Gwen had been told to come in later that day. Morgana had phoned to say she wasn't needed in the morning, but could she come in to clean in the afternoon and make an evening meal, any duties that she didn't get to, it would be fine to catch up on tomorrow. Again her father and brother had questioned her about it but Gwen had dismissed it. She was paid well, even if she didn't do all her hours. It was at their instigation if she didn't do what she was required to do and she was never penalized for it. So she did her job, and followed the instructions that she was given.

Morgana had also bought her a mobile phone especially so she didn't have to walk up to the house unnecessarily. It was after the third occasion that had happened that Morgana had done so. Gwen had thanked her, but she didn't think it was just plain courtesy. There were times they didn't want her anywhere near the house, seeing something she shouldn't. Not that she would tell anyone, she had signed a confidentiality clause when she had started.

That had been checked upon, she was sure of that. The people in the house had been seen around the nearby town where her family lived, and some of them used the local pub. Gwen made sure she said nothing, except about the amount of dust she found in the old house. It was a source of great speculation. Uther Pendragon kept to himself, rarely mixing with the people from the village. Morgana and Merlin had no such reserve, nor the employees that seemed to linger around the house, not seeming to do much of anything.

Gwen had vague recollections, from when she was younger, of being up at the house, helping by rubbing a duster over various safe places while her mother worked, when she had been the cleaner. It felt right being there, in the same role her mother had been given.

She remembered Morgana from those days, nearly fifteen years ago. Gwen thought she had looked so doll like. And she had felt very proud when she had been allowed to play with the pretty, perfect looking girl in the house, who had such nice toys. Gwen was also careful to dust them after she had played, and put them away nicely. She was sure it was why she was given the job, because of Morgana.

When she had applied she didn't think for a moment that she would be in with a chance. She thought it was only because she was local that they had granted an interview. Not for one moment did she think Uther would employ her. Then walking into the interview room Gwen had got the shock of her life. Morgana, back from boarding school, and Merlin, who Gwen had seen about at the local school, were interviewing. It was less an interview and more of a chat. But it still surprised her when Morgana had phoned her later that day and offered her the job. Gwen had almost literally snatched her hand off.

Her father hadn't been happy. It didn't bring up good memories.

There were strange things that had happened. No one spoke of it but her mother's death had been tainted by the house. She hadn't died there, but they had been around her home, after it happened. Gwen remembered Uther coming to see her father, after the strange things and Gwen had wet herself again while he had been there, no more than a child, confused as to why her mother was no longer there. She couldn't seem to help it, after what had happened to her mother, a dark shadow and screaming and…

"Arthur?"

She paused as she walked up the driveway, glad to find a distraction from her musing. The shadow she had spotted moved a little, but the sunlight was still hitting the blond hair of the man huddled under the bushes, his face hidden in his gloved hands. Gwen moved closer and crouched down. Arthur's head didn't rise; he seemed to press his face even harder into his hands.

"Are you all right?"

Arthur's head shook. Gwen tried to duck down to see his face as Arthur's breath hitched.

"What is it?" Gwen asked, unsure what to really do. She waited. Arthur gave her nothing back. Gwen didn't know him well enough to probe that deeply. She had only had one short conversation with him, and his appearance in the house, after so long, had been a rather dramatic mystery.

"Should I go and tell your father you're here?"

She was answered by a frantic shake of the head and a heavily draw in breath that appeared to be close to a sob.

"What about Merlin?"

This time there was just a shake, although Arthur was still breathing heavily. Gwen bit down on her lip.

"Oh, then I don't know what to do. I can't go to the house without telling them you're there, and I don't want to leave you either, really," Gwen mused out loud, half talking to Arthur and half talking to herself. She really did feel lost as to what to do.

"Did something happen?" Gwen asked gently. Arthur nodded.

"You probably can't talk about it. I'm not supposed to know what really goes on up there."

