'Then, my lady Guinevere, until we dream together.' Guinevere sat, huddled in her gown, sitting in the corner of her bed. Out of bad habit, she subconciously chewed her lower lip and thought about Tristan's last words to her. Closing her eyes, she still remembered the passion and emotion she saw in his eyes when he professed his love for her. She lightly touched her lips trying to ressurect the kiss he left her. Opening her eyes and wanting to see him there in front of her, she sighed deeply when she relaized that she was all alone.
Tristan was right, however. Guinevere continued to be Arthur's wife and queen and Tristan continued to mask his feelings and avoid her at all costs, however, there were the rare moments when she did catch his eyes and saw the faintest glimmer of love within them and then, just as quickly as they appeared, they disappeared.
All the pretending was done in the day, when they were visible to the public eye, but at night... at night they let themselves be with each other, just like Tristan had said. She closed here eyes once more and let her mind drift back into one of the many dreams she had had over the last few weeks. As she was beginning to let her body relax and mind wander , she was abruptly woken up by the slamming of her chamber door. Quickly, she opened her eyes and stood up.
"I'm sorry, did I disturb you?" Arthur was shocked to see his wife looking so surprised to see him in their bedroom.
Gazing at her husband, she hesitantly shook her head, "No, no, I was just resting. Is everything all right?"
Smiling a bit, Arthur relaxed his usually tensed body and shrugged. "Yes, everything is fine."
"Good." Silence. They both had nothing to say to each other, and it occcurred to Guinevere that this was the first time since their meeting that she and Arthur had nothing to discuss. Looking around the room hoping that a subject would come up, Guinevere took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
Arthur cleared his throat and glanced nervously at the floor, "Are you... feeling ill?"
Guinevere took a moment to answer the question. "No, no of course not. Why do you ask?"
"Well... it just seems that you have been sleeping more and more these past few weeks and I was wondering if you were feeling all right."
"Yes, yes I am. Just a bit tired that's all." Tiring of the conversation, she turned around and began sifting through her night attire, when Arthur cleared his throat again. Looking up at him, she raised her eyebrows and leaned forward. "Is there something else?"
"Funny. I was about to ask you the same thing. Is there anything you want to tell me Guinevere?"
I don't love you anymore and perhaps I never did. Every morning when I wake up I wish it was Tristan lying next to me, every night when I go to sleep it is only for the sole purpose of seeing Tristan again sooner... I love Tristan. "No... nothing at all." She looked back down to her nightgown and ignored Arthur.
"Oh please Guinevere! Don't be daft with me, I know something is wrong. You don't want to have anymore celebrations here anymore, you insist that I never go with you in public anymore, you always tell me you're tired whenever I try to be intimate with you. What is the matter?!"
Staring at Arthur, she found no words to suffice the question without breaking his heart or thier marriage apart. Finding no excuse, she quickly excused herself and swiftly let the room.
Trying to stop the tears from falling, she covered her mouth with her hand and ran down the corridors and outside to the courtyard. When she finally reached the cool air she took several huge breaths to regain her composure. Feeling the warm tears fall down, she thought back to what Tristan would have said had he been there with her. 'Don't cry, my lady Guinevere. I would rather suffer a thousand deaths before I see you unhappy'.
Just thinking about Tristan's last words made her weep with more intensity and she fell helplessly to the cold snowy floor and unsuccessfully tried to restrain the tear filled yelp that escaped her lips.
She thought back to her last meeting with Tristan in the forest, remembering his lips as they held on to hers, and with all her warrior might, tried to keep the feeling of his lips in her memory, but it was done in vain. Just as quickly and easily it is for her to conjure up that glorious moment, just as effortlessly slipped away again.
