Notes: This is just a couple of little scenes set after 4x13.
"What were you doing?" Gwen shivered as Arthur's re-opened the never to be healed wound again.
They had danced this dance often since they had wed, if she even talked to another man, her betrayal with Lancelot would be brought up again. Arthur didn't trust her and she doubted he ever would again and to be honest she couldn't blame him.
"I do not understand your meaning?" Guinevere always found it best to let Arthur voice his actual concerns, rather than guess.
Arthur's hands went to his hips his blue eyes piercing her heart. "You don't understand?"
"No Arthur, is it about Prince Alian?" Gwen took slow breaths to calm down. The Prince had been visiting and during his welcome feast Guinevere could only remember talking to the Prince for a very short time...she tried to think back to the conversation to see if anything would upset Arthur.
Arthur let out a breath of air "Prince Alian I hear you are a skilled swordsman" Arthur's voice went up an octave as he tried to imitate Guinevere.
Gwen held her tongue she knew he hadn't finished. "Or...how about the fact that your eyes never left his" he moved closer a look of distain on his face.
"Arthur...please" Arthur could see the hurt in her eyes, but he couldn't stop himself.
"Please what! please don't bring MY WIFE, MY QUEEN to any official event as she can't help but flirt with anyone with a title!"
Gwen's mouth dropped open "Flirt? Arthur how can anything I have said or done this evening be seen as flirting?"
She knew he was about to point out everything she had said, Gwen sighed, she had been told the importance of making the Prince feel welcome during his visit. But flirting, there is nothing she had said or done to be taken as that. "Arthur please this has to stop" she placed a hand on Arthur's arm that was still firmly on his hips "I know I do not deserve your trust, but I cannot be your Queen if every man you feel threatened by causes us to argue"
Arthur pulled away and she knew she had used the wrong words "Threatened by! Threatened ha, please I could kill him with a flick of my wrist. Threatened?"
Gwen knew she had to change tactics, when Arthur was like this it was very difficult to talk him out of it. She moved closer to him "Arthur" her words softened and her hand went up to his cheek "You are My Husband, My King, and you know you are the strongest, most handsome man I have ever laid eyes on" Arthur looked at her and she knew she had a chance to not ruin the entire evening. "You are the only man I love and you are the only man I have ever given myself too"
Arthur's shoulders relaxed and she knew he could not argue with that.
"I know I do not deserve it, but please Arthur I love you and only you and no other man will ever come between us again!" Gwen stroked his cheek allowing her words to sink in. Arthur relaxed his shoulders.
"Sorry" his words were said in almost a whisper as he leaned his head against hers.
Gwen knew this would not be the last of moments like this, moments were Arthur would remember her in the arms of Lancelot. Guinevere's heart ached. She had always believed she knew who she was, that she would never betray Arthur. I mean she had waited for him for years...and even when there had seemed like there was no hope of Arthur and her being together she had never even thought about another man. But that night, she felt sick thinking of it. Arthur kissed her slowly and the thoughts of the past slowly drifted away for now.
The discovery
As the words sunk in Guinevere's knees went weak and she fell to the floor "Guinevere was enchanted?" she heard Arthur repeat and someone helped her to stand. The tears started flowing, of course, why did she not see it before? She felt Arthur's arms go around her and she sobbed into his warm chest. For months she had lived in this hell of self loathing and now she had been told it was not her fault. That her character was as she had hoped it would be. "I should have known" Arthur pulled Guinevere back to look at her, through the tears she could see his concerned look "Forgive me Guinevere, I should have known. All I have said and put you through, the times..."
"Shhhh" Guinevere silenced him with a kiss, Arthur had taken her back despite all that had gone on. He had nothing to apologise for, she only held anger for herself for not putting it together sooner... the bracelet. How could see have forgotten how she had felt her mind clear the moment she threw it across the floor. How could she not have seen the difference in Lancelot?
"I will never doubt you again" and Arthur took all dark thoughts of the past away with another kiss, leaving only the golden sun blazing in their future.