Arthur knew it had been a mistake for her to help Gaius, but Guinevere insisted. She'd made up her mind. She'd gone to the lower town when an outbreak of fever had struck. She'd given little thought to her own safety and his concerns. As he sat next to her at the long table, looking over their guests at the banquet, her color was off, and she wore a slight sheen of sweat. She spoke little and appeared distracted. None of their guests had noticed. It was only Merlin whose worried look alarmed him. He'd mentioned it to his servant and friend in passing at the beginning of the elaborate meal, how weak Gwen looked.

When they had a brief moment alone, he asked if she were well. She quickly dismissed his concerns and returned to their guests. Guinevere was a new queen and a young one. Born a commoner, she made every effort so, no one would find fault with her. Arthur thought she tried too hard. He loved her and only that matter.

"We can make an early evening of this," he whispered to her as the music played and the wine flowed. They had been watching the performance of jugglers and acrobats.

"No, and disappoint our guests. I'm well enough," she said a patted his hand as if he were a small child. Her hand was warm to the touch. Despite his concerns, she went to talk to the extremely young daughter of a visiting lord who seemed much to impress with Gwaine. He cursed her stubbornness.

Arthur knew many people had died from the fever. He wanted to believe that Guinevere was immune to such things. When Merlin sidled up next to him, he expressed his concerns.

"I will find Gaius," Merlin said and quickly disappeared in the crowd.

He'd been talking to Sir Leon for some time when he saw Merlin and the old physician corral Gwen into her corner. She shook her head, adamantly. Thankfully, Gaius would not take her refusal for an answer. He could see Merlin chiming in and helping Gaius to win the argument. He thought she'd be furious when their eyes met across the crowded room, but they just looked tired. With Gwen was in Gaius' sure hands, he could finally relax and enjoy the night's activities.

He was late when he decided to retire. He found Merlin asleep in a chair next to the bed he shared with Gwen. He gave Merlin an appreciative glance before attending to his wife. She also was asleep but fitful. He placed his hand on her forehead and her skin felt like fire.

"Merlin!" He shouted, causing his servant to stir. "Her fever has worsened."

A groggy Merlin recovered quickly and joined Arthur by the bed.

"She'd seemed to be doing better. Even Gaius thought so and had retired to bed. I stayed to watcher her until you arrived." Merlin said worry knitting his brow.

"Get Gaius," Arthur yelled to a stunned Merlin, whose pitiful look told of the weight of his responsibility. He'd been left to tend to Gwen, and somehow he'd failed his king and friend. Without hesitation, Merlin ran to fetch the physician.

For two days and nights, Gwen struggled with the fever. Gaius and Merlin worked tirelessly as Arthur watched and refused to leave her side. His wife was dying, and there was nothing that could be done.

"You must rest Arthur," Gaius said in his usually fatherly tone. The king gave him a severe look.

"I will not," he said with a voice weak from exhaust.

"You will do her no good if you are ill. You will do Camelot even less," Gaius said softly.

"She needs to hear my voice," Arthur almost pleaded.

"She will when you are well rested. I swear I will wake you if there is the slightest change," the physician promised. Merlin stood behind Gaius, giving his friend a pleading expression of his own.

"I've made up a bed next door. You will not be far," Merlin said.

Arthur held his wife's hand. It was still warm from the fever. Her flushed face only looked a sleep, but he knew he only had possible a few days before she slipped forever away from him. He was exhausted, and his mind worked against him. His played out tragic scenarios of her death and a life without her.

"Come Arthur," Merlin said softly.

Arthur couldn't move, and both Gaius and Merlin had to help him to his feet. Elyan sat in a chair in the corner, dark and solemn, possibly contemplating the same tragic scenario. Arthur faltered and nearly stumbled if, not for the quick hands of Sir Leon and Gwaine.

"We have you sire," Leon said as they walked him out the door to the next room. Merlin lingered a bit but quickly followed.

"I will lose her," Arthur said weakly and felt his eyes burn with tears. "I wasted so much time to have her only to lose her."

"No," Gwaine said with anger in his voice. Only then did Arthur realize that he wasn't the only one who loved her. Gwen had been close to her the tight knit group of knights that he had favored with a knighthood while they were in exile. She showed concern and affection for each of them. Arthur knew that his knights had made Gwen's transition from servant to Queen an easier one. No one dare questioned her right to rule by his side in their presence. They acted more like the Queen's guards than his, at times. Indeed, they all would suffer at her lost.

"You are right. I will not give up hope," Arthur reassured, but he didn't think Gwaine believed him.

As they walked him to the room, Gwaine and Leon held him up. Merlin trailed behind. They were low murmurs coming from outside the castle. He's head foggy with fatigue couldn't make out watch was being said.