"That's makes it sound like you do," Arthur said, his voice was silted and thick, heavy with emotion. Gwen paused, crouching down. Arthur tensed, seeming to sense her, but Gwen had carefully kept some distance. She backed up and perched herself on one of the logs that had been put down to mark out the driveway.

"I know it's a bit strange, and I don't understand it. I'm paid not to, I know that."

"You just look the other way!"

"I do not!" Gwen snapped. "But I've got my father and brother to look after. After my mother… how dare you! How dare you say that! I'm going to the house, I'll tell Morgana, or Merlin, where you are."

"Please don't! Please! I'm sorry!"

Arthur raised his head and stared at her. Gwen hesitated. She had been told in no uncertain terms that if she saw anything untoward in the grounds or the house she was to inform someone. Arthur didn't exactly fall into that category. Slowly Gwen sat herself down again and Arthur's distressed face disappeared again. That was what had made her pause, Arthur's reddened eyes and pale face. It was quite obvious something had happened, and he wasn't ready to face any of the others. Gwen looked Arthur up and down, she had seen the others dressed like he was, wearing gloves and a padded shirt. She had seen them with swords, and other weapons, as if from another era.

"Arthur what happened?" Gwen asked. Arthur gave a shrug.

"I guess you're hiding from someone."

She got a nod.

"I doubt Merlin," Gwen said, getting a shake of Arthur's head. She went for the most obvious choice. "Uther."

The answer was obvious, Arthur nodded his assent.

"He's your father, I suppose you are going to argue with him."

Arthur shrugged, Gwen bit down on her lip.

"I can understand it a bit, he's not the easiest person to get on with. Most of the time I try and avoid him. It's not hard really, he doesn't pay that much attention to me. It's usually Morgana that gives me most of my instructions. Morgana's nice, she can seem to handle him."

"Are they… like?" Arthur said, with obvious intonation. Gwen's eyes widened.

"Oh, no!" Gwen said in shock. "Nothing like that. He adopted her years ago, when she was a little girl. I used to come here when I was little, when my mother was the cleaner. Morgana and I used to play. It was nice, until…"

Arthur lifted his head. "Until what?"

"I was told never to talk about it."

"I'm not going to tell anyone."

Gwen shrugged. "I know, but I'm never sure what to say around here, sometimes." She glanced about, so did Arthur.

"I doubt anyone is around," Arthur said. "Otherwise I'd have been dragged back to the house by now, and probably locked up."

"I think that's a bit extreme."

"Trust me, it's not."

They were silent for a while, Arthur putting his head back down. It was clear he didn't really want to talk to her. The only reason he had, Gwen thought, was to stop her from going to find someone else. Arthur quite obviously wasn't ready to face anyone else. Gwen didn't want to leave him, and she didn't dare go up to the house and just carry on with her work, with Arthur sat here. She guessed she was sitting there for the duration. Since she wasn't quite sure what to say to Arthur, she just stayed still, waiting.

Arthur ran his gloved fingers through his hair and kept his head down.

"I'm not stupid," Gwen said after a moment's pause. She tucked her legs up and her hands started to fiddle with the laces of her trainers. Arthur didn't answer, not that she expected him to, she had only had two encounters with him, both of them very short. She didn't know quite what to make of it.

"It's not exactly a normal house, and the people in it aren't very normal either. They talk about stuff when I'm around, I don't think that notice me that much half the time."

"Same here," Arthur said.

"That's not true, I know they've been looking for you, for a long time."

"And I was such a disappointment when they found me."

"What makes you say that?"

Arthur huffed and raised his head to look at her. "Because I'm nothing more than a piece of shit rent boy. That's where they found me, selling myself on the streets."

He found he didn't gain much satisfaction watching Gwen's eyes widen in shock, and she blinked, biting down on her lower lip.

"Oh, erm…" Gwen paused. "I'm not sure how to answer that."

"I don't think there is much of an answer."

"What about your mother?" Gwen asked.

"Died when I was little, she had cancer."

"I'm sorry. They said my mother suffered an aneurysm."

"You don't sound sure."

