I DISCLAIM EVERYTHING
This is a series of drabbles for Camelot Fest Challenge One: Top 5 AG episodes. I did a drabble for each prompt so I hope you all enjoy. Top Episode number two is 3X10 – Queen of Hearts, all of these drabbles are set in that episode (including Morgana's vision) or in an AU version of it (ex: modern AU) and so without further ado…
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Prompt: Picnic
Word count: 363
Characters: Arthur and Merlin w/ mentions of Gwen and Morgana
When Morgana suggested that he take Guinevere out he was ecstatic, happy, practically bouncing off the walls and then he realized: he had no idea what to do. He didn't think she'd enjoy watching him train his knights and it's not like he could take her to the tavern. Perhaps they could have dinner at her house like they did when he stayed there. Though thinking over it, that dinner didn't end well and that was no one's fault but his own and he wanted to do something they hadn't done before but what?
As he was thinking he didn't hear Merlin come into the room.
"Ooh, you're thinking. You know how dangerous that can be." The impertinent servant commented as he walked around Arthur's room picking up discarded clothes here and there. Arthur stared at Merlin undecidedly. Dare he ask?
"I can feel your eyes boring holes into my back." Merlin said, not turning around.
"I just wanted to ask, I mean, that is I wanted to know if you knew…" Merlin turned around with an amused look on his face as Arthur stammered over his words.
"Is this about Gwen?" She's the only person Merlin knew that could get Arthur so tongue tied. Arthur glared at Merlin before speaking.
"Do you know what sort of things Guinevere might… enjoy for a day?"
"Enjoy?" Merlin's face turned up in confusion at the vague question.
"Yes, something she might enjoy on her free time."
"Are you trying to ask Gwen out on a day?" His smile returned tenfold.
"Maybe… it's none of your business!"
"Gwen might enjoy a picnic." Merlin suggested.
"Hmm, then I need you to prepare a basket and take a message to Guinevere asking if she might spend the day with me." Arthur said before he smiled.
"There, that wasn't so hard." His comment caused Merlin to frown.
"You didn't do anything, I'm the one who came up with it." Merlin and Arthur glared at one another until Merlin ran away and ducked as Arthur took up a goblet off his desk and threw it at Merlin. The prince was sure he would've come up with that answer anyway… eventually.
Prompt: Lace
Word count: 146
Characters: Arthur and Guinevere
The addition of lace to the sleeves of Guinevere's coronation dress had actually been Arthur's idea. Gwen never pegged him for having a particularly fashionable eye, which is part of the reason why he sticks to chainmail, but he had been surprisingly insistent about it. Gwen hadn't really kicked up a fuss about anything to do with the dress apart from the color, she wanted purple incorporated somehow.
When she finally came around to asking him about it he had said that the favor she had given him on the day they first kissed was cotton and lace. At first he only noticed the cotton of it but then as he stared further, looked deeper, the lace became apparent. It had always been there, he just hadn't paid attention before. She understood the double entendre in his words so she pushed adamantly for lace as well.
Prompt: Cuddle
Word count: 746
Characters: Arthur and Guinevere w/ mentions of Uther and Elyan
As soon as his father let him go after they spoke at length about his responsibilities to Camelot and his bloodline by marrying for the good of the kingdom and producing legitimate heirs Arthur went to his room, grabbed his blue cloak and snuck out of the palace. He needed to see Gwen, especially if she were to be banished. He needed to be in her presence, he had to hold her, had to know she was okay, he had to know that she was safe and far away from his father's closed mind. He slipped quietly in the night towards her cottage and knocked on the door quietly as he looked around to make sure no one was around.
"Who is it?" He heard Gwen's voice ask. It sounded kind of hoarse and scratchy like she had been crying, not that that was a surprise. His father had banished her from the only home she ever knew.
"It's William." He answered in their code. It was silent before the door slowly opened to reveal Gwen peeking out cautiously at him.
"Can I come in?" He asked almost timidly. Gwen hesitated before nodding and opening the door wider. He slipped into her humble home, took off his hood once the door was closed and then turned to face her. They stood in her house staring at each other neither of them speaking, neither knew what to say. The events of the last few days were extremely trying. One minute they were blissfully happy and then the next Arthur was faced with the prospect of living knowing that his father sent the love of his life, the queen of his heart, away. Arthur cleared his throat before speaking.
"Where's Elyan?"
"He had some business to attend to outside of the city. He doesn't want me to go alone so he's tying up loose ends for his own departure." Gwen replied with her scratchy voice now more evident. Arthur sighed a deep breath before speaking.
"Guinevere, I am so sorry. I tried to convince my father not to banish you but he wouldn't listen, he wouldn't… I'm sorry."
"It was not your fault." She protested but he spoke his head in disagreement.
