Chapter 7 :

Gwen stopped frozen.

"You can't do that." she whispered.

"I'm your fiancé, of course I can."

Gwen felt her eyes fill with unshed tears. She turned around slowly.

"Why are you doing this Louis?"

"I love you."

"That's not true ..."

A tear rolled down her cheek and the young man frowned.

"You're still thinking about that little Prince of yours?"

Gwen closed her eyes.

"Answer."

"I love him..."

He sighed and walked closer. She felt his hand tilt her chin up and soon, she was forced to look at him.

"You're going to be my wife. I don't want to see you cry for another man."

"Louis, you're my friend, and that's all I'll see you as. I love Arthur with all my heart and soul and nothing you do will change that."

She saw his eyes fill with anger and he squeezed her chin a little harder, making her whimper with pain. He resumed in a cold voice.

"I never want to hear you talk about him again. Never. Is that understood?"

She stared at him and he saw hurt in her eyes. Right away, he let her go and shook his head

"Oh Gwen... I'm so ... I'm so sorry..."

She receded, tears of pain, anger and hurt escaped her eyes.

"Are you? What you're doing will only end up with me hating you." she hissed.

"Don't say that!"

This time, he was desperate.

"I already feel like hating you for what you're doing." she repeated again before heading toward the door.

"Gwen, hear me out. I'm sorry, truly. When it comes to you I ... I lose my head! You're making me crazy. Please accept my apologies."

She didn't answer and turned toward the door but stopped at the doorstep.

"I want to tell Arthur myself. You can't tell anyone before I do." She tells him without looking at him.

"Yes, yes anything you want."

"I don't want to marry you." she whispered, "I'm only doing it for Arthur's sake, and Morgana's and Camelot's. I couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to them..."

Louis froze on these words. Cenred's words enter his mind. 'It's not her I want to see dead. It's the Pendragon's.'

Arthur sighed. He lay down on his bed wide awake, the piece of cloth still in his hands. The only thing that proves that he didn't dream the last few years but that Guinevere had really been there. That she had really loved him. He sighed again and rubbed his eye, he couldn't do it. And now, thanks to his stupid ideas, he couldn't even talk to her. He just wanted to see how she was doing! It wasn't as if he was trying to make any excuse he could order her to talk to him ... He was missing her. Terribly so. His life was fading without her. His heart was empty without her. His nights werelong without her. His life had no interests without her. He sighed again, the night promised to be long.

Morgana was watching by her window, unable to sleep. She was thinking about Arthur. These last few days, he wasn't himself anymore. He no longer seized every opportunity he had to tease her; instead, he sank into a silence. She frowned. Gwen was acting oddly too. She didn't smile as much as she used too, and when she did, it didn't quite reach her eyes and the smile stayed froze, like lifeless. The young woman sighed. All seemed to go so well the other day! They seemed so in love, so happy. She sighed again and an idea came to her. If Arthur was not going to tell her, she will have to discover it by herself, and for that, she knew exactly who to talk to. She put her cape and sneaked in the corridors, toward Gaius's chamber. Morgana was going to knock when she heard the snores of the old physician and she smiled, trying to be as quiet as she could and entered. She went upstairs toward Merlin's room and entered, still trying not to wake up the physician.

"Morgana?"

Gwen wiped a tear that was rolling down her cheeks and went home. She hated him. Her, Guinevere Leodegrance, her that never had hated anybody! She hated him. How dared he do that? She was his friend. The young woman took refuge in his blankets, without even taking the time to change. Perhaps, if she closed her eyes hard enough, then, none of that would ever have happened. Gwen closed her eyes but when she opened them again, she felt the same feeling of emptiness in her chest. She was going to have to tell Arthur that she was marrying another man. 7 days after their breakup. What will he think of her?

"Morgana?" resumed the young man, puzzled. "Can you, please explain to me what you're doing in my Chamber?"

Morgana cleared her throat and tightened her cape around her.

"It's about Arthur."

Merlin frowned and she sighed before sitting on his bed.

"I want to know what's wrong with him."

"Morgana..."

"No. You're his best friend, and he's my brother. I have the right to know."

