Lovely Surprise Me
Part IX: Fabrications
Next part!
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Lovely…
I come tonight in such a silly way…
Yet believe that my intentions are noble…
As can be…
For one…
Ever so fooled…
Ever so blurred…
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Interesting announcement.
Was there a reason for it?
Was there a reason for the Crown Prince of Camelot to be grasping at her wall right now?
She clasped her hands in front of her dress with polite respect. “Can I do something for you Sire? Is there a reason you come visiting me this night?” Visiting? Gwen…you make it sound like some…proposal of some sort. Really!
Arthur simply smiled, after firmly extricating himself from the wall, brushing off his royal blue jacket with all pretended casualness.
Until his eyes scrutinized.
Hmmmm…perfect place for vermin to take cover.
He lifted at the curtain.
“Ah-
He cut himself off.
Fie.
Nothing.
Guinevere watched with alarm. Was there some reason her curtains were so fascinating right now? “My Lord?”
Arthur scrutinized the room, only half hearing her words. Hmmm…yes…there. Find the STINK.
He coolly walked over to the table, perused the top and then…
RAPIDLY bent down. Gritted his teeth for what he would find. “AH-
Blasted! Nothing again.
He frowned.
Guinevere too came down to her knees part way, touching at his shoulder with bafflement.
Was it some other vial?
No…it couldn’t be.
Merlin was here.
“Uh…Sire? Is there something underneath my table that you find…exciting…alarming…uh…wrong?”
He smiled at her with reassurance, patted her hand shortly. “Oh…no…nothing of course.”
He closed one eye, deep in the search. One must use clear headed thought when in pursuit of a pest. He looked over to the bed.
Ah…yes…there…perhaps behind.
Walking forward, he didn’t realize Guinevere was following behind with questioning at how he was acting.
Arthur pulled at the blanket.
That was enough for her. She frowned with hands on hips.
“Arthur!”
Caught. Ah…bloody hell. Nothing on the bed, under…nothing in here.
At least not of yet.
Her sense left as anger replaced it. It was one thing to come into her home without any previous invitation arranged.
It was another to search her bed.
“I demand to know what you think you’re doing!”
Merlin’s eyes widened from his hidden spot. It would be interesting to see how the prince reacted.
Arthur turned around with deep royal scrutiny. “Excuse me?”
No one…talked to him that way, that wasn’t royal anyway. He frowned deeply. Before he said anything else though, he looked down at her blanket that was in his hands, his fingers curved around it. Sure it was improper of her to issue demands, but it also was not right of him to walk into her house and start…going through even the most intimate areas of her home.
Guinevere realized her folly. If the king wanted to search her place he could do so any second. He could ransack her whole dwelling if he wished. Maybe it was just having Arthur do it that bothered her. And yet it didn’t matter, her feelings. She had no stature to respond to him in such way, even if what he had done angered her.
“I am sorry…My Lord. Though I do not approve of what you are doing now…I know a servant has no right to make demands of those who have power over them. Just I remind you, this is my home. I allowed you into it…”
She was doing it again, so she simply ended with… “Sorry…my Lord. I know my…feelings on this…probably mean little…but I needed to say it.”
Okay, Guinevere thought to herself, that was definitely not fully an apology, but it was too hard to utter what did not feel entirely true.
Arthur actually admired her comeback now. She was one who held fast to protocol, but too she was not a little demure being. She had strong feelings that when necessary, she did voice. She had every right to be angry with him. If he was going to do this, he at least should explain.
“No…I should offer my apologies Guinevere. You are right to be upset. Perhaps we can start this again with me stating why I needed to enter your home.”
Merlin smiled at it. Arthur’s reaction of course had in part to do with his feelings for her, but it went beyond that too. She was so far from a mere servant. Arthur once inferred that he would want to marry her some day.
She’d be some amazing queen.
Guinevere wasn’t sure how to react so she simply held still. This was her home. At least he was treating it that way now.
He wondered if he was making a huge mistake. Already he had insulted her with his near forced entry and inspection of her home. He had to do this though…no matter how insane it might be starting to feel.
“Now, I don’t want you to worry at all. I’m sure it’s not so bad…”
Guinevere looked down to where his hand clutched at hers, still not understanding.
Okay, he had to come up with a good idea, since he already took it this far. Let’s see. Bandits would mean the whole force came out, the guards and knights. She’d be skeptical if it was only him patrolling. Maybe some kind of malice…some…
That was it!
He came in with royal authority, touched by a good measure of concern. “There is a dangerous animal that was spotted in Camelot, prowling into people’s homes.”
Guinevere’s expression sobered. “An animal? Dangerous? What kind?”
