Summary: His sister ran off and his father's an empty shell. Camelot Estate is a bit of a mess, so Arthur gets his sister's former maid to help him restore order to the household. But should he really be seeking help from his secret ex-girlfriend who he may still be in love with when he's engaged?

Author's Note: Welcome to the multi-chapter version of TLATG :D If you haven't read the original one-shot in Across the Universe, then welcome first time readers!

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.

The Lord and the Governess

Chapter 1: Homecoming

Arthur stepped out of the car and made his way up the steps of an estate. The butler greeted him and led him into the drawing room. "Her ladyship will see you in a moment, my lord." He bowed and left Arthur alone in the room.

He's only been to the Caerleon estate once as a child. The room hasn't changed since then, not even the very large and ferocious wolf head mounted on the wall.

"I remember when you caught sight of it and hid behind your mother's skirts," a woman's voice brought his attention back to the present. "To what do I owe this pleasure, Lord Pendragon?" Lady Annis Caerleon made her way to Arthur. Her deep blue gown, brown fur wrapped around her shoulders, and auburn hair camouflaged her in the earth toned room.

"Lady Annis," Arthur greeted with a kiss on the back of her hand. "You know why I'm here."

Despite being shorter, she still managed to look down at him. "Ah, yes, you're here to steal my grandchildren's governess."

Arthur let out a nervous laugh. "I'm not stealing her."

"No, you're just buying her back."

He shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Does she know that I'm here?"

Annis' mouth tightened, accentuating the wrinkles around her mouth. "Not yet. She will be sent down when the children are done with their lessons. Come. Let's sit." They sat on opposite ends of the couch. Annis draped her arm over the back and her body faced his. She watched Arthur hunch forward, elbows on knees and hands clasped in front of him. "She's a very smart girl. She told me her mother was lady maid to your mother. The two of you grew up together." Annis paused. "As much a little serving girl and little lord can."

Arthur refused to meet her gaze. The sounds of children's laughter could be heard on the other side of the door followed by a knock.

"Enter," Annis called.

The door creaked open and Arthur saw a delicate brown hand come from the other side of the door stopping it from opening farther, the same hand that caressed his cheek as its owner kissed him goodbye. Her head peeked around. "You wished to—" She paused when she saw Arthur who straightened at the site of her. She fully stepped into the room and composed herself, focusing only on Annis. "You wished to see me, your ladyship."

The last time Arthur saw her, she was wearing a maid's uniform. She stood smartly in a white blouse with matching neck sash tied in a bow tucked into a high-waisted black skirt. Her low heeled shoes were immaculate, the finest pair she's ever worn. Her curly hair was tied back in a chignon. He could tell it was longer by the length of the loose curls that she tucked behind her ear that fell past her shoulders.

Annis stood. Arthur followed behind her. "I don't believe an introduction is necessary. I'll just leave the two of you to talk."

Once the door closed behind Annis, Arthur cut straight to the point. "I need you, Guinevere."

I need you, Guinevere. He used to say that to her a lot. He'd say it when he would try to prank Morgana, when he would seek her counsel, when they were pressed skin to skin. She loved it when he said her name, the way he'd caress the syllables as if he were physically touching her. Now, she was Gwen the Governess; Gwen, former maid to Lady Morgana. She was no longer Arthur's Guinevere. She should've never been Arthur's Guinevere.

On the servants' days off, Gwen would often stay on the estate. She'd get extra work done, and Arthur would come downstairs to pester her, get in her way and coax her to stop. He'd follow her to the attic bedrooms, and in her room they'd lie together in bed. He'd trace lazy circles on her shoulder as she nestled into his.

"I'll make you a Lady," he'd say.

She'd say, "I won't let you."

Because Gwen can never be a lady. Lady Guinevere is no title for a servant. Lords don't marry maids. They'll say she seduced him because how could a lord could love a maid.

"Father's not doing well. It's been nearly three years since Morgana left, and I was hoping he'd get a bit better, come to terms with it, but he's only getting worse. He's a broken man. And then there's Uncle Agravaine. I don't even know where to begin with him." As Arthur explained Camelot's impending downfall, he paced and ran his hands through his hair. "And the servants are all out of sorts."

Gwen crossed her arms.

"What I mean to say is, Merlin is the best behaved out of them, not counting George," Arthur amended.

"You want me to play governess to the staff?"

"Yes. No! Not exactly. I need you to help me fix…everything." Arthur sighed heavily. He remembered times when his father would be away, and how his mother would run the household with her maid at her side. Gwen would often be at her mother's side as she tended to Lady Ygraine, observing, studying how to be a proper lady's maid, and accidently, how to be a proper lady.

Gwen took in his words and weighed her options. "What about Lady Mithian? I hear she's very smart. Have you even asked her? She is your future wife, after all."

Arthur didn't answer. He had one, but it wasn't appropriate. "It was selfish of me to ask this of you. I'll take my leave now."

Gwen walked with him to the entrance in silence. Annis was conversing with a maid at the base of the staircase. She dismissed the maid and went to them, standing matronly behind Gwen. "Give my regards to your father."

Arthur nodded to her before turning his attention back to Gwen. "It was nice seeing you again, Guinevere," he said, praying it wasn't going to be the last time.

