Slight -M- rated situation, you've been warned my friends :)
Chapter 11
Arthur didn't let go of Guinevere's hand and his eyes would not dare look away. It was as if he was afraid she might vanish if he lost sight of her, even for one second, and lose her again. Guinevere was watching him with loving eyes and when Gaius came in and saw this, he couldn't help but smile. Getting closer to Gwen who smiled weakly toward him.
"Gaius." She breathed.
Gaius tried to get closer but Arthur didn't let go of her.
"Sire, I will require space."
The Prince stared at him before looking at Guinevere, who raises her hand in order to stroke his cheek.
"I'm fine Arthur."
He leaned on his hand standing up slowly and laid a kiss on her lips, then her hand, before moving back a little, letting Gaius do his job. The old physician auscultated Gwen before he turned towards Arthur, whose face was now pale with worry again; His mind running away with him ¿and what if it was only temporary? ¿And what if Guinevere was going to die after all? He felt like he couldn't breathe anymore.
"It's a miracle." Finally said Gaius.
Arthur let out a breath he wasn't fully aware he was holding and threw himself at Guinevere's side again; tears of joy rolling down his handsome features, a sob of joy took the woman.
"I love you so much." She whispered and was delighted to see his face positively lighten up at her words.
He leaned in and kissed her tenderly, before Morgana pushed him away.
"Each one its turn." She breathed before take the one she was considering like her best friend in her arms.
Gwen laughed and squeezed her hard, before she pulled away and Merlin hugs her too. The old physician smiled again and headed towards the door.
"Gaius." Called Gwen and he turned around.
"Yes child?"
"I... I don't know if I dreamt this but-"
"What's going on?" Asked Arthur.
"While, while I was ... dying, there was... there was this woman."
"A woman?" Asked Merlin and Gaius frowned.
"Yes, I think she was the Queen."
This time, apart for Gaius, everyone gasped in surprise.
"She was there with me." Resumed the young woman looking at no one else but the old physician. "She told me she was sorry, that she could do nothing for me and..." She frowned and her stare deviated toward Arthur a few seconds. "I was hearing your voice; you were asking me to come back, to not leave you alone, that you loved me..." She saw Arthur paled and caught her hand, as if he reassured himself that she was with him for good. "And I was trying to find my way back to you but then... then I understood and I saw you say goodbye to me and..." This time a sob took and Arthur settled at her side and laid a arm around her. She let her head fall in the crook of his neck and soaked in his scent for a few seconds before resumed. "Then, all went so fast! You kissed me, said that I will remain the love of your life and ... all was blurry then, when I turned around the Queen had this look of hope and I didn't understand, I felt so bad ... I fell in her arms and I remember this words to me: 'Enjoy this second chance, child. Be happy. Make him happy. I'm so glad the Gods decided to give you a second chance... Tell Arthur and Morgana that I love them, and that I'm so proud of the adults they have become! And tell Uther... tell him I know he is not this heartless person he is now, tell him I know the person I fell in love with is still there, somewhere.'
Once she stopped the silence in the room was heavy. No one talked. Guinevere looked at Arthur and saw he looked lost the same as his sister and his best friend. The physician just seemed... thoughtful.
"I think I know what happened Gwen, but I need to be sure. I'll talk to you later."
On these words, he bowed and left the room.
"Did... Did she really tell you that?" Murmured Morgana, tears falling from her emerald eyes.
"Yes." Smiled gently her friend. "She told me she loved you and that she was proud of you."
This time, Morgana burst into tears and she felt Arthur embrace tighten around her, when she looked up at him, Gwen saw tears rolling down his cheeks too and in a tender hand she wiped his cheek, earning a loving smile.
"Thank you love." He whispered, burying his face in her neck.
Suddenly, a little voice could be heard.
"Arthur ! Guinevere!"
All of them looked up and found Bahir in front of them, eyes fill with tears.
Gaius closed the book quickly and stared at the wall in front of him a few seconds before getting up and heading toward the dungeons.
"I want to talk with the King."
