Hey guys, just a quick note, the trailer for my story in now available on youtube under the same name as my fanfic. No spoilers, so don't worry. Check it out if you have time, and tell me what you think...

Chapter 11: Old Emotions

"Good morning My Lord," said Edward as he greeted the already awoken Arthur. This had never happened in the short time that he had been working for him. He didn't want to say anything, in case the Prince fired him again.

"Never have you been more right Edward," said the Prince. He was far more cheerful today than he had been in the past.

"Would you like your breakfast sire?" asked Edward, ignoring the Prince's sudden good mood.

"Yes please." Did he just say please? Something was certainly up. Edward placed the breakfast tray he was carrying on the table and Arthur skipped over to sit down a nd eat.

"Are you feeling ok sire?" Edward asked.

"I feel great!" the Prince shouted in joy. He quickly ate his meal, getting up as soon as he had finished. He was eager to get down to Gwen's house. He had planned a surprise for her, and he wasn't going to waste any time. He looked over at Edward, who was now making his bed.

"Take the rest of the day off Edward. I will not need your services today."

"Um..." he started, unsure of what to say "Sire, but I need to dress you. Your Father is bestowing a knighthood onto one of your men today."

"Of course! I completely forgot," Arthur exclaimed, his back now turned to his manservant "I don't suppose you could get me out of it, could you Mer... I mean Edward." He felt extremely uncomfortable at the slip up he had just made, and tried to pretend like it hadn't happened.

"I could try sire," Edward said behind him. Arthur refrained from turning round, to prevent Edward from seeing the blush that had crept into his cheeks.

"Thank you," he said quickly, before leaving his room.

Arthur went straight to Morgana's chambers after he left his room. She was sitting at her dressing table in her nightgown, brushing her hair. Arthur laughed as he came in.

"I knew all you did all day was brush your hair," he said, making his presence known. Morgana turned around in shock.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked.

"I came to tell you that your maidservant will not be in today- she is ill." This was a complete lie, but Arthur needed a way to get Gwen off work for the day.

"She was feeling fine yesterday; I don't see how she could have gotten sick." Why did Morgana always have to be so annoyingly perceptive!

"Well, I think there's been a bit of an illness spreading in the lower town. I've heard a few of the servants aren't feeling well; my manservant is quite poorly as well. I gave him the rest of the day off so he doesn't contaminate anyone."

"How do you know she's ill?" Morgana asked suspiciously.

"Edward told me- he saw her this morning," Arthur covered up. It seemed to be enough, and Morgana just waved her hand, dismissing the subject. "I'll see you later then," he told her as he left for Gwen's house.

Gwen was on her way to the palace. She was running quite late, but she knew Morgana wouldn't mind. She was a very kind and gracious mistress. More of a friend than a mistress.

As she walked up the road to the castle, she was shocked to see Arthur coming down the path towards her. "Sire?" she asked as he came up to her.

"You are not going to work today Guinevere," he told her.

"But I have to- Morgana..."

"...Morgana thinks that you are ill and in bed at home. I'm taking you out today Gwen." She truly believed that she was dreaming at this point. Arthur Pendragon, Prince of Camelot had gone to the trouble of getting her off work just to spend time with her?

"Are you ok?" Arthur asked, noticing that she was becoming distant.

"Yes... I... why would you do that?" she asked.

"Because I wanted to spend the day with you," Arthur said, a smile on his face. "We're going to the river for a picnic." Gwen's expression was still completely stunned, and this left her speechless. Arthur took her silence as a negative sign and his face dropped slightly.

"You... you don't want to go?" he asked, the disappointment visible in his voice. Gwen shook her head.

"No! Of course I do, it's just... I can't believe that you would do that for me." Arthur smiled and stroked her cheek. He didn't answer her, but she didn't need words to understand. "So, are you ready to go?"

It didn't take long before they arrived at the river, and Arthur laid out a blanket for him and Gwen to sit on. She hadn't said much on the ride down to the river, which he assumed was just nerves, or shock, or both. She was right to be shocked- after all, Arthur hardly ever did anything nice for servants. They only servant he had ever been nice to or gone out of his way to please or protect was... Merlin. And there he was again.

He truly thought that he would be able to forget about his friend. Maybe it was guilt that was bringing his mind back to his past manservant? After all, he hadn't always treated him well. There was that time when he poured water over him, when he had a thing for Sophia and Merlin kept getting put in the stocks because of it. Even when they had first met, Arthur acted like a total pig, showing off in front of his friends.

When he was with Gwen, all thoughts of Merlin seemed to disappear, but obviously not. Why would he be thinking about his manservant when he was spending time with a beautiful girl like Gwen? It didn't make sense. But then again, when did it make sense for a Prince to treat his manservant like his best friend. But that's what he was. Maybe the fact that Arthur had never told Merlin how much he meant to him that was keeping his mind on him. Merlin would always think that Arthur hated him, but that wasn't the case at all.

