So put it in all of the papers, I'm not afraid.
They can read all about it, read all about it, oh.
Chapter 7
There was definitely a moment when Arthur had thought about turning around and heading back to his bedroom and only leaving it when he was summoned. Merlin had, of course, already warned him about what cover the front pages of the newspapers and, for once, Arthur wasn't worried about the repercussions on himself. He really hoped that Merlin was okay. The last thing that Arthur wanted to do was hurt one of his only true friends.
With a sigh, he entered the dining room, knowing that the conversation that he was about to have was one that would be better done with now.
"Morning father."
When he got nothing from his dad, Arthur looked towards the newspaper as he sat down, seeing the photo of him and Merlin. Again, his thoughts turned to his friend. He was in for a lecture and he knew that it would help if he had caffeine in his system. The coffee in the pot was cold and gritty but Arthur didn't feel like he deserved nice coffee. The hangover he had was enough to tell him that he didn't deserve something nice.
He wasn't certain whether his dad would say a word to him and he knew that Morgana was still half asleep as she entered the room before turning and trying to leave without being seen.
"Not so fast Morgana."
If anything, Arthur knew that Morgana might get the biggest lecture. She had been back for a good few weeks now. She could have gone and seen him at any time to try and smooth things over. It wasn't his fault that she hadn't taken his advice.
"I suppose you put him up to this." His dad said as he placed the newspaper down in front of Morgana as she sat down.
"In all honesty, I wasn't there for most of that," Morgana said.
"Like I would believe you."
"And if you still wonder why I wanted to leave here, there is your answer."
"Father, none of my other friends could come out with us and Gwen wasn't there to pose as my girlfriend. There was this girl and she wouldn't take no for an answer. It was my idea." Arthur said.
"To kiss your pathetic PA?"
"She left us alone. I mean, Merlin isn't a bad guy."
"I will second that," Morgana added.
"And probably if I was gay, I would date Merlin."
"Really?"
"You don't think I could date Merlin?"
"Yeah but… Gwaine?"
"Gwaine? That flirt. No, Merlin all the way. If I had to pick a guy, Merlin would be my guy. I need someone with a romantic side. I don't need someone who would just be there for the sex."
"I suppose."
"Go on, if you had to pick a girl," Arthur asked.
"Well, Gwen is more than just beautiful."
"What? Chose the good girl to counteract your bad girl?"
"Gwen can be a bad girl."
"Maybe when you were influencing her."
"Maybe you should ask where she learnt everything she knows."
"Stop!" Uther shouted. "I did not raise you to be like this. Now I suppose that you are going to make yourself scarce, Morgana. And Arthur, Rodon and Mithian are coming for lunch. I expect you to be smartly dressed and not smelling like a brewery. Understood?"
"Yes, father."
Arthur couldn't hide his smile but at least held his laughter in long enough for his father to have left the room before he let it out. He was glad that Morgana laughed with him.
"Come on, I will show you the back entrance. Gwen and Merlin use it all the time."
"Aren't they allowed in?"
"Gwen has no excuse to come over after you left and as for Merlin, let's just say that Dad never got over that night."
Arthur knew that she knew which night he was referencing and if he thought back, he wondered whether that night was when things started to go wrong for them.
Arthur had been polite during the meal and being honest, Mithian was a beautiful woman who was intelligent and would make any man happy. He was certain that she was as disinterested in this arrangement as he was. It was nice for someone to be of the same opinion as him when it came to these dinners. There has been many willing to sit down for dinner and start a sham of a relationship. The fact that their fathers thought that this was okay was barbaric. They lived in the 21st century, not 6th.
Arthur knew that the only way that they could get some time alone was to go out to the garden. His father actively encouraged it.
"And they say that we have come a long way," Mithian said as they stepped outside.
"I know. You have all these people harping on about how things have changed. I am completely with those that say things still need to change more." He paused for a moment. "I am not available."
"I guessed that from the papers this morning."
He laughed. "I not with Merlin. He is just a friend. I have a girlfriend that my dad has never agreed with. He has always seen it as a fling that was going to end once I found a proper girl. His words, not mine. Merlin was just helping me out last night. There was this girl who wouldn't leave me alone."
"I suppose that comes with being an ex-footballer."
"That is basically it. Dad makes go out with my group of friends. I have a friend who is a PT and he is this big guy and he acts like my bodyguard and sort of just guides the woman to another friend of mine that will… I don't really know, that is usually when we lose him and I have never really asked. I think it is something that my dad has set up."
"And last night?"
"Last night I was just out with Merlin and my sister."
"Not the girlfriend?"
"The girlfriend would have helped. No, Gwen had a family event. It isn't very often that her family all meets up like they did last night."
"And Morgana is back. I thought she was gone for good, or at least that is what the papers were insinuating."
"The papers were never going to know Morgana as I know here. She was always going to return in her own time."
"Do you know why she left? And maybe more importantly, why she has returned?"
Arthur sighed. "I haven't asked her yet. I don't know how to ask her. The problem with her disappearance is that it didn't just affect her. It affected so many people and some harder than others. I don't exactly want to be opening old wounds."
"Well, she must have left for a reason. Maybe it is the same reason why she has returned."
"I don't think so. I think she has returned for a completely different reason. I don't think she will stay. I think she is just looking for another reason to leave."
