The horns sounded, alerting the kingdom to the return of the prince and his knights. Immediately, excited chatter rose among the other servants in the laundry area and Gwen could hear the castle come to life as they prepared for the prince's return. Her fingers tightened around the shirt she was washing and she sucked in a breath to steady her suddenly racing heart.
"This must mean the prince defeated Lord Maynard's men!"
"I hope so. My aunt lives in a border town and it hasn't been easy with all the attacks by Lord Maynard. I'm glad the King decided to do something about it."
"I heard the King was reluctant but the prince insisted on going."
Gwen couldn't take it anymore. Dropping the shirt into the basket, she stood, ignoring the stares of the other servants, and ran to the main castle door. As she approached the main entrance where the King and the councilmen stood, she slowed and slipped into an alcove. The horns sounded again and Gwen knew that Arthur and his men had arrived. From where she was, she couldn't see clearly but she could see the commotion and hear the hooves of the horses.
Then, she saw the first knight enter the castle. And then another.
Finally, she heard King Uther's voice. Darting out of the alcove, she walked as calmly as possible across the corridor so that she would walk past the King. She kept her head bowed but from the corner of her eyes, she saw Arthur next to his father. A bruise covered his face and there was blood on his armor. Only the fact that he was walking without help eased Gwen's anxiety.
She knew the moment he noticed her. His eyes were ringed with dark circles, evidence of his exhaustion, but when their eyes met across the King, his eyes lit up and a small smile crossed his face.
It was enough to make her heart sing. Gwen bit down on her lip to stop herself from grinning, then rushed back to her laundry.
"Hey." Warm fingers covered hers, taking her shawl out of her hands, then wrapping it around her just as she was about to make her way home. Once that was done, he rested his hands on her shoulders. Gwen allowed herself to smile and lean into him.
"Are you alright?" She asked quietly, turning to face him. Tentatively, she raised her hand to touch the bruise on his face.
"I'm still standing, aren't I?" His face broke into a grin. "Did you worry about me?"
Gwen punched him gently. "It's not funny! Why did you have to go? You could have just sent your men."
"Guinevere," he said as he cupped her face. "Haven't we had this conversation before?"
She sighed and nodded. They did, just before he left. And Gwen understood why Arthur had to go but it didn't mean she had to like it. WIthout warning, Arthur enveloped her in a hug and Gwen felt him kiss her hair. When she lifted her face and Arthur dipped his, their lips meeting in a hesitant kiss for the first time, Gwen knew her life was going to change forever.
"Are you free?" Merlin popped suddenly into the kitchen where she was helping cook with the dinner preparations.
Glancing at the usually grumpy cook whose face was about to fold into a frown at Merlin's disruption, Gwen shook her head and mouthed the word "later".
"Hurry. It's important." And then Merlin was gone, leaving Gwen wondering what on earth had happened now.
Later, after she carved the meat and dispensed the wine, she slipped out of the kitchen, surprised to see that Merlin was waiting for her outside.
"You and Arthur." Merlin said meaningfully the moment they entered Merlin's tiny room.
Heat flooded her face. "You called me out for this? Really Merlin -"
"I've seen the way you two look at each other, how your fingers brush when you serve him wine -"
Gwen felt her face burn but she kept her voice calm. "I don't know what you are talking about. The kitchen is busy today so -"
Merlin grabbed her arm as she turned to leave. "It's quite obvious. Even a blind man can see how you feel about each other."
"And even if that was so, nothing will come of it." Although her tone was flippant, the pain of this reality she had pushed to the back of her mind returned. As much as she enjoyed Arthur's company, as much as she enjoyed the snatches of time she had alone with him, as much as she couldn't stop remembering how her body had reacted when he kissed her that day, the sensible part of her knew that whatever it was, it would amount to nothing and she would be the one left with a broken heart. Arthur was crown prince. He would, as all crown princes had in years past, marry a noble lady, possibly one chosen by his father. "What does it matter?"
Merlin was still holding to her arm and she tugged at it. This was not a discussion she wanted to have.
"I need you to kiss him."
"What?"
"I think - no, I know you're his true love. And right now, he's been cursed and turned into marble and according to some secret sources, he needs a kiss."
Gwen frowned at Merlin. "Turned into marble?"
"Are you really surprised? This is Camelot."
"If all he needs is a kiss, then I'm sure lots of people would be willing to kiss him. I really have to -"
"A kiss from his true love of course. We have to at least try -"
Her heart sank as she looked into Merlin's eyes. She couldn't say no yet it scared her, not knowing which was worse - confirmation that she was Arthur's true love yet know they had no future, or learning that she wasn't his true love.
Kissing a marble statue was exactly what it sounded like - a cold, hard experience. Gwen did it quickly, pressing her lips briefly to his cold marble ones, refusing to think about how different this kiss was from the one they shared before, then pulling away quickly. From a corner of Arthur's room, she watched as he slowly came back to life, a mix of relief and misery in her heart. Before he could say anything, she left his room.
It was foolish to expect that Arthur wouldn't come by that evening, but she wished he didn't look so pleased.
"Merlin tells me you're my true love." He smiled, his eyes full of affection as he passed her a single rose. "Thank you, for saving me. Again."
"You're welcome." Automatically, she took the rose then stood awkwardly as she watched as Arthur moved closer. His hand came up and cupped her cheek and panic overwhelmed her. This was such a bad idea.
Ducking, she quickly moved from him. "It's late and I had a long day."
Hurt crossed his face and his hand fell. "What is it? Tell me."
"Maybe I'm your true love but that doesn't mean you are mine." That was nonsense and it tore at her heart to say it but it was best to end it all now before things got too deep.
"You don't mean that. Guinevere -" Again, he stepped towards her and when she didn't move, he cupped her cheek again. "I know I've never said it but I've never loved another."
He was going to kiss her. She could see it in his eyes. And instead of stepping away, of telling him that this was a bad idea, she let her eyes close and her lips part. The kiss was slow, gentle, teasing. Her hands slid up his chest to his shoulders and she let him pull her closer until she wasn't quite sure where he ended and she started.
Eventually, he pulled away and for a while, they just stared at each other. "Tell me you don't love me," he whispered, his breath brushing against her lips.
"I - nothing can happen between us. I'm just a servant."
"No. You're not just a servant. And things will change when I become king."
"Arthur." She stepped back although her hand was still in his. "We are fooling ourselves. It will be years before you become king. You can't expect me to wait." It was a lie. Gwen knew she would wait if Arthur asked her to.
Arthur's hand dropped hers. "I'm sorry. I was, as you always tell me, only thinking of myself."
When Gwen raised her eyes to his, she could see her own pain reflected in them. The determination she felt to maintain her distance from Arthur weakened.
"I should go," he murmured, taking a step back. "Thank you for -"
Perhaps it was the despair in his voice. Perhaps it was the wetness in his eyes. Whatever it was, Gwen took a step forward, flung herself at him and kissed him. His arms encircled her, holding her tightly against him and he kissed her back desperately.
"Do you trust me?" Arthur asked when they finally broke apart. His fingers were tangled in her hair, his lips swollen from their kiss.
Gwen nodded silently, unable to stop looking into his eyes, eyes that looked back at her as if she was the most precious thing on earth.
"I love you Guinevere and I promise you, we'll be together. Just wait for me, please." It was foolish she knew but sometimes it was good to have hope, so she nodded again, praying desperately that this was the right decision. She sank into his embrace and for the first time, he stayed the night at her house.