San Antonio, Texas
August, 2027 AD
I let out a shaky sigh as I carefully closed my laptop after finishing 'Spider-Man: No Way Home', and I placed it on my bedside table before wiping at the tears on my cheeks. No matter how many times I've watched it, I can't not get upset when Peter is left alone in the end.
Arthur chuckled softly beside me and he tightened his hold on my waist as he drew me closer to his body. He moved slightly to hover over me and gently used his thumb to get rid of the remaining tears before he placed a heart-melting kiss on my lips. "Must you cry with every movie we watch?" he asked in a teasing tone as he raised an eyebrow.
"He's all alone, Artie!" I defended. "No friends, no family, no one to love..."
"None of it is real, my darling."
"It is in my heart," I countered as I narrowed my eyes at him.
He chuckled again and leaned down to kiss me once more, lingering for a bit longer this time before he separated slightly and brushed his nose against mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss, grinning when he asked to deepen it with a gentle swipe of his tongue against my bottom lip.
We pulled away before the heat could get turned up and lead to something that my ribs and his heart aren't ready for, and he moved to lie beside me again. I turned on my side and nuzzled into the crook of his neck while moving a leg to rest in between his.
"So..." I sighed. "You're gettin' the stitches out tomorrow..."
"Yeah," he replied in a whisper. He started to run his hand up and down my back, his fingers softly tracing my spine and sending sparks throughout my whole nervous system.
"N' then we're going back to Camelot," I added, a small grin forming on my lips again. I love my biological family, but I can't wait to see Merlin, and Gaius, and Gwaine, and Gwen, and the rest of the knights... And my amazing Dallas.
"Well... I was thinking that we could stay another week..." Arthur said.
I lifted my head and frowned. "How come?"
"We have always talked about taking a holiday, coming to America, getting away from everything..."
"We've been away for almost a month," I reminded him.
"Yes, but we have been confined to this house, for the most part," he pointed out, making me hum. "I want to see the place where you grew up... I think it is only fair, considering that you have seen all of Camelot."
"It's nothing special, really," I noted with a shrug.
He cupped the side of my face and leaned closer to me. "Everything about you is special to me, Astra."
I felt my face get warm and I closed the distance to kiss him.
"I guess I can give ya' a lil' tour, then," I said, smiling again.
"Perfect," he whispered before connecting our lips once more.
"And here they serve some of the most disgusting food ever known to man," I stated as Arthur and I entered an IHOP two days later.
As promised, he got his stitches out, and my ribs are progressing well enough that I can go out for a few hours as long as I don't overexert myself. So I thought that it'd be fun to treat him to an authentically American breakfast.
"Then why are we here?" he questioned.
"Well, 'cause it's also kinda delicious..." I confessed, earning a weird look that made me simply shrug in response.
The hostess assigned us to a booth. Of course, we sat on the same side because we're clingy that way. The nice elderly woman gave us each a menu before leaving us alone with a courteous smile.
Out of the corner of my eye, as I read through the menu, I noticed Arthur glancing around with a bit of an uneasy look in his eyes. I placed a hand on his knee to get his attention. "Everything okay?"
"It is just strange," he responded in a low tone. "I think, for the first time in my life, I am being treated just like everyone else."
"Oh, the horror," I joked.
"No, I quite like it," he revealed, making me raise an eyebrow. "For once, I am just Arthur."
His words made me grin a little and I reached up to kiss his cheek.
We ordered a full stack of pancakes to share, a side of hash browns because one can't go to IHOP and not order them, and two chocolate milkshakes.
Half-a-milkshake later, I had to excuse myself to go to the restroom, reluctantly leaving behind a pouty Arthur that still seemed a bit uneasy in the bright environment.
My jaw dropped when I returned to find an entirely unexpected sight. Chatting to my King was a waitress – and a figure from my past. He seemed fairly uncomfortable and, from her body language and facial expression, I could assume that she might've been trying to flirt with him. Not that I can blame her – just look at him! But I called dibs long ago, so... I stepped in.
"No way! Sophia?!"
She jolted and turned towards me, her eyes scanning me for a total of half-a-second before she returned her attention to Arthur and continued, as if I were invisible, while he casted me a puzzled look.
I stepped closer and I decided to keep pressing just for the fun of it. "It's Astra, remember me? Aphelion? From school?"
Sophia scanned me for another second, looking almost annoyed. "Yes, Astra. How could I forget?"
"How have you been?" I asked.
"Good," she responded coldly, her demeanour towards me a stark contrast to how she was behaving towards Arthur. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm tending to a customer."
My eyes travelled downwards to the table in front of my King and I noticed that our food was here.
Shamelessly, I slid to sit on Arthur's lap and wrapped my arms around his neck as I asked, "Oh, I'm sorry, Sire, am I disturbing you?"
He gave me a momentary confused look before grinning and wrapping his arms around my waist. "Of course not. A girl as beautiful as you could never disturb me."
I giggled when I saw the expression of absolute shock on Sophia's features out of the corner of my eye before I continued with the game. "Well, then, Sire, would you like to come home with me later on?"
