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The enchanting mural of Guinevere stared down at Arthur who stood in stunned silence. It left no detail of her beauty out, from her tumbling red hair to her piercing green eyes. Her smile was one he hadn't seen since their early years of courtship and she stood in a vibrant field of flowers. Arthur tore his eyes away and fought down the rage that bubbled up inside of him, for the painting was not of his hands. His eyes locked onto Morgan who leaned against the adjacent wall, her eyes drifting over Guinevere's image. He approached her, stopping just in front of her.
"I swear to all that is holy, if this is a trick I will have your head. Tell me true, have one of my knights betrayed me?" He demanded, his eyes locked onto hers searching for deceit.
She held his gaze and softly responded. "Don't be silly, you know full well that I've left those tricks behind me. You would not be here if you thought otherwise" She saw the fire in his eyes and found that she felt pity for him. "As for who has betrayed you, you already know. You’ve seen his glances at her, you’ve heard how he speaks of her. He's the only knight of yours that I've captured instead of killed." She pulled away from him and set her eyes on Lancelot's handiwork, turning back to Arthur when he retreated. "If you want my advice, talk to them. Don’t use your sword and you might find answers."
"I don’t need your advice witch." He spat at her, pushing his way out of the room.
The sound of thundering hooves only stoked Arthur's rage as he rushed back to Camelot. The countryside passed him by in a blur as he pushed his horse to exhaustion, only stopping twice to fitfully sleep. The four day journey was covered in three and did nothing to temper his conviction. He was betrayed by both his wife and his best knight, behind his back they consorted and he would have satisfaction. The bridge to the castle barely registered in his mind before he flung himself from his horse. The beast could barely stand as he tore his sword and scabbard away from it and set out to his great hall. Servants and nobles parted from the halls to avoid his ire as he stomped up the ornate steps and approached the grand doors. With one swift kick of his armor clad foot he flung them open and marched in.
Guinevere had been sitting intently in her husband's chair, listening to the counsel of the knights round the table. Reports of Saxon invaders had been coming in from the south and she was helping organize a resistance in Arthur's stead. He often would set off on some new adventure seeking magic and glory, trusting her to keep his kingdom safe. Sir Perceval was in the middle of reading out a report when the doors to the great hall slammed open. Arthur marched in with an aura of madness about him. He approached the table still clad in armor when most of the knights had long since doffed their own, his sword gripped tightly in his hand. He barked out a demand as he rounded the table.
"Out! Everyone" He pointed a finger at Lancelot and Guinevere in turn. "Not you two." He glowered at them, walking past to gaze out at the fragmented landscape through the massive stained glass window. Once everyone had filtered out of the room, ablaze with murmurs, he turned to Lancelot and drew his sword.
"To arms. You have taken what is mine and defiled my trust. I demand your head, pick up your sword!" His voice escalating to a shout.
Lancelot sprung from his chair drawing his sword, taking his position opposite his king. Guinevere slid out of hers and positioned herself between the two, hands raised.
"Stop this nonsense. We can talk instead of resorting to childish duels" Her voice commanding but fearful, aghast at the flickering rage in her kings eyes.
"You will be delt with in short order, remove yourself from our way and wait your turn." His command went unheeded as she stood her ground.
"We can talk about this, there is nothing done that can't yet be undone. Please see sense" She pleaded, throwing herself out of the way when he charged.
The glimmering blade of Excalibur rang out after impacting Lancelot's sword. Their blades quickly became a blur of thrust and parry, of quick footwork and rage filled cleaves. Arthur's swings were wild against Lancelot's careful precision but the magic of his blade compensated. Where a parry would've sent him off balance the blade pressed further. When Arthur misjudged a thrust it would pull his arm true. It made him the greatest swordsman in the realm, with only a few able to keep up. Lancelot was one such adversary, though without armor his gambits had to be more careful. His thrusts couldn’t leave him too exposed lest Excalibur bury itself in his unprotected flesh. He instead focused on prolonging the fight, forcing Arthur to fight while laden down by armor. To tire and eventually drop his guard. He saw his opening and thrust forth with all his might, only to be parried and thrown off balance. Guinevere fought to contain her scream as Excalibur ran across Lancelot's back, leaving him prone in a pool of blood. His sword clattered to the ground and Arthur stood over him.
