Chapter 16

Marian's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Marian had been summoned to the lower town. One of her regular patients, the youngest of the Felton twins, was lethargic and unable to eat. Theodore was small and had a weak constitution, it seemed. She sat on the bed next to him, his mother wringing her hands behind her. Marian reached over and felt his head. His brow was cool and sweaty. There weren't any viruses going around, and he didn't have a fever. There were no signs of infection, either. She felt his glands. Slightly swollen. Perhaps an allergic reaction? It had to be something the boy ate, then. His brother, Alexander, was well. In fact, he was so well that he was outside playing chase with the other boys in the town.

"Theodore, have you eaten anything recently?" she asked him.

"I gave him some broth earlier. He kept it down, but he said his stomach ached," his mother, Cathryn, answered for him.

It wasn't what Marian was after. She looked the boy in the eye and raised her eyebrows. "Have you eaten anything else? Maybe something outside?"

Theodore looked guiltily at her and then his mother. His eyes filled with tears.

"Gaia berries," he said in a small voice.

"Gaia berries?" Marian asked. "Whatever for?"

The disgusting berries were the very same she had once used to disguise her scent when she and the Knights of Camelot traveled in wilddeoren territory. They smelled like a sewer and probably tasted just as terrible.

"I lost," Theodore explained. When she looked at him pointedly, he continued. "I bet Timothy Price that I could run faster than he could, and I lost. I had to eat the berries."

"Theodore Felton! Of all the stupid—"

His mother never got to finish her tirade. As soon as she had raised her voice, Theodore paled. He leaned forward and emptied the contents of his stomach all over Marian.

Cathryn clamped her mouth shut and looked at the healer as she sat there in shock, covered in sick.

000

Marian made the long journey from the lower town to the citadel in silence. Cathryn had apologized profusely for her son and had offered the healer one of her dresses to change into. She had declined, knowing that the Feltons didn't have much to spare, and told the woman that her son would be fine. He just needed to pass the berries he had eaten. And in the meantime, she suggested he drink lots of water and fetch a bucket to sit by his bedside.

She climbed the steps to the palace, careful not to touch anything or anyone. Passersby held their noses and gave her disgusted looks as she entered the building. When she reached the corridor that led to her chamber, she saw Gwaine walking from the other end.

His eyes lit up as he saw the healer approach. "Hello, beautiful!" he greeted.

Before he had gotten too close to her, he scrunched his face at the smell. He was about to reach out to her when he saw her dress and arms covered in sick.

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked.

Marian had kept her teeth clenched, choking back her gag reflex. "Felton boy. Sick," was all she managed to say.

Her eyes wide and her mouth tightly shut, she walked past him, still in shock.

Gwaine grinned. Of course, it was a Felton twin. Those boys were a menace. "Anything I can do to help?" he called after her retreating form.

"No!" she bit out. She turned the corner and went through her chamber door.

Gwaine chuckled and shook his head. It seems the healer was having a tough day already.

000

Later that day, after thoroughly washing her skin and changing into a fresh dress, Marian headed back out into the town. She had a couple more patients to see before her day ended. Thankfully, neither of them threw up on her. She was able to prescribe easy remedies and head back to the castle before nightfall.

The sun was approaching the horizon as she walked through town, ready to go home. Marian turned a corner, and in a flash, two children ran out in front of her. She stopped abruptly, having nearly run into them.

"Watch it, you two!" she called after them.

Sometimes she felt that walking in the lower town was practically its own form of birth control. Why anyone wanted children was beyond her. Though, perhaps with the right partner… Maybe a knight… A knight with a good sense of humor and chocolate eyes… She shook her head and sighed. It would be best not to think about something she could never have.

She started forward again, and this time a third child bumped into her hard. Marian lost her footing and fell face-first into a mud puddle. She lifted her head from the mud, face and hair covered, and saw the child turn around. Alexander Felton.

Of course, she thought.

His eyes grew wide when he saw her looking at him, and he took off. Marian lifted herself from the mud and looked down at her dress. She was covered from head to toe in mud. Resigned, Marian walked to the citadel with a frown on her face.

