Chapter ten

The end of life that was once known

Lily smiled as she eyed her reflection in the floor length mirror. The white dress fit her body as if it were tailor made for her. No wonder her father had kissed her mother, seeing her for the first time in this dress. Her door opened and she spun around to see Gwen sweeping her way into the room. Her brows rose approvingly. "What a lovely dress." Her eyes narrowed. "I've seen one like it before…I just can't remember where."

It was my mothers.

"And she could afford it?"

She bit her lip. She saved for it.

"It's beautiful. Old, yet timeless." She smirked. "Don't be surprised if Brandan tries to kiss you tonight."

She flushed. I'm not trying to win his attention. Honest.

"I know that. He's in love with you for what you are."

He barely knows me. It's too soon for him to say such things.

Gwen nodded. "He's like his father," her gaze saddened. "but he's much more sensible. Take your time, don't rush it, you may regret it."

I'm certain Arthur loves you.

Gwen rolled her eyes. "So he says. He said the words too late, and now, they aren't returned."

Gwen!

"Oh, you might as well know." She said. "I need someone to talk to." She smiled brightly. "I'm in love with someone else."

Sir Lancelot?

Her eyes narrowed. "Is it that obvious?"

She shook her head. My father told me that Lancelot had been in love with you for many years.

"How'd he know?"

Because he was a servant at Camelot. That was enough for her to admit. My father is a very observant man.

"Did I know him?"

She shrugged. I think so, but he asks not to be remembered to you and Arthur.

"Odd. Why?"

I don't know.

"Oh well, I shall respect his wishes. How did things go with your parents?"

My mother adores Brandan, my father is wary.

Lily! Her father's voice broke into the room. Arthur is looking for Gwen, and he's on a rampage.

She's in my chambers.

Head to the banquet hall.

She turned to Gwen and smiled. We should head to the banquet hall.

"All right. Brandan's probably frantic."

Or Arthur.

She frowned darkly at her. Lily concentrated on Gwen, sending her next words into his head. "I don't love Arthur anymore. So, you can stop trying to put in good words for him."

Lily. Her father's voice sounded pained.

I'm certain you don't mean that.

"I do!" Gwen said. "If I had the chance to do it all again, I'd never have married him! Now, let's go."

Lily, what's going on?

Father, she's in love with Lancelot, and he's in love with her. He's clouding her mind, promising her the love that Arthur cannot fulfill. Her father was silent for a long time. Father, are you…surprised?

No, I'm not. Arthur had to grow to love Gwen. Lancelot, he loved her the moment they met. How could he still not love her? He exhaled. I must talk to him about this. He must not, allow this to happen.

If I fell in love with you, would you promise to be true? And help me understand, cause I've been in love before. And I found that love was more that just holding hands. Brandan studied Lily. Her eyes kept glancing around the room, like a fly caught in a spider's web. But her eyes were mainly upon his mother, father and Lancelot. It was as if there was a plot that she was aware of involving the three of them. His father, had paid more attention to his mother than he had in years. But his mother, rebuffed his attentions, and his father, was refusing to give up. Lancelot, was watching the whole scenario, with eyes that were unreadable, a mixture of sympathy and lust. Her mother, had requested that lily sing this song, and she had agreed reluctantly. Her hands, shook lightly upon the harp she was playing.

If I give my heart to you, I must be sure from the very start that you will love me more than him. If I trust in you, oh please, don't run and hide, if I love you too. Oh please, don't hurt my pride like him. Cause I couldn't stand the pain, and I would be sad, if our new love, was in vain. So I hope you see, that I would love to love you. And that he will cry when he learns we are two.

She was into the song, when the Royal Clerk burst into the room, his face a sickly white. All eyes went to him. "Your Majesty!" He began begging, immediately, falling upon the floor. "I beg your pardon for such an appearance-"

His father stood up, seemingly weary. "Never mind the trivialities, speak what causes you such distress."

