CHAPTER 14

ARTHUR POV

It's been a week and Camelot has just about recovered from Morgana vicious reign, well almost everyone. Guinevere still hasn't woken from her fall down the stairs. I laid her in my bed so that she'd be comfortable even though she's unconscious. Merlin has attended to her, magic and all but she still hasn't woken, we're all getting worried. I sleep in a chair that I placed next to the bed, my head resting on the mattress by her side. I'm too afraid to leave her in case she wakes. I've only left to attend to urgent matters that I need to see to, which is when I get Merlin or one of the knights to sit with her.

It's almost midday and neither Guinevere nor I have moved from our spot. She lays there, quietly breathing and unmoving. If I lose her again, for good I don't know what I'll do. I hear the door open but I don't turn my head.

"Arthur," I hear Merlin's voice but it isn't confident and sure like it normally has been but now worried and concerned. This is what makes me get up. I rise from the chair and look at him, his face has fear and worry written all over it. "Um there's something we need to discuss. I spoke to Gaius and he said that this is something you should know. The magic I used to heal Gwen should've worked, just like it did when Morgana hit her head and I healed her." He explains.

"Then why hasn't it worked Merlin," my tone a lot more harsh than it should've been. "I read a book or two and the only reason that it isn't working is because someone else has placed magic on Gwen and my bet it was Morgana." I fold my arms and look to the ground, then back at Merlin.

"You can save her can't you?" I ask him, afraid of the answer I'll get. "There's only so much I can do Arthur, I can try and break through the magic but I suggest that we wait another day or two, to see if anything changes. But Arthur, my abilities can only stretch so far…" I cut him off there.

"I can't live without her Merlin. I refuse to lose her again." I say, "I know Arthur." I look at him like he's crazy. "No Merlin, no you don't know. I should never have sent her away in the first place, I should've investigated as to why she kissed Lancelot. I should've believed in her, I was a fool to send her away. She means everything to me Merlin, as much as I love Camelot it means nothing to me without her by my side." I can actually feel myself starting to well up with tears.

"I will come back in two days and try the magic, but if anything changes get Gaius or myself." I nod, "thank you Merlin. You're a loyal friend and I know you will do your best." He nods in my direction and disappears behind the door once more.

I sit back down beside Guinevere and I resume what I have spent almost all of the past week doing. Sitting by her side waiting for something, anything to happen. I watch her carefully. Her chest rising and falling, hands folded over her stomach and her hair laying softly beside her. I requested some of the maids to come in and attended to Guinevere: brush her hair and give her some perfume. More so at their request not mine because it seemed highly improper to bath Guinevere whilst she is unconscious and I don't want to leave her side which would be even more inconsiderate of me.

If she doesn't wake I don't know if I'll ever be the same again and if that's the case than I'm not fit to rule Camelot and if I believe that then all is lost for the kingdom.

Two days have passed and there is still no change. I brush my hand along her forehead and she feels rather warm, it must just be the constant fire I have Merlin attended to so it doesn't die out. A few minutes later Merlin walks in, carrying a rather thick book which I think I've seen before but that isn't important. "How is she? Any change?"

He comes over and stands next to me. "No, no change but her forehead seems rather warm." I tell him and a frown comes deeply across his brow. He stands on the other side of me and feels her forehead. "This isn't right." He says and steps back.

"Merlin, what is it? What's wrong?" I ask and he begins to walk back towards the door. "I need to get Gaius. I'll be back." I'm left stunned at Merlin's sudden reaction and I don't know what to do.

It's only moments before her returns with Gaius who heads straight for Guinevere and places a hand on her head. I stand up and look at Gaius who is looking at Guinevere uncertainly. "This isn't right, this shouldn't be happening." He looks up at me.

"Is everything alright?" I ask. Even though I know that something's wrong. "The magic, it's becoming too much in her system. Merlin needs to try the spell now." He looks at Merlin whose already looking in his book. Suddenly I hear Guinevere's breathing quicken and immediately start to panic.

"Guinevere, Guinevere!" I say, slightly shaking her but nothing happens. I feel her becoming warmer and this is when I begin to get anxious. "Merlin, hurry up!" I yell at him. "I going as fast as I can Arthur, this spell isn't one I can remember off the top of my head." He replies.

"Well you better start trying." I snap at him. Her breathing only quickens more and Gaius keeps dabbing a cool wash cloth on her to try and control the fever. "Ok, I've got it. Arthur step away." Merlin instructs and despite my best instincts I do.

As he begins I becoming worried, Guinevere has tiny beads of sweat running along the side of her face, her chest is rising and falling all too rapidly and I'm trying to keep the worst thought of what could happen to her out if my mind. Suddenly it all stops, Merlin isn't speaking and Guinevere isn't breathing rapidly. Wait, she isn't breathing at all. "Guinevere," I say and step closer to her. I look at her and I can't believe it. I have no words and I don't know what to do. I see Gaius grab her wrist and then set it back down gently. "There's no pulse Sire, I'm sorry." I can tell he's sad too and Merlin but I'm experiencing too much to describe.

Now I'm furious, I walk over to the other side of the room and I start throwing things on the ground in rage. I just lost the one thing in my life that I love, everything that I was living for is gone. She meant everything to me. She made me smile and laugh, she knew how to put me in my place, she was fair and just but kind and loving at the same time. Guinevere was perfect and she would've been the perfect Queen. As to how a spirit like hers wasn't put into the body of a princess I'll never know. In a way I'm thankful because it means I got to love and cherish her but now I guess that's gone.