000

As suppertime approached, Gwaine washed and changed from his chainmail into his grey tunic and jacket. He checked his hair in the mirror and tried to smooth it down. He cleaned his teeth and held his hand up to his mouth and nose, checking his breath for freshness. There was only one reason a man such as himself would be so careful with his appearance and hygiene so late in the day: a woman. More specifically, a particular pretty blonde healer that had caught his fancy years ago.

After their misadventure with the Green Knight, Gwaine was convinced that Marian felt for him. At least, she had said she cared for him. He was sure she had meant romantically. Hadn't she? She had kissed him sweetly, which he had promised her he would forget about, but never actually could. Regardless, he meant to find out tonight. He was going to invite her to dinner and speak with her about it. Gwaine was going to proclaim his undying love and hope that she reciprocated.

With a bounce in his step, Gwaine turned and headed toward the physician's chambers. He reached the stairway leading outside when he saw Marian coming up the stairs. Well, he thought that was Marian anyway. The creature was covered in so much mud that even the color of her hair was obscured.

"Marian?" he asked as she reached the landing.

The sour look on her face said everything he needed to know. Her lousy day had turned into a terrible, horrible day. A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

"Don't. Say. A word," she bit out as she passed, heading to her chamber. After a moment, he heard a door slam.

So much for a romantic evening, he thought, disappointed.

Gwaine looked thoughtfully in the direction of Marian's chamber, a sly grin crossing his face. He had an idea and turned back toward his chambers to prepare. All thoughts of wooing Marian left his mind as he formed a plan to turn her terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day into a lovely, wonderful, much better, happier day.

000

An hour later, having washed the mud from her skin and hair, Marian stood from her bath, wrapping a towel around her wet body. Just as she was stepping out of the tub, there was a knock on her door.

"Go away, Merlin. I told you, I'm not hungry," she called out wearily.

She walked over to her bed and sat down slowly. Shoulders slumped, she sighed. She didn't think she even had the energy to dress.

"It's… it's not Merlin, beautiful," came the soft reply.

Marian rolled her eyes. She should have expected him to come by after the state she was in the last time he saw her.

"Come in, Gwaine," she said, only half-annoyed.

Gwaine walked into the room and closed the door behind him. Surprised at her state of undress, he quickly turned.

"Sorry, love. I didn't realize…"

"It's alright, you goof. I'm perfectly decent. No private bits hanging out or anything," she chuckled.

Red-faced, Gwaine turned back to her. "I came by to see how you are," he said to her.

She was sitting on her bed, wet hair and skin shimmering in the candlelight. He tried to ignore her bare shoulders and arms. He tried to ignore her exposed knees, calves, and ankles. Sure, her private bits were indeed covered, but the rest of her was just as alluring to him. He took a deep breath.

She gestured for him to sit on the bed beside her. "I'm alright, I guess. It's just been a hell of a day," she said. As he sat down, she began to tell him of her run-ins with the Felton twins. "I swear," she said as she finished the story. "If any of my children ever turn out like that…" she left her threat unsaid.

Gwaine laughed with her. "I don't think you would have to do anything. The rest of the town would probably murder them for you. It's a wonder those boys have survived this long."

"They are walking birth control, aren't they?" she laughed.

"What's birth control?" he asked.

"Oh, like a condom," she said, looking at him. His eyes widened slightly, and his eyebrows rose. "A condom, the sheepskin that goes—"

"I know what they are!" he said forcefully. His face reddened again, and he couldn't look at her.

"Gosh, Gwaine, I never took you for a prude," she teased.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "I'll have you know that I've used them plenty—"

She held up her hand to stop him. "I don't want to know!"

The thought of him with another woman made her stomach drop. She hated the other woman, whoever she might have been. Swallowing the jealousy that came out of nowhere, she smiled softly at him.

"Thanks, Gwaine. I feel a little better," she said.

