The Dark Knight

[Arthur Pendragon]

Tag: Guinevère
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Arthur listened to her apologize, saying that she had been foolish but had been trying to help. He recalled what she had been doing: getting water from the well, most likely for the people here. "You don't need to apologize," he assured her. For he would do it again in a heartbeat if it meant she was safe. "If there is a next time, Guinevère, wait until it is safe to go. Or at least take protection." Meaning, the knights of Camelot. Safest for such things would be the morning when the dragon seemed to spare what was left of the city. But during the night . . . it was far too dangerous, and he hoped she now knew that. Not because he was wounded, but because she could have been killed.

"Just, be careful," he told her sincerely, knowing these were very dangerous times. And while her willingness to help was touching, it should not come at the cost of her own life. He nodded when she suggested sliding his arm out first, feeling rather grateful that it was her aiding him with it as she seemed to know what she was doing. And, as he previously acknowledged, her touch was gentle yet purposeful. "Alright," he agreed, taking another slow breath as he attempted to move his arm from the fabric of his jacket. This one hurt more than removing the chainmail, biting back any sounds of pain though his features twisted in response to the angle of his arm. "Quickly," he breathed, needing her help to pull the whole thing off.

[Guinevère]

Guinevère paused at his worded, and looked up at this face for a moment, before she realized she was supposed to be helping him, and she was also not supposed to be so bold. His words were kind, and she was grateful he didn't blame her. In fact he seemed to understand why she had to do it. While it didn't lessen her guilt, it did ease her.

Reaching inside the Jacket, she put her hand on the wound to help hold it still as she pulled the jacket off. Needing to fill the silence she explained what he didn't ask. "My father is a blacksmith, so I have helped remove this many time." Which was why she knew how to do it. Her father didn't often get to make anything so fine, but he did repairs during the jousts, and combats. When the city had more knights then the royal blacksmith could handle. She could see her shirt needed to come off as well.

However it was also already ruined with blood, and rips in the shoulder. Unlike the chainmail, and padded jacket, it wasn't savable. So instead she pulled the edges of the whole to open it enough it would just fall away on that side, and he didn't have to move his shoulder. Reaching for some water (now that the dragon was gone, someone else had gone for water) she dipped the rag in it so she could clean the wound enough for Gaius to look at it when he came. She tried to keep her eyes on her job, but her eyes did take in his chest as well.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Tag: Guinevère
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Arthur listened as she explained that her father was a blacksmith. He recalled Morgana talking about him once in one of their more casual conversations. Plus, Arthur had to know the blacksmiths in the near vicinity for knightly reasons. "His name is . . . " He paused for a moment, trying to think of it. "Thomas?" That sounded about right, didn't it? "Tom," he added on with more certainty. He then saw her rip the shoulder of his shirt as the fabric fell to the side to expose his shoulder and chest and thus, his wound.

He knew that was the most practical way to do it, so was certainly relieved that he wouldn't have to move his arm again. "I happened to like that shirt," he said with clear teasing, not actually caring about it. Her actions just continued to prove how gentle her touch was, appreciating the tender way she cleaned the already sensitive skin, needing to assess the damage quickly and get it patched up so he could return to his duties. The dragon would be back tomorrow night and they needed to have a proper battle plan in place.

[Guinevère]

"His name is . . . " Guinevère was about to give the name, but he seemed to remember it. "Tom," "Yes, my lord, that is my father!" There was pride in her voice, for she loved her father and was very proud that he owned his own forge. While he wasn't the riches, he did well and was favored by many. It was a job that had allowed him to be a single father of two children, and to make sure they never went hungry.

"I happened to like that shirt," He was teasing, and she could tell, but she still paused to look up at him, "I apologize," She said, "I will see it replaced!" She could even make him one herself! Had he not been in pain, she would have really been apologizing! Since he was injured she was mostly worried about getting him cleaned up and healing. She saw Gaius walking over. "Since I cannot see you're arm replaced," She teased back, though she had meant her apology before.

Guinevère stepped back as Gaius came forward and began speaking to Arthur. She stood by, rather then walking away. She wanted to make sure he was going to be alright.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Tag: Guinevère
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Arthur hoped she knew he was just teasing her, but felt the need to clarify anyway. "You don't need to do that," he assured her. He felt a bit more relieved when she seemed to return the tease, about to respond but the conversation was halted when Gaius came to inspect the wound. Arthur glanced at Guinevère as she stepped back before focusing his attention on Gaius instead. He intently looked at it, cleaning it with some medicines and eyeing it far too closely. He knew that look. "What is it Gaius?" If it was just a routine injury, then he wouldn't be inspecting at it so closely with this . . . look on his face.

