Warriors of Camelot

Chapter 26: Back To The Castle

Biding Merlin farewell, Gwen hurried through Camelot's bustling streets as quickly as she dared whilst carrying a full pale of water. Inevitably, several splashes worth were lost over the sides, but that was the least of Gwen's worries right now. Hardly daring to break her stride, she disappeared through the servants' entrance  into the castle. In no time at all, she was back in Morgana's chambers and hard at work, scrubbing the wooden floor. 

Having completed the chore in question, she was in the process of generally tidying up her mistress' chambers, when a figure slipped silently and unexpectedly into the room.

Gwen instinctively rose to her feet and turned round to greet her mistress. In doing so, she found that her heart was racing. How was it possible that time had passed by so quickly? Either that, or had Morgana returned from lunch much earlier than usual? Either way, Gwen wasn't ready for her mistress' unannounced return. 

"My lady?" 

Gwen obediently dropped into a curtsey. "I am so sorry!"

She needn't had feared, for Morgana was smiling as she entered the room.

"Do not worry about it, Gwen," she replied kindly. "It turns out Uther had far more pressing matters on his mind besides lunch," she remarked, rolling her eyes in her trusted maidservant's direction.

Gwen couldn't resist grinning and just like that, Morgana had suddenly burst out laughing. It was during moments like this one that their bond as mistress and maidservant seemed to transgress Camelot's strict social constraints.

 Seconds later, Morgana's beautiful face darkened with concern. She had only one thing on her mind right now and yet, she did not dare voice her thoughts. After all, just one wrong move could spell disaster- for herself and for Gwen...

Gwen must have read her mistress' her thoughts, because presently, she dropped her voice to a low whisper and announced, "Merlin says that Raven Of Old knows a magical river near here. He believes that the waters from it might just be enough to cure Raven!"

That got Morgana's attention. "Where?" she pleaded, dropping her own voice as low as she possibly dared.

"Far from the well-trodden roads leading to Camelot," Gwen answered. By now, her own face was also dark with fear and anxiety. "It will be a dangerous journey, my lady..."

"...but if there's any chance of saving Raven, then we must take it," Morgana declared. "The quest will surely fail if we don't!"

Gwen knew that her mistress was right, but deep down, she couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that something wasn't quite right. Something else besides the secret quest that she, Morgana and the other Warriors  of Camelot were embarking on. It was a feeling that had been hovering over Gwen like a dark-grey raincloud in a bright blue sky ever since she'd returned to the castle only half an hour or so ago, but right now, she just couldn't figure out what it meant. 

For now, ward and maidservant simply stared at the nearest chamber window, which looked onto Camelot's bustling castle courtyard. Neither of them dared to speak and yet, Gwen was almost certain that they were both thinking about exactly the same person: Merlin.

Would he make it back from his dangerous quest all in one piece? Would it be enough to save Raven? And would they be able to stop Nevar and his demon servants from invading the city?

Time alone would tell.