Thank you for your continued support. This is the last chapter for this story.

Standard disclaimer.

Gwen entered the room and dipped her knees in a curtsy.

"Your Majesty," she murmured, uncertain, whether she was supposed to speak first, or wait.

"Please be seated, Miss James," the queen said, waving to the chair opposite her. She nodded to the server to pour some tea.

"In the short time you've been here, you've made quite a dramatic impact on my son and grandson. Both sing your praises."

A small smile blossomed on Gwen's face and her heart warmed, at the thought of Arthur and Andrew.

"Prince Andrew has been a pleasure to work with. He's been an excellent student and he will be a terrific man," she said, knowing the warm spot in her heart, for the little prince, would never turn cold.

"Do you love my grandson?" the queen asked bluntly.

"How could anyone not love Drew?" Gwen answered with a shrug. "He's smart and funny and curious. He's tough, but he's got a great heart."

"You don't treat him like a prince," the queen observed.

"That's right. He's already got a gazillion people doing that, so I just try to treat him like a human being. I think everyone should have, at least, one person who loves them and treats them like a human being, don't you?"

The queen sipped her tea and appeared to consider her words.

There was a freshness about this woman, and it appealed to her...in a good way.

"But what of preparing him to rule?" Gwen took a sip of her tea and set it down, as carefully as she could.

"It depends on what kind of preparation you mean. There are others who can teach him protocol and Prince Arthur will make sure he fulfills tradition, at the same time he learns character. Drew is really fortunate, to have Prince Arthur as a father. And I believe, the prince will make sure he gets what he need."

The Queen was surprisingly impressed.

She mulled over Gwen's words, noting the warmth in her eyes, as she spoke of her son and grandson.

She didn't miss the pet name Gwen had for Andrew either and although it was frowned upon, to shorten a royal's name, the queen appreciated that, Gwen was different, in a good way.

And it could be said, it was a term of endearment.

"But what of your contribution to Andrew?" the queen continued. Gwen shrugged.

"I helped him learn to read and let him see that learning can be fun. I'd like to think, I helped him find some of his power. You see, I'm much more interested in building character, than making a prince. Between you and Prince Arthur, Drew has some pretty big shoes to fill. He will need to be a good human being, if he is to be an effective ruler."

The queen warmed to her a little and smiled internally.

"And Prince Arthur, how do you view his destiny, as ruler of Wales?"

Gwen found the queen's question odd, but the woman's attitude compelled her to answer.

"It's a tough, lonely job, with long hours. He's an incredibly intelligent man, who is passionate about his vision. Wales is lucky."

She wanted to say, Can I go now?, but she bit her tongue.

"What I wish to know, Miss James, is why you think, you would be the best woman, to be the wife of Prince Arthur?"

Gwen blinked and felt a bit light-headed.

Surely she couldn't have heard correctly.

"I'm sorry. Could you repeat the question?"

The queen patiently repeated her question, word for word.

Gwen shook her head.

"I haven't thought that. I would be a terrible wife for Ar...Prince Arthur," she started. "I don't know any of the protocol, and if I did, I'd probably forget it. I argue with him...I wouldn't mind having two or three children, but I'm not interested in having six. With all due respect, I am much more interested in his happiness, than I am interested in the fact, that he's a prince. I'm interested in him as a man," she said, having trouble avoiding saying, that she loved him. "Plus I would be a rotten princess. I don't know how to curtsy correctly..."

"I have observed," the queen said in a dry voice. "But that can be learned. Thank you for coming. You may be excused."

Gwen blinked at the abruptness.

"Oh...well, it was nice meeting you again, Your Majesty," she said, standing and giving another slight bob.

The queen nodded, with an amused smile on her face.

Gwen walked to the door.

"Goodbye," she said, and reached for the door handle.

"Good day, Madam James," the queen replied, lifting her mug to the Gwen's departing figure, in a silent toast.

'Not what I'd normally go for...but...she'll do just fine for Arthur...he'll have his work cut out for him, with that one, though.'

Gwen stepped through the door and closed it behind her.

'This is one weird family,' she thought, as she briskly moved away from the door.

She rounded the corner and spotted Arthur leaning against the wall.

He looked at her expectantly.

"How did it go?" he asked.

"With all due respect," Gwen said. "Your mother is weird. She didn't really thank me for working with Drew. She just asked me a lot of odd questions."

She tried to shake off the strange conversation.

"I think I'm going to the beach for a little while," she concluded.

"I'll go with you," he said. "The car is waiting."

Gwen searched his gaze.

"First of all, how did you know I was serious earlier, when I spoke about going to the beach? And second, are you sure you have the time?"

"Well, you always speak your mind, so I tend to believe you and yes, of course, I do," he said, as if he was a man of leisure.

Although Gwen knew he wasn't.

