The next few weeks slowly ticked by, Arthurs mind still kissing Guinevere in the water.
"Something troubling you Arthur!" Uther said during dinner.
"Sorry?" he had not listening to a word he was saying.
"I asked if something was troubling you...I have never seen you so lost in your thoughts, prey tell me what runs through your mind" he drank the remains of his wine.
What is bothering him he thought, was that he wanted to spend every waking moment with Guinevere, but because his father was so pig headed it would never be allowed. His emotions always ranged from duty to wanting to kill his father, to wanting to leave this place and take her away.
"Arthur speak boy"
Arthur finally looked at him and an idea popped into his head "I think I need to go hunting for a few days"
His father looked surprised "But you only went hunting with your Knights a few weeks ago and with the preparation for the feast, surely now is not a good time?"
He could not stand the thought of the Summer Feast, an evening of dancing with all the ladies of the court none of which he wanted to be anywhere near. So he tried again "I want to go hunting on my own, well with a servant of course....the last year or so has been difficult and I need some space"
Uther regarded his son, he had be subjected to a very hard year, with the loss of Morgana, the dragon and the fight they had, his son needed some time alone.
"If that's what you feel is best, although I would prefer it if you took a knight with you, that idiot of a servant would not know a sword from a deer!"
Arthur smiled, the plan was formulating slowly in his head "I will take Sir Leon with me"
Uther relaxed a little "Excellent, when will you leave?"
Arthur's face lit up "Tomorrow" no time to waste at all.
The rest of the dinner Arthur's thoughts turned to the plan at hand, he needed to speak to Merlin, Sir Leon and Gauis.
As Guinevere finished sewing the last few items that needed fixing a note slid under her door. She immediately stood up and read it.
Guinevere,
I would like to spend a few days in your fine company, all is arranged with Gauis.....an escort will collect you before sunrise tomorrow.
Dress sensibly.
Yours always, Sir William,
She read through each word slowly again, tomorrow, a few days with Arthur......Dress sensibly?
Her heart beating out of her chest! A few days with Arthur...where would he take me?
The rest of the night, she went through her wardrobe and cursed it for being so limited. Sensible but sexy, she thought.....late into the night, she fixed items of clothing, pulling them in, taking them up until she finally had a few days clothes.
She was exhausted, with only half an hour's sleep she looked in the mirror. Brown trousers, knee high boots and her father's white shirt now tailored to fit her. She placed her hair up high but left a few stray curls down her back and across her face.
She waited with her small bag full of clothes and homemade delights. Her stomach jumped around nervous and excited about the few days ahead.
She heard a light knock on the door revealing a very tired Merlin.
"Merlin"
"Gwen, you know you two will be the death of me" he rubbed his eyes.
"Sorry...where are we going?" she asked as she blew out her candle and picked up her bag.
"Telling you is more than my life is worth!" he stumbled through town half asleep, their path only lit by the moonlight.
As they walked out of the temporarily unguarded east entrance of Camelot she found Arthur and Sir Leon laughing standing near three horses.
"Good morning Guinevere" his face lit up when he saw her.
"My lord, Sir Leon" out of habit she curtsied. She had been surprised to find Sir Leon there.
"Good Morning my lady" Leon picked up her hand and kissed it, Gwen's mind automatically imagined a naked Leon doing the same act and she blushed, causing Arthur to look a little disgruntled.
Merlin and Sir Leon got on their separated horses and Arthur helped Guinevere on his horse and sat behind her.
As they started on their mystery journey he spoke into Guinevere's ear "You just imagined him unclothed didn't you?" he couldn't help it he had to know.
She blushed bright red and was grateful Sir Leon and Merlin were riding ahead, he did not miss anything with her and she hated how her blushes gave her away.
"Yes...I couldn't help it" why did she have to confess such embarrassing things?
He huffed in her ear causing a shiver and cursed the fact he chose Sir Leon to help him.
