TheThirdTime'sACharm: Yep, this has been in my mind for a while and so I thought I'd write it down. Probably will be a Four-Shot or somethin'. Something short and fun. I'm trying my hand at humor or something remotely close to it, lol. Well, hope you like :)
Arturia didn't know when it had become a second nature, but it had already taken root and now she found herself, more than once a day, rubbing her progressively swelling belly. In fact she had her hand on the round right now as she stepped out of the car and looked at her new home. It was magnificent and she prided herself with being the one who found it.
Right now though it looked like a mess. The movers had just arrived and were already in the process of unloading all of their belongings into their home. Most of it lay on the front lawn and Arturia frowned, especially on what lay on the ground.
She walked up to the long box all wrapped with care and then picked it up, smiling fondly at it while holding it close to her bosom. This precious moment between owner and possession didn't last long as someone dashed before her and took the object from her arms.
Opening her mouth in protest, Arturia narrowed her eyes at her husband, "Mr. Duibhne, I would have you give that back to me this moment."
"I don't think so, Mrs. Duibhne," the dark-haired man teased while holding the long box out of his wife's reach. He then smiled affectionately and pressed the palm of his hand against Arturia's belly, a gesture that always calmed the expecting woman; no matter how many times her husband did this. "You are to be carrying nothing over five pounds until Baby Duibhne is born."
Arturia chuckled but still leaned up and kissed her husband in kind. "You worry too much. I still have some four months to go and my swords are not heavy at all."
"Combined together they add on some pounds," Her husband said with a wink.
Arturia could do nothing but chuckle and so nodded her head, saying, "Fine, then are you going to be moving everything around by yourself? Am I to just sit on the bed and wait out these remaining months in front of the TV?"
"If you want," was her answer as the man rolled his shoulders.
Arturia scoffed and slapped her husband on the arm before defiantly taking up a lamp and throwing her nose in the air and then walking into the house in her show of helping move their belongings. She could hear her husband laugh from behind her.
It was exciting, all of it. She and her husband, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne were world renowned gold medalists; each in their own categories. When at first it started with just fencing, Arturia decided to move on to Pentathlons since she had been an excellent swimmer as well as rider. Being in that category had sparked her curiosity to the other competitions like her own; the ones involving more than one skill. It was then her interest had been spurred by a Decathlon in where she had met Diarmuid who was the upcoming star athlete. He did not disappoint and won gold for Ireland, his home country.
Arturia was competing for Great Britain, herself being born in England, and so because of this split of flags the two hadn't gotten out on the right footing in the beginning. They had met, yes, they had accepted each other as friendly rivals . . . sort of. At first the Irish man had brushed Arturia off because she was a female and therefore her medals didn't add up to the medals those men competing for Great Britain would, because of this, no man from her country had won a medal in Diarmuid's field, the Irish man beat them all. But two could play at that game.
Arturia decided to do likewise and therefore no Irish woman every won in her category, both making desperately sure that certain nation would fail. Both took notice of the other's actions and so while away from the Olympics and nationals the two would secretly meet and do battle—in their own specialties.
If it was track and field, they raced. If it was the Long Jump, they jumped. If it was swimming, they swam. If it was fencing . . . well . . .
Diarmuid admitted to never having learned the skill but backed up the ability to wield a blade with bringing out his spear, much to Arturia's surprise. The two fought and called it a draw after three hours. The next time they dueled in such a fashion Diarmuid had surprised Arturia with two spears and both ended up in the hospital after receiving equal injuries and thus their feud received national news.
Then the fan clubs, and sometimes "Death Clubs" as they two named them, came. The reasons behind naming them so comes from the notion of receiving death threats in their mail, on their computers, in the public bathrooms, etc. from opposing teams. It got so troublesome that the two decided on friendly rivalry to announce to their fans to stop the threats and it had held them off for a time . . . until they married that is.
"That's right, new address, new county, new life," Arturia muttered to herself peacefully as she had opened the box sitting in the master bedroom that was labeled: Medals of Arturia Pendragon and in her own handwriting beside the neatly printed surname of hers was in parentheses: (Duibhne). Arturia smiled to herself, remembering when she had written it, a week after they had been married. Well she was feeling just as giddy as she was then and she concluded the moving to be her motivation this time.
Looking outside Arturia watched the movers continue to unload and then sighed to herself. "Did we honestly have that much? Sheesh."
This would be Arturia's first time living with Diarmuid. Sure they had been married for two years now, but from the constant traveling and training, they just never had the time to move their belongings into one humble abode—the child gave them an immediate reason to do so.