"She used to work up at the house, I'd sometimes come and help out, dusting things that were low enough anyway."

Arthur's mouth lifted in something of a smile.

"There was something, I saw something. I was too little to really tell anyone about it, when I tried to they just thought it was my imagination. I guess my father just thought I was making stories up to deal with what happened."

"She died in the house?" Arthur asked.

Gwen shook her head, looking down to concentrate on fiddling more intensively on her laces.

"No, it was at home, but I saw something, it was just a shadow, but I kept seeing it, first up here, and then at home, then she just collapsed one night."

"And you think it was something to do with the house, or… what goes on?"

Gwen shook her head. "I don't know, I just know it started up there. I think. I'm not sure."

"Was that why you took the job?" Arthur asked. "As the housekeeper."

"Maybe, I know it could have just been my imagination, I was only five at the time."

"I was a little younger than that when my mum died. I don't remember seeing shadows, I just remember wondering where the hell my mother had gone. There was just this walking skeleton in her place."

"I'm sorry. It's not easy is it?"

"It's one of those scenarios when you never get a proper answer. If nothing else, people think you are too young to understand it." Arthur looked down, tracing patterns in the soil with his fingers.

"Can I ask?" Gwen started. Arthur looked up at her, and gave a cynical smirk.

"If she died when I was so young, why didn't I come to live with my father?"

"Well, yeah," Gwen asked.

"My mother didn't want me found, not by him. She was using a different name, and once I went into the children's home, I just fell off the grid. Everything went to shit from there."

"But he must have been looking for you, to eventually find you. It probably took him a while."

"I think he was looking for us even when my mother was alive. She didn't want to be found, I don't blame her, the guy's a tosser."

"You don't mean that," Gwen said.

"I do, but don't worry, I think the feeling's mutual. I don't think he thinks much of me either, especially since I've just punched him in the face."

Gwen shrugged. "Knowing Uther, he'll probably be impressed with that. He respects Morgana because she tells him off. She's the only person that really can. You could probably get away with it as well, if you tried it."

"I suppose," Arthur said. "I don't know."

"You make it sound like you want him to like you," Gwen said.

"Maybe I just want answers. I want to know why my mother ran, why she never told him where I was. If she'd have done that, before she died, instead of hiding me, I wouldn't be a fucking whore, would I?"

"You're not anymore," Gwen said. She carefully unfurled herself, dusting her jeans down before looking down at Arthur. "And neither of us will get any answers hiding under bushes, come on."

She held out her hand to help him up. After a moment's consideration Arthur reached up to put his gloved hand in hers and uncrossing his legs he got up, letting Gwen help pull him, almost toppling them both over as they staggered. Arthur tensed a little, stepping back, but he didn't pull his hand free from hers. Gwen started to walk down the path, using her grip to coax Arthur along.

"Guinevere," Arthur said. She turned her head.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's a nice name."

"Sounds a bit pretentious if you ask me," Gwen said. "That's why I prefer Gwen."

"I think Arthur might be just as pretentious."

"Not really, always reminds me of Dudley Moore," Gwen said. Arthur sniggered.

"Could be worse I suppose."

"Yeah, I mean, when you do ever hear of someone called Guinevere."

"Or Merlin, or Lancelot. We're like a society of funny names," Arthur said, watching as Gwen blushed as Lancelot's name.

"Speaking of Lancelot, has he asked you out yet?" Arthur asked.

"No, I think he nearly tried to once, but he chickened out."

"He's hopeless," Arthur said rolling his eyes.

"I think it's sweet," Gwen said. "He starts to stammer and blush."

"Aaawww," Arthur said, grinning at her. Gwen retorted by smacking his upper arm several times.

"Stop that!" Gwen snapped at him.

"Sorry, I surrender," Arthur said, stepping away from her, still laughing. Gwen gave him a mock glared and they carried on walking towards the house and up the steps into the main hall. Their conversation ceased as they entered the large, serene hallway.

