I did not care for Guinevere nor the son she failed to tell me of.

All I cared for was Oshun...my Oshun.

I stop running and see her in my basin, scrubbing herself clean of the blood. She looked at me with tears in her eyes, scrubbing violently until I bent in, wading over to stop her.

"Oshun..."

She ignored me, scratching her flesh, almost making her skin bleed.

"There is. And blood! Everywhere!
The blood Arthur!" she murmured like a mad man.

"Oshun! Oshun...STOP!!" I hold her hands, intertwining them with mine. She looked down to the waters then at my hands that were engulfed around hers.

"Oshun look at me? Look at me" I cursed, pulling her arms into my reach. She finally looked into my eyes and instantly broke, sobbing against my chest. I pulled her out of the waters and into my arms, helping her up the steps of the bathtub.

It was only a few seconds before she fell to the floor screaming and wailing. I guess Guinevere's words had really gotten to her.
I didn't understand any other reason for her outburst. 👀

I carried her gently and pushed her into bed. Kissing her tears away as she cried out her sorrows. Hours passed before she finally calmed herself and fell asleep in my arms.

I ran a finger against her cheek, wiping the last of her tears away from her jaw. She flinched in fear but I pulled her into my arms, kissing her lips to comfort her.

I thought of Guinevere and the baby she had lost...our baby. To say I was relieved was a sin in itself, but I knew I was not ready to be a father, not now.

——

I didn't wish to leave Oshun but I needed to find out what had occurred in regards to Guinevere. I let Oshun rest and stand to start the day but froze as my vision caught sight of her back. I saw a series of scratches and and bruises that lined her body. It had never dawned on me to stare at her spine for we had been making love every day. I couldn't remember the last time her energy dwindled.

But still, they were never there before?

Who could have done this?
I pressed my palm down her back, gently running my fingers across it to asses their freshness.
More bruises with markings of whips and scratches filled her spine.

Instantly, I knew it was Guinevere.
But why wouldn't Oshun tell me?

———

The servants had just started cleaning up the blood, wiping away the stains as I entered into Guinevere's quarters. A priest had come to wrap the baby and send its final blessings for a safe journey to heaven.

"And we bless this babe Oh Lord. May he ever be in eternal peace. Amen" the priest prayed, making the sign of the cross before departing, leaving Guinevere and I alone.

Guinevere watched the lifeless mound silently, resting her head against the baby as the priest left.

"How long did you know" was all I asked. She ignored me until I grabbed her jaw, forcing her to address me.

"Since the wedding" she said, "I was off my menses the first night of our honeymoon."

I held my hands to my face and sunk to the bed, shaking my head in denial. "I made sure to never release inside you"

"Are you sure you didn't confuse me with Lady Oshun? You've done it before." she seethed, challenging my emotions. I looked up to face her, glaring at her with disgust. I couldn't believe this was the woman I had fallen in love with.

"Looks like your excitement got the best of you my king" she smiled, pulling the baby into her arms.

"Why?
Why would you keep this hidden from me?"

"Don't act valiant now my king! You know you did not want this baby and you are thankful it is gone."

I was silent... for it was the truth.

"Here I was... alone, bleeding, and scared and you spent the night warming that whores bed"

"Watch you toungue when you speak of her!" I stand, challenging her space.

"Is demon a better title?"she scoffed. I couldn't understand the resentment she had for Lady Oshun. Maybe it was jealousy? Her beauty could not even light a flame next to Oshun.

"I understood Elaine...
Then Ictoria...
But her Arthur? Why her?
How many whores do I have to kill before you love me again?"

"I am not discussing this Guinevere."

"I killed them.
I had them all killed and I will kill any more you bring. Don't think I won't do it!" She seethed.

"And why haven't you killed Oshun then?" I fumed, desperate to kill Guinevere for her empty threat. She would know better than to lay a finger on Oshun.

"Because...I know the moment I kill her...you will kill me. You love her Arthur" she sighed, trying to hold back her tears. She was right...I did love Oshun, more than I even loved myself.

"That is one thing you are right about wife" I bragged, standing to leave the room but before I left I turned back to face her.

"Those markings on her back? All across her body? They are your doing?"

"Me? No Arthur! I would never!" She lied pathetically. I calmly walk over to her before grasping her neck into mine. "It was you?" I cursed, tightening my grip until she gasped for air.

"Yes...yes!" She coughed, sliding to the ground and holding her neck.

"I swear, if you even lay another FINGER on her. I will kill you Guinevere."

"You don't mean that Arthur...no you don't" she whispers, now dripping down her face but I ignored her and left to rejoin Oshun.

I needed to know why she kept Guinevere's actions away from me.

——

Lancelot 🥱

I walk and see lady Guinevere in utter disarray. She was in the garden of the palace, soaking her hair in the fountain with her nightgown but it was stained red?

