Arthur barely slept that night.

He slumped in his chair, mind racing. Should he speak to Mithian first, call off their wedding and hope she was generous enough not to allow it to descend into a war between their kingdoms? Or should he find out if he even had a chance with Guinevere? Their attraction to each other was definitely still there - he felt it, like a living, breathing thing between them, whenever they were together. But she said she loved someone in Ealdor.

Marriage to Mithian would not be a hardship and it would ensure peace between the two biggest kingdoms in Albion.

But Guinevere. The thought of her being hurt and her re-entry into his life confirmed what he'd always suspected. No excuses of having rose-tinted memories could explain away the feelings that were burgeoning in him. He loved her so much and his life without her sharing it seemed awfully hollow. For the rest of the night, Arthur sat in his chair, staring out into the stars that dotted the sky and thought.

By the time the sun peeked from behind the hills, he knew what he had to do.

Arthur nodded at George who surreptitiously exited the King's chambers when Arthur entered. Despite it being months since his father had slipped into this state, it still shocked Arthur to see his once strong father lying on his bed, barely conscious, his skin pale and drawn.

"Father," Arthur said as he settled into the chair next to the bed. "It's me, Arthur."

A slight nod was all Arthur received in response.

"I have something to tell you. Before this disease claimed you, you arranged for me to marry Princess Mithian and to form an alliance with Nemeth." He swallowed. He didn't even know if his father could hear him but speaking about his decision aloud made him nervous. Since Ealdor, he'd done all he could to be a good prince. He was pretty sure breaking a contract with an important ally wasn't one of those things. "I've decided that I cannot go through with this marriage."

Unsurprisingly, Arthur received no blessings from his father. On the positive side, his father didn't oppose it either. Now, he had to speak to Mithian. For a while, he simply stood outside her door, his hand raised but not knocking. Mithian had been more than calm about Guinevere's arrival in Camelot and the fact that he spent large chunks of time with Guinevere. Their little trip to the market the day before was a result of his guilt at ignoring Mithian.

Finally he knocked, then pushed the door open. "Mithian, can we talk?" As expected, she was in her room, where she seemed to be studying some papers. When he stepped in, he realised that she was looking at their marriage treaty. Dread filled him.

"Arthur! Of course. I was just about to look for you." She stood and gestured for him to enter. "Perhaps you will let me start?"

Warily he sat down and nodded. He wouldn't be surprised that Mithian had figured it all out. She had shown herself on many occasions to be very quick and observant. The question was what she planned to do knowing that.

"I like you Arthur and for a few months, I thought we would be able to build a good marriage and a good partnership."

"Mithian -"

Her fingers pressed against his lips as she shushed him. "Let me finish. Then there was Ealdor. I had my suspicions before because mentioning that village always made you unhappy but I brushed it aside. Now, I know you love Guinevere. I see it in the way you look when you talk about her. I see it in the way you smile after you've spent time with her."

"Where does that leave us?" Gently, he removed her fingers from his lips and held her hand loosely.

"Truth be told, I am fond of you Arthur. This marriage is politically advantageous for both our kingdoms. You can always take Guinevere as a mistress. It's not unheard of and I wouldn't oppose it."

Mithian's words chilled and angered him. "No," he said coldly. "Guinevere means more than that to me."

"You plan to marry her?" She didn't sound fazed at all by his declaration.

"Yes."

Mithian smiled. "I thought as much. You came here to break off our engagement, didn't you?"

"I did. Maybe, if there wasn't Guinevere, we could have made a good life together. I am just hoping that we can part on amicable terms." He smiled wryly, calmer now that Mithian didn't seem angry. "I really don't want a war to start over this, although I have seen wars started for less."

"If it helps, I feel the same way. I guess we can consider our treaty ended?"

"Your father?"

"I will speak to him. He'll understand. Eventually. Perhaps you might consider some recompense for your slighting of his daughter?" Humour tinged her voice but he could hear the underlying seriousness.

