A Match Made In Hell {Arthur}

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

"Why of course my sweet!" Arthur replied, "What shall we peruse? Perhaps the jewellery stall? In fact I insist i could buy you a gift!" He rolled his eyes, careful that no one but Lady Sophia could see and tried not to laugh.

The earlier thoughts of how much he detested the young girl had long since fallen from his mind. If anyone had asked him, he genuinely would have told them that he was rather enjoying the girls company but he still had no intention of marrying her. Nor did he see her in that way at all!

The ordeal with the magic was over, and although confused and a little bewildered, Arthur soon forgot about that too. He was delighted that pleasing his father was turning out to be so simple for once. Normally the suffering he had to endure to make sure the king was happy was unbearable, but he thought that if they could just keep enjoying themselves for a few more weeks, the threat of war might pass and the pair could go back to living their normal lives after a mutual break up perhaps?

As the pair walked amongst the many merchants, Arthur found himself quite enjoying Sophia's take on the different items they were selling. He wondered what she would choose to buy, clothes perhaps? Or maybe jewellery? He believed she was more fascinated with material goods than most girls he had courted, but perhaps now that they were here he might find his opinion was wrong.

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

“A gift! Oh, but you shouldn't!” she exclaimed melodramatically, looking up in mock adoration. Hopefully, the expression looked real enough from a distance to satisfy her father's spies, assuming there were any around. “Why, I must buy you one too … as a token of my undying love!” It was impossible to suppress her laughter after that ridiculous remark, so she made it look as if she were laughing at something he had told her.

Sophia wanted to tell him that it was her birthday, but he would probably think it was only part of the act. And she really didn't want him to know how old … or rather, how young … she was. It would be better if he thought she was older.

Wait a minute. Since when did I start caring about what he thinks of me?

She definitely didn't see him as a potential mate, but Sophia realized that she wanted to make a good impression on him. Arthur was quite likeable and fun to be around. Perhaps they could be friends as well as partners in deception? And she no longer intended to use him as a pack mule to carry her purchases back to the castle. In fact, she was enjoying herself so much, the thought of shopping paled in comparison.

Is it him, or do I just like the idea of deluding my father? Or is it a bit of both?

Sophia still wanted to see what the market had to offer. She had not yet become comfortable with her proximity to the townspeople; it was strange to walk around unguarded. Arthur's presence beside her was both pleasant and comforting; she felt safe while he was with her.

While touching him had only recently seemed odious in the extreme, taking his hand now felt completely natural. As they perused the stalls, the princess exclaimed in obvious delight over things she had never seen before. She fingered fine fabrics, tried on beautifully crafted jewelry, admired fanciful statues and fine pottery, and sniffed exotic spices … holding the small bowls that contained her favorites up to his nose so he could enjoy the aroma as well.

When two street performers passed them, juggling several balls and clubs between them, Sophia was so entranced by them that they stopped and put on a special show for the royal couple that left her clapping her hands in pleasure. As they passed another performer who was playing a tune she knew on his harp, she raised her voice in song, her sweet clear soprano drawing a rather large audience. This time it was them who clapped their hands for her.

As they resumed their stroll, the young princess felt eyes boring into her. Covertly looking in that direction, she saw the merchant at a jewelry stall quickly lower his gaze. He looked vaguely familiar, and she wondered if he was one of her father's spies. “Follow me,” she whispered to Arthur. “And please play along.”

Pulling him over to the stall, she examined the merchandise. The jewelry sold here was of extremely high quality and suitably expensive. Sophia's attention was caught by a pair of rings lying on a silken pillow. The larger one, made for a man, was fashioned of pure gold and engraved with decorative designs. The smaller woman's ring was identical, but studded with precious jewels.

Absolutely perfect.

“Oh, Arthur,” she gushed. “Look at these adorable rings. We must have them, so that even when we are apart, we will be reminded of each other. Don't you agree?”

She hoped he did. He didn't have to wear his after they were bought, as just the act of purchasing would probably be enough to convince the merchant that they were completely infatuated with each other.

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur didn't think he had ever looked at quite so many gifts in his life. But strangely he was rather enjoying it, and he certainly had never felt that way before.

