The Wanderer
by BynWho
Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfic for entertainment purposes only. All characters and plots from the BBC show Merlin belong to the BBC. All other characters and plots belong to BynWho. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Marian comes back to Camelot and to Gwaine. And there's sex. Lots and lots of sex.
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The Return
It had been raining hard in Camelot for several days. With the weather not cooperating, most people had stayed in the castle, finding all sorts of mischief to get into. Percival enjoyed partaking in the fun and pranks, but Gwaine was usually his partner in crime, the idea man. But since Gwaine had returned from who knows where a month ago, his heart hadn't been in it. After the battle of Camlann, he and Marian had gone missing, and he had returned alone. Anyone who asked what became of her would usually face Gwaine's temper and have something thrown in their direction.
With a day to himself and no duties to perform, Percival escaped the boredom in the castle to explore the forest surrounding the city. He didn't care about feeling cold and having soaked clothing. Nothing would keep him from enjoying the quiet and freedom of the Darkling Woods.
Spotting a stag, he quietly tracked it, but as he approached the animal, it swung its mighty head toward him and froze, watching him. Without warning, a woman cried out and spooked the majestic animal.
As the piercing cry continued, Percival spun around, attempting to pinpoint where it was coming from. He drew his sword and ran toward the scream. It stopped just as he arrived at a woman prone on the ground. Percival hurried to her side, quickly flipping her over. To his complete surprise, it was Marian lying drenched on the ground in front of him.
He put his hand in front of her nose to see if she was still breathing. Grateful that she was alive, he gathered her in his arms and made his way back toward the city. Carrying her through the city and the citadel gate, he held her close to keep her from shivering. The question of her whereabouts and how she got back played over and over in his mind. But none of that mattered if her return would put an end to Gwaine's misery.
She stirred before they reached the stone courtyard and opened her eyes. "Percival?" she whispered. "I made it."
"You had us all worried, little healer," he said as he set her down. He looked her over for injury, and when he found none, he pulled her in for a hug. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, thank you. I'm just a little disoriented."
His eyebrows shot up when she grabbed his arm to keep from stumbling as they arrived at the courtyard. "Do you think you can make it?"
Marian nodded as they entered the courtyard. "Percival, how long have I been gone?"
"You don't know?"
She shook her head at him and waited for him to answer.
"It's been a little over a month since the Battle of Camlann."
She breathed a sigh of relief. Merlin had sent her to the right time. "How's Gwaine?"
He grinned. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"
Marian turned and gasped when she saw him. Her Gwaine. Her voice trembled with anticipation, glee, and relief. "Gwaine?"
Gwaine stopped cold and, in a flash, turned to her. His eyes widened and his voice broke. "Marian?"
When she nodded, he sprinted and when he reached her, he held her head in both hands, his thumbs caressing her cheeks. He couldn't believe she was real. So many times in the last month, he thought he was losing his mind when he heard her voice or felt her presence. "Is… is it really you or am I dreaming?"
She laughed, that beautiful laugh that sang like the angels and nodded. "It's really me."
Gwaine touched his brow to hers, and though he smiled, he hiccuped as he tried to choke down a sob. "I thought I'd never see you again."
"I told you I can't live without you. So, you gave me no choice but to follow."
He crashed his lips to hers, moving and deepening and caressing. He lost himself in her as he pulled her to his body and cradled her head.
Percival cleared his throat.
When they parted, Gwaine smiled his brightest smile. "Thank you, Perce."
Percival nodded as he watched Gwaine pick Marian up and disappear into the castle.
When they reached the floor that housed the knights' chambers, she climbed down from his arms. Pressing Marian against the wall, Gwaine gathered her skirts and lifted her, pulling her legs around his waist.
"Not here," she said between the feverish collision of his lips on hers.
He kept a hold of her and turned around toward his chamber. Every few steps, they brushed against a wall, and when they went around a corridor, he almost dropped her. He slipped his hands under her skirts and to her bare thighs as he hefted her back up against him. When they finally reached his chamber, he pressed her between his body and the wall so he could open the door, and then kicked it closed once they were in.
Marian dropped to her feet and frantically grabbed at his jacket. As it fell to the floor, she unbuckled his belt, and he struggled with her dress. Thwarted by the laces in the front and the zipper in the back, he ripped the fabric and pushed it down her body. He groaned when he saw she was in the sexy black lingerie that ignited his passion and lust, and she smirked when she saw the bulge in his trousers grow.
Jerking his tunic from his body, Marian's nails scratched at his sides. Lifting her once again, Gwaine set her on the table and grinned at the lacy, near-see-through bra and panties. He held her breasts in his hands, his thumbs circling her hard nipples, and, impatient to get to her skin, he tried to unhook her bra.
"Goddammit," he muttered against her mouth when he tried and failed to tear the bra from her chest.
She pushed his hands away and reached behind her to undo the hooks. Biting his bottom lip, he slipped the shoulder straps down her arms and freed her generous breasts. He leaned her back on her elbows and lowered his mouth to her.
"Oh god," Marian moaned when he drew a nipple into his mouth. She squirmed in pleasure when he rolled it with his tongue, and then gasped when he moved to the other breast while his hand slipped down to her hips. Hooking his fingers under the waistband, he pulled the ridiculously tiny lace down her legs and plucked them off her, throwing them across the room.
He gasped when he dipped his hand to her sex and smiled. "Fuck, Marian. You're so hot and wet," he said when he found her clitoris with his thumb.
She pulled his head up and captured his mouth in a wanton kiss as she rocked against his hand. He licked her lips until she parted them and allowed him inside, his tongue brushing up against hers in rhythm with his thumb. Feeling her clitoris swell and her sex tremble, he pulled his head back to watch her.
She was so close as his hand moved in the exact right way to bring her over the abyss. Moaning, she fell back onto her elbows and her toes curled, pushing her shoes off her feet.
"Come for me, Marian."
His low, husky voice swept over her, and she shuddered as the warmth of her orgasm took over her body. She planted her hands behind her as her hips lifted against his hand and she moaned and panted deeply with every wave.
He pushed his trousers down with his other hand, releasing his hard cock, as she called out his name. When she no longer quaked, he let go to finish removing his clothes. He was so turned on and eager to finally fuck her senseless that it was difficult to remove his boots and step out of his trousers without falling over. Free of his clothes, he pulled her to the edge of the table and slipped his cock between her labia, resting the head at her entrance.
"Please, Gwaine! Please! I need you to fuck me!"
He groaned in pleasure as he slid into her hot, wet depths and held still so she could get used to the size of him. When she rolled her hips toward him, he pulled back, almost completely out of her, but then plunged back in.
This was it. Marian was taking what he willingly gave her. They showed each other so much love in the most intimate and vulnerable way. She was on the brink of crying at the joy and pleasure of it.
The warmth grew again as he thrust into her harder and faster. "There! Oh there! Faster!" She threw her head back as another climax took her.
The sight of the red hot of her pleasure creeping up her skin and face in complete ecstasy undid him and he bellowed as he released his seed into her over and over and over.
