Chapter Four: Promises
A/N — This chapter contains a scene with sexual intimacy. The scene begins around paragraph 20 and continues until the last few paragraphs. I mentioned in my author's note in chapter one that I did not feel this story merits an "M" rating, but due to this scene, the story is probably more of a "T+". As such, if sexual intimacy is something you are not comfortable reading, you might want to skip this chapter after paragraph 20.
It was Percival and Mithian's last night together before she returned home to Nemeth, and Percival's heart ached. Sunshine—who had been present during every moment Percival spent with Mithian—grew sulky. Percival had never seen his dog like this, head hung and her tail tucked. Sunshine must have known Mithian was on the eve of departing.
Percival and Mithian shared a lovely supper on a blanket in the gardens, right in the spot where they met a little over a week ago. They took a twilight stroll through the forest, holding hands, then they returned to the castle and sipped mead in the small private dining room that they had claimed all week. It was warm, so Percival propped open the doors to the outside, and he and Mithian sat next to one another by the light of a single candle, gazing up at the reddish-orange moon.
"Percival?" She threaded her fingers through his. "Promise you'll visit."
"I promise. And I'll write every day." He did not love writing, but for Mithian, he would do it.
She sniffed. "I shall miss you so much."
"And I shall miss you."
No one spoke, and Percival caressed the back of Mithian's hand with his thumb. He had so many questions for Mithian about the possibility of a shared future, yet not enough courage to ask any of them. Perhaps Gwaine was right. Maybe Percival was a coward.
Mithian shifted in her seat to face Percival. "If I asked you for something, would you give it to me, no questions asked?"
"Anything."
Her gazed locked with his. "Would you come to my chamber tonight?"
He sucked in a breath. Mithian would not ask for this if she did not want it, and oh, how he wanted it. Every time he looked at her, thought about her, his desire reached almost unbearable levels. In his dreams, he had taken her to bed, and to have her offer herself, openly and willingly, was not something he could turn down. He was only so strong.
Best not to overthink. Just go.
With a nod, he led her out of the dining room, and they crept up the narrow, little-used passage to Mithian's spacious guest quarters on the fifth floor of the castle, with Sunshine following. When they reached her door, Mithian's guard stood at attention, and Percival bit back a groan. How would they make this work?
"Sir Jon, you may leave us," said Mithian. "Take time off until sunrise."
She sounded so authoritative, while Percival perspired with nervousness.
"Um, leave?" He cocked his head to the side. "Oh, I cannot do that, my lady."
"Yes, you can, and you shall. It is my direct order. I have Sir Percival here with me, a knight of Camelot, and he will see to my protection for the rest of the evening. Goodbye, Sir Jon."
Jon winced. "If that's an order, my lady, I will heed it, but I shall check on you each hour."
He shot Percival a stern look, then marched down the corridor.
Giggling, Mithian pulled Percival inside, and Sunshine trotted in, too. Mithian wasted no time, discarding her cloak on the floor, then untying the top of Percival's tunic. They kissed frantically, hands roaming, and their bodies pressed together, until Sunshine squeezed her way in between them. She let out a yip, as if to say: "I like this game! I want to play!"
What if Sunshine leapt onto the bed while Percival and Mithian were indisposed? That would not do.
Percival's mouth curved into a slight frown. "Let me bring her to Gwaine," he said. "I will be right back."
Mithian laughed. "All right. I will wait."
Percival coaxed Sunshine out of the chamber and all but ran across the parapet walkway with her to Gwaine's room. There was no guarantee Gwaine would take Sunshine after they row Percival had with him, and he might not even be there.
Percival knocked once, and Gwaine answered the door. He looked Percival up and down. "You look unkempt."
"I am, and it's a long story, but I wondered if you might mind Sunshine for the night."
Sunshine, clearly thrilled to see Uncle Gwaine, dashed into the room and hopped onto the bed, stretching out and making use of his pillows.
"I'll only do it if you promise me you're fornicating with the princess."
Percival wanted to be cross, but he could not stop himself from laughing. "Yes, I will be fornicating with the princess, but you must not tell anyone."
Gwaine pretended to button his lips. "I will not say a word, you lucky man. I haven't seen action in a while."
"You were entertaining two women here last week. At the same time."
"Like I said, it's been a while." He gave Percival a gentle shove. "Don't keep the lady waiting!"