He studied her face in the candlelight. "Marian, I…" I love you. She looked at him expectantly. He smiled longingly and sighed. "Get dressed, beautiful. I'm going to treat you tonight."

"What?"

"Get dressed," he repeated.

"Gwaine, both of my dresses are dirty. I don't think you want to spend the evening with me dressed in sick or mud, do you?"

"You only have two dresses?" he asked, unthinking.

Her face fell. She did only have two dresses. "Yes, I only have two. I can't help that I'm a lowly servant, Sir Gwaine. Besides, they keep getting ruined by sick children or clumsy knights or…"

Realizing too late that he had been rude, he held up his hands in defeat. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" When she quieted and looked at him sadly, he continued, "I shouldn't have said that. It was rude. You aren't a lowly anything, Marian." He crouched in front of her, and taking her hands, he made sure she was looking at him. "Forgive me?"

Marian nodded and looked away.

"I'm really knackered, Gwaine. I was just going to go to sleep."

"Without supper?" he asked in disbelief. "No, no, beautiful! What kind of knight would I be if I let a damsel in distress starve herself? Tell you what…" he looked around the room and inspiration hit. "Put on your tunic and trousers and meet me by the kitchens. I have something that will cheer you up!"

"Gwaine, I don't even have clean shoes…"

"For me?" he asked as he raised her hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles softly.

Marian rolled her eyes and grinned. She couldn't deny him anything, it seemed. "Alright. By the kitchens," she conceded. Stupid charming knights.

Gwaine gave her the brightest smile he could muster, kissed her brow, and left her alone to dress.

000

As she had promised, Marian dressed and went down to the kitchens. She wore her traveling clothes, but no shoes. Her feet bare and her hair still damp, she shivered as she waited on the knight to make his appearance.

Just as she was about to give up, Gwaine quietly came down the stairs next to the kitchen. He lifted his finger to his lips and grabbed her hand, pulling her into a small alcove.

"Shh," he whispered. "I don't want Audrey to hear us." He grinned wickedly and continued. "You go in there and distract her, and I'll get us some supper. Alright?"

Marian crossed her arms over her chest. "You can't be serious," she said, annoyed. "What am I supposed to do to distract her? The woman hates me, Gwaine!" she whispered in a harsh voice.

"It'll be fine, beautiful. I promise. Just keep her attention on you, I'll take care of the rest."

He shoved her to the kitchen door and snuck back into the shadows. Marian sighed and walked into the kitchen with purpose.

"What are you doing in my kitchen? Shoo!" Audrey, the cook, bellowed at her.

"I just needed to… ask… you a question…" Marian started. Behind Audrey, she could see Gwaine tiptoeing into the kitchen. He looked around to see what he could nick.

Audrey tapped her foot and put her hands on her hips. "Well? I haven't got all night, girl!"

"Right… I needed to know how… you make those delicious meat pies you serve at the Feast of Beltane," she said, eyes wide. The cook looked at her, eyebrow cocked. "There's something about them. A certain spice that you use?" she asked as she peered behind the older woman, checking on Gwaine's progress.

"You think I'm gonna give you my secret? So you can go and make your own for the king? HA!" Audrey accused.

Marian held up her hands in defense. "No, no! Of course not. It's just…"

She watched as Gwaine's eyes lit up. He had found his target, a deep, golden pie.

"… there's a man I fancy… and I thought… maybe with one of your delicious pies…"

Gwaine tiptoed toward his prey.

"He absolutely loves them and if I, who has no talent for food… at all, could make one…"

As he had his hands around the pie, one of the serving spoons sitting on the table rolled off the stack and made a tiny clink!

Audrey started to turn to see where the noise had come from. Gwaine froze, pie in hand, as Marian tried to get the cook's attention.

"You know, you win a knight's heart through his stomach!" she yelled, catching the older woman's attention before she turned. She shrugged and smiled innocently at the cook.

Gwaine sighed quietly in relief and turned to tiptoe out of the kitchen.

"Ah," Audrey said knowingly. "You mean Sir Gwaine," she grinned at the healer.

