Chapter 35: Safe At Last
It was the morning of her wedding and Elaine could not believe that this day had arrived. She never thought that she would be marrying Gwaine. She lay in her bed and thought about her future. Was she doing the right thing? She looked up at her ceiling and sighed softly. She was. For the right reasons. Yes, to keep Vortigern away from her but also because she loved Gwaine with all her heart.
A knock came at the door and it opened. "Your Majesty? Are you awake?"
"Yes, Mary." Elaine sat up. "Thank you for coming to see if I was awake."
Mary walked further into the room. "Do you want me to send for a bath?"
"Just a bowl of hot water please." Elaine smiled as she climbed out of bed and put on her dressing gown.
"Yes, your Majesty." She curtseyed and left Elaine alone.
The bride moved to her dressing table and untied her hair. "I'm getting married." She stared at her reflection. She soon laughed. "I'm getting married." Reaching for her hairbrush and brushed all the knots out of her hair. When she had finished that, a maid had brought a bowl of hot water. "Thank you." Elaine smiled as the young maid curtseyed and left the room.
Mary returned to the room with fresh towels. "Towels for you, your Majesty." She placed them next to the bowl of water. "Would you like me to take your dress out?"
"I'll do it." Elaine smiled. "Why don't you go and get ready?"
She smiled broadly and curtseyed. "Thank you, your Majesty." Leaving Elaine alone to get ready.
Elaine took a deep breath and turned to look in the mirror. "Let's get ready." She whispered to herself. She pulled her hair on top of her head, stood up and walked to the bowl. She washed her face, neck and behind her ears. She smiled when she remembered her mother telling her to always wash behind her ears or she would grow cabbages there. She dried her face as she walked to her wardrobe, taking out her wedding dress. She smiled as she hung it against the door of her wardrobe and returned to her dressing table.
She took slow breaths as she brushed her long hair. It was going to be kept down. No one knew that it was to be a wedding, except those they had told. She dressed into her pale blue dress, which had white lace trimmings and small white flowers embroidered into the bodice. If she were in Corbenic, she would have had to wear her crown but today she wasn't going to. She was going to marry Gwaine as a normal woman and not a Queen. "Come in." She called when someone knocked on her door. She slowly stood up and turned to greet her cousin. "I'm nervous."
"Wow!" Arthur smiled as he moved further into her chambers. "You look beautiful. Everyone is waiting for you in the Great Hall."
She took a nervous breath and turned to check herself in her long mirror. "Never thought this day would come."
Arthur stood behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Stop your worrying. You look beautiful and you should see Gwaine. He is more nervous than you." He took his hands off her shoulders.
Elaine laughed nervously. "That is good." Standing up and turning to face her cousin. "I am ready." She took a slow breath and took Arthur's arm.
Arthur led his cousin to the hall. Most of the servants had been given the day off, just to keep the wedding secret for a moment. Gwen was waiting outside the double doors with a bouquet of flowers. Arthur kissed his wife's cheek in a greeting. "Everyone is waiting inside." Gwen smiled as she handed Elaine her bouquet before opening the Great Hall door and slipping inside.
"Are you ready?" Arthur asked as she adjusted the train of her dress.
Elaine chuckled. "As I'll ever be." She watched as Arthur stepped forward and opened the doors. He stepped back and held out his arm to her. "Thank you." She smiled and allowed him to lead her into the Great Hall and towards Gwaine, who was standing nervously in front of Geoffrey of Monmouth. She smiled when he turned to face her. He smiled back at her and accepted her hand when Arthur placed it in his own.
Gwaine gave her a small wink as they turned to face Geoffrey, who began the wedding ceremony.
Lancelot watched the ceremony with a pain in his heart. When Geoffrey asked if anyone objected. He wanted to say he did. He loved her. Was that excuse good enough? It would break her heart if he did it. He didn't want that for her. He wanted her to be happy. He kept his hands by his side. His heart was breaking. It should be him there, holding Elaine's hands and pledging himself to her. But he had been the one to make their relationship fall apart. He had not tried to make it work and that made them pull apart.
"Lancelot?" Percival whispered in his ear. "You awake?"
"Yes." Lancelot smiled broadly. "Thinking."
"Don't hurt yourself." Elyan chuckled as they followed Gwaine and Elaine out of the Great Hall.
"Papa!" Galahad ran towards Lancelot, having escaped from Elaine. "I don't want to go."
