Ch.2-Sword Play
A/N: This is my first attempt a Merlin fanfiction, I hope I don't fail too miserably, I don't own(characters), BBC does, if I owned, by the Gods, you would know...
Merlin walked into Arthur's quarters the next morning, carrying a tray that held the Prince's breakfast and a hearty breakfast it was, most of the time, Merlin found it hard to figure out where it all went, the prince could easily eat enough to feed twenty of his finest knights. Merlin brought the food into the room, and kicked the door closed behind him.
"Wake up sleeping beauty, breakfast." Merlin said placing the plate of food on the wooden table that sat somewhat in the middle of the large room. Arthur mumbled from his bed, as a perfectly sculpted pale arm fell from the confines of the tangled mess of sheets. He said something about Merlin being Camelot's biggest twit, and something along the lines of it's too early...
"Don't blame me, you're the one that wanted to fight with other Princes in the wee hours of the morning." Arthur sat up, despite the fact that he did think it was too early, and wiped his face with his hands, he jumped off the bed, and trudging over to the food.
"I train everyday Merlin." Arthur stated, sitting at the table.
"Yes, but usually, I'd have to all but beat you with a stick to get you up." Merlin said standing by the table.
"I told Prince Alexander that I would meet him for training this morning." Arthur said simply, as he popped a piece of cheese into his mouth.
"Of course, both your reasons are valid."
"Reasons Merlin? I believe I gave only one." Arthur said looking at Merlin as he had just grown another head.
"Yes, but there was one that you forgot to mention."
"Enlighten me, please, I would love to recieve a little nugget of what goes on in that pebble of a brain you have."
"You just want to get back a Prince Alexander, because of his obvious fancy for Gwen." Merlin watched as a sausauge, that had set sail for Arthur's mouth, froze only half way to it's destination.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He said, placing the sausauge back on the plate before him.
"Sure you don't." Merlin moved over to Arthur's bed, and preceded to make it, "Speaking of Gwen, did you happen to notice her new dress, I think the color suits her very well." Merlin said, nonchalantley side glancing at Arthur. He noticed the clench in his masters jaw, and the fire in his eyes.
"Right there!There's that look!" Merlin said turning back around.
"What look?" Arthur asked glaring at Merlin.
"The one where you look like you want to punch the next available person in the face, it's the same look you had last night when Prince Alexander was talking to Guinevere, in a way that looked pretty suggestive from where I was stand, and had I not known Gwen, I know I would've gotten the wrong idea."
Arthur's eyes darkened at the mention of Alexander, and Gwen's name in a sentence combined. Merlin smirked, Arthur had his moments, sometimes he could be so carless with his facial expressions.
"Merlin..." Arthur warned.
"Frankly, I don't understand why you don't just admit it."
"What am I admitting to now?" Arthur asked, perching his chin upon his fist as his elbow rested on the table, breakfast was forgotten.
"The fact that you love Gwen." Merlin simply stated.
"Why would I admit that?"
"Because you do."
"Oh, and what now, have you recently been deemed the all-knowing?" Arthur said sarcastically.
He was agitated, because he knew Merlin was right, he loved Guinevere, though he hasn't told her this to her beautiful brown-eyed face, he loved her dearly, more than the air that he breathed, she seemed somehow more essential than the essentials of life, and he still couldn't even begin to fathom how that had happened, and worse, he'd be damned if he was going to let Merlin know he was right.
"Something like that, or, like I've told you before, a blind man could see it, you two practically drip with the love you refuse to admit."
Of course, though that was true too, Arthur was still having a hard time admitting it to himself. "Though, if you don't, I guess you wouldn't mind if someone like...Prince Alexander, just strode in on his noble steed, and swept Gwen off her feet, and took her to live happily-ever-after in a kingdom far from Camelot."
Arthur almost shivered at the mere thought of Guinevere even possibly maybe considering, considering Merlin's ridiculous fancy. The thought of her and that boy, riding off into the sunset was quite literally sickening.
"Merlin, why don't you make your self useful, and go and get a head start on polishing the weapons, that ought to keep you occupied, and out of my hair." Merlin began to walk towards the door, a simple enough task it sounded.
"Oh, and Merlin?"Arthur stopped Merlin. Merlin pivoted on his heel. "Don't forget all the Knights' armor, and chainmail." Merlin suppressed a groan, from anticipating the work of the task. He spoke entirley too soon.
"All the Knights!" Arthur nodded, " But that's at least a hundred suits!"
