Disclaimer I don't own Merlin.

Arwen!

Set after the events of Queen of Hearts. What would have happened to Arthur and Gwen's lives if Arthur and Gwen ran away from Camelot? Set 15 years after the episode.

Ealdor

Arthur could not believe where his life had taken him. For only the briefest second he wondered why he was working in a field in Ealdor. But then a semi dark skinned face appeared in his memory. With big brown eyes and long curly brown hair, and a smile that melted Arthurs heart. Guinevere. The thought made him smile widely.

"Arthur what are you thinking about?" Came the voice from the short haired blond man that stood next to him.

"Lewis, I'm just… just thinking about my wife." Arthur replied dreamingly.

The dark green eyes of Lewis rolled heavily in his head "Oh go on then! We're almost done harvesting the wheat. I think I can manage the rest myself." Arthur was so happy he leaped up in the air gave Lewis a big hug and thanked him like crazy as he ran back to his little cottage at the edge of the town.

The small house was no bigger than his courters in Camelot, yet oddly it didn't bother him. Arthur knew his home was wherever Gwen was, and if that meant working in the fields, he was going to do it, no matter how much he hated it.

Arthur burst through the doors, and was instantly greeted by a small set of hands that wrapped their way around his waist.

"What are you doing home so soon Daddy?" Came the soft voice of a little 5 year old boy with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes.

Arthur Quickly scooped up his 5 year old son and hugged him close. Lewis let me off early. How was your day Gwaine? And where is mommy?"

The boy's smile faded leaning in to whisper lightly to his Father "I don't think Mommy is in the mood to talk to anyone."

Arthur's heart began to quicken thinking 'what have I done now?' "Why? Did something happen?"

"Well… Miss Lillian came over and said somethin' that made mommy really angry. Somethin' 'bout Elyan getting' in the tavern, I think."

Arthur took a deep breath, and chuckled to himself while walked to the living room, sometimes he wondered if Gwen and him had given the name 'Gwaine' to the wrong son.

"Oh no, Mommy won't b-" But Arthur was cut off when the door flung angrily open, and a very wild looking Gwen walked into the house with their eldest son's shirt collar in one hand and a 2 year old boy bouncing happily on her hip.

"Eylan! This is the second time you have been caught in that tavern! Two days ago you let out Mr. Willows cattle free, and last week you almost cut off your brother's hand with your Father's sword. What am I going to do with?"

Arthur and little Gwaine both fought hard not to laugh at the scene before them. Where Gwaine looked the most like himself with brown hair, Elyan was the most like him. Always getting in trouble, and never being able to sit still for more than a few seconds.

"Mother, I told you it was an accident last week. Gwaine said that he saw a monster under the bed so I had to protect him. And Father's sword was the only weapon I could find. And Mr. Willow's pigs looked sad cooped up in that small pin so I let them go." The 14 year old wined to mom, with pleading brown eyes. "

"I have told you countless times to leave your Father's sword alone. And today, what was your excuse for being in the tavern?" Gwen finally released her son, who could not have been any happier to be free.

Elyan was trying his best to come up with a good excuse, but was failing. Silently he prayed for a distraction. Just then Arthur accidently let out a small laugh at the sight of his son trying to lie to his mother.

Both Gwen, the toddler and Elyan's heads snapped up to see the two sitting on a small chair in the corner of the room laughing.

"DADA!" Yelled the little baby with his arms outstretched for his Father. With Gwaine in one arm Arthur stood and quickly walked to take his youngest son from his wife.

"Hey little Tommy. Have you been having a fun day with Mommy?"

"I don't know how much fun he has been having. We have just been running around looking for this one." Gwen said dryly looking at Elyan who was smiling just like his father. Then Gwen turned her gaze towards her husband with a look saying 'Handle this.'

Arthur sighed and handed Tommy back to Gwen, and place Gwaine on the floor. Instantly the 5 year old ran to hug his mother.

"Elyan lets go for a walk." Arthur said giving Gwen a soft kiss on the lips whispering something in her ear. Elyan knew they were talking about him but he wasn't sure what about 'Probably my punishment' he thought. Gwen looked back at Arthur and nodded slowly.

Elyan stayed in place, his smile was no longer there, and instead his fear could be felt by all in the room. Slowly he followed in his Father's footsteps.

For the longest time Arthur said nothing, walking out of the little town, and into the shallow forest. For what seemed like forever. Elyan was relieved, and terrified when his father sat down on a fallen tree overlooking there home.

"Sit Elyan." He said not looking at his son, but rather in front of him.

Elyan sat down, and mimicked the way Arthur was sitting. He leaned forward and let his elbows rest on his knees and looked towards the spot he was looking.

Elyan then realized he wasn't looking at the small town but rather into the distance. Far far away.

"Why do you keep making trouble son?" The blond man asked finally shifting his intense gaze to his child.

Elyan's little head hung low "I…I don't know…"

"Yes you do. Now tell me." Arthur lifted his sons face by his chin, and looked at him with light eyes.

"I just feel so left out here. Oliver and James were sneaking into the tavern and they asked me if I wanted to join them. And Father, nobody has ever asked me to play with them!"

Arthur remained silent listening to every word. The people of Ealdor had been so welcoming to Arthur and Gwen. When Merlin suggested they runaway and live there, Arthur was skeptical. He didn't want people knowing who he was. But then when they arrived nobody remembered him, it was like somebody magically erased him from their memory, except for Hunith oddly enough.

