Chapter 11-With all My Heart

Hey guys, so this is another troll chapter. I wasn't originally going to include these episodes in the story but then I rewatched them and remembered why I love them so much. Sarah Parish is amazing in it and I love the changes in the relationship between Arthur and Uther that I just couldn't resist! Anyway I'm sorry for droning on, I hope you like this chapter, I don't own Merlin [Wish I had Colin Morgan through!] but Elizabeth, Laudine and Kay are mine.

We ended up in front of Catrina and Uther almost the minute we came back into Camelot. Uther looked furious while Catrina just looked quite pleased with herself, "I gave you a direct order," Uther snarled.

"The people cannot afford to pay the tax," Arthur argued back.

"Don't tell me you're naïve enough to take them at their word?" Catrina questioned.

"We have their loyalty, their goodwill. Do not forsake that by making unreasonable demands," Arthur said through gritted teeth.

"Is it so unreasonable for a king to expect his subjects to obey him?" Catrina asked her voice cold.

"They'll starve!" Arthur snapped finally losing his temper.

I then noticed the necklace around Uther's neck glow red before he spoke, "Nonsense. They've grown too soft. Remember, these are your subjects, not your friends."

"And why can't they be both?" Arthur questioned more calmly.

"Because we rule the people, not the other way around," Uther informed Arthur.

Arthur shook his head, "You're wrong. Without the people there is no Camelot. We're as much their servant as they are ours."

"You allow him to address you in this manner?" Catrina questioned coming to stand behind Uther.

I took Arthur's hand in mine gently, "No I do not. It will not be tolerated. You will take your men down into the town and go to every house collecting the payments I demand," Uther ordered.

"I will not," Arthur argued back.

"Get out of my sight," Uther snapped. Arthur bowed his head and exited I followed after him letting the guards close the door. I followed Arthur back to his room in silence.

When we got inside Arthur turned around slamming his fist into the wall. I reached my hand up to cover his gently, "Don't do that please," I requested as I checked his hand over, his knuckles were bruising badly, "What you did for the people. They owe you a debt of gratitude," I whispered.

"The people owe me nothing. My father's still going to impose the tax," Arthur argued back.

"You tried Arthur you fought for them. If anyone can change his mind on things it has always been you," I told him as I gently caressed his hand, trying to fight the urge to heal it with magic.

"He can't stand the sight of me," Arthur said his voice mournful.

"He loves you Arthur. Anyone can see that," I argued back.

"You saw the way he talked to me," Arthur shook his head in depression.

"I'm sure he was angry, but you're still his son," I said kissing him lightly on the lips.

"Maybe he's right. One day I will be the King of Camelot, and I cannot be a friend to the people as well as their ruler," Arthur said pulling his hands away from mine.

"When you fight for the people, when you try like that. That is the reason I fell in love with you Arthur Pendragon," I said stepping forward and once again holding his hands, "You will prove how amazing you are when you become King. You have a kind, true heart Arthur. Don't ever change, not for anyone."

Arthur smiled at me and nodded before we were distracted by a knock at the door, Sir Leon entered, "The King has sent for you."

We made our way in silence to the council chambers. Entering to find the full council had been assembled something that hardly ever happened. Gaius took my arm gently when I walked passed him with Arthur, telling me with his eyes that I couldn't travel up there with him, "Father?" Arthur asked softly confused.

"I'm relaxing your duties, revoking your title," Uther said certainly, "We live in dangerous times, I cannot allow you to undermine my authority."

"You've always welcomed my counsel in the past," Arthur said confused.

"You stood against me for all the people to see," Uther said coldly.

Arthur looked even more confused, "I'm sorry. Any future grievance I have will be held in private."

"No, it's too late for that," Uther said turning his back.

"Father, this is..." Arthur began.

"You are to be disinherited, with immediate effect. You are no longer Crown Prince of Camelot," Uther interrupted.

Gaius came up to stand next to him, "Sire, Arthur is your son, your natural heir..."

"Gaius," Arthur whispered stopping him speaking before he walked up to his father, "You've always taught me to be true to my heat and that's all I've ever tried to do. To be the man you wanted me to be. Someone you were proud to call your son."

"My decision is final," Uther said dismissing him.

Arthur nodded and left the room. I couldn't move feeling my heart stop, "Queen Catrina will be named as rightful heir to the throne. The ceremony will take place tomorrow."

Sir Leon was the first to begin a very slow clap. Everyone else followed, I couldn't do it. Instead I glared at Catrina who just smirked back. We were all dismissed after that and walked out in silence to the corridor. I turned to Gaius, "Go," He said to me knowing what I was going to ask before I could, "I'll tell Merlin. He needs you right now."

I nodded my head before taking off running down the corridor and into Arthur's chambers finding him sitting at the window watching Camelot below, "Arthur. You know he didn't mean it…" I began.

"No, he did," Arthur said firmly still not turning around.

I shook my head coming to rest my hand on his shoulder, "It's Catrina she is manipulating him. She's a…"

"A troll. I know Merlin told me remember, but it doesn't matter cause now I am nothing. I have nothing," Arthur said shrugging my hand away from him.

"You have me," I whispered.

He shook his head backing away from me, "You don't want me anymore. I'm not a Prince, I'm nothing."

"Do you really think that is how I see you? As a prince?" I questioned letting my anger getting the better of me slightly.

Arthur nodded, "And now that's gone why would you want to marry me? Come on you've been looking for an excuse to leave. You only marrying me because you agreed to so Uther would let us save Merlin. You can be with someone better now, like Lancelot. I mean it's obvious that he cares for you…"

"He loves Gwen," I interrupted.

"I saw you two!" He yelled at me now, "I saw you when we escaped Hengist's Kingdom, you can't tell me nothing happened!"

"What do you want me to say Arthur?" I yelled back finally losing my calm, "What is it you want to hear?"

"The truth!" he screamed at me.

I nodded taking a deep breath before I spoke, "Lancelot and I kissed when he tried to help me escape for the first time. It meant nothing to either of us, he loves Gwen and I love you. Just as I have always loved you Crown Prince or not," I said. Arthur tried to speak but I held my hand up, I wanted to get this out, "You're a prat, you're arrogant and you don't always think before you act. You obey your father too much sometimes even when you know something isn't right, but that doesn't matter. None of that has ever matted to me because I see you, the real you behind all the armor and the sarcasm. I see the little boy who still wants his mother with him, the hurt you feel when Uther makes you feel tiny. The stupid love you have for your horse. The truth about how much you care for people, from Morgana to Merlin and Gwen all of us. I see how hard you work to keep us all happy, to make sure you are the King you want to be. And I'm proud. I am so proud that I get to see that. How can I not love that? How can I not have fallen completely in love with you?" I took his hands in mine, "When you finally got around to asking me to marry you what is it I said, do you remember?"

"With all my heart," he whispered to me.

"Yes, that was not a lie. That was not be caring about your crown. I love you Arthur Pendragon whether you work on a farm, or rule the whole of Camelot and I will never leave you. I love you with all my heart," I finished.

Arthur didn't speak, he didn't have to. The look in his eyes was enough, it was understanding, trust and above all else love, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me with all the passion in the world moving me slowly towards his bed. He paused for a moment before we reached it looking at me with a tiny piece of doubt, "Do you want to do this?"

I nodded my head before whispering against his lips, "With all my heart."

I had so much fun writing this chapter and I do adore it, even if it was half midnight when I finally finished it. I hope you like it just as much as I do. Please review,

Until next time

Artistic-Blue-Eyes

xxx