Author's Note: Sorry this took so long, I have had a lot going on.

The sun was setting on Camelot on a warm summer evening, Percival and Elizabeth were alone on the training field. They had made it a regular event when he wasn't out on patrol or hunting with Arthur. She was talented, and perfectly capable of fighting with the best of King Arthur's knights. Elizabeth had spent the day being a lady, making small talk with some visiting nobles and doing needle point by the fire while the men did their thing. She had done it for Gwen, who hated it as much as she did. After dinner Elizabeth had managed to slip out under the guise that she was needed by Gaius. Thankfully she had run across Leon in a passageway who said that Percival was in the armory. That is where she had found him. It had been his suggestion to go out to the training field for a bit of training, he knew how much she enjoyed it especially after having had to spend the say playing a lady. So there they were exchanging quick blows with a pair of training swords.

"Percival, what is wrong?" asked Elizabeth knowing that something was wrong because he was playing too nice even if he was three times her size.

"Nothing." He replied making a point to put a bit more force into it.

"If you are tired just tell me, we don't have to do this." She said continuing to exchange blows with him.

"Elizabeth, will you be my wife."

There he had said it.

Elizabeth dropped her sword arm, she was now at a loss for words. She had figured after losing her husband and her child she would never want to do it all over again for fear of losing it all over again but she had grown so close to Percival she would actually consider it.

Percival dropped his own sword arm waiting for an answer. He could see that she was thinking, he was hoping that it wasn't one of Gwaine's classic retorts that she occasionally slipped in. As he waited he grew concerned that she wasn't going to say yes.

"Will I have to give this up?" she asked lifting her sword arm.

"No, never." Replying to her question, why couldn't she just answer a question without asking another one. He would never make her give up sword fighting, she was good at it and she enjoyed it.

"Then yes."

Percival was shocked, she had actually said yes.

"Yes, Sir Percival," said Elizabeth worried he hadn't heard her. "I will be your wife."

This pulled him from his trance; he quickly pulled her into an embrace once again whisking her off her feet. His height and size often led to her being swept off her feet, she didn't care it made her feel like a child.

Elizabeth stood looking at her engagement gift, it hung over the screen in the small home. The smile on her face was bright and wide. The gift was amazingly touching, it made all the sense in the world. Any other woman would have found the gesture odd or rude but not Elizabeth. She was lost in thought thinking about how lucky she was.

"He got you chain mail as an engagement gift?" said Gwaine noticing it as he walked in the room.

"Yes," replied Elizabeth trying to restrain her laughter.

"I don't think Arthur is going to let you show up the young knights."

"Actually, Leon asked for a friendly challenge tomorrow once the king's guests leave."

Gwaine just looked at her.

"What? Percival has already had a go, and Elyan has been working with Gwen." She paused. "What you want a turn to?"

"Yes, but on one condition." He replied.

"Which is?" she knew Gwaine well enough to know to be worried.

"There are no witnesses." He replied.

"Ah, you don't want your friends seeing your sister kick your butt."

"I don't want them to see me treating you as a knight rather than a lady."

"So Leon is being a gentleman by challenging me."

"No," replied Gwaine sitting down at the table.

They ate their evening meal in peace at least until the warning bells started to ring. With that they both abandoned their meal and headed straight for the castle to find out what was wrong.

Arthur sat as his desk working or at least trying to, he was distracted. After yesterday evening he hadn't slept for his worry, but then nor had anyone else in Camelot after the events that had happened. A fire had broken out near the market, a large section of the town had burned to the ground, lives had been lost, and countless had been injured. There would have been even more damage if it were not for a sudden afternoon rainfall. Today was to have been a day of celebration for one of his knights, who was among those injured and one of his friends, she was tending to them, but it would have to wait. He cared deeply for many of the people that were now in Gaius's care.

There was a knocked at the door of his chambers.

"Come" he said loudly.

"Sire, Gaius requests your presence." Said a young squire out of breath from running.

"Thank you." Said the King.

Arthur reached for his coat that hung over the end of the bed, it still smelled of smoke from the day before, he surveyed the room which was a mess but then Merlin had been helping with the injured. Arthur didn't really care, Merlin was needed more there anyway his needs could wait. He could put up with the mess knowing that he was doing something far more important and contrary to popular belief he could dress himself.

