Chapter 12: Family Ties, Part 2
As Gwen was on her way to the library, she leafed through her planner to what else she could squeeze into the twins' minds before they go off to school.
"Isolde! Isolde—Slow down!"Gwen turned around at the sound of Tristan's voice. A blonde blur came towards her, and suddenly she was being spun around in a hug.
Isolde stopped spinning her and held her at arm's length. "Oh, Gwen! I have the most glorious of news!"
"And are you going to tell me this news, or are you going to continue grinning like a maniac?" Gwen laughed.
"I'm pregnant!" Isolde declared. Her entire being radiated with joy.
This time it was Gwen who launched herself into Isolde's arms. "Congratulations!" she said and miled at Tristan over Isolde's shoulder.
"She has more news," Tristan said as his wife pulled back from Gwen.
Gwen couldn't imagine what else Isolde could possibly have to share. "You spoil me."
Isolde's eyes twinkled. "I want you to be godmother!"
The feeling of honor Gwen had was quickly shadowed with concern. She began to ramble. "Is that…allowed? I don't think I'm even qualified. What if something happens to you? I don't have the means…the…the—"
"Oh, hush." Isolde waved off her questions. "There's no one I trust more."
"But I'm not…I'm just…"
"You're just going to accept t," Isolde grinned. "I've been thinking about it for when the time came. I wanted you to be governess—get you before Arthur asked when the time came and causes even more emotional chaos between you two. Once he's come to his senses and marries you one day, you can't be governess, so godmother is the next step. Though, maybe you could be governess and godmother."
"You're mad," Gwen shaking her head and trying not to laugh at Isolde's ridiculous theory. "Tristan, you must control your wife."
"And miss this fun?" he smiled.
"I must tell mother!" Isolde said.
"She's in her study speaking with Arthur and Mithian," Gwen said.
"Even better! I can tell everyone at once." Isolde bolted towards her mother's study, and Gwen and Tristan hurried behind her.
Annis looked like the Queen of authority sitting behind her desk with her hands folded on top. "I'm going to be frank with you."
"Aren't you always, my lady," Arthur said with polite humor.
"I don't trust your uncle."
"Not many do."
"It seems he's been meeting a lot with Alined and Odin, and borrowing more money than he can pay back."
Arthur sighed. "A while back, Gwen found some discrepancies in the servant accounts. There were changes made written in Agravaine's hand. He was allocating spare change elsewhere." Arthur rubbed his brow. "I confronted him about it. He said he thought the money could go to better places. He was going to tell me…eventually."
"You didn't tell me this," Mithian said.
"There was no need for you to worry about it," Arthur brushed off.
"I'm to be your wife. Soon it will be our money. It will be a concern to the both of us."
Muffled tones could be heard behind the door, getting their attention.
"…eed to slow down…"
"…solde, you might…"
"…not an invalid." The door burst open as Isolde stepped through while looking behind her. "I'm just pregnant!" She turned back around to see everyone staring at her. "Oh…surprise?"
Gwen and Tristan abruptly stopped behind Isolde. Arthur got up and patted the older blond on the shoulder. "Congratulations! Imagine if it's a girl, you'll have two of those running around," he joked.
"Anything but twins," Tristan chuckled. So did Gwen from the other side of him.
"Oh!" Isolde turned to face Arthur and pointed at him.
"Whatever it is, I didn't do it," Arthur said, raising his hands in surrender.
"No it's not that," said Isolde. "I have something to tell you later."
Annis got up from her desk and walked up to her daughter. She placed her hands upon Isolde's cheeks. "Look at you. You're glowing." She brought Isolde into her arms. "Let's pray it's not twins."
The ride back to Camelot was quiet. Extra quiet if you counted Gwaine not being his usual chatty self when he realized Gwen wasn't coming back with them.
Mithian was getting fidgety under the silence. "What did Isolde want to talk to you about?"
"She, uh, said she wanted me to be godfather to her child," Arthur said. Please don't ask what I think you're going to ask.
