Author's Note: To Sherri, yes it was a flashback (I forgot to finish the first part of the sentence; thus, the timeframe was left unclear) sorry if it caused confusion. Thanks for pointing it out. I fixed it :D

Chapter 4: The Call

The next afternoon, Mithian invited Arthur to ride with her.

"I almost wasn't going to ask you to join me," Mithian said. "I was afraid that if you did, you'd fall off from exhaustion, but you look well rested now."

Was it that obvious? Arthur thought. "Well I have to be, or how else will I beat your father in the hunt?"

The hunt was part of the upcoming party, Ygraine's Garden Party. Since before Arthur was born, every year Lady Ygraine hosted a weekend-long party when her garden was at its peak. It started as light entertainment for her ladyship and friends, but ladies have husbands, and Uther added in cricket, hunting, and talk of business while the ladies sipped their tea, gossiped, and marveled at Ygraine's garden.

"And here I thought you were afraid that I would beat you again, my lord," Mithian said before looking a little nervous. "Arthur, there's something I need to tell you."

It was a rare expression for her, and Arthur anticipated what she was about to share. "What is it?"

"I sent an invitation to Lady Morgana," she confessed.

They hadn't discussed his sister when they made the invite list; he just jotted down the names of close friends and partners and let Mithian handle the stationary and post. Mithian explained that she sent it to Morgana's last known address, and since the invite didn't come back with a return to sender stamp, she assumed Morgana must have received it and ignored it. She just felt that he should know.

Morgana left when Uther dropped a bombshell on them. Uther had taken Morgana in when she was eleven and Arthur was ten. She was the daughter of Uther's best friend, Gorlois and his wife Vivienne. The truth was that in the second year of his marriage to Ygraine, who had not yet conceived, had an affair with Vivienne. Morgana was the product. Gorlois divorced Vivienne six years later and she disappeared, and when Gorlois died, Uther adopted Morgana. Whether Gorlois knew that he wasn't Morgana's biological father remained unknown. When Uther felt they were old enough, he told them the truth. Growing up, Arthur always cared for Morgana as a sister, and to find out they were biologically related only solidified that feeling; it was the fact that he was unfaithful to his mother that angered him.

"Even though she might not come, imagine your father's face if she does. It would be worth the effort, don't you think?" Mithian suggested. Morgana's departure was the cause of his father's declining health, so her return should, in theory, could be a remedy.

When they returned to the house, the main phone in the hall rang. George was there in a blink of an eye.

"Camelot Estate. May I ask who is calling?" the butler said, channeling his professionalism through line.

Arthur and Mithian watched George stiffen as shock flash across his face. They looked at each other with concern for the butler and wondering what rattled him. "One moment please," he said in a nervous tone. He put the receiver on the table and came over to them. "T-telephone, my lord," he said uneasily.

Arthur strode to the phone and picked it up. "Hello?"

There was silence over the line and he was about to repeat himself when he heard a female's voice say, "Brother."

"Morgana," Arthur said automatically. He looked at Mithian who heard him. Her eyes were wide with astonishment. Speak of the devil. She left to give him some privacy.

"I'm coming back," she said flatly. "I'm at the Dorchester right now. Arrange for my arrival at noon."

Arthur was mildly put off by her abruptness and demand, but he let it go. "I'll be taken care of. See you tomorrow, then."

Click.

Morgana hung up.

Downstairs, everyone was going about their business. At the dining table, Freya was helping Merlin mend one of Arthur's shirts, blushing whenever their hands brushed. Gwen smiled at them over her cup of tea. Eira and Kara lazily polished the silverware, and no doubt George will be complaining about it later. Lance was washing the dishes while Gwaine leaned on the counter next to him, also drinking tea.

When Gwen finished hers, Lance generously took her cup to wash for her. All the new employees were hard-working, and the household was really shaping up.

Percival and Sefa came to sit at the table to rest after restocking the pantry. Just as they sat down, Arthur came in. Everyone at the table stood, Lance stopped washing, and Gwaine straightened, still holding the cup and saucer, looking very posh.

He stood just inside the doorway and glanced around the room before settling on Gwen. "Morgana's coming tomorrow," he said, almost making it sound like a question as if he didn't believe what he was saying. "See that everything is prepared for her arrival."

Gwen nodded trying to hide her amazement. "Right away, my lord."

"And Gwaine," Arthur said, grabbing the driver's attention. "You'll be picking her up at the Dorchester at noon."

"Yes, m'lord," Gwaine said, committing the appointment to memory.

Arthur left, but not before giving Gwen one last glance. Everyone sat back down, the silence hung in the air as they thought about what Arthur said.

The silence was broken when Gwaine asked, "Who's Morgana?"

Gwen and Merlin were the only ones in the room who were working when Morgana lived at the estate. "She's Arthur's brother," Merlin answered.

"I was her maid," Gwen added. "I'll attend to her, which means some changes need to be made for when the rest of the guest arrive for the party." Gwen thought about the assignments for the maids, rearranging assignments in her head. "Eira will assist Lady Annis instead of me, and Freya will assist Lady Mithian."

Eira made a sound of displeasure. "Why do I have to be maid to Lady Annis?"

"Do you not think you can handle it?" Gwen challenged, eyebrow raised.

Eira crossed her arms and remained silent.

Arthur knocked on the door of Uther's study before entering. "Father," he said, announcing his presence. He saw his father sitting in his usual spot at the window. Arthur felt his heart rate quicken as he got closer.

