Dressed in that green dress that frees up her arms, that cinches her waist and the capot, capot moteur neckline kisses her skin, Guinevere made her way down to the courtyard. Arthur was with his manservant Merlin who hadn’t been donné the morning off and was currently saddling. a. horse.
“You do know I can’t ride”
“You’re not riding, I am, and toi will be behind me.” Arthur a dit smugly, packing a canteen in the saddlebag.
“On a horse,” The horror started seeping in, Guinevere looked wildly around her hoping her father may be somewhere and confine her to her chambers for even being near a horse. But no such luck.
Watching her face again Arthur stood in front of her and took her hands in his, “You will be fine. Come with me,” he pulled her over the horse letting go of one hand and raising the other to the chevaux nose “this is Kestrel, she’s very calm and fast, but she won’t do anything unless I tell her to, okay.”
The horse was big, only a hand ou so less than Darsor. Her manteau was palomino, it was glossy and in good condition, she was probably groomed everyday. Finally Guinevere gave in, Arthur got up, leaned his hand down and pulled her up. Unfortunately wearing that stupid long skirt, she couldn’t sit on the horse with her legs apart without it riding up to her knees. She looked at the jupe for a minute, and then looked at Arthur who was just looking at her to check she was okay. “Do toi have a knife?” Guinevere posed. Arthur looked quite taken aback, what could she possibly want with a couteau on a horse? He pulled out the couteau he had hidden in his boot and handed it to her wordlessly.
Guinevere took the hem of her jupe on the left side and cut it up to the middle of her thigh, then did the same on the other side. She laid the jupe pieces out appropriately and then handed the couteau back to Arthur.
Arthur rode them into the woods to an open l’espace with flat soft herbe suivant to the river, everything was green and there were wild fleurs growing on the bank and beautiful forget-me-nots around the bases of the trees.
“It’s beautiful,” Guinevere murmured. She let go of Arthur’s waist and he dismounted; Guinevere swung her leg over so she was sitting sidesaddle and Arthur took her waist and lifted her down. They stood close together in front of each other for a moment and then Guinevere slid around him to look into the river, the breeze blowing her jupe out behind her leaving a lot of skin on her legs showing.
Arthur sat down in the middle of the clearing and Guinevere followed suit, they ate breakfast together Arthur sitting, leaning his back against a arbre tronc and Guinevere lying flat on her stomach. Her green dress camouflaged with the grass, laughing and playing with fleurs in her hand.
***
In the depths of the caves Morgana and Morgause were standing over the table, tableau looking into the low dip filled to the brim with water, muttering an incantation and emptying the content of a vial of something that looked a lot like blood into the water. The water rippled and then pictures hazy and unclear rose from the depths. With each word being wound into the spell the image grew clearer, stronger and sound was ringing out with brilliant clarity.
Arthur was in a meadow with a young girl, a blonde. Bright eyed and golden, with pale rosy skin and a revealing dress, she was spinning, no running from one arbre to another with Arthur chasing her. Finally he reached her and she pulled him in front of her, with her back to a tree. Hesitantly Arthur wound one arm around her waist and brushed her cheek with his left hand, fingers lifting up her chin and his head bending down for a kiss. It was tender, just a brush of the lips and Guinevere kissed him back with the same gentleness. Each Kiss sickeningly sweet.
Morgana looked around her, bringing herself back to her reality. The darkness of the caves smothering her like a blanket, trapped. Water dripped from the ceilings, drip, drip, drip. Like a ticking clock, grating on her plus and plus until she felt the need to scream.
“When can we do it?” She asked Morgause, clenching her teeth, eyes narrowing.
Morgause’s lips pulled up at the sides pulling her lips tight, chin uplifted as if viewing the havoc she was going to reap. “Soon, my sister.”
“Good, I’m going to make them pay, all of them.” If she was to be imprisoned in the Earth, hiding because of her gifts, then why shouldn’t those monsters?
Merlin deserved everything he got. He betrayed her, sold her out, and poisoned her. He would kill her to keep Arthur alive. And Uther would kill anyone with the slightest hint of magical dealings without a seconde thought. This time, she thought bitterly, he will die.
But first he would make Uther suffer, the best way she knew how. She would hurt Arthur, to hurt Uther, to draw him out, and kill him. It was decided.
***
Arthur and Guinevere were lying in the herbe suivant to each other, hands held. Guinevere had her palm against Arthur’s in the air. Her own hand was so pale and small, like a child’s hand, dwarfed of a normal adult’s.
She rolled over to Arthur being welcomed into an embrace, she had one leg over his hip and she ran her fingers through his hair. In return Arthur pulled her on to her feet, “I have another present for you.” He drew her back over to the horse. ‘I am going to teach toi how to ride a horse.”
