The car ride was deafening. Gwen knew her father well and like she said the silent treatment came as soon as her father realized who Arthur Pendragon is. Gwen asked Arthur to take Arianna with him in the town car and follow her dad's car to give them a bit of privacy. Honestly she didn't want Arianna getting the wrong impression of her grandpop and so she asked the little girl to keep her daddy company on their ride home. Elyan kept looking at his sister in disbelief trying several times to say something only to shake his head and keep the silence in the car.
"Elyan just say it and stop gaping like a fish!" Gwen snapped breaking the silence.
Elyan scrunched his face and thought for a moment. He shook his head once more as if having an internal battle with himself and then finally letting out a deep long breath before facing his sister again.
"Arthur Pendragon!" That's all Elyan said before deciding to just shut his mouth and looked at the road ahead.
Gwen was getting a bit frustrated with the men in her family. She knew it would be hard but it happened a long time ago. She thought they'd be more open to it now but she's back to where she was 6 years ago.
"Daddy I'm really sorry. I know I was stupid for doing what I did but I never regretted Arianna not for a second." Gwen's voice cracked but managed to hold it together.
"I just hope you don't think I would be better off without her." Gwen's dad shoulders slumped as he heard the sadness in his daughter's voice.
"I never said that or thought of it." Tom finally spoke.
"I love you and Arie but A part of me still thinks I failed you." Tom added.
"Dad you didn't fail me, I failed you but I promise I won't fail you ever again." Gwen retorted.
"Hush Gwennie! You don't owe me nothing, if anything you need to make that promise to Arie and not me. I just don't know how I can be civil to the man that got my little girl pregnant and left her to raise a baby alone. That's hard for me to forgive at the moment." Tom let out the breath he was holding, trying not to get emotional.
"I know dad, but Arthur is not at fault. He tried to look for me and as soon as he found out about Arie he has been nothing but a great father to her." Gwen tried to explain to her father.
"We'll see, but don't force me to like him just because you and my granddaughter likes him or that he's Elyan's boss. I will judge him for myself if he is worthy of you." Tom looked at Gwen through the rearview mirror to make his point.
"Yes daddy." Gwen finally smiled knowing Arthur would eventually warm up her father.
Arianna fidgeted in her seat as she watched the scenery outside the car window. Arthur watched his daughter attentively, trying to memorize little traits or distinct mannerisms, smiling to himself when his daughter reminds him so much of himself.
"I like it here already." Arianna turned to Arthur with a huge smile on her face.
"Really? Well I'm glad you like it, but why do you say that?" Arthur prodded his daughter.
"I'm not sure, maybe because grandpop and uncle Elyan and auntie Morgana and uncle Leon and granddad are here." Arthur smiled at Arianna's response.
"And you live here too dad." Arianna added which made Arthur pause to stare at his daughter.
Arianna simply watched the passing cars still with a huge smile on her face. Arthur could feel tears pricking his eyes as his heart continued to be captured by a little girl he just met over a week ago. The car soon stopped and Arianna squealed as she saw the house with a small garden in front.
"I knew it'll be beautiful. Look dad, grandpop has a garden I can play in." Arianna pulled her father closer to the window to see.
Arthur looked outside the window and saw a small house with an even smaller front garden with a small playhouse peeking at the top of the bushes with a big bow atop of it. Good thing Arianna wasn't big enough to see above the bush, Arthur smiled knowing this will be a great surprise to his daughter. Arthur opened the car door not before making Arianna promise to not run out the car. Arthur climbed out first and held his hand out for his daughter to take. The little girl quickly grabbed her father's hand and slowly made her out of the car. Gwen, Elyan and Tom were stood by the gate waiting for Arthur and Arianna to catch up with them. Gwen held out her arms for her daughter and Arianna looked up to her father as if asking permission to go to her mother. Arthur release his hold on Arianna's small hand and the girl leapt into her mother's arms.
"I missed you sweetie!" Gwen hugged and kissed her daughter's temple.
