Author's note: Here we go again! I hope people still like this. I hadn't forgotten it. Anyhows, this is not beta'd so there will be mistakes, try not to let that bug you too much. Enjoy!

Smouldering Embers

Gwaine smiled.

This time he had absolutely no objection.

For a moment his eyes opened and saw the state of the room, but the feel of the hot sweating body against his back and the hand that was fondling him with languid strokes, made him close them again. He arched himself into Percival, brushed his buttocks against the aroused and hard muscle of the other man, and jerked as a wet graze smeared his skin. He couldn't help but grin.

Percival was asleep, the gentle snores breathing against Gwaine's neck was quite pleasant, but not as much as Percival's hand which was rubbing across Gwaine's cock. His legs twitched in response along with an ecstatic throb all over his body. His hands snatched the pillow out from under his head and pulled it close to his chest as Percival's rubbing hand coiled around his shaft and began to knead a steady but gripping rhythm.

There were no objections to Percival's groping this time. Gwaine wasn't going to bolt and run away—he couldn't with his bloody broken toe—there was no cold snow to fall in or a stupid tree to spend his release against, only a strong massaging hand and a warm comforting bed.

As the moans began to drool from his mouth, vocalizing the pleasure his body was experiencing, Gwaine buried his face into the pillow and longed for the wonderful brutality of yesterday's tussles. He wanted to experience the savageness both of them unleashed, he wanted to feel the myriad emotions that overwhelmed him...Gwaine wanted to hear that yell in his ear, feel Percival empty whilst still buried deep within him. He didn't want to stop touching him.

When they had collapsed for the last time, sapped of strength, Gwaine desperately needed to carry on. He tried to resist sleep as much as he could, but it had proved utterly futile.

Now awake, the embers of the burnt out fire were being stoked with Percival's hand. As Gwaine lulled in the blissful motions of that hand, the throbbing but satisfying pain in his anus twitched again and again. He began to shake at the mere thought of Percival being inside him again and of feeling the weight of his massive body shuddering against his back.

"Shit." Gwaine panted a few more heavy breaths, before reluctantly tearing Percival's hands away and turning round to face him. Such clumsy and awkward movement made Gwaine aware of the unpleasant agony in his broken toe. He hissed at the pain and slipped onto his back, gritting his teeth and hating himself for kicking that tree.

There was a creak in the bed and Gwaine felt the whole thing move and creak some more as Percival moved to his front. It was surprising that the damned bed was still standing on all four of its…

Gwaine opened his eyes and saw the slight slant the broken bed was in.

"Fuck. How the hell am I going to explain this?" He groaned and rubbed his face with his hands, smearing more of Percival over his skin and into his beard. He took in a deep breath as his palms covered over his mouth and nose and groaned in delight before breathing out again. Gwaine then tried to move, but a hefty hand slumped across his chest. "Ow."

That same hand felt up around his neck and face, before sliding back down to rest upon Gwaine's chest.

"You're real. I wasn't dreaming." the muffled and quite worried voice groaned from next to him. Gwaine turned his head and saw Percival had pushed his face into the pillow. Gwaine's eyes continued on, down past his expansive shoulders and scratched back, to the muscled rump and broad legs tangled up in ripped and soaked sheets. "Did…did we really…?"

Gwaine didn't have to answer, for when Percival tried to move, he groaned with pain.

"We did. Oh god…that was not what I expected."

"But it was good huh?" Gwaine smiled and reached his hand out to curve along Percival's rear. His fingers wiped lightly across his skin and snaked down through his crack, Percival jerked. He was still very sensitive, so Gwaine continued to trace the pads of his fingers over the sore muscle, playing with it and loving the arousing response from Percival.

"Stop it." Percival turned his head to face Gwaine. He was trying so hard not to enjoy it.

"It feels good, doesn't it?"

Percival nodded and bit his lip, making his "yes" come out as a whimper. He bit down harder as Gwaine continued to play. For a few moments, Gwaine teased him, loving the shakes and trembles Percival had when he slipped a finger or two inside him. Such wonderful sounds…

"Stop it. Please." Percival grabbed Gwaine's arm and put a stop to all his fun.

"Do you really want me to?"

Percival smiled and held his hand and arm to his side.

