Moving Forward and Back
Author: sidhe_faerie
Title: Moving Forward and Back
Rating: PG
Pairing/s: Arthur/Gwen
Character/s: Elyan, Morgana, Morgause
Summary: Gwen unpacks and learns more about her brother. Morgana is far from home
Warnings: none
Word Count: 969
Prompt:177. Remember
Author's Notes: Where The Heart Wanders #8
Moving Forward and Back
Gwen sat on the floor in her room opening boxes from her flat in London. She opened the box with her parent’s photo on top. She picked it up and stared at it.
“They’re together again. I’m glad of that.” Elyan said from the doorway. “I came up to see if you wanted something to eat. We have all sorts of casseroles in the fridge.”
“I’ll get something later.” Gwen put the photo to the side and picked up another. It was of her and Arthur. She put it with the one of her parents.
“You’re going to forgive him, aren’t you?” Elyan walked in and picked up the photo. “I knew this was coming when you let him stay for the reception.”
“You heard what he said. He was drugged.” Gwen snatched the photo out of Elyan’s hands. “To be honest, I haven’t really decided. I want to but I keep telling myself I shouldn’t.”
Elyan sat on the floor next to her and picked up the photo of their parents. “Don’t you remember what Mum used to tell us? Have faith in your heart because it knows where it’s going.”
“I’m glad my heart knows because I have no clue most of the time.” Gwen leaned her head on Elyan’s shoulder. “What do you think I should do?”
“I think you should let your heart decide where it wants to be. If it wants to be with Arthur then be with him.” Elyan said. “Do you remember the girl I was speaking to at the reception? The one with the long dark hair?”
“I don’t remember much of the reception. I was too upset to focus on anything.” Gwen admitted. “All I remember is sobbing on Arthur.”
Elyan smiled. “Well done there. He was soaked through.”
Gwen slapped his chest playfully. “Tell me about the girl.”
“Her name is Adara. She and I have been dating for a while. Dad liked her. He said she would make a great mum to his grandchildren.” Elyan chuckled.
Gwen snickered. “She would have to get you to marry her first. I don’t see that happening.”
“Really?” Elyan pulled a ring box out of his pocket. “I was going to give her this the night Dad collapsed.”
Gwen took the ring box from him and opened it. She gasped at the petite diamond ring. “Did Dad know you were going to give her this?”
“Yes. He even gave me the last bit I needed to buy it.” Elyan sighed. “I was going to take her to the pub where we met and ask her there.”
“Take her to a nice restaurant and ask her.” Gwen handed the ring back to him. “Then when she says ‘yes’ bring her here and we will have a dinner to celebrate.”
“Are you going to invite Arthur?” Elyan grinned.
“No. It’ll be a family celebration. He isn’t family.” Gwen sat up and started to pull more things out of the box.
“He isn’t family yet, you mean.” Elyan laughed and got up. “I’ll ask her this weekend. We can have the family dinner after that.”
“Elyan, I’ve been wondering something. Where is Morgana?” Gwen asked. “I thought she would have come to pay her respects.”
Elyan frowned. “Arthur didn’t tell you?”
“No. He and I didn’t really talk much.” Gwen was starting to worry about her friend now. “Where is she, Elyan?”
“The Duke threw her out. He cut her off completely. After that she just disappeared. No one has heard from her in months. Merlin looked for her after it happened but he couldn’t find her. Morgana probably didn’t want to be found.” Elyan frowned. “Merlin didn’t say anything either? I thought he would tell you.“
“Merlin said they weren’t seeing each other anymore but not why. How could the duke do such a thing?” Gwen sighed. “She’s his only daughter.”
“Who was seeing a boy with no title and no future according to Uther.” Elyan shrugged. “I guess it would have been the same if Arthur and you were still together. Uther is more concerned about titles and bloodlines than love.”
“I don’t understand.” Gwen shook her head. “Uther married for love according to what Arthur says. Why would he treat Morgana that way for wanting to do the same thing?”
“Who knows how the Duke thinks? Come down and have a cuppa with me.” Elyan held out a hand to pull her up.
Gwen took his hand and let him pull her to her feet. “Do we have any of that apple cake left?”
“I saved you some. I know it’s your favorite.” Elyan grinned.
On a small estate near Cornwall, Morgana opened her tablet to read the Cardiff newspaper. She glanced through the obituaries and was about to turn to the next section when she saw the name ‘Thomas Leodegrance’ on the page. She wondered if she should reach out to Gwen and Elyan but decided against it. She wouldn’t know how to explain her current situation to either of them.
“What’s wrong? Is there bad news in Cardiff?” Morgause spread jam on her toast across the table. “Don’t worry over it. I’m sure the Duke has it well in hand. Drink your tea before its ice cold.”
Morgana closed the tablet and took a sip of her tea. “I was just thinking of some friends. They recently lost their father.”
“That life is behind you now, Morgana. Remember them fondly and move on.” Morgause took a sip of tea. “Go make yourself presentable for tonight.”
Morgana nodded. She finished her tea and left the room. There were clients to entertain and she had to be ready to entertain them. Morgana sighed at the life she was now leading and wondered if she would ever be the person she remembered again.
