Comments: Spoilers 3x02 just a little added scene. Unbeta'd. A very short and rushed one..I hope you like it.
The smell of blood and death felt like a sword to his chest with every breath he took. Yes he had protected the city, but as he looked around at the injured and the dying he thought again about his decision to fight. Arthur shook his head dismissing the thoughts... he knew that to show weakness in the face of battle would cause devastation.
Guinevere rinsed the cloth in water and dabbed the cut on Arthur's wrist. She knew the cut would not be deep enough for him to come and seek treatment ...he had come here for her, as he always did, as this was the only way a few moments together would be seen as acceptable. Gwen dared to look up and she could see Arthur looking at the injured, his eyes burning with doubt.
"A few injured is better than a thousand" Gwen placed her concentration back to the overly clean wound.
"Yes" Arthur sighed, it always amazed him how Guinevere seemed to be able to read him. Since a child he had his destiny laid upon him and throughout growing up, he felt a loneliness within his own thoughts...he felt as if he had worn armour all his life, protecting the outside world from seeing who he really was, but Guinevere...she had removed that armour and only with her did he feel safe without it.
Guinevere stopped what she was doing and looked at Arthur who had been staring at her, his eyes once again filled with warmth and love. When Arthur had held her hand a day or so ago, it had taken all her strength to walk away and not stay in the warmth of his touch. But she could not do that, that path was full of a heartache she could not bare.
"Guinevere...thank you for having faith in me" Gwen smiled sadly up at Arthur.
"Always" Arthur's hand turned and he grabbed Guinevere's in his and he held it... and for a few seconds everything seemed right in the world. And then the walls began the re-build and Guinevere moved her hand from his and continued dressing his wound...their moment was coming to an end and another piece of his heart seemed to fall to the floor.
Arthur felt as if he were at the edge of the battle field, his sword held high...the prize for winning more valuable than land or money...he was fighting for love. But his enemy was his father, so to win...he would have to accept losing his father and Camelot...he was under no illusion that his father would accept his choice with open arms, instead he would fight it till his last breath. So there he now stood unable to fight, but unable to not...he was trapped once again within the armour of his destiny.
"Rest well sire" Arthur watched as Guinevere walked away his heart feeling heavier with every growing gap between them.
He looked down at his wrist and sighed, "One day things will be different" he heard her words playing back in his head...he had to believe in that, he needed to. Arthur stood and walked away, he would need to find more reasons for moments like this, even if it meant a few more scars in the process.