"There is nothing I would like more," he responded.
I pressed a kiss to his lips before looking up at Sophia and revealing, "He's my husband."
She recoiled. Then her eyes widened. Then she stared at Arthur for a second. Then she turned right on her heels and walked away while mumbling something about strawberry syrup.
"Well, that was fun," I quipped and kissed my King's cheek before moving to sit beside him again.
"What was that?" he inquired.
"That was me gettin' a little revenge on someone who walked all over me when I was in high-school," I responded with a nonchalant shrug and I grabbed my fork so that I could start eating.
"Did she hurt you?" he asked, appearing a little concerned as he slipped a hand into my free one.
"Believe me, I'm over it," I waved him off. I mean, she's a waitress and I'm a knight – and the queen – of freaking Camelot. I won. "I simply saw an opportunity and took it."
I took Arthur to the small parlour I used to go to often because ice-cream is another thing I can't let him go back home without tasting, and now it's one less thing on my bucket list!
We sat together on the grass at the surprisingly empty park nearby.
I fixed my eyes on Arthur's magnetic lips as he slowly brought the spoonful of chocolate ice-cream to them.
His eyes widened slightly, his pupils expanding, and my heart skipped a beat when he licked his lips before going for another spoonful.
"This is great!" he chirped.
"Told ya'," I said and shot him a wink before moving my attention onto my cookie dough ice-cream.
I lay back on the faintly damp grass in between spoonfuls in an attempt to escape the scorching Texas heat, but it kept seeping into my bones all the same and making me wanna claw my skin out. I miss the British climate! But I didn't complain, even as I started to grow uncomfortably sweaty, and I did my best to focus my attention on the cooling sensation in my throat from the ice-cream.
"Tell me more about high-school," Arthur suddenly demanded.
I raised an eyebrow as I glanced up at him. "Why?"
He shrugged. "I have heard you mention it often, and I saw some of it on 'Spider-Man', but I do not fully understand what it is like."
"Well," I sighed, "think of hell, but you can go home after eight hours... Unless you did something 'bad' and got held back for detention, or something."
"Hell?" he echoed as he gently moved my head onto his lap. A cute gesture that I certainly didn't resist against – but he's warm, y'know?
"It's not like that for everyone, but it was for me," I said.
"Because of the waitress from yesterday?"
"Kinda..." I breathed out. I hate that he's asking, 'cause I refuse to keep any more secrets from him, but I don't really feel like talking about it. Still I completed my answer. "It wasn't just her. I was either a ghost or a target to most people. It wasn't fun."
Arthur's jaw clenched and he looked away from me for a moment, looking at nothing in the distance. I frowned and reached up to gently brush my fingers against his cheek, effectively recovering his attention. He grabbed my hand and pressed a kiss to my knuckles.
"I wish I had been there to protect you," he stated.
I snorted, even as my heart warmed. "You were fifteen centuries in the past, remember?"
He slid his index finger under the sleeve of the thin mint green hoodie I wore and traced a few of the scars on my forearm, setting my skin on fire. More than it already was, anyway. "I hate them for hurting you," he muttered.
"That was all me," I reminded him.
"But they caused it."
"Many things caused it, Artie," I responded in a whisper and paused to swallow a lump that was trying to form in my throat. "Please don't think about it."
"Sorry," he said as he slid out his finger. He set down his empty cup of ice-cream and wrapped his arms around my torso, cradling to his chest. Ugh, the heat. He started running a hand up and down the side of my ribs, and for a moment I could've sworn that his mere touch could heal what's still being repaired. "I just keep thinking of all the things that would have been different if our lives had not been separated by so much time... If I could have been by your side from the start... To protect you from everything..."
"Well, our lives are bound together forever, now," I replied and reached up to kiss his cheek, then I smirked. "Fifteen centuries couldn't keep us apart."
His upset demeanour faded in an instant and he pressed a sweet kiss to my lips; though he quickly pulled back and frowned while placing a hand to my forehead. "You are burning up."
"Yeah – it's summer in Texas and I'm wearin' a hoodie."
"Why did you not say anything?!"
I shrugged. "Habit?"
He sighed heavily and gently sat me up. Then he stood up and helped me to my feet. "Come on, let us go back to the farm."
"I got the tickets!" I chirped as I took the seat beside Arthur's at the kitchen table while my Aunt was making us breakfast.
"Tickets for what?" Kelly inquired.
"I'm takin' him to the movies," I answered.
"Oh, that will be a fun experience!" she exclaimed and she shot a wink towards my King, who responded with a cute smile. "What are ya' watchin'?"
"The tenth anniversary cut of 'It'," I responded.
Kelly gasped. "Star – you know how I disapprove of those diabolical movies!"
"Blame Olly," I said with a shrug. "He's the one who introduced me to horror movies."
"I do blame Oliver, but I don't see why poor Arthur has to suffer because of it."
I bursted out laughing and grabbed Arthur's hand, intertwining our fingers while taking note of the slightly concerned expression upon his pretty features.