"I should've used more discretion, I should've kept an ear out. If I had known-"
"Arthur-" Gwen said, cutting into his voice before he could begin to rant.
"I don't blame you. These ridiculous customs, they won't change under Uther and we knew that." Arthur looked down as tears gathered in his eyes, he wanted to be strong for her but he was finding it so hard. He could hear Gwen breathe out his name before her footsteps made haste towards him as a small sob escaped unbidden from his mouth. He could feel tears coming down and his breathe coming heavier, it felt like he was panicking. He could feel Gwen's hands come upon his cheeks and make him look up at her face. She had started crying when he did.
"I don't want to lose you." He told her and she stroked away his tears.
"I don't want to lose you either but we don't have a choice." Gwen replied tearfully.
"What if I came with you?"
"You can't."
"Why not?" He asked almost petulantly.
"You're the crown prince, one day you will be king. You have to remain here, this is where you belong, this is your place."
"My place is with you, I belong with you."
"Not according to Uther, you don't." That caused the tears anew on Arthur's face.
"I…" Gwen said hesitantly before swallowing, squaring her shoulders and looking him straight in the eyes.
"I love you." She said with such conviction it almost shook him to the core.
"I know I haven't said it enough and if this is the last time I'll get to say it…" He shook his head in the negative.
"Shh, I'll find a way to fix this. I'll find a way for us to be together." Gwen wrapped her arms around Arthur's as tears became hot on her cheeks and he wrapped her in his own arms, his tears spilling onto her head. This couldn't be the last time they held each other, they couldn't accept that. Yet there was an ominous sense of foreboding hanging over their heads. They didn't address it though, they just held each other as tightly as they could and cried at the unfairness of it all.
Prompt: Dawn
Word count: 319
Characters: Guinevere w/ mentions of Tom, Merlin, Arthur, Uther and Morgana
Guinevere didn't want to turn around and face the window because soon the sun would be rising and it would be dawn. The sun would rise in a beautiful array of warm colors and it would be the day of her execution. How did she even get here? Her father killed by Uther's tyranny and now she would be killed by his closed mindedness. How was this her reality?
How?
How?
How?
Then there was a flash through her mind.
Arthur.
It was always Arthur. Even when she was young, before he had turned into a bully due to the company he kept, back when they were preteens. It used to be him, her and Morgana running through the castle together as friends and then they got older and he became a prat who she couldn't stand.
Then it all changed.
Merlin came and Arthur slowly evolved, much like the night itself slowly evolved into day. He became brighter and more noticeable and beautiful. His true self shined through his arrogant outer exterior more and more, much like the dawn. He grew into the man she loved, the man she kept denying herself, even tried to move on from but it never worked. Her love for him was as inevitable as the sunrise. And she loved, she loved him, she loved him so much but it was so hard to say the words because she never wanted to get her hopes up. She knew they couldn't ever be, she took a leap of faith and now she was on her way to the pyre. However, she couldn't bring herself to regret it because after at least getting to experience love she felt she lived a life she could be proud of and it was because he was a part of it. She turned towards the window as dawn approached, she wasn't afraid of it anymore. She faced it bravely.
Prompt: Oblivious
Word Count: 337
Characters: Arthur w/ mentions of Uther, Guinevere, Morgana and Merlin
Though he would say otherwise to Merlin, when it came to Guinevere Arthur was completely transparent. The truth was he did it on purpose. He wanted his father to find out about them on his own, he wanted him to notice how much Arthur loved Gwen for himself. He didn't know what he thought would happen after that. Maybe he thought that his father would just accept them because of Arthur's feelings. Maybe he naively thought Uther just wouldn't care. Maybe he thought his father would give his blessing but Uther just remained silent to it all, unseeing, oblivious.
He never noticed the little lingering touches during dinner, he never noticed the shivers that went through his son's spine when his fingers brushed his beloved's, he never noticed the spaced out look on Arthur's face as he stared at a blushing Gwen who stood behind Morgana, he never noticed the lack of time Arthur had to spare for him and it went unspoken about. Uther had a renewed interest in Morgana due to the year she was gone and so Arthur took advantage and spent his free time with Guinevere. Uther was none the wiser and slowly Arthur began to be fine with this but then his father had to find them in an undeniably compromising position and it was all downhill from there.
Arthur didn't know what he expected, it was stupid to think his father would approve but when it was all over Uther went right back to being oblivious. He didn't think Arthur could love Gwen, he didn't think her pretty enough or smart enough or wise enough or prudent enough and that was putting aside the fact that she was a servant. Arthur let his father think whatever he wanted from then on out, if it saved Gwen's life he could go on thinking Gwen wasn't worth so much as a second glance. Arthur knew better, he knew Gwen's worth but he also knew his father would forever remain oblivious to that fact.
