Lovely Surprise Me (Complete)
Part XIV: Love…ly
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Oh now lovely look what we’ve found.
Just you and I…
Play with me
Lay with me
Touch me
Surprise me.
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Her eyes sparkled with amazement. Maybe his did too. It was just that one last cutting away that revealed it all.
Within all the returned tall grasses were they, the tittering blossoming flowers frolicking with joy in the wind, colors abounding, sizes varied, the most precious shining little buds. This was their playground, protected by the tangle of trees so anyone with no real purpose to come, would turn back with flushed frustration. Here they grew wildly in beautiful splendor, matching the untamed quality of her precious midnight curls.
The sun seemed to love this area too. It goldenly returned, just hints of the sky’s dancing array of color play surrounding. It was almost like a choir of nature, the breezes too tickling at their skin with soft liftings of their clothes.
She moved past the prince, her face delighting with happiness as she gasped emotionally, hands raised high to her heart. “Oh it’s…more beautiful than I even thought it could be.”
Arthur came up behind, wrapped his hands around her waist, and snuggled his face against her curls. “Almost like it was made for you.”
She smiled softly, eyes still enchanted by it all as his tender kiss lifted at her hair.
They held still for long moments, taking it all in, feeling nature teasing at their bare feet with soft feathery fun.
Of course he couldn’t help tease. “So are you sure you’ve never been here before? Because looking at it all right now, seems to be the perfect place for you to be getting your supply of…hair ties.”
She laughed at that, hitting lightly at his waist as her head rested backward against his chest. “No, but perhaps my mother did. She used to wear them in her hair too.”
His face softened at that. “Then I have her to thank for the petals that keep tickling my fingers every time they stray to all your curls.”
She smiled, before pushing away. Taking a step forward, she could feel the flowers, some that even reached as high as her shins, their stems so strongly guarded, brush across her skin gently. For a moment forgetting even that he was there, Guinevere spun around.
He watched it with wonder, thinking how golden gorgeous she was under the sun’s final defiant display. The fiery heated ball seemed to be saying that if it had to be shadowed away from the earth, then it would go out with a shattering of color intense.
Even as he licked at his lips at all her delicious aura, he dug the swords down into the ground, and peculiarly ripped at the bottom of his shirt.
Unbeknownst to any of his actions, Guinevere made another spin, before lowering her cloak down fully from where she had rolled it before crossing the water, letting it come around her dress again, as she smiled with glistening fun. It was all so precious, all so-
Something came over her eyes, blackness filling as it did. “What-
She gasped.
“Sssshhhh…” He whispered, tying it around her head now, fastening it in back over her hair.
She lifted her hands, shocked. “Arthur, what are you-
He cut her off again, grasping at her fingers. “Leave it there. And just walk with me. I’ll guide you the whole way. Don’t worry.”
She felt it as his hands pushed her down against one of the trees that circled this haven of flowers. “Arthur-
His kiss cut her off this time, solidly against her lips, before he let go, his fingers lingering on her cheek. “Stay here. I’ll be right back. Be good, and don’t take it off.”
She reached out and held tight to his arm as she sightlessly found its extension. “What do you mean? Where are you going? And why did you put this on me? Arthur!”
He laughed softly, before whispering into her ear.
“It’s a surprise…”
She shivered with tingled awareness. He was very good at that word, his lips knowing just how to utter it with enough mystery. “What do you mean it’s…”
She started to ask, but then felt it. He wasn’t still there at her side. He wasn’t listening. She had no idea where he was. “Arthur!” She called out.
Nothing.
“Sire!”
Silence.
“My Lord!”
Stillness.
She sighed with frustration, raising her hands to the thing that tied in front of her eyes, but then remembering what he had said. She grimaced tightly, but started to hear it, a rustling among the tall grasses. “My Lord?” She asked, thinking he had returned.
No one answered her. Nothing. She shook her head with negation. It had only been the wind lifting as it was doing at her cloak now.
Nothing more than that though. Just the breeze.
She sat still…
A few moments.
The restlessness came back.
She lifted her hands with complete resolution, having to see what-
“Oh, now I thought I told you to leave that on.
You don’t take direction very well, do you My Lady?”