The black limo glided through Wales' streets, to a gated area, that led to a private beach.

"For security reasons, my family always use a private beach, on this side of the island."

Extending his hand to her, he guided her through a treed area, to the deserted afternoon beach.

Gwen inhaled the scent of salt and sea air, smiling widely.

"This truly is a beautiful place," she said, thinking she would miss it, for far more than its beauty.

It was difficult to believe, she'd arrived in Wales almost eight weeks ago.

She gazed at Arthur, memorizing his profile, with the wind ruffling his blonde hair.

He appeared deep in thought, yet peaceful.

She wanted to seal this moment and every moment she'd shared with him, forever in her mind.

The sand was packed down from the recent rain, so Gwen kept her shoes on.

"I'd like to take back a couple of shells," she told him, and walked to the edge of the water.

As she knelt to pick up the three shells she spotted, she felt Arthur's hands on her shoulders.

"There's something I must discuss with you."

Gwen's stomach turned a flip, at the serious tone in his voice.

She glanced up at him, recalling how tall he was, compared to her.

And his solemn expression seemed ominous.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. He nodded.

"I have a problem and I need your help." She took his hand in hers, immediately.

"What is it?" she asked, unable to imagine him needing her advice, for anything other than prince Andrew's education.

He touched a wild strand of her hair, ever so gently.

"I'm preparing for an extremely high-level negotiation, and I find...I don't have much to offer the other party."

"Are you negotiating for a special service or alliance, some sort of trade agreement?"

"Yes," he said.

'"All three?" she asked, bemused. "Well, what do you want from the other party?"

"Everything. I want total commitment in loyalty and access."

"And you can't offer the same?"

"To a degree, but as you know, I was born with a prior commitment," he said with a wry grin.

Perplexed, Gwen shrugged.

"It doesn't sound like a very equitable agreement."

"It won't always be," he agreed, and then, "I could provide a monetary exchange."

"That might help," she said.

"But the other party isn't interested in money..." he paused, and his gaze was so compelling, Gwen couldn't have looked away from him, if her life depended on it.

"...not interested in diamonds...or titles, either."

Gwen's heart pounded in her chest, as her mind slowly begun, to put two and two together, but she couldn't begin to speak.

"I could promise you jewels and wealth," he told her. "I could promise that people would bow to you, but none of that would win you. I can't promise that you'll be my top priority, every minute of every day...as you've rightfully said, I have a job with terrible hours."

He ran a hand through his hair and swore.

And Gwen remained speechless, her feet rooted to the spot.

"I've never wanted a woman more in my life, and I'm totally botching this. Do you know that, you are the only woman who has ever made me sweat?"

Gwen's head was spinning, but his last question got through.

"I am?" she asked, biting her lip. "Little Guinevere James makes the mighty Prince Arthur sweat?" she ventured, incredulous.

Arthur looked more tensed, than a fully stretched bow.

Although her own chest was tight with emotion and her mind was filled with confusion, she took back his hand.

"Maybe, it would be better, if you didn't treat this like a negotiation. Maybe, it would be better, if you just said what you felt. Because, it sounds like the most interesting thing you're offering, is yourself."

"I love you," he said, his eyes locked onto hers.

Gwen steadied her suddenly liquid knees, just as her heart started to palpitate.

"You've been a haven I didn't know I needed. I want to be the same for you. I have many people who are paid to protect me. You would protect me without compensation. I can promise the same for you. You've given my son new life. You fill me up when I feel used up."

He closed his blue eyes in concentration, as if the words were difficult to find.

"You're the only woman I want to know and who I want to know me. Please be my wife."

Gwen grew light-headed.

Tears filled her eyes, and she covered them with her hand.

A sob bubbled up in her throat and she couldn't contain it.

She hadn't dared to dream, Arthur would ask such a thing.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, concern written all over his handsome features. She shook her head helplessly.

"I...I..." She sobbed again. "I didn't know you felt that way about me. I want to be that woman for you," she sniffed. "This is going to sound crazy. I want to take care of you, but you need a wife who is different to me."

Arthur gently shook her shoulders.

"Don't you understand? No other woman has even thought, she wanted to take care of me. You are more rare, than the finest precious stone. There's no other woman who can help me, be the best man I can be...the best ruler I can be."

Gwen felt another storm of emotion, rage inside her.

She wiped at her cheeks and sniffed.

"Oh, God, but I would be such a lousy royal."

"You wouldn't be the traditional royal wife. That's not necessarily bad. We can work that out."

She shook her head, full of doubt, still afraid to hope.

"I don't know, Arthur. If this were just about you and me, the answer would be easy."

"Marriage is rarely just about two people. More is involved. Our life together will be a challenge, but you're worth it to me. You must decide if I'm worth it to you."

That night, Arthur's family was apparently holding a meeting.

