Title: Arthorius - the lost Prince

Author:JennnyJ

About the story: Roughly based upon the children tale Anastasia

"Then I'll enter the tournament!" Arthur rose from his chair and walked over to the front door where he stopped, leaning his forehead against it.
"No, Arthur", Gwen said and shook her head, this couldn't be her childhood friend, it couldn't – Artorius hadn't been this stupid. But if she would have continued her thoughts, she would have remembered that he had been just like this. "It's too dangerous, you're not properly trained and this isn't some game – people die in the tournaments."
Arthur turned his face away from the door and looked at her, deep inside he knew that she was right – but he had no choice.
"Then how will I get in to the castle?" He asked and stroked his cheek with a tired look in his eyes. "The winner of the tournament will be invited to the banquet – wasn't it so, Merlin?"
Merlin stood by one of the windows and as he heard Arthur's voice he turned his attention towards them and nodded, still deep in thought.

"Perhaps", he said, his gaze drifting back through the window. "Perhaps you don't have to enter the tournament."
Gwen smiled, knowing that the warlock would do whatever he could not to risk the Prince's life.
"But Gaius said that it was the only way we could ever speak to the King", Arthur said and crossed his arms. "He won't speak to me otherwise!"
"He didn't say it was the only way", Merlin said, still facing the window. "He said that it's the King's duty to open the tournament and make sure that those who are competing follow the rules."
"I'll talk to him", Guinevere said and walked over to one of her drawers. "Perhaps it doesn't have to be too difficult to meet the King – I'm sure Gaius will try and give us an opportunity."
Arthur sighed but didn't try to talk her out of this – after a few days with her he knew that Gwen wasn't the one to change her mind that easily.

In fact, Gaius gave them an opportunity the very next day, after the opening of the tournament.
Standing behind the great podium Arthur watched as Guinevere walked towards the royals, dressed as a servant.
He stepped closer to hear the conversation and ignored the fact that she had firmly told him to stay where he was.
"My lord", he could see how she curtseyed and the aging King looked at her for a brief second before he returned to follow the events down the field. "My lord, my name is Guinevere and I have someone with me that I think you'd like to meet"
"I do not care how long you've trained someone to act and sound like my son – in the end, it's never him", the King said with a tired voice and waved for her to go away. "Now leave me alone."
"But Sir, if you just heard me out-"
"I've heard of you, miss Guinevere", the King said with a harsh voice and turned his attention back to her, even from distant Arthur could see the sadness and anger in the man's blue eyes. "The one who have been holding auditions to find someone to play Artorius – you don't even care about him, about my family, do you? All you care for is the money, isn't it? "

Arthur backed away, his face a mask of disappointment as he saw how Gwen blushed deeply as she began to stutter. He shook his head, not believing his eyes.
All this time, everything she'd said – it meant nothing to her. He turned around, ready to leave.
"Arthur?"
He stopped, his eyes carefully shut, as he heard her broken voice. As long as he didn't face her he'd be capable to resist the urge of forgiving her.
"All this time", he whispered, his back still turned against her. "All this time, nothing else but the money mattered. Am I right?"
Guinevere didn't answer, just bit her lip as she heard the betrayal in his voice.
"You and Merlin", Arthur shook his head; he had to pause for a moment to control his feelings. "None of you cared, not about me, not about this poor man – how can you be so selfish, so-"

"Arthur", Gwen took a trembling step towards him, wishing that she could see his face. "At first, I admit – it was all about the money, but now-"
"You do not have to explain", finally Arthur turned around and his eyes were as blue as an ocean and her heart almost stopped when she saw the hurt in his face. "You don't have to lie anymore; I won't help you break this man's heart more than you already have. All this time, I thought better of you, Guinevere."
With that, he turned around and disappeared through the crowd, leaving the dark haired woman looking after him with tear-filled eyes.
But Guinevere wasn't the girl who gave up this quick, more determined than ever, now that she knew this man really was the lost Prince, she returned to the King's side.
After all, she had a secret weapon.

