[Locked to KA Muses] Cleaning Up In Lancelot's Room

[loved_by_two]

Somehow, Guinevere and Lancelot made it to his rooms. She sat him down on his bed and went to close his door, but not before sending for warm water and clean cloths. She leaned heavily against the door for a moment as her mind tried to race through the fog of pain that was threatening to consume her.

A Rider.

They had to send a rider to Arthur and the others. They needed to know what had happened. She and Lancelot...they needed to have him close by, just so they could make sure that he was unharmed. There was no way to know how many ambushes had been set up.

No, Arthur needed to come back so that they could take inventory of what was happening around them. She had to have both of them near her so she could see that they were alive. God, Arthur had to be alive. Please, do not let another ambush have been set up for Arthur.

She swallowed past the taste of blood in her mouth and moved back to Lancelot's side. This fight had taken a lot out of both of them. While part of her spirit had sung the bloodsong of her people once again, the other part of her had known that it was an encounter that niether she, nor Lancelot, were in prime fighting condition to deal with it.

She moved to Lancelot's side and silently began unfastening straps and undoing buckles to help him get out of his armour. As she helped divest him of his armour, she did her best to hide the sight of his back plate from him. It was smeared quite liberally with her blood and she did not want him to see it and become worried about her condition.

"Guinevere."

"In a moment," she said softly, taking off the rest of his armour.

"You're bleeding."

"As are you," she responded gently as she removed his gauntlets and frowned at the arrow wound and at the wounds on his shoulder and his upper arm.

Tears filled her eyes as she took in the hidden wounds he had sustained. She went to the door and opened it to allow the warm water to be brought into Lancelot's room. She had yet to meet her beloved's eyes with her own as she began to cut his shirt away.

After she stared at his chest and stomach for a long moment, she looked into his pain-filled eyes.

"We could have lost you," she whispered in a hoarse voice as she began to clean the blood off of his skin. Her touch was featherlight, but she knew that she was causing him pain, even if he didn't say so.

She kneeled on the floor at his side as her own strength started to give way. She looked him over as she continued to clean him up so Merlin would have an easier time attending to his wounds.

"Merlin will be here soon," she swallowed past the pain. "I will send a rider to Arthur to alert him and to call him back."

She tried not to lift her head because it tore at her throat and the pain from that was blinding. It made her want to just close her eyes and float away. She knew that Lancelot had heard what the Saxon had said on the battlefield. She knew it had caused him a moment of distraction where he was probably wounded again. She knew he had seen the wound at her throat and she couldn't read his eyes right now. If she could keep him focused more on his wounds and not hers, then he wouldn't be able to find out about any of the ones she was hiding from him.

She could do this. She could maintain self-control until her father got here. Then, she could slip away while all attention was on her beloved and deal with her own wounds and pain.

"Soon, love," she promised. "Soon."

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" But I was not lost." Lancelot answered softly as he watched Guinevere. He knew she was hurt and he briefly thought about refusing her help until she had her own wounds looked at but he didn't think she would appreciate that.

She thought she had hidden her pain well, which for anyone else would have been the case but not with Lancelot. He knew her almost as well as he knew himself. He knew she moved awkwardly because she was hurting badly.

His eyes remained fixed on the wound around her neck and again, thoughts of 'Any deeper and she would have been dead' went through his mind and they gave him a headache.

He drew away from her hand and ignored the pain that flared in his chest." Merlin will attend to you first before he even touches my wounds. You are too important to lose to wounds inflicted by those Saxon bastards."

His words were fierce, spoken with passion but they took more out of him than he could ever say. His chest throbbed painfully and the loss of blood had caused a chill to run through him and his limbs had begun to shake. His complexion was pale and a thin sheen of sweet had overcome his brow which gave him an appearance of a sick man.

" You may have fooled Galahad but you haven't fooled me, Guinevere." Lancelot remarked with a smirk, his dark eyes were filled with pain and appeared to be glazed over. He was two steps away from simply keeling over and giving into the darkness that appeared on the edges of his peripheral vision. He knew there was much to be done; Arthur had to know that the Saxons were coming and he needed to be kept safe.

Who knew how many Saxons were hidden? How many more would come?

He could barely feel his body anymore; it was like his mind was disconnected from his body. Nausea was threatening because he could feel his chest aching and his mouth was flooded with a salty taste but Lancelot swallowed it back and forced himself to focus on Guinevere.

