Hey,
uncouthwriter here. Just doing my daily rounds. So y'all really not gonna step off of my boy Arthur's neck huh?

Let me just grab my purse really quick and leave cause I HATE IT HERE!

On we go....

———-

King Arthur

The next day.

I see Oshun among the shade of the castle garden plucking flowers from the small shrubbery.

I leaned into the frame of my window and watched her from the distance.

How beautiful she was....

I knew her anger still grew for me after our discussion yesterday afternoon. Although she was a beauty, she was defiant and headstrong. I would dwindle it out of her soon.

She sniffed in the scent of a red rose and sat down at the edge of the fountain, dipping a gentle finger in the waters.

Just as she stared into her reflection, Lancelot came behind her, placing a red flower in her ivory hair.
They whispered in conversation, looking warmly into each other's eyes.

I could tell she favored him greatly.

"Guards" I call out. They enter into my room and bow. "Fetch Lancelot and tell him he is needed in the west wing of the castle."

"Yes my Lord" they recite and hastened to obey. A few minutes pass before the guards came through the shade of the garden and interrupted them. Lancelot nodded but still remained fixed in his spot.

Was he so bold to ignore a direct demand from the king?

I stormed through the bustling hallways of the castle, pushing through the servants as they moved and prepped for the day.

How dare he lengthen his time with Oshun? I could see the chase that rested in his eyes and decided right then I would separate them.

They were inches apart, whispering softly into each other's ears before Lancelot saw me again.

"Arthur" Lancelot gasped, quickly bowing to show his respect.

"Your majesty" she follows, curtsying to show her respect.

"I needed you in the west wing almost an hour ago?" I lied.

"I apologize your majesty. Being in the presence of a goddess, I simply lost track of time." he smiles, exchanging a glance with Oshun. She giggled softly and looked to the flower in her basket.

I made sure to focus my gaze on Lancelot, signaling him to depart. He nodded, understanding the weight of my silence and started his descent. "I will see you later Lady Oshun" he whispered, kissing her palm and turned to start his departure.

She was fearful once she saw she would be alone with only me quickly followed behind him.

"I need to speak with you Lady Oshun" I called after her. She stops, frozen in her place and drops her head to the floor.

"Your majesty" she finally turns to face me, wondering the reason for our meeting. I sit beside her, watching her as she played in the waters.

She was dressed in the finest silk of the lands, constricted beyond compare. Although she still looked pleasing, l could tell it was not her. Her white hair that once hung wild was brushed and packed into a neat bun. I knew she hated not being able to wear her crystal crown and jewels but it was a matter of tradition.

No matter, she still looked radiant.

"I can tell something bothers you." I begin.

"Nothing bothers me my king..." she lied, standing to pick her basket to leave. I pull her into my reach and turn her to face me.

"To play me for a fool is pointless."

She sighed and looked me into my eyes, gently meeting my gaze. Just before she spoke, her eyes dropped down to the wound on my palm. "What happened?" she asked. Her tone was not of concern but curiousness. It was if she expected it.

"Spat. Lancelot and I were practicing yesterday and I struck myself with Excalibur." She pouted as she unwrapped the gauze and started healing it with the water from the fountain.

"I had the healers patch it up as best as they could." I confess, carefully watching her work.

"Why would you not come to me?"

"Why would I?" I challenged her. She knew the position we were in. She held her calming palm against my skin as she worked.

I tried to focus but she was still so beautiful in the midday light. The soft tendrils of the sun glistened against her skin, accentuating her smooth flesh.

"So because of my anger for you, you thought not to come to me?" she smirked, looking up into my eyes.

"Was I wrong to assume this?" I muttered, looking into her eyes.

"And yet, I am still here? Healing your strength" she teased, running more water against the wound.

"And for what reason do you hate me? For what have I done?"

"You treat me with no respect." she says through a frown. I moved to grab her jaw and force her to face me. "Have I not taken you in? Dressed you in the finest clothing? Fed you? Gave you a title in high court? What more could I give you?"

