*Warning - Fairly Mature Content. Please do not read if unsuitable for your age.

Gawain felt tired and he was not in the mood for festivities but he did not want to go to his bed either, knowing what was awaiting him there. He shuddered slightly but seeing as he had no other choice, he rose up and left his brothers without a word. He had to go to her as it was now his duty as a husband. Husband. It felt like a strange word and it was one Gawain did not wish to voice aloud.

He walked slowly up to his new room, meeting no one on the way then slowly, playing for time, opened the door. She stood facing the bed, wearing that musty smelling cloak that looked at least ten years old. Her back was to him but when she heard him enter and close the door behind him, her head turned to the side slightly, waiting.

Gawain just stood there, unable to move. He was slightly ashamed to admit that Ragnell repulsed him, how could he not? She was perhaps the foulest looking creature he had ever come across. After a long time of them both standing stoic as statues, Ragnell spoke a little bitterly. "If I were beautiful you would not hesitate to kiss me and take me to your bed."

"If a kiss is what you wish from me, I shall give it." Gawain answered carefully. "And if you desire me to take you to my bed then I shall do it." She gave a single nod so Gawain walked forwards, reaching out to touch her shoulder.

Creamy hands of silken smooth skin lifted up and lowered the hood, revealing thick, lustrous chestnut hair and when the woman turned around, she faced Gawain with features that took his breath away. Out of shock he recoiled and she arched an eyebrow with amusement. "What is this? Are you a witch?"

"Behold the hag you married, Sir Gawain." Ragnell pulled the ties of her cloak and let it drop to the ground and Gawain drank in her seductive figure, curvy with a small waist, wide hips and long legs which he could not tear his eyes away from. Thanks to the candles, her form was darkened underneath the flimsy nightshift she wore, the shoulders of which were sliding down to reveal the tops of her arms. "Your wife."

"How is this possible?" Gawain demanded though he made sure he sounded gentle, stepping forwards as Ragnell explained.

"Not long ago, a few months perhaps, my brother punished me for trying to escape him by summoning a witch to curse me. I know nothing about her save for the laugh I heard in the darkness of my room and the incantation she chanted to make me ugly by day and beautiful again by night. Now that you are my husband, you must finish the curse. Choose whether you would have me beautiful by day and ugly by night or fair by night and gruesome by day. You cannot have both. Make your choice." Gawain stared at the beautiful woman before him, slightly in shock still.

"By day and night you must be one way and then the other?" Gawain questioned and she nodded her head. "Well, to have you fair at night and all to myself is rather tempting, but then to have you ugly by day would mean you would lock yourself away again, causing you misery. However if you were beautiful during the day, you would be loved by all but to sleep beside such a horrid being, if you'll forgive me for saying so, would be almost unbearable." Gawain shook his head. "I cannot decide. You choose, even as your husband I have no right to force your will. Choose which life you would prefer and as your husband, I shall stand by your decision."

Suddenly Ragnell shuddered, gasping as her knees buckled and Gawain swept forwards to catch her, looking down with concern as she slowly opened her eyes to look at him. "Oh praise God! I thank you, Sir Gawain, gallant and chivalrous knight who has now freed me from the curse entirely! I shall be as you see me now, both day and night because you granted me my sovereignty."

Ragnell lifted her head a little closer to Gawain, gazing into his eyes. "Now claim your prize for your trueness of heart, my husband. Take me and take me again, for I am now yours entirely by my choosing." Not waiting for an answer Ragnell eagerly pressed her lips to Gawain's, who shuddered with desire and groaned, parting his lips to stroke her mouth with his tongue, causing her to moan and gasp as she then stepped back and slid the sleeves completely from her arms, letting the shift drop to the ground so that she stood in her natural form before him.

Gawain could only stare, drinking in her form with hunger as she slowly stalked closer to him, accenting the sway in her hips and he followed the movement closely, unable to look away. "Do I please you, husband?"

"Yes." He breathed as she brushed her lips to his.

"Then claim me."

"Ragnell, there is no rush." Gawain murmured to her. "If you would prefer to become used to my company first then do not feel pressured into giving me your virtue. There is always time." Her milky arms draped around his neck and his hands naturally rose to touch them, gazing into her eyes as his fingers stroked tender lengths across her satiny skin.

