Married Life

Chapter 1

The Prince became King and the months continued to pass without any change in the maddening knight. King Arthur had spent another long day in the main hall with a sullen Gwaine leading a guard of terrified squires and he decided enough was enough. Gwaine had been in his employ for five years and he still barely knew the man except for a legendary ability to drink, fight and brood.
"Cancel the rest of today's petitioners." Said the King easing himself up from the throne and stretching out his back. "Gwaine, arrange for four horses to be saddled and send squires to find Tristan and Galahad." He walked out without any further explanation. A small smirk played around the corners of his mouth but he tried to suppress it until he was outside the hall and back in his own quarters. He might not be able to risk following Gwaine but he could order the knight to lead them to an adventure. Arthur had been the King for one long year now and adventures had come very few and far between for a Prince let alone a King. He was bored. And it was time he had some fun.
He came jogging down the stairs a few minutes later in well made but plain clothes that he hoped would help him pass as a regular knight. He wore his oldest, well worn leather boots over black trousers with a faded red tunic and his Camelot cloak. Still fighting a smile and the urge to rush he purposefully and sedately walked out the front door of the keep to the yard and mounted his horse without a word. The yard was ringed by a stone wall with battlements and guardsmen along its length. In some ways it resembled the wooden fortress that had been here before, but the stone was more solid and lighter which made the whole courtyard feel bright. Instead of mud below his boots there was more stone which some squire who had found himself in trouble would have to sweep daily.
Silently, the three knights mounted their horses and followed their King towards the large gate which led to the surrounding town. Galahad and Tristan looked at Gwaine who was staring at the king's back and sitting stiff as a poleaxe in his saddle. Some might have thought he was just alert and ready to defend his King but the younger knights had learned to read Gwaine's moods back when they were in training, and the errant knight was furious.
"I assume, Sir Gwaine, you know of a tavern in a nearby village, close enough to reach this afternoon but far enough I won't be recognised?" Called Arthur over his shoulder with forced cheeriness. He wouldn't let the townspeople, who moved out of the road at the sight of the red cloaks,
see his annoyance. If he did, the rumours would engulf the whole of Camelot about divisions in the highest ranks.
Gwaine's scowl darkened and wordlessly he trotted passed the king and down the road without so much as a look back. Galahad and Tristan exchanged glances but quickly followed their King who was trying not to look like he was rushing after Gwaine. The sulky knight's scowl was destroying the King's good mood. Today was supposed to be a fun ride to a local tavern, possibly with a little bit of adventure. A time away from complaints and plaintiffs where he could just be a knight. Gwaine however, looked like he was cantering to his death. Although, anytime Arthur had seen Gwaine riding to certain death he had looked downright cheerful.
Good to his word, not that he said one for the entire three hour ride, Gwaine led the knights to a small town and straight up to a tavern in the centre of the far side of a small square. It was a good sized place with grooms outside ready to take the horses and clean tables inside. Very respectable, not the sort of place one would expect a knight to come to for carousing and fighting. The King sighed, a little  disappointed, Gwaine had brought them to the kind of place he could have visited in Camelot, where they would probably have a few drinks in peace before having to ride home. So much for adventures. Still, it was better than another afternoon sitting in the great hall. If the King thought Gwaine capable of being so sneaky he would have said the knight brought them somewhere quiet on purpose to prevent them trying to follow him in search of adventures in the future. But Gwaine was as straightforward as they came and had brought him somewhere suitable for respectable knights. Next time Arthur would have to be more explicit in his description of the kind of place he was thinking of. The King smiled to himself as he realised there would definitely be a next time. It was good to leave the castle and see the world again. His advisors would no doubt be moaning and disgruntled; the rest of his knights would be grumbling at being left behind but right now things were good.