"No…but doesn't this feel strange to you? Are you not freaked out by this? You're not angry…like you were before?"

Gwaine pretended to think about it for a moment.

"Nope. After what you did to me, after feeling that amazing? I'm more than up for another round…or two."

"I'm still…I'm still reeling, Gwaine. I mean, I had sex…with a man. With you! It's not how I ever thought it happening."

"I know, I've never been with a man either…hey! With me? What's wrong with me?"

"Do you really want me to go into that now?"

"Well, now that you mention it? No." Gwaine chuckled and his grin broadened into an even more fiendish one. "But I would rather get into you…or have you get into me! Whatever you prefer because I really don't mind being on the receiving end after last night."

Percival actually blushed. He seemed suddenly shy, almost embarrassed about that statement. He tried to turn away, but after the broken bed creaked dangerously, he tensed and slipped onto his front before keeping very still. The bed tilted again at an awkward angle. Gwaine stroked tenderly at his back, but when that got no response, he playfully punched him on the arm.

"I meant it as a compliment, Perce! You did a good job!" Gwaine laughed. "Actually you did several!"

"This is not funny Gwaine!"

"I don't recall laughing when you…"

"This seriously doesn't bother you?" Percival snapped and instantly softened his tone. "Yesterday you were so adverse to even thinking about it! The fact that you were sexually aroused by…by me…wigged you out something chronic and now after just one night it's perfectly normal for you? We've broken the bloody bed!"

"I think it was you who actually…"

Gwaine's voice trailed off. Percival clearly needed some assurance and somehow joking around and acting upon the urge to mount him wasn't be a good idea. The bed would collapse completely. Gwaine sighed.

"Perce…you know me." He spoke softly. "I'm all for the things pleasurable in life! The feel good factor! I love feeling good and y'know what? I love it even more when I can make others feel good too. Okay, I never thought that a man could please me in the same way women do, but I've been proven wrong. Yeah I was angry and wigged out as you so put it. I was confused but after last night…not anymore. Shit! How can I be angry at something…someone….at you for making me feel fucking great? Simply put, I can't! It's sex! It was brilliant, fantastic and pretty damned amazing and I want more. I need more of it and more of…well…you! Don't you want more?"

Percival nodded, but he was still reluctant to relax. He was still so conflicted and it saddened Gwaine a little.

"I just…I don't know."

"It's a lot to take in." Gwaine allowed himself to be gentle for a moment, his fingers brushed across burning and sweating skin. Oh god! The words got stuck in his throat. "It's weird and okay a bit awkward but it's not that different from the first time with a woman! Is it?"

It was far from a subtle reaction. Percival jolted upwards so fast that another leg of the bed gave out. After a few moments, when Percival wouldn't give him an answer or eye contact, Gwaine began to feel extremely suspicious and slightly worried.

"All right…it is very different but you remember your first-first time, yeah?"

"Kind of hard to forget."

"You never forget, even if it was good or bad."

"I don't want to talk about it, Gwaine. Now is hardly appropriate."

"What we did was hardly appropriate! I don't do appropriate!"

Percival shook his head, but he knew that Gwaine was right.

"So! What was she like?" Gwaine poked a finger in Percival's side when he got no reply and he chuckled as he sat up to next to him. "Come on! What was she like?"

"You were…amazing."

"I know that! I meant about your f-Ohshit!" The realization hit with the force of a slap round the face. Now it was his face burning and Gwaine had to inhale sharply at the shock of it all. "I'm your first…as in ever?"

Percival nodded.

"So…you've never…at all?"

Percival shook his head.

"Never?"

"No never!"

"So I've…I'm your first?"

"Yes, you daft git! It's you!"

"Wow!"

Gwaine felt a sudden and new build-up of sweat forming on his brow and on his back; his already hardened cock throbbed an ache which coursed through him and Gwaine groaned. His hand strayed, Gwaine nearly took hold of himself to help himself release, but he just clenched his fist and tried to breathe.

Percival had been rough and vigorous during all their times, Gwaine had the scratches, bites and aches to prove it, but it never dawned on him he was Percival's first. With his physique and honourable and shy charm, women were attracted to Percival—how could they not be?—but Percival had never once lain with a woman?