Merlin looked down a few seconds and ran a hand through his hair, sighing, before plunged in the Princess's emerald eyes.

"It's about Gwen, isn't it?"

He looked down again.

"Merlin, I beg you. You have to tell me. I want to help him but I can't if you don't help me ..."

Hearing the despair in her voice, Merlin surrendered.

"Very well. But you can't tell him that I told you, understood?"

"You've got my word."

He nodded.

"It's over with Gwen."

"What?" screamed Morgana out loud and right away, she laid a hand on her mouth.

"Shush!"

"Sorry." she said quickly, "No...No it can't be..."

"It is" breathed sadly Merlin, "Gwen left him."

"But..." tears was forming in the young Princess's eyes. "But..."

"I know."

He took her hand and squeezed it in his.

"It... This is not right."

"No."

"Why Gwen would break Arthur's heart?"

"I don't know..."

"She loves him, doesn't she?"

Morgana was starting to be afraid she might have let her brother's happiness in the wrong hands. Gwen was, with no doubts, the dearest friend she ever had, but Arthur was her blood. She had vowed she would always be there for him...

"Mummy!" screamed the girl, running kneel at her mother's side.

"Love," answered the Queen, trying to smile despite her pain.

Queen Ygraine knew that her time on Earth was ending. She spent much time with his children, wishing to leave them the more memories she could about the person who loved them more than anything else. Her heart broke when she thought the fact that Morgana would have only vague memories of her and Arthur will have none at all.

"Mummy?"

"Yes, Morgana"

"Izzie said you're very ill..."

Ygraine opened her eyes and saw her first born watched her with worry. Tears was forming in her eyes and she stroked her daughter's cheeks tenderly.

"Listen to me well dear; I have something very important to ask of you..."

"Anything you want Mother!"

"One day, mom would not be here anymore ..."

"But..." started the little girl, tears unshed in her eyes.

"No little angel, listen to me till the end."

The girl nodded and the Queen tenderly smiled before resumed,

"One day, I will not be with you anymore. I'll be in your heart. But on this day, you'll have to take care of Arthur and the baby for me dear. Daddy will surely be too sad to do it and they'll need you..."

A tear rolled down Morgana's cheek.

"I promise mother."

The Queen took her daughter in his arms and squeezed her.

"More than anything."

Merlin's words startled her and she blinked a few times.

"I beg your pardon?"

"She loves him too."

Morgana lowered her head.

"Then everything is going to be fine, isn't it Merlin? Love always wins at the end, doesn't it?"

He forced himself to chase away his worries in front of the surprising fragility of Morgana.

"Yes." he tried to smile, squeezing her hand again, "Yes, true love conquers all."

The next morning, Gwen woke up and thinking on what she will have to do and she closed her eyes again. She couldn't. Surely she could do it the next day, or the next day again or... never. At this moment, someone knocked at her door and when she didn't opened, he screamed.

"Gwen, I know that you're in here. You have today to tell your Prince we're getting married. Tomorrow, I'll make it official."

And he left while Gwen buried her face in her pillow. She couldn't do that.

Merlin came in Arthur's chamber and find him at the top of his bed, laid down, wide awake. He sighed and forced himself to take a playful air.

"Wake up lazy"

"You see well that I can't wake up Merlin, as I was not asleep!"

His friend walked closer.

"You have to pull yourself together."

"I'm fine. Thank you."

"Morgana is worried about you!"

"Morgana is always worried about me ..." grunted the Prince.

"She is your older sister!

"Well in this case, please tell my sister that I'm feeling well. And that I don't need a caretaker." Arthur blinked and resumed, "No. Don't tell her that. She's only trying to help, I know it..."

He plunged his head in his hands and Merlin frowned, powerless.

"I don't know what to do anymore Merlin."

"Go see her."

"I can't!"

"Why not?" asked the young man.

"Because I promised. I Promised her that if she didn't want me anymore, I would let her go, and let her be."

"Arthur..."

"I know. I was an idiot. But I didn't think she would actually break up with me."

"Gwen loves you Arthur."

"I beg you Merlin," breathed Arthur, closing his eyes, "I beg you. I know you only want to help, but stop."

