here Guinevere, but I can’t trust anyone else to do this. Just wewe and wewe alone. wewe must think this is madness, but I still can’t get over my father’s demise. I can’t believe he’s gone. I need time to cope with his loss and until then, I could use some assurance and this is the only way I can think of.”
    “Oh Arthur… this is not madness. This is upendo and it goes to prove the upendo wewe have for your father, regardless the person he’d been. I would upendo this responsibility, Arthur. In fact, I’m honoured and privileged to be chosen,” she alisema and cupped his face with both hands. Arthur smiled.
    “I want to see that smile on your face often, Arthur Pendragon, or…”
    “Or what, my love?”
    “Or I am going to stretch both lips of yours with my bare fingers and clip it to your cheeks to keep them in place, if I need to.”
    “If that gets wewe to visit my chamber often, then I’m zaidi than willing to oblige with the penalty,” he laughed and sought her lips.
    Gwen smiled as her cheeks flushed remembering the kiss. Each time Arthur plants his lips on hers, she becomes breathless. How many times have they kissed? Yet, each time he does, Gwen is left intoxicated and yearning for more. And yesterday at the jousting tournament, though she was thankful Arthur didn’t publicly kiss her, deep in her moyo she wished he did. Darn the council members and Agravaine! Arthur was civil for not embarrassing her, though when she saw his eyes through the opening of his helmet, she noted he was disappointed as well. And they still didn’t have the opportunity at the feast that night as the king was whisked away kwa the knights while she was left seething under her breath with the other ladies in the court. And finally when she did sneak into his chamber to wish him goodnight and also steal a kiss au two she found the young king sprawled on his bed, drunk. There goes her kiss! Feeling disappointed, she gave him a peck on his temple, covered him with the sheets and left. And this morning, he left early with his knights and Merlin for his hunting trip. Gwen sighed, rolled her sleeves down and adjusted the hem of her gown. The chamber was done and everything looked like Arthur had wanted it to be. Satisfied, Gwen smiled to herself and walked out of Uther’s chamber and headed towards Arthur’s chamber.
    The door opened with just a push and she entered. The chamber was clean, all thanks to Merlin. Gwen smiled, closed the door behind her and walked in. Everything looked neat and tidy, depriving her from getting her hands busy. Looks like Merlin really takes his responsibility seriously indeed! Gwen wonders what would Arthur do without Merlin. What will the king become without the wise Merlin? Wise, yes, that’s the best way to describe her friend. Arthur may disagree, as do some of the council members, but she always found Merlin to be wise beyond his age. His clumsiness aside, his prompt decisions had saved Arthur’s life in many occasions. And hers as well. He had been loyal and a trusted friend to Arthur, an ally to the crown prince before Arthur became the king. Now Merlin seems to assume a new role for the young king; the role of an advisor, and Gwen thought it fit him well. Arthur could use an advisor like Merlin rather than his uncle who still frightens the life out of her! Agravaine might be related to Arthur kwa blood but something about the lord still puzzles her. The way his attitude constantly changes and the way he sometimes gives ill advice, leaving Arthur in deep danger, are haijajibiwa questions. If it wasn’t for Merlin and Gaius and her sometimes, Arthur would have either been destroyed au killed! Arthur might not ignore the ill advice Agravaine gives, but not her. When she is queen, she’ll make sure Merlin is officially appointed as Arthur’s advisor so that she can send Agravaine back to his own kingdom. It’s time someone draws the line between him and Arthur. Gwen dragged her hand along the edges of Arthur’s kitanda and felt her moyo soar. This room always made her happy and whenever Arthur leaves Camelot for his missions, she’d come here and sit alone. Sometimes, she’d hug his shati closely to her moyo and feel his scent. It made her feel as if he was around. Maybe she’d do that again today though she has to meet Gaius to continue with her lessons. Maybe she’d come kwa later. She reached Arthur’s meza, jedwali and spotted a parcel on the table, with her name on it. ‘Guinevere, my lady’ it alisema on the front of the parcel. Gwen’s moyo raced.
    “What’s this?” she asked herself and picked the parcel up. It was a box that was tied on both ends and without wasting time, she pulled the strings. It came off loosely. Tossing the strings aside, she lifted the cover and noted a silver bangle lying inside. Her lips curved into a smile.
    “Oh, my love, this is lovely,” she alisema and picked out the bangle. It was circular with some nice patterns all around it. She slid it on and it fit her nicely. The moment the bangle touched her skin, she felt soft breezes bristling all over her and her spirits were lifted to the sky. She felt happier than she’d been and liked the feeling. She dropped the box back on Arthur’s meza, jedwali and closed her eyes. She drank in the solitude of the surroundings and sighed in satisfaction. She was in upendo and that made her happy. She reopened her eyes and looked around. Her face changed and her brows arched.
    “What am I doing here?” she asked herself angrily and wheeled around in a hurry. Lifting her gown, she strode out of Arthur’s room. As she passed his cupboard, her elbow accidentally knocked down his shield, which hung kwa the side of his cupboard. The shield clanged onto the floor but she paid no attention to it, instead she yanked the door open, stepped out, and left it ajar while she strode down the aisle in a hurry.