Guinevere couldn’t fathom whether he was serious ou if he was joking. She hoped he was joking. She had told him about what happened to her mother, how he could even think she want to be anywhere near a horse. I mean to be fair she had ridden here on the back of the horse with Arthur directing, but she was with someone who new what he was doing. She started shaking her head from left to right, taking faltering steps back to the safety of the trees. This is not happening, she thought desperately.
But there was still a little part of her that wanted to learn, which wanted to be able to travel around like other people, with ease and speed. And she could ride Darsor, what was the point of owning a horse and not riding it!
Arthur lowered his head, now he was all prince, impatient and orderly, “It won’t bite I’ve already proved that, get on.”
Just as hesitantly as she had backed up she now stepped forward, Kestrel hovering changing from one foot to another, just as impatient as her master apparently.
Fed up with her waiting, Arthur put on hand around her waist and another under her legs and hoisted her onto Kestrel in a flash, leaving Guinevere gasping for breath and trembling. In the same movement he swung onto Kestrel behind her and took the reins trapping Guinevere in his arms.
Arthur breath grazed the back of Guinevere’s neck when he stage whispered “You need to balançoire, swing your leg over and sit on the horse properly”
Guinevere’s face turned tomate red as she flushed at the intimacy, she swallowed, but it was plus like a gulp, her throat was bone dry and she felt like the sun was roasting her alive. Awkwardly she moved her left leg over Kestrel’s neck and shifted back into Arthur, using her hands on Arthur leg to balance herself, although the likelihood of her falling off was minimal with Arthur penning her in.
Arthur scoffed loudly at her cowardness and one blush fell into another, Guinevere now thankful her back was turned to him. “Okay … what now?” She tried putting some power into her voice but it still sounded as shaky as she felt, bad actress, bad Guinevere, she mentally scolded herself for her weakness.
“You take the reins and nudge the horse on”
“How do I make it go forward?”
“Like I a dit toi nudge it” With her toe she nudged Kestrel’s flank and the horse snorted at her and veered vers l'avant, vers l’avant then turned left, all hopes plummeted.
“NO, no, no, no, no. It’s going the wrong way.” Desperate she started turning in her seat, Arthur quickly took charge of the situation and put on hand over both of hers on the reins and grabbed her bare ankle with the other. “You didn’t kick hard enough, the horse will think you’re too weak to ride it, ou scared”
“But I AM scared, and I don’t want to hurt it, and stop calling it an it, it’s a her, it’s Kestrel.” Now not only was she scared she was annoyed and she forgot again who she was talking to. Arthur didn’t seem to notice much, he just a dit in a calm voice “do it” and she did.
“Who name a horse after a bird any way” granted she was sulking but there was a smile playing at the corners of her lips as the horse had apparently started working.
After a while Kestrel was behaving and Guinevere had learned how to trot, her confidence on Kestrel was growing and she was happy on a horse, something she had never thought possible.
***
Arthur rode them back, but only because he was faster and wanted to montrer off how good he was, and how good she could be with some practice. Guinevere kept her arms wrapped around Arthur’s torso like a vice, and admitted grudgingly that his distraction had worked and there was no plus hangover.
As they pulled into the courtyard people were staring at them, at some point while they were gone the château had become populated again and on the steps were three people she really didn’t want to see: Jay, Isolde and her father.
“Uh oh,” her whole body went tense and Arthur slowed down to a stop and looked at her, “What?” Lost for words she nodded towards the rapidly approaching group. geai, jay was in the lead looking pale and edgy, but his eyes looked furious and he was nearly running, his fists where clenching and unclenching, her father was beet-red, defiantly mad and a little vein in his forehead was bulging, Isolde looked skittish trailing behind the men, but Guinevere knew when her father and geai, jay were done with her she would be stuck with Isolde for hours of complaint.
“GET OFF OF THAT HORSE RIGHT NOW” her father screamed at her. Kestrel sauntered back and reared, Arthur had to pet her and climb off to control her. He then blocked Guinevere form her father and helped her down. She could see this wasn’t going to be good, Arthur was going to act like a human shield, her father would yell and stammer and banish her from Camelot, again, and geai, jay would stop Guinevere from going near a horse ou Arthur ever again.
“Daddiiieeee” She tried to drag it out and lower her eyes giving him a look no father could ever resist, she always got her way when she did that, except this time he got madder, and redder.
“GUINEVERE JEZEBEL ROZA DE KARNE” the entire courtyard stopped what they were doing and turned to look at the scene playing out, “WHAT THE HELL DO toi THINK toi WERE DOING?” this must be good because Sir Karne never swore and she felt her eyebrows rise up to her hairline.
