Title: Kingsword
Creator: prydwen_magic
Type of Submission: fic
Prompt: C-19. Gwen sees Excalibur for the first time.
Rating: PG
Warnings: none
Summary: When Arthur returns from a hunting trip with a new sword, Gwen instantly recognizes it, and thinks back on the day it was forged.

Author's Notes: Originally written for Gwen Battle: Summer 2010 at the LJ community thefuturequeen. Title is from the song "Kingsword" by Heather Dale.

Queen Guinevere could only stare in shock as her husband burst into their chambers, blue eyes gleaming with excitement, golden hair bouncing, and arms waving to emphasize his enthusiasm. She would have found this amusing – had he not been holding a sword. She jumped backwards, retreating to safety as he continued to gesture with the weapon. While Arthur was rambling away, Gwen, now out of the danger zone, took a look at the sword he was wielding with such pride. She gasped. Her father's sword.

"Arthur." She said, interrupting the speech she had heard nothing of, "Where did you get that?"

He stopped talking and glanced from her, to the sword, and back. "That's what I've been trying to tell you! Weren't you listening?" He sounded a tad exasperated, but not angry.

"No, sorry. Tell me again." She smiled weakly, trying to stay calm, not revealing the way her heart was pounding in her chest, like the strong beat of a war drum.

Arthur grinned, and she could tell he was pleased to retell the story, Gwen had a feeling this particular tale would be told many times over the Round Table in weeks to come. His eyes were alight with exhilaration as he began again, talking slower this time, but with – if possible – more enthusiasm.

He told her a wondrous tale, of how, whilst out hunting with Merlin (Gwen knew that their "hunting" was really just an excuse for them to act like young boys again, without the pressures of court and a kingdom), they had come to a lake. Merlin had then used his magic to summon a woman from the water – at Guinevere's raised eyebrows Arthur had just nodded in understanding and continued. After several minutes of Merlin talking to, and apparently flirting with, the mystical woman, they finally turned to Arthur.

"I swear the fool forgot I was there…"

"Arthur! Continue."

"Okay." He grinned sheepishly, "Her name is Freya – she was a druid girl who was cursed to turn into a monster… I killed her." At this his grin disappeared, and despite her eagerness to know more of the sword, Gwen placed her hand on his arm comfortingly, sensing his guilt.

"She says she doesn't blame me, that I freed her from her curse. Now due to some magic – that I'm sure Merlin had something to do with – she is The Lady of the Lake. And she gave me this." He lifted the sword, which glowed golden in the sunlight, the intricate writing along the blade shining brightly.

"Take me up, cast me away." Guinevere spoke softly, with reverence, remembering the day her father carved those words.

Arthur went on to repeat Merlin's explanation of how the sword had come to rest in the lake, and why it was so special.

"Burnished in the dragon's breath." He paused for a moment, meeting her eyes, "He also mentioned… that you gave him the sword, that your father forged it. You recognise it, don't you?" He spoke softly now, his boyish enthusiasm replaced by a tenderness that still made Gwen shiver delightfully. He knew that her father was still a difficult subject.

"Yes."

"Tell me." Arthur said simply.

Gwen raised her hand to rest alongside his on the hilt. The sword had changed, it glowed more brightly than any sword she had ever seen, and seemed even more splendid – yet it was the same. The writing was familiar, the shape, the sturdiness, the patterns on the hilt, and the love with which it was crafted. Gwen felt tears come to her eyes as she recounted to her husband the day Tom had shown her the sword for the first time.

She had been twelve, and awestruck. Her father claimed proudly that it was the best sword he had ever made, and she believed him. She believed it was the best sword anyone had ever made. As a blacksmiths daughter, Gwen knew her way around a sword, and had seen many styles from visitors across the land – the King often had visitors, and the visitors often had swords in need of repair – but she had never seen a sword such as this. She even gave it a name, with her father's permission, Excalibur.

Excalibur was laid in pride of place on the table of their small home for the next week, until a young Guinevere asked shyly who Tom would sell the special sword to, knowing, even at her young age, that it would fetch a handsome price. Tom's answer had been simple, "No one my daughter. This sword will be my wedding present to your future husband. That way it will always protect you."

Arthur smiled at the irony, and Gwen returned the grin despite the tears gathering in her eyes. Arthur gently rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, both of them still clutching the sword.

"Yet you gave it Merlin?" His voice was curious, and with a touch of jealousy he added suddenly, "You didn't think he'd be your husband did you?"

She giggled, "No, I did have a bit of a crush on him… " she ignored Arthur's horrified expression "… but I gave it him because he told me it was for you." She paused for a moment, looking deep into his eyes, "Of course, I didn't expect you to be my husband either – but I knew you would be King, so I thought you should have the sword which my father wanted to protect me – as that is a good King's job, to protect his people."

He smiled, teasing, "How did you know I would be a good King? Because you saw the man I am inside?"

Laughing embarrassedly she made to push him slightly, but he simply pulled her into a firm hug. He gently reached behind them, dropping the sword onto their bed so he could hold her properly.

"Do you think he would have wanted me to have the sword? Your Father?"

"He would have wanted it to be owned by the man I love. So yes, I do."

He smiled into her hair, "I love you too, and you know – with or without the sword – I will always protect you."

"I know." And somehow, she did. Each time Arthur came back from battle, safe and successful, Gwen would glance towards Excalibur - and each time she did, a thrill went through her. There was something spectacular in the notion that this sword, forged with such love by her father, kept safe beneath her bed for so many years, was now protecting the man who guarded her heart. It made Gwen think, with a rush of love and pride, that perhaps, there was such a thing, as destiny.

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