The Hunt, The Tree and The Tea Tray
Morgana was just sleeping in her bed when a sound of a bugle woke her up. She startled in her bed, grabbing for something. Then her alarm clock went off. "What? Oh god that's loud" she breathed, turning off her alarm. Why was she up this early?
Then to top it all off, she heard the ruckus below her window. Growling she dragged herself out of bed and pulled back the curtain. There was people dressed in riding gear, being served by their butlers. Morgana then noticed a horse riding in. It was beautiful against the white crispy snow. The horse was a black stallion with a long mane and a beautiful physique which rippled as it ran. The specimen on top of it wasn't so bad either.
"Gentlemen, Ladies" Gwen called, ready to begin the hunt with Arthur. Gwen smiled up at Morgana, noticing her at the window. "Who's that?" Lady Arabella asked, coming up beside Gwen. Gwen turned to the blonde and smiled. "It's Morgana Le Fay, from Buffalo" Gwen informed the brown eyed beauty. Morgana spotted them and quickly ducked back into the safety of her room.
"She brought Elyan's children over to visit" Gwen breathed, still hurting at the loss of her brother. "She brought them all the way to Castlebury. What does she want?" Lady Arabella frowned. Gwen didn't like the tone of that. "Come on you two! Let's go" Arthur grinned, riding past them.
Morgana got dressed for the day, planning on going outside. It was so beautiful with the snow and the scenery. She had to enjoy it. No scratch that, they had to enjoy it. The kids were coming with her. "Morning" Morgana greeted the maid who was cleaning the floor. As she was walking past her she slipped and fell on her bum. That bloody waxed floor!
"Hello" Paisley greeted, coming to stand over her. "Hey Paisley" Morgana smiled, breathing out now. Then she noticed the ceiling where it was moulded perfectly like off a Greek villa. "Nice moulding" Morgana complimented. "Yes, I've always thought so. The children are strapped into the car and ready for their trip into the village" Paisley informed her, offering her a hand up.
The village was like that out of a fairy tale with it's little shops decorated to the brim, children running around in the snow and a choir singing carols. So Morgana took great joy in shopping here. "Oh Gibson, would you mind putting these in the car? Thank you" Morgana breathed, spotting the driver outside of a shop.
"Kids look, a choir" Morgana beamed. "They're orphans, like us" Maddie said quietly. "Yeah, but you have me. Both of you do" Morgana assured, looking up at Milo. Milo just turned away, preferring to lean on the wall. Morgana sighed, biting her lip in worry. "Next stop, Christmas tree lights" Morgana announced. "Yey!" Maddie squealed.
"What's that?" Maddie breathed. "It's a barrel organ" Morgana smiled, listening to the man play. "Look at all the Christmas Trees" Maddie grinned. "Tell you what, why don't you go and pick out the prettiest one of the lot" Morgana giggled. Maddie laughed and squealed, running towards the Christmas Trees.
"Come on Milo" Morgana encouraged. "That's alright" he shook his head. "Come on, help up pick out a really cool one" Morgana sighed. "No I'm just going to hang out back here" Milo told her. "Okay, fine!" Morgana growled, following after Maddie.
What could she do to make Milo like her? Was she trying hard enough? Or was there just no point?
"Aunt Morgana! Aunt Morgana! I found the tree" Maddie announced, staring up at the giant tree. Whoa! How would they get that into the house? But Maddie's smile and joy won her over. "Wow! That is a pretty one. Lets take this one back to the castle" she agreed, bending down next to the little girl.
Milo was listening to the man playing the organ, when a ball hit him in the back. "Yo! You just hit me!" Milo demanded, going over to the boys. One of the boys who was dressed in a black coat went to pick up the ball. "Hey what's the matter with you. Say sorry!" Milo ordered, shoving him.
The boy threw the ball at Milo who caught it. However it was just a distraction as the boy punched Milo in the face.
"OH OH!" Maddie gasped, turning to watch her brother chase the other boy. "MILO!" Morgana yelled, seeing Milo crash into a man carrying presents.
"We need some ice" Paisley instructed the chef. "Miss Le Fay" Abigail gasped, as she and Floyd was having a nice coffee in the kitchen. Morgana frog marched Milo to a chair. "Sit!" Morgana hissed, as she picked Maddie up onto the counter. "Oh what a shiner!" Floyd commented. "He got into a fight" Maddie giggled.
