Author's Note: CarolynnRuth mentioned Spanish flu and war, and it hit me: So I had Ygrane and Gwen's mother die of Spanish flu which happened in 1918-1920, but I have Arthur and Gwen and the main characters in their 20s which would make the story set in late 30's-early 40s or something like that. But this is supposed to be late Edwardian/pre WWI. So this is me executing my artistic license and saying the Spanish flu happened much earlier.

And speaking of war: Originally I had planned for Arthur, Merlin, and the knights to go off to war and have Arthur sneak in special letters to Gwen with Elyan's letters to her. But I axed that idea and went in a different direction. (But Elyan will make an appearance eventually)

Also, I forgot to mention in last chapter's a/n that I named Odin's son. It was going to be Thor for obvious reasons but that would've been too much. So he's Christopher for Chris Hemsworth who plays Thor. But he doesn't look like him. There are already too many blondes in the story. haha /end super long a/n

Chapter 7: The Garden Party, Part 1

Usually at this time in the morning, Gwen would be dressed and downstairs having her morning tea with Cook before the others came down. Instead, she laid in bed, exhausted from staying up half the night consumed by her thoughts. I'm so stupid, she chanted to herself until she finally fell asleep.

And "I'm so stupid" is what Gwen said right when she woke. She buried her face into the pillow to muffle her whine. "So, so, stupid." She shouldn't have kissed Arthur, but she did. Twice in the span of thirty seconds. How dare he tell her to go with Morgana and marry someone. She was the one who's supposed to tell him what's what. She's the one who's supposed to think rationally.

And yet she was screaming into her pillow like a child.

Gwen flopped on her back and exhaled. "It's over," she now chanted. "It's over, it's over, it's over." But the phantom feeling of his hands through her nightgown wouldn't go away. That was going to be the last time he touched her. It felt more heated than when he's touched her bare skin. What if they went further? Go out with a bang. No, don't think about that, Guinevere. They needed that barrier.

What they needed was the Great Wall of China.

What they needed was the Atlantic Ocean.

It's over.

Merlin was beginning to worry as everyone was preparing for the day around the table and Gwen hadn't come down yet. George was rambling about the teams for the cricket match that afternoon, and he toned him out knowing he was on Arthur's team like he was every year. Kara looked annoyed, having to attend to the high maintenance Lady Vivian, and Eira looked beat.

"And then—and then she yelled at me for not turning down the sheets!" Eira complained about Lady Annis. Merlin snickered. Gwen had told him that Morgana's arrival allowed her perfectly pair up the ladies and the maids. She originally wanted Sefa with Annis, instead of her because she knew her ladyship would be kind to Sefa and the young maid would gain experience, but with the switch, she informed Annis of Eira's behavior and hinted to be as strict as possible.

Eira's rant went on. "Annis is such a—"

"Her ladyship is such a what, Eira?" Gwen asked sternly from the doorway. They all stood at her presence.

Eira swallowed. "I'll just, um…see what her ladyship needs." She swept pass Gwen with her head bowed.

Gwen took Eira's seat next to Kara who immediately tensed up. "And how is Lady Vivian treating you, Kara?" Gwen didn't even look at her or anyone as they sat back down.

"F-fine, Miss," Kara said. "I just be attending to my lady now."

Merlin wanted to laugh. Ifonly Eira and Kara were like this when Gwen wasn't around. There would be peace in the downstairs.

George clapped his hands getting their attention. "I think we all have work that we should be doing now."

Everyone but Merlin and Gwen left. Freya was the last out the door, giving Merlin a look before heading upstairs. He smiled back at her.

Gwen folded her arms on the table and tucked her head into them. Merlin placed a cup of tea in front of her and sat down. "Arthur said he gave you the rest of the night off to rest, but it doesn't seem like you've gotten much of it." He nudged her. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" her voice muffled by her arms and table.

"Arthur didn't return to the drawing room for quite some time."

Her head shot up and the pained look on her face surprised him. "It's not what you think."

Merlin frowned. "Clearly it isn't." He watched as she cradled the cup. "You're really going to leave, huh?"

"I guess I am," Gwen sighed. "I don't know how long we'll be gone, though. I'd hate to miss your wedding."

The fact that she changed the subject went over his head. "My wedding?!"

"To Freya."

"My wedding to Freya?!"