Arthur smirked at having the last laugh, he slapped Merlin on the back, and pushed him through the threshold of the door. "Well, it's a good thing it's still bright and early."Arthur said with no sympathy what so ever, he shut the door on he Merlin's big eared, and depressed face.
"I fear that I must warn you, though I may not look the part, I consider myself a fairly skilled fighter." Alex said grabbing a sword by the blade, and expertly flipping it around so he could grasp the hilt.
"I'd be glad to test that theory." Arthur smirked, twirling his sword in a single hand, he brought it into position. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be." Alex said bringing his sword into position. The swords clashed a beat, Arthur's sword met with Alex's, only to be brought back apart. They circled each other, clock-wise, then counter, one, eyeing the other intently. Arthur feinted an attack, to draw a reaction out of Alexander, as was expected, the prince lunged at Arthur, and Arthur side stepped, hitting Alexander on the leg with the blunt end of his sword as he did so.
Alexander grimaced at the impact, but kept going, he went for a second intention, he was trying to aim for Arthur's right side, as a distraction, so that he could attempt to hit the left. Arthur reatreated, and parried the blow, reversing it with a spin and some fancy footwork, that landed Alex flat on his back.
"You can withdraw if you want to." Arthur smirked smugly.
"Never." Alexander said, standing, with new found determination. He thrust at Arthur, faster than he did last time, causing Arthur to have to disenage a multitude of times, slowing down somewhat. Arthur, blocked the blow that was aimed at his knee, and swept behind Alexander to attack from behind, the perfect element of surprise.
Or so he thought, Alexander rounded on him as if anticipating this, and advanced in reposte. He locked swords with Arthur, and then pushed him away, making Arthur stumble backwards, he almost lost his footing before gaining back his sense of equilimbrium. Arthur charged, but not without fore thought, he knew that if he went for the sneak attack at a low knee jab, Alexander would have time to predict his next actions, but he followed through, as though that was his aim, only to snag Alex in the side.
Alex spun around sharply, and managed to cut Arthur on the shoulder, Arthur hissed at the pain, but chose to ignore it because he had to finish this. After his blow, Alex stumbled, and Arthur took advantage of this, he stuck out a leg, that Alex so elegantly tripped over, and point the tip of his sword to the underside of the other Prince's chin.
Alex looked up wide-eyed, and breathing hard, Arthur waited a moment to both catch his breath as well, and to acertain that Alexander knew who had won this, he then released him, with a satisfied grin. Alexander stood up as cerimoniously as he could muster, scowling at Arthur in the process.
"You fought well." Arthur told him, Alexander glared, evidently pissed with himself. It was true he had fought well, better than Arthur had expected him to, he was strong, his faults lay where didn't stop to think about a move before he made it,and his footing wasn't exactley high quality, and his strategy all together was rough, but it was taxing, and he had managed to cut Arthur.
Despite the injury, Arthur had managed to beat him, and get his revenge on the discomfort he had caused Guinevere the previous night, albeit it was a bit of an unorthodox way to go about it. He proven, to himself at least, that this man, was inferior to him in his skill with a sword.
The burning of the cut was getting to be more prominent, and Arthur could see blood start to seep through his shirt. He nodded to Alexander, and made way back to the castle, he need to get his shoulder salved, and bandaged, before it got irritable.
Arthur was on his way to see Gaius about his shoulder, when his sight caught the familiar red of a certain someone's dress.
"Guinevere!" He called. She turned back around the corner, and smiled soflty when she realized who it was. She walked over it where he was standing. Arthur often admired how she carried herself when she walked, it was refined, it was with pride, she always had he head held high, despite her position as a servant. Not really that her position mattered to him, she was every bit a queen.
"Sire?" She asked, her hands clasped in front of her. Arthur raised an eyebrow, at her use of his title, it was disconcerning to have her call him by it, she wasn't beneath him in anyway. Added to that he enjoyed the way she said his name, it gave him this feeling somewhere inside him, that he could not explain.
She looked around, and not noticing anyone, she looked up at him through her long dark eyelashes. "Arthur." She amended. Then there was that feeling again, Arthur wanted to cage it, never to release it. They stood there a minute like that, just staring into each other's eyes, both mesmerized by the depth they saw, then Gwen's eyes flickered over to his shoulder, and her eyes widened in concern.
"What happen to your shoulder?" She asked.
"I was training with Prince Alexander." He said.
"Why hasn't anyone tended to it?" She asked with pursed lips.
"I was on my way to see Gaius about it."