Exhausted, Marian laid her cheek on his shoulder as he slowed. After his arousal eased, he kissed the top of her head while catching his breath. "I love you."
In response, Marian let out a soft snore.
He chuckled when he realized she had been knackered from her journey through time and their activities after she returned, so she was exhausted beyond belief. Gently picking her up, he took her to his bed and settled her under the covers. After checking on the fire in the fireplace, he climbed into bed behind her and tucked her against his chest. He brushed her hair from her sweaty brow and gave her a sweet kiss on her temple.
It hadn't been how he always imagined their first time making love would be, but they were both out of their mind with desperate lust. Planning to keep her to himself for a while, he expected that they would have more time later to go slow.
Content and relaxed, Gwaine snuggled his Marian and fell into a deep sleep.
Marian woke up first. The sun had set, and the moonlight shone through the window. She was in Camelot, in Gwaine's bed, and he was sleeping next to her. It was Heaven. Turning over to look at him, she grinned the most lecherous grin she could manage. He was on his back and, with the blankets pushed to the side, she was able to get a lengthy view of all his glory. Yup. It was the right decision to come back. Fuck the future and fuck modern conveniences. Nothing was as important to her as the sexy and sometimes oblivious man sleeping next to her.
Feeling her eyes on him, Gwaine cracked his eyes open and watched as her gaze roamed up and down his very naked body. "Enjoying the view, eh?"
Startled, she jumped a little, but then her lustful grin returned. "It's not every day one sees a Knight of Camelot out of his armor. One might think he was up to something vulgar and indecent!"
"Maybe I am!" he said as he rolled her onto her back and scooted her under him. "Come here, you saucy she-devil!"
Marian giggled. "Oh, my! Are you trying to bed me again, Sir Knight?" She reached around and gave his ass a playful slap.
Gwaine grunted in pleasure at the sting her hand left. He had never thought that pain could be so arousing. As she smacked his ass again, he nibbled at her neck. His erection pressed against her hip when she slapped his firm ass one last time, and he grabbed her hand to bring it up to his mouth. "I am only trying to protect the lady's honor!" he replied, kissing at the pulse on her wrist. He spread her legs enough for him to climb between and sat on his knees, smirking down at her.
"How are you protecting my honor when you come at me with that jousting lance of yours?" she giggled as she pointed to his cock.
His erection bounced in the air as she playfully patted the tip with her hand. He bit his lower lip and moaned. Oh yes, she would pay for that. Without warning, he grabbed her hips and pulled her closer.
"Oh!" she squealed as he licked the skin between her breasts.
"What would people say if they found the lascivious lady in my bed, as naked as the day she was born, and me, a noble knight, doing nothing about it?" he asked while going down and down and down until he finally reached the inside of her thigh. Raising one of her legs over his shoulder, he nibbled her inner thigh and gently pushed his fingers between her labia to tease her clitoris.
"You w-wicked… m-man!" she panted as he worked her sex.
"Wicked? I'll show you wicked, you voluptuous doxy!" Gwaine removed his hand from her and gave her small kisses up and down her vulva. Marian called out when he licked up the slit and slipped his tongue in, dancing around her warm, sensitive clitoris. And just as he had promised before, he alternated between gently sucking and delicately pressing on it with his tongue.
"G-Gwaine…"
Smiling, his finger entered her and softly glided inside. Soon, another finger joined the first, causing her to shudder when he curled them, quickening his pace.
He felt as if he could do this for eternity. Pleasing Marian, sucking on her sex, smelling her, tasting her, making her moan. She was delicious, and he felt like the luckiest man on Earth to be allowed to taste her. They were perfect for each other—she was made for him as he was for her. It was Fate that brought them together more than once. It was Fate that had pulled them both through time to be there, together, at this very moment. They were meant to be one. Thank god for Fate.
Marian rocked her hips against his face, her hand sliding down her hot skin to wind her fingers through his hair. She clutched the sheets in her other hand, bunching them in her fist. "There! Oh, yes, there! Don't stop, Gwaine! Don't ever stop!"
Her back arched, and she let go of him to move her hands through her hair. Her fingers danced down her face and neck until she reached her breasts, before tweaking and teasing her nipples. Ignoring any shyness at the thought of someone hearing them, the volume of her shouts continued to increase. "Please, Gwaine! Faster! Oh god, please!" The all too familiar warmth started in her core, her muscles tensing as it spread down to her toes. She yelled as she shook and rode out her orgasm.
He eagerly lapped up her deliciously sweet arousal, just as he'd said he would. Gwaine raised his eyes to look at her and up on his knees, he removed his fingers from her, sensually licked them, one by one, and moaned at the taste of her.
That did it. Her nipples hardened and her arousal returned with a vengeance. Marian was ready for so much more of him.
He bent down to her, kissing up her belly and between her ribs, leaving a damp trail of her own arousal shining on her pale skin. When he came to her breasts, he soothed the tender nipples with his tongue while he placed a hand between her legs, kneading her warm, wet flesh to keep her ready and waiting.
"Tell me, beautiful, when did you fall in love with me?"
She arched her back when slight tremors spread over her body. "I-I think it was…" She was having a difficult time concentrating on what she was saying. "I… oh god… I… started falling for you…"
Gwaine kissed up her chest and neck to her ear, nibbling on the soft skin just behind it.
"… b-back when we were in… the… the… oh!"
He went a little lower and bit at her neck and shoulder.
"… the Perilous Lands. But… I…"
Marian felt his erection harden further against her thigh as he pressed himself against her. So she did what any decent lady would do—she spread her legs so he could move between them.
After he removed his hand, his erection hastily found its way between her labia and stopped at her entrance.
"But… I…" she continued, gasping. "… I only realized the full force of it before…" The anticipation was driving her mad.
Gwaine teased, barely sliding the head of his cock into her before pulling back out.
"Oh god… sometime before Morgana attacked with the Southrons. Gwaine, please!"
He smiled against her skin, wanting to play with her for as long as possible while savoring her soft gasps and insistent wiggles. She fisted the sheets in frustration when he continued to tease her, thrusting the tip of his cock in, then pulling back out. He played this game several more times before she bucked her hips into his in frustration.
"What… oh fuck… what about you-ou-ou-u?" she drew the last word out as he went deeper inside her.
"I lost my heart when you called me an arrogant prick and threw water in my face," he replied, his voice muffled as he nibbled across her jaw to her lips, his mouth hovering just above them but never touching.
Marian looked up at him in confusion. "But that's when we first met."
"Was it?" he asked with a cheeky grin. When he finally kissed her, he thrust his cock completely into her. "I love you, Marian," he said as he moved in her. "I always have, and I always will."
The pleasure he was giving her rendered her silent, but by the love in her eyes, he knew she loved him too.
As the bed creaked and the headboard knocked into the wall and Marian cried out beneath him, Gwaine brought them over the edge into the abyss, both their voices echoing from their chamber to out in the corridor where they'd be heard. And in that moment, they couldn't care less.
