Author's Note: It's been a while haha. This chapter starts where the last one ended.

Chapter 15: First Times

Arthur sighed, pulling away. "I remember the first time I thought about running away. It was right before—minutes before I met you. In fact, I don't think I've considered it since," he said. "Father and Lord Olaf tried to arrange a marriage between Vivian and me."

Gwen was surprised that he never told her. "So when you came downstairs you were trying to get away?"

"Well, my intention was just to hide out for a while. I didn't have a plan yet. Also, I put a frog in Vivian's teacup, and I was afraid of what she'd do to me. She frightened me, to be honest. Still does."

Gwen didn't blame him. "That explains so much."

Arthur closed his eyes and rested his head back against the wall. "Do you know when you're leaving?"

"Not yet." Gwen watched as he opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. She touched his arm, getting his attention. He looked down at her. Despite his strong features, his eyes gave away his sadness. "We'll be okay, won't we?"

He leaned down, his forehead touching hers. They made each other weak, but they also made each other strong. "I hope so, Guinevere."

Sefa abruptly turned back down the hallway and back up to the dorms. She rushed into the room she shared with Freya, needing to share what she just saw. She made an abrupt stop seeing that Freya wasn't alone. Freya and Merlin sprang apart, and Merlin jumped up from the bed. Sefa blushed. "There must be something in the air."

Freya and Merlin stopped their awkward glances to question her. This caused Sefa to redden even more. "I saw Gwen and Lord Arthur."

"So?" Merlin said, not seeing the fuss.

"In an—" Sefa stopped realizing the door was still open. She closed it, but still lowered her voice. "In an embrace."

Merlin raised an eyebrow.

"Like in the novels!" she said mainly to Freya.

Freya's eyes widened and Merlin looked lost. "What novels?"

Freya tilted her head towards the bed. "The novels."

"Ooh," Merlin laughed. "I'm finally not the only one who's walked in on them. I can't wait to tell Arthur. It'll embarrass him so much."

Sefa looked horrified. "You can't! He'll fire me!"

Merlin waved away her fear. "Don't worry. He just won't be able to look you in the eye for a while."

Gwen woke in the early morning before even the sun broke the horizon. The room was dark; a dense morning fog masked the outside. She lifted up from Arthur's chest and out of his hold, and was immediately hit with a chill. Summer and autumn were at a clash. The August heat that lingered around September was finally losing the battle. Autumn would soon arrive along with Arthur's wedding.

She yawned. They were up all night talking. Just talking. She slipped out of his bed and searched for her shoes. She couldn't find them.

"Guinevere," Arthur said groggily, sitting up. "What are you doing?"

Gwen stood from her crouched position and blew a curl out of her face. "I can't find my shoes."

Arthur did his gentlemanly duty and assisted in her search. "It's the first time we slept together. Only slept," he said casually.

Gwen spoke cheerfully about teaching. And in her usual neurotic way, she feared she had poorly prepared the twins for school. Arthur put her mind at rest and conjured images of Samuel driving his teachers mad. He then shared stories of how he terrorized his old governess, Dolma. She didn't stick around for long.

In those late hours they forgot about their worries.

"Aha!" Arthur exclaimed. He had found one of Gwen's shoes and waved it in front of her. When she tried to take it, he held it out of her reach. He did it several times before Gwen did something she hasn't done in a very, very long time.

She pouted.

Arthur thought she looked adorable with her lips pursed and cheeks puffed. He remembered the first time he'd seen her make that face. They were children and he told her he could play connect the dots with her freckles. Her pout accentuated them and he said, "Look, you can see the little dipper!"

Gwen pushed him then and she pushed him now. But he was ready for it this time and pulled her down with him. Gwen landed on top of him with an oof., and Arthur looked up at her with a dopey, innocent grin.

"Incorrigible," she smiled, shaking her head. She took her shoe out of his hand and bopped him on the head.

When she got downstairs, Gwen realized she was up much earlier than she thought seeing how Cook wasn't down yet. She sat in her usual chair, and her mind wondered to the past. She saw when she taught Merlin how to balance a tray with one hand and pour with the other. She taught a new maid how to sew on buttons, and protected another when a visiting lady accused her of stealing. One night by the fireplace she helped a former maid apply to be a secretary and later celebrated her being hired. And recently she was showing Sefa and Freya how to perfectly fold the linens, brushing off Gwaine and his flirtations, thanking Percival when he got a plate from the highest shelf, and Lance when he pulled out a chair for her.

The light turned on startling both Gwen and Cook. "Oh, heavens! You've put the fright in me, child. What are you doing sitting in the dark? Or up this early for that matter." Cook sat down next to her. "And are you in the same clothes?"

"It's been a long night."

"You're just like your mother. Whenever she couldn't sleep I'd find her down here early in the morning."

Gwen smiled. "Really?"

"Oh, yes," Cook nodded, returning the smile. "I remember before you were born, when your father proposed to your mother, she wasn't sure whether to accept his proposal. She made her decision right where you're sitting."

"Really?"

"Rose made a lot of decisions in that chair. She feared that if she married your father, she'd eventually have to leave the household. But you know how it all turned out. And I bet Lady Ygraine wouldn't let her leave even if she tried." Cook scooted in and laid a comforting hand on Gwen's. "She was the hardest working mother I knew. All she wanted to do was go home to you and Elyan but had to stay here. She'd be down here before the house woke, exhausted and on the verge of tears, and I'd find her and we'd bake cookies and—"

"And she'd bring them home for me and Elyan," Gwen finished, feeling her eyes water at the memory.

"Come on, child. Let's get started on some before the vultures come scavenging."