"We have no prisoner with this name Sir." Answered the guard and Gaius raised an eyebrow, they all had clearly under-estimate the loyalty the men had toward the Prince.
"Very well." Answered the old man. "I want to talk with Uther."
The guard hesitated, then must have judged that letting an old man was no danger because he nodded slowly and let him go. Gaius walked forward and discovered the King against the wall. Uther raised and gripped the bars.
"Old friend..." Breathed he but the physician didn't answer. "I have been stupid, so stupid... blind by power and anger, now, this woman is dead and Arthur will never forgive me..."
"Guinevere is alive."
He saw Uther's eyes widen.
"Alive?" He asked again.
"Yes."
"But... how?"
"Arthur."
"Arthur?" Resumed the King and this time, Gaius saw he didn't understood what was going on anymore.
"His love for her brought her back to life."
Uther swallowed.
"How's that?
Gaius sighed. "I'm not sure. It's so extremely rare that most think of it as myth, but I can't think of any other explanation. When love is more powerful than death, when love only governs your heart, if one tears of the one love fall on the lips of the dying one, if this tear is the result of pure love, then Gods can decide to let one last chance to the lovers. That if their love is pure it deserves a second chance. Like I said it's extremely rare and has only happened once before.
"And you think this is what happened to Arthur?" Breathed the King distraught.
"Yes sire, it's the only way we could explain it."
"It isn't all, it is?"
"No, indeed not."
"Speak, my friend."
"There is one other thing," Started the old man. "Guinevere has said she wasn't alone when she was dying."
"I don't understand..." Said the King.
"My best guess is that when a person is dying, he or she is taken somewhere, in order to wait for his or her ultimate fate. Would it be death or return amongst the living. Few who had escaped death talk very little about a white room without doors or windows."
"I'm listening."
"Guinevere seems to have been in such place, but someone met her in there. Sometimes, it happens, to guide the one with a trouble fate."
"And who was it?"
"The Queen, your majesty."
Gaius saw the King's legs gone weak and he crumbled on the floor.
"Tell me you're making this up."
"No, Gwen said that the Queen was by her side the entire time."
"But... what did she say? What did she do? What-"
"She said that she was sorry the man Gwen loved has to live without her and her without him." She saw Uther paled but the old man continued. "And when the Queen, which is a smart woman, understood what was going on for Gwen and Arthur, when she understood they had a second chance, she told her words that stayed in the young woman's mind."
"What did she say? Asked Uther in a shaking voice.
"She said she was glad that Gods had given them a second chance. That she must be happy, make Arthur happy and gave her a message."
"I beg you Gaius, lighten my punishment."
"She asked her to say to Arthur and Morgana that she loved them and was proud of the adults they have become."
Uther closed his eyes. "And?"
"She also asked her to say to you that she knew you weren't this heartless person and that she is sure that the man she fell in love with is still somewhere inside of you."
A sob could be heard.
"Oh Ygraine!"
Leaving the King alone in his thoughts, Gaius left.
"Bahir!" Exclaimed Guinevere and she tried to get up but flinched and in a matter of seconds, Arthur was by her side, supporting her best he could. She gave him a tender smile and both of them walked toward the boy.
"Are you okay?" He asked, eyes brimming with tears.
"Very well." She smiled.
"You?" He asked again, looking toward the Prince.
"I'm fine." Smiled Arthur before running his hands in the boy's hair.
"You're hurt!" He screamed, showing Arthur wound.
Gwen looked too and paled.
"Arthur!" She screamed alarmed "You're hurt! You-"
"Shush my love, everything's okay." He cut off. "Morgana healed me, I'm fine, I promise."
Gwen turned around Morgana and threw her a grateful smile in which the woman just smiled in answer.
"You should see Gaius." Resumed the young woman, looking at her Prince.
"I promise." He smiled gently; Arthur then leant towards the child. "I will help you search for your dad and mum."
"What if they're dead?" Asked the little boy, a tear escaping his eyes. "I'm going to be alone?"
In an impulsive manner, Arthur took the boy in his arms and squeezed him against his body, feeling his little arms closing around his neck.
