Dear reader, I am annoyed. Yes annoyed. Let me makes something perfectly clear. If you think you know everything and try to tell me how to write, you're going to piss me off. You may have not meant it, I admit this, but I took it as you telling what to do. I do not know everything this I admit. I also admit that my writing style isn't perfect. I like when you tell me things that could change like when I went crazy with the caps locks or when I kept messing up you're and your, that's understandable. I won't go back to change them, but I will make efforts in the future to change them. But when you go through a chapter bit by bit looking for mistakes it annoys me to no end. Unless you know what I'm thinking when I write don't tell me what to write and what not to write, it is in fact very annoying. I'm sure right now you're thinking what a bitch. Why yes, yes I am. So let's make this clear: Comments, suggestions, complaints, and the like are welcomed, but there's a point where I draw my line.

Anyway, enjoy this chapter. I am not sure I particularly like it, but enjoy.

"Or me. I have complete faith in you Arthur, and that will never change."

"I know that when I look at you… I am proud that I know you. I know that I care for you as deep as Merlin or Ava. If anything was to happen to you… I don't know what I'll do."

"For the love of Camelot, don't die. Camelot needs you. I… I need you here Arthur. Don't ask me why. I just do."

"She looks at you different than other people. She looks at you with hope and joy."

"I think… that you could bring the Light out in her. I think you'll be the reason she'll end up smashing it. I see her smile in a way she hasn't in years. I see that light in her eyes starting to come back, and it's because of you. You have no idea the affect you have on her, and neither does she. Artemis denies it feverishly of course."

They stared at each other, and Arthur leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. The lightning was there. The world stopping was there. There was nothing but Arthur and Artemis. Two becoming one. But it was so much more than that. It was indescribable what both were feeling. It was perfection.

"You have nothing to prove least of all to me."

"That is to say it is hard to tell what she truly fells and how she truly is. However, I believe deeply that Amber… or Artemis if you will, does care about Camelot more any other place. In the depths of her heart, she would even defy us to protect you."

"You have changed her deeply in a way no one has. To be able to touch her life like that. I thank you. You have made her a better person."

"Take care of her young monarch. She needs it more than you know"

Artemis put a hand on his arm. He looked down at her. She smiled gently. He smiled weakly back.

"You have a kind heart, Arthur. Don't change that not for anyone."

Arthur looked to be in internal pain. Artemis gently took his hand in hers. They looked at each other. She gave him a gentle smile.

"When you're close to death… you think about the things that matter and… thank you… really… I… care… about you…," she said slowly. "No matter what I say."

"There's always hope."

"Let me make amends," Artemis said before walking to him, pushing him against a pole, and kissing him. At first he was unresponsive, but slowly the enchantment faded and Arthur kissed back passionately. He wrapped his arms around her pressing her close to him.

"Just live for me," Artemis whispered. "That's all I ask right now."

"My feelings for you won't die. I know that. I also know that you and I cannot be. It just isn't. My life is a jumbled, complicated mess, and it always will be. I cannot drag into it. Not now. Not ever. I love you, but because of who I am that will never be enough. I'm sorry."

"She's talked to you about her future?"

"Yes. Why?"

"She must really love you. She never talked about the future or what she wanted not even to Kael."

"Like me," Arthur said leaning closer. They kissed gently. Artemis pulled away and laid her head against his shoulder. Arthur wrapped his arms around her.

"Would a kiss be as special without the forbidden and hidden aspect of it?" she asked. Arthur leaned up slightly closer to her.

"Even more special," he replied. He pulled her into a kiss.

I will admit I was trying to push you away from me. I was scared. I am scared. I don't what future lies ahead for me and I fear what the consequences would be for me, for us if I were to accept what I truly feel, but I fear now I have no choice. The first week without you I managed fine, the second week was a little worse, and then the third week was hell. It's now the fourth week without you, and I can't sleep. I can barely eat. I am overworking myself to get my mind off of Camelot, off of you. I have all the symptoms of a lovesick puppy. I'm a bit ashamed of myself really.

I was worried. I was worried that you were clouding my judgment. Master Saoirse and Galen had both in a away convinced me of this, but now they tell me differently. They tell me that they are worried for me. They fear that being away from Camelot is reverting me back to who or perhaps what I used to be, but it's not being away from Camelot. It's being away from you. I miss you.

"You fight; I fight; you die, I die."

"Wait a minute!" Artemis said. "Before we go out there, there's something I need to do."

"What's that?" Arthur asked. She gripped Arthur and kissed him deeply and passionately, and he returned with just as much passion.

