100 Fantasies Challenge: #20 Fic:Frustrations And Surprises
Title: Frustrations And Surprises
Characters/Pairings: Arthur/Gwen
Rating/Warnings: PG
Spoilers: Just one slight reference to episode 12 and episode 10
Disclaimer: I don’t own anything; I’m merely playing with the characters. (Ok that sounded less dirty in my head =P)
Summary: Gwen deals with a frustrated maid, works and gets a surprise visit from Arthur.
Word Count: 2,395
Author’s notes: This was written for the 100 fantasies challenge hosted by camelot_love The prompt was: turning up unexpectedly.
Comments are <3
Gwen hummed a bubbly tune as she wiped down the dark mahogany table with a wet cloth till it gleamed. There was to be a banquet tonight in honour of Benedict as he’d passed the test and become a knight of Camelot. Gwen was pleased he had passed; she’d watched him pour his heart and soul into training. Seen how he’d become exhausted and stumbled back home, his body drooping from fatigue. She admired the fact that each morning he would return for more of the brutal training required; his body sore and aching, yet never once did he complain. He deserved to bear the title Sir Benedict and Gwen was satisfied to know that one more honourable man had joined the knights of Camelot.
Isabel, another maid the same age as Gwen, was on the floor scrubbing the stone floor below, a little way off from where Gwen was stationed. She had her long golden hair drawn into a plait so it hung loosely down her back, swinging this way and that as the movement of her scrubbing shook her body. Her skin was a golden tanned colour but her hands were tinted red slightly as the work had taken its toll. Gwen glanced at her own hands to see them also reddening although there was no pain, years of this type of work had dulled her to such minute things.
Gwen continued to hum while she lifted a fresh dry cloth from the back of one of the chairs and began drying the table before her, polishing it. Suddenly Gwen heard a frustrated groan.
“Ahhhhhhh”
Gwen turned, her eyes wide in shock, to see Isabel throw her scrubbing brush hard against the floor, causing a loud thud to echo round the room, whilst letting out another aggravated moan
“I can’t, I can’t do it!” Isabel growled as she turned to look at Gwen, her emerald eyes burning fiercely with annoyance.
“Do what?” Gwen asked her voice smooth and calm. It was not the first time she’d seen Isabel voice her anger and she doubted it be the last. She was a little firecracker and Gwen adored her for it. She sometimes wondered how Isabel held her tongue at all when around those above them. How she restrained the whip that she could release at a moment’s notice, when she vented it so freely to others, mostly Gwen.
“The BLASTED stain Gwen, this stupid, annoying little…” Isabel tailed off as she heard Gwen let out a small chuckle of amusement. Isabel frowned before crossing her arms over her chest and saying her tone bursting with sarcasm.
“Well I’m so very glad you find this amusing Gwen, because I for one cannot see the humour. I’ve have been sitting here scrubbing the same godforsaken spot for nearly…” she paused before throwing her arms out widely “well FOREVER and it WON’T BUDGE!!!”
If she’d been standing Gwen was sure Isabel would have stomped her foot with exasperation much like a small child. Gwen bit her lip and smiled fondly at the girl who was on the floor looking up at her, fire burning within the green flames of her eyes.
“How do you do it?” she asked tenderness ringing though her voice. Isabel looked taken aback her eyebrows lifted up as she stared up at Gwen.
“Do what?” she sighed obviously riled at the question.
“Hold that tongue of yours.” Gwen explained shaking and tilting her head to the side.
“I know for a fact had any of the knights, ladies, the king or lady Morgnna been present you would not just have done that” Gwen gestured her head towards the discarded brush. Isabel smiled sheepishly and coughed mumbling.
“Well yeah course not, it be improper” she said improper, bitterly rolling her eyes as she did so.
“But with you,” she paused, the pools in her face rippling as she thought.
“Well I don’t have to hide do I, I can just let it all go. I can think and speak freely without fear of, well.” She puffed out air scornfully “of having my head chopped off.”