Gwen was more cheerful as they gathered the ingredients and mixed them. But she became lost in thought when she rolled the dough in her hands. On one ball she spent much more time than necessary.

Cook gently took the dough from Gwen's hands. "What's troubling you, dear?"

Gwen sighed, leaning against the table. "I don't want to go, but I want to, but I don't."

"You're scared," Cook said.

"I am," Gwen confirmed. Her feelings felt more real when she said it out loud. "What if I make the wrong choice? If I go, I'll be missing out on an opportunity of a lifetime. If I stay…" she gripped the table and focused on the bits of spilled flour looking for answers in it like tea leaves, "If I stay…"

"You'll be missing an opportunity of a lifetime."

Gwen's head snapped to Cook with a questioning look.

"To become a lady, of course," Cook said matter-of-factly.

"I wish this wasn't the first time I heard that."

"If this marriage goes through, I'll eat my spatula!" Cook slapped the table, and the cookie sheet jumped.

Gwen laughed off Cook's antics. "Let's finish this up and get these in the oven."

After letting the cookies cool for a bit, Gwen packed them up and went out to the stables. She saw Tyr first. He greeted her and she offered him a cookie which he accepted enthusiastically. "Is Elyan behaving himself?" she asked.

"Oh, yes. The horses love him, and he's really gotten really good at shoeing," Tyr said.

Elyan came out the barn. "I hear positive things being said about me." He spotted his sister. "Oh no. Whatever it is, I didn't do it!"

"Relax," Gwen gave a reassuring smile. "I come bearing gifts." She held up the familiar container, and Elyan's eyes went wide.

"Please tell me that's what I think it is," he said.

Gwen sat on a bale of hay and patted the spot next to her. "Tyr, is it okay if I borrow my brother for a bit?"

"Of course, Miss Gwen." Tyr went into the barn and gave them some privacy.

Elyan joined her. "Turning up with cookies… You're just like Mum."

"Cook said something similar," Gwen said.

Elyan took a hefty bite out of his cookie. "There's actually something I wanted to talk to you about."

"What is it?"

"I'm going to reopen the forge. I'll have enough money soon."

"Arthur's paying you?" She frowned. "You're supposed to be working off your debt to him."

"It was his idea…"

"What?"

Elyan looked nervous. "He…uh…didn't tell you?"

"No…" Gwen said blankly.

"Ah, the Pendragon family, always secretly looking out for us." Elyan chuckled and grabbed another cookie, calm again.

"All of them but Uther," Gwen reminded.

"He would've had a fit if he knew Lady Ygraine was teaching you." Elyan pointed at her with his cookie. "And speaking of teaching, now you're going to teach those Americans a proper thing or two."

"It's a good plan if I get tired of partying with Morgana." Elyan tried to make a comment with a mouth full of cookie. "Don't speak with your mouth full," she playfully scolded and reached over to brush crumbs from his shirt. "Or maybe I should stay and teach you some etiquette."

Elyan swallowed. "Which is what I was trying to say with my mouth full…minus the etiquette part." He fidgeted under her stare. "You know, make sure I don't get in trouble or anything," he mumbled.

Gwen nudged him with her elbow. "Just say you're going to miss me."

Elyan put an arm around her. "Remember the time Mum first brought home cookies? It was because you would cry every time she was late or had to stay at the estate."

"I remember."

He took another bite out of the cookie. "Thanks for being a crybaby."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "You're welcome."

They spent the time reminiscing and catching up. When it was time for Gwen to get back to the house, she stood up and brushed the hay from her skirt. Elyan studied her through squinted eyes. "Hey, weren't you wearing those clothes yesterday?"

Back in the house, Gwen heard talking in the foyer. She went to it and saw that Mithian had returned and she wasn't alone. Lady Catrina was with her. She stepped into sight and greeted them. "Lady Mithian, welcome back. How is your father?"

"He's well," Mithian said stiffly.

"And Lady Catrina, are you here to see his lordship?"

"Of course." The older woman was curt, in nature and in response to Gwen's question. Gwen realized it was a stupid to ask. Uther was always her only reason to be there.

Gwen gestured to George. "Shall I send for his lordship or—"

"I know my way." Catrina strode forward.

"He is in his study, my lady," George said. In his attempt to lead her, she pushed by him.

Gwen was left alone with Mithian. "Here, let me help you," she offered, grabbing Mithian's bag.

"Thank you…" Mithian said quietly.

They walked from the foyer to Mithian's room in an uncomfortable silence. Gwen was in front of her and felt Mithian's heavy presence all the way to the room. She opened the door for her to let her in first.

Mithian brushed by her and went to stand by the window. She watched Gwen unpack her things out of the corner of her eye. Before Gwen left, she spoke. "I understand your appeal, how everyone is just charmed by you…" Gwen remained quiet and let her continue. "I can't wait until you are gone. It's embarrassing having you here. Don't think for one second that when Arthur and I are wed that I'll allow his mistress in this house."

Gwen stepped forward in defense. "I'm not his mis—"

Mithian stopped her. "And you sure as hell will not be governess to our children."

Later Gwen would think of a million comebacks she could've said at that moment, but right now she was frozen in confusion by Mithian's change in attitude towards her.

"Don't just stand there. Leave!" Mithian barked.

Always the obedient servant, Gwen did as she was told.

A/N: I'm just on a roll with making Mithian unlikable in my stories, aren't I? I have my reasons. A clue: Catrina and Mithian arrived at the same time. Maybe they had some time to talk.

Sit on that because the next chapter might be a while.

And as always THANK YOU for reading and reviewing!