It was him again, in front of her. She could feel it, even his rich male scent lifted at her nose. “Arthur.” She complained.
He laughed at her scrunched up face, kneeling down. “Now hold out your hands.”
She sighed with frustration, but brought them out anyway.
He lowered something into them.
“Tell me what do you they feel like?”
She touched only at the bottom. “Grass?”
He chuckled before lifting her fingers up some more and instructing her further. “What do they smell like?”
She brought them to her nose and smiled, even under his blindfold. “Flowers.”
He smiled too, untying it from around her eyes and then lowering it completely away. “Surprise. My surprise for you.”
He went on with some regret. He had no idea she would be gifting him with anything this day. If he had, he’d probably have been better prepared. “I know they’re not much, but-
She cut through, looking down at the hand-picked bouquet he had presented her with, all the colors of her dress, specially chosen to match. “They’re beautiful.” She cocked her head. “You were here the whole time, weren’t you? Arthur, you never left!”
He stayed kneeling above her. “No, I never did. I just tried to be really quiet and moved over to the other side so you wouldn’t hear or sense me.” He touched at her fingers with reverence. “So you like them?”
“I love them.” She corrected.
He bent his head down, kissed at her waiting lips.
She pressed against his chest, holding it up, pointing to the tear. “You ripped this from your shirt?”
He shrugged. “Yes. “Merlin’s getting great at mending with how often I give him the opportunity.”
She rolled her eyes at that.
The sun once again lit over her face as its descent continued even more, the sky’s show starting to faintly darken even.
The moon was whispering its coming…
Her expression was so lovely to his watching eyes. He kneeled in closer, and lifting at her cheeks, kissed her lips. Her hands lifted to his shoulders, her mouth tittering its approval as it desirously kissed him in return. The solid backing of the tree trunk he had leant her against, ceased to support as quietly her fingers left their grasp of the flowers and let them drop softly below. His mouth opened more, his lips pulling at hers.
Want.
Yearning.
She felt like she was falling. His arms lowered what it so cravingly held.
Falling into a bed of buds.
She sighed at its luxurious feel as he tasted…
His lips were sweet aflame dessert.
His Lady.
“Lady Guinevere…”
He whispered the words tenderly against her neck, before he lowered his thirsting tongue…
She sighed now with rapture, whispering something she knew he liked hearing, that she grew a little bolder in saying with this new…meaning. “My Lord.”
His shirt lifted as a strong breeze came. It forced her fingers to be touching bared skin. She blushed and started to pull the away. He grasped her hand tightly, keeping it there. They kissed more, deep into each other, so deep that their movements were no longer commanded simply by the mind.
Her leg lifted under his. The bottom skirt level fell down to reveal her knee. Arthur pressed his hand against the newly divulged skin. As she opened her eyes though and looked directly at him, he asked. “Do you want me to move it?”
She shook her head, quietly. “No…but this more is the furthest that happened on the bed. You were kind of…” She joked. “A woman’s man.”
He laughed, before whispering. “So you would rather I be like I was then?”
She touched at his cheek. “No…I’d rather you be just like you are now.”
Feeling flooded his expression. Sometimes her words created the most heartening sense. He had nothing he could say. Reaching forward, grasping her cheeks tenderly, he lowered his lips for more delicate, impassioned…
Kisses.
As they pulled away languidly for a second to breathe between the round, smiling, she saw it past his eyes, high above.
She gasped, pointing beyond his cheek. “Arthur, look!”
He didn’t seem to care as he got ready to kiss her some more, his fingers grazing against her bared knee, so she pushed at his chest now.
Arthur groaned. What did he do wrong now? Really, she didn’t seem to have minded a few moments ago. Kissing her luscious lips, feeling the heavenly skin of her knee-
Oh bother. Bloody hell. If he went down that route in his mind he’d have to excuse himself for some branch hacking. “Yes?”
She moved to sit up.
Nooooo…Arthur inwardly complained. Heed my lips my Lady. Whatever that vial thing did, well it’s tenfold now.
Get back down on this bed of flowers with me…
My Lady. Must be polite.
She lifted her hand with even more strong direction, not really aware of how torridly frustrated he was now, even though she too had completely felt enraptured in his arms, kissed by his wet burning lips.
