This was written in responce to a challenge on "Merlin Fanfiction Challenges" challenge 2:phobias - hope you enjoy it!
Arthur couldn't believe it. He was in a position he never thought he would be in. Here he was, the crown-prince of Camelot, scared in a corner because of a…..spider. Spider. He hated spiders. In fact, he despised them. They were eight legged evils which had a habit of scaring himself silly, although most of the time Merlin was there to help. This time he wasn't, this time a big, hairy spider was crawling across the floor and he was alone, in a room lit only by candlelight. With a spider. He heard someone come in but was too scared to turn around and loose sight of the creature, if he knew where it was he could get Merlin to….take it to a better place. "Merlin, is that you?" he asked, his voice stuttering as the spider moved again. "No my lord, its Gwen" said the female voice behind him. Guinevere. He desperately wanted to turn around, to see her, to prove he wasn't scared. But he couldn't.
"Why are you here?" he replied, still stuttering, if he could only just look at both the spider and Guinevere!
"I came in to say hello but if you don't want to talk then that's fine…" she trailed off, Arthur could tell she was hurt. As much as it scared him to turn away, he had to. "Guinevere I didn't mean it like that…I was just….looking at something" he said, that should work, he thought to himself as he turned around.
"Well I couldn't see anything except from a spider" she answered, looking past him towards the eight legged creature he had just torn himself away from. He had to come clean, she would think he was an idiot- but it was the only way. "It was the spider I was looking at" he sighed, "I was watching where it was going because I didn't want it to hide and come out later." He shrugged and one side of his lips curled into a half smile. "Why are you ashamed?" she replied, her head tilted to one side.
"Because the prince of Camelot who has fought monsters, won jousts and is the future ruler of Camelot…shouldn't be afraid of spiders." He said, clearly ashamed. Gwen looked at him, for all his arrogance, power and strength, Arthur was afraid of spiders? "Arthur, it's nothing to be ashamed of" she said looking into his eyes.
"If it's nothing to be ashamed of, what are you afraid of?" he asked her, relaxing but still ashamed that he admitted his phobia.
"If you really want to know….I'm afraid of the ……the…..dark" she let out, looking down as he cheeks flushed.
"Really?" he said, grinning at her phobia.
"I don't know what your laughing at, you're afraid of spiders! They only come out occasionally; I have to walk home in the dark all the time!" she exclaimed. He noticed that he had stepped out of line and offended her; he really shouldn't have laughed. "I'm sorry" he replied, "But I never imagined someone like you to be afraid of something like that- then again I'm a fine one to talk." He smirked, relieved that, after his apology, her eyes had stopped smouldering and she was smiling back at him. He stepped forward, closing the small distance between them. "I'll tell you what," he said, taking her hand in his "If you get the spider, I'll walk you home in the dark- then neither of us will be scared tonight" she looked up at him, he was so caring, although no-one but herself and Merlin really ever saw that. "Ok, but on one condition" she replied, peering at the spider which had stayed still since they started talking, almost as though it was watching. "What's that?" he asked, a puzzled look on his face. "I don't kill it" she answered simply. He looked at the spider, they really shouldn't exist…..but he had to agree, he knew it was right. "Ok, but can you please get it out." He sighed again, she really did make him give in a lot more than he used to. She walked past him, letting go of his hand and encouraged the spider into her hands. Arthurs stomach flipped as he saw a hairy, horrible creature in a lovely, petite hand of Guinevere's. His Guinevere. She took it to the window, and opening it, placed the spider in one wall. She then closed the window and walked towards him. "All done" she said, looking happy as always when she was around Arthur for a long period of time. Arthur took her arm in his, "Now I believe, Guinevere, it is my part of the bargain" let her arm slip out of his as he put his arm around her. It was moments like this, late at night when everybody was asleep- that he loved. He could care for Guinevere, love her, be with her….even help her with her phobias.