Chapter 10: It's What You Do

An hour or so had gone by when they decided to return to the house. As they walked back, Arthur stretched, and when his arms came down, one ended up around Gwen's shoulders.

Gwen looked at him out of the corner of her eye, and bit back a smile. Arthur looked away, whistling. She bumped him with her hip.

"Hey!" Arthur said in mock surprise.

Gwen put on an innocent face and avoided his gaze by looking up at the sky. Just then, a shooting star darted across the black. "Oh!"

"What?" Arthur asked, looking up as well. "What'd you see?"

"A shooting star!"

"Did you make a wish?"

"Mmhm."

Arthur nudged her. "So what'd you wish for?"

They reached the staff entrance, and Arthur opened the door for Gwen. As she stepped over the threshold, she grinned. "It's a secret."

They went their separate ways at the top of the stairs. Gwen tip toed down the hall to her room. She closed the door quietly behind her, and when she heard the tiny click of the latch, she turned around and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Morgana sitting on her bed wearing a sleepy pout and her arms crossed.

"And where—" she interrupted herself with a yawn, "were you?"

"I was getting air," Gwen said.

Morgana smirked. "Getting air, letting down your hair…" Morgana's mouth widened when Gwen touched her hair that was no longer in its customary bun. "With Arthur."

"So," Gwen huffed defensively and twirled a strand of hair around her finger.

Morgana laid back on the bed and threw the covers over herself with a drunken laugh. She fell asleep instantly.

Gwen changed into her night clothes and crawled into bed. "I did something stupid, but I don't regret it," she whispered in the dark. Part of her hoped Morgana was awake to hear her confession, but all she got was a snore in response. The other half of Gwen sighed in relief. "Goodnight, my lady."

The first thing Gwen saw when she woke up was Morgana leaning over her, her hair a rat's nest and last night's dress wrinkled. The shock made her alert in an instant. "I wish you would stop doing that."

"So tell me more about last night and how you don't regret it," Morgana said.

Gwen's eyes widened. "I thought you were asleep."

"I was," Morgana smirked. "After you said that."

Gwen groaned and pulled the covers over her head only to have Morgana pull it back down. "Come on, time to get up. I need to you to help me look human again."

"I do believe you said I was your companion now, not your maid."

At that, Morgana jumped on her and the girls erupted in a fit of giggles.

On the way to Morgana's room they saw Catrina, dress askew, lipstick smudge, and hair reminiscent of Morgana's earlier. She was humming to herself as she went into her room. Gwen and Morgana shared a look and shuddered.

The breakfast table was youthful with the older guest sleeping in or taking their breakfast in their room. Arthur sat down at the head of the table. "I take it our parents are learning that they aren't as young as they used to be."

"And I'm pretty sure Christopher is dead to the world," Leon said.

"And Vivian," Elena added. "I'd hate to be the maid attending to her this morning."

Arthur took a thoughtful sip of his tea. "Maybe I should've held off on firing Eira and Kara."

"Good riddance," Isolde said coming in with Tristan. "Last night was wonderful by the way."

Morgana's eyes darted to her brother. "It seems like after the party died down, some went off and had their own little fun."Arthur shifted under her look. "I saw Catrina sneaking back into her room this morning. She looked positively ravished."

The table chorused 'what' and 'with who.' Morgana rolled her eyes. "Who do you think? Uther, of course!"

Arthur paled. "I'm going to be sick."

George came in with the post. Arthur glared at his sister while opening the envelope. He scanned the letter with a frown. "If it's not one thing, it's another," he muttered. "Looks like I'll be off with every this morning. I'm needed in Bristol."

"Bristol?" Mithian asked. "What for?"

"Nothing important." Arthur tucked the letter in his inside pocket. "Nothing to worry about." Mithian inquired no more.

Leon stroked his short beard with a grin. "It seems like you'll be taking the train with Christopher and Odin then."

"Maybe I should leave now." Arthur said standing. "I apologize for not seeing you all off."

Arthur and the police officer behind the desk stared each other down. "You sure you wanna bail him out?" The officer looked Arthur up and down. "I don't see why you'd be hangin' round with his sort."

Arthur was losing his patience. The jail was sweltering and it was making him irritable. "Just let him out, will you?"

Minutes later, Elyan Leodegrance came through the door looking ashamed. "I can't thank you enough, Arthur—my lord. I'll pay you back as soon as I can."

