[ Hello, I'm SO sorry for my massive delay in the posting of this chapter, I was suffering from writers block and had no muse for this story and I had a lot going on but I'm back now and full of inspiration, I do hope this chapter pleases everyone, especially the great ArMor shippers. ;) A few things about this chapter- if you do not like incest or scenes of a sexual nature then please don't read, not that the sexual narrative is at all explicit- but its just a warning for those who don't like it, but this story is placed in the 'Mature' section for a reason. Also, apologies for any small spelling mistakes, I check my writing on 3 different spell checkers as well as reading it over twice, but I do apologise if I haven't picked up something minor. Theres a lot to come, and now that I've finally got their little fumble out of the way I can start getting down and gritty with the main plot! :D Please R&R and do enjoy! :) ]
Chapter 8
"Burning Desire."
The days passed slowly, the rain never ceasing for barely a minute, soon the sound of pouring rain drowned into the background- of course everything became a lot harder for the guards and servants constantly rushing from the castle, and Gaius had a lot more patients due to them catching colds from the wicked weather. Morgana awoke in her bedchambers, it had been a week since she had injured her leg- her fever had passed, although Guinevere was sure not to let her get up out of bed in fear of her leg getting infected or that she might catch yet another cold from the many people suffering.
Arthur and his Knights had been sent by Uther to the lower town, to help with the villagers, where there had been many complaints from the people of flooding- so the men of Camelot had gone to help mend homes, along with Guinevere's father, who was fast mending roofs and such. "Honestly Gwen." Morgana sighed triumphantly, sitting up in her bed with a bored expression. "I'm not dead- you can at least let me out of the bed." Morgana moaned,staring at Gwen with pleading eyes. "I'm sorry Milady, you'll think the next time you plan to go venturing out in the rain." Gwen replied smugly, as she opened Morgana's curtains. "We both know I didn't go out that morning intending on getting shot down by an arrow." Morgana replaced somewhat smugly. "Then what did you go out for? Because if I remember rightly, it wasn't for the fresh air either." Guinevere replied with a teasing smile as she tied the curtain open. "I'm not getting into this." Morgana half-laughed, shaking her head. "My ankle's almost healed, can't I just go downstairs? To sit in the throne room- anything!" Morgana begged, a longing in her voice as she pleaded with her maid. "Morgana, you can barely get up to wash, never mind walk on it." Guinevere informed her, like a mother scolding a child. "Urgh-I'm going to go mad if I stare at this room any longer- there's nothing to do!" Morgana whined, throwing her head back on the pillow. "Honestly Gwen, you don't understand how boring it is." Morgana mumbled. "Why don't you read a book?" Guinevere suggested, as she went over to lift the tray of Breakfast from Morgana's bedside table. "Or you could eat your breakfast..." Guinevere said, throwing her eyes in the air as she lifted the tray. "I refuse to eat until you let me out of this room." Morgana told her, as though it were common fact. "Yes, we'll see how long that lasts, when I bring you your lunch later..." Guinevere replied sardonically before she left the room with the tray, leaving Morgana alone, again.
Morgana lay back on her pillow, not thinking because all she'd done was thought over the past week, she never said anything either because she felt she had voiced more than her opinion, instead she just lay there, until she could no longer take it. This room now sickened her, looking at the same four walls made her want to cry out in tremendous pain and despair, every time someone entered the room she begged them like a desperate child to let her out, but no one- no one was budging. Did they think she was going to run back out into the forest and ask the man who stuck the arrow in her right leg to put another in her right one? It didn't make any sense. Surely she would get bed sores if this continued any longer, she was becoming irritable and snapped at Guinevere more than she meant to. There was nothing to do in her bedchambers but sleep, and she slept and slept and slept until she was now bored with insomnia- her sleeping pattern was entirely messed up, and she found herself warding off nightmares because she no longer slept during the night- instead she had day-mares, which strangely enough weren't as bad.