Lancelot sighed heavily and picked his son up. "I know, son." Hugging him tightly. This hurt him more than letting Elaine go. He did not want to watch his son leave him once again. This broke his heart more than anything. "We will see each other again soon." Kissing Galahad's curls. "Mama said I could come and visit you soon."
"Really?" Galahad's eyes lit up as he looked at his father.
"Really." Lancelot smiled and rubbed noses with his son. "I promise you."
"Good." Galahad smiled and hugged Lancelot tightly.
"Galahad!" Elaine called. "It is time to go!" But she saw Galahad held onto Lancelot tighter. "Oh darling." She sighed walking over to them. "You'll see your Papa soon."
Galahad held onto Lancelot more. "No!" He said stubbornly.
Elaine sighed heavily and looked at Lancelot. "Can we talk?"
"I think I know what you're going to ask. Do you want him to stay?" He asked her.
"Yes." She nodded and ran her hand over Galahad's curls. "Only if you are really sure." Smiling a little at her former lover. "Gwaine and I are going to Joyous Guard for two weeks. I have a few things to do there and it is our honeymoon." She sighed softly again. "This is going to be strange."
"You and me both." Lancelot laughed. "You two go. Galahad and I will be fine."
Galahad raised his head, showing that he had been crying. "I want to stay with Papa."
"You can." Elaine smiled. "But you have to promise that you will behave for Papa. Do as your told."
"Yes Mama." He smiled widely as she wiped his tears away. "When will you be back?"
"Two weeks. 14 days." She kissed the top of her son's head. "I love you darling."
"I love you too Mama." He smiled at her.
Elaine sat in her carriage against Gwaine's side and sighed heavily. She was missing her son terribly and they had only left Camelot 10 minutes ago. "I miss him."
"I know." He held her close to his side.
She placed her head against his shoulder and sighed again. "I just hope he will be all right."
"Lancelot will look after him." He kissed the top of her golden head. "It will probably be the other way around. Galahad taking care of Lancelot."
They both laughed. "Sounds like Galahad to me." She smiled and enjoyed the feeling of his arms around her. "You could have rode your horse, if you really wanted to."
Gwaine scoffed. "And miss spending time with my new wife? I think my horse can cope without me."
She laughed softly and sat up straight. She turned to look at him and raised her hand, brushing a strand of his hair behind his ear. "I have a few things to do in Joyous Guard and then we can enjoy our honeymoon."
"I can agree to that." He smiled broadly. "Come back here and kiss me."
"Gladly." She smiled and returned to his side, kissing his lips softly but he was the one who made their kiss more passionate. This is how they spent the majority of their journey until they reached the coast.
"Elaine, I have one question." Gwaine asked as he climbed out of the carriage and held out his hand to her.
"Yes, love?" Taking his hand and climbing out of the carriage.
"Where on earth is Joyous Guard?" Looking around, expecting to see a castle.
Elaine pointed out to the sea. "It's not far off the coast." She chuckled as she led him down to a small jetty where a boat sat. "Joyous Guard is also an island, not just a castle." She laughed softly as she walked up the jetty.
Gwaine laughed also. "Oh I see." Helping her into the boat and sitting next to her. The boat was a long boat with a white canopy for the passengers to sit underneath. The young couple sat back and relaxed as the boat moved smoothly across the water. As they moved further across the sea, the island came into view as did the large castle. "Wow!"
She laughed. "Do you like it?"
"It's big." He chuckled. "I never expected it to be this big. Puts Camelot to shame."
Elaine laughed. "True." She smiled. "She is a little bigger." She smiled as she relaxed into Gwaine's comforting arms. "It is going to be strange without Galahad."
"It will be quieter." Gwaine laughed softly in her ear. "Well, during the day."
"Sir Gwaine!" She scolded him. "Behave!" She hit his chest softly. "I have things to do before tonight." She smiled as they sailed closer to the jetty. "I do have to write to my advisers in Corbenic telling them that I am now married."
He chuckled softly and rubbed her arm gently. "That will be hard. Do you think they will be all right with it?"
"Probably not. I did not marry in Corbenic. So they will be annoyed with me but they cannot do anything about it." She sat up straight as the boat reached the jetty.
Gwaine stood up and climbed out of the boat. "They will have to cope." Holding his hand out to her and helping her to climb out steadily. "Show the way, your Majesty." Holding his arm out to her.
She shook her head and rolled her eyes and led him up a path. "Just a short walk."