"I've realized that I cannot be without you anymore. It pains me too much."

"Then… you will no longer reject me?"

"I didn't say that. It's still complicated. I just know that when you are named king I will fight to stay at your side. I will follow you even into the most deadliest of places."

"No, I will not allow you to follow." Artemis frowned.

"Oh? Are you rejecting me now?"

"No, I will not allow you to follow, because you do not follow. Walk beside me," he said. She smiled.

"I will walk beside you, Arthur, for as long as the world will allow." Arthur thought about this for a moment.

"I will accept this… for now."

"But…," she said.

"I hate but."

"But it cannot be… romantic… it cannot be like in Valde. I'm sorry, Arthur. I need to stay professional."

"I will change your mind," Arthur said without a doubt.

"Artemis, promise me."

"I promise." Arthur leaned in and kissed her. It wasn't passionate; it wasn't deep. It was simple. A kissed made for lovers.

"Know that I love you."

"I do and know I feel the same."

Artemis ran out the door and collided with Arthur into a kiss not caring who saw.

"I thought I lost you," she said quietly pulling away and embracing him. "I love you."

"I love you too," he replied quietly.

Artemis sat on Arthur's lap kissing him. They were both intoxicated by each other. Ecstasy ran through their bodies, but Artemis was the one who made sure they were under control.

"You'll be alright," Arthur said gently rubbing her hand. She smiled before embracing and kissing him.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"For?"

"Everything," Artemis said. "I didn't think… I could… love someone the way I love you. I feel happy for once in my life. I'm being selfish. I admit this, but you know… I'm okay with that."

"Good luck," Arthur said before kissing her.

"I've got your back," he said. "You can lean on me, Artemis. I'll be there for you." Artemis smiled. She laid her head against his shoulder.

"I know," she said. Arthur kissed her gently.

She strapped her sword. to her side. They all said good luck and Arthur kissed her again as she stepped out of the tent.

"No," she snapped back, "you are wrong. I care about Camelot more than any other place. I have called Valde my home, and I have called Ealdor my home, and I have called Camelot my home. My light burns brighter here than anywhere else. My friends here mean much to me, and if you think different than you are a fool. I hope Camelot falls because of your damn decisions, you arrogant child!" she yelled before turning walked away in anger.

"I trust you Arthur," she told him. "More than Uther, more than Merlin, more than any man. Worry is not a wise counsel. Forget everything else, you have to follow what you believe is right. Remember what I said Arthur? Faith makes a strong king. You have my faith. I swear that you will never loose that."

"I follow her path so perfectly; it's frightening. She was prophesized like I was. She was thrown into the world of the Servants like I was. She is dragged along a path almost against her will like I was. She doesn't want to become the leader of the Electus. She just wants to be Elizabeth… Lady Elizabeth. She loves Prince Victor, and if she wasn't a Servant they would have been married. And yet… I have not been punished for my crimes like she had. I had a choice will she didn't. I could have backed out… she never had that choice. It wasn't fair that she had to live in suffering while I could live freely."

"What happened?" Arthur questioned. Artemis looked up at him. Her face seemed scattered with pain.

"She violated the Law of Drust. The rules of the Servants aren't as lax they were in present times."

"Lax?" Merlin asked. "They didn't seem lax to me."

"But they are. When someone violates the Law of Drust, there is but one punishment."

"Which is?" Arthur asked.

"Your lovers soul is burn from existence," she said.

"I know how she feels. I've been there. It won't change it. If she truly loves him, they will be together in the end no matter what the law is, and she will try to tell him she never loved him, but it won't work."

"Arthur! Arthur!" she screamed touching the blood from his chest. Tears fell down her face as she held his mangled body. "Arthur, God… don't die. Please don't die. I love you, Arthur. Do you hear me? I lied to save you. I love you. I love you more than anything. Don't die. I need you," she whimpered.

Arthur Pendragon woke up rather suddenly. His mind filled with those memories, and suddenly it all hit him like a ton of bricks. She could have been lying, but what's the lie? Her telling him she loved him, or her telling him he never loved him?

"Breakfast," Merlin said entering. Arthur stared at him annoyed. "What? Did I interrupt something?"

"Get out, Merlin," Arthur said annoyed.

"First, you should eat your breakfast," Merlin said pointing down at the tray. "Or you'll just be moody all day." Arthur annoyed threw whatever was closest at Merlin. Merlin ducked and it bounced off the wall with a ring. "Or perhaps you'll be moody anyway," Merlin said as a second thought. Arthur threw something else at him. Merlin managed to close the door right on time leaving Arthur to think.

