The Northern Princess (Part 1)
Author: sidhe_faerie
Title: The Northern Princess (Part 1)
Rating: PG
Pairing/s: Arthur/Gwen
Character/s: Uther, Tom
Summary: Princess Guinevere learns that she is to marry a man she doesn’t love. Arthur has a similar talk with Uther.
Warnings: AU
Word Count: 815
Prompt:248. We need to talk
Author's Notes: Royals #1(This is a new series).
*Magick Destiny and Doom: the last chapter on Wednesday on AO3
The Northern Princess (Part 1)
Guinevere sat on a bench in the garden of her father’s castle. Her heart was heavy with grief and she sat alone with her thoughts.
The only man she had ever loved was dead. Lancelot du Lac was her father’s most skilled knight but he had fallen in battle with Cenred’s army. The other knights carried home his body to be buried in a place of honor.
Guinevere and Lancelot were going to seek permission to marry after he returned from the battle. But sadly he fell before they got the chance.
King Thomas Leodegrance saw his daughter on the bench and sighed. He knew that she was in pain. If he could do anything to take away her sorrow he would. Unfortunately the news he came to tell her would not make her happy but had a very good chance of making her even more upset.
The King braced himself and approached her.
“Guinevere.” He sat on the bench beside her. “We need to talk.”
Guinevere looked up at her father with red rimmed eyes. ‘Father, you seem so serious. What is it that you wish to talk about?”
“You are to be married to the son of King Uther Pendragon. He and I have been in negotiations for the last few months to solidify the marriage contract.” Thomas waited for her daughters reaction to the news.
“Months?’ Guinevere looked down at her hands. She started to cry fresh tears. “Lancelot has only been gone for a few weeks. You were going to send me away to a stranger when I was in love with another? Father, how could you?”
“You are a princess. It is your duty to make an alliance with your marriage just as it is the young pendragon duty to do the same.” Thomas reached out for his daughters hand only to have her snatch her hand away from his. “You will learn to love him just as I loved your mother.”
“Father, I will not go. I will not marry this man.” Guinevere shook her head and went to get up.
Thomas pulled her back down on the bench. “You will do as I say and that is that. I instructed your maid to have you ready to travel in the morning. We leave at first light.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Guinevere I love you and I think you know that.”
Guinevere nodded. “I see that I have no choice in the matter.”
“No, you do not.” Thomas stood up. “Go rest. It will be a long journey.”
Guinevere nodded and stood up. “I may have to be this man’s wife but I will never love him as I did Lancelot.”
“Just be a good wife to him and give him an heir. That is all that you are required to do.” Thomas sighed. “Go inside. It grows late.”
Guinevere walked down the path to a small door leading to the castle. She was more upset now than when she sat on the bench to think.
How could her father do this to her while claiming that he loves her? Guinevere was beginning to feel like a piece of property not a daughter at all.
She started to sob as she climbed the stairs to her room to rest.
-
Arthur came into council chambers straight from training.
“Father you wanted to see me? Sir Leon said it was most urgent.”
Uther looked up from the pile of papers in front of him. Yes Arthur, this is most urgent indeed. We need to talk. You will be getting married at the end of the week. I want you to prepare accordingly. You will be marrying the daughter of King Leodegrance. He is bringing her with the expectation that a wedding will take place.”
“Didn’t we just go through this with Princess Elena?” Arthur shifted on his feet. “I told you that I don’t want to marry someone that I don’t love.”
“I wasn’t asking for your approval, Arthur. I was telling you what will happen.” Uther gave his son a stern glare. “King Leodegrance is bringing his daughter here to marry you and you will marry her. That is my decision and you will obey me. I will not let you out of this the way I let you out of marrying Princess Elena. Do you understand?”
“Yes Sire.” Arthur sighed. “Is there anything else you wish to tell me or may I go change for supper?”
“Go. I will see you at supper.” Uther looked down at his paperwork then back up at Arthur. “Arthur, do not embarrass me again. I will not tolerate disobedience a second time. Is that clear?”
Arthur nodded and then bowed before he went to his room. He had to find a way out of this marriage before it was too late. He needed a plan and he needed one fast.
