Fic: Giddy Gwen
Title: Giddy Gwen
Author: bana05
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Arthur/Gwen, Merlin
Spoilers: Entirety of Merlin thus far, particularly 03x06
Disclaimer: Merlin belongs BBC; I'm just borrowing
Summary: Gwen likes reprieves.
Author’s notes: I hope you enjoy and please forgive errors! Thanks to brightfame for beta reading!
~~~~~
Lord help her, but the smile had been permanently affixed upon Gwen’s face for days. Morgana’s sly grins had had her blushing and stifling giggles as she’d made her mistress’s bed or brushed her mistress’s hair, but they’d never discussed it save for Morgana’s “the prince has been granted a reprieve”, to which Gwen could only give a sharp nod and plead duties elsewhere in the castle.
Gwen didn’t think her feet had touched the ground much during these past few days, either, buoyed by relief and more faith than she’d had since she’d realized her affection for Arthur had gone beyond servant/sovereign. Arthur had almost become flagrant with his eyes upon her, tempered only by the fact she still remembered a reprieve wasn’t permission to openly express how they felt for one another.
She’d hadn’t been assigned to the royal quarters since the almost-marriage, but her turn was up again and she took the linens with a runaway heart and shallow breaths. She did Uther’s rooms quickly, having no desire to be in there for longer than absolutely required. She’d shuddered upon leaving; the energy in his room made her skin crawl.
Despite the prince having a manservant, the housekeeper insisted the maids check on the status of his quarters, not trusting two you men could keep it remotely clean enough for her standards. Yet every time the maids checked, there was little ways they could see the cleanliness of the rooms improved other than to change the linens as charged. One would think after years of the status being unchanged the housekeeper would relax the rule, but she hadn’t as of yet. Gwen didn’t mind; in fact, she didn’t think any of the maids did, actually. Unfettered access to the handsome prince’s room?
Gwen blushed for an entirely different reason now, thinking about some of the tawdry fantasies the other maids had shared about those quarters and their owner.
The blush remained when she remembered what had happened the last time; she’d been so tired she’d fallen asleep…had fallen right at the prince’s feet…would’ve fallen right into him had they’d both decided not to be on their very best behaviors.
What a trial that had been!
But she wasn’t sleepy this time. She had too much energy still, the hope acting as fuel for her, that making Arthur’s bed seemed to have taken seconds instead of the hours it had felt like the last time. She stepped back to admire her handiwork and smiled. Though she didn’t slack off on her chores for the other nobles, she could admit she went above and beyond for Arthur..and not because he was the future king.
She had just opened the door to leave when it almost smacked her in the face. She jumped back and choked on a yelp, the dirty linens in her hands tumbling to the ground.
“That was the worst training session I’ve ever-Guinevere!”
Gwen glanced up, then immediately occupied her sight with the dirty linens again. She knew these were his private quarters and his was the only one in this particular corridor, but did that mean he had to traipse around half-clothed? And sweaty? And smelling like grass and leather and man?
“My lord, I have it,” she said, completely bewildered by Arthur kneeling before her to help her gather up his bedding. She didn’t look anywhere on his person, and she clasped her hands together, her eyes trained onto the floor, when Arthur wrested the cloths from her.
“Merlin, handle this,” he commanded.
“Of course, of course,” Merlin said with exasperation. “Hello, Gwen!”
“Hello, Merlin. How are you?” Gwen asked, looking around Arthur to his manservant.
He gave her a very wicked grin. “Good! But perhaps not as good as Arthur’s about to be-”
“Get out!” Arthur all but snarled.
Merlin beamed wider and left with an innocent wave that had Gwen giggling behind her hand. Then suddenly she wasn’t giggling anymore, because Arthur had removed her hands from her mouth and replaced them with his lips. He took her hands and placed them at the small of his back, then cupped her face in his. He nibbled at her mouth, his tongue coming in for minute swipes. Her knees weakened.
“Arthur,” she breathed.
“I adore it when you say my name, especially like that,” he groaned, his mouth trailing from hers down her jaw. “Say it again, love.”