"Your head will be mounted on a spike for what you've done to me. You will be forever known as the knight that betrayed me" He pointed his blade down at his most trusted knight. "Make peace with God, and pray he forgives you." His blade fell upon Lancelot's chest.
With a shout Guinevere swung Lancelot's fallen sword against Excalibur, knocking it away. Arthur whirled around at her in new found rage and shouted.
"You dare stand between me and justice!?"
"I dare" She responded, lifting her lover's sword in one hand and grasping her necklace in another. It had been given to her by Morgan one fateful night. She had been captured once again and the witch had saw fit to grant her a simple means of protection. From a knotted branch she fastened a charm, of which Guinevere now broke in her hand. Its branches exploded out and wrapped around her arm, forming a tightly woven shield. Glaring at her rabid husband she whispered a prayer, then charged him.
Their swords clashed twice before he gained the upper hand. Lancelot had been teaching her how to duel but Arthur had been fighting for far longer and still wielded magic in his hand. His third strike impacted her shied and pushed her back. Pressing his advantage he struck twice more, driving her to her knee. She braced against the enchanted wood as he smashed against her shouting.
"You wield the magic of my enemy!"
His sword struck knotted wood and reverberated up her arm.
"You bed my best knight and defile our love!"
She pressed her sword hand against the back of the shield to take the next blow, it sending splinters flying when it connected.
"And you take up his sword against me!"
Her shield shattered under the assault, thrusting her backward and scrabbling to regain her footing.
"I sentence you to death" His sword held high and poised to deliver divine justice.
Pressed back without a shield she readied her sword to defend herself, until she noticed a subtle twitch in his side. His back had never been the same since the battle of Badon and he still felt the pain if he moved his arm wrong. She seized this moment and launched herself at him, running her blade between the plates in his armor and ducking out of the way of his pained swing. Regaining her footing she saw him differently, here was her husband, with all of his battle scars that she knew so well. Before he could turn to her she pressed her advantage, keeping to his left where she knew his eye struggled. She slammed into his lower back, hearing a satisfying pop. Dodging out of the way of his flailing strike she struck at his bad knee. He crashed to the ground with a cry and thrust at her. She parried and slid her sword up to his hand, striking against his forearm that hadn't healed right. The strike released his grip and Excalibur fell to the ground. Before his free hand could grab it she struck at his shoulder, crumpling the metal and sending him reeling. One final swing against his chest left him breathless on his back. She kicked his sword away and stood over him, blade tip to his throat.
"We could've just talked" She said as she caught her breath.
"What good would that have done? You've already made your choice" He sputtered through pained breaths. Turning his head away he added. "Just make it quick and be done with it. Take my throne and my kingdom, just as you have taken my heart."
Guinevere fought to contain herself before bursting out laughing. Arthur snapped his head back to stare at her in disbelief as she convulsed from laughing fits. After a moment she calmed down enough to speak.
"Oh you fool, don’t you get it?" She asked, throwing her sword to the side. "I would've left you long ago if that was the case. I want both of you, and always will."
"What?" He whispered, his face betraying his confusion.
"You are my husband and king, you know me better than anyone and I will always stand by your side" Her smile at his bewilderment widened. She pointed at Lancelot and added. "And he is my lover, he brings me comfort and companionship when you are away."
"Why didn’t you tell me?" He asked, pulling himself up onto his elbows and sinking back down when one gave out.
"I tried many times but you were too oblivious, or were about to set out on some important quest, or were just not here" She glanced over at Lancelot who had just begun to pull himself up into a chair. "He helped keep those cold nights alone bearable." She locked her eyes back on Arthur. "Consider this the start of the conversation we should've had years ago. Take your moment to rest while I fetch Merlin, after you are better we can talk."
She glided to the door and glanced back before exiting "And don't try to kill each other while I'm gone." The two men exchanged weary looks before slumping back and waiting for the wizard.