“I wa-”
“DO NOT INTERUPT ME” he roared. Slowly he took a deep breath, looked down at her through Arthur and spoke very lowly, controlling his voice so it sounded even plus dangerous. “You are never to go near a horse ou him again, toi are to go to your room for the suivant twenty-four hours and not talk to anyone ou leave your quarters. toi will pack your things and we will arrange for toi to leave Camelot and not return. I see now toi are just like your mother, foolish and wild, and that will get toi killed, and if I must I will send toi back to Europe. Do not traverser, croix me child”
Guinevere felt like she had been hit in the stomach, she felt her breath coming fast; tears prickled her eyes and her whole body was trembling in fine quivers. “Don’t toi ever talk about my mother like that, like it was her fault she’s dead and not YOURS” her voice broke at the end of her sentence and right now she wanted nothing plus than to go to her room and leave this wretched place. And never see him again.
Her father looked completely taken aback, he just stopped at the viciousness in her voice, like he never contemplated being blamed for his wife’s death.
“I hate you, and if I’m going to leave Camelot, it will be when I decide, not toi old man. I am a guest here, but I’m not yours. And if toi disinherit me and tell me to leave, I have my own means of getting par and there are plenty of people who will help me along the way.” Years of playing games with people had made it easy for Guinevere to hide her anger, and for her to flourish when needed. For once the ten years away, silently brooding were exploding from her in a terrible dark outburst, and nothing would stop her from being strong.
The silence then on was endless, Arthur kept his head down, still blocking her, protecting her probably, Isolde looked shocked. The one person she wanted to ignore so badly was Jay, but he kept staring, willing her to look at him, the moment she looked up her anger evaporated and she was trembling again, empty of everything. He looked at Arthur standing over her and told him to take Guinevere to her room; he looked back at Guinevere still standing there and hugged her. If she wasn’t in front of all these people she would have collapsed right there, but instead she let Arthur lead her away, as it was her body was being raked par dry sobs, her breathing hitched, but years of control wouldn’t let her cry in front of people.
***
Merlin was scrubbing the floors with angry vigor whilst using his magic to beat the curtains and change the sheets on the bed, when Arthur walked in the curtains fell in a heap on the floor, the sheets collapsed in a Raiponce mess and Merlin threw the brush into the bucket.
“Where have toi been, your fathers posté sentries on lookout, I’ve had four guards interrogate me!” Merlin shouted. Arthur made a good attempt at glowering and threw his veste in the general direction of the bureau.
“Arguing with my father and Sir Karne. toi know he really took it out on Guinevere, in front of the whole court. She was completely distraught when I left her.”
“What happened, I thought Sir Karne was always very calm, I’ve never seen him raise his voice once.”
“Guinevere’s mother died when she was a child, an accident on her horse. Her father sent her away after that, never let her ride a horse, doesn’t even like her going near one. So when I took her out this morning and he saw her getting off of Kestrel on the way back he went crazy. She got mad, practically blamed him for her mother dying, I still can’t make that connection, and now my father and I have spent the last heure trying to talk him out of sending her away.”
“Wow, that’s a bit of an over-exaggeration. Where did toi take her?”
“To a clearing in the forest, right par the stream.” Arthur just stared at Merlin grinning like an idiot. “Shut up Merlin” Merlin didn’t stop grinning, and Arthur grabbed a oreiller and threw it at Merlin’s head.
“Hey, I didn’t say anything”
Out of the corner of Arthur’s eye he spotted the book he had gotten Merlin to steal. No time like the present Arthur thought, and for the suivant two and a half hours Arthur sat in his chair flipping through sections about his family and trying to take apart the archaic language with Merlin moving about his room doing chairs and occasionally leaning in to look at the progress being made.
***
In nearly three hours studying Guinevere’s book intensely Arthur found that he couldn’t understand a word. Either Arthur was dumbing down ou this book was written in a way that meant whoever was lire couldn’t gain any information. Every page was a riddle. He found himself turning back to the original page Guinevere had left it. Something about the drawing left his stomach twisting. The écriture caused a puzzle true enough, but the woman in the picture drew him in. It was hard to note very detail as the parchment was old but she seemed recognizable to him even though that was impossible.
There was one sentence at the end of the excerpt: I am White Wave, which Arthur thought might be the key to the mystery but he had no idea what that meant. He tried to pick apart each sentence and even asked Merlin his thoughts. Every now and then his manservant would have an idea that blew him away. The only thing he could pick out was the repetitive comparisons of the woman to the elements. White Wave.