Uther Pendragon closed his eyelids as he heard her voice for the second time that day.
"What do you want now, girl?" He asked but did not face her. "Perhaps you've found my dead Queen as well? Perhaps she isn't the one buried in the royal graveyard; perhaps she's been alive this whole time."
"My Lord", the girl stuttered, paused to control her voice and then continued, her voice now filled with faith. "I know that you've been hurt and that it is I and many of my kind who've been those to hurt you – but now you have to believe me, you have to see him."
"My Lord", a female voice from the King's left side spoke and startled, Guinevere stopped in the middle of the sentence.
"Yes, Morgana", the King said, smiling vaguely to his ward. He didn't want her to see his sorrow and tried not to show just how much this subject troubled him. But he didn't fool her, he never could.
"I've seen this too many times", the beautiful girl said and placed a hand on the King's shoulder. "You'll get your hopes up, meet the young man and then it will be as if you lose Artorius all over again – we've been through this, you and I, and I believe we decided it would be best if you let him go."

Gwen stared at the woman for some time before she snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head. A dark cur escaped her ponytail and she pushed it away.
"I can prove he is your son", she said, her head held high as she searched through her pockets.
The King finally turned to look at her, his face marked with sadness and vigilance.
"And just how will you do that?" He asked but stopped as he noticed the ring which Gwen where holding in her hand, he raised his eyebrows. Stunned.
"From where did you get that?" The King boomed, his face growing red.
"Arthu-", Gwen shook her head. "Artorius, I mean, where carrying this in his backpack."
Behind her back she crossed a pair of fingers and hoped that it would work.

"It, it is", Uther took the ring, staring at it as if he couldn't believe his eyes. "It was Ygraine's ring, the one my son inherited."
Guinevere nodded and leaned closer, looking at the old man with friendly eyes.
"Perhaps, My lord", she said and smiled, "you'd like to meet this man and see for yourself – he truly is your son."
"Uther ", Morgana said but was silenced by the King's hand.
"Hush", he said and rubbed his forehead, deep in though. "I'll agree on meeting him, but I doubt he is the one."
Guinevere smiled and curtseyed. "If you do not mind, my Lord", she said with her eyes lowered. "We'll meet you at the banquet this evening."

The Lady Morgana opened her mouth to say something but was for the second time silenced by the King.
"If you are fooling me", he whispered to the common girl. "If this is another of your tricks, you'll be the one held responsible. Is that understood?"
"Yes, my lord", Gwen said with another courtesy before she left the podium. The King returned his gaze to the fighting Knights down the field but he couldn't see them. His thoughts were drifting far away and he couldn't help a tear-filled smile from taking place upon his lips as he thought about his baby boy.

In the mean time, Guinevere hurried back to her house with a smile on her face.
"Arthur, Arthur!" She swung the door open. "The King wants to see you – he said that he'll talk to you at the banquet tonight, you must..."
The smile on her face faded as she saw Merlin who sat alone at the table, staring at the wall in front of him.
"Merlin", she asked carefully, stepping in so that she could close the door behind her. Her brown eyes searched through the tiny cottage for Arthur but she couldn't see any traces of him. "Where is he, where is Arthur?"

Slowly, Merlin turned his face towards her and she gasped in shock as she saw the bruise on his cheek. "What has happened to you?"
Merlin hawked, pulling a hand through his dark hair.
"The Prince has left", he whispered, his voice filled with regret. "He wants nothing to do with us anymore."
Her legs couldn't bear the weight of her swelling heart so Guinevere sank down to her knees, staring at her friend with disbelief.
"No, he can't-", she stumbled, shaking her head as her hands started to tremble.
"I'm sorry Gwen", Merlin hung his head and didn't meet her gaze. "I'm really sorry."
Guinevere didn't answer; just shut her eyelids together as she fought against the tears which formed in her eyes.

Okay, I know this was a crappy chapter but hey, I thought I had to write something. I'm feeling kinda down today and I believe one of the only things that can make me happier is your reviews because I love every word from you.
I know this isn't much like the movie Anastasia, but I hope it's okay anyway. If you all review as soon as possible, I'll do my best and update this before Friday.
Hugs, Jenn