One True Lover With a Thousand Kisses, Merlin/Gwen, PG
Title: One True Lover With a Thousand Kisses
Author: kepp0xy
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairing: Gwen/Merlin, Arthur
Warning: no spoilers, future fic.
Summary: The reality was that Merlin's secret romance with Gwen had all been an accident.
Author's Notes: beta'd by the insightful and_i & written for the prompt "Gwen/Merlin, future, the Queen and the magician" for the Gwen Battle Winter 2009 hosted by thefuturequeen!
The servants' gossip was divided into two factions: half believed Guinevere was entirely loyal to their King, that her mind, body and heart were reserved only for him; the other half believed that she had frequent liaisons with the King's most trusted knight, Lancelot, and that the Queen played Arthur for a fool. They were both wrong.
The reality was that Merlin's secret romance with Gwen had all been an accident. Merlin and Gwen had simply been the best of friends, they supported Arthur and advised him, loved him as friend and husband respectively. When times were tough, and the stress began to wear on them, they would meet and console each other; have a cup of wine while reminiscing and laughing about simpler times when, for the most part, their worries were about whether their washing would pass inspection.
It was a nondescript night, like any of the hundreds they had shared prior to it, and Gwen leaned down to peck him good-night on the cheek before she left his chambers, just as she had done on almost every one of those previous occasions. But Merlin turned his head unwittingly at just the same moment and their lips met instead. Gwen pulled away immediately, blushing so much she was almost glowing like a beacon and tripping over her words in her hurry to apologize. Merlin took several attempts at speech to get anything coherent out as the shock of the moment clouded his mind.
After three weeks of awkward glances and nervous silences, Gwen made her way to his chambers once more. Rigid formality guided their interactions until finally she broached the subject, if only in indistinct ways.
"It was just an accident, really. I mean, it didn't mean anything."
"No, nothing at all."
"Right... So we're all right then."
"Oh yes. We're definitely all right."
And Gwen left with a small smile that was meant to reassure him, but Merlin knew Gwen. He did not miss the way her eyes belied her wariness, just as Merlin was sure that Gwen did not miss the way his fingers twitched compulsively at her words. But it was enough for them to get on almost naturally, though a somewhat uncomfortable silence sometimes fell upon them if they were alone.
Merlin couldn't name exactly when he had begun to long for Gwen. When they'd first met, and she'd had a flighty interest in him, he'd felt nothing but flattered, caring for her only as a friend. As time progressed, he watched her blossom, shedding the hesitance that her social station demanded of her and learn to hold her head high as she walked court on Arthur's arm. And as Gwen grew, so did Merlin and their bond did nothing but solidify.
But Merlin was lonely. And when he realised that the quiet ache in his heart increased with her presence, he tried to bury the feelings. Guinevere was in love with and made for Arthur; they made each other unbelievably happy, and Merlin was pleased they'd found each other. But he found his indulgent smiles at their relationship turning slightly sorrowful and feared Gwen's notice.
She missed the change, however, and so he enjoyed the moments they had together in his chambers when they released their stresses to each other. Arthur never minded her visiting Merlin; he never joined them on those occasions, understanding their need for a friendly haven. But then the memory of their kiss became a relentless tempest in his mind, and try as he might, Merlin could not simply forget the feel of Gwen's lips on his.
And so Merlin found himself a few months later, in the middle of the same night that Morgana stormed from the castle, with Gwen in his chambers again and they held each other. His arms wrapped around her waist, hers around his chest, they shared the pain of loss in silence.
When the ache in his chest began to abate, Merlin opened his eyes and looked down at her. Gwen's eyes were still squeezed tightly shut, but that did nothing to stop the tears from escaping her pinched lids.
"Oh Gwen," he whispered, and she tilted her face to look at him, and opened her eyes slowly.
Along with the sorrow she bared to him that night, the delicate defense that had been present for weeks since their accidental kiss was washed away in her tears, leaving an anguished longing that Merlin felt in his bones. He felt time slow, or perhaps he caused time to slow, though it had been years since the magic had got away from him in such a way...
As another tear pooled in one of her eyes, the clear liquid spilling down her cheek, Merlin leaned his face down and caught it on his lips. His simple caress renewed Gwen's sorrow and her tears began to fall uncontrollably. But he kissed each of them away until Gwen was left hiccoughing dry-eyed in his arms, one of her hands resting against his chest and the other wrapped around his neck.
Gwen clung to him, and he held her, and they watched each other. Merlin hardly dared to breathe, hardly dared to move, though what fear kept him frozen he wasn't sure. After the silence stretched so long that time was irrelevant, that the moment felt suspended from reality, Gwen took a shuddering breath and slid her hand from around his neck to rest beside her other one against his chest.
"Nothing will be the same anymore... will it," she murmured.
Her words may have been questioning but her tone was not and Merlin responded after a beat by kissing her softly. After a pause, Gwen lent herself to his kiss, her swollen, wet lips moving against his in a strange mix of desperate reserve. Merlin resisted breathing a sigh of relief into her mouth and brought his hands up to cup her face.
The salty taste of her tears stayed on his lips through the night.
The change in their relationship after that night was subtle, a delicate transformation at the core of them. It mostly showed when they were alone as Gwen and Merlin loved each other quietly: in the still moments when their eyes met across the room, or the serenity they found with only each other's company. When they touched, it was careful and when Gwen went to Merlin's bed, they made love languorously, each caress one of reverence and every climax a rapturous fusion.
They did not go to each other often; Merlin was still a loyal servant to Arthur and Gwen still highly respected her King. Their silent romance was hidden away in the walls of Camelot, a haven and restorative. They found in each other a way to remember themselves and to ensure that their strength for Camelot never wavered.
