writing sample
What do bored authors do when not studying for an exam and writing a term paper? They write pointless things. So enjoy this foray into my own little Arthurian world and PLEASE review/critique if you are so inclined.
Guinevere stood in the great hall of the castle, heart beating at a blinding pace. This was obscene, what she was being subjected to. She, a princess, forced into a constricting marriage with some…some common knight! The audacity of it all! No consideration at all was paid to her own motives and wants; she had thought that her father was at the very least among those granting some opinion to women.
A heavy shadow blanketed part of the stone floor, the outline of a broad man. Guinevere’s eyes scanned the room until coming to rest surreptitiously upon the figure causing the sudden darkness. “Artorius.”
“Princess, you should not be in the dark by yourself,” the man replied, taking a step towards her, his boots causing vibrations as they drew closer. He knelt beside her, bowing his head and staring at the darkened floor.
“You know better than to speak to me as your princess, Artorius.” He lifted his head to face her, and his amber gaze was fierce but so incredibly warm and inviting the Guinevere felt as though she would faint. Touching her hand gently to the great dining table beside her, she guided herself down onto a chair, looking almost directly at the man before her; he was so large that kneeling he was the same height as she was sitting, probably more.
Guinevere felt him move closer, if only a short distance was covered, and it made her uneasy. “Do not ask me to do that, Princess. Guards could be anywhere and…”
She chuckled. “The great Lucius Artorius Castus, fearful of lowlier guards than himself!” Guinevere scoffed. “’tis a shock!” He smiled roguishly at her, and that disquieted her ever more. “Forgive me, Artorius. I meant no insult to you.”
“You have no need to apologize,” he responded. “I know your intentions far better than you seem to think, Princess.” Silence passed between them, and Guinevere took many deep cleansing breaths. Why was it that at the most inconvenient times this man chose to speak with her, to be a part of her life? True that he had been for some time, but not as of late. “I know you are not well, my Princess.”
A deep anger stirred within Guinevere that he saw fit to impose upon her about her current position. “I do not fear who will be king, if that is what you mean as I’m sure it is,” she responded coolly. “There is no doubt in any mind that His Majesty will choose wisely.” He shrugged, visibly shaken by her words and for a moment’s time Guinevere regretted it. “You think so highly of yourself, Artorius?”
“Perhaps, Princess,” was his reply. He looked away from her, towards the empty threshold of the great hall, giving her a moment to collect her thoughts without him noticing a change in her. “You best be going, Princess. ‘tis late and you must get your rest.”
Guinevere contemplated rising from her chair at his words, but did nothing. “Are you mocking me?” Her temper was rising quickly; after all that the evening had brought she had little reason to be calm and passive. He uttered no response. “I was asking you a question, Artorius. You would do well to answer your princess!” Again, nothing. “I see you have no mind to heed me,” Guinevere snapped, standing abruptly and he followed suit. “You, Artorius, who sees fit to call me properly when you have known me since I was a child! You, who…”
“Do not berate me, Princess!” he shouted back at her, his deep voice gaining strength as he towered over her. “It is…”
“NO! I will not stand for your charades, Artorius!” She saw his face begin to soften, his eyes cooling from their previously angry and molten state, but continued in her tirade. “You come to me now intending to be my companion when you are nothing more than selfish! I cannot imagine why ANYBODY would give the throne to YOU! After all that you’ve…” she halted in her words when she felt his strong, weathered palm against her neck, his soft thumb on her cheek. Before she had any way of stopping him, he had pulled her closer, against his body, and had pressed his lips firmly against Guinevere’s own.
She struggled and then wondered why she would ever do such a thing as struggle, and she allowed her eyes to close. His second hand mirrored the first, cradling her face as his warm lips massaged hers, moving just enough to tantalize her but not so much as to be violent with her. Guinevere’s eyes fluttered open to find him pulling away from her, his hands still gentle against the delicate skin of her neck and his breath hot on her face. She looked up into his eyes and murmured, “You know that it is punishable to do such things to your princess.”
“Aye, Princess, but it will not be punishable for me to do this to my wife.” He lowered his head to hers once more, capturing her lips again, this time a little more daringly. His mouth was bold and she allowed it, placing her hands just around his sides to grip the back of his tunic and pull herself closer.