Nevertheless, she sprung back up in bed, like a leopard hunting prey and pulled the covers off herself, staring down at her bandaged ankle, the war-wound that caused her to go stir-crazy, the manifest that was slowly ruining her life- a bit dramatic but surely at this present moment it was nothing but true. In two sharp seconds she set both her feet on the floor, and slowly eased herself onto her feet- it hurt, causing her to winch, but soon it stopped, and the feelings of actually standing was nearly causing her to faint with fulfillment, she grinned with pleasure- Gwen would be sickened, how Morgana was right for once and she was wrong, she dwelled on spilling the good news. But, she felt she spoke to soon, because as she went to take a step forward, the pressure on her right ankle became all too much, and she let a small squeal of pain escape her lips as she attempted to grab hold of her bed-side cabinet but stumbled with the aching throb at the bottom of her leg and stumbled onto her knees, whimpering like a child who had just tripped over. "Ow..." She muttered aloud, before the door of her bedchambers was opened and she saw the shocked face of Guinevere rush to her aid. "I'm fine Gwen..." She sighed in defeat, half-scoffing, just waiting on the scolding she would get. "Morgana, what on earth are you doing?" Guinevere gasped, gripped her forearm and bending down to assist her. "I was attempting to walk, until you came in." Morgana informed her, as she heard Guinevere mutter under her breath, before she helped her back up onto her bed. "Really Morgana, you've got to be more careful." Guinevere scolded. "Your ankle's almost healed and you could of really hurt yourself again." She frowned, folding the covers around Morgana again. "Gwen I can't take it anymore, I want to leave this stupid room!" Morgana groaned, she would kick her legs but her ankle was suffering pain from her recent stumble. "Don't make me fetch Gaius." Guinevere threatened, clearly angered by what Morgana had just done. "And what's Gaius going to do?" Morgana scoffed, throwing her eyes in the air. "Give me another sleeping draught? Oh the horror of it Gwen!" Morgana teased sarcastically, as her maid frowned at her. "I'm warning you Morgana, do not leave this bed again! It's for your own good- you'll see." Guinevere informed her before she left the room again, leaving Morgana alone- only this time the young Ward decided not to test her maid's patience.
The hours trickled past and soon another knock was heard at the door, it was definitely past mid-day and Morgana had been curled up her bed reading an adventurous novel that made her feel sick with jealousy of how the young and chivalrous Knights her story could roam wherever they pleased and she couldn't even leave her bed! "Come in." She called before sitting up in the bed, setting her book on her side table. "Milady." Gaius purred as he scuttled over to her bedside. "I've came to change the bandage on your leg." Gaius explained, before Morgana pulled the covers off herself- allowing Gaius to undress the wound. "Do you have any idea when I'll be able to walk on it?" Morgana moaned as she stretched her leg out on a small stool Gaius had brought before he knelt down to begin his work. "Well- judging by the wound itself, the infection is gone, which is great news, but there is still the small matter of the wound." Gaius explained as he unwrapped the bandage. "Which will take how long to heal, do you presume?" Morgana asked. "I'd say you'll be up and active again by the end of the week." Gaius told her as he soaked the wound in water, Morgana would have hissed in pain but she was now overwhelmed at the thought of actually leaving her bedchambers, she was sure once she left she wouldn't return- she loathed this room now.
After a few short minutes and a couple of winches, she tucked her leg back under the heat of the blankets before pulling the duvet over herself again. "That'll be all Milady." Gaius beamed, before lifting his small wooden box of utensils. "And what about your sleeping draught- will you be needing it?" Gaius asked before he left. "Oh, yes- I like so have one at hand, just in case." Morgana informed him as she fiddled with the ends of her hair. "Right, I'll brew one up and send it up with my accomplice later." Gaius grinned, heading for the door. "Accomplice?" Morgana questioned, her brows now furrowed in confusion, now fully attentive to Gaius's words. "Yes, well you can't expect an old man like me to run up and down this castle forever, can you?" Gaius joked, as though the answer were obvious, but Morgana didn't pull a smile, she just stared in confusion. "Who is he? When did he arrive?" Morgana asked, feeling as though she had missed out on something. "His name is Merlin, he'll be part of the furniture around here in no time- he arrived the morning after your accident." Gaius explained with a healthy smile. "Right." Morgana said, forcing a smile, bidding Gaius good-day, annoyed that Guinevere hadn't said anything sooner.
After a few short moments of being alone to quarrel with herself in her mind, Guinevere gave a small knocked before backing into the room carrying a tray of food for the Lady Morgana. "How's that hunger strike going?" Guinevere gave a small laugh of joy before she set the tray over Morgana's lap. "Who's this Merlin, Gwen?" Morgana asked, not amused by Guinevere's jokes today. "Oh, he's come to stay with Gaius." Guinevere smiled, as she went over the bat the bottoms of the curtains, a habit she had acquired- she hated dust so she never gave it much time to settle. "Why didn't you inform me of his arrival?" Morgana groaned as she picked over the cheese on her bread. "I didn't think it was that important." Guinevere said, making a face of bewilderment. "You're slacking on the gossip Gwen, if I didn't know any better I'd say you have an eye for him." Morgana mused, raising her eyes to see Guinevere's reaction as she chewed her bread, a smirk playing on her lips. "What?" Guinevere fumbled, a small blush appearing on her cheeks, she made a small giggle as if to imply she was lost on the conversation topic. "Oh come on Gwen, why else wouldn't you have told me of him?" Morgana joked, taunting in humor. "For this exact reason, you like to make something entirely innocent into something else." Guinevere joked, returning to her batting. "Where you afraid I'd try and steal him anyway?" Morgana teased, making a face and pouting her lips. "Have a nice lunch Morgana." Guinevere commented, before she made her way out of the room, blushing like a tomato. "I'll send him your way later then?" Morgana teased before the maid was gone, leaving Morgana laughing to herself, it cheered her up greatly.