[loved_by_two]

Guinevere was silent for a long moment as she tried to force words to sound.

"I feel...as strongly about you...Lancelot," she said in halting tones. "I know my father. He will bring more than just him. He knows of our stubborness towards each other." She swallowed, tasting blood and salt. The wounds she had received were more serious than she wanted him to know.

"Galahad needed to be reassured of my condition, love," she said in calm tones. It hurt to talk. "For all of his respect for what I am...there are times...that I am still a female in his eyes." She reached for him, needing to maintain contact. "You...you know me as well as I know myself."

She forced herself to her feet at the knock on the door. It should be one of the younger knights she had summoned. She moved very slowly, forcing one foot in front of the other. She pulled the door open, and then stood straight as she faced the young knight.

"Arthur. Go find the King. Let him know there was an ambush. Tell him three were injured, but will live." She took a deep breath, fighting back the dizziness. "Saxons. We don't know how many more ambushes have been set up. He is needed back home...but to be careful." She sighed softly. "Make haste."

The young knight looked from her to Lancelot and then nodded. "Yes, Lady."

After she closed the door to Lancelot's room, she leaned against the door for a very long time. "You are also too valued to be lost to those same Saxons, my love," she whispered from the door.

She moved back to where she could sit on the floor at his side. The bed...she was positive that if she tried to sit on the bed she would fall. "They re-opened your wound," she said as she looked at him.

She got to her knees and looked up at him. She touched each wound lightly, taking a count in her head. The bastard they had managed to lock up would pay for every wound that Lancelot had sustained.

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Lancelot dropped his gaze to his chest and sniffed." So it would seem." He kept his voice blank--void of emotion. It was the easiest way to be especially when it was about injuries. He had grown up expecting them.

He caught Guinevere's wrist and some emotion flashed in his eyes." Stop, your injuries need tending to and you need to save your strength." His fingers flexed around her wrist and his jaw clenched tightly for a moment.

Very slowly, he picked himself up and doubled over as a cough racked his form. The same cough that had been plaguing him for days. It always disturbed him when he put too much stress on his chest or stayed out in the cold for too long.

He eventually got his breath back and straightened his back. A hand rested over his wound and blood stained his hand bright red. His eyes found his armour and his head tipped to one side. All that blood was not his own and before Guinevere could object he crossed over to it and picked it up with his uninjured hand.

Lancelot turned his head and rested his gaze on Guinevere." It would seem both you and I share bad injuries."

((OOC : He seems uncomfortable with Guinevere caring for him whilst she's so hurt herself lol))

[loved_by_two]

Guinevere didn't like that he removed her hand from him or that he had walked away. Apparently the stubborn man still didn't realize it helped her get a grasp on things with herself if she was tending to someone she cared about.

"Cleaning the blood off of that body of yours helps me to save my strength. It keeps me focused on not moving," she said calmly.

Her eyes widened when he started coughing and she stood. "Please, my beloved, sit down until they get here. Merlin and the others will be here soon."

When he picked up his armor and examined it, Guinevere let out a sigh...one that tore at her, and then nodded. "Yes, we are both sharing in the bad injuries."

She got to her feet and moved to his side, glad she was still wearing her dark cloak. It hid everything but the throat wound. The wound that she kept seeing his eyes glance at, and harden. She couldn't read his eyes when he did that and she wanted to know what she was thinking.

She lay a hand on his arm. "Please, Lancelot, please sit with me and rest with me while we wait for the healers to come."


((OOC: And she's hurt that he won't just sit with her and let her clean him up. It keeps her calm. LOL.))

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Lancelot tossed his armor aside. Like it had done him any good. These Saxons and their armor piercing arrows. He had something of a vivid scowl on his face but it was eased away by the feel of Guinevere's hand on his arm.

He was a very stubborn man, obstinate and completely pig headed when he thought he was right. A lot of people had seen this side of him and whilst he had tried to keep it out of his relations with Guinevere and Arthur, it had a habit of creeping in like right now.

Lancelot was also angry for allowing himself to be ambushed and for bringing the others into that fight. If he had been more alert, there wouldn't have been a battle and neither Galahad nor Guinevere would be hurt. Most people thought Lancelot was without care but he simply portrayed that front whilst thinking deeply on most matters.

His hand was wiped across the material of his pants and blood was soon smeared across it. He glanced to the door and silently wondered how fast that rider was moving and if Arthur was safe. He was supposed to be Arthur's right hand man and yet he hadn't been at his side for what seemed like months. Anything could have happened to him.