Percival turned on his heel and flew back to Mithian's chamber. He paused in front of the door, patting down his short locks, and he sniffed his armpit. No unacceptable odor. He took a deep breath, then eased his way inside. Mithian stood with her back to him, gazing out her window, her hair spilling down her back in full waves. She had removed her braids and had wrapped a thick blanket around herself. He wondered if she was chilled.
"Sorry that took so long. As usual, Gwaine had plenty to say..."
His words trailed off when Mithian turned and shed her blanket. The fabric fell to the floor in a puddle around her feet, and she stood before him, naked and magnificent. He appreciated the female form, but this woman, the one he loved, with her pale, unblemished skin, and small, but beautifully rounded breasts, made his heart hammer and his loins tighten with lust. Those warm brown eyes, in which the candlelight danced, and the faint blush on her cheeks lured him closer as he tried, and failed, to divest himself of his clothes. His hands shook too much with nervousness and excitement.
Mithian beckoned him with a crook of her finger. "Come here. Let me help you."
Her fingers trembled slightly as she yanked off Percival's tunic and then fumbled with the ties on his trousers. At least he was not the only nervous one.
When his drawers fell and he tried to kick them away, he almost tripped, but Mithian steadied him with a hand to the chest. They both chuckled.
"We need to relax," she said with a smile.
He took a deep breath and let it out as he studied her. "I am relaxed now. But you are everything I have ever dreamed of. You are so very beautiful, Mithian." He traced the curve of her breast with his fingers, and she shuddered.
"You are far more than I ever expected" — her gaze dipped to his hardness — "and not just in that way."
He lifted Mithian, carried her the few steps to the bed, then deposited her onto the soft blankets. Percival came down on top of her, and they kissed, gentle pecks at first, then the kissing grew more desperate, as their hands explored the most private parts of one another's bodies. He wanted to touch every part of her, to feel and taste it all, and the ravenous need to have her grew. Exploration could come later. Now, he had to be inside her.
He urged her thighs open with his knees and settled in between her legs, his hardness straining as it brushed against her slick warmth.
"Tell me when you're ready," he breathed.
Biting her lower lip, she guided him inside her, and Percival let out a deep, rumbling groan that he could not control. As he slid in further, he thought, This is perfect. Like coming home.
He held her as they made love, relishing her every moan and sigh. Her hips rose and fell to meet his, and after a few strokes, her body trembled with release as she cried out. Percival slowed his pace and opened his eyes. He did not want to miss a thing.
"I love you," came out of his mouth before he could stop it.
Mithian framed his face with her hands. "I love you, too."
Percival had enjoyed sex with those two other women in his life, very much, but it had not been like this, not even close. This was a connection of mind, body, and spirit, something so profound and wonderful that Percival did not have the words to describe it.
He could hold back no longer, and his release struck hard and fast as he dug his fingers into the pillow. Boneless and sated, he struggled to prop himself off Mithian after their intense joining, so rather than crush her, he fell onto his side next to her and twirled a lock of her hair around his finger.
"That went well," she said, and they both burst into laughter.
This was what Percival would miss, the laughter and easy banter with Mithian. All right, he'd damn well miss the lovemaking, too.
But they did not speak of the future. They spend the whole night tangled up in one another, exploring each other's bodies, whispering secrets, and experiencing joy like they had never known.
They slept for a little while, but Percival rose and dressed right before sunrise. The castle would come alive soon, and he did not want rumors to spread when half of court saw him emerge from Mithian's bedchamber early in the morning. They were already taking a risk by trusting that her guard would remain silent.
After lacing his boots, Percival leaned down over the bed and kissed Mithian's brow. "I shall see you off soon."
He did not know what else to say. She was due to leave mid-morning, and it was not as if it would be a private send-off. The queen, knights, and courtiers would all bid Princess Mithian farewell in the courtyard, as was custom.
Mithian's eyes filled with tears that spilled, but she batted them away. "Don't forget your promises to write and visit."
"I won't. I love you." Why couldn't he bring himself to ask about their future, or to toss aside all caution and beg her to marry him? Why?
"Love you," she whispered into his ear, then kissed his cheek.
He left as unshed tears stung his eyes.
A/N — Thank you very much for reading so far. The next chapter will be the last.