The day had dragged, and instead of Guinevere coming to collect her dishes and bring Morgana her dinner, it was instead another hand-maid. "Where's Guinevere?" Morgana asked, her brows furrowed in confusion when the same blonde maid returned to lift her dinner plate. "She's needed at the banquet Milady." The blonde maid replied. "What banquet?" Morgana asked, her faced contorted in bewilderment. "Lady Helen- she has came to the festivities of Camelot, to sing for the King." The maid replied with a wide smile, sighing in a dream-like way- Morgana ignored this. "And why aren't I at this feast?" Morgana asked, feeling left out of it all. "Well- the King didn't think you were well enough, in your physical state." The maid replied, her smile fading to a look of intimidation, as though she were a small child getting scolded. "Oh yes, that's right- I've got a bandage on my leg so that means I no longer exists- thanks for reminding me." Morgana replied peeved, not meaning to offend the maid, but instead she scuttled out quickly with the tray in her arms, as though she were about to cry.
Another knock was heard, before she shouted for them to come in, she thought it was the maid who would return to blubber her apologies for upsetting her- but instead it was a tall, scruffy-haired young man, with a red handkerchief tied around her neck. "You're the Lady Morgana, if I'm correct?" The boy asked, he was holding a small brown leather pouch, as he smiled awkwardly averting his eyes from the woman in her dressing gown- he either found it inappropriate, or else he wasn't used to it- she didn't know. "Yes." She commented, realizing that it must be this Merlin everyone vowed to be so secretive about. "Yes, and you must me Merlin." Morgana said, pulling a gentle smile. "Yeah..." He commented, scratching his head, before looking down at the vial in his hand. "Oh, Gaius sent this over for you." He explained, indicating the pouch in his hands. "Right- could you put it in that cabinet over there, please?" Morgana asked, pointing the far cabinet by the window. "Sure." He smiled before swiftly walking over to the cabinet. "I'm sorry we couldn't have met under better circumstances." Morgana said, pulling another smile, not exactly knowing what to say. "Yes, well- I do wish you a speedy recovery." He grinned, giving out an awkward laugh. "It was nice to meet you." She said finally, before he gave a small bow. "You to Milady." He smiled, before finally leaving the room. It was obvious he wasn't used to this, being a servant in royal household- but hopefully he would catch on quick enough.
Morgana lay back, the room growing darker, and darker- until she was in utter darkness, no one was here to light the candles, and it wasn't like she was a spoilt brat, she'd light the candle if she could- but there was no way of getting near a flame, she'd have to get up and she knew in the back of her mind she couldn't- otherwise she'd set herself on fire. Yes, she'd most certainly take her annoyed temper out on Gwen later this evening when she saw her- if she saw her.
