Comments: A little bit of a sequel I hope you like it.
She woke up covered in sweat and blushed as she remembered her dreams, the prison, the handcuff's, her royal captor. She covered her face with a pillow and screamed, not out of fear but frustration.
Arthur's chambers
Merlin placed Arthur's breakfast on the table a smile beaming on his face.
"What is so amusing Merlin?" his servant had been grinning and laughing to himself for the last ten minutes and it was driving him nuts.
"Oh nothing" the prince threw a pillow at him, hitting his head.
"Speak now or you will be mucking the stables for a month!" his eyebrow raised and a very serious expression on his face.
Merlin gulped he meant it and the thought of being knee high in horse poop did not appeal.
"It's really nothing ....you were just talking in your sleep, that's all"
Arthur tried to piece together his dreams and then he felt hot, oh yes Guinevere!
"I do not talk in my sleep" he hoped that snoring like a pig was his only night time affliction.
Merlin smirked "Of course not.....oh Guinevere, I am your handsome prince ohhhhhhhhhhhh Guinevvvvvvvvvvvere"
Another pillow and then a goblet got thrown at him, he ducked and it missed him by inches.
"I DID NOT SAY THAT!" he shouted as Merlin grabbed for the door a barrage of object's being hurled at him.
He said one last thing before he shut the door "Blushing!" and then closed the door just as a boot hit it.
Merlin laughed as he walked down the corridor, the subject of Guinevere seemed to be the only thing that provoked a reaction and thus some entertainment for him.
Gwen was helping clean up after her day treating with Gauis, when Merlin staggered in completely covered in muck.
Gauis burst out laughing and left his room, Gwen stood there staring at her friend.
"Merlin, what happened?"
"YOU is what happened"
She looked confused "I cannot see how I have got you in this state?"
"OK not just you, you and my big mouth" he looked dejected.
"What happened Merlin?" she hated that fact that she would have had some hand in his current discomfort.
He couldn't tell her that Arthur was shouting her name out in the night, if he ever found out. The horses would become his new best friend or even worse! He felt sick at the thought.
"Oh nothing much, just winding him up about yesterday"
Gwen looked very disappointed "You should not do that Merlin, it is hard enough as it is, without your teasing" she picked up her last bits and before she left she laid it a bit thicker "I thought you were our friend, I ask that you start acting like one!"
"Sorry" he shouted after her as she closed the door.
Gwen had a way of making you feel just terrible, either with words or just a look. He needed to try harder and help them to see more of each other. Arthur had already told him of his plans tonight and threatened him if he breathed a word of anything to anyone. So he needed to get cleaned up and sit in Arthur's room waiting for his return, ready to make excuses should anyone ask for him.
Guinevere's hands shook as she chopped the vegetables and put them in the stew, her imagination had caused her no end of trouble today. Blushing, looking off into the distance...she felt like a teenager.
She placed the flowers on the table and a shawl over her shoulders, it reminded her nights long past, but a pain still so fresh. The night she waited until the candle burned out for him, when he was in the chambers of another women came flashing back to her and she took the shawl off and threw it on the chair. Best not look to the past, she thought.
A light knock at the door, caused her stomach to feel like it was sinking.
Her hand shook as it opened the door and Prince Arthur stood there a cloak over his head. He walked in and she shut the door.
Her temperature started to rise as he pulled his hood off and looked at her "Guinevere" he handed her a single white rose.
"My lord...Arthur" she corrected and her shaking hand took the rose "Thank you"
They stood close together looking at each other, neither of them knowing what move to make, they both laughed nervously and Arthur picked up her hand and kissed it.
When he let go of her hand, she turned around to finish dinner.
"It smells lovely" he said whilst looking around at her house. It had changed a bit since he was last there, the bed was no longer by the window but somewhere hidden and she now had two chairs by the fire place.
"I hope you like it" she continued chopping the final herbs and stifled a yawn.
"Did you not sleep well last night?" she dropped the knife she was holding on the floor and blushed bright red.
"I slept well, thank you for asking" she did not turn to look at him but could feel his eyes on her.
She placed the food down on the table and he pulled her chair out for her.
She poured him some ale and they gave each other an awkward smile. He lifted up a spoonful of the stew and tasted it "Mmmm delicious Guinevere" she really was talented. The food he ate in his few days with her tasted better than any he had before, she made everything taste good and smell good.
"Glad you like it" the air became thick between them. This was something new, their times before had been necessary or sudden, this was planned it almost felt too normal, too like a couple in love than the realities of their relationship.
She went to grab the salt at the same time he did and their hands touched, the both pulled back "Sorry...you first" they both said at the same time and laughed.
Arthur picked up the salt and handed it to her, she gratefully took it.
She gulped down the ale, trying to soothe her nerves.
"Did you have a good day today?" her voice breaking as she tried to make a normal conversation.
"Yes thank you....you?"
"Good thank you" she could not think of what to say, the last time they had time to chat their conversations were of the tournament, but now...what could a servant find in common with a Prince.
He laughed nervously "This is difficult"
She laughed too "Yes"
He stood up, she thought he would leave, fed up with the awkward looks, the silences. He offered his hand, she looked confused but took it.
He walked her to the chairs by the fire. "Right sit, let's talk"
She felt like she was about to be interrogated and the thoughts of last night's dream heated her up like a warm summers night.