The large room was filled with people all speaking in hushed tones, servants scurrying about, loved ones at the bedsides, Gaius quietly working away, Gwen at her brother's bedside. He scanned the room as he went to find Gaius. The mood of the room was an anxious one, the room smelled of alcohol and blood.

"Ah, Sire." Said Gaius seeing the sovereign. "May we speak."

"Yes," replied.

"Not here." He paused. "Follow me."

Arthur did as he was told and followed the old man out a door towards the back of the large room.

"Sire, I must give you some bad news. Sir Bathis and Sir Xaviar did not make it through the night."

Arthur didn't know what to say, he wanted more but he didn't know how to do it delicately.

"And the others?"

"Sir Elyan will be fine, he just inhaled a good deal of smoke, his burns are minor. He will be back in good order shortly. "

That still left three knights he didn't know about, three of his most loyal and trusted.

"Lady Elizabeth and Merlin are tending to the others," he paused outside a door in the knights hallway of the castle. "I am sorry but we can't go in, we aren't clean."

Gaius knocked gently and then opened the door. In the dark, room three beds lay close together, Leon, Gwaine and Percival. They did not look good. Elizabeth sat in a chair and appeared to be napping, while Merlin lay on the floor.

"Sir Leon and Sir Percival both have serious burns to their arms and face, to a less extent on their legs." Said Gaius. "Given infection is avoided they will recover in time Sire."

That explained the extensive bandages.

"Gwaine?" Arthur was almost scared to ask.

"Well, both his legs are broken, several ribs and his left arm in addition to the burns to his arms, legs, chest and face."

Arthur couldn't believe what he had just heard, those we the injuries of a dead man. His chances of survival were slim at best. Gwaine had come through impossible battle with only bump and bruises and to see a fire bring the man to the edge of death seemed cruel.

Leon started coughing deep and harsh, Elizabeth and Merlin woke with a start and were as his bedside in moments. They pulled him into a sitting position, Merlin held him while Elizabeth got a cup of water for him when it had passed. Merlin's eyes met Arthur's; no words had to be said he learned everything he needed to from the look on his face.

"Sire" said Leon in a deep dry raspy voice.

Elizabeth turned to see who he was speaking to.

"King Arthur, Gaius." She said with a small smile although she looked exhausted.

"I'm sorry they cannot come it, they are not clean enough." Said Elizabeth to Leon.

Leon did not object, Merlin helped him lay down again.

"I am sorry I did not bring you breakfast this morning." Said Merlin as he moved to tend to Percival.

"Your needed here Merlin, I can find my own food for a few days."

Several weeks had passed since the fire, Merlin served the King his dinner, Gwen was off visiting Longstead, something about getting out Camelot for a few days. Elyan had gone with her, along with a contingent of knights. Arthur didn't blame her he had been in a dreadful mood for the last two weeks. Merlin had even gotten the message and left him to his own thoughts but today Merlin seemed to be a little brighter today, his smile not so forced. He had been helping Lady Elizabeth with the care of his knights.

"Lady Elizabeth is going to let Percival and Leon out of her prison tomorrow." said Merlin.

"And Gwaine?" asked Arthur.

"No better, but no worse." Replied Merlin softly.

Gwaine was just too stubborn and strong willed for his own good, Arthur had been allowed to see Gwaine a few days before, all of those that he was closest to were, Elizabeth was scared that he wasn't going to make it through the night and she wanted them to have a chance to say goodbye. His burns were slow to heal, and he had come down with a lung infection some days before. It had been hard to see Elizabeth, she had lost so much already, they all had. He had awoken during his visit but he was delusional with a high fever.

Leon and Percival sat watching their fellow knights train, it would be several more weeks before they would be allowed to begin training again. They were just happy to be out of the castle, seeing the sun, and not being fussed over by Elizabeth. She had taken excellent care of them and they greatly appreciated what she had done.

"I need a favor," asked Percival after some hours of watching in silence.

"And what is the nature of this favor?" replied Leon.

