The Future of Camelot

Found

"Gwennie?"

Arthur stared at Gwen, who stared at Elyan.

"You don't know me, do you," Elyan said. Gwen was speechless. Arthur touched her hand gently, and she was jolted back.

"You're Elyan Duforge," she said. "My brother."

"Yes!" Elyan cried. "I didn't think you would remember me. We were both so young when Mother died. I was sent to our aunt's home, and you continued to live with Dad. I was told that I could come back when I was 16 I could join you, but he died just before that. I was too young to legally take you, and Auntie couldn't take another kid. I'm so sorry, Gwennie."

"What about when you turned 18?" asked Gwen. "You couldn't come back then? I was 14, Elyan. I was 9 when he died! Nine! I was sent to an orphanage, Elyan. I didn't even know that I had a brother. Until I looked up our parents and found your birth record."

For a minute there was silence. Guinevere glared at Elyan, and he looked guilty. She didn't know why she felt so mad, but she knew it had something to do with Gwen shining through into her thoughts. The anger and resentment Gwen would feel if she had been betrayed like this, Guinevere felt.

"Gwen," warned Arthur. She took the hint.

"Come back to Glastonbury with us," she said.

"Who are you, anyway?" Elyan asked Arthur.

"Arthur," he said. "Gwen's husband."

"Now who's not opening up their life!" Elyan burst out. "You're married! But Gwen, you're only 26!"

"That is old enough to be married!" she snapped.

"How long have you been married?" Elyan asked. Gwen and Arthur glanced at each other. The real answer was a thousand years, but Elyan probably wouldn't accept that as the truth.

"I was 24," Gwen said finally. Elyan glared at her.

"I should have known," he said.

"Excuse me!" Gwen cried with a bitter laugh. "Who is it that never told the other about that person even existing?!" At this moment, Arthur was struck by how similar sibling relationships were. Of course his and Morgana's relationship had some exceptions, but the bickering was the same between all siblings.

"I was a child, Gwennie," Elyan said softly. "I didn't know how to take care of you. I was afraid. When I say I should have known, I mean I should have been there, in your life, every step of the way." The regret on his face stung Gwen. 

"The point of this was to get Elyan," Arthur reminded Gwen. He turned to her brother and asked, "Will you come home with us? Catch up?" Elyan considered this.

"I can't close the shop today," he said. "I can come this weekend." Arthur thanked him.

"We'll go, then," huffed Gwen. "I'll see you in two days." She gave her brother her address, then realized who she was facing. This was Elyan, whom she had held in her arms as he died. He was the brother she had idolized, until he ran away. She loved him more than most people in the world, and he was here.

"I'm sorry, Elyan," she said. He looked at her in surprise. She sat down and asked him about himself. Tensions cooled as they got to know each other again. Before she and Arthur left, she had pieced together a bracelet, and made a necklace for Morgana. It was an impulse, but she felt it was necessary. She said a final goodbye to Elyan, and she and Arthur left his store.

"How do you feel?" Arthur asked her in the cab.

"Better for seeing him," she said. "And he'll be himself in two days." Arthur squeezed her hand. Then he frowned.