Gwaine froze again. Marian's eyes went wide.

"What?" she laughed. "No, of course not. I hardly… know the man… Sir Gwaine? Who's that…?" she trailed off.

"No, I've seen you two together, making eyes at each other. No one likes my pies more than Sir Gwaine. If it's him you're trying to woo, then I'll help you. Stay right here a moment," the cook called as she ran past Marian to go to a cupboard.

Gwaine looked back at Marian and smirked at her. Making eyes? he mouthed to her.

She checked to make sure Audrey wasn't coming back yet and shooed him away. Go, you idiot! she mouthed back at him.

His shoulders shaking in laughter, Gwaine quietly left the kitchen.

Audrey came back with a small cloth bundle. She held it reverently against her ample bosom. Reaching out to Marian, she placed the bundle in her outstretched hands.

"This, my dear girl, is called Cinnamon. It's difficult to get and comes from a tree that grows far east from here," she grinned proudly. "I usually reserve it for special occasions for the king, but for our dear Sir Gwaine, I'm willing to part with a piece. Grate it up into a powder to use in a pie. Or…" she looked around conspiratorially, "If'n you're needin' him to be particularly amorous, I'm willing to bet a quick rub of the bark behind your ear or in your bosom will do the trick! Any place you want him to put his face. One sniff, and he'll be pudding in your hands!" Audrey laughed heartily.

Marian stood there in shock. She couldn't come up with a single response. The healer nodded to the cook, her mouth still agape, and turned to leave.

"You'll be telling me how it goes with that handsome knight, won't you?" the cook called after her as she exited the kitchen.

She was pulled further into the shadows as soon as she stepped into the dark. Gwaine stood before her, barely able to contain his laughter. He had heard the whole thing.

"Boy, she sure does have your number, doesn't she?" Marian asked dryly.

He had no idea what that meant, but the shocked look on her face was worth it.

"She gave you some cinnamon, did she?" he asked her, laughing. "Are you planning on making it a powder to feed me or using it anywhere you want me to put my face?"

She rolled her eyes and swatted him away.

"I'll be pudding in your hands anytime you want, sweetheart!" Gwaine couldn't stop laughing. "A man has a right to know how he'll be wooed, you know!" he called after her as she started up the stairs.

At the top of the stairs, Marian turned to him, her eyes narrowed. "How in the hell did she know you liked cinnamon so much?"

"I told you she liked me," he laughed. "Come on, this way," he said as he led her down the corridor, pie in hand.

000

They had finally reached their destination, the tallest tower in the castle. Marian was out of breath from climbing all of the stairs when Gwaine handed her the pie. He went up the ladder to the wooden door in the ceiling and opened it. Once he had climbed outside, he reached down for her to give him the pie.

"Gwaine, where in the world are we?" she asked as she lifted the pie to him.

He disappeared with the food and then reappeared, lowering his hand down for her to take.

"The east tower," he answered as she grasped his hand. "Best place to stargaze."

He helped her up the ladder and onto the top of the tower. There was a small wall to keep them from falling, but because it was the tallest point in the castle, they had an unobstructed view of the night sky.

Marian smiled as she looked around. There was a blanket laid out on the floor. A crate sat next to it with a jug and two tankards. There were some forks laid out next to where Gwaine had left the pie.

"You… you brought me stargazing?" she asked, turning to look at him.

Worried that he had misjudged her love for the night sky, he looked at her worriedly. "I thought… you like to stargaze, don't you?"

"Oh, Gwaine!" Marian called out happily. She ran into his arms and held him tightly. "This is the nicest thing anybody's ever done! Thank you!"

He laughed as he returned her embrace. "I thought it'd be nice to get away from everyone. Especially after the day you've had."

She shivered slightly but nodded. "It's perfect. Why are you so good to me?"

He leaned back from her but still held her in his arms. He brushed her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "You deserve all the good things, Marian," he said, barely above a whisper.

At his smolder, her stomach did flips, and her heart fluttered. She smiled at him, her teeth chattering.

