Arthur was bored. Bored bored bored bored bored. He didn't want to learn how to add up numbers or memorize the names of his ancestors. There were so many of them. Who cared about those things, anyway? Arthur wanted to go horseback riding and learn to use a sword. Those were the important things. One day Arthur was going to be a great warrior.
Besides, his dad's friend was coming over today with his daughter. Arthur didn't like his daughter much. Especially since he had heard his father saying that Arthur might marry her one day. Arthur did not approve.
Unfortunately, Arthur didn't know the way to the stables by himself. In fact, he didn't know the way to anywhere by himself. He didn't even know how to get back to his room. He hadn't realized the castle was so big.
"What are you doing?"
Arthur jumped. It was a little peasant girl with curly black hair and a yellow dress. "What are you doing?" she repeated.
"I was. . . I was just looking for the stables," said Arthur.
The girl giggled. "You're on the completely wrong side of the castle!" she said. "Come on, follow me."
Arthur followed her, a bit dazed. He wasn't used to people treating him like this. Normally even adults were really polite to him. None of them would DARE order him around like that.
"I'm Gwen," the girl said. "You're wearing really nice clothes. Are you a page boy for one of the nobles or something? What's your name?"
"Ar-" he started before realizing something. She didn't know he was the prince. That was why she was treating him this way. She would suddenly get all bow-ey and polite if she knew. She might not even show him the way to the stables.
"Ar?" said Gwen. "It's nice to meet you, Ar."
"It's nice to meet you, too," said Arthur.
"Why are you going to the stables?"
"I need to practice riding noble steeds, because one day I'm going to be a mighty warrior!"
For some reason, Arthur expected her to laugh. But she didn't, she just smiled. "I'm going to be a blacksmith, like my dad. Although my dad says that's not a proper job for and I have to be a maid or something."
"That's stupid," said Arthur. "Blacksmiths are way better than maids. Blacksmiths can make swords and stuff. Maids just move all your stuff around and scream when you show them frogs."
"I don't scream when I see frogs," said Gwen.
"Then you can't be a maid," said Arthur. "I don't know any maids that don't scream at frogs."
"That's why I'll be a blacksmith," said Gwen. "And I'll shoe your horses and make your swords for when you're a warrior."
Suddenly, Arthur spotted his tutor coming down the hall. He pulled Gwen behind a nearby curtain to wait for him to pass.
"What are you doing?" asked Gwen.
"Shhh," said Arthur.
Gwen poked her head out from behind the curtain. "That's the royal tutor. Do you work for him?" she whispered.
"Something like that," he said.
The tutor was talking to a guard. "He's been talking a lot about horses lately. Tell the stable guards to keep an eye out for him."
The guard saluted and left, the tutor going back down the hall the other way. Arthur groaned. "We can't go to the stables now," said Arthur. "They'll catch me."
"It's okay," said Gwen. "I know how to get in without anyone seeing us."
When the coast was clear, Gwen took Arthur's hand and they ran down the halls.
"Slow down!" said Arthur, stumbling behind her.
"What kind of warrior will you make if you can't keep up with a little girl?" said Gwen, stopping. "We're here."
Arthur looked around. "But it's just another hallway."
"Nuh-uh," said Gwen, pointing to a window. "It's the hallway just above the stables. Come on, I'll give you a lift."
"Through the window?"
"Don't be a chicken."
With Gwen's help, Arthur scrambled onto the window ledge and pulled her up after him. Gwen was the first out onto the roof, running lightly on it's peak. Arthur, not to be outdone, ran after her, nearly slipping in the process.
"Be careful!" said Gwen. "You wouldn't want to break your head open on the stones below."
"A mighty warrior doesn't fear stones!" replied Arthur, though he walked more carefully.
"There's a whole here," said Gwen. "No one's repaired it yet. I heard my dad talking about it with some workmen. We can drop down onto the roof beams and then in among the horses."
"I'll go first," said Arthur. It was dark inside the hole, and he couldn't see very well. But he took a deep breath and lowered himself down onto one of the beams.
The stable was poorly lit. The only person he could see was a guard waiting at the door with his back turned. So Arthur let himself fall into a pile of hay on the floor below him.
