Chapter 50: Back Together Again

"Your cousin is sending 30 knights to take you back to Camelot." Queen Annis spoke to her as the two of them ate a meal together. "They will arrive tomorrow. He also says that your husband and son arrived safely in Camelot."

"That is good news." She smiled broadly. "I cannot thank you enough, your Highness. You have been a friend indeed." Raising her goblet to the older woman.

Annis smiled and raised her goblet to the younger Queen. "When you wish to get your Kingdom back, you have my full support and my army, when you need it."

"Thank you." Elaine smiled as they tapped their goblets together.

"You're welcome." She sipped her drink. "My husband never saw eye-to-eye with your father all the time but your mother was the loveliest woman I ever met."

"You knew my parents well?" She asked and sipped her own drink.

Annis smiled, "yes. Your father and my husband spoke continuously about our borders and the problems with the bandits. Your father would come here with your mother, just before you were born. She and I became fast friends. I could never say a bad word about your mother."

"But my father, you could." She chuckled. "You can say it. The only people my father ever got along with was my mother and me."

They chuckled together. "Yes. Very true. Your father was a stubborn man. I can see you have that stubbornness also."

Elaine blushed slightly and nodded, "very true." She picked up a grape and ate it in silence before speaking again, "What do I do, your Highness? With Lot?"

"I do not know just yet." Sitting up straight. "I suggest for you to wait until your child is born, recover and then plan to get your Kingdom back. Lot has no right to it. It is your heritage. Lot is just a greedy man. He targeted you because you were young when you came to the throne and that made you an easy target."

"Especially with an illegitimate son as my heir," she spoke softly and sighed heavily after she finished speaking. "I had a dream one night about my father and my mother. I dreamt they were disappointed with me. But I then dreamt I saw my son, all grown up and happy. He was King." She smiled a little and sipped her wine. "That rid my dream of my disappointed parents."

"You are very proud of that boy." Annis spoke with a smile. "Will he be King if your next child is a boy?"

"Yes." Elaine nodded. "Galahad is my first-born and has every right to be King."

"What of Joyous Guard? I know that Galahad can never inherit it. That was why your mother was glad you were a girl." Annis spoke softly.

The young Queen took a deep breath and thought for a moment. "Anne will receive Joyous Guard on her coming of age, if I am not in this world. But only if she is married." Elaine chuckled softly. "I have sacrificed so much for my family."

"How so, your Highness?" Annis asked her as the two stood up, walking from the table together.

"As you know, I had trouble with Vortigern. I made a treaty with him. His youngest son will marry Anne on her 18th birthday. Just to keep peace." Her voice small as she spoke.

Annis could tell that the young queen was scared. Elaine's hand rested on her stomach, rubbing it slowly. "Are you well, girl?"

Elaine shook her head and tears began to run down her cheeks. "I just want my family together again." Annis wrapped her arm around Elaine as the young woman cried. "I hate being without my husband and my son." Elaine sobbed as she helped towards a chair and was seated in it. "I am so scared. I just want to live in a world with no problems. I want in peace."

"I understand." She sat next to Elaine, her hand resting over Elaine's trembling right hand. "But you know, that will never happen. As much as you wish and dream it, you know it will never happen." She gave Elaine's hand a squeeze. "Now, go and get some rest. You have a long day of travelling tomorrow."

"Thank you, your Highness." Elaine smiled a little and stood up. "I shall see you in the morning."

"Good night."

Elaine strolled up to her room. Annis had given her a room, which had an antechamber for Anne to sleep in. Lancelot was in the chambers next to her chambers. She insisted upon it. She wanted to be safe. Having him close by made her feel safe. She wished it was her husband but Lancelot was the man who always made her feel safe. He was her first love, and they would always have that connection.

"Your Majesty?" Lancelot spoke as she approached her room. "Are you well?" He rushed to her side when he caught sight of her white face in the torch light. He held her by the elbow and led her into his chambers. "Elaine, what's wrong?"

"I just want to go home." She sobbed as he helped her to sit on the edge of her bed. He sat next to her and wrapped a shawl around her shoulders. "I want my son. I want to see that he is safe and well."

"I do too." He wrapped his arm wrapped around her shoulders. "We both know that he and Gwaine have arrived safely in Camelot. It won't be long until we are with him again." He kissed the top of her head and held her closely. "He will be driving us mad before you know it."

She laughed and sat up straight. "Thank you," she said as she stood up. "I'm going to check on Anne. I shall see you in the morning." She waited for him to stand and leave. "Ummm... Are you going to leave?"

He stood up and walked to her, kissing her on the cheek. "Sorry. Just imagining how my life would be like if I had acted differently years ago."

Elaine sighed heavily. "No. Stop it. You can imagine all you want but it will never be like that. You lost that chance. Stop trying to think you will have a second chance from me. You won't." She spun around and stormed into the antechamber, where her daughter lay sleeping. Elaine sat on the bed next to her daughter, gently stroking her daughter's curls. She stood up and pulled the blankets up, making sure her daughter was warm enough. "Good night sweetheart." She kissed the top of her daughter's head before leaving.

