As a young boy, Arthur was always getting into trouble, whether with adults or kids his own age. One day he was running down the street when he rounded a corner and ran into someone. They both fell to the ground and he looked to see a girl with curly brown hair rubbing her head.

"Watch where you're going." She snapped at him with fire in her eyes.

"Sorry." He said quietly looking away from her.

"You're the boy from the brothel?" She asked with a softer voice as she stood up and looked at him as he shyly nodded.

"What's your name?" She asked when she gave him a hand to help him up.

"Arthur." He said quietly, still not making eye contact.

"I'm Katherine." She smiled and shook his hand causing him to smile.

"Hi." He said finally looking towards the girl.

"Hi. Who were you running from?" Katherine asked as she looked around him.

Three boys came around the corner and stopped when they saw Arthur with Katherine. They smiled and walked up to the two smaller kids, so they could look down on them.

"It's not nice to pick on someone smaller than you." Katherine said crossing her arms and staring them down as she looked up at them.

"What are you going to do about it?" One of them asked with a cocky smile.

"This." Katherine said and punched the kid in the face before kneeing him in the stomach.

"Run!" Katherine said and grabbing Arthur's hand and pulling him behind her.

They found a place to hide around a corner and behind some baskets and watched as the other boys ran by them. They laughed and looked at each other.

"Do you want to be friends?" Katherine smiled, and Arthur nodded.

"Good. I need more friends." Katherine smiled.

"Yeah, me too."

"Yeah, you have some enemies."

"They just don't like me because I'm smarter than them."

"But they're bigger and can knock the smarts right outta' your head."

"Nah." Arthur said and they both laughed.

"I can tell we're going to be great friends."

Growing up they spent most of their time together. At least the time that Arthur didn't spend working at the brothel or getting beat up by the bigger boys. Arthur would follow Katherine everywhere around town. She taught him how to climb the sides of the buildings to get the best sights. And he taught her how to fight.

They were walking along the rooftops as teenagers when Arthur looked over at Katherine and the sunlight had hit her just right causing her to glow like an angel. It was then that Arthur's view of her changed from friend to something more. Katherine had felt that they could be more than friends since his growth spurt where he gained not only height but muscle.

They knew each other inside and out and each knew that they would be happy spending the rest of their lives with the other, but neither ever spoke of their feelings. She never said it because she felt Arthur was more interested in learning how to fight from George or hiding away his money. And Arthur felt that she was way out of his league with her looks, intelligence, and the fact that she came from a family of blacksmiths while he was an orphan boy raised in a brothel.

"Do you ever think about marriage?" Arthur asked as he watched her try to balance along the edge of the wall as they walked across the rooftops.

"I know that one day I will get married. My father will pick someone to promise me to in return for something."

"What about love?"

"I didn't know you knew what love is." Katherine joked.

"Of course, I know what love is. It's that feeling in the pit of your stomach that you get when you look at someone. It makes you feel like you're going to be sick, but you don't care because you would feel that way for the rest of your life just to look at that person every day. You feel warm inside and like you can't keep your thoughts straight." Arthur said staring at Katherine as he explained what he had been feeling lately.

"Well, I would love to marry for love, but I also have to think about what is best for my father. Love won't help him keep the shop."

"Oh." Arthur said and looked at the ground unsure of if he would be able to give her both in the future.

"Arthur, where are you taking me?" Katherine said as Arthur ran up the stairs with a firm grip on her hand.

It had been years since that day he had asked her about marriage and their bond, as well as their feelings, had only grown. Katherine was a strong woman who helped her father in his shop while Arthur grew in size and could now protect the women in the brothel. He also had some trading and deals on the side that made him a substantial amount of money for his future, which he planned to spend with Katherine.

"Almost there." Arthur smiled and rounded a corner to open a hatch to the roof they were running through.

Katherine climbed out of the hatch and looked out at the view and the stars over Londinium.

"Wow, Arthur this is amazing. How have we not found this place before?" Katherine asked looking around before turning to face Arthur and seeing he was holding a flower in his hand. And not any flower. It was a white lily which Arthur knew was her favorite flower.

