Hey, guys!
I'm back with another update, a super-cute Arthur/Gwen one this time.
I also wanted to say thanks for all the reviews and favorite-ing this story has gotten lately. I read every review, and they all mean a lot to me, but one in particular, from MsPercival, was super-special to read. To hear that I inspired someone else to start writing through my own writing blew my mind. So, MsPercival, this chapter is dedicated to you. Your review was so heartfelt and awesome—it's that kind of response that sums up the reason I write in the first place. Firstly, I write for myself—writing for FanFiction sometimes even feels a bit selfish because I'm fulfilling my own whims and wants when it comes to a series, like Merlin, or particularly a relationship I feel was sometimes undervalued, like in the case of Arthur and Gwen in series five. To receive feedback like yours, MsPercival, and others of you who have taken the time to not only read my stories but review them as well means the world to me.
Thanks again for your support, and happy reading!
Arthur and Guinevere: Missing Moments
Chapter 9
"I've canceled the staff," Arthur announces to his wife one afternoon. Gwen narrows her eyes in suspicion/confusion.
"Um. OK. What are we to do for supper?"
"I'M going to cook," Arthur declares confidently.
"You!? You, Arthur Pendgraon, are going to prepare supper." Arthur frowns, slightly annoyed/hurt at his wife's surprise.
"Yes, ME, Guinevere," Arthur retorts. "I have many hidden talents, you know."
"Oh, I'm sure you do," Gwen says, barely managing to suppress her laughter.
"Trust me, it's going to be great." And with that, Arthur stamps a kiss to Gwen's cheek and exits the Royal Chambers.
A/G * A/G
"So, are you surprised?"
"Pleasantly so," Gwen says, smiling at her husband over her water goblet, a spread of chicken, potatoes, rolls, salad, and a fruit and cheese plates between them on the kitchen table, nearly all gone now.
"See? I told you, Guinevere, didn't I? Hidden talents." Arthur's smile is so confident Gwen laughs to herself into her napkin.
"Oh, yes," Gwen says, playing along. "And you managed to do it without burning the food or burning down the castle. Good job," Gwen says approvingly.
"Cook did help me out with a bit or two," Arthur admits then, adorably, making Gwen laugh out loud. Once they both have recovered, Arthur says, "Shayla is even enjoying it."
Gwen glances over to her infant-soon-to-be-toddler daughter, where she sits happily in her wooden high-chair, munching on fruit and small pieces of chicken. "Aw, Shay, you like it?" Shayla responds by grinning up at her father, food all over her face. Arthur smiles, takes a warm cloth and gently cleans her up. It is watching him carefully clean their daughter's cute tiny baby hands when emotion overcomes her.
"I love you," Gwen says, standing when Arthur does, empty plates in each of their hands.
"I love you too, Guinevere," Arthur replies as he always does, the words always so full of meaning. He kisses her quickly on the mouth. When they break apart, Gwen surveys their dining room table and says,
"Since you did the cooking, the least I can do is clean up."
"Guinevere," Arthur says with a smile. "That's a lovely thought, but you really don't have to."
"No, no," she responds quickly with a smile. "It'll be fun." She gathers up all their plates and silverware and glasses, Arthur helps her prepare them on a tray to bring down to the kitchen.
"I'm afraid Merlin won't know what to do with himself without this job to do," Arthur says. They both knew he'd be along shortly to collect all this and do the washing himself as he normally did.
"I know."
"And you know that Cook is going to hate you being in her kitchen. She barely lets Merlin in there, and he's been under my orders to do the washing up for years."
"Yes, I know that too," Gwen says with a smile. "See what I meant about it being fun?" Arthur doesn't think he's ever loved his wife as much as he did in that moment right then.
"Indeed," he says, smiling his own smile, kissing her quickly on the cheek. "Here, I'll open the door for you." And he does, helps Gwen out into the hall with her tray, only to see Merlin just approaching their chambers, surprise coming to his face at the sight of the couple.
