THE ROYAL CHAMBERS
Arthur was stood by the long table in the centre of the room, pulling off his belt and setting it onto the top of the wooden table.
The room flickered and glowed with candles and his as filled with the comfortable warmth that made it easy to slip into slumber in the midst of.
The fire burned brightly in the grate and Arthur glanced at it, making sure that it was stoked enough to burn well into the night, before he set his sword and belt flat on the table and rubbed his eyes, hands falling to his hips.
The green knight.
The knight's face had been covered by his helmet, but his eyes had burned out with iced hatred down at Arthur.
Arthur sighed and turned towards the bed.
Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of movement.
He turned his head, and watched as his wife walked out from behind the screen.
She pulled her crimson robe from her shoulders, standing with her side facing him as she extended her arms backwards to pull it from her body.
The movement of her limbs caused the silk of her nightdress to stretch over her swollen abdomen.
Its perfect curve was still small, but it was not easily hidden anymore.
She looked up when she felt his eyes on her.
Her eyes were tired and slightly swollen.
He narrowed his eyes and turned fully to look at you.
"Have you been crying?"
"No." She muttered and wiped her fingers furiously at her eyes once and sniffed, pushing her hair from her face.
Arthur sighed and smiled sadly, walking towards her and holding his hands out.
"I will be fine Guinevere… don't worry about me…"
He took her hands in his but she shook her head, her eyes burning with tears.
"You don't have any idea do you…" She muttered.
He stared at her, ducking his knees slightly, trying to look into her downcast eyes.
"What do you mean?" He stared at her.
"About how selfish you can be!"
She cried and sniffed pulling her hands from his and putting them to her head, taking deep breaths to try and calm down.
He straightened.
"Ah…"
"You don't know anything about this knight!" She cried, her hands flying out to the sides so her wide eyes could stare at him, "He is green, stands nearing seven feet tall… he arrives in Camelot without being stopped, knocking out the guards on the door and throws his gauntlet down and you just… picked it up!"
She was furious with him.
Her heart hammered and she wiped at her eyes.
He sighed and turned to walk away from her.
"I think you need some sleep…"
"Don't you dare make out that I am the one acting irrationally," She shouted at him, "Don't you dare!"
"What do you want me to say?" He demanded, spinning to look at her.
Her emotions had a tendency to spin and change now that she was with child, as her pregnancy progressed Arthur was discovering that most of their change was to do with him.
He was determined to be patient with her, but he was so stubborn…
"I want you to see that this is one of the most irresponsible things you have ever done!" She cried, "You know nothing about this knight,"
"You have already said that." He stated, setting his hands on his hips.
"Oh you listened?" She cried, "I also said that you are being selfish and I meant it…"
"That is not fair." He snapped, "The challenge was made for me and I accepted, I have never shied away from anything and I don't intend to start now!"
"But if you face him you will die!" She cried, "Please Arthur you don't know what he is going to ask you to do in this challenge…"
He stiffened at her words.
"I am glad you have so much faith in me Guinevere…"
"Oh it isn't like that and you know it!" She shouted, tears burning in the base of her vision.
"I know how skilled a warrior you are, everyone knows…"
"Then what is your point!" He demanded loudly.
"You aren't just a warrior Arthur… you aren't just a king either, you are my husband, the man I love and you will be this child's father… you have so much in your life…"
"Guinevere." He stated.
"I am carrying your baby!" She shouted.
Tears coursed down her face and he started to understand.
Her hands started to shake and she bit her lip as her words snapped at him.
"I am carrying your child, your heir… you aren't just a warrior, you will be this baby's father…" Her chest heaved up and down, "You have an entire kingdom who depends of you… knights and nobles, friends and me and you just…"
She whimpered and covered her mouth with her hand for a moment.
Her anger flaked away and he could see the emotional fright and vulnerability that she was feeling.
"Oh Guinevere…" He whispered.
She shook head.
"I…" A sob worked its way up her throat as he walked towards her, moving to take her hands and wrap his arms around her.
"No… no no no…" She shook and more sobs overtook her.
"Yes, yes come here…" He breathed and felt his anger slip away.
He pulled her gently to him and wrapped his arms around her, allowing her to cry into his shoulder.
Her body shook with frightened sobs, emotional and terrified that he would meet his doom when he didn't have to, leaving her alone…
"I went through all that to bring you back…" She whimpered as he stroked her hair, arm around her back holding her to his chest, the other resting on the back of her head.
"Shhh my love I know… I know and I'm sorry…" He whispered and kissed her hair.
"I can't lose you… I couldn't do it all without you, being a queen and now a mother…" She breathed and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face into his chest.
"I should have thought about how this would make you feel." He whispered, "I'm sorry."
"I didn't mean to shout at you…" She murmured and pulled away, wiping her eyes.
His hands stroked the tops of her arms.
"I know you didn't… I should be more understanding I think…"
She smiled and laughed lightly at how ridiculous her emotions were.
Arthur watched as she sniffed.
He stared intently at her.
"Do you… do you really think that I couldn't beat the Green knight?"
His words hung heavy for a moment.
She swallowed and took his hands in hers, resting them on her belly.
"I know nothing of what he will ask you to do… on his physical appearance… he towers over you Arthur…"
"No man is without weakness."
