This was written for the 'Loveliest Couple' drabble challenge on the Heart of Camelot website:
Choose the pairing you love the most, then write a drabble that captures the essence of why that couple appeals to you so much. If you don't have a definite favorite ship, please just choose a pairing you really like from the show.
A/N I'm not sure if this really qualifies as a lovely 'couple', since Ygraine was only imaginary in the story, but here it is anyway. I've always imagined that it was Uther's deep love and protectiveness for his wife that set the path for his war on magic.
Thanks to my beta LyricalSinger.
Uther and Ygraine
Gwen sighed. It was one of those increasingly frequent days when Uther seemed to have lost his tenuous hold on the present. The best she could do was to humour his mood and quietly go about keeping him fed in such state as befit the man who was still King of Camelot.
She started when he reached out and grasped her arm just as she'd been about to take away his lunch plate.
"Ygraine," he whispered, obviously seeing his dead wife in Gwen's place. "I'm so sorry. I should have protected you better but I did not know the evils that magic could work."
Gwen looked into his anguished face for a moment. "I understand," she said softly, and was surprised to see tears forming in his eyes.
"You always did know me better than anyone else," the King said with a guilty smile, "but I guess that's what love is." He dropped his gaze, "I offered my kingdom to keep you safe, but that witch took you anyway." Looking back up at the illusion of his wife he said, "So I vowed in your name that I would wipe out the scourge that is magic."
"I… thank you," answered Gwen, feeling like she'd betrayed herself somehow, but not knowing how else she could answer him.
"But thank the Gods I had Arthur," Uther continued, lips quirking into a slight smile as he remembered. "When he was small, he looked so much like you that I sometimes could not bear to have him near."
Gwen frowned, never having considered this reason for the King's distance from his son.
"But he is a man, now," the Uther said, "and he will be a good King. I am more proud of him than I can say and you should be too."
"I am," said Gwen, this time being able to answer from her own heart.
Later, as she headed towards the kitchens, Gwen pondered what she's heard. Whatever she thought of the King, there was no doubt that he had loved his wife.