"Why can't ya' take 'em to see something nicer?" Kelly continued. "Like that romantic comedy with the guy from the Avengers?"
"You don't go to the movie theatre to watch a sappy romcom! Those are meant to be watched while curled up in bed with a tub of ice-cream!" I argued. "Horror, on the other hand..."
"Oh, Star..."
"Don't worry, Artie can handle it," I assured her and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. "Can't ya', handsome?"
"Beside you, I believe I can handle anything," he responded sweetly and my heart melted.
"Will it not be too much for his first time in a movie theatre?" Kelly questioned.
I snorted. "Aunt – we're on par with the Winchesters for how many monsters we've faced. I think he'll be fine with a dumb clown."
"All right," she mumbled as she moved to serve us the french toast she prepared. "Don't say I didn't warn ya'."
My entire nervous system, every cell in my body, buzzed with a vibrant energy as Arthur and I waited in line to get popcorn prior to the movie starting. I can't say I came to the movie theatre a lot in the past, first because I was too young to come alone, and then because I didn't want to come alone. I only came when Marvel movies came out and I made exceptions to not coming alone. Or when Oliver, or Sage, or my Aunt and/or Uncle could come with me. Still, I've gone through the whole ritual enough times to make it a familiar experience. And yet, I felt like I was doing it all for the first time. The space seemed brighter and more colourful, the brain-saturating unintelligible chatter that came from all around wasn't as annoying as I remember it being, and for once I didn't mind waiting in line. Not with my King's calming and safe presence right beside me.
He, in contrast, appeared slightly overwhelmed as he gazed around at the lobby.
"You okay?" I asked while giving his hand a gentle squeeze.
"Yes," he responded as his lips curved upwards and he pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "It is just very different from anything I have ever known."
"I know," I replied with a sigh as I glanced around before returning my eyes to his pretty face. "No one in Camelot would ever picture a place like this in their wildest dreams."
"Did you feel something similar when you arrived there for the first time?" he inquired.
"Maybe a little, but more so when I got to Ealdor. 'Cause when I went to Camelot I was already kinda used to the medieval lifestyle, and I'd seen castles before, so it wasn't too much of a new thing," I explained.
"Were you scared when you realised you were not in your time anymore?" he asked softly.
I bit down on my bottom lip and averted my gaze while admitting, "Yeah..." It was his turn to give my hand a gentle squeeze. "Don't tell anyone I said that, though, 'cause I'll deny it."
Arthur let out a breathy chuckle and he drew me closer to his body, kissing my forehead before tucking my head under his chin. I wrapped my arms around his waist.
"Next!" the guy at the concession stand called out and I grabbed my King's hand again as I led him up to the counter.
I ordered a tub of popcorn, two water bottles, and a dark chocolate Hershey's.
Arthur gallantly carried the tray as I led the way towards the VIP room.
We settled down on our seats and I had my King place the tray on the table beside him before demonstrating how one can adjust the seat's position to be able to partly lie down and snuggle up. It wasn't long before I was back in the blissful safety of his arms and we placed the popcorn tub between us.
"How are you feeling?" he asked in a whisper while gently tracing my ribs with his fingers.
"I'm fine," I assured him and reached up to kiss the side of his jaw. "They don't really hurt anymore."
"Good," he responded, then he kissed my cheek. I smiled and dropped my head to his shoulder.
The movie began a few minutes later and my gaze was once again stuck alternating between the screen before me, and the face of my incredibly gorgeous and amazing husband. He seemed somewhat confused as he watched the scene with Bill making the paper boat for Georgie – and I kinda missed when it was just the two of us watching movies in my room, because then we could pause them and I could check in to make sure he's understanding everything.
I felt my body start to tense up from the knowledge of what comes next as Georgie ran out of the house with his yellow raincoat on, gaining a wary side-glance from Arthur. I shot him a little grin that I hoped seemed reassuring, not wanting to spoil anything, and I pressed a kiss to the side of his neck before returning my attention to the screen.
Arthur jolted when Pennywise's eyes flashed in the storm drain and I gave his hand a gentle squeeze.
I curled up as Georgie chatted with Pennywise, as if making myself smaller could save me from a demonic clown suddenly springing out from underneath my seat.
What if stuff like Pennywise is real?! I've fought vampires, and a weird Vecna thing, and I'm friends with some dragons, and my brother is a wizard! So why wouldn't demonic clowns be real, too?!
That is a dreadful thought...
My body continued to tense up and I bit down on my bottom lip.
'A storm blew me away... Blew the whole circus away...'
Knowing what happens doesn't make the movie any less anxiety-inducing. It might make it even worse! Considering that Arthur seems perfectly unmoved in a blissful ignorance.
'Take it, Georgie,' Pennywise demanded as he implored the sweet little boy to take back his boat, and I couldn't take the anxiety anymore as I squeezed my eyes shut and turned my head to shield my face against Arthur's shoulder.
Arthur gasped moments later as Georgie's cries of pain filled the theatre.
"Oh, Astra, why?!" he whined in a low voice.
"I'm sorry," I squeaked out.