If only there was some way that Arthur could know? If only there was some way he could see into her head? At that thought, Arthur sat up immediately. It should have occurred to him earlier.

Arthur pulled on a shirt and grabbed his keys before going out the door into the corridor. He made his way down to the vaults of Camelot. Arthur entered the vaults and knew exactly what he was looking for.

Inside a trunk that sat hidden in a corner covered with blankets and other objects sat another small wooden case that was also covered. He pulled it out and set it down carefully on the table in front of him. Arthur removed the latch from the case and opened it. Inside sat an object that was covered in a smooth purple cloth. Arthur slowly removed the cloth which in turn revealed a hand mirror that had glyphs etched into it. Arthur turned it over and looking into the mirror and the vaults around him faded and was slowly replaced with another scene.

Arthur found himself on top of a mountain. It wasn't cold, but actually rather warm. A woman sat near a pond catching Arthur's attention. She looked like Artemis, but instead she wore robes and her eyes held no color revealing her to be blind.

"Hello, Arthur," she said. "Do you remember me?"

"Yes," he said. "Omniscient, the all-knowing."

"That's right."

"Do you know why I'm here?"

"I do, and I do not have the answers you seek. You must seek out Amor. She alone can tell you what you want to know, but be warned the path has changed. You won't find the emotions you did before. Amor is far from her. The trek is different. Beyond this mountain, you will not find those you once did. At the base, you will find women you do know, Libertas, Pacis, and Felicitas."

"Why has it changed?"

"Those emotions that once dominated Artemis are becoming weaker. She's becoming trapped. Amor is on the edge of this world. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good then go," she said. With that, she was gone. Arthur walked down the mountain path and found himself instantly with the familiar faces of Pacis, Felicitas, and Libertas, but they were each different. Pacis was not half asleep, but rather she was in a deep sleep almost dead-like. Felicitas was younger than she was before. She just sat there throwing stones against the base of the mountain, but it was Libertas that was the most changed. She was scarred badly. She wore ragged, old clothes and her hands and feet were restricted by a chain. She acknowledged him.

"Hello, Arthur," she said.

"What happened?" he asked her. He went to try and remove the chains, but Libertas pulled away from him.

"Don't you'll just hurt yourself. They are bound to me. You cannot remove them. As for what happened… things change. Artemis is restricted by the Servants of the World, which makes me restricted. She's not happy and she doesn't feel at peace hence the other two. You seek Amor… yes?" Arthur nodded. Libertas sighed.

"You're going to have to go east instead of north. The next zone east is Spes or Hope."

"Thank you. Is there nothing I can do for you?" he asked. Libertas smiled.

"You can do everything for me but not here… in reality." He stared at her before nodding and turning to the east. Freedom's land disappeared and soon he found himself in a valley. He didn't need to travel any farther, because a woman approached him. She wore white and gold. Her eyes were gold as well. She embraced him surprising Arthur.

"Hello, Arthur. I had hoped you would come," she admitted. "I'm Spes. Beyond this land is Posterus or Future… Furture is not an emotion, but it exist nonetheless… in a way they share land with everyone. Future, past, and present hopes, fears, expectations,… past that you will find Amor… alone recovering. I hope you can help her Lumen hates when she's this upset, but… still all of us rejoiced… a few days ago… Lumen and Atrum stood together. It was incredible…, and then things turned bad again… I hope you can fix it."

"I'll try," Arthur assured her.

"Good luck and have hope. There's always hope." With that Arthur left, he entered Poserus's land, but it was a strange land. It kept changing. As he walked it changed from building to cave to valley. Finally he saw a woman just staring off. He approached her. She was definitely Artemis, but an Artemis that would be in a few years time.

"Hello," she said not looking at him. She continued to watch the changing scenes. "I thought you were coming," she said.

"What is this place?" he asked.

"It goes through the different futures that could possibly be. Watch," she said. The scene stopped briefly and Artemis could be seen sitting in the center chair with the Electus around her. Erus wasn't seen. It switched. Artemis could be scene picking up a small child and looking at him lovingly. It switched again. She was standing at a grave site… it was Arthur's. Another switch and another and another. "Hm… past this is the past, Preteritus. Good luck," she said. She just continued staring at the switching scenes. Arthur, unsure what to say, walked by her and continued.

The next land was very similar with the switching scenes, and again he found a girl sitting staring at the switching scenes. She was younger than Artemis perhaps 16 or 17. Arthur watched the switching scenes with her.

Several of Artemis fighting, scenes with Kael, scenes with Arthur, scenes in Valde, scenes in Camelot, scenes in other places.

