*Third Person's P.O.V.*

They ran for what felt like ages. The minute they made it out of the castle, they stumbled upon Gwen, who threw herself at Annabelle in tears. Annabelle hugged her friend tightly, closing her eyes in relief. Gwen had made it out safely. Lancelot had made it out safely. They were all safe.

Eventually, the group of five felt they had made it far enough to settle and make camp. The young men gathered some wood to make a fire, all three vehemently refusing when the two women offered to help. They were ordered to sit, make themselves as comfortable as possible, and warm up by the fire. Annabelle and Gwen both tried to protest but gave in fairly easily. Annabelle gave in first. In all honesty, she was way too tired to be of any use to anyone. She felt… depleted. She was mentally exhausted from the ordeal with Hangist and his men, and she was physically exhausted from the lack of food and water, and from holding her magic back. She could definitely do with some rest and for the first time since her capture, she felt safe enough to do so.

After a fire had successfully been made, they all settled around it, trying to warm up. Annabelle, Merlin, and Gwen were all squished together on an all-too-small log. Annabelle had at first attempted to sit next to Lancelot, both in an effort to give Gwen and Merlin some space and to reassure herself that the former knight was alright despite his injuries, but Merlin would not hear of it. He planted himself on the log and then pulled the two girls down on either side, holding them both close. It was clear to all that he would not be letting go of either one of them any time soon.

"I'm surprised you would undertake such a rescue mission… with just the two of you," Lancelot finally spoke up, looking between Arthur and Merlin. He had, of course, noticed the way Arthur kept looking at Annabelle, as if to reassure himself that she was really alright. He had also noticed the looks Annabelle gave Arthur, ones of hesitance but also warmth, fondness, and… well, love. Lancelot tried not to focus too much on the way his own heart cracked every time he spotted one of those looks.

"Father would not risk the lives of his knights for a couple of servants," Arthur replied and Annabelle scoffed quietly. Of course. he wouldn't. Uther would not risk his knights for anyone without a title or wealth that could support his reign of terror.

"And yet you disobeyed him and came here anyway," Lancelot pointed out the obvious, noticing the way Arthur kept his eyes on the ground as if afraid to give something away if he looked up. Although, his eyes shot up the moment Lancelot's words left his mouth.

"Of course, I did!" the prince nearly spat out, his eyes burning with defiance as he looked his former knight in the eyes. That look only lasted a second, though, as he quickly realized that Merlin, Gwen, and Annabelle were all looking at him in surprise. Well, Merlin probably was not surprised at his words as much as he was at the way Arthur said them. But Annabelle looked downright shocked, and damn if that did not make Arthur's heart clench in the most unpleasant way. Did she really think he would not come for her? Did she truly think so little of him? "Who do you take me for?" Arthur continued in a softer voice, and although his words were a continuation of his response to Lancelot, the prince's hurt eyes remained on Annabelle.

The sorceress swallowed past the knot in her throat, before looking down at the fire. Her eyes hurt from looking straight at the vibrant flames, but the physical pain was so much easier to handle than the twist in her gut and the constant constriction around her heart.

It's not that she had doubted Arthur. She simply knew that Uther would never allow his son to risk his life for a servant. Two servants, she corrected herself. This was not all about her.

Alright, maybe she did doubt Arthur. But she never doubted his good heart or his willingness to help others even at a risk to himself. She never doubted that he was the best man she had ever met. She never doubted him. She just doubted her significance in his life. She doubted that she meant enough to him. She doubted he would drop everything and disobey his father for her when they had both made it clear that they could never be together.

"I think we should get some rest."

Annabelle nearly jumped at the sound of Gwen's voice, looking over at her friend. Her dear friend who, even as she held on tightly to Merlin as if afraid to ever let go again, was looking at Annabelle in concern and solidarity. She was offering Annabelle some reprieve from the emotional turmoil. Annabelle could have kissed her in gratitude.

"Anna?" Gwen prompted and Annabelle immediately stood up.

"Yes, that sounds like a marvelous idea," she attempted to sound nonchalant and was sure she failed.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Merlin asked for what seemed like the hundredth time, looking up at his sister, then hissed as Gwen's palm slapped against his bicep. "Ow!" he looked at his love in betrayal, but she only gave him a look, even as she immediately rubbed the sting away.

Merlin finally seemed to realize what was going on as he glanced around the fireplace and saw the way Arthur was looking at his sister, the way Annabelle was steadfastly avoiding his gaze and the way Lancelot was looking between the two. Oh.

"We should all get some rest," Arthur spoke up again, rising to his feet and finally ripping his eyes away from the woman he loved.

"I'll stand guard for a while," Lancelot offered, making Annabelle's head swivel toward him so quickly that she felt a twinge in her neck.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked, eyes and voice filled with concern. "We've all had quite the ordeal. You should rest."

