Chapter Text
Robert had done an amazing job of smoothing everything over. Aaron had always known that he was charming and able to talk his way out of things, but watching him address the crowd and apologise to Lord White and talk about how peace was what the land needed and what the people deserved was a moving moment.
And seeing how much Robert had grown as a person was also pretty special. When Aaron had first met Robert, he’d thought he was a pompous, smug git. He’d disliked him and his attitude and decided that Robert was a spoilt Prince who thought he deserved everything handing to him. But over the years, he’d seen a different side to Robert. Despite that, Robert could still be stubborn and make stupid decisions and say unkind things, but when he stood in front of the gathered nobles and took responsibility for something that wasn’t even his fault, Aaron fell a little bit more in love with him.
The crowd had dispersed (some of them clearly confused about why the duel had come to such an abrupt conclusion), Lord White had accepted Robert’s apology and actually shook his hand, and even Robert’s father had patted him on the shoulder to congratulate him for a job well done.
Lord White had all but dragged his daughter away as she still stared at Robert and batted her eyelashes at him desperately. Aaron had realised that her side of the spell obviously hadn’t been broken. If it took being kissed by their one true love to break the spell, the Lady Chrissie might have to wait for some time to be released.
There was one other person who didn’t seem satisfied by the end of the dispute and that was Lord White’s grandson, Lachlan. Aaron had watched him glaring at Robert, the hate almost burning in his eyes, before he turned to follow his grandfather and mother away from the ring.
Robert had let everyone else depart from the area before he’d slowly started limping back towards the castle. Aaron had followed him, carrying his belongings. They hadn’t spoken a word. Even when Aaron had helped Robert to his room, prepared a bath for him and given him some fresh clothes to change into, they hadn’t said anything to one another. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence: they were both just lost in their own thoughts.
***
It was dark outside. Aaron had left Robert in his chamber and taken his armour downstairs. He’d have to clean it but the job could wait until tomorrow. He wearily made his way back up to Robert’s room to check if he needed anything else before he retired for the night. He felt exhausted, like the emotional distress of the last few days had finally caught up with him and drained his energy. He could only imagine how Robert would be feeling after what had happened.
Pushing the door open carefully, just in case Robert had already fallen asleep, he walked quietly into the room. Robert wasn’t asleep: he was sitting on the edge of his bed, looking much fresher after his bath and wearing clean clothes. He seemed lost in thought, staring at the wall opposite, but as Aaron approached, he snapped out of his trance and looked up at him.
“Are you alright, Rob?” Aaron asked.
“I feel like one large bruise,” Robert replied.
Aaron thought he looked a bit like one too. There were bruises on his face and he was still clutching his stomach so he guessed there were bruises there too. The cut above his eyebrow had been stitched and Aaron realised that Paddy must have paid Robert a visit and treated the wound.
Robert looked at him steadily and swallowed. “I feel terrible,” he said quietly.
Something like panic fluttered in Aaron’s stomach. What if Robert was seriously injured and no-one had realised? What if he was feeling some side-effects from the remnants of the spell?
“Do you want me to go and get Paddy?” he asked immediately. He stepped a little closer to Robert to try to establish where he was hurt.
“No,” Robert replied. He looked up at Aaron. “I don’t mean I feel ill. I mean...I feel awful about the way I treated you. While you were gone, everything came flooding back to me. I can’t believe how I behaved. I can’t believe what a fool I must have looked in front of everyone. But worst of all,” he pushed himself up to stand in front of Aaron. There was only a tiny space between them. “Worst of all, I can’t believe how I treated you. I was awful. The way I spoke to you...I’m so ashamed. It must have hurt you so badly.”
Aaron looked down but shook his head slightly. “It wasn’t you,” he said quietly. “It was the spell.”
“You know that I’d never hurt you like that - not on purpose,” Robert told him.
Aaron looked up at him again. “I know,” he confirmed.
Robert smiled a little at him. “You never told me how you managed to break the spell. Because I know you didn’t just throw the hair in the fire.”
Aaron felt warm suddenly and he stepped away from Robert, pretending to busy himself with tidying up the clothes that had been thrown onto the bed. He hadn’t realised that Robert had stepped up behind him until he felt hands on his waist turning him around. He looked up at Robert and his mouth went dry. He wanted to kiss him so much. He swallowed thickly.
