Guinevere's sister
Chapter 1: Defeat
In a clearing sits a girl, about 11 years old with a 6 year old girl on her lap. Her name is Guinevere, this is her sister, and their father is Merlin; leader of her people, the Woads. They are not far from their home, only about 30 min away on foot. The little girl got up and started running, wanting to explore more. Guinevere stood up and followed, calling after her, "Annabelle! Come back here." She caught up to her, and held onto her sister. She was the only thing she had left of her mother, who had died two years ago of illness. As Guinevere started to walk back home with Annabelle, she froze; she had heard voices; men; heading this way.
"Marius, sir, we should probably head back now, we're nearing Woad territory, and there are many of them," said a man. "We shall turn back soon," came the reply, "no filthy Woad would dare harm us; they'd have no chance." Guinevere accidentally gasped, unable to hold it back and stay silent. She'd heard of Marius, he was an evil Roman who kidnapped and tortured innocent people, especially Woads. Unluckily, the men heard her gasp and found her as she started to run away with Annabelle. "Freeze," one of them said, "or we'll shoot." "They're Woads," another pointed out. "Come hear girl," Marius ordered. Guinevere hesitated, slowly reaching down to grab her dagger. She got it, and hurled it around in the direction of the men. There was a cry of pain, and a whiz as an arrow shot past her, grazing her arm. Before she and Annabelle could get any further, Guinevere was hit on the head with a hilt of a sword and she passed out as Annabelle screamed.
Guinevere awoke in a beautiful room, with her sister sitting next to her. She tried to figure out where she was when everything came back to her, the Roman soldiers, Marius, she and her sister were now captives, at the mercy of Marius. At that moment, Marius walked in, looking at her in curiosity. He got straight to the point, "You are Woads and pagans, are you not?" Guinevere nodded, knowing that lying to him would do her no good. "You have a choice to make," he said, "either you both convert and you serve me or you be punished." Guinevere stared at him coldly, "we will never convert to your god, nor be a slave to anyone," she stated stubbornly. "If that's your final answer," Marius questioned. "It is," Guinevere responded immediately. "Fine," he gave in, and directed his attention toward his guards, "guards, take them away; they need to be taught a lesson about religion." As the guards dragged them out, Guinevere gulped and Annabelle cried, wondering what would happen.
The guards dragged them outside, and towards a stone doorway, with steps leading downward. They shoved them in and shouted to a monk that was down there, "here, some more witches for you to deal with; pagan Woads." "Oh, thank you," he responded happily. As they walked down, Guinevere's fear only grew, what she saw made her want to retch. It was a prison, there were dead bodies on the wall, in little jail cells, and in holes in the ground. There was one other prisoner, a man, he looked terrible. The monk shoved Guinevere into a stall, and was about to put Annabelle into a hole when Guinevere begged him not to, "please let her be with me." "As you wish," the monk replied and shoved Annabelle in with Guinevere.
Annabelle stumbled in, her crying blinding her. As the monk left she asked, "Guin, what's going to happen to us? Am I going to die?" "No Anna," she responded, "I'll get us out of here, I won't let them hurt you, I promise." "OK," Annabelle understood.
An hour later they were still sitting there, silent. "Guin," Annabelle said, "I'm hungry." "Shhh," Guin responded, "It'll be OK." "But Guin, I'm hungry NOW," Anna responded, her voice rising. "Silence," shouted a monk, "Let me teach you what we do to talkers." He opened the door to their cell and reached for Annabelle. "No!!!" Guinevere shouted, shoving Anna behind her, "not her." "Alright then," the monk responded. He instead reached for Guinevere and dragged her out, pulling her out of Annabelle's sight. Guin had been gone for a little while when Anna heard a crack and then a scream and a sob. Soon after, Guin was pushed back in, her back bleeding badly and tears in her eyes. She didn't say anything as she lay down and went to sleep.