Chapter 11

Elaina rolled over in bed and stared at the sunlight streaming through the window. It was the morning of her fight with Sir Leon. She had the chance she wanted to prove herself as a fighter, but she no longer wanted it. All she wanted now was for Arthur to forgive her. The argument from the night before rolled through her mind as she climbed out of the bed. She moved about the room selecting something to wear to the fight. Things had gotten more complicated with Arthur without her actually doing anything.

The door creaked open and Gwen stepped inside. She studied Elaina a moment before speaking. "How did you sleep last night," Gwen asked.

There was something in her tone that caused Elaina to pause. Elaina met Gwen's hard gaze and froze. She knew in that moment that Gwen had seen her go into Arthur's room last night. Elaina knew that she didn't owe a servant an explanation for her actions, yet she felt desperate to give one.

"Nothing happened, Gwen."

"I don't know what you are talking about my Lady."

Elaina rolled her eyes and turned away. "Fine," she said under her breath.

Gwen laid her clothes for the fight out on the bed and headed for the door. Elaina turned quickly and caught Gwen's arm.

"I owe you no explanation for my actions, but I will give you one anyway. I can see that you care for Arthur and I understand that you are protective of him. There is nothing between the two of us, I left his room a few minutes after I got there. I had a dream and I wanted to make sure…," Elaina trailed off. She couldn't tell Gwen about the dream either.

"You owe me no explanation my Lady." Obviously Gwen did not believe what Elaina had told her.

With that Gwen left the room. Elaina stared at the door for a moment before throwing herself back on the bed. She laid there for several minutes before the door creaked open again.

"Go away," Elaina mumbled into the sheets. She sat up and turned to look at her visitor. Arthur stood at the foot of her bed staring at her strangely. "Arthur, what are you doing in here?"

"Your fight starts in one hour, my father asked me to inform you of the rules."

Elaina studied him for a moment before climbing back off the bed. She brushed past him and grabbed a brush off the vanity. "I know the rules Arthur," she said as she caught his gaze in the mirror. She yanked he brush through her hair as she spoke. "It's not a fight to the death, we are merely sparring. As the higher ranking fighter I get to pick the weapon, I already chose swords."

"Technically he is the higher ranking fighter. You being a princess preempts that."

Elaina rolled her eyes and set the brush down. She tied her hair back at the base of her neck before turning to look at him. "Anything else I should know," she asked. Arthur studied her with guarded eyes. Something had set him on edge. "What's wrong Arthur?"

Arthur turned away from and headed toward the fireplace. He placed his hands on the mantle and leaned in. His head dropped as he stood there staring at the floor. "Don't fight with him," he said softly.

"You were the one who doubted my ability, now you don't want to me to fight? As I warrior I have an obligation to prove myself."

"As a princess you don't have to fulfill that obligation Elaina." Arthur turned toward her as he spoke. Elaina avoided his piercing gaze knowing that if she met it, she would agree with what he had asked.

"You want me to let everyone think I'm weak? That I am scared?"

"No, I want you to consider what you are doing and realize that you don't have to fight Sir Leon to prove your worthiness as a fighter."

"No, I will not back down Arthur."

Arthur and Elaina stared at one another angrily. Elaina couldn't decide how she felt about Arthur now. On the one hand his concern for her well being was touching. At the same time though him thinking she would get hurt made her furious. Arthur stared coolly back at her. Her refusal to back down irritated him, couldn't she see that she no longer needed to prove herself to him.

"You don't have to prove yourself to me Elaina."

"I'm not doing this for your benefit Arthur!" Elaina stared at him incredulously, she thought that as a knight he would understand why she doing it. "I know I don't have to prove my abilities to you, I am doing this for me. People respect me because of the station I was born into. They don't care what I am capable of as a warrior much less as a person."

"I am doing this because I want people to see that I am more than princess, more than a woman, there is more to me than a pretty face and a title," Elaina said. "Surely you can understand that?"

Elaina's door opened as Arthur started to speak. Gwen froze in the doorway and glanced from Arthur to Elaina. Her clenched jaw told Elaina everything she needed to know. Gwen's face betrayed what she was thinking in that moment.

