taxonomites | forma • [ holo : arrival ] • hwílum and tówearde cwén

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forma • [ holo : arrival ] • hwílum and tówearde cwén

"This isn’t the castle...what has happened?"

Shock. Pure and utter shock and a shiver are what go through Guinevere when she realizes she's not in the corridor of Camelot she meant to turn into. She grabs at her wrist, looking down when she notices the cool metal there. This was no part of the castle she'd seen before… but she didn't remember being taken away. It must be the work of magic, though this was no magic she had seen before.

She steps forward, examining the object on the pedestal that almost demanded her attention. The Tablet was an odd thing indeed. She didn't quite understand its purpose and poked at its interface for a few moments before shifting her attention.

"Merlin?....Gaius?" She yelled out into the echoing room as she approached the walls, palm first. "Where in the world am I..."

Up until then she was able to maintain that semblance of stability, but when no voices returned her call and she slipped down to the floor and let the tears flow unchecked. It reminded her of being in the dungeon, locked away and kept all alone away from everything with nothing to look forward to but an execution.

"Morgana...Arthur. Anyone!" She says through the sobs. "What is it you want of me? I have nothing of value… I am just a servant."

She hangs her head, fiddling with the Tablet in her lap. Everything about this place is so foreign to her, it’s hard to calm herself down and think. But then she remembers Morgana, one of the strongest people she knows, and thinks of what she would do in this situation. It helps her to take a few deep breaths and stand up off that cold metallic floor, shoulders back and chin up. The regal strength of a lady of Camelot; she would need to thank Morgana once she saw her again.

"My mistress is Morgana, Ward to Uther Pendragon, King of Camelot. My mistress and my king do not take kindly to kidnapping, but I assure you they will come for me." She said into the cold room, keeping a tight seal on the nerves that threatened to make her voice shake. Her hands clutch the fabric of her dress and the tablet at her sides, her eyes glassy with the fear she tried to suppress.

[ ooc • notifs are going slow for me so sorry for any delays ]

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Morgana rationalizes her actions in a couple of ways. The first is that she truly believes Gwen would be safer at the Royal Chambers. The second is to make Gwen more comfortable with such familiar surroundings. The third is that the Royal Chambers came with her own arrival, she could decide who had permanent access or not.

"It is not a wish, Gwen" Morgana says, wistfully correcting her. She takes her arm. "A wish would be for you to be safe back in Camelot."

"She was, yes." Somehow, it feels right to tell Gwen about her, even though she's convinced the two never would have gotten along. "Her name was Enfys."

"Better a piece of it than none at all." It's clear from the look she gives Morgana that she means more than just the buildings and posessions. It's selfish of her but something tells her she'll understand.

Guinevere's expression turns a bit more solemn as she hears her friend speak of a lost friend. She recalls Sam telling her that people do ocassionally get taken out of the city, hopefully put back in their homes as of nothing happened. But when there is a life established in Taxon it must be just as painful to be spirited away again, leaving behind a sort of life and people and attachments. It made her sad thinking to think on, worries rising in what she'd do if her friends were stolen from her or if Morgana was frantic with worry over her disappearance back at Camelot. She wasn't sure if she could handle losing a loved one again.

"I'm sorry," she says with a sympathetic rub of her hand to Morgana's. "Were you very close?"

Morgana does understand, but that is how things always work with Gwen, and it is a relief to have that back. For a moment, she debates telling her that the very first thing Morgana demanded in Taxon, was reassurance that Gwen was not taken as well, and yet, now here she is.

"She lived here for a short while," Morgana leans in a little conspiratorially. "Drove Arthur absolutely mad, at times." One day, when this place gets the better of Gwen, it does of everyone at one point or another, she'll regale Gwen with the tale of the arm-wrestling match in the dining hall.

"Enfys also helped take care of me when I was at the height of my illness." Morgana pauses before she says anymore, she does not need to be maudlin. "Come upstairs, we will find you some quarters to your liking."

If Gwen feels like she's being steered away from the servants' quarters and towards Morgana's wing, that would be because she is.

