Rating: PG/K+ Character and OC Death
Characters/Pairings: Arthur/Mithian, Arthur/Gwen, Merlin, Hunith, Gaius, OC (Duran) Micah, Morgana
Summary: After tragedy strikes, Arthur goes with merlin to Ealdor where he finds what he was looking for.
Prompt from fabyenn: Canon AU after 4x12: Arthur doesn't ask Gwen to stay after he reclaims Camelot, so she leaves. He ends up marrying Mithian. Five years later, when he offers to accompany Merlin on his yearly trip to Ealdor, Merlin tries to change his mind, which of course means that Arthur really wants to go. When they get there, a little boy with dark curls and blue eyes greets them...Gwen's son. Cue angst! (hint: it was the night in Ealdor).
Twisting Fates
Chapter 1
Gwen traveled back to Ealdor a month after Camelot had been retaken. She had stayed long enough to help with restoring the palace.
Gwen was leaving because she no longer had a reason to stay. Arthur had not forgiven her. She didn't expect him to be ready to forgive her even though they had made love the night he had discovered her in Ealdor. She wasn't sure he could ever be ready to forgive her.
It made leaving even more painful the second time. At least she had a home to go to now and she wouldn't be going alone.
When she arrived, she went to see Hunith and broke down in tears in the older woman's arms.
"I didn't expect to see you back here." Hunith said.
"He isn't ready to forgive me." Gwen said as her sobs subsided.
"Then he is a fool." Hunith rubbed her back to comfort her.
"Hunith, I fear I am with child." Gwen said.
"Oh gods! Did you tell him?"
Gwen shook her head and started to sob again.
"Don't worry Gwen. I will help you all I can."
"Thank you." Gwen said between sobs.
X
Five years later…..
In Camelot
There was a knock on the door of Arthur's chambers and Merlin went to answer it. He opened the door and the Queen came in.
"Good morning Mithian." Arthur said as he pulled on his gloves.
"Where are you going?" Mithian asked.
"Patrol." Arthur picked up his sword and put it in the scabbard on his belt.
"Leave us Merlin." Mithian said sharply.
"Stay Merlin." Arthur commanded. "Anything you say to me you can say in from of my manservant."
"I thought you might spend some time with me today. You haven't spent any time with me lately. You haven't even shared my bed since I found out I was with child."
"I have duties." Arthur shrugged.
"You do this every few months. You go searching for her, the blacksmiths daughter. I realize that you only married me to provide Camelot with an heir. Now I stand here with child and due any day and you run off to look for her again."
"Mithian… I …" Arthur started.
She held up her hand. "I don't want to hear your lies. Go look for her. I will wait for you to come home disappointed as you always do."
Arthur nodded. "My Lady. I will see you later. He went to kiss her cheek and she moved away."
Merlin sighed and followed Arthur.
"Arthur, maybe you should stay. She is right. She will give birth at any time." Merlin said as they went down to the courtyard.
Arthur stopped and looked at Merlin. "You know she is right. I should have asked her to stay Merlin. I should have married Gwen."
"Yes you clot pole. You should have married Gwen but you didn't. That doesn't mean you should be unkind to the woman you did marry." Merlin snapped at him.
"A lecture Merlin?" Arthur looked at him.
Merlin huffed and continued walking to the courtyard when he got on his horse and waited for the King to mount his own.
The King and his party went out on patrol. They were gone all night and arrived back in Camelot late in the next morning.
When they arrived, Gaius was standing on the steps waiting for them.
"Sire, I need to speak with you in private." Gaius said.
Arthur nodded. "In my chambers."
Gaius looked at Merlin as the King passed him leading the way to his chambers.
"What is it?" Merlin whispered to Gaius.
"Not yet Merlin." Gaius whispered back.
Arthur went into his chambers and started to remove his gloves. "What is it that you need to say in private, Gaius?"
Gaius took a breath. "It's about the Queen, Sire."
"The baby came then. Was it a boy or a girl?"
"Sire." Gaius had a flash of memory of Uther and the night Arthur was born. He pushed it out of his mind. "Sire, the Queen is dead."
Arthur looked at Gaius with a wide eyed stare. It took him a moment to recover. "What of the child Gaius?"
Gaius looked at his feet then at Arthur. "The child is dead as well. It was a girl, Sire."
Arthur sat down in a chair. "Did they suffer, Gaius?"
"No Sire. The child was stillborn and Queen Mithian lost consciousness during the birth. I don't believe they suffered."
"Thank you Gaius. That is a small comfort. You may go. Merlin you go too."
"Arthur…" Merlin started to protest but Gaius grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the hall.
Gaius shut the door behind them and pulled Merlin down the hall. "Merlin you have to go to Ealdor and bring them here."
"She won't come. She thinks he hasn't forgiven her." Merlin said. "She doesn't know he searches for her."
"I don't understand why you don't just tell him where she is." Gaius said.
"She made me promise." Merlin said.
There was a crash from inside Arthur's chambers.
"I have to go see to him. They had words before he left on patrol." Merlin explained.
Gaius shook his head. "It was a shame. There was nothing I could do."
Merlin nodded.
There was a second crash from Arthur's chambers.
"I really need to see what he is doing." Merlin said.