Gwaine didn't want to wake up. She hadn't returned. He hadn't enjoyed the best sex of his life, and she wasn't lying next to him. Was it fear? Dread? A lesser man wouldn't look—wouldn't have hope. But Gwaine wasn't a coward.
He cracked an eye open and grinned. There she was. Marian was there, peacefully sleeping beside him. He brushed her hair from her face and just stared at her. The glow in her skin had returned, and she didn't look broken anymore. Instead, she looked…
"Good morning, beautiful," he said lazily when she opened her eyes.
"Tell me this isn't a dream, Gwaine."
He cupped her cheek and leaned over to place a gentle kiss on her lips. "It's definitely not a dream, my love."
She brought his hand to her mouth and kissed the palm. "I love you."
He grinned. "I've waited a long time to hear you say those three words."
"I mean it. I love you, Gwaine. My heart is yours and it always will be."
Scooping her to his side, he nuzzled her hair. "You have mine as well."
They lay there for another moment, not speaking, just loving. However, his growling stomach disrupted the tender moment.
"What time is it?" she asked as she sat up.
Gwaine wrapped his arm around her and pulled her back down. "Who cares?" he asked as he started kissing down to her breasts.
Marian laughed, pushing him away. "I think it's midday."
Gwaine lifted his head and turned toward the window. "Ah, that explains why I'm so hungry." He turned back to her and caressed the skin of her throat with his lips as he held onto her hips.
"What, because it's midday, or is it because you turned into a wild beast last night? Twice."
He lifted his head and cocked an eyebrow at her. "Wild beast? I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not. Though I did hear you howling a few times, milady," he teased as he sat up.
"Howling?" Marian scoffed.
"Howling," he said, pulling her up to straddle his lap. He held her hips and went to draw one of her nipples into his mouth before she abruptly pulled back.
Her jaw dropped when she looked over his shoulder to the rest of the room. The room was a mess of scattered clothes. Soiled crockery and tankards were tucked between furniture and on the windowsill. "Gwaine, what happened in here?"
He looked around the room and shrugged. "I didn't leave for three weeks. I couldn't bear to. I wasn't interested in taking care of anything… or myself, for that matter."
She frowned when she counted the number of empty tankards and jugs. "You certainly drank a lot."
"Don't worry, Merlin and the boys took care of me."
She placed her hands on his chest. "Now it's my turn."
He smiled softly and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you for coming back to me."
"You didn't leave me with a choice. You stole my heart a long time ago."
"I'm so glad I did," he said, chuckling. "How did you get back?"
"Merlin."
"Merlin?" he asked, shaking his head.
"Apparently, his magic blessed him with a long life. I traveled to where I thought Camelot might have been and ended up finding him. Sometime during the millennium, he found a spell to send me back."
Gwaine frowned. "A spell? Will you—"
"It's permanent. He said I won't be pulled back to my time."
Embracing her, he rubbed his cheek in her hair and held her tight. "I'll never let you go."
The moment was cut short when her stomach growled and she sat up when she felt the rumble of laughter in his chest.
"Let's get you fed," he said as he let her go and climbed from the bed.
She threw her legs over the side of the bed and squealed when her bare feet hit the cold floor. "Jesus, it's cold!"
He pulled the blanket from the bed and wrapped it around her. "I'll relight the fire."
"It's so cold in here. Is it always like this?"
"I didn't hear you complaining last night. In fact, you seemed pretty warm as you screamed my name over and over." He smirked as he went to the fireplace and stoked the flames back to life. "Maybe we just need to share our body heat, eh?" When he came back to her, he snuck his arms into the blanket and around her bare waist.
"Oh! Your hands are cold!" She backed away from him and playfully swatted his hands away.
"Then let me warm them on your bounteous bosom!" he teased as he chased her around the chambers.
Marian laughed as she rounded the table, stumbling when her foot caught on the bottom of the blanket. Gwaine grabbed her before she could fall and he took advantage of her distracted state to sneak his hands back into the blanket. As he pulled her against him, he kissed her deep and with passion, taking her breath away.
She moved her arms around his neck, allowing the blanket to cover both of them, their naked bodies pressed together. When he lifted his head, breaking their kiss, she brushed her lips from his shoulder to his neck. "Do you want to go back to bed?"
At the wanton tone that tinged her voice, he sighed and grinned. "Damn. I can't. I want to, but I'm completely spent. You have vanquished me, woman."
She set her disappointment aside and lifted on her toes to place a quick peck on the end of his nose. "Well, I guess you had better send for food, good Sir Knight if you're to regain your strength. I intend to have you several more times before I'll release you back to the king."
She pulled his hands from her and took the blanket as she went to the fireplace to warm.
Gwaine found his tunic and trousers and reluctantly pulled them on. As he went to the door, he heard Marian yell.
"Oh my god, what did you do to my dress?"
He looked back and shrugged before slipping out into the corridor.
The corridors were unusually quiet for the time of day—there were no servants or any of the many occupants around. As Gwaine walked down the hallway, rounding a corner., one of the newer household servants came up the servant's stairway, almost bumping into him.
"Sorry, Sir Gwaine," she said as she looked at the floor.
"That's alright," he said, looking around at the empty corridor. "Erm… I need to get some food sent to my chamber. Who would I ask about that?"
"I can have it sent," she said as she curtseyed.
"A lot of food, if you will. Several meals worth. And some ale. A lot of ale."
"Several meals?"
He shrugged. "I'm famished."
"Yes, of course." She nodded and headed on her way.
After she passed him, he turned and called to her. "Where is everyone, anyway?"
She blushed, unable to look him in the eye. "Everyone in this wing cleared out last night," she hesitated before continuing, "because of the… uh…the noise." She spun and bolted down the corridor.
He halfway wanted to laugh. He knew they'd been loud, but he didn't realize they were that loud. He wasn't going to tell Marian about it. She'd die of embarrassment.
When he returned to his chamber, he nearly had a heart attack. Marian sat on the bed dressed in nothing but his grey tunic. The neckline plunged toward her navel, not quite covering her round breasts. He had never seen a woman look so delicious in all his life.
"You are going to be the death of me, woman," he muttered as he stared at her.
"Am I, now?"
He jumped on the bed and pounced on her. Marian laughed as he started to paw at her. "Where's the food?"
"I've sent for it. In the meantime, I can think of a few things we can do to pass the time," he said as he wagged his eyebrows at her.
Marian laughed. "I thought you were spent."
She was right. Though his cock twinged at the sight of her, there was no way it would grow as hard as it needed to be without more rest. Time for the backup plan. "I am, but you aren't."
An hour later, there was a timid knock at the door. Gwaine rose from the bed before tugging Marian's tunic back down and pulling the blanket up over her bosom.
When he opened the door, several servants entered with trays of food and a jug of ale with two tankards. There were a couple of roasted chickens, potatoes, raw fruit, some sausages, a loaf of bread, and several large chunks of cheese. Marian blushed as a few of the servants shared private grins and gave her knowing looks.
Gwaine thanked them, and then closed and locked the door. He went over to the table to pour the ale into the tankards and held one out to Marian.
