"IT'S SEEM LIKE YOU AND NIMUE HAVE GOTTEN CLOSER," she smiled mischievously eyeing, Arthur. It did seem like Arthur and Nimue had gotten close, she could see the stares Arthur had given when Nimue and Gawain had left the room, intimation, jealously. She watched Arthur, who simply coughed. "What? Nimue and I, there's been this sort of connection," he tried explaining. She smiled and began walking, assuring him to followed her. "What sort of connection?" Arthur couldn't find the words to explained.
"We kissed." He whispered causing, Gwen to smiled amused.

Soon enough, she parted her ways with Arthur. Exhaustion is what haunted her at this moment. She was dressed up by one of the maids there. They braided her hair, gave her a new pair of clothes, and of course got a bath first. She stepped out among the crowds feeling happy and energized, she was finally home. She wore long caffe, dress. Her hair was done differently than, what she usually does. Either way, she looked around seeing the people celebrating. It felt like home. A safe home. She found Arthur lurking in the distance. As soon as their eyes met, Arthur couldn't keep his eyes off her. She began walking towards her. "Wow."

Gwen smiled. "It seems like I am making a first impression." She finished. Arthur chuckled at her response. "Oh, Arthur. Once you've accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you." They both looked in each other's eyes, memorized. When they began hearing screams. They looked terrified and began running to the commotion.

~ ~ ~ ~

"Get away from me!" Morgana desperately yelled out. Gwen surrounded the crowds and managed to hold Arthur back. "Wait," she whispered in his ear causing him to halt going any further. She stepped forward seeing a parchment paper, she picked it up, widening her eyes than handing it over Arthur. They both signed in fear and desperation. Morgana kept crying on the floor as people tried to give her some comfort.

Nimue appeared approaching forward. "What's happened?" Gwen turned to look sighing. "There was a word, Yvoire Abbey was burned to the ground." Nimue widened her eyes, "Celia?" Gwen continued giving her a saddened look. "No survivors."

Nimue quickly went towards Morgana picking her up, taking her somewhere private. Gwen stood there beside Arthur, watching them leave. Gwen felt sting within her stomach.

Something is coming.

~ ~ ~ ~

They all stood in the main entrance. "I'm coming with you," Gwen argued. "No. I lost you once, you're not coming with me. I'm sorry but if Boro is alive or no, I can't have you hurt." Gwen's eyes immediately fell down and she brought up Boro. There was still no sign of Boro. Gawain interrupted, "Do you honestly think, I would let you ride south?"

"I have to go to Merlin." Nimue argued. "This was my change and I will see it fulfilled." Gawain flickered his eyes between Gwen and Nimue. "To give him the Sword of Power?"

"It was her dying wish, Gawain." Nimue finished. Gawain scoffed. "Lenore could not anticipate the course of this war. The sword could help us protect our farms. Carden's Weeping Monk is torching our food supply. These tonsured devils are burning our valley, and we must respond." Gwen knew she was right. Nimue was born with such unique powers, she would be a goddess if she only learned how to control them. She didn't need anyone, she was a very strong woman.

"Hello." All three of them looked at Arthur who appeared. "I was headed for you." Nimue spoke up, breaking the silence. Immediately, Kaze appeared, a woman whom Gawain had spoken fondly of on their journey to this cave.

"You found something blocking the road." Arthur spoke. Kaze spoke up and interrupted the talk. "Green Knight, the council?"

"There may be paladins on those mountain trails. Or thieves." Gawain kept rambling. Gwen swears, he sounded so much like Pym. She sniffed when she began to think of Pym which led her to think of Boro.

"I will accompany you. Meet me by the trailhead to the north." Gawain spoke. "I'll bring horses." He finished. "That's not necessary. I'll escort her." Arthur cut in. Gwen rolls her eyes. "Honestly, Nimue. I know you're stronger, stronger than both of these men. Go on, be safe." Gwen assured her, smiling.

"Gwen is right. I do not need an escort." Nimue, visibly annoyed, responded. "A riding companion, then. I'm sorry we haven't met." He changed the topic , offering Kaze a handshake only to be hissed. Gwen widened her eyes in disbelief, Nimue looked awkwardly standing there.

"Uh, Arthur, this is Kaze. Gwen, almost forget, this is Kaze." Gwen sent her small smile watching as Arthur looked horrified. "Look everyone, I do not take this decision to go to Merlin lightly. But it has been made." Nimue changed the topic trying to assure them, she could leave and still be protected.

"Outsiders do not protect our clan members." Gawain turned to face Arthur, slightly annoyed.

"Let Nimue decide whether I'm an "outsider." Arthur mocked back.

"You're determined to make a choice. Is that it?" Nimue asked. Gwen shrugged her shoulders simply amazed at Nimue potential suitors, she raised his eyebrows enlightened with this much attention. Nimue turned to look for some advice, Gwen simply raised her eyebrows trying to point the person right behind. Nimue turned around finally realizing, Kaze.

"Kaze, it appears, I need an escort. Will you accompany me?" Nimue asked all innocently. Gawain and Arthur looked in disbelief. Kaze immediately started running saying 'I'll find us horses' she turned to see both men staring at the distance, concern.

"Men never learned," she winked at Gawain, as she walked away.

~ ~ ~ ~

Gwen stood in the distance watching an interaction between a young boy and Arthur. He soon saw Arthur saved him for Paryatt. Arthur had punched the man in the stomach, as he knee down on the ground in pain.

"Am I understood?" Arthur raised his voice. "Yes," the man weakly responded, Arthur released him. "All right."

"Leaving?" The boy asked. "Uh. . I'm happy to share what's left." The boy continued smiling upon his hero. They began to walk outside, and she ran after them. "I'd rather hunt to eat, anyway." Gwen heard in the distance their interesting talks till Gawain came up to him.

