by Leilani Love
“That wolf…” she started to ask.
“He is very protective and will keep them all safe and will listen to Lancelot.” He patted her horse, and then turned around to mount his own.
Merlin rode up next to her. “This is going to be a long, hard, two-day ride. Do you think you can keep up?”
Before she could respond, Arthur snorted. “Merlin, the princess here will probably outride us both. She is a woman of extraordinary talents.”
With a blush, she held herself higher in her saddle. Men hardly ever admitted that a woman might be better than them at anything. He sounded proud of her, and not at all put out that she might be more skilled than him.
Merlin grinned. “Of that I have no doubt. Come, let’s get going before Morgana releases her dogs and they come to find us.”
Guinevere had so many questions, but it was not the time. As they rode in the opposite direction of her home, she remembered hearing stories about the demon-like men that went around scaring everyone and threatening the lives of all the newborn baby boys. Morgana had disappeared shortly after, along with Merlin.
The rumors were that the two had killed each other in a magic battle, or both had disappeared to whatever magical place they had come from. Merlin seemed to think that Morgana was close and that was enough for her.
They rode for most the day, not even stopping to eat. Instead, they slowed their horses and kept riding, reaching into the packed saddle bags and taking bites of the wrapped cheese and bread Elizabeth had packed earlier.
Before the sun set, Merlin led them off the main road and into the woods. He stopped his horse in a small clearing. “Let’s rest here tonight. There is a stream nearby, and we are far enough from a road that we shouldn’t be seen by anyone passing by.”
Guinevere slid off her horse and held onto the saddle. She didn’t quite trust her legs enough to let go. She glanced over at Arthur and found him mimicking her. He gained his strength faster and unsaddled his horse before looping the reins around a tree and walking over to help her.
“It’s been a long time since I rode this hard,” she admitted, finally releasing her horse.
He chuckled. “Me too. My legs didn’t want to hold me up when I got off the horse. I’m pretty certain my backside will be bruised for a week.”
Guinevere winced. “I’m not looking forward to tomorrow when we have to get back on these horses.”
He frowned. “I feel the same way. It’s the thought of those monsters getting to my mother that keeps me moving forward.”
She nodded, having taken note of the long pause before he said mother. She left him to take care of her personal needs before walking around the clearing to help gather wood for a fire. In the distance, the low rush of a stream caught her attention, and she headed in that direction. The water was peaceful, and Guinevere felt a stab of envy, wishing she had extra clothes, so she could soak in the stream and relieve her sore muscles.
When she got back, Arthur was taking blankets from the packs to the center of the clearing. She did the same with the twigs. Someone had set up a circle of rocks, and she carefully set the wood for a fire in the middle of them. Anything extra, she set to the side.
The sound of twigs breaking made her glance up. Merlin was coming out of the woods with two dead rabbits in each hand. “Thought you two would enjoy something other than bread and cheese for dinner.”
Guinevere started the fire while Merlin proceeded to take care of the rabbits by skinning them and getting them ready to roast. Arthur prepared two spits. They worked in silence. Merlin put the rabbits on the spits, and then put the bottom in the ground, angling the rabbits so that they would cook.
“Once the rabbits are cooked you should put the fire out. We are off the road, but the smoke will draw the attention of anyone looking for us. It is going to be cold tonight, so do what you can to stay warm. You two stay here and I’ll be back in the morning.” Merlin instructed as he stood up.
“Where are you going?” Guinevere asked him in confusion.
Merlin gave her a sympathetic look. “I’ll be back. I promise. There is something I need to do. You two keep each other safe.”
Arthur came up behind her and put his hand on her back. “We will.”
Merlin went over to his horse, saddled it quickly, and then rode away, leaving them alone. Arthur turned, let go of her, and then went to move the blankets so they were next to each other. When he glanced up, he told her, “It’s going to get really cold tonight and we don’t have extra blankets. It will be warmer if we lay closer to each other.”
Guinevere nodded, sitting on a log and drawing her legs up to rest her head on her knees. “Do you think that the others are okay?”
He nodded and adjusted the rabbits so that they would cook evenly. “I do. Lancelot has an amazing way of staying ahead of anyone looking for him, and I get the feeling Bors and Elizabeth could give anyone a good chase.”
She smiled at that. It was true. “Bors used to tell me how hard a job it was to watch over us. He said the two of us were craftier than any pick pocket.”
“I can see that. You guys managed to sneak out of the castle several times without anyone noticing you were gone.” Arthur continued to adjust the rabbits over the fire.
“That didn’t last for too long,” she mumbled.
He peered at her from across the fire. “Who was that woman that was with Prince Greggory?”
Guinevere’s cheeks heated up. “Her name is Rebecca and she’s his mistress. She supposedly stays in the castle because she is a close friend of his and he wanted me to take her in as one of my companions, stating she could help me maneuver court better. He’s never called her his mistress, but he’s never denied it either.”
A look of sympathy crossed his face as she continued. “It wasn’t a love match. It was a contract that was drawn up when…when your mother found out she was pregnant with you. My mother wasn’t even pregnant. It was literally drawn up that the crown prince would marry the firstborn female of my parents.”