He moved back again, leaving Guinevere breathless. Touching his cheek seductively, Guinevere spoke softly, allowing her voice to be raspier in lust. “It will not be punishable then, but for now, Artorius, it still is.” She leaned in quickly and pressed a chaste but promising kiss to his lips before hastening from the great hall, leaving him bewildered behind her.
xo Jewelles
Guinevere stood in the great hall of the castle, heart beating at a blinding pace. This was obscene, what she was being subjected to. She, a princess, forced into a constricting marriage with some…some common knight! The audacity of it all! No consideration at all was paid to her own motives and wants; she had thought that her father was at the very least among those granting some opinion to women.
A heavy shadow blanketed part of the stone floor, the outline of a broad man. Guinevere’s eyes scanned the room until coming to rest surreptitiously upon the figure causing the sudden darkness. “Artorius.”
“Princess, you should not be in the dark by yourself,” the man replied, taking a step towards her, his boots causing vibrations as they drew closer. He knelt beside her, bowing his head and staring at the darkened floor.
“You know better than to speak to me as your princess, Artorius.” He lifted his head to face her, and his amber gaze was fierce but so incredibly warm and inviting the Guinevere felt as though she would faint. Touching her hand gently to the great dining table beside her, she guided herself down onto a chair, looking almost directly at the man before her; he was so large that kneeling he was the same height as she was sitting, probably more.
Guinevere felt him move closer, if only a short distance was covered, and it made her uneasy. “Do not ask me to do that, Princess. Guards could be anywhere and…”
She chuckled. “The great Lucius Artorius Castus, fearful of lowlier guards than himself!” Guinevere scoffed. “’tis a shock!” He smiled roguishly at her, and that disquieted her ever more. “Forgive me, Artorius. I meant no insult to you.”
“You have no need to apologize,” he responded. “I know your intentions far better than you seem to think, Princess.” Silence passed between them, and Guinevere took many deep cleansing breaths. Why was it that at the most inconvenient times this man chose to speak with her, to be a part of her life? True that he had been for some time, but not as of late. “I know you are not well, my Princess.”
A deep anger stirred within Guinevere that he saw fit to impose upon her about her current position. “I do not fear who will be king, if that is what you mean as I’m sure it is,” she responded coolly. “There is no doubt in any mind that His Majesty will choose wisely.” He shrugged, visibly shaken by her words and for a moment’s time Guinevere regretted it. “You think so highly of yourself, Artorius?”
“Perhaps, Princess,” was his reply. He looked away from her, towards the empty threshold of the great hall, giving her a moment to collect her thoughts without him noticing a change in her. “You best be going, Princess. ‘tis late and you must get your rest.”
Guinevere contemplated rising from her chair at his words, but did nothing. “Are you mocking me?” Her temper was rising quickly; after all that the evening had brought she had little reason to be calm and passive. He uttered no response. “I was asking you a question, Artorius. You would do well to answer your princess!” Again, nothing. “I see you have no mind to heed me,” Guinevere snapped, standing abruptly and he followed suit. “You, Artorius, who sees fit to call me properly when you have known me since I was a child! You, who…”
“Do not berate me, Princess!” he shouted back at her, his deep voice gaining strength as he towered over her. “It is…”
“NO! I will not stand for your charades, Artorius!” She saw his face begin to soften, his eyes cooling from their previously angry and molten state, but continued in her tirade. “You come to me now intending to be my companion when you are nothing more than selfish! I cannot imagine why ANYBODY would give the throne to YOU! After all that you’ve…” she halted in her words when she felt his strong, weathered palm against her neck, his soft thumb on her cheek. Before she had any way of stopping him, he had pulled her closer, against his body, and had pressed his lips firmly against Guinevere’s own.
She struggled and then wondered why she would ever do such a thing as struggle, and she allowed her eyes to close. His second hand mirrored the first, cradling her face as his warm lips massaged hers, moving just enough to tantalize her but not so much as to be violent with her. Guinevere’s eyes fluttered open to find him pulling away from her, his hands still gentle against the delicate skin of her neck and his breath hot on her face. She looked up into his eyes and murmured, “You know that it is punishable to do such things to your princess.”
“Aye, Princess, but it will not be punishable for me to do this to my wife.” He lowered his head to hers once more, capturing her lips again, this time a little more daringly. His mouth was bold and she allowed it, placing her hands just around his sides to grip the back of his tunic and pull herself closer.
He moved back again, leaving Guinevere breathless. Touching his cheek seductively, Guinevere spoke softly, allowing her voice to be raspier in lust. “It will not be punishable then, but for now, Artorius, it still is.” She leaned in quickly and pressed a chaste but promising kiss to his lips before hastening from the great hall, leaving him bewildered behind her.
xo Jewelles