Title: A Lesson From The Shadows
Rating: M
Characters: Gwen, Arthur, Morgana
Pairings: Arthur/Morgana, some Merlin/Gwen, Morgana/Gwen friendship (and definite slight girl crush)
Spoilers: None
Warnings: Reasonably smutty in a het way...
Summary: Gwen really is an innocent girl and, with no mother or sisters to talk to, she sometimes has to learn things in surprising ways.
Gwen hadn't meant to return to Morgana's rooms that afternoon. Her father was feeling a little under the weather that day and Morgana had happily allowed her to leave early so she could cook him a proper meal and take care of him. He'd not been so happy about that though. He was pleased to see her of course but he'd spent most of the time she'd been there fretting about the matter, reminding her of how she shouldn't take liberties and how she was privileged to have such a trusted position at the castle. He'd worried so much in fact that she'd finally agreed to go back if only to settle his nerves.
She returned up the rear stairs, the ones that only she used, that led directly to Morgana's bed chamber. She'd noticed earlier that the embroidery on one of the blankets had unravelled a little and she'd decided that she could spend the time usefully by fixing it.
As she entered the room she was surprised to hear her mistress's voice in the adjoining chamber. Morgana had told her that Arthur was taking her riding that afternoon. Gwen had smiled at that, noting that he'd certainly been attentive since their engagement had been announced, leaving Morgana smiling too, but saying no more.
Gwen was about to walk into the other room, to ask what had happened, when she came to a sudden halt, seeing through the slightly open door that Morgana was not alone.
"Honestly Morgana," Arthur was saying, tugging at his tunic, displaying a tear where the sleeve was only half attached, "did you really have to rip quite such a hole? I rather liked this tunic."
"Well if I hadn't grabbed you," she pointed out lightly, "you would have fallen in that stream."
"Only because you pushed me," he reasoned, almost incredulous.
"Then you shouldn't have made such ill comments about my riding," she said flippantly, retrieving a needle and thread from the dresser draw. "And I did offer to sew it for you, didn't I?"
"Yes," he said in a sarcastic drawl, "and let's just hope your needlework is better than your horse control."
She gave him a very dry look.
He simply chuckled, undid his belt and peeled off his tunic. He threw the garment in her direction revealing, without any coyness, a very handsome torso indeed.
Still hidden behind the half closed door, Gwen blushed furiously and knew that she should leave at once. Yet she found herself still rooted to the spot, half in fear of discovery and half in intrigue. She reasoned that Morgana must have seen him in such a state of undress before because she gave no reaction to such a fine sight. Either that or she was made of much stronger stuff than Gwen was.
As Morgana began to sew, Arthur sat on the edge of the table, watching her carefully for a few moments. His fingers reached out, playing with tendrils of her long, dark hair and she smiled but said nothing. As the silence continued, he seemed to become quickly bored, looking around for something to occupy him. Finally, just as Gwen had regained her wits and was about to leave, his eyes settled back on Morgana again and a smile, that Gwen could only describe as wicked, played across his face.
He stood decisively, taking the tunic from Morgana's hands and placing it on the side table. She looked at him with a curious eye but his only answer was to walk back across, pull her to her feet and kiss her very thoroughly indeed. Amazingly, she seemed somehow even more dainty and elegant against his broad chest and shoulders, his strong arms entwining her as he drew her close.
"What do you think you're doing?" she asked breathlessly when he pulled away, the fight not quite gone from her despite such persuasion.
"Taking payment for my ruined tunic," he replied simply with a playful gleam in his eye.
"I said I'd fix it," she reasoned.
"Then consider this a thank you for that instead."
He kissed her again, stopping her tongue before she could argue further.
Gwen knew she really should go now but she found herself oddly transfixed by the young lovers. She'd been kissed before, chastely by boys who had then grinned and run away. She had never been kissed with such raw passion as Arthur was kissing Morgana in that moment though. Like he desired her more than anything else he possessed, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other hand sliding up her back and winding in her hair.
Gwen jumped a little in surprise when Arthur released the other woman momentarily and used an arm to sweep the items on her large table away, everything clattering noisily to the floor. He then swiftly turned back and lifted Morgana with ease, laying her down on the surface in an impressive display of both strength and gentleness.
"How am I supposed to explain that to Gwen?" she complained, her skin flushed as he leant over her.
"Tell her you tore a gown and had a fit of rage," he teased.