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Joyous Guard was a larger castle but there were less servants and only a few members of Elaine's council resided there. Though there were quite a few peasants who lived on the island. The island was a source of crops and animals, which was their trade. Joyous Guard was the safest island as you could not travel to the island unless you had permission from the monarch or you are already a resident. Also, you had to know the way across the sea to be able to reach the island. It had been in Elaine's mother's family for generations. Since her mother was an only child, she inherited her father's kingdom and on her mother's death, Elaine had inherited the kingdom but her father acted as regent until she was old enough.
Elaine was led to the Great Hall of the castle and she was greeted by the council with applause. She gripped Gwaine's arm for support and encouragement. She had not been to Joyous Guard since she was 13 and she did not recognise many of the men, who stood before her. "Thank you, my Lords." She smiled as she stood on the platform and Gwaine stood apart from her. He gave her a slight nod of his head for courage. "I know I have not been here for quite some time but I have been receiving continuous reports that everything is working as it should be and I have you to thank for it."
Lord William, head of her Joyous Guard councillors, stepped forward and bowed to her. "It is good to see you, your Majesty." Glancing over at Gwaine cautiously as he stepped forward. "We were under the impression that you would be arriving with your son."
"My son is remaining in Camelot with his father." Elaine spoke softly and looked over at Gwaine, who stood tall and showed no emotion for the time being. "I do have an announcement. There is an explanation first. I have been approached constantly by King Vortigern for my hand in marriage. I do not wish to marry him as he is a tyrant and too old." She chuckled nervously. "Therefore, I married Sir Gwaine in Camelot early this morning."
They began to talk amongst themselves. It was obvious they did not approve of Elaine's choice of a husband. Sir William stepped forward. "This was not discussed."
"It was discussed between myself and King Arthur." She spoke sternly and stepped forward. "He agreed with myself and Sir Gwaine, that I marry soon to protect me from King Vortigern."
"Yes, your Majesty. But may I ask, why a knight of Camelot? Not one of your own or a trusted Lord. What about Lord Godwyn?"
"No. Besides it is too late." She said sternly. "I am already married." She stepped off the platform and stood next to Gwaine. "I married for security but most of all of love." Looking over at the group of men. "I do not regret this at all." Looking up at Gwaine and gave him a small nod. He led her out of the Great Hall. "That was hard." She whispered and led him into the heart of the castle.
"I know." He kissed the side of her head. "You have done it now."
"Yes." She chuckled as she led him towards her bed chambers. "Um..." She spoke nervously. "I have not had time to arrange chambers for you." Opening the door.
"I do not intend on being in my own chambers." Following her, his hand holding hers softly. "As your protector and husband, I will need to be close by to protect you." Pulling her into his arms.
"Well, my lord, I cannot complain about that." She laughed but was cut off by his lips. She gave muffled protests but she could not resist his ever tempting lips. A knock on their door pulled them apart. They turned to see two guards and a maid.
"Your luggage, your Majesty." The maid spoke softly and obviously nervous.
"Thank you." She pulled away from Gwaine. "Place them at the foot of the bed." Stepping aside to allow the guards to place her trunk and Gwaine's trunk at the foot of her bed. "That will be all." She smiled to them. The guards bowed and left. The maid quickly curtseyed and left, closing the door behind her. Obviously, news of their marriage had spread like fire. "Alone at last." She smiled and moved back to Gwaine.
"Not for long." He chuckled. "We do need to eat."
"Damn!" She sighed. "We could have our food here." Laughing softly.
"Your advisers?"
"Damn again!" She cursed. "Fine!" Stepping back from her new husband. "They will only want to talk politics."
"So, talking about us?" He smiled and held out his arm to her.
She looped her arm through his. "Obviously."
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A/N: Yay? Nay? Warning! Smut in the next chapter! Hope you enjoy. Let me know what you would like to see next! Also, I've nearly finished University! HOORAY! Just two pieces of work to finish and two exams and I'M FREE!
Responses from chapter 34:
larasmith: I think it was only the people of Camelot who did not see through Agravaine! They should know by now that anyone wearing black is on the side of evil! LOL. Lancelot is a complicated soul and he has a lot of feelings running through him, as shown in this chapter. His feelings are being pulled in different directions and he is so confused about them. I cannot say if they will be straightened out or sorted out as that will spoil the story. As for Vortigern, he will make his annoying appearance soon. For now, I will be focusing on the Gwaine and Elaine love story.