Oliver – along with his wife, Joanna – picked up Arthur and I at 16:00 on Saturday so that we could go to the Alamodome to watch the San Antonio Brahmas play against... someone. I'm not sure who. I wasn't paying attention when my cousin told me. All I know is that I really dreaded going to the stadium, and being amongst such a big crowd, and having to sit for two hours watching a game I don't even understand. But Oliver had made the case that my King would probably appreciate watching the sport of our country, and I couldn't argue against that.
The things I do for my beautiful himbo...
We met with a bunch of Oliver's friends outside the building, and I went through a dizzying round of having to say hello to everyone. Luckily, no one kissed my hand this time!
Arthur and I trailed the pack as one of my cousin's friends led the way towards our seats, and I didn't miss the multiple women who halted to scan my King with gazes that would've made me very uncomfortable had they fallen on me. I grinned a little to myself and I stepped closer to him, prompting him to let go of my hand to wrap his arm around my shoulders, and he pressed a kiss to the top of my head. I shot him a little smile, which he returned.
That's right, b*tches. This is my man. I won life. Go home.
"Will it feel weird being on the spectating side of things for once?" I asked Arthur as we reached our seats.
I snorted as he removed me from my uncomfortable plastic chair and placed me on his lap instead, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"Probably," he responded. He kissed my cheek and rested his chin on my shoulder. I rested my head against his and sighed. I can definitely endure two hours of football if I can spend them in his arms like this... "What is the game about, anyway?" he asked.
"I honestly have no clue," I responded with a small guilty giggle. "They run 'round chasing a weirdly-shaped ball, and they tackle each other, and they fall like dumb dominoes, and then someone somehow scores points, and they have like a ton of breaks."
"Right," Arthur mumbled.
"They don't even use their feet to control the ball, like in actual football, which makes the name of the game stupid," I added.
"Stop being so anti-American, Astra," Oliver scolded in a grumble.
"I'm not! I'm just statin' facts!" I argued.
He waved me off and started to actually explain to Arthur what the game is about. I half-listened to the explanation while playing with the cords of my King's hoodie (he wears hoodies now, and he looks so hot!), but even after Oliver downloaded the whole American football wikipedia onto us, I still don't really get it...
The game began some minutes later and I spent most of the time playing Subway Surfers on my phone while partly enjoying the amusement on Arthur's face as he watched the dumb dominoes throw around a weirdly-shaped 'ball'.
After the game, we all went to a Japanese restaurant, since I really wanted Arthur to experience a teppanyaki. Watching the chefs expertly prepare the food on the grill has always been a fascinating thing for me, and I wanted him to have a little taste of it. It's safe to say that he enjoyed it and the food thoroughly, and the sight of a big smile on his face made me feel as if we were in paradise.
What came after that, however, wasn't so much fun. Against every protest I shot, Oliver and one of his friends decided that it is essential for Arthur to attend a nightclub; with my cousin claiming in a whisper that that's as twenty-first century as one can get. My King was intrigued by the mention of a modern party atmosphere and, with an apologetic look casted towards me, he agreed to go. So I was dragged against my will to a nightclub near the riverwalk.
I could hear the ear-drum hammering music as we got off the car and I began to nibble on my bottom lip at the thought of people packed like canned sardines while brushing against each other, and jumping, and humping, and flailing their arms, and the smell of humanity, and the dizzying lights...
But I guess that if I was not going to escape coming to one of these haunted places at least once in my life, I'm grateful that it's happening with Arthur by my side.
As if reading my thoughts, Arthur slipped his hand into mine as we began walking towards the building and he leaned down to kiss the side of my head. "I will not leave your side, I promise," he said.
"Thanks," I replied while shooting him a little grin. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze and sped up a little to catch up with the rest of our party.
My breath hitched when we entered the club and I tightened my grip on Arthur's hand. He froze as well and I looked up to watch as his eyes scanned the place restlessly.
"What the hell is this?" he questioned in a low tone.
"Actual hell, I'd say," I responded in the same manner.
Oliver led us towards a table that he and his friends got. I gasped and recoiled as my ribs barely escaped a random person's elbow, the movement sending me bumping against Arthur. He wrapped an arm around my waist and anchored me to his side while sending a death glare towards the random dude.
Reality went by like a blurred dream as my companions ordered drinks, and some french fries, and Joanna and some of the other women that were with us went off to dance, and then Oliver followed, and then some of his friends did, too...
Camelot's feasts are incredibly tame in comparison with this flashing nightmare.
A soft kiss to my cheek snapped my attention towards Arthur and he gave me a soft look as he cupped the side of my face and leaned his forehead against mine. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding and closed my eyes. The loud music became fainter as I breathed him in, and my heart slowed down to a calmer pace.
"Now I understand why you were reluctant to come," he said in a gentle tone, which caused my lips to curve upwards slightly. "My head hurts."
"When will you learn that I'm always right?" I asked.
He snorted and pressed a soft kiss to my lips. "Do you want to get out of here?"
"Duh!" I responded and eagerly scrambled to get out of the booth.