"Sorry...it's not as though I have seen many men" she could feel her cheeks on fire.
"Many? How many more have you seen?" his voice went a little louder, the anger no longer being masked, causing Sir Leon and Merlin to look around, he just stared at them and they turned back.
Great! We are on this romantic trip and within the first few seconds she was already in trouble. "How many what?" act dumb, way to go Gwen.
"Naked bodies!" his voice higher than usual and his tight grip around the reins making his knuckles white.
"Does it really matter?" she asked quietly.
"YES" his words spat in her ear.
Half of her thought to say hundreds, hundreds of naked men, after all from his reputation growing up, he could not complain.
"Two...well I guess three now" she answered honestly.
"TWO!" his voice high again and he was grinding his teeth right in her ear.
Luckily she did not tease him and say hundreds... "Yes TWO" she did not want to back down.
"WHO?" he wanted to know so he could kill them...he thought she blushed because she had not seen the like before, but no, here she was surprising him with her two, no THREE!!.
The truth seemed more embarrassing than having this conversation with the Prince of Camelot, but if she wanted him to talk to her again, she needed to ease his mind.
"My virtue is still intact, can we please drop it?" she pleaded, she did not want to tell the tale of how she accidently walked in on her father changing and a while ago accidently walked in on Merlin, that had been the whole start of her mini crush on him and knowing Arthur he would never let Merlin forget it, or her.
He seemed to relax at her words, he just needed to know that she was his and his alone.
"I am sorry Guinevere" he whispered in her ear and placed a kiss on it.
She didn't reply she just leaned further back onto his hard chest and enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms.
A few hours later they stopped at a fork in the path.
"I shall meet you here in two days!" Arthur said to Sir Leon and Merlin.
Gwen looked surprised, she had presumed Merlin and Leon would join them.
"Of course Sire, was it five deer and two boars?" Leon teased.
"NO Five Boars and Six Deer at least and keep the idiot safe" he gestured to Merlin, Gwen smiled Arthur really cared for him, he just had trouble showing it.
"Hey I will probably catch seven deers on my own" They all laughed including Merlin.
Arthur turned their horse and rode in the opposite direction.
"Where are we going then?" she needed to know it was all very exciting.
"You will see" he leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek and she smiled. No one had ever done something so special for her before.
He rode the horse fast, the wind blowing through her hair and the feel of Arthur's arms around her made her heart sing, she felt so happy and safe now.
The air smelt different here as they finally slowed down, as he rode through the trees her breath stopped.
"The sea!" she gasped, she had heard tales of the sea but never seen such beauty.
He laughed, most people in Camelot had not known of this place. He helped her off the horse and she walked straight down to the edge of the cliff and he watched as she took in a few deep breaths.
"You like it?" he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I love it, thank you" she turned around in his arms and placed a kiss on his lips.
"Can we go down?" she was way too excited to wait any longer.
"This way" he took her hand and the horse and led her along the shoreline. He chose this beach because it was somewhere he used to come as a young boy to think and no one ever really came here.
There was a small path along the cliff edge that led down to the sand, he led Guinevere first and then slowly took his faithful horse down. When he reached the bottom, he found Guinevere with her boots off and already making her way along to the water, he laughed....he wanted it to make it his life's mission to make her happy.
The feel of the soft sand between her feet, felt fantastic. She was told of stories of the ocean as a child, but nothing compared to the feel of it and the smell of salt in the air. She felt like she was dreaming, like one of the many stories she had been told, came true and they added a handsome prince for good measure.
Arthur watched her from a distance as she lifted her trousers up a little exposing her perfect legs and dipped her toes in the water and laughed.
He felt guilty for accusing her this morning, with Guinevere he just could not keep his jealousy in check, she was all he wanted, she was the air that he breathed and if anyone dare take that away from him now, he would fight to the death to keep her. Lancelot included his fists clenched in his hand.