Arthur smiled a little thinking about how close the older woman was to his children, like a grandmother figure.

"Dad?"

"Sorry, I was just thinking."

"About what?"

Arthur knew he had to tell his son. It didn't seem fair anymore to lie to him. Gwen had said it was ok to tell him… but how?

"My home."

"Ealdor?" Elyan was beginning to think his father was going mad, but he tried to keep that out of his voice.

Arthur softly laughed, and looked back at his son. "Camelot."

Elyan's eyes became wide. He had only ever heard stories of the kingdom of Camelot under the rule of King Uther Pendragon. 'Ha what a funny surname.' Elyan thought, happy his was Leodegrance. "You grew up in Camelot?"

Arthur smiled at the shock on his son's face. "Yes. Does that surprise you?"

"Well…Kind of… I mean it is so far away, why did you move here?"

"I wanted to marry your mother." Arthur was trying to read his son's expression, but all he could tell was his son was absorbing the information like a sponge.

"Why couldn't you marry mother in Camelot?"

Arthur thought hard about how to explain it to his son, he knew he would have to start at the beginning. "My Father thought your Mother has enchanted me. He thought a person of my standing could never love a person of Gwen's."

"Was Mom a noblewoman back in Camelot?" Elyan thought he had it pegged.

Arthur frowned "Why would you think your Mother was the noble?"

Elyan knew he had just insulted his Father, but he was a horrible liar "Well… Mother just looks like a noble… I mean Mom is the prettiest woman in Ealdor, she is gentle, kind, makes me food whenever I ask, and… I don't know… She just looks like one, where as you… you don't."

Arthur knew his son was right about Gwen, but it still stung a little how his son didn't even think he could be noble…well he was going to be in for a whopper if that was a surprise. "Your mother was a commoner. And I was…umm Higher up."

"Hmmm… Are you sure mom wasn't the Noble?"

"I'm quite sure." Arthur laughed at his son.

"Wow. So why did you have to leave?"

Arthur took in a deep breath and began "Have you heard the stories of the lost Prince of Camelot?"

"Yeah, Grandma Hunith tells me that story all the time."

"Well, let me give you my account."

Elyan shifted so he was sitting fully on the fallen tree with his feet up looking intently at his father.

"The Prince Ran away for love. King Uther, you see, found out that his son was in love with a mere handmaiden, the most beautiful, kind hearted and loyal person in all of Camelot. But it didn't matter; his Father needed him to marry for the good of the kingdom. But the Prince refused…" Arthur paused remembering the horrors of the day his own Father sentenced his love to death. "Uther determined the only explanation as to why his son would fall in love with a servant would because she was an enchantress. Which was untrue. But none the less he sentenced her to death. But the Prince wouldn't let that happen, so he broke out from his confided room, and broke her out of the cell. They ran away then; never looking back.

"He must have really loved her." Elyan said finally speaking.

Arthur laughed dryly "More than anything in the world."

"Father why are you telling me this story?"

"It is not a story it is true. I was there."

"But how do you know it is true?"

"Because the Prince is-"Arthur was cut off by the sound of loud horns in the distance. His eyes burned with fury, and fear as red flags with yellow dragons emerged from the forest clearing.

Arthur jumped to his feet, and grabbed his son's hand, taking off into a dead sprint for their cottage. Everybody in the town was slowly exiting their houses to see what the sound was, as Arthur and Elyan ran by.

Arthur opened the door and pushed his son inside.

Gwen ran to the door "Arthur what is the matter-"

"Their here." He said grabbing onto her shoulders

"What are we going to do?" Gwen knew this day would come, but after so long she had started to believe it never would.

"You have to hide. If my Father is with them, and he sees you… I don't know what he will do." Tears were flowing down Arthur's cheeks. But Gwen whipped them away, and smiled sadly letting her own tears slowly fall.

"We knew this was going to happen sometime." Gwen threw her arms around Arthur and hugged him tight, "We'll wait for you here."

"Mom. Dad. What is going on?" Elyan had a crying Tommy in his arms, and a scared Gwaine holding on to his waist.

"I thought you were going to tell him?"

"I was almost there, but we got interrupt-" A loud knock came from the front door.

"OPEN UP!" Yelled a strong, yet familiar voice.

"Go!' Arthur whispered.

Gwen gathered her children and brought them to the back door.

"Mom what is going on?" Elyan's brown eyes were now red.

"I'm so sorry honey but I promise you I will explain everything, we just have to get out of here.

Gwen looked back to see Arthur looking with a worried, and longing expression on his face.

"I love you." Gwen whispered.

"I Love you more." Arthur replied.

Gwen and the three young children hid behind the house. Listening through the window.

The pounding continued "OPEN UP THIS DOOR!" Yelled the same man.

And Arthur did what he was told and came face to face with an angry looking Leon.

"Arthur!" He yelled grabbing his old friend into a tight hug, before realizing what he was doing. " I mean Prince Arthur."

Suddenly a ruckus started in the crowd of people that looked on. "Out of my way!" Came an angry voice making his way through.

Uther's sad face lit up when he gazed upon his missing son. "ARTHUR!"

"Hello Father." He said grimly.

I hope you all like it so far! Please REIVEW!:)