Gwen sipped the tea. "I've seen the way you look at each other. And now that she's Mithian's maid, you'll be spending even more time together…"

Merlin's heart was racing. "She's going to remain lady's maid to Mithian after the party?"

She finished her tea and went to the sink to wash the cup. "Mithian is very pleased with her service and requested that Freya stay her maid." She dried her hands and made her way to the door. She stopped before going up the stairs. "Oh, and Merlin—?"

"Yes, Gwen?" His voice was slightly higher with embarrassment and nerves.

"I'm sure you can be close to Freya without Arthur's shirts. I fear we may run out of thread," she teased before leaving.

Merlin blushed.

Morgana and the ladies watched the cricket match with mild amusement. Morgana never cared for it, but baseball, now that was a sport she could get behind. She saw a few games in New York, and she thoroughly enjoyed them.

Gwen accidently blocked her view when she set down a tray of beverages. "Gwen, sit down!" Morgana said, pulling at the girl's hand and getting her to sit down next to her on the cushioned lawn chair. "Let me tell you about baseball…"

Tristan up and Vivian had some words about him. "I'm surprised Annis allowed her daughter to marry a…middle class lawyer." She only had the nerve to say it because Annis and Isolde were in the garden with Catrina and Helen. "I mean, just because her brother is the inheritor, doesn't mean she should just throw her life away."

They all stared at Vivian in disbelief. If anyone needed a lawyer, they'd be a fool not to go to Tristan. Sure he came from humble beginnings, but he was smart and honest. On holiday in London, Tristan literally ran into Isolde. It was love at first sight, Isolde claimed. Annis saw how Tristan would bend over backwards for Isolde, and Caerleon wanted nothing more than to see his daughter happily married before he died, so they allowed it.

Out of the corner of her eye, Morgana saw Gwen fiddle with her hands. Gwen needed something to do, not used to just sitting around for idle chit chat, but the conversation was probably making her anxious. Morgana was glad her former maid found work in Annis' home. Gwen told her that she was treated extremely well in the Caerleon Estate. Morgana never judged Isolde for her marriage to Tristan. She thought it was commendable, and she wished Arthur could do the same. She was about to tell Vivian off, but Elena commented first.

"You can't be too picky, Vivian, or you might die an old maid, or twice divorced like Catrina." the other blonde said.

Vivian gasped. "Me? What about you? You can't walk five feet without tripping. Are you just going to crawl down the aisle? Who knows when that'll be?"

Elena was extremely clumsy, they all knew, but it was also endearing. Mithian tried to lighten the mood. "Maybe you can ride a horse down the aisle. That would be interesting." If there was one thing Elena could do, it was ride a horse with the utmost grace.

Elena laughed. "That would be a sight!"

"Hey, Lady Morgana!" Christopher called out to her. They all turned to the field. "This one's for you!" he winked. Ever since he got there, he shamelessly flirted with her. She cursed Arthur when he disappeared from the drawing room last night, leaving her alone with Odin's son, but at the same time, Christopher drove Arthur crazy and she loved watching her brother cringe.

She still didn't know what was going on but either way, Christopher was out and grew red with embarrassment. She saw Arthur roll his eyes and say, "Maybe if you paid more attention to the game and not my sister…"

"So, Morgana," Mithian said. "Meet any men in America?"

All eyes were on her. There was no way she was going to tell them about the two-timing Alvarr, especially not with Vivian there. "Of course I have. There are men wherever you go," she evaded.

There was a roar of victory when Arthur's team won. Uther congratulated his son, but blamed his team's defeat on Alined's hangover. The men settled under the tent, and Annis, Isolde, Catrina, and Helen returned.

Isolde went to sit next to her husband. "Over already?" she asked innocently. She pecked Tristan on the cheek and he rolled her eyes. He knew what the others thought of him and his low standing, so he was reserved around his superiors. But when Isolde was next to him, he was more expressive.

Catrina handed Uther a drink and sat close to him. She apologized for missing the game but praised his skill anyway. Morgana looked at them suspiciously, not liking how close the divorcee was sitting next to her father. Mithian did the same to Arthur, but actually talked to him about the game since she honestly understood the sport.

Gwen left her side to help distribute drinks, and addressed the footmen. "You may rest for now, but you still have jobs to do."

Morgana noted that she refused to look at Arthur, not even acknowledging him when she passed. Arthur, on the other hand, occasionally snuck a glance at her. She also saw Lance smile at Gwen when she handed him his drink. Their fingers brushed and he seemed to be affected by that. Huh. Well look at that. Then he said something that made Gwen laugh, which caused Arthur's head to involuntarily turn to towards her.