Now that he thought about it, seeing Percival's awkward shyness and fear, remembering his hesitance…Gwaine should have realised or at least suspected, but at the time Gwaine was so driven and overwhelmed by his need to get him into bed.

"Oh…wow!"

"You said that already!" Percival leaned his arms on his knees and scrubbed his fingers through his hair in frustration. "So why don't you start laughing, Gwaine? You obviously find it funny!"

He found it funny all right, but it wasn't for the same reasons that Percival thought. Gwaine allowed the laughter to release in soft quiet chuckles before boisterously bellowing with great amusement. It did not make Percival feel any better, but the giant man wasn't making a move to leave the bed either.

"Are you enjoying making fun out of me?"

"You great big clot!" Gwaine whacked a hand around the back of Percival's head and rose to sit next to him. Gwaine then slapped a hand on the inside of Percival's leg. "I'm not laughing or making fun of you, you great big fairy!"

His hand snaked further up Percival's leg, soft touches at the muscles before cupping at his balls in his palm and squeezing them. The sharp inhale of excited breath from Percival only made Gwaine more amused and he dropped his head to rest on the bulking shoulder.

"Do you know how turned on I am right now, knowing that I was your first?"

"Huh?"

Gwaine really wasn't going to wait around for any other kind of response. He kissed at the bare flesh on the other knight's shoulder and then gnawed down with lavish and lustful bites. He heard a deep rumbling growl from somewhere and before he knew it, Gwaine was shoved harshly on his back and pinned down with his arms above his head and Percival's full weight and hardness grinding into him.

"You were my first…second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth. Care to make yourself my seventh as well?"

"NO! NO you bloody well will not!"

The screaming voice startled them both and Gwaine saw Percival leap up off of him and fall off the edge of the bed. The covers were snatched and so all Gwaine had to hide his modesty was the pillow.

"Merlin?" Gwaine snarled. "Don't you ever knock?"

The king's servant looked as if he was going to snap at that question. Merlin was looking pale and there were huge bags under his twitching eyes; his hands were shaking and overall he looked to be an utter wreck.

"Don't you two ever leave each other alone?" Merlin slammed the door closed behind him and looked at the devastation his two friends had unleashed. "Do you know what I had to listen to, what I have gone through to keep anyone else from hearing and finding out what you two were doing?"

Percival stood, clutching the sheet around his waist. He was more than embarrassed as he tried to look for his clothes and all while he was scouring through the mess, he kept giving Gwaine and Merlin shameful looks. Gwaine didn't care about what Merlin had to endure…he was angry that he had interrupted them. Even though Percival was across the room, it felt to Gwaine to be too far away.

"Merlin…are you going to tell Arthur? Are you going to tell anyone else?" asked Gwaine, his eyes fixated on Percival, his muscles and the way his buttocks clenched and twitched.

"No! No way!" Merlin shook his head. "Guys, I had to have Giaus section off this part of the castle in case anyone heard. You weren't exactly subtle."

"When have I ever been subtle?"

"Okay, not the point I'm trying to make. Gwaine you'd better get dressed and see Giaus now. You were right…you're under a spell."

"What?" both men chorused.

Merlin sighed and then quickly turned away as the sheet dropped from Percival's waist. Gwaine however grinned at such a sight. His tongue licked at his lips and all manner of lurid thoughts came to mind.

"Oi! Snap out of it! What you're feeling, what you've both done is the result of sorcery! It's not real! So before we all regret this…" Merlin's voice broke and his hand waved about to emphasize the two naked men and the result of their indulgences. "Can we go and see Giaus?"

"Mind if we get dressed first?" Percival complained, the embarrassment making his voice go slightly higher in pitch.

"By all means! Dress! Get clothes on! I'll…I'll wait for you outside." Merlin walked to the door and paused. "No funny business! No stalling!"

The door slammed.

Gwaine found himself smiling.

As he observed Percival searching for his clothes, deep within, an intense urge was brewing. He couldn't ignore it. An irresistible yearning swelled between his legs as Percival walked naked around the room; his mouth salivated every time the other man bent over and when Percival innocently scratched at one of his buttocks—Gwaine lurched up from the bed.

He had to touch him. He had to keep on touching him…

"AH FUCK!"