The smell of spices was starting to get up his nose rather though, and while Sophia was distracted by a pair of street performers he welcomed a sneezing fit. Acrobats and jugglers were nothing special in Arthurs opinion, but to see Lady Sophia's large eyes light up as they did when she saw the coloured balls danced in the mans hands was well worth standing around for a few minutes.
Next Sophia dragged him along to a musician who was obviously playing a tune Sophia knew well. At first she simply hummed along quietly, and Arthur struggled to hear- although he could clearly make out that she had an ear for music. Suddenlyt hough, she burst into full song and even drew her own crowd. Arthur clapped loudest of all when she finished and gave her a quick squeeze, just for effect.

"That was incredible darling!" He cooed as Sophia muttered something under her breath and dragged him off again. What was she planning?

As they arrived at the stall, Arthur noticed the owner looked at the pair of them with increasing scrutiny. He guessed that this must be some sort of spy and made a mental note to point out to his father that Gore had men here. He was busy trying to memorize the mans face when he realised Sophia had been talking for some time, and snapping back to reality realised in horror what they were looking at.

Wedding rings.

Did she realise that was what they were? Or had he got it wrong? Either way his eyes widened in absolute horror as he suddenly panicked.
Had all this really been a facade for her?

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

Growing up in an extremely sheltered environment, Sophia was quite innocent in the ways of the world. Although her education had included foreign affairs and politics, it had not included social customs. As couples in Gore did not exchange wedding rings, she was completely ignorant of the rings' significance … and immensely shocked by Arthur's strange reaction to them.

Was something wrong with the rings? Did they mean something to him that she did not understand? Maybe they were magical? Was that why his face was so full of horror? Yet why would he be afraid of magic? His own kingdom approved of it. He had not seemed comfortable when the ball had nearly hit him, but he had not seemed frightened either. It had been she who had been afraid.

Now Sophia was both startled and anxious. She did not want to ruin the rapport between herself and the prince, but she was beginning to think that inadvertently, she had done something horribly inappropriate.

“Arthur, what's wrong?” she asked. Again, she felt a wave of dizziness and shook her head to clear it. At that moment, the table where the jewelry rested began to shake very subtly. So subtly, she did not notice it at first.

“We don't have to buy the rings. It was just a suggestion. We can ...”

Now the table was shaking enough that the princess did notice. The jewelry was rattling together and a few pieces fell off. But not the rings. Sophia stared in complete disbelief as the rings suddenly rose into the air. The merchant gasped and hid under the trembling table. Apparently, the man was not too bright. Maybe he was not her father's spy after all.

Without any warning, the rings burst into infinitesimal bits of gold and gem dust that settled onto everything within reach, causing whatever it touched to glitter softly. Some of it wafted over the princess' hair and clothes.

Sophia cried out and backed away, tripping over her own two feet and landing unceremoniously on her backside on the hard cobblestones in a rather undignified position.

At the very moment that her bum hit the ground, the table suddenly stopped shaking.

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur could hardly believe what he was hearing.
What was wrong?! He stared at her, eyes wide as she completely ignored the fact that they were wedding rings. Rings that would bind the pair of them together for life.
He was sure now, this was no joke.

He began to speak, to tell her that no matter how well their ruse had been going he had no feelings for her. And marriage? Well that just wasn't for him. But as the first few words left his lips he was interrupted by a low rumbling from behind him.

As he turned, he was blinded by a shower of dust that settled into his eyes and mouth, causing him to double over and retch. The stuff was itchy and sharp and he frantically rubbed his eyes trying to stop the pain and the loss of sight.

"Sophia?!" He called out in panic, reaching his hands out to try and find her in the sudden darkness but having no luck. He was worried, having already discovered she was not too fond of magic and he didn't want her to run away and get lost or hurt. She was still a foreign noble after all.

Stumbling forwards Arthur felt the air with his hands for some kind of marker to his location, but instead it was his feet that came across her. He tripped head first over the lump in the road that was the princess and came to a stop spread across her in the most unrefined manner.

And he was still blind.

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

Shocked, disoriented, and sprawled spreadeagled on the ground, Sophia was so busy blinking gold dust out of her eyes, that she barely noticed Arthur stumbling towards her. It was only when he called out her name that she saw him, his hands grasping for purchase in thin air. He looked as if he were wearing a golden mask and his eyes, though wide, were staring at nothing. Apparently, the explosion had hit him full in the face.

Had he been blinded by it?

By the time that thought left her brain, he had fallen fully on top of her. The breath whooshed out of her as her head hit the ground with a resounding thud that echoed loudly throughout her brain. The impact caused colorful little dots to bounce wildly in front of her eyes.