Yes Arthur, what kind?
Eh, he should have thought of this better, but it was the RAT’s fault.
Rats…hmmmm…
“A wildren.”
That name sent a chill through her. It was a type of creature she’d rather not recall. During that horrible time in Hengist’s capture, she watched a man be devoured by one. Then she and Lancelot had even been put in a cage with it. The beast’s razor sharp teeth were still too fresh in her memory. “A wildren?”
He could slap himself, prince or not. Of all the most awful animals to choose from, he picked a wildren, reminding her too vividly of that horrible ordeal where she was used for ransom purposes. Not to mention at that time too, a certain former almost-knight of Camelot, happened to be there.
Oh, don’t go there. You’re already angry enough. And she’s shaken enough.
Feeling them grow cold in his grip, Arthur gently tightened his hold around her fingers, conflicting emotions swimming through his mind.
She was obviously frightened by what he told her so far.
“Well, not the really big horrible kind that you um…are probably thinking. This one’s more the size of a…”
Look for something.
He glanced at her kitchen.
“A large pot. That’s all. Yes, it’s a baby…miniature…sized…rare…breed of one.”
Okay that wasn’t so bad.
Merlin had been holding still until now. He had to fight to not start laughing. It seemed the prince might be delivering a ‘colored’ story.
Hmmm…now why?
Guinevere’s face wrinkled with confusion. As far as she knew there was no such thing. “I thought they all were…that same kind of horrid size. I’ve never heard that there’s a rare breed.”
“Well it’s very new.” Arthur answered quickly. This was getting more outlandish by the minute. He hoped his face didn’t show it all.
“Anyway…”
He lifted his hands away with emphasis. “I’m sure it has been caught by now and returned to the…uh…forest…caves, but just in case, I need to do a search of your home. Understand Guinevere…it’s for your well being.”
Arthur seemed so serious. She had another issue though. Guinevere glanced for a second to the area where Merlin was hiding. She couldn’t let Arthur find him. A rosing blush came over her face.
“Is something wrong?” Arthur asked with concern as she remained quiet. “Have you seen it?”
His inner ranting rambling began again.
Oh sure Arthur, she’s seen it, like she’s also seen a bear with the head of an eagle and the tail feathers of a peacock.
Merlin was finding a lot of the conversation humorous, until now. If Arthur found him hiding, everything would be blown. It seemed though Gwen was conjuring something.
Guinevere blushed more. “It’s just…My Lord…I haven’t had time to tidy up and…” Oh make this good. “In the back of the room…are still laid out some of my…well personal garments drying from…an earlier washing.” She brought her head down with pretended embarrassment.
Merlin smiled…just as good as she was that day with the vial. Go Gwen!
Arthur frowned inwardly. Now, he had not only insulted her when he came into her house and started simply searching it, frightened her with the wildren story, but he also made her uncomfortable. It was the louse’s fault, and yet, he had interrupted her. This was probably why her hair was mussed some and her attire was so simple, her lavender dress with no decorative apron. She had been working and cleaning after a long day of duty at the castle. The proper thing would be to leave, and yet his reason to come in the first place was still too strong, suspicion an ugly thing.
Nevertheless, he decided he’d at least give her some time to put away what she needed to. “I’m sorry.”
Guinevere smiled softly at his sincere apology and felt a little guilty for her deception. It was all though to benefit him, and so maybe that made it not so…bad. “It’s okay. If you’d just give me a moment Sire, I can remove them and then you can check all you want. Actually I’d prefer you did. I would hate for one of those things…to be in my home.”
Merlin frowned. Come on Gwen. How is this going to work? If he checks, for sure he’ll find me…
Arthur nodded his head, glad for her approval, but then she came in with some added words, reaching for his hands a bit shakily.
“Arthur, actually you have me worried now. Sire, would you mind please checking around…outside my house? Maybe in the back. It would give me time to move the garments and I would feel so much safer. Wildren can be such frightening creatures, even at a smaller size, as you say this particular one is.
Merlin was once again impressed.
Arthur frowned, as now his original plan that was supposed to be so simple and driven to one purpose, stretched out into a complicated tangling web.
Wildren. Really Smart Arthur. Your whole purpose was to get in here to…check for…vermin. Well you managed to twist this thing into so many disjointed knots that now not only have you frightened her, but she’s sent you outside to search for the…creature. Great plan. Worked like a charm. Fie.
It didn’t matter though. There was no way he could turn her down, not with her dark reflecting anxious eyes peering up to his with such need. Sighing, he touched at her hand. “Of course Guinevere. Just don’t be frightened. I’m sure it’s gone by now. I’ll be right outside.”
