Um, this story is a bit... how should I say it? Well, it focuses mainly on the night after Arthur and Gwen get married. Use your reasoning skills to figure out what that means. And thank you to JustineofQueens for pointing out that this is a coronation, not a wedding. I noticed that, too... right after I finished writing it. But at that point I was just like "I don't give a sh*t, I'm keeping it like that. And I'm too lazy to actually rewrite it. So just look over that little detail. Perhaps one day, I'll fix it. But don't hold your breath. :)
Gwen kissed Arthur with a kind of passion she had never experienced before. It rose in her like a fire, begging to be explored. There was only one thought in her mind: she needed Arthur. She needed him to touch her like he had never done before. She needed him to kiss her with the intent of going further. She needed him to love her.
Only hours before, Gwen had been nervously waiting outside the King's hall. She was dressed in an intricate light purple dress more beautiful than anything she had ever worn. The moment found her sitting on the floor outside the hall door, head in hands. She knew the whole castle was waiting for her to open the door and greet her King, but the sudden burst of emotion had overwhelmed her. She struggled to stay calm; the only thing keeping her from losing her mind completely was the fact that her best friend Merlin was there with her.
"Why are you so worried?" Merlin asked her. "This is what you want, right?"
"Yes, of course it is," Gwen answered quickly and softly. "Don't ask such a ridiculous question that you obviously know the answer to."
"It's just that… Marriage. It's so… final."
"Yeah, Merlin, that's really not helping," Gwen said.
"Sorry," Merlin apologized immediately. "My Queen," he added, smirking.
"Shut up, Merlin. I'm not a Queen yet. And I never will be if I don't get down the hall." Merlin stopped teasing Gwen and took on a serious tone.
"You love Arthur," he reminded the soon-to-be Queen. Gwen nodded. "Close your eyes." She obeyed. "Picture his face. Remember the first time he kissed you." The corners of Gwen's mouth twitched upward. "Think of how many times you thought you two were over, yet here you are now, minutes from marriage. It's because you love each other, Gwen. You can't get enough of each other. So stand up, open this door, run to the man you love, and marry him already."
Gwen summoned all her strength and managed to stand up. She looked at Merlin.
"Thank you, Merlin," she said, embracing him quickly. "You really are a true friend to me." She nodded slowly and straightened herself. She took a deep breath and opened the door to the hall.
Every person in the room turned to look at her. She was suddenly very self-conscious, but she managed to hide it behind a smile that betrayed none of her uneasiness. Suddenly, all the feeling left her the second she set her eyes on Arthur. He looked beautiful, standing there and waiting for her. She took a breath and kept herself under control. Except now, she was trying to hide her excitement. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally reached Arthur.
"You look so beautiful," Arthur murmured, just loud enough for her to hear. She had been thinking the exact same thing. She knelt before him and closed her eyes.
"By the sacred laws vested in me," Arthur began. Gwen's heart leapt. "I pronounce you Guinevere, Queen of Camelot." Gwen opened her eyes again, a sense of calm rushing over her. She looked up at Arthur lovingly and took his hand. She stood up and walked to her new throne. She looked out into the crowd of people – her people. All the faces, all showing the same emotion.
Even though some disapproved of Gwen's class, they had long since given up hope of trying to dissuade Arthur. His heart had been set since the day he had proposed, and they all could tell. Besides, they could put away their petty complaints, as their main duty remained to Camelot. If there was a new Queen, it was their job to accept and support the change.
Gwen smiled and looked over at her new husband, and he did the same. Everything after that moment was a blur to Gwen. The love and happiness had clouded her vision from everything except Arthur's face. They had eaten, Gwen could remember that. And then after their meal, Gwen and Arthur had returned to Arthur's chambers.
As they were kissing, Arthur suddenly picked Gwen up, never breaking the contact. Gwen kicked her legs around Arthur's waist and clung on to him tightly. Her fingers wove themselves through Arthur's blond hair.
Arthur slowly walked over to his bed and lowered Gwen onto it. She let go of him and allowed herself to breathe heavily for a few seconds before Arthur began kissing her again. His lips brushed her forehead, her cheeks, her neck. Gwen shivered with delight, and Arthur smiled. He looked at her for a second, then began kissing her lips again.
His hands made their way to her waist and down her thighs. He kissed her neck again, the part where a necklace pendant would normally lay. Gwen sharply sucked in a breath of air. Arthur froze and looked up at her. Too much? his eyes asked. Not enough, hers answered. His lips brushed by her ear and he whispered one word, "Wait."
