Gwen felt like screaming, she had been stuck looking after Arthur's cousin and she was grating on her nerves and she had only been in her care an hour. The way her voice squeaked at you when she spoke, she had never heard the like, she was a demanding little brat and she had seen her fair share here, to know she was the worst.
"GWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN" she screeched and a shiver ran down her spine as she tried to escape.
She took a deep breath, stay calm Gwen, stay calm "Yes my Lady"
She turned to look at the young lady, she was about sixteen and her hair was golden like Arthur's. Her face was pretty if you look past her constant scowl and then she laughed and Gwen jumped for the fourth time this hour.
"DON'T look so scared GWENIE...I won't bite" she pretended to bite and kept laughing like some sort of farm animal.
"I am not scared, my lady...may I be of service to you" the young girl looked her up and down in disgust.
"Well you can start by not embarrassing me!"
"I am sorry" had she heard right, she had been here an hour and she was embarrassing the little...
"Yerrrrrrrrrrs you heard me, look at you" she got up and forced her to look in the mirror, all Gwen saw was Gwen, nothing too embarrassing there.
Arabella looked at her and to the mirror "See it's mortifying, I cannot walk around with you like" she gestured with her hand "THAT"
Her blood felt like it was boiling up "I am sorry my lady, but no one has ever complained before" again she jumped as she snorted like a pig.
"Have you seen these people around here, they are not exactly the best dressed" snort, snort
Someone get me out of here. She had been asked to look after Arabella for the next two days by Uther and pretty much got told to keep her happy, or else.
"If you can excuse my ignorance, what exactly is wrong with my attire" she held onto her hands so they did not go around her throat.
She looked at her like she had just dribbled "Well for a start, your hair" she picked a curl up with her hand and gave her another dirty look. "Then the dress and the face it's all wrong, wrong, wrong"
Gwen bit her lip "What do you suggest I do with my face" RIP IT OFF, she felt like shouting.
The girls face screwed up "Well a miracle would help"
Gwen stood there mouth open and the girl rolled her eyes "Well I have dealt with many problem cases, but I believe you are the worst... sit!"
"I really have some washing to get on with" she tried.
"SIT...IT IS AN ORDER...or do I need to tell my Uncle about your disobedience?" she couldn't believe she pulled that one.
Gwen sat down on her chair deflated, her stomach churning...what on earth did she have planned for her?
"Now relax this might take a while" she snorted again accidently spitting on her face.
The next few hours was torture, Arabella bringing in help from other servants as Gwen was obviously that bad! Then she started torturing her with metal devices, at one point she seemed like she was going to pick her eyes out, only to realise with some relief she was attacking her eyebrows. Have mercy did she have any left, she felt like crying her hair being pulled everywhere, her face being pocked and prodded and no mirror.
When the torture had finally stopped and her face felt like it would stop stinging. The girl went through the wardrobe finding an outfit better suited. She doubted anything would fit her, she was the same height but figure wise, Gwen was blessed with a lot more!
"Here" She thrust the dress into her hands and then looked at her "WELL put it on GWENIE"
She grabbed the garment and went to try and escape "NO in here" .
She went behind her divider and took her perfectly good dress off and pulled the gold dress on. It made it past her hips but once she tried to do up the front no chance.
"COME On GWENIE...we can't wait" she could hear the giggles from the other maids.
"I cannot do it up" can this day get any worse?
Arabella came around the corner "Well you are too FAT...let me see" Great I am fat too.
She pulled hard and Gwen thought her ribs would break "Can't breathe" she squeaked as the last tie was done up.
"Stop moaning, looking good is not always comfortable" she dragged her out of the corner and shoved her again in front of the mirror.
Whether it was the lack of air or not, she didn't know who was standing in front of the mirror. She blinked her eyes and gradually she came in focus. Her hair no longer curly but straight, he nice busy eyebrows were now small thin ones and her face was full of all sorts of colours....she looked ridiculous and the dress was so tight her chest bulged on top, leaving nothing to the imagination.