For a moment she just lay there, stunned. He was heavy, and Sophia was acutely aware of the way every angle of his body pressed against hers. What she was not aware of was the way they looked to others. If they had been commoners, someone would have probably told them to get a room, but one did not speak so to one's prince and his royal guest. Most people carefully averted their eyes and pretended they did not notice the awkward way the two were entwined together.

Even if she had known, she probably would not have cared, as her concern for the prince was foremost in her mind. As soon as her head stopped spinning, she wiggled herself free, taking deep breaths now that she was no longer rendered breathless by his weight. “Lie still, please,” she said, as she knelt by his side and gently rolled him over. “You might be injured.” She was not feeling all that well either, but at the moment she was too worried about him to think about herself.

His eyes were still staring blankly and she moved one hand in front of his face. No reaction. Somehow she had to get the dust out of his eyes, but she wasn't sure how. Looking frantically around her, she noticed a woman carrying a bucket full of water. “You!” she called. “Bring that over here.”

The woman complied and Sophia took the heavy bucket from her. This should clear his vision, she thought.

“Hold your breath, Arthur,” she said, and tossed the water directly into his face.

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur sat up spluttering and coughing as soon as the water hit his face, shocked at the unexpected action Sophia had taken. Still it seemed to have done the trick- he could see again.

"Thanks...I think?" He smiled, rubbing water off of his face and wringing out his slightly-longer-than was-fashionable hair. He was soaked through, but he supposed he should just be grateful he could see. Standing up, he brushed himself down- aware of the strange looks he was getting from peasants passing by- and went back to inspect the stall that had caused all of the chaos.

"What on earth happened here?" He mumbled, fingering the dust that lay over everything on the table, as he did so the proprieter finally emerged from under the table. The dust was definitely gold, which ruled out a possible trick set up by the merchant and upon his face was a look of pure terror anyway. No one would rig up a trap in real gold rings, what would be the point?
So that left only one answer: Magic.

If it hadn't been for the earlier mishap with the rose, and then the ball that had been stopped in mid air, Arthur would have put this explosion down to one of his rivals- perhaps even Gore. It could have been meant to kill Arthur, or even blind him permanently rendering him useless to the army...But something told him that this was connected somehow to the other displays.

He looked back at Lady Sophia, could it really be?

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

As soon as he sat up and focused on her, Sophia let out the breath she had not realized she had been holding. It had worked. He could see again, and he no longer looked as if he were wearing a golden mask. She had to admit the mask of gold-dust had been interesting, but not at the price of his sight.

She stood up and leapt out of the way as he started to wring out his hair. A fair bit of water had splashed on her as well, but she was not nearly as wet as he was. At least the weather was warm enough that neither of them would catch a chill.

She was still a bit dizzy and the back of her head was aching horribly. Gingerly, Sophia reached back and discovered a rather large lump but no blood came away on her fingers. This is the second time since I arrived in Camelot that I have received a bump on my head, she thought. I hope it is not going to turn into a habit.

“I'm really sorry,” she said, as he got to his feet. “I didn't mean to soak you, but I couldn't think of any other way to get the dust out of your eyes.” He was smiling and didn't seem to be angry at her, but she felt that she should apologize anyway. He was probably just grateful to have the burning dust out of his eyes. A bit had drifted into hers as well, but a few tears and blinks had gotten rid of it.

Trying to ignore the pain, the young princess followed Arthur over to the stall where the rings had exploded, watching as he traced a finger through the dust. Her body started shaking as she saw the frightened eyes of the shopkeeper. Once again, magic had been used. But who had used it? And why?

Logic told her that she and the prince were the only two people present during both incidents of magic. One occurrence had been malicious, but the other had been serendipitous, saving Arthur from what could have been a serious injury. Was someone following them around playing magic tricks on them? Sophia supposed it was possible, but why would someone want to do something like that? If they were found playing practical jokes on the heir of Camelot, they could be punished severely.

Yet the ball halting in mid air was no practical joke.

At that moment, the prince looked at her, an unreadable expression passing across his face. Sophia's trembling intensified. “Arthur?” she asked. “What is it? Have you discovered the source of the magic? It seems to be following us around, and I have to admit, it is really starting to scare me.”

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur laid a reassuring hand on Sophia's arm, and changed his concerned look to a gentler, smiling one.

