TITLE: Whom Hurt You; Gwen?

SUMMARY: Morgana knows when Gwen is lying to her. She soon learns that someone has hurt Gwen. But; Gwen isn't willing to say whom has hurt her.

NOTES: Set in season 1 - so Arthur and Morgana think that she's still Uther's ward. Plus Uther still has it in his head to wed Arthur and Morgana off. (Which is truly sick seeing how Uther is both Arthur and Morgana's father. But this is mid evil times so marriages between half brothers & sisters was common).

RATING: T

GENRE: Friendship/ Family/ Hurt/Comfort/ Crime/ Angst/ Drama/ Romance/ Tragedy/ Suspense/ Spiritual

PRELUDE: THE DISCOVERY

"Where were you last night?" She stared across the room at her handmaiden. Her maid. Her servant. Her friend. Her love. Hers.

"I wasn't feeling well ... so I went home." Gwen stutted out.

"You could have stayed here." Morgana replied. She was rapidly thinking that she didn't notice anything off with Gwen the previous night. Gwen seemed fine. She would have noticed if Gwen was sick. She noticed everying thing about her servant. After all Gwen truly was the closest one to her. Even closer than her father ever was when he was alive. "You didn't have to risk getting worse in the night air."

Gwen paled. "I didn't want you to get sick. I didn't want to risk it."

"You could have found a warm place to sleep. Away from anyone else. You didn't have to go outside." Morgana pressed.

"I was able to get home, M'lady. I didn't mind the fresh air. Matter of fact it helped me." Gwen placed Morgana's dress from the previous nights banquet on the chair.

"Are you upset with me?" Morgana lowly asked with a raised right brow.

Gwen's eyes widen, "What no M'lady." She shook head her anxiety rising at the thought of the distress she was putting her mistress through.

"Then why didn't you allow me to know that you weren't feeling good?" Morgana swallowed. "How could you hide that from me."

"I'm sorry M'lady. I thought I was doing the right thing." Gwen bowed her head as she walked passed the bed towards the door.

Morgana looked confusing at her maidservent's back. "Why are you lying to me, Gwen." She asked in a hard voice.

Gwen stopped dead in her tracks. Her back tightened; "I'm not lying."

"You weren't feeling ill yesterday. I would have noticed." Moragana pulled back the covers of her bed. She got off the bed and walked up to the back of her servant. Placing her hands on Gwen's stiff shoulders; "Gwen ... whom has hurt you? I will see that they will be punished."

Gwen's eyes blinked rapidly as she tried to keep the tears at bay. "No one has hurt me, M'lady."

"Stop lying." Morgana growled low in her voice; as she gently tugged on Gwen to turn her around. Gwen's bowed head convinced her that she was right. Someone had hurt her Gwen. They will pay. Yes; they will pay dearly. "Did Arthur say something unthinking cruel towards you?" Hatered for her foster brother hit her hard once more.

"No my M'lady; Prince Arthur had been his typical self. Ingoring me unless he wanted me to fetch him something. But now that he has Merlin serving him; he hardly needs me to assist him." Gwen lifted her eyes to meet her mistress's sparkling green orbs. She saw the saddness in them; and deep anger; she lowered her eyes once more.

"Whom hurt you?" Morgana whispered as she moved closer to her servant. "Whom do I need to be thrown in the dugeons?"

"No one." Gwen tried to pull away; but her mistress's hold on her arms just tightened some more. "I'm just not feeling well is all." She lifted her eyes once more.

"I don't believe you." Morgana sighed. Her right hand rose to gently stroke back Gwen's hair. Her eyes widen as she felt the heat on Gwen's forehead. "Oh Gwen; how could I have missed this?" She whispered as she leaned foward and placed her lips on the center of Gwen's forehead. Pulling back a few inches, "You're burning up." Her breath hitched as she noticed a discolored mark behind the shorter girl's right ear. "Whom laid a hand against you?"

Gwen jerked backwards.

Keeping her left hand firmly on Gwen; she gently pulled her towards the bed. Once there; she pushed Gwen onto the bed. "You are going to remain here until I get to the bottom of this. You are in no conditation to be running around doing my errards." Her hands were on the sides of her servant's face; as she gently brushed sideways towards her ears. Her eyes searching for any more hidden marks. She found three more on the back of Gwen's neck - where her long hair covered.

