What happens if for one moment your life gets turned upside down?
Guinevere was making her way back from another feast, she was exhausted all of the men had, had way too much wine for her liking and they had started to be very loud and obnoxious.
She made her way with another jug of wine towards the main hall when one of the guards approached her.
"The king has requested your presence" he said.
"Of course" Gwen said, it was rare that Uther requested her help.
The guard led her to his chambers, Gwen started to feel a bit nervous and shook it off, I mean she had been in Arthurs and The kings chambers many times serving, today should be no different.
As she entered the King was holding himself up against his bed post, he was completely intoxicated.
"Excellent yeeesss she will do" Uther clapped his hands together; she suspected that he didn't even know her name, he was too drunk.
Gwen's stomach disappeared and she felt sick, she curtsied to him as she heard the guard leave.
"My lord" she said.
He staggered over to her and stroked her face, she shivered at his touch.
"You Very Beautiful" he slurred at her, his breath stunk like one too many jugs of wine.
"Thank you My Lord" She didn't look at him, she tried to move away from him but his grip was too tight on her arm "If you will excuse me, I am expected" she said raising the jug of wine in her hand.
He smiled and took the jug of wine off, of her, Gwen started to leave but he had grabbed her by the arm again.
"Stay, you shall keep your king company tonight" he slurred and spun her round to face him.
She knew she was in a very bad situation to refuse the king would certainly mean her death. She cringed as she tried to think of any way to get herself out of the situation, he pushed her back against the wall and kissed her, she tried to move her face away and kick anything she could, but he had her pinned against the wall using her wrists, she winced in pain. She then heard a ripping sound and then a thud and suddenly she was free Uther was on the floor and Arthur was standing in front of her, at this she felt her knees buckle and then darkness.
Five minutes before
Merlin saw the guard walk with Gwen to Uthers room and ran to find Arthur.
He found Arthur downing a glass of wine with his knights.
"Arthur I need to talk to you" he said urgently.
"Later MERLIN can't you see I am busy" he said clinking his goblet with the other knights.
"CAMELOT" he said loudly and they all cheered.
"NOW Arthur, this is important" Merlin said looking at him seriously.
"Excuse me, my IDIOT of a servant wants something" he said moving away from them.
"WHAT is it MERLIN" he said.
"Your father has taken GUINEVERE to his bed chambers" he said quietly.
"WHAT! are you sure?" Arthur said sobering up immediately as if someone had chucked a bucket of cold water on his face.
Merlin nodded and with that Arthur was off to his father's chambers.
"What are you going to do?" Merlin said out of breath.
Arthur was angry and his main concern was getting Guinevere away from his drunken father.
He dismissed the Guards and burst into the room. He found his father pinning Guinevere up against the wall kissing her, he hit him over the back of the head with the biggest object he could find. Uther went down immediately and Guinevere, he caught her just before she hit the ground.
"Shut the door Merlin" Arthur said.
He shut the door and walked over to Arthur cradling Guinevere in his arms, his eyes were black with anger.
"Make sure the path is clear, I need to get her out of here" Arthur said angrily.
Merlin opened the doors and checked the corridor he beckoned for Arthur to follow. Arthur had wrapped his cloak around Guinevere and carried her following Merlin, they ducked in and out of passages until they final came through the servants entrance of Arthurs chambers, he laid Guinevere on the bed.
"What are you going to do?" Merlin said concerned.
"I want to Kill him" he said honestly stroking a hair away from Gwen's face.
Merlin didn't know what to say, the fact is when they walked in and saw Uther all over Gwen he thought Arthur would run him through with his sword, but he didn't.
"I think she has just passed out" Merlin said looking at her, "should I fetch Gauis?"
Arthur was grinding his teeth "I think the least people involved the better" he said honestly "If she needs him when she comes around I will fetch him, but for now stay with her, I need to sort HIM out" he said, he couldn't even use his name.
"What are you going to do?" Merlin said as Arthur started to leave.
"I know you want to kill him, he seemed drunk maybe he didn't know what he was doing" Merlin added, if Arthur killed his father he knew it would be the end of everything.
Arthur said nothing and made his way back to his Fathers room. He felt sick, his father had taken it too far, he knew that some of the maid's liked the company of the king, but not Guinevere, he knew she would never agree to that. He was angry; he wanted to tear him apart.
As he entered Uther's chambers he was still unconscious on the floor, he picked his father up and threw him carelessly on the bed, he lifted Uther's chin and poured more wine down his throat, not really caring if he choked on it, he spilled the remainder all over him and placed an empty jug on his bed.
The concussion he had given him, along with the hangover he hoped would be enough for him not to remember the night's events. Looking at the scene he had laid out, he looked down on him with venom.
"The very essence of you disgusts me and if any lasting harm has come to her or if you even look at her the wrong way again, I will kill you" he said and turned to leave.
He was furious and he wanted to take her away from here, far away.
When he entered his chambers he found Merlin hugging Gwen.