She stood and took it, draining half of it in one go. Reaching the feast on the table, she stuffed a large bite of bread into her mouth.
He lifted a tankard to his mouth and watched as she swallowed and then stuffed some cheese and berries into her mouth. "Wha?" she asked with a mouth full of food. "Ooo dif fis!" She swallowed. "You did this! All this sex made me hungry." She tore off one of the chicken's drumsticks and bit into it hungrily.
"I'm glad to have played my part. We were definitely made for each other, beautiful," he said as he took two of the sausages and eagerly shoved them in his mouth.
After they'd had their fill, Marian tidied as Gwaine pulled his tunic and trousers off, and then grabbed her arm and pulled her to the bed.
"Someone needs to clean up your mess," she said as she looked around the room.
"I'll do it later."
"But—"
He pulled the tunic off of her in a flourish, leaving her completely bare.
His heart raced and his manhood fought to rise to the occasion when his eyes roamed over her nakedness. Her skin was smooth and creamy, and her breasts were heavy and bounced with even the smallest movement. Her belly was soft and round, and her hips were wide. They were what he'd heard others call child-bearing hips. The thought of his seed inside of her, growing into their children, unexpectedly tried to stir some sort of arousal below. More rest. That's what he needed, and then he could fuck her over and over and over.
She had perfectly strong thighs and her calves were well-formed, tapering to slim ankles and delicate feet. He walked around her as his eyes wandered over her body. Her honey-colored hair fell in waves to just below her shoulders. His eyes continued their journey down her back. Her shoulder blades were visible, but only just. He licked his lips as he noticed how her skin creased on either side of her waist, where her back was slightly curved inward. She looked soft and supple, well-fed and healthy.
Perfection, he thought.
He wanted to lick and bite every inch of her, but the roundness of her backside called to him. Throwing caution to the wind, he knelt behind her, and as he held onto her hips, Gwaine kissed one cheek, then the other.
Marian chuckled at him. "One-track mind, you knights," she said as she looked back at him.
He gently bit down where he had kissed, making her squeal in delight. "Like that, eh?" he asked as he stood and pulled her backward against him.
She leaned her head back on his shoulder. "Mmhmm."
"You want more, do you?"
"I do," she said, her voice husky as she climbed back onto the bed.
Gwaine laid over her. "It has been at least an hour since I've tasted you. I think it's time for me to get reacquainted with every inch of your body."
Marian's breath hitched in her chest as he lowered his head to start his journey.
After a couple of hours of Gwaine tasting her, caressing her, and exploring her whole body, Marian laid on her back, one arm behind her head, while he spread out beside her. His fingers traced the small beads of sweat between her breasts and down her body, trailing lazy circles around her belly.
When Marian finally caught her breath, she reached for the tankard on the bedside table and took a large gulp to wet her drying throat. "God, I love the taste of Camelot's ale. In the future, they just can't get it right."
"Do you remember the first time you tried ale?" he asked after he licked the drink left on her lips.
A blush spread over her face and neck. "I remember most of it. I think. I was pretty drunk, you know."
"Oh, I know. I could tell when you damn near took me to your bed." He brushed his hand down to her side and felt the rough scar Morgana's dagger had left there years ago.
Marian sat up. "I did what?"
"You begged for me to go with you. That was, of course, after you snogged me senseless in the corridor," Gwaine said as he cupped her breast in his hand, giving it a little shake as if to judge its weight. "Been dreaming of bedding you ever since. And let's just say… the real thing surpassed anything I imagined before."
Marian let out a groan and fell back onto the pillow. "It was just a kiss, though, right? You didn't come to my bed?"
Gwaine laughed and smiled even wider than before. "Just a kiss. Did you ever dream about bedding me, you saucy vixen?"
She chuckled but refused to answer.
"Your face is getting redder. You did dream about me!"
"Maybe a little," she grumbled when he raised his eyebrows at her. "Okay, fine, I did a lot."
Gwaine smirked. "I knew it! Couldn't get enough of me!" He moved his attention to her nipple, flicking it with his thumb. He watched it rise, and then he smoothed it down, only to flick it again. As he rubbed his thumb in circles around and then over the nipple, it rose higher and darkened quicker as he slowly massaged it.
"Gwaine?"
"Hmm?" He gave the flesh of her breast a quick poke with his index finger, making it jiggle in response.
"What the hell are you doing?"
He stopped poking and his expression turned serious as he looked at her. "Breasts are fascinating, aren't they?"
Moving his hand, she rolled over to straddle him and held his wrists over his head. "You are a menace!"
He laughed as he easily broke free and pulled her down to his side, wrapping her in his arms. They laid silent for a few moments but Gwaine grew concerned when Marian sighed. "What is it, love?"
"I don't want to go back to work yet. I just don't want this to end."
As he trailed circles around the bare skin on her hip, he sighed because it seemed she still didn't understand that he was with her forever. "You know, you don't have to work, beautiful. I can take care of you."
She smiled as she ran her fingers through his chest hair. "I appreciate the offer, Gwaine, but I enjoy my work. Though I'll be happy when the Felton boys finally grow out of their accident-prone phase."
He chuckled. "Are they still what you called walking birth control?"
"Perhaps," she said, laughing with him.
He knitted his brow, almost too nervous to ask his question, but he took a steadying breath. "Does that mean you do want children?"
"Do you?"
"I do if it's with you," he answered without hesitation. "I never really thought about it until I met you."
Marian's smile widened, and she placed soft kisses on his chest. "I think it'd be fun to have a couple of little Gwaines and Marians running around the castle," she replied. "Mind you, it would take all of my time just keeping them out of trouble, since they'd probably be just like their father."
Elated that they both wanted a family, Gwaine reached over and kissed the top of her head. "Sweetheart, if our children are prone to trouble, then you can rest assured that they would get that from their mother."
"Hey! I'm not the one who set farm animals loose in my village!"
He laughed. "Fair enough." He rolled her over on her back. "Enough talk about work and children and farm animals, love. I mean to hear you howl," he said, his voice low.
His hand slid down her body, caressing her skin, and rested between her legs. As his fingers worked, he bent down and eagerly kissed her lips.
"Oh, Gwaine…"
As darkness approached, he finished his ministrations and grinned, pleased that he had made her howl three times.
When he got up to tend to the fire, Marian stretched out on the bed, utterly exhausted. The satisfied smile on her face grew as she watched him.
"What's that look for?" he asked, smiling as he sat on the edge bed.
"I'm happy that I can say that I love you out loud. I'm finally allowed to feel."
"I'm happy too. More than you know." He bent down and kissed her brow. "Let's clean up and eat some supper."
Marian woke when the moon was still bright. She smiled as she looked over at Gwaine, his lips puckered as his face pressed into his pillow. Deeply in love with him, she brushed the hair from his face. He rolled onto his back at her touch, a small smile on his face.
I love you.
He was so fucking sexy, like an Adonis. No, better than Adonis. How did she get so lucky that someone as beautifully sexy as he was wanted her? He could have anyone he wanted, but he chose an awkward, out-of-place healer who had been so terrible to him in the beginning. Nothing deterred him. Even when she rejected him against her will, he still wanted her and loved her. More importantly, he forgave her.