Rubbing the tears from her eyes, she gazed up into the stars and admired their pulchritude and simplicity. Simplicity. Whatever happened to simplicity? she thought. Taking a few more deep breaths, she calmly stood up and brushed the snow off her gown and looked back to her room window, which was still alight, and noticed vague shadows of movement. As she was beginning to walk back to her room and Arthur, she stopped short. Turning swiftly around, she stared into the distance and without warning ran.
The hard and constant knocking on his door brought Tristan back from his beautiful dream with Guinevere. Mumbling and complaining, he slowly pulled his breeches on and opened the door.
Guinevere rushed in and without a comment or a single word rushed onto Tristan's lips and held onto his lean and muscled body. Moaning with the pure pleasure of just feeling his lips on hers once more and knowing that she could physically grab his body make Guinevere hold on even tighter.
Tristan, finally reeling back into reality, welcomed Guinevere's urgence and responded to her touch tenfold. Grabbing her body tighter and circling his arms around her slender waist, he inhaled her scent and couldn't help but groan.
After a few minutes, Tristan, against his every aching physical will, forced himslef to pull away if even for a slight seconds. Not wanting to lose the feeling that she so desperately earned for these past few weeks, she held on tighter and refused to let go of his lips. Finally able break contact, he quietly whispered, "It is my dream angel come to life. Why was I blessed with such a beautiful woman tonight?"
Guinevere only answered him by kissing him again with same, if more, passion.This time, however, she roamed deeper down with her lips and nibbled lightly on his neck. "Why..." kiss "does..." nibble "one..." suck "need..." lick "a reason..." bite "to see..." peck "the one they love?"
"My lady Guinevere, I am just as happy to see you, but when one comes knocking at my door at this hour, one can only assume something is wrong. Tell me."
Guinevere ignored him and continued sucking on his neck, her hands, which she had forgotten she had, were searching down his back. Gently grabbing her hand, Tristan brought them to her face and kissed them tenderly. "Tell me my love." He searched her eyes, and she returned the gaze and finally allowed herself to open up to him.
"Arthur..." she stopped short, cautious to mention the name of her former love in the presence of her current and forever one.
Lowering his gaze and inhaling a sharp breath, he nodded his head and motioned for her to continue.
"Arthur knows that I am avoiding him. He knows that I don't want to be with him during the day and I haven't been to bed with him in a few weeks. I don't know what to tell him. What can I tell him?" Tristan looked back up to her and softly, as if a breeze, kissed her forehead.
Pulling her close and hugging her body, he whispered gently into her ear, "There is nothing you can tell him. He must not know, in fact, you should never have come here to begin with. I was stupid for kissing you back, perhaps it is best that you return-"
"What do you mean?" Guinevere immediately pulled back and awy from Tristan to look into his eyes, anger and frustration swept over her face. "You don't want me here, is that it? You welcome me and then just abandon me as quickly?" Guinevere's voice was getting louder and angrier. "Why can't you-"
Tristan silenced her with a deep and long kiss. Forgetting her anger, she leaned into his kiss and body once more and gave a deep sigh of enjoyment. Feeling his warm and delightful tongue beginning to press slightly at her mouth, she welcomed it body and soul. Slipping his tongue inside her mouth, she nibbled at his lower lips until she was sure she would draw blood, pulling away slightly she smiled at gazed at his swollen lips, feeling a bit of self satisfaction overcome her.
Taking this oppurtunity to speak, Tristan pressed his forehead against her and lowered his voice to a bare murmur, "Listen to me my lady, I will never ever abandon you, just as I will never stop loving you. Believe me my love, you are the sole reason for my living and leaving you is physically and mentally impossible and would never happen." He paused to gaze upon her face. "I only meant that you should return so Arthur will not suspect anymore than he already does. I don't want to see him get upset with you and... he does have a point."
"I don't understand."
"You haven't been seen with him these past weeks, you two don't have anymore gatherings, and as for the intimate area... well, much to my reluctance, I must say I am not upset about that."
Smiling and giggling to themselves, Tristan leaned down to kiss her lips gently and swiftly, but what was originally a peck became passionate and fiery embrace.