He simply sat and hunched over as he resigned himself to this position. Words had evaded him. He was eloquent when he needed or wanted to be but he had no words now and words could only do more damage so he remained silent.

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Lancelot leaned back against the nearest wall and simply watched as Arthur dealt with Guinevere's wounds. His legs buckled and he took to sliding down the wall until he came to a neat little stop. His head tipped to one side as he glanced at the blood trail.

" If he doesn't get here soon, I'll go get him myself." A chuckle was given and the dark Sarmatian knight offered Arthur a smile. Being hurt was no excuse for a loss of humour. If you couldn't laugh, you might as well be dead.

He wrapped an arm around his waist in a protective manner and his other arm slid across it to keep his injured arm at a high angle. He was not unfamiliar with wounds or their treatment." Arthur? Throw me a cloth?" He asked as he swallowed hard.

Lancelot might as well finish cleaning off the blood. It was something productive to do and kept his mind off other things. Lancelot never showed worry outwardly, he internalised it until he felt comfortable enough to speak out. He did this frequently with Arthur, their arguments were almost legendary.

His chest cavity had began to throb and the old injury had flared up until Lancelot was barely able to breathe and his lips lost some of their colour. He wondered if it would ever fully heal or he would be stuck with it forever.

The Knight shrugged to himself, to the unspoken question and had little regard for how he might look.

[loved_by_two]

Guinevere peered at Arthur through a red haze. She was aware enough to hear what he said about wanting to keep them safe.

"Beloved, while I appreciate the sentiment, leaving us behind fortified walls does not gurantee that we will remain safe...or alive." She reached for him, needing to touch him to give herself an anchor.

She straightened herself up, wincing at the shade of gray that Arthur seemed to have turned. "We want you safe every bit as you want us safe. But distancing yourself does not make any of the three of us safer."

She turned her head to look to where Lancelot was against the wall and the blood trail. "There will always be the chance of someone getting hurt, beloved. We are warriors and this is a rough land." Her head fell forward against Arthur as the door swung open and Merlin stormed in with two other healers.



((OOC: Mands and I figured we could all NPC Merlin as we are lacking one currently.))

[artorius-rex.livejournal.com]

Arthur caught her easily, cradling her gently against him as his gaze snapped to the door.

"Finally!" He watched Merlin's eyes widen as he took in the sight of them, glance shifting from Guinevere to Lancelot and back again.

"If you're trying to judge who is more injured," Arthur began, watching Lancelot whilst still holding Guinevere, making sure they were both still with him. "There isn't much point. They're about as injured as each other. I suggest you pick one and get started - they've lost too much blood as it is."

He turned back to Guinevere and offered a small smile. "I know, love, but it doesn't mean that I can't try."

((ooc: okies, sure thing.))

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Lancelot's eyes cut to Guinevere as she collapsed against Arthur and as Merlin turned towards him. He stopped him in his tracks with one look alone and muttered." Attend to your daughter." Merlin looked like he was about to question the Knight but one more look put heed to that and he turned to walk to where Arthur and Guinevere were.

The other healers moved towards Lancelot who regarded them blankly. Bodies no longer had faces nor did they have voices. His head was spinning and a sudden cough sent his body into a spasm. He soon collapsed to the ground and attempted to gather air back into his lungs as the healers started to clean his body.

Nimble hands worked on sealing off the wounds that bled and then set to work on placing healing herbs onto them. A high fever had started to ravage Lancelot's body and they were acting as quickly as they could to stop it from spreading any further.

Words were muttered and Lancelot quirped." You could at least have the decency to talk english." He then laughed weakly as he rested his head against the ground and let them do whatever they wanted.

Unconsciousness would claim him soon, the darkness was already tunneling his vision away. And then he could only hope his body was strong enough to pull his eyes open again.

[loved_by_two]

From far away, Guinevere heard Arthur talking to someone and then heard Lancelot coughing. She wanted to open her eyes, to make sure both men were still with her, but it took too much energy. She was aware of being lifted up and carried, then laid down on something soft.

"Any deeper and she would have been lost to us," she heard her father say. She tried to speak but all that came out were noises that made no sense to her. "What happened to them? Lynia only said there had been an ambush."

"Saxons...twelve..." were the only words she caught from Arthur as darkness started seeping into her vision.

"No...don't...I don't..." she whispered trying to squeeze Arthur's hand. She didn't want to lose Arthur or Lancelot.

