Everything had happened rather fast after Elena had spoken those words. Charlotte stood sobbing, Elena had returned to staring at the fishes and Lincoln tried to talk to Anthony that clearly was not listening to him.
''Henry. Bring them in,'' Anthony let out at last, his eyes had turned dark.
Within fifteen minutes, it was known that the kings and queens had entered the crown room. Arthur was not allowed in there; only adults, his father had said.
But the yelling and shouting was heard even with the doors closed.
It felt like the whole castle was holding its breath as Arthur sat patiently in his chamber, thinking.
''I know this is not good timing... but what did I tell you,'' Merlin said and Arthur looked over at him.
''What do you mean?'' he replied a little irritated.
''That it's not that unthinkable that two people catch feelings for each other, regardless titles,'' Merlin said without any hesitation. Arthur sighed, not having the strength for this right now.
''I overheard two servants telling each other that this isn't the first time,'' Merlin continued. Arthur remained silent.
''And... and I also overheard them saying that the princess tried to take her life yesterday,'' he finished. Arthur twisted his head towards him like a flash and met Merlin's eyes. Merlin looked back at Arthur with furrowed eyebrows. A few seconds of silence passed before Arthur rose from his seat.
''Where are you going?'' Merlin shouted. Arthur did not reply as he walked out the door.
Arthur flew the doors open to Elena's chamber and walked inside. The maids gasped in surprise as they turned to stare at him.
''Where's the princess?'' he asked them and they looked terrified at him.
''S-s-sir,'' one of them started to stutter.
''Yo-you should not be in here... the princess is bathing,'' she finished and lowered her gaze to the floor. Arthur felt how a warmth brushed over his cheeks, but he had to see her, had to talk to her.
He walked towards the bathroom. Two maids were sitting around the bathtub, caring for the body that laid in the water - Elena. Her eyes looked back at him, but they were empty, completely blank.
''I would like the room,'' he cleared his throat and the maids looked at each other nervously before looking at the princess.
''Now!'' he yelled, making the maids flinch. Trembling, one of them seemed to gather her courage to ask him to leave but was cut off.
''No need for yelling, quite unnecessary – don't you think, Arthur?'' her voice cut through like honey and the hair on Arthur's neck rose. The maids turned towards Elena, she had a fade smile on her face.
''It's okay, could you give us a minute please?'' she said softly and with that, and a bit of hesitation, they bowed and left. Arthur looked after them before turning his head back towards Elena. She was looking at him too. They just stared at each other for a while.
''You tried to take your life?'' he let out, devastated. She slowly flickered her eyelashes at him before she turned her head towards the window, breaking the eye contact.
''The monarchy is practically falling to pieces, and your biggest concern is me?'' she said with a hint of irritation behind her voice. He stayed silent for a while, just observing her. With a sigh, he walked up to the tub and took a seat on one of the chairs beside it. The water was covered with bubbles so he could not see through it, but even if he could - he wouldn't.
''Yes,'' he sighed and tilted his head towards her. She rolled her tongue against her inner cheek before she tilted her head backwards, now resting it by the rim.
''How did you try to... do it?'' he asked.
''I tried to drown myself, in this very tub,'' she let out, looking at the ceiling. Arthur tensed by her reply. An urge to climb inside the tub and make sure she stayed above surface crossed his mind, but he retained himself.
''Don't worry, I won't try to do it again, I could not bear to see that look on Henry again,'' she continued. She turned her head so she could meet his eyes again.
''You should probably leave before someone sees you in here,'' she broke the silence after a while. Slowly, he gave her a nod.
''Is that what you want?'' he dared to let out. She pressed her lips into a line.
''No,'' she said without hesitation, he looked at her in surprise. A chuckle escaped.
''That must be the most honest you have been with me, ever,'' he smiled. He saw how she moved uncomfortable in the water, probably not knowing what to expect next. He opened his mouth to assure her she could trust him but she beat him to it.
''I've always been honest with you. Just taken our lives into consideration when deciding how to reply,'' she muttered slightly.
''Yes, perhaps wise of you... but so you're open to try without any filters now?'' she saw how his eyes had turned hungry when he spoke to her. After a moment, she decided to play along.
''Okay. I'll start then,'' she said intrigued. He gave her a nod.
''Mmm,'' she said thinking. When she was done, she darted her eyes on him and he swallowed a little nervously.
''Do you want to be king?'' she asked her first question. It was not what Arthur really had had in mind when suggesting this, but if that was her question he would take it.
''Yes. But I'm scared to fail,'' he said as truthfully as he could. She blinked slowly at him for a moment and eventually, she nodded.
''I'll think you'll make a great king,'' she let out. He froze in his seat. He wanted to say something, but she was quick to move on by clearing her throat.
''Okay, your turn,'' she said. He nodded and thought for a while. He already knew what he wanted to ask, but he didn't want it to come out too greedy.
''Do you have feelings for Lancelot?'' his question made her laugh in surprise.
''Oh, waw – you just jumped straight into it,'' she couldn't help but chuckle. She looked at him for a moment before she sighed.
''I think he's an honorable man with a heart of gold. He deserves the finest woman on this planet, one that will love him unconditionally as he deserves. But that woman is not me,'' she said. Arthur had held his breath through her entire answer. He felt how a rock lifted from his chest when she finished, but he tried to not show it too obviously.
''My turn then,'' she said when no reply came for Arthur, he didn't know what to say anyway.
''Have you ever been in love before?'' she asked and he had himself to blame for the upgrade of the questions ahead.
''No. Not by the definition that I would do anything for another person,'' he said, more reserved this time. He took her use of the word 'before' to his advantage. She smiled before she gave away a nod.
''Are you going to go through with the wedding?'' he asked his second question. The question cut like a knife through the air and she looked away from him.
''I don't know,'' she said. Arthur smacked his lips.
''I predicted that answer...'' he said to try to ease the tension. But it was not what he wanted to hear.
''Yeah,'' she whispered, it was obvious that she was uncomfortable.
''In another life,'' Arthur knew it was not his turn to ask, but he just had to get to the point.
''Would you have married me?''
If you would have dropped a hair in the bathroom right there and then, you would have heard it hit the floor. Arthur was pretty sure that she had stopped breathing because he could not hear anything from her. He assumed that he too held his breath because he could not feel his pulse. He looked in her eyes, there was a battle going on behind them.
After a few minutes of silence, Arthur could not take it anymore. He cleared his throat and stood from his chair. The silence was answer enough for him.
''How rude I am. The water must have turned cold for you by now. I thank you for your time and will make sure to send in your maids again,'' he said.
No reply.
He started to walk out, cursing underneath his breath over how stupid he was, when she stopped him just as he was about to walk over the threshold.
''I'm tired, Arthur,'' a sigh followed that sentence. Arthur turned to face her.
''I knew you would ask something like that when you proposed the idea, and I thought – finally, we can stop acting oblivious to the things that's so clear,'' she continued.
''But even with that, I'm afraid. There's hellfire in the crown room, and still I'm afraid of the consequences that could happen to me if I tell you how I feel about you,'' tears had started gather in her eyes. Arthur's heart started to beat faster.
''I would marry you if I was brave enough, not only in another lifetime as you put it, but in this as well.''
With three big steps, Arthur marched up to her, grabbed her face between his two hands and pulled her towards him, connecting their lips. She gasped stunned by the gesture but leaned into the kiss after only a moment.
Finally.