"Well, I can't be certain, but the discoloration on your skin indicates that the wound is poisoned." That, caused Arthur to pause, though his expression remained composed. "Surely you have a remedy to battle it?" Arthur both questioned and assumed. Gaius looked at it for a few more moments before taking out the bandage. "I'm afraid not. I can try a few different things, but the poison from a dragon is strong." Well, that . . . didn't sound hopeful. Still, Arthur remained calm, though worry was started to seep in. "How long?" Until the poison would take a full effect. How long did he have. "A couple days perhaps," Gaius answered. Silence lingered between them as he finished bandaging his arm. Arthur then moved to a stand. "Where are you going?" He inquired. "I must report to the king." To tell him of everything tonight and find out what else he could do while he still was able to move.

[Guinevère]

Poisoned?! Guinevère watched the encounter and her heart beat hard. That was her fault! She had caused him to get poisoned by a dragon. Her hand lifted to her lips, as she took in the information. Yet, it didn't give him any pause!! He dismissed the idea, and got ready to leave! She stepped closer to block the way, but then remembered he was a knight, and she was a servant so she stepped back. When he walked by her she almost spoke to him, but held back.

Guinevère thought about him all day as she went about her work, and slept some to get ready for that night. It was restless as she dreamed of the dragon attacking. The nightmares kept her up, and when she was awake she thought about the knight she had caused to get poisoned. As nightfall began to come, she arose, and dressed.

When she got to the citadel she began looking for Sir Arthur, wanting to make sure he was alright. What if he didn't awake after he got rest today? Walking down the halls she paused to look around, not sure where he would be, but knowing that she wouldn't be able to do much else until she had seen him walking around. What if he died because of her actions?

[Arthur Pendragon]

Tag: Guinevère
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Arthur could not afford to let this information stop him from his duties. Once he reported to the king, leaving out the extent of his injuries, he continued on the day. Counting the dead, cleaning up the city -- well, the best they could considering. And trying to come up with a strategy to deter and ultimately kill the dragon. Their weapons seemed useless against him. If only there was a way to lure him out of the city and try to fight him on an open field. The creature seemed far more keen on killing innocent civilians and attempting to destroy the castle and all within it. While Arthur didn't admit it, he was starting to feel the effects of the poison.

His body was weakening and he was struggling to stay on task. He was sent to rest for a short time but he couldn't. He feared once he lay down, he may not get back up. Eventually, he did know he would have to regain himself in his chambers. Put on some new clothes, freshen up, and get ready for what the night would have in store. As he made his way down the halls, he paused, suddenly feeling incredibly dizzy. His hand reached out to touch the brick walls, needing it to brace himself up as he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he saw Guinevère walking the opposite way of him, towards him. It immediately caused him to straighten up and stand upright once more, as he walked forward so that they would cross. "Guinevère," he greeted with a nod.

[Guinevère]

Guinevère watched as he reached his hand out to touch the wall, and then upon seeing her drew up straight. She had been looking for him and had over heard that he wasn't feeling well and had been sent to rest. Now she found him here. "Sir Arthur?" She asked as she approached slowly, "Are you well?" The answer was no. She could see it, and he could feel it. It was more a chance to give him the prompt to explain how she could help him.

Coming to stand before him, she gave a small bow of her head in respect. Servants didn't give a formal bow, but s half bow to knights. She wanted to reach out and feel his skin, because she knew she'd find it burning with fever. Why was he out of bed? "Can I help you to bed, my lord?" If he feel, then she wouldn't not be able to life him! He was far too much for her smaller frame.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Tag: Guinevère
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Was he well. Arthur didn't exactly enjoy lying, but in this case, he did not wish to cause worry. Though, realized he may be doing a poor job of that considering his state. He need only get to his room so he could take a moment to freshen up, regain himself, and return to his duties.

"No," he answered simply when she offered her help to his bed. "I will not be going to my bed," he added, further elaborating that her suggested destination was not his own. "Gaius has given me some medicine for the wound." Which, didn't feel like it was helping much but he had to be somewhat hopeful. "I'm fine, Guinevère. Thank you." But even as he said the words, his body began to lean forward, as if suddenly feeling faint and too weak to stand. A clear betrayal of his words.

[Guinevère]

He refused, and said that he was some medicine. She watched his face and was about to speak, and offer to bring him something stronger to help him . . . but he seemed to lean closer. Why he leaning--NO! He was falling! She stepped closer, and put her hands up to help steady him, and found herself helping him support his weight, the weight of the chainmail, and herself. "Forgive me, my lord for disbelieving you." She tries to jest, and waited for him to correct himself.

Once he was standing she kept her hand on his arm. "You need to go to bed!" She said, perhaps a bit sharper then she needed too. "Come, and let me hep you, before you fall in the hall." Maybe the threat of embarrassment would make him agree with her. She knew that being firm with a knight wasn't allowed but his stubbornness was making this harder on himself!