Gwen had no idea why.

She had her own life crisis, staring her in the face.

Unable to sleep, she stole outside to the courtyard and drank in the peaceful darkness.

Moments later Arthur joined her, still dressed.

She gave a questioning glance at his attire.

"Late family meeting?" she asked. He nodded.

"We received some pretty amazing news. A letter with postmarks from about fifteen countries, arrived for my mother today. It was forwarded from several places. It had to be over fifteen years old."

"Wow. Do you know where it originated?"

He shook his head and stuck a fist in his pocket, his face full of turmoil.

"There are more unanswered questions, than answered ones. There was a lock of hair and a button enclosed with the letter. The person who wrote the letter, said my brother did not drown, when he was three."

She gaped at him.

"What?"

"His body was never found. There's no signature on the letter. Whoever wrote it, said he'd survived falling overboard, during the storm, and he was picked up by a fisherman...a childless fisherman."

Amazement warred with doubt and hope on Arthur's face.

"Do you think he could still be alive?" she asked.

"We don't know, but we have reason to hope. The hair has already gone to a special lab. My mother remembers the button from his coat."

"How is she...your mother?"

"She fainted," he said in disbelief. "I've never known her to faint. If my brother is indeed alive, we must find him."

Arthur appeared, to want to go in search of him, right that minute.

"But not tonight," she said, skimming her hand over his arm. He met her gaze and took a deep breath, then nodded.

"Not tonight." Gwen smiled.

"You've had a full day. Engineered the public relations miracle, of turning me into a heroine," she began.

His eyes glinted with pleasure.

"You read the article."

"You wrote it," she said.

"Not technically. I just provided a little guidance and a few leads."

"Uh-huh," she said, at the understatement. "You also bulldozed your mother into approving me, proposed marriage and found out your dead brother, may be alive."

His gaze asked the question, but he restrained himself from speaking it.

She could spend a lifetime, seducing this man past his restraint.

"It occurred to me, we have never danced," he said.

He glanced around the courtyard, then pulled her into his arms.

Gwen could feel his heart beating against her cheek.

She again, heard his unvoiced question and closed her eyes.

Her heart was full and achy, with the prospect of the decision she was about to make.

"It also occurred to me, that I've never been on a picnic with you. Or a boat for that matter. I've also never made love with you in your office," she softly said.

Arthur pulled his head back and gazed down at her.

"You're making me sweat again."

A thrill went down her spine.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and the tinge of fear, that she was inadequate.

"I think I want to make you sweat for a long time," she whispered.

"How long?"

"Forever."

With that, she rose up on her toes and kissed him.

EPILOGUE

Six months later, on a bright sunny morning, the minister of the official church of Wales, pronounced Prince Arthur and Gwen, husband and wife, in front of five hundred of Arthur's closest friends and family, along with Gwen's loved ones.

This was the royal version of a small ceremony.

During the months of their engagement, Gwen's doubts had fallen, one by one, under Arthur's steady love and determination.

Surprisingly enough, Francis had become an advocate and friend, filling her in, on proper protocol...some of which she followed and some of which she did not and never would.

Arthur lowered his head and took her face in his hands.

"This is the happiest day of my life," he said, and kissed her.

With her husband's mouth on hers, she heard bells throughout the city, began to ring. All of Wales was pleased.

After an elaborate six-hour reception, Gwen and Arthur stole away, to his yacht and left Wales and Andrew, in the caring hands of the queen, who announced, she

was planning to officially hand over the throne, to Arthur soon.

Gwen stood in her husband's arms, on the deck of his yacht, as the sun began its slow descent.

She turned, sliding her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest.

He gave a rumble of approval and asked,

"Don't you want to watch the sunset?"

"I'd rather watch you," she said, looking up at him.

"How does it feel to be a princess?" he asked with a teasing light in his eyes.

"Oh, you're not going to start that already, are you?" He chuckled.

"But, Your Highness," he continued and she swatted him.

"Oh, shut up."

"Whatever pleases Her Highness," he said, and she groaned. She lifted her head and met his gaze, hers holding a challenge.

"You know, I've never made love to you on a yacht," she said. His eyes darkened.

"I can change that." She nodded, feeling the anticipation inside her, already begin to build.

"The queen told me, you would always belong to the people."

With the wind whipping through his hair, he was thoughtful for a long moment, then a glint of sexy mischief crossed his eyes.

"Parts of me will always belong exclusively to you."

"Oh, really," she said, unable to keep from smiling. She didn't think she'd stopped smiling all day. "Which parts would those be?"

He picked her up in his arms and carried her towards the bedroom.

"Let me show you."

His eyes were full of promises, she knew he would keep...they both would keep.

That's it for this story. Stay tuned for an update for Love and Happiness and a new story...very soon.

Stay safe, always.