"Strange, isn't it? To think before you knew someone they had another life?" she asked finally showing him that she knew he was there.

"Not really. What's strange is that it is so different from life now?"

"I suppose," she said. "The present is past this, Tendo." Arthur walked off leaving her alone, and as soon as you exited her land he found himself staring at Artemis doing paper work… present Artemis… in Gwen's home. Arthur looked around confused as to if he ended up back in the real world.

"Don't worry. You're still in the mirror," a voice said. Sitting in a chair next to Arthur was an exact replica of the Artemis in front of the table. "This is what's happening now. Do you want to know what she's thinking about?" she asked. She took Arthur silence as a yes. "She's thinking about you. She's thinking about how when she killed that sorcerer… she almost lost control of Atrum and how it was because of you." The Artemis in the chair got up. She looked exhausted. She went to clean a dish, but in an unseen frustration she threw the dishes off the counter. They fell with a clash. Artemis leaned against the counter. "Now she's thinking about how it's unfair. All she's done and yet she can't be with you."

"She wants to be with me?" Arthur asked.

"More than anything. Amor's past here. You should go to her. She's the reason you've come this far." Arthur nodded. He crossed the present day, Artemis. She stared right at him.

"Can she see me?" Arthur asked.

"She might sense you," Tendo said. "Better hurry up." Arthur continued forward and through a back door. The house disappeared and he found himself on a cliff. The sea could be heard crashing against it. It looked like it was about the storm. Amor was standing there with her arms crossed and looking out into the sea.

"Amor," Arthur said. She didn't turn.

"I've been waiting for you," she admitted.

"I want to know the truth, Amor," he said. She looked to the ground and then back up.

"The truth is harsh, Arthur," she said. "Are you sure?"

"I am," he admitted.

"She loves you, Arthur, but it cannot be."

"Why?"

"She won't allow you to die for her. Erus threatened to kill you if she wouldn't do as she said. So Artemis broke your heart, and yet inside it's hurting her more than anything else. It hurts her to look at you, to speak to you when she knows what could be."

"I don't care if I die."

"But she does. If you die, it would hurt her even more than it hurts now. She fears that if you die for her what is supposed to be won't come to pass. She fears ending up like Erus. Cold, broken, bitter, and alone." Amor finally turned to him. She was even worse than when he saw her the first time. She was unrecognizable. Scars covered her. "I mean… look at me… she couldn't handle if life would leave you."

"Then I will find a way for us," he said determined. She stared.

"I hope it works out for your sake and mine. Come here," she said. He approached her. "Look down there," she said pointing to the sea. Arthur looked down and suddenly Amor pushed him. He plunged below, and before he hit the sea, he jolted awake. He still sat in front of the table in the vault.

Arthur put the mirror back in it's case, and then he put the case back in the trunk and the trunk back in it's place.

A knock on the door interrupted Artemis's thinking. She stood from her paper work and answered the door. She was caught in a surprise kiss a passionate, desirable, world-spinning, perfect kiss, and to her surprise she kissed back with the same amount of desire. They separated. Artemis's head was spinning. She leaned against the table for support. They stared at each other.

"Arthur Pendragon," she said trying to keep her voice steady but failing, "I should hit you for that."

"But you won't," he breathed. They were literally an inch from each other just staring at each other. Artemis brought herself to him. They kissed again and again and again.

"Artemis, have you seen Arth….?" Merlin entered the house surprised to see them kissing. They both turned to him. Arthur looked annoyed. Artemis tried to back away from Arthur to put some distant between her and Arthur, but ended up falling over the table. Arthur gripped her before she could fall. They stood in an embrace. "I'll just go then," Merlin said backing away to the door. He left.

"Arthur," she whispered. "I… what are you doing?"

"I realized what was the truth," he said. "You love me, but you don't want me to die for you. You're scared." She looked up at him tears fell slowly down her face.

"You have to understand," she whispered. "That we cannot be. I want it, and you want it, but… there's more to it than that. Forgive me for deceiving you." Arthur stared down at her.

"I will find a way for us, I promise," he whispered. "Until then… shall we depart knowing that one day we will be together?"

"Perhaps," she whispered. Arthur kissed her again. She sighed. "Arthur?"

"Hm?"

"I love you," she said. She pressed her head against his chest and listened to his heart beat.

"I love you too," he said and pulled away, "but until I can find a way around the Law of Drust, I cannot show it in any way. Good bye, Artemis."

"Bye, Arthur," she whispered. Arthur turned away and left the house.