Gwen soon followed.
"Now what?" she whispered.
"I'm going to ride a horse," Arthur replied. "A properly noble one. Really big. Like that one." Arthur pointed to a huge, white steed. It's bearing strong and graceful. It looked like a horse fit for a mighty warrior. Arthur untied the horse. "Help me up," he said.
"I'm not so sure this is a good idea," said Gwen.
"Well, we can't go back out through the roof hole," said Arthur, "We're not tall enough to reach the beams. But with a fast horse we can gallop out of here before any of the guards can catch us."
"You have a point. . ." said Gwen.
"So help me up."
When Arthur was seated securely, he pulled Gwen up after him. The horse snorted, dancing back and forth. Arthur didn't know how to saddle a horse, but he figured they'd be okay without one. He had seen riders at festivals who rode bareback, with no reigns or anything. Arthur grabbed a hold of the horses main, like he had seen the festival riders do. He pulled back hard, kicked the horse with his feet, and yelled "Yah!"
The horse reared, neighing and kicking it's front legs. Gwen screamed as she and Arthur tumbled to the ground. They landed hard, and Arthur's head cracked against the stone floor. After that, everything seemed a bit of a blur. He heard the guards shouting. Saw the hooves pounding above him, landing close to his head. Heard Gwen crying.
"Don't cry," said Arthur, as he saw a guard taking control of the horse. "Don't cry," he repeated as another guard lifted him from the ground. "Blacksmiths don't cry."
Arthur had a concussion, but it was nothing serious. His father was furious when he found out what happened. Apparently Arthur had a new tutor. One that wouldn't let the boy out of his sight.
That didn't work out too well. As soon as Arthur felt well enough, he slipped away again. He went to the hall where they had first met. Or at least, he thought it was the same hallway. He went to the stables. It was more heavily guarded then ever.
Then he had an idea. He pulled on a cloak and left the castle altogether. He stopped the first person he saw. "Where does the blacksmith live?" he asked.
"Just down that way."
"Thank you."
He found the house and knocked.
"Come in!" came a voice from inside. Arthur carefully opened the door. The house was old and sort of messy. Made of wood rather than the stone he was used to. There were tools scattered all over the place, but he didn't see any people.
Until he heard a gasp. "Prince Arthur," said Gwen, who was lying on a bed against the wall. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were the prince! Why didn't you tell me you were the prince! Please, forgive me, my lord."
"Gwen!" shouted Arthur, running to him. "Where's your father? I was worried he would yell at me when I came."
"He's in the forge," said Gwen.
"I wanted to see you," said Arthur. "I wanted to play again. Let's play!"
Gwen just looked down, sadly.
"I promise we'll stay away from horses this time."
Gwen didn't respond.
"What's wrong?" Finally, Arthur noticed it. A wrap around Gwen's ankle. She must've gotten hurt in the fall, too.
"I'm sorry," said Arthur. "It's my fault."
"No, it's not sire. I'm fine, really."
"We'll play a game that doesn't require you to move," said Arthur. "We can make up stories of when I'm a warrior and you my blacksmith. We're sure to have some great adventures."
"But I CAN'T, sire."
"Why not?"
"Because you're a prince and I'm just a blacksmith's daughter. You don't know how mad my dad would be if he even knew I was talking to you!"
"But I want you to talk to me."
"I'm sorry, sire. . ."
Arthur thought about the problem for a minute. "What if you were a princess?"
"What?"
"When my dad was pointing out all the noble girls that I might marry he said that whoever married me would become a princess. So if I marry you then no one could have a problem with you talking to me."
"But what about all those noble girls?" asked Gwen.
Arthur shrugged. "I like you better. So, will you play with me, future blacksmith Princess Gwen?"
Gwen laughed. "Okay."
"You go first," said Arthur. "When you're a blacksmith, what are you going to do?"
"When I'm a blacksmith," said Gwen. "I'll make you a sword so big and so strong it could cut off a giant's head."
"And when I'm a warrior I'll cut off ten giants heads," Arthur replied, sitting down by Gwen's bed, ready for a long day of making up stories with his new best friend.