"Morgana's coming home."

Arthur watched as his father's back straighten from its slouched position.

"What?" is all that Uther said, barely audible.

Arthur swallowed. "She telephoned and said she was coming back tomorrow." He left out that she was already in town and staying at the Dorchester, unsure of how his father would react.

Uther stood with ease and Arthur took a step back when his father turned round to him. He was smiling. Arthur had thought father had lost the muscles in his face that would allow his mouth to curve upward. The man could crush his worst enemies and not crack a smile for his victory. But when Uther let out a joyous laugh and clapped Arthur on the shoulders, Arthur felt overcome with excitement for his father's sudden recovery.

"Make sure everything is prepared for her arrival," Uther said anxiously.

Arthur remained still with his hands folded behind his back like a butler waiting for orders, but with a smile on his face. "Already on it, father."

"Did she say when she'll arrive?" Uther asked.

"Noon, she said."

"How did she sound? Did she sound happy?"

Arthur hesitated but Uther didn't notice. "She sounded…" She certainly didn't sound enthused. "She sounded like she usually did."

Uther stopped pacing. "Sharp and to the point?"

"Yes."

Uther barked out another laugh before muttering to himself what sounded like, "That's my girl." He rubbed his face feeling the bristly grey stubble. "I'm in need of a shave." He walked swiftly past Arthur to the door to return to his room. This was the most Arthur's seen his father move in the last year.

Arthur relaxed out of his pose and was about to follow his father out, but Uther began a new conversation.

"Have you considered a date, so you can announce it at the garden party?"

If Arthur wasn't in front of his father he would've snapped. He clenched his jaw instead. "I don't think we'd settle on a date by then. Anyways, we wouldn't want to overshadow Morgana's return, now would we?"

His father seemed to consider his words, but not accept them. "Arthur, you can't keep putting it off."

With Uther now up and about, his excuse of his father's health seemed less valid now. Reality was starting to set in. He was running out of time. Arthur dared to speak from his heart.

"I can't marry Mithian." It was the first time he said it out loud. He felt relieved.

"What?"

Arthur tried to explain. "I can't marry someone I do not love."

Uther gave an exasperated sigh. "This isn't about love, Arthur."

"It's about business, I'm know," Arthur said. "But we're well off, and we have a solid relationship with the Nemeths. There's no need for—"

Any cheer that was on Uther's face was completely gone. "A broken engagement will ruin the relationship between our families."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "The Nemeth's don't strike me as a spiteful bunch."

"I didn't love your mother when we were engaged, but it wasn't long after our marriage that I did, and she became my world. It takes time. But even if you can't love her, you do it for this estate, for the family." His father's eyes bore into him. "Does she know of your feelings?"

"No," Arthur said quietly like a boy after being chastised.

"Good," Uther said giving him a hard look before exiting.

Gwen finished laying fresh sheets on Morgana's bed when Arthur entered the room. He closed the door behind him and said, "We need to talk."

"It's wonderful that Morgana's coming home," she said.

"You know that's not what I mean." He stopped on the other side of the bed keeping the distance between them.

Gwen grabbed the pillows, fluffing them and placing them at the head of the bed. "Not now. There's so much that needs to be done."

Arthur wouldn't quit. "Now's probably the last time we'll have alone together."

She stared past him at the closed door before turning her attention to him. "You shouldn't have kissed me," she whispered, afraid that someone on the other side would hear.

"I can't marry her, Guinevere," he said firmly.

"We always knew it would have to end—that one day you would have to fulfill you duties as lord of the estate. At least we had time together. It's better than having none at all."

Arthur wasn't going to accept her answer. "Tell me you don't love me."

"Arthur—"

"Tell me, Guinevere. Tell me and I'll let it all go. Hell, I'll even marry Mithian tomorrow."

"I don't," Gwen started and Arthur held his breath. "I can't." Her eyes burned as they began to water. "I can't say it." She turned her back to him just as a tear fell. She brushed it away before Arthur came to stand beside her, lacing his fingers with hers.

"I thought about you every day, Guinevere."

"I've thought about you, too," was all she could say. The light touches of his fingers were distracting.

"Asking you to come here was selfish of me, but I also knew that you could handle the job. The only one I trust." He squeezed her hand before letting it go. "I won't ask you to stay."

"I want to," she said. "But nothing more can happen between us. I will not be your mistress."

Arthur agreed. He couldn't do that to Mithian. "What will you do when I…"

Marry.

The only thing she could do if she were to stay at the estate. "I will watch you grow into the lord that Camelot deserves. It is as it should be," Gwen said with conviction.

Arthur hung his head, sighed, and ran a hand through his hair from the back of his neck to the front, mussing it up. Gwen smiled sadly and reached up to smooth it down. She loved it on his off days when his hair took on the disheveled appearance; he was relaxed and not trying to impress anyone. Even when he raked his hands through it in frustration, it meant he was expressing himself instead of hiding behind a steel wall lords put up. When the last bit lay flat, her hand moved to caress his cheek, but she stopped before she could touch him, her hand suspended in the air.

So Arthur took her hand. He closed his eyes and kissed her palm, cherishing the last time his lips would touch her skin.

When he let her go, he gave her a small nod and left the room. He didn't look back at Gwen, and missed seeing the governess bring her hand to her chest to rest over her heart.

A/N: So how bout that modified line from 3x06 haha. And what does this mean for arwen? And Morgana in the next chapter!

Stay tuned!

Thanks always for reading and reviewing!