Chapter 2: ~Just a Peasant Girl?

Gwen almost skipped back to her house a couple of hours later, wearing a beautiful new dress, her ripped dress was in her arms and had been patched up so you could never tell it had been ripped in the first place. Morgana had told her that she could keep the dress that she had borrowed while her dress was being sewed.

The dress was red and went down to her ankles, covering up the tips of Gwen's shabby, cobbled boots. It was the most expensive thing she had ever worn and if she sold it, it would probably pay for food for her family to eat for a month.

She and Morgana had gone to Morgana's chambers and Morgana had showed her all her dresses. She had three wardrobes full. Gwen could hardly believe that someone could be so privileged. She could have new dresses whenever she wanted, yet Gwen's parents struggled by, with hardly enough to live on. Morgana had found out that Gwen only had meat once a week and immediately ordered her servant to bring her some food and she gave all the meat to Gwen. She had never tasted anything like the stuff Morgana ate. All she had was a little bit of chicken once a week, but Morgana had all kinds of meats cooked in different spices and sauces that was an explosion of flavour in her mouth.

"Mum, guess what happened?" She shouted, excitedly, rushing through the door of her house, so different to the castle where her new friend lived. Morgana's chambers alone was bigger than her entire house.

"Oh Gwen, there you are." Her mum said, from the fire in the kitchen. "I'm just making vegetable soup, I expect you're hungry. I was expecting you home an hour ago, I was just going to send your brother to go looking for you." She turned around and saw Gwen standing there. "What on earth are you wearing?" She asked, in shock as Gwen's brother walked from behind the screen where he slept on the floor.

"So what Arthur said was true. The king's ward has befriended you." He said.

"The king's ward?" Gwen's mum asked. "What are you talking about?"

"I made friends with Morgana, mum, and she gave me this dress mum. Isn't it pretty?" Gwen replied, twirling around in it.

"It's completely impractical." She sniffed. "You don't need a fancy dress to look pretty anyway. We don't need any charity, you can take the dress back tomorrow, we manage just fine as we are."

"But mum..." Gwen trailed off, so disappointed. This dress was the nicest thing she owned and now she had to give it back.

"No buts. And you aren't to play with Morgana again, King Uther wouldn't approve and I don't want the guards knocking on our guards in the middle of the night."

"But Elyan gets to train with Arthur." Gwen protested.

"That is different Gwen dear, you know that, Elyan is going to be a knight, it is proper for them to train together as do some of the other village boys wanting to be knights. You and Morgana can never be friends. You are more likely to become her servant than her friend." Her mum replied. "Now hurry up, the soup's almost done." Gwen nodded and walked through to the other room to get changed out of the dress. Maybe Arthur was right. Maybe she was just a peasant girl.

As she sat down to eat her watery vegetable soup, Morgana also sat to eat her meal. She ate slowly, picking at it and taking tiny nibbles.

"Is something wrong Morgana?" Uther asked as she finally pushed her plate away. She shook her head. She couldn't get Gwen out of her mind. She was so unlucky, she was such a nice friend, but she couldn't even afford nice clothes. Morgana wished she could do more to help her, but Uther would forbid her from being friends if he found out.

"I'm just not very hungry." She replied, dully. "May I be excused?" She asked, going to stand.

"Wait until we've all finished. It would be expected of you at a public meal, so you should get used to it now." Uther replied shaking his head. Morgana dipped her head and stared down at the stone floor.

"Pass that cake." Arthur demanded a few minutes later. Uther coughed loudly. "Erm, please." He added, turning red. Morgana gave him a sickly sweet smile.

"Certainly Arthur," She said, passing it, but as she did she accidentally on purpose dropped it so the cream on it went on Arthur's clothes.

"Now look what you've done." He yelled, losing his temper.

"Arthur." Uther said warningly. "Do not speak to Morgana like that, it was an accident. Go up to you chambers and get changed."

"I'm sorry Arthur." Morgana smirked discretely so that Uther wouldn't see.

One of Uther's knights walked into the hall a few minutes later and walked over to the king. He started to whisper something in his ear, but Uther held his hand up to stop him. "Morgana you can leave." He told her and waited until the doors of the hall were fully closed before letting the guard speak.

Morgana walked up to her chambers, her shoes tip-tapping on the cold stone floor as she went. She flung the doors open to see Arthur sitting on her bed. "Get out." She said, a flicker of anger coming over her face. Arthur started to fidget.

"Look Morgana I-" He began.

"Are deaf or just plain stupid?" Morgana interrupted. "I said get out."

"I came to apologise." Arthur said quickly. Morgana snorted.

"Good joke. Arthur Pendragon come to apologise. Like I'd ever believe that." She replied coldly.

"I-you were right." Arthur said. "I shouldn't have been rude to that girl." Morgana rolled her eyes. He didn't even bother to find out her name.

"It's not me you should be apologising to." She said.

"I know, but I have no idea where the girl lives."

"Elyan." Morgana said.

"What?" Arthur looked confused.

"She's Elyan's sister." Morgana told him.

"Elyan? I recognise that name. Elyan." He repeated muttering it to himself. "Oh, one of the peasant boys. I'll speak to him tomorrow and find out where he lives so I can say sorry." Arthur said, standing up to leave. He walked over to the door and smiled at Morgana, glad they were no longer arguing.

"And Arthur?" Morgana added.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Pushing me in horse dung doesn't make you the winner." She smirked.

"You dropped your sword so I won." He shrugged. "And you didn't even fall in the dung." Morgana rolled her eyes. "I would have won even if you hadn't nearly fallen in the dung."

"Fine, then you won't mind having a rematch tomorrow nowhere near horse dung?" Morgana asked.

"Fine, just don't cry when you get beaten." He smirked, leaving the room. Morgana flopped down on her bed and sighed, wishing that she could play with Gwen again tomorrow. She had been so much fun. She wished people wouldn't see her as just a peasant girl. Uther would never allow his precious ward to play with a peasant girl.