"I will not leave you alone Bahir, do you hear me? I will take care of you, as I said I would."
Arthur felt more than he saw the tender stare of Guinevere on his back and he let go slowly of the child.
"Are you giving me a smile now?"
The child beamed at him and Arthur heard Guinevere's softened smile when she saw a tooth was missing.
Morgana and Merlin left the room, leaving Arthur and Guinevere for a moment. Morgana was walking in the corridors when she felt a warm hand slide in hers; she smiled and looked at Merlin.
"You know." He started. "What happened back there between us?"
"I have no regrets." She cut him off as she turned to face him. "In fact, I would love to do it again."
And she threw herself in his arms, kissing him fiercely. Once the surprise gone, Merlin smiled against her lips and answered her kiss, squeezing his arms around her.
Guinevere took Arthur's hand and led him toward the bed. She lay down and he lay down behind her, his hands on her waist, his face on her neck while Guinevere intertwined their fingers; Bahir was sleeping in the room next to them. Morgana and Merlin were gone, and Gaius had not come back yet, they were finally alone.
"I was so afraid I had lost you..." He whispered, kissing her neck and she shivered.
"I'm here Arthur."
She turned around and found herself a few inches from his face, his bright blue eyes were brimming with emotion- sometimes contradictory - that he had felt since he last saw her crumbled on the floor. She raised a hand and kissed his cheek tenderly, then his jaw, before letting her hand get lost on his chest. Arthur closed his eyes, enjoying her touch.
"I love you." She whispered and saw the smile formed on his gorgeous lips of his.
"I love you too."
This moment was almost too perfect. Arthur was afraid that, if he opened his eyes, she might have disappeared. He finally opened his eyes and saw Guinevere, looking at him with such love and adoration, he could have jump from joy! Then, he couldn't help but leant toward her and kiss her. He let out a sigh of contentment when her tongue coaxed apart his lips and soon, the kiss was more passionate, fierce... One of his hands slides down her waist and brought her closer to him, making her moan slightly in the process. Instinctively, Gwen slide her own hands down his chest and reach the tip of his tunic, before raising it and, stop kissing him only to take the shirt of off his body and onto the ground. She stared at his muscled chest and laid a finger on it, while Arthur was attacking her neck with his kisses, she laid a hand on his nape, silently asking him to keep doing this and Arthur then took her thigh and tied it around his waist, making them both moan.
"Oh Arthur..."
The fear of losing the other have been such that nothing seemed to could stop this passion that was taking roots in the huge fear they had had of losing each other in a permanent way. The Prince's hands headed toward the ties of her dress and he started untied it, while Guinevere brought him close to her, her hands exploring his back, his shoulders ... She heard him moans slightly and he kissed her neck more fiercely, while his hands has succeeded at untying her dress. Arthur then raised his face toward her and his stare made Gwen felt warmer again, his eyes, ordinary crystal blue, were navy with lust and she guessed, from the way he was eating her with the eyes, that hers was no better... She brought his face closer to hers and kissed him, tenderly at first then she deepened the kiss and he soon found himself above her; she slides her hands down his back, to his stomach, coming to his trousers and she smiled between the kisses when she heard him grunt lowly and he kissed her harder while her hands was untying the knot that was holding his pants.
"Guinevere." He said breathing hard.
"I'm yours Arthur." she whispered and he opened the mouth to answer when someone knocked at the door.
Both of them jumped and Arthur looked over his shoulder and answered with grumbly.
"A moment, please."
He looked at Guinevere again, her chocolate eyes which had taken a darker shade, her pink cheeks, her lips swollen. He couldn't help but lean in again, kissing her tenderly. Gwen answered the kiss before pull herself together and pushes him away slowly.
"Arthur, there's someone at the door." She smiled when she saw him pout.
"Must be Merlin." He breathed, leaning again in order to kiss her neck and Gwen tilted her head, despite of her, allowing him a better access. "He can wait..."
Gwen resumed right away, pushing him away again before lay a simple kiss on his swollen lips and push him aside. He grumbled and she laughed, putting on her dress again. After a few minutes, she felt watched and saw Arthur stared at her with adoration; she blushed and leant in to kiss him properly.
