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Disclaimer in Chapter 1

On we go...

Chapter 9 You didn't come

When Gwen came into the room later, to check on Tayla, she found them asleep, with Arthur still holding Tayla in his arms. She tried not to think anything of it and was about to walk out the door when she heard her name whispered.

"Guinevere stay, please." Gwen turned around to see Arthur looking at her. She smiled and nodded, not wanting to speak in case she woke the Princess. Gaius had said that it would be best if she could get plenty of rest.

Arthur carefully moved Tayla out of his arms and rested her head on the pillow. She made some small sounds but, thankfully, remained asleep. Arthur got up and walked over to the window far from the bed, beckoning to Gwen to join him.

"My Lord? Is everything alright?" Gwen asked, looking back to the Princess.

"For now. Once everyone left Tayla, she... she hasn't had much time to think these last few days and it just got too much for her," Arthur replied quietly.

"She is lucky to have someone like you my Lord," Gwen said, smiling at him. Arthur smiled at Gwen and then looked back at Tayla, sadness sweeping over his features.

"My Lord?" Gwen asked concerned, she had never seen Arthur this sad.

"If only we'd arrived sooner," he said.

"Arthur, this is not your fault." Arthur looked back at her, smiling at the use of his name. He loved the sound of it coming from her lips, especially without any formal title before it.

"You care deeply for her," Gwen said, more of a statement than a question. It was obvious to everyone.

"I love her, I always have. She is...I am a better person when she is around," Arthur said, wondering if he could really make Guinevere understand that the love he felt for Tayla was different to that which he felt for her. He didn't know what words to use.

Gwen just smiled at him, not quite sure how to respond to his comment. She had noticed the way Arthur had stood up to his father earlier in Gaius' chambers. It had certainly been unexpected. She also remembered that Arthur had been much more polite since the Princess had pulled him up for not saying please to Merlin. Gwen wondered what other effects the Princess had on him.

A scream interrupted Gwen's thoughts and they both raced over to the bed.

Tayla was sitting up, gasping for breath, her eyes open but not seeming to be awake.

"Tayla," said Arthur, reaching for her shoulders to hold her. She didn't respond to him.

"NO! TRISTAN!" she screamed again.

"Tayla!" Arthur said more sharply and giving her a gentle shake. She started to turn to him, her eyes clearing.

"Arthur?" Tayla sobbed, as they heard the door to the smaller chamber open and footsteps running as Tristan came for her.

"My Lady?" he said, hurrying over to the bed. Tayla looked at Tristan and their eyes locked and, at the look Arthur saw pass between them, he felt like he was intruding. Gwen looked at Tristan and quickly looked away, but not before Arthur noticed her blush. It took him a moment to realise what had caused it. Tristan wasn't wearing a shirt. Arthur felt a momentary stab of jealousy that Gwen might find the knight attractive but he shook it off as Tayla started to sob against his shoulder.

"Tayla, please what happened? Are you alright?" Arthur asked. Tayla's eyes were still locked with Tristan's but at least she did answer him.

"Dream, nightmare really," Tayla said her voice full of emotion, not the happy kind. She finally looked at Arthur. "In the woods ... you didn't come." She looked back at Tristan, "You didn't come," Tayla repeated in a whisper, tears spilling down her cheeks. Arthur knew what she meant. If he hadn't been there, they would have died. More importantly to Tayla, that meant Tristan would have died.

"But I did. And you are both fine," Arthur tried to reassure her.

"The Prince is right my Lady, we are both fine," Tristan added gently to Arthur's reassuring words. After a few moments, after she had calmed down a little, her eyes flicked over Tristan, noting his bare chest. She had to admit she was extremely grateful for the distraction. She found it hard to think about the nightmare whilst she was looking at him. Tristan, noticing her gaze, realised that he hadn't thought about his attire before rushing to her side.

"I am sorry my Lady, my Lord. I should get dressed." Tristan stepped away from the bed and headed back to his room.

"Not on my account you don't," Arthur heard Tayla say under her breath. They saw Tristan's steps pause before he continued to his room. Tayla's breath caught as she realised that she didn't say that quite as softly as she had meant to and Tristan had heard. Arthur saw her blush and he raised his eyebrows, trying not to laugh at the mortified look on her face.

"Oh shut up Arthur," Tayla said as she pulled back away from him and wiped her eyes.

"I didn't say anything!" Arthur replied. He wasn't particularly pleased that he was getting in trouble without having had the pleasure of doing something to deserve it. But he was delighted to have something to tease Tayla about, she rarely gave him opportunities like this.

"You did not have to, it was written all over you face," Tayla replied.

"What was?" Arthur asked, trying not to smile.

"Arthur!" Tayla glared at him.

"Well, you didn't say please," Arthur said to her, not bothering to hide his smile this time.

"Fine. Please shut up Arthur."

"Of course, my Lady."