"I think it is probably just one of my fathers spies," He mused, signalling ahead of them to suggest they continue their walk, "I wonder if perhaps whoever it might be is not so controlled with their magic yet?" He laughed, glancing back at the mess that decorated the stall like glitter. This was definitely no spy he thought glumly to himself.

He had decided not to mention Lady Sophia's possibly magic talent just yet, she was terrified of it as it was, and suggesting such a proposterous thing so soon might blow their act and cause war between the two kingdoms. Gore's King- Urien- openly detested magic of any kind, which was the reason he had attempted to matchmake Arthur and his daughter. If he was to be told of her abilities...well the outcome would be very severe indeed.
No, he was going to have to go about this very carefully and he would need to consult with Merlin too- he might even be able to stop things like this happening in future. If things continued to explode and float when they went out together, people would eventually start to get suspicious and Urien's spies would be the first to hear about it!

As the pair continued their walk (Arthur silently steering toward the castle once more) he tried to connect the 3 incidents together, to find some sort of evidence that Sophia was to blame. All he could think of was her anxiety.
Yes, that had to be it he thought smiling to himself quite proudly.

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

Arthur's gentle hand on her arm comforted her, but his words did not.

His father's spies had magic? Sophia knew that magic was condoned in Camelot, but she had not known that the king kept magicians in his immediate employ. Magic was seductive, and the more one used it, the more it corrupted, eventually luring a person who started with good intentions into its vile spell, consuming him completely until his mind was filled with nefarious designs. It was the reason that magic should not be tolerated in Camelot or anywhere, because in the end it was pure and unadulterated evil.

Yet magic had stopped the ball from hitting Arthur. That did not seem evil to her. Evil would be enhancing its speed so that it killed him when it hit.

Of course, if it was Uther's spy who used the magic, he would want no harm to come to the prince. At least until the magic drew him in completely. Then he would not care who he harmed. But that didn't explain the rings blowing up right in Arthur's face.

Unless …

Sophia had been the one entranced by the rings. If she had not backed away, they would have exploded in her face instead. Like the rose ...

The rose had exploded while she had been holding it. The young princess had thought it had been hit by a sudden gust of wind. But now she wondered if it had been magic, too, and if both explosions had been aimed at her. If Uther's spy did have magic, he would want to be rid of her, for if she married Arthur … which she had no intention of doing … she could possibly convince him to persecute magicians the way her father did in Gore. Therefore, the spy would think that running her off … or even destroying her … would be the only way to ensure the continuance and safety of magic in Camelot.

Sophia contemplated all this as she followed Arthur in the direction of the castle. She supposed he wanted to change out of his wet clothing, and in truth, she'd had enough excitement for one day. Those two … no, three … displays of magic had unnerved her. She wanted to get back to the castle where it was safe.

But was it safe?

Was any place safe for her now?

“Arthur,” she said, wanting to voice her concerns without seeming too paranoid, “Do you think I could have been the target of the magic user?” Although she tried to keep her voice steady, it trembled anyway. “If it was one of your father's spies, he would not want to harm you, and that is why the ball did not hit you. But the exploding flower and rings … I was the one holding the flower and studying the rings. What if the spy wishes to destroy me because he knows my father is against magic? What if ...?"

Sophia sighed in frustration. “Oh, I don't know. Maybe my imagination is just running away with me again.”

She wanted to tell him how frightened she was, but she did not want him to think her a silly child. The young princess was not going to marry him even if she was tied up and dragged to the alter at the point of a sword, but she did care what he thought about her, although she wasn't sure why.

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur paused thoughtfully, trying to decide between telling Sophia that she was probably correct, or telling her what he truly thought- that she might have magical ability.

He had already had this argument with himself once today, just moments before, and the final outcome had been to seek further advice before he mentioned it. He certainly didn't want to worry the poor girl uneccesarily, but she seemed to be getting anxious anyway, which he definitely didn't want. So once again he debated silently.

Thinking back to the time when Uther had hated magic almost as much as king Urien did, Arthur was not at all surprised to find Sophia was terrified of magic. One was always more terrified of a fear unknown and although the Guild was now introducing more and more people to the arcane craft, it was with caution that even they agreed.
Gore had no such guild, and no magicians (at least not openly) so Sophia was not foolish to be so wary.

Even King Uther wasn't exactly fond of the magicians, and he certainly didn't use them as spies. Whatever he now deemed the right thing to tell Sophia, he would be lying.