They paused for a moment, looking at each other. Gwen smiled.

"I need to go and start work."

"Okay," Arthur said. "I suppose I ought to…"

"What are you doing with her?" Uther seemed to erupt from his study, glaring at them both. Gwen cowered, Arthur riled.

"It's called a conversation, I'm capable of them!"

"You are not to be fraternising with her."

Arthur clenched his teeth, and his fists tightened.

"Her, has a name. And I don't see why not!"

Gwen looked terrified, backing up towards the door. Arthur moved so he was between her and Uther.

"She's just the housekeeper!"

Arthur blinked. "So! At least she's a nice person, and how the hell can you stop me talking to anyone. She bloody works here."

"Not anymore," Uther snapped, he pushed Arthur back and glared at a quivering Gwen. "Get out, any pay you are owed will be sent to you."

Gwen quite naturally turned and fled, she didn't look round when Arthur, and then Merlin, shouted her name. The fight was drawing people from all areas, staring at the two men in shock.

"You're a fucking arrogant bastard! Do I have to ask your permission to talk to people now! I don't think that is going to happen, I am so out of here!"

Uther grabbed Arthur's arm and flung him backwards, as he tried to go for the door. Arthur staggered and then straightened up.

"You can't stop me!"

"Yes, I can," Uther snarled. "Thanks to Merlin, you can't walk out of the grounds. You are staying here and you will do as you are told!"

"You think so," Arthur asked, lashing out. Uther knocked him back, delivering a punishing blow to the side of Arthur's face.

"You are my son, you will do as you are told," Uther's voice was steady and cold as ice.

Arthur sat on the steps cupping his face in his hand. He turned to look out of the open door. Gwen was running down the drive. Arthur turned his head, looking up at his father, staggering a little but his eyes never moved.

"Fuck you," Arthur snarled before running to his room.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Uther thought he knew. The child had been pushed around violently, so badly. He didn't think that anything could occur to the child. Not while he had hold of him. Locked away in his room Arthur was safe, even if he was angry.

"I'm just going to go and check on Arthur," Merlin said.

"You were told not to Merlin."

"Fuck that," Merlin said to Gwaine who turned to stare at him. Merlin never swore. That was most definitely something he had picked up from Arthur. Merlin thundered up the stairs as if he dared someone to come out and stop him. Uther never appeared from his study to intervene, and it went quiet as Merlin disappeared into the bedroom wing.

"Perhaps you should stop him, Gwaine, maybe Arthur doesn't want to be bothered," Morgana said, and then she blinked as Gwaine's eyes widened, he jumped from his seat, almost falling over the small coffee table directly in front of him. He managed to right himself, and by that time Morgana had got to her feet and was planning to follow him. The only reason for a reaction like that was a frantic call from Merlin. Gwaine glanced at her as he ran for the stairs.

"Get Gaius now!"

Gwaine didn't wait to see if she would do as she was told. He guessed she would, she would know the reason for his sudden dash upstairs. Gwaine could feel Merlin pushing against his mind, not just trying to get his attention but because he was in a full blown panic. The only thing with the capacity to do that, at the moment, was Arthur. Gwaine brushed aside the irritation he was feeling.

Instead he ran down the corridor and crashed through the door into Arthur's room. Merlin was crouched by the side of the bed. Arthur had been tucked under the sheets but the small pool of liquid by the side of the bed had alerted Merlin. Gwaine assessed the pool and the reddening sheets, Merlin's hands were clamped to Arthur's wrists to put pressure on the wounds. He looked up at Gwaine, his eyes wide, gold sparks flashing within them.

"I've told Morgana to get Gaius," he informed Merlin before going to the bed to help, to apply pressure further up Arthur's right arm to slow the blood flow. Merlin looked up.

"I can feel him, he's still there."

"Keep him there, Gaius won't be long. What the hell has he done?"

"Proved Uther wrong," Merlin said, his voice oddly steady. Gwaine frowned at him.

"What?" he snapped.

"He can get himself out of here."