"Arthur..."

"Please."

"No" exclaimed Merlin and the Prince slightly got up, frowning.

"Are you disobeying your Prince?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure you want to do that Merlin?"

"Gwen loves you."

Arthur rose menacingly toward him but right away, Merlin resumed.

"She doesn't smile anymore. She doesn't even talk. Her eyes are constantly red and swollen and she bursts in tears at random times for what seems like no reason, and every time we ask her how she is feeling, she puts this fake smile on her face but you can see in her eyes just how incredible sad she is!"

The blond-haired man stops, his lips open and close then open again.

"Really?"

"Really Arthur. She is suffering as much as you are."

The Prince opened his mouth, ready to tell again that he was fine, and then closed it. It was obvious that he wasn't fine.

Gwen came in Morgana's Chamber only to find her sit in front of her mirror, finishing her hair.

"You are dressed!"

Morgana smiled sweetly but her young friend noticed that her smile didn't reach her eyes. She turned around and looked at her servant and friend, before tapping on the bed.

"Please sit,"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Come sit with me."

"But ..."

"Please, Gwen."

Gwen frowned but sat down anyway.

"Why are you doing this?" The princess asks going straight to the point.

"What... What are you talking about?"

"He loves you with all his heart Gwen; don't ever doubt that, I beg you."

"I..."

She felt her heart stop. How did she know about Arthur and her?

"My lady..." she resumed.

"Don't bother denying it. It was so obvious; a blind man could see it!"

Gwen looked down, she didn't thought she was so obvious about her feeling for him.

"I also saw it because you're the two people that I know better than myself."

Gwen sighed looking down at her hands.

"Why?" asked the Princess.

"It's rather complicate Morgana..."

"Was it something he done?"

"No!" screamed Gwen right away, "Of course not! He was perfect with me, I never felt more loved than when I was with him..."

She blushed and looked down again while Morgana took her hand.

"You know you can tell me anything Gwen, I'll be there. No matter how much in troubles you are ..."

Gwen felt tears formed in her eyes. Could she really tell Morgana? If she did so, she will tell Arthur and this one would go fight. Against Louis, against Cenred, perhaps it would even trigger a war, a war on Camelot, on all these people she loved and she wanted nothing more than their safety...

"There is nothing my lady," she said getting up, "I have to get back to work."

Morgana watched her leave and sighed. Merlin was right, something was definitively wrong with Gwen.

Gwen got out from the Castle and glimpsed golden hair on the training ground. She walked closer, like drawn to him, and stared at Arthur, training with his knights. The way he was holding his sword, the way his damp hair was falling on his forehead, the way he focused before attack... She loved everything about him and didn't have the right on anything.

"Gwen."

The young woman jumped and turned, facing Elyan. She smiled tenderly towards him, since they rescued him from Cenred's castle; Elyan took over the forging of their father and seemed to decide to finally settle down.

"Elyan." she smiled.

"Is everything's all right between you and the Prince?"

She stared at him a few seconds and saw his eyes full of concern.

"Why is everyone asking me this?"

"Because he is not well. He is in a bad mood all the time, or he is here, but his mind is... elsewhere. The same goes to you."

She tried to ignore the pinch in her painful heart.

"So I'm in a bad mood?"

"No, that characteristic is reserved only for spoilt Prince." he smiled and she allowed herself a slight smile too. "But," he resumed, "You seem so unhappy these days..."

She sighed and laid again her eyes on her knight in shining armor.

"I will be fine Elyan. I just have to speak with Arthur."

A smile lighted up her brother's face and she felt ill.

"What are you waiting for?"

At the same time, Arthur ended the fight, making his opponent fell, the tip of his sword on the man's chest. He helped him get up, congratulation him and went drink the glass of water Merlin was holding him. Gwen then turned toward her brother.

"This."

Then, in a smile, she walked away while Elyan was staring at her with worried eyes.

The closer she got, the more she felt like she was dying inside. When she reached them, Merlin glimpsed her way and his eyes widened in surprise.

"What is it Merlin?" asked the Prince, turning around, "You look like you saw a gho..." he stopped, seeing her, "Guinevere."

