Summary: Gwen has a habit that Arthur learns to enjoy.

Habit

Every day this week, Arthur woke up with a smile on his face. He was married to the woman he loved. Not for convenience, not for strategy, but for love. And that was why he would wake up every single day with a smile on his face even when she wasn't next to him.

Arthur rolled over to the vacant side of the bed, hugged the pillow that smelled like her, and smiled into it. "Again, Guinevere?"

He heard a soft giggle and a shuffle. He looked up and saw her peeking bashfully behind the changing screen. The rest of her body followed just as she slid her sleeve over her shoulder. She stood out in the darkness of the room in a flowing, pale peach satin gown with a sheer golden yellow overlay. The seamstress had whipped up a simple summer wardrobe for the new queen as fast as she could the moment the wedding was announced. But Arthur planned to have a word with the seamstress about making Gwen something breathable, but harder for her to put on by herself. Anything to make Gwen slow down her very early morning routine.

Arthur sat up. "Now that's not fair. You have on clothes and I don't."

Gwen sat next to him and leaned in for a long, deep kiss. "Well maybe if you woke sooner, then we'd both be dressed," she said when she pulled away.

Arthur chased her lips, but she turned her head to the side, denying him. In return, he yanked her closer to him until she was settled in his lap. He grinned. "Or we'd both still be naked. I thought that at least after last night this bad habit of yours would finally be kicked."

He had discovered that Gwen was an early riser the morning after their wedding night and every morning since then. Seven days as a queen didn't change what she's been doing since she was a little girl. Gwen had told him the morning after their wedding that just because she was a queen, it didn't mean she didn't have to get up early anymore.

Arthur told her that was exactly what it meant, especially when she's his queen.

"There's something I want to do," Gwen said softly, close to his lips. He loved it when Gwen wanted to do things in bed. "I want to visit the palace garden before the sun rises."

It took a moment for Arthur to register what she said. "What…?" He leaned back a bit to get a better look at her. "Oh, you're serious."

"It's just," Gwen bit her lip, thinking, "I remember picking herbs with Merlin for Gaius in the fields. The way the morning dew would settle on the leaves along with the quiet and fresh air was always so lovely. And I never had the chance to see the garden around this time because there was no time. I had to begin my work."

"Well, I hope my presence is more pleasant than Merlin's," Arthur said, flinging the sheet off him. He didn't miss Gwen sneaking a peek at his lower half. He could wait until later for a roll in the sheets. "If you help me dress, we can get down there much quicker."

Gwen's eyes flicked back up to his face. "You really want to go?"

"I'll go anywhere with you, Guinevere. Besides, you need an escort and I'm the only one worthy of such a task."

Gwen pulled Arthur up and he stood close to her in all his naked glory, unashamed. It's nothing she hasn't seen before, even before they were man and wife. It was a risqué tableau they made: a fully dressed woman and a naked man, a queen and her private manservant. Arthur would serve Gwen in any way she pleased.

He moved in for a kiss and she slipped away towards the wardrobe. She winked at him over her shoulder before picking out his clothes. The sudden sound of a chipper bird made Arthur turn his head to the window, which caused him to catch the trousers flying at him with the side of his face.

Arthur put them on and before he could lace them, a shirt hit him in the face. It was his favorite—her favorite—white tunic. Once his head and arms were through, he found Gwen barely an inch away from him. She looked up at him through her lashes, and Arthur felt her fingers brush down his waist to the edge of his trousers. She tied the laces slowly, her hand brushing him on purpose.

Once he was secured, she patted his hips. "There."

Arthur kissed her on the cheek then whispered in her ear. "I hope later that you don't untie them as slow as you laced them."

Arthur didn't have any distinct memories of being in the castle garden. He ran through it as a child a few times, but most of his outdoor fun happened on the training ground.

Looking through the iron gate, the garden looked ominous, saturated with fog. The gate opened smoothly, much to Arthur's surprise. It was well oiled, and gave the slightest musical squeak in the quiet as if trying not to wake the sleeping flowers. The deeper they went in, the gloomy silhouettes became topiary, hanging plants, climbing roses. Warm colored buds and rich greens were cooled under the faint light of dawn.

If Arthur wasn't holding Gwen's hand and letting her lead, he could get lost in here forever and he wouldn't mind.

Gwen let out a pleasant gasp and hurried forward to a small patch of purple flowers. She crouched in front of them and looked up at Arthur with glee. "Gillyflowers! They're my favorite."

Arthur smiled at his wife and settled down beside her. The flowers were speckled with sparkling dew drops. They were the simplest in the garden, but the most charming, just like his Guinevere.

Who was now gripping his hand.

She recoiled into him. "Spiders on the other hand, are not."

He saw the offensive arachnid creep out from under a petal close to her. He whisked her up. "Don't worry, my love. I'll protect you."

As they went deeper into the garden, the fog cleared and it was getting brighter. Buds opened and scents enveloped them. Arthur's attention fell from the beauty around him and back to the beauty beside him.

Although Gwen was his strength, she was also his weakness because usually Arthur was finely in tune with his surroundings, but when he looked at Gwen, everything else disappeared from existence.

So he collided with Cook when they turned the corner.

"Good heavens! Apologies, my lord! Gw—my lady!" Cook bowed while balancing a basket of herbs.

"The mistake was mine, Cook." Arthur reassured her, and then pointed to the basket. "Where did you get those?"

"There's a herb garden here as well?" Gwen asked.

