Chapter 11: Family Ties, Part 1

When Gwen left Camelot the first time, she was frightened. The estate had become even more of a home to her after her father died and Elyan ran off. But then Morgana left and Arthur was engaged, and she felt there was nothing left for her there, or anywhere. She stayed with Mary and her husband, and answered every advertisement she saw, promising Mary she'd be out of her hair very soon.

She was hired at the Caerleon estate thanks to her glowing references. She picked up on the layout of the house quickly and got along with the staff. Unknown to her, Lady Annis was watching her every move, wanting to know why a maid like Gwen would leave one of the richest estates in England.

The turning point of Gwen's career came when she was carrying sheets down the hall with another maid, and there was shouting coming from down the hallway.

"That would be the twins," the maid said. "Proper monsters, they are. Every summer their parents drop them off here and go to some country to do business. Annis may be a hard-boiled countess, but even they will make her crack." The maid opened the door to a room. "Well, here's me. Good luck getting passed them."

The twins, Samuel and Margaret stood in the middle of the hall arguing. "Excuse me," Gwen said politely. They ignored her. "E-excuse me," she tried again a little louder.

Samuel and Margaret's argument grew more heated, and Samuel pushed Margaret. "I wish you were never born!"

Margaret pushed her brother back. "I wish I wasn't, either, that way I wouldn't have to see your ugly mug!"

"Hey!" Gwen yelled. "That is no way to treat each other. Be happy you have each other, a family, and that you're not children in a Dickens novel."

Samuel scrunched his brow. "What's a Dickens?"

Margaret's face mimicked her brother's and said, "You're a maid! You can't talk to us that way!"

Gwen curtsied the best she could with a stack of sheets in her arms. "And I'm sorry for that young master, young miss. But family is very precious and very easy to lose. You should cherish the time you have with each other." Gwen walked away with her head bowed. The hall was silent until she was at the end of it and heard the twins apologize to each other and run off laughing.

Later that day Gwen was called into Annis' study. She was afraid word got out about what she said to the twins and that she was going to be fired.

"I went into the library and found Samuel looking for every novel by Charles Dickens to read. I have never seen that boy open a book in my life," Annis said. "He said you mentioned Dickens to him. Do you read much?"

"Every chance I get," Gwen said. "I was lucky to be able to sit in on Lord Arthur and Lady Morgana's lessons."

"Really? How unusual."

The heavy gaze of the Countess made Gwen feel small and nervous. But Annis didn't look upset. At least that's what Gwen thought. It was hard to tell. "His lordship didn't know, of course. Lady Ygraine never told him."

Annis' lips curved in a rare smile. "Guinevere, I have a proposition for you."

Being a governess was a whole new experience for Gwen. She moved from the dorms to an elegant room in the upstairs, and her higher pay allowed for finer clothes. She ate with the staff, but was out of the loop in downstairs gossip. Some of the maids frowned at Gwen and her new position, under the assumption that Gwen thought she was better than them now. Gwen, being the more mature one, didn't let their opinions faze her. The most joy she had was with the children, tea with Annis, and the more than occasional girls' night when Isolde visited. For three years, Gwen felt she belonged somewhere again.

Upon arriving back at the Caerleon estate, Gwaine opened the car door for Gwen and said, "Just so you know, the downstairs has a wager going on."

Gwen looked up at the driver and raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"We're betting how long it'll take for the household to fall apart while you're gone." Gwaine wrapped an arm around Gwen's shoulder. "More specifically, how long until his lordliness comes crawling back to you."

"Gwaine," Gwen said in a warning tone. She patted his stubbly cheek. "Behave while I'm gone."

Gwaine gracefully kissed the back of her hand. "Only for you."

The moment Gwen stepped into the mansion, two sets of arms wrapped around her middle. She brought her arms around the shoulders and settled into the group hug.

Samuel let go first. "Does this mean we don't have to go to school now?" he asked eagerly.

Margaret looked up at her with the Samuele excited eyes as her brother.

Annis came in just in time. "Oh, you're going to school."

The twins pouted, and Gwen chuckled. "So, who wants to help me unpack?"

The days dragged on without Gwen, Arthur felt. Sefa, who was finally coming out of her shell, began to retreat back into it. Freya was keeping more to herself. And Merlin, without Gwen to encourage him, stopped flirting with Freya. The entire staff seemed to be sulking along with them.

Arthur went downstairs looking for Mary. He entered the staff dining room first. Everyone was about to stand for him but he stopped them with a wave of his hand. "Do any of you know where Mary is?"

"She's in her sitting room, my lord," George answered.

The door was already open, but he knocked anyway.

Mary put down her pen. "My lord, come in."

"Can I ask you something, Mary?" Arthur sounded like a shy little boy in the presence of the motherly housekeeper.

"Of course, my dear. Sit down." She held his hands and sat him down on a chair. "Shall I get tea?"

"No, thank you. It will only take a moment." He gathered his wits. "How's the staff doing? I mean, Sefa and Freya seem a bit down, and—"

"They miss Gwen. They all do," Mary said. "As you do, though maybe not as fiercely."