***
Morgana and Morgause had decided to move. In the forest of Balor near Camelot they set their plan into action conjuring a magical beast from beyond the realm. They sat facing each other with a cercle of candles drawn around them; the forest was quite yet thick with the anticipation of stirring forces as the two sisters mumbled ancient words. A blinding light shattered the dark of the night and a roar came from its depths…
***
Guinevere sat on the window siège par candlelight hugging her knees to her chest. She’s been there for a while now; Isolde had left hours il y a when darkness hit. Her dîner was laid out on the table, tableau on the other side of her room untouched, her hair was drip drying, geai, jay had come to tell her that she was allowed to stay in Camelot and that Arthur had just been sent away after reports of a beast in the forests. She felt cold and empty, and alone. She didn’t mind being on her own par choice, but at this time she felt abandoned, even in the dark where she normally felt comforted and safe. Tonight there was nothing comforting about the dark of the night, no pleasure in being hidden in its shadows, there was an oppressive imprisonment about being locked in her room, caged par heavy doors and five story windows.
As it was she had to leave tonight. In the forests there was something/someone waiting for her. She got up slowly, resisting the urge to break down and sob ou throw something ou scream out loud. She pinned her hair up quickly, with wet tendrils falling around her face, she dressed in white head to toe, and put a small amount of make-up on to hide the shadows under her eyes, add a false flush to her cheeks and light in her eyes. Her mothers pearl earrings dangled form her ears making jingling noises with every small movement.
Then she walked over to the servants entrance took out a hidden key and let herself out of the castle. In the courtyard she had to slip around every corner and stay in the shadows so she could seek past the gates and through the gates. Straight ahead of her was the forest and she made her way through the intertwining undergrowth and the darkness to her destination.
***
Arthur was hunting. As if the jour didn’t have enough trouble for him his father had to throw a little plus his way. He had spent the morning with Guinevere, the afternoon arguing with Sir Karne and the King and for once was agreeing with Jared (Jay, Guinevere’s companion) and the early part of the evening looking through a stupid book which he was sure makes no sense. Now he was sent from the château to hunt down a beast conjured par magic and find the source of it. The forest of Balor is enough trouble in its own, but in the dark its wildness is threatening and hard to navigate. He had small party of knights, 5 of them along with Merlin and another two manservant’s. The chevaux they had ridden on the main road where hidden near the back of the forest, hidden from looters but easy for Arthur and his knights to find in the morning.
Merlin was a few feet behind Arthur carrying the nourriture supplies and extra weapons. The rapporter they had gotten at the caste was un-detailed, only that it was big, unnatural, conjured par magic and strong. Strong enough to already kill a small group of travelers.
He heard a sound to his right and signaled to the group to stop, and for the two knights furthest back to cercle round. He moved vers l'avant, vers l’avant to wear he heard the noise and found himself parting branches to find a small clearing. It was in the middle of nowhere, there were branches twisting overhead and it was completely unexpected. There were a few wildflowers and a fallen arbre to the back of the area. And a stooped old woman.
The entire group was now looking into the little clearing, trying to work out if this was a hallucination, magic, if this was the “beast”. She was old and young at the same time; her face didn’t look wrinkled ou aged any older than forty something, her hair was dark brown with strands of silver running through, but her eyes looked wise-they were a silvery blue. She was small, slightly hunched and wore a thick peignoir, robe with a cape tied on to her in shades of black and gray to fade in with the night. The only thing that let them see this was the small lantern she had hung on an overhead branch.
She clasped her hands and looked directly at where Merlin and Arthur were peering, and said, “You can come out now, I know you’re there” Her voice was deep and tired sounding. “Come on and talk with me, let me see you. I have no patience for playing hide and seek”
Merlin didn’t know exactly what to think. On one hand, they were in a creepy forest, in a strange clearing, with a strange woman. On the other hand he had been brought up with manners and to disobey his elders would be impolite, so he and the entire group stepped out as one. Merlin tried to make himself look non-threatening. But the woman didn’t look scared. She looked around the group and focused herself on Arthur.
“So you’re the one who’s so important” She walked towards him and tilted his chin up, analyzing everything about Arthur’s appearance. “Tall and handsome, strong, a good leader, intelligent…but impulsive. That can change, still a little ruggish, a good age though. And I suppose toi want to know who I am, and why a woman would be par herself, in the middle of a forest, at night.”
Arthur was a little too stunned to talk so Merlin went ahead for him, “Yes ma’am, we would like to know”
She smiled indulgently at Merlin and stepped away to talk to the whole group. “I am meeting my granddaughter here, my name is Xantha, I am on my own because I need no one to protect me, I can handle myself; me and my granddaughter, who toi will see soon, but when I tell toi to toi must hide, she will not detect you. And toi must listen- there are things toi need to know.”
Arthur finally composed himself and thought through this information “So this is not chance that we are here at the same time?”
“No not chance. There are things toi need to hear, and accept. toi will understand, eventually”
“Brilliant another riddle!” As if Arthur didn’t have enough to work out he had an old lady playing with him. Xantha snapped he head to the left and scanned the trees. She smiled slowly, although there was something wrong in that smile. Slowly, almost lethargically she turned back to the knights and told them to hide.