Soon Morgana couldn't see anything, she just lay in her bed lost in daydream as the minutes and maybe even hours slipped past, before she knew it was well past eleven, a time when Guinevere normally arrived for her last duties. Morgana sighed half in disbelief, and half in anger and just as she was about to attempt to get up to find her sleeping draught she heard a knock and then saw the shadows of the door opening. "Oh, how nice of you to join me Gwen!" Morgana shouted in a sarcastic rage. "Really, there's no need- you should just go home, its not like I can't walk or anything- I'm also nocturnal as well- thus me being left in complete and utter darkness." Morgana whined aggressively. "Honestly, its fine- just go home- I'm sure I'll manage, its not like your my handmaid or anything-" Morgana went on, but she was cut off by a voice, a voice that certainly wasn't Gwen's, it was too deep. "Morgana." The voice said, letting out a small laugh. "Arthur." She commented back, feeling like an idiot for cursing 'Gwen' this whole time, she could have slapped herself, she cringed- glad of the darkness. "Really, I wouldn't know where the hell you were- are you a vampire now?" Arthur mused before he made his way to her bedside and grabbed the candle stick before he ventured over to the dying fire and lit the flame. "That's better." He smiled, as the room was now a-lit with an orange glow, it was quite soothing. He set it back down on her table as he stared down at her. "Keeping up appearances I see." She mused, raising an eyebrow at the crown on his forehead. "Oh..." Arthur said, realizing he still had it on. "That's just..." He blushed, embarrassed as he pulled it off. "Oh- you looked so much more sophisticated with it on." She teased, showing her pearl white teeth. "Oh, all right then." He rolled his eyes in a joking sort of way before he pulled it back on. "So, what gives me the pleasure of sharing your company?" Morgana joked again as Arthur pulled the red armchair next to her bed. "An extended visits I see?" She joked as she saw he was moving the chair, he obviously implied to stay longer. "Well." He groaned as he moved the chair across the floor. "It was late and I told Guinevere to go home and that I'd check on you." He explained, before he fell into the red armchair and stared at Morgana. "Oh, how very kind- the honor." She teased again before he prompted up her pillows. "Well, I'm glad I wasn't Gwen that walked in just then- God, I wasn't even Gwen and I was getting attacked by you." He gestured, his eyes widening as he teased. "Well, I've been sat up here all day- all week in fact, it gets very boring- and then it was getting dark." She began, Arthur cutting her off again. "Oh, I'm very sorry Lady Morgana- I'm sorry that you were bored, how dreadful it must of been to lie in bed for a week, my greatest apologies." Arthur replied, putting ion a wise old voice, winding Morgana up terribly. "If I could kick you- I would." Morgana frowned. "Yes, but you're a cripple." Arthur said as though it was an epiphany. "Very funny." Morgana mused. "So, did you just come to make fun of me or..." She asked, waiting on his reply. "No- of course I came to see if you were alright." Arthur said seriously with a keen smile. "And its a good job because you were almost on a rampage to kill Gwen." He joked again, letting a small laugh escape his lips as he saw Morgana frown. "I'm joking, I'm joking." He explained, holding up his hands in defense.
"Oh... And did I tell you?" Arthur said, more seriously now. "Well, I haven't seen you in a week, so I doubt it." Morgana mused sarcastically. "No, seriously- father has got me a new servant." Arthur rolled his eyes, a hint of disgust. "And that's a bad thing because...?" Morgana questioned, confused as to why the Prince was so upset by this. "Because he's a prat." Arthur sighed, Morgana nodding her head. "Well, you're Prince so you can make his life a living hell- who is he?" Morgana asked, a playful smile prying on her lips. "Merlin." Arthur scoffed. "Him?" Morgana raised a brow. "You know him?" Arthur asked. "Yes, he delivered my sleeping draught earlier." Morgana explained, as Arthur threw his eyes in the air. "He saved my life about three hours ago." Arthur told her, as though it were fact. "And that's why he's a prat- I can see now." Morgana teased, as Arthur shook her off. "No, well- it was nice of him- but I still don't like him, but father insisted." Arthur moaned. "Hang on, why did you need saving?" Morgana questioned, not understanding why she hadn't picked this up sooner. "Because Lady Helen was actually a Witch, and she threw a dagger, it was aimed at me." Arthur brushed off, embarrassed that he needed saving. "Oh, so just a typical day in Camelot, then?" Morgana mused. "Of course!" He joked alongside her, before letting out a small laugh.
Morgana hadn't seen Arthur since their venture to the woods, which hadn't ended at all nicely- it occurred to her that he was going about as if nothing had happened, nothing at all. Had it? She was beginning to think it was all a dream- their incident in the forest before that stupid arrow struck. "I'll be going then." Arthur said, standing up and stretching, making Morgana's face looked quite worried and anxious- so, was it a dream? It had to be, then why did she feel as though she yearned for him, if it were a dream why did she still have a longing in her heart for him. "What's the matter?" Arthur asked, recognizing her sudden worried expression. "Oh." She said, looking to him, wiping her face of worry- or at least trying to. "Nothing." She said, forcing a smile- she had forgotten he was still here. "I'm not stupid Morgana." He said, raising an eyebrow as he looked down at her. "What?" She said, getting flustered, feeling her cheeks burn. "I never said you were..." She commented, tripping over her words. "What's come over you?" He frowned, more seriously now- whilst she was just worried that he was onto her.