Was it blood?

"Lady Guinevere?" I whispered cautiously as not to startle her. She lifted her head from the waters and looked up to face me.

"Oh Lancelot! How noble of you to approach me! Everyone else has been ignoring me" she giggled.

"My lady... are you alright?" I ask, cautious to her sentiment.

"I lost it!
And that demon? She took it from me? She took him from me"

"Demon?" I repeated after her.

"Lady Oshun! She has stolen my baby. My husband, my life!"

I dropped my gaze to her white gown, seeing the blood and finally putting two and two together. "You miscarried?"

"The baby was only 3 months Lancelot" she smiled, looking back into the sky.

"Lady Guinevere that baby was as dead as day...it's full term had barely completed" I remind her, coaxing her back to sanity.

"Don't say it Lancelot! I forbid you! She took it and killed him!!" she screamed in denial. I let her have her moment of denial before she gathered herself once more.

"Pray tell where my husband is sir Lancelot"

"I do not know Lady Guinevere" I lied, I saw him heading back to his quarters where Lady Oshun rested... it is where she always was.

"Imagine that! I have just suffered an attack on my womanhood and he is in her bed? Wetting her flower.... kissing her softly....comforting her spirits...kissing away her tears away" she recited, looking to the floor in rage.

"Lancelot, I will never understand. Why are you still so loyal to him? He would kill you in an instant if he found out about.." she stood from the ground and stepped to invade my space, gently running her fingers against my back.

"Guinevere" I cursed as she kissed my neck.
What we had done was a sin against Arthur.
I thought it was that one time but my temperance was weak; I kept itching for me.
She was the woman that was forbidden.
But...I couldn't get enough of her...

Oshun had Arthur's heart but Guinevere? She had mine.

I was so disappointed in Arthur. He had his beautiful wife and queen but there he was in Oshun's bed.

"Guinevere please" I begged, helping to pull her out the fountain. She looked into my eyes, biting her lips, tempting me into insanity.

And I kissed her.

She needed that more than anything. We had had a scandalous affair and I was the one who urged her to end it.
I was the one who told her we should stop, but seeing the tears in her eyes... she was...helpless.

I wanted to ask the fateful question but I knew it best to keep it a mystery.... But still... my heart could not rest...without knowing.

"Guinevere... was the baby...mine?"

She looked up at me and collapsed in my arms.
That was the only confirmation I needed.
I would never now what it meant to love my son
To hold him...
I didn't even get to see how he looked.

"Did Arthur find out?" I ask as she sobbed in my arms.

"No, and he must never find out!" She cursed, running a palm against my chest. I kiss each finger and lead her away, helping her back into the palace so she could clean herself up.

——

Arthur

The sun rose and Oshun finally woke up, lifting her head to face me.

"Oshun" I whisper her name, kissing her lips softly. She looked into my eyes, running a finger against my chest. "It wasn't your fault... that baby was a stillborn. Only 3 months it remained in the womb" She looked into my eyes then to the window, pondering my words.

"Let me into your thoughts" I whispered, pulling her chin to mine and kissing her once more.

"All those things she said..." she whispered looking up to face me.

"You are none of those"

"A demon A witch.
That's what the people say... that is what they all say? That I have taken you from her!"

"No Oshun!" I assure her, running a finger against her spine. Her light was illuminating softly. It was only halfway lit. She pushed her cheek against my chest, laying down to rest. I wanted so badly to confront her of Guinevere's torture but knew it best to save it for another time.

"I have...never seen a baby like that...
We gods just exist so the concept was new to me."

I rubbed her back as she confessed.

"That baby was so... cold and lifeless...dead" she frowned. I closed my eyes, gently thinking's of the babes face. I couldn't even tell if it looked like me or Guinevere. I didn't even have a chance to hold him.

Oshun looked into my eyes and started crying again, her tears dripping to my skin.
Her heart was my heart and her tears? My tears. I couldn't stand to see her in this state.

"Arthur, just hold me..." she whispered, pressing her lips against my chest.

"I will never let you go Oshun" I assured her and it was that day that I declared a day of grieving. I did not leave the room to put my crown or rule. I only held her, letting her cry in my arms.

"Is it weird...?" she whispered.

"Is what weird?" I asked, leading her jaw to face me.

"That I wanted that baby to be alive? I wanted it for myself? For...us?" I looked at her and shook my head no. "No...it is not Oshun" I whispered, kissing her forehead before she finally fell asleep in my arms.

And I knew from that moment that I would never love another.

My precious Oshun.

———

Author Note:
No one got the answer right in the last chapter.
I asked, "why do you think Oshun is reacting so badly to Guinevere's miscarrage?"

Y'all remember that Guinevere was torturing Oshun. Oshun was mad and asked Mordred for help! Remember. 👀👀👀