Gwen smiled sadly; it was a curse sometimes the life of a servant. Having to hide parts of yourself away, afraid of the consequences should you let them free; she knew that pain more than most. The secret she kept hidden burned within her. Yet recent months and events had shown her that royals were not as untouchable to this pain as others thought, for they felt it to, the curse. The burdened their title brought. Everything had its price it seemed.
Gwen felt strongly for girls like Isabel, the livewires. It was harder for them to lock away the blaze. Gwen, well she’d never been made of fire. She didn’t loose her temper, not really and she could play the part of a servant well. It fitted her. Her secret burned within her but there was never the fear of her accidentally letting it lose, the locks were around it tightly. Of course there were moments where she’d wanted to scream, to throw things about the castle especially since her father was so cruelly taken from her. Except those moments were few and far between, fleeting seconds that passed quicker than they came.
She had a tendency to say things before she thought though; speaking from the heart sometimes regretting it as soon as the words had left her mouth. Wishing she could shove them back in, but most of the time it was to people of the same rank so there was no fear of punishment. Other than that of the awkwardness her words could sometimes cause. The only time she’d really spoken out of place to a person had been to Arthur and he hadn’t looked at her as if she was mad, he’d actually thanked her. The memory of that day flooded back into her and she beamed, they’d come along way since then.
Gwen was more like water, soft and gentle, flowing down the path that had been carved out for her. Even though she had the strength to change the course, to become a tempest if she really wanted to and recently she could feel herself growing in strength and confidence. Could feel that she was cutting a new path; turning from the one that had been given to her and onto a path that joined her with Arthur. Together they were drifting away from the routes they were meant to flow down and creating a new one together, where they could walk hand in hand bound as one for all eternity.
She shook herself from the memories of Arthur as Isabel carried on conversing.
“And I can do it because,” She paused again bringing her eyes up to look at the gentle face of Gwen a half shy smile creeping across her features.
“Well, because I have to,” then suddenly she grinned broadly, a gleam glistening in her eyes.
“And quite frankly I say all the things I want to in my head so you know, it always makes me smile when I’m saying yes sire’ or m’lady,” she gave a little elaborate bow as she said the words.
“And really I’m thinking go stuff yourself” Isabel started to laugh with an impish smirk on her face; all trace of the early frustration wiped from her. Gwen giggled along with her. Their mixed laughter rang around the hall circling them in joy and causing more merriment.
Still sniggering away Isabel stood up, collected the scrubbing brush she’d thrown across the floor and said between hysterics.
“I’m going to go see Alice, see if she’s got something I can use to get THAT” she pointed her foot forcefully in the direction of the stain “out, see you in a moment.’
She gave a small wave as she made her way to the exit.
“Ok” Gwen had replied a tender smile fixed on her face. She dearly loved how Isabel could bounce back so effortlessly. She returned to her work continuing her humming as she did so till she felt someone grab her around her waist quite unexpectedly and a deep voice say.
“You seem awfully happy today.”
Gwen leapt out of her skin and a small gasp escaped her lips, she turned around in her captor’s grasp to see their face though she was perfectly well who it or rather he was.
“Arthur what are you doing here?” Gwen said her eyes wide and her voice breathless. Arthur smirked at her, the smirk that made her want to hit him and kiss him at the same time. Gwen opted for the kissing, she’d hit him later she thought, knowing full well she wouldn’t.
Gwen ran her hands up the material of his shirt, feeling every muscle concealed by the fabric until her arms found their familiar spot wrapped around his neck. She pulled at him bringing him closer into her while he manoeuvred himself so their bodies were pressed firmly against one another in a movement that was well rehearsed. Arthur pushed her back so she was leaning against the table, his arms wrapped securely around her waist. Gwen was forced to bend back slightly as he tipped her over with the force of his lips. She could see where this was heading and she was desperately trying to get control of her rapidly beating heart. It didn’t help matters when Arthur moved his lips across her face leaving little butterfly caress along the way till they rested against her ear and replied huskily.