"Bargaining chip..." she managed to force out. "He thought to get Lancelot and Galahad to drop their weapons if he threatened me." Guinevere tried to take a deeper breath, but it hurt. "He thought wrong...I killed him..."

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The healers had tended to both Guinevere and Lancelot for hours. At points, the situation looked dire and the fear could be seen in everyone's eyes but then, one or other of the two would pull back and start fighting again which gave the healers hope. Merlin had spent his time working on Guinevere whilst the others had weaved their 'magic' over the prone form of Lancelot.

Blood stained their skin and sweat matted their hair to their skulls as they didn't pause in their efforts. Each person in that room knew how vital the two people were to Arthur and they did not want to fail their liege. Lancelot's chest wound had caused a great deal of unrest for no matter what the healers did, it would not close but they assured Arthur that their wraps and herbs would work to clean and heal the wound but it would take time.

Guinevere's throat wound had been taken care of, herbs had been induced into the cut to encourage healing and her other wounds had been wrapped and bound. Skilled hands had sewn wounds shut and knowledge of the human body had allowed the healers and Merlin to soothe the fevers that threatened both Lancelot and Guinevere.

At some point during the healing, Lancelot had regained consciousness and as the healers started to move him towards his bed. He had forcibly removed himself from their grip and had silently gestured towards Guinevere. Even in his weakened state, he was able to glare both men down and they had moved to Arthur's side to move Guinevere to Lancelot's bed. There she would be warm and comfortable and have a better time at healing and recovering consciousness.

A makeshift bed had been made for Lancelot and he had reluctantly let them lay him down. The Knight disliked being treated like a child but right now, he couldn't argue and he knew he needed rest. His body need to heal. He needed his strength because he would be in the room when that Saxon was questioned. If he could, he'd be the one helping to encourage the loosening of the Saxon's tongue. That thought brought a certain amount of glee to Lancelot and it helped to ease his troubled mind.

Eventually he slipped into unconsciousness again. The pain in his body was too much to bear and the loss of blood had caused a certain amount of lethargy in the Sarmatian Knight. His chest and rose and fell in a ragged way, breath didn't come easily, this was clear by the way he laboured for it. Skin had paled considerably and sweat glistened against his skin but eventually the healers left his side.

Merlin glanced towards Arthur and spoke," Now all we can do is wait." He bowed his head and glanced to his daughter." Take care of her; I have things I must attend to." He did not want to leave her side but Arthur would understand the responsibilities that a leader had to bear. With that said, Merlin and the healers left the room.

Several hours past until there was some sign that there was still life in Lancelot, he stirred slightly and groaned as he pulled his eyes open. His world was spinning and appeared to be in black and white but a few blinks cleared that and he was finally able to focus. One hand moved to brace against the cool stone floor and all of his weight was rested upon it and his body was pushed upwards.

The blanket that had been covering him fell away to his waist and that's when he realised he was without tunic and he could see the wounds he had suffered. His eyebrow quirked and he simply shook his head. He pulled his attention away from the most disturbing wound of them all, his chest wound. He couldn't bear to look at it.

" Arthur..." He spoke softly; the name was almost spoken wistfully. Almost as if Lancelot could not remember that Arthur was in the same room. He struggled for coherent thought. He didn't remember the healers moving Guinevere so his next words were laced with a certain amount of panic." Guinevere?! Where is she?!"

His head turned quickly and he regretted that move as a sharp pain raced up the side of his face and he was left breathless.

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Arthur had moved as soon as he'd seen Lancelot stir, and almost panicked as the wounds were revealed, the sight slowing his reaction and not managing to get to the makeshift bed before Lancelot could panic and hurt himself.

The hiss of pain finally made him tear his eyes away from the wounds - the chest wound in particular - and move to Lancelot's side.

"She's on your bed," he murmured as soothingly as he could, resting a hand on Lancelot's shoulder to stop him moving around anymore, almost ignoring the whisper of his name that had passed Lancelot's lips (but not being able to help the half-stutter his heart gave). "You told them to put her there yourself. Relax, it's okay; she's safe."

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Lancelot nodded his head and he let his body relax. Arthur's hand on his shoulder helped to steady him and the warmth it radiated seemed to help with the chill that had spread through him.

" I hadn't remembered..." He muttered with a faint smirk. Dark eyes glanced to Arthur." How long has it been?"

