Gwen was standing at the window, staring out of it, at what, Arthur wasn't quite sure. It had been an exhausting day, with petitions after petitions, news of floods in some of the border villages and a petty quarrel between two kingdoms some distance away. As Arthur had sat in the council room, dealing with all these, Gwen had sat with him, listening to him grumble and whine, giving suggestions and generally just making him remember that he wasn't alone.

Someone had put fresh flowers on the table in their chambers and Arthur snagged a stalk, then walked over to Gwen, slipping one arm around her waist.

"For you," he murmured, kissing her temple.

Amusement danced in her eyes as she took the flower from him, twisting the stalk before tucking it behind her ear. "I picked those."

"And very beautiful flowers, they are. Like you."

Tilting her head back so Arthur could access her throat, he felt the rumble of a laugh beneath his lips. "Did you want me to do something?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of me doing something for you." He dipped his head lower, trailing his tongue over the swell of her breasts.

Her hands cupped his face, lifting it. "That sounds like a wonderful idea." Then, she kissed him, her lips warm and soft over his.

Sticky, sated and sleepy, Arthur tucked his very naked wife closed to him.

"What do you think we are doing in the other universe?"

Arthur cracked open one eye. It was just like Gwen to want to indulge in serious conversation after sex. He just wanted to sleep. He shrugged. "Maybe they are in that huge tub." Arthur slid one hand down her stomach, to where she was still wet. "And maybe, that Arthur is taking the chance to explore that Guinevere's body, feeling her here and here -"

Against him, Gwen wriggled as a slight moan escaped. "Tell me more."

They had drank their soup in silence and now, after the attentive and clearly curious waiter had delivered their main course, it seemed like they were going to sit through the steak in silence too. Aside from a stiff smile and nod on her arrival, Gwen had studiously avoided his gaze since and responded to attempts at conversation with yes, no and monosyllabic grunts. Worse, she had addressed him as Your Highness.

"Gwen."

She stopped her scrutiny of her dish and looked up at him.

Arthur placed his cutlery down on the table. "Why did you agree to lunch? It seems to me that you would rather be anywhere else."

Her tongue darted out, wetting her lips and reminding Arthur of the taste and feel of her lips against his. "It was different there."

And she wasn't wrong. Just organising this date had taken days between both their schedules and just two days ago, they had a long argument over some investments he wanted to make. He had ended the argument by pointing out he was King and she had given him that smile she reserved for him, the one that told him loudly that he was an arrogant fool. Then, she had swiped her things off the table and marched out, sweetly saying she would make the necessary arrangements for the investments. So used to this, none of his other staff even blinked at the whole thing.

"If you are still angry about the investments in -"

"It is always foolish to invest in your friends," said Gwen archly. "But it isn't my money and you are, as you reminded me, King. Of course I am not angry."

He took her hand, relieved when she didn't pull away. "I like that you stand up to me."

Her expression softened.

"And I have always been attracted to you. You know that."

Gwen chewed on her bottom lip but kept her eyes on him. Then, she let out a sigh. "As much as it pains me, I am attracted to you too. But you're difficult and you make me so angry sometimes."

"That happens when you're king," said Arthur, letting himself relax a little. "People tend to let you get away with anything."

"I'm glad you are self-aware," said Gwen but now she was smiling too.

He turned her hand over and traced random lines on her palm. "We have been here to discuss financial stuff before, haven't we?"

Gwen nodded.

With his free hand, Arthur summoned the waiter. "Can we have the bill?"

"We haven't finished," said Gwen once the waiter left the table. "And I am hungry."

"Do you like fish and chips?"

Gwen frowned. "Sure."

"Good." Arthur stood. "Let's go somewhere where we can be Arthur and Gwen, not the King and his finance manager."

Water lapped at his bare feet and Arthur laughed as Gwen licked at her ice-cream cone frantically, trying to stop it from dripping onto her hand.

"You have ice-cream on your nose."

"How did you manage you eat your ice-cream without getting it all over yourself?" Gwen asked with a pout, increasing her adorableness many folds.

Without thinking, he stepped forward and kissed her nose. When he stepped back, a flush covered Gwen's face. Then, to his surprise, she tiptoed and kissed him. Arthur quickly slipped his arms around her, securing her to him and deepening the kiss.

The kiss was as good as he remembered.

"My ice-cream!" Gwen pulled away from the kiss and looked down at her ice-cream in dismay. All that was left was an empty cone.

Arthur took her sticky, ice-cream covered hand, relieving it of the cone. Then, gently, he kissed her fingers, the taste of her skin and mint mixing into the most arousing taste. Gwen's moan was barely audible over the sound of the sea and gulls, but it went straight to Arthur's groin.

He licked her palm.

She gripped his shoulder with her free hand.

If he didn't stop right now, he was going to pull Gwen down to the sand and sex on the beach was never as good in reality as it was in people's imagination. So he kissed her hand, then released his hold on her. The heat in her eyes almost made Arthur change his mind.

Gwen touched his cheek. "You ate all my ice-cream."

"Here's the cone," said Arthur with a grin.

Later, as the sun started to set, after Gwen had washed up in Arthur's beach house, they settled on a towel on the sand. Her head rested on his shoulder and he draped his arm loosely around her shoulders. There had been more kissing and some talking and lots of laughing.

"It's not going to be easy."

Gwen moved so she was looking up at him.

"I'm going to annoy you and you're going to annoy me." Arthur slid his fingers through hers. "But I think it'll be worth it."

The softness in Gwen's gaze disappeared and in its place was a familiar expression, one she wore whenever she was in serious thought. He traced the lines between her eyes.

"We had a fun afternoon together," Arthur said, the fear that she might not agree suddenly gripping him.

She nodded. "We can't just run away to your beach house all the time."

"No, but we can sometimes. When we forget how good it can be between us. When you're upset at me because I'm being a stubborn fool. When I'm frustrated at you because you won't bend the rules for the King."

Then, when Gwen didn't say anything, Arthur kissed her.

"You're playing dirty," she murmured against his lips.

"Always," said Arthur before kissing her again.

"Fine. I'm a sucker for a King who can kiss." This time, she kissed him, her tongue sliding against his, her hand sliding under his shirt.

Arthur laughed, then pushed her so she lay on the sand and he could kiss her properly. And maybe sex on the beach wouldn't be too bad.

AN: Just a short epilogue to wrap things up. I hope you enjoyed it.