    A dark figure stepped out from behind the pillar and watched Gwen hurry out of Arthur’s room. Agravaine’s lip curled into a smirk. He pulled his hand from behind him and brought the parcel he held closer so that he could have a better look at it. It was written Guinevere on the cover and resembled exactly like the one Gwen found on Arthur’s meza, jedwali a while ago. In fact, this was the original gift that Arthur intended for Gwen, but Agravaine had it replaced in time. And now Gwen had taken the bait and took the bangle which Morgana had cast her spell on.
    “Guinevere, Guinevere, Guinevere” he alisema with a smile. “Enjoy your moments while wewe can, my lady. wewe are going to break zaidi than one moyo today, and it will not be yours!!” he whispered wickedly and sneered. Footsteps of the patrol guards alerted him, and without making any noise, he disappeared into the darkness.

    “Merlin, wewe are awfully quiet today!” Arthur alisema as they rode in front of the group, heading back nyumbani after the hunting trip. The knights rode behind them.
    “Isn’t that what wewe desired?”
    “Sometimes yes, but… really appreciate if wewe could start your mindless chatter.”
    “Well, I prefer to be quiet”
    “Why?”
    “Because I say so.”
    “What if I order wewe to speak to me?”
    “What the… now I’m not even entitled to be quiet for myself? What ever happened to the equality of all things?”
    “I retract that phrase… for you. Now, tell me why are wewe being all so quiet suddenly? This isn’t wewe at all?”
    “Maybe I’d like to change.”
    “Merlin!!” Arthur laughed. “Change is never in your vocabulary. Tell me something new”
    “I’m thinking.”
    “You’re what!!” Arthur laughed loudly this time and shook his head. Merlin bit his lips in annoyance. “I didn’t know wewe could do that!”
    “What?”
    “Think!!” Arthur said, his laughter slowing down.
    “I’m not stupid, Arthur, and anyone with a half a brain could still think except for a certain clot pole I know who gets others to think for him because each time he thinks for himself, he ends up with his arse on fire!”
    “You can end up in the stocks for that Merlin”
    “Don’t I always end up in the stocks for you, sire!” Merlin snapped annoyingly and turned his attention back ahead.
    “All right, you’re forgiven this time for that word. What’s on your mind?”
    “Do wewe really care to know? au is it another way of yours to mock me and amuse yourselves till we arrive at the castle?”
    “Fine, Merlin. I want to help and I promise I won’t laugh. Tell me”
    Merlin wondered if he should confide into Arthur about the matter that’s been troubling him all day.
    “Merlin?”
    “It’s about Lancelot.”
    “What about him?”
    “Don’t wewe notice something is not right with him?”
    “I don’t know Merlin. Seems all right to me. What makes wewe think that?”
    “He has been uigizaji rather strangely lately. He wears black all time, he isolates himself from us, seems to be very quiet and yesterday, at the jousting tournament …”
    “What about that?”
    “Arthur, the way he attacked you! Lancelot will never hurt a fly if he knows you’re the fly but yesterday at the tournament, he seemed intent on hurting you!”
    “Merlin, that’s what the whole tournament is all about! It was jousting and wewe need to get the opponent off the horse to win. Lancelot did just that. In fact, I am quite proud of him. He wasn’t intimidated kwa me being his opponent and treated me as another knight. That’s what we all should be doing.”
    “But, Arthur…”
    “Merlin. If this is what you’ve been troubled with, I’d say you’re wasting your time. I don’t find anything wrong with him and neither should you. There are zaidi matters of urgency with which I could use your help, so do not waste your energy on matters as this. I trust Lancelot with my life and so should you. Drop this subject this instant and wipe that worry of your face. It really does not suit you.”
    “Yes… SIRE!!” Merlin was still annoyed but he alisema nothing. Arthur smiled, eyed Merlin with the corner of his eyes and pursed his lips.
    “Do wewe think she’ll like it?”
    “Huh?”
    “I left Guinevere a gift in my chamber; do wewe think she’ll like it?”
    “She would accept even a snake from you, Arthur.”
    “I’m thinking of proposing to her Merlin.”
    “When?” Merlin’s face brightened up and the smile was back on his face.
    “Next week. On my mother’s birth anniversary. I think it’s time Camelot got a queen.”
    “Have wewe told Elyan?”
    “I will, when we get back.”
    “She makes a fine Queen Arthur. Don’t wait too long; we can have the celebration in the summer”
    “And you’re going to be in charge of everything Merlin, not because I trust wewe au anything. Believe me you’re still the worst servant I have ever known but since Gwen is comfortable with you, I think it’s wise you’re aliyopewa the responsibility”
    “It’s very touching Arthur, your trust in me… moves me to tears,” Merlin rolls his eyes mockingly.
    “Say that again and it’s the dungeons this time.”
    “I’ll make sure this is one celebration Camelot will never forget.”
    “It had better be, Merlin.”
    “Perhaps a certain knighthood could follow now that I am officially in charged with the well-being of the King and future Queen of Camelot?”
    “Merlin?”
    “Shut… up?”
    “Precisely.” Arthur finished as Merlin pouted all the way back.