“I came to see you of course; I was getting lonely all alone in my chambers, thought maybe you’d come and keep me company.” He elongated the word company covering the word in very suggestive tones.
Gwen’s stomach lurched and the blood rushed to her face while a spark ignited her. Get a grip she told herself. You’d think after all the time they’d spent together and all the secrets their hearts had whispered during the night she’d be immune to his teasing, his suggestive tones. But no, it seemed their effect would never wear off on her. Arthur’s lips hungrily covered hers once more as he lent back up bringing her with him. Tightening his grip around her waist he picked Gwen up and sat her upon the table, manoeuvring himself so that her legs were either side of his hips; never once breaking the contact of their lips as he did so. Gwen’s dress hitched up slightly with the movement and Arthur ran his hands along the thighs of both legs, leaving a trail of fire. Yes Gwen could see exactly where this was heading and she needed to put a stop to it before all her will was sucked out of her, or to be more precise kissed out.
Abruptly she broke off the embrace ignoring the protest of her heart and the groans that came from Arthur. She playfully batted him with the cloth trying to hide her embarrassment but to no avail, he could see the effect he was having on her and his face bore a very self satisfied smug look. Sometimes she really wanted to hurt him. Gwen tried to wriggle out of his grasp but he held her firmly in place.
“Arthur stop it, someone might come in, you have to go,” Gwen hurriedly said still trying to get out of his grip. Not that she really wanted to but the thought of anybody seeing them locked in an embraced made her blood run cold.
Arthur sighed and rolled his eyes.
“Fine but only if you promise me that after the banquet tonight I will have company” he wiggled his eyebrows at her and she couldn’t help but giggle.
“Fine, fine” she mumbled slipping off the table and trying to compose herself while she brushed down her dress.
“Guinevere” his tone was full of authority and his eyes locked onto her, starting at her intensely. Gwen sighed and bit her lip while a cheerful smile threatened to overtake her features.
“I promise,” she said sincerely, Arthur beamed.
“Now go,” Gwen said her voice almost reaching bat level as she began pushing against his chest. Arthur grabbed her arms and pulled her to him once more pushing his lips hard against hers, muffling her words. He broke off the kiss and stepped back grinning smugly as he saw that Gwen’s face was flushed, her eyes were still closed and that she’d taken a step forward when the kiss had broken, trying to find his lips once more.
Gwen shook herself and huffed in an irritated manner though there was great fondness in the sound also. Arthur leaned in quickly to brush his lips once more against hers before turning and exiting the hall. Gwen watched him swagger his way out, a wistful grin on her lips. Her hands came up to her face as she let her fingers brush against her lips, savouring the taste of him on her. She ran her tongue along her bottom lip. Later, she thought, later.
Sighing she turned back to the table and continued polishing it till it glowed. Gwen hummed even more cheerfully than she had before adding words to her tune. A few moments later Isabel came back into the hall a bottle of some sort of cleaning mixture in her hand.
“Back, here’s hoping this concoction works” Her voice rang out while she waved a bottle about and took her place over the stain that refused to move. Gwen mumbled her hello. Isabel looked at Gwen strangely as she knelt down, her eyebrows raised far up on her forehead and her emerald eyes squinting with curiosity.
“What’s with you?” She said her voice echoing round the hall.
“Mmm” Gwen replied dreamily
“What’s up with you, you’re grinning like mad” she repeated. Humour could be detected in every symbol.
“Am I?”
“Yes, like a fool” she chortled “like Merlin.” Isabel laughed louder as she squeezed some of the mixture onto the ground and began scrubbing at the floor again.
Gwen beamed; she didn’t mind looking like Merlin, at this moment in time she was quite happy to in fact. She let her mind wonder to the events that would unfold this evening and to the man whose arms she would end up wrapped in.