I want you.
With her heart beginning to pound in her chest, she started to stroke his skin. He'd had his chance to feel her body, so she thought it was only fair that she get her turn. The whiskers on his jaw were just thick and soft enough to keep from rubbing her raw but added a lovely friction against her sex. Grazing her fingers down his throat, she reached his collarbone and traced the rises and dips. His arms were hard and his skin soft, while his hands were rough and callused. She lightly ran her hand over his shoulders and chest. When she got to his navel, she drew a circle around it and followed the trail of dark hair to his manhood. She laid her hand over his cock and gasped when it instantly hardened.
I need you.
She leaned over to kiss his neck as she climbed on top of him. Finally awake, he wound his fingers through her hair and brought her head down so he could kiss her mouth. It was a slow kiss, but no less passionate. He sucked on her bottom lip when she grabbed the base of his cock and slid him inside of her.
Feels so good.
With a hand on her hip and the other tangled in her hair, his mouth matched the slow pace she set as she rolled her hips. They didn't speak. They didn't even moan. The only sounds were their quick breaths and the creak of the bed. He could tell she was getting close to her release, but she refused to speed up. Instead, she leaned her head against his shoulder and moved her hips to take in more of him. Soon, she gasped and shuddered as her climax spread over her body.
God, I'm exploding!
Before she had finished, Gwaine turned them over, still thrusting inside her oh so terribly slow. He stretched one of her arms up beside her head and tilted her so the moonlight shone on her face. Her eyes were so bright, so full of pleasure and love. His heart was full of her and only her. Cupping her cheek, he caressed her face with his thumb. Her beautiful angelic face. This was what men fought wars over. She made him want to drop to his knees and thank Fate for giving him someone to love and cherish.
I love you, I want you, I need you.
Despite the ache inside him, goading him to go faster, he moved at a leisurely pace, desperate for this moment to last a lifetime. But without warning, Marian trembled as she came. The pull of her muscles around his cock finally gave him his release.
Good, so good, so much relief, so good.
When she stilled and his arousal eased, he moved off her and brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek as he watched her drop back into a deep sleep.
I'm in Heaven.
Marian and Gwaine slept late, which wasn't surprising considering their nighttime lovemaking. She'd never had so much sex in her life—and never sex with someone she genuinely loved. As a generous lover, he made sure she was taken care of before he had his release. And when he had exhausted himself earlier, he ensured that she experienced another day of complete and utter pleasure. Even without the mind-blowing sex, she felt loved.
But now it was time to return yesterday's favor by concentrating on his pleasure for the day, making sure he felt just as taken care of and loved. A wicked grin crossed her face when she decided how to start. Wiggling against his growing hardness, she turned over to carefully maneuver him onto his back, hoping to not wake him. Relieved that he let out a quiet snore, she placed her hand on his abdomen and waited. When he didn't move, she glided her hand lower and lower and lower until she reached his already erect cock.
Gwaine cracked his eyes open and moaned when she took hold of his shaft. "Marian?"
"Hmm?" She licked the skin on his belly, making her way down.
"Wh-what are you—" He gasped when she tongued his shaft. "Oh god…"
She popped the head into her mouth and swirled her tongue as she gave it a little suck.
"Mar—" he arched his back as she sucked a little more into her mouth, running her tongue across his salty slit. "Fuck…"
Looking him in the eye, she lifted her head and pulled his cock from her mouth. She smiled when she saw his shocked and almost disappointed face. When she bent her head back down, she took in the length of him to her fist.
Unable to control his body, he bucked his hips and wound his hands in her hair. His voice was soft and husky. "Yes, like that…"
She sucked as she lifted her head and then slid back down, pumping her fist on the base.
He moaned, thrusting into her mouth as her pace increased. "I can't believe… God, your mouth is…" He lost his ability to speak when she lapped his entire cock with the flat of her tongue.
Bunching the sheets in his fist, he thrust in a frenzy as she removed her hand and pulled him all the way to the back of her throat. Gwaine felt the pressure building at the head of his erection, ready for what would happen next. "I… I… love… oh god… Marian… I can't stop… I'm going to…" He tried to warn her, give her some sign that he couldn't hold it anymore, and let go of her hair so she could release him before he came.
Instead, she sucked and licked and pulled his cock in and out of her mouth until he threw his head back against the pillow and his back arched and his toes curled. "Mari—" Finally, he climbed to his sweet climax and spilled his seed down her throat again and again and again. With each spilling, the pressure in his cock increased and then released.
Marian swallowed his pleasure and tightened her mouth, milking him. She then greedily lapped at his cock as the hardness eased in her mouth.
Never in his life had anyone done that to completion. It was sexy. It was loving. It was exquisite.
"Good morning," she said as she gave him a cheeky grin.
"Good morning, beautiful," he slurred, catching his breath. "Come here." He sat up and pulled her to his chest as he leaned back against the headboard. Still shuddering, he handed her the tankard of ale still on the bedside table, and after she took her sip, he drained it.
Marian smiled against his skin, giving him small, soft kisses. "You taste divine, my delectable and sexy knight."
Chuckling, Gwaine leaned over and placed a kiss on her brow while she caressed his chest. Relaxed and naked, with the beautiful love of his life curled up next to him in his bed, Gwaine felt content with his life.
Arthur sat at the table in the royal chambers, eating his breakfast and grumbling. "It's been two days! What could they possibly be doing in there for this long?"
Gwen gave her husband a sharp look and then broke into laughter. "Arthur, really? You cannot guess at what might be keeping Gwaine and Marian so occupied?"
Arthur turned red. "But for two whole days?" He pouted as he moved his food around his plate. "I'm the king. They should have come to me immediately and explained what had happened to them."
"Let them be, Arthur." She walked behind her husband and placed her hands on his shoulders, massaging the tension away. "It's taken them many years to even get to this point. You remember what it was like, don't you? All of the passion of new love?"
He reached up and took her hand. "We're still passionate, aren't we?"
She lowered her head and kissed Arthur's hair. "Of course we are. But their relationship is just beginning. They'll come out soon enough. If anything, they need to eat to keep up that kind of stamina."
"No, he sent for food yesterday."
"Not to worry, my love. I'll take care of it."
He turned around, pulling her into his lap, and she kissed him as he placed his hand on her expanding belly. "I guess we have more important things to worry about."
She stood and walked toward the door. "The babe will be here all too soon, Arthur, so don't focus your energy on Gwaine and Marian's love life."
"Where are you going?"
"To pick out some fresh clothes for Marian and order a bath to their chamber." She walked through the door but turned to him. "Perhaps they'll take the hint."
Gwaine drifted in and out of a light slumber after Marian had awakened him in the best way possible and grinned at the memory of it—the woman's mouth was magic. He watched her smile as she snuggled closer, his heart soaring, and he stretched while letting out a satisfied sigh.
Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door. "Sir Gwaine. We're here with yer bath."