"Sophia my darling," Arthur cooed, glancing around them for possible spies of either family, "Do not worry. You are safe with me and no one would dare harm you when we are so in love." He smiled warmly.
"My father would not send spies to hurt you and they wouldn't be bold enough to disobey him. It is likely a trick to provoke you into doing something rash so that they can assess your suitability for me."

There, that was a suitable and convincing argument...was it not?

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

In her fright, Sophia had completely forgotten that they were supposed to be infatuated with each other. Even walking back to the castle, they were still in the public eye, and the two kings' spies could be anywhere. The ruse had to be continued … even though Arthur's words made her wonder if it was really a ruse on his part.

The princess was not generally a paranoid person; usually she believed almost everything she was told and was easily swayed … at least when no magic was involved. But now … now she wondered if Arthur was really serious about not wanting to be involved with her. Perhaps he did want to marry her … maybe not for love, but because he and his father would be able to control Gore through her.

Urien had no male heir; when he died, the kingdom would belong to whomever Sophia married … unless she was able to rule on her own. Her education had included everything she needed to know to rule, but she knew if she tried, Gore would be invaded over and over by those who believed that a country ruled by a mere woman would be easily defeated. And that was something she would not want to put her people through.

Therefore, marriage to a king or prince was imperative, not that Urien would allow her to be married to anyone of less status. She supposed were she a younger daughter, it might have been possible, but as the sole heir, she must marry someone who was fit to rule in her father's place.

And that person would have complete control of Gore.

Was that Uther's goal? To take over Gore and turn it into a magic-infested kingdom like Camelot? And was Arthur in on it? Was he so ambitious he was willing to trap her with her fear of magic so that he could use her against her father?

No, he wouldn't do that to her.

Would he?

Of course, it could be as he said. Urien was notorious for his hatred of magic. Perhaps she was being tested to find out if she felt as her father did. So far, the young princess had been able to hide her distaste for the arcane arts, but would she always be able to do so?

And what would happen to her then?

Sophia felt that strange dizziness again, and grasped onto Arthur's wet arm for support. As a horse-drawn cart laden with fruits and vegetables passed them, the produce suddenly leapt from the cart and fell to the ground, some of the rounder items rolling down the street. The farmer leading the cart cursed and tried to gather it up before the children converging around it managed to steal his livelihood.

The princess was so engrossed in her thoughts that she barely noticed. As soon as her head cleared, she dropped her hand from the prince's arm and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Whether Arthur meant her harm or not, she must continue the game they were playing.

She would be on her guard from now on, even if she did truly enjoy his company. There was a possibility that only King Uther was out to control her, and his son was innocent of his plans. So many “what ifs” ran through Sophia's mind that she did not know what to make of them.

But the show must go on.

And what a fun show it was, convincing spies from both kingdoms that they were deeply in love. Pushing her confusing notions to the back of her mind, she concentrated on the ruse. She could ponder her suspicions later when she was alone in her chambers.

“Of course you are right, my love,” she said gazing up into his eyes as if she wanted to stare at him forever. “But I would think by now they would know that we are perfect for each other and I could never bring myself to harm you.” Standing on tiptoe, she kissed his cheek. Now that should convince the spies that she cared for him. “Even though we have just met, I know I could never live without you. If something happened to you, my heart would break into a million pieces and I would die of utter sorrow.”

Her words were so absurd it was difficult to keep from laughing, but she managed to make it look as if she meant every word she said.

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur stepped over a rolling apple, as the pair of "young lovers" drifted back toward the castle. The street was filled with fruit and vegetables that were trying to escape and it had not escaped Arthurs notice, how the side of the cart had seemingly come undone at the very moment Sophia clutched at his arm. His suspicions heightened, he guided his date away from the chaos.

"Sophia my darling, you are right." Arthur smiled as she kissed his cheek gently, and stroked her hair, finding it increasingly difficult to keep a straight face.
"But they are mere fools, who have clearly never experienced a love such as ours!" He grabbed her hand and tugged her in toward him, where he made to pull her close, as though they were in a dance. It was probably a slightly eccentric move, but Arthur was not taking it seriously. He laughed as passers by smiled, muttering things about how it was "great to see the prince so happy". Sometimes people were so naive

"So," Arthur began, as the pair neared the entrance to the castle. The grounds were virtually empty as most servants had probably retired for the day but every now and again one would rush past, nodding politely at the royals. He was unsure exactly what to say now, their day had been eventuful, but certainly not as awful as he had been anticipating and although he knew he couldn't just leave her here, he was eager to get to Merlin and ask his opinion on her possible use of magic.
"Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?" He asked, taking both of her hands in his, and glancing subtly around the castle grounds. You could never be too careful after all.