There was a pained look on his face when she mentioned his mother, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, they sat in silence while he focused all his attention on the rabbit. Once they finished cooking, he moved the rabbits so that they could cool down.
When he handed her the stick, she smiled her thanks at him. Curiosity always being her weakness, Guinevere finally asked, “The people who raised you, did they ever tell you about your parents?”
Chapter 17
Guinevere’s question hung in the air as Arthur sat back on the log. He didn’t look at her, opting instead to focus on their dinner. He carefully touched the rabbit, checking how it was, before pulling a piece of meat off to eat. As he chewed it slowly, he finally looked over to find her studying him.
The silence between them stretched out. He searched for words while Guinevere simply waited patiently. Finally, he said, “No, my parents never told me. I used to wonder why my siblings looked a lot like each other and I didn’t, or why my mom used to get very upset whenever I mentioned going to Camelot. She said I could sell all the furs elsewhere.”
“Yet, you went to Camelot anyway,” she pointed out.
“For some reason I found myself drawn to Camelot. I couldn’t resist the pull, and Lancelot was eager for the extra money we could make by selling our furs there.” He quietly took another bite of rabbit.
They ate in silence for a few minutes, before she asked, “Why didn’t you leave after the incident with the guards that night? What made you stick around?”
Arthur watched her as he thought about her question. The silence stretched so long that he noticed she’d begun to shift in her seat. Realizing he was making her uncomfortable, he turned his gaze to the fire as he tried to figure out what to say. There was a pull to Camelot, but the moment he looked up and into her eyes, his world changed. When he finally lifted his gaze, he whispered, “You. I couldn’t bring myself to leave you.”
Guinevere blushed and their eyes l
ocked. Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink and there was the hint of a smile on her lips. Clearing her throat, she whispered, “Oh.”
They finished their dinner in silence. Once she’d decided she couldn’t eat any more, she took a cloth and wrapped the meat for later. Cold meat would be nice to have while they rode. Merlin had told them they should be at Arthur’s by nightfall tomorrow.
Arthur also wrapped up what he didn’t eat, and then put out the fire. The night quickly grew cold but leaving a fire would be a beacon to anyone who might be following them. “We should get some rest,” he told her. “Tomorrow we should be at my home, but it is going to be a long ride.”
Guinevere groaned, her body already protesting.
He lay near the end of the blanket, his hand on his sword for quick access, and she lay down in front of him. Normally she traveled with Bors, who either brought several furs to use as pallets, or they used the back of the wagon, both of which were more comfortable than Arthur’s makeshift blanket.
She tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable, despite the rocks. Beside her, Arthur chuckled, and then turned to her.
“What do you find so funny?” she complained. “This ground is hard.”
He reached up and brushed the hair that had escaped back behind her ear. She couldn’t help but lean into his touch. A sigh escaped her lips, and her eyes slid shut. She was getting used to his gentle touches and how they were often followed by sweet kisses.
“I’ve seen you stand up in stirrups to shoot two arrows at once yet lying on the ground makes you squirm.”
She shrugged. “What can I say? I am a woman of many contradictions.”
“A princess willing to sacrifice herself for her people and Camelot’s as well. All without complaint.” His thumb traced lazy circles on her cheek, which made it hard for her to concentrate.
“To be fair, I did pray for someone, anyone to pull that sword out and ride through the gates of Camelot to rescue me before the wedding.”
Because of the darkness, she couldn’t read his expression, so she held her breath, waiting for his reply. “Instead of a knight on a white horse, it was a man on foot who’d gotten you into trouble in the first place.”
She smiled. “That’s not totally correct. Instead of a man on a white horse who saved me, it was a man who seemed to be constantly finding himself in trouble and refusing to listen to my wisdom, even after I saved him.”
Arthur chuckled and leaned closer. “He couldn’t leave because he had to thank you for saving his life, with a kiss. Unfortunately, one wasn’t enough.”
With that, he kissed her, and Guinevere gave herself up fully to it. Her lips parted while she wrapped one arm around his shoulder, arching her body against his, wanting to feel him. Arthur rolled her unto her back. He stared down at her before pressing his lips to hers again. As his tongue dueled with hers, his hand slid up her dress to cup her breast. She gasped against his mouth. Angling herself off the ground, trying to press her breasts deeper into his hands.
He found the hard nub that was her nipple and rolled it between his fingers. A moan escaped her, and his lips curved into a smile against hers as his fingers continued to work their magic, sending streaks of pleasure straight to her core.
She wrapped both arms around his neck, her hands sliding into his hair, holding him to her as he continued to kiss her, while teasing her breast with his seeking fingers. Every suck on her tongue, every gentle tug on her nipple, caused her muscles to quiver in anticipation.
When he tore away from her lips, he kissed along her cheek and made his way to her neck before he teased her ear with his teeth. Her fingers tightened in his hair and a throaty moan escaped her. When he sucked on her ear, her hips bucked against his.
When he released her ear, his lips traveled down the column of her neck causing her to whimper. When he felt her pulse against his lips, he sucked gently as his teasing hands left her breast.
She pulled at his hair in silent protest. The cool night air brushed across her chest. She didn’t think it was possible, but her nipples hardened even more.