She tightened her arms around his waist because she desperately needed to remain upright. “Arthur…”
He smoothed his palms over her shoulders and down her arms until they reached her elbows. He pulled her closer, until their fronts melded together. His sweat and scent seemed to permeate through her clothes and she became woozy from the sensation, dragging in deep breaths into her lungs through her nose.
He stopped kissing her in favor of resting his forehead in the curve of her neck. Gwen smoothed down the hairs at his nape and sighed.
“It was really, really bad today, Gwen,” he murmured into her skin.
She began smoothing her hand down his hair. “Why?”
“I don’t know. For some reason we weren’t as sharp; easily distracted. I ended up on my rear more than I liked.”
Gwen turned her face and kissed his cheek. “Oh, dear; and it’s such a nice rear too…”
He laughed and kissed her collarbone. “You naughty girl. Looking at my backside.” His hands suddenly settled low on her hips. “I don’t think it compares to yours, though.”
His kisses and caresses set her body aflame. The rough moistness of his tongue liquefied the skin beneath it. Her grip on his neck grew strong with each hot, wet stroke upon and she squeezed her eyes closed.
“You taste so good, Guinevere,” Arthur mumbled, his voice gruff. “I want to taste you all over.”
“Oh!”
She shoved away from him before she burst, eyes wide and body trembling she spun around, shaky hands pushing loose tendrils from her face. God help her, but she wanted that too. She wanted to run her hands all over his body-his bare body and live out one of those numerous tawdry fantasies of those other maids. And then she wanted to go back to the kitchens with that all-knowing smirk fully confident she would be the only one to ever have those particular imaginings come true.
“Guinevere…I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable-”
“You did not,” she whispered.
Silence filled the space between them, then his footsteps until his heat seared her back. He tucked her underneath his chin and she burrowed into him, closing her eyes and reveling in his arms surrounding her. When his hands palmed her abdomen, she grasped his wrists and choked on her breath. She glanced at him when his chin rested on her shoulders, his eyes transfixed on his hands. His thumbs began to caress and Gwen was utterly riveted by the determined expression on his face.
“There are potions to prevent pregnancy, Guinevere,” Arthur said quietly. “But I never want to put you in a position where you have to take them.”
The back of her hand caressed his jaw. “I know.”
He kissed her knuckles. “When I get you pregnant, it will be with every intention for you to bear my heirs.” His blue eyes locked onto hers, and Gwen’s throat tightened with an abundance of emotion. “And that means I have to wait until you’re my wife.”
She cursed the tear that fell down her cheek. Arthur brushed it away with his thumb, the cupped her chin and kissed her softly. She broke the kiss and hid her face in his bare chest, inhaling his scent, glorying in his broad form and slightly slick skin. She set her hand over his heart and adored its steady and sure beat.
“There are other things we could do, Arthur,” she said.
He chuckled and held her closer. “I’m not so sure about that. I am running out of restraint when it comes to you.”
She pulled back to look him in the eyes. “Then I don’t mind the potions.”
“I do,” Arthur said firmly. “You won’t take them. They are not kind to women.”
“And you think pregnancy is better?” Gwen asked, raising an eyebrow.
Arthur looked down and Gwen immediately chastised herself. Of course he didn’t. His mother’s difficult pregnancy had ended with her death at his birth. She kissed the space over his heart in contrition.
“I know you were created to bear life, Guinevere, not destroy it.” He lifted her face and brushed his thumb over her lips. “Especially not life I helped to create with you.”
Her womb clenched at those words, as if protesting the fact it wasn’t full of his seed at that very moment. How easy could she see a little boy strapping like his father or Arthur completely besotted by his daughter. Dare she hope she would be the very fortunate woman to continue the Pendragon line with Arthur? Even if they couldn’t marry, Arthur would never shirk his responsibilities to her or whatever children they might possibly have should they disregard caution. And though there were other handsome and kind men, such as Lancelot and Gawaine, Arthur was her first choice of all.
Gwen arched her brow at the new sensation of something poking her in her navel, thus pulling her out of her thoughts. She eyed Arthur, who was turning red in the face.