Edited 2010-05-09 23:23 (UTC)

She laughs a little at the thought of someone living here and driving Arthur insane. After living with him for a week and driving her completely nuts she enjoys the idea of him getting a taste of his own medicine without Merlin here to fall back on... but she tries not to think on Merlin for too long.

"I am sure anything would be fine," Though her protests are probably going to be fruitless, she mentions it regardless. She follows the staircase up to the hall of quarters and stops just before the room she knows to be Morgana's back in Camelot. "And these rooms are all too much for my needs."

Morgana may have had little genuine, honest affection in Camelot -- the majority of which came from the person she now escorts to a the smallest chamber a few doors down from her own, but what Morgana did have is a lot of stuff. Thus, when things were plentiful, and she has to admit, Taxon can provide all that is necessary for living, too much is not really a working part of her vocabulary.

And, most importantly, Morgana did not mind sharing what she has with Gwen.

She debates the best way to end any concerns on Gwen's part. She does not wish to mention the frequency of her nightmares. It would work, but not put Gwen at ease. Instead, she tries something else.

"There are only the three of us in the Royal Chambers, at the moment, save a few Extras who work as servants," there's an implication there that Gwen could consider them her servants, if she pleased. "And even though there is only a portion of the castle here, it is still rather large. If you would prefer to have your own wing, that could be arranged, and I doubt you would want to sleep in Arthur's wing."

Yes, she walked right into that one, unwittingly.

Guinevere is no stranger of her generosity. She knows that in a different world she'd be treated less like a servant and more like an equal if it were up to Morgana, but things were strict under the rule of Uther and appearances and roles are important to maintain. She'd never hold it against Morgana, especially not when she knows her so well... understanding this made it easier for her to accept Arthur's dismissing their shared moment back in her home.

But that is a thought on which she does not wish to dwell.

A smile creeps across her face as she enters the modest room. It is more than enough room for her, but more importantly it was filled to with the same luxuries all the other guest quarters were adorned in.

"This room is already more than enough. I am sure I haven't any need for more than what I had back home, and that could fit in a wing of the palace three times, no doubt." Eyes tracing the furniture that filled it, she wanders further into the room. "So...you have servants to tend to you?"

Her question is said a bit absently as she stands admiring the linens upon the bed, but the answer she receives is more important to her than she lets on. Away from Camelot and taking refuge in the castle or not, Guinevere is what she is. She is neither ashamed of it nor wishes to leave it for idle life and the comforts of Taxon, especially when there is hope of returning to the Camelot she was taken from. In that reality she will always simply be Guinevere, or so she believes.

That is the difference between pair, Morgana is always willing to push for more. That has not always worked out in her favour, but she has, just as often, been confident that it was the right thing to do. Many times, she's gone too far, but Gwen, Morgana often thinks, sells herself short.

"There is a skeleton staff of Extras to keep the Royal Chambers running, but none are permitted to enter my personal chambers under any circumstances."

But Gwen's meaning is clear. As much as Morgana would like to insist she no longer has to live the life of a servant, there's the delicate balance of making Gwen feel unwanted, and Morgana cannot decide which option is the worse of the two.

"Then I can resume my duties." There's a nod along with her words, as if it is the only possibility, for now at least.

"Like," She shifts her attention back to Morgana and steps back over to her. "Getting you back to your healthy self. What use is the mistress of the Royal chambers if she is not her usual, glowing self?"

It is a relief that Gwen takes the decision away from Morgana. Gwen will stay, not so that Morgana has a servant, but because Gwen cannot help but be of use.

And now Morgana's been told, in the nicest possible way. She puts on her best chastised look. "You will have to help me in that regard. I have learned, during my time here I am quite unable to do such a thing on my own."

"I cannot say I am surprised when the only other one here to keep an eye on you is Arthur. He can barely care for himself without Merlin's aid." Gwen's voice has a tinge of bitterness in it that makes her criticism a bit less light than it usually would be.

"Come," she says, stepping towards the door. "We should get you into bed where you can rest and tell me more about Taxon."

