When Gwen's father stepped out into the forge, Arthur tensed, unsure if he should leave or not. He was still shaken by Gwen's sudden rejection and was contemplating between charging into her home to insist she tell him what happened and returning to his chambers to lick his wounds.

"My lord."

Great, now Gwen's father was angry with him too.

"Thomas," Arthur nodded. He wasn't quite sure what to say next. Should he ask about Gwen?

"My daughter is in her room crying."

The dull pain that throbbed in his heart since Gwen said they not see each other anymore increased in intensity. His fingers curled into his palms and he couldn't tell if he was more upset that she'd broken up with him or that she was clearly hurting like he was.

"Honestly, I am not sure what happened," said Arthur.

"What have you done?" Thomas might have just recovered from a serious illness, but Arthur could hear the steel in his voice. "When did you and Gwen start this - this affair?"

Arthur cringed at word 'affair'. "Gwen is more than an affair to me -"

"She's not some commoner you can just use," snapped Thomas. "I know what you royal types are like."

Arthur shook his head, shocked at the implication. "I would never treat Gwen this way. She means far too much."

"She's a commoner, you're the crown prince. This was always going to end in heartbreak, no matter what you feel." Thomas's jaw worked.

"It's not!" Arthur took a breath and repeated himself more calmly. "It's not going to end in heartbreak. If I can speak to Gwen, we'll sort this out." When Thomas said nothing, Arthur continued. "I love Gwen. I want a life with her by my side. And I believe she loves me too."

The coldness in Thomas's eyes seem to warm a little at Arthur's words. "She's not a princess."

"No," said Arthur. "But she's Gwen."

"I assume you have something worked out," said Thomas warily. "Because I don't care who you are, if Gwen is hurt badly, you will have to answer to me."

Arthur bowed slightly. "Of course."

"Knowing Gwen, she's not going to want to talk to you tonight," said Thomas. "Perhaps if you come by tomorrow morning."

That would mean sneaking out of the castle and possibly missing breakfast with his father. "I'll be here tomorrow. Thank you."

Thomas grunted, watching him with narrowed eyes as Arthur pulled the hood back over his face. "Does that hood really hide your identity?"


Gwen knew she hadn't had enough sleep, having spent most of the night crying, but surely she wasn't so far gone as to be imagining Arthur sitting at the table talking to her father.

"Dad?"

Thomas eased himself from the table, then kissed her forehead. "He's a nice boy. I'm going to the market to meet Florence and Rosalind. You have a nice breakfast."

Before Gwen could say anything, her father was gone.

"Why are you here?"

"I didn't stay the night, if that's what you're asking." Arthur stood, took her hand gently and led her to the table. "Sit."

She sat obediently, her mind still refusing to make sense of what was happening.

"Merlin helped me nick all these from the kitchens. I wasn't sure what you'd like for breakfast but there's cured meat, eggs, some bread -"

"Why are you here?" Gwen asked once more.

Arthur sighed. "You need to tell me why we can't see each other anymore. I think I deserve that at least."

"I may be just a commoner, but I am not going to be your mistress."

"My mistress? Who gave you that idea?"

Gwen thought that she'd cried herself dry last night. Clearly she was wrong. She sniffed. "Rosalind said that you are going to marry a princess soon and that it would be announced at the Royal Ball."

A small, wry smile appeared on Arthur's face. "She got a little of that right. I am due to announce my marriage at the Royal Ball."

"Congratulations," said Gwen coldly. She didn't understand anything. Why was Arthur torturing her like that? She never thought he would have been capable of that. She had thought he at least cared enough for her to not want to hurt her in this manner.

"But," he continued, ignoring her, "I'm not marrying a princess."

"A lady of the courts then," said Gwen, except the way Arthur was looking at her made something that felt like hope blossom in her chest.

"She's a lady but not of the courts." Arthur took her hand in both of his, his gaze warm and full of love, yet full of that nervousness she'd noticed last night. "Guinevere, I love you. Will you marry me?"

Gwen stared at him. Her mouth opened but she found herself speechless.

"I know it's a little quick and if I had my way, we wouldn't rush into this. But I also know for sure that you're the one for me. Just being with you makes me happy, makes me feel like I can accomplish anything, makes me want to be a better person."

"I never knew you were so eloquent," said Gwen, the tears swimming in her eyes quite different from the ones she shed the night before.

"Say yes," whispered Arthur.

"Yes. Yes I'll marry you." Then she was pulled out of her chair, into his arms. Winding her arms around his neck, she buried her face in his throat, unable to stop the tears from spilling. When she pulled back, Arthur rubbed his thumb across her lower lip, his eyes darkening with desire.

"I love you, Gwen." Arthur said again.

"I love you too." She raised her mouth and kissed him.

Some time later, as she popped a grape into her mouth, she laughed, almost choking when Arthur confessed he'd written his proposal earlier and stayed up practising it. His arms were loose around her waist as she sat snugly on his lap.

"Here," said Arthur, passing her a white card.

Wiping her hands on her skirt, she picked it up and looked at it curiously.

"It's an invitation to the Royal Ball."

"Oh." She remembered Arthur mentioning announcing his marriage then. Her good mood suddenly vanished. "Arthur, is this a good idea?"

"I'm expected to announce my marriage," he said, taking a bite out of a sausage.

"I mean us, marrying. I'm just a blacksmith. Arthur, they will be expecting you to take a royal as a bride, not some girl from the middle town."

"Which is why you are going to have to pretend to be the youngest niece of Lord Hubert." Arthur flipped the card over, showing her where her name was scrawled, next to the words 'Lady of Westport'.

"Westport? That's a month's ride from here." Gwen stared at her name on the card. "And your father would know."

Arthur closed his fingers around her hand. "Let me deal with my father. I just need to get you into the Ball."

"What if your father objects to us?"

"He won't," said Arthur, although a flash of worry crossed his face.

"You really want to marry me?"

Arthur smiled, squeezing her fingers, kissing her hair. "You know I do."

"It's not going to be easy, is it?"

"No. But it'd be worth it." His lips brushed against her ear and she wriggled in his lap.

Gwen took a deep breath. Despite Arthur's insistence his father would not object, Gwen knew that no one was going to be happy with their marriage. "You'll be on my side, all the time?"

"Yes."

Closing her eyes, Gwen leaned into Arthur. "I'll marry you Arthur Pendragon."

"Good," he said.