Prompt: Camping
Word Count: 599
Characters: Arthur and Guinevere w/ mentions of Merlin, Elyan, Uther, Morgana and Gwaine
Guinevere never liked camping much, her mother hadn't either. Even though when they were alive her father had taken every chance he could to take his entire family on camping and hunting trips, Gwen never really took to it. What was the point of staying in the woods for extended periods of time to "commiserate with nature" when there was so much work to get done back at home? It seemed a waste of time to her yet now she silently thanked her father for the skills he forced her to hone because now that she was being forced from the only home she knew she was using them like she never had before.
Guinevere sighed and looked around at their little rest spot for the night. Merlin and Elyan, who had left with her and Arthur, were asleep not too far from where she sat staring at the fire. Arthur wasn't too far away either, he was keeping watch. She still couldn't believe he came with her. She had arduously tried to convince him not to abandon Camelot or his duties, not to leave because his father would be broken hearted and Morgana would be sad with him gone (though that lie had tasted bitter on her tongue) but Arthur was steadfast in his decision to come with her. They were going to stay with Gwaine. Merlin had somehow contacted him and found out that he was living in Odin's lands and though it was danger for Arthur to be there, they knew that Uther wouldn't come looking for them there simply because he couldn't.
Guinevere looked back at Arthur with concern, she didn't believe he was as okay with leaving as he said he was. She got up and walked towards him, slipping her hand into his. He looked down at her with a smile before kissing the top of her forehead and looking back out into the forest.
"Are you sure-" Gwen started but Arthur cut her off.
"Gwen-"
"I know what you said but you've lived your whole life as a prince, as royalty. Camelot is the only home you've known same as me. I don't think you should've given that up least of all for me. I mean-"
"Guinevere," He said in that way that made her immediately stop talking.
"I'm sure about this. I love you, okay? I'd give up the kingdom a hundred times over for you."
"But did you really have to give up your rights to the throne?"
"I said I would, didn't I? And I don't regret it for a moment." Guinevere still looked doubtful at that.
"You know someone once told me that saying something doesn't really mean anything if your actions betray you." Arthur told her, giving her a knowing smile. She looked at him as she remembered that conversation.
"And who gave you that silly advice?" She asked ruefully.
"Oh, just this girl I fell in love with. I don't know if you know her. She's only the most beautiful person I've ever met both inside and out. She's strong, wise, caring, sometimes prone to ranting yet always right in the end."
"Sounds a bit pretentious." Gwen commented playing along with him, not noticing that they had turned to one another and were stepping closer and closer together.
"She's no such thing! I'd be lost without her."
"I believed she'd be the same without you."
Arthur smiled at her words before leaning in to press his lips to hers. She still hated camping vehemently but it was definitely less annoying with Arthur there.
Prompt: Consort
Word Count: 238
Characters: Arthur and Guinevere w/ mentions of Merlin, Elyan, Gaius, Uther, Lancelot, Mithian and Elena
Arthur stood at the end of the aisle as Gwen walked closer, it was finally that day, the day he would crown Guinevere as his queen. They had fought so hard to get to this point and it was finally here. Through all the hurt and pain and fighting they were finally in this room on this day and they couldn't keep the smiles off their faces. He had almost watched her walk away from him with Lancelot because of his own stupidity, he had almost himself married Elena and Mithian, he had almost watched her die at his own father's hand and now through it all he was finally king and able to do as he saw fit, able to marry who he saw fit and it was Guinevere, it was always her. They had married two days prior and shared their wedding bed, though it wasn't the first time they had been intimate together. Now she walked ever closer to him and soon they would walk into the future together.
Merlin, Gaius and Elyan were in the front row and looked on proudly as Gwen leaned down onto the pillow before Arthur and he pronounced her Queen while placing the crown onto her head. They smiled at each other before he helped her stand and they sat upon the throne together for the first time as King Arthur Pendragon and Queen Guinevere Pendragon.
Prompt: Coffee
Word Count: 808 (Modern AU)
Characters: Guinevere, Lancelot and Arthur mentions of Uther, Merlin and Morgana
It had been two weeks. Two weeks since she last saw her boyfriend, Arthur Pendragon. Two weeks since his father found out about them and practically blew up. He didn't want Arthur mingling with so calling "commoners".
He thinks he's better than everyone else because he's got noble blood and has some wealth. He's a wanker is what he is. She thought angrily as she drank her coffee at the shop she and Arthur go to frequently.
Arthur's sister, Morgana, had tipped their father off to the relationship. Guinevere assumed it was because she wanted their father to disown Arthur so she could gain most of the inheritance over Arthur. Morgana was a witch of a woman but she was just like her father. Arthur was different, or so Gwen believed but she hadn't heard anything from him since then. She's tried calling but received no answer, she wouldn't dare go to the mansion where he lived with his father and sister and he hadn't been seen by any of his close friends. She was worried he left the country or Uther decided to lock him away in a tall tower like Rapunzel. She wouldn't put it past him.
