"I'll write you the second I get back." Arthur assured America, giving her a hug.
"You better." She warned him.
Then he turned her attention to Arrietty. "And you," He signed, "Make sure Jeremy knows that if he tries anything, and I mean, ANYTHING, I will end him. Horribly."
Arreitty rolled her eyes.
"Hey, "Arthur continued, "I mean it."
"She knows, honey." America assured him.
The others were waiting at the gate with horses as Arthur returned. "How'd it goes?" Merlin asked.
"Good actually," Arthur admitted, getting up on his horse, "It felt—less final this time for some reason. What about you? How'd things go with Freya?"
"We got—something of a plan worked out." Merlin responded.
"Morgana?" Arthur checked.
"A lot better actually." Morgana told him.
They had let everyone else on what was going on after Morgana had calmed down. She didn't know what she was expecting, but it was better than she expected. They took it in stride, half of them hugging her.
They arrived in Camelot the next afternoon, where Uther was waiting for this. "Arthur," Uther said formerly.
"Father." Arthur responded, just as formerly.
"I trust your journey was fruitful." Uther replied.
"It was." Arthur answered, "I trust you didn't have too much trouble when I was away."
"We didn't." Uther confirmed.
A few hours after they got back, while he and Merlin were in the room, there was a knock-on Arthur's door. "Come in." He called out. Morgana walked in. "Oh, hey, Sis." He smirked at her, then it occurred to him, "Too soon?"
"A little." Morgana began, "But it's actually sorts of what I wanted to come talks to you about."
"Should I go?" Merlin asked.
"No, "Morgana told him, "I actually probably discuss this with both of you. "She looked down, rubbing her dress then look back up, "Since I've told everyone, I've been thinking, and I've decided that I need to know what really happened to my father. Not Uther, but Gloris."
"I—thought he died in battle." Merlin responded, confused.
"He did." Arthur responded, "But it was battle where Uther was supposed to send reinforcements. Reinforcements that never came."
It dawned on Merlin what he meant.
"I have to know, but not if it means exposure." Morgana declared, "So two seem to be an expert on covert missions, so—I'm sorry, I wouldn't come to you with this if I could think of anywhere else."
"Of course, of we're help." Arthur agreed, "Or at least I'll help." Turning to look at their friend, he said, "Merlin, if you don't want any part of this, I would completely understand. I think both of us would."
"I've stuck with you this, long haven't I?" Merlin responded.
And so, they spent the next hours bouncing ideas off the wall and trying to see what stuck. Or at the very least what was actually doable. They came up one solid option, but nobody really optioned.
"Look, it's not like we'd be screaming it from the rooftops, and he already knows." Arthur reasoned, "Now he'll just know we know too."
"If he doesn't deny it." Morgana pointed out.
"And that's the worst that could happen." Arthur responded.
"Actually, I thought the worst thing that could happen was your enemies finding out and using it against you." Merlin responded.
"Normally, but our walls aren't that thin." Arthur declared, "And if he refuses, we'll go back to the drawing board."
Two later, Uther was working in his study where there was a knock on the door. "Who is it?"
"It's Arthur," A voice on the other side called out, "And Morgana. We need to speak with you, please. It's urgent."
"Come in." Uther called back, somewhat worried. He never knew what would happen lately when Arthur needed to talk. At least Morgana was with them this time…
He took that as some sense of security, as least until Arthur took a chair and put it over the door. Whirling around he asked, "Is anybody else here?"
"No," Uther answered, "Why? What are you too doing?"
Arthur looked to Morgana. "Do you want to take this, Sis?" This time they had planned it.
Uther froze.
"Yes, we know about that." Morgana told him, "I've known for some time. I heard you tell Gaius."
"But you said— "Uther began.
"I lied because I didn't want you to know." Morgana cut him off, "And I wanted to protect Arthur."
"Then why break your silence now?" Uther challenged.
"Because I need answers." Morgana declared trying to keep her nerve, "About what happened to Gloris."
"What do you mean?" Uther responded, geinuely confused, "Gloris was a just friend, I would never do anything to him."
"Except sleep with his wife." Morgana pointed out coolly, "You sent him into battle. You promise him reinforcements and you gave him none. You sent him to his death."
"Do you see what we're getting Father?" Arthur spat "Was Gloris the Uriah to your David?"
"What?" Uther balked and Morgana looked confused as well.
"Uriah was a general in David's army." Arthur explained, "David slept with Uriah's wife, she got pregnant, when he refused leave if his men couldn't happen, David sent him on a suicide mission, so he could marry the aforementioned wife to cover up what they did."
"Is this what happened to my father?" Morgana, "Not you, but the man who for all intents and purposes is my real father. Did he find out?"
"No, it-it was nothing like that." Uther stammered, "As much I love you, I hated myself for our betrayal. So did Vinnenne, she would never speak, would never let me speak of it, she refused to even be in the same room with me after that! If I could take what happened to him back—I would."
The half-siblings exchanged glances, wondering if they should believe him.
"I understand if you don't believe me." Uther responded, "I—I've earned that. But—I can't change the truth."
They were silent for a moment. "Then I guess we have to believe you then." Morgana declared.