Arthur nodded in good humour. Only Mithian would use this to negotiate for political gain. She would make a brilliant queen one day, just not his queen. "I'm sure we can work something out. Perhaps with regards to the disputed lands."

She nodded. "That sounds good. We can discuss the finer details later. I expect there is someone else you need to see."

"Thank you Mithian. You've reacted better than I deserved. You're a better person than I am."

"I know that. Now go before she leaves."

Merlin was with Guinevere in her room when Arthur arrived, a small bag on the table, emphasising the point that in a few hours, she was planning to leave.

"Can I have a moment?"

Merlin said nothing as he walked out of the room, leaving him and Guinevere alone. She seemed flustered and kept moving around until he caught her hands and stilled her.

"Please don't go." He had meant to ease into it, maybe tell her he loved her first or that he was no longer going to marry Mithian. But the panic at seeing her pack to leave overwhelmed him. Predictably, her response was to jerk away from him.

"We've had this conversation before. There is nothing here for me. Please, just let me leave. I want to go home."

"Couldn't you imagine this to be your home? With me?"

"What are you talking about? Whatever happened in Ealdor was a mistake." Her eyes finally met his and he could see the pain in them. His heart clenched yet hope blossomed in him. Guinevere wouldn't be so upset if she didn't feel anything for him. "Look Arthur, I am very grateful for all you have done for me over the past few days. But it's time that we moved on with our lives."

"I'm not marrying Mithian. And I want to move on with my life. With you."

"Arthur -" Shock coloured her face and she stopped moving again. "I don't understand. You broke off your engagement?"

He nodded, then moved slightly towards her, relieved when she didn't step away. "I cannot marry someone when I am in love with someone else."

Tears shimmered in her eyes and he prayed desperately they were tears of a happy kind. Taking her hand, he continued, "I love you Guinevere. I probably fell for you that night in Ealdor when you told me all the ways I lacked as a prince and what I should be doing. No one had ever spoken to me like that. But you did and your courage, your decency made me want to be someone you'll be proud of. I think of you all the time. I wish you were with me every waking moment. I don't want a life in which you are not part of it."

"I can't." The words were said in a whisper, her eyes wide.

"You can't?" She was going to reject him and the reality of it hurt even more than when he imagined it. Then he remembered. She loved someone else in Ealdor. "It was only physical for you was it?" Bitterness seeped into his voice and he could see the hurt reflected in her eyes.

"It doesn't matter how I feel. Nothing can happen."

"Because you love someone else?" He thought he could feel his heart literally break.

She frowned, confused. "Someone else?"

"The man you said you loved in Ealdor?"

"Oh." She looked away. It was then he realised it was a lie.

"You lied? To get rid of me?"

"I had to! Don't you see how ridiculous this is? You gave up marriage to a princess for a peasant? She could offer you so much. What can I offer you?"

"You could offer me your love. Guinevere, it doesn't matter that you are a peasant. Not to me. I love you and I will be a better king with the support of the woman I love."

She shook her head. "Arthur -"

"Tell me honestly that you don't love me, that you don't want to be with me and I'll stop."

"I can't." He could hear the tears in her voice and his own heart broke some more.

"If you can't stay here for good, then stay for a while. Let me court you." He cupped her face and looked into her troubled eyes. "When I asked you to give up your life in Ealdor to come to Camelot but could promise you nothing, I was being selfish."

"Are you not asking the same now? What will I do here? This is foolish. Will always be foolish." Guinevere pulled away from his hold. "I can't live in Camelot and be completely dependent on you. What will happen if you tire of me? Or if we fall out of love?"

"You love me," he whispered.

"You know I do. Arthur, this is impossible." But she moved towards him and let him take her hand.

"I will visit you in Ealdor. I can't go very often, not in the state my father is, but I will visit. And we'll build something from there. Maybe you can visit Camelot as well. When you trust our relationship more, then you could move here permanently. Please." He tightened his hold on her hand. "Don't give up on us."

Guinevere said nothing for a long time. And the thought that he had pushed too hard worried him.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you. I just - I love you. But it's ok if you don't love me. I'll leave you to pack. Shall I ask Merlin to return?"