When Arthur saw her face his heart broke, her eyes were burning with a mixture of emotions. He hung his head in shame.
Gwen pulled herself away from Merlin's hug and Merlin turned to see Arthur standing there.
He stood up and stepped away from the bed.
"I shall fetch something for Gwen to eat" he said making his excuses.
Gwen had kept Arthurs cloak wrapped around her and pulled her knees up to her chest.
Arthur made his way to sit on the bed.
"I know words are not enough, but I am sorry" he said not looking at her.
"Not your fault" she whispered in a voice that did not sound like her own.
He raised his eyes to look at her.
"Did he...." he tried to say Hurt you but words fail.
She shook her head and said quietly "No"
He wanted to hold her, he wanted to take her away from all this as he was thinking, he noticed the cloak that had been protecting her gently fell away. Showing her dress, which had been ripped at the shoulders and was being held by a thin piece of thread, she shivered. He noticed her exposed skin and he instinctively grabbed a tunic from his bed, and gently placed it over her head and she placed her arms through it.
"Thank you" she said
He shook his head and placed his hands on his face in shame "I am so sorry Guinevere"
She placed her hands on his and pulled them away from his face.
"This is not your fault Arthur, you may treat me with more respect, but I am not ignorant to the opinion certain men have of someone in my position" she said finding her voice again.
"No man has the right to do that..... I will never let anything happen to you again" He took a few deep breaths, to calm down "I wish you were not in this situation at all, that men like my father did not exist" he said honestly.
"You should not risk yourself for me Arthur" she said quietly.
He looked at her "I would die for you Guinevere" he said almost in a whisper.
"Is the King....." she said not knowing how to finish, despite the fact that she wished he were dead a thousand times since he killed her father and after tonight, she did not want it to be at Arthurs hands.
"He will have a bad head in the morning and probably remember nothing" he said making his hands into fists "When I saw what he did..."
"Arthur don't" she said holding his fists, he turned her hands gently around in his and saw the bruises starting to develop.
She moved them away from him to hide them.
"Please don't, not for me you" she said.
"It took everything I had not to Kill him for even touching you, for even thinking about you in that way" he said looking away from her.
She raised her hand gently and placed it on his cheek "One day Camelot will be run, by a good and fair man who treats people with respect no matter their station...... but for today we suffer at the hands of someone less honourable" she said quietly.
He lifted her hand and kissed it gently.
"I cannot leave this, Guinevere, I cannot fear that he will get drunk again and harm you..... I cannot bear it" he said softly still gently holding onto her hand. "I don't want to worry about you every night" he said softly.
"He was just drunk; I doubt he knew who I was.... I have been a servant in Camelot most of my life and my virtue has not been ........." she said softly but did not finish the sentence, but blushed slightly.
He stroked her cheek lightly "And that is how it should stay, until you choose otherwise, or until we marry" he said honestly, he thought to the day of their wedding, he dreamed of it most nights.
"I cannot allow myself to hold that dream" she said looking down.
He half smiled "That dream is the only reason I wake up in the morning" he said softly.
A single tear dropped down her face, she had refused to cry over what had happened tonight, she would not upset Arthur more by letting him see her that way. But when he spoke of dreams and marriage a single tear betrayed her and ran down her face, not through fear or hurt but out of love and hope.
He brushed the tear away from her cheek "Can I hold you" he said almost in a whisper.
She nodded and he gently placed his arms around her, treating her so delicately, as if the slightest pressure would break her, she re-arranged her legs so she could be closer to him and he held onto her, she wrapped her arms around him, feeling completely safe.
"If I left tonight, would you come with me" Arthur said honestly. He was tired of this charade.
"I would, but it would be the wrong choice to make, leaving Camelot, abandoning your destiny" she said into his ear.
He sighed "What happens If the only destiny I want is you" he said quietly.
She moved away from his grip and looked at him.
"You have me" she said stroking his face, his eyes were a mixture of love, sadness and anger, she was always amazed how many emotions Arthur showed in his eyes.
"I have you in my heart, in my mind" he sighed "But I don't have you here" he said gently stroking her back. "I have to go around day after day, looking at you from a distance, not telling anyone what is in my heart, I want to shout it out Guinevere, I want to talk to you without fear, to hold you, to kiss you" he said looking slightly embarrassed.
She ran her fingers lightly through her hair, how can a day be mixed with such terror and then with such joy.
"If my hopes and dreams are anything to go by Arthur, we will have our day" she sighed and held onto him again.
"Then we live for dreams and for our time" he said softly as he gently stroked her back. He wanted more than anything to kiss her right now, but tonight was not the night for that, there will be plenty of others he thought and he would never let anyone near her again, even if he had to escort her home every night.
Merlin watched their interaction, not wishing to disturb this rare moment they have together. He knew Uther would not remember today, especially after the memory spell he had just performed on him and a few other nasty little spells that would make him uncomfortable for weeks. Merlin sighed he would do everything in his power to see them have their happy ending.
This is a bit experimental hope you like it, please review if you can – thank you