"Don't speak! Really Milo…" Morgana sighed, watching Milo accept the ice off Paisley. "I don't get why you are so freaked out!" Milo complained. "You flattened a Christmas shopper, attacked an orphan boy and disrupted a Christmas concert conducted by a nun" Morgana growled. "My word!" Paisley, Abigail and Floyd exclaimed.
"Sorry" Milo shrugged. "Something to tell the grandchildren though" Paisley smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "I don't think so" Morgana glared, hands on hips. It seemed a permanent posture whenever she was talking to Milo.
Gwen was just dusting off her shoes when she saw a Christmas tree being carried in. "Where did you get that Floyd?" she asked. "Miss Le Fay, My Lady" Floyd nodded. Gwen smiled, wondering what on earth was happening. Arthur had said father had banned the tree. "Morgana" Gwen chuckled, shaking her head.
Speak of the devil! Morgana was just walking out of a hall when Gwen took a step forward. "Hey, how did the children like the village?" Gwen greeted. "Oh don't ask, they're with Paisley" Morgana chuckled, causing Gwen to blush slightly.
"If you're looking for your tree, it went that way" Gwen teased, walking with the fiery woman. "So how was the hunt?" Morgana wondered. "Why do you say it like that?" Gwen frowned. "Well I'm not a champion at torturing innocent foxes" Morgana stated, raising an eyebrow at the smaller woman. "That makes two of us" Gwen smiled.
"What do you mean?" Morgana questioned. "I find fox hunting cruel and barbaric. Which is why me and my brother advocated the ban on hunting" Gwen informed, stopping them. "Well what were you hunting?" Morgana asked. "A man" Gwen giggled.
"A man?" Morgana smiled. "Yes. He was dragging a fake scent. It's called a drag hunt" Gwen explained. "I'm sorry, that obviously didn't make the Buffalo sport pages" Morgana joked. Gwen chuckled, shaking her head at the woman next to her.
"Gwen and I aren't formally engaged, but we will be. Any day now" Lady Arabella announced to another rider. "Hello there, and who may you be?" the man from the hunt greeted Morgana. "Morgana, this is my friend Will" Gwen introduced. Morgana gasped as he kissed her hands. "Has Gwen been behaving?" he asked. "Like a Princess" Morgana assured. "Well she'd better, because she is one" Will smiled.
"You're not really a Princess are you?" Morgana scoffed. "Unfortunately, I am" Gwen admitted, blushing heavily. "No, but what about?" Morgana frowned. "The title comes from both mine and Arthur's mothers. So he is a Prince as well. Anyway, are you staying for tea?" Gwen asked. "Of course she is" Will assured, leading Morgana into the room.
Gwen sat down by Lady Arabella. "Hello darling" Lady Arabella greeted, leaning over to place a kiss on Gwen's lips. "Gwen, please, not everyone wants to see that. You never see me and Merlin do that" Arthur rolled his eyes, sitting opposite Morgana. "Shut up Arthur! And I seem to remember when I found you two in that alcov…" Gwen smirked, but Arthur had his hand over her mouth. "Anyway!" Arthur chuckled nervously, glaring at his sister.
"Morgana, this is Lady Arabella Marchand Van Belmont" Gwen introduced. "Great name" Morgana complimented. "You mean title" Arabella corrected. "She's also my sister, but doesn't like to admit it" Will joked, causing them all to chuckle.
"Ah sandwiches" Arthur grinned, thanking the butler who put them down. "They look yummy. What are they?" Morgana winced. "They're cress and cucumber" Gwen told her, handing her a plate. "Don't they have proper tea from where you're from?" Arabella asked. "More like some hot wings and a bottle of bud. Definitely not served on a plate like this" Morgana smiled.
"Actually it's a hand painted sandwich tray by Louis Bilton" Arabella smirked. "You mean by Christopher Landry" Morgana corrected. "No, Louis Bilton" Arabella shook her perfect blonde curls. "My mistake" Morgana muttered, eyes flashing.
Just then Floyd walked by, carrying a box of baubles. "Pst! Miss Le Fay. We found the box" he told her. "Oh good they found the boxes. Really sorry, it was lovely meeting you all" Morgana beamed, standing up. "Thanks for the sandwiches" Morgana smirked, grabbing a few and running over to Floyd. Time to make Christmas a reality!