Arthur tried to hide his smile. "There's a bet going on to see how long until I go crawling back and beg Annis to let Gwen come back sooner."

"You know about that?"

"They're not exactly quiet about it." He eyed Mary. "You didn't bet against me did you?"

"Of course I didn't," Mary said. "I'm the only one who didn't. So keep your emotions in check. I've got a lot riding on this."

"I'll try," Arthur sighed and shared a laugh with Mary. "Wait. That's why Merlin's been pushing me to ask for Gwen back earlier? That traitor!"

A few days later, Mithian told him Annis called. She wanted them to come over for a talk. Nothing formal. Just business and dinner.

When they arrived at the mansion, Annis greeted them warmly. Gwen and the children had been having a lesson in the back and were now setting up lunch. In the back they were greeted by the sight of Gwen laughing as the twins argued over proper placement of silverware. Arthur felt his heart swell at the sight.

Margaret saw them when she looked up. She waved enthusiastically. Samuel, not so much.

"Children, you all know Arthur of course. And this is Lady Mithian," Annis introduced.

They settled down and tucked into their tea and sandwiches.

Samuel's face twisted in a scowl. "We only have two weeks left with her. You honestly can't be that desperate!" Arthur and Gwen's eyes met quickly before looking away.

"Samuel!" Annis chided. "I asked Arthur and Mithian here."

Samuel grumbled and took a huffy bite out of his sandwich.

Other than Samuel's mood, lunch was filled with delightful conversation which Margaret dominated by vocalizing her excitement about school. She was very prepared thanks to Gwen, and ready to make new friends.

Samuel finished his water in a large gulp. "May I be excused?" he asked his grandmother. Attitude still colored his tone.

"You may," Annis said.

Margaret rolled her eyes. "He's never going to make friends if he keeps that up."

"I'll go talk to him," Arthur said, standing. "Excuse me, ladies."

It didn't take long for Arthur to find Samuel. He asked the first maid he passed if she'd seen him, and she pointed Arthur to the direction of Samuel's room.

Arthur knocked and entered when he heard Samuel's reluctant "Come in." He saw the young lord laying on his back on his bed and staring at the ceiling. Arthur sat down on the edge of the bed. "Want to talk about it?"

Samuel crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. "I don't want to go to school. I wouldn't have to if it wasn't for you."

Arthur couldn't disagree. "Your sister seems excited…"

"She's a girl. She doesn't know anything," Samuel scoffed. "To her, it's just a giant slumber party."

"Guinevere's a girl," Arthur pointed out.

"She is not!" Samuel bolted up and sat next to Arthur. "She's a woman! And of the highest caliber!"

Arthur quirked an eyebrow. "Indeed."

"Women are strong." Samuel made a very serious face and Arthur laughed. "Oh yes. Much stronger than men. They carry us, they birth us, they raise us. Without woman, there is no man. They are our greatest support."

Arthur scrutinized the bold twelve year old. "Sam, where is all this coming from? I don't disagree, but these are heavy words coming from a child."

Samuel muttered something about not being a child. "It comes from experience."

"Oh?" Arthur leaned in. "Explain."

"There's my mother, grandmother, Aunt Isolde, and Gwen," Samuel said, practically sighing Gwen's name. "They've been a huge part of my growth, and Gwen a huge part of my education. I have her to thank for the man I will become."

And that's when it hit Arthur. "Samuel, are you in love with Guinevere?"

Samuel turned bright red. "Maybe not as much as you do, seeing how you'd take a governess away her charges for your own selfish reasons," the preteen sputtered then let out a high pitched squeal when Arthur caught him in a head lock and gave him a noogie. When Arthur let him go and the fun died down Samuel said, "But I think you need her more than I, my lord." Then he let out a sigh. "I hope one day I love someone enough to take a kid's governess."

"What?" Arthur blushed.

"Seriously, Arthur," Samuel grinned. "A blind man can see it."

Margaret dragged Gwen to her room to help her pick out her clothes, leaving Annis and Mithian to talk alone.

"Is planning the wedding becoming more difficult as it gets closer?" Annis asked.

"The difficult part is Arthur. He's been a bit withdrawn lately," Mithian said. "He misses her. He hasn't truly smiled since she left." She sighed. "He will never love me like he does her, will he?"

"There are different kinds of love," Annis said. "And there is no doubt that Arthur loves her. The question is, what kind of love is it?"

Mithian rolled the glass tumbler between her hands causing the ice inside to clink. "I'm afraid I know."

"And what are you going to do about it?"

The clinking halted when Mithian stopped playing with the tumbler. She wiped the condensation from her hand with a napkin. "I don't know."

"You're a smart girl, Mithian," Annis said. "But don't turn this into a battle you can't win."

A/N: Sorry if I've been keeping you waiting. I started grad school a few weeks ago and word is being used for educational reasons again (booooooo).

Thanks for sticking around and for the lovely reviews!