Title: Moving Forward and Back
Rating: PG
Pairing/s: Arthur/Gwen
Character/s: Elyan, Morgana, Morgause
Summary: Gwen unpacks and learns more about her brother. Morgana is far from home
Warnings: none
Word Count: 969
Prompt:177. Remember
Author's Notes: Where The Heart Wanders #8
Moving Forward and Back
Gwen sat on the floor in her room opening boxes from her flat in London. She opened the box with her parent’s photo on top. She picked it up and stared at it.
“They’re together again. I’m glad of that.” Elyan said from the doorway. “I came up to see if you wanted something to eat. We have all sorts of casseroles in the fridge.”
“I’ll get something later.” Gwen put the photo to the side and picked up another. It was of her and Arthur. She put it with the one of her parents.
“You’re going to forgive him, aren’t you?” Elyan walked in and picked up the photo. “I knew this was coming when you let him stay for the reception.”
“You heard what he said. He was drugged.” Gwen snatched the photo out of Elyan’s hands. “To be honest, I haven’t really decided. I want to but I keep telling myself I shouldn’t.”
Elyan sat on the floor next to her and picked up the photo of their parents. “Don’t you remember what Mum used to tell us? Have faith in your heart because it knows where it’s going.”
“I’m glad my heart knows because I have no clue most of the time.” Gwen leaned her head on Elyan’s shoulder. “What do you think I should do?”
“I think you should let your heart decide where it wants to be. If it wants to be with Arthur then be with him.” Elyan said. “Do you remember the girl I was speaking to at the reception? The one with the long dark hair?”
“I don’t remember much of the reception. I was too upset to focus on anything.” Gwen admitted. “All I remember is sobbing on Arthur.”
Elyan smiled. “Well done there. He was soaked through.”
Gwen slapped his chest playfully. “Tell me about the girl.”
“Her name is Adara. She and I have been dating for a while. Dad liked her. He said she would make a great mum to his grandchildren.” Elyan chuckled.
Gwen snickered. “She would have to get you to marry her first. I don’t see that happening.”
“Really?” Elyan pulled a ring box out of his pocket. “I was going to give her this the night Dad collapsed.”
Gwen took the ring box from him and opened it. She gasped at the petite diamond ring. “Did Dad know you were going to give her this?”
“Yes. He even gave me the last bit I needed to buy it.” Elyan sighed. “I was going to take her to the pub where we met and ask her there.”
“Take her to a nice restaurant and ask her.” Gwen handed the ring back to him. “Then when she says ‘yes’ bring her here and we will have a dinner to celebrate.”
“Are you going to invite Arthur?” Elyan grinned.
“No. It’ll be a family celebration. He isn’t family.” Gwen sat up and started to pull more things out of the box.
“He isn’t family yet, you mean.” Elyan laughed and got up. “I’ll ask her this weekend. We can have the family dinner after that.”
“Elyan, I’ve been wondering something. Where is Morgana?” Gwen asked. “I thought she would have come to pay her respects.”
Elyan frowned. “Arthur didn’t tell you?”
“No. He and I didn’t really talk much.” Gwen was starting to worry about her friend now. “Where is she, Elyan?”
“The Duke threw her out. He cut her off completely. After that she just disappeared. No one has heard from her in months. Merlin looked for her after it happened but he couldn’t find her. Morgana probably didn’t want to be found.” Elyan frowned. “Merlin didn’t say anything either? I thought he would tell you.“
“Merlin said they weren’t seeing each other anymore but not why. How could the duke do such a thing?” Gwen sighed. “She’s his only daughter.”
“Who was seeing a boy with no title and no future according to Uther.” Elyan shrugged. “I guess it would have been the same if Arthur and you were still together. Uther is more concerned about titles and bloodlines than love.”
“I don’t understand.” Gwen shook her head. “Uther married for love according to what Arthur says. Why would he treat Morgana that way for wanting to do the same thing?”
“Who knows how the Duke thinks? Come down and have a cuppa with me.” Elyan held out a hand to pull her up.
Gwen took his hand and let him pull her to her feet. “Do we have any of that apple cake left?”
“I saved you some. I know it’s your favorite.” Elyan grinned.
On a small estate near Cornwall, Morgana opened her tablet to read the Cardiff newspaper. She glanced through the obituaries and was about to turn to the next section when she saw the name ‘Thomas Leodegrance’ on the page. She wondered if she should reach out to Gwen and Elyan but decided against it. She wouldn’t know how to explain her current situation to either of them.
“What’s wrong? Is there bad news in Cardiff?” Morgause spread jam on her toast across the table. “Don’t worry over it. I’m sure the Duke has it well in hand. Drink your tea before its ice cold.”
Morgana closed the tablet and took a sip of her tea. “I was just thinking of some friends. They recently lost their father.”
“That life is behind you now, Morgana. Remember them fondly and move on.” Morgause took a sip of tea. “Go make yourself presentable for tonight.”
Morgana nodded. She finished her tea and left the room. There were clients to entertain and she had to be ready to entertain them. Morgana sighed at the life she was now leading and wondered if she would ever be the person she remembered again.