Title: The Northern Princess (Part 1)
Rating: PG
Pairing/s: Arthur/Gwen
Character/s: Uther, Tom
Summary: Princess Guinevere learns that she is to marry a man she doesn’t love. Arthur has a similar talk with Uther.
Warnings: AU
Word Count: 815
Prompt:248. We need to talk
Author's Notes: Royals #1(This is a new series).
*Magick Destiny and Doom: the last chapter on Wednesday on AO3
The Northern Princess (Part 1)
Guinevere sat on a bench in the garden of her father’s castle. Her heart was heavy with grief and she sat alone with her thoughts.
The only man she had ever loved was dead. Lancelot du Lac was her father’s most skilled knight but he had fallen in battle with Cenred’s army. The other knights carried home his body to be buried in a place of honor.
Guinevere and Lancelot were going to seek permission to marry after he returned from the battle. But sadly he fell before they got the chance.
King Thomas Leodegrance saw his daughter on the bench and sighed. He knew that she was in pain. If he could do anything to take away her sorrow he would. Unfortunately the news he came to tell her would not make her happy but had a very good chance of making her even more upset.
The King braced himself and approached her.
“Guinevere.” He sat on the bench beside her. “We need to talk.”
Guinevere looked up at her father with red rimmed eyes. ‘Father, you seem so serious. What is it that you wish to talk about?”
“You are to be married to the son of King Uther Pendragon. He and I have been in negotiations for the last few months to solidify the marriage contract.” Thomas waited for her daughters reaction to the news.
“Months?’ Guinevere looked down at her hands. She started to cry fresh tears. “Lancelot has only been gone for a few weeks. You were going to send me away to a stranger when I was in love with another? Father, how could you?”
“You are a princess. It is your duty to make an alliance with your marriage just as it is the young pendragon duty to do the same.” Thomas reached out for his daughters hand only to have her snatch her hand away from his. “You will learn to love him just as I loved your mother.”
“Father, I will not go. I will not marry this man.” Guinevere shook her head and went to get up.
Thomas pulled her back down on the bench. “You will do as I say and that is that. I instructed your maid to have you ready to travel in the morning. We leave at first light.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Guinevere I love you and I think you know that.”
Guinevere nodded. “I see that I have no choice in the matter.”
“No, you do not.” Thomas stood up. “Go rest. It will be a long journey.”
Guinevere nodded and stood up. “I may have to be this man’s wife but I will never love him as I did Lancelot.”
“Just be a good wife to him and give him an heir. That is all that you are required to do.” Thomas sighed. “Go inside. It grows late.”
Guinevere walked down the path to a small door leading to the castle. She was more upset now than when she sat on the bench to think.
How could her father do this to her while claiming that he loves her? Guinevere was beginning to feel like a piece of property not a daughter at all.
She started to sob as she climbed the stairs to her room to rest.
-
Arthur came into council chambers straight from training.
“Father you wanted to see me? Sir Leon said it was most urgent.”
Uther looked up from the pile of papers in front of him. Yes Arthur, this is most urgent indeed. We need to talk. You will be getting married at the end of the week. I want you to prepare accordingly. You will be marrying the daughter of King Leodegrance. He is bringing her with the expectation that a wedding will take place.”
“Didn’t we just go through this with Princess Elena?” Arthur shifted on his feet. “I told you that I don’t want to marry someone that I don’t love.”
“I wasn’t asking for your approval, Arthur. I was telling you what will happen.” Uther gave his son a stern glare. “King Leodegrance is bringing his daughter here to marry you and you will marry her. That is my decision and you will obey me. I will not let you out of this the way I let you out of marrying Princess Elena. Do you understand?”
“Yes Sire.” Arthur sighed. “Is there anything else you wish to tell me or may I go change for supper?”
“Go. I will see you at supper.” Uther looked down at his paperwork then back up at Arthur. “Arthur, do not embarrass me again. I will not tolerate disobedience a second time. Is that clear?”
Arthur nodded and then bowed before he went to his room. He had to find a way out of this marriage before it was too late. He needed a plan and he needed one fast.