A Week with a Prince

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖞-𝕱𝖔𝖚𝖗

The moment the wizard vanished from their sight, Ginny followed her aunt inside. After their long, late lunch, and an even longer talk which they continued in Aunt Ealasaid's chambers until the Countess was reminded by her maid that it was time to change for dinner, Ginny, not in a mood to attend, walked towards her room, situated on the floor above, next to Garreth's.

She was feeling exhausted and confused. So much, too much had happened in one week, nothing would ever be as it had been before. It was unfair that she was left behind, to wait for the mens' return in the safe boredom of Warwick, under the protective magic of Lord Myrddin-- How did that even work?-- while Garreth got to be close to his prince, and her knight, she mused as she passed the closed door of her cousin's room. She would give anything to swap places with him.

But she had to admit that the news of King Gwynedd's approach was alarming... The stubborn man had been asking her father for her hand ever since she could remember, and had only stopped once she had promised to marry Prince Arthur. Apparently, not even that engagement was enough to stop him now that she had the Excalibur. He seemed to be determined to marry her if she agreed or not.

If only she could give him that Sword, maybe then he would forget about her... but from what she remembered from the legends, it didn't work like that. The Excalibur would most likely become just an ordinary sword in the hands of those who did not free it from the stone themselves. And she... did not feel she had a right to give it up when it had chosen her. If only Myrddin hurried back with the knowledge he acquired in Avalon and took her to Celidon Wood with him. She... knew somehow that to drive the Saxons out from the isles, she and the Excalibur would have to be present in a battle. But it was not in her power to explain such a thing to a man. Maybe the High Priestess of Avalon, if there really was one, could persuade him...

Resigned to wait patiently for the wizard's return, the princess got undressed, washed and prepared for an early night with the help of one of Aunt Ealasaid's maids, behaving as was expected of her for once. Only when the woman left her alone did she walk across the room to the pile of her clothes and unpacked luggage, found the Sword buried underneath and carried it to bed with her.

Hugging the blue blanket concealing the magical blade and its new scabbard, she marvelled for a few moments at the beauty of the stones set in its hilt, glimmering dimly in the candle light. Then her eyes strolled to the wilted rose she had laid on the small table next to her bed. She reached out to it, wanting to feel the soft, pink petals under her finger tips, but stopped herself at the last moment-- it looked too fragile now, like it would crumble to dust under the lightest touch.

Sighing, she blew out the candles and closed her eyes.

It was the same maid who woke her up in the morning, telling her that Countess Ealasaid was expecting her for breakfast.

Ginny let the maid help her get dressed quickly, then hid the Sword under her clothes again, telling the woman to leave her things as they were. Then she rushed out of her chamber, down the corridors and staircases, towards the Great Hall.

She hardly sat down and filled her plate, while Aunt Ealasaid told her that all guests were gone momentarily but others would be arriving tonight, and this time she expected Ginny to attend the dinner, when a valet bearing a message was announced and let in.

"There are visitors," the man said, looking perplexed. "A young girl, accompanied by a man, asks for an audience."

"Who is she? Did she tell you her name?" Aunt Ealasaid asked, looking as surprised as the valet.

"No. But she said a certain Gwendolyn told her to seek you and enquire about Ginny..." the man's eyes now rested on the Princess.

"Morag!" Ginny jumped to her feet, nearly upsetting their food-laden table. "Aunt Ealasaid, she is a friend of mine, I met her last week..."