Gwynnever - Queen of Camelot

Chapter 34

As Lancelot exited, Merlin hit Arthur on the head and moved toward the door. "You are a King, for heaven's sake. Act like it sometimes." He stood there in the middle of the room, looking at the sheets all crumbled and his heart dropped so much, he felt the emptiness winning over him.

Lancelot send two maids for her in the early afternoon to prepare her for him. She let them do whatever they wanted beside touch her hair, that she did alone and rather clumsily. She was distracted but for good reasons. She had to absolutely be focused and ready for the meeting. This wasn't a dinner between a future husband and a wife, this was a war meeting to forge a possible allegiance and she needed to play her cards good.

At seven, she was let in and Lancelot, wearing a very charming pair of pants and a shirt with the high collar, looked almost like one of the princes from the fairytales she heard the nanny tell. Almost.

"You look..." like a doll dressed to please him. With her purple dress that definitely was worth more than half of her kingdom, if she had it.

He helped her to her seat and moved to the other side of the table. She let out the breath she was holding and he did not miss it.

"I suppose you have some terms you wish us to discuss." He attempted ordering a maid to fill her cup. There was no way she was going to let herself be vulnerable by drinking.

"Yes." She cut her meat but wasn't very hungry. "I have conditions that I hope you'll take into consideration." She wasn't the naïve girl you'd expect once met a princess. She learned how to waggle as someone would learn how to write. She was clever and outspoken and she went into his hands willingly. She was ready, this time.

"The first one is that, once we're wed, I'll be able to go anywhere I'd like, day or night and you must not pressure me if I don't feel like telling you where."

"Very unlikely, my dear. I can pass on the day and night thing, but I must know where you are at all times. I will not ask questions though." Fair enough, thought Gwen and took a bite after he almost finished his plate.

"Second one, I want to keep my place as Arthur Royal Guard." Lancelot let out a loud laugh as he almost choked on his mouthful of food.

"Oh, you're serious..." he stopped giggling and drank a little from his glass. "You expect me to let a woman, my woman, be close to the man she is most attracted to? Do you believe me so gullible?"

"No. But I am strongly aware of the fact that you care about his life more than you care about the fact that I do him. I do not deny that the attraction to him is hard, but my need to earn my staying in Camelot is stronger. I want to be part of this Kingdom and I'm not just a pretty face you know? I can be useful in many ways." Lancelot leaned in and crossed his arms to the chest.

"Such as?"

"I talk several languages. I can fight and defend myself and others. I know my way around the country and I have lots of connections."

Lancelot shook his head. "I have no doubt about it. But you are still a woman and can you imagine how Arthur will look if it goes out that a tiny lady as you, a princess from a former country, a nobody, is his left hand and he gets protected by her? It's too ridiculous."

"I could go as a mediator, not a soldier." Lancelot placed his chin on his hand staring at her.

"I can support you once we get married, buy you everything you want for."

"I don't want anything." From you was clear on her lips, but she didn't dare. They were still negotiating and Lancelot needed a little nudge not a push off the window. So, she lowered her eyes and looked at her fingers. "I've fought my all life; I can't stop now. I'll go mad."