Letting out a long sigh, he looked to where she was focused, ready to hastily view whatever blasted thing it was so they could return to…
“Ah.” He said with surprise, as his eyes now saw it too.
“Yes.” She came back with quiet excitement. They mustn’t startle them.
Above them in one of the surrounding trees, was a pair of birds, mostly blue in color, one significantly prettier than the other though. Together they perched on a branch, before the prettier one would fly around in interesting circles, and then come back to land, repeating the routine regularly.
“She’s trying to impress him?” Arthur asked with weirdness, something really odd about how that sounded.
Guinevere shook her head.
Knowing all of before was definitely on hold now, Arthur sat up all the way, lazily bringing her to lean against him. Her closeness was ever so divine.
“You don’t know much about birds, do you?”
His eyebrow came up with complaint.
She laughed, relaxing against his chest, her arm against his raised surrounding leg.
“No, you see the male bird is the most beautiful. The female is simpler looking. He is the most colorful.”
As the bird did another flying run, this time nearly diving back onto the branch with some man of the world move, Arthur pointed. “And definitely trying to get her full attention. So does he mind that she’s the homely looking one?”
She hit back at his chest.
“Ow.”
“Shhhhh…you’ll scare them away. That was very rude. She’s quite pretty, even if a bit simpler appearing.” She came in strongly, noticing how the male would lift his head up with bits of…arrogance, before he rustled his feathers with overly done bravado. “He seems a little obnoxious to me anyway, a bit vain.”
Arthur argued his point, knowing if this were any other circumstance, he would consider it ridiculous to be comparing birds in some almost battle of who was better. And yet in her company, it was fun. “No, he’s just like a knight. He has belief in himself, knows how good he is at what he does.”
The male bird continued its parade as the female sometimes pushed her head down below her feathers, possibly in embarrassment, possibly with humorous reaction.
Guinevere teased backward at Arthur’s strong proclamation. “You’re really getting into this.”
“No I’m not.”
Guinevere grinned with happy satisfaction as the female made her move. “Well, look at that. I do believe she is better.”
The female, now that the male was resting, or whatever it was he was doing, gave flight, circling around the tree’s branch. Perhaps she was not as pretty, but she was definitely a gliding beauty in the sky.
Arthur frowned. “She’s just showing off.”
Feeling his hands come around her waist now, Guinevere continued her support for the female. “She knows she is something a bit less than…perfect looking probably, so she makes up for it in other ways and doesn’t let that slight flaw bother her.”
That made Arthur wonder. He touched at her hand, peering around to see her face.
Guinevere just gave him a slightly smiling backward look.
It dumbfounded him that she could actually be talking about herself perhaps. And yet she did do a bit to dress up her hair and…
He kissed her cheek. “You’re right. Her flying is indeed lovelier than his.”
Of course he couldn’t help but crack in. “Though he does have her beat in other ways.”
She replied dryly. “Right…as he practically beats his chest with obvious intention. Such an inferiority of men sometimes.”
Both his eyebrows came up. “Excuse me.”
Guinevere just brushed her hair back with an air of sophisticated authority.
Arthur coughed as it hit him straight in the nose. Lovely, and yet feisty curls. “Oh, eh now-
She cut him off. “Ssssshhhh…look they’re both staying put on the branch now.”
The blue feathered birds fluttered around each other a bit. Coming in close, they even pecked at one another’s feathers and then…at…
Of course Arthur had to ask then. “Is that how they kiss, or are they biting each other?
Fie, they get right to the gauntlet don’t they?”
She turned around, eyes widened.
He winked playfully.
Guinevere shook her head and returned to watching the birds. “I believe it’s kissing.”
He brought in with fun. “But you don’t know for sure. Oh now look…”
The birds moved in against each other much more intimately, their heads folding down one another’s necks.
Guinevere sighed at it. “Lovely.”
He smiled softly. “Yes I suppose. Though they’re more than welcome to go back to the indecent display if they want.”
“Arthur!”
He laughed. “JOKE..My Lady.”
Impish looks and they faced the branch again.
It was empty.
“What happened to them?”
Arthur cracked. “They went to his nest….to eh…peck some more.” As she said nothing, he finished playfully with, “I should leave it at that.”
“Yes you should.” She commented firmly.
