King Henry

Chapter 29 - Arthur's True Colors Revealed

"Will you choose me? Will you marry me?" Arthur asked, holding Eleanor's hands and looking into her eyes.

What he was saying made a lot of sense. Arthur could give her a simpler life that would be less stressful. She loved the idea of a quiet life in a house of her own, living with her family, tending a garden and having her very own library that she could share with her sisters. Living in the royal palace would probably never feel like her home. The courtiers and Henry's mother and Guinevere would undoubtedly always make her feel like an outsider that didn't belong there.

She knew a life with Henry wouldn't be easy. Like he said, there were going to be people that wouldn't agree with a commoner becoming the Queen of England and her life or Henry's might be in danger because of it.

Despite all of that, as she stood there thinking about it, she couldn't imagine her life being happy without Henry by her side. None of those other things would even matter if she didn't have him, because she knew in her heart she would be miserable without him.

"I'm so sorry Arthur," she said, taking a deep breath in and letting it out. "After spending time with you this week and getting to know you, I think you're a great man. I really do."

Her eyes started to burn and she blinked back the tears as she gave Arthur a weak, sympathetic smile. She really hated having to break his heart.

Her smile faded away as she looked down at her hands, saying quietly, "But I'm in love with Henry. A life with him will undoubtedly be hard, but a life without him would be no life at all."

As she looked down, a tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away with a sniffle. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

There was silence and she finally lifted her head to see a pained, heartbroken look on Arthur's face and seeing that made her bottom lip start to tremble and she sniffled.

Arthur let go of her hands and stepped back away from her, straightening up his suit jacket and taking a deep breath in and then letting it out before walking towards the door.

"Arthur, I consider you a very good friend. Say something. Please," she begged him.

He held the door handle and looked back at her for a few seconds, looking like he was about to say something, but instead he just hung his head and walked through the door in silence.

Eleanor followed after him and Henry was out in the hallway waiting.

Arthur stopped in front of him and patted his shoulder, "It looks like you've won yet again old friend."

Henry looked at Eleanor and their eyes locked on.

"Don't worry," Arthur told him. "I'll follow through on my promise to change my vote to a yay, but after that, you and I are finished. I will never consider you my brother again."

As Arthur walked away, Henry called after him. "Arthur! You know me! You know I didn't mean for any of this to happen!" but he just kept walking.

Henry looked back at Eleanor and she could see the pain and guilt written on his face. She stepped forward and gave him a hug, laying her head against his chest and rubbing on his back to comfort him.

"I'm sure he'll come around eventually," she told him, lifting her head and looking up into his hazel eyes.

He looked down into her eyes and studied them for a second before running a finger across her forehead and tucking some loose hairs behind her ear.

"I hope so. I was really relieved that you chose me by the way. Arthur tried to say the only reason you would choose me is because I'm the King."

She scoffed and shook her head with a laugh. "No, that actually couldn't be further from the truth. I chose you in SPITE of you being the King, not because of it. I honestly don't prefer all that attention being on me and living in a huge, stuffy castle with all of these rules of etiquette and courtiers that gossip and spread lies about me. And living with your mother and sister that hate me just because I'm a commoner is less than ideal. It's a lot to take on, but I love you so much that I'm willing to endure all of that if it means I get to be with you."