The Dark Tower

Chapter 9 - Plans and Placating

‘Beth?’ I turned to find Gwaine shivering in just a skimpy towel, dripping on the stones of the battlements. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘For what?’

‘For not talking to you. Can we . . .?’ and he nodded towards the steps.

I nodded and followed him back to his room. We both sat awkwardly on the bed. A drop of water dripped from a strand of hair and weaved an uneven path down his shoulder and over his chest. I longed to follow it with my finger.

‘How’s your shoulder?’ he asked, grabbing another towel and rubbing at his hair.

‘It’s OK, but I feel pretty stupid getting shot.’

‘We all do stupid things. Me especially.’

‘So are you going to tell me what all this is about?’

He shook his head, a few drops of water landing on me. ‘Not before I’ve done this,’ and he leaned forward and kissed me very gently. I didn’t react immediately, my mind was a whirl, but feeling his lips on mine, I couldn’t help but respond, my fingers reaching up to steady myself on his shoulder as I melted into his kiss.

‘Come to bed,’ he whispered.

I pulled away. ‘Woah, hold on Gwaine. You’ve dumped me and practically ignored me since you got back, and now . . .’

‘Sorry, Beth. I know. I need to explain. I need you to understand. And it could take some time. And I want to hold you while I tell you.’

He helped me remove my boots, britches and shirt and I slipped under the covers, propping up the pillows and sitting awkwardly next to Gwaine in my underwear. Until he gently pulled me towards him and I leaned into him, resting my injured arm on my lap. He turned my face towards him and kissed me again, and then lifted my wrist to look at the bracelet more closely.

‘I hoped I’d never see something like this again,’ he began. ‘My sister, Elainne, went missing from our castle. She was eventually found a day’s ride away from our home wandering in the forest. She had a bangle like this one.’ He was still looking at my bangle, but avoided actually touching it. ‘Of course, we had no idea what it was and we never did find out how she got it, but by the time she was returned to the castle, she had a group of over a dozen men following her, and then all the single men in the castle would be trying to be with her. She . . . just could not cope with the attention. She stopped eating, there was nothing we could do to help her. We tried potions and even magic, but nothing could cure her. She just faded away . . .’

‘Oh God, Gwaine, I’m so sorry. No wonder you reacted when you saw this.’ She examined the bracelet again. It looked so innocent.

‘No, I was wrong. It . . . doesn’t seem to have had the same effect on you.’

‘Maybe because I’m not from this world. Although I did feel the draw of the naiad.’

‘But when Magistra kissed Merlin and Mordred, that broke the spell, didn’t it?’

‘Yes. And Percy’s immune too. Although he wasn’t at the spring. And nor was Leon. So either they’re immune to it because they’ve found their true loves or . . . or something else. I don’t know. I don’t understand it. And that’s not the only thing I don’t know.’

‘Beth?’

‘I don’t know where I stand with you now. One day we’re planning our wedding, you go with Percival to guard the South Pass, you come back, see the bracelet, and suddenly it’s all over between us.’

‘I was wrong. Seeing the way Merlin, Mordred and Aragorn were with you . . . and then finding out you’d kissed Aragorn . . . it was too much to bear, too much like what happened to my sister. I couldn’t watch that happen again. And then when you said that we might all die tomorrow, well, it kind of made me realise that I could not lose you. Not for anything. Not even if I had to share you with Aragorn.’

A very tempting thought passed briefly through my mind but was quickly dismissed. ‘That won’t be necessary. I’ll get the naiad to remove this and it’ll be all sorted.’

‘I wish there was another way. I’m . . . I’m not sure what I might do to her if I saw her. Not after all this.’

‘Well . . .’ He looked up at me hopefully. ‘Maybe if we find Aragorn’s true love, that will break the spell. It seems to have worked on Merlin and Mordred now Katy has kissed them.’

‘How do we do that? He doesn’t have a girlfriend.’

‘I know who it should be.’

‘Who?’

‘We’ve not met her yet.’

‘Beth?’

‘Yes?’

‘I’ve been a bigger clotpole than Merlin when he’s drunk, haven’t I?’

‘If breaking my heart makes you a clotpole, then yes, you have.’

‘I’m so sorry, Beth, truly I am.’

‘Gwaine, there’s so much we don’t know about each other, isn’t there? Like, I never knew about your sister.’

‘And I’m never ever going to understand your world.’

‘My old world. I can’t go back there now.’

‘You’re sure?’

‘Positive. My life is here now. I’ll never leave here.’

‘So will you take me back?’

‘I never let you go.’

‘Oh sweetheart, I am never going to let you go again. I . . . what I feel for you is so strong, it would kill me if I were to lose that. Is, err, Percy coming back, do you know?’

 I shook my head. ‘I think his exact words were “So that you could come to your senses”.’

He sniffed a laugh. ‘Good. We have some time to make up, don’t we?’

‘Gwaine, I have missed you so much.’

‘I’ve missed you too, sweetheart.’

‘Don’t ever do that to me again.’

‘Never.’

‘But thank you for getting me a ring that summoned the elves to my assistance. I’ve not told you what happened with Sorvad, but it saved my life.’

‘I hoped you’d never need to know what it could do. Who is this Sorvad?’

‘He’s currently locked in the cellars. But that story can wait. Gwaine.’

‘Yes, sweetheart?’

‘Kiss me.’

As his lips met mine everything else disappeared and he was my whole world. The touch of his fingers on my skin, the feel of his hair, soft and still slightly damp between my fingers, his lips warm on mine as I upped the pace, wanting to be physically as well as mentally reunited with him. He was cautious with my shoulder as I wriggled down the bed and into his arms, tenderly cradling me.

‘Are you comfortable, my lady?’

‘Be . . . be gentle with me, Sir Gwaine.’

‘Oh Beth, my love. I cannot imagine my life without you.’

‘Nor I you, Gwaine, however long that is.’

We made love slowly, the movements more intimate than usual, with more kissing, stroking, touching, and reassurance. I felt safe in Gwaine’s arms, loved and wanted, lying there until the morning sunlight woke us and we were forced to release each other and prepare for war, not knowing if that night would be our last.