While kissing Tristans soft lips, she remembered her hands again and they roamed deeper down his body stopping to tweak and and pinch Tristan's nipples. Immediately breaking contact with Guinevere's lips, he groaned a deep guttural groan and stifled a yelp and threw his hands up to his hair to stop himself from picking up Guinevere and throwing her onto his bed.
Smiling a lustful smile, she kissed his lips once more and made a sloppy and wet trail down his chin, past his neck, and settled on his already inflamed nipples. Licking and lightly biting the nipple, she moved away slowly and lightly blew on it, this time, Tristan was not able to restrain his whimper.
It was only at that moment when Guinevere was blowing on Tristan that she noticed is state of dress, or rather his state of undress. With quick and nimble fingers, she tickled her way down his chest unti she reached the knot of his breeches.
However, before she could untie her prize, her hand was snatched away by Tristan's.
"I already have let you explore me far too much." She stared at Tristan as he said these words, suspicion and cuation entering her eyes, "it is only right that I repay the favor."
Suspicion turned to utter glee at this statement, throwing her arms around Tristan, Guinevere kissed him lightly and laughed a bit. Catching her effortlessly, he picked her up and walked over to the his small, but suitable, bed. Gently placing her down on the corner of the bed, he kneeled down on the floor to be eye-level with her.
Without saying a word, she began to unbutton her gown but was unsuccessful because of her shaking hands were making it rather difficult, it would have taken eternity if Tristan had not stepped in and done it himself.
"Don't be nervous my lady... I will not hurt you." When Tristan said these words, she knew that he truly meant them. She knew that when Tristan said that he loved her, he really did or when Tristan said that he would not hurt her, Guinevere knew that she could trust him with her life and not, for even a second, doubt that she would come into harm.
"You'll never hurt me."
Tristan undid the buttons slowly, enjoying every moment knowing that her beautiful and ethereal flesh would be revealed with each button gone. However, when Tristan made no move to remove the gown from her upper body, she reached out a hand to his cheek. Tristan was staring at her gown, with all the button undone yet revealing nothing, and when he looked up to her, Guinevere saw fear in his eyes.
'What is the matter?" Softly caressing his cheeks with both her hands, Guinevere looked back into Tristans scared eyes.
"I don't want to hurt you. I can't. You're too beautiful for me and-"
"Stop," Guinevere placed her forefinger on his lips, stopping them from moving, "it is you, my love, who is too beautiful for me. Your beauty surpasses mine in more ways than one can imagine because of the love you have for me. That love is more special to me than life itself and knowing that you have given it to me, that makes you the enticing one."
Staring at each other, they said nothing more. Unlike her dry conversations with Arthur, Tristan and Guinevere said all they could say with their eyes and heartbeats. Still holding his gaze, Guinevere slowly began to pull the dress off her shoulders and little by little, with Tristan gazing lovingly but passionately, she revealed more and more skin. With each inch of flesh shone, Tristan's breath grew more ragged and intense.
When, at last, her gown was pooled around her waist, Guinevere exhaled the breath that she wasn't even aware she was holding. When there were nothing but thick silence in the air, Guinevere took the initiative and slowly brushed the hair that was falling in his face once again. The brief and loving movement brought Tristan's attention back to Guinevere and when she smiled a little at the look of appreciation on his face, Tristan allowed himself to do a rare thing, laugh.
"No words can describe the beauty I see before me, they don't even come close to it."
"There is no need for words, your eyes say it all."
Reaching his hand up, Guinevere closed her eyes and prepared for his touch upon her breasts, yet when she felt his hand on her face she opened her eyes and saw Tristan gazing at her. Tristan ran his hand over Guinevere's face, stopping to rub her lips with his thumb. Guinevere kissed his fingers and slowly brought her hand up to reach his. Picking up his hand, Guinevere placed it on her breats and left it there.