"I can't believe you're here." He breathed, gluing his forehead against hers.
"And yet I'm here my love, and I'm not going anywhere."
He smiled, sighed and kissed her again before getting up to pick up his tunic that was still on the floor. She stared at the way his muscled back moved when he was moving and felt herself blush, hearing Arthur's teasing voice.
"Stop staring at me!"
She laughed and let herself fall on the bed, while Arthur threw her an impish smile before opening the door, whoever it was, he better has a good reason ! He opened the door fully and saw the physician, Arthur cleared his throat and the old man resumed.
"I have something to tell you."
Arthur let him enter, running an embarrassed hand in his hair. Both of them came in the room and Arthur saw Guinevere, lying in the bed, she rose up, a big smile on her face, which soon turned into a blush when she glimpsed Gaius.
"Oh pity, child." Resumed the old man, "Don't be embarrassed, I was young and in love once, there's nothing to be embarrassed about."
Gwen softly smiled before getting up and cuddles herself against Arthur; it was as if she couldn't help herself.
She felt safe nowhere else that in his arms and for now, she was needing this feeling of safety badly. Gaius turned toward them and smiled, understanding that his theory was proved by the love that was emanating for them.
"I believe to know what happened."
"Speak your mind Gaius."
"The book of history spoke of a King, Paul; married to a woman he deeply loved: Eleanor."
The two young adults frowned but let Gaius go on.
"Once, Paul was deadly wounded during a battle and he was brought back to his wife, almost dead. The Queen spent the night with her husband, saying goodbye to him, crying over him and the next day, the King was waking up as he was never wounded."
"But how-" Started Arthur but the physician answered his question before he actually got to ask it.
"Love."
The two young adults opened wide eyes and Gaius gave them a slight smile.
"It is written that the love that the King and Queen had for each other was so strong, even the Gods took pity of them."
"You mean that ..." Started Gwen and she had to hang on to Arthur's tunic in order not to crumble on the floor, "That..."
"I think so, child. I think that your love is so pure, so sincere, that the Gods themselves brought you back to Arthur."
She felt the Prince's embrace tighten around her.
"But how?" She whispered weakly.
"We reach the point where things are unclear, some said that during her moping, one of the Queen's tears fell into the mouth of the King and started his heart again... So I'm going to ask you, did you remember a special event which could have led to this? "
Arthur frowned, trying to remember but all he could remember was feeling as if his world was going to end and as if he was dying inside ... Gwen thought too during a little while...
"You are and you will always be the true love of my life Guinevere."
This time, a tear rolled down her half opened lips.
Guinevere jumped and screamed.
"I remember!" She calmed down right away and resumed in a voice that was, she was hoping, not too much shaking. "I remember. Arthur... he told me that I was and always would be the love of his life and then, then a tear fell into my lips ... I remember. And its a few seconds later that I started to feel all dizzy and when I woke up," She turned toward Arthur. "You were here." She breathed, laying a kiss in his neck before turned again toward Gaius, who seemed focus.
"Gaius?" Asked the Prince.
"I think we now know your Majesty, love brought Guinevere back to you, now all you have to do is take care of each other."
He bowed slightly and before left, turned toward them a last time and in a small smile, said. "I'm truly happy for you."
Arthur and Guinevere looked at each other and he raised a shaking hand toward her face, wiping the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. Suddenly he got on one knee.
"Arthur, what are you doing?" She whispered, panicked.
"I almost lost you." He breathed, raising his bright blue eyes toward her. "I won't let that happen again; I won't let anything tear you apart from me again. Guinevere. Will you make me the happiest man alive, and do me the honor of marrying me?"
She opened the mouth a few times but not a sound came out and all she could do was nodded slowly, she saw a genuine smile lighted up the face of the man she loved and couldn't help a sob of joy.
"Yes?" He asked gently.
"Yes." She answered in the same tone before raising her voice, "Yes, yes, YES!"