The bitterness is not lost on Morgana, but nor does she feel the need to call Gwen on such a thing. She has been involved enough with events to be allowed to air grievances in private. So, instead, she smiles companionably, as it's a frustration with which Morgana is intimately familiar.

"Something over the last month or so must have made him an absolute bear to live with. Was his armor not polished to his liking?" Such an idea almost makes her wistful, as the time here has made such small irritations, which are so played up at home, almost irrelevant.

As for bed, if Gwen would like to lead Morgana back to her chambers, Morgana will let her. Gwen is the only one in Taxon who could.

She loops her arm around Morgana's and leads her down the hall and over to her chambers. It's a short walk indeed, something that she will probably come to appreciate greatly, despite being so used to living on her own. It was lonely now that her father was gone, but it was a way to escape from all the hustle of castle life...and a way to separate herself from Uther and the atrocities that went on daily. Perhaps here in Taxon she would have no need for that distance.

"Here he is not crowned Prince of Camelot and has no knights to lead and father to give him tasks." There she goes, defending the very man she criticized moments ago. "Perhaps the idle state of Taxon has him agitated."

Gwen continued into Morgana's room, heading straight to her bed to turn down the blankets for her. She smiles in amusement to herself a the thought of Arthur and Morgana being completely cordial to one another. "Though the both you are always at odds, so perhaps it is just normal."

Morgana is taking off her veil and cloak while Gwen turns down the bed. Carefully, she pulls the key and tie she's been carrying lately and puts it in a small chest drawer.

She steps behind her screen. She's not crawling into bed fully clothed no matter how tempting it is. "We have tried of late," Morgana assures her, "but there was that unfortunate argument shortly when I returned to the Royal Chambers after my convalescence." It was an initial blow up, followed by nearly a week and a half of silence.

She frowns once in her nightdress. Morgana's not thought much about how she must look after her illness. Arthur watched it occur, so is accustomed, but Gwen. She puts a robe over her nightdress, to try and look as normal as possible.

Gwen laughs at the thought, almost hearing the two of them bickering in her head. "You two fight like brother and sister. Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't killed one another yet but I suppose that's why Arthur has his own wing."

While Morgana changes Gwen heads over to the window and draws back the curtains, letting some sunshine in. It seemed Morgana had been outside for some time, but having some sunlight would do her some good.

"It was more like nearly two weeks of silence." It was a war of who would give in first, all the while finding ridiculous excuses to be in the same room with one another but still not talking.

Morgana steps out, all changed for a ridiculously luxurious afternoon of lounging in bed. Frankly, she could use it, but she's behaving more like she's humouring Gwen.

"If I could offer one piece of advice. Do not look out the window today, or until you are better settled." Morgana remembers how much it disconcerted her not to see the regular view. It took her the better part of the month to be able to look out the window without feeling terribly homesick. Now, she just feels slightly homesick.

"We will take a walk, around the city tomorrow, if you would like. I am fairly familiar with it now."

She doesn't mind being humored if that means Morgana will get some clearly needed rest. There's seldom resistance from Morgana when it comes to Guinevere's 'suggestions', but if she were truly set against something Morgana would make it very clear. Perhaps this was the primary failing in Arthur's dealings with Morgana.

Gwen turns away from the window quickly per the suggestion. That was the last thing she needed right now, when thing were so even and comfortable for a moment. Easing herself into it would be the best way to go about it.

"Best to get a feel for it quickly myself," she says, letting her gaze and expression fall into a pensive look.

"May I ask you something?" It's a question asked softly as she steps over to Morgana's vanity, grabbing the chair there to bring it over between the bed and the window so that she can better sit and speak with her. "All the consequence of Taxon, our being here yet from different paths... do you worry what may happen when you go back?"

Gwen laughs dryly at herself. "I should not worry myself or you over such thoughts."

Edited 2010-05-12 11:06 (UTC)

Morgana happily climbs into bed, pulling the blankets around her, while listening to Gwen speak. She frowns, thinking, at the question.