My eyes scanned the faceless crowd for my cousin so that I could let him know that we're leaving, but my height didn't allow me to see anyone at all, so I climbed onto my previous seat so that I could have a better look.
Arthur gasped beside me and I turned to see his eyes wide as they stared at something. A giggling woman walking away. I raised an eyebrow when his attention returned to me.
"She just... squeezed my... butt..." he said.
"What the f*ck?!" I cried out and tried to go after the woman, who had the audacity to turn back and shoot a wink towards my King, but he caught my arm. "Hey! Come back here and lemme show ya' how we deal with perv–"
Arthur cut me off by covering my mouth with his hand and I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Come on, my darling, it is not worth it," he said softly. Then he grabbed my hand and began leading me out of the building.
"She's lucky I can't carry a sword here!" I exclaimed.
"I know, my love."
"I wanna cut off her hands!"
"Shh."
"And punch her in the eye!"
"Astra..."
"And kick her teeth in and watch her choke on 'em!"
Once we were out of that hell-hole, he turned me to face him, then he wrapped an arm around my waist and drew me closer to his body, leaning down to bring our foreheads together again. "There was no harm done, Astra," he claimed. "Calm down."
"Oh yeah? What would you do if someone did that to me?" I challenged.
He tensed up and blinked rapidly for a few moments as he stared me deep in the eyes. "All right, fair point," he relented. I smirked in triumph. He gave me a soft kiss. "Come on, now. Let us go for a walk."
I sighed to relieve some tension and gazed around for a moment before observing, "Riverwalk is nearby. We can go there."
"Anything you want, my beautiful queen."
After some twenty minutes of strolling along the river, my ribs began to protest, so we decided to settle down in a small park and we lay on the grass, under the stars. I rested my head on Arthur's shoulder, and he had an arm around my waist, his hand rubbing gentle circles on the side of my torso. His other hand was being held hostage by both of mine as I played with his fingers.
"How did Lancelot find out about Merlin's magic?" my King inquired, breaking a bout of silence.
"When they killed the gryphon that attacked Camelot once," I responded.
"That was very shortly after we met him!" he pointed out in slight alarm, making me snort.
"Yeah – he was probably the sharpest knight you've ever had."
He shifted to look me in the face and raised an eyebrow. "Are you calling the rest of us stupid?"
"That's not the word I'd use..." I said, earning a ticklish squeeze to my waist that made me squirm away from him for a moment as I giggled. Then I reached up to kiss the side of his jaw and turned serious as I added, "No, none of you are stupid. I think that Uther shielded the kingdom so much from magic that you never learned to identify it."
Arthur hummed and he kissed the top of my head.
"You said that there is no magic here," he noted.
"Not that I know of."
"So how did you find out about Merlin?"
"'Cause of the movies, and the legend..." I replied.
"There are movies about him?!"
"And you."
"Like what?!"
"Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a parody... There's 'The First Knight', which is actually about Lancelot... 'The Legend of the Sword'... Of course, there's 'The Sword In The Stone'–"
"'The Sword In The Stone'?" Arthur echoed.
"Yeah! I'll play it for you later! Merls loved it!"
"'The Sword In The Stone'," he repeated.
I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
"Is that how you knew about the sword that I pulled out of a stone?"
My eyes widened. Oh, crap! He's not supposed to find out that Merlin and I created that whole story!
"Sort of..."
"Astra..."
"Merls and I might've tweaked Bruta's story a little bit..."
Arthur scoffed and sat up, regarding me with a narrow-eyed gaze that made me shift uncomfortably.
Great, I've made him angry again.
"So you made up everything that you told me about the sword?!" he interrogated.
"No... We kinda borrowed it from the movie... Which borrowed it from the historical legend... Which I guess we did kinda build... Based on the movies... Based on the legend..." My head began to spin and I also sat up as an almost nauseated feeling came over me. "Artie! This is insane!"
"You are insane," he grumbled.
"No, I know, but, like... we created the legend, with the help of movies, that only exist because of the legend, which was shaped by the movies, which were shaped by the legends... It's like a very trippy loopy paradox!"
Arthur's expression softened and he raised an eyebrow. "Huh."
I couldn't help myself and I fell backwards laughing like a drunk hyena. What the hell is my life anymore?! It's like 'Alice In Wonderland', but with a hot husband!
"What is wrong with you?!" Arthur questioned, now sounding slightly amused as well as he removed a stray strand of hair from my face.
"I dunno, Artie," I said in between cackles. "Everything's just so crazy in the greatest way possible."
He smiled the prettiest smile on Earth and then he lay down beside me again, draping an arm around my waist and drawing me closer to his body while I continued to laugh for a few more minutes until I sobered up and nuzzled into his chest.
"My ribs hurt," I mumbled.
"They are broken," he reminded me while gently tracing his fingers over the sore spots, easing the pain.
"Yeah..." I breathed out.
We stayed silent in each other's arms for a few minutes, simply enjoying each other's company again.
I love how everything feels so light right now. So free of worries. No responsibilities. No kingdom to run. No murder plots being planted under our noses. Just us two, and the gentle sound of the river running, while the world keeps spinning.