"Anything else?" She looked up at her waiter, Lancelot. He was new, having started around the time of the blow up. He was good looking and nice and flirted with her everyday but she was busy waiting for Arthur. Sometimes she wondered if she should give up on him, Lancelot really did seem nice but her heart wouldn't be in it and that wasn't fair to anyone.
"Um, I think I'm good. Thanks." She answered.
"You know, you come in here alone every day and stare out that window like you're waiting for someone." He commented.
"I am waiting. They just never show up." She replied sadly.
"Maybe you should stop waiting, stop looking out the window and look elsewhere." Lancelot suggested with a nonchalant voice but Gwen knew what he was really saying, what he was asking. She supposed she owed it to herself to move on. She was about to turn and answer him when she caught a flash of gold in the crowded street. She immediately stood up in her chair and tried peering through the crowd. Soon it thinned out and she had a clear line of vision to Arthur. He stood sheepishly on the sidewalk with a small smile on his face looking directly at her with a remorseful, apologetic expression clear on his sun kissed face.
"Excuse me for a moment Lancelot."
"Of course." She could hear the disappointment in his voice but she kept on her way outside. She walked out of the shop and stopped a few feet away from him, close to the coffee shop door. They stood staring at each other for a few moments before Guinevere spoke.
"I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation for where the hell you've been the last two weeks?" She questioned more than stated in a neutral tone.
"I was with my father, trying to convince him that you were a good person and that I loved you and I wanted to be with you."
"And how'd that go?"
"Not well, to be honest." He replied. Gwen raised her eyebrows at that but she was unsurprised. Uther would never change.
"He gave me a choice: I could be with you, lose out on my inheritance and be disowned from the family or leave you and my future would remain secure." Gwen felt a little fear spike in her chest, Arthur didn't really indicate what he had chosen.
"And?" She asked, secretly proud her voice held steady.
"And I should probably apologize for the way I picked on Merlin when he got out of college because house hunting isn't nearly as easy as I thought it was. Neither is job hunting…" Gwen breathed out deeply in relief at his words.
"…but thankfully Merlin managed to get me a job at the architectural firm he works at because you know I've got those degrees in engineering and art that I've never had to use anyway because of the family money which I of course now have no right or access to..." Gwen listened to Arthur ramble and could feel tears welling up in her eyes and a smile starting to appear on her face.
"…I think my father's severely underestimated me. I can live amongst "the commoners" just fine and further more-" Arthur was cut off when Gwen ran to him and threw her arms around his neck happily. Arthur smiled and returned the embrace, burying his nose in her curls. He had missed her arms.
"I love you." She whispered into his ear.
"I love you too." He said back without hesitation. He would choose her a thousand times without a second thought.
Prompt: Touch
Word Count: 437
Characters: Arthur, Guinevere, Uther and Morgana mentions of Merlin and Gaius
Guinevere was being dragged away from him whilst his father, Morgana, Merlin and Gaius watched. His love was being sentenced to death for something she didn't do. She was to be killed simply because he loved her. He had thought his father cruel before but this was a whole new level of apathy. He couldn't believe his father's actions. Just earlier they were happy to get away to spend time together and now he couldn't even touch her, he was as restrained as her.
She's going to die. She's going to burn. She's not going to be here anymore. His mind taunted. Time seemed to move in slow motion.
One second his mind was sending him images of Gwen burning while he screamed in anguish at the base of her pyre.
The next second a burst of energy made him break away from the guards.
The next: he was running to her, he knew he wouldn't get far with her. There was nowhere to run, he left his sword like the idiot he claimed Merlin to be.
The next: his arm was around her waist and he did the only thing he could think of, he touched his lips upon hers.
The next: their lips touched and touched again in a desperate bid to remember the feel of the other's, especially if this was to be their last kiss. A kiss that was a stark contrast to the one they'd shared two days prior.
The next: the guards were pulling them away again, out of each other's reach. He knew they wouldn't let him get away this time. He told her he'd always love her and he meant it. His eyes never strayed from her as she was pulled away and when she was finally out of sight he turned to his father with such accusation in his eyes Uther was paralyzed by it.
"I swear by everything that I hold dear, I swear by this kingdom and everyone within it, if you kill Guin-Guinevere… I will leave this kingdom. I will relinquish my entitlement to the throne and leave your precious Camelot heirless. I will never forgive you. I will hate you always and forever." Morgana raised her eyebrow at Arthur's conviction and the hate already growing in his eyes. Perhaps they were more alike than she thought. Uther walked down the steps of the throne and touched Arthur upon his shoulder but Arthur jerked away and stalked out of the room with the guards and Merlin close behind him. He didn't want Uther tainting the memory of the touch he had shared with his Guinevere.