"Arthur please, I'm fine- honestly." Morgana tried to explain, but Arthur could see her cheeks burn, and how she no longer wanted to make eye contact with him, had he done something? Had he pushed the winding-up too far? But he often went further and she went along- what was the matter. "Well, I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong." He told her finally, before he sat himself back down. He longed for her to- but with a week absence from their 'goings on' in the woods, and under the circumstances he feared that the once sudden affliction would be lost- brushed under the rug and forgotten, was that moment in the forest just a sheer moment of madness, of stupidity? But certainly it could not be stupid, not when it felt this right- his heart ached and weighed heavily in his chest when he thought about it, about how it could all be lost- forgotten about, but his feelings were too strong now, she was his burning desire.
"Well, you can sit there all night." Morgana teased, trying to bring back some humor as she turned on her side, with her back to him, cuddling down into her duvet. "Goodnight Arthur." She said simply, but soon she felt a hand on her shoulder- and she froze, he was no longer on his red armchair, she felt the weight as he was now sitting on the bed, next to her. "Morgana." He said simply, making her turn, all amusement in her face lost, she furrowed her brows. "Arthur, what are you doing?" She asked, considering that he perhaps didn't have a legit reason for doing so. But now he was getting closer, her heart thumped, she felt numb- what was happening? Soon his lips, his sweet soft lips were being pushed ever-so lightly against hers, as he held both her shoulders, pushing her back onto her pillow, but she didn't fight- she couldn't, this was what she wanted, why would she protest?
Soon Arthur was no longer sitting in the bed, but in it with Morgana as the two fought passionately with each other, each kiss as aggressive as the last. "You didn't think I'd forgotten." Arthur murmured out, his warm breath against Morgana's soft lips. "I knew you have a motive for coming." Morgana teased, his face was so close to hers now, although it was hard to see how blue his magnificent eyes really were since the candle had burned out. "You make me sound like a typical man." Arthur half-laughed. "That's because you are." Morgana mused, before pulling his lips back onto hers, they felt so right there, moving in glorious motion with hers- this was what she wanted all along.
Their lips fought against each other, each wanting to be more demanding and dominant to the other, but neither wanting to surrender. Her hands enclosed around him, pulling him closer to her, between the bedsheets, but it wasn't enough- she wanted him, she wanted all of him and he sensed this, because he longed for her just as much in both body and mind. "Morgana." He uttered out, wanting to stop himself from doing what he was about to do, but he found himself kicking off his boots. "What is it?" She questioned, pulling her lips away from his to look longing into his, didn't he want this? "If father ever found out..." He said with a heavy heart, but she ignored it. "He doesn't have to." She smiled playfully, he somehow took some solace in her words, it wasn't as though Uther did have to find out- it wasn't like he went parading his sex life around, or that Uther took any heed of the way Morgana and Arthur had been looking at each other the past few months, he was King- he had more important things to worry about. "People expect me to be Queen anyway." She joked, through the demanding kiss. "What if the Prince doesn't concur?" He mused. "Well, he'll have to." She grinned, before pulling him closer, and closer. Barely noticing how his shirt and his trousers had managed to slip off- he wanted her so bad he was now doing these things absent mindedly, wanting to just get all these unnecessary things out of the way, so he could be hers. She let a small giggle escape her lips as he crawled under the bedsheets to her, and she was now glad of this room and the darkness.
They fought together, in heated passion, fumbling under the covers with the odd groan and suppress of joy, as well as the simple laugh or teasing longing from the two lovers. Each kiss deeper and more compassionate than the last, as his hands caressed her body- whilst her arms gripped him tightly, digging her nails into him, in a fight of both passion and devotion as each of them surrendered to the others embrace, the longing- the yearning suddenly lost, it not being humanely possible to get much closer now.
Both their labored breaths leaned out into the silence, and nothing more was said; since there was nothing left to say, and soon the Ward fell to her slumber in the war embrace of her Prince- knowing that taking her sleeping draught would be a waste, there would be no nightmares tonight.
Suddenly, his eyes pulled open groggily, the Prince let out a small moan and a stretch, but feeling that his right arm was trapped under something warm and heavy, he turned his head to see the raven hair of a sleeping Morgana, who was cradled into his arm, he smiled softly at how vulnerable and significant she looked, before the worry and shock set in. He was in Morgana's bed- how did that happen? And suddenly all the episodes of last night came flooding back to him, all in a muffled blur, but he barely had time to recollect the activities in his mind before a loud thump was heard at the door, the weight was lifted off his arm when Morgana hopped up- hearing the knock. "No!" She shouted, panicked. "No, no- don't come in!" She screeched, begging the person on the other end of the door to stop opening it, to back away and get out. "NO!" She half cringed, her fear realized when the door opened wide, and a figure emerged from behind it.
[ Ha, I'm a sucker for the cliff-hangers, I will update soon so I don't have you waiting too long to see who has intruded- but please R&R! :D ]