“You do know I can’t ride”
“You’re not riding, I am, and toi will be behind me.” Arthur a dit smugly, packing a canteen in the saddlebag.
“On a horse,” The horror started seeping in, Guinevere looked wildly around her hoping her father may be somewhere and confine her to her chambers for even being near a horse. But no such luck.
Watching her face again Arthur stood in front of her and took her hands in his, “You will be fine. Come with me,” he pulled her over the horse letting go of one hand and raising the other to the chevaux nose “this is Kestrel, she’s very calm and fast, but she won’t do anything unless I tell her to, okay.”
The horse was big, only a hand ou so less than Darsor. Her manteau was palomino, it was glossy and in good condition, she was probably groomed everyday. Finally Guinevere gave in, Arthur got up, leaned his hand down and pulled her up. Unfortunately wearing that stupid long skirt, she couldn’t sit on the horse with her legs apart without it riding up to her knees. She looked at the jupe for a minute, and then looked at Arthur who was just looking at her to check she was okay. “Do toi have a knife?” Guinevere posed. Arthur looked quite taken aback, what could she possibly want with a couteau on a horse? He pulled out the couteau he had hidden in his boot and handed it to her wordlessly.
Guinevere took the hem of her jupe on the left side and cut it up to the middle of her thigh, then did the same on the other side. She laid the jupe pieces out appropriately and then handed the couteau back to Arthur.
Arthur rode them into the woods to an open l’espace with flat soft herbe suivant to the river, everything was green and there were wild fleurs growing on the bank and beautiful forget-me-nots around the bases of the trees.
“It’s beautiful,” Guinevere murmured. She let go of Arthur’s waist and he dismounted; Guinevere swung her leg over so she was sitting sidesaddle and Arthur took her waist and lifted her down. They stood close together in front of each other for a moment and then Guinevere slid around him to look into the river, the breeze blowing her jupe out behind her leaving a lot of skin on her legs showing.
Arthur sat down in the middle of the clearing and Guinevere followed suit, they ate breakfast together Arthur sitting, leaning his back against a arbre tronc and Guinevere lying flat on her stomach. Her green dress camouflaged with the grass, laughing and playing with fleurs in her hand.
***
In the depths of the caves Morgana and Morgause were standing over the table, tableau looking into the low dip filled to the brim with water, muttering an incantation and emptying the content of a vial of something that looked a lot like blood into the water. The water rippled and then pictures hazy and unclear rose from the depths. With each word being wound into the spell the image grew clearer, stronger and sound was ringing out with brilliant clarity.
Arthur was in a meadow with a young girl, a blonde. Bright eyed and golden, with pale rosy skin and a revealing dress, she was spinning, no running from one arbre to another with Arthur chasing her. Finally he reached her and she pulled him in front of her, with her back to a tree. Hesitantly Arthur wound one arm around her waist and brushed her cheek with his left hand, fingers lifting up her chin and his head bending down for a kiss. It was tender, just a brush of the lips and Guinevere kissed him back with the same gentleness. Each Kiss sickeningly sweet.
Morgana looked around her, bringing herself back to her reality. The darkness of the caves smothering her like a blanket, trapped. Water dripped from the ceilings, drip, drip, drip. Like a ticking clock, grating on her plus and plus until she felt the need to scream.
“When can we do it?” She asked Morgause, clenching her teeth, eyes narrowing.
Morgause’s lips pulled up at the sides pulling her lips tight, chin uplifted as if viewing the havoc she was going to reap. “Soon, my sister.”
“Good, I’m going to make them pay, all of them.” If she was to be imprisoned in the Earth, hiding because of her gifts, then why shouldn’t those monsters?
Merlin deserved everything he got. He betrayed her, sold her out, and poisoned her. He would kill her to keep Arthur alive. And Uther would kill anyone with the slightest hint of magical dealings without a seconde thought. This time, she thought bitterly, he will die.
But first he would make Uther suffer, the best way she knew how. She would hurt Arthur, to hurt Uther, to draw him out, and kill him. It was decided.
***
Arthur and Guinevere were lying in the herbe suivant to each other, hands held. Guinevere had her palm against Arthur’s in the air. Her own hand was so pale and small, like a child’s hand, dwarfed of a normal adult’s.
She rolled over to Arthur being welcomed into an embrace, she had one leg over his hip and she ran her fingers through his hair. In return Arthur pulled her on to her feet, “I have another present for you.” He drew her back over to the horse. ‘I am going to teach toi how to ride a horse.”