She was warm and soft against him. The flowers tickled at their feet. The natural bed they created and the tall grasses, relaxed the two sitting within it all, nature’s lovely little hidden haven. He reached forward with teasing blue eyes. “So should we kiss or…p-
“Arthur.” She intoned soberly.
He smiled and kissed at her lips gently, moving away just an inch to whisper, “So, happy you saw them now too? What your parents did, together?”
Her eyes swam softly with the russet. “Yes, And now I know why it was so special to them.” She lowered her hand against his chest, but then with a sigh, of course picking up her flowers, rose to her feet.
He watched as she moved past some of the trees at the farthest side. And then disappeared behind them. “Guinevere.” He called out as he got up to look for her.
Now it made sense.
She thought.
They had come up the wrong side. It was so apparent now. She held her rosing, pink and creamy white flowers dreamily against her heart, standing at the edge, seeing all the flaming light of the torches down below, and hearing the lively sounds.
He walked past the bit of trees, before spotting where she had gone to. He moved forward with low complaint. “We didn’t have to struggle through all those wild tree branches, cutting every blocking limb?”
There was more than one side of the hill to take. This one didn’t have such thick clusters of trees that barred entrance.
She shook her head with a half amused smile. “No. Guess not. I never knew the exact side my parents came by, but I’m suspecting they took the smarter one.”
“Yes, indeed. Oh well look at that…you can see most of Camelot from here.” He noticed with a touch of surprise. The view was pretty good even as the sun was nearly faded away now from view. Night was more quickly approaching, the moon grinning with satisfaction further beyond.
She looked up at the darkening heavens, thinking sensibly. It had been a lovely day, but even afternoon was faded now. All the illumination down there, the sight of the tall castle walls rising so high up into the atmosphere, the people so tiny appearing and yet real…
The duty…
The reality…
Came back.
Feeling a slight chill from the wind’s growing breeze, she stated plainly, holding tight at one side of her cloak. “We must go back soon my Lord. I will have to go first. Then you can follow.”
Too bad they had found the other side. It reminded too much. He came behind her, getting ready to say something in protest, but then…
It started, the group of Minstrels. The strings of the lutes, mandore and harp plucked out a repetitive tune . The flutes and ocarina serenaded with lilting whistles that could succeed the wind’s breezes. A timbering beat of the drum and timbrel kept the rhythm to a poetic aura.
She smiled at it with fondness. Being a servant she was never allowed to participate when the knights danced with their ladies, circling around each other, touching hands.
As she dreamily watched, he sneaked up behind.
Arthur wrapped his arms around her shoulders and fingered at the ties. She started to ask what he was doing, but he paid her no heed, getting the cloak untied and then gently lowering it down to the ground. Taking the flowers from her too, he let them rest on the red blanket.
It would keep her there longer. It was something he’d always wanted to do with her.
Taking her hand, he led her back to where the flowers were, the music still able to be heard distantly.
She looked so questioning as he gave a regal bow. “My Lady…
May I have this dance?”
Was he mad? Guinevere looked around, gesturing strongly. There were so many reasons for her to of course negate him. They were not in a dance hall with other men and women. They were alone at the top of a hill in a beautiful bed of flowers under a darkening sky.
“Sire…we cannot dance here.”
He shrugged, doing a circle around.
She came in stronger, her words deep with meaning as he seemed to want her to circle with him.
In the background could be heard the romantic steady sounds of the instruments’ lovely playing.
“My Lord, this is always done with groups of people. A man does not just dance with a lady, by themselves in a…field of flowers.”
“We do.”
He answered plainly. He was not supposed to be here with her. She was not supposed to be with him. Princes weren’t meant to romance the servant help. As the moon started to make its early presence though now, the sky not even yet fully blackened to night, he denied all that.
She watched with shock as he did a few more circles around.
As she stayed still, Arthur stopped, hands at his waist pointedly. “Guinevere, come on, I’m starting to feel a little silly here!”
She laughed at that. He did too and then bowed again.
She gave a shaky look. This was not right. Men and women did not dance this way, and yet there were his words. Servants should not be with princes, but his lips, she could feel how they adored hers every time they kissed, and hers loved returning that adoration.