Frowning, he thought he recognized the voice and shouted. "I didn't order any bath!"
Startled by Gwaine's sudden outburst, Marian jumped and rolled off the bed onto the floor. "Shit!"
He winced and slipped out of the bed to crouch next to her. "Are you alright?"
She rubbed her backside and narrowed her eyes at him, whispering angrily. "Of course, I'm not alright! There's someone at the door, and I'm naked as a jaybird because someone had to go and rip my dress!"
"It was ordered by the queen herself, Sir Gwaine!" the servant called from behind the door.
"Just… er… Just a minute!" He helped Marian to her feet and handed her his wrinkled tunic. "Here, put this on."
"Oh no, the last time I was in your tunic, people came in and gave me looks."
"What looks?" he asked as he searched for his own clothes.
"Looks," she said again, but this time she widened her eyes at him and raised her eyebrows.
Gwaine laughed. "Is that all?"
The servant knocked again, this time louder. "Sir Gwaine, the water's gettin' cold!"
"I'm not going to be castle gossip, Gwaine."
He didn't have the heart to tell her it was too late. "Alright, here, get under the blanket," he suggested as he pushed her to the bed and made her lie down. He covered her with several blankets and attempted to smooth away any lumps.
"Sir Gwaine! Can we come in now? Are ye decent?"
"I swear I know that voice…" Gwaine mumbled to himself. He turned to Marian. "Just stay under there. They'll never know."
She scoffed but did as he said. As the loud banging became more urgent, Gwaine pulled his wrinkled trousers on and went to open it.
Rather than just servants, Gwaine was met with Percival and Elyan, holding an enormous bathtub between them. Several servants trailed behind them, carrying buckets billowing with steam.
"What—?" Gwaine asked, confused.
The two knights barged into the room. "You should have seen your face!" Elyan said as he pulled a face, and Percival laughed.
"Funny. Ha. Ha." Gwaine said unamused.
They sat the bathtub down in front of the fireplace and made room for the servants to pour the hot water into the tub. The servants left as they emptied their buckets, whispering with each other as they saw Marian's clothes on the floor and giggling.
"Where's Marian?" Percival asked before he opened one of the cupboards and looked inside. "Marian, you in there?"
Desperate to get them to leave so he could get back to the very beautiful and very naked woman in his bed, he lied. "She's… not here."
"Sure she is," Elyan said as he picked up her ripped dress. "Unless you sent her out in the castle with naught a stitch to cover herself."
"That would be very rude, Gwaine. Sending a lady out in the cold like that," Percival said as he picked up her discarded bra, turning red when he realized the lacy contraption was much smaller than a corset.
Gwaine's nostrils flared as he snatched the bra and dress from them. "It's not what you think."
"Isn't that the dress she was wearing when she returned?" Percival asked, still grinning. He pointed to the bed. "Elyan, I bet she's under there!"
Panicking, Gwaine ran toward Percival to stop him but ended up knocking over a chair while some of the dishes from the day before fell to the floor. At the loud crash, Marian yelped and pulled the blankets from her head. She sat up and shot daggers at the three knights.
"Do you mind?" she asked angrily.
Her hair was in a state. It stood up in the back and tangles stuck out everywhere. The blankets fell from her shoulders, and she could barely hold them to her bosom. Her neck and shoulders were littered with love marks where Gwaine had sucked and bitten her skin.
Elyan and Percival had the good sense to look embarrassed as they turned their backs to her.
"As you can see, gentlemen, we are busy. So if you don't mind…" Gwaine told them as he gestured to the door.
"Sorry, Marian," Percival said as he headed out.
"Sorry," Elyan said. He stopped and picked up a stack of clothing just outside the door.
"I'm glad she's back, Gwaine. Truly. Erm… This is from Gwen," he said as he handed over the folded clothing.
Gwaine nodded to his friend and took the clothes, shutting the door and locking it behind him. "Sorry about that, sweetheart."
Marian smiled softly. "At least we get a warm bath out of it. I'm pretty sore."
He smirked at her. "And clothes," he said as he held up the dress and chemise. "Looks like the queen was concerned for your modesty, love."
"Too late for that now."
Gwaine laid the clothes down and went to clean up the fallen dishes. All but one of the bowls had survived the fall. As he picked up a broken piece, he cut the palm of his hand. "Shit!"
The soothing warmth of the water brought a sense of tranquility. Marian's muscles were sore, especially her thighs. It was Gwaine's fault, of course—the man was a machine. And though she hurt, getting that way was so, so sweet. To make it up to her, he had her sit between his legs in the water and insisted on massaging her neck, her shoulders, her back, her thighs…
She moaned. Forget the bathwater. His hands soothed her instead.
"Gwaine!" she shouted as she flinched. "You're supposed to do my legs, not… oh…" she moaned when his hand bypassed her thighs and went between them instead.
"I told you I was going to massage every inch of you," he said as he lowered his head, his breath tickling her ear.
"Mmm… I didn't expect that, though." She slid down a little, resting her head on his chest, and wiggled against him.
"Sweetheart, if you keep doing that, the bath will be over before you know it."
She giggled and wiggled again. "Is that a promise?"
He growled and dipped his other hand into the water to hold her still, but hissed when his cut palm stung.
"I can heal that, you know," she said when she pulled his hand over to look at it.
"We can deal with it later. I have other plans with you, my love."
"Nope," she said as she turned around and straddled him, splashing water on the floor. "I won't be able to enjoy myself if I know you're hurting."
Gwaine closed his eyes and sighed when she ground against him. "I give up," he said in a deep, husky voice. "You win."
She lowered her head to kiss him. "I know I win," she said before moving her lips against his. When they broke apart, she held his injured hand over her heart. With her other hand over his heart, she settled herself on his erection.
"Marian…" Despite the warm water, he felt the slick of her arousal when the head of his cock slipped inside her.
Rolling her head back and grinding into him, she began her spell. "Purhhaele dolgbenn…" she purred breathlessly. "Gehalge!"
A golden light suddenly bathed her entire body as she continued to ride him. Gwaine gasped when she quickened their pace. The faster he drove into her, the brighter the light became until it engulfed both of them.
"Drycræft durhhæle dina wunda on de geedstadolie!" she called out between moans.
Warmth blossomed wherever her skin brushed against his. A loud guttural moan escaped him when he felt something else. Something more. Deep inside below his abdomen, he felt a tense, warm ache.
Marian writhed on top of him as her orgasm built with increasing intensity. She shouted in ecstasy, her climax cresting, and her body shook as she rocked against him.
That was it. That's what Gwaine was feeling. As soon as she came, he felt the shuddering warmth in waves and waves spreading over his body and crashing. It just felt so damn good. But there was no pressure, no release of his seed. Did he just feel her orgasm inside himself?
He was frenzied at the thought of it. Out of control, he thrust up into her fast and hard, her breasts bouncing in his face, and he soon felt the familiar pressure on the head of his erection.
Marian, too, felt a pressure below. It built and built until she couldn't take it any longer. As she watched, Gwaine's eyes widened and then rolled back when the pressure she, too, felt came to a breaking point and burst from her. As she rode out the incredible pleasure, she felt Gwaine spilling his seed. Was that what it felt like when he came?