Gwaine collapsed to the floor.

He'd forgotten about his broken toe.

Again.

Arthur was in a dream.

He knew it was, because when he opened his eyes and turned his head, she was there, smiling back at him. She looked absolutely beautiful, her naked mocha skin glistening with perspiration, her hair splayed across the pillow…her smile…her eyes…

"Guinevere." He murmured happily and turned over to wrap his arm around her.

"My King…did you sleep well?" she asked, as Arthur stroked his fingers across her bare shoulders, pulling the sheets down so he could see her fully.

Oh yes he had dreamed well. He had dreamed a night he had longed for. He dreamed of touching her, kissing her and losing himself with in her…he dreamed of his Queen and how he pleasured her. It had felt so real, every motion of her body beneath him, the sounds she gasped in his ear, the loving look in her eyes as they both shared release.

"I love you."

Guinevere smiled back at him and stroked a hand down his cheek.

"I know you do, Arthur. I love you too."

She leaned forward to kiss him, but Arthur made the mistake of closing his eyes. She wasn't really there. He was alone and he would always be.

But that never stopped him from thinking about her.

Arthur rolled on to his back and let out a huge frustrated sigh. Then still in the drowse of sleep and lulling from the realness of his dream, he did what he could.

His fingers wrapped around the part of him that hadn't thought it a dream and slowly he began to stroke himself, pumping the blood, inciting the pleasured flutters in his hardening cock, thinking on her as he did so. Guinevere. Arthur's head leaned back hard into the pillow, his feet clenched into the sheets and as his breaths shorted…the thoughts of Gwen a top of him…his motions became faster.

"Gwen!"

There was a shriek. Something fell to the floor with a loud clang and Arthur was ripped from his revelry. His hand came away from his erection and to his horror there she was, standing by his door with her back to him.

Guinevere was no dream.

Shit!

"Guinevere! I'm…I'm sorry! I didn't know you were…what are you doing here?" Arthur thanked the gods that he wasn't fully revealed to her, but it was no less embarrassing knowing that she knew what he had been doing.

"My lord…I'm sorry! I should have knocked! But I thought you would still be asleep!" she gasped, still keeping her back to him. "I didn't know you were…busy."

He heard Guinevere's hiss at using such an obviously bad phrase and pulled a pillow over what his bed sheets were clearly not hiding.

"What are you doing here?" Arthur choked on his words and the fact that he was as stiff as a board and so discomforted didn't help him one bit. "Where on earth is Merlin?"

"He is busy, my lord."

"Oh tell me he's not down the tavern this early!"

"No, sire!" Guinevere turned round quite suddenly but she instantly bowed her head. Even though she had that little smirk on her lips, amused now instead of shocked at what she had caught him doing, Gwen was beautiful. "He's working on something with Giaus. It's quite important apparently. He asked me to come here in his stead. If you want…I can go."

"No!" Arthur winced that he had been so abrupt, so he smiled as pleasantly as he could and softened his tone. "I'll go. I need to speak to Giaus anyway."

Arthur was about to fling back the sheets, but stopped himself. He gazed at her and he froze. The smouldering look in her eyes showed that she was anticipating seeing him naked, the light lick from the tip of her tongue across her lips and the nip of her teeth showed him that she wasn't going to object if he did let those sheets slip.

Arthur swallowed hard. The twitch in his groin sent a warm excited pulse all over and he clutched at the sheets, more than willing to pull them away. Guinevere stepped closer to the bed. Guinevere wanted him to get up and Arthur knew that if he did, he would want more than just her eyes to smoulder over his body.

Arthur's jaw clenched tightly.

Not here. Not now.

"I…I have to get dressed." Arthur turned his head away and kept the pillow on his lap.

"Of course, I'll…I'll not look." Gwen blushed and turned away. She crouched down to tidy up the breakfast tray she had brought in.

With her back to him, Arthur got up from the bed, dragging his bed sheets with him. He stepped behind the screen and saw there were already some clothes laid out for him. However, as he dressed, he couldn't stop thinking of his dream, of Guinevere and how real it could be.

Not yet.

"Damn you, Merlin."

His man servant was going to be in real trouble when Arthur caught up with him.

