Forbidden Love (Rewritten) | Arthur Pendragon

20 • THE SIN OF A FATHER

Should I wear the dress, was the question that kept running around inside Eowyn's head. The blue gown that Arthur had gifted her with was laid on her bed and her eyes fixed on the fine fabric. A knighting was to take place in less than an hour and, naturally, she was invited as the Physician's apprentice. Such events always require the attendee to dress quite fancily. Before, Eowyn could not do so as she owned no fancy dress. The income she made as an apprentice was far too little. But Arthur recently offered her a gown and it was the perfect occasion for that. Except that Eowyn had never worn such garments. Bragging was not her intention but she was well aware of the men's stares when every time the court was gathered and she feared that wearing this very beautiful gown would only attract more attention. Being the target of attention was not exactly something Eowyn appreciated and, in all honesty, she felt a little shy and embarrassed to wear this gown.

Maybe another time, she thought. Eowyn carefully took the gown and put it back in her cupboard. She had always attended events dressed in her everyday garments and this would not be different. So she left her room and, with Gaius and Merlin, headed to the throne room.

The courtiers were all dressed in beautiful garments, colorful gowns, and elaborate jackets. As the general of the knights of Camelot, Arthur was required to wear his cape and chain mail coat as his blond head was adorned with his crown. The Prince had been sitting on his throne, uninterested and afflicted with boredom as he waited for all the court to be fully gathered. His eyes, however, found light again when his sight was blessed by the beautiful vision of his beloved. He was a little a little disappointed not to see her lithe body adorned with the gown he had given her, but she was beautiful still. In fact, he was certain that even in ragged clothes, Eowyn would still be beautiful.

With Merlin, Gaius, and Gwen, Eowyn positioned herself on the side. The courtier naturally had the best view. As she patiently waited for the last few guests to arrive, her eyes traveled on the room until they locked with Arthur who had been admiring her the moment she had stepped in. At the realization that he had been gazing at her, her cheeks grew pink and she felt her heart pulsating in a gentle excitement. The attention of men meant nothing to her but Arthur's, she cared for it. The walls she had so desperately tried to build around her heart crumbled down a little more every day as the cracks grew deeper and bigger, affecting the foundations as the minutes passed. Convincing herself that she could silence her feelings for him became more and more impossible. She wanted to love him, and she wanted to be loved by him. It happens. But would it last?

Would he still love her if she told him what she is and what she can do? She wanted to. But what one wants and what actually happens rarely concorded. She did not want to base a life with someone on lies. She wanted to be loved wholly. As she was. Without secrets. Just weeks prior, she had almost faced a death sentence. She was only still alive because Gaius had taken the blame for her. And he had almost died. Uther would never back down before having eradicated every ounce of magic from Camelot. Fear and terror, that was what prevailed across the kingdom. It was not the kind of life Eowyn wished to live. A life of fright. A life of anxiety. A life spent looking behind her shoulder. A life spent wondering whether or not her neighbors knew what she was. A life spent lying to everyone. A life of secrets. It was exhausting. Like anyone else, she wished to live freely as she was. This life was not in Camelot. Not yet.

"You have been accorded a great honor," Uther said. Eowyn redirected her attention to the knighting that had already begun. The five knights were standing before the king who had blessed them with the tip of his sword. "But with that honor comes great responsibility. From this day forth, you are sworn to live by the knights' code. You have pledged to conduct yourselves with nobility, honor, and respect. Your word is your sacred bond," he walked towards Arthur and rested his hand on his shoulder. "You will find no one who better embodies these values than my son, Arthur. Follow his example, and you will prove yourselves worthy of your title,"