She laughed a little at that, going to slap his arm in admonishment but he quickly caught her wrist and then kept his eyes locked with hers as he ran, slow, deliberate kisses all the way up her arm and neck until he finally captured her lips again. She writhed beneath him as he lay his body down on hers, her hands running over his bare back. She didn't seem shocked or unsettled by such things as Gwen might have expected she would be. In fact, from the way Morgana was moving beneath him in such delighted anticipation, it appeared as if this was not the first time he'd done this to her.
Arthur kissed her throat and shoulder hungrily and Gwen's attention was so held by the rapturous expression on the other woman's face that she didn't realise where one of his hands had gone. It was only when Morgana's back suddenly arched, a groan tumbling from her lips that Gwen noticed he'd slid a hand up her skirt, leaving one of her slender legs exposed.
Gwen had no idea what he might be doing but it seemed to be pleasurable because Morgana gripped his hair and pulled him in for a hard kiss as a reward. She didn't seem to care that they were still several months from marriage and their behaviour would be considered utterly scandalous.
"Where did such a nice man learn such wicked things?" she asked after a moment, her head tilted back as he kissed her neck and then the swell of her breasts.
He smiled against her skin. "Men talk," he explained, "many take great pride in how well they're able to please a woman."
"I hope you wouldn't talk about me in such a way," she said, punctuating it with a gasp as he continued to work whatever wonder he was doing.
"Never," he promised sincerely before a smile ghosted across his lips. "I'd be too afraid that you'd find out and I'd wake up one morning with a dagger in my-"
Her raised eyebrow stopped him.
"In somewhere precious to me," he concluded.
She smiled at that and then her body seemed to contort in pleasure, and his name flew from her lips in a heady moan.
Gwen's heart was absolutely thudding in her chest and she felt like the most sinful person alive but yet she still couldn't leave. She was enchanted by his strong back, muscles highlighted by the sheen of perspiration developing over them. She was absolutely transfixed by the expression of pleasure on Morgana's face, of how she arched into his touch, gasping and moaning in a wanton manner. Somehow she seemed to look even more beautiful like this, wild and at abandon.
Arthur's hips had begun to press rhythmically against her and his low groans mixed with hers, muffled when he buried his face in her hair as though he was concentrating greatly. He occasionally lifted his head to speak into her ear, to tell her how he loved and adored her, how beautiful and wonderful she was. How everything he possessed was hers. His usual arrogant and somewhat aloof demeanour seemed to have melted away, as if he was utterly lost in the woman lying beneath him.
He gasped, giving her the most heated look of undeniably lust as one of her hands slipped down between them and stroked across his groin.
"You shouldn't be doing that," he reminded her between heavy breaths.
"You shouldn't be doing what you are either," she countered, another movement of her hand all that it took to make him willingly surrender to whatever she wished.
The whole thing seemed to last for an age as far as Gwen was concerned but eventually it appeared to build a final high. Morgana's leg wrapped around his and her hands gripped his arms as she threw her head back, her body seeming to tremble most violently in a manner that would signal dreadful illness under any other circumstance. The movement of Arthur's hips lost its co-ordinated rhythm and he shuddered too, moaning her name in low desire before he stilled. After a moment, he lifted his head and looked down at the young woman beneath him, his face damp with perspiration and his breath still ragged. Then he smiled and gathered her into his arms as he sat up, holding her tight against him and kissing her with tenderness and clear love.
"Your father would have you in the stocks for that," she said as she pulled back a little, her forehead pressed against his and her fingers drawing light circles on his chest, giving him a playful smile.
"Then I suggest," Arthur replied, smiling back at her, "we don't tell him."
Gwen finally fled.
*****
That evening when Morgana at last returned from dinner, Gwen tried to pretend that nothing was wrong. She'd hidden herself from her mistress all afternoon, finding other jobs to occupy her time, but she knew she couldn't continue that forever. She'd returned to Morgana's chambers, telling herself that she was now utterly composed and totally unbothered by what she'd seen, but that was a clear lie and her awkward smiles and uncomfortable manner didn't go unnoticed.
Morgana asked her half a dozen times what the matter was, getting increasingly concerned until Gwen's resolve finally broke and she couldn't pretend any more.
"I came back early this afternoon," she confessed in a desperate rush, after Morgana had yet again asked what was troubling her, "and I saw you and Arthur...."
