16. Lucy

Lucy couldn't stay in bed all day, Arthur knew that, but it didn't necessarily stop him from trying. He wrapped his arms tight around her while she hugged him until she started to struggle to get free.

''Hey! Let me go!" She said sternly but with a bright smile. He laughed, ''No, you should stay here with me today. Why go do boring stuff when we can have so much fun here?''

She smirked at him, potentially considering his offer.

''As good as that sounds, I can't. I have to meet with Mága, not to mention Sargeant Edwards will drill me into the ground for skipping the second day in.'' She reasoned.

''Don't worry about them, I will deal with it.'' He smiled at her. He was the King, who were they to disobey his command?

''I appreciate that, but I really must go.'' She looked deeply in his eyes. He knew he wouldnt win this fight so he conceded. He stole another quick kiss from her then let go of her and watched as she got out of the bed and went to the wash basin to clean her face and freshen up.

''I think you should start staying in my room.'' He said out loud to her as she took her clothes and disappeared behind the rice paper screen.

''And why is that? I like my own room.'' She replied.

''You can keep this room if you like, buf I just think it would be easier for you to come to me than for me to come to you.'' He said, folding his hands together behind his head. He had stretched out on the bed, taking it over. Yet it still felt empty without Lucy in it.

He couldn't describe it, but he wanted her so bad. The little tastes he kept stealing weren't enough, if anything they made him want more.

''And why would I be coming to you?'' She asked curiously.

''Well because I sleep better when I'm with you.'' He answer with a chuckle as if was obvious.

She peaked out from behind the screen with nothing but her chemise on.

''Well, I sleep on my own just fine. I don't seem to understand what the problem is.'' She smirked at him.

''Are you really going to make me court you?''

''What do our sleeping arrangements have to do with courting?'' Lucy asked just to egg him on. She seemed to be enjoying this attention.

Before Arthur had the chance fo respond a resounding knock came from the door.

''Excuse me, Sir Arthur and Miss Lucy?'' Asked the tiny sounding girl. Lucy recognized it as Beatrice.

''Yes?'' Lucy called back. It was her room afterall.

''Sir Bedievere has requested the presence of the King.'' Beatrice replied.

''Ah, I believe that is me.'' Arthur sighed, getting out of the bed. ''But this conversation isn't over.'' He smirked at her, letting her off easy. He considered stealing another kiss but he thought better of it, deciding that it would be a good excuse to come back later.

He slipped on his over shirt and exited the room to be greeted by a familiar housemaid.

''Sir Bedievere is waiting for you at the Round Table.''

''Thank you.'' Arthur dismissed her, but she stayed.

''Won't you be going?'' Arthur asked skeptically.

''I have matters with Miss Lucy still to attend to.'' She explained.

''Oh.'' Arthur nodded then began his way up to tower where the Round Table sat overlooking the sea ports. It was the perfect place to overlook the city and meet with my most trusted advisors.

Upon his arrival Bedievere stood looking out at the city, Arthur joined him. Somedays it was surreal to think the he was King, that all of this was his. But he knew the responsibility that came with the power to protect the people of his kingdom. It's vastness sometimes weighed on him.

''It's a beautiful sight.'' Arthur commented, starting the conversation.

''It is, and yet it is always in jeopardy.'' Bedievere replied deeply with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

''Do tell brother.'' Arthur prompted the man.

''The Vikings are back, and this time with mages of their own.''

''Where.'' Arthur simply demanded.

''The hill on the backside of the castle going towards the forest. They were just doing some reconnaissance, but they got away.'' He answered.

''They will be back, and when they are I want us to be ready. In the meantime, get Greybeard back here. I want to talk to him.''

''Yes sir. And if I may ask, what is the true motive behind your interest in this Lucy girl and her missing sister?'' Bedievere asked with a hint of curiousity.

''I care about her.'' He shrugged simply. He had pondered night and day trying to figure out why he was so drawn to her. He had no logical reason why.

''Then you plan to marry her?'' He asked.

''If it comes to that, yes.'' Arthur nodded. He

''You aren't a street rat anymore, you know that. We can't have you running around fornicating with whomever you like.'' Bedievere warned with a concerning look.

''Just because I grew up in a brothel doesn't make me a whore Bedievere and neither is she. Besides, isn't a man supposed to court a lady before they, as you so put it, fornicate.'' Arthur mocked his friend.

''As long as you are aware of the public eye on your personal life now that you are indeed, the King of England.''

''Thank you for your concern Bedievere.'' Arthur bowed respectively.

''Just doing my job.'' Bedievere bowed in return.

''I know. And if you don't mind, could you talk to Sargeant Edwards for me, tell him not to be too hard on Lucy. She is a woman afterall.''

''You sent Lucy to the Academy with Sargeant Edwards?!'' Bedievere gasped. Arthur was far from being a sane man, but the last thing Bedievere expected from him was something as foolish as this.

''Yes, he is the best instructor in the city. Everyone said so.'' Arthur said plainly. He knew what he was doing and Lucy needed to know how to take care of herself. Her world just came crashing down and hopefully the Academy will give her some structure and knowledge to survive the war that is inevitably coming.

''Yes, but because he is tough. If I even think about saying something like that to him he will be ten times tougher on her.'' Bedievere sighed. There was nothing that anyone could say that would change Edwards.

''You're not serious. I am the King, he can't disobey me.'' Arthur said obviously. He wasn't familiar with the man, but surely he would obey his King, right?

''It is of my professional opinion that you pull her from enrollment. Why are you teaching her to fight anyways? I thought she was some girl you were crushing on.'' Bedievere sighed. He didn't always understand Arthur's radical idea's. He wished the boy would think things through.

''She is, but she is also the eldest daughter of an Oracle Sister.'' Arthur admitted before revealing her secret. He hadn't told anyone yet as he didn't want anything to change yet, if anything he wanted her prepared for anything before she takes on any sort of mysterious magick.

''How do you know of this? Are you sure it's true?'' Bedievere asked worriedly. He too had heard the stories, the myth of the Oracle Daughter.

''Mága saw it when she was looking for Mary, Lucy's younger sister. She is sure that the prophecy is coming true.''

''Your talking about a civil war amongst the mages and Camelot is located dead in the middle of it all.''

''Yes, but we have Mága and Merlin, and well Lucy.'' Arthur explained.

''So Lucy is a mage too?'' Bedievere asked, a little shocked.

''She will be. She is the Medium between the mages and the rest of us.'' Arthur answered. The only part left of the prophecy was their happily ever after. Arthur prayed for that day, but he knew it wouldn't come easy. He would have to fight his way there. He would do anything for her. He was helplessly in love with her and he knew it.

Author's Note:

Wow 1300 words in less than five hours. Literally pumped this baby out after I got home from work today. I thought we could all use a little more Arthur in our lives.

Thanks for reading and liking!

-Surviving