Arthur's eyebrows raised up his forehead as he looked at her. Elaina exhaled through her nose as she looked at Gwen. She knew Gwen was going to say something but she wasn't sure what.

Gwen's face settled into a cool expression, one she had surely picked up from noblewomen. She regarded Elaina as she might a bug or something equally annoying. "Nothing going on?"

"Gwen, you misapprehend the situation," Elaina replied.

"Of course," Gwen replied not believing what Elaina was saying.

"Should I leave," Arthur asked carefully. He knew a brewing cat fight when he saw one.

"No sire, I will leave. I apologize for the interruption."

"No," Elaina said sharply. She hated having to play the superior card but she knew she was going to have to do it now. "Gwen there are some things I need you to do. Fetch my sword, Merlin took it to sharpen, I also need my chainmail and armor, tell Gaius that I need to speak with him as well."

"Yes my Lady."

"Oh and Gwen?"

"Yes my Lady?"

"I expect you to knock before entering my chambers."

"Yes your highness," Gwen said before stalking out of the room.

Arthur stared at Elaina in confusion. "What was that about? You don't have to speak to her like that."

"I'll apologize to her later, I swear, but I will not tolerate a servant making wild assumptions."

"What wild assumptions has she made?"

Elaina turned away from Arthur and grabbed her clothing off the bed. She needed to get dressed before Gwen came back. "She saw me enter your room last night," Elaina explained. She regarded Arthur coolly for a moment before continuing. "She did not see me leave however. Gwen is under the assumption that I spent the night in your chambers, which is exactly why I left Arthur."

Arthur's jaw clenched reflexively. He understood the assumption now. He also understood Gwen's resulting anger. There had been a…connection between the two of them. Of course nothing could ever happen between a servant and the future king. Arthur knew what his duty was, it didn't matter who he wanted to be with if she wasn't of noble birth.

"I am sorry," Arthur said.

"Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault Gwen thinks there is more to the situation than there is," Elaina pointed out. Arthur started to explain the truth behind his apology, but Elaina cut him off. "I need to get ready for the fight Arthur. You'll have to excuse me."

Arthur nodded slowly. "Of course, I will see you there," he replied. He crossed quickly to the door, but paused before leaving. "Please be careful."

"I will Arthur."

Arthur nodded once before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. Elaina stepped behind the dressing screen and changed out of her nightgown and wrap. She heard the door open and she stepped out from behind the screen.

Gwen stood there staring defiantly at Elaina. Daggers flashed in Gwen's eyes as she regarded Elaina. Elaina adjusted her tunic and moved closer to the servant.

"I am sorry for my earlier behavior," Elaina said carefully, "I did not mean to treat you so rudely. I do not know why you feel so protective of Arthur, but I assure you that I did not spend the night in his chambers nor do I have any intention to do so. What you saw today was Arthur expressing his concern over me fighting Sir Leon. As a Princess I owe you no explanation but I offer one despite that."

"I do not care what Arthur was doing in your chambers my Lady. As for my protectiveness of Arthur, I owe you no explanation of it but I will give you one."

"Please do."

"I love him and he once told me that he would never love another, but I see him with you and I know that it is not true. You are a princess and I am a servant, you can be what I never can."

"And what is that?"

"While I can be his lover, I can never be his wife. You can be both and no one will think any less of you. If people found out about Arthur and I, I would be severely punished. His father could disinherit him."

Elaina didn't know what to say to Gwen at that point. What she said was true. Elaina could be what Gwen never could simply because of a chance of birth. Her words hung heavy in the air as the young women studied one another.

Gwen placed Elaina's sword on the table and turned back to the door. Elaina shut her eyes for a moment and imagined what it must be like for Gwen. "Gwen, after today I dismiss you from serving me."

"Thank you," Gwen said before walking out of the room. Elaina would not throw her relationship with Arthur, whatever it was, in Gwen's face any longer. While Gwen was right about the situation there was nothing that Elaina could do to change it.