She didn't have to explain what she'd seen. Morgana gasped in horrified realisation, her hands flying to her mouth and she turned from the other woman as if she was no longer able to face her.
"I'm so sorry," Gwen said hurriedly. "I didn't mean to look."
But it wasn't that that really seemed to bother Morgana.
"Oh goodness," she moaned, sinking to a chair as though her legs had failed her. "You must think so ill of me. That I'm wicked and shameful."
"No!" Gwen quickly replied, utterly denying that.
Morgana looked at her, clearly not believing it.
But it really was the truth. Gwen knew Morgana. She wasn't a wanton by nature. She was just a young woman desperately in love with the man she was to marry and, even though Gwen knew she should think it wrong, she truly couldn't see the wickedness what they'd done.
She knelt down in front of Morgana, taking the other woman's hands reassuringly. "He'll be your husband within a few months and I know he loves you," she soothed. "I see no shame in you showing that in whatever way you see fit, as long as you're happy."
"I swear to you, Gwen," Morgana said solemnly, gripping Gwen's hands more tightly, desperate to ensure that she didn't to think badly of her, "we've been more reckless than we should but we haven't...What I mean to say is, I am still a maiden. You believe me, don't you?"
"Of course," Gwen said with a soft smile, not even questioning that. If Morgana said it was the truth then she believed her. Besides, her mistress had a sensible head and knew it would be utter madness to risk being with child before their wedding day. And, for Arthur's part, Gwen was sure he held Morgana in too high a regard to threaten her reputation in such a manner.
Seeing that Morgana appeared relieved by that, Gwen's expression turned into something warmer. "And I can't say I blame you for at least taking some action. He is very handsome."
Morgana finally smiled too, a blush tainting her porcelain cheeks.
The conversation stilled and it took Gwen a moment to muster her courage, causing Morgana to look at her with a curious frown.
"What is it?"
"I just...I wanted to ask you something," Gwen said nervously. "If you don't mind."
"Of course. Anything."
"What did it feel like?" she enquired hesitantly, embarrassed to be asking but still desperate to know. She had no mother or sisters to ask these things of and Morgana was the only woman she truly felt close to. "It's just...I hear the women in the village talking. They seem to say that being with their husbands is like a chore. That it's not pleasant at all."
Morgana smiled coyly, "Then perhaps their husbands aren't doing it right."
"Was it wonderful then?" Gwen asked, now smiling almost excitedly.
"When he touches me, my whole body feels like it's more alive than ever," Morgana admitted in a whisper, as though the confession was a relief of some sorts, like she'd been dying to tell someone.
Gwen's smile widened further.
"And when I'm in his arms," Morgana continued with a wistful look, "it feels like perfection."
"It's because he loves you," Gwen said warmly, "and wants to please you."
"Well, I will have to give him credit for some skill there."
Gwen shook her head, laughing, scandalised and thrilled by the other woman's brazenness. "You don't even seem scared," she pointed out in amazement. "About the wedding night, I mean. I think I'd be terrified."
"What for?"
"That it might be dreadful. That it might hurt."
She shrugged lightly, "Arthur's never been anything but gentle with me. I have no reason not to trust him."
"That must be nice," Gwen replied softly, her turn to be wistful now.
"It is," Morgana confirmed with a nod before brushing Gwen's cheek affectionately. "Which is why we really do have to find you a good man. I can't keep you with me forever."
"Oh I wouldn't mind that," Gwen said brightly and with total honesty. "When you have children I want to be there to help."
"And I want you to be happy with your own life," Morgana countered solemnly before a more teasing look came to her face. "Perhaps you could be so with Merlin, for instance."
"Oh," Gwen said, instinctively going for a denial, standing up and turning away in case Morgana caught her blush, "I don't think of him like that,"
"But I bet you could do."
"No!" she exclaimed, but her smile betrayed her.
"Go on," Morgana encouraged wickedly. "Just think of it for a moment. You pressed against him, lying beneath him, his hands on you, his lips..."
For the smallest moment she gave into temptation and did so. She had no idea what the expression on her face must look like but it certainly made Morgana smile.
"See?" she said gently. "Apparently not so bad after all."
Startled and embarrassed Gwen hurriedly announced, "I have work to do." Then she rushed into the bed chamber, needing to be alone.
"You'll be thinking about that all night now," Morgana called after her, a hint of laughter in her voice.
Much to Gwen's shame but to her equal delight, the other woman was right.