"Arthur" she called as if she was a siren calling a boat to sea. He tied the horse and made his way to her, before he got to her, she closed the gap and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, he lifted her up and they deepened the kiss, the sound of the ocean blowing through their ears.
When they finally had the need to break apart "Thank you" her eyes glistened. This was the best gift anyone could have given her.
"You are welcome" he took her hand and they walked along the beach, his boots left by hers and the sand and water caressing their toes.
He spoke of the days he used to come here to clear his mind and what it was like growing up, she listened and gave the appropriate re-action. He realised that he had not openly talked to anyone ever, that he always kept his inner thought to himself, he felt they were too silly to air. But Guinevere listened and gave him words of support, he wondered how in such a short space of time she had become the only person he could talk to and just be himself. In her company he was just Arthur, not the Prince of Camelot and it felt wonderful.
At night time he lit a fire, he would not let her lift a finger...the outdoors was his territory. She watched as he carefully placed the wood on the ground and as the flames lit their faces.
He laid out the dinner that Merlin had pre-prepared meats, cheese, fruit and wine.
"You know I recently remembered the first time we met" he said as he placed a grape in his mouth.
Gwen had managed to strike that memory out, but it did not stop him reminding her.
"You were such a slight thing! Your hair was crazy brown curls and the first thing that you said to me was..."
"No please don't" she buried her face in her hands.
He laughed, when he remembered he laughed for two days straight. "Come on Guinevere...you said.... "I love you" remember?".
He remembered that morning very clear, he had gone to complain to Morgana about something she had done and he came face to face with a very young Guinevere, who blushed at the sight of him and mumbled I love you, his actions were not so honourable, he remember giving her a dirty look and walking past her to Morgana.
She buried her face deeper in her hands, she had always fancied Arthur, in fact half of the females did and when she saw him, his golden hair, his piercing blue eyes, it rolled out of her mouth before she could stop it.
He peeled her hands from her face and she finally looked up, he had a huge grin on his face, proud of his achievement.
She had to retain some dignity "Back then I was delusional!" she raised her eyebrows.
He grabbed his heart as if she shot an arrow through it "Delusional oh my wounded heart...no you loved me"
She playfully hit him on the chest "I loved all men, so do not think you are so special"
He laughed "Really like who?"
"Well how long have you got?" she teased.
"Oh another day...please continue" he folded his arms, a smile still crossing his face.
Think Guinevere, think of all the hot knights back then....even though she knew he was the only one she fancied at that age "Well, Sir Alian"
His face turned to disgust "He would have repelled any affection with his foul stench!".
She laughed and continued on "Sir Galian, Sir Aston, Sir Christopher!"
He laughed so loud he practically spat the grape at her "Overweight, bald and well he would have preferred Merlin"
She laughed as well, okay here's two more "Sir Anthony and your father!" her eyebrows raised and his face turned to disgust.
Now Sir Anthony he could understand all the girls used to love him but his Father, yuck. "I feel sick, you have for the first time in my life put me off my food!"
"Well you should not challenge me" he leaned forward nearer to her lips, his breath tickled on her lips.
"You love me" his words sent shivers down her spine.
"Why would you presume that?"
He leaned in and kissed her lips "You love me, just admit it"
He kissed up her neck and her body felt on fire, don't give in Guinevere she thought just focus, he is teasing you, not a moment for confessions of the heart.
"I like you" she teased, but her body screamed 'love'.
"No...you love me" he kissed along her jaw.
"Is this how you get information out of your prisoners?".
"Don't change the subject" he stopped kissing her and looked into her eyes.
She fake yawned "Well it's a long and wonderful day...."
"You know sleep deprivation is a great way to get the truth out of prisoners!" he tried to look threatening but she just laughed.
"Oh really am I your prisoner now?" she leaned towards his lips.
"If you do not confess, I will have to take measures!"
She stood up "I believe you would have to catch your prisoner first" she ran away from him quickly and it didn't take too long for him to catch up with her, probably because she was laughing so hard that even in the dark, he could find her.