George was already preparing to head back to the house. "She's right. Chop, chop!" There was a collective groan among them as they followed George back.

"So who's excited for the hunt tomorrow?" Rodor asked. "Or shall I rephrase that? Who's looking forward to my daughter beating us all?" They all chuckled and Mithian blushed.

Godwyn raised his glass. "And let us pray that Alined holds his drink tonight and doesn't accidently blow one of our heads off."

The space under the tent thinned out again when Agravaine, Odin, Christopher, and Alined took a walk around the grounds. Olaf, Helen, and Vivian went inside to cool off, and Leon went in with them to make a call. Uther headed to the garden, and Catrina caught up with him offering her company, which he enthusiastically accepted.

"It seems like every year, Ygraine's garden gets more beautiful," Annis said.

"It's remarkable," Mithian added.

"I'd love to see it now," Elena said. "But I think Catrina and Lord Uther need time alone…"

Arthur looked disgusted. "Please, Elena. I could do without the visual." Morgana agreed, her face also contorted in displeasure, and although they were only half-siblings, in that moment they looked very much alike.

Isolde laughed. "On a lighter note, the fair is in town. Shall we head down this evening?" The ladies agreed while Arthur, Godwyn, and Rodor stayed silent. "Come on, Lord Rodor, Lord Godwyn. When's the last time you've been to a fair." Isolde said to the older gentlemen, and then she targeted Arthur. She left her husband's side to sit on the other side of Arthur. Next to each other, they looked like fraternal twins with their blond hair, blue eyes, and strong features. Arthur always admired the older woman. He knew of the grief she received for marrying Tristan, but he envied her. She ruffled his hair and he batted her hand away. "And you, little lord." She laughed again when Arthur pouted at the use of her nickname for him.

Mithian spoke to both him and her father. "She's right. You've been working very hard lately. And father, it'll be like when I was a little girl."

"Except I won't be able to carry you on my shoulders," Rodor chuckled. Godwyn shared a similar memory with Elena.

"Will the servants be going out, too?" Mithian asked Gwen.

"Huh?" Gwen had been lost in thought since Elena mentioned Uther and Catrina. "Oh. If you're all going to go out, then the maids are free. It's George's decision for the footmen, but I might be able to get him to let them go early if he says otherwise."

"And you're coming, too, of course," Morgana said. She saw that Gwen was about to make an excuse. "No buts!"

The staff was heading out when Arthur went downstairs. The dining room and the kitchen were empty. He was about to head back up the stairs when he heard voices at the end of the hall next to the back entrance. It was Gwen and Lance.

"You don't seem very excited," Lance said.

"I'm just a little tired, that's all," he just barely heard Gwen say.

Arthur guessed that forcing her to rest didn't work after all. He wasn't able to rest after what happened, and neither could she.

Lance spoke again. "The fresh air will do you some good."

There was silence and shuffling, so Arthur peeked around the corner. He saw Lance open the door for Gwen. They smiled at each other and Lance led her out with his hand at the small of her back.

Arthur leaned against the wall and banged his head against it. He pulled himself together before going upstairs and out the front door with everyone else.

Arthur and Gwen always used the fair as a date location. It was the only place where everyone else was so caught up in their own excitement that no one noticed that the two would never leave each other's side, and that their hands would brush and even clasp together.

It was a cool summer's evening, and everyone was enjoying themselves. Arthur walked arm in arm with Mithian. They were doing that more lately, always initiated by Mithian. In front of them, Merlin and Freya were practically glued to each other.

Mithian spoke quietly enough for only Arthur to hear. "Freya speaks very highly of Merlin."

"Maybe she should get her head checked," he said.

"Arthur!"

He grinned at her. "It's just a suggestion."

"Maybe love is in the air?" Mithian looked over at the ring toss booth where Gwen and Lance were. "They'd make a cute couple."

Arthur grumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." He looked away for Gwen and Lance to see Morgana being pestered by Christopher. "Let's go save my sister." Arthur swore he could hear Gwen's laughter ring through the crowd. And no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't tone it out.

A/N: Welp. Jealous Arthur is emerging. How will this play out? Part 2 coming soooooon

Oh and if you haven't noticed, I'm American and I love baseball XD

Thanks always for reading and reviewing :D!