For so many years she had just stood by watching all the fun rounds of dancing, seeing the happy faces. She never participated in it…
Until now.
Lifting at the middle of her dress, she half kneeled with respect and excitement. “My Lord…”
He smiled at that, and took a step back. She did too.
The flowers tickling at their naked feet, they looked strongly into each other’s eyes from the distance.
She stepped forward, lifting her leg just a bit, seeing as he did the same. The music was easy enough to hear. She moved in tandem with it now, coming to his side and lifting her hand.
He lifted his, pressed it against hers, and they circled.
He watched how the red pink skirts swirled with beauty. She noticed how his eyes darkened to approaching night’s glow.
They came away, before turning and circling again, round and round, holding out hands, eyes fixed on each. Her face was lovely. He broke every dance protocol, lifting his hand to her cheek, holding at her there, as his other stayed clasped with hers.
“Arthur…” She whispered.
He smiled and didn’t let her go on. Instead with firm intent he kissed her lips, tasting her, adoring her. “You dance very well.”
She blushed slightly. “I’ve watched every occasion, just stood back and observed how everyone moved. That must be why.”
He nodded his head with affection, glad this commencing night he could end that state. Now she was not watching…
She was participating.
Now they were moving around each other, spinning, with the flowers, grasses and trees, their only audience.
Now a Prince could finally be with his…
Lady.
He stepped away with smiling fun. Delight shining in her eyes, she did too. Maybe it was the tickling flowers and the early night’s breezes, filling the abandon, taking away all the duty and what was expected for the moment. Allowing them to frolic like approaching lovers.
As they met again, his hand lifted to hold tightly at hers. Interlinked, they combined. The early bit of night’s whispering wind brushed past them. In the barely purpling, gone the pink, sky, the first stars started to appear.
The Prince and his Lady spun to the romancing flute’s calls. Hands clasped in beat with the steadily pounding drum. Eyes lifted at the mandore’s lovely haunting strings.
Around and around…
Until he clasped her waist.
She protested. “Oh Arthur, this is really not the right type of dance. We are break-
He cut her off, kissing her lips and then whispering against her cheek with fervor. “I don’t want to leave here. I don’t want to leave you. I don’t want you to leave me. I…”
She sighed at that, before grasping his cheeks and kissing him too. It was so much. Enough that couldn’t be taken. She held at his lips until it was too indecent to stay like that anymore.
He pulled at her hair with his fingers. Her hand climbed his chest. He looked like he was going to kiss her again. She pushed away. “I have to go get my cloak and the lovely flowers you gave me and then I must go Sire. The night is approaching.”
He lowered his hands to her waist, feeling the precious curve of her body there, as the music softly continued and he swayed with her gently to it.
She gasped. “What are you doing, creating some new kind of dance?”
He teased gently. “Isn’t it a nice one?”
She blushed, but then touched his cheek. “Oh Arthur…” They couldn’t stay like this. The afternoon was over. The moon was even starting to murmur its presence in the sky, a shadow of it just there. She lowered her head against his chest, frustrated and yet too warmly pleasured in his hold.
He smiled softly, too wearied of all their wrenched partings of the past. “My surprise was the best. It is the finest sword ever given to me. I enjoyed all of today. Did you?”
“Well not the part where you screamed at Merlin and me with that wild cry, though it was a bit humorous when you fell from your horse.”
He frowned.
She laughed.
He did too soon enough, the swaying still going on. “The rest?”
She smiled dreamily. “Mmm…divine.”
“Indeed.”
She started to push again, as he said it.
“So why must it be the last?”
She looked up at him quizzically as in the sky a few more stars danced to vision, and the blackness began to take over the earlier colorful competition. “What do you mean?”
He had duty to Camelot. He had allegiance to his father.
Who said though that this…
Had to interfere with any of that?
Who decreed this so wrong?
It was foolish.
It was foolish what he wanted…
And foolish what he was prevented from.
“Merlin caused a mess with that vial, but also some revelations.”
She shook her head, feeling the night’s breeze coming in even now, stronger than before. It made her shiver, before his arms surrounded her in their strong hold. “You were right, that day after you stayed with me. None of this can ever be.”