"Your respect Arthur... I want your respect!" she screamed, standing to tower over where I sat.

"....I give it to you Oshun"

"You do not!" she fumed, still staring at me from a distance. Her anger was lethal.
"You don't treat me the same as Gawain or Lancelot, Why?" she attacked.

"Because..." I was hesitant to admit.

"Because what?" she answers again, challenging my words as I chose to remain mute.

"Because you've been inside me?" she whispered, gently forcing a smile on her face. "Because I wet your rod?" She tilted her head to face me.

"Oshun..." I began to explain.

"I only needed to restore my strength...but you do not see it as that" she defended her actions.

I was slapped by her words but couldn't deny their truth. "So what must I do? I cannot have you....angered at me, moving around the castle with hate in your heart?" I ask her; I couldn't stand to see her in this state.

"Treat me as an equal Arthur. I want you to look at me as you would Lancelot or Gwain or any other knight in your royal court" she requested.

Oshun

He pondered my words, staring into the bushes as he realized my request. "Fine... I will do just as you wish" he said. I lifted my eyes up excitedly and stared into his eyes.

"Thank you" I nodded, passing him a small flower from my basket. It was my way of signifying our peace. He smirked and twisted the flower between his thumbs, looking up to face me.

He pulled me into his lap and pushed a strand of my wild hair behind my ear, placing the flower behind my ear. "Beautiful" he sighed, pulling me atop him as we fell to the surface of the fountain. His kiss was warm and passionate., sending chills into my spine. He clutched my waist tight, pulling me deeper into his core as he bit the bottom of my lip. A few moments passed before I separated from him, gently meeting his gaze. We stared at each other in warm regards, trying to decipher the meaning of our actions.

"Would you kiss Lancelot or Gawain as you just did me?" I muttered, smiling against his ear.

"Maybe....but only if they looked as beautiful as you" he bragged, kissing the bottom of my plump lips with lust.

(I'll beat y'all too it)

I giggled at his jest and looked into his eyes as he did mine. "Come" he demanded, helping me up from the fountain surface.

"To where?" I asked, curious to see where we were headed.

"I need you at the meeting I will be holding with our combat force. I am making a proclamation concerning the knights that will represent Camelot. "

I nodded warmly and we walked side by side into the castle, conversing of the future of Camelot .

——-

"What will we do about the lack of men Arthur?" Gawain asks, rolling up the scroll that unraveled on the round table.

Lancelot, Gawain and I sat in either said if Arthur, looking to him as he contemplated a plan to attack. Two other knights sat at the empty chairs, marking the maps that showed the kingdom of Alessi. They were the head of combat and war in Camelot.

"We still need a strong force of men. The Saxons are growing in numbers." Lancelot reminds him.

"And we in strength" Arthur reminded them, looking boldly at each men then to me.

"Going from town to town is too draining. We travel for miles and then what?" Gawain scoffed.

"So it seems as the problem lies in numbers?" I speak, carefully meeting his eyes.

"Yes...just as you've said" Lancelot nodded in agreement.

"Put into the papers an announcement; proclaim that a tournament will be held to find the greatest knights of Alessi." I tell the men, "Every elible juvenile in the kingdom will gather until we find a worthy number of men to make up your knights" I proclaim.

He exchanged a glance with the men and nodded warmly. "I told you she would be more useful than Merlin" Arthur smiled standing up to face the men at the other end of the round table.

"But their must be a cap." Lancelot announced. He nodded, agreeing with him, and sat back in his chair to ponder a solution.

"Only the first 100 men who arrive for the tournament can be seen. The rest must be turned away."

Gwain,Lancelot, and I nodded in agreement and looked it at the combat leaders to make it so.

Arthur

We had done a lot today, conversing of the future of Camelot. She watched us as we joked as men; not understand but finding comfort in our voices.

"And then with one mighty pull, he pulled the sword called Excalibur and held it up in the air"

She rested her chin in her palm, admiring the story of how I became king through the eyes of Lancelot.