Her voice trembled slightly in the end but he got up and kissed her lovingly before took her hand and put the ring on her finger, he raised her hand towards his face and kissed her knuckles, his eyes never leaving hers.
"Let her go! You don't have the right to hurt her!" Screamed a little voice.
Bahir woke up, rubbing his eyes before get up and walked slowly toward the light behind the door, scared by the dark, he opened the door and saw Arthur and Gwen... Suddenly, he ran toward them and hit Arthur with his little fists.
"Let her go! You don't have the right to hurt her!"
Arthur receded a little and frowned, kneeling in front of the boy, whose eyes were brimming with tears.
"What's the matter Bahir? Why do you think I would hurt Guinevere?"
"I" Started to sob the child, "I saw my father come home late and... and he walked closer to ... to my mum and he was shouting and ... and after she ... she cried."
Arthur frowned a few seconds more before finally understood and he threw a sad look toward Gwen, who gave him back. The Prince got closer and laid a hand on the boy's shoulder, who raised his sky blue eyes toward him.
"You must know I would never hurt her Bahir, ever. I promise it to you."
"What were you doing then?" Asked suspiciously the child.
"I." Arthur couldn't help his smile. "I was telling Guinevere that I was in love with her, and I asked her to be my wife."
"Your wife?" Frowned Bahir.
"Yes." Resumed gently Arthur. "You know, I told her that she was in love with me too, then maybe we could stay together forever."
Bahir seemed to think, then only say.
"You promise?"
"I promise."
At this moment the child relaxed visibly and even allowed himself a smile, which Arthur gave him back with pleasure, when someone knocked at the door, Leon showed up and right away, his eyes widened.
"Bahir?"
Arthur was looking at Guinevere, taking care of the child and couldn't help but stare before pulling himself back to reality and clear his throat, turning toward his knight.
"You know Bahir then, how if I may ask?"
"Yes Sire, I know him, his father was at my service."
Arthur looked at him seriously.
"Was?" He finally asked?
Leon didn't answer right away but stared at the little boy, laughing at something Gwen just told him. The knight smiled and showed Arthur the scene with his chin.
"She'll be a great mother."
"I have no doubt she will." Said the prince tenderly.
Leon smiled, seeing his friends as happy as possible before sigh.
"His parents are dead Arthur."
Arthur immediately looked at him, his eyes wide with surprise.
"Both of them? Are you sure?"
"I'm afraid so ..." Resumed his friend in a sad voice, "His father was killed in the battle and the mother did try to escape ..."
"And?" asked seriously Arthur.
"She disappeared Arthur."
"So she could be alive then!"
"Someone saw her being ran through by one of Cenred's man..."
This time, Arthur couldn't help the sadness in his features, nor the hardness of his stare, before he said in a coolly voice, his eyes never leaving Guinevere and Bahir.
"How could someone do that to a harmless woman and call himself a knight."
"I know."
"If only I could catch the one who did that ..."
"I know, If there's not anything else…" Asked Sir Leon.
"Yes, you may go. Thank you Leon."
The knight bowed and left, leaving Arthur, lost in his thoughts.
Louis stayed hidden in the corridor in front of the Prince's chamber, he didn't dare come, not after Arthur told him, but he was going to wait until the Prince left, he had to talk with Gwen.
Arthur walked slowly toward the pair and laid a hand on Guinevere's back, making her smile, before he breathed toward Bahir.
"Do you want to go in the kitchen and get something to eat?"
"Anything I want?" Asked the child, his eyes wide with surprise and joy.
"Anything you want." Smiled Arthur before a cry of joy escaped the little boy and he ran out of the room.
Gwen let out a small smile before turning towards Arthur and tie her arms around his neck, he tied his around her waist and laid his forehead on hers, sighing with pleasure.
"This ring." She started and the Prince smiled, "Is gorgeous."
"It was my mother's."
"Oh Arthur." She breathed.
"I thought you might prefer to have something with sentimental value and not only money value."
A slight laugh escaped the young woman's lips and she got closer to him, her lips a few inches from his before whispering.
"I think you know me a little too well..."
He smiled and closed the gap between them, kissing her slowly before sighting again.
