You Are Loved

[Guinevère]

Guinevère smiled at Arthur while he spoke about proper dates, and she could not agree, about it being the only proper date. "I more enjoyed the late night suppers, and stolen conversations just as much as I did the picnic. They were all moments when you were not the prince, or the king. You were just Arthur, and every moment you let your guard down--knowing you only did it around me--I hold in my heart."

Every time he escaped the castle to eat her pie, or just sit and talk with her. Every time she was walking to do the wash and he might be there to pull her to a room and tell her something. She remembered them all, and loved each of them, for he had sought her out, and wanted to just be with her without anything between them. "I liked knowing that even with your limited time, you wanted to spend it with me . . . not because it was expected, but because we wanted it."

[Arthur Pendragon]

This was just one of the many reasons Arthur loved her, and why she was so different most anyone else. She didn't expect -- nor want -- extravagance. She was genuinely happy with his company, rather than gifts and lavish, romantic dates. It made him want to give her that all the more, however was also well aware that she valued sentiment, above what gold could buy. He softly smiled at her words, unable to express how much he appreciated them. How much he loved her. She had been so understanding, so patient all these years . . . such things were what they needed to focus on. Not the events that drove them apart.

"Such moments were all I looked forward to each day." To those times when he could see her, talk to her. The castle had been so empty and cold without her. "But there is an undeniable comfort in knowing that we didn't have to hide anymore. That we still don't have to hide." While Arthur didn't want to make any sort of public announcement, nor even mention this to the council, he was king. He did not have to fear his father's disapproval and the cost that it would come at. It was as it had been before she left . . . only incredibly different at the same time.

[Guinevère]

He spoke of being free, and not having to hide, leaving her to wonder what the hiding had cost him. She knew it was a price he had paid willingly, but for the crown price, time was valuable. She was grateful for every stolen moment. However, now that he is king, time was even more rare for him and he had not only taken it out to come find her, but was spending it with her as well.

"There is no reason to hide now, but I know that now your time has even more demands on it. So I am sill grateful that you choose to spend some of it here. With me." Especially with everything that was between them now. With the hurt she had done, she found this time even more special because he wanted to be with her enough that her actions . . . . . that she had not hurt his want to be with her so badly that he never wanted to see her again. She had feared it so