One again, as her thoughts traveled back to her child, Arturia smiled and began rubbing her belly. Lately she had been taking to dresses when before she preferred pants. Not because she was uncomfortable, but more along the lines that she wanted to set her mind into that of a mother and in her imagination as well as memory of her own mother, the women had worn dresses and so she adorned them as well. Her husband had not minded and in fact continued to compliment her on her attire as she rounded with his child.
Suddenly Arturia found herself bored with nothing to do and so turned back to her and Diarmuid's bed and checked all of the boxes, perhaps, she figured, she could do some unpacking and be of some use. With a sigh, Arturia noticed the boxes full of nothing but medals and trophies; be it recently or since kindergarten. Looking around again she eyed the dressers, both of which were barren and both of which were just too small for all the decorations and then she eyed the walls. With a roll of her shoulders she figured it would work and so now she set out to find a hammer and a few nails.
She looked down the staircase and noticed the movers and especially Diarmuid's attention was now on placing their living room furniture in their designated areas and so with a devious smile Arturia sat her bottom on the stair railing and slid down. She laughed to herself and made sure no one had seen her. No one had and so she moved on in her own mission.
Looking around she had figured the movers or at least the repairmen whom they had hired to fix up the place for them before they arrived had at least some kind of tool hanging around. Turning to the counters in her kitchen, Arturia smiled and scooted herself closer to that innocent looking black box. Flipping it open Arturia rummaged through the tools and held up the one she had been looking for: a hammer. Now for the nails . . . and behold there was a box of them sitting just under the hammer.
"What are you going to do with those?"
"The medals need a place to hang you know, some hammer and nailing won't harm m—AH!" Arturia jumped back and held the hammer before her as one would a fancy sword to the stranger in her home. "Who are you? ! How did you get here? !"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I noticed the movers and decided to offer some goodies to the new neighbors," the strange woman said with a smile as she pulled some locks of hair out of her eyes behind her ear. She then proceeded to offer a bowl full of home-baked brownies. Arturia loved anything home-baked, why? Because she couldn't cook worth a thing.
"T-Thank-you," Arturia said, pushing away her sudden startle and taking up a brownie and eating it, delicious. "You said "neighbors", do you live around here?"
The kind looking woman smiled and nodded. She pointed down Arturia's driveway to the house literally right next to theirs, both estates claiming a decent amount of acres and so they weren't right next to the other, but still next door neighbors.
"It has been some time before anyone's been in this house, it's nice to see people living here again. I hope we get to know each other pleasantly," she said with a smile.
Arturia offered her own smile just to be polite. She was not going to tell this woman her entrance was utterly unnecessary and downright creepy. It was when she caught the woman staring at her midsection that the silence was broken.
"Awww, you're a mother-to-be. May I?" The woman had asked, her eyes sparkling with awe. Arturia never really said no to a kind gesture, but seeing how she had just met this woman who was no less than her next-do-neighbor . . .
With a silent sigh, Arturia nodded and let the woman, about her own height, come up to her and place her hand upon her protruding belly. She watched her eyes widen even more in wonder and that toothy grin was really sweet.
"Amazing; the wonder of life. How we all start from here is just incomprehensible," she had said as she rubbed for a little while and then stood back straight. "Is it a boy or girl?"
"Don't know," Arturia said, flapping her arms against her sides. "My husband and I want it to be a surprise and so we refuse sonograms."
"Well, then a double blessing on you for loving the child no matter what they turn out to be," the woman said with a smile. "Might I catch your name?"
"Arturia, Arturia Duibhne," Arturia introduced herself and held out her hand to shake. The woman took her hand with a firmer shake than Arturia had expected. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Duibhne. But, I must admit that your name does sound familiar."
'Here we go,' Arturia thought and braced herself for the sudden recollection and admiration that usually followed after she'd introduce herself. Though, often times this only happened when she said her name as well as her maiden name. She hadn't been going by her married name since their marriage had been publically announced to ensure that she had not conceived her child outside of marriage. Oh no, what would her mother have said if she went on believing that?
"I know!" the woman said with a smile, raising her index finger as a show of recollection. "Your name is the exact same as that famous Olympian, Arturia Pendragon. You even look like her too. Crazy world."
"It is," Arturia nodded and looked around her, trying to find something as a means to get herself out of this awkward conversation with this creeper of a neighbor. 'I just so happen to be her, you dimwit.'
"While we're on that subject, did you know this street is named Olympian Court?" The woman's eyes just seemed to sparkle more and she was getting a little too close for Arturia's comfort, honestly, where was her husband? Didn't he notice his wife's distress of this intruder? Talk about lack of sensibility.
