Forced to Love Another (Prince Arthur Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

Arthur - 9

Elizabeth - 8

Morgana - 11

Alexander - 10

I hurried through the castle, holding up the hem of my dress, so I didn't trip. I rushed past servants and knights, giggling as I went. I could still hear his footsteps chasing me, but I daren't look back. I quickly sped around corners and through doorways. I prayed and hoped that I didn't run into father. I don't think he'd be happy if he saw me or him running through the castle.

I smiled as I reached the end of my corridor. I reached my door and crashed through it, into my room. I closed the door and panted slightly. I yelped as the door flew open and I was knocked over by the small boy.

"Arthur!!" I yelled, trying to get him off me. But there was no point, he was a lot stronger than me. "Awe!! Come on Lizzie, it shouldn't be too difficult." He said, I stopped struggling and looked Arthur dead in the eye. "Okay, fine, you are the best knight in the kingdom." I said, in defeat. The young prince smirked at me and finally got off me.

"Thank you." He said, holding out a hand to help me up. I grabbed it and pulled myself off the ground. I was about to say something, but my door flew open and I immediately shut my mouth as I realised that it was father. He had an extremely stern look on his face and it made me feel guilty, so I looked down at my feet.

"What have I spoken to you two about?! You are royals, you shouldn't be running through corridors. Arthur you're meant to be in your History lesson, Elizabeth, you're meant to be with Morgana for your riding lesson." He said in his 'king' voice. I bit my lip and nodded my head. "Sorry father." I said, and he nodded to me before turning to Arthur.

"Sorry father." He mumbled. I looked up at father and sighed a breath of relief as he walked out the room. "Sorry, it's my fault we got in trouble with father." Arthur said to me, I shrugged my shoulders and he left the room. I went over to my window and saw that Morgana was out in the field on her horse. I could tell she was doing really well, and her technique was perfect.

I sighed and sat on my bed, Morgana was better than me at everything. Father definitely prefers Arthur over the two of us, but he loved Morgana more than he did me. I decided that I didn't want to go back to my riding lesson, instead choosing to read one of the books my teacher had given me. It was about the history of Camelot and it's fight against magic.

It wasn't very interesting, but I had nothing else to read. I got halfway through before my maid burst through the door. "My lady, it's lunch time, your father wants you to come down to the Main Hall." I looked up and smiled at her, thanking her before closing the book and following her out the room.

I trailed down to the Main Hall and entered through the large doors. I was the last one there, so I rushed to my seat, not wanting to keep the others waiting. I sat down next to Morgana and there was a few seconds of silence before father picked up his cutlery and began to eat, so the three children followed suit.

Father and Arthur were talking quietly, but I didn't know what about because I wasn't listening. Then Morgana spoke up. "Lizzie, you never came back to our riding lesson." I stopped eating and took a deep breath. "Elizabeth, is that true?" Father questioned. I looked up at him and nodded slowly. "Elizabeth, I'll have a word with you after lunch." He said, and I sighed, but continued eating.

After we'd all finished I watched as Morgana left the room, and Arthur followed soon after, but he gave me an apologetic look before he disappeared behind the doors, leaving me alone with father. "Elizabeth, I agreed to take you in when your mother died. And when I did, I promised to turn you into a proper lady. Why didn't you go back to your riding lesson when I told you to?" I looked down at my feet.

"I didn't want to embarrass myself. Morgana's so much better than me, so I don't understand why I even bother." I said, not looking the king in his eyes. "Morgana's three years older than you, she's had more practice than you have. Keep going, you'll get there eventually. I'll see you at dinner." He said. I nodded and walked out the room. I didn't want to go back to my room, so I went out into the gardens.

I walked through them before coming to the large pond. I knew that I wouldn't be disturbed, because no-one ever came into the gardens. So, I laid on the edge of the pond and looked up at the blue sky. I don't know how long I was there for, I just relaxed as I watched the different clouds float through the sky.

"My Lady?" I heard someone ask through the garden. I sat up and looked around, smiling when I saw Gaius, the court Physician, and Geoffrey, the Librarian. The two came over to me. "Good afternoon." I said, and the two nodded at me. "Elizabeth, I was going through some books and I found this one. It made me think of you, so here. And if you want any others like it all you have to do is ask." Geoffrey said, handing me a thick, leather-bound book.

I smiled widely and thanked the man, before the two walked away. I sat up properly and placed the book on my lap. I opened it and began to read. I was nearly halfway through when I realised that it was getting late. So I picked myself up along with the book and went into the castle, and back to my room.

Once there, I placed the book on my table and waited for someone to come and tell me when dinner was being served. I sat, staring at a blank wall in my room, when the door opened. I looked up and saw that Arthur was standing at my door. My face lit up as he came in. "Come on Lizzie, it's time for dinner." He said. I got off the chair and followed the young prince through the castle and into the Main Hall.

I was shocked to see that there were two people other than Morgana and father in there. One of them was a man who looked about my father's age, and the other was a young boy who looked slightly older than Arthur. "Ah! There you two are, King David, Prince Alexander, this is my son, Prince Arthur, and my younger ward Lady Elizabeth."

Father introduced us and I smiled shyly at the two new people. I went over and sat down on my chair, and we all began to eat. Father and the visiting king were talking quickly under their breaths, and Morgana and Arthur were talking with each other, so I was left with the prince.

I sat there in an awkward silence with the prince as I sifted through the food on my plate, picking at it occasionally. "So, what's your favourite thing about Camelot?" I heard an unfamiliar voice say. I looked up and saw that the prince was looking at me. I peeked a glance at the other two, but they were still discussing something about a book they'd both read.

"Umm, I'm not sure, but I really like the palace gardens, I spend a lot of time there, or the library." I said in a small voice. The boy nodded slightly, realising that I was uncomfortable. "Well, I really like the open fields. I saw some of them out of the carriage on our journey here." He said, and I nodded slightly, not really paying much attention to what he had actually said.

The visiting prince said nothing more to me, and I finished my dinner in silence. Once I was done I looked up at my father. "Father, may I..." I started. "Yes, you may go back to your room Elizabeth." Father said, interrupting me. I blushed and looked down at my lap, but stood up and left the Hall, going back to my room to become re-invested in my book.

I was really glad Geoffrey had given it to me as it was one of those books that father didn't really want me to read. It was about daring knights, and a dragon, and a princess who needed saving. I smiled widely as I came to the end of the book, and it finished with a happy ending. I closed the book and placed it onto the small table by my bedside, before climbing out of my dress and into my nightdress. I blew all the candles out and climbed into bed, laying my head down on the pillow.

I fell into a deep sleep, where I dreamt of a wonderful knight coming to save me and carry me away from Camelot.

And there's the first chapter, I really hope you all enjoyed it, I am really excited for this book!! ❤️❤️