Best for an honest answer. She does not wish Gwen to think the question silly or trite. "I worry about a great many things about returning," she leaves out the largest concern: if returning is possible. "As Arthur and I were both present when you were taken, I believe the issue of out time-lines may not be insurmountable."

"Did you need anything? Water or something to eat, perhaps?" Now that getting the girl into bed is accomplished she can mind the list of other concerns.

"That is true, but..." She pauses for a moment and tries her hardest to find a way to say what she means in a way that makes sense, rather than the jumble of worries in her thoughts. "How do you forget an entire life alongside loved ones and find myself whisked back home where those very same people do not recall it? Or that you've made connections here and will never see them again?"

That loss is something Guinevere isn't quite sure she can handle again. She just needs a distraction to keep her from dwelling on the thought of it when it is so outside of anyone's control.

Morgana deals with the concerns first. "I do not know. We have not been given any clue as to what happens when we leave -- even if we forget at all." She wishes she could offer something more, but lying about this, even for the sake of comfort seems wrong.

As for the original request, it might provide the distraction Gwen requires. "Do you see the the plate on the table? I get a weekly gift of pastries by someone who claims to be Hermes." Her face shows some serious disbelief in this matter. "This week's is called palmiers. You should try one. They're sweet." And Morgana might finally be interested in eating herself.

She nods, able to fnd at least a little comfort in Morgana's honesty. "Better to hope for something more than forlorn thoughts and mourning when you get your wish to return home." and that was the end of her worry for the time being.

"Hermes? The Roman's deity?" Gwen is just as wholely unconvinced as she rises from her chair and heads to the table to grab the plate of treats. She returns quickly to her bedside and offers one to Morgana before grabbing one for herself. "Already acquiring suitors in Taxon?"

She shoots Morgana a teasing look before returning to her seat. She's a bit surprised at how quickly a single bite has improved her mood. "Well you can tell him if he made them himself he's quite worthy of the title of a King."

No, she will never stop with the teasing.

Morgana is pleased with putting away her darker thoughts for the day. She's been living in them for several, and she wants a few moments of contentment with Gwen, like she would get at home.

And those few moments rapidly change to something more resembling flustered. "Hermes is not a suitor. He somehow gets in to the Royal Chambers and leaves me pastries. That is all. I do not have any suitors in Taxon."

Only Gwen could dream of getting away with that teasing.

"...What? So I have to worry about Extras and random Roman gods?" She says in mock shock, though the smile on her face isn't really helping that much. She might also be laughing. "It certainly is a lot of trouble to go through for someone you have no interest in."

She takes another bite to calm her giggling. "And I do not believe you have no suitors. You're a beautiful mistress of a palace, or have you forgotten?"

Oh, Gwen would learn soon enough exactly how different Taxon is from Camelot soon enough. Morgana is acutely aware that how differently the people here deal with certain things.

"You do not have to worry about Hermes, I think. " She pauses, and puts on the sternest voice she can. "And you can just get that idea that I have any suitors out of your head, right now, Guinevere."

At least, the voice would sound stern if she could keep a straight face.

She will eventually. Up until this point she's mostly had the pleasure of interacting with people from (around) their time.

"Of course. I will have to send Hermes our thanks as well. Perhaps call on him to deliver that message in person." She laughs again at the thought of it. "You always had potential suitors in Camelot. I imagine it would be no different."

Morgana laughs. "That would be impossible. From what I understand, Hermes does not stay anywhere." There is that alter in Osten, but she's not certain how Gwen would take such an old religion. "And he would expect you to leave him a gift."

"And listen to you getting these odd ideas," Gwen's getting her quite flustered now indeed. Considering her recent illness, and the oddness of traditions here (the Valentine's Ball comes to mind) have had a serious impact on anything social, of any nature. "I thought I was the fanciful one."

Then, of course, this conversation has to be turned around. "Perhaps you will be more fortunate here."

Re: Location: Royal Chambers ~ Of *course* she would. It's all meant in love.

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Location: Royal Chambers

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Location: Royal Chambers

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Location: Royal Chambers

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Re: Location: Royal Chambers ~ Of course she would. It's all meant in love.