He tackled her to the floor, both of them laughing as he pinned her against the now cold sand.
"Got you!" he claimed.
She leaned up to his lips and wrapped her legs around his waist, he loosened his grip on her and she managed to roll him over so she was on top of him, grateful for all those hours of wrestling with the local boys.
"I believe I have you!" she held him tight and knew if he wanted to he could get her off of him. He was laughing to loud to bother.
"You really are a wonder Guinevere" she leaned down towards his lips.
"No just a bad prisoner", her lips captured his, her tongue tasting his mouth. She re-positioned herself on his body and placed her hands up his tunic, touching his bare chest, he moaned and his body reacted to hers. His hands made their way up her back, her shirt had loosened in the battle and he felt her soft skin under his hand, his body screamed at him and he had to roll her over so he was on top, forcing her hands to move from his chest...as much as he enjoyed the contact his body was not going to know any limits if she carried on this way.
"Perhaps we should save this battle for another day?" he slowly lifted off her and helped her up.
"Of course" she felt disappointed, she did not want to stop kissing him, or touching him.
They cleared up silently from dinner and he lay next to her his arms and cloak around her and looked up to the stars. He pointed at a small cluster of stars in the sky. "That is my great grandfather"
He told her the story his father had told him, of a great king...that battled thousands and saved Camelot with only a few men. Guinevere listened to his words until sleep finally took her.
The next day was bright and everything had returned to normal, the heat of the previous night gone. Arthur took her for a walk to some meadows not far from their temporary home, they walked hand in hand and Arthur asked her way to many questions about her life, he seemed to want to know everything from her favourite colour to what she thought about the running of Camelot. The discussion of her father's passing, eventually came up and he told her how much he regretted his lack of action and she spoke about it not being his fault.
Most of the air between them clear, the things unsaid had been laid out, only one subject remained 'Lancelot'.
He brought it up first as they walked back along the shore.
"May I ask how you feel about Lancelot?" his name cut through him like a knife.
She stopped walking and faced him "I care for him" his heart sunk and his face broke her heart so she continued on "You see...I thought you and I could never be, I guess in part I still believe that. He came along at a time where I was confused and I needed to feel something else, to be able to let you go. I thought maybe I could be happy with him, I could live a normal life...rather than with my head in the clouds with you, but you showed up and I realised, I could not be untrue to myself...so the answer is I care for him, but I do not love him" she stood on her toes and placed her hand on his face, his eyes were full of so many emotions.
Lancelot had acted as a rift between them and as hard as it was to hear her honest answer at least she did not love him, but he needed to hear those three words, he needed her to say them, to know that he was the only one that filled her heart.
"Guinevere....I need you to tell me what beats in your heart" his eyes pierced her soul.
Those words, were the only part of the wall around her heart she had left. He needed to hear them, he knew she loved him, but he needed those words to know she was his and his alone.
"Please" he whispered, his face close to hers.
"Your name beats in my heart and yours alone" not quite 'I love you' but enough he leaned down and kissed her so hard that she felt her knees go weak.
When they broke apart he lifted her up and carried her back to their temporary home "You know most girls would dream of this" he leaned down and kissed her nose.
"Most men would too"
She laughed at his words and he realised how it sounded "I mean most men would like you in their arms, not in my arms" he laughed.
"Glad you cleared that up".
He carefully placed her on his cloak and lay next to her, he leaned up on one arm and looked at her, his hand tracing circles on her arm.
"I am so happy here" she whispered looking up at him, the blue sky above his head matched his blue eyes and the sun shone on his perfect hair, he was born to be king....everything about his features screamed royalty.
"So am I, I am happy anywhere with you" he kissed her hand.
"Am I dreaming?" she asked, perhaps she would wake and find herself late for work.
He laughed "If you are I am" he leaned down and kissed her lips, she ran her hands through his hair and pulled him on top of her.