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

Sophia was confused.

Not that that was anything new.

She had no idea what to believe as far as Arthur was concerned. Was he in on some plot to trap her into marriage, or was he sincere when he professed not to be interested in her? He did seem to find their little ruse as amusing as she did because she could tell that she wasn't the only one who was having trouble keeping a straight face. So if he was pretending to be pretending, he was doing a very good job of it.

The young princess laughed as he swung her into his rather damp embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him again on the cheek. She noticed the knowing glances some of the people they passed threw at them, seemingly pleased that the royal couple were so much in love with each other they could not wait until they were in private to show it. They were probably expecting an announcement of betrothal soon, and then a large elaborate wedding celebration that would include the entire kingdom … and eventually the births of many little princes and princesses. Dream on, she thought. But don't hold your breath.

Sophia sighed in relief as they neared the castle at last. Their little excursion had been fun and informative, but it had also been frightening. Those displays of magic had been unnerving, and she still wondered who was behind it, and if any magic maliciousness was directed at her. She could hardly wait to reach the security of her own chambers so she could try to make sense of what had happened this day.

While it had not started out well … she had felt like slapping the prince when they had first met … she now found his company quite pleasant and hoped she would see him again, perhaps in a setting where they did not have to worry about spies. Of course, she could never invite him to her quarters, as she could never visit his. Even as “in love” as they supposedly were, such a thing would be unseemly. The princess did not want to be thought of as a cheap floozy. Or even an expensive floozy.

Her thoughts were interrupted as he took her small hands in his larger ones and asked if she would be joining him for dinner. Sophia had taken dinner in her room since the first day she had arrived in Camelot, although she knew that she would eventually be expected to join Arthur and his father for the last meal of the day. Until today, she had dreaded the possibility, for it would have been awkward to share a meal with the stranger she had been sent here to woo. But now that she knew Arthur and they had an understanding of sorts, she actually looked forward to it.

Even though they would have to keep up their little pretense for King Uther's sake. She had no problem with that, though, and at least it might get Arthur's father off his back if he saw how “entranced” the two of them were with each other.

“Oh, I would love that, my sweet Arthur,” she replied, gazing up at him in mock adoration. “I am sure you must be dying to get out of that wet clothing. Unless you wish to accompany me, I should be able to find my way back to my chambers from here.”

Pressing her body close against his, she wrapped her arms around his neck again, and kissed him lightly on his lips. Very lightly. But it would look good from a distance to any spies who might be watching.

“So I will see you at dinner then, my dearest?” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes outrageously. “Every moment I spend without you seems like a lifetime.” Perhaps she should not lay it on this thick in Uther's presence, or he might be suspicious. Both of them would have to somehow find a middle ground.

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur was please that Sophia had agreed to join he and his father at dinner. It would most likely be a little tricky to balance their play somewhere inbetween "sickening" and "convincing", but Arthur was convinced that the pair could do so.
So far their acting skills hadn't been in question once, (although maybe they hadn't been in the right company) but Arthur still felt a little like she was holding back from really playing the part. Like she didn't trust him.
No matter, for Arthur knew he was not out to hurt her, but it still made him feel almost guilty when he thought about how she seemed to fear him a little.

It was the damned magic.

He nodded in agreement as Sophia offered to find her own way back to the rooms which had been set aside for her in the castle. As a foreign noble, she had been granted the ambassadorial suite, which Arthur considered grander than his own. It was huge- that much was certain- but would she not feel lonely with so much room?
He was glad that she felt brave enough to return by herself though, so that he could race back to his own quarters and change out of the wet clothes he was in. It was a warm day, but the wind made the fabric cling to every bit of skin he had and the resulting feeling was one of extreme cold.

And then she kissed him.

So perhaps she wasn't so untrusting after all.
It came as a surprise, and Arthur certainly didn't kiss back.
Should he have done?
He considered whether he had reacted correctly all the way back to his room. His brow was slightly furrowed, but there was also a tiny smile upon his lips.