I was about to tell him that I love him, but he beat me to speaking as he asked, "The legends... Is that what made you look at me with affection?"
"You want the cute answer, or the truth?" I inquired.
"I told you – I do not want any more lies," he replied, a hint of sternness in his tone.
I let out a puff and lifted my head off his chest, moving to rest my forehead against his while I placed a hand on the side of his face, gently tracing his cheekbone with my thumb. "No. I was actually kinda very disappointed when I met you," I said.
His lips parted as he stared straight into my eyes. I gave a sheepish shrug. Then he let out a long exhale. "I suppose I knew that."
I giggled and pressed a soft kiss to his ridiculously enticing lips.
"What made you change your mind?" he asked.
"You proved that you really aren't the arrogant jerk that we met at first," I responded. "Like when you went to get that flower to save Merls when he drank from that poisoned cup, or when you helped us save Mordred, or when you helped us defend Ealdor... I realised that you really do have the noble heart that the legends spoke of. You just needed to mature a little, I guess... Like I told you once, I've been following you, not some tangled legend."
"I matured. Is that what you think happened?" he questioned, his soft gaze scanning my face and making my organs melt.
"Isn't it?"
He gave a breathy chuckle and kissed the tip of my nose. "You really have no idea, do you?"
"'Bout what?"
"It was because of you, Astra."
I recoiled, feeling as if he'd slapped me on the face. "What d'ya mean?"
"I changed because of you," he claimed.
I sat up again and shook my head. I think that the time-machine might've scrambled his brain! "No, that's crazy!"
He sat up with me and he cupped my face in his hands. "You showed me what it truly means to have a noble heart, Astra."
I think he needs a therapist.
"No, I didn't. I only told jokes. And annoyed your knights."
"You stood up to the King and defended me to prove that Knight Valiant was using sorcery. While everyone was worrying about a sorcerer, you are the one who preserved life in Camelot by bringing water to the people. You are the one who was ready to ride out to get the flower, and to help Ealdor, which made me realise that I should be doing the same. You are the reason why I chose to defy my father's orders and save Mordred..."
He trailed off as he took a few deep breaths while my lungs froze entirely. He has to be making things up. This is absurd! He's the mighty golden-hearted King from the legends! I'm a crazy girl from Texas!
"I did not even realise it until you left the first time," Arthur continued. "But you inspired me to become a better man. And when you returned... I was determined to prove that I could be that. To be worthy of your love."
"You would've become the great man that you are with or without me, Artie," I assured him in a whisper.
"I am not sure that I would have," he claimed.
"Of course you would've!" I argued. "The legends say so!"
He let out another faint chuckle and pressed a soft kiss to my lips. "Remember what you were just saying? About the... paradox?"
"Yeah – the movies made the legends and the legends made the movies."
"And who connected the two?" Arthur questioned.
The air was knocked out of my lungs and I blinked rapidly for a few moments. "Well... The time-machine, I guess... But the legends existed way before that was created!"
"And you were queen of Camelot long before you were created."
I gulped and my eyes widened. I mean, I'd made that connection. Kinda. But it sounds beyond crazy coming from his lips, and being said with such seriousness.
"You were always there, my love. You helped to make everything happen," he continued.
My brain began to spin and I let my head fall to his shoulder as my lungs got heavy with an asphyxiating sense of overwhelm. He was quick to wrap me in his arms.
"No, I didn't, that is crazy," I whispered weakly.
"It is crazy," he acknowledged softly and he pressed a kiss to the side of my head. "You are crazy. You are crazy in the most incredible way possible. Only you could have done everything you did."
I started to cry before I could feel it coming and I clung onto him with all my might as I sobbed onto his shoulder.
He kept talking softly, "You are the reason why I am alive. You are the reason why I fight to be better every day. You built my heart, Astra. You are my heart. "
His words spread a fresh cooling sensation through my nervous system and I felt as if every single wire that has been crossed my whole life was suddenly being set in its right place. The wounds from past struggles and battles were erased from my soul. The reason why I had to survive the accident now makes sense.
My life suddenly feels like it really matters.
I'm not a mistake, or a mad failure.
I am a crazy, sarcastic, obsessed-with-superheroes girl from Texas. That will never stop being true. But I'm also the Queen of Camelot. And above all, I am Arthur's wife.
"I love you three-thousand, my girl," Arthur whispered.
"And I love you three-thousand-trillion, Artie," I responded.
"Are you all right?" Arthur asked as I closed the door to the farmhouse behind me.
I let out a long sigh and nodded. "For the first time ever, I think that I'm honestly, totally, and completely all right," I replied. "Broken ribs and all."
He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me against his chest, tucking my head under his chin. I returned the hug immediately and grinned a little.
"That is great to hear, my love," he said softly. "I meant every word I said. You are my heart."
"You are my heart, too, Artie," I replied and I pressed a kiss over his actual heart.
Before long, we separated and began walking up to my room, with him gallantly assisting me in climbing the stairs so that my ribs wouldn't be strained a lot more.