"Gaius had an unexpected trip to the lower towns. But I'm here, so I'll do it." She said. "You wait in your quarters, and I'll down to Gaiu's to go get a salve, and some bandages."
"Yes your Highness."Arthur said. Gwen was on the bout to apologize, for forgetting her place, but when she saw the the playful glint in his brilliant bright blue eyes, she only nodded and walked walked away.
It didn't take long for Guinevere to join Arthur in his quarters, he was sitting oh his bed looking around the room at nothing in particular, he smiled at her when he saw her come through the door. She set her supplies on the end table and turned towards him.
"Honestly Arthur, you didn't stop to think about wearing armor, or chainmail, or something besides that flimsy shirt of yours?" She asked soaking a rag in a bowl full of water.
"It was all in the name of fun, I didn't think it necessary, besides, it's just a scratch." She pursed her lips, and Arthur couldn't help but to think how much he would have loved to kiss her right then.
She helped him remove his shirt, and took a deep breath when it was off, the sight of his bare chest always did things to her, made her think things that probably wouldn't be considered appropriate by any means. He was just so perfectly sculpted...what she wouldn't give to just run her fingers down his torso...Arthur seemed to be watching her watching him, and he looked mighty pleased.
She felt her face redden, as she went to retrieve the rag from the bowl. She wrung out the excess water, and refused to leave her self flustered, she tried to summon back the ire that she had with Arthur. She quietly began to wipe the cut clean, and huffed softly when she was done.
"What is it?" Arthur asked.
"Nothing, it's a scratch." She said quietly.
"See, I told you that in the begining."He replied. Guinevere gently rubbed some of Gaius's special salve into it.
"Yes, but when you usually come back from battle, you have a tendency to claim that your injuries are all 'Just Scratches', which by the time your shirt is removed, and the wounds are examined they're gaping holes the size of a fist." She explained, closing the jar.
"Well, this time, that's not the case." He said smiling.
"True, but you still could have been injured far worse than you were. A lucky one you are, fighting without protection of any sort." She babbled on, but stoped when she noticed that he held a glazed look. "Arthur, are you listening to me?"
"Kiss me." Was he said.
"What?"
"Kiss me."
"Arthur-" She didn't get to finish her sentence, because Arthur stood, and pulled her body flush against his, and brought his lips down to meet hers, soft, warm, and inviting. The rest of her words died, as she relaxed, and gave into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck, her right hand locking into the short golden hairs on the back of his neck. Arthur placed his hands on he hips, bringing her impossibly closer.
He felt like was on fire, but one that he would be willing to play in everyday, it was the delicious burn of Guinevere, she was everywhere, controlling his senses, blurring his vision, claiming him, and blinding him in a torrent of hidden passions.
The effect she had on him was mind boggling, he couldn't even begin to describe it, she moaned into his mouth, as their tongue danced together in unison, learning together, a dance that would be claimed solely by them, and oh the things it did to his lower regions, he was starting to physically feel her affect, but he really didn't mind. Her hands began trailing down his chest, her nails lightly scratching his skin, enough to elict a response from him...when Merlin walked through the door.
"Arthur!" He called. Gwen's yelped, and jumped back as soon as Merlin found them. She was staring at the ground like an ashamed child, red as a tomatoe, and Arthur was matching, but he was red out of anger, or more so frustration. Gwen coughed nervously, and went to quickly grab her supplies, and hurried out of the room.
"Wow Merlin, could you have chosen a better time?" Arthur asked sarcastically, flopping down on his bed.
"I just wanted to inform you that I'm finished with the polishing." Arthur sat up irritation clear on his face.
"You interuppted me just to tell me that?"
"I thought you would have wanted to know." Merlin said. "Why are you so mad?" Then realization set in. "Did I...Where you two having a moment?"
"You know Merlin, just when I think you can't get any worse, you know what you do?...You get WORSE. I mean really, do you just have a natural ability to be oblivious to the most obvious of things?"
"Well, you know, some talents, you're just born with." Merlin said playing along. "It's a gift."
"If you don't get out within the next ten seconds, I'll 'gift' you to the dogs."
"Yes, Sire." Merlin left the room glad for some much needed free time. Arthur fell back into the white ocean that was his bed, perhaps a nice afternoon nap was in order...
TBC...(maybe)
A/N: So, how was it, sorry it takes while for me to post, I'm a freshman, since when do we do anything consecutively? I'd also like to thank those who take the time to review, it means the world to me. Please Review...it's just a click away...Oh, and my spell-check is stupid, all errors are mine, I suck at grammar...;)