He noticed her flush red and adjust herself on the seat...he would give anything to know what was on her mind right now. "What are you thinking?"
She looked away from him, her body getting hotter.
"Guinevere come on, you are killing me here what is going on in that mind of yours?" he sat forward to look into her eyes.
"Nothing interesting" she bit her lip, she could definitely not tell him how dishonourable her mind was.
"Really.... you promised me yesterday no more lies, have you changed your mind?" she finally looked at him and looked very guilty.
"No it is just some thoughts are best kept to yourself"
He sighed "Do I need to lock you in the dungeons to get the truth out of you?"
Why did he have to say that!... she moaned.
"Are you unwell?" he saw her lifting up her hair with one hand and fanning herself with the other.
"No I am fine, just need a minute" he watched as she got up and went outside. He stood by the door and could hear her talking to herself.
"Pull yourself together Guinevere...breath stop letting your imagination carry away with you" he heard her stop pacing and made his way back to the chair looking casual.
It appeared that her mind was equally as prone to stray as his was and he smiled. How would he get her to confess what her imagination was up to, he really wanted to know.
"Feel better?" he asked, his eyebrows rose.
"Much thank you" she cleared her throat and sat down holding her hands together on her lap.
Now he knew the dungeons had something to do with it "Good...so about locking you up in the dungeons unless you tell me what is on your mind?"
She got up "More ale?"
Definitely the dungeons had a big part in her current embarrassment. He just hoped he was the one in the dungeons with her, not he who shall not be named!
Best to just come out with it. "In your dungeon scenario, am I with you there?" she jumped as he came up behind her, his breath tickling her ear.
"I do not know what you are talking about!" Had she been that obvious, she felt betrayed by her body for making her so readable and her mind for straying. She had promised not to lie to him, but surely something so personal should be kept close to her chest. It's not as though her deepest fantasies put lives in danger!
"Really" he moved away from her disappointed. That meant that it was another man in the dungeons with Guinevere.
He felt like going home, this evening was not as he had planned. They were supposed to eat, kiss, kiss, lay in each other's arms, kiss and now this her mind full of fantasies that he is not in, that is why she looked so guilty.
"Maybe I should go!" he felt a complete fool.
She looked upset that their time had come to an end so soon, or was he just needing to get away from her. Stupid fantasies, of course he would not want someone with such impure thoughts!
"Do you have to?" she didn't want him to leave.
"No...but it appears your mind is with someone else!" he couldn't help it, it rolled out of his mouth like an arrow killing a beast. He started to make his way to the door.
She looked horrified and then blushed, she had to tell him, he probably thought her fantasies included Lancelot not him, it was her fault that Lancelot had become a rift between them, if he left now he would just close off to her. Talking about their feelings was not a strong point for either of them.
"STAY...please" his hand held onto the handle, fighting whether to open it and run or stay and listen to words he probably did not want to hear.
She walked up to him and took his hand off the handle, she held it in hers and tried to make eye contact "You are the only person in my thoughts tonight" she blushed and looked down.
Her words slowly filtering through to his heart and a smile formed on his lips "So it was you and me in a dungeon?"
She sighed and bit her lip, she couldn't quite get the words out so she just nodded. He must think she was terrible first the flirting with the guards, the agreeing to commit her body to his out of wedlock and now her mind was taking him to the dark and dingy dungeons.
He laughed "Well that's alright then" he picked up their hands and placed a kiss on hers. She always surprised him and the last couple of days had bowled him over, from criminal to temptress. He would definitely not be able to sleep tonight, she made his dreams pale in comparison. Last night he dreamed they were walking in a field of roses holding hands, she had him down the dungeons.
Her face still glowed red "Sorry for being distant tonight" her voice soft and timid.
He reached out and stroked her cheek "Nothing to be sorry for...I am just glad you and I at least get to venture together in your mind"
She had to smile "You must think I am terrible, having such thoughts"
He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips "No...I am rather flattered, or should I not be?" he did not know what her thoughts were; he hoped they were good ones.
She bit her lip "You should be" .
He leaned down and gently kissed her again "Would you tell me them?" her eyes lifted to look into his blue ones.
Should she tell him, no "Maybe one day"
He laughed "You will be the death of me Guinevere" she stood on her toes and kissed him gently, afraid that if they kissed like last night, she might forget what was reality and what was fantasy.
"I hope not, I like you" she replied.
"I like you too, a lot" She smiled.
He leant down and placed a simple kiss on her lips, then her nose and her forehead, he heard her sigh. He grabbed her hand and led her back to the fire, he sat down first and pulled her onto his lap, lacing his arms around her.
"I made Merlin muck out the stables twice today, because he said I spoke your name in my sleep" he chuckled at his confession.
Gwen shifted in his lap to look at him "You spoke my name in your sleep?"
He sighed "It appears you and I spent more time in dreams, than in reality"
She wrapped her arms around his neck and held onto him, he held her tighter too.
"One day Guinevere, we will no longer have to suffer with stolen glances and kisses, I will make our dreams come true" he meant it, his mission in life now was to marry Guinevere, whatever it took, not matter how many battles he needed to win, she would become his wife.
A single tear dropped down her check and onto his shoulder and she held him tighter.
She would be by his side until her last breath. He was everything to her now and although words failed her...he was the only man she ever truly loved or will ever love.