Robert was looking at him with a similar expression. “Is there something you’d like to tell me?” he murmured.
Aaron’s heart thudded in his chest. There were so many things he wanted to tell Robert. Like the fact that his kiss had broken the spell because he was Robert’s one true love. And the fact that he had magic and that was how he’d eventually found the answer in a spell book. But he couldn’t say those things. And he sort of hoped that Robert knew the first one anyway.
Instead of answering, he leant up and pressed a kiss to Robert’s lips. He’d expected it to be quick and chaste, but Robert wasn’t having any of that as he wrapped his arms around Aaron’s back, just like he had in the tent, and pulled him close.
Their kissing became desperate and passionate quickly. They’d been holding on to so much emotion, so much desire for one another, for so long that the opportunity to release it suddenly became overwhelming.
Robert pressed Aaron back against one of the wooden posts in the corner of his bed just like he had in the tent the first time that they had kissed. His fingers slid into the short hair at the back of Aaron’s head and then his hands roamed down his back and then to his hips: it was like he didn’t know where to touch or hold Aaron first.
And Aaron almost didn’t know what to do with himself either. Kissing Robert, being in Robert’s arms, was everything he’d wanted for so long. The moment almost felt surreal, like it couldn’t possibly be happening.
He never wanted it to end but a tiny rational part of his brain reminded him that no matter how amazing it was, and how much they both wanted it, they couldn’t continue like this. There were good reasons why they’d never crossed this line before and they had to remember that before it was too late. If they allowed this moment to escalate to something more, they’d never be able to go back. And Aaron knew that he wouldn’t want to. He couldn’t have this with Robert just once and he knew that the risk of them trying to continue in secret was just too great. It would never work.
Reluctantly, he drew his mouth away from Robert’s. He smiled a little as Robert chased his lips, but he leant back as far as he could and pressed his palms against Robert’s chest.
“We can’t,” he whispered.
Robert sighed and hung his head a little. “I know,” he murmured, the disappointment obvious in his tone. He looked up at Aaron again. “But I really want to.”
Aaron smiled softly at him again. “It’s all we can have for now.”
Robert nodded in agreement. “I know,” he repeated quietly. “But someday...” he trailed off and looked into Aaron’s eyes intently. “I promise you.”
Aaron smiled at him again. The promise, although it wasn’t what he really wanted at that moment, was enough for now. “I’ll go and fetch you some supper, my Lord,” he added with a teasing wink. Robert merely rolled his eyes at the formal address, knowing that for now they’d need to keep up the pretence of just being master and servant.
‘Someday,’ Aaron thought to himself as he left Robert’s chambers. His magic stirred within him: things weren’t perfect, but both he and his magic felt strangely contented.
***
The following morning, Robert was ever the Prince, living up to his royal duties despite his soreness and exhaustion from the trials of the days before. He stood alongside his father as the peace treaties were signed by all of the visiting nobles. A lasting peace for the land was secured despite the best efforts of some unknown enemy who had hidden in the shadows and tried to destroy Camelot and Robert all in one go using magic.
After the treaties were signed and hands were shaken and everyone was congratulated on a job well done, the visitors collected the last of their belongings and prepared to leave Camelot.
Robert accompanied his father to the steps outside the castle and stood politely waving off the nobles and their families and entourages. Aaron stood beside Robert as always, watching him with pride and love bursting in his chest.
The Lady Chrissie was rather reluctant to depart, but her father managed to get her moving eventually, although she looked back at Robert forlornly from atop her horse as she rode away.
Her son glared at Robert as he too rode away. His eyes were fixed on Robert and Aaron scowled at Lachlan as he moved off. He felt sure that Lachlan had been behind the spell that had caused Robert so much trouble and nearly destroyed any chance of peace. As Lachlan narrowed his eyes at Robert, Aaron knew that the look in his eyes was a promise that whatever he was planning wasn’t over.
Robert turned his head to look at Aaron and he knew that Robert had felt the same thing as he’d matched Lachlan’s stare. Something silent passed between them. Another promise that whatever was coming, they’d face it together.