Seeing her chill, Gwaine gallantly removed his jacket and placed it over her. He went to the jug and poured the drink, handing her one of the tankards.

"There. The ale should warm you up," he said as she took a long draft.

"What's for supper?" she asked, eying the pie hungrily.

Gwaine grinned. "Audrey's famous cinnamon apple pie!"

000

They sat on the blanket, eating the pie straight from the pie tin and drinking ale. Marian had never felt so content. She leaned back and stretched out on the blanket, an arm behind her head and a hand on her full belly. She looked at Gwaine as he finished the last bite of the pie and stretched out beside her, still chewing.

Something had changed between them. She wasn't sure when or how it happened, but her heart leapt at the mere thought of the man beside her. Marian Ragnell was in love.

She realized that she should have known that after he had nearly died by the Green Knight's ax, but at the time, she had chalked it up to fear of losing him. Marian now knew that it wasn't just a fear of losing him, it was the love for him that she felt deep within. Gwaine made her happy.

"So, beautiful, tell me of your favorite stars."

They laid there on the blanket, side by side, as she pointed out the constellations she recognized. Though she wasn't too sure of the origins of most of their names, she was able to tell the stories of a few.

When he saw her shiver again, he looked down at her feet, finally realizing they were bare. As he listened to her stories, he sat up and removed his boots to take his socks off. He quickly pulled his boots back on and then took the pre-warmed socks down to her feet.

She started to tell him about the brightest star in the sky but paused. "Gwaine? What are you doing?" she asked as he took hold of her foot.

"You're cold," he said, holding up the socks. He pulled the first over her foot and up her calf, followed by the other. When he was done, he crawled back to her head and laid down beside her, their shoulders touching. "Better?" he asked.

"Much better. Thank you," she grinned at him.

"So, you said the brightest star?" he prompted her to continue.

She pointed to one, the brightest star in the sky, Vega.

"There. And that constellation," she said as she pointed. "Is called Lyra." He followed her movements as she connected the stars in the constellation with her finger. "It's named after the lyre that Orpheus played."

"Who's Orpheus?" he asked her.

"He was the son of the god, Apollo, and a muse called Calliope. He played his lyre so beautifully and sang songs so compelling that even the rocks and the trees were entranced with his music. The breeze would stop blowing as he sang, and the gods and goddesses would pause to listen to him."

She sighed as she looked at the stars, remembering the story of Orpheus and Eurydice.

"What is it, love?" Gwaine asked, concerned.

"Just remembering his story," she sighed again. "It is one of the most romantic and tragic of the myths."

"Romantic and tragic? How so?" he asked.

"He was a man in love. What can be more tragic than falling in love?" she said to him.

Marian missed the pained look on Gwaine's face. Though he didn't want to admit it, she was right. He had fallen in love with her, and it was both the most euphoric and wretched feeling, especially since he wasn't sure how she felt about him. He cleared his throat and waited for her to continue.

"He fell in love with a beautiful woman, a nymph called Eurydice. They loved each other deeply and married. But while she was wandering in the forest, a satyr saw her and lusted after her. He was so struck by her beauty that he chased her and tried to bed her. In her escape, Eurydice fell into a nest of vipers and was bitten, dying instantly," she said, sniffing slightly.

Gwaine reached over and held her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. She scooted closer to him, enjoying the warmth.

"Orpheus fell into heavy mourning," she continued. "His songs of grief touched not only the gods but everything in the world so much so that all of existence felt his sorrow. According to the myth, he filled the highs of heaven with the moans of his lament," she quoted from one of the earliest writings by Ovid.

Marian was surprised at how well she remembered the details. The tale of Orpheus and Eurydice was her favorite from school, and she had spent many nights poring over poems and writings about the tragedy.

"His father, Apollo, suggested that his grieving son travel to the Underworld, where the dead spent eternity, to see his Eurydice. Any mere mortal would have died at the feat, but not Orpheus. He was protected by the gods," she explained.

