Chapter 55: Queen's Interlude
The fire, comfortably low and warm, roared with new life, its flames almost bursting from the confines of the hearth.
Gwen jumped, dropping the book she had been reading in bed beside her. She was halfway out of the covers and off the mattress when… something flew from the fire and drifted across the room toward her.
Without thinking, Gwen held out her hand.
A folded piece of paper landed in the palm. The paper was warm, but not hot to the touch, and completely free of burn marks or singes. Her name was written across the top in Arthur's sloping hand.
Heart in her throat, Gwen opened the letter. It read:
My dearest Guinevere,
I was hoping to write to you with better news.
I will begin by stating that we have all gone into and back through the Perilous Lands with our lives intact.
We found the Fisher King's castle, and retrieved the Grail. On our way back, we were attacked by the Romans and Amatans. Merlin was
Here in the letter, Arthur had scratched out a few words, rendering them unreadable to her, before continuing-
injured badly, but remains stable, thanks to Morgana's efforts. We lost the Grail. It's now in the hands of the enemy, and we have to prepare for the worst. The two armies will be unkillable, and impossible to stop. Camelot has no choice but to prepare for a siege, and to try to outlast Amata and Rome, until we find a way of overcoming the Grail's magic.
I will do my best to get back to you as soon as I can. In the meantime, the task of safeguarding the citadel and preparing it for attack falls to you. I have the utmost faith in you in this task; whatever decisions you make, know they are with my full support.
I love you with all my heart,
Arthur
Gwen quickly refolded the letter, trying to still the shaking in her hands. It was close to midnight; most with any sense would be asleep by now, but now every moment was of the utmost importance. Quickly, Gwen changed from her nightclothes into a more suitable dress. It was dark burgundy and simple, (comparatively to the rest of her queenly clothes;) made for traveling, but it required no assistance to put on.
Once outside her chambers, she quickly turned to the guards, who jumped and stood a little more upright in her presence.
"Your majesty." One said, with a bow. "It's late; is there anything you require?"
"I've just received word from the king." Gwen said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I need you to rouse the knights and tell them to report to the Round Table. And you-" she turned to the other guard. "To the East Wing, fetch the sorceress Sefa. Quickly."
The guards leapt into action as Gwen hurried along the hallway in the opposite direction.
It didn't take long for the council room to fill up, bleary-eyed knights and advisors gathered in the candlelight. Gwen smiled as Isolde appeared at her side, giving her an encouraging nod.
"Camelot is facing down a siege." Gwen announced; her voice firm. This news was met with grim nods and resigned faces from those surrounding her.
She continued, "The king will be back as soon as he can, but in the meantime, the preparations have fallen to me."
Gwen dug her fingers into the stone of the Round Table in front of her, the abrasive edge rough on her skin. She breathed in deep. She was not a handmaid anymore, she hadn't been one in a long time.
"What we have seen in reports from both Nemeth and Mercia is that Rome and Amata's forces have made straight shots for the citadels in efforts to quickly capture them and control the kingdom." Gwen said, her voice firm. "We can expect the same from them this time as well. Thanks to Merlin, Rome no longer has more troops coming into Albion and Amata had a smaller army than ours to start with; they'll want to conserve the men they have, and not spread them thin to places like Cornwall, Tintagel, or Cadbury. Sefa-"
At her call, the young sorceress leaned forward.
"You will gather all the sorcerers you can and work with them to send messages quickly to every village, town, and city between us and wherever the armies are expected to march from, warning them to get away from the line of attack."
Sefa nodded, and quickly moved into action, she was halfway to the door, when Sir Galahad asked, "And what of the people inside the citadel, your majesty?"
"Throw open the gates." Gwen insisted. "Let the citizens of the Lower Town have the option to take refuge inside the castle if they want."
Sir Galahad shook his head. "But Your Majesty-"
"Do you believe that their lives are less than yours because of where they were born?" Gwen challenged. Not bothering to wait for an answer, she repeated with finality; "open the gates."
Sir Galahad shut his mouth and bowed.
"There is one large issue;" Sir Geoffery announced, clearing his throat, before Gwen could savor her small victory. "The druids. There's a large group already heading towards Camelot, expected to arrive by tomorrow. Are we expecting to take them in as well? And have even more mouths to feed?"
"Camelot turned its back on the druids once, we won't repeat the sins of the past." Gwen said.
"But the siege could last months, it's already the dead of winter, what if there isn't enough for everyone?"
"We'll think of something." Isolde stepped forward, standing tall at Gwen's side.
"Isolde is right," Gwen agreed, "Camelot is at its strongest when united, and the druid's knowledge of the land, magic, and healing will be an asset in a siege far more than a burden on resources."
Sir Geoffery bowed his head, "Very well, Your Majesty."
"Good." Gwen looked around the room. "Now," she said, "what's next?"
Next Chapter: Eye of the Storm (coming 1/28)
OK I'm not gonna lie, I came down to the wire on this one, my buffer is toast, hence, why even though this is an interlude, we still have a two week wait not a one week.
In the meantime, I could really use some pep talks in the comments to get me through the next month until I go on vacation and hopefully find some more time and mental health to write. (also I'm starting therapy as my New Years resolution which frankly should have been a thing last year but I digress… so that should be fun.)
Love you all!