As the night set in and dinner had been finished, she found herself walking along the beach with her beloved in her hand. The moon shone against the ocean lighting a path down the middle, as if you could walk on water to another world.
Life at this moment seemed perfect and the dread of going home tomorrow she had to push away.
She thought back to earlier and yesterday, their kisses had once again turned to more, her hands wondering a path of their own, but each time his started to stray, he pulled back and broke contact. It bothered her and what came out of her mouth next, she regretted. "Do you not want me?" she asked as they now lay back in each others arms.
He looked at her confused "Of course I want you, I care a great deal for you" .
He did not understand her meaning and she was grateful the moon was not lighting her face at the moment "I mean all of me" she blushed red and looked down.
"Oh...you mean that" realisation dawned on him.
"Yes that!....it is just that I am a maid and well, you have had many maids, but you seem to stop with me...and I wondered if you did not want me" she dipped her head, her face probably lighting up the whole beach. Truth be known it bothered her, his reputation was bad growing up, the maids on a constant flow to his chambers. But with her, alone on a beach...he didn't want that.
He felt awful, she knew of his reputation as a young man and it was true, he had a long period of fun growing up until he realised he wanted more, he wanted to feel something for these women and he wanted to find someone to make love to!
"Guinevere...my reputation growing up was questionable and I am in part ashamed of my actions...but with you it is different, I want to wait until I can call you my wife to claim such privileges" he lifted her chin with his hand.
"But that may never happen?" she thought of being old and wrinkly her virtue still intact but no one would want her.
He sighed "Our union is not without challenges ...but I have faith that things will change, it is what makes me get up in the morning"
"What happens if I am old and wrinkly by then" he laughed at her honesty.
"It is not funny Arthur Pendragon, at the moment my body sits in all the right places, many years from now who knows what will happen!" she had watched it happen to many a maid, age captures you and your body gives up.
"GUINEVERE....did you have to put that image in my head" he was not thinking of old wrinkly Guinevere but young hot Guinevere and her body in all the right places Argh! he rolled his back.
Her mouth rambled on "Well it's true" she leaned over him purposely forcing him to see the cleavage he had been trying so hard to not see. "These will not be so...in a few years, you might not want me"
His eyes bulged out of his head and he growled covering his eyes "You will be the death of me I swear Guinevere...I am trying to act with honour and you, well you are impossible"
The truth is that she thought she would wait till her wedding night and in a normal circumstance that would be with a normal man and within her youth....with Arthur, his father could last for another 20 years and she would have to wait that long. Then knowing her luck he would change his mind. Why should half the maids of Camelot seen all of him and she had only caught glimpses of his feet and chest, she pulled his hands away from his face.
"I am telling you Arthur, either we get married within the next few years or this body and you have a date with your chambers!!" she grumbled and lay on her back.
She never thought herself begging for attention, but the last couple of day's passionate kisses left a fire burning that needed to be put out.
"Guinevere...don't be like that, I am trying to do the right thing!" he leaned back up to look at her, she looked away from him embarrassed.
"The right thing....didn't seem to bother you with the others!" she tutted.
He sighed "I am sorry for that, but this is different...being with you would be like the first time!" this was awkward and he could not believe he was having this conversation with her. He always imagined it was him, that would have to control himself, but there she was getting upset with him for being honourable.
She sighed "I love you" she turned at his words, having been the first time he had actually said them to her straight.
"And I love you" she replied touching his cheek.
He leaned down and kissed her gently and pulled back "Promise me you will wait for our union" he kissed her hand.
She rolled her eyes "I have stated my terms before"
He laughed "Ok how many years do I have!" she thought about how long she could last if they carried on kissing like this maybe a month, no a week. Think sensibly Guinevere, a handsome prince, wants to marry you and treat you like a lady....think of honour, of weddings of being a queen...not a maid and then the truth came blurting out "Five minutes"
He laughed "Seriously"
"An hour" her words tumbling out, he pinned her down his body on top of hers.