Again she stood quietly. He let go of her hand and turned to leave, his heart feeling like it had just been ripped to shreds.

"Arthur."

He stopped but didn't turn.

"I'll stay."

"Say that again." His eyes closed and he rested his forehead against the door.

"I love you Arthur and I'll stay in Camelot."

In a few strides, he was beside her, pulling her into his arms and she was smiling at him through tears. "What changed your mind?"

"You," she said as she leaned into him. "You believe in us."

"I do."

"And sometimes, we have to take risks in life. You took a risk by ending your engagement. Maybe I need to take one too. I'm putting my trust in you, that if we don't work out, I wouldn't suffer for it."

He drew back, shocked at her words. "I promise you that will never happen!"

"I will definitely need to find a means of supporting myself then."

Arthur nodded. "I can help -"

"No. Camelot is a large place and I've many skills. I'm sure I can find a job somewhere." She smiled up at him. "You can help by giving me a kiss."

"That sounds like a good idea," Arthur murmured as he dipped his head, the joy in his heart close to overflowing.

As always, they exploded in each others arms. Clothes were dragged off between kisses and moans and they tumbled into the bed, Guinevere maneuvering them so she was lying on top of him. Her fingers traced patterns on his chest, making him shudder as she placed soft kisses against his jaw.

"When did you know?"

"Hmm?" Her hand slipped lower to his stomach and traced his belly button. He sucked in a breath.

"When did you know you loved me?"

"When you left Ealdor and there was this emptiness in my heart. I told myself I was just being over-emotional. Why would I fall for a prat like you?"

He gasped in mock anger, grabbed her waist and flipped them over. "A prat?"

"Mmm, a royal one too."

"I think you need to stop talking," he murmured before covering her mouth with his while his hands palmed her breasts and hips. She thrust up against him, wriggling, arousing him even more.

He pulled away from her, positioned himself then entered her in one swift movement. She squealed, her hands grasping at his shoulders. For a while, he simply enjoyed the feeling of being in her, of being so close to her.

"Arthur?"

"Yes?"

"Move. Please."

He did. His strokes were slow and measured, kissing her as he moved. He wanted this to last. But it was clear that Guinevere had different ideas. Under him, she moaned and writhed, encouraging him to move faster, harder. And when he still persisted, she shoved at him, pushing him to the bed and straddled him.

"You," she huffed, hair all over her face, "are a tease. And now I, still injured, have to take over."

He laughed. "Move slowly then."

That earned him a smack on his shoulder, followed by a kiss and then she was suckling his neck. She came, falling onto his chest. His arms tightened around her as he too shattered. The sex was great as usual. But the best part, he thought, was having her whisper she loved him when it was all over.

"What do we do now?"

She giggled, then ran her hands down his body, sending desire flowing through him again. "We could do this again."

"Guinevere! I was speaking of us, in the future."

"I know." The humour drained out of her and she lay down next to him. He took her hand, not wanting to lose the physical connection with her. "I was thinking that I'd go down to the town one day and see if I can get a job. I can sew and I know a little bit of blacksmithing."

"Blacksmithing?"

"John used to let me help when I was a kid."

"Huh. What about us then?"

"We'll see each other? See where it goes?"

Arthur raised himself on an elbow. "I know where this is going. One day, you'll be my queen."

She flushed and looked away. "You sound very certain. Who will accept me as queen?"

"I am certain. It may not be easy but I'm willing to fight for it, with you."

"Every child imagines they will be king or queen one day. I never thought it would come true."

He lowered himself and kissed her. "I love you. We'll find a way to make it work. As long as you trust me."

Her hands twined with his and she smiled. Then he remembered. Jumping up, he grabbed his pants. Attached to his key ring was the ring she lost in the forest.

"Remember this?" He placed the ring in her hand, like he did all those months ago. "I told you then to keep it as a reminder. I want you to keep it as a promise, from me to you, that we'll find a way to make this work."

Guinevere closed her fingers around the ring. "I love you too."

A/N: Thank you all for reading and for commenting. 3