AN: I decided to do an AU storyline for this particular song, partly because it's so perfect for Elizabeth and Robert Dudley apart from the happy ending at the end, and partly because I thought it might be time to do one. As I've already said, pairing is Elizabeth/Robert Dudley. Story starts in 1561 and then flashes back to when they're little.

We were both young when I first saw you
I close my eyes
And the flashback starts
I'm standing there
On a balcony in summer air

"Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth Dudley-Tudor! His Highness , Prince Consort Robert Dudley-Tudor!" At the herald's cries, Elizabeth laid her hand on her new husband's sleeve, exchanged a smile with him and then let him lead her down the length of the hall to the dais.

Seating herself and then letting him sit beside her, she took his hand as they began to watch the masque that her cousin, Lady Catherine Knollys, had organised in honour of their marriage.

As the participants finished the final dance and sank into bows and curtsies to their Queen and new Prince Consort, Robert leaned over to her. "Remember when we first met, Elizabeth? Remember when we first danced together?"

"Of course I do. It was the King Arthur Masque on Midsummer's Day. Midsummer's Day in the year of our Lord 1543. The year my father married Katherine Parr. I played Guinevere, you played Lancelot. " Elizabeth whispered back, clapping for the dancers in front of her before leaning back in her throne and letting the memories overtake her.

See the lights
See the party, the ball gowns
I see you make your way through the crowd
And say hello, little did I know

"My Lady Elizabeth? Might I have the honour of a dance?" Turning, Elizabeth saw the dark-haired boy who had played Lancelot alongside her brother's King Arthur and her own Guinevere coming towards her across the dance floor. He bowed as he reached her and she dipped him the merest hint of a curtsy – lower born than her he might be, but he was one of her brother's companions and as such, had to be treated with respect.

"Gladly, except I don't dance with gentlemen that I do not know, Sir…"Elizabeth trailed off, realising with horror that she had forgotten his name. Realising her predicament, he smiled and replied, "Robert. Master Robert Dudley. There, now we are introduced. Come, dance with me, please, My Lady Elizabeth!"

Without waiting for another protest or even a proper answer, he presumptuously seized her hand and dragged her to the dance floor. Elizabeth went with him, laughing suddenly at his enthusiasm.

That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet
And I was crying on the staircase
Begging you please don't go, and I said

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story baby just say yes

"I'm still surprised you liked me. After how I treated you…"

"You were overexcited, Robin. We both were." Elizabeth smiled, briefly stroking her new husband's cheek.

"Yes, but I'm not sure your father understood that."

"No, he didn't. Do you know he told my stepmother Queen Katherine to warn me away from you?"

"Really?"

"Yes. But he underestimated me, Robin. I'm a Tudor. A Tudor with Boleyn blood. I was hardly going to stay away from you. After all, they didn't call my mother the most determined woman in Christendom for nothing. Besides, Fate wanted us together. I'm sure of it. Don't you remember when you found me crying in the garden after my Father died?"

"Of course I remember, Bess," Robert chided lightly, slipping a marchpane fruit between her lips as he answered her. Elizabeth's mouth opened to receive it and, withdrawing his hand after tickling her lips tantalisingly, he tucked a strand of copper hair behind her ear.

"It was the first time I kissed you, remember? How do you expect me to forget that?"

So I sneak out to the garden to see you
We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew
So close your eyes
Escape this town for a little while

At the sound of the footfall behind her, Elizabeth jumped. She hoped to God it was her governess Kat, or perhaps her stepmother Katherine Parr. They'd understand. They'd let her cry as though she was just a young girl who had lost her father; as though she wasn't the thirteen year old Lady Elizabeth, the King's Daughter.

Unfortunately, it wasn't. "My Lady?"

The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but Elizabeth wasn't in the mood to try and work out who it was. "Go away!" she snarled, swiping at her eyes angrily. She was a King's daughter for God's sake! She shouldn't be crying in the palace gardens at all, least of all in front of a young man!

"But you're upset. What kind of Knight would I be if I left a damsel in distress to her own devices?" The voice was closer now, right behind her.

"A wise one," Elizabeth snapped "Do you not realise who I am?"

However, she didn't protest when the young man behind her knelt down and tentatively touched his fingers to her shoulder.

"You're the Lady Elizabeth. The King's Sister."

His voice was kind and Elizabeth instinctively turned to face him. She recognised him instantly. "Master Robert."

"My Lady Elizabeth." He repeated, taking his hand off her shoulder and kissing her hand instead.

"How are you?"

"I'm well, My Lady, though the same cannot be said for your brother. Edward is, is much distressed by your father's demise and his new sense of responsibility does not help."

