Mature content in this chapter describing the female body. M rating. I'll put lines to show where.
As Athena waited for Guinevere, she quickly unpacked her things. Her father would be bringing whatever else she needed.
She pulled out multiple pairs of trousers. She had riding pants, which were leather and formed to her body well, she had casual pants, which were loose, and were tight around her ankles and waist. She really only wore dresses for bed. And they were nothing like she assumed the ladies of Camelot wore. Her clothing was almost entirely dyed various shades of dark green or purple. Her sleeping gown was cut just above the knees, and a deep maroon. It was dyed with mulberry juice, and then soaked in salt water to soften it.
Hearing a knock on the door, she quietly said "Enter." Guinevere did as she was told, and she smiled brightly at Camelot's guest.
"How may I help you, my Lady?" Asked Guinevere, her hands clasped in front of her stomach.
"Please, for the God's sake, call me Athena, Guinevere! And how much of a bother would it be to ask you to draw me a bath, and to get me out of this corset and blasted dress? I can't breathe and it's making me irritable." Athena gave the woman an apologetic look, and Guinevere looked absolutely appalled that the woman seemed to treat Guinevere like a person, not just a servant.
"I will call you that, as long as you'll call me Gwen. Guinevere is such a mouthful." The woman let out a soft laugh, and Athena nodded approvingly.
"Agreed. Now would you know where I can find a tad of coconut oil, and some sticks of vanilla for my bath? I have a recipe for you and Morgana to use. It also includes the sharpest dagger you have. On the edges, the tip doesn't matter." Gwen gave Athena the most confused look, and the woman laughed heartily.
"Don't worry, I shan't kill you. It'll be a beauty lesson. And I've heard it makes bedtime with others a delight." With these last words, she winked at Gwen, and the other woman's already dark face started to darken in color.
"Yes, Athena. Anything else?" Gwen's face was pink, but her smile was genuine.
"That's all. For now at least." She ended her sentence with a chuckle, and Gwen left, promising vanilla, coconut oil, and a tub for a bath.
After she had taught Morgana and Gwen how to shave in these times, using nothing but oil and a sharp blade, she lay in the tub of water that was being continuously heated by the hearth it was placed in front of. Her freshly shaven legs hung over the side of the tub, opposite her chest, and her arms rested beside her, around the edge. Her breasts were covered by a warm, wet cloth, but her nipples were prominent underneath the fabric. She leaned her head back, basking in the warmth surrounding her. It had taken her a week to get her on horseback, and that was with barely any stops. She slept for maybe six hours, the entire ride, and she was exhausted.
Taking the cloth from her breasts, she dipped it into the water, then squeezed it out, folding it and pressing it against her forehead. Her hair was piled on top of her head, and held together loosely with a few pins. Her bangs, which were cut straight across her forehead, across her brow, was pushed out of the way so she could appreciate the warm cloth fully. She was so immersed in the experience, she seemed to have missed the knocking, then entering of someone.
Until he decided to feel embarrassed.
"Oh, god. I'm sorry. Why didn't you give any blasted warning!?"
From the tone of the voice, it was Arthur. From the way he was talking, and the sound. He was still facing her.
Taking the cloth from over her eyes, she glared at him and quickly covered her breasts, thankful that the dark wood of the tub made the water too dark to see any lower.
"Why in the hell are you still looking?" She practically yelled, and she almost moved to get her robe, when she remembered she was naked. Arthur finally took the time to feel guilty, and he covered his eyes, a visible blush creeping along his cheeks.
"Well if you had told me you were in the bath, I wouldn't have seen anything in the first place!" His tone was petulant, and he obviously wasn't planning on taking responsibility.
"Just hand me my damn robe, and tell me what you want." Said Athena, obviously angry and embarrassed.
Arthur complied, covering his eyes, but when he heard the splashing of her getting up, he couldn't help, and he snuck a look.
His trousers tightened considerably.
She stood up, and the sight of her shining wet body was absolutely delightful. And he thought he was into thin girls. Athena took after her namesake. She had the body of a Goddess. She had legs that would wrap nicely around someone's hips, and her stomach wasn't perfectly smooth… But Arthur saw that as anything but a flaw. Her breasts were a little more than a handful each, he guessed, and they were tipped with the most beautiful pink nipples he'd ever seen. In all, she was absolutely perfect, and he hated it. Hated it with a burning passion.
He did all of this research while still covering his eyes with his hands, peeking through his fingers.
"Okay. Now what was it you wanted, you imbecile." She said these words, even though she was angry, there was love behind them. Arthur was one of her oldest friends, and she'd mean him no harm.
"I came…. To apologize. You won that jousting match fair and square, and I had no right to treat you with such disrespect." He seemed sincere, whereas Athena wore a look of utter bewilderment.
"You, Arthur Pendragon, are apologizing to me?" She lifted her brows, and put her hands on her hips incredulously.
"Yes, Athena. I am. Do you accept it, or do I have to lay on the floor like a dog?" His words were obviously in jest, but Athena put a finger on her lips, and made a face, to make him think she was actually debating it.
"Don't. You. Dare." Said Arthur, and she burst out laughing, sitting down on her bed, she smiled at him, and shook her head.
"I accept your apology. If you see Gwen, tell her the bath was lovely, and that Merlin can dispose of it in the morning."
Arthur nodded, and reached for the door handle, before turning around, his cheeks turning pink again, but that was his only sign of embarrassment.
"I'm really sorry for walking in on you."
Before he left in quite a hurry. As the door closed, a small smile appeared on Athena's lips, and she had to lay down and press her face into the downy pillows to quiet her girlish giggling.