"Be reasonable" who on earth could be reasonable with Prince Arthur on top of them. An hour was an eternity.
"A day!" he laughed.
"You mentioned years before, what changed?" she always surprised him.
"You on top of me in that tight tunic changed" he looked down at his tunic, Merlin had shrunk it in the wash again.
"Come on Guinevere...give me a break" he laid it on thick with the looks.
"OK one year!" total unrealistic, but she could not think straight.
"Make it two!" his mind rushing ahead thinking of how that could work.
"Two it is, on a few conditions!" she had to think of the realities of her words, Arthur stuck to his decisions normally.
He raised his eyebrows at her, the time away had been very surprising, from shy, innocent Guinevere to conditions!
"Prey tell me what it is?"
"You do not put yourself in danger for me, you do not do anything stupid and if the two years passes and things are the same, then we commit our bodies together out of wedlock!"
She could not believe she was placing demands on the crown prince.
He thought about her request.
"I agree to all but one!....I will put myself in danger for you, should it arise, your safety is my main priority, I also have one condition of my own!" he thought how mad he must be, the finest women in this land to the next wants him and he wants to wait....idiot!
"What is it?" she asked his mouth getting closer to hers.
"No more naked men!" he got closer his lips almost touching hers.
"ummmm" she teased
"GUINEVERE!"
"Agreed!" and he leaned down and kissed her.
They remained like that all night, not allowing sleep to deprive them of their last night together.
When the morning finally came, they both packed up, wishing they could stay longer.
Before he went to help her on the horse, he held her hand and looked at her in such a curious way, that she felt worried.
"Guinevere, I have thought of another option for our predicament"
"What would that be?" she asked softly afraid of the answer, maybe she had pushed him too far.
"We don't go back, we get married and forget about waiting for our time together" he laughed at his own words, he needed her to say yes...he didn't want to go back.
She bit her lip, she wanted to say yes, to throw herself into his arms and kiss the realities away, but she could not, she thought about the people of Camelot and the future he holds in his hands.
"I wish we could, with all my heart I wish we could just leave Camelot and lay in eachothers arms forever"
"Then we should" he kissed her hand.
"We cannot, what I hold in my hands now is more than the love of one man, it is the lives of many we risk...you will be a great king and despite my selfish words, your destiny is more important than us"
He looked away from her and sighed "Not to me it is not"
"Nor me, but to just think of ourselves would be a selfish act I know you are not willing to make, become King Arthur, rule these lands with more fairness, generosity and love than we have ever seen and see your name written in the stars as a beacon of hope when our bones are all but sand on this fine ocean" his eyes welled up with tears and so did hers.
"In two years, all of that!" he tried to joke, his voice strained. She always had a way of putting him up there, making him feel he deserved the path laid before him.
"No...but in two years, I do not want to suffer with mere kisses" she leaned up and kissed him again.
He finally lifted her up onto his horse and he sat behind her, they took one finally look at the beach that lay before him. "One day we shall return here as husband and wife" he didn't wait for her answer he just rode off into the forest, he did not see the smile that lit up her face.
Going back had been hard, Leon and Merlin had left them alone to say their goodbyes.
He stroked a curl away from her face "Thank you Arthur"
"Thank you Guinevere"
He leaned down and kissed her again, softly. "Perhaps Sir William could arrange another trip soon?"
"I would like that"
Merlin waited to escorted her to the west entrance as Leon and Arthur rode in towards the east entrance with their hunting spoils in hand. Guinevere watched as he rode away, he kept his eye on her until the walls of Camelot stole him from her.
"Ready my Lady" Merlin offered his hand, her eyes were filled with tears.
She had to be strong, she took a few deep breaths and stood tall, if she was going to become a queen it would need to start now. She would no longer place demands on Arthur, but stand by his side until the gold crown adorned his head and the people could sleep safe at night knowing he was their protector. "Ready" and they walked back into Camelot.