The Once and Future Pirate

Chapter 1

Guinevere looked around her tidy house. She had been sweeping the floors and washing the pots all day in order to keep her mind off things. Morgana had betrayed them all and she didn't know what to do with herself all day now that she had no one to tidy up after.

She began to get bored and decided to go and visit Arthur in the palace. On her way there she bumped into Merlin. He had a strange expression on his face.

"You're not going to see Arthur, are you?" he asked

"Why, yes, I am. Is that a problem?" she replied calmly. She was used to Merlin and his funny moods. She didn't even want to know what had troubled him this time.

"I don't think that's a very good idea. Arthur's really busy with other things like… umm…" he paled. He had never been a good liar and Gwen always knew even on the rare occasion when he put up a good charade.

"What's going on, Merlin?" She wasn't in the mood for games. She just wanted a straight answer, and she could tell by Merlin's face she wasn't going to like it.

"He has… company. He is also a little bit drunk. He and the other knights went to the tavern earlier."

Gwen frowned to herself. She hoped her brother, Elyan, hadn't been drinking. If she found out he had been he would have hell to pay. Her attention then snapped back to Merlin. What had he said? Arthur had company? Arthur seldom took anyone to his chambers and even if he did it certainly wasn't when he had been drinking.

"Company?" she inquired. She tried not to sound too interested in case Merlin stopped telling her completely. "What kind of company?"

"Umm… well…" Merlin stammered.

Gwen finally lost her patience. "Just tell me who he is with, Merlin!"

"I don't know who she is" he replied, holding his hands up as if to surrender.

"She?" Gwen asked, her voice beginning to edge near hysteria.

"Sorry! I have to go!" Merlin said. He was as pale as a ghost now. Gwen was really worrying. Who was this girl Arthur was with? Well, if he expected her to just sit in her house and wait for him to finish talking to his lady friend then he was very much mistaken.

She stormed straight into the palace and only stopped her vigorous marching when she came to stand outside Arthur's door.

She began having second thoughts. What if it was someone visiting from outside the Kingdom, and he was just talking to her? Well, if that were the case, she would just say she was in to make the beds. She was a servant after all. She opened the door, not even bothering to knock, and found Arthur kissing some brunette she had never seen before in her life. She gasped out loud as Arthur turned his head away from the woman to look at Gwen. His eyes were glassy, and she could tell instantly that he was more than just a little bit drunk.

"Oh my god… Gwen!" He managed. He didn't seem in a fit state to be talking but he seemed to be able to use his mouth well enough when he had it all over that woman! Gwen was furious, and quite rightly. She had just found the man who claimed he loved her kissing another woman. She turned on her heel and stormed out the door and ran all the way back to her house.

She heard no pursuit.