Guinevere couldn’t fathom whether he was serious ou if he was joking. She hoped he was joking. She had told him about what happened to her mother, how he could even think she want to be anywhere near a horse. I mean to be fair she had ridden here on the back of the horse with Arthur directing, but she was with someone who new what he was doing. She started shaking her head from left to right, taking faltering steps back to the safety of the trees. This is not happening, she thought desperately.
But there was still a little part of her that wanted to learn, which wanted to be able to travel around like other people, with ease and speed. And she could ride Darsor, what was the point of owning a horse and not riding it!
Arthur lowered his head, now he was all prince, impatient and orderly, “It won’t bite I’ve already proved that, get on.”
Just as hesitantly as she had backed up she now stepped forward, Kestrel hovering changing from one foot to another, just as impatient as her master apparently.
Fed up with her waiting, Arthur put on hand around her waist and another under her legs and hoisted her onto Kestrel in a flash, leaving Guinevere gasping for breath and trembling. In the same movement he swung onto Kestrel behind her and took the reins trapping Guinevere in his arms.
Arthur breath grazed the back of Guinevere’s neck when he stage whispered “You need to balançoire, swing your leg over and sit on the horse properly”
Guinevere’s face turned tomate red as she flushed at the intimacy, she swallowed, but it was plus like a gulp, her throat was bone dry and she felt like the sun was roasting her alive. Awkwardly she moved her left leg over Kestrel’s neck and shifted back into Arthur, using her hands on Arthur leg to balance herself, although the likelihood of her falling off was minimal with Arthur penning her in.
Arthur scoffed loudly at her cowardness and one blush fell into another, Guinevere now thankful her back was turned to him. “Okay … what now?” She tried putting some power into her voice but it still sounded as shaky as she felt, bad actress, bad Guinevere, she mentally scolded herself for her weakness.
“You take the reins and nudge the horse on”
“How do I make it go forward?”
“Like I a dit toi nudge it” With her toe she nudged Kestrel’s flank and the horse snorted at her and veered vers l'avant, vers l’avant then turned left, all hopes plummeted.
“NO, no, no, no, no. It’s going the wrong way.” Desperate she started turning in her seat, Arthur quickly took charge of the situation and put on hand over both of hers on the reins and grabbed her bare ankle with the other. “You didn’t kick hard enough, the horse will think you’re too weak to ride it, ou scared”
“But I AM scared, and I don’t want to hurt it, and stop calling it an it, it’s a her, it’s Kestrel.” Now not only was she scared she was annoyed and she forgot again who she was talking to. Arthur didn’t seem to notice much, he just a dit in a calm voice “do it” and she did.
“Who name a horse after a bird any way” granted she was sulking but there was a smile playing at the corners of her lips as the horse had apparently started working.
After a while Kestrel was behaving and Guinevere had learned how to trot, her confidence on Kestrel was growing and she was happy on a horse, something she had never thought possible.
***
Arthur rode them back, but only because he was faster and wanted to montrer off how good he was, and how good she could be with some practice. Guinevere kept her arms wrapped around Arthur’s torso like a vice, and admitted grudgingly that his distraction had worked and there was no plus hangover.
As they pulled into the courtyard people were staring at them, at some point while they were gone the château had become populated again and on the steps were three people she really didn’t want to see: Jay, Isolde and her father.
“Uh oh,” her whole body went tense and Arthur slowed down to a stop and looked at her, “What?” Lost for words she nodded towards the rapidly approaching group. geai, jay was in the lead looking pale and edgy, but his eyes looked furious and he was nearly running, his fists where clenching and unclenching, her father was beet-red, defiantly mad and a little vein in his forehead was bulging, Isolde looked skittish trailing behind the men, but Guinevere knew when her father and geai, jay were done with her she would be stuck with Isolde for hours of complaint.
“GET OFF OF THAT HORSE RIGHT NOW” her father screamed at her. Kestrel sauntered back and reared, Arthur had to pet her and climb off to control her. He then blocked Guinevere form her father and helped her down. She could see this wasn’t going to be good, Arthur was going to act like a human shield, her father would yell and stammer and banish her from Camelot, again, and geai, jay would stop Guinevere from going near a horse ou Arthur ever again.
“Daddiiieeee” She tried to drag it out and lower her eyes giving him a look no father could ever resist, she always got her way when she did that, except this time he got madder, and redder.
“GUINEVERE JEZEBEL ROZA DE KARNE” the entire courtyard stopped what they were doing and turned to look at the scene playing out, “WHAT THE HELL DO toi THINK toi WERE DOING?” this must be good because Sir Karne never swore and she felt her eyebrows rise up to her hairline.