Cook nodded excitedly. "Planted it myself. I told Gaius that maybe he should do the same, but I think he secretly likes having Merlin go the extra mile to the fields." Gwen let out a light chuckle. "Oh dear, you did it for him too."

Gwen waved it off in good humor. "Coincidently, I had mentioned it to earlier to Arthur. It wasn't any trouble."

Cook bounced the basket at her hip. "I work on it alone. I can't have anyone getting in my way. I get that enough in the kitchen."

Together, Arthur and Gwen stepped to the side of the walkway. They shared a smile then look back at Cook. "We'll let you on your way, then" Arthur said. "We look forward to breakfast."

"Good day, Cook," Gwen nodded farewell.

Cook smiled and gave a nod of her own. "Your majesties."

The sun was just beginning to break over the horizon by the time they reached the lower town. There were few people out setting up their shop booths, and Arthur didn't miss the curious looks, knowing it was unusual for the king to be out on a stroll so early.

Tyr, the stable boy, and his mother Gelda were standing outside their home. Gelda passed her son a fresh loaf of bread, patted his cheek, and saw him off. When he got close, Tyr gave them a sunny smile. "Good morning, your majesties. I'm off to see the horses!"

Arthur laid a proud hand on the stable boy's shoulder. "My horse has been in a great mood lately. Keep up the good work, Tyr."

"Thank you, my lord!" Tyr continued his walk to the castle stables with a spring in his step.

Gelda invited them in. Arthur had never smelled or tasted fresh baked bread straight from the oven. He juggled the hot roll in his hand, and Gelda laughed openly. Before marrying Gwen, Arthur would've thought it was odd to be able to laugh before the sun was up.

After leaving the Seward's, they passed a merchant riding by with his cart. In the back was his young son who gave them a toothy grin. A child ready to work at the crack of dawn, just like Guinevere, Arthur thought. He waved to the child and got an over enthusiastic wave back.

When they passed Gwen's old home, Gwen only looked at it with a quick, casual glance. She could've kept her home, but then the florist's daughter gave birth the day before their wedding. They were neighbors and Gwen selflessly offered her home to them.

"I'm getting a castle," Gwen chuckled, grabbing hold of Arthur's hand. Instead of fussing over the wedding, they visited the florist's daughter and her newborn.

The florist's daughter tapped her baby on the nose and the child wiggled. "You're going to grow up right where the Queen did, little one."

They heard the wailing of the newborn, no doubt waking its parents for the first meal of the day. Gwen's old house was being filled with new memories.

It was beginning to get muggy, and Gwen admitted that the morning has lost its appeal. The precious moments before sunrise were indeed precious, especially before the temperature changed for the worst. The town was becoming more active as well. Arthur would be lying if he said he didn't feel at least a tinge of guilt for sleeping in when the people he ruled were already starting their day before he had breakfast.

On their way back to the castle, Merlin rushed passed them. He paused and turned around, recognizing who he just went by. "Why are you up?"

Arthur raised a brow.

"Nevermind, I'm running late. Gaius needed these herbs yesterday," Merlin said quickly and ran off.

"Don't forget about our breakfast!" Arthur yelled after him and laughed when Merlin stumbled.

Gwen faced him and walked backwards. "There's something else I want to do."

"Oh?" Arthur couldn't help but notice how graceful she was while being casual and playful. But he was ready to catch her before she bumped into anything.

She took a long step back. "We have to hurry. Can't have Merlin walking in on us," Gwen said turning back around and taking off towards the castle.

Arthur countered enemy sword strikes quicker than he registered what Gwen said. He caught up to her in no time, grabbed her hand, and was leading her now. "There's no time to waste!"

There were only servants, knights, and guards in the courtyard and halls. They all watched curiously as their king and queen raced passed them. The nobles were still tucked away in their rooms, unaware of the work going on around them, for them, but surely would hear about their sovereigns' antics by lunchtime.

Gwen closed the door of their chambers behind them, and the moment the latch clicked Arthur pulled her back to him. The morning light illuminated the chamber, and the room warmed with summer heat.

Or maybe it was just Arthur.

He pulled off his shirt and Gwen worked quickly at his trouser laces. He buried his face in her neck and nibbled at the skin. "Making up for earlier I see."

He felt Gwen chuckle against his lips, and she pushed his trousers down. Again, he stood bare in front of her, but not for long.

Arthur pushed her sleeves down her shoulders, and her dressed slipped right off. Maybe he wouldn't talk to the seamstress about making more complicated dresses after all. "Now we're even."

The table was closer than the bed, and Arthur would've had Gwen right then and there, but she was already on him and they stumbled into the bed.

Gwen straddled him. Looking at her from below was one of his favorite views. "I hope you're not tired from our stroll," she said.

Arthur grinned. "Quite the opposite. The morning air woke me up."

"Indeed." Gwen giggled, lowering herself onto him.

Luckily Merlin was extra late with breakfast and pretended not to notice the lovebites on Arthur's neck or the messiness of Gwen's hair.

"So, shall we go for another walk tomorrow morning?" Arthur asked.

"Well there are no meetings tomorrow, so I was hoping we could sleep in." Gwen struggled not to smile at her uncharacteristic suggestion.

Arthur let a hearty laugh. "Are you capable of doing so?"

Gwen left her seat for Arthur's lap, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Maybe you should hold me and not let me go just to be sure."

And so Arthur did. Every morning he'd wake to his wife in his arms and a smile on her face.

A/N: Inspiration for this came from sniffing the Yankee Candle 'Early Sunrise' lol

Thanks for reading!