I went to Arthur shortly after and knocked, for once. I opened the door quietly and peeked in, he was sleeping so I went back to my room and went to sleep and had a weird dream. I woke up and knew it was a dream but it felt so real. I was in a house that I didn't recognize. I sat up and my hair curtained around me and I felt a pair of arms snake around my middle. When I felt skin against skin I realized I was naked. I felt someone nuzzled into my neck and press a gentle kiss to it. I turned in their grasped and it was Gwaine! "Morning Princess," he said quietly chuckling. I looked around and spotted a ring on the fourth finger of my left hand. I was married to Gwaine! "What is it?"
"Nothing, just tired," I lied. He gave my cheek a peck and got up to dress himself. I looked away at the paintings on the wall and felt Gwaine turn my head. He gave me a gentle kiss and told me he had to leave for a bit but that he'd be back. "Alright, don't get into any trouble."
"Me? Trouble?" he asked innocently. I gave him a stern look and he walked out. I rushed to dress and found a plain white dress with a brown corset and put them on. I looked around the house and it was a simple cottage with a hard-packed dirt floor and little hearth for cooking and warmth. A few seconds later Gwaine walked in with some flowers, a blanket, and a basket.
"What's that for?" I asked. He handed me the flowers and tucked a small white flower behind my ear.
"We're going on a picnic," he announced looking pleased with himself. We walked to a clearing outside of town and laughed and ate for a while and before I knew it I was laying with my head on his chest and the sun was going down. Even though the day had been fun I still felt like something was missing, like part of me was still unhappy. "I love you." I heard him say distantly and that's when I woke up for real. I looked around and it was still dark so I settled back to sleep.
I woke up in a big bed that seemed vaguely familiar. The sheets were white and the blanket over it was a bright crimson as were the drapes that closed around the bed. I yawned and felt someone nudged the small of my back. I turned and there was a sleeping Arthur. He was still sleeping and the light filtering through the window made his gold locks shine. His arm was under my shoulder and the other folded right in front of his chest. His hair was rumpled from sleep and his bare chest rose up and down slowly with each breath. I felt his breath tickling my neck and face and he suddenly opened his eyes.
"Good morning sleepy," I said.
"Morning Merlin," he said pressing a kiss to my forehead. I spotted the tell-tale ring on both our fingers and knew this was a dream. "Are you still tired?"
"A bit," I lied. "What about you?"
"Yeah," he said and sat up stretching, "but a prince must get up early to attend his duties although I have most of today off. I'll be back later."
"I'll be fine here for a little while," I said. I kissed his cheek and he left to get ready. I stood up and the silk of my nightgown brushed against my ankles. He handed me a gown from the wardrobe that was very expensive looking. And we both dressed. This dream flew by quicker and soon enough we were in our bedroom in an all-out kissing war. He plopped me into his lap and laughed airily. I was flushed and felt the heat in my face and neck get even warmer. I felt myself slipping into sleep with his warmth surrounding me I woke up in reality once more.
I sat up and knew that I had to make a decision, one that could break one of the people I cared about's heart. I walked to Arthur's rooms after changing into the red tunic with my blue neckerchief. I opened the door slowly and I averted my eyes when I realized he was taking a bath. "G-good morning Arthur," I said trying not to look. I heard him moving around and all I could think of was the flashes of his bare torso and legs that I had seen. I tried to think of something, ANYTHING, to get my mind off Arthur Pendragon, naked about six feet in front of me.
"Morning," he said nonchalantly. "What, pray tell, do you want while I'm bathing?"
"I d-didn't know y-you were bathing you d-dollophead!" I yelled indignantly glaring at him and then quickly remembering his state turning my head the other way.
"Well get on with it!" he said sounding irritated.
"After your bath I'll need to speak with you. Privately, on the roof," I squeaked out pointing skyward. I saw out of the corner of my eye that he nodded so I left quickly to the roof and found Gwaine was already there.
"Hello love," he said grinning happily. I waved.
"Hello, uh, Gwaine I need you to stay here until Arthur gets here. I need to talk to you both. Together," I said. We waited until we saw Arthur walking up the steps carding his fingers through his damp hair and when he saw Gwaine he darkened considerably.
"What's he doing here?" he asked venomously.
" I needed to talk to both of you," I said feeling my voice tremble.
"Alright Merlin, say what you must," Gwaine said heavily.
"I've fallen for both of you," I said and my voice cracked. I cleared my throat and continued. "You both have your quirks that I love and things that I don't like. Arthur, you're strong, loyal, and you are truly concerned about your people. But you listen to your father without contradiction and that bothers me, especially about.." I said letting the thought trail off.
"Gwaine, you too are loyal and you listen to me and you care about what I have to say. But you drink too much and I'm not sure whether or not you could be relied upon when I need you. I need someone stable and trustworthy, I do trust you but I may not be able to for other things. Big things, secrets that need to be kept." He hung his head at this but the grin never faded. I looked at the ground and I felt so ashamed to point out their flaws in front of each other.
"I really do love both of you but I have to choose," I said and felt myself tear up. "Gwaine," and I looked up and Arthur looked at me with a sad smile. "I'm sorry, I just don't think it would work. We talked about this and I want you to be happy too." I walked up to him and gave him a gentle kiss and he smiled at me disappointedly. I smiled up at him and he walked away and I inched my way towards Arthur. He stood shell-shocked and I watched him slowly grasp that I had said that I had chosen him. He kissed me and I gripped his soft locks of blonde hair.
"Out of the corner of my eye I saw Gwaine leaning in the archway to the stairs and he smiled and went down them. I pulled away and hugged Arthur closely.