She tried to smile but couldn't.

"Can I talk to you?" she asked in a small voice.

"Of course!"

She tried to ignore the hope she could see in his crystal blue eyes when he led her to speak in a rather private area. She stared at him and understood that she couldn't do that. Not while he was looking at her with this look.

"Arthur I..."

"I miss you." he cut her then and she closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears that wanted to roll.

When she opened her eyes, Arthur had bright eyes too, and he took her hands in his, this hands she loved so much...

"I know why you're doing this Guinevere."

"Do you?" she asked in a weak voice.

"Yes. You think I could one day forget you, live without you or even married another woman!" her heart stopped at that time. "But the truth is, I could never. My heart is yours forever. Take it or break it, but it is yours... I am yours forever."

She closed her eyes. She knew just what he was costing to Arthur to do that. She knew that the man didn't like to speak of his feelings and for her, here he was, open hearted, and she could do nothing but be a spectator of it, as in a nightmare ... As if she screamed but no one heard ...

"Guinevere ?"

She opened her eyes and saw him, worried eyes. He was scared she would reject him, again.

"Listen, I know I told you I won't bother you again but..."

"You promised it Arthur." she weakly whispered and she saw his eyes widened with hurt.

"I'm sorry." he whispered, looking down, "I ... I thought you were coming because you..." he looked up and she saw his gorgeous blue eyes full by tears "Because you changed your mind ..." he dropped his hands gently. "That maybe you were missing me just as much as ..." he receded a little and she felt ill for good. "I'm sorry if I misunderstood you."

They were there, a few meters from each other. Arthur was staring at her, waiting for her to speak. Waiting for her to make him the happiest man in the world or break his heart forever. He meant it, she didn't seem to understand, he could never move on, if she decided to leave him for good. Never. He shouldn't have listened to Merlin. He shouldn't have believed him when he has said that Gwen was unhappy without him. He had wanted so much to believe him...

"Why did you wanted to see me?" he resumed weakly, "If it's not because..." he swallowed hardly, "if not because you were missing me." It was as if he was losing her, all over again.

Guinevere looked at him again. She couldn't do that. It would destroy him. It was only 7 days since they broke up and he was visibly suffering as much as she was. He saw she was hesitating and a cold feeling ran through his spine.

"What's the matter Guinevere?"

Tears invested her brown eyes and he wanted to comfort her, forgetting his own pain for a few moments. He grabbed her hands again and Gwen looked up at him, before declaring a trembling voice.

"I ... I'm getting married Arthur."

So ? CHAPTER 7 AS PROMISED ! ( And I have to thanks my wonderful beta for that :) ) What did you think ? I truly hope you loved it, finally, Gwen told Arthur she was getting married, what did you think ? And their scene together ? What do you think will happen ? And Merlin and Morgana ? What do Louis is up to ? I think, after this one, I'll write 4 chapters before the end, ( I already wrote chapter 8 and it's a little more happier than this one ;) Just have to translate it now ! ) Anyway, I already have an idea of a modern Arwen story :)

I wanted to do my usual thanks,

Thanks to : Arthurlover7, Cowboy's Lover Dimitri No 1, LHC1, LunaSolTierra, Missyhoneybee, RavenBaller-23, carlinejo, expowriting025, somegirlinthisworld and tfurman2011 for following me, THANK YOU ! :)

Thanks to : Allie988, Arthurlover7, LunaSolTierra, RavenBaller-23, expowriting025 and -stories for adding me in their favourites stories, THANK YOU :)

And of course, thanks to my WONDERFUL reviewers who truly help me keep writing : RavenBaller-23, GPendragon, larasmith, LHC1, Arthurlover7, LunaSolTierra and Megan, THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU :)

A SPECIAL thanks to my beta : LunaSolTierra, thank you for your time, you're doing an amazing job :)

And I want to answer to Megan :) : I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ON EVERYTHING MY FRIEND :) And you're welcome, I love answering questions and I love Arwen together so... anytime ! :)

Thank YOU for your review and always reviewing :)

I really hope you have enjoyed this chapter my friends and I promised, the next ones will be happier !

Keep Safe :)