"What's wrong? Did I not come early enough? Oh, God, I knew I should have left earlier, I knew it, just—
"No, no, Merlin, it's nothing like that, you are perfectly on time," Gwen says, smiling. "Since Arthur did the cooking, I said I'd clean up. Now, I'd best get down to the kitchen." She looked wistful for a moment. "It'll remind me of my days being a serving girl."
"You were never 'just a serving girl', Guinevere," Arthur says, squeezing her arm in husbandly affection. "You were always much more than that." She smiles at him in a most lovely way and then proceeds to turn and walk down the hall to the kitchen.
And all the while, Merlin is still trying to process this.
"You, Arthur, King of Camelot, cooked supper!?"
"Yes, Merlin," Arthur replies in his serious, knowing, nonchalant Arthur way. "I prepared a meal for my wife, my daughter, and myself. What's so strange about that?" Merlin doesn't even hear him.
"And Gwen— he says, turning to look where the Queen has gone. "This wasn't like the last time he tried to cook for you, was it?" Merlin yells to her down the hallway.
"No," Gwen says, practically trilling the word.
"But, really, Arthur, you cooking? I just can't believe it," Merlin says, still in disbelief. "You haven't cooked for Gwen since that time during the tourney."
"Well, then, why don't you come in and I'll tell you about it," Arthur says, and so the two men proceed into the Royal Chambers, where Arthur blathered to Merlin waiting for Guinevere to return.
A/G * A/G
When Gwen does return to their chambers, Arthur proceeds to carry their daughter nonchalantly in his arms into the nursery.
"I call story time tonight!" Gwen calls after him.
"Then you better get in here before I start read-ing," Arthur calls back teasingly. "OK, Shay, what story do you want to hear tonight? How about the one about how Daddy saved Camelot from the Bad Guys again?"
"Arthur Pendragon, you made that story up and you know it!" Gwen yells. "Besides, how about telling her a story where you do something other than be the hero?"
"OK, how about this: One day, a long time ago, Shay, Daddy and Mommy and Uncle Merlin traveled to a faraway land to save Uncle Eleyan. And Mommy told Daddy that just because I was a prince didn't mean she had to do what I told her to..."
"I like that story," Gwen says, coming into the room, a smile on her face in the low candlelight.
"I figured you would," Arthur says in a lovely low voice. "It's my favorite too."
A/G * A/G
Later that night, long after Shayla has fallen asleep, Arthur and Gwen sit together amidst the soft candlelight in the main room of their chambers.
"Thank you for making dinner tonight, Arthur, truly," Gwen says. "For all my teasing, it really was quite lovely."
"Anytime, Guinevere," the King says easily.
"Really?" Gwen says, one eyebrow raised in skepticism.
"Truthfully? Probably not," Arthur answers, making Gwen laugh.
"Well, it was a nice gesture, however infrequent it will be in future."
"I never did ask you about the washing-up," Arthur says then, shifting a little on the couch so his arm slid around Gwen's shoulders. "How'd it go? Was Cook mad?"
"No, Cook likes me," Gwen replies, waving away the concern with her hand. "I've never admitted this until now, but she used to let me sometimes take leftovers home."
"Why, Guinevere Pendragon, I am shocked," Arthur says dramatically, jokingly, putting a hand over his heart. "Stealing from your place of employment."
"I wouldn't call it stealing, exactly," Gwen says, trying not to laugh. "She allowed it. And when I asked her about that, about Uther not allowing it, she said if he ever was angry about it, he'd have her to deal with. In her way, Cook looked out for me."
"I did too," Arthur murmurs. "Or tried to, anyway."
"You did, believe me, you did," Gwen says, snuggling into his shoulder. "You loved me best out of everyone, sneaking me socks for cold nights and material for dresses and staying at my house way too late just to be with me. You were wonderful-are wonderful," she adds.
"You, Guinevere, are wonderful too, my best friend."
"And you're mine."
"Good," Arthur says quietly as he sees Gwen start to fall asleep against his chest. "I was hoping I would be."