"He got past the guardian, a three-headed dog, by charming it with his music. He passed ghosts and other lost souls, and once he arrived, he met with the god and goddess of the Underworld and played his mournful song for them. The cold heart of the god melted as Orpheus played out his grief.

"He told Orpheus that he would send Eurydice back to the mortal world with him. There was a catch, though. On their journey back, while walking to the light, he couldn't look back for her before they both stepped through the threshold to the mortal world, or she would be lost in the Underworld forever."

"The gods don't sound very helpful," Gwaine laughed. "Why would they do that? The man was grieving for pity's sake!"

Marian looked over and grinned at him. "Like all men, Gwaine, Orpheus was over-confident. He was sure that he could be patient enough if it meant he'd have his love by his side once more."

"But how could he be sure she would be there if he couldn't look?" he asked.

"Faith," Marian answered simply.

She continued the story, "Orpheus started his ascension back to the mortal world, believing that his wife was following. He listened for her footsteps but didn't hear her, so he started to lose his faith, thinking that the god had tricked him."

"See, I knew it!"

"Hush," she shushed him playfully. "He didn't know that she was a shade, following him silently, and would only be a mortal woman again once they reached their destination."

She took a breath and continued. "He only had a few feet left until the mortal world, but Orpheus couldn't bear it any longer. He looked back to see if she was there. As he looked, he saw Eurydice's shadow being pulled back into the Underworld for eternity."

Gwaine squeezed her hand. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose the love of his life so quickly, and worse, for it to be his fault. He hoped he would never have to find out.

"He tried to go back for her, but no living person could enter the Underworld more than once. In his grief, Orpheus played his lyre and sang his songs, calling for death to take him to be reunited with his love."

"And did he? Did he die?" Gwaine asked, eyes wide.

"The Maenads, angered by his fidelity to his dead wife, found him and killed him. They threw his head, still singing his lament, and his lyre into the river. The Muses gathered up all the pieces of his body and buried him. They placed his lyre in the night sky, which is where the constellation Lyra comes from."

"Was he ever reunited with his wife in the Underworld?"

Marian couldn't remember if the myths ever said. She looked over at his hopeful eyes. It was the first time she wasn't truthful with Gwaine.

"Yes, they were reunited and have spent eternity in each other's arms," she smiled at him as he looked up at the sky thoughtfully.

"You were right, beautiful," he said finally. "That was very tragic."

"There's a saying where I'm from. It's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all," she said, looking back at the stars. "I don't know if that's true. I can't imagine what true heartbreak must feel like."

Gwaine looked at her sharply. "You've never felt love?"

"Not romantic love," she said as she shook her head, unwilling to admit to him how she felt about him. That was the second time that she had lied to him.

Gwaine swallowed his disappointment. He wasn't sure why, but he thought she might admit her undying love for him. "Your… boyfriend?" he asked, hoping he used the correct word.

Marian laughed. "Joey? Hell no! I loved the idea of him. But definitely not him," she looked over at him, confusion written all over his face. "I was only with him because I thought I was supposed to be. We grew up together, so after I had dated a few other men, I figured he was the best I could get. But he didn't make me laugh or feel safe or feel pretty or smart or… anything."

She looked back at the sky. Gwaine saw the shimmer of tears in her eyes. He rolled over to his side and held her chin between his thumb and finger, turning her to face him. "I'm sorry, beautiful. I shouldn't have mentioned it."

She held his hand to her face and closed her eyes for a brief moment. "No, it's fine. I promise," she smiled sweetly at him. "Tell me more about your childhood. I want to hear more about the trouble you caused," she requested, changing the subject.

"Well," Gwaine started as he laid back down. Marian moved closer to him and snuggled in the crook of his arm as he began to tell her tales of his village. She told herself it was only for the warmth, they were on the highest tower in the middle of spring, after all. But she knew that really, she just craved the nearness of Gwaine.

He told her stories of his childhood until she fell asleep in his arms. Gwaine looked down and watched her in the moonlight. He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes, letting sleep take him.