“I wa-”
“DO NOT INTERUPT ME” he roared. Slowly he took a deep breath, looked down at her through Arthur and spoke very lowly, controlling his voice so it sounded even plus dangerous. “You are never to go near a horse ou him again, toi are to go to your room for the suivant twenty-four hours and not talk to anyone ou leave your quarters. toi will pack your things and we will arrange for toi to leave Camelot and not return. I see now toi are just like your mother, foolish and wild, and that will get toi killed, and if I must I will send toi back to Europe. Do not traverser, croix me child”
Guinevere felt like she had been hit in the stomach, she felt her breath coming fast; tears prickled her eyes and her whole body was trembling in fine quivers. “Don’t toi ever talk about my mother like that, like it was her fault she’s dead and not YOURS” her voice broke at the end of her sentence and right now she wanted nothing plus than to go to her room and leave this wretched place. And never see him again.
Her father looked completely taken aback, he just stopped at the viciousness in her voice, like he never contemplated being blamed for his wife’s death.
“I hate you, and if I’m going to leave Camelot, it will be when I decide, not toi old man. I am a guest here, but I’m not yours. And if toi disinherit me and tell me to leave, I have my own means of getting par and there are plenty of people who will help me along the way.” Years of playing games with people had made it easy for Guinevere to hide her anger, and for her to flourish when needed. For once the ten years away, silently brooding were exploding from her in a terrible dark outburst, and nothing would stop her from being strong.
The silence then on was endless, Arthur kept his head down, still blocking her, protecting her probably, Isolde looked shocked. The one person she wanted to ignore so badly was Jay, but he kept staring, willing her to look at him, the moment she looked up her anger evaporated and she was trembling again, empty of everything. He looked at Arthur standing over her and told him to take Guinevere to her room; he looked back at Guinevere still standing there and hugged her. If she wasn’t in front of all these people she would have collapsed right there, but instead she let Arthur lead her away, as it was her body was being raked par dry sobs, her breathing hitched, but years of control wouldn’t let her cry in front of people.
***
Merlin was scrubbing the floors with angry vigor whilst using his magic to beat the curtains and change the sheets on the bed, when Arthur walked in the curtains fell in a heap on the floor, the sheets collapsed in a Raiponce mess and Merlin threw the brush into the bucket.
“Where have toi been, your fathers posté sentries on lookout, I’ve had four guards interrogate me!” Merlin shouted. Arthur made a good attempt at glowering and threw his veste in the general direction of the bureau.
“Arguing with my father and Sir Karne. toi know he really took it out on Guinevere, in front of the whole court. She was completely distraught when I left her.”
“What happened, I thought Sir Karne was always very calm, I’ve never seen him raise his voice once.”
“Guinevere’s mother died when she was a child, an accident on her horse. Her father sent her away after that, never let her ride a horse, doesn’t even like her going near one. So when I took her out this morning and he saw her getting off of Kestrel on the way back he went crazy. She got mad, practically blamed him for her mother dying, I still can’t make that connection, and now my father and I have spent the last heure trying to talk him out of sending her away.”
“Wow, that’s a bit of an over-exaggeration. Where did toi take her?”
“To a clearing in the forest, right par the stream.” Arthur just stared at Merlin grinning like an idiot. “Shut up Merlin” Merlin didn’t stop grinning, and Arthur grabbed a oreiller and threw it at Merlin’s head.
“Hey, I didn’t say anything”
Out of the corner of Arthur’s eye he spotted the book he had gotten Merlin to steal. No time like the present Arthur thought, and for the suivant two and a half hours Arthur sat in his chair flipping through sections about his family and trying to take apart the archaic language with Merlin moving about his room doing chairs and occasionally leaning in to look at the progress being made.
***
In nearly three hours studying Guinevere’s book intensely Arthur found that he couldn’t understand a word. Either Arthur was dumbing down ou this book was written in a way that meant whoever was lire couldn’t gain any information. Every page was a riddle. He found himself turning back to the original page Guinevere had left it. Something about the drawing left his stomach twisting. The écriture caused a puzzle true enough, but the woman in the picture drew him in. It was hard to note very detail as the parchment was old but she seemed recognizable to him even though that was impossible.
There was one sentence at the end of the excerpt: I am White Wave, which Arthur thought might be the key to the mystery but he had no idea what that meant. He tried to pick apart each sentence and even asked Merlin his thoughts. Every now and then his manservant would have an idea that blew him away. The only thing he could pick out was the repetitive comparisons of the woman to the elements. White Wave.