Giaus looked up from his books when the three men came walking in. It was a huge relief to see Gwaine, for his presence would help them get closer to discovering what spell had been cast upon him.

Merlin looked a little off of sorts and had been ever since he had gone into Gwaine's room. His orders to clear the whole wing had seemed a little excessive to Giaus at the time, but Giaus was certain he had reasons. Good reasons.

"Ah! Gwaine! You're here. Merlin informed you of our discovery, did he not?"

Gwaine nodded as he limped across the room, his crutch helping him keep off his bad foot.

"I'm under a spell. A lust spell?"

Giaus bobbed his head and pointed to a bench, indicating that Gwaine should sit down. The knight hobbled over to the seat and plonked himself upon it, looking towards Merlin and Percival with concerned and worried looks.

"There's no need for alarm at this moment, Gwaine." Giaus reassured him. "I will have to ask you some questions…some of which might be a little sensitive, and I will need to check you over as well. The questions will determine exactly what kind of enchantment has been placed upon you."

"Once you know what one I'm under…can you…can you cure me?"

"It's…it's possible."

"Great."

Was that disappointment sounding in the knight's voice? There was certainly a diminished glimmer in his eye and his stature had slumped after hearing that piece of news. Was it possible that he didn't want to be cured?

Gwaine didn't know what he was thinking or feeling. He will be himself again once he was cured.

"Remove your shirt."

Gwaine complied and when he dropped his shirt beside him, there was a rather sudden clutter. Giaus looked round and saw that Percival had stumbled slightly against the door, knocking one of tables next to it. The jars and bowls shook from the jolt.

"This is a very delicate matter, must you be here, Percival?" asked Giaus.

"NO!" "YES!"

Merlin scowled at Gwaine as their answers both overlapped and poor Percival just looked bewildered.

"I need him to stay." said Gwaine adamantly.

Giaus was a little concerned as to why and he was puzzled why Gwaine and Merlin were now exchanging facial expressions like a conversation, as if he wasn't in the room. Their clenched jaws and wide eyes spoke volumes that something was amiss.

"Gentlemen…if you have quite finished trying to be cryptic, do you think I could carry on with my tests? Percival, you do not need to be here, be gone! Come back later if you wish."

Percival stammered, at a loss for words. It seemed he wanted to stay, his eyes never left Gwaine and unbeknownst to all of them until now, the door handle he had been holding had broken off in his hand.

"Go, Percival! This is not for you."

Merlin hurried the tall man out of the room and closed the door.

At last! Giaus could start his work.

He turned back to Gwaine and noticed that already he was a great deal tenser than just a moment ago. There were scratch marks and rather large bite marks over his skin, a clear sign of rough sex, Giaus mentally noted. As he inspected the young man's pupils, there was some clear dilation, Gwaine felt hot too. Then as Giaus was about to check his pulse, Gwaine began to fidget and not in his usual manner. Irritable, scared? This was not like him at all, even if the bite marks and scratches were.

"Tell me, Sir Gwaine…" Giaus beckoned him to open his mouth so he could get a look inside. "How are you feeling right now?"

"'ustrated. 'ery uddy 'ustrated." Gwaine tried to speak even though Giaus' had flattened his tongue to check the back of his throat. When Giaus finished, he could speak freely. However, he blurted the words out without even thinking about it. "I feel lost. My heart is racing so much, I think it's going to vomit up my throat and come out of my mouth. I feel like my head is being used for sword practice! I feel honry. Very damned horny as well as agitated. My hands are shaking, I can't stop them! Is it hot in here? It feels like a dragon's cave in this room, can you do nothing about it, Giaus?"

It was more than a sudden change. Giaus tested Gwaine's temperature properly and it had risen slightly. He checked the books against what Gwaine was saying, but it was still not enough. As he took some more samples from Gwaine, Merlin kept clearing his throat, wanting to say something.

"Do you need something for that cough, Merlin?"

"Er, no Giaus. It's just that…" Merlin was cut off when Giaus held up his hand for silence.

The physician took some more hair samples from Gwaine and then asked the knight one more thing.

"What do you want to do right now, Gwaine?"

"Right now?" Gwaine ran his hands through his hair in frustration and rubbed at his face. He took a deep long smell at his hands and frowned as if the smell of soap was vile. "I want to get out of here. I want…I want to have Percival here, now."