Arthur stopped to listen. "What is that?"

"It is for Gwen," Merlin said coming to his friend. He took Arthur's arm and pulled him to a nearby window. It was mid morning, and the sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky. Arthur looked down to see hundreds of people in the castle courtyard. When they saw him, the murmur grew to a roar.

"Our Queen Gwen," they chanted and most waving small banners of purple cloth up at him.

"What are…" he began and realized the color was a favorite of Gwen. Purple was the Queen's colors and his people were letting him know they were there for her. Then he realized both Gwaine and Leon wore a purple sash around their forearm, as were all of his guards. The understanding nearly wreaked him as his knees finally gave way.

His men helped him to the small cot, and Merlin offered him a sleeping draught. Arthur refused to take; to afraid, he'd miss Gwen's call when she needed him the most. Merlin insisted and even threatened have to Gwaine and Leon hold him down. Arthur relented finally.

"You will wake me?" Arthur asked Merlin. He eyes were growing heavy, and he felt as if he were floating away. Merlin peered down at him smiling.

"All will be right, and you will have your Gwen back. You will bring her home." He said.

They were alone in the small room together, and Arthur knew he could say these words without reproach. Merlin was his friend.

"I love her so much Merlin, that if she dies, I will not care to breathe," he said.

In the hazes of his fatigue and the quick action of Gaius's potion, he saw Merlin shake his head and smile down at him. Arthur closed his eyes, but before he let the sleep take him, he heard Merlin speak. He did not understand the words; they made no sense to him. He couldn't be sure as he fell into a deep sleep.

Arthur

His name sounded like music and he turned in the direction from which it game. He found himself in the throne room alone, at least he thought he was.

"Arthur, are you listening to me," Gwen said sternly. It took Arthur a moment to turn and face her. She stood before him dressed in a simply lavender dress. Her long dark wavy hair hung loosely down her back. Gone was the feverish glow that had clung to her and replaced by the face he'd grown accustomed.

An impulse drove him to cup her face with his hands and kiss her deeply. At first, surprise, Gwen relented under his touch and his lips. He felt her arms wrap themselves around him. He burdened his hands in the tangles of her hair to push the kiss deeper. He wanted to devour her. He'd miss the softness of her lips, the curve of her waist and fullness of her hips. It was she who pulled away breathless. He messed her so thoroughly he only wanted her more. When he reached for her, she easily stepped away.

"You will make me lose my senses," she complained playfully, straightening out her dress.

"I mean to," he said and caught her arm and pulled her toward him.

"Have you not come to get me?" She asked as he nestled he head her shoulder.

"What?" He murmured and placed kisses along her neck.

"Oh God Arthur, if you don't stop I will be undone," she pleaded as he pulled her back into another desperate kiss. He gave her very little choice but to yield to him and his touch.

The only thought running through Arthur's mind was how he hated the construction of woman's clothing. They were cumbersome and their own form of birth control. A man had to be patience to work his way through such clothing, under garments, laces and bodices. If a man made it through all of these obstacles, he was most likely too tired to do anything else. Gwen's moaning did spur him on, but what halted him were her words.

"Have you not come to get me?"

He stopped in mid grope, his hand working his way up her bare thigh when he finally took notice of where he was. The throne room was dark, lit only with a few candles. It was empty, devoid of sound. Though the idea of making love to his wife in the throne room seemed intriguing, he thought it was odd he'd seen or heard no one else. It was as if they were shut off from the rest of the world. Everything looked familiar; yet the colors seemed drained away and muted – unnatural.

"You're stopping?" A breathless Gwen questioned with some annoyance. A confused Arthur looked down at her. He'd had her on back, her dress hitched up around her waist and his hand in a very strategic place. He stared down into those liquid brown eyes and swollen lips and wanted to continue, but something was wrong.

"Sorry love," he said and rolled off her and sat up. A frustrated Gwen sat up, pushed down her skirt of her dress, and glared at her husband.

"You will be," she murmured as he helped her to her feet.

"Where are we?" Arthur asked, finally taking in his environment fully.

"I thought you might know. I've been wandering around for days, and it's all the same. I thought I was alone until I say you," she said.

"What do you remember last?" he asked.

Gwen looked thoughtfully.

"Not much. I vaguely remember there was a feast. I felt tired and unwell. I remember that. Gaius helped me to my room, and Merlin was there. He talked to me while I rested and then…" she turned away from him and stepped into the wide expanse of the great hall. The certainty in her face drained away.

"When I first got here, everything was bright and colorful. The day lingered, and the sunlight still held warmth. I walked around the castle and heard voices but could find no one. Now, even the voices have faded. The edges of things seemed blurred." Arthur caught the first hint of fear in her voice as she reached out to touch the corner of a high back chair. Slowly, she brought a hand to her trembling lips.

