-34-

"I can't tell you what joy it brings me to have you back safe," Uther told Morgana as she entered the throne room. "I don't know what I would have done if anything had befallen you."

"They still have Gwen," Morgana said, her eyes frantic as she beseeched Uther. "We have to go after her."

"We believe the bandits were Mercian," Arthur spoke up. "And there are rumors of Hengist's involvement."

"Hengist?" Uther said, his tone harsh as he spoke the name.

"We must send help after her," Morgana pleased.

"If Hengist has take your maid captive, it will take a small army to set her free. I will not risk more men for a maid. I fear she may already be dead."

Morgana looked at him with disbelief. "You cannot abandon her!" she said angrily.

"How many men would you have me sacrifice to rescue her?" Uther asked.

"As many as it takes! Gwen let herself be captured so that I could escape. I owe her my life."

"She will be honored for her sacrifice," Uther said, turning away as if the matter were already closed.

"I don't want her honored, I want her rescued!" Morgana cried out. "She's not just my maid. She's my friend. I will not condemn her to death." She turned beseechingly to Arthur. "Please, you have to do something! Arthur?"

Something like pain flashed behind Arthur's eyes. "My father's right," he said. Morgana stared at him in disbelief. "There's nothing we can do."

"How can you say that?!" Morgana asked, her voice lifted to a shout. "How can you live with yourselves knowing that you did nothing to help her?!" She glared around the room, but no one stepped forward to help her. Finally she turned, fleeing from the room, holding back tears.

…

"Now Hengist has both Gwen and Ryll," Merlin said to Arthur as they poured over some maps in the prince's room. "His castle was right about here on the edge of Mercia. I had to cross some mountains to get back."

"We can't let my father know we're going after them," Arthur said. "He doesn't think it's worth it for a servant."

"But you do?" Merlin asked.

"Gwen has always been kind and loyal. She doesn't deserve to be condemned to die."

"Are you sure it's nothing more than that?" Merlin asked.

"What else would it be?" Arthur asked. "Now go get packed, we leave tonight." Just as Merlin was about to leave the room, Morgana came bursting in.

"How can you be so cruel!?" she asked, obviously still very much upset. "Gwen is the kindest, most loyal person that you could ever meet, and she has been a friend to all of us. And you will just let her be at the mercy of those bandits!"

"Morgana-" Arthur started, but she wasn't finished with him yet.

"You only think about yourself! Have you no heart?"

"Morgana-!"

"I didn't realize you were a coward, Arthur Pendragon!" she shouted.

"Morgana! If you would stop shouting for a moment, you might realize that Merlin and I are planning the best route to get to Hengist's castle."

"You're going after her?" Morgana asked faintly.

"Of course we're going after her. What kind of person do you think I am? I couldn't disagree with Father in public. He wouldn't understand."

Morgana nodded, grateful tears in her eyes. "Bring her home safely," she requested.

"We will." She smiled before leaving the room.

"I'll meet you in the courtyard in ten minutes," Arthur told Merlin. "Hurry."

…

Ryll sat on her cot, eyes wide open watching the darkness beyond her cell. She remembered living with this fear before. Never knowing what was going to happen. Always afraid to close her eyes or turn her back on someone. She half expected Hengist to send someone down to kill her. He was going to kill her eventually. Why wait?

Lancelot seemed to be asleep in the neighboring cell unless he was faking it. Ryll watched his sleeping form for a minute, sad that she had dragged him into all this. Sad that she was abandoning him to return to Camelot after this was all over. She valued loyalty and friendship above all else, but this time Morgana was the friend who was in greater need. Ryll feared that Merlin would not reach the castle in enough time to warn her. Had he even made it back? Of course he had. She couldn't think that way.

She waited until she could no longer hear the faint roar of the crowd from upstairs in Hengist's dining hall. The crowds stayed late, but eventually everyone was too drunk to keep cheering. They would sleep it off and return the next evening to see the spectacle. It was all very barbaric, and Ryll resented it. She'd always hated watching the cage fights, but Hengist had insisted that she sit at his right hand. At first she had refused. She'd gone without food for four days until she relented. She never cheered though. She sat stiffly and silently, eating enough to fill her and then retiring to her room. She'd fought a few times when Hengist insisted she prove her skill.