[Arthur Pendragon]

Tag: Guinevère
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Arthur was relieved that Guinevère had braced his fall -- and that he had not fallen on top of her. He staggered a bit, trying to regain his footing and blinked rapidly, in attempt to regain his orientation. She told him that he needed to go to bed, and while he silently protested, he lacked the strength to physically protest. Besides, she had a point. If he fell in the hall, that would only draw more attention to his wound.

"I would be grateful for your aid in getting me to my chamber," he told her. That didn't mean he was going to rest! He couldn't afford to rest. Not while the kingdom was in such danger. But never the less, his feet began to move towards the direction of his room, realizing he was relying on Guinevère who held his arm for that support. "The king does not know," he admitted to her. And if he did not tell the king, it meant he did not tell anyone. So only Gaius and Guinevère were aware of the magnitude of his injury. "He will be expecting me," Arthur added on.

[Guinevère]

He agreed! She would have taken that moment to celebrate but instead she was trying to help him move down the hall. She had one arm around him and the other held on to the wall to help her keep them steady. It wasn't that she was weak, but between the muscled man, and chainmail, and everything else he wore it was a lot to help hold up. Thankfully his chambers were not very far. If they had to take steps she wouldn't be sure they'd make it!

She softed a little when he admitted the king didn't know, and would be expecting him. "I fear the king will be disappointed." She told him softly, knowing that he wouldn't like that but he needed to accept it. "If you cannot stand, you cannot fight. Rest now, and live to fight another day, and that will please the king." Once they were at his door, sh reached forward to open it. She had never been in a man's room before. Knights had male servants to do such things, and she didn't know where his was.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Tag: Guinevère
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With Guinevère's support, Arthur was able to move towards his chambers without another threat of falling over. "We both know what can happen when the king is disappointed," he told her. Uther was not known as a patient man and this was something Arthur knew all too well. Live to fight another day. These could be his last moments in this world and he did not wish to spend them confined to a bed. He would rather go down in a fight. Do something honorable. Not cower in his chambers. "And yet, another day may not come." For him, or the citizens of Camelot if this dragon was not stopped.

Once they reached the door he pushed it open, motioning with his head to the chair that was at his table. He was not going to get into the bed, out of fear that he would not get out of it. "May I ask one more thing of you?" He questioned. Though she was a servant, and it was expected . . . he also was not oblivious to the fact that she was currently in his chambers and, it was not exactly a common thing for a female servant to wait on a knight. "To help me out of my chainmail." Because he would most probably have to rebandage the wound and she had done a rather good job the first time she had helped him out of it. Besides, he didn't want his servant to know of his current state. He didn't want anyone to know of it.

[Guinevère]

She helped he to the chair, and he asked for more help. "Yes, of course, anything." She said as her hands went to begin unbuckling the back of his shoulder protection. She pulled it off, and set it on his table before quickly moving to undo his chainmail. She would need his help to get it off. "The king seems to fave you, my lord, do you really think he would be un-understanding?" She asked, not using the words to mock him. She wanted him to live.

She pulled his chainmail off with his help, before moving to untie his padded jacket. Guinevère hands worked quickly, more so then last night as she wanted to see what damage was done to his shoulder after carrying this heavy stuff on it all day. She pulled it off his good arm, before helping him gentle slide it off his injured side. "I will spare your shirt, my lord," She teased, reaching for the bottom, and tugging up. Guinevère tired not to think about how she was undressing a man in his chambers where she wasn't supposed to be--and instead tried to think about how she needed to make sure he was alright. Once it was off, she tossed it to the pile on the table and froze, her hand lifting to her face. The bandage was almost red and purple from the blood and poison oozing out. "Gaius has seen this?"

[Arthur Pendragon]

Tag: Guinevère
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Arthur was grateful for Guinevère's efficiency and skill when it came to removing the armor, chainmail and jacket. She did is far more effectively than any other certain and . . . well, just made it a pity she could not do it more often for him. "I would not care to risk to find out," he answered her honestly. "As I hope to remain in his favor." He had served the Pendragon family for the entirety of his life. He wasn't going to do anything to jeaprodize that. He could only serve the people best if he was in a position to do so. She managed to make him smile with the tease, the pain not too great due to the rapid pace in which she helped him.

"Why thank you," he said in a teasing tone back. "This one is actually one of my favorites." Another joke, anything to help lighten the mood. Though it was fairly short lived once she saw the wound. He didn't need to look at it himself; he could see it on her face. The severity of it. So instead, he just slowly nodded. "He told me it would worsen." And recommended he rest. Gaius had assured him he was working on another remedy since the first he had given him wasn't working apparently. Arthur swallowed, attempting to sit up and reach over for the wash cloth that was set on his table. "Thank you Guinevère," he said, this time less as a tease and more sincere. He knew this had to be at least a bit awkward for her, so appreciated her aid.