"And that is why I knew you were the right one." She murmured. "I somehow knew you were the kindest, most chivalrous knight of them all." Ragnell slowly slid her hands down Gawain's chest then pulled at the laces of his dark blue jerkin until she slid it free from his body. "But I have no desire to wait, my husband. I shall be taking you as much as you will be taking me." She nibbled delicately at his ear, gasping as his hands suddenly gripped her waist and drew her closer. "I want this."

Unable to deny her any longer Gawain lifted her up, wrapping her legs about his waist as he caught her mouth with his and enveloped her into a heated kiss, letting go of her with his hands to rip off his shirt which he then tossed aside and her hands began to wander across his body, her naked form pressing against him and Gawain was driven wild with lust for this beautiful woman who was his wife.

He swore he was never going to be prejudiced again. As his hands stroked her creamy thighs Ragnell pulled off his boots after they had fallen back onto the bed, facing the wrong way but neither cared. He caressed her, awakening a heat in Ragnell's body she had never known was within her until she had looked at Gawain.

She knew of what was meant to happen, her window was in full view of the woods and sometimes she would look out and accidentally spot a maid and perhaps a stableman coupling in the trees, which were dead and bare at all times of the year, however when she saw Gawain completely naked before her, she lost her nerve slightly and she whimpered.

Gawain instantly slowed down, groaning softly at her as his lips moved measuredly against hers, his hands distracting her as she fell into gasps of pleasure. She felt him position himself between her legs and she instantly tensed.

"Relax, I shall not harm you." Gawain's silky voice soothed, murmuring into her ear which helped her to take a deep breath and she slowly let her body go lax. "Open your eyes, my enchantress." Obediently Ragnell opened her eyes and she lifted them to meet Gawain's as his hand stroked her waist. "Keep looking at me, it will hurt at first but not for long." He warned her but Ragnell nodded her head, wriggling beneath him in anticipation but she kept her eyes fixed on Gawain's as he had suggested, letting him ease her nerves with the tender look he was giving her.

Then he slowly eased forwards. Ragnell's natural reaction was to gasp and grip onto Gawain tightly with her knees, which made the entrance even more uncomfortable but he then pulled back and it was far more pleasurable to feel. With each stroke Ragnell gasped and threw back her head, arching into the contact as Gawain began to bury deeper within her.

When he hit the barrier and broke it, a loud cry of pain escaped Ragnell's lips but he silenced her with a kiss, murmuring softly to reassure her. After the pain had subsided all that remained was a dull throb which then became bursts of pleasure as Gawain began to increase his pace, his head buried into the grove of Ragnell's neck as one hand tangled through his hair and the other fell back beside her face as she clenched her eyes shut and cried out louder and louder, beginning to rock her hips with his to gather more of him to her.

This was pleasure Ragnell had never thought imaginable, it tore through her body and screamed in her mind until she was completely unaware of anything save for Gawain. A cry tore from her lips as Gawain delved deeper than he had ever gone before, wanting to claim every part of his wife that he could reach. He swore to the gods he would never bed another woman, Ragnell was all he would ever desire from now on.

When he withdrew from her, Ragnell lay there, gasping for breath and stared up at the canopy of deep red, feeling something warm trickle down her leg and she lifted herself up see. "I'm bleeding!" She gasped and Gawain quickly soothed her.

"It happens the first time, do not fret." Gawain whispered, drawing her close then pulled the covers over them, turning to face her. Ragnell gazed up at him, her hand slowly sliding forwards to rest against his side. "Tell me about yourself, Ragnell." Gawain said to her, brushing his thumb against her cheek.

"There is not much to tell. I have no hobbies, no funny stories or have any particular talents save for playing the lyre." She answered. "My brother gave me a very sheltered life." Gawain chuckled and Ragnell instinctively drew closer to the sound which rumbled from his pleasingly muscular chest.

"How old are you truly? I cannot guess."

"Thirty one." She answered then smirked. "So I am older than you may have thought." He smiled.

"True. You are older than I. I am only just turned twenty eight." He mused, stroking her face as her eyes began to slide shut. "This is going to be difficult to explain." Ragnell chuckled.

"I agree, husband."

"Gawain. Call me Gawain." In answer Ragnell wriggled closer and he curled his arms around her, neither caring for the sweat that rinsed their bodies. She rested her head against his chest, listening to the powerful heartbeat and it lulled her to sleep, finally feeling safe and secure unlike she had ever felt before.