"Where is your Aunt?" he inquired.
"Oh, I forgot to tell ya'. She went to some college reunion party in Austin and she'll be spending the night there."
Arthur pulled me flush against his chest once more when we reached the top of the staircase and he dipped his head to lean his forehead against mine. "So it is just you and me? Alone?"
"Yep."
He grinned and he pressed his lips against mine in a sweet kiss. "Do you know what this means?" he whispered.
A smile spread on my lips. "That I can show you more horror movies in the TV room!"
He scoffed, making me frown. I gasped when he suddenly started to trail kisses along my neck, then I reached up to run my fingers through his hair. "It also means that we can break some rules..." he mumbled against my skin before gently nibbling on it and making me squirm.
My eyes widened in realisation and a stream of lava spread through my veins.
"I have five broken ribs, remember?" I said meekly.
I jolted when he slid a hand under my hoodie and t-shirt, his warm fingers softly brushing against the bruises.
He halted the attack on my neck and connected our gazes. I could see a raging electricity in his cerulean irises, which sent a tingle down my spine. "I will be more gentle than ever. I promise," he stated.
He has never not been gentle. And I know that he is always incredibly mindful of... everything. And, after that emotionally packed conversation, I want to feel as close to him as possible, and break any remaining barriers between us. Barriers that were entirely my fault, from all the secrets I've kept. So, perhaps against my best judgement, I breathed out, "Okay."
Arthur smiled widely and he promptly picked me up, prompting me to wrap myself around him. He attached our lips again and carried me to my bedroom.
I pushed off the ground and lifted my second foot onto the chassis of the shopping cart, allowing it to slide some metres across the candy aisle until I found what I was searching for – packets of Sour Patch Kids! Because it'd be rude to return to Camelot without some of those for Gwaine.
A dazed-looking Arthur caught up with me moments later and he raised an eyebrow at the admittedly exaggerated amount of candy I threw in the cart. "Is all that really necessary?"
"Probably not," I acknowledged. But I didn't make any changes to my choices and I kept advancing down the aisle, skimming the shelves for more things that my friends back home might appreciate. I froze for a moment as I recalled a very important thing I need to get. "Limes!" I exclaimed and took off rolling down the main corridor.
I barely had time to stop the cart before I could crash it against a stroller, and I cowered under the deadly glare that the mom pushing it sent me before mumbling a sheepish apology.
"Give me that before you kill someone," Arthur said as he nudged me out of the way to take control of the cart. I pouted and followed him, instantly growing bored now that I don't have the entertainment of playing around.
Then an idea flashed through my mind and I smiled to myself. I grabbed the back of Arthur's shirt to make him halt, then I wriggled into the space between his arms and stepped onto the edge of the chassis once more while holding onto the handle.
"Your family is right. You are like a child," my King noted before kissing my cheek and continuing to push the cart.
"Ooh, excuse me for wanting to enjoy life, Sire," I shot back with a playful eye-roll, even if he couldn't see it.
He took a hand off the handle and tickled the side of my waist for a moment, making me squirm and giggle. "Cheeky woman."
"Your cheeky woman."
He kissed my cheek again and whispered, "Forever," into my ear, making me smile widely.
Once we reached the fruits and veggies aisle, I jumped off the cart and excitedly hurried to gather some limes. Camelot needs limes desperately. They will open a whole new door for meal cooking!
I kept stuffing the cart with things that perked my attention from around Walmart, half-ignoring Arthur's concerns that I might be getting a bit too excited.
After about a half-hour, he convinced me that it's time to get back to the farm and I compliantly allowed him to push the cart towards the self-checkout place.
That is until something else caught my attention and I leaped towards a stand that had a very enticing item upon it – a Bluetooth mini projector!
"What is that?" Arthur inquired as he halted beside me.
"It can project movies onto a wall!" I explained before rushing to grab a box. "We could make our own little movie theatre in Camelot!"
"Astra," he said as he chuckled while shaking his head.
I pointed a menacing finger at him. "You're not gonna talk me out of this."
"I know better than to try, my love."
"Good boy," I joked while reaching up to ruffle his hair, and then I placed the box into the cart. "Okay, I'm done, let's go."
Except – something else caught my attention.
"Walkie-talkies!"
Arthur grabbed my arm and stopped me from running towards the shelf with the smart items that could be incredibly beneficial during missions. "You said you were done," he accused.
"But think of how useful they could be!"
"We cannot get them for the whole army," he pointed out.
"We could!"
"Be realistic, darling."
"Okay, fine," I huffed.
"Besides – were you not the one complaining about consumerist culture yesterday?"
"I know, I know."
We kept walking.
"Oh, look, bean bags!"
"I am going to blindfold you, Astra," Arthur grunted.
"You tried that once and it made me panic," I reminded him under my breath.
"Then stop trying to buy everything."
"Ya' boring."
He glared at me.
"I love you?"
I could tell that he tried to fight it, but a smile soon formed on his lips and he kissed my forehead. "I love you too, my girl."