"You're going to have to tell your sister about this."

"I'll give her a call tomorrow."

"No. You'll tell her to her face. You're coming back with me to London."

Elyan's face went from shamed to afraid. Arthur thought that bailing him out was worth it just to see that. Arthur patted his shoulder. "I don't think it'll be that bad." Still, Elyan's dark complexion ashened. "I'm in no rush to return today. We'll stay the night at the pub and go back tomorrow. You'll have all night to think about what you'll say to Guinevere."

But all Elyan could come up with was an 'I'm sorry,' and Gwen tore her brother a new one. "You went to Bristol to work, not to get into brawls! Everywhere you go, you're always getting into trouble. One day you're going to get seriously hurt! For once can you think before you act?"

"I'm sorry, Gwen," Elyan mumbled for the hundredth time. "It won't happen again."

"You say that every time!" Gwen prodded his chest. "But you're right. It's not going to happen again because you're going to work here to pay off your debt to Arthur. And when that's paid, you're going to keep working here so I can keep an eye on you!"

In the library, Arthur found Mithian and Morgana. He flopped on the couch across from them and ran a hand through his hair.

"Welcome back," Morgana said, not looking up from the catalogue she was flipping through.

Mithian frowned at his rumpled appearance. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine" Arthur said gruffly. He's been saying that a lot lately. "I can't say the same about Elyan though."

"Elyan?"

"Gwen's brother," Morgana answered for him. "Is that why you went to Bristol? What'd he do this time?" She leaned over to Mithian and said in a stage whisper, "He's a bit of a trouble maker."

"I bailed him out of jail," Arthur said. "Guinevere's probably still yelling at him as we speak."

"I can't imagine Gwen yelling," Mithian said.

Arthur let out an exhausted laugh. "It's quite the sight and a bit frightening when you're on the receiving end."

Morgana snorted. "You would know."

August came with high humidity. The mornings were muggy and stuffy, and the afternoons were unbearable. Arthur sat in his office with a glass of ice water pressed against his forehead. The upstairs was oddly silent as if no one dared to move and generate more heat.

Suddenly he heard a commotion and someone racing down the hall.

Merlin rushed in. "Gwen fainted!" Arthur got up with haste. The water sloshed over the glass and spilled on a document, but it wasn't nearly as important. "Gaius has been called and he's on his way. And Lance is carrying her to her room."

When they got to Gwen's room, Lance had just laid her down and Sefa draped the blanket over her. A curl rested across Gwen's face and Arthur itched to sweep it aside, but Morgana was already at Gwen's side and did it.

"We were just talking," Lance explained. "One second she was laughing and the next…" He frowned. "If I didn't catch her, she would've cracked her skull open."

"Thank goodness you were there," Mithian said.

"This is all my fault," Elyan paced. "Ever since I came here, I've been nothing but trouble for her. I'm like the straw that broke the camel's back. It's an aneurism or something isn't it? Oh God, she always said I was going to be the death of her. "

"Elyan, she fainted. She's not dead!" Morgana harshly whispered, trying not to disturb Gwen.

Everyone waited anxiously at Gwen's bedside until Gaius arrived. "Move along," the physician said making his way through. He took Morgana's place and put his hand to Gwen's forehead.

Just then, Gwen's eyes opened and she startled. "What happened?"

"You fainted, my dear," Gaius said. What's the last thing you remember?"

"Oh, hello Gaius. How are you?"

"Gwen, the question."

"Oh, right." She looked at Lance. "We were having a lovely conversation, weren't we," she was smiling, but then her brow furrowed. "But I can't remember what about."

"I'll tell you again when you're better," Lance promised and they smiled to each other.

It was Arthur's turn to frown. This was the wrong time to be jealous, but he couldn't help it.

"Well, you're a little feverish," Gaius diagnosed.

Gwen begged to differ. "I feel fine."

"Fainting out of the blue doesn't make you fine, Guinevere," Arthur said. "She's been overworking herself, Gaius."

"Ah, that doesn't surprise me. Gwen, always the hard worker." Gaius' eyes were cheery but his voice was stern, doctorly. "I'm prescribing plenty of bed rest and lots of fluids." Then he looked over his shoulder and his eyes grew serious. "And air. I don't think she'll get better with half the house crowding her in here. Out. Now."

They soon discovered that Gwen was a horrible patient. She kept trying to convince Morgana to let her out of bed, but Morgana wouldn't. All the struggling and lack of rest made Gwen more agitated, and her fever worsened.