She got up from her cot. If they were to escape, they could head back to Camelot. There was a good chance that if Morgana had really been captured that they would cross paths with the bandits who had captured her. Then she and Lancelot could attack the party and set her free. She pulled the pin from her hair and stuck it into the lock, reaching around to the outside of the cage. A few jiggles and prods and the lock clicked. She slipped out of the cell and moved on to Lancelot's. He stirred as she unlocked his cell door as well. He was on his feet in a second, joining her outside the cells.

"You make that look easy," he said, grinning.

"I'm almost afraid that was too easy. Come on." She led him up the stairs and toward the hall that led out of the castle. To her surprise, the two guards at the doors were fast asleep. "Something is wrong," she said. "We can't go this way."

"What do you mean? Maybe they just had too much to drink."

"No, it's a trap. I know Hengist." She led him down another corridor. The castle was silent still which frightened her much more than hearing footsteps or voices. The only other way out was through the dining hall. It should be empty at this hour, but she cringed as she thought of setting foot in there again. "This way." They crept through the doors, looking around. There were a few drunks lying on the floor, but everyone was fast asleep. The door she needed was across the room. They walked soundlessly through the dining hall, avoiding the sleeping drunks. Ryll reached out for the door handle. It was locked. She had led them right into a trap.

"I knew you'd try to escape. Do you think me simple?" Hengist asked from across the room. Ryll turned around to face him. He had entered the room with four guards.

"Then why did you let me escape?" she asked.

"I wanted to see if you could do it. I never had any intention of letting you go. Besides, I would have thought you'd have wanted to stick around for the arrival of the Lady Morgana seeing as you two are such good friends."

"Arthur has been warned," Ryll said.

"Oh really now. And how would you have accomplished that?" Hengist asked. Ryll kept her mouth shut. "Arthur will be too late," he said. "And you're not there to save her this time."

"What do you mean 'this time'?" Ryll asked.

"Do you remember when you first arrived in Camelot? The Lady Morgana was out in the forest."

"And she was attacked by bandits. I saved her."

"Those were my men. One of them escaped. He came back and told me of his failure. He, unfortunately, did not make it either."

"Is this why you're so angry with me?" Ryll asked. "Because I messed up your plans?"

"I could have had my ransom a long time ago, but you got in the way. You always get in the way."

"Then why don't you just kill me? Obviously you want to. Why are you keeping me here?"

"Maybe I'm just sentimental. Or maybe I still have plans for you." He turned to his guards. "Lock her in the secure cell. And lock this one on the other side of the dungeons."

The guards walked forward. Ryll didn't even bother fighting. They wouldn't stand a chance anyway as tired as they were. She allowed herself to be ushered back to the cells, this time finding herself in one surrounded by a stone wall. The door was heavy and she couldn't reach the lock mechanism. She lay down on the cot, curling herself into a ball and falling asleep.

…

"Arg!" Merlin spluttered awake as he felt water pouring over his face. He opened his eyes, peering up at Arthur. "How long was I asleep?" he asked.

"Long enough. We need to keep going."

Merlin stifled a yawn. "Did you sleep at all?" he asked.

"No."

"I've never seen you like this before."

"What do you mean?" Arthur frowned at him.

"You care for Gwen, don't you?" Merlin asked. He had come to suspect something. The way Arthur had suddenly started looking at Gwen, the way she had started looking at him. Something had changed between them. He didn't blame Arthur at all. Gwen was one of the kindest people he knew. And she was a good balance to Arthur.

"I care about not wasting anymore time. Get moving." Merlin smiled knowingly. Arthur glared at him. "Just get on the horse," he said grouchily. Merlin kept his mouth shut. A tense Arthur who hadn't slept much was liable to snap at him. In truth, Merlin was just as worried. Not just about Gwen but about Ryll as well. He knew she could take care of herself, but he still didn't understand her connection to Hengist. The sooner they got to his castle, the better.

…

Ryll awoke to the sound of a cell being opened and then shut next to her. She heard soft sobbing. "Hello?" she called out. "Morgana?"

The sobbing stopped. "Ryll?" It wasn't Morgana's voice, but Gwen's.