000

Marian woke with the rising sun but kept her eyes firmly shut. She wasn't ready to wake just yet. She had slept her first full night's sleep in quite some time. Even her usual nightmares had left her alone last night. She tried to stretch, but she was pinned under something, or rather someone.

Marian opened her eyes and saw Gwaine laying half across her, his head resting on her bosom. His arm was thrown across her middle as he held her tight. She smiled as she realized that she didn't mind that he was lying on her, snoring deeply. She stroked her fingers through his hair and marveled at his beauty.

Well, you've gone and done it now, she thought.

She had let her guard down. She loved Gwaine, and she knew that he loved her too. Now would come the hard part: resisting him.

Her stomach growled loudly in Gwaine's ear, and she felt him shake as he chuckled.

"Hungry, are you?" he asked sleepily. Gwaine picked his head up, smirking at the position they found themselves in.

"How could you tell?" she laughed.

He lifted his body from her but stayed hovering over her. Gwaine looked down at Marian, his hair framing his face. His eyes roamed over her as he smiled. He placed his hand on her waist and slid it back and down to her hip.

"Gwaine…" she whispered.

Even though she wanted this, wanted him, she knew it was wrong. She couldn't let it happen. Not just because they were outside, but because they couldn't be together. The proverbial devil on her shoulder egged her on, begging her to encourage him. Surely it wouldn't hurt to give in just this once. Surely a few moments of passion would be alright.

Her lips parting, she slid one hand up his arm and to his shoulder, while the other wrapped around his torso, stroking his back.

Gwaine leaned into her, his hand beneath the jacket that she was wearing. The tip of his nose brushed against hers, his breath caressing her lips.

She felt his hand move around her body. Assuming it was to find the hem of her tunic, she held her breath in anticipation. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her core ached for him. Her back arched into him, her breasts pushing up toward his chest, begging to be touched. She opened her mouth to tell him to just rip the tunic off and ravish her when he pulled his hand back and sat up.

Marian leaned up and looked at him in confusion. "Wha—?"

He held up two small apples that he had pulled from his jacket pocket. "Breakfast?" he asked her as he handed one to her. Gwaine smirked when she snatched it from him. She was hot and bothered, and he was thoroughly enjoying it. He settled back down next to her, stretching out. "You're like an apple," he said while looking at the fruit in his hand thoughtfully.

Marian took a bite of her apple and looked up at him curiously. "How am I an apple?" she asked, mouth full.

"You're pleasant, all dressed up and fancy, like an apple pie. But you're even better just as you are," he explained.

Marian laughed as she chewed. "I've never been compared to food before, you know."

Gwaine looked over to her, eyebrows raised. "Not just any food, mind you. The perfect food. Apples can be sweet or tart. Used in puddings or savory dishes. They're versatile. And they'll keep you alive when you're starving," he elaborated.

Marian burst into laughter. "I can be used in puddings or savory dishes, can I?" She couldn't help the giggles bubbling up from her.

Gwaine smiled at her as he patiently waited for her to calm. "The apple is the perfect metaphor for a woman."

"What?" she giggled. "How so?"

Gwaine rolled onto his side to face her. She squirmed slightly as he was close enough that she could feel the warmth from him. He held his apple out in front of her and compared them.

"She's beautiful as she grows. Round and shapely, holding delights unseen inside of her," he said, his voice low and soft by her ear. "And when she's ripe and ready, you don't pluck her. No, you let her decide when the time is right. All red and supple, she lets go of her home and comes to you." He mimicked an apple falling from a tree.

He studied the apple carefully and took a bite, juice dribbling down his chin. "And that first bite is so sweet and wet," he said as he licked his lips, his eyes rolling back into his head as he moaned at the taste of it. "It's heaven from beginning to end," he said, taking another bite. He chewed and swallowed before taking yet another bite, sucking the juice from the apple's flesh.

Marian licked her lips as she watched him enjoying the apple. His lips drug slowly and agonizingly across the flesh of the apple as he bit off more into his mouth. He continued to eat the apple, his face a picture of ecstasy, his soft moans tantalizing. When he was done, he licked his lips slowly, enjoying the taste of the juice that had spread as he consumed the fruit.

