They had been sitting back to back on the cold stone ground of the cell for more than two hours, and Gwaine could feel Hildegard shivering. The temperature had been dropping, and Hildegard had left Jared's cloak in the kitchen with his own jacket.

"Sister," said Gwaine, "May I ask you a question?"

"Yes," she said simply.

"Do you have any kind of plan for getting out of here?"

"I do not," she said quietly.

"I had a feeling you'd say that. It's alright. Planning isn't really your thing." He smiled, although she could not see it. "I hope you know, I'm not trying to criticize," he said gently. "I'm sure you feel bad enough that we've failed."

"Gwaine," she said, "We have not failed. We are where we're meant to be. The children will be released from this place. I am sure of that."

"Ah, sweet Hildegard. It must be nice to be so certain and unworried about everything in your life."

She hesitated. "I wish that were true," she said very softly. "There are a few particular things that I worry over very much."

Gwaine listened, wondering if she would say more. It was dark and quiet. Their backs together provided the only warmth in the universe. "Tell me," he said.

"A woman often has little influence in the church. That is reality. There are so many things that need to be done and changed. Schwester Jutta has always told me that holy sisters must be patient and quiet. I fear I am neither of those things. She does not try to influence the priests and bishops, but I know I will not be satisfied unless I can. What if I make unbreakable vows and then find that I have no real power to change things?"

Gwaine was surprised to hear these words. He understood her fear very well. It occurred to him that perhaps he had long been running from the very same sort of uncertainty.

"I have to make a choice, and soon," she said.

Gwaine could hear the girl's teeth chattering. He decided to do something about it. He stood, helped her up, and wrapped his arms around her. "Sorry, sister. I know this is a bit unorthodox, but you're freezing." He rubbed his hands up and down her arms and back, trying to warm her. To his enormous surprise, she did not resist. She simply rested against him as she had once before, shivering. He held her tightly, trying to help her stop. It was hard to believe that only hours before, this little woman had struck fear into the heart of every thug in Cenred's castle.

"That was quite a message you had for Morgause and Cenred," Gwaine said with a little laugh. He was still amazed and confused by what the girl had done.

"Yes," she said solemnly. After a long moment she said, "Gwaine, I feel I yet have one more message that I must deliver, and this message is … for you." She looked up into his eyes.

Gwaine kept his arms around her, wondering what the girl could possibly say.

"The message I gave to King Cenred is also meant for you. Leave the path of self-destruction and become the man you were meant to be." Her eyes were full of perfect love. "You know what it is you should do."

Gwaine felt Hildegard's words in the depths of his chest. He felt himself begin to tremble and pulled her close to make it stop. There was mighty power in her message, and indeed, he knew exactly what he should do.

"I will," he whispered into her hair. "I will try."

A few minutes later they heard footsteps in the corridor outside their cell. A key jangled, and the door swung open. Lady Morgause herself entered the room. The woman looked appraisingly at Hildegard for a long moment, then spoke.

"Your kind is not wanted here. I have no desire to do battle with you or your god, so I will not harm you, but you are to leave this place at once."

Hildegard was absolutely fearless. "We will leave only when Cenred releases the boy Dylan and his family. He has kept them against their will, and the will of their kin."

"Take them. I will see to it that Cenred complies. It is an easy enough way to be rid of you." She called four guards into the room. "These musicians are leaving immediately. They will be taking others with them. You will speed their exit by doing whatever they require and escorting them out of the gate. See that no one hinders their departure." To Hildegard she indicated the open door.

Hildegard turned immediately and walked out of the cell. Gwaine and the guards followed her.

They made their way to the kitchen. The jacket and cloak were exactly where they had been left hours before. Gwaine sent one of the guards to retrieve the psaltery. When he returned, they went to the servant's quarters and collected four amazed children. Just as Hildegard had been about to lead them all outside, Gwaine said, "And now, we'll just collect uncle James and his friends. Then we'll be off." Hildegard looked suddenly at him, and he nodded at her with a smile. Gwaine led the way to a staircase by the kitchen. "You wait here," he instructed Hildegard. She and the children waited obediently under the watchful eye of one of the guards, while Gwaine and the other three went downstairs.

They came to a particular cell and Gwaine announced, "By decree of Lady Morgause, these prisoners are to depart with us." The door was unlocked. "Gentlemen," he said, "Let's be on our way." The men, looking confused but hopeful, got up and followed Gwaine up the stairs.

With heart pounding, Gwaine led Hildegard, the children, and seven somewhat befuddled men across the inner courtyard to the portcullis. "Open the gate!" shouted one of their four guard-chaperones. "These people are not to be allowed back into the castle, on pain of death, by order of Lady Morgause." The gate slowly creaked open, they all passed outside, and it closed again behind them with an unceremonious clang. Gwaine led them all steadily away into the protective shadows of the town as swiftly as he dared, without actually running.

They were, in fact, free.