The sisters were perched outside, to embrace the fine day. The castle gardens were very pretty, and Uther took pride in them with many employed to care for them. The grass never wilted in colour no matter the season and the flowers seemed forever in bloom, with a burst of colour dotted everywhere, nestled in the dirt. In the centre was a bush that had been carefully and intricately cut to the shape of a dragon, to represent the monarchs Sigel. Apparently, the late queen was the cause for the king's interest in their upkeep, as she had herself tended to them and they existed now to honour her.

"oh, its nothing, you know what I'm like," Elaina tried to dismiss any discussion regarding herself, but her sister wasn't easily swayed.

"well, I know what you're like this time of the year. You always retreat into a shell half the time and then other half, you do something reckless. Like this for instance."

She tucked a piece of hair behind Elaina's ear, which she had recently gotten Gwen to cut, to sit just pass her shoulders. Before that it had been even longer than morgana's and the source of many compliments she received, which had improved since childhood. In fact, she and Morgana were the talk of the country as Camelot's two beauties, who knights fervently sought favour from during tournaments.

They couldn't look more different though. Where Morgana was pale skinned, eyes piercing and icy blue, with hair dark as night, Elaina was the opposite. Her skin had a warm peachy tone, while her doe like eyes were a deep green, emphasised by her rich brown hair. They both had a strong jawline, though Elaina's cheeks were plumper than morgana's sharp cheek bones could allow. Elaina was in comparison a little more buxom to Morgana overall and had to be careful in her choice of wardrobe, where her breasts were concerned, which was embarrassing at times for her. then despite being older, Elaina was the shortest between them.

Some say you had to know the two were related to spot the similarities where you could find them, as Elaina took after Gorlois's bloodline through and through, though they suspect Morgana must take after their mother, if any of them could remember what she looked like.

"it's only hair morgana, it will grow back."

Elaina didn't want to admit that her choosing to cut her hair had anything to do with the fact this week had been the running up to the anniversary of something that had pained her greatly and still does.

The day Edwin's parents had been captured and marched into Camelot. without trial, they were immediately put to death by burning. Elaina had snuck from her room having heard of their father discussing it with another knight and followed them to the pyre. there she had been distraught at the sight, but none so than when Edwin had jumped into the fire, screaming for someone to help him save his parents. The pain he must have felt as the fire licked at his flesh, she had been frozen with shock to see him like that, and unable to move. elaina watched on as her father came and grabbed him from the fire to his rescue and carried him within the castle infirmary.

No one noticed her standing at the doors to the courtyard. The very same Morgana's bedroom looked out on. she remained there until the crowd was gone and the fires had burned out. There the two adults she had known to only be kind and caring, were no more than brittle bone and ash. Gorlois had been disgusted at the notion that his little girl had witnessed such a scene upon finding her and having trusted the boy to the healer's hands, he returned his Elaina home to bed. On the way he had asked if she had known them, because of how she wept in his arms. She admitted everything, all of her interactions with them and of their son Edwin.

Gorlois could not lie to his child, so when she asked if he was ok, he had no option but to tell Elaina that Edwin had died from his injuries.

She has never forgotten or forgiven Uther for that loss and where she had disliked him before, she boiled with hatred at the mere sight of him, which was hard when she lived under the same roof as the man. Especially as his ward, for she would be connected with him forevermore now and her future decided by him too.

"but why the rashness of it. If you ask me that's a desperate cry for help if ever there was one."

Morgana hit the nail on the head, but Elaina had never told her sister of that terrible night or anything about Edwin. They belonged to her and she simply did not wish to share her love or pain of mourning over their deaths.

Recently the memories of those Wednesday's she had spent with Edwin, have come in so crystal clear she would think them real to the point where the world actually moulded into that forest of their meeting. This made it abundantly clear to her, this was her gifts playing a cruel joke, of making them into visions of the past and she racked her brain, thinking they were trying to tell her something she kept missing.

It was by pure frustration and sadness she began hacking at her hair, which Edwin had admired but was no longer able to touch. Gwen just happened to walk in on the outburst and without asking for an explanation, she allowed the noble lady to cry out her pain. Then when Elaina was spent, the handmaid placed her back on the chair of the vanity.

'my poor mistress'she had cooed, 'let me do this for you at least.'

Gwen had a marvellous way to show she sympathised without making Elaina feel pathetic. Thankfully she managed to salvage Elaina's hair and she was actually quite pleased with the result, even if it had earned a few surprised exclaims from her sister, Arthur and Uther.

"can't you allow me a week of misery, when the rest of the time I carry the weight of you and everything else that goes on?"

Elaina was partially telling the truth and exaggerating so it came off like she was teasing her sister. However, since Merlin had arrived the kingdom has been anything but boring. He had emanated such power she was able to tell straight away what he was and dreamt of this legend known as Emrys, confronting him, while he was with Gaius. The physician was already aware of the lady's gifts and took it in his stride she had sussed out his new roommate. But merlin had almost fainted that a noble lady knew of all these things about him. So as one of the few who knew his secret, she helped him where she could and he confided in her all the stress, one who is connected with magic carries, providing each other with some relief.

"dream on," Morgana replied, shoving Elaina.

"well, that was unladylike," she teased, knowing it would annoy morgana as this was the standard they had to live up to. These perfect ladies, neither one really was.

Morgana took a stand against Uther more than Elaina did, regarding his attitude to those with magic and his ruthless killings. She did so, because she could get away with it more than Elaina could. Out of the youngsters in the castle, his own son even, morgana was is favourite and he doted on her the finest gowns and jewels and a seat beside his throne. Whereas Elaina rarely treated herself to the crowns small allowance for her and possessed the same standard of jewels, which had been an inheritance from their mother. Not that she cared, she wouldn't accept one thing from that man, but she couldn't understand how she was made to feel the burden, while morgana was welcomed in with open arms.

"right come on, lets head down to the market. I'm sure something might grab your eye down there to make you happy."

Elaina could not refuse Morgana a single thing, though she was desperate to go back to her own room and perhaps force herself to sleep so she could have even more visions of Edwin. Also, she didn't like the insinuation that her sister buying her things was what would earn a smile from Elaina. She didn't need any more things and didn't care for them, but her stomach growled, making them both chuckle.

"mmm, food might do the trick actually."