Chasing Pavements

Chapter 1 – It Started with a Spark

Arthur absentmindedly stared at the passing images before him. Having just arrived in the town of Stonehaven, Scotland, Arthur wanted nothing more than to enter his hotel room and pretend for a moment he was normal.

No one knew he was here. There was no security team with him, no squadron of advisers and aides; just him, his assistant, Merlin, and his bodyguard, Percival.

He had told his father that he needed a bit of a holiday; A break from his family, the press, and the constant pressure. Arthur knew that everyone, including his family and palace advisers, thought that he was heading off to some tropical island with the intention of spending the next few weeks partying and getting pissed. But this could not have been further from the truth.

Back home he had started to feel as if he were being suffocated. He had long since learned to live with the fact that his life of privilege came with a heavy price. He was a piece of property, something to be pursued, owned, managed, and used. He had countless so-called friends but could count on one hand the people he trusted, and felt viewed him as Arthur, and not Britain's spare to the heir.

Some nights he found himself happily giving into the temptation to drink excessively, in hopes of feeling some resemblance of peace; in hopes of escaping it all, even if just momentarily.

In a few weeks' time, he decided, I'll go back to pretending that everything is all right. In a few weeks' time, I'll go back and be the puppet they want me to be.

The sudden sound of laughter abruptly pulled him from his thoughts. An elderly man could be seen in a poor, but hilarious, attempt to serenade an elderly woman sitting at a bench. Arthur smiled as the woman roared with laughter once again. He watched as she then stood up and enveloped the man in her arms.

Arthur smiled to himself as the traffic light changed, and his bodyguard pulled off.

He was on his way to the hotel, but suddenly felt the need to quietly join the outside world. Arthur turned to his longtime bodyguard Percival Hopper. "I think I'll go for a walk around the town."

Without asking, the other man knew Arthur intended to take this walk alone. "Sir, I don't think that would be a wise choice."

"You worry too much Percy. I'll be fine. Besides, no one knows I'm here." Arthur could tell that his bodyguard still felt apprehensive. "Look, my face will be almost completely covered; I highly doubt anyone will even spare me a second glance."

Percy opened his mouth to speak but said nothing.

"Great. I'm glad we're both in agreement."

"Merlin won't like this." The larger man mumbled to himself as he lightly shook his head.

"Contrary to what Merlin seems to believe, he works for me. Now let's go." Arthur smirked as he put on his sunglasses. There was a buzzing type of energy in his bones, and an unexpected feeling of exhilaration that he could not explain.

The cold winter air felt calming against Gwen's skin, as she made her way to the Harbour Hut Café. Her taste buds hummed in anticipation of the scrumptious Scottish tablets she would soon be biting into.

As she neared the shop, she thanked her lucky stars that she wasn't needed at work until later in the day. She now had plenty of time to visit the café and indulge in her favorite treats.

The cashier, whose name-tag read Gwaine, smiled at her as he repeated her order. "Will that be all?" The smirk on his face was flirtatious but Gwen was unfazed by his charm.

"Yes. Thank you Gwaine." Even though she found his flirting amusing, she knew his type, and knew that the word relationship was not in his vocabulary.

"Still seems unfair. You know my name, but I still don't know yours."

Gwen said nothing as she smiled and began to move away.

"Fine. Then I'll just have to keep calling you Angel until you tell me your name," he called out, then chuckled.

"Gwaine, get back to work and leave the poor girl alone." Ian, one of his coworkers, shouted behind him.

"Can't blame a man for trying," Gwaine shrugged, as he turned to greet the next customer.

Dressed in a blue winter hat, gray scarf, dark sunglasses, and a black heavy coat, Arthur removed his wool gloves as he entered the quiet café and briefly scanned the area before joining the short line. An middle-aged woman stood in front of him, prattling off a list of items. Arthur sighed as he listened to her switch her order before restarting her list. When it was finally his turn, he barely spared the cashier a glance as he ordered a large hot chocolate with whipped cream and extra marshmallows.

While waiting for his warm beverage, he slowly looked around the room. There was a family with 3 children seated at one of the tables. The children each had an ice cream cone, clearly undaunted by the freezing temperatures outside. Two tables away, seat an older couple quietly enjoying their morning tea. As he turned to the counter, anxiously awaiting his hot chocolate, he spotted a young woman in a red coat. Her back was turned to him, and all he could see was her long dark curly hair.

"Hot chocolate," Ian called out, placing the beverage on the counter.

Arthur quickly walked up to the counter, but when he reached for the cup, his hand met the hand of another. The young woman in the red coat pulled away the moment her skin touched his. They had both felt a small shock pass between their hands.

"Sorry." They said simultaneously, as they turned to the other.

"I think that's my order." Even though Gwen could see nothing but the bottom half of his face, she still felt a slight blush rise to her cheeks.

Arthur stared at her for a moment, and noted the radiant color of her skin and the deep brown hue of her eyes. It took him a second to regain his senses. "Oh, is it?"

"Yes, it is," Gwaine suddenly interjected, from the cash register, carefully eyeing the other man.

Arthur seemed obvious to him, as his eyes and attention remained on the young woman in front of him.

He lifted the cup and pointed to the heart. "Guess I should have known this wasn't for me." He laughed nervously, then instantly felt at ease when he heard her softly chuckle.

"Well I'm sure if you asked nicely enough, they'd be willing to draw one on yours too." She smiled.

When the silence stretched between them for a second too long, Gwen abruptly felt aware that everyone's eyes were now on them. She shyly brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, before holding her hand out for her drink.

"Oh … right, here you go." He suddenly felt like an awkward teenager.

"Thank you." She could not understand why she now felt so nervous, or why she felt the need to leave the shop when she had originally planned to sit and enjoy her hot chocolate. She spared him one more glance before turning and walking out of the café.

"She forgot her Scottish tablets." Ian held up a bag filled with the treats.

"I'll give it to her." Arthur quickly volunteered.

"No, it's fine. I'll give it to her." Gwaine's tone held a jealous edge to it.

"Just let him bring it to her." Ian tossed to the bag to Arthur, who swiftly ran out after Gwen.

"Excuse me Miss," he called out.

Gwen turned around, slightly surprised to see him behind her.

"You forgot your sweets." He handed her the bag.

"Thank you." She waited a second; secretly hoping that he would say something else, anything else. But disappointment colored her features when he simply nodded to her and waved goodbye.

Damn it, damn it, damn it, Arthur mumbled over and over in his head, angry at himself for not asking her out or at least asking for her name. He tried to push his regret aside as he walked back towards the café. It would've been pointless to ask her out. He reasoned. I'll probably never see her again.

TBC

**Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Leave a review and let me know what you thought of it**