When Arthur awoke in the morning Gwen was gone. Startled, he leapt out of bed to search for her. He needn't have worried; she was only next door, sitting in front of the fire in their private sitting room, but her absence from their bed had riled him.
"Guinevere!" She turned around.
"My lord" she acknowledged him with a small smile.
"Why weren't you in bed?" he demanded with an icy tone.
"I couldn't sleep" she replied, shocked at his anger. "Is something the matter?"
"Come back to bed" he ordered shortly, turning away from her and stalking back into their bedchamber. She followed, not willing to question his temper.
Arthur lay upon the bed in just his breeches, and looked pointedly at the space beside him, clearly expecting her to join him. Seeing the same lustful and angry look in his eyes that had been there last night, she faltered. At this, his eyes flashed with rage and he jumped off of the bed, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her roughly.
"You are my wife and you will do as I say Guinevere!" he roared. "You disobeyed me as a lover, but you will not disobey me as your husband!"
"Arthur I told you, I am so sorry for what I did with Lancelot…" Her voice was barely a whisper, but he had heard her.
"I TOLD YOU NEVER TO MENTION HIS NAME AGAIN! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A COMMON WHORE!" Without thinking, he slapped her hard across the cheek. She gasped, tears spilling from her eyes. He stepped back from her, shocked at his actions, but he hadn't time to speak before there was a knock at the door. She looked at him in fear and fled into their sitting room.
Arthur opened the door slowly, and saw Gawain and Merlin standing there. It was clear from the looks on their faces that they had heard everything.