Late in the evening, Arthur came into the room to find Morgana asleep in the chair and Gwen trying to sit up in the bed with shaky arms.

"Whoa there," Arthur said rushing to her side. He supported her back to find her drenched in sweat.

"I'm not a horse!" Gwen snapped.

Morgana jolted awake. "What happened? Gwen what are you doing."

"I need to sit up."

"She's burning up."

Morgana took Gwen from Arthur. "Oh Gwen, let's get you changed. Arthur, go to the linen closet and get new sheets."

Arthur stood there. "Where…"

"Go down the hall, turn the corner. It's at the end next to the staff's entrance," Gwen said wearily as Morgana led her into the bathroom.

By the time he came back they were waiting for him. Gwen curled in the chair and watched tired but amused as the Pendragon siblings tried to make the bed. Finally, Morgana turned down the sheets and made Arthur carry Gwen to bed, which he did gladly.

"You two are ridiculous," Gwen whined as they tucked her in.

Morgana yawned. Arthur told her to get rest and he'll watch over Gwen. His sister tried to argue but he pushed her out.

Seeing Gwen lay there reminded him of his mother succumbing to Spanish flu. Gwen wasn't on the brink of death, but the anxiety still manifested. Arthur went to the basin of fresh cool water and soaked the cloth. He dabbed Gwen's forehead before laying it on.

Beads of water ran down Gwen's face. "It's too wet," she laughed hoarsely. "Wring it out."

"Sorry!" When he did what he was told, a comical amount of water came out of the cloth. He dabbed Gwen's forehead again and got rid of the excess moisture with an apologetic smile.

"We'll make a nurse out of you yet," Gwen said, taking his hand in hers as she guided it and the cloth before resting it on her forehead.

Arthur's hand hovered over her forehead for a second, afraid the cloth would slip off. "I've never seen you ill before."

Gwen's eyes drifted closed. "Because we've always fallen ill at the same time. Remember?"

"Yes," Arthur remembered. It caused several arguments between his parents. Uther would grow angry with Ygraine for letting Arthur play with the servants. For every illness Arthur had, Uther blamed the servants, as if they bred the common cold.

"When you're better, Annis wants you to visit the children before they go off to school. It'll be a few weeks."

Gwen opened her eyes to look at him. "But there's work to be done—"

"Guinevere, I know you're dying to see them." He ignored the worried tone of her voice. She needed to think of herself for once. So he did the only sensible thing he could think of, which was hard to do because sensible he was not when it came to Guinevere. "And you're fired," he said quickly and quietly.

"What!" Gwen sat up, her eyes were fierce.

The cloth had slipped off and landed on her shoulder. Arthur peeled it off and soaked it back in the bowl. "You work too hard, Guinevere."

"Look who's talking," she retorted.

"You can still be Morgana's glorified lady's maid." Arthur showed improvement when he wrung out the cloth.

"Companion," Gwen corrected.

Arthur gestured for her to lay back down, and he placed the cloth carefully back on Gwen's forehead. "I'll put out an advertisement for a new housekeeper tomorrow."

"You don't have to." Gwen waved a hand lazily. "Tell Cook or Merlin to get a hold of Mary."

"I remember Mary. How is she?" They reminisced about the earlier days and how Mary, one of the older maids, and a good friend of Gwen's mother, would bake special treats for them. She left a few years after Rose and Ygraine died. According to Gwen, Mary's husband died two years ago and was looking for work again.

Gwen was growing sleepy. "I never thanked you for bailing out Elyan, have I? I can't believe it slipped my mind. Elyan may drive me crazy some times, but I do worry about him. Thank you. It means more to me than I can say…" She drifted off to sleep.

Arthur lifted one of her hands to his lips, kissing her knuckles. "There's no need to thank me, Guinevere. It's what you do when you love someone."

From outside the room, Mithian backed away from the partially open door. She'd been standing there since Arthur first tried to dab Gwen's forehead. She watched how tender Arthur was with Gwen, even during their small argument. Arthur's final words echoed through her head. Friends love each other, Mithian told herself. They're just friends.

If only she could believe that.

A/N: Next chapter we get Gwen doing actual governess stuff. I was on the verge of changing the name to The Lord and the Housekeeper (but not really. it doesn't have as good a ring to it XD)

Thanks always for reading and reviewing!