A/N: Sorry haven't updated in a while. I will update again as soon as I can. Thanks for all the reviews!
Disclaimer: I only own Penelope!
Gunther woke up first. It was barely daybreak and he could hear a distinct yelling in the practice yard. It was his father. The Merchant was demanding to know where Gunther was and why he did not come home last night. "The boy is suppose to be helping me unload cargo today!" The burly man yelled at Sir Theodore. The knight stayed calm and told Magnus he had not seen Gunther since the day prior and to please keep his voice down.
Gunther looked over to Jane, her eyes cracked open and he smiled at her. "Good morning." He whispered.
"Morning." Jane stretched. "What is all that yelling about?"
"Magnus is looking for me. I need to sneak down without getting caught."
"I cannot believe we fell asleep up here." Jane scolded herself for being so reckless.
"Never mind that now, Jane. We need to figure out how I am to leave with everyone already up and my father is here."
"There are catacombs under the castle, and an entrance to them in my room. Follow me." Jane and Gunther crawled to the stairs to avoid being seen. Once they entered her room, the room Gunther had been in twice before, both times without permission to steal then return Dragon's tooth, Jane pushed her bed aside and pulled back the rug to reveal a wooden door in the floor.
"They did their best to try to hid this from me, but when you tell a child to not go snooping under her own bed…" Jane pulled on the rope handle and flung the door open. Gunther looked down into the floor and saw stone stairs, though only the first few, it was darker than night and smelled of mildew.
Jane grabbed a torch, lit it in her fireplace and started down the stairs in the floor. Gunther followed after her, closing the door behind him. Inside the catacombs it was cold and damp, the walls, ceiling and floor were stone. The passageways were just wide enough for them to walk side by side. Jane lead them straight for a ways, then turned right.
"Are you sure you know where you are going?" Gunther asked, feeling a little claustrophobic, but would never admit to it.
"Yes. I have studied a map of these catacombs many times, and also ventured into them on a few occasions. This passage will lead us to the lookout tower at the castle gate. There, you will go find your father, to do his bidding for the day, and I will go check on Penelope before training."
Gunther smiled and took Jane's hand in his. "There is food at the cottage. I always make sure there is plenty there. Help yourself to some since you will miss breakfast at the castle."
They stopped a few steps from the door to the watchtower. Gunther gave Jane a kiss on the cheek and whispered in her ear "I love you, Jane."
Jane smiled, "I love you as well, Gunther Breech." She continued, "You go up first, no one should be there, it has not been used since Dragon showed up."
"Alright. I will see you soon." Gunther opened the door just enough to squeeze out.
Jane waited a couple minutes before putting the torch out and making her way out the door in the same manner as Gunther. Jane made her way through the village to Penelope's cottage.
OOOOOO
Jane told Penny that the reason Gunther was not present was because he had some other duties to attend to. After they ate and Jane cleaned up, she made sure Penelope had everything she would need until lunch then headed back to the castle for training.
Gunther was not at training that morning, which was no surprise to anyone after the Merchant came looking for his son at daybreak. He was also not to be found when Jane went back to the cottage for lunch and dinner. When Jane went to the cottage, Penelope did not ask about where her brother was, and Jane did not talk about it. She knew they did not discuss such things like their father.
For a week Jane balanced going to the cottage three times a day and going to training on time. Gunther was still gone. The first few days, she worried about what happened to Gunther, until one day at the cottage Jane was looking out the window and saw him pushing a cart to the wharf. How dare he use Gunther like a pack mule, Jane shook her head in disgust. She knew the Merchant made him do very hard labor, but most of the time she assumed Gunther was just being lazy, she had never seen him do his father's work. She watched him out the window until Penelope asked what she was looking at.
"Nothing. Just the wind blowing the treetops." Jane abruptly turned to the girl and smiled.
OOOOOO
At the castle, Jane had not seen any of her friends, except Pepper for a few days. She asked Pepper to have meals for two packed for the day every morning. Pepper tried to ask what was going on, but Jane always left hurriedly before she could finish asking.
It was on the same day Jane saw Gunther at the wharf, that Jester was waiting on the bridge to her room after dinner.
"Jester? What are you doing here?" Jane asked slightly startled.
"Have not seen you in a while. Just making sure you are alright." Jester said softly.
"I am fine, and I have busy is all." Jane answered quickly.
"Too busy to eat meals with your friends? We all miss you, Jane. You have not gone on patrol with Dragon in some time either."
"Jester, I have had a lot going on. I-" Jester interrupted her, "No need to explain anything to me." Jester sighed then continued, "I know you and Gunther are courting. You do not have to hide it for my sake."
"What are you talking about? How do you figure that me and Gunther are courting?" Jane was shocked. Had he eavesdropped on the conversation the other night?
"It is pretty obvious, Jane. You have spent every meal alone with him, instead of eating with us these last few days." Jester said sharply.
"It is not what you think, we are not courting. I have to go Jester. I have an early day tomorrow." Jane replied looking away from the fool.
"Fine. Just make sure you have a better reason for Dragon." Resigned Jester as he walked away with his head hanging low.
Jane sighed heavily and entered her room. Throwing herself on her bed, she cursed herself. I hate lying to them. Especially to Jester. He has always been such a good friend, he does not deserve the way I have treated him, none of them do. How does Gunther do it? Constantly deceiving others. Jane fell asleep thinking about this and also how to amend her friendships with Jester and Dragon.
OOOOOO
A week had passed and Jane was sitting at the cottage with Penelope after dinner one night. It had started to storm and Jane decided to wait it out with Penny. She had told the girl more stories about Dragon and the runes. About life at the castle and of the royal family. After Penny fell asleep, Jane sat on the little window seat that faced the wharf and watched the rain and lightning. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep.
The feeling of her shoulder gently shaking woke her. It was Gunther and he looked like he had not slept in days. "Sorry I could not come sooner. What are you still doing here?" He whispered.
"It was storming out, I was waiting for it to stop and must have fallen asleep." Jane answered, mimicking his low tone. "I missed you."
Gunther smiled. "I missed you also, my dear Jane. I wanted to come see you and my sister, but he worked me so hard that by the time I was released for the day I passed out in bed before I even laid down completely. Then he had me up before the sun. All for not coming home that one night."
Jane pitied Gunther, she did not understand how a father could be so heartless and cruel to his own flesh and blood. "It is alright. I took good care of her."