"That's wonderful! Did she pick a godmother yet?"
"She…asked Gwen. I don't know if she accepted, though." Arthur felt the nerves build.
"Of course she did." Mithian's said tightly.
"Who did?"
"Of course Isolde asked Gwen," Mithian clarified. "Isolde's always been…unconventional"
The silence returned again, and this time it was Arthur's turn to break it. "I'm sorry about earlier. It was such a minor thing. I still don't know about my uncle, and I didn't want you to be concerned over mere suspicion."
Mithian sighed. "Well, next time share your mere suspicion."
When they arrived home, Arthur didn't miss the disappointed looks of George and Merlin when they were greeted. The only one smiling downstairs would be Mary, that's for sure. That'll teach them to bet against him.
Morgana greeted them with relief. "Oh, thank God you're back. Don't ever leave me alone with him for that long ever again." By him she meant Uther. "You're just in time for dinner, too. I was afraid it would be just the two of us."
Things were still tense between Arthur and Mithian, and both of them were planning on eating alone, but Morgana wasn't going to take no for an answer.
After serving, Percival bowed before going back downstairs. Arthur noted the look of displeasure on his face and bit back a smirk. Another loser.
"So what did Annis want?" His father asked.
Before Arthur could decide whether or not to tell the truth about Annis' suspicions of Agravaine, Mithian made the decision for him. "Isolde is with child. She asked Arthur and Gwen to be godparents," she said.
"She asked the maid?" Uther sounded confused. "Governess? Housekeeper? What is she?"
"My companion," Morgana said.
Uther grunted. "What an odd choice."
Morgana glared. "For my companion? Gwen's my best friend."
"As a godmother," Uther said. "Though, if something were to happen to the family, God forbid, the child would obviously go to you first, Arthur."
Arthur scratched the back of his head, nervous. "I'm sure Guinevere is much more qualified to take care of a child than I."
"Well once you two—" Uthur pointed to Arthur and Mithian with his fork, "get married, you should get started on a family right away. Give Isolde's child a playmate." He laughed, but the others didn't share his enthusiasm.
Morgana purposely dropped her fork on her plate to make a loud clang, stopping Uther's private laugh. "I think Gwen's a fine choice for godmother. She and Isolde are just like Ygraine and Rose, aren't they?" And maybe shake things up.
Uther raised an eyebrow at his daughter. "Are you saying Isolde and Gwen have a better relationship than you and Gwen?"
"I'm saying that like my mother, I find children to be a terror and would be unsuited to care for one if need be. Gwen is a wonderful choice." Morgana's voice was cold and firm.
Uncomfortable silence weighed heavily in the air. Uther gave an audible sigh, wiped his hands with the napkin, and dismissed himself from the table.
"Think I struck a nerve?" Morgana smirked triumphantly.
Arthur placed an elbow on the table and rubbed his brow. "What the hell was that?" Morgana's mother was a taboo subject. No one ever brought Vivienne up intentionally. Until now.
Morgana shrugged as if she didn't instigate the discomfort. "I can't wait to leave this place."
"Again," Arthur added. "No one's forcing you to stay. Go back to whatever grand adventure you were having in America."
"Maybe I will. I'm not a fan of weddings anyway." Then Morgana gave her a challenging look. "When Gwen comes back we'll be on our way." Not waiting for Arthur to respond, she stood. "Welcome to the family, Mithian." She left.
Mithian had been watching the back and forth between the Pendragons in silence. Part of her thought they had forgotten she was there. Finally, Arthur addressed her. "I'm sorry. I seem to be saying that a lot to you lately." He stood and she followed. "I'll go downstairs and tell them we're done here. And I'll tell Freya she can come up to attend to you."
She didn't see why Arthur needed to go downstairs when they could just ring them. But she had enough of the Pendragon's strange behavior for the day.
A/N: Thanks for all the grad school well wishes and your patience. Does it make you all feel even better if I said I'd rather be working on this and my other stories than doing school work? Because I really would XD
And as always THANKS FOR READING AND REVIEWING!