"I hope you're going to clean that up," I hear a voice whisper behind me. My eyes widen and I turn around. I see Gaius helping her sit up and Merlin is smiling I rush to her side. I take her in my arms and hers slowly wrap around my neck. "I'm not going to let you make Merlin do it." She whispers and I can't help but laugh. "I thought I lost you." I say. She moves away and looks me in the eyes. "You'll never lose me." She brushes her fingers across my cheek and I didn't realise they felt wet. I've been crying and I didn't even know it. "Marry me Guinevere, I love you so much and I don't what to let you go again." I ask her.

She nods quickly. "Yes Arthur, yes with all my heart." She says and kisses me. Cough, cough. I turn around and Merlin and Gaius are standing their quite awkwardly. "Right, um Merlin please alert the servants that they should be preparing for a wedding." I tell him. "Yes Arthur, anything else?" He asks. "Clean up that mess over there will you?" "ARTHUR!" Guinevere hits me on the arm and I look at her. She's giving me a stern look but I see the playfulness. "No, nothing else thank you."

I hear them leave, now it's just Guinevere and I. "So maybe we can just have normal lives for the next few weeks or so, that'd be nice?" She asks. "Yeah, sounds good." I agree. I think after everything all of us, especially she deserves that. "So is Morgana gone?" I nod and she seems relieved but almost sad at the same time.

"What's wrong?" I ask, I thought she'd be happy, "aren't you happy Morgana is gone?" She shrugs. "I don't know. A part of me is glad that she's gone and her reign of terror will be over but then a part of me will miss my friend." She looks down at her fingers but I bring her eyes back to mine. "I know what you mean. But we must look forward, we're getting married after all and then after that you'll become Queen." A smile appears on her face. "Arthur I don't' care about being queen, I just want to be with you." She tells me and kisses me softly again. "I wouldn't have it any other way.

WEDDING DAY

GWEN POV

After a bit of a week's worth of fittings and alterations my two dresses were finally ready and now I stand in one. My wedding dress. Lacy sleeves that hang slightly past my wrists, a sweetheart necklace, a fitted bodice made out of silk, three silk layers for the skirt and to top it all off a gorgeous diamond pendant as an engagement present from Arthur, partially to make up for the last engagement present he gave me which was straw turn into small hoops with ribbons wrapped around it. There's a knock on the door and I call out, "come in." I see Merlin appear looking very nice in some different clothes but that same brown jacket that he always wears. I got dressed and prepared in Morgana's old room. I don't consider this room to belong to the vile, vindictive woman that killed my brother, but the girl who was there for me as a friend not a princess. "You look lovely Gwen." He tells me and gives me a light hug. "Thank you Merlin, how's Arthur?" I ask, hopefully he's as nervous as I am.

"He good, nervous but excited." I let out a sigh. "Good, we feel the same then. Thank you for doing this for me Merlin, it means a lot." I tell him and he gives a smile. "Gwen, you don't have to thank me. It's an honour, you're my friend. I'd do anything for you." He tells me and deep down that means a lot. I asked Merlin to give me away today. He's the closet thing I have to a brother and I know that Elyan wouldn't have it any other way. "Are you ready? Because everyone is." He says and I take a deep breath and I nod. He extends his arm and I put my through it. Now I get married.

The doors open into the great hall and it's filled with people. Some people from the town, the knights, Lords and Ladies of the court, servants and at the end of it is a beaming Arthur, who is smiling and now I can't help but smile too. We get to the end of the aisle and Arthur extends his hand to me and I take it.

We stand face to face, my nerves are all over the place but Arthur manages to calm them. "We shall begin." Geoffrey says. He speaks about why we're all gathered here and how a bond is being born. I repeat everything he asks me to as does Arthur and then comes the question. "Do you Guinevere take Arthur to be your lawfully wedded husband?" I nod hastily. "I do, with all my heart." I say. A few aww's come from the crowd and Arthur's face beams with joy. "Do you Arthur take Guinevere to be your lawfully wedded wife?" He nods also. "I do." We exchange rings and we're at the end of the ceremony. "I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride."

And Arthur kisses me, passionately and slowly, for a few moments I forget that we're in front of the kingdom and I'm sure Arthur does too. Once we pull away we're both smiling, people are cheering in the crowd and it's the best feeling I've felt for a long time. "You did it Arthur," I tell him and he looks confused. "What?" "You changed things as I knew you would, I'm so proud of you." I tell him softly.

"No Guinevere we did it, I could never have done it without you." He's being modest because he knows he's made Camelot a better place and I'm so thankful for it.

NEXT DAY

As I walk down the aisle once more I feel more nervous than yesterday. I'm wearing the second dress I had made, this one is purple and cream with lace on it also. I wear some matching jewellery and I feel all eyes on me. Today is the day I become Queen of Camelot and I worry I won't be a good one no matter how much Arthur, Merlin, Gaius and all I other friends have reassured me I will be.

I kneel in front of Arthur as he speaks formally. "Do you solemnly swear to govern the people of Camelot but the rules and laws of kingdom?" He asks. "I solemnly swear." I reply. "Do you promise to be fair, just and honest as long as you reign?" "I do." He places a crown on my head and I look up. "I pronounce the, Guinevere, Queen of Camelot." He grabs my hands and I stand up. He kisses me again in front of everyone and then leads me over to the chair next to his. We sit, our lands still locked together, smiling at each other. I see Arthur look over and nod to Leon.

"LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!" Leon yells and soon the whole crowd is repeating it. "LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!" This moment couldn't get any better.

Well that could be the end or would you guys like an epilogue. If I only get one or two reviews I won't write one but if I get numerous ones I will.