Her lips parted when he scooted even closer, leaning over her. He looked down at her with a dark look of longing in his eyes. Her breath quickened, and her bosom heaved as her desire for Gwaine grew. She never thought that a fruit could be so… erotic.

"And when she's ready," he held up the apple core, "you lay her to sleep, warm in her bed," he continued. He took his apple and balanced it on her stomach as she lay stretched out. He moved closer until they were touching each other.

Marian held her breath to keep the apple from falling over.

"You care for her, cherish her. You tend her garden, waiting patiently for your reward," he said as he brushed his knuckles along her jaw, sending chills all over her body. His thumb ran across her plump lips, tracing their shape.

Beneath her corset, her nipples hardened, and she felt warmth stirring between her legs. Marian ever so slightly pressed her thighs together against her sex, desperate for relief.

"Then, the seed in her belly grows," his voice low, he reached his hand down to the apple core.

She gasped as he grabbed the fruit between his index finger and thumb while the palm of his hand pressed gently against her belly.

He leaned his head down beside her, his lips barely touching her ear as he spoke. "And another tree, another life, breaks through the soil," he finished, grinning from ear to ear.

Marian arched her back into him, pressing against him, gently squirming in agony, her need desperate to be released.

Pleased with himself, Gwaine sat up abruptly, breaking the spell he had cast over her. He smirked as he noticed her skin flush and her pupils grow large. Desire. He had been right. She desired him.

Marian sputtered, unable to say a word. She tried to swallow, but her throat was dry. She squirmed and sat up, trying to calm her body. She had never been so turned on in her life. All because of Gwaine and his damn apple.

000

A week later, as the castle prepared for the Feast of Beltane on the next day, Marian rushed from patient to patient, tending to minor colds and sprained wrists. She hadn't been sleeping well, plagued with nightmares most nights, so she was thoroughly exhausted when she returned to her chamber for a rest. It wasn't even lunchtime, and she had been worked to the bone.

Marian opened her chamber door and was surprised. There on her bed were two dresses, folded neatly, and a small bouquet of wildflowers, complete with a note.

Beautiful,

Just a small token of my admiration. And to tell you, I'm sorry. I don't deserve you, you're too good to me.

As always, yours,

A lowly knight

Marian smiled brightly as tears prickled her eyes. She picked up the flowers and took in their fragrance. Unfolding the dresses to look at them, she saw that they were serving dresses. Exactly what she needed. One was bright blue, and the other was pale pink. Rather than flowers embroidered on the front, there were stars. He'd had them made special, just for her.

000

Leon and Gwaine were on guard duty for the next few days, so neither would be able to join the festivities tomorrow. They roamed the corridors of the castle, checking that everything was in order before the feast. Gwaine had double-checked the lock on the armory while Leon went to speak to Arthur about the guard assignments.

They met up at lunchtime for a quick break before going back to it. As they headed to the stairs that led to the kitchens, Gwaine stopped abruptly. Leon looked over to see what was wrong. Gwaine stared ahead, mouth agape.

"Gwaine?" he asked.

Leon followed Gwaine's gaze to the end of the corridor. Marian, a vision in bright blue, was walking toward them. Her hair, which was usually braided to the side, flowed freely, except for a small braid circling the crown of her head. In the braid, there were tiny wildflowers and a lilac tied with a blue ribbon in the back.

Marian was positively glowing as she approached the men. She smiled sweetly at them.

"Good afternoon, Sir Leon! Good afternoon, Sir Gwaine!" she greeted.

As she walked between them, she paused and turned to Gwaine, and lifting herself on her toes, she reached over with her hand on his arm and kissed his lips softly. Without another word, she continued on her way down the corridor with a spring in her step.

Gwaine turned to watch her go, wearing the dress and flowers he had left her that morning. He smiled stupidly at Leon and clapped him on the back.

"Let's eat! I'm starving!"