As Gwen stared at George's shocked face, she realized she never used the front entrance of Camelot before.

George led her in and they ran into Lady Mithian, Arthur's fiancé. Gwen couldn't help but compare herself to her. She felt small and dull next to Mithian.

"Oh, hello," Mithian said lightly, but wary, not knowing who Gwen was.

George opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to phrase a proper introduction.

"Gwen!"

The three of them looked up. Merlin was leaning over the railing of the grand staircase, his mouth open with glee. Arthur was next to him, his expression unreadable. Merlin ran down the stairs and enveloped Gwen in a hug.

George tutted and Mithian looked confused. When Arthur reached them, he whispered to her that Gwen was a longtime servant at Camelot. Mithian Oh'd but still didn't understand the nature of her visit.

"She's a governess to Lady Annis' grandchildren. I asked if she could lend her services here," Arthur began to explain but Mithian interrupted him.

"A governess? We aren't even wed. It's a bit soon to be hiring a one, don't you think? And she already has employment."

"Actually," Gwen started. "Her ladyship is sending the children to boarding school. " She gave a pointed look at Arthur. "She said you owe her."

A smile formed on Arthur's face. "That I do."

The only way Arthur could explain Gwen's arrival to Mithian was that she was going to help put the staff back in order and help take care of his father. An unconventional job for a governess, but Arthur has never been one to follow tradition.

He's been engaged to Mithian for three years, but their father's have arranged it since they were children. He was fine with it, until he fell for Gwen.

In the first year of their engagement, Morgana left and his father's health declined. And that's when Gwen left, claiming she missed Morgana too much, even though he knew that was a lie. Mithian agreed to put off the wedding until his father got better. Two years later, things have only gotten worse.

The whole household was asleep and Arthur made his way downstairs. He found Gwen sitting at the staff's dining table, exactly where he knew she would be.

The first time he saw her, they were children. His father disapproved of the time he spent downstairs, but his mother encouraged it. He saw his mother's maid, Rose, tending to a small girl, a splitting image of her. She was gently trying to get a splinter out of the girl's finger.

The girl was squeamish and tried to snatch her hand away, but Rose held it firmly. She looked away and saw him, her eyes wet with tears and her face blotchy.

"There," Rose said in the same soothing voice his mother would use to calm him. The girl turned back to Rose, shocked that she didn't feel anything. "That wasn't so bad, now was it?" She tapped the girl's nose affectionately. "Now dry your eyes, love, and greet the young master."

The girl rubbed her nose, hopped out of her chair and curtsied. "Aft'noon, m'lord." Rose made a subtle ahem. "Good afternoon, my lord," the girl corrected herself.

Rose rested her hand on her shoulder. "This is my daughter, Guinevere."

Guinevere made a face.

"But she likes to be called Gwen," Rose continued, patting her shoulder. Gwen smiled up at her mother.

Arthur began calling Gwen by her full name to annoy her, but as they matured and grew closer, he said her name with friendliness, with love.

"Is your room not to your liking," he joked as he sat next to her.

"It's lovely, thank you. I'm pretty sure I cleaned it a few times, actually." Gwen reminisced. "You didn't have to. I would've been fine in the servant's quarters."

"You're not a servant anymore," he pointed out. "I've heard some of the older ones talk. They're very excited to have you back. What do you think about the new staff?"

Cook had nearly squeezed the life out of her when she came into the kitchen. "That maid, Eira, is extremely rude," Gwen stated."I tried suggesting to her how to easily get a stain out on Mithian's dress, and her exact words to me were 'I don't need no gov'ness tellin' me 'ow to clean all proper and such.'"

Arthur chuckled. "I'll fire her without a reference." He patted her hand, and he should've lifted it away instead of resting it on hers.

Gwen smiled knowingly. "I'll set her straight." She remembered when she taught Merlin how to walk and balance a tray with one hand when he first arrived, and how she would spend hours polishing the silver with George, and bear Cook's wrath on the most stressful of days. She could handle mouthy maid.

She surveyed the room. Dishes were left unwashed, laundry was left undelivered to the upstairs, the pantry was a disaster, and she's pretty sure she saw a mouse earlier. "Though, I might have my work cut out for me." She looked back at Arthur. "Maybe I'll be here long enough to be governess to your children."

"My children," Arthur mused. "I always wanted a daughter."

Gwen looked at him in wonder. "Really? But what about an heir?"

Arthur turned Gwen's hand in his. "Yes, I think it'd be fun. I'd love to chase away all her suitors." He traced her palm lines with his fingers. "I would hope she'd be just like her mother." He let go of her hand and cleared his throat. "Besides, if I had a son who turned out just like me when I was a child…"

"Then God help us all," Gwen finished.

They laughed together until Gwen broke first. "I should go." She got up to leave but stopped in the doorway. "I shouldn't be here, you know."

Arthur walked up behind her. "Thank you, Guinevere. Truly," he said, voice low.

She could almost feel his breath tickle her neck. When she turned around, he was even closer than she thought he was. She refused to look at him, so he lifted her chin up.

"You shouldn't," she muttered.

"I shouldn't," he agreed before he kissed her.