For a minute more everything was silent. "So, what happens now?" Uther asked, knowing that he wasn't calling the shots here.
"Now we do nothing." Morgana responded, "We say nothing, if anybody asks, we have no clue what they're talking about. It's too dangerous to all of us if it gets out."
They all exchanged look again.
"Well, not that you care what I think, but I agree." Uther declared.
Arthur's eyes darted over to Morgana. He knew it was the most practical route, but he also wanted to be sure it was what she wanted. She was one the one who had been the most hurt by this.
"This what I want." Morgana assured him.
And just like that, everything went back to normal. There was this tension between them and Uther now, but relations hadn't exactly been warm before. As for Arthur and Morgana, if anything, they were closer. In fact, on all accounts, things seemed to be calming down. In fact, it was actually somewhat boring.
On one of these boring days, Gwen was on the way to Morgana's room with bundle of flowers, like she uses to do before all this started, when Arthur nearly ran into her, barely stopping in time. "Sorry." He said quickly, embarrassed.
"It's fine." Gwen assured him, "Are you—are you alright?"
"Yeah," Arthur responded, not sure why he was so nervous all of a sudden, "Did you—did you do something different with your hair? "He didn't think he had seen it up before.
"Not really.' Gwen responded awkwardly.
"Well, whatever you're doing, it looks nice." Arthur told her, "You've always had such nice, curly hair." After a beat her added, "I'm sorry, that sounded much less unsettling in my head."
Gwen giggled. I have to go, but we can talk later."
"Oh, of course." Arthur agreed, before the two sped past each other.
One really annoying development that had happened since they returned was that Arthur and Gwen were suddenly very awkward around each other. Whenever Arthur got within a few feet away from he'd start to sweat or forget how to talk and he didn't know why. Gwen also didn't know why she started blushing around him.
Arthur laid down on his bed later that eving, Arrietty's words from Eldor rinsing in his head: Your girlfriend.
Gwen wasn't his girlfriend. Gwen didn't even like him. Not that way at least? Did she? And he didn't like her that way. But suppose he did, what would she say if he told her…
Two days later, Arthur and Merlin were walking through town to the practice field, where they noticed a small group of children being lead young woman with her long dark hair done back into braids and a sliver cross on a black cord around her neck. "Come along children." She told them, holding on to a line of cloth that are the children were clinging to.
Gwen was in the market that time, and noticed a child in their number that she recognized. "Galahad," She asked, approaching the line, concerned, "What's this?"
"She's teaching us all to read." Galahad explained.
"We're renting a place nearby." The woman explained, "Hi, I'm Miss Becky."
"Gwen." The girl replied.
By then Arthur and Merlin came over. The teacher woman began to get nervous at the attention, shifting on her feet.
"It's okay, we don't want to make any trouble." Arthur assured her, "We were just curious, plus, we know this little guy here." After a beat he realized, "Hey, don't I know you somewhere."
"Suematsu Oyama Junior-Senior high." The girl answered, "You sat in front of me in Language Arts."
"Right," Arthur responded, the answer dawning on him, trying to reminder her name, "Penny, Patience…"
"Prudence," The girl corrected him, "Prudence Chow."
Arthur's face tried to convey recondition. "Right, now I remember."
Prudence giggled. "No, you don't."
Arthur sighed. "You're right, I don't."
For some reason, something about Prudence Chow was rubbing Gwen the wrong way and she wasn't sure why. She seemed like a perfectly nice girl.
At practice after incident, Arthur asked a question. "So, Merlin, how did you first know you liked Freya. I mean, in that way?"
Merlin froze. "What?"
"You know, what made you realize you—you loved her?" Arthur asked, "You know, it had to be something."
Merlin had to think a moment. "I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?" Arthur responded, "I mean, you just kissed her."
"Well, it was—a lot of things all at once I guess." Merlin got out, "And then it just—felt right?"
Arthur froze for a moment. "It felt right?"
"Yeah, I guess." Merlin confirmed, "Why the interest, all of a sudden?"
"Oh, no reason." Arthur lied, then went back to practicing.
That night Arthur sat down with a pen and began writing, Dad, I have what may seem like an odd question….
That night, at Gwen's house, she looked down at her bowl, just rolling her spoon in the watery stew.
Tom looked up. "Is something wrong, love?"
"Nothing," Gwen assured him, "Dad, when did you first know you loved Mother?"
The man got silent for a moment. It wasn't that they never talked about his late wife, Gwen's late mother, but it still hurt to remember sometimes. "Well, I was still just an apprentice, when I bet your Mum. She was –selling flowers in the marketplace. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. And it just—struck like lightening. Next thing you know I was spending what little money I had on her flowers. And then she asked if I wanted to share her bread…." His eyes went misty for a moment, the he shook it off. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason." Gwen lied.
The next day, something happened that hadn't happened in a long time: Arthur was called to Uther's chambers.
"The Price is here, Sire." A guard told the king.
"Show him in, then leave us." Uther ordered.
The guard did as he was told, leaving Arthur and Uther alone. "You wanted to see me." Arthur declared uncertainly.
"We need to talk." Uther began, "Please set down we could be here a while."
Arthur began to walk towards the chair "What did you wish to speak about?"
"My abdication." Uther declared, as Arthur sat down.