He honestly wished that he could free his mind of all these thoughts- they were pressing down on him like a huge weight, and it was a horrible feeling. Every time Arthur thought he had moved on from his friend's departure, something happened to make him remember him... and then he was right back where he was before.

Arthur looked over at Gwen and suddenly felt terribly guilty that he was thinking about Merlin when he was meant to be spending time with her. He leaned over to the girl and placed a tender kiss on her lips. She smiled when it broke, her eyes shining with happiness.

"You look so happy," Arthur observed. She nodded.

"I am happy Arthur. I'm happy when I'm with you." He smiled at that. He was happy when he was with Gwen. He wanted to believe that she was fully happy with him, but then he remembered a very real problem- Lancelot.

"Are you really happy with me though Gwen?" he asked as he bit into an apple. She looked at him, confused.

"Of course Arthur. Why would you ask that?"

"Lancelot." He didn't need to say anymore. The name Lancelot brought so many issues and problems. He had driven a permanent wedge between them and that hurt. He doubted whether he would ever forget the pain that he felt when he rescued Gwen only to find out that she was in love with Lancelot.

From that point, he was certain that he had lost her. But she knew all this. She didn't know what she felt herself. She knew that she loved both these men. But if she was to stare facts in the face, then she would know that the only thing that kept her and Lancelot apart was their absence. Gwen knew in her heart of hearts that Lancelot was the better man for her- Arthur's main focus was Camelot, and she doubted whether he could fully love a woman- love her like she needed to be loved. Love her like she knew Lancelot could and did love her.

She missed him. She missed him terribly, every day, and she felt guilty now for the subject to have entered the conversation. Why couldn't Lancelot have just stayed and been happy with her. Perhaps he didn't love her as much as she thought he did. Perhaps the fact that she was sitting with Arthur right now and not Lancelot showed her what fate had decided. She and Lancelot were not meant to be. "Lancelot is not here," Gwen stated, trying to keep her emotions hidden in front of the Prince. Arthur sighed and shook his head.

"Maybe not here," he said, referring to the surroundings they were in. Instead, he put his hand to her chest and said, "But he is here." There was no way she could argue with that. Although they would never be together, Lancelot would hold a permanent and special place in her heart- a place that she doubted any other man could replace. Not even Arthur, and he knew it as well as she did.

"Arthur..." she tried to explain.

"I understand," he whispered.

"But it can never be."

"And we can?" he asked, bringing forward another issue that had been keeping them apart. She shrugged. And let a tear fall from her eye.

"Why does it have to be so hard?" she asked.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully "Guinevere, it's normal not to forget your first love... but you have to understand."

"I do understand Arthur." He looked down. He didn't know how to do this- he didn't know how to open up in front of anyone. Not Gwen, not his Father, not Morgana. Only to... no! He wouldn't go down that route!

"Gwen, this is hard for both of us, but I need to know how you feel. I'm being utterly unfair to both of us if I'm pursuing a hopeless cause," he explained. Gwen was silent for a few moments, before saying, "it's never been a hopeless cause Arthur. It never will be." The tone in her voice was completely genuine, and Arthur really believed what she said was true. He took her hand in his and kissed it lightly.

She needed to understand that Lancelot didn't love her anymore, or if he did, he loved her so much that he would not come in between her and Arthur. Why did he think that she loved Arthur more than him? Her thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind as Arthur kissed her again, this time with more passion.

Arthur helped Gwen off her horse when they arrived back in the town. The two of them walked back to her house in silence. Their day out had proved much more emotional than either of them had expected.

"I had fun today," said Gwen when they finally arrived outside her house "Thank you."

"No, thank you Guinevere. You have no idea how clear things are to me now. I had a lovely time with you." She ducked her head and blushed.

"I would kiss you, but..." she laughed.

"Yeah... that would look a bit surprising to the locals." She laughed again, but it secretly hurt her that she couldn't kiss the man she loved in public, like other women could. Arthur seemed to sense her sadness, because he told her,

"Don't worry Gwen- one day things will be different. I promise. Until then... I'll be seeing you."

"I'll be seeing you," she said with a smile. She wanted to kiss Arthur so much- to show everyone that she loved him and he loved her. The sun was setting on Camelot by now, and Arthur looked so beautiful, his face lit by the stunning rosy light coming from the sky. She fought her want to kiss her Prince, and instead, she opened her door and went inside, leaving Arthur standing outside.

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I would have liked a few more reviews for the last chap, but I'll let you guys off, seeing as it's new year. I wanted to wait with this chapter, but, again, I'm too soft for my own good.

Try not to judge Arthur guys! Don't forget, he can't remember that he and Merlin kissed, and all he wants is too try and move on- wouldn't we all? Don't worry, I'm a fan of happy endings (which should give you a hint as to how this story will end!)

Please R&R!!!!! Lots of love Merlin fans!!!