[Guinevère]

]

"It's my fault you are hurt, you do not need to thank me." She whispered to him, still reeling from his injury. "I should change the bandage." Looking around she knew she needed to get some. "Do not move!" She told asked him before hurrying out to run down the hall and get some bandages from the infirmary, and hurry back. She noticed the other knights were talking bout battle plans, and ways to survive the night--more then kill the beast. When would this end?

Entering back in she hurried over to him. Reaching to unwrap his bandage, she slowly pulled it from his chest. Using the cloth she begn to clean it, so the next bandage would far better. "Worsen? You're skin is turning colors." She told him, "You need to rest until Gaius can give you something stronger, whatever he has given you is not working! You're skin is burning, here!" She wondered if it was because it was magic? The dragon did this, so nothing not-magic could cure it. Yet if there was such a way, Gaius would find it!

[Arthur Pendragon]

Tag: Guinevère
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No. It wasn't her fault. There was only one source to blame. "This is the dragon's doing," he told her. It was his duty to protect the people of Camelot and he was the one who was failing them with each life claimed by it's wrath. She told him she had to change the bandage, and Arthur looked at her. She was not going to leave? She was not going to send for another? He was unsure why but it gave him . . . comfort. To know she was not going to leave his side. That she would not leave him to clean it himself. Odd. Yet he was of no mind to question it. He just weakly nodded and closed his eyes, hearing her footsteps hurry out of this chambers.

It felt as if only a moment had passed when she returned, realizing he must have dozed off and when he opened his eyes to see her, his lids felt heavier than ever. It was growing increasingly difficult to stay awake. Or stay conscious. "It's, burning from the inside as well," he said almost absent mindedly, not even sure why he was saying that. The last thing he wanted to do was to worry her further, but he was starting to become more delirious than he liked. Shaking his head a little he tried to snap back into the present. "Please, just rebandage it. I have to get back out there, Guinevère." Even though sitting felt so damn good right now. "Just, do what you can." So that it would hold for the next little while.

[Guinevère]

Guinevère used the water to not just wash him, but to help cool him. Resting the cloth that had fresh cool water on it, over the burning part of his skin. Reaching up she almost touched his face to see if he was hot, but then lowered it. It wasn't her place to touch him so. Guinevère wasn't sure why she felt such ease with him right now. Maybe it was because he was injured, and not fully in command of his body. THAT Arthur was scary sometimes. He could do things with a sword that she had never see anyone else be able to do. Not event the king!

"You cannot!" She said, looking up at him! WHY was he so instant! He was going to die! "If anyone stands a chance at killing the dragon, they say it would be you! If you go out there now, when you can not even stand on your own, then you will die! Then were will the others be? Is your pride really worth dieing for?" She asked him, not sure what was her tone but she knew it wasn't the tone servants used with knights. She knew he could have her fired right now for this. Blinking she looked down at his wound. "I apologize for speaking to you like that, my lord, it wont happen again."

[Arthur Pendragon]

Tag: Guinevère
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The blunt honestly in which she spoke to him in, had Arthur staring at the servant woman before him. It suddenly felt as if ranks ceased to exist with the tone she used. And, the way he received it. For he was not thinking of how a servant should not talk to a knight in such a way. Instead, he was taking in her words. Listening to them. Truly listening. The silence that lingered was followed by an apology. Arthur wondered if she should tell her she need not apologize. He wanted to, for whatever strange reason . . . he wanted to tell her not to be sorry. Focusing on the cool sensation of the cloth, he tried to find the right words to say. He leaned his head back against the chair.

"This is the second time I've seen you display such courage," he said, almost as a praise. The first time being when she had been out in the square to retrieve water. The second, speaking with such blatant honesty to someone of a higher rank. "But in either scenario, it is not within me to stand idly by." Just as he couldn't watch her get attacked by the dragon, he could not remain here and do nothing to help others. He looked at her once more, a softness in his expression, perhaps from the lowered guard of his current condition. Or, perhaps because it was the person he was starting to see in front of him. "I would rather die fighting, than meet my end behind closed doors." Because, this poison could still kill him. And he didn't want to wait to find out.

[Guinevère]

His words were not ones of anger, but ones of respect. She blinked and stared up at him for a moment. He even explained that he rather die fighting with a purpose, than doing nothing in his bed. "Why do you have to die at all?" She asked softly, trying to encourage him to stay alive. To not go out there, and to stay and have a chance to live.

This time her hand came up to rest on his hand, and she spoke while looking into his face--another thing a servant should not do. She should not touch him, should not be here, should not speak to him so. Yet if her boldness saved his life, then she would do it. "Why can you not trust Giaus to find a cure, and that you can go on fighting another day?" Her voice was calm, but worried for him. He was the favored son of Camelot. They could only love him more if he was a prince rather then a knight. "If you go out there now, like this, burning with a fever then it will be the last thing you do." She knew it in her heart.