The clerk's face was ashen white as he cleared his throat. "Sire, I was sorting the papers and I happened upon your Majesty's license." He gulped, appearing as if he were about to vomit. "Your marriage license was recorded improperly. It is not legal."

"What?!" His father shouted as he leaned forward, snatching the document from the man's trembling hands. His angry eyes danced over the words, threatening to burn the ink from the page. Moments later, he threw the paper on the ground. "So," he demanded. "what is to be done?"

"You and your queen will have to remarry and the license, recorded properly."

His eyes blazed. "Have the preparations for the ceremony begin. We will marry this Sunday." He snarled. "I bet that idiot Merlin had something to do with it."

He snuck a glance at his mother, who'd been silent, the whole time. A glance at Lancelot, showed he was reserved, but his eyes were wide with hope. His mother, sat back in her chair, a cool, calculated look on her face. "Prepare…nothing." All eyes went to her. "The remarriage will not take place."

His father stared at her, shocked beyond belief. "It certainly will."

"No. It won't." She stated as she stood up, looking at Merlin. "Arrange for all my personal items moved to my room. I wish nothing that Arthur has given me to be brought to my room. I leave Camelot, for my kingdom at the end of the week."

Merlin didn't blink. "No." Everyone stared at him. "I serve King Arthur, and unless he bids me do that task, then I shall do it."

His father glared slightly at Merlin, before turning his glare to Gwen. "It's unusual to behold that a servant knows where his loyalty lies, and you, as my wife, do not!"

"I was your wife." She stood up, hands on her hips. "I am not anymore. I told you earlier today that I wanted our marriage dissolved. Thank the lord, that it wasn't necessary for us to go through the whole sordid mess of dissolving it. I shall leave."

"I told you not to marry a serving girl!" Uther shouted. "And now look at you! You don't even have a legitimate heir!"

He glanced up. "Does this mean I'm no longer the prince?"

Lily's face was as white as his father's face was red. His father shouted at the clerk. "Was his birth recorded properly?!"

"Yes Sire!"

"Good!" He shouted. "I should kill you, for single handedly bringing my life down around my ears!"

Gwen sniffed. "You, brought that down upon yourself Arthur." She smiled. "Don't worry, I'll take the clerk off your hands Arthur. He shall live in comfort for the rest of his days."

Merlin stood numbly in the hall, his mind running through the day Arthur had declared to his father and the court that he loved Gwen and no one else.

"I told you once before many years ago, that I loved Gwen. That I have always loved her. I have never loved another and no matter what, I will always love her. I am solemnly stating before all these witnesses that I'll not wed another."

Ariana had clapped loudly. "Bravo Arthur!" He'd grabbed her hands as she pouted. "Spoil sport."

Uther, was shocked. "I don't understand you Arthur. You must be possessed. You've never spoken to me in such a manner before."

"I only speak so to try to make you understand. Because I love her, and need her like I need to breathe! Now, we shall go back to the feast and not speak another word. With or without your permission, I will marry Gwen tomorrow."

What had happened? What had caused things to take such a turn without him or Ariana noticing?

Gwen fought hard to keep from looking at Lancelot. her heart and mind recalled a time, many years ago. When Arthur and them had rode out to close the veil between the worlds, released by a terrible sorceress.

"Will you grant me a favor?" she'd asked him, feeling guilty about his apparent joy at seeing her.

"anything." He said.

She'd looked towards Arthur, "look after him," at those cruel words, Lancelot's face had fallen, crushed. "bring him home."

In spite of the pain she'd inflicted upon him, he still agreed. "I will protect him with my life. You have my promise."

And true to his word, he'd protected Arthur with his life, literally. Now, she had a chance to stop breaking Lancelot's heart and finally make him happy.

Hello everyone, I am sorry about the delay, and I'm afraid that they won't be as quick as they used to be. My older sister left and my brother is overseas on duty. Me, being the oldest now, I don't have as much time as I have on my hands as I used to, especially with Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner. So, updates will be super slow until sometime in the late January. I shall try to get a few little chapters up.