Chapter 25

When his daughter had arrived on his doorstep with both the royal children in tow, David Anderson knew something was up. The pained look in his youngest child's tired eyes said so much more than she ever could have verbalized. He glanced over to the curb and saw the familiar black Nissan gleaming in the hot summer sun. She had driven all the way from Santa Monica in a truly upset state. The Brigadier General promptly drew her into an embrace.

Melting into her father's embrace, Kelly cried for the first time since this whole mess began, sobbing into his chest. It felt good to finally just let it all out to the one person she knew she could trust completely.

Holding his daughter, David opened the front door and quietly asked Alexandra to take Marissa inside. While the oldest child looked a bit apprehensive after witnessing her mother's breakdown, she gently propelled the two-year-old girl ahead of her through the living room.

"My girl," the Marine murmured, stroking his daughter's back in the way that he used to, as when she was a small child after falling off a bike or taking a dive off playground equipment at the park. She was strong, he knew that, and to see her so upset ripped at his heart. "What on earth happened?"

"I left him," Kelly managed, sniffling, wiping at her eyes when she pulled away from her father to look at him. "N-Not for good, just...just until he learns not to-to let outsiders sway him." She worked to recompose her face and met her father's understanding, worried brown gaze. "I-I couldn't let Alex and Marissa see him talk to me like that, wi-with so much disrespect! Dad, what would they learn if I stayed?"

David hugged his daughter and led her inside his modest home. "You did the right thing," he assured her. "Sometimes you gotta be strong enough to walk away." He needed the story, and he wouldn't get it standing out on his front porch all day. "C'mon inside and tell me all about it, my girl..."

~.~.~

Kelly finished her recount of the entire incident, from the day that Uther died to Aggravaine's arrival, to the point where she walked away for the good of the girls. At the end of her story she was a shaking mess, sipping at a cup of tea the entire time. Her children played with toys in the living room, and her father sat opposite of her at his kitchen island. He was watching her intently the whole time, his face a mask of neutrality—he was taking it all in, probably assessing her options.

"I-I'm sorry to barge on in, Dad. You weren't expecting us, and-"

-David set a hand on top of Kelly's own. "You can barge in any time you like," he assured her, the sadness of this situation seeping into his voice. "Sweetheart, my home is yours, wherever it is. And these girls, they're my grand-kids. I'm here for all of you, whatever you need." He nodded, relieved when Kelly returned the gesture, even a small smile. "Don't ever feel like you can't ask for my help."

Kelly nodded, swiping at her eyes, swiping at the tears she hadn't bothered to hold back when telling her father all about the latest disaster in her life. She stood and excused herself, needing to take a break.

There was no point in sitting around, praying her husband would come around instantly and apologize for all of his transgressions. It took time for Aggravaine to break his confidence enough to force such...awful decisions as of late, and she knew it would take time for Arthur to see what he had lost as a result of his 'Kingly' behaviour. She would NOT be the first to give in; she would live her life and show her girls that one could carry on in spite of the pain. Life had too many facets for one to sit idle and wishing, when they could be fulfilling dreams or surpassing their own expectations.

~.~.~

It had been three days of rehashing that entire conflict in his mind. Three days of wondering what he should be doing, as King, Husband and Father. Three days of kicking himself for listening to his Uncle in dealing with his wife. Three days of feeling as though he'd lost everything.

Arthur stood looking out the large window that overlooked the courtyard, hands behind his back. She had really left. His wife had taken his children and just...left. "Until you find your own voice," she had said, and he growled low in his throat at the memory.

"Your dinner, Sire," chirped George, the boot-licker servant that had been chosen to replace Merlin for the time being. Merlin was busy helping Gaius with a flu outbreak, and therefore was too busy to attend to Arthur with any real competency.

Arthur nodded in acknowledgment, crossing his arms. "Thank you," he said thickly, emotions still running rampant. "See to the other rooms as well, in case-" he stopped himself, knowing that he didn't have to complete that statement. He expected the girls' rooms to remain in a state or readiness for their return. As well, servants were expected to attend to the Queen's personal chambers in case she, too, returned at any given moment.

George bowed and left his chambers, closing the door softly behind him.

Moments later the door opened and a voice startled Arthur. "George seems...dispirited. What did you do to him, Prat?"

Arthur turned abruptly and faced his long-time friend and manservant. Merlin looked exhausted and dirty, and just plain very unlike the idiotic servant he'd grown to see as a brother. Arthur snorted, muttering, "Same thing I did to you, idiot. I gave him work to do—only he did it."

"You wound me," Merlin stated dryly. He observed his friend's hunched shoulders, the luggage beneath Arthur's eyes, the way his mouth remained down-turned, in a constant pout. "If you miss them so much, Sire, perhaps you ought to try to bring them home again."

Arthur frowned at his manservant, shaking his head. "It's not so simple as that, Merlin. I'm the King, now. If I cave to the whims of my people-"

-"For God sakes, Arthur, she's not 'your people'!" Merlin brought a fist down hard onto the dining table, anger sharpening his already angular features. "Kelly is your wife, and you did what every married man does at some point or another—you offended her in such a way that you shall have to work your arse off to get her back!"

Groaning his displeasure at being lectured, Arthur rolled his eyes. "Merlin, you know nothing of dealing with women," he stated sharply. "If I don't maintain my strength as both King and Husband, I will lose the respect of my people."

Merlin absently went into the wardrobe and hauled out one of Arthur's sleep tunics. "If you haven't already noticed, my liege, Aggravaine's advice has only nearly set us at war with Queen Anise and very nearly cost Camelot their own Queen—because I don't believe that they are truly never coming back, mind you. I think your stubborn pride will give way to logic eventually, and then you'll really have to grovel for your wife's forgiveness." He paused to light a bedside candle, setting the Kindle Fire device on top of the King's pillow. "You should read that new Stephen King e-book she bought. She said it's a really creepy story. Good read."

Arthur sighed, running his hand through his hair with impatience. Disregarding Merlin's continuous prattle beyond Aggravaine's influence, he said, "I cannot simply dismiss my Uncle. He's helped me to take leadership with more authority, more power. I cannot repay his efforts in such a thankless manner."

Merlin shrugged. "So, drag him along with you. Make him apologize for the things he did to contribute."

Arthur snorted derisively and was silent for a long moment, finally marching off to put his mind to greater use; target practice.

~.~.~.~.~

A/N:

We'll get there. Just hang in there, guys! :D You know how stubborn Arthur is. He needs to cause himself greater suffering before he gives in to ANYTHING!