The world outside was darker so time had past. Lancelot needed to know, it would help to center him and help to bring him back to the present. His hand moved to rest against his chest and fingers dug into his pale skin slightly as the pain there seemed to be appeased by pressure.

[artorius-rex.livejournal.com]

"A long while," Arthur answered, not exactly sure - he hadn't really been focused on the hours that had passed and it all seemed to long to him. "Probably around five hours, maybe, since I got in. I have no idea how long you were here before then - but don't take my word on it...I wasn't exactly paying attention to time...."

He relaxed a little as he felt Lancelot do the same, eyes following Lancelot's hand to his chest. "How are you feeling?"

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"Like a herd of horses stampeded over me and then came back and did it over and over again." Lancelot answered easily with a hint of a smile.

He still couldn't breathe properly and his chest seemed to burn due to that. Lancelot glanced to Arthur and looked at him through one dark strand of hair." It's good to see you. I only wish it could have been under better circumstances."

The Knight forced himself into a sitting position.

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Lancelot couldn't help but notice Arthur's shuffling and narrowed his eyes.

" Is everything alright? You only do that.." His hand gestured towards Arthur and the shuffling."..when something is wrong."

He did not relinquish his gaze as he knew to do that, would be giving Arthur a perfect way to avoid his question.

[artorius-rex.livejournal.com]

"I...." Arthur hesitated, not sure how to answer - especially when Lancelot was watching him like that. "Yes - everything's fine." He smiled a little ruefully, knowing Lancelot would see right through it.

"There's just a lot on my mind."

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" You're an atrocious liar, Arthur. I do not know why you even attempt it." Lancelot remarked in a slightly chiding tone before it softened as he looked at the other." What is bothering you?"

[artorius-rex.livejournal.com]

Arthur laughed lightly, letting his hands have a depreciating smile. "I only lie badly when it's to you or Guinevere; the two of you read me like a bloody book - and an open one, at that," he defended himself, trying to figure out how to say what he didn't really want to say.

"It's been hard to remember...many things when I'm away," he said, not really ready to give in and tell all just yet. "And my mind supplies a lot of other things that I don't want to think about."

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" It is good to have you home. You've been gone for far too long." Lancelot answered easily before he gave Arthur a smile and tightened his grip before it loosened and his hands dropped away.

He didn't drop his gaze however," Just remember, home is where the heart is and yours will always be here so you will always have a home to return to. We will not abandon you, Arthur. None of us will."

" All of us could have left and gone our seperate ways. Many of us could have returned to our homeland but we chose not to because we care for you. You earnt our loyalty, our friendship and nothing will change that."

A vigorous shake of his head was given." Nothing."

[artorius-rex.livejournal.com]

"I will try and remember that," Arthur replied, letting his lips curl up into a small smile.

Return to their homeland...What right do I have to ask them to stay? What if, one day, they decide they want to go back? He frowned slightly, but shook his head, dispelling the thoughts; he didn't want to worry Lancelot with anymore brooding. Today's not that day.

"And I am glad for it. I couldn't manage without you here."

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Lancelot rested back against the wall and tugged his blanket around himself." I am sure you would manage. You are strong."

He then smirked to Arthur's earlier comments." If you ever reminding, I will be quite happy to knock it into you."

His tone held a teasing tone to it and his lips curled into a smile.

[artorius-rex.livejournal.com]

Arthur doesn't react to the teasing tone, at first, frowning slightly at Lancelot's first comment.

"If you think my strength would help me to manage, Lancelot," he started, meeting the other man's eyes straight on, "then you have no idea how much you mean to me, how much I need you here."

He smiles, finally laughing slightly at Lancelot's comment. "It seems like I've not been as clear about it as I should have been, so I'll make it clear now: you are my strength, Lancelot - you and Guinevere. It seems like I'm not the only one that needs reminding of these kinds of things."

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Lancelot chuckled softly before he simply shut his eyes as Arthur kissed his forehead. Amazing how such a simple action could cause such a dramatic change in the other. He had to smirk to that. He pulled his eyes open." Do you think she's alright? She's been asleep a long time."

[artorius-rex.livejournal.com]

"Her breathing's evened out a lot," Arthur replied, glancing at Guinevere and watching her closely. "She doesn't have a fever - and she looks better than you did before you woke up," he admitted softly and then smiled sheepishly.

"I didn't have much to do but sit and worry whilst you two rested - so I sat and watched the change. But you're right, she should, hopefully, wake up soon."