"I will be alright, I promise," the handsome man assured, giving her a small, comforting smile. Arthur did not like that smile one bit.

Annabelle continued to stare at the former knight skeptically, before sighing in defeat.

"Alright," she nodded, although the concern did not leave her eyes. "But please, Lancelot, don't be a hero. Wake one of us up if you need a break."

"I will," he nodded, and Annabelle scoffed to herself silently. No, he won't. Nevertheless, she made her way over to a patch of grass that looked dry enough to make a fairly comfortable forest bed. She settled on the ground, with Gwen joining her shortly after. Annabelle closed her eyes and exhaustion took over more quickly than she thought possible.

She was asleep within seconds.

1 Hour Later*

Annabelle did not dream. She was simply encased in darkness and silence as her body and mind recuperated. Her magic was once again thrumming under her skin, although it was the usual, comforting presence of it rather than the panicked rush of power she felt when Lancelot was in danger. For the first time in days, Annabelle felt at peace.

Unfortunately, that peace did not last long. She was soon spurred out of her dreamless sleep by voices nearby. Two male voices, not too far away. Annabelle's eyes snapped open and she sat up, her body tense and her magic wide awake, ready to defend herself and her loved ones.

Her panic soon dissipated, however, as she quickly realized that the two voices belonged to her brother and Lancelot. But now that she was awake and her mind was once again sharp, she could easily make out what they were saying.

"He has feelings for her, doesn't he?" That was Lancelot. Annabelle's eyebrows furrowed briefly, not understanding what the two men were talking about, before the realization hit her and she closed her eyes, sighing. Damn.

Lancelot was such a good man. Truly, one of the best she had ever known and likely will ever know. Lancelot was honest and true and loyal and noble despite his lack of a formal title. Lancelot was everything she should want in a companion, a lover. And she did want all those things, but she had first found them in a different man. She first fell in love with a different man. And Lancelot knew. And Annabelle had never felt more rotten than she did now as she heard the quiet tremble in his voice and knew that she was the one who put it there. Lancelot deserved better. He deserved so much better than to wait around for a love that could never truly be his.

"What about you?" Merlin asked his friend, both oblivious to Annabelle's waking. "Do you have feelings for Anna?"

"My feelings do not matter." Yes, they do! Annabelle wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. Honestly, Merlin felt the same. "I will not come between them."

At this point, Annabelle hated herself even more – for feeling relieved.

Because as incredible as it could feel to be loved by two good men, it was beginning to feel like torture to be loved by them at the same time. Besides, she could never have her happy ending with either one of them.

"Tell Anna…" Annabelle's ears perked up at the sound of her name, and she waited with bated breath as Lancelot struggled to swallow the lump in his throat. "Tell Annabelle that she has changed me forever… but some things cannot be."

Now, Annabelle felt anger. She had never felt that particular emotion before when it came to Lancelot, but now, she was furious.

"You could at least have the decency to tell me that yourself," she said, glaring at the man. At some point, she had stood up and walked over to Lancelot and Merlin.

"Annabelle…"

"Merlin, will you give us a moment, please?" Annabelle voiced the question to her brother, although her gaze never strayed from Lancelot. She watched him swallow nervously.

"Yeah, of course," Merlin murmured. He gave Lancelot a small, reassuring smile and briefly squeezed his sister's arm, before walking away.

"Annabelle…"

"How dare you?" she hissed, interrupting Lancelot again. "Were you truly going to leave without even saying so much as a goodbye?" she continued, letting some of the hurt show in her voice.

"I do not wish to make things more difficult for you," Lancelot said softly. His shining brown eyes were on her blue ones. He could see the redness in them.

"You are not doing anything of the sort!" Annabelle exclaimed before closing her eyes. She had momentarily forgotten that they were not truly alone, and there were two sleeping people only a few paces away. She had to keep it down. "Lancelot, I… I would never blame you for my and Arthur's… relationship, whatever it may be," she attempted to explain. "And I do not ever want you to feel like you need to make yourself scarce to assure my happiness. Your absence will never bring me happiness." She silently prayed that he believed her.

When his eyes softened, she thought he did.

"Your words mean more to me than you will ever know. Thank you, Annabelle."

"Please, do not thank me," the sorceress whispered and she felt her eyes fill with tears. "I feel wretched for doing this to you."

"You did not do anything to me," Lancelot began but stopped himself. He took a moment. He wanted her to understand. He wanted her to truly know the depth of what he felt for her. The former knight reached for Annabelle's hand and she did not pull back, allowing his fingers to gently stroke hers. "You did not do anything but bring me… peace."

"I got you jailed and banished!" Annabelle pointed out incredulously. "All I do is keep hurting you!"

