Part 69: link


SATURDAY, 10 YEARS LATER

    “Well everyone’s finally dressed,” Arthur says, walking into the kitchen. Guinevere is puttering at the counter, preparing things for breakfast.
    “You say that like you’ve an army to dress.” She turns and looks at him. “Honestly, Arthur, why does it take আপনি three times as long as it does me to dress two boys?”
    “They squirm,” he complains.
    “You do realize that Simon is old enough to dress himself, don’t you?”
    “Well, he certainly had no problem with me doing it for him. And he wasn’t the problem. Ian kept running away.”
    She turns back to the counter with a shrug. “Yeah, he’ll do that. If আপনি let him.”
    He walks up to her and squeezes her around the middle, planting a চুম্বন on her neck. She leans back into him for a moment, then wrinkles her nose, making a face.
    “What’s wrong?” Arthur asks, releasing her.
    “I think this coffee is off. It smells bad. How old is it?”
    “It’s brand new.” He sniffs. “And it smells fine,” he answers, puzzled.
    Gwen moves to pick up a pile of dishes, saying, “Well, আপনি do it, then. I’ll go set the table.” She walks out.
    “Guinevere…” Arthur calls after her.
    “Arthur…” she calls back, mimicking his tone.
    “Father’s going to know that I made his coffee and not you, আপনি know.”
    “Well, he’ll have to deal with your inferior coffee-making skills. The smell of it is making me sick today.”
    Arthur scowls. She can explain that to him, then.
    “Simon! Ian! Time to come down! Your grandfathers will be here soon!” Gwen shouts to the upstairs rooms.
    Arthur sighs and looks at the pot. “Where’s that hazelnut stuff?” he calls out.
    “It’s right in front of you, Arthur!” Gwen calls as she walks into the dining room, pausing near the dragon tapestry hanging on the wall. There is a smudge on the glass case that houses it, so she reaches up and wipes it away with the corner of a napkin.
    Arthur is just about to add the hazelnut syrup to his father’s coffee when his two sons come shuffling into the kitchen, followed দ্বারা their mother.
    Simon is holding Ian’s hand. Ian is holding a battered-looking stuffed donkey. Simon is a miniature Arthur if Arthur had a tan and curlier hair; Ian is a miniature Simon with his mother’s brown eyes.
    “Can we help?” Simon asks.
     “Of course, Monkey,” Gwen answers. “Would আপনি like to help me set the table?”
    “No. I want to help Daddy make Granddad’s coffee.”
    “All right then, come on,” Arthur holds his hand out to the five-year-old, who drops his brother’s hand, abandoning him for his father.
    “Mummy,” Ian reaches out for her, and she picks him up, স্নেহ চুম্বন his soft cheek.
    “Would you like to help me set the table?” she asks. He nods, and she takes him to the dining room. “You’ll have to set Neville down,” she tells him, bending so he can place his donkey on a chair.
    “Okay, we need napkins…”

    The doorbell chimes, and the boys abandon their parents, shouting, “Papa! Granddad!” as they go answer the door and physically assault their grandfathers.
    Arthur is just finishing his father’s coffee, when Guinevere’s words hit him square in the forehead.
    The smell of it is making me sick today.
    Arthur’s eyes widen as he leaves the coffee and practically sprints to the dining room. He stops in the doorway for a moment, watching her. Gwen straightens the napkins that the two-year-old has haphazardly placed, then pauses, yawning. Even after two children, she is still slender and petite, but her curves now have a womanly look to them that Arthur finds he really enjoys. He walks to her and takes her in his arms, pulling her to him for a passionate kiss, leaning her back slightly as he coaxes her lips apart with his inquisitive tongue. She brings her arms around his neck, a napkin still clutched in one hand.
    “What was that for?” she asks, dazed, when he finally releases her.
    “For আপনি thinking the coffee smelled off.”
    “What on earth are আপনি talking about, Arthur?”
    “Do আপনি remember the last time your sense of smell went all wonky? আপনি couldn’t stand the smell of coffee. অথবা cinnamon. The last two times this happened?” He raises his eyebrows at her, face questioning, prompting.
    Guinevere furrows her brow, thinking. Arthur caresses her cheek, watching her do the math in her head. She blinks a few times, then smiles. He drops his hand down to rest on her stomach, where she puts her hand over his.
    “Maybe this time it will be a girl.”

END
(sorry)

Special thanks must be extended to EPaws, without whom this story would not have grown into the প্রায় দেড়সেরি বোতল opus it did. Thank you, my lovely, for the উপদেশ and gentle shoves আপনি gave. They pushed me to write things of which I didn’t think myself capable.

Thanks also once again to dear Hanihana, who suggested I write an AU Arwen fic in the first place.