"Arthur, what's going on?" Katherine asked with a smile.

"I think you know, Kat." Arthur said as he stepped so he was right in front of her and kissed her.

It was everything Kat had ever hoped it would be. The rigidity of his strong arms around her didn't match the soft feeling of his lips on hers. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away slightly.

"Arthur, you know we can't." She said, unable to meet his eyes.

"I think you're scared."

"And if I am?" Kat said looking up at him with tears in her eyes.

"There's nothing to fear, Kat. You know me better than anyone. You know I'd never hurt you. You know I can provide you with everything you'd ever need." Arthur said cupping her cheek with his right hand while his left arm stayed wrapped around her waist.

"My father would never approve."

"Your father knows how I feel about you. He knows I can keep you safe from any harm."

"Arthur, my father already promised me to the baker's son." Kat said, and Arthur's face fell.

"What?" He said, allowing his arms to drop to his sides.

"He's offered him 200 pieces of gold for me. It'll will help my father pay off his debt." Kat said stepping away from Arthur and looking at him with utter sadness.

"He can't provide for you the way I can." Arthur protested grabbing her arms.

"But he will run a bakery instead of a brothel."

"What do you want? Your father must want you to be happy?"

"My father wants me safe. And he knows how dangerous it is for the women of your brothel. He has seen you show up at our doorstep bloody and beaten over those women. How could you be so sure you could keep me safe? Besides, how do I know that I'm not just another one of your flings that you take to your brothel and then dump on the streets?" Kat asked stepping away from Arthur and wrapping her arms around herself in attempt to protect her heart from heartbreak.

"Katherine," he said, and it grabbed her attention. He never called her Katherine unless he was being serious. "I love you. I've loved you for so long. Your passion, your humor, your fight, your heart. I love all of you." Arthur said stroking her cheek with his thumb as a small loving smile crossed his face.

"I love you, too." Katherine said and smiled at him before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him.

"I promise that we will be together. I will never let you marry the baker." Arthur said and held her face in his hands.

"I should get home before my father worries, Arthur."

"Soon, he won't worry about you."

"Walk me home." Kat asked with a smile.

"Always." Arthur smiled and kissed the top of her head.

Arthur lead her down the stairs and through the streets to the blacksmith's shop.

"Katherine." Her father said sternly with his arms crossed.

"Father." Katherine said releasing Arthur's hand and hanging her head.

"I thought I told you no more staying out after dark. Not with all Blacklegs running about taking women as they see fit."

"Sir, I would never let that happen to her." Arthur said grabbing her arms and pulling her closer.

"Arthur, it is your brothel that attracts men like that." Katherine's father snapped.

"Father,"

"No, Katherine. Without the brothel those men wouldn't look at all women like they were meat that they can purchase and do with as they please."

"Sir, the brothel is a major source of income for the town. It keeps enemies distracted and from harming the innocent. Without the brothel they would pillage the town and rape all the women."

"Arthur, do not try to make me see the good that comes from the brothel."

"Sir, please. I did not come here to argue over the value of the brothel. I came here to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."

"No."

"Please, sir. I love your daughter, and she loves me. No harm would ever come her way. I could provide a life of luxury for her. I could keep her safe from any harm that would ever fall upon her." Arthur said wrapping an arm around Kat's shoulders and pulling her close as if to show this love even though Katherine looked at the ground, scared of what her father might say.

"A life in a brothel is not the life I want for her." He snapped again.

"I would get her a home far from the brothel. She would never have to go there. She could live happily on a farm on the outside of town growing lilies and tending to animals. I would never bring my work home to her. She would be the only thing I would ever need. I would keep our children far from the life as well. They will be brilliant, beautiful, and well educated."

"I have already promised her to the baker."

"I can pay the baker for his troubles and I can completely wipe away your debt as well as give you enough to pay your taxes for the next year."

"You would do that? Just to wed my daughter?"

"Sir, I'd travel to the ends of the world if it would allow me to wed your daughter. We are truly, deeply, in love." Arthur said grabbing Kat's hands and holding them close to his heart.

