Forced to Love Another (Prince Arthur Fanfiction)

Chapter 13

I was pretty bored throughout the fighting, it just didn't interest me that much, although I did make sure to watch closely every time either Alex or Arthur were fighting. They both did really well, and by the end of the day had gone through to tomorrow. I sighed as everyone left and Alex came over to me, without his armour on.

"Well done, you fought well." I said, and he smiled gently at me. "Thank you," He said. "I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me tonight?" He asked, and I bit my lip, unsure what I should say. I looked across the field at where Arthur was talking with his manservant, and Morgana and Gwen were making their way towards him. "Of course. I'd love to." I said, and Alex held his arm out to me. I took it and we started walking back to the castle.

As we walked together I felt eyes following us, and a few of the villagers actually shouted congratulations to us, but I tried to ignore them, not wanting to think about the impending wedding that I would not be able to escape from. We walked through the castle, Alex telling a servant that we were eating dinner in his chambers tonight, and ended up in the visiting Prince's room.

We sat down at the table, and we were left in a silence for a while. I looked all over the room, ignoring Alex's gaze as much as I could. "What was your reaction when you first heard about this marriage." I asked, wanting to know, but also wanting the crippling silence to be over.

"Well I was upset when I realised that I couldn't go to your birthday celebration, as I haven't missed one since your fifteenth, so I asked father why that was, and he told me that we would be visiting Camelot for the days after your birthday and he didn't want to overwhelm the king with two extra guests so we didn't come for your eighteenth. Then before we left my father came into my room and said that he needed to tell me something.

"He told me that there was another reason for us coming to Camelot, and that he and Uther had watched our interactions over the years and were happy that we'd both be, at least pleased, to become a couple. He then got out the ring and told me that he'd arranged a marriage between us, and that we'd be wed within a few weeks.

"I was really shocked after he left, I almost didn't realise that we had to leave. I don't think I spoke the entire journey here. I was so nervous. I knew that it would be strange for the both of us, considering we were, are, quite close friends. And, please don't take this the wrong way, but I didn't want to get married to you. You're a really close friend, but I never imagined myself becoming your husband, and it really scared me when my father told me.

"I was scared that everything I'd ever hoped to achieve would. I've always wanted to travel, see as many corners of the world as I could, I guess when my father told me that I had to get married I assumed that it meant he wanted me to settle down, start a family.

"It also scared me because I know that my father had been thinking of stepping down and passing the throne onto me, and it didn't just scare me that I would become king, I've been preparing for that my whole life. I was scared that you would be thrown into it with hardly any warning. I didn't want all that pressure to be on you." Alex explained and I listened intently. I was comforted slightly by the fact that he wasn't particularly looking forward to this wedding either.

"It's alright Alex, you already know my reasoning behind not wanting this to happen. I just feel so terrible for Arthur, this must be so painful for him to watch. And there's nothing either of us can do to stop it. Arthur knows that father won't see reason, and if we reveal that we were together before my eighteenth we'll get into more trouble and father would punish us by making me go through with it all. It just feels inescapable." I said, venting all my emotions onto my future husband.

"Sorry, I shouldn't be ranting like that." I said, sighing and looking down at the table. Suddenly a hand was placed over mine on the table and I looked up to see Alex smiling at me gently. "It's alright, I just did to you, so you have every liberty to rant back at me. Plus, I have a feeling we'll need to get used to it if, when, we get married." He said, and I nodded slightly, a small smile forming on my face.

I was about to speak up again, but there was a knock on the door and Alex called for them to enter. They opened the door and I saw that it was a servant carrying two plates of food. He placed them down and then poured some wine for us from the jug that sat in Alex's room. We thanked the servant before he started to walk out of the room. "Wait!" I exclaimed softly, and he turned to face me. "If you see Alice, could you tell her to go to my room and wait for me there." I asked, and the servant nodded before walking out of the room.

Alex and I began to eat in silence, before he started up a conversation again. "You and your maidservant, Alice, you two seem close." He stated, and I nodded. "Yeah, we are, she's been with me for a few years now so we know each other really well. In all honesty she's more a friend than a servant, royal life can be very lonely, as you probably know, I'm just glad that I have both Arthur and Morgana." I said, and Alex smiled at me.

I continued eating, and shortly noticed that Alex was still staring at me. I looked up to him and furrowed my eyebrows. "What?" I asked, chuckling lightly. Alex joined in and shook his head. "You're too kind." He said, and I blushed. I thanked him quietly before going back to my food. We finished eating in silence.

The next day the Tournament continued, and it was just as boring as the first day. I sat and watched the fights, and Arthur and Alex both won all their fights and ended up being put in the final against each other, which would be tomorrow. After the Tournament I walked back up to the castle with Morgana, Gwen, and Alice. The three of us went to Morgana's chambers and talked for a little while.

There was a knock on the door right before we were about to let Gwen and Alice go and get us some tea. Gwen answered it, and had a small whispered conversation with the person on the other side before she closed the door and turned to us. "Lizzie, your father wants you to dine with him tonight, just the two of you." She said, and I groaned lightly. I'd been looking forward to eating with them.

I got off Morgana's bed and waved goodbye to them all before leaving and walking down to the main hall. I went in and was surprised to see that only father was in there. "Father, is no one else joining us?" I asked, sitting down on my chair. Father shook his head. "No, there are a few things I wish to discuss with you Elizabeth." He said, and I nodded slowly, slightly nervous about what he had to say.

"Obviously you know that there will be a wedding between yourself and Alexander. King David has been extremely generous due to your young age, and has agreed that the wedding can take place in Camelot. We are still finalising the date, but I assure you it will be within the next week. You will spend the week planning for it. I will allow you and Alexander to choose many things, such as flowers, clothes, and some guests. But there are some things I wish to discuss with you before you speak with Alexander."

Father said, and I nodded slowly, taking everything in. "What is it you wanted to talk about father?" I asked cautiously. "Well I was wondering when you would like to leave Camelot. You and Alex are perfectly entitled to stay here after you're wed, at least for a few days. Or you could leave immediately and start your new lives." Father explained, and I took a deep breath.

I wasn't expecting him to ask me that, so it was a bit of a shock. "I don't know." I said, answering honestly. "It's strange to think about leaving Camelot so soon, but I've never seen Alexander's home, and I would really like to, seeing as I'm going to be living there myself." I said, my voice wavering slightly as I spoke about leaving my home.

"Well, I'll give you some time to think about it dear, but I will need your answer soon, so we can arrange what we're going to do for those few days before you leave if you do choose to stay." Father said, and I nodded. We continued to eat in silence and I thought about what father had said. I would love to stay in Camelot for longer, but I didn't think it would be fair to Arthur as he would have to sit through the wedding, and then me and Alex being here for a few days.

I knew he was already broken-hearted, and I didn't want to hurt him anymore than I had. Staying here while I was married to someone else may be too much for him, and it wouldn't be fair on him to rub it in his face that I was no longer available to him. I knew that I wouldn't be able to avoid Arthur for the rest of my life, but hopefully long enough for me to get over him, and possibly fall in love with Alex.

It was inevitable that I would return to Camelot at some point, as I would want to see father, and Morgana. And also Gwen and Alice, as I wasn't going to force her to come with me. It was just Arthur that would be difficult to see, as I knew I would fall in love with him over and over again.

When I was finished I bid goodnight to father and slowly walked back to my room, before getting changed and going to bed.