As she slowed, the golden light dimmed, and Marian fell forward and rested her head on Gwaine's brow, trying to catch her breath.
While she felt weak and tired from the exertion, he felt strong and invigorated.
"I love you, Gwaine," she panted.
"And I you, beautiful."
She lifted his hand from her chest to show his palm to him—there was only a thin scar left from the cut. He frowned when she turned her hand to him. It was the same damn scar. Exactly the same scar. Running his fingers over the line on his shoulder from the ax wound given by the Green Knight, he touched her shoulder and knitted his brows when he felt the matching scar. "This?"
Nodding, she bit her lip.
His gaze dropped down to her chest and torso. Somehow, he'd missed two more scars just below her breast. He'd swear they were scars from a sword. "Elyan and Arthur?" he asked as he touched them.
"Yes."
Silent, he brushed his fingers around her body, looking for more. Thankfully, the only other one was from Morgana's dagger.
"How?"
"I get the same wound or illness, I… take it away and my magic heals it in me, but I still scar, just like you."
"Is that all that happens?"
She shook her head. "I kind of give some of my life force to strengthen the other person."
"That's why I feel strengthened just now and you look like you're about to fall asleep?"
Nodding, her eyes filled with tears, fearing the worst. "It's not permanent. I just have to rest. Are… are you angry?"
Gwaine ran his hand over the scar on her shoulder once more and then cupped her cheek. "Marian, you are the bravest and most selfless person I know. I love you and I love everything about you. I can't be angry that you help other people." He brought her head down to kiss her. "Is that why I felt your pleasure?"
She grinned. "Could be. I felt yours as well."
"Well, we may have to do it like that again soon," he said as he pulled her down to his chest and nestled her head just under his chin.
She wrapped her arms around his torso, settling in, and smiled when she realized he still smelled of leather and musk. She sighed, close to falling asleep.
"Marian?"
"Hmm?"
Gwaine's breath quickened and his heart pounded, nervous about what he wanted to ask her. Sure, she loved him more than anyone ever had, but would it be enough for her to want to stay with him for the rest of her life? Only one way to find out. He's a fucking Knight of Camelot, not a coward.
"Marry me?"
Marian beamed. It was everything she wanted and more. Gwaine was her destiny, she finally realized. Everything that had brought her to Camelot—Nimueh and Merlin's spells, Fate, magic—it all brought her to Gwaine. He was her future.
"Sweetheart?"
She opened her eyes and lifted her head to look at him. He was staring at her lovingly, his eyes dark and his pupils full.
"I would love nothing more, my darling knight."
Gwaine bent his head low and kissed her softly.
"How do you think she got back?" Merlin asked as he flipped through his magic book.
Gaius raised his eyebrows. "I think we should just be thankful she did."
"But what if she's counting on me? Like I leave a clue for her to find or something."
"Do you think something like that would last over a thousand years?" Gaius asked as he went to the bookshelf. "Here, try this one."
Merlin took the book and frowned. "The Life of Ambrosius, vol. II? You didn't return it to the librarian?"
"I may have insinuated that it was lost," Gaius said as he shrugged. An impish grin crossed his face, and they laughed.
"Well, I'd better start reading."
"It wasn't from that book," Marian said as she walked into the physician's chambers.
"Marian!" Merlin dropped the book on the table and ran up to hug her.
Gaius waited his turn, but when he was able, he gave her a strong fatherly embrace. "We've missed you, dear girl. I assume you and Gwaine have made up?"
Rather than answer, Marian turned beet red.
"I will take that as a yes."
"We're… well… he asked me to marry him."
"Yes!" Merlin pumped his fist in the air and then quickly recovered. "When? We'll need to get flowers to decorate the hall. Council chambers? Oh! And the knights! We can make sure they're all there. I'll go talk to the cook about the feast. Do you want venison or boar or… Oh! Chicken! We can get both wine and ale—I can't imagine Gwaine celebrating anything without ale. Flowers in your hair? I'll ask Gwen if—"
"Merlin!" Marian laughed. "We're having our handfasting today."
"Today? I can't get everything together—"
She placed her hand on his arm to stop him. "It'll just be the two of us. He wants to go to the place where I first fell in love with him."
"Marian," Merlin said as he shook his head. "You can't get married in my room."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Well, didn't you fall in love with him while we treated his leg?"
Gaius rolled his eyes. "Where will you be going, Marian?"
"The wheat field at the border of Camelot and Mercia."
Merlin smiled. "Didn't we go through there after Arthur found the Fisher King's trident?"
"The very same."
"I knew it! I knew you loved him then! The way you fought… There was no way you two weren't in love."
"Well, I know that now."
"Do you have something else to wear? You can't wear a serving dress."
Gaius went to a cupboard and opened the door. "I've been saving this." He pulled out a lavender silk gown with delicate flowers embroidered at the top.
Marian's hands flew to her mouth in shock. "Gaius?" She took the dress and fingered the soft material. "How?"
His smile widened. "I found it in storage. Apparently, the original owner left it for alterations with Gwen before her coronation and never picked it up. She put it in storage and forgot about it, but she is pleased to give it to you."
She hugged him, giving him a peck on the cheek. "Thank you, Gaius. This is so generous. It's absolutely beautiful."
"When do you leave?" Merlin asked.
"Gwaine's gone to Arthur to… I guess, ask permission?"
"It's only a formality. Besides, I doubt anyone could stop him when it comes to you," Merlin said, smiling like an idiot.
"After that, it just depends on how fast we can get dressed."
Oblivious, Merlin laughed and spoke before thinking. "Don't put too much effort into it. You won't be wearing it for long."
Marian turned beet red, left utterly speechless, and Gaius smacked him upside the head.
"What?" Merlin rubbed the back of his head.
"You'd better not keep Gwaine waiting," Gaius said, smiling.
"Yeah, or he might just forgo the wedding and take you to his chamber," Merlin laughed before Gaius smacked the back of his head again. "Ow."
Gwaine went back to his chamber after speaking with Arthur. The king had been a bit put out that his first stop with Marian hadn't been to see him, but instead to… well, Arthur knew what. When Gwaine walked into the room, he cringed. The bathtub had been emptied and Marian's clothes were hanging over a screen by the fire, but the rest of the chamber was in a state. The room wasn't fit for a wedding night, so he cleared up the mess left throughout the last month.
Time was ticking away, and he still needed to get changed. He stuffed clothes into the cupboard, but the dishes were going to be an issue. Shoving them in a drawer or under the bed wouldn't help, since they had already started to smell. A wicked grin spread across his face.
He collected the used dishes and stuck his head into the corridor. Satisfied that no one was there, he sneaked to Percival and Elyan's chambers and deposited the soiled and smelly dishes into each of their rooms… under the bed so they wouldn't find them right away. Whistling, proud of a job well done, he returned to his chamber to get ready to wed Marian.
He looked in the mirror as he ran a comb through his hair and sighed. "What the hell are you doing?"