“I’m sorry about that too,” he said, then coughed. “Goodness, this is embarrassing!”
Grinning, she stood on her tiptoes, making sure her front slid along his, until her lips could brush his earlobe. “I completely understand…”
Arthur groaned and picked her up clear off the floor, making her squeak in surprise. His arms protected her back from slamming into the wall, but that did nothing for when his lips crashed upon hers. With them in this position, Gwen could feel how very ready he was to start on these hypothetical children, and the wicked side of her wished there were no barriers between them so he could.
The knock on the door made them both freeze. “Arthur?”
Sighing, Arthur dropped his forehead gently against hers. Gwen kissed him tenderly one last time.
“I can keep him out there, you know,” he whispered against her mouth.
“Let Merlin in. I should finish my chores anyway.”
Arthur kissed her this time. “Your only chore should be to let me make you happy.”
She grinned, feeling she could float right up to the clouds. “You do. Just the thought of you. I can barely keep from smiling all the time.”
He stood straighter and smirked. “I do that, huh?”
“Sire?” Merlin called.
Arthur rolled his eyes but kissed her as he lowered her feet to the ground. He didn’t let go for another few seconds after that, either.
“Okay, time for me to leave,” Gwen determined, reluctantly pulling from his hold. She skipped out of his reach when he would’ve pulled her to him again. His resultant pout almost had her going up to smooth it away, but she caught herself.
His glower upon realizing she wouldn’t take the bait made her chuckle sympathetically.
“You really are too spoiled, Arthur Pendragon,” she murmured.
“Your fault,” he said, smirking a little. “I will see you again?”
She curtsied. “If it is your wish.”
His smirk widened and his eyes shifted to a point behind her. She didn’t bother following his gaze. She knew what was there. Thought of his bed was too beguiling right now, especially since her body still thrummed from their earlier interlude.
“Good day, Arthur,” she whispered.
He started for her, and Gwen picked up her pace to dodge right by Merlin as he opened the door. When she heard the door slam and Merlin’s indignant outburst, Gwen winced for Merlin’s sake, but that didn’t stop her from smothering a laugh behind her hand.
Author: bana05
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Arthur/Gwen, Merlin
Spoilers: Entirety of Merlin thus far, particularly 03x06
Disclaimer: Merlin belongs BBC; I'm just borrowing
Summary: Gwen likes reprieves.
Author’s notes: I hope you enjoy and please forgive errors! Thanks to brightfame for beta reading!
~~~~~
Lord help her, but the smile had been permanently affixed upon Gwen’s face for days. Morgana’s sly grins had had her blushing and stifling giggles as she’d made her mistress’s bed or brushed her mistress’s hair, but they’d never discussed it save for Morgana’s “the prince has been granted a reprieve”, to which Gwen could only give a sharp nod and plead duties elsewhere in the castle.
Gwen didn’t think her feet had touched the ground much during these past few days, either, buoyed by relief and more faith than she’d had since she’d realized her affection for Arthur had gone beyond servant/sovereign. Arthur had almost become flagrant with his eyes upon her, tempered only by the fact she still remembered a reprieve wasn’t permission to openly express how they felt for one another.
She’d hadn’t been assigned to the royal quarters since the almost-marriage, but her turn was up again and she took the linens with a runaway heart and shallow breaths. She did Uther’s rooms quickly, having no desire to be in there for longer than absolutely required. She’d shuddered upon leaving; the energy in his room made her skin crawl.
Despite the prince having a manservant, the housekeeper insisted the maids check on the status of his quarters, not trusting two you men could keep it remotely clean enough for her standards. Yet every time the maids checked, there was little ways they could see the cleanliness of the rooms improved other than to change the linens as charged. One would think after years of the status being unchanged the housekeeper would relax the rule, but she hadn’t as of yet. Gwen didn’t mind; in fact, she didn’t think any of the maids did, actually. Unfettered access to the handsome prince’s room?
Gwen blushed for an entirely different reason now, thinking about some of the tawdry fantasies the other maids had shared about those quarters and their owner.