Kissing her forehead, he replied, “No. I was wrong actually. What I said about my father was true, but remember too Guinevere that day you challenged me to stand up for Gaius, to be the king I will someday be, to do that I had to stop what my father wanted. And yet it was right. It was the fair thing to do. It was the just.”
She frowned.
He went on strongly. “I don’t think he would welcome this, but I can’t let that stop it either. There is no harm to my father, us spending time like this together. Nothing is malicious in this. You would never be part of such a thing, nor I.”
“Arthur, what are you saying?”
He sighed wearily as the moon’s stark whiteness began to glow. “This place, no one knows about. The one below, only Merlin. I am often busy with the knights. You have hard hours of work I know. So why not one place, one spot, one destination Guinevere, where we can just…be away from it all…
Together?”
The easiest thing would be to say yes.
And yet…
She obeyed too much the protocol.
“You cannot betray your father. I cannot let you, nor be a part of such thing.”
She was born into meager status of money and yet she rose above it with simple humility and honor. She never would let him be dishonorable, not for her, and yet…
“That’s not what I’m saying Guinevere. Caring for each other should not be a betrayal. You care for me too…yes?”
She sighed at that question, nodding her head fervently. He knew where her heart was leading to. “Of course.”
Her answer made him smile with relief. For a second he maybe faltered in what would be a frightening answer. “Good. Then we just…take it from here. This day.”
Her eyes widened. “How?”
What were they agreeing to?
What were they thinking of?
“You cannot hurt your-
He came in fervently, grasping her cheeks with needing fingers. “Being away from you…hurts Guinevere. That is what hurts.”
She lowered her head, whispering painfully. “Me too.”
His hands strayed through her curls, feeling their defiance as the moon’s glimmer set upon them with desiring play. The stars were filling the heavens, each new sparkle a dance of light to shine through the black’s lazy swagger.
This day couldn’t be the last.
There had to be more.
The music kept tempting their ears. He kept swaying.
She laughed suddenly. It was ridiculous what they were doing. “If we moved like this to the music within the castle walls we’d be put in the cells!”
“Together?” He teased.
She smiled to his. The stars had this lovely way of shining through his golden hair. Maybe the night wasn’t so bad.
She felt the gentle pressure of his lips against hers.
Soft and…
He whispered it with passion’s last grasp of politeness.
“I can’t just be a prince, Guinevere. I can’t keep denying it. I have to be a man too.”
Her lips curved delicately. Reaching up, she brushed back some of those precious golden strands. “You are a man Arthur. A beautifully handsome one.”
“Then be my Lady, Guinevere.”
He did a spin around with silliness.
She rolled her eyes. “You’re as bad as that bird!”
He moved in against her, whispering just a touch suggestively. “So you think they’re still pecking at each other?”
She grimaced firmly.
He smiled and kissed her cheek. “Be my Lady…”
They were audience to the love birds. They found their bed of flirting flowers. Who said they needed to wear anything upon their sleeve to profess who they desired? It was written forever upon their hearts, sealed with the tenderest bond.
She felt as his head went down, his hair brushing at her cheek, as his lips found her shoulder…
So lovingly delightful.
So…
“Yes…
My Lord.”
He gathered her in against him. She lifted her fingers.
Their thirsting lips found each others.
What were they agreeing to?
Who knew.
What did this mean to come back?
No words were firmly spoken.
What about the repercussions?
Hungering mouths sought no such answers.
They had to get her cloak, her flowers, climb down this hill, clean up the blanket’s picnic below, ride back into the castle gates…
And not be spotted.
They had all that to do.
And yet…
They tangled into each other under a smiling moon.
The time when putting off the departure would no longer be an option, would come soon enough.
For now…
“Lovely…”
She smiled at the word.
“It wasn’t just the vial Guinevere.”
“Nor for me my Lord.”
Ahhhh…
That got him.
It was the way she said it.
It was the way…
“Are we mad?”
She asked with eyes raised.
Whatever they were agreeing to, this place would forever be their secret.
Their delightful little found…
Surprise.
He smiled intently.
“Yes.”
More stars came to dance.
As they danced below.
Ah…
So…
Lovely.
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The lovely…
Uh…
Maybe the end.
Maybe not.
Surprise dear readers.
Guess we’ll have to see where the show takes us…
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