Guinevere thanked Arthur graciously, walking with him to the door. She watched until he disappeared from sight, his royal form now in back of her house.
It was the one outlet they had and it would have to be a fast break.
She rushed all the way back inside and called out to Merlin with a hissing whisper. “Okay…go now!”
Merlin scrambled out from his hiding place, with it wrapped still in his hand.
Before he could question, Guinevere motioned. “Take it. Until tomorrow.”
He nodded his head and ran out the door. Outside though, he was tripped by a broad sized stone that blocked his path. Its barrier caused him to land hard on the ground. Guinevere watched it with shock, hearing already a sound from the back of the house.
Arthur…oh no!
It was no use. Merlin couldn’t get away. If he ran forward, Arthur would spot him surely. She waved her hand quickly.
“What about the back, when he comes around front?” Merlin asked hastily, remembering her extra entrance now.
Soon he found out the reason why Guinevere had never suggested it though. “No, that time he stayed and you brought that…mattress in…you both damaged the door. It jams regularly. Hurry Merlin!”
Scrambling to his feet, Merlin ran back into the house. He knew the mattress hadn’t been a good idea, but the prince had insisted on it. Funny enough. He slept on the ground when they were on outdoor treks. Silly prat of a prince. Oh bother. Now they had no recourse. He just hoped somehow Gwen would be able to find a way to keep Arthur from doing too much of a thorough search inside.
Knowing that Arthur would expect something after the noise, and only having a second to spare, Guinevere fell down upon the ground, making it look like she had been the one that tripped.
Arthur came from the back with alarm, his expression growing even more concerned as he spotted her fallen form. “Guinevere!”
Rapidly moving down to his knees, he touched her arm. “Are you alright…are you hurt?”
The anxiety wasn’t hard to find. She had really no idea what she was going to do. Just moments ago she had made an argument for wanting him to search her house. But now with Merlin still there, oh this was getting too crazy.
And now she turned it even wilder. “There was a noise inside. I think it was it. I’m pretty sure I saw it. I was so startled by its presence that I rushed out here and…tripped on a stone.”
He put down the dagger he had intended to use for the…imaginary pot size wildren.
Uh…hold on there.
Wait a minute.
She SAW it?
She saw an animal that in all natural reality didn’t even exist.
Excellent.
Stupendous.
AH
This is what you get for making up ferocious animal stories Arthur.
Having them come to LIFE.
Now your plan to find out if there was any dirty rat has turned to a fiasco of there being a REAL large hairy dirty disgusting frightening…RAT.
Just…brilliant!
He asked it, trying to not show his shock, as meaning, that the wildren story was some complicated messy fabrication.
“Uh…you saw it?”
He assisted her up with a firm hand.
She nodded fervently. This was a horrible lie she was giving and lies lead to no good. What other option did she have though? He couldn’t know. At least make it not so abundantly vivid Gwen. She could mute it some. “Yes, well I mean a blur. It really went by so quickly.”
Arthur stared, before looking out at the distance. This truly had to be madness, or maybe payback for making up such wild stories. Or perhaps she just thought she saw it because now she had too strong images of them again. Nice memories to bring back to her Arthur. Oh this was not working out well at all.
Merlin, in a second attempt, started to scurry across the floor inside, but as the prince began to face the house again, he knew there was no way he could make an escape, and so once more he hid, hoping for some kind of distraction.
Arthur had no idea what to think. That wildren thing couldn’t honestly be real, could it?
No matter, he absolutely had to go back in the house now and make sure nothing was there that could be a threat. “I’m going to go back inside. Maybe you should stay out here.”
Guinevere shook her head rapidly. Merlin was one problem. Staying out here was another. If this creature really was possibly in her house, she wanted it out too. “No…I’ll go in with you.”
They both walked back inside. Arthur started to rummage around her kitchen, under her table, her cabinets, over to where her bed was and…
Guinevere watched with questioning as he stopped his movements. She was thankful for Merlin’s sake, but also curious. “My Lord?”
Arthur lowered his head. This had gone too far. Common sense flew back in now, cool headed thought. She had imagined a rat-like creature being there because he put it back in her head. Now he was waffling through her things…
“This is not right.”
Guinevere’s face wrinkled with wonder.
Arthur made his way over to her quietly, reaching for her hands. He looked down into her eyes. She was looking to him with such…trust.
“Searching isn’t going to do anything. It would probably just hide to another place.”
“Do you really think it’s inside here?”
Did he?
Good question. The candle light had dimmed since they came back in from outside. He noticed that distantly now. She had all those midnight curls framing her face, except for a few that had wandered too close to her eyes. So untamed they were. Gently now, he tangled his fingers into the ringlets, brushing them back.
