Gwen stumbled as she walked, her only protection against the snow storm a thin cloak. The snow had started as she was walking home, and now she was completely lost. Her hair whipped around her face and branches lashed at her arms and face. She shivered almost uncontrollably as she walked. It seemed like hours before she saw any sign of life. Lights, ahead, what seemed like hundreds of them. As she got closer, squinting, she realized it was a castle.
She barely made it to the heavy wooden doors, and she knocked as loudly as her dry, freezing hands would let her before she collapsed, shivering. Throwing what little energy she had left at the door, she threw herself against it, pushing it closed against the wind. Gwen looked up at the open doorway and paused for only a moment before rushing inside. She stood leaning against it for a few moments before turning to look at the magnificent castle. "Hello?" She called. Her voice echoed around the hall, "Is anyone there?"
A savage gust of wind must have been what blew the door open, because absolutely no one was around that could be seen. Magnificence corridors, and soaring ceilings gave the impression that someone very rich lived in the place. While it looked nearly abandoned from the outside, on the inside - it was spotless. No dust lined the edges of tables, and the candlesticks shone, reflecting the light of a single lamp that was glowing at the edge of a grand staircase.
"Listen." A voice said. "A visitor! We have a visitor!"
"I know. A girl visitor." The other commented. "Female. Do you think she could be the one to change our Master's heart?"
"Leonor! Be quiet. You know if the master hears you say that, he shall have your head!" There was a sigh. "He gave up hope long ago."
"Hello?" Gwen called again, her voice shaking, "Who's there?" She took a few steps, her soft slippers making no sound on the polished floors, "Please...Who's there?"
From behind a wall, two men stepped out. "I'm so sorry Ms." One of the men said, "My name is David, and this is my colleague, Leonor."
Gwen, still shaking nodded to each other them, "I'm sorry to intrude, but it's snowing outside...I was cold..."
"Of course! The mistress was cold." Leonor said quickly, taking her icy cloak from her shoulders. "Come, sit by the fire." He led her to a big, comfortable chair."
"Not the master's chair." David hissed in Leonor's ear, but his friend was far too busy playing the gentlemen. "He will .Head!"
Gwen sat on the edge of the chair, despite wanting to relax. She held her hands out to the roaring fireplace in front of her. "Thank you." She said, "I can leave...when the snow stops." She wondered who this 'master' was they kept talking about. It worried her.
Leonor was too busy paying attention to the pretty little mistress that he didn't notice the rather formidable sounding footsteps in the hallway.
"Now, tell me, little mistress, what is your name?" Leonor said, handing her a cup of tea.
"Um...Guinevere." She replied, "But almost everyone calls me Gwen." She wrapped her hands gratefully around the warm cup.
"Leonor..." David looked extremely nervous, now. "Leonor..."
"Shut up, David, I am tending...to..." He leaned closer, obviously having a bad ear. "What did you say that was?"
"Leonor!" David hissed, as a shadow grew under the doorway. "Hide her!"
"What nonsense are you talking?" The small man laughed. "Now, tell me your name again, if you'd be so kind."
"Guinevere." She said, slightly louder, though she looked nervous as she glanced around, "Gwen..."
"Guinevere!" Leonor spoke up. "A name fit for a princess, eh?"
"Leonor, I am serious. You have seconds to stop your ridiculous flirting!" David said urgency filling his voice.
"I am not flirting." Leonor protested, leaning on the chair arm, lightly, and refilling Gwen's cup of tea with one hand.
"Shu-" David had been going to tell his friend to shut up, but he didn't have the time. Someone opened the door.
The tea cup overflowed, and began pouring over into the saucer.
"M-m-master..." David stuttered.
Gwen dropped the cup as burning tea covered her hands. It shattered on the floor, but no one seemed to notice. Gwen stood, pieces of the cup crunching under her feet as she stared at the shadow in the doorway. "Hello?" She whispered.
Arthur strode forward, and picked up both of his servants by their collars, stringing them two feet in the air, with apparent ease.
"What...have you done?" His voice grew in both intensity and volume as he spoke.
Gwen backed up, stumbling and righting herself as she pressed her back against the wall.
"I...I...we..." David stammered, "The lady was cold, shivering...It was Leonor's idea!"
"It is. Always. Leonor's idea." Arthur said through clenched teeth, his jaw line growing tight. "Tell me what she's doing here. And make her LEAVE!"
"Excuse me." Gwen spoke, her voice timid and shaking, "I'm sorry, I was cold. I didn't realise I would be so much trouble, I can leave." The storm still swirled outside, freezing. Still, she picked up her cloak and began walking towards the door.
"Master." Leonor said, "The girl is cold and it is freezing outside. Perhaps she could stay the night?"
"She'll stay the night." Arthur's voice was quiet, cold, and dark as he looked down at his servant's, with a truly horrible glare. "In the dungeons."
Leonor and David looked at one another, and back at Arthur. "Master. No." It was David who spoke up. "It is below freezing. That is ...surely, beyond ridiculous."
At this, Gwen whirled, "I am not your prisoner." She spoke up, her voice strong. At his gaze she faltered, but tried to keep her voice from wavering, "You can't lock me up."
"I can, and I will." The young king took one menacing step forward, daring her to be afraid. "Guards!"
Before Gwen could react, two men were holding her arms on either side, pulling her away, "You can't do this!" She cried out, her voice echoing once again around the hallway. She was dragged, fighting, to the dungeons of the castle, where she was thrown into a room and the door locked. She didn't even realize she'd dropped her cloak until shivers took over her body.
"Surely, sire. A room would do much better for the young lass." An old, shaking voice came from the darkness. "She could be the one. And she surely can't be it from the dungeons."
Arthur stopped in his tracks, as he headed back to his room in the East Wing. It was late, and dark of night. Eleanora had, indeed, been the only one that had stayed with him since childhood.
"It shall be as you say." He said gruffly. "Lock her in a room. And do not. Let her escape."
As Gwen shuddered, fear filled her thoughts. Who had that man been? And why was he keeping her here? Her thoughts, however, were interrupted with a clanging at the door. Gwen jumped up, moving backwards as quickly as possible to the far wall. The door opened and Leonor came in. "We have been told to take you to a room." He said. She followed him hesitantly. Outside another person stood, "I'm Eleanora." The woman said kindly, taking Gwen's arm, "Come this way."