"Really? Well isn't that funny," Arturia said with a nervous laugh to go along with the woman's. And then she figured she'd humor herself some more by carrying on the conversation, "And why is that?"
"Because of so many Olympic Athletes living here one time or another," she said. "In fact an Olympian once lived here before he moved away five years ago, but there are still others."
"Really, where?" Now Arturia was officially interested. She loved intermingling with other athletes, always fun.
"Enkidu, are you quite finished? That Jacuzzi needs fixing."
You could tell Arturia was a little more than startled, but you could also tell her reflexes were of prim shape as she turned around quickly and swung the only thing in her hand at the sneak up-er; the hammer. It had definitely struck something as it bounced back from impact and the being behind her hit the floor fast.
"AH!" The one, presumably named Enkidu, gasped and with wide eyes looked down at the writhing human on the floor. "Gilgamesh!"
Arturia's eyes widened at the sight of the man holding his nose, lovely red getting all over her new kitchen floors, the groans though fell on deaf ears upon Arturia who was getting rather annoyed than frightened for the man's well-being.
"Stop popping up on me!" Arturia demanded, standing where she stood and watching Enkidu lean down and touch the man, helping him to his feet.
"This happens to be one of those Olympians," Enkidu said as she rubbed the man's back gently and took a cloth to his nose.
The blond simply shook the woman off and pointed at Arturia. "How dare you strike me with a blunt object? I could sue you!"
"You were on my property!" Arturia protested, shaking her hammer at the man and successfully making him back away from fear of another strike.
"I'd be careful, Gilgamesh," Enkidu warned, holding up the cloth to the man's nose once again. "I heard that pregnant women can snap at any minute due to hormonal imbalance."
'I'll show the both of you 'hormonal imbalance',' Arturia mentally threatened before she looked around and noticed the movers continuing to do their jobs, but her husband was nowhere in sight.
Alas, Arturia's wondering didn't last for long as her husband came around the corner with a box full of dishes in arm. He froze, stood still to analyze the situation before coming over to his wife and placing the box on the counter beside her. "Arturia . . . who are they?"
"Our next-door-neighbors," Arturia muttered, knowing the two weren't paying attention to them right now, Enkidu holding Gilgamesh over the sink to clean off the blood from his face, so Arturia found it best to roll her eyes receiving a raised brow of confusion from her husband.
"Stop, stop, stop!" Gilgamesh spat as he slapped Enkidu's hands away from his nostrils as she tried to clog them with paper towels. "I'll look like a fool!" The blond-haired man then leaned over toward a counter mirror and gentle touched the bridge of his nose. "Oh! Do you think I need surgery again?" He turned, looking at Enkidu, but the girl only shook her head with a shrug.
"You will if you don't let me see it," she said, motioning him back toward her, which he eventually complied, leaning down to the small girl to let her take a look.
It was as if the two weren't in a complete stranger's house.
Diarmuid nodded his head and pointed toward the two while looking at his wife with confusion. "You're telling me we have to live next-door to these two?"
Arturia nodded with a shrug. "Appears so." There she went again, subconsciously rubbing her belly and Diarmuid caught it. He smiled warmly but the smile vanished when his attention turned back to the two in his house.
"Greetings, neighbors. I don't believe we've met," Diarmuid said to call to their attention. Both turned, Enkidu smiled at him while the one named Gilgamesh sneered. It seemed they had just finished up patching Gilgamesh's nose so they could come to speaking terms.
"I'm Enkidu, and this is—"
"Gilgamesh," The older suddenly spoke up, though anyone could tell he was annoyed with the way his voice sounded from the tissue shoved up his nose. "You have a lovely place here, sir, but your wife on the other hand . . ." And there it was again, the sneer, but this time directed right at Arturia. Diarmuid didn't like that too much and so he stepped more in front of the woman just as she raised that hammer in her hand.
"A hammer, really, Arturia?" Diarmuid asked with a shake of his head while he took it out of his wife's hand and then handed it over to Enkidu for safe keeping. "I am sorry for what happened, but I would like to know why the two of you suddenly appeared in my house without permission."
"Brownies!" Enkidu said as he picked up the bowl and offered it to Diarmuid. Startled, Diarmuid backed away and examined the bowl full of goodies better. Before he could come to a conclusion as to what he was looking at he watched his wife's pale hand reach in and take one. Looking back he found her munching on the treat and as he questioned her with his eyes her only response was a couple pats to her belly.
"Forgive him," Gilgamesh spoke up. "He's like this with any new neighbor—god, you should have seen what he got for the last neighbors we had . . ."