Did he?
She was not some temptress, some harlot. This was Guinevere, who always was so deep in respect and protocol. She would never do anything unseemly. She would not hide something from him intended to…
Did he?
No.
And if there wasn’t any façade of an animal, if there was no vermin of the two footed kind, then…
Her face always did it. He craved her skin that darkened beyond his own. Her fingers had that gentle hold. Beneath her dress, he could see the outline of her tempting figure.
They were alone. Had to be. He knew that now, and so all the plans, all the reasons to gain entrance, faded away.
Maybe it was too much. Perhaps his fingers liked too strongly their soft bonds that wouldn’t entirely let them go. It could be he wanted after that day of waking up on her lap in his room, to kind of exchange the favor in her small nearly one room home.
Or just calculate it to utter foolishness.
“I could stay. You know…make sure it isn’t…still here.”
Merlin held back in his place with a bit of wonder. Relief had come when Arthur decided to stop the search, but now it seemed…
Well he shouldn’t be here. Unfortunately though, now would not be a good time to announce his presence.
Guinevere stared up at the prince, lips parted.
Arthur stared at them with some utter fascination. It was too much. He wanted their fullness. He wanted…
Her.
Guinevere shuddered as she realized it. With an audience? Even of one. Too much.
Arthur lowered his head, holding still at those curls his fingers had been blanketed into.
She hated to do it, but had no choice. Bringing her hand out, she pushed at his chest, turned her face away, to give pure…
Solid…
She begged not too harsh…
Rejection.
Merlin only half watched, feeling a wrongful voyeur. Arthur definitely wasn’t going to be happy. And poor Gwen…had to be hurting so much.
Arthur stared, hard reality crashing back in. His fingers left the dreaminess of her dark ringlets. They felt burned.
Guinevere swallowed. For a second it was there, eyes drowning in murky skies of hurt.
And then gone.
“Okay.”
Her lips curved downward, unhappy.
Arthur’s jaw clenched, tight. “But of course we both know I couldn’t do that, stay here, with all my duties at the castle. I’m sure you’ll be fine. Forgive me…for any impropriety that might have happened. I didn’t know my…attentions…would be so…unwelcome.”
He was turning to go, his head high and eyes focused straight ahead with steely intent.
Guinevere looked back at where Merlin hid, and then to where he was leaving.
She rushed forward, holding at his arm. “My Lord I didn’t mean…” She gave it up, saying his name emotionally now.
“Arthur…”
One rejection was enough though. “Good night Guinevere. If there is any threat still out there of the…thing…I will make sure guards are posted near your door. If you see none, then you know everything is fine.
Excuse me for bothering you.”
Hopefully later, all could be understood.
And yet until then…
She grasped once more at his hand.
Arthur stilled, feeling how warm it felt against his skin, and yet still too much like a painful flame now. Why was she doing this? She already made clear his kiss was not wanted.
And she…
No, don’t think that.
But what if her rejection means EXACTLY that?
That jealous suspicion cropped in once more, battling successfully the pain.
“Arthur…please you don’t understand.”
He laughed dryly, not daring to look at her. Too much. “No I understand all too well.” He moved his hand away from hers strongly, giving his own…rebuff. And yet he forced his hand to not hurt hers in any way…as it separated from her touch.
“Good night.”
The door closed solidly behind him.
Guinevere pressed her cheek against the hard wood, closing her eyes with regret.
Quietly Merlin came out. “Gwen, I’m sorry…are you okay?”
She opened her eyes, nodding her head, and moving away from the door, a tight smile forming at her lips. “I’m fine Merlin. Just a little tired. If you don’t mind…I ‘d like to be alone.”
“Okay.” Merlin walked across the room now to where she stood. Sighing, he said with remorse, “None of this would have happened if I’d just gotten away. Clumsy me.”
Guinevere shrugged with polite dismissal. “Well, it doesn’t matter. It was not your fault and anyway, this will all be done tomorrow.”
She stood at the side of the door now, her arms crossed over herself, her expression not really letting in any kind of comfort. Strong silent Gwen. Merlin smiled at it softly. In the months past from that time he first came to Camelot, Gwen increasingly showed more of who she was deep inside.
Reaching the door, he whispered with hope before he stepped through, a reply to her last words.
“Maybe not. Maybe it’s just the beginning.
A new one.”
Then he walked across her small yard to where the cobble stone began, not realizing it.
He was being watched.
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The watcher…
gritted his teeth, all the deception now so apparent.
And yet it made it hurt no less.
“Why would you do this Guinevere, keep all this from me?
And Merlin…
This is your betrayal.
Well…
Prepare for its price."
Part 10 Here
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