The RESCUE

Gwen rode hard, day and night, barely stopping to feed and water her horse. She made it back to London in half the time that it had taken them. She left her horse at the far end of the market, and carefully made her way to the castle. With an easy scale of the garden walls, she was inside the castle.

Bow in hand, Gwen tiptoed down the stone corridors, headed for the throne room. Suddenly, arms reached out and pulled her into an empty room off the hall. Gwen grabbed an arrow and drew her bow quickly, but relaxed her arm when she saw Jocelyn standing before her.

"Winston has the king and Froedrick."

Gwen nodded. "Where?"

"At the throne. Come there are weapons back here."

As Gwen and Jocelyn rummaged through the swords and arrows, Jocelyn filled her in on the events of the past few days.

"What motivation would Winston have to do such a thing Jocelyn?"

The older woman took a deep breath. "I fear that it is his father's influence."

"His father?" Gwen stopped dead in her tracks. "The letters. Carddagah is his father isn't he? How is it possible that we didn't know that he existed?"

"He spent most of his youth with his mother. That father of his is a bad influence."

"How do you-" Gwen began but was quickly cut off.

"Come milady, we must hurry."

Gwen sent Jocelyn into the room as a distraction while she slipped into the shadows that the tapestries cast on the wall. From her spot in the corner, she could see Phillip and Froedrick bound to chairs at the bottom of the steps. She pulled out her knife and waited for Jocelyn to lure Winston out of the room.

"What do you want?" Winston asked in a cold voice as the older woman approached him.

Jocelyn held her ground, staring him dead in the eye. "I'd like a word with you, in private."

"What is it mother, I'm a bit busy here." He followed her out of the room reluctantly.

Phillip and Froedrick snickered as the pair vanished into the hallway. Gwen stood in the shadows in shock. Jocelyn was Winston's mother? Suddenly reality struck her like a brick. She tucked the knife into her belt and loaded an arrow into her bow. A quick aim and she launched the shoulder of the guard standing beside Froedrick. The guard fell into her friend's unsuspecting lap. Before anyone had time to react, she reloaded and shot the other guard.

She quickly redrew her knife and cut Phillip loose before he could even open his mouth in shock. The rope quickly untwisted from around him and Gwen placed it in her hands. "Bind their hands and feet."

Phillip nodded as Gwen turned to untie Froedrick. One of the guards moaned and Phillip hit him over the head with the butt of the sword, rendering him unconscious. Froedrick did the same to the other.

Gwen heard voices in the hallway coming toward the room. "Come, we have to hurry."

She turned to leave, but Phillip grabbed her hand. "No, I want to have a little chat with Winston."

Trying to pull him from the room, Gwen opened her mouth to protest. Phillip quickly cut her off. "I won't let him run, Gwen. I'm going to end this here and now."

As the door began to creak open, she nodded and loaded her bow. As Winston took his first step into the room, is eyes grew as big as saucers. "What-"

"Nothing we could do about it, eh?" Froedrick quipped, bringing the sword that Gwen had given him to Winston's throat. "Seems that you have been mistaken."

"Please," Phillip said, backing Winston toward one of the empty chairs. "Have a seat."

As Winston fell into the chair, Froedrick found a piece of rope and tied Winston down, a bit tighter than necessary.

When Winston was securely bound, he turned to Gwen, pulling her into a tight hug. "Thank you." He turned away from Gwen to face Phillip. "Now what?"

Phillip took a seat on the throne. "Now, we throw him in the tower and wait until John arrives."

After Froedrick had released her, Gwen moved to the window. She stared longingly out at the fog that settled over the city as night fell. She rested her head against the cool stone. A knot began to form in her stomach as she thought about her father and Will walking into a trap in Ireland.

"Gwen?" Phillip's soft voice pulled her back to reality. His hand rested gently on her shoulder as she wiped a hot tear that slid down her cheek. She could feel his breath on her cheek as he spoke quietly in her ear. "You saved my life, again. Thank you." She nodded silently, wiping another tear away with the back of her hand. "I have to go Phillip. I can't just sit here and wait."

"You have no other choice."

"My father needs-" she started.

Phillip forced Gwen to look him in the eye. "Your father knows how to take care of himself. It's too dangerous Gwen."

"But-"

Phillip hugged her protectively. "Please stay, for me. I can't lose you again."