***
Morgana and Morgause had decided to move. In the forest of Balor near Camelot they set their plan into action conjuring a magical beast from beyond the realm. They sat facing each other with a cercle of candles drawn around them; the forest was quite yet thick with the anticipation of stirring forces as the two sisters mumbled ancient words. A blinding light shattered the dark of the night and a roar came from its depths…
***
Guinevere sat on the window siège par candlelight hugging her knees to her chest. She’s been there for a while now; Isolde had left hours il y a when darkness hit. Her dîner was laid out on the table, tableau on the other side of her room untouched, her hair was drip drying, geai, jay had come to tell her that she was allowed to stay in Camelot and that Arthur had just been sent away after reports of a beast in the forests. She felt cold and empty, and alone. She didn’t mind being on her own par choice, but at this time she felt abandoned, even in the dark where she normally felt comforted and safe. Tonight there was nothing comforting about the dark of the night, no pleasure in being hidden in its shadows, there was an oppressive imprisonment about being locked in her room, caged par heavy doors and five story windows.
As it was she had to leave tonight. In the forests there was something/someone waiting for her. She got up slowly, resisting the urge to break down and sob ou throw something ou scream out loud. She pinned her hair up quickly, with wet tendrils falling around her face, she dressed in white head to toe, and put a small amount of make-up on to hide the shadows under her eyes, add a false flush to her cheeks and light in her eyes. Her mothers pearl earrings dangled form her ears making jingling noises with every small movement.
Then she walked over to the servants entrance took out a hidden key and let herself out of the castle. In the courtyard she had to slip around every corner and stay in the shadows so she could seek past the gates and through the gates. Straight ahead of her was the forest and she made her way through the intertwining undergrowth and the darkness to her destination.
***
Arthur was hunting. As if the jour didn’t have enough trouble for him his father had to throw a little plus his way. He had spent the morning with Guinevere, the afternoon arguing with Sir Karne and the King and for once was agreeing with Jared (Jay, Guinevere’s companion) and the early part of the evening looking through a stupid book which he was sure makes no sense. Now he was sent from the château to hunt down a beast conjured par magic and find the source of it. The forest of Balor is enough trouble in its own, but in the dark its wildness is threatening and hard to navigate. He had small party of knights, 5 of them along with Merlin and another two manservant’s. The chevaux they had ridden on the main road where hidden near the back of the forest, hidden from looters but easy for Arthur and his knights to find in the morning.
Merlin was a few feet behind Arthur carrying the nourriture supplies and extra weapons. The rapporter they had gotten at the caste was un-detailed, only that it was big, unnatural, conjured par magic and strong. Strong enough to already kill a small group of travelers.
He heard a sound to his right and signaled to the group to stop, and for the two knights furthest back to cercle round. He moved vers l'avant, vers l’avant to wear he heard the noise and found himself parting branches to find a small clearing. It was in the middle of nowhere, there were branches twisting overhead and it was completely unexpected. There were a few wildflowers and a fallen arbre to the back of the area. And a stooped old woman.
The entire group was now looking into the little clearing, trying to work out if this was a hallucination, magic, if this was the “beast”. She was old and young at the same time; her face didn’t look wrinkled ou aged any older than forty something, her hair was dark brown with strands of silver running through, but her eyes looked wise-they were a silvery blue. She was small, slightly hunched and wore a thick peignoir, robe with a cape tied on to her in shades of black and gray to fade in with the night. The only thing that let them see this was the small lantern she had hung on an overhead branch.
She clasped her hands and looked directly at where Merlin and Arthur were peering, and said, “You can come out now, I know you’re there” Her voice was deep and tired sounding. “Come on and talk with me, let me see you. I have no patience for playing hide and seek”
Merlin didn’t know exactly what to think. On one hand, they were in a creepy forest, in a strange clearing, with a strange woman. On the other hand he had been brought up with manners and to disobey his elders would be impolite, so he and the entire group stepped out as one. Merlin tried to make himself look non-threatening. But the woman didn’t look scared. She looked around the group and focused herself on Arthur.
“So you’re the one who’s so important” She walked towards him and tilted his chin up, analyzing everything about Arthur’s appearance. “Tall and handsome, strong, a good leader, intelligent…but impulsive. That can change, still a little ruggish, a good age though. And I suppose toi want to know who I am, and why a woman would be par herself, in the middle of a forest, at night.”
Arthur was a little too stunned to talk so Merlin went ahead for him, “Yes ma’am, we would like to know”
She smiled indulgently at Merlin and stepped away to talk to the whole group. “I am meeting my granddaughter here, my name is Xantha, I am on my own because I need no one to protect me, I can handle myself; me and my granddaughter, who toi will see soon, but when I tell toi to toi must hide, she will not detect you. And toi must listen- there are things toi need to know.”
Arthur finally composed himself and thought through this information “So this is not chance that we are here at the same time?”
“No not chance. There are things toi need to hear, and accept. toi will understand, eventually”
“Brilliant another riddle!” As if Arthur didn’t have enough to work out he had an old lady playing with him. Xantha snapped he head to the left and scanned the trees. She smiled slowly, although there was something wrong in that smile. Slowly, almost lethargically she turned back to the knights and told them to hide.