"Louis Bilton you say. Well lets have a look" Will smirked, watching as Arthur pulled Merlin into his lap. Will flipped over the tray. Christopher Landry written in gold writing on the bottom. "Well sis, it looks like one to the American" Will announced. Arthur and Merlin scoffed into each others necks while Gwen giggled. "Darling!" Arabella protested, smacking Gwen's arms. "Sorry, love" Gwen apologised, hiding a smile.
"Wow look at this! These are beautiful Floyd. Thank you" Morgana breathed, going through the box of decorations. "Those decorations are off limits!" Mrs Birch announced, storming into the room. "Why?" Morgana grinned, believing it was a joke.
"His grace would never approve. And take this monstrous tree back where it came from!" Mrs Birch snapped. "You're kidding? It's Christmas!" Morgana laughed. Mrs Birch crossed her arms, glaring at Morgana. Okay maybe not. "Can't you let it slide just this once?" Morgana asked, shocked. "We don't let things slide here at Castlebury Hall" Mrs Birch said firmly.
"Mrs Birch, do you have kids?" Morgana asked. "No" she answered, face still strict. "Nieces or nephews?" Morgana wondered, feeling her emotions turn to anger. "No" she replied negatively. "You were a kid once, right? How can you deny two kids a tree at Christmas? Don't you remember what it was like?" Morgana frowned, trying to get through to the cold strict lady.
So that's how Morgana found herself comforting the sobbing woman with Floyd for company. "It was a miserable childhood. I never had a happy Christmas" Mrs Birch cried. Morgana looked sadly up at Floyd. "Once Christmas… I actually got a lump of coal in my stocking" Mrs Birch sobbed. "That's terrible" Floyd breathed, tapping her hand. "No little girl deserves that" Morgana soothed. "I might have, but still…" Mrs Birch sighed.
"Oh alright!" she laughed, jumping up. It was like she was a completely new woman. "I'm ready!" she announced. "That's the spirit Mrs Birch" Morgana breathed, as Floyd handed Mrs Birch a bauble. "First decoration on. Done!" Morgana beamed. "MILO! COME HERE!" Maddie screamed. It frightened Morgana so much she fell off her stool.
"I don't understand why we have to use the back entrance, every time we come back off a hunt" Arabella complained as Gwen walked her and Will to their cars. "You know what father thinks of muddy boots" Gwen rolled her eyes. "It'll silly" Arabella pouted.
"So darling, remember we have lunch this weekend. With my parents. At the club" Arabella reminded, placing a kiss on Gwen's lips after each sentence. "I wouldn't miss it" Gwen assured. "I would" Merlin muttered, walking past with Arthur. "Ow Arthur that hurt! Don't bite me!" Merlin complained.
Suddenly Milo and Maddie ran out. "Come back here!" Maddie yelled, chasing after her brother around them all. Milo bumped into Arabella as he tried to cut in between them, sending her bag flying into the path of a car.
"Maddie!" Merlin cried, picking up the little girl while Gwen grabbed Milo. "Stop!" Arabella screamed as her bag was flattened. Morgana came running down the steps, heart in her mouth. "They're fine" Arthur assured, as they looked over the children. Arabella however, went over to her bag.
"I am terribly sorry My Ladies, My Lords. It was my fault" Paisley cried, coming down the steps with their coats. "Are you alright?" Morgana asked Maddie. Maddie nodded, clinging onto Morgana's legs. "It's alright Paisley. Everything is alright" Morgana soothed.
"No, apart from my demolished new Prada handbag. You know Gwen, I'd keep a close eye on that boy if I was you. Completely out of control" Arabella hissed, getting into her car. "Bye Will" Gwen nodded, shaking her head at Arabella. "It's okay, you know" Gwen assured her nephew.
"Are you going to tell me which one of you did this?" Morgana demanded. "He did!" Maddie cried, pointing at Milo. "I guess I did. Sorry Maddie" Milo apologised. "It's okay" Maddie mumbled, clutching her coat around her.
"Now you're all friends here, why don't you help Paisley with his chores?" Arthur suggested. "Chores?" Paisley asked. "Yes, feeding the Shetland Pony" Arthur beamed. "Pony!" Maddie breathed. "Good idea. Come on children, lets go find some carrots" Paisley encouraged. "I love Ponies!" Maddie gasped.
Gwen, Arthur, Merlin and Morgana laughed at their antics. "Thanks" Morgana smiled. "Don't mention it. After you" Arthur nodded, letting the ladies go first. "See Merlin, I told you I'm the best Uncle" Arthur smirked, elbowing his husband. "I can already see the big mug" Merlin mocked, before ruffling Arthur's hair.