"Elaine, please." Lancelot pleaded with her once the antechamber door was shut. He was on his knees. "I am begging you. Leave Gwaine. I love you. I never stopped loving you."

Elaine could not even look at him. If she did, she would break down. "Get up," she whispered, "get up."

He stood up and stood in front of her. Her eyes were closed, still refusing to look at him. "Why do you not look at me?"

"I can't."

"Look at me!" He urged her, his hand gripping her upper arms. He gave her a gentle shake. "Look at me!"

She did. She slowly opened her eyes and stared at him. She was lost in his beautiful eyes. They weren't Gwaine's. She wanted her husband so much. "No..." She whispered uselessly. "Please go."

Lancelot kept his hands on her forearms. "I will never stop loving you." He removed his hands from her arms and cradled her face in his hands. "I know you are married, but I will never stop fighting for you." He pulled his hands away and stormed from the room.

Elaine stood in shock. What was he playing at? He had lost his chance and now, she was not available, and he wanted her. Why did he have to do this? She sat on the edge of the bed and gasped out her tears. The sooner she reached Camelot, the better.

"Anne... Anne..." Elaine whispered to her sleeping daughter. "It's time to go and see Papa."

The young girl rubbed her eyes and awoke, smiling up at her mother. "Really?" Reaching her arms up to her mother.

Elaine lifted the young girl and settled Anne onto her lap. "Yes, really. Cousin Arthur has sent his best knights to take us to Camelot."

"Has he sent Papa?" The girl asked in delight. She was sincerely hoping her Papa was there.

"No darling. Papa is at Camelot." She shook her head and lifted her daughter back onto the bed. "But Sir Percival is here."

Anne giggled. She liked Percival. In her eyes, he was a giant. "Shall I dress, Mama?"

"I will get you a dress. Go and wash your face." She tapped Anne's nose, and stood up. Anne jumped off the bed and went to her wash bowl. Elaine picked up Anne's dress, the one the young girl had been wearing ever since they escaped Corbenic. Annis was able to give Elaine a dress but there were no dresses for the young Princess. She watched her daughter as she dried her face and bounced over to her mother. She raised her arms and Elaine placed the dress on the young girl. "There." She tied the back of Anne's dress. "Like a Princess."

"I am a Princess, Mama." She laughed as she twirled around. "I want to see Papa!" She stamped her foot in her temper.

"Anne!" Elaine scolded her. "Don't you dare stamp your foot like that again." She grabbed her daughter's wrist and knelt in front of her. "What has gotten into you?" She let go of Anne's wrist. "Now, what do you say?"

"Sorry, Mama." The girl looked down at the floor, shuffling her feet.

Elaine understood why her daughter was acting like that. Anne was a spoilt child. She had been spoiled by both Elaine and Gwaine. Especially from Gwaine. She was his only child and he wanted to spoil her as much as he can. "Now, go and brush your hair."

Camelot was not home. It was a place where family was. The ride from Annis' Kingdom to Arthur's Kingdom was long and hard. But at the end of it, Elaine knew she would see her husband and son once again. Guilt ate away at her. Lancelot had kissed her and she had kissed him back. She wanted to tell Gwaine but she knew it would be wrong for her to admit the truth.

Anne rode in front of Percival. She seemed to be talking his ears off. But he obviously did not mind. He entertained her as they got closer to Camelot. "Where's Papa?" Anne asked as they rode through the lower town.

"In the citadel." Percival chuckled. "He is really excited to see you." They rode into the courtyard and they were greeted by Arthur, Gwen and most importantly Gwaine and Galahad.

"MAMA!" A rather loud young male voice called.

Elaine dismounted, with the help from Lancelot. "Thank you." She moved around him and rushed towards her son and kneeling on the floor, who hugged her tightly, as much as he could. "I've missed you, my darling." Stroking his curls. He was going to have a full set of curls on top of his head, dark hair like his father and curls like his mother. "I am glad you are safe and well."

"Me too Mama. I hated leaving you." He gripped onto her tightly, determined not to let her go.

"Papa is desperate to see you too." She pushed Galahad back a little to be able to see his face properly. She cupped his cheeks and leaned forward, kissing his nose. She stood up and looked up to see her husband grinning at her. "Gwaine." She smiled broadly as Galahad ran around her and straight to his father. She strode up to him and kissed him hard on the lips.

"Elaine." He breathed her name, his fingers tangled in her hair and pulling her into a kiss. "You're safe. We're all safe."

"PAPA!" Anne squealed in delight as she ran to her parents, wrapping her arms around their legs as much as she can. Galahad joined them. The small family were back together again and they were not going to let anybody pull them apart again.

A/N: Sorry for the slow updates. Let me know what you guys feel about this story and this chapter.

Response from chapter 49:

ForeverTeamEdward13: Here it is.