Her hands drifted down ward to remove Gwen's dress from her shoulders; her breathe hissed as she noticed the bruises on the lowered part of her shoulders. Well the dress covered them. But; high enough to reach her back. She watched as tears slowly fell from Gwen's eyes. Moragana knew the dress had to go. It simply had to go so she could see how badly hurt her Gwen was. She carefully stood Gwen to her feet; and she undid the buttons behind Gwen's back; her front pressed against Gwen's. She slowly, and gently tucked the dress down; and allowed it to fall to the floor. Her breath hitched once more as she saw the black, and blue marks running down Gwen's neck; and back passed the shift that Gwen was wearing.

She carefully set Gwen back onto the bed. "Oh Gwen." She chocked out. She had no idea how Gwen was able to be so calm about it. How Gwen could be here in her room without sobbing in pain. "Oh Gwen." She huskily spoke once more. "Whom has done this too you?"

Gwen breath hitched. "I dare not tell you M'lady. If I do; than your life is in danger. I can't put you in danger."

Morgana stared wide eyed into the chocolate eyes of her Gwen. "I'm not going to allow you to get hurt or threatened; Gwen. I'm going to protect you." Moving closer to the love of her life. "I'm always going to protect you." She whispered as she stroaked Gwen's hair from her face with her right hand. "Did someone press themselves on you? Did they rape you?" Her breath hitched.

Gwen silently shook her head. "No they didn't abuse me that way. They just wanted to beat me up."

"They?" Morgana tightly asked.

"I'm sorry M'lady. I can't tell ... won't tell you any more." She looked at her dress on the floor. "Can you help me get my dress on? I need to get back to my duties."

Morgana's green eyes widen. "You aren't going anywhere; Gwen. Not until you are healed." She kicked Gwen's dress behind her. "You would honestly believe that I would force you to keep working now that I know that you are hurt?"

"Other masters would." Gwen coldly replied her eyes glued on her dress.

"I'm not other masters." Morgana's hatered spewed from her mouth. "I'm not unfeeling like Uther!" She breathed in deeply as she felt Gwen jump under her hands. "I'm going to get you settled in this bed; then I'm going to send a servant to get Gaius. He'll see what other injuries you have; then he'll make something up; so you can rest comfortably."

"I need to be at home; M'lady." Gwen tried to fight Morgana to get off the bed.

"Seeing how I'm your Mistress; and my words are law. My ruling is that you heal here in my bed." Morgana replied in her regel voice. She saw a few more tears fall down Gwen's cheeks. "You aren't trouble darling Gwen. You won't be in trouble being in my bed." She moved closer to the servant, and helped her up to the pillows. "Is it more comfortable on your side or stomach?"

"I don't mind lying on my back." Gwen breathed deeply; as she felt fully the injury that her back truly was in. The shock had worn off. She felt every stab of pain that ran up, and down her back nerves.

"Get on your stomach." Morgana carefully helped Gwen onto her stomach. She covered her Gwen with the covers. "I'll be just at the door." She gently stroaked the sweat soaked skin of Gwen's brown face. When Gwen didn't answer; she grew deeply concerned. She knew that Gwen slipped off into shock. The sooner Gaius got there the better it will be.

Morgana got off the bed. Turning she rushed to the door, and yanked it open. She was relieved to see Merlin just walking pass. "Merlin; drop whatever Arthur is making you do. I need you to run to Gaius; and tell him that I need him in my chamber immediately. "

"Yes M'lady." Merlin bobbed his head. "Are you all right?" He was relived to see that she seemed to be perfectly fine.

"I'm fine. But; it's Gwen." Morgana breathed out.

Merlin's eyes widen; and he moved closer to Morgana; he looked over her shoulder. He saw Gwen was lying on her stomach in Morgana's bed. "M'lady?" He asked confusion deeply lying his face. He felt a sharp fear at the sight of Gwen.

"Tell Gaius that someone has attacked Gwen last night. That I just discovered this fact. She's burning up. She's in shock right now." Morgana hurridely said pushing Merlin back. "Hurry Merlin. Please hurry." She begged.

"Of course M'lady." Merlin turned and rushed down the hall. His errand for Arthur completly forgotton as the image of Gwen filled his mind.

Morgana breathed more easily now that Merlin was rushing to get Gaius. Closing the door she turned back towards her bed. Even here she could see how truly desperate Gwen was in need of Gaius's healing. "I'm going to find out whom done this to Gwen; even if it takes me till my dying breathe. I'm going to make them pay for this my love." She vowed under her breathe.

Pushing away from her door she made her way towards the bed. Back to tending to Gwen. Her Gwen.

END PRELUDE