Arthur pulled back and looked down at her. His face was so close to hers that she could make out some of his features.
“Arthur…” His name sounded like a question on her lips. Her hand came up and cupped his face. He was breathing just as hard as she was, and that fact made her feel powerful and beautiful.
He didn’t reply at first. Instead, his hand slid into her loosened top and his fingers teased her sensitive skin. “Guinevere tell me to stop,” he said, even as his thumb slid back and forth across her nipple.
Unable to answer, she bit her lip to keep from crying out in pleasure.
A part of her knew he was right. She should tell him to stop. But there was a part of her that didn’t want him to. This was the man who looked at her like she was the most beautiful woman in the entire world. Who seemed impressed that she could take care of herself. She might have fantasized about him when she was younger, but he was so much more than she had ever dreamt of.
“What if I don’t want you to?” she finally asked.
With a groan, he put his forehead against hers. His thumb slid across her swollen lower lip before reaching down and tightening the strings on the top of her dress. “Then I will have to do the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and just hold you tonight. I will not take you on this hard ground with a rock poking you in the back.”
His jaw was tight, and his movements were quick and jerky. He let out a loud sigh covering his face with his hands as he took several deep breaths. Finally, he turned onto his side and pulled her against him.
His breath on her neck caused a shudder to run down her spine. She wiggled against him, trying to get comfortable, which was when something poked her, letting her know that even though he’d pulled away, he still wanted her.
Knowing this gave her an odd sense of pleasure and she wiggled against him again, fitting herself closer against him. He growled against her ear. “I think it is illegal to spank a princess, but if you move again, you give me no choice.”
Guinevere bit her lip to keep from laughing. She didn’t believe he would hurt her. If she was honest with herself, she found herself trusting him more than any man before him. Even as he threatened her, his hold on her hip lightened.
“Get some rest, Arthur. I promise to behave,” she whispered.
He mumbled, “I’m harder than the ground we are lying on and you think sleep is an option.”
A giggle escaped her. Before she could tease him further, his hand tightened on her hip. “Don’t even think about it.”
Chapter 18
Arthur’s dreams were filled with magical swords and a warm, willing body with long, thick, dark hair, and beautiful teasing eyes a man could lose himself in. He wanted to take his time and enjoy every delicious inch of her body, but, in the dream, he knew something was coming. The sword on his hip was warm to the touch and, he broke the kiss and pushed her behind him as he grabbed the weapon and looked for whatever it was.
Before he knew it, he was surrounded by men with black eyes and what looked to be teeth that had been sharpened to points. Their faces were covered in markings. Those markings ran down their thick necks and continued down. He had seen them before, in the dream he had of the former king’s death. Morgana’s demon army. They gave Arthur evil grins. The biggest of the men stepped to the front of the pack and took out a sword, pointing it at him. “This time I will kill you and that bitch of a woman that helped you escape.”
Arthur sat straight up as he awoke, and immediately grabbed his sword. The sword, like in his dream, was warm to the touch. He glanced around. Someone was sitting near them, his back to them, facing where the fire was last night.
He pulled out his sword and the man chuckled. “I know you barely know me, my liege, but I promise there is no need to stab me in the back.”
Recognizing Merlin’s voice, he put away his sword and looked down at Guinevere, who was still sleeping so
undly. He reached down and brushed the hair back from her face. With a sigh he tore his gaze from her and got up being careful not to wake her. Today would be another long ride and there was no harm in letting her sleep.
Arthur winced as he stood and stretched. His back was sore from the hard ground and he looked over at the horse, his body already protesting at the thought of another day’s ride.
He walked over to Merlin and sat on a fallen log. “I wasn’t sure if you would be here.”
Merlin shot him a grin, “I told you I would. Your father had a lot more faith in me. But, he knew me for a lot longer. I hope one day you will trust me.”
Arthur still had a hard time wrapping his head around the idea that the people he’d known his whole life as his parents, weren’t his actual parents. “It’s still hard to believe…all this.”
“Both sets of parents loved you. Your mother and father did everything they could to keep you safe, and the parents that raised you did the same. You are very loved.”
Before he could think of a response Guinevere stirred and he turned to look at her over his shoulder. When her eyes met his, Guinevere’s cheeks pinked as she gave him a sleepy smile that brought with it the sun. “Merlin, you returned,” she said, standing up and wincing as she put her hands on her lower back.
Merlin chuckled, shaking his head. “You both have such little faith.”
Guinevere excused herself and Merlin smiled at him. “Your mother was barely pregnant with you when we drew up the marriage contract for you both. Her mother wasn’t even pregnant, but I knew she would have Guinevere shortly after you were born, and the two of you would be a great match.”
Arthur glanced at Merlin. He had so many questions. “How is it you could see me and Guinevere together but didn’t see my parent’s death…or that I wouldn’t be King of Camelot?”
Merlin leaned back and looked at him. His face expressionless as Arthur waited for him to reply. “You are the King of Camelot Arthur. Just because your uncle is sitting on the throne doesn’t make it his. I see moments, and events in time. You both will sit on the throne in Camelot.”