"Poor Edward. I wish I could be with him."

"But why can't you?"

"Oh, Robert, are you really that blind? His uncles hate me! They saw my mother as a whore and they see me as a bastard. They don't even think I was my father's daughter! They're never going to let me see him again!"

Despite herself, Elizabeth felt her eyes fill with fresh tears. Robert laid his hand on her arm.

"I'm not so sure about that. You're Edward's Sweet Sister Temperance. He wouldn't let them keep you two apart."

"You think he wouldn't?" Hating herself for how insecure she sounded, Elizabeth still pressed him for more confirmation.

"I know he wouldn't, My Lady," Robert assured her. "And if it's any consolation, I don't think you're a bastard. You're too much of a Tudor for that. As far as I'm concerned, you're the one and only Lady Elizabeth Tudor. You're my Lady Elizabeth Tudor."

Impulsively, he leaned forward so that his lips landed on hers. Too stunned to move, Elizabeth let him kiss her, trying to ignore the jolt in her chest as he did so.

'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet
But you were everything to me
I was begging you please don't go and I said

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story baby just say yes

Oh oh

"Edward Seymour wasn't pleased when he found out, was he?"

"No, nor was your Governess, if I remember correctly. I think she accused me of taking advantage of your grief to have my way with you. She has quite a fierce tongue when she wants to, doesn't she?"

"Kat? Yes. But she only wants the best for me. She brought me up, remember? And anyway, you were betrothed at the time."

"How could I forget? You were so distressed at the wedding."

"I was not! I smiled and danced and wished you well just as sincerely as my own brother did!" Elizabeth protested.

"Maybe, but you were pulling the Princess act on me. You only do that when you're hiding your emotions," Robert laughed, gulping a mouthful of wine as he spoke.

Elizabeth swatted him impatiently, but she knew he was right. Her heart had been tearing in two that day. If Robin hadn't found her and talked her out of her bad mood, she might well have pined away for him forever.

Romeo save me, they try to tell me how to feel
This love is difficult, but it's real
Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess
It's a love story baby just say yes

"Do you, Sir Robert Dudley, take this woman, Lady Amy Dudley, to be your lawful wedded wife; to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer and for better or for worse, until death do you part? Do you swear to love her and cherish her and to forsake all other women for her, now and forever, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

Robert's voice was firm as he swore everlasting love to his new bride. He didn't even spare Elizabeth a moment; a final farewell glance.

Elizabeth felt a pain so great it might have been physical stab her as he spoke and, pushing abruptly past her Lady Governess, she left the chapel without looking back, not caring what a scandal it would cause.

Standing outside wasn't enough; she could still hear the ceremony, so she picked up her skirts and ran to the other end of the churchyard, leaning against the oak tree that stood there as she desperately tried to pull herself together.

A commotion behind her told her that the new spouses must be leaving the Church, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Let them go on to celebrate without her.

She did allow herself one last glance over her shoulder, however. Amy, radiantly lovely in a pale blue gown shot through with silver, was hanging on to Robert's arm, alternating between gazing at him adoringly and beaming at her guests. She looked milky, demure, delicate. Nothing like Elizabeth.

Robert saw Elizabeth looking and gently disengaged himself from Amy. Kissing her and excusing himself from the wedding party, he came over to her.

"Elizabeth?"

"Do you love her? Amy? Do you love her?"

Elizabeth couldn't help herself. She had to know.

"Elizabeth!" Robert put his hand out, trying to calm her. She pulled away violently.

"NO! Do you love her? Robin, tell me, do you love her?"

"Not the way I love you." The words were so soft Elizabeth barely heard them.

"Then why marry her? You could have asked Edward to let you marry me! You know he'd have said yes! You know he would have done!"

"Edward is just a child! He's a puppet in the hands of the Council and you know that they would never have agreed to us marrying!"

"That's no way to speak of my brother the King!" Elizabeth turned and would have run from him if he hadn't thrown his arms around her waist and held her as she struggled against him.

"Go and dance with your wife, Robert! That's what everyone expects of you!"

He manhandled her behind the tree and then, hidden from view, let her go as he fell to one knee before her.

"My Lady Elizabeth, I love you. I love you with all my heart and that won't change just because I'm marrying the Robsart girl. Because I'm marrying Amy. I love you and I swear to you here and now that, if there ever comes a time when I am free to marry you and you are free to marry me, I will marry you in an instant. And until that day, I will live for you, Elizabeth. You and you alone."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise, Princess," Robert spoke wholeheartedly, using the title that was no longer hers openly for the first time.

"Then kiss me, Robin, please. Kiss me goodbye."