"Mum! It was only a few minutes." Arianna giggled her mother's silliness.
"Well it's a minute too long!" Gwen protested as she showered her daughter's face with kisses.
Tom watched her daughter and granddaughter together and unconsciously smiled to himself. He loved the fact that his daughter is finally home with his granddaughter and now their family is complete.
"Mum stop it please!" Arianna giggled loudly as Gwen's kisses tickled her.
"Pumpkin grandpop has a surprise for you. You wanna come and see?" Tom said it loudly to stop Gwen from further abusing his granddaughter with kisses and tickles.
Gwen smiled proudly at her father as Arianna tried to catch her breath. The little girl asked her mother to put her down so she could go to her grandpop. Arianna grabbed hold of Tom's hand and nodded for him to lead the way. Arianna warmed Tom's heart and it showed as the wide smile prominently showed on his face. Tom unconsciously looked at Arthur's direction still with the smile on his face. He soon changed his expression once he realized that Arthur was smiling back. Tom coughed to hide his earlier emotion and directed his attention to his granddaughter. He lead the way through the gate and the little girl's squeals could be heard a mile away as soon as she saw the playhouse.
Arthur stood next to Gwen watching their daughter play with Tom. Gwen could tell Arthur wanted to say something but refused to voice out whatever it was on his mind. Gwen took Arthur's hand and squeezed it to let him know he could tell her anything. Getting the silent sentiments, Arthur finally looked in Gwen's direction.
"So what happened? Is he angry?" Arthur finally asked.
"Angry is putting it lightly." Gwen was about to answer but Elyan just had to make a comment.
"Elyan!" Gwen reprimanded her brother.
"I'm just saying! I can't believe it, my niece's father is my boss. This is one for the soaps I'm sure." Elyan said to himself more than Gwen and Arthur which earned an eye roll from Gwen.
"Don't listen to him Arthur. Dad is more disappointed with me than you but he will give you the silent treatment for a while. So just bear with it for a while, I'm sure he'll warm up to you when he sees you with Arie." Gwen reassured Arthur as she rubbed his arm with her free hand.
"Arthur Pendragon the most eligible bachelor in the world and my sister is too oblivious to know. Really Gwen don't you read the papers?" Elyan couldn't help but let his frustration out.
"Hey man don't disrespect your sister." Arthur defended Gwen.
"Maybe if I had the time to read the papers, but you knew what I was going through so don't make it sound like I'm stupid or something." Gwen's voice rose in anger which caught Tom's attention.
Elyan didn't mean it that way and soon regretted whatever came out of his mouth. Gwen was sheathing in anger and trying her hardest not to fall apart. Arthur squeezed Gwen's hand to return the same comfort she gave him earlier. Arthur pulled Gwen to his chest and enveloped her in his arms.
"Your sister don't need your judgement. If there's anyone at fault here it's me. I didn't try hard enough when I have the means to search for her all over the globe. I gave up easily and regretted that decision ever since I found them. So don't you dare put the blame on her." Arthur felt Gwen hold on to his shirt tighter knowing she's trying her best to hold it together.
Arthur could tell that Elyan is more than sorry for what he said even before he told him off, but he needed Elyan to know that Gwen had it hard enough and for him to point out Gwen's mistakes won't help at all. Tom would occasionally glance at the side of the garden where the three stood as he played with Arianna. Tom could tell Gwen was distressed while Arthur protectively held on to Gwen. Elyan had his head hanging low at whatever Arthur was saying and wondered if he should go over to where they were and intervene. Arianna looked so happy with her playhouse that he couldn't make himself cut her fun short to pacify his own curiosity. Tom seemed to come to another conclusion as he saw Gwen wrap her arms around Arthur's waist making him stop at whatever he was saying to Elyan. Elyan looked up and looked quite apologetic. Tom decided then and there that his granddaughter's happiness is more important at this moment and thought the three should work it out themselves. Tom took one last glance at Arthur and shrugged to himself.
