A Week with a Prince

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕱𝖎𝖋𝖙𝖞-𝕿𝖜𝖔

Arthur rushed to the door the moment he saw Guinevere entering the Great Hall filled with his men and a handful of the Countess of Warwick's guests and led her to the empty seat at his side.

Her nurse had been right, he mused, lips twitching with a barely suppressed laughter, he would hardly recognise this gracious, queenly creature dressed in an elaborate gown made up of the softest fabric he had ever seen dyed in the hues of the setting sun, as the young man he had left in her hands an hour ago. Gold... she should wear gold and the finest silks and velvets, not her cousin's old clothes... He pulled the chair out for her, then moved his own as close to her as he could.

Ginny greatly enjoyed the look in Arthur's mesmerising blue eyes when he saw her entering the vast hall, and came towards her, their eyes never leaving each other as if they were alone in the room, in the world. It made her feel... rather breathless, sent her heart fluttering against her ribs like a caged bird... There was pride and admiration... and love in that look... So much love... It was the unblemished reflection of her own feelings for him, she mused as she let him lead her across the crowded hall, feeling weak in the knees, her hand trembling slightly in his.

She couldn't concentrate on anyone else during the long dinner; she was too aware of Arthur sitting at her side, filling her plate, pouring out her drink... their thighs and arms brushing constantly, their eyes seeking each other as often as possible... This was their first formal appearance as a couple, and she quite liked how their presence made all the guests speak in hushed tones, behave in a more official manner... It will always be like this after the wedding, him and her, the High King and his Queen, together...

Ginny inhaled deeply, feeling sad and frustrated suddenly as she realised that she had forgotten that there were still three weeks separating them from their wedding day. Arthur would be gone tomorrow or the day after, and she would be left here without him, alone, like she had been in Avalon, waiting for him to come back for her. She would make the best of the time she had left with him now, she resolved, shaking her head at him when he looked at her inquiringly, puzzled by her unhappy sigh.

The moment the dinner was finally over, and the first guests started to stroll out of the hall and into the gardens, demanding Aunt Ealasaid's company, and Arthur's Companions, Garreth and Lancelot included, spread decks of cards on the long, already cleared tables, asking for more wine which the servants and maids brought for them happily, Ginny leaned towards Arthur.

"Let us go upstairs... They'll never notice..." She looked at him, her eyes boring into his, feeling the blush spread over her cheeks. But she longed to spend some alone time with him, alone time beyond a stone wall and a closed door, not the thin fabric of a tent.

He nodded, looking only slightly surprised, his eyes letting her know that he desired exactly that, too, but would have never proposed to follow her into her rooms himself.

Ginny smiled, suppressing a giggle, Lord Arthur was almost always so proper.

They stood up and made their way around the room, from a group of men playing cards to the next table where others were playing dice and knucklebones until they reached the door leading to the gardens. Ginny waved at Aunt Ealasaid who glanced at them briefly as they walked outside, then took Arthur's hand in hers and pulled him into the shadows where the light of the torches burning around the lawn could not find them. She urged him to follow her along one of the castle's walls to a side door, which she knew well; she had used it many times before. Ginny giggled as they stumbled along a narrow, windowless, and unlit corridor they found beyond, leading to a spiral staircase, which took them to another corridor, this one lined with many doors and burning torches.

"Why, this is the door of my chamber," Arthur smiled as they walked by.

"And this one's mine... Hurry, quick before anyone sees us," Ginny urged, opening the door, pulling him in.

A fire burned on the hearth, bathing the chamber in a soft, moving light. Arthur looked at her, standing in front of him, gilded by the flames, her chest heaving after the brisk walk across the castle. She was so... unexpected, full of life, beautiful... and his, he thought, reaching for her, pressing his lips to hers shortly, then lifting her in his arms and carrying her to her bed, making her squeal with surprise.

The sound barely left her mouth before it was muffled by his lips finding hers again, and she abandoned herself to his strength, letting him lay her on her soft large bed, inclining her head to the side as he pushed her gown off her shoulder, his lips tracing the column of her neck, his hands tugging at the laces of her tight bodice... And she didn't care anymore about her promise given to the Lady of Lake, it wasn't important any longer, nothing was, apart from her and him...

She sighed, realising that she couldn't disobey, even as he sat up suddenly, adjusting her dress, pulling her to his side, realising the same thing.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on top of her head. 

Reaching out to the small table standing by her bed, he took the dry, shrivelled rose she had left there before, so long ago.

"Is this the rose from Tintagel?" he asked, twirling it between his fingers carefully.

"Yes," she murmured, not trusting her voice, admiring his self-control. He was a king through and through; she had a long way to go to learn to hide her feelings and desires behind a mask as fast as he could.

"I thought you gave them to Rhosyn." He smiled, remembering the day when his dragon surprised her into pulling the Excalibur from the stone... He could see the strange Sword now, its hilt, showing from beneath the blankets of her bed, glittering in the fire light.

"I gave her only one." Ginny giggled. "I kept the other."

He cupped her face and kissed her, unable to resist, even as someone entered the chamber.

Ginny pushed Arthur down on the bed, fumbling with the buttons of his jacket. "Help me, your shirt, pull it up!"she whisper-shouted, and he, too stunned to ask questions, obeyed, even as Arwen appeared at the foot of the bed, finally spotting them behind the curtains.

"My lady!" the nurse called, the shock in her voice sending Ginny into a fit of giggles, "I... You... I thought... You were at the dinner... You two are not supposed to be here, all alone. What are you doing?!"

"Don't be silly, Arwen, it's Lord Arthur's wound. He'll be out of here the moment I put this salve on for him."

"Why, any of your aunt's maids could..."

"No, Arwen, they couldn't," Ginny said, getting impatient with the old nurse, jealous at the mere thought of another woman touching him. "There, all done, see? Good night, my lord," she said to Arthur politely, standing up and curtsying, watching him push his shirt back into his trousers, then rising to his feet too.

"Good night, my lady," he said, bowing to Ginny courtly, then pulling her in his arms for another kiss, making Arwen gasp and blush, and turn away from them.

He could hear the old woman complaining even through the closed door, her voice following him down the corridor until he reached his own chamber. "Why, never in my life... Such behaviour is hardly fitting for a future queen... You'll be the end of me, Lady Guinevere!"

Ginny let Arwen mutter her shock and disagreement while she fussed around her, helping her out of her dress, following her to the window where a small table with a basin and ewer stood, then helped her into her bed, complaining some more when Ginny refused to put the Excalibur on the floor.

Finally, the nurse wished her a good night, collected her used clothes and vanished into the adjoining room, through a small door by the window, which she shared with a couple of Aunt Ealasaid's maids.

She did not close the door behind her, so Ginny did not think it wise to get up and explore now... but there was an ancient tapestry hanging on the wall right opposite the door leading to the maids' room... It had always been there, but she had never thought of looking behind it... until now. There might just be a door leading to Arthur's room...

Smiling, she let the sleep take her, suddenly feeling exhausted after the week-long journey from the Lake... She would explore in the morning.