Gwen waited for Arthur to do whatever he was going to do. And she was glad she did. Arthur had taken off his shirt, exposing his muscular arms and chest. He climbed onto his bed next to Gwen and lay down.
One of her hands ran down his arm, and one stayed stationary on his chest. She leaned in to kiss him, his cold bare skin brushing against hers. The flames inside her rose hotter in contradiction to the coolness of Arthur's body. She pressed herself against him and her lips pressed themselves against his. She couldn't get enough of him; she didn't want to get enough of him.
She finally broke the kiss, and her lips touched his chest. Arthur cupped his hand underneath her chin and brought it up so that he could kiss her again. He placed his hands on either side of her small waist and rolled on top of her. He trapped Gwen underneath himself, but it was a good kind of entrapment, more like protection than anything else.
Arthur leaned down to kiss her yet again. Gwen's eyes closed, and she let herself go. She put her hands in Arthur's hair again and pushed his face closer to hers. Arthur began kissing her neck again, and her lips parted in an o of pleasure. Gwen's happiness grew deeper as Arthur's lips ventured lower. Arthur started playing with the knots that held Gwen's dress on her body. After a while, Gwen couldn't take it anymore. She reached behind her and pulled out the knots in one fluid motion, revealing herself to Arthur.
Arthur didn't move for a few moments.
"You are so beautiful," he whispered to Gwen. She smiled at him.
"And so are you," she said. Gwen went for another kiss. Arthur happily obliged. One hand stroked her masses of curls while the other tickled her bare back. Gwen smiled at Arthur and urged him to continue. She pressed her body against his, teasing him. Arthur took the bait. He began kissing and touching every inch of her body. Gwen loved the feeling, but something was wrong. She finally figured out what it was, and her hands immediately started working on unbuckling Arthur's belt. As soon as he realized what was happening, he went to grab Gwen's wrist.
"I trust you," Gwen said. "I want this to happen." Arthur nodded slowly and let Gwen continue where she had left off. Soon, she had gotten Arthur's trousers off. They were both lying under the covers, completely naked.
Gwen made her way on top of Arthur. She closed any gaps between them and began kissing Arthur again. He kissed her back with the same passion from before. Gwen nuzzled in closer to Arthur, her hands exploring him.
"I love you so much," she told him quietly.
"I love you too."
The next morning, Gwen woke up first. She and Arthur were entangled in a sort of a hug, with their arms and legs intertwined. Gwen looked at Arthur and smiled. Their first night together had gone perfectly. She woke Arthur with a small kiss.
As he regained consciousness, he began to smile, too. He leaned in and kissed Gwen slowly, very differently from the night before. Gwen and Arthur were reluctant to separate themselves from each other, but they knew they would eventually have to face the rest of the world.
Gwen finally got out of bed and looked at the ground. All their clothes were in heaps on the floor. She picked up Arthur's shirt and put it on, not wanting to change back into her dress. After all, the shirt was almost big enough to be a dress on her. Arthur smiled at her decision.
"You look very attractive in my clothes," he told her teasingly.
"You look very attractive not in your clothes," she said, winking at him. Arthur got out of bed and grabbed a pair of trousers to put on. He went over and hugged Gwen from behind. She looked up at him and their lips met for a kiss.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Gwen broke the kiss and went back to the bed to hide under the covers. Arthur opened the door, and a wave of annoyance flooded through him.
"Merlin! What are you doing here?"
"Well, sire, I didn't really know what to do for the whole 'morning' deal. I thought I would let you…sleep in, but sire, it's nearly afternoon." Arthur's anger faded. "I don't suppose you want me to make up your bed yet?" Merlin asked, awkwardly waving to Gwen. She smiled back.
"No, Merlin. You may leave," Arthur said shortly, slamming the door in Merlin's face.
As soon as the door was shut, Gwen let out a laugh. Arthur couldn't help but join her. She got out of bed again and put on extra clothes of Arthur's.
"I will have to gather my possessions and move them here," Gwen said. "Especially the clothes."
"Nonsense," Arthur replied. "You're the Queen. You can have new clothes made for you. And Merlin will bring all your things up to the castle." Gwen went over to Arthur and kissed him. So what do I do now, as a Queen?" Gwen giggled at the word.
"Whatever you want. But first, I have to have a word with Merlin. Stay here, I'll be right back."
Arthur ran through the castle and caught up with Merlin.
"Excuse me, sire," Merlin said playfully, "but what do you want me to do in the mornings now? Should I still wake you? Or should I wait? You know, because of your new… sleeping arrangements."
"That's a good question Merlin. You know what I think?"
"Yes, sire?"
"Shut. Up."
"Yes, sire."