" Gladly."

Rising, he pressed his lips to hers in one last token of passion and then, stroking her fiery hair one last time, left her staring after him as he walked back to his wife.

Elizabeth shook her head to clear it of the unpleasant memory as she turned to face her new husband again, having looked away to speak briefly to her cousin and thank her for the masque. She had to stop thinking like this. He was hers. He'd made good on that promise to love her even through his marriage to Lady Amy. He was her sweet Robin, forever and ever.

"Anyway, does it matter? Does any of it matter? We're married now, Robin. I'm Queen of England and we're married! What's mine is yours. We're married!" Elizabeth exclaimed, stretching out her arms to express just how much power they both now wielded.

"Of course it doesn't, Bess. You're right. Come on, let's dance. Everyone's waiting for us to do it."

"Then let them wait!" Elizabeth laughed, but as Robert stood and held out his hand, half imperiously; half teasingly, she sprang up to take it, thinking how lucky she was that his wife Amy Robsart had died of a fever a year earlier, so that, not three years into her reign as Queen, she was able to marry her sweet Robin and make him her Prince Consort. That she had been able to say yes to him when he proposed there on the banks of the Thames on Midsummer's Day; exactly 17 years after they first met.

I got tired of waiting
Wondering if you were ever coming around
My faith in you is fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town, and I said

Romeo save me I've been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you but you never come
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think
You knelt to the ground, pulled out a ring

And said, marry me Juliet
You'll never have to be alone
I love you and that's all I really know
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress
It's a love story baby just say yes

"Oh, what a heavenly day this is turning out to be!" Elizabeth, flushed with the exertions of the ride she had been having, most particularly the race she had just had with her cousins Lady Catherine Knollys and Sir Henry Carey, tipped her face up to the sun and smiled as its warm rays caressed her skin.

"Yes, Madam," Catherine agreed. Elizabeth shook her head. "Cousin, Cate. I thought I told you to call me Cousin?"

"You did." Catherine admitted.

"Then do it." Elizabeth ordered, before a flurry of hoof beats shattered the tranquillity of the moment.

Irritation sparked in the young Queen's eyes before she saw who the rider was. "Robin!"

Picking up her skirts, she ran over to the rider as he dismounted and knelt to kiss her hand.

"Your Majesty. It pleases me greatly to see you happy and in good health."

"And it pleases me to see you returned to Court. How is Lady Dudley?"

Pain flashed in Robert's eyes for a moment before he controlled himself. "My wife sadly died of a fever two weeks ago. She nursed me through it devotedly, but her own body wasn't strong enough to fight it. I have just come back from settling her affairs."

"My Condolences, Sir Robert."

"Thank you, My Lady Queen. Might I have the honour of walking with you? I have a question I want to ask you."

"Of course." Elizabeth took Robert's proffered arm and strolled along the banks of the Thames with him, starting when he suddenly turned to her and caught at her.

"Don't you understand, Elizabeth? Amy's dead. I'm free to marry you! You're free to marry me. Let's do it. Say you will. God, please say you will!"

"Sir Robert!" Elizabeth drew back. "Your wife is not yet cold in her grave and yet you have the nerve to propose to me?"

"Not to propose, my Lady, to make good on a promise I made you years ago! I promised you I would marry you the moment that I was free, and now I am. Was I wrong to believe that you would be pleased?"

"Amy is two weeks dead, having died to nurse you back to health, Robin. The lack of respect that you show her memory worries me. I wonder if, if I was to agree to marry you and then died, you would propose to your next wife with the same speed." Elizabeth spun on her heel and started to stalk back to Catherine and Henry.

"Your Majesty, please!" Robert shouted after her. Despite herself, Elizabeth hesitated at the sound of his voice. He rose and raced after her.

"There would be no other wife, Madam. I can swear that to you now, before witnesses, before all that is holy, if you wish. I love you, Elizabeth Tudor. I've loved you since we first danced together as children, when you were nine and I was ten. Surely you know that. Please, just believe me. Give me a chance. Say yes."

"Yes," Elizabeth breathed, scarcely able to think, "Mourn your wife, mourn her properly, Robin and then, if you still feel the same way, ask me again and I will marry you. I promise you that."

"Thank you. Thank you, Bess!" Taking her hand, Robert kissed it before tipping her face to kiss and kissing her again, once on the forehead, once on the lips. As he drew back from her, he pressed a silver brooch into her hand.

"A token of my love."

Silently, she pinned it to her chest as they turned to go back to the horses. She pinned it right above her heart.

Oh, oh, oh, oh
'Cause we were both young when I first saw you