"Katherine, is this true? Do you love him as he says?" Her father said looking at her with softer eyes than he had greeted her with minutes before.

"Yes, father. I truly do." Kat said and smiled to Arthur.

"Arthur, come back tomorrow and we will discuss this more. Katherine, get inside." Her father said and turned to go inside.

"I will be here tomorrow, I promise." Arthur said and kissed her hands before releasing her and letting her go inside.

That night as Kat slept she had a vision. She had had them her entire life. Her father had told her the secret long ago that her mother was a mage that had ran with him after the wars to protect Katherine, but died when she was found out. The soldiers believed that without her mother, Katherine would never possess magic, but they were wrong. She was not trained, but she was able to see the future. And that night she saw Arthur pulling the sword from the stone.

After the sun had come up she ran to her father.

"I must go see Bedivere." Katherine told him with a smile on her face.

"Katherine, it is too dangerous. The number of Blacklegs has increased in the city with the graffiti."

"Father, I saw him. The born king is going to pull the sword, and I know who it is."

"Go, I will deal with Arthur by myself."

"Thank you. And father, remember, I do really love him."

"Yes, Katherine." Her father said with a smile as Katherine grabbed her cloak and ran out the door.

"Bedevire, Katherine is here to see you." Rubio said at the entryway to Bedivere's quarters.

"Send her in." Bedivere said and Katherine walked in with a smile on her face.

"I saw him. The born king is going to pull the sword from the stone." Katherine rushed.

"When, is it soon?"

"Yes."

"How do you know?"

"Because, the born king is asking for my hand. He doesn't look a day older than he is now"

"You could be queen, Katherine."

"I do not care about being queen. I care about him coming out alive and defeating the king."

"Katherine, we need to get him to the sword."

"He is going. What I see can't always be changed. We need to let it run its course. If we try to force it, we could change the future I saw."

"We will be prepared for him when the time does come. Return home to your father. Do not tell anyone else of what you saw."

"Yes, sir." Katherine bowed and placed her hood back on her head before leaving.

Back at the blacksmith shop Arthur knocked on the door hoping to see Kat, but instead saw her father standing there with his arms crossed.

"Sir." Arthur said and nodded his head.

"Come in, son."

Arthur walked in and sat at the table that Kat's father had sat at.

"I'm willing to hear you out."

"Sir, I love your daughter. We have been friends for years. She knows me better than anyone else. She has sat with me on the piers fishing, ran across the rooftops with me. She taught me how to make my own bow and arrows. I don't know what I would do without her. I love her so much. When I see her my insides twist and my heart beats so hard I fear that she'll hear it. But I would feel that way every single day if it meant that I could be with your daughter until my dying breath. I love her, and she loves me."

"She has often spoken fondly of you. My biggest fear is that she would fall for you. That she would spend more time around that brothel than she already does. You must understand that that is not the life I have pictured for my daughter. She could easily marry the baker and live a good life. An honest life." He said and Arthur felt his heart sinking thinking that he would never get his blessing.

"However," he continued, "she would never be happy. And my daughter's happiness means more to me than anything. Happiness is all her mother ever wanted for her, and I plan to give her that. And I'm hoping that you will give her that as well."

"You're saying that-."

"I will give you my blessing if you promise to separate your business and your family."

"I promise, sir. She will be kept far from the business as soon as I can get her a home."

"Thank you. I always thought you were a decent boy, but obviously..."

"My place of employment is not the most respectable."

"No."

"Father?" Katherine said coming in.

"Darling, how was your errand?" Her father asked not wanting to alert her new fiancé to their affiliation.

"Good."

"Hi." Arthur said, and Katherine smiled at him.

"Hi."

"I give you my blessing." Her father said and Katherine ran over to him to hug him.

"Thank you, Father."

Katherine let go of her father and ran to Arthur and hugged him as well.

"Come here, son." Her father smiled and outstretched his arms.

Arthur hugged him and looked over her shoulder to see Kat smiling.