A Legendary Love

Chapter Five

The feast went on until the small hours, with the tables full to bursting with food, and Jen felt that her goblet was never empty. Which was just as well, as she needed the wine to get her through the evening.

There was dancing, singing and court jesters entertaining the guests, and in any other circumstance, Jen would be fully embracing this opportunity to experience what she had only ever read about.

However, Jen was numb. The gravity of her situation was just starting to hit her. Perhaps she had thought that by stopping the engagement, she'd end up back in her own time, but even if that were the case, it didn't seem to look like Arthur and Jen's masterplan was going to take form. She'd have to work out another plan. But it wasn't like she could head to the castle library in the morning and look up 'time travel'. Largely because she doubted there would be a book on the subject.

Jen made her excuses to leave the feast early, and the court didn't fail to notice that Arthur used that as a pretext to escort the Lady Guinevere back to her rooms. Of course, the people of Camelot thought this was the sign of soon-to-be newlyweds attempting to get a moment alone together. Really, it was an opportunity for the pair to discuss their meeting with Uther and the outcome of their earlier scheming.

For a while, they walked the empty halls in silence, neither quite sure what to say to the other.

"We should have a long engagement," Jen stated boldly, breaking the silence. Arthur didn't respond. "This would give me an opportunity to get to know the people of Camelot, and have them accept me as their Queen, rather than a stranger suddenly appearing beside their King."

"It would also give us an opportunity to get to know one another," Arthur said in agreement.

It wasn't until they got to Jen's room before Arthur spoke again. "I regret that my father rejected our proposal this evening; that being said, I can appreciate why he did so. I hope we can take this opportunity to get to know each other, and become friends at the very least. If we are to be married, I would like us to develop a relationship of mutual trust, honesty and respect."

"I would like that," Jen said quietly before dropping into an awkward curtesy and entering her room quickly. A thought briefly flitted through her head that Arthur was being very respectful about the whole marriage thing, and she wondered if that was normal. But as soon as the thought had entered her mind, it was gone.

Isabelle was there waiting for her, and Jen was thankful for it. She needed a hug, and didn't think she was quite there with Lady Helen yet. It was almost as if Isabelle could sense it, because she immediately opened her arms for Jen to fall into as she started sobbing uncontrollably.

Isabelle soothed Jen as she started preparing her for bed, removing her hair dressings, jewellery, and make up. She didn't ask for any explanations regarding the reasons for Jen's tears. She changed Jen into her nightdress, and the pair of them curled up under the blankets and Isabelle held Jen as she cried herself to sleep.

Jen woke up the next morning with red, puffy eyes, but did find that she felt at least a little bit better, albeit still tired.

Isabelle didn't say a word to Jen about her breakdown the night before. That being said, she was perhaps a little gentler than she had been the day before when getting Jen ready for the day.

"What am I meant to do with my day?" Jen asked Isabelle out of genuine curiosity as she was getting her hair put up in another delicate braid, adorned with fresh flowers. Not that Jen would ever want to willingly wear her headscarf, Isabelle had informed her that she would only be required to wear it whilst travelling on official visits – the main purpose was to keep the dust of the road of out ladies' hair.