"He encouraged her to leave." Gwen raised her eyebrows, unsure. "Arthur offered to go with her." Gwen assured Gawain. "I know he did. He is friends-who are lurking for the sell-sword." She rolled her eyes, began to walk away from him. Sometimes she wonders why she liked Gawain when she was younger.

~ ~ ~ ~

After, assuring Squirrel was saved with the other children. She saw the council in the distance going outside. She followed them, they all seemed confused in talking. Gawain can be there assuring them they'll be okay. It seemed like there wasn't any food left. That's when she thought about it. When she was younger, Boro and her were living as orphans, they managed to crash themselves in Moycraig.

"There's only one working mill." She jumped in, earning everybody glances. "And one road to it. A small convoy from Moycraig will bring food stores to us here, but they will need a guide."

"I'll meet the convoy. Alone." Gawain spoke up. "We can't risk attracting attention."

"No. It can't be that easy." Gwen announced. Soon enough Arthur joined in. "She is right. Anyone else wondering why that road is the only one still open?"

"Our gang used to shut down raids all the time to funnel the mark down we owned. The Red Paladins are luring you here. If you're going to take the bait to defend yourselves." Arthur tried to reason with everybody in the council including Gawain. "He's right. We need six men at least." Gwen added in. "I'll accompany you." Arthur turns to speak to Gawain.

"I don't ride with men, I don't trust." Immediately, everybody seemed wearily not knowing what to say to Gawain. "Don't be sure of that, Gawain. The people in here are barely surviving, the men are too thin as it is. You should take the help." Gwen assured him, earning everybody approval.

"Everything, she said is true." The elder continued. "I can spare two." Arthur turned to face Gawain who simply looked amused. "This your second-in-command?" He referred to the boy standing next to him. Arthur looked around realizing the young man beside him. "Mm. Ah, he'll do just fine." Arthur pushed him forward. "We still need one more." Arthur continued. Everybody looked at each other, not knowing who they would send.

"I'll go." Gwen spoke immediately. "No. No way." Gawain started saying, not liking the idea. Arthur simply stared at her shell-shock but intrigued for speaking out. "I'm going, Gawain. Believe it or not, I'm the only one who knows how to get there, I'll be the one to pull the both of you from biting each other's heads." Gwen mumbled, flickering her eyes between Arthur and Gawain.

"I'm going, that's final."

~ ~ ~ ~

They have been riding for a few hour's now. Gwen led the way with Gawain by her side. They stopped for a few minutes to get some rest and gather some more items for the trip. She stood by her newly given horse that Gawain had gifted her. She named it, Flame. A beautiful chocolate horse with brown curls sliding on the side. She brushed her horse hair, carefully. While the young boy, Mogwan had kept mumbling and blurting some words.

"My lips to Grannus's ears, that Viking soil can grow anything." Mogwan continued. "Squash, turnips, beets. My Blathnat puts them in jars

in the Fey manner.She'll put your whole winter in a jar. We're gonna find a plot in the north." He rambled on and on.

"Settle down, plant a flag with our family's crest." Arthur assured the young man. She let out a chuckle watching them interact. While she continued to brush her horse hair, Gawain walked near the distance. "Gwen, are you sure Moycraig is just beyond this forest?" Gwen sighed. "For the million times, yes!"

Everybody started gathering their items including herself when Mogwan decided to speak up. "What was your most thrilling battle,
Lord Arthur?""

"I'm not a lord." Arthur argued back.

"Was it soldiery? Paladin hard cases?" Mogwan began to question. "I was alone at Markham town square at night. Awful place. Full up with ale. Four thieves jumped me." Arthur spoke then continued on. "They regretted it."

Mogwan nodded, impressed he then turned to Gawain. "What of you, Green Knight? What was the battle that stayed with you?"

"In the first days of the struggle, my best friend
and I formed the first Fey Guard.We waited well for the paladins. Killed some while they ate. Others while they pissed in the grass.
One night, we crept into a paladin encampment and slit seven throats." Gawain began speaking.

"Oh." Gwen couldn't help herself to learn more.
There has to be one story of Boro. Maybe he is talking about Boro. It's too good to be true.

"I crawled clear, hid in the trees, but then I saw they'd caught my friend. Had his arms strung up behind his back. Their leader, Carden, called out to me.Bade me surrender myself. How he knew that there were two of us, I still don't know. He held a torch to my brother's skin. Took out one of his eyes. Bade me reveal myself in that beautiful, low voice of his! My brother is screaming like a shorn sheep."

"You surrendered?" The young man asked, curiously.

Gawain paused. "I sat in that tree and watched while they tortured my brother to death. Because if I had surrendered,there would be two dead Fey Guard instead of one. They kill prisoners, women, and children. A water snake has more soul than a human being.'' Gawain sighed, "So if you get the chance, boy, kill as many as you can. It's a paladin. A fat one with an eye missing and a battle-ax."  Gwen felt saddened hearing his stories. Somehow it was haunting her, she didn't know if Boro is alive or dead. If he is alive? Is he looking for her?

   ~ ~ ~ ~

They finally arrived at their destination, she got off her horse tying it near the trees.

"The mill is nearby."

Everybody else started dismounted from their horses tying it in the distance. She noticed Arthur on the side, concern. "What's wrong?" Gwen asked him, curiously. "We shouldn't be dismounted. Not like this. Not now, you have to believe me." He grabbed her small fragile hand, holding it, they stared into each other's eyes, curiously. Silence appeared. "Come, Gwen, come this way." A voice spoke up, clearing his throat. She stood there frozen, she didn't know which person to follow.

Which side should she choose?