The blush remained when she remembered what had happened the last time; she’d been so tired she’d fallen asleep…had fallen right at the prince’s feet…would’ve fallen right into him had they’d both decided not to be on their very best behaviors.
What a trial that had been!
But she wasn’t sleepy this time. She had too much energy still, the hope acting as fuel for her, that making Arthur’s bed seemed to have taken seconds instead of the hours it had felt like the last time. She stepped back to admire her handiwork and smiled. Though she didn’t slack off on her chores for the other nobles, she could admit she went above and beyond for Arthur..and not because he was the future king.
She had just opened the door to leave when it almost smacked her in the face. She jumped back and choked on a yelp, the dirty linens in her hands tumbling to the ground.
“That was the worst training session I’ve ever-Guinevere!”
Gwen glanced up, then immediately occupied her sight with the dirty linens again. She knew these were his private quarters and his was the only one in this particular corridor, but did that mean he had to traipse around half-clothed? And sweaty? And smelling like grass and leather and man?
“My lord, I have it,” she said, completely bewildered by Arthur kneeling before her to help her gather up his bedding. She didn’t look anywhere on his person, and she clasped her hands together, her eyes trained onto the floor, when Arthur wrested the cloths from her.
“Merlin, handle this,” he commanded.
“Of course, of course,” Merlin said with exasperation. “Hello, Gwen!”
“Hello, Merlin. How are you?” Gwen asked, looking around Arthur to his manservant.
He gave her a very wicked grin. “Good! But perhaps not as good as Arthur’s about to be-”
“Get out!” Arthur all but snarled.
Merlin beamed wider and left with an innocent wave that had Gwen giggling behind her hand. Then suddenly she wasn’t giggling anymore, because Arthur had removed her hands from her mouth and replaced them with his lips. He took her hands and placed them at the small of his back, then cupped her face in his. He nibbled at her mouth, his tongue coming in for minute swipes. Her knees weakened.
“Arthur,” she breathed.
“I adore it when you say my name, especially like that,” he groaned, his mouth trailing from hers down her jaw. “Say it again, love.”
She tightened her arms around his waist because she desperately needed to remain upright. “Arthur…”
He smoothed his palms over her shoulders and down her arms until they reached her elbows. He pulled her closer, until their fronts melded together. His sweat and scent seemed to permeate through her clothes and she became woozy from the sensation, dragging in deep breaths into her lungs through her nose.
He stopped kissing her in favor of resting his forehead in the curve of her neck. Gwen smoothed down the hairs at his nape and sighed.
“It was really, really bad today, Gwen,” he murmured into her skin.
She began smoothing her hand down his hair. “Why?”
“I don’t know. For some reason we weren’t as sharp; easily distracted. I ended up on my rear more than I liked.”
Gwen turned her face and kissed his cheek. “Oh, dear; and it’s such a nice rear too…”
He laughed and kissed her collarbone. “You naughty girl. Looking at my backside.” His hands suddenly settled low on her hips. “I don’t think it compares to yours, though.”
His kisses and caresses set her body aflame. The rough moistness of his tongue liquefied the skin beneath it. Her grip on his neck grew strong with each hot, wet stroke upon and she squeezed her eyes closed.
“You taste so good, Guinevere,” Arthur mumbled, his voice gruff. “I want to taste you all over.”
“Oh!”
She shoved away from him before she burst, eyes wide and body trembling she spun around, shaky hands pushing loose tendrils from her face. God help her, but she wanted that too. She wanted to run her hands all over his body-his bare body and live out one of those numerous tawdry fantasies of those other maids. And then she wanted to go back to the kitchens with that all-knowing smirk fully confident she would be the only one to ever have those particular imaginings come true.
“Guinevere…I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable-”
“You did not,” she whispered.
Silence filled the space between them, then his footsteps until his heat seared her back. He tucked her underneath his chin and she burrowed into him, closing her eyes and reveling in his arms surrounding her. When his hands palmed her abdomen, she grasped his wrists and choked on her breath. She glanced at him when his chin rested on her shoulders, his eyes transfixed on his hands. His thumbs began to caress and Gwen was utterly riveted by the determined expression on his face.