"What's the matter Arthur?"
"Bahir's parents are dead."
He saw Guinevere's eyes fill with tears.
"Oh no..."
The Prince took her in his arms and she buried her face in his chest.
"What are you going to do?" She asked her voice low.
"I don't know. What should I do Guinevere?"
She receded a little and kissed his cheek tenderly.
"I think you know what to do Arthur, have faith in your judgment, in your heart."
He smiled and kissed her gently again.
"What would I do without you?"
"Nothing, obviously." And he smiled at that before squeeze her in his arms again. "Arthur." She started in a more serious voice and he receded a little, plunging into those chocolate eyes of hers, trying to see what the problem was.
"What's wrong my love?"
"You will have to talk to your father."
Right away, she saw the Prince tensed and he shook his head, hatred taking possession of his gorgeous blue eyes.
"No." was his only answer.
"You must Arthur."
"No." He said again firmly. "Guinevere, he tried to kill you, tried to take you away from me and he almost succeeded! I won't forgive him for that, never.
Gwen sighed and slowly, got closer to Arthur and laid her hands in his cheeks. She was amazed, as ever, by seeing him visibly calm down under her touch and his eyes take this tender look she loved above all else.
"He is still your father Arthur, you can't have him killed, you can't have him in the cells forever, you need him, you..." She hesitated. "You love him. It's your father Arthur, you must forgive him, at least try to."
He shook his head, eyes widened by surprise.
"You can't ask me that..."
"Arthur-"
"No Guinevere, you know there is not a thing I wouldn't do for you but I won't forgive my father, not this time. He went too far."
"Arthur ..."
"This discussion is over." Firmly said the Prince before tenderly kissing her forehead and leaving the room, in need of some fresh air.
Gwen soon felt herself alone in the room and she laid a hand on her forehead before walk toward the window. Suddenly, an idea came to her and she left the room soon after. Heading toward the dungeons, the guards let her go and soon, she found herself facing the King of Camelot.
"My lord." She said slowly and Uther raised his head slowly before get up right away,
"You..." He said in a weak voice.
So ? What did you think of this chapter ? I truly hope you liked it :) Guinevere's wake up ? Gaius and Uther talk ? The reason why Guinevere was brought back to Arthur ? Merlin and Morgana ? Arthur and Guinevere moment ? Gaius revealing the truth ? The proposing ? Arwen and Bahir ? What do you think Louis will do now ? Guinevere teelling Arthur he must forginve his father ? What do you think she will tell to the King ?
I wanted to do my usual thanks and first of course, a HUGE thank you to my AMAZING beta, the best EVER : LunaSolTierra, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU :)
Thank you to all the people who are following me : Arthurlover7, Cowboy's Lover Dimitri No 1, LHC1, LunaSolTierra, Missyhoneybee, MySocksNevrMatch, RavenBaller-23, carlinejo, expowriting025, freckled98, , somegirlinthisworld and tfurman2011, THANK YOU :)
Thanks to all the people who added me in their faavourites story : Arthurlover7, LunaSolTierra, RavenBaller-23, expowriting025 and -stories, THANK YOU :)
And of course, thank you to all my AMAZING reviewers : RavenBaller-23 , larasmith, GPendragon , Arthurlover7, LHC1, megan , freckled98 , somegirlinthisworld and Guest, it means the world to me so THANK YOU :)
And I wanted to answer to 'Megan' and 'Guest'
'Megan' Thank you SO MUCH ! I'm so glad you liked it ! ANd I'm glad you liked the idea of the afterlife with the Queen and all, I was afraid it was a little too much so I can't tell you just how happy I am :) Yep, ARWEN IS BACK ! :)
Thank you for your review :)
'Guest' Thank you ! I'm so glad you think so :) Now, you must be some kind od medium 'cause Gwen will certainely try to make Arthur forgive his father, will she succeed ?
Thank you for your review :)
Also my friends, I'll go in holidays saturday and will be gone without internet for two weeks, so it means that it wont have another chapter until august :'( I wish all of you great holidays and great time in general and I LOVE YOU ALL ! :)