The gasps from the other maids, who had now stopped laughing made her turn around.
"Well" Arabella clapped her hands congratulating herself.
Through gritted teeth "Thank you my lady" this earned a smile from her.
"Now....let's take you out, show you off" she felt like a toy she had just picked up and now was going to parade her around town looking like a doll. Ground please swallow me up.
"My lady I have chores to do" someone help me.
"Nonsense" she looked at the other two maids "You can do her chores, let's go I wanted to see my beloved ARTHUR" she snorted and grabbed her arm dragging her out of the safety of the room.
NO please...the last thing she needed was Arthur laughing at her.
She dragged her everywhere and thank fully so far had not seen Arthur.
"OY YOU" she screeched and Gwen saw Merlin turn around, his face was comical...first the look of disgust at Arabella then his eyes fell on her and Gwen blushed at his stare, his mouth dropped open.
"STOP GAWPING BOY" Merlin finally shut his mouth.
"My lady" he bowed but his eyes remained on Gwen.
"Where is your Masterrrrrr" her voice grated on both of them.
"Prince Arthur....is in his chambers" Gwen's stomach gurgled with fear as she was being dragged past Merlin, she looked back at him.
"You look hot!" he shouted after her, a big grin on his face.
Gwen mouthed 'HELP' and she heard Merlin's laughter all the way down the corridor.
Arrabella knocked on the door and the Gwen hoped Arthur had slipped out "COME IN" her heart beat faster and she looked to the ground.
"WELL COME ON" she shouted at Gwen and she opened the door for her.
Arthur was sitting on his table, reading parchments.
His eyes rose to look at her and it was not the reaction she expected, no laughing. He just sighed and looked back down.
"Arabella, Guinevere....what can I do for you?" she could see he was not concentrating on what he was doing anymore.
"Welll" she came bounding over to him "You could spend some time with your cousin" she snorted and laughed and Gwen could see Arthur cringe.
"I am unfortunately busy" she sighed and proceeded to sit on his paper work.
"ARTHURRRRR" he finally raised his eyes to look at her. He had not seen his cousin for years, but even those long years had not made her easier to tolerate.
"What have you been up to already?" he tried to make polite conversation, still not looking at Guinevere.
"Can you not see, I had to fix my maid that took all morning" she rolled her eyes.
Arthur finally looked at Guinevere "Then you have wasted your time because she did not need fixing"
Gwen blushed and Arabella did not seem to notice the comment.
"Of course she did...she was positively plain"
"Real beauty does not need fine clothes and heavy colours" she snorted again, looking at Guinevere as if trying to spot what he was talking about.
Guinevere just stared into his blue eyes, her heart beat faster and she felt like pushing the little pig out of the way and kissing him.
"Well...quite honestly I think you have been drinking, I see no beauty here apart from me" she waited for a confirmation from Arthur but he did not comply.
"Of course you wouldn't....now you can leave" she felt slightly annoyed that he would not play with her, she huffed and walked out of the room.
Gwen bowed at Arthur "My lord" as she went to leave he grabbed her hand.
"It's only for a few days and then I can get my Guinevere back" her hand tingled with the warmth of his and she looked at him.
"Thank you, for what you said before" she felt her cheeks heat up again.
He grabbed a piece of her straight hair "Think nothing of it, it was the truth...curly is much better" she licked her lips and they got closer, her eyes focused on his perfect mouth.
And then they both jumped back before their lips touched as the screech came from down the corridor "GWENNNIIEEEE"
She had to laugh, so did he "She really does grate doesn't she?" he rubbed the back of his head laughing.
Gwen just smiled "Yes" she turned to leave, the kiss would have to wait for another day.
"Guinevere" she turned around once more.
"I suggest you cover up a bit...I would not want to have to harm everyman that lay his eyes on you" she looked down to her bulging chest and blushed feeling very underdressed and she made a quick exit.
Maybe today was not so bad after all when a hansome prince thinks she is beautiful.