Diarmuid and Arturia were silent. They shared a brief glance toward one another and tried hard not to show their unease. They both knew it; what the other was thinking, or had thought. Both turned their eyes back to Enkidu who was now munching on a brownie her—himself.
"Wait a second!" Suddenly Enkidu's face became quite serious as he looked at Arturia and then at Diarmuid before saying, "You're Diarmuid Ua Duibhne and you're his wife, right?" He looked at Arturia who nodded, sharing a confused glance at her husband before Enkidu snapped his fingers. "Tell me; were you by chance Arturia Pendragon?"
'Who did he think I was?' Arturia refused to let the nerve get to her and so she sighed and nodded saying, "I still am, yes."
"Ah! When had the two of you gotten married? !" Enkidu's eyes widened before he blushed and looked down. "Sorry . . . I haven't seen the news in a while."
"And for a good reason too, you rambler!" Gilgamesh spat before looking at the couple. "I hate to break up this fun chit-chat session, but I have an ambulance with my name on it waiting for me."
"Ambulance?" Diarmuid inquired.
"Wait, Gilgamesh, she's a gold medalist fencer and a winner many times at Pentathlons. Isn't it nice this court's coming true to its name again?" Enkidu asked as he skipped up behind the blonde's heel and tugged on his sleeve. Gilgamesh then turned around and examined the woman before his gaze stopped at her belly. He chuckled before waving his hand.
"Well she can't win anything with that thing. Besides, that competition isn't real Olympics."
"What? !" Arturia was more than offended. Years of her life she had spent training for those skills to win those competitions and to receive those gold medals. Who did this guy think he was? He certainly looked familiar but Arturia just couldn't figure out what his sport of choice was. "And just what do you play?"
"I don't play, I win. So says world records that I'm the best damn archer to ever grace this earth," Gilgamesh said with a smirk though the cockiness was shoved away by that little dribble of blood slowly running down the side of his nose. Everyone's eyes followed it much to his embarrassment before he turned and wiped it away.
"Oh, so you're that Gilgamesh," Diarmuid began with a smile. "I thought you lived in Iran."
The man rolled his shoulders. "Summer home."
"It is summer now," Diarmuid said, raising his brow, but Gilgamesh shrugged once more saying, "When I feel like it."
"I specialize in many ancient games myself," Diarmuid continued. "Decathlon."
Gilgamesh nodded; impressed. "I admire the traditional ways. None of this fake stuff." Again he looked at Arturia who sneered at him, even going as far to stick her tongue out at him. "Nonetheless, Enkidu's right. Since our neighbors last moved this court hasn't been the same. It'll be fun, seeing how lively this place gets when training begins."
"Got to get settled in first," Diarmuid said, motioning to all the boxes around.
"Still, it'd be pleasant to see you at the gym," Gilgamesh said as he reached out and shook Diarmuid's hand, both getting onto a better standing while Arturia looked on with silent threats toward the blond. Gilgamesh then turned back to his friend and motioned him to follow saying, "Come, Enkidu, I'm not riding that ambulance alone. You know what happened last time."
"I'm coming, Gilgamesh," Enkidu said as he placed the bowl of brownies down, already half-eaten by him. "Gotta run. It's been fun, neighbors, talk to you some other time!"
With that the two were gone. For a while Diarmuid and Arturia remained in silence before Diarmuid asked a question that he knew was plaguing both of their minds—
"What was that?"
"That is why I traveled," Arturia said before snatching up another brownie.
"You picked this place," Diarmuid said with a chuckle, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter.
"What, like there's a website that shows me where creepy neighbors lived? I didn't know," Arturia protested.
"You want to move?" Diarmuid asked, taking a look around. "It's a nice house but if you want to—"
"No," Arturia said, crossing her arms. "I'm not moving before he moves."
"Really? This isn't a stand-your-ground game," Diarmuid scolded. "Honestly, I'd place blame on the hormones too if I hadn't known you before you were expecting."
Shaking his head, Diarmuid pushed himself off the counter and left to finish moving their belongings around. Arturia gasped and called out to him, "Hey! What is that supposed to mean? !" But the man was gone and so Arturia huffed and finished off the brownies herself. That day she swore to herself that she was going to stay in her house and that her neighbors, particularly that rude one, wasn't going to force her to leave.
"This is my house," she muttered to herself while she finished off the last of the brownies. "I found it and I'm staying here, at least . . . until you arrive." She rubbed her belly once more and then sighed.
So much came with settling down in an actual house; getting settled, neighbors, the possibility of constant paparazzi, mobs, who knows what, but Arturia was intent on making this country her home and just as soon as her little one was born she'd get back to training.
She just wondered how much could happen in four months.