It wasn't that he had changed his mind about Marian. The fact that she'd have him despite his faults was a goddamn miracle. It was that he expected none of this, never thought he'd deserve to be happy. He'd settled, with a noble and dangerous job, and had found his sweetheart to spend the rest of his life with. Hell, they may even have children one day, which terrified and pleased him.
"You're marrying Marian, you idiot," he said to his reflection. "The woman that you've wanted since you met her. The most beautiful and kind woman who puts up with your shit. And somehow, she wants you too."
After cleaning his teeth, he dressed in his armor and set his cloak to the side. Opening the bottom drawer of his cupboard, he smiled. It was his Marian drawer, full of sweet notes, pressed flowers, sketches of her, a lock of her hair, and most importantly, the ribbons he'd kept from important moments in their lives—the white embroidered ribbon from their first meeting and the blood-stained green ribbon from their adventure with the Green Knight. He tied them to his arm for luck.
Buckling his cloak across his shoulders, he took a few deep breaths. He was a rogue, a scoundrel, a gambling man. And soon he would be a husband.
With horses in tow, Gwaine went to the stone courtyard where he was to meet with Marian. His anxiety had become excitement, especially for the wedding night, and though they'd had sex several times in the last two days, it would be the first time they'd made love as a married couple. He grinned at the thought of what he would do to her. At least twice.
He was just finishing a last-minute check of the saddle straps when he heard Marian walking down the castle steps. His breath caught in his chest when he turned to greet her. The lavender silk gown fit beautifully, the corset beneath pushing her breasts high enough that the tops swelled from the neckline of her dress. She'd tied her hair in a loose braid, using a purple ribbon that he had given her in their first year of knowing each other. But what made his heart leap was how her green eyes sparkled, matching the clear emerald in the necklace he'd had made for her. He felt as if she was made just for him.
When he met her at the bottom of the stairs, he pulled her close and kissed her. "I can't get enough of you, Marian."
She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Well, then I guess it's a good thing that I can't get enough of you either."
"Arthur is arranging a feast for our return."
"Can't we just go to your chamber and disappear for a few more days?"
"I'm afraid not, beautiful, king's orders."
She stuck her bottom lip out, pouting.
"Besides, it's our chamber," he said.
Letting him go, she walked over to her horse. "Not until it's no longer a pigsty."
Gwaine helped her into her saddle and double-checked the straps. "Already taken care of."
"You filled the cupboard and moved the dishes to Elyan's and Percival's chambers, didn't you?"
He smirked. "You know me so well." He climbed into his saddle and they took off.
After a few hours of hard riding, they finally reached the border of Camelot and Mercia. Marian dismounted and left her horse while she roamed around the field at the border. Her fingers grazed the tops of the wheat as she walked in the sunlight and she smiled when she heard Gwaine's horse walk up behind her. She turned and, shielding her eyes from the sun, she watched as the man she loved more than anything rode up to her. He smiled gently.
"Hello, beautiful."
Marian smiled and laughed. It was this that she'd dreamt for so long. The field where she fell in love, the knight in shining armor… it was all here, a journey just waiting to be traveled. Fate finally was on her side.
It was windy as he dismounted his horse, and once his feet hit the ground, he flipped his hair and walked up to her. He cupped her cheek, rubbing her smooth skin with his thumb. "Is this the place?"
Marian stared at him, unable to believe this was really happening. She looked into his dark brown eyes, so full of love, and found her voice. "It is. This is where you captured my heart, Gwaine. This is where I fell madly, deeply, and completely in love with you."
Gwaine grinned at her as he reached behind her and untied her ribbon. While he ran his fingers through her hair, loosening the braid so that the waves tumbled, Marian noticed the two ribbons tied to his arm and fingered the ends.
"Are these…?"
"They are."
"And you've kept them this whole time?"
"I have."
Marian paused, trying to find the right words to tell him how much it meant that he kept the ribbons she had worn. There were no words that were more appropriate than what she said. "I love you."
"And I love you, my beautiful Marian."
Gwaine took the lavender ribbon in his hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing it softly. It smelled of apples and flowers and everything that was Marian. He grasped her hand in his, their matching scars pressed together, and wrapped the lavender ribbon around and around their clasped hands. With each passing of the ribbon, they said their vows in unison.
"I will share in your pain and seek to ease it."
"I will share in your laughter and your joy, your sorrows and your fears."
"I will share in your burdens so that your spirit may grow."
"I will protect and honor you, in sickness and in health."
"I will passionately and faithfully love and cherish you all the days of our lives."
Working together, they tied a knot on top of their hands. Gwaine looked into Marian's eyes and spoke the final words of their handfasting.
"As this knot is tied, so are our lives now bound. The knots of this binding are not formed by this ribbon but by our vows to each other."
He bent his head and captured her mouth with his. As he held her by the back of her head, he pulled her closer, his lips caressing hers. Her lips parted, letting him in just as she'd let him in her heart. Marian relished the feel of him as his tongue brushed against hers.
When they parted, he untied the ribbon from their hands and handed it to her. "Would you, dearest wife?" he asked as he held out his arm.
She grinned at him and placed the lavender ribbon above the other two, tying it around his arm. It was done. She was bound to Gwaine for eternity, and he to her, and she couldn't be happier. Reaching up to hold his face in her hand, she cried small, soft tears.
"Why are you crying, my love?" he asked, turning his head to kiss her palm.
"I've never been happy like this. It was only a couple of months ago that I thought I'd never be happy again. And now… My heart is whole because of you."
Smiling softly, he swept his thumb over her lips and gave a small kiss. "I'll fetch the horses and we can go home."
Gwaine was distracted on the way back to Camelot. He was silent, which was entirely out of character, but he almost looked pained.
Marian frowned. "Are you alright?"
He took a deep breath before he grabbed Marian by the waist, pulling her over on his own horse and settling her in front of him.
"Gwaine! What are you doing?"
Rather than answer, he lowered his head to kiss and nibble at her neck.
"Mmm…" she moaned when he cupped her breasts. "What are you—"
He started to pull her skirt up her leg, but she stopped him before he got to her knee. "Gwaine, what's going on?"
"I need to have you," he said against her skin.
"Now?"
"Either now or we speed to Camelot," he said as his hand resumed its journey up her skirts. "If I am to take you at least twice before the feast, wife, we must hurry. Unless that is, you fancy ruining your nice silk gown on the ground."
She held her breath when his fingers reached her inner thighs with no intention of stopping. With her heart pounding, she pulled his hand out of her skirts and handed him the reins. "For god's sake, husband, let's go!"
Gwaine laughed as he reached over and tied the reins of her horse to his saddle. He spurred the horses into a gallop as they raced to Camelot... stopping only once and completely ruining her silk gown.
Spells (a rough translation from the Merlin Wiki at merlin dot fandom dot com):
Purhhaele dolgbenn - Heal thoroughly the wound
Gehalge! - Heal together!
Drycræft durhhæle dina wunda on de geedstadolie! - Magic heals thoroughly your wounds and strengthens you!