1580, London, England

"Sir…? We have news…" Arthur lived the paperwork and looked up to the pageboy.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Portugal… She…"

"What happened?" He rose up from his chair and approached to him.

"She… " He sighed "She disappeared, Sir… " Arthur eyes were wide open. He looked to his Queen, Elizabeth I, she was staring at them, observing. And then, he looked to the pageboy again.

"What do you mean with disappeared? Maria couldn't disappear…" His body was shacking. Despite of having married with his queen recently, Maria was the only one in his heart. If something happened to her, he would do everything to bring her back.

"Apparently, Spain and his king took her... " The pageboy was afraid of Arthur reaction. "Portugal had no king, as you may know" Arthur nodded "So, Spain's king, Phillip II, proclaimed that he is the truth heir to the throne… So, Portugal was forced to" he swallowed "Married with Spain and now… Portugal does not exist"

"No…" Shaking head "She… She just… Maria can't…" Tears started to fall.

"Arthur" His Queen rose from her royal chair and went to his side "Are you crying for another girl?" She asked with her charismatic way, knowing that he wouldn't respond.

"She…" He looked to the Queen, surprising her "She is not another girl, Your Majesty! Maria is…" He couldn't stop crying "Maria is the one I truly love…Always was, always be!"

1582, Azores

"Spain… He will see how strong his British armada" Arthur whispered with a evil smile.

"Captain, look!" The sailor pointed to a big and beautiful ship.

"It's "Madre de Deus!"" Another sailor screamed. "Madre de Deus" was a ship that this crew, even Arthur, ever saw in their lives. This Portuguese ship was three times bigger than the biggest British ship.

"Maria…" Holding his tears "What is a Portuguese ship doing here?" He asked to himself.

"Sir, what we would do?" A sailor asked "We have orders from the Queen… We need to attack! " Arthur just nodded, respecting his queen wishes.

At the end of the day, the Portuguese ship was full of dead men and only a few survived, including their captain.

"You" Arthur pointed with his sword "What are you doing here?"

"Please, sir… Don't kill the rest of my men…I'll do every…"

"Just answer my question, man!" The only answer he wanted is something relative with Maria. He need to know where is she, where did she go.

"Indian goods, sir!" He answered, shaking "We just came from India… And more ships will come"

"Alright" Arthur was disappointed. The only thing that he wanted was to know things about his true love "You can go now… And your lives will be spared"

"Thank you, sir" Kissing Arthur hands "I'll tell Maria that you spared my life" Without hesitating, Arthur looked to the sailor, with his eyes wide open "She is alright, sir! A bit sad…" He stopped "Alright, not a bit… REALLY sad".

"Tell her, that I'm waiting for her" Arthur eyes was full of tears that he needed to hold "Tell her, that I love her, please"

"I can't, sir! Spain… He forbidden" The British man nodded. He was hoping that Maria still think of him as he thinks of her. The words that they shared in 1386 were whispering in his head. What he will do if Maria does not appear anymore?

When they arrived to London, Arthur went to his room and started to think of her. "She will prepare something, I know…" He said to himself "Maria will not quit until she have her independence again, I'm sure of that!" He smiled when the image of her beautiful face came to his mind "She will fight, I know her…"

1640, London, England

"Sir!" A pageboy ran to Arthur's office.

"What happened?" The English asked.

"Portugal… She is independent again" A big smile came to Arthur's face.

"I KNEW IT!" He took his bag "Maria is back and I'm going see her, right now" Lived his castle and sailed to Portugal, to see the woman he loves.

1640, Lisbon, Portugal

"Where is she?" Was the first question that he asked when he arrived to Maria's place.

"She is in her library, sir" A Portuguese servant answered.

Immediately, he climbed up the stairs. He stopped in front of her library's door, nervous. It is the first time in 60 years that he will see her. He opened the door and entered.

"Who is there?" – Her voice. He just heard her voice.

"It's me" – Finally, he sees her. She's still beautiful, as 60 years ago.

"Hello, there" – Imitating his accent - It's been a while, right? – He didn't answer. He just hugged her very tightly, so he could feel her smell.

"Bloody hell, I thought I lost you. I thought I would never see you again" He said. There was no reaction of her part. When they separate, Arthur tried to hold his tears. "Do you have any idea how was my reaction when I saw a Portuguese ship in Azores, while I was fighting with Spain?"

"Não, but you destroy it, my ship "Madre de Deus", violating the Treaty of Windsor, you British man!" She crossed her arms.

"I thought that you were against me" He was looking at her blue eyes. "That you turn out to your brother side. That's why I destroyed that ship" He made a serious face, not because he was angry, but to hold his tears "And that violation of our treaty didn't count, because you were part of Spain…"

"And do you think that I would EVER be on Antonio's side? I thought you knew me!" He didn't expect that. But she was right. As he knows her, she would never be on her brother's side.

"Yes, I know you… That's why I was waiting for some kind of… revolution!" He sighed when he saw Maria's confuse face "As I know you, I knew that you would prepare something. I knew that you will fight and just stop when you had your independence again… And now you have it." he paused a bit. "But you took so long and I started to forget that idea..."

"T-that's good… I'm glad that you know me so well" Her smile made him smile. He waited many years to see this smile again "But I guess you don't know what I will do now…"

- What? – Confused. She kissed him on the lips. A reciprocated, long and passionate kiss. When they separate, they smiled to each other. Their faces were so close that both could feel each other breath.

"No one can bring me down, no one… Even my brother. Do you know why?" She smiled

"Tell me, lass." Arthur grabbed Maria waist to feel her very close to him and smiled back. For him, they could stay like that forever.

"I though you would know the answer "She paused a bit and kissed him again "Because, I'm Portugal"