"You aren't going to like it."

"Just tell me."

"Would you sit with Gwaine for a few hours this afternoon? I need to get Elizabeth away from that room, I don't think she has left more than a few minutes since the fire. I am worried about her."

"Make sure she eats something, I can't remember the last time I saw her eat."

"I just want to see her smile again."

"And take her for a walk, she has grown rather pale."

Elizabeth was in Gwaine's chambers, she had moved him there several days before. She kept vigil at his bedside. The fire was roaring, while Elizabeth sat knitting a wool scarf.

"Elizabeth," said Percival. "Can we speak?"

She looked at Percival when he came into the room before return her look to Gwaine and then back to Percival.

"Leon will sit with him, we are only going to my chambers so he can yell for you if he needs you."

Elizabeth relinquished her chair to Leon and went to Percival. He wrapped his sore arms around her shoulders desperate to feel her against him again. He didn't have the strength to pull her up into his arms as he so often did. She walked quietly to his chambers which were only a short distance away. He closed the door once they were inside. There was food laid out on the table, he hoped she would eat. She had grown thin again. He sat down in his chair as he had grown tired although he had done little other than walk about the castle.

"Come here." He said, inviting Elizabeth to come to him.

She went to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, resting her head in the crook of his neck. Slowly and gently he pulled her up on to his lap. He just sat holding her for a short while, he knew how lucky he was to still be alive and to still have her. He savored his first private moments with his wife to be in nearly six weeks.

"Elizabeth, I love you." Said Percival.

Elizabeth looked up and looked deep into his eyes before going in for a kiss, not a short chased kiss that they had shared in front of Gwaine and Leon, but a slow deep passionate one. When they were finished they shared a meal in peace, Elizabeth never leaving his lap. Percival shared what he and Leon had done that morning, and news from the knights. They didn't talk about Gwaine, although they both knew it was the one thing they needed to.

That was until they returned to Gwaine's room, Elizabeth retook her place and her brother's bedside. Leon left them to be.

"Elizabeth, how is he?" asked Percival staying at her side.

She had only told them that he was hanging in there.

"I wonder if I should have let him pass with his knight's honor intact, allowed him to die a hero and not the shell of the man he is today, may be forever."

He placed a hand on her shoulder, he didn't know how to respond to that statement. He knew that it came from her heart, he would never want to spend the rest of his life living as a burden to someone else. Percival was well aware that Gwaine would be very lucky to return to his life as a knight.

"Does he wake?"

"Yes, just not for long, he is very weak." Replied Elizabeth. "If you stay he normally wakes about sunset, he would be happy to see you."

"I will be back in a moment." He said placing a kiss on her nose.

He returned with a chair, and sat down next to Elizabeth to wait. Shortly after the sun dropped below the horizon, Gwaine did indeed stir.

"Hey, there." She said moving to the edge of the bed. "Percival is here with me."

Percival moved to the other side of the bed, and saw a weak smiled develop on Gwaine's face. Gwaine's eyes eventually make their way over to Percival.

"Thank you." Said Gwaine.

"How about I go get Leon?" said Percival.

Gwaine nodded slightly. Elizabeth agreed with a soft nod of her own, they needed to see him as much he needed to see them. She fed him some cheese, bread and wine.

"Are you still in pain?" she asked.

He nodded weakly.

"Do you want something for it?"

"No, I want to see the knights."

This got a smile from Elizabeth. She was soon joined by Percival, Merlin, Leon, and Arthur, the last two in their bed cloths. They stood around Gwaine's bed watching him.

"Percival, give me a hand." Said Elizabeth grabbing a couple of spare pillows from the nearby.

Percival helped Gwaine to sit up so Elizabeth could wedge him up on some pillows.

"Sire," said Gwaine finally.

"I think it's fair to say that you, Gwaine, are the most stubborn man." Said Arthur.

Gwaine smiled at the friends that now surrounded his bed. Each took a turn to say a few words to him before departing. He quickly fell asleep again.

Over the next few days Gwaine grew stronger, and was allowed more regular visitors. Some of those would stay so that Elizabeth could tend to other matters. She slowly returned to her duties as Gwen's lady in waiting.