Gaius nodded and watched as Merlin opened the door and a goblet flew out into the hall. Merlin frowned and went inside.
X
In Ealdor
The news of the death of Queen Mithian and the child made its way to Ealdor.
Hunith sat by the fire with Gwen in the small house Gwen shared with her son. Hunith looked at Gwen as she pulled the blanket over the boy with dark curls.
"You should go to him. Tell him about his son." Hunith said.
"He just lost his Queen. I'm sure he doesn't want to see me." Gwen said.
"Then do it for him." Hunith said. "He is a Prince."
"He is the son of a hand maiden turned farmer and blacksmith. That should be good enough for him." Gwen said.
"Merlin is coming soon. At least talk to him about it." Hunith got up to leave. "Good night Gwen."
"I will. I promise. Good night Hunith."
Gwen watched her friend leave and then stared into the fire. She thought about what Hunith said. She sighed.
"He is the Prince of nothing." She said to herself.
X
Three months later
In Camelot …
"Why do you want to go to Ealdor Arthur?" Merlin asked as he polished armor at the table. "It's a little farm village."
"I been there remember. Twice in fact. I need to get out of Camelot for a while." Arthur sat at his desk and looked at the piles of papers there.
"Running away won't change what happened." Merlin said.
"I know that." Arthur said. "I'm coming with you, Pack my bag before you leave tonight."
"Arthur, I really want to just go see my mother. Have someone take care of me for a change. If you come along then I have to take care of you and no one takes care of me."
"That makes no sense." Arthur said. "What is the real reason you don't want me to go? I know your mother thinks I'm a prat. I have to go and change her mind now. Pack my bag."
"But Arthur I …" Merlin started.
"Merlin just do it. It's decided." Arthur said as he started to look through the paperwork on his desk.
Merlin and Arthur set out for Ealdor the next morning. They rode until they were almost there. Merlin felt he had no choice but to tell Arthur now about what he will find there.
"Arthur, I have to tell you something." Merlin said as they rode.
"What?" Arthur looked at him. "It sounds very serious."
"I know where Gwen is." Merlin said. "I've known for years."
Arthur looked at him. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You married Mithian." Merlin said.
"Where is she?"
"Ealdor. She came back after she left Camelot the last time." Merlin said.
"She has been there the whole time?" Arthur asked.
"Yes." Merlin said. "She didn't want you to know where she was. She saw that nothing could come of it after your marriage."
Arthur was quiet the rest of the way,
They arrived just as the sun was setting and rode up to Hunith's house. They dismounted and started to go in.
"Uncle Merlin!" A child's voice called out.
Merlin turned around and a boy of about five years came running up to him. The boy had dark curls and big blue eyes. "Hello Duran. Does your mother know your outside?"
"She said I could wait for you. Duran gave Arthur a suspicious look. "Where is my present?"
Merlin laughed. He turned to dig in his saddle bag.
Arthur looked at the child. He was very familiar but he didn't understand why.
"Duran!" A woman's voice called out.
Arthur instantly recognized it. He turned to see Gwen coming up the road. She looked thinner and a little older but well.
Duran turned and ran to her as she approached. Her eyes widened when she saw Arthur.
"Guinevere, is he yours?" Arthur asked.
"Yes he is."
"Your husband must be very proud." Arthur said.
"I don't have a husband." Gwen looked at Merlin. "Why did you bring him here?"
"He insisted." Merlin said. He handed a paper wrapped package to Duran.
Gwen nudged her son and Duran said. "Thank you Uncle Merlin."
Hunith came out. "Arthur, it's good to see you. All of you come in."
"I need to get Duran to bed." Gwen said.
"Gwen, he is here now. There is no avoiding it anymore." Hunith said sharply.
Gwen sighed. She knew her friend was right. "Come on Duran we will visit for a while."
"I get to stay up?" Duran smiled.
"Yes for a while." Gwen said as she walked past Arthur into Hunith's house.
Arthur looked at Merlin. "Where is the boy's father?"
"Standing in front of me." Merlin said and left Arthur standing in shock outside.
Arthur went inside. Duran was unwrapping his gift, a stuffed horse, on the floor. Arthur sat on the floor next to him and watched him intently. He turned to Gwen with hurt in his eyes. "Guinevere, why didn't you tell me?"
"You never forgave me for what happened. He is better here with me." Gwen said.
"You still should have told me." Arthur said.
"You were married." Gwen said.
"Now I'm not. Duran?"
The boy looked up at Arthur and he realized that he saw himself in the boy's face.
"You are coming to Camelot to live with me and your mother."
Duran looked at Gwen. "Mummy?"
"I will not accept your charity." Gwen said proudly.
Arthur looked at Merlin. "You didn't tell her I was looking for her all these years."
"Is this true Merlin?" Gwen asked.
"I promised to keep secrets on both sides." Merlin said. "You need to talk this out."
"Leave Duran with us and go talk." Hunith said.
Arthur stood and offered Gwen his hand. They left to talk it through.
"What do you think?" Hunith asked merlin.
"If he has to go back without her it will kill him." He looked at Duran on the floor. "Camelot has an heir."
Hunith looked at Duran. "But does Camelot have a Queen?"
"That is up to Arthur and Gwen." Merlin said. "Their fates are twisted. Now they have to untangle them, if they can."
(end of original)