"Arthur! Why haven't you told me this story? It seems so surreal" she admired, looking gently into my eyes. I shrugged and smiled, happy she had been so interested in the tale.

We continued well into the night, laughing and reminiscing on good times. It was a wonderful way to end the night. The two knights of court excused themselves and soon Lancelot and Gawain bid their farewells. "Rest easy men." I assure them.

Oshun closes a book and stood to depart as well. "You men talk more than Bertha and Mary" she teases. I smirked at her jest and held her neck with regard, gently stopping her departure.

"Goodnight Arthur" she nodded, looking carefully into my eyes. I could tell she wanted more but I remembered her words from earlier. I knew I had to show her my respect. She attempted to turn away but I held her in my grip.

"You must let me go my king." She smirked. I couldn't help it and pulled her into my mouth, her voice hitched but she returned my kiss. She scrunched the front of my robes, pulling me in closer until a knock came at the door.

Hesitant I was to break, but I finally did and sighed. She smiled warmly, kissing my chest once more before I separated. "Come in" I demand, kissing the top of her forehead once more.

A page boy ran in and bowed at our feet. "Your majesty, there is a visitor."

"Who has come so late in the night?"

"A young lady with a golden coin with the insignia of Camelot! She says you gave it to her a couple of months ago" he said.

Oshun

My ears perk up, interested in the developing news.

"A young female?" I ask, looking to face his eyes but Arthur only stared into the distance, hesitant to meet my gaze.

"Elaine" he whispered.

"Elaine? Who is Elaine?" I frowned, angered at the reminiscent tone in his voice.

"Bring her in." he demanded, biting down his jaw as he stared forward, making sure he ignored my question.

I couldn't help but fume as I heard the title.
Elaine? Who was this Elaine girl and why did his heart quicken at the mention of her name?

I knew he was a philanderer ...it didn't take a blind man to see it. He and Shango favored each other when it came to that aspect, but just how many girls had he met before me?

The girl was escorted through the castle and into the private study where we stood.

"Arthur!" she smiled, jumping warmly into his arms. I could tell it was not their first meeting. He pulled her into his arms and smiled, kissing her cheek in warmth.

It wasn't a kiss of love but appreciation.

"So you finally found your way here to Camelot?" he teases her.

"I left the day my father sold me. I still cannot believe you are a king!" she gasped, relieved that the odds were in her favor. He looks into her eyes than back to me. "Oshun, I would like you to meet... Elaine. She aided me when I ran away that one time."

"Nice to meet you Lady Oshun" she smiled impatiently. I couldn't help but glare at her stature. She was a small woman with a frame to match. Her head looked to big for her body but I guess if you didn't look to long, she was pleasing to the eye.

"Elaine this is Lady Oshun. She is my new mentor and advisor. She took the place of Merlin." He introduced me. I did not care to know her nor did she and it was obvious.

"She looks... so bizarre" she gasped, nervously taking in my features. Her eyes didn't know where to land as she watched me carefully.

"I look so bizarre that the king just had to appoint me to a high ranking official?" I suggested sarcastically.

Her pale skin turned red and blotchy. "Why is your skin so red?" I asked to the gentle smile of Arthur. I had never seen anything like it. These oyinbos were so different.

Arthur

"Well Arthur, I am sure you and Laney have much to discuss?" she suggested, moving to depart.

"Elaine" she corrected her.

"Oh bother! it all sounds the same" she smiled charmingly, gathering her dress to walk out.

"Oshun wait" I pull her into my reach, grabbing her jaw with care. She looked up at me then to Elaine as she waited in the corner. How badly I wanted to explain that Elaine she was nothing more than a friend.

"She is waiting for you my king" she scoffed turning, to separate herself from me. I hesitate but eventually let her go.

"Good night" she whispered,closing the door behind her. I turn to Elaine as she walked and the round table, running a hand against its surface.

"It is late. I will assure you find a room to spend the night" I say. She nodded and walked over to me, wrapping her hand around my arm as I showed her to her room.