"I am giving you my answer to the question you asked." She reminded him firmly, smoothing her hands over his on her belly.
He sighed.
She stared at him and lifted one hand to cup his cheek.
"I can't lose you again." She said quietly.
Arthur set his jaw and kissed her forehead.
GAIUS'S CHAMBERS
In the dead of night Merlin lay awake on his front in his candle lit room.
He was surrounded by books, open at pages.
Laying on his front he was propped up on his arms on his bed, staring at the old writing in books.
The door opened and he glanced over his shoulder to see Gaius pad over to him.
"Why are you still awake?" Gaius asked, walking to stand at the side of merlin's bed, looking down at him with his hand's folded in front of him.
Merlin yawned, "I was searching for anything on the green knight… but I can't find anything…"
"I am not surprised." Gaius told him gravely, "I have never heard of nor seen a Green knight… I have heard of a creature like that."
Merlin stared at him.
"So what is it that has challenged Arthur to fight?" He asked.
Gaius stared at him gravely.
"I have no idea."
There was a knock on the door and Gwaine stuck his head around.
"Merlin… I need to talk to you."
THE ROYAL CHAMBERS
There was a knock on the door.
Arthur was sat at his desk, staring down at paper work, before looking up at the door.
His eyes flashed to his wife who was curled asleep on the bed.
The knocking came again.
She stirred and mumbled his name incoherently.
Arthur stood and strode across the room, looking down at her softly before he closed the curtains around the bed.
Knock knock.
Arthur walked to the door and opened it, his eyes widening when he saw Gwaine stood facing him, Merlin at his side.
"What are you doing?" Arthur demanded, stepping out into the corridor, the door closing behind him, "What is it?"
Merlin and Gwaine exchanged a look.
Arthur set his eyes.
"What are you doing here?" The king demanded again.
"Coming to stop you…" Gwaine started, only to be interrupted by a snap from Merlin.
"Saving you from your own stupidity, what are you thinking?" The manservant demanded.
Arthur sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of my nose.
"You are thinking of going after the green knight…" Gwaine started, "We know you are…"
Arthur locked his jaw, "Alright then yes. I am thinking about going to meet the Green knight to engage in the task that I, not you, not Guinevere, I agreed too…."
"Gwen would be beside herself Arthur." Merlin snapped, "and more to the point she would be and is right… You cannot just gallop off in the middle of the night to meet a knight who is green… without a thought or care in the world…"
"Why is everyone so sure that I can't beat him?" Arthur tried not to shout.
"Because everyone, including you, has no idea what the nature of this challenge is going to be…" Merlin cried.
"You didn't stop me when my father said a similar thing about Morgause…"
"Yes and look how fabulously that turned out!" Merlin shouted.
There was silence for a moment while Arthur and Merlin stared furiously at one another.
"Look Arthur…" Gwaine sighed shortly, "It isn't your best idea… riding off to meet this knight…"
"Arthur you might die!" Merlin cried, "Think about it for one moment."
"I will say it again," He snapped, "I picked up the gauntlet; I have to fight him…"
"No, you don't." Merlin stated.
"Merlin…" Arthur growled.
"Let me fight him." Gwaine stepped forwards.
Arthur and Merlin both snapped their heads to look at the knight.
Gwaine stared back at them both.
"I am a knight of Camelot, and as the king you have the power to revoke the challenge… I shall take up the challenge to try and make sure that this… green knight, doesn't come back to Camelot…"
Arthur stared at the knight and shook his head firmly.
"No. I took up the challenge…"
"So revoke it…"
"No."
"Arthur you have a wife, a queen, and a kingdom…"
"I took up the challenge, it is my responsibility…"
"And as a knight of Camelot it is my responsibility to see that you, my king, are protected." Gwaine stated, "I shall take up the challenge with the Green Knight."
Arthur blinked at him.
The knight chuckled and strode away towards the end of the corridor.
"I will see you soon… unless I come back with green bruises…" Gwaine called over his shoulder.
Arthur scowled and sighed shortly, turning his head to glare at Merlin, who was staring after Gwaine.
"I blame you for this."
"for what?"
"Sending Gwaine off to fight the Green knight."
"If you hadn't been so obvious about planning to run off to fight him he wouldn't have to go in your place…"
"He doesn't know anything about this knight!"
"Neither do you!"
There was silence for a moment.
Merlin chewed on his lower lip before he raced after Gwaine down the corridor.
"Where are you going?" Arthur bellowed.
"After Gwaine!"
"Why, you are my servant!"
"I would do it for you… like you said, he doesn't know anything about this knight!"
Arthur watched, jaw furiously hanging open, as his manservant raced after the knight.
Arthur felt replaced…
Merlin caught up with Gwaine.
"I am coming too."
"I can see that." Gwaine chuckled, "Thanks."
There was a pause for a moment as they fell into step together.
It didn't take long for Merlin to fill the silence.
"It was brave what you did, Volunteering to come after Arthur and then taking his place…" He prattled on.
Gwaine grinned, as unaffected as he normally was by any serious atmosphere.
"I couldn't resist," He flicked his head to stop his hair from blowing in his eyes.
"All the opportunity of adventure… and besides, He grinned and winked at Merlin, "it is nothing more than what you have done."