“There are potions to prevent pregnancy, Guinevere,” Arthur said quietly. “But I never want to put you in a position where you have to take them.”
The back of her hand caressed his jaw. “I know.”
He kissed her knuckles. “When I get you pregnant, it will be with every intention for you to bear my heirs.” His blue eyes locked onto hers, and Gwen’s throat tightened with an abundance of emotion. “And that means I have to wait until you’re my wife.”
She cursed the tear that fell down her cheek. Arthur brushed it away with his thumb, the cupped her chin and kissed her softly. She broke the kiss and hid her face in his bare chest, inhaling his scent, glorying in his broad form and slightly slick skin. She set her hand over his heart and adored its steady and sure beat.
“There are other things we could do, Arthur,” she said.
He chuckled and held her closer. “I’m not so sure about that. I am running out of restraint when it comes to you.”
She pulled back to look him in the eyes. “Then I don’t mind the potions.”
“I do,” Arthur said firmly. “You won’t take them. They are not kind to women.”
“And you think pregnancy is better?” Gwen asked, raising an eyebrow.
Arthur looked down and Gwen immediately chastised herself. Of course he didn’t. His mother’s difficult pregnancy had ended with her death at his birth. She kissed the space over his heart in contrition.
“I know you were created to bear life, Guinevere, not destroy it.” He lifted her face and brushed his thumb over her lips. “Especially not life I helped to create with you.”
Her womb clenched at those words, as if protesting the fact it wasn’t full of his seed at that very moment. How easy could she see a little boy strapping like his father or Arthur completely besotted by his daughter. Dare she hope she would be the very fortunate woman to continue the Pendragon line with Arthur? Even if they couldn’t marry, Arthur would never shirk his responsibilities to her or whatever children they might possibly have should they disregard caution. And though there were other handsome and kind men, such as Lancelot and Gawaine, Arthur was her first choice of all.
Gwen arched her brow at the new sensation of something poking her in her navel, thus pulling her out of her thoughts. She eyed Arthur, who was turning red in the face.
“I’m sorry about that too,” he said, then coughed. “Goodness, this is embarrassing!”
Grinning, she stood on her tiptoes, making sure her front slid along his, until her lips could brush his earlobe. “I completely understand…”
Arthur groaned and picked her up clear off the floor, making her squeak in surprise. His arms protected her back from slamming into the wall, but that did nothing for when his lips crashed upon hers. With them in this position, Gwen could feel how very ready he was to start on these hypothetical children, and the wicked side of her wished there were no barriers between them so he could.
The knock on the door made them both freeze. “Arthur?”
Sighing, Arthur dropped his forehead gently against hers. Gwen kissed him tenderly one last time.
“I can keep him out there, you know,” he whispered against her mouth.
“Let Merlin in. I should finish my chores anyway.”
Arthur kissed her this time. “Your only chore should be to let me make you happy.”
She grinned, feeling she could float right up to the clouds. “You do. Just the thought of you. I can barely keep from smiling all the time.”
He stood straighter and smirked. “I do that, huh?”
“Sire?” Merlin called.
Arthur rolled his eyes but kissed her as he lowered her feet to the ground. He didn’t let go for another few seconds after that, either.
“Okay, time for me to leave,” Gwen determined, reluctantly pulling from his hold. She skipped out of his reach when he would’ve pulled her to him again. His resultant pout almost had her going up to smooth it away, but she caught herself.
His glower upon realizing she wouldn’t take the bait made her chuckle sympathetically.
“You really are too spoiled, Arthur Pendragon,” she murmured.
“Your fault,” he said, smirking a little. “I will see you again?”
She curtsied. “If it is your wish.”
His smirk widened and his eyes shifted to a point behind her. She didn’t bother following his gaze. She knew what was there. Thought of his bed was too beguiling right now, especially since her body still thrummed from their earlier interlude.
“Good day, Arthur,” she whispered.
He started for her, and Gwen picked up her pace to dodge right by Merlin as he opened the door. When she heard the door slam and Merlin’s indignant outburst, Gwen winced for Merlin’s sake, but that didn’t stop her from smothering a laugh behind her hand.