She Who is King

11 | hardened with war

England

ARTHUR WAS WAITING for me just outside the maze, looking clean and handsome. His blue eyes lit up when he saw me, and everything Merlin had just said wormed its way out of my mind.

It amazed me that this beautiful boy wanted me.

And not just because I was about to be crowned king, though I'm sure it didn't hurt.

"How was your day?" Arthur asked, offering me his arm. We walked in the direction I had come from, towards the maze.

"It was busy," I said, looking up at him. Though I wasn't short, he was taller than me by a couple inches and I had to look up to make eye contact with him.

"I saw all the people crowding the castle. I'm assuming you had to meet with all of them?"

"Not all of them," I sighed. "Just the people Alfred thought were the best."

"So all of them?"

"Yeah."

Alfred chuckled quietly, his chest rumbling with laughter. 

The moment was so peaceful, so serene, that I forgot about all of the extra people staying in my home. Being with Arthur was like being in my own little bubble of happiness, and I couldn't get enough.

We walked together for a time, strolling along leisurely through the garden. We lost track of time, caught up in the laughter and euphoria of the moment.

I almost felt let down when he led me through the palace to my rooms.

"Well I had a wonderful time tonight," Arthur said, looking down bashfully.

"I did as well," I blushed, copying his motion and looking down.

After an awkward moment of silence, we both looked up at the same time, resulting in a head-on collision of hurtful proportions. 

"Ow!" I winced, touching my forehead tenderly. My head was pounding from where Arthur had bumped his head against mine, and I closed my eyes to help with the ache.

"Are you okay? I'm so sorry, that hurts so bad, I didn't mean-" Arthur was genuinely concerned, lifting my face to his.

Instead of continuing to wallow in my pain, I lifted up onto my toes and pressed a playful kiss to Arthur's lips.

Arthur laughed against my lips, kissing me back one more time before pulling back.

"Are you truly okay?" Arthur asked, worry clouding his features.

"I am," I replied, smiling.

"I need to turn in. I would hate for the staff to think that something inappropriate was happening out in the hallways at night," Arthur winked.

I giggled. "Alright, then. Good night, Arthur."

"Good night, Lyra," Arthur brushed his lips over my knuckles, his blue eyes connected with mine the whole time.

I watched Arthur walk down the hallway with a small smile before falling into my room.

"You're out late, my lady," Rose said, standing in the middle of my sitting room with a bundle of dirty sheets.

"And it seems like you took advantage," I replied, holding in a laugh at her priceless expression when I looked down at the sheets.

"Well I figured that... that I could get some work done!" Rose sputtered.

"You're fine! Thank you so much for everything you do," I walked up and took the sheets from her arms. "How about I carry these down to the laundry room for you?"