"Are you sure you've got everything you need?" Aunt Kelly asked while we were watching Leo double-check the mechanisms of the time-machine so that Arthur and I wouldn't accidentally end up in, like, B.C. Egypt.
"I think so," I responded with a slight shrug while glancing down at the big duffel bag beside me, where I put everything that Arthur and I bought while we were here. "If not, Leo can just send it over."
"No!" Leo whined while sending me a stern look.
"Face it, pal –" Oliver cut in, "no matter how much you try to deny it, you've created an inter-time Amazon."
Leo rolled his eyes and pointed a menacing finger at me. "Good luck gettin' medical help if you ever need it again."
"You wouldn't just let us die," I challenged.
"Try me."
"I will."
I giggled at the murderous look that my former classmate sent me, then I turned around to hug Arthur's waist and nuzzled into his chest. He chuckled softly and returned the embrace while tucking my head under his chin.
I will never, ever get tired of being in his arms.
"All right, all done," Leo said.
"Awesome!" I chirped, swallowing the shaky troubled feelings that were rising in my chest at the thought of maybe never seeing my biological family again, and I backed away from my King so that he could lift the heavy duffel bag onto the platform.
"I need a favour, though," Leo added.
"Shoot," I replied.
"History cannot know that time-travel is real," he stated in a grave tone, his eyes alternating between Arthur and I. "I need you to make sure that no records will ever mention your name, Astra, and that no information will be left behind on all of this."
The words felt like an 'Ice-Bucket Challenge' to the face. To have lived through everything that I did... Just to have my existence wiped from history?... But I guess it now makes sense why none of the movies and novels mention me... And I guess that it really doesn't matter if the world knows about me. All that matters is that I'm here, with Arthur, and that we're sharing a happy and crazy life. It happened for us, and that's what's important.
"Yeah, of course," I finally said.
"I know it's hard, but..."
I cut Leo off, "No, I get it. I promise that time-travel will remain a secret."
"Thank you, Astra."
"Thank you, Leo. For everything. You saved Artie's life."
He snorted, "Yeah, well, you tricked me and held me at gunpoint."
"Yeah, I guess I kinda did... Sorry about that."
"You what?!" Kelly exclaimed in absolute horror.
"It was a life or death situation!" I defended.
I moved to give Leo a brief hug, and then I skipped over to Kelly, Oliver, and Sage. I could already feel the tears brimming in my eyes. Oliver was the first one to step forwards and wrap me in a hug. A few tears escaped and a soft cry left my lips as I hugged him tightly.
"I'm gonna miss you so much, Olly," I whispered.
"We're gonna miss ya', too, Star," he responded. "But you can always visit... Right Leo?"
I heard Leo scoff. "I suppose I wouldn't be entirely opposed to letting her visit every once in a long while..."
"Yay!" I cheered and separated from Oliver, sharing one more smile with him, before I skipped over to Sage. She also wrapped me in a hug almost immediately.
"It's amazing to know that you're finally living a life that makes you so happy," she stated gently. "And that you have a husband that loves you so much. I'm speaking from experience – never let him go."
"Trust me – he couldn't shake me off if he divorced or beheaded me," I replied with a giggle.
Sage snorted. "You're crazy."
"Maybe, but I'm the Queen of Camelot," I shot back and gave her a wink as we separated. She rolled her eyes and gently nudged me towards my Aunt.
Yet again, I was brought into a hug.
"Thanks for everything, Kelly," I said.
"Oh, it was a pleasure, Star," she responded.
"Even if I'm a bit of a handful?" I asked playfully.
"Well, it's better than when you were all quiet n' stoic n' snappy."
I chuckled. "Yeah, I guess it must be."
She squeezed me a bit more tightly and I bit back a groan from my ribs. "Take care of Arthur," she said. "He is a good one. Don't annoy him too much."
I love that my whole family now loves Arthur.
"Hey, he knew what he was signing up for," I quipped.
Kelly laughed and kissed the top of my head before releasing me from the hug, only to place her hands on my shoulders. I tilted my head as she regarded me with a soft look in her eyes.
"Y'know? Your father would be very proud of you," she stated and I felt a big smile automatically form on my lips. "And he would be absolutely fascinated with the life you have. He was a big fan of the Arthurian legends."
My heart-rate accelerated a little and I gazed towards Arthur for some sense of grounding as I felt my emotions threaten to get out of control and force me to really cry. "He was?" I asked in a whisper.
"Oh yeah. I swear it was the only thing the man could talk about," Kelly claimed with a giggle. "Much like you and your Avengers."
I felt a buzzing warmth spread through my body and I breathed out a chuckle while wiping at my tears.
Kelly gave my shoulders a gentle squeeze before dropping her hands. "Off you go, Shooting Star."
I gave her a little grin and swallowed some more tears before shuffling over to my King, who was just stepping away from Sage. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and kissed my forehead. "Are you all right, my darling?"
"Y-yeah, I'm great," I assured him and reached up to kiss the side of his jaw.
He grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers before leading me towards the time-machine's platform, and we stepped onto it.
"See ya', Texas," I whispered.