A/N: You know, now that I think about it, I should probably set an alert on my calendar reminding me to update.

The towers of Camelot peeked over the snowy tops of the trees. Arthur's heart leaped. Home. He had had a hard time keeping his mouth shut as they camped every night and letting Merlin do everything, so he had stuck close to Gaius to hide behind his mother-henning and mask his own jumpiness.

But now he was home. Home.

He dug his heels into his horse's side and rode ahead of the rest of the group. He had had trouble adjusting to riding with a crooked leg, but he'd found enough stability to be confident in a canter.

The moment he entered the gates, the guards broke into a cheer. The people of the Lower Town filled the streets, clapping and cheering. Arthur's face heated, but he smiled wide. The crowd in Lethervale's courtyard flashed in front of his mind, the angry shouts and the painful missiles. But his subjects were happy to see him. Cheered him. Tears pricked his eyes.

Merlin rode up next to Arthur. "How does it feel to be home?"

"They're cheering," Arthur said.

"They love you," Merlin said.

Arthur shook his head.

"They do, look at them," Merlin said. "They've seen all you've done for them. They love you because they know you. Lethervale and his people, they didn't know you and they hated you for the assumptions they made. But these people? They know Arthur Pendragon and they care for you."

Arthur wiped his eyes, his chest loosening. He wasn't a murderer like his masters—like Lethervale and his cronies had claimed. He was truly home.

He began to twitch the closer he got to the castle. In the courtyard, servants crowded around him. Among the sea of faces, he spotted the one he'd been looking for.

Guinevere.

It took all his self-control not to jump off his horse and run to her.

Tyr Seward grabbed his horse's reins. "Good to have you back, your Highness."

"Good to be back." Arthur slid off his horse. His bad leg buckled, but he hung onto his saddle until he gained strength and limped forward.

Before he knew it, Merlin and Gaius had flanked him and were hustling him into their rooms. Father tried to follow them in, but Gaius chased him off with, "This won't be pretty, and it'll best if we have privacy." Merlin gestured Guinevere and Gwaine in.

As soon as Father was gone, Guinevere dove for Arthur. He pressed her warm body tight against him.

Guinevere cupped his cheek and stroked his skin with her thumb. "Are you all right?"

"I am now." In the back of his mind, he knew this meant that Merlin, Gaius, and Gwaine now knew about their relationship, but he didn't care anymore. If Merlin could trust him with his magic, he could trust Merlin with this. But none of that mattered. Because Gwen was here, now, in his arms. "I missed you so much."

"And I you," Guinevere said.

Arthur couldn't wait any longer. He leaned forward and kissed Guinevere. She eagerly kissed him back, grabbing his shirt to pull him closer.

He wanted to lose himself in her, but his whole body ached, and his leg stabbed with pain. He pulled back and pointedly ignored Merlin's wide smile. "Gaius, what do I need…" Exhaustion washed over him, fuzzing his head. He pressed his hand to his forehead. "What do I need to do?"

"Lie down." Gaius gestured to his bed.

Arthur nodded. Guinevere slipped her arm under his and supported him as he limped over. He settled down on the bed, which was smaller and more pokey with hay in his back than he remembered from nights years ago. He would feel a bit under the weather or Father would be too angry at him so Arthur would hide in Gaius's chambers. Gaius would drag the other bed out next to the one in the front room so he could keep Arthur company and Arthur would sip tea and stare at the flickering fire while Gaius told fanciful bedtime stories.

"Merlin, go get some rope. We're going to need to tie him down. Gwaine, get my splints, they're up the stairs near the bookcase. Gwen, can you get me my bandages?" Gaius asked.

"Of course." Gwen dashed across the room, Merlin and Gwaine darting in different directions.

Gaius pulled the boot off Arthur's right leg. He grabbed a pair of scissors from a nearby table. "I'm sorry about this, sire."

"It's all right." In the end, it was just a pair of pants. Arthur gripped the wooden frame of the bed and sank back into the feather pillow, one he'd given Gaius at age ten. Gaius was going to tie him down. Boar breaking his leg the first time had been a nightmare. Gaius was different than Boar—Gaius was kind and caring and he'd once accidentally called Arthur son after Father had smacked Arthur for bringing up Mother one too many times and Arthur had run sobbing to Gaius. But Gaius would be rebreaking Arthur's leg.

The cool air hit his skin. Gaius's strong fingers probed his crooked shin. Pain spread from the break.

Arthur gritted his teeth. This was only going to get worse.

"Are you sure you can fix it?" Arthur asked.

"The break is fairly simple," Gaius said. "I should be able to break it and reset it properly, and once it heals, you should be able to walk normally again. This isn't actually the first time I've done this, you know."

"Here are the bandages." Guinevere set a pile of bandages down on the table next to Gaius. "You're going to break his leg?"

"If I don't, Arthur will always walk with a limp," Gaius said.

"What happened to it?" Guinevere asked.

"I tried to escape," Arthur said. "They caught me and broke my leg and bound it so I'd never be able to run away again." And it had worked. For months.

Guinevere took one of Arthur's hands and brought it to her lips. She seemed to sense Arthur didn't want pity, so she just stayed there with him.

Merlin ran up, rope in hands. "How much do you need me to tie him down?"

"Arms and legs," Gaius said. "His right leg can't be able to move at all, and I don't want him to fight us without realizing it."

Arthur flinched. Ropes against his skin, trapping him so he couldn't escape from the pain.

Guinevere moved to his head and stroked his forehead, smoothing his hair back. "It's all right, Arthur, I'm here."

Arthur tensed, grabbing the frame again. "I love you," he murmured.

He set his eyes on Merlin and the ropes so he didn't give into his impulse to just kiss Guinevere.

Guinevere planted a quick kiss on his forehead.

Merlin paled, his skin almost the color of the sheets. "I can't. I can't tie him up."

The splints clattered to the floor over the balcony, followed by Gwaine jumping down. He strode over and took the ropes from Merlin. "I'll do it."

Arthur stayed still as Gwaine tied him down. Despite the ropes' tightness, Merlin helped pin Arthur's legs down. Guinevere kept stroking his forehead.

"Gwaine, grab one of the bandages and set it in Arthur's mouth."

Gwaine shoved a roll of bandages in Arthur's face. Arthur bit down on the bandages hard, his teeth sinking into the soft linen. Biting down on something was better than just being left to scream.

"Are you ready?" Gaius asked.

Arthur tightened his grip on the frame and nodded. This was happening.

Agonizing pain snapped through his leg. He screamed against the bandages. He squeezed the frame hard.

"I'm almost done," Gaius said. "I just need to set it properly and bind it."

Arthur nodded, one tear slipping from his right eye. Horrible pain spread as Gaius manipulated his shin. Arthur groaned against the bandages, which turned into a scream. Darkness flared in the edge of his vision and he let himself slump into unconsciousness.