Chapter 11

Gwen stifled a yawn, and glanced around the banqueting hall, looking for Arthur. She turned to Elyan, "Where's Arthur?"

"I haven't seen him or Merlin for a little while. Maybe they've retired already."

Gwen smiled at her brother's comment. "He wouldn't have gone up without saying goodnight! They must have had something urgent to attend to."

"You're probably right."

"Tell Arthur that I'm tired and have decided to go to my room."

She made a little playful curtsey to all the knights, "Goodnight, gentlemen" and they smiled at her as she left. All of them were oblivious, however, to the fact that Ivan had been watching her, and as she left the room, he rose to follow her out.

Had Arthur and Merlin not stayed so long on the balcony, they might have met Guinevere in the corridor, but as it was, they were still looking out on the night sky in silence as she went to her room.

"Feeling better now, Sire?"

Arthur took in another deep breath, nodded, and then let the breath out slowly.

"I think it's probably best if I retire now – that way I can avoid Ivan and hopefully get some sleep before facing Gwaine tomorrow. I'll just check on the others before I go up."

And with that, they turned to go inside again, and began the long walk back to the banqueting hall.

The first thing Gwen did when she entered her room was go over to Arthur's white tunic which was hanging in the corner of the room, washed and mended. She took it down and began checking to see if it was fully dry, but she had been unaware that Ivan was silently following her on her walk back to her room. As she turned around with the tunic still in her hand, she suddenly jumped as she saw him standing in the doorway. Her heart began to pound, and she curtseyed to him nervously.

"My lord. The knight's room is further down the corridor…."

"I wasn't looking for the knight's room. What's your name?"

"Guinevere, my lord."

"Well – Guinevere - I thought it would be nice if we got to know each other and had a little chat."

He closed door behind him.

"I know you do things differently in Camelot, but this is Mercia, and I want to tell you how we do things here."

Gwen still had the tunic in her hand, and decided that it made a good excuse to escape. "I'm afraid I cannot stay, my lord, I must take this to Prince Arthur urgently."

But as she made a move to go, Ivan blocked her way, taking the tunic from her and putting it down on the bed. Gwen was, by this time, feeling scared and could only think of how she could possibly try to get away from Ivan.

Ivan had a smile of sorts on his face as he looked at her, and although his tone was not menacing when he spoke, there was something about it that completely unnerved her. "Oh, I'm sure that nothing is so urgent that it can't wait a while."

And Ivan proceeded to explain to her his view of the role of servants.

Arthur walked back into the banqueting room considerably more at ease than when he had left it, and he and Merlin went straight over to where the knights of Camelot were still laughing and joking together. Arthur greeted them all, but then asked as an aside to Elyan, "Where's Guinivere?"

"She was tired. She asked me to tell you that she's gone to her room."

Arthur thanked him, and then added "I'll go and bid her a quick goodnight."

Gwaine, however, who was in high spirits after several flagons of ale, overheard his comment.

"Make sure you give her a big goodnight kiss from us all."

All the knights laughed, and Arthur reddened slightly. "Shut up, Gwaine. Go back to getting drunk!"

Gwaine simply grinned and raised his latest flagon in a toast to Arthur as the prince turned to leave. As he and Merlin walked out, Merlin commented, "With any luck, he'll have a raging hangover when you have to fight him tomorrow." Arthur grinned, "Let's hope so!" and they continued along the corridor together before starting to walk up the long and imposing flight of stairs. Merlin was ready, as ever, for his role as Arthur's manservant: "I'll get your bed ready, Sire, whilst you say goodnight to Gwen."

And just as Merlin was saying those words to Arthur, Ivan was concluding his words to Gwen.

"So you see, Guinevere, here it is a servant's duty to do a prince's bidding, whatever that is….."

He was well aware that even he had to stay within the limits of the law, but he also knew from experience that there was still plenty of enjoyment to be had. He was used to the pleasures of serving girls, and didn't see why it should be any different with this one from Camelot. And so he began moving closer to her as he finished his sentence: "…..and I would like us to have some fun together."

Gwen was genuinely terrified by this time, and edged backwards away from him, but very quickly found herself against the wall. She then tried to move past Ivan.

"I really must go, my lord…"

But she found herself trapped by him and could not escape. Ivan began stroking her hair, and then moved even closer to her and began to kiss her.

All Gwen could do was plead with him in not much more than a whisper, "Please let me go."

But he didn't.

But at that moment she heard a gentle knock on door, and the voice that she knew so well softly calling her name. And she cried out to him with everything within her. "Arthur!"

The terror in her voice was immediately evident to him, and he flung the door wide open. Arthur saw in an instant what was going on, and the two words that summed up his reaction were these: blind fury. He was upon Ivan in an instant, and in a swift move, grabbed hold of him and dragged him away from Gwen, shouting, "GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HER!" And with the only weapon he had – his fist - Arthur immediately knocked him to the ground with a colossal punch.

He stood looking down on Ivan, seething. "If you touch her again, I'm going to kill you!"

And as Arthur flung these words at him, Ivan put his hand up to his nose and when he took it away, it was covered in blood.

He yelled at Arthur, "How dare you!" and immediately called out in a loud voice, "Guards!" to those he knew were stationed down the corridor. But the summons was also heard by Merlin in Arthur's room nearby.

Having dealt with Ivan, Arthur quickly turned his attention to Gwen, "Are you alright?" and she nodded tearfully.

Ivan, however, was swiftly on his feet again, and shouting at Arthur.

"You dare to attack me out of concern for some common serving girl?"

This comment incensed Arthur even more, however, and just at the moment at which two burly guards entered the room followed closely by Merlin, Arthur landed another blow on Ivan, knocking him to the ground again.

It only took Merlin a moment to figure out what had been going on, but as Ivan rose to his feet once more, he yelled to the guards, pointing at Arthur, "Arrest him!"

As the guards pinned Arthur's arms and held him fast, the prince finally lost all restraint, and all his contempt for Ivan spilled out in rapid and angry words: "You call yourself a noble and yet you don't even know the meaning of the word! You prey on the vulnerable and abuse your power and your position. You bring royalty into disrepute by behaving utterly dishonourably and shamefully! You're a disgrace to your father and to this land, and you're not fit to govern your people, now or ever, and I pray you never will!"

Merlin by this time was in Arthur's line of sight, and before Ivan had a chance to respond, Arthur spoke quickly and insistently to him. "Merlin – take Guinevere to the others – now! Do NOT under any circumstances leave her on her own, even for a moment. Make sure at least one of the knights is with her at all times. Do you understand? GO – NOW!"

Merlin understood the urgency and took Gwen by the hand, and they both ran from the room together.

Ivan stood glaring at Arthur and breathing heavily. He walked over to him, and when his face was almost up to Arthur's, he said with venom in his voice, "You'll pay for this, Pendragon!"

And with that, he turned to the guards. "Take him to the cells."