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"Wake up..."

Guenevire blinked open her eyes, squinting at the light shining upon her. She felt like her bed was constructed of grass...grass? She opened her eyes a tad more and finally understood why. She was outside. The young queen sat up and turned towards her loyal knight, Lancelot, who was content with the surprised expression appearing on her face.

"What...what is this?" Guenevire opened her mouth at last to ask. The moistened grass, the flowers blooming with colors of which she had only seen in books...it was magic, it had to be, but she was here. In the flesh! She looked out into the world she had not seen before, enamored with it's beauty. "Lancelot, what is this?" She repeated, a smile tugging at her cheeks.

The hedgehog smiled back at her. "Happy birthday, your highness." He helped her to her feet and looked at the land laying ahead of him. Vast and gorgeous it was. "You did this for me?" Guenevire was stunned; she was turning 13, becoming a young lady. It was supposed to be a mundane day; nowhere to go and no people to celebrate with. This was different. This was everything she could have hoped for, everything she could have dreamed of.

She began to run without waiting for an answer; he was her friend, sneaking away from the castle was a simple friendly outing after all, right? Guenevire ran and ran, too joyous to catch her breath or stop. Lancelot turned back to the castle behind them before running to keep up. "Rest your heart, Guenevire, you may—"

"Lancelot, I have never wanted anything more than this!" She stopped suddenly and spun around to see him. Her back was glistening against the sun, like a warm blanket of heat. It was welcome. She fell onto her knees, taking the time to catch her breath, trying to avoid a fit. Lancelot quieted himself and admired this moment in full. He was happy for her; he had kept his word. He noticed the girl began to tear up and became worried. "Guenevire?"

"I'm sorry, I am just...so happy!" The queen spun around and lit up with life, squealing with delight. For the first time in her life, she felt free. She bent down to nature's garden and picked a flower; a Bluebell flower like she had read of in the past. "Look at this! It's real, right in front of me!" Lancelot ambled forward to stare at it; a simple flower he often took for granted. "It is, yes," he repeated in an airy tone.

Guenevire smiled at her knight, pulling him into a warm embrace. "Thank you, thank you! You are the best friend I could ever have!" The knight paused, taken aback. Such a simple thing, an outing (against the king's wishes) meant that much to her...it made him happy that she was happy. Ecstatic even. He reciprocated and hugged her back with as much happiness as she.

The queen pulled away from his hug and looked around; the sun had long but risen now. "...Do we need to go back?" She asked, her tone dropping into sadness. Lancelot almost forgot; the kingdom was still in danger of attack. He thought one small trip wouldn't endanger anyone, even Guenevire. "We do. I am sorry."

"I am not," she assured, taking his hand into hers gently, "this is the best present of my life. I will be forever grateful. Thank you, Lancelot. If I were to die now I would die happy." Lancelot gasped, shaking his head. "Don't speak like that. It is not...don't." He trailed off and his words fell off his tongue. Guenevire frowned, guilt creeping into her conscious.

"I'm sorry. I just...I do not know how many times I will see this. The outside; it's more beautiful than I could have dreamed." He pulled her to her feet once more, looking back at the proud castle. "I just worry for you, Guenevire. You're my fr—"

"Oh, Lancelot, I will not leave you! Not now, anyways," Guenevire comforted as he began to walk back. She stumbled, her feet ignorant to the sensation of grass or dirt. "Besides, you have been very unforthcoming about the subject. I don't see the issue."

He stopped. She stopped. The hedgehog turned back to face her, his brows tense with conflict. "I don't enjoy the thought of you dying. That is all. Come," he grabbed her hand and dragged her back to the direction of the castle. Guenevire teetered after him, confused on his now shallow attitude. What did she say? Did she make him upset? Normally Lancelot was patient, kind, and thoughtful, at least in the eyes of the queen. This was not the same.

Once they got back to the castle, the two snuck around now awake knights on duty and went to Guenevire's bedroom. She had a special breakfast with her father for her birthday, after all! After she was changed and ready, she walked to the dining room, Lancelot still behind her. Nothing could possibly go wrong now.

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