"Annabelle!" Lancelot raised his voice slightly, lowering it again once he had her full attention. "My choices are my own. All you have ever given me is hope for a brighter future for us all. You have made me feel…" he choked up, and Annabelle watched his lower lip tremble. "You have made me feel worthy."

"You are worthy," she insisted. But not of you, he did not say.

"And yet, I never believed it until I met you," Lancelot said instead. She may never return his feelings, but Lancelot knew that Annabelle cared for him deeply. He could die happily, knowing that. "Please, do not blame yourself for anything that's happened."

Annabelle swallowed past the lump in her throat, pressing her lips together firmly to stop them from trembling. She squeezed his hand tightly.

"Where will you go?" she asked, hoping to change the topic before any tears fell down her face. Lancelot seemed to understand.

"Essetir, perhaps," he shrugged, giving her a small smile.

"What about Nemeth? It is much safer than Cenred's kingdom," Annabelle suggested, and Lancelot's smile grew. Yes, he could die happily.

"Nemeth it is," he agreed.

Annabelle stared at his smile and his handsome face, feeling her heart clench. Before she could stop herself, the sorceress stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Lancelot's neck.

"I will miss you," she whispered and felt his arms wrap around her in return. He held her so gently, as if she were the most precious thing in the world to him. The thought made her eyes fill with tears of guilt.

"I will miss you as well," Lancelot whispered back, squeezing her closer for a brief moment before reluctantly pulling away. "Goodbye, Annabelle."

"Goodbye, Lancelot."

Later*

Once Gwen and Arthur woke up, they immediately noticed Lancelot's absence. Annabelle did not say anything, but Merlin explained that Lancelot had left because he could not return with them to Camelot due to his banishment. He did not say anything more, and the others did not ask, although Arthur did not miss the slight redness around Annabelle's eyes. He felt pressure in his chest as if somebody kicked him hard enough to knock the breath out of his body. Something must have happened between Annabelle and Lancelot. And there was no mistaking Lancelot's feelings for the girl. But the last thing Arthur wanted was to bring Annabelle more sadness, so he did not ask.

Instead, the group of four made their way back to Camelot. The boys had only brought two horses, so Annabelle and Gwen ended up sharing Merlin's horse while the servant walked. The girls had both protested and Annabelle even offered to ride with Arthur, but Merlin simply shook his head and assured them that he had had enough horse riding for the week. He was more than happy to walk.

They reached the citadel a few hours later, and Annabelle could have cried at the sight of the castle. This was no longer just a story told by travelers or a strange new place. This was her home.

"Come," Arthur spoke up for the first time that day as they dismounted and looked at Annabelle for the first time, too. His words were also meant for Gwen. "There is someone who has been eagerly awaiting your return."

Annabelle and Gwen shared a look, and smiles grew on their faces. They immediately followed Arthur up the steps to the castle while Merlin took care of the horses. The prince and the two servants walked up the stairs and they could all see Lady Morgana at the top, looking out the window with great focus. She looked so tense, all Annabelle wanted to do was hug her.

"Morgana," Arthur spoke up, and the Lady turned around, looking at Arthur in both hope and fear. "There's someone here to see you," the prince said, allowing a small smile to grow on his lips as he stepped aside, revealing the two women behind him. Morgana's face split into the largest smile he had ever seen.

"Gwen! Anna!" she exclaimed tearfully, and the two girls grinned as they rushed forward to embrace their friend. Morgana wrapped her trembling arms around them, squeezing them both tightly.

"I thought I'd never see you again," the King's ward whispered in a trembling voice, and Annabelle and Gwen both squeezed their friend even tighter.

"It's alright," Gwen whispered back, stroking Morgana's hair. Annabelle simply held them both.

At some point, the three women had turned around in their embrace, and now Annabelle was facing the stairwell. When she opened her eyes again, they immediately met Arthur's. The prince was watching the three friends embrace, and Annabelle could see so many different emotions in his eyes. Fondness, relief, sadness, guilt.

Thank you, Annabelle mouthed over Morgana's shoulder. She could not think of anything else to do or say. But this seemed to be the right choice because Arthur gave her the smallest of smiles and his eyes lost some of the sadness. Instead, it was replaced with fondness and something else.

You're welcome, he mouthed back and Annabelle gave him a small, trembling smile.

This was enough for now.

Hello, everyone! It's been… a few years. I'm so sorry for keeping you all waiting. I don't really have any excuses other than that I spent the last year and a half getting my master's degree, which I officially completed last month (and isn't that crazy considering that I started writing this story in like 7th or 8th grade). I won't make any promises because I've clearly not been very good at keeping them and I'm so sorry about that, but I will say that one of my new year resolutions is to focus more on my stories. So, hopefully, you will be seeing some updates from me on a few different stories on a semi-regular basis in 2025. I hope this chapter was at least partially worth the wait! Thank you all so much for continuing to support my writing. And as always, please leave your thoughts in the comments!