"Am I dead?" Her voice shook with fear. Immediately, Arthur was on her wrapping his arms around her bringing her close.

"No, never say that." Arthur said and felt her body tremble.

"You, Arthur….are you." Her fear now replaced by panic, and she pulled away from this to gaze upon his face.

Arthur shook his head violently.

"No!" he nearly yelled.

"Have you not come to get me?"

Her words played in his head again, then the words of Merlin.

"….you will bring her home."

Did Merlin know something? Or was this some twisted nightmare brought on by his fatigue and Gaius's sleeping potion? Yet Gwen felt real to him while the world around them felt liquid and thin. Arthur knew, whether it was a dream or not, the longer Gwen stayed the worst things might become.

"We must leave this place," he said firmly, unsure how this was possible.

"And go where?"

Arthur took her hand. It was cool to the touch. He pulled her into a hug to give her all the warmth that he could.

"Please don't leave me," he whispered to her. "I need you, Camelot needs you."

"Arthur," her voice trembled with fear. Arthur realized she'd been right about this place and though she was not dead, she was dying. Somehow, someone had sent him to this place. Nightmare or dream, he couldn't decide which. All he knew was there was hope and he had a chance to save her. At the moment he just needed to reassure her.

"You know the first time I knew I loved you?" he said gently.

He heard her soft sobs as she clung to him.

"When I was sick and dying and you spoke to me. You saw something in me I hadn't seen in myself. The man I was to become. The king I am. I teased you but I wanted to hear those words again and again coming from your lips. I believed those words because you said them – only you."

"I love you Arthur," she said.

"You love me despite my faults and boorish behavior," he teased but she could find no humor.

"I will die in this place," she confessed. He ignored her fears and continued.

"If you could see how the people love you. How they carry you within their hearts. It is because they finally see what I have always known. I think you will be Camelot's greatest queen." As he said the words, he felt her growing colder in his arms.

"Arthur," she whispered, her voice failing, her arms which embraced him were losing potency.

"No,…no," a desperate Arthur kissed her, not know what else to do. She responded slightly to his touch. As he continued, she drew strength and tightened her arms around him. Arthur finally understood there were no words that could bring her back. Only his touch, his loving embrace anchored her to this world.

In the demising light of the darken throne room Arthur Pendragon made love to Guinevere. He loved not in the ways a King may love a Queen but the ways in which a husband loved his wife, a man loves a woman. Each kiss was a breath for her, each loving embrace held her to him. His passion ignited her life. Like kindling, he set afire her passion for him. He caught her quickening breath, the heat the flowing along her limbs and the certainty she was here with him in this terrible place.

"Arthur!" she yelled, digging her fingers into his skin and holding on for dear life. She glowed like hot coals as sweat glisten off her mocha skin. She stared up at him, as if seeing him for the first time.

"You have the bluest eyes," she said as he finally allowed himself to let go. He fell into darkness.

Arthur!

A voice summoned him from his fitful dream. He opened his eyes to the sight of a Merlin. The buffoon was grinning like a satisfied cat.

"God help me, what do you want?" he said, his voice still heavy with sleep.

"She's awake and asking for you," Merlin said still grinning.

"What…."Then it struck him – Gwen. Arthur nearly jumped out of bed, pushing Merlin aside and running passed a smiling Leon. He nearly ran into a guard.

"Try not to kill yourself before you see her," Gwaine said has Arthur dashed by him.

He found her sitting up in bed taking soup from Gaius. He came to her side and kissed her.

"There will none of that for awhile milord," Gaius warned. "A very long while."

"He is full of instruction," a exhausted Gwen said smiling to her husband.

"I thought I lost you," Arthur said and pressed himself close to her on the bed.

"Never," she said and rested her head on his shoulder.

Gaius left them there and closed the door behind him.

Several weeks later, Arthur remembered only bits and pieces of the dream he had with Gwen. He wanted to believe it was brought about by his fatigue and Gaius's potion. Yet it felt real. He liked to think he brought her back. However, Merlin would only say that was his ego talking. Gwen remembered nothing of course and maybe that was best. The thing which intrigued him most was Merlin, who continued to wear a knowing smile that was being to irritate the hell out of him.

"So you got your wife pregnant," the servant boasted as if he'd done the handiwork himself. He was helping Arthur slip on a jacket. Arthur turned to him and gave him a rueful look.

"You know how that happens, don't you Merlin. When a man and a woman get together?" he said sarcastically. Merlin's smug smile vanished.

"Of course I do," he said and his smile returned. "I'm just curious as to when."

When?

The question floated in Arthur's mind as well but he realized he didn't care.