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"Gwen?" A familiar voice made me jump, the black walls of my entrapment opening, light seeping in as I witnessed my saviour. " oh my God, Gwen! "
"Afon!" I cried, jumping to my feet. My heart pounded in my chest as my only friend stepped inside my cell, dropping his stolen set of keys upon the floor. " Afon, I can't believe you're here... " I whispered.
The dark haired boy smiled, his green eyes lighting up as he embraced me. "I can't believe I found you." He answered, slowly pulling back. " I promise you, Gwen, I never stopped looking for you. "
"I know." I smiled, a tear slipping down my cheek as I realised that I was finally free. As children, Afon and I had dreamed of running away together. We would settle down on a farm by a lake, we'd live in peace and solitude. But in that moment, I didn't care where he took me. I just wanted to run, and anywhere with him - even this horrid cell - was better than being trapped without him.
"Come, we have to go." He spoke quickly, wrapping his cloak around my battered frame.
But almost as soon as he turned around, my father's figure in the doorway made my blood run cold. "You're not going anywhere." He responded. An arrow pierced Afon's chest, his white shirt turning red with blood. My heart stopped, utter silence in the room as he fell into my arms. As he lay there on my lap, shaking violently, blood dropped from his lips.
"No, no, no..." I whispered, years streaming down my cheeks. "No, you can't leave me. You should've never come here."
" I couldn't just leave you to suffer" Afon smiled, taking my hand in his. Slowly he slipped a necklace into my hand, my mother's pendant. He'd kept it all that time, a reminder of me as he did all he could to save me. " Gwen... " He choked out. "Run..."
As his eyes closed, his body growing limp in my arms, my fear soaked gaze turned towards my father and his men. But I was not afraid anymore.
It's hard to explain it to someone who doesn't understand, but when my magic takes control I do not feel afraid. I feel rage and hatred, but not fear. I become the witch, not the Lady Gwenllian. And since the death of Afon, I had never been Gwenllian again. She was there somewhere, deep inside me. But the witch had taken over.
With one echoing scream, the men were thrown back against the wall. Many of the men were impaled, including those that had forced themselves upon me. But my father? He would still suffer a far worse fate by my hand.
My eyes jolted open to a groan, the noise making fear rise within me. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I noticed a figure laying on the ground with blood upon their head. Quickly I realised it was Hvitserk, and I walked over to him in terror. Not again. I prayed. Not again. This couldn't be happening.
But as soon as I feared he might be dead, I heard a small laugh come from his direction. "Ow." He groaned, making me sigh in relief.
" Hvitserk! " I scolded. "What on earth were you doing?"
Slowly, he say up, wincing from the pain in his head. "I heard you scream and-"
"I thought I told you to leave me alone." I narrowed my eyes, folding my arms as though such an action would push him away. But it didn't. Of course it didn't . He was hard-headed and as stubborn as myself. And for some reason, he felt the need to help me.
"I couldn't just leave you to suffer." He shrugged, quickly regretting his action as the pain in his head surged again. His words reminded me of Afon, the boy that I'd once wished to spend my life with, the boy that died in my arms. But before I could pull away again, before I could say harsh words and force him to leave, Hvitserk grabbed my hand. Such an action was a shock to my system, and immediately I froze. "You can trust me." He spoke again, shocking me even more. " You don't have to be afraid. "
"I hardly know you." I argued back, eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Well," He smiled fondly. "Maybe you should get to know me then."
At this, I couldn't help but chuckle as I slowly helped him onto my bed. "I think that's the head trauma talking."
He shrugged, instantly regretting again as he felt the pain in his head. "I've had worse." He answered. "You're much gentler than my brothers."
"Gentler than your huge Viking warrior brothers?" I returned, blotting his wound with a rag that I'd turn from my sleeve. " Well, that's a shock. "
As I attempted to heal his wounds, my magic as tired as I was, Hvitserk and I conversed about various topics. I told him about my kingdom, and he told me of his. I learned of the thrall that his brother had married, Margarethe, and he listened to my tales about Elin. But I had not spoken to anyone so freely in !any years. I had not laughed so genuinely since I was a child. For the briefest of moments, I had forgotten my pain behind the comfort of his company.
As I finished healing him, I felt myself grow weak, falling down beside him on my bed again. I could see his concern, but quickly brushed off with an "I'm fine."
The two of us say there for what felt like an eternity. I wasn't sure when, but eventually I must've fallen asleep.
In over a decade, I had been unable to fall asleep without monsters chasing me into the dark. I'd not successfully achieved a full night of sleep since before my mother's death. But that night, for the first time since I could recall, I slept all the night through. Perhaps it was our conversation, or perhaps it was simply knowing that he was there, but I slept dreamlessly all night without a care in the world. I felt a sense of peace that had eluded me for years. And for once, I didn't feel afraid.