"Yes, it's me. Gwen, what are you doing here?" She glared at the stone wall, wishing it wasn't there. "I thought Hengist was sending out a ransom for Morgana."

"He was, he is. But she got away. One of the bandits decided that he could pretend I was Morgana. Hengist doesn't know. Why are you here?"

"Hengist and I have history. I was once his prisoner before. My past caught up to me. We're going to get out of here though."

"I don't see how."

"Take heart, Gwen. I know Arthur is coming after you. I was able to send word with Merlin."

"Merlin?"

"It's a long story. Merlin was coming to get me."

"I heard that Uther pardoned you. For Morgana's sake. I never thought what he did to you was fair."

"It wasn't, but I did break his laws. Merlin managed to track Hengist after he captured me. We overheard one of the bandits speaking of the plot to kidnap Morgana. Merlin was headed back to Camelot to warn Arthur. I'm only sorry he was too late."

"But we have hope now," Gwen said.

"Lancelot is with me," Ryll told her after a moment. Gwen was quiet.

"Lancelot? Morgana mentioned you were living together."

"He still loves you," Ryll blurted out.

"He does?" she sounded hesitant, surprised.

"Yes, he does. I hope you didn't think there was anything between him and me. We're just friends, I promise. I have feelings for…someone else."

"I didn't think that I would ever see him again."

"Well, he's locked up right now, but we're all getting free."

"Do you know what Hengist is planning to do with either of us?" Gwen asked.

"Well, he's holding you ransom. And me, well, I'm not sure. As long as he thinks the gold is coming, he won't harm you. We should both get some rest. We need to be alert. Merlin and Arthur will come for us. I know they will. Just pretend like you're Morgana. I can help with the act. He knows we're friends."

"Alright. I'm not glad you've been captured too, but I'm glad I'm not alone," Gwen told her.

"Me too."

…

The following evening, Gwen was led from her cell to speak with Hengist. Ryll make a point to yell at the guard leading her to leave her friend alone, calling out Morgana's name. They seemed to buy it. They had no reason to doubt Gwen just yet. She was wearing one of Morgana's dresses and held her head high.

Ryll sank back down on her cot after Gwen was gone. She heard someone else come into the dungeons a few minutes later. "Time to see how your sword skills are," someone said to Lancelot. Ryll recognized Kendrick's voice. "Hengist says you can go free if you win the fight. He'll even give you a bit of gold. He's got no quarrel with you yet."

Lancelot said nothing. Ryll knew that their chances of escape were much better if he was free. She was surprised that Hengist would free him, but he had no quarrel with Lancelot as Kendrick had said. He was just taking up space in the dungeons. She knew Lancelot could best whomever he was up against in the cage, but she felt anxious all the same. She got up and paced her cell, wishing she could know what was happening. Hengist did not send for her, however, and she remained in her cell until she heard Gwen being returned to the neighboring cell. After the guards had left, Ryll spoke through the wall.

"Morgana?" she asked, just in case anyone was listening. "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright," Gwen replied. "I had to watch Lancelot fight someone in this horrid cage. The loser was fed to this great beast. I couldn't watch."

"That's Hengist's idea of fun," Ryll said. "I've been in that cage before."

"It was awful."

"Lancelot won, right?" Ryll asked.

"Yes, he won. Hengist gave him some money. I thought he was a prisoner too."

"Hengist let him go. He has no reason to keep him prisoner. Lancelot will find a way to help us. He's clever."

"I know he will."

What seemed like hours later, Ryll still hadn't fallen asleep. She lay on her cot, staring off into space. Then she heard a voice call out Gwen's name. She couldn't quite hear the words said after that, but she realized that Lancelot must be speaking with Gwen. Ryll tried not to listen in, but a few of their words she could hear through the wall.

"I have thought of you often, Gwen. Have you thought of me?"

"I had thought that I would never see you again."

Ryll closed her eyes. She had felt the same way about Merlin. Somewhere a door opened, and Lancelot and Gwen fell silent.

"Someone's coming," Gwen said.

"No matter what it takes, I will find a way to get you out of here," Lancelot promised.

Ryll fell asleep with that thought. Everything would be all right. Help was on the way.