"You won't hurt me."
Tristan, still holding her gaze, nodded his head and then looked back down at her breasts. Slowly reaching another hand to her breast, he traced her nipples with his fingertips; always circling but never her aerola. The small torture brought sharp little gasps from Guineveres' lips and this only made Tristan smirk a bit and continue his tickling.
Leaning forward to kiss her, he kissed each one of her eyelids, her nose, cheeks, mouth, and neck. Slowly windng his way down to her collarbone, he stopped to nibble on her collarbone where he gently but enthusiastically bit and sucked her until he noticed the red mark he was putting there. Immediately changing from biting to licking, he licked and kissed away the swolleness and blew on it until he was sure she would be okay.
Moving down to her chest, he stopped for a brief moment to take in the beauty before him. He would have continued staring had Guinevere not whimpered a bit, showing her impatience with him. Continuing his path of kisses, he finally settled on the right breast, kissing above it, below it, around it, but never touching the center.
After hearing Guinevere groan and gasp, he decided to indulge her and finally licked her nipple, which immediately brought a sharp moan from Guinevere. Discovering that he greatly enjoyed tasting that certain area, he placed his mouth around her nipple and continued to suck gently.
Guinevere had her eyes closed while her hands were roaming through his hair, knotting it even more than it was already. Dropping her hands to his neck, she hugged him closer to her breast and heart.
Tristan's other hand, meanwhile, was massaging Guinevere's other breast and tightly pinched her nipple and when Tristan felt the shiver it caused Guinevere, it was a never relenting pinch. The roughness of Tristan's hands caused the friction between his fingers and her skin to become even more electric.
When Tristan removed his hand from Guinevere's breast she groaned in protest, but Tristan silenced her with a kiss while his hand roamed further down. Circling her belly button slowly, Tristan walked his fingers down to the opening of her legs. Without a thought or hesitation, Guinevere opened them up to their fullest extent and kissed Tristan back harder.
Taking her response as a positive, Tristan slid his hands down her thigh and softly ticked it. Rubbing and softly kneading her inner thigh, he never touched the heated softness between her thighs, that which she wanted most to be touched.
"Tristan, please..." Guinevere managed to blurt out before being swallowed by his lips.
"When the time is right..."
"The time is perfect right now."
"No... I don't want to hurt you."
And with that final comment, he removed his hand from her inner thigh and lightly kissed Guinevere on the forehead as he stood up. Guinevere, coming down from her euphoria, blinked a few times, trying to understand what Tristan was doing. Giving Tristan an openly confused look, he brushed his hand down her cheek and sighed.
"When the time is right."
Instead of anger, which Guinevere normally felt when she didn't get what she wanted, she felt disappointment. Lowering her head to ground, she tried to hold back her urge to tackle Tristan herself.
"When will we be alone again?" She asked, instead of yelling at him in frustration.
Picking her up from his bed, he gently and slowly buttoned up her gown, saying good-bye to the skin he had learned to love almost as much as he loved Guinevere.
"Tonight, when you go back to Arthur and dream, tomorrow when you go horseback riding, knowing I'll be not far behind you. Tomorrow night, when you shower and think of my lips upon your skin. I'll be with you then."
Frustrated and yet charmed by his answer, he let out a sigh and stared back at him. Straightening her hair and dress, she walked to the door which Tristan opened for her and walked into the hallway. Turning around to catch one last glimpse of Tristan, she cleared her throat.
"If I have a celebration at the castle next week... will you promise to come?"
Although his hair hid half of his face, and she could not clearly see his face, Guinevere did see his slight grin. "As you wish."
Tristan closed the door and waited until he heard the last of Guinevere's footsteps, leaning against the door, he closed his eyes and couldn't wait to go back to sleep... to dream.
TBC
Okay, okay, stole a line from "The Princess Bride", just couldn't stop myself.
Dirtier rating next chapter, stick around!