"Percival?"

"Giaus…" Merlin edged closer him and whispered in his ear. "It was Percival who was with Gwaine last night."

"Oh?" Giaus coughed as it dawned on him. "Oh!"

Giaus felt his face redden. The stupid grin formed on his face and he tried to hide his rather sudden embarrassment behind one of his bound books. He wasn't sure why he reacted like this, the lust enchantments didn't differentiate between the sexes so it was perfectly possible that Gwaine could have fixated on another man. He assumed this reaction was probably because the object of Gwaine's affection turned out to be a fellow knight, his best friend and someone Giaus knew as well. Giaus could only imagine what Gwaine was going through.

Percival!

Giaus slammed the book shut and rushed to the door. He couldn't believe that he had just sent the other knight away. Upon opening it, muttering about the broken handle and latch that was missing, he looked for any signs of the towering knight, but he wasn't to be seen. Giaus cussed himself for losing him. He gestured quickly at his apprentice.

"Merlin, fetch Percival! Find him. His presence here might ease Gwaine…"

The young man shook his head.

"It will provoke him, Giaus! Believe me, I saw…and heard! A lot! Too much in fact."

"I know what spell the both of them are under!"

"Both of them?"

Giaus took another look at Gwaine and nodded. The man was trying to restrain himself, but the sweat beading on his brow, the way his hands and arms…even his feet were twitching, it was clear that the spell was progressing. Giaus went back to his bench and picked up the book that had the right spell in it. Thank fully there wouldn't be any violent repercussions…if the two weren't separated.

"I believe Gwaine and Percival's urges can be suppressed by drinking a certain remedy I know of. I have some herbs in my stores that will at the very most ease their desires. However we won't be able to cure them unless we find the person who cast it in the first place."

"That's going to be a bit difficult."

"Indeed, Merlin. So the best thing we can do in the meantime is to keep Gwaine and Percival together but subdued…as it were."

"What do we say about all this to Arthur?"

Giaus looked to Gwaine. The knight shook his head, he tried to get up from the bench but again the state of his foot made him sit back down. He was fuming now and Giaus was beginning to worry.

"We need not explain this to his majesty, at the moment." Giaus walked to his shelves and quickly located what he needed. He climbed the ladder and took down several bottles, returning to his counter where he began to make up the potion. "However, I will recommend to his majesty that Percival be assigned to aid Gwaine."

"Gwaine has a squire."

"A fool of a boy, more so than you."

"Oh, thanks." Merlin scoffed.

"Make some excuse when you see Arthur and see to it that Percival is kept near Gwaine."

"We need to find him first."

Giaus beckoned Merlin with his hands. "Then find him! Hurry!"

"Me? Giaus, I haven't slept, I haven't had breakfast or…"

"Find Percival! It's imperitive, Merlin! He can't have gotten far!"

Merlin sighed reluctantly.

"Fine." Merlin took one look at Gwaine, scowled and disappeared out of the room.

Giaus returned to making his potion, all the while keeping his eye on Gwaine. The knight was already getting angsty, dark circles were under his eyes, his body was shaking like he was going through with drawl symptoms, with drawl from Percival.

"Who would want to do this to me, Giaus?" asked Gwaine, turning round to face the old man and nearly knocking some objects off the table. "What could anyone possibly gain from putting me under a lust spell…and Percival?"

Giaus had to wonder.

The first thought that came to mind was that Gwaine wasn't supposed to be the intended target.

Then, if not Gwaine…who?

The door opened and there she was.

So beautiful, elegant and majestic. Asgre truly was a Queen and when she smiled, he felt his heart soar, overwhelming him, nearly bringing tears to his eyes.

"Good morning." Her melodic voice sung. "To what do I owe such a lovely visit?"

He had brought her something. Something he was supposed to give her.

"Are those for me?" Asgre pointed to his hand.

Oh yes! These! He was supposed to give her these!

Leon grinned and held them aloft to her.

"Snow lillies." He mumbled, feeling his face burning. "They only bloom in the snow and are very rare to find. They are truly unique…like you."

As her smile brightened, Leon's did too. Asgre took the silver flowers from his hand and leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"You are so sweet."

Leon could have died right there.