The Queen and the Magician loved in whispers.
Author: kepp0xy
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairing: Gwen/Merlin, Arthur
Warning: no spoilers, future fic.
Summary: The reality was that Merlin's secret romance with Gwen had all been an accident.
Author's Notes: beta'd by the insightful and_i & written for the prompt "Gwen/Merlin, future, the Queen and the magician" for the Gwen Battle Winter 2009 hosted by thefuturequeen!
The servants' gossip was divided into two factions: half believed Guinevere was entirely loyal to their King, that her mind, body and heart were reserved only for him; the other half believed that she had frequent liaisons with the King's most trusted knight, Lancelot, and that the Queen played Arthur for a fool. They were both wrong.
The reality was that Merlin's secret romance with Gwen had all been an accident. Merlin and Gwen had simply been the best of friends, they supported Arthur and advised him, loved him as friend and husband respectively. When times were tough, and the stress began to wear on them, they would meet and console each other; have a cup of wine while reminiscing and laughing about simpler times when, for the most part, their worries were about whether their washing would pass inspection.
It was a nondescript night, like any of the hundreds they had shared prior to it, and Gwen leaned down to peck him good-night on the cheek before she left his chambers, just as she had done on almost every one of those previous occasions. But Merlin turned his head unwittingly at just the same moment and their lips met instead. Gwen pulled away immediately, blushing so much she was almost glowing like a beacon and tripping over her words in her hurry to apologize. Merlin took several attempts at speech to get anything coherent out as the shock of the moment clouded his mind.
After three weeks of awkward glances and nervous silences, Gwen made her way to his chambers once more. Rigid formality guided their interactions until finally she broached the subject, if only in indistinct ways.
"It was just an accident, really. I mean, it didn't mean anything."
"No, nothing at all."
"Right... So we're all right then."
"Oh yes. We're definitely all right."
And Gwen left with a small smile that was meant to reassure him, but Merlin knew Gwen. He did not miss the way her eyes belied her wariness, just as Merlin was sure that Gwen did not miss the way his fingers twitched compulsively at her words. But it was enough for them to get on almost naturally, though a somewhat uncomfortable silence sometimes fell upon them if they were alone.
Merlin couldn't name exactly when he had begun to long for Gwen. When they'd first met, and she'd had a flighty interest in him, he'd felt nothing but flattered, caring for her only as a friend. As time progressed, he watched her blossom, shedding the hesitance that her social station demanded of her and learn to hold her head high as she walked court on Arthur's arm. And as Gwen grew, so did Merlin and their bond did nothing but solidify.
But Merlin was lonely. And when he realised that the quiet ache in his heart increased with her presence, he tried to bury the feelings. Guinevere was in love with and made for Arthur; they made each other unbelievably happy, and Merlin was pleased they'd found each other. But he found his indulgent smiles at their relationship turning slightly sorrowful and feared Gwen's notice.
She missed the change, however, and so he enjoyed the moments they had together in his chambers when they released their stresses to each other. Arthur never minded her visiting Merlin; he never joined them on those occasions, understanding their need for a friendly haven. But then the memory of their kiss became a relentless tempest in his mind, and try as he might, Merlin could not simply forget the feel of Gwen's lips on his.
And so Merlin found himself a few months later, in the middle of the same night that Morgana stormed from the castle, with Gwen in his chambers again and they held each other. His arms wrapped around her waist, hers around his chest, they shared the pain of loss in silence.
When the ache in his chest began to abate, Merlin opened his eyes and looked down at her. Gwen's eyes were still squeezed tightly shut, but that did nothing to stop the tears from escaping her pinched lids.
"Oh Gwen," he whispered, and she tilted her face to look at him, and opened her eyes slowly.
Along with the sorrow she bared to him that night, the delicate defense that had been present for weeks since their accidental kiss was washed away in her tears, leaving an anguished longing that Merlin felt in his bones. He felt time slow, or perhaps he caused time to slow, though it had been years since the magic had got away from him in such a way...
As another tear pooled in one of her eyes, the clear liquid spilling down her cheek, Merlin leaned his face down and caught it on his lips. His simple caress renewed Gwen's sorrow and her tears began to fall uncontrollably. But he kissed each of them away until Gwen was left hiccoughing dry-eyed in his arms, one of her hands resting against his chest and the other wrapped around his neck.
Gwen clung to him, and he held her, and they watched each other. Merlin hardly dared to breathe, hardly dared to move, though what fear kept him frozen he wasn't sure. After the silence stretched so long that time was irrelevant, that the moment felt suspended from reality, Gwen took a shuddering breath and slid her hand from around his neck to rest beside her other one against his chest.
"Nothing will be the same anymore... will it," she murmured.
Her words may have been questioning but her tone was not and Merlin responded after a beat by kissing her softly. After a pause, Gwen lent herself to his kiss, her swollen, wet lips moving against his in a strange mix of desperate reserve. Merlin resisted breathing a sigh of relief into her mouth and brought his hands up to cup her face.
The salty taste of her tears stayed on his lips through the night.
The change in their relationship after that night was subtle, a delicate transformation at the core of them. It mostly showed when they were alone as Gwen and Merlin loved each other quietly: in the still moments when their eyes met across the room, or the serenity they found with only each other's company. When they touched, it was careful and when Gwen went to Merlin's bed, they made love languorously, each caress one of reverence and every climax a rapturous fusion.
They did not go to each other often; Merlin was still a loyal servant to Arthur and Gwen still highly respected her King. Their silent romance was hidden away in the walls of Camelot, a haven and restorative. They found in each other a way to remember themselves and to ensure that their strength for Camelot never wavered.
The Queen and the Magician loved in whispers.