Arthur was in his room doing paperwork. His father had instructed that he should be more involved with the kingdom. Instead of training all day, he would have to do paperwork, be on patrol, and watch as his father give verdict on situations in the kingdom.
If people only knew what being a prince was like…Arthur thought as he signed for a near by village to have a small patrol team to monitor their area being that there have been bandit incidents.
This is dull work…there's nothing fun about signing off things…I'd much rather be on patrol…at least I would be outside… Arthur complained. It was now summer and it was very warm. He could here the blissful chatter from the courtyard from his room, but he wouldn't be aloud out until this was finish. If he ever finished…
"Excuse me sire?" Arthur looked up to see Guinevere in the room with a laundry basket in hand. She was still wearing her lilac dress, but she had different kinds of flowers in her hair and her sleeves were rolled up. Like Arthur's. Arthur couldn't help but smile. She's so beautiful…knock it off Arthur! She's a serving girl…nothing more, nothing less.
"Yes Guinevere," all the same the young prince still loved his voice when he said her name. Well, he loved his voice period.
"It's Gwen," the young servant said without thinking. Arthur was shocked, barely anyone would ever correct him, none of them being servants. Though his amazement could never match Gwen, she was a humble girl, knew her place, but besides that she knew she needed the job…and it's not the prince's fault that he doesn't know that I prefer Gwen over Guinevere…Gwen thought. But…when he says my name…I like it much more than I ever did before… "I'm so sorry sire…but, I prefer Gwen," Arthur stood up at that moment. He walked around his desk and leaned on the front of it. So he could get a better look at Guinevere. He crossed his arms and stared at the girl slightly. He was intrigued. She was so humble, yet she would speak up for herself…how very interesting…
"Well I like Guinevere," the prince said not much different from a four year old. Gwen made a face. What gives him the right to be so pompous! It's not his name so he doesn't get a preference…mind yourself Gwen…you're only a serving girl and you need this job…for father…besides, he can't help it that he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and I was born with a thumb in mine….
"I'm sorry sire…but I like Gwen…" Wow…this girl is brave. She defied me twice…how entertaining. She also looks uncomfortable…not in a sad way, but in a funny awkward way. So very entertaining…the prince thought mischievously.
"Well Guinevere…what do you need?" Arthur says putting as much emphasis on the name Guinevere as possible. It's hard to hid his smirk. Gwen takes a deep breath. I get it…it's a game to him…
"Well, I, Gwen, would like to take your laundry so I can wash it," Gwen says with a smug smile. There, that should stop him…
Silly girl…she knew nothing of the future king. He would never give up so easily…
"Well, Guinevere, I suggest you take the close that are in that pile over on the side of my dresser," The prince said. It was getting harder for him to hide his smile now. Gwen tried hard not to roll her eyes and she went over to grab the clothes. The prince's smile disappeared. I thought she would make it a lot harder… "What? That's it? You're going to let me win?" Arthur asked. He walked over to the serving girl and looked onto her. Her beauty was still so shocking to him…she carried herself in a respectful way, but she was so humble. And she seemed to know that she was so beautiful, as if it was her secret, the way she would stop a little bit when she collected water to look at her reflection…not that the prince was watching her of course.
The young prince was so naïve that he didn't realize that the girl didn't posses a mirror, when she got water for the morning it was the first time that she had seen herself since the night before. But such things didn't cross the mind of the prince, as the servant put so well…he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth…
"No, of course not," Gwen said as she turned from her prince. The laundry basket was resting on her side and it made her walk with her hipped cocked…the prince didn't mind this at all. "I would never make it so easy for you…Arty," She looked back at the prince as she paused at the door. She was pleased to see the shock on the young prince's face. He demanded that everyone in the kingdom to stop calling him that when he turned ten. Yet, when Guinevere said it…he didn't mind. Of course if anyone else had called him that he would have them in the stocks for a week…but she was too beautiful…
Arthur chuckles darkly.
"You play the game well Guinevere," He said looking up at the princes—serving girl.
"As do you Arty," and with that note the serving girl leaves the young prince to his paper work. But as the day drudged on his room had a constant blow of summer breezes that reminded him of the serving girl…
Guinevere…
