Nothing Will Work Unless You Do [Gwen]

[Elsa de la Noue]

Elsa hadn't even really started to look for a job in the castle before Prince Arthur gave her one. It had been complete chance that he'd been the one to save her from the bandits and dorocha, and as they'd been traveling back to Camelot, he learned of her search for employment and happily offered her a position as a servant in the castle. She'd been surprised; of course, she'd heard of the prince's kind and honorable nature, but it had been a shock to experience it firsthand.

Quickly afterwards, she was informing her parents of her new job and then starting at the castle. It was her first day now as a servant and she was nervous. She had never done any work outside of the bakery -- she knew how to do the things a servant was meant to, of course, but she was still a bit scared -- and it was intimidating to be in the constant presence of royalty.

When she arrived, dressed in a simple pale green homemade gown, Elsa was directed by another servant down towards the King's chambers, where someone else was supposed to be showing her the ropes and giving her a tour of the castle. The servant had explained that it was Guinevère who Elsa was to meet, the personal caretaker to Uther. She had heard of Guinevère: the young woman was kind, sweet, and in love with the prince. It seemed that the prince returned her feelings, but these were only rumors, of course. She had no evidence to believe they were true or not.

As Elsa reached the doors to Uther's chambers, she stood back, leaning against the wall opposite, to wait for Guinevère to come outside. She didn't want to interrupt the servant while she was doing her job and she certainly wasn't about to knock on the door of the King openly like she was comfortable in the castle! That was absurd! Absently, Elsa began to hum a self-written tune as she waited, not even really realizing that she was doing so.

[Guinevère]

Guinevère could remember her first day int he castle. She had started as a laundry maid, and was given the task of washing the clothes, and taking them up to the floors for the chamber maids to make the beds. From there she'd learned all the jobs of different maids--as most maids were required to learn, so they could serve anywhere as needed. The castle had seemed vast and large and as if it held a whole world inside it. She'd gotten lost! Twice! It had been embarrassing but it was a fond memory. She'd made many friends.

Touching Gaius' shoulder, she smiled softly, so that she could say goodbye without saying a word. The king was sleeping and with his rest unsettled they did not with to wake him. Walking to the door she paused to smooth out any wrinkled her pale blue dress, had before opening the door and finding someone there. It took her a moment to realize who it was. Smiling brightly, she pulled the door softly closed before her before walking forward to greet her. "Hullo, You muse be Elsa?" She asked, to make sure. Guinevère didn't often take time away from the king, but as Arthur had given the girl a job, Guinevère wanted to meet her. So she'd offered to give her a tour of the castle. "I hope you've not bee waiting long?"

[Elsa de la Noue]

As soon as the door opened, Elsa's humming quieted and she straightened up from leaning against the wall. She was much taller than Guinevère, but she'd come to expect that in her years of height. At the other's words, she nodded and gave her a small, hesitant smile. "Yes, I'm Elsa de la Noue," she replied, bowing her head a bit in greeting. "I haven't been waiting long at all; I only just arrived a few moments ago. It's nice to meet you."

The sight of Guinevère made her instantly feel more comfortable. The other woman just gave off a kindly vibe, something that caused Elsa to relax a bit. If her first day was in Guinevère's hands, then she was certain to be alright. Elsa wasn't sure how she knew that, but the woman just made her feel that way. It was an almost... motherly aura. "So you're the king's aide?" she asked, trying to be conversational. "How do you like it? The job seems like it'd be... taxing." Elsa frowned. "I think that I would be saddened by the constant reminder of his current state."

[Guinevère]

"Yes, I'm Elsa de la Noue, I haven't been waiting long at all; I only just arrived a few moments ago. It's nice to meet you." Guinevère thought she liked the woman already, her voice alone seemed kind. "The please is mine, Elsa de la Noue." Guinevère countered, "I am called Gwen," To most people, though more and more were picking up Arthur's habit of using her full name, rather then her pet name. Guinevère also didn't have a surname, as most people from the outer plains did not. That was where her family was from a long time ago. "De la Noue, I am not familiar with that family name. Are you from the city?" When Elyan was knighted, he took on their father's name as his last. Thomas.

"So you're the king's aide?" Guinevère's smile slipped slightly and she glanced back at the room. She was slightly wary of people asking about her job, for it was to the king but the king's health weighted on her, and in this moment she didn't feel that Elsa was asking for any reason other then conversation. "How do you like it? The job seems like it'd be . . . taxing." It was, on most days. Emotionally taxing, for his every look and comment was a reminder of betrayal and pain. He missed Morgana so very much at sometimes didn't seem to know that she was gone, or what she'd done. Other times he seemed too very aware. He was hurting, and no amount of comfort could ease him.

"I think that I would be saddened by the constant reminder of his current state." Elsa seemed to understand what it would be like. Looking back at her, Guinevère smiled again, while wondering if the young woman had ever had to take care of someone before. Either she had, or was very empathic in her emotions. "The scars left on all of us from that time, weight on us all. We do what we must." she took care of Uther, because she trusted no one else to do it, other then Gaius and a few others. He was Arthur's father, and while his wellness meant that they would be more guarded it also meant Arthur was happy. She wanted the later more then the former. "I have hopes that he will be well." But she knew they were not strong, he slipped more away from them every day.

[Elsa de la Noue]

Elsa gave Gwen a friendly smile. "Gwen, then," she replied. At the other's questioning of her last name, the young woman gave a small, sheepish smile. She was often asked that when she introduced herself. "My grandparents were wealthy bakers in France when they decided to come and live here," she explained. "'De la noue' means 'of the valley;' they came from a French village in a valley where they ran their bakery." She paused for a moment. "It isn't common for people of our status to have surnames, but my family wanted to keep it despite how odd it is. My father is rather proud of his French heritage."

"The scars left on all of us from that time, weigh on us all. We do what we must." With a nod, Elsa also looked back at the king's doors. It was true; Morgana's short reign hadn't been pretty or nice. She was a bitter queen and hadn't been the nicest to the citizens of Camelot. "I have hopes that he will be well." She looked back at Gwen to give her a small, encouraging smile. "We all do, I think," she stated softly, though she agreed with Gwen's fears; she did not believe that Uther would get better, not after this betrayal. No matter how much they all hoped, that was not enough to bring their king back to health.

[Guinevère]

"Gwen, then," Most of her friends called her Gwen, for it was what she'd gone by since birth. Only a few people had ever called her Guinevère, and even then it had not been all the time. Not til Arthur. She'd thought he did it, at first, to annoy her but over time she'd come to see it as something he did because he liked her. Loved her! Now she loved it when he called her that. The way his voice rose at parts, and drug out the end.

"My grandparents were wealthy bakers in France when they decided to come and live here," France! Guinevère had not even left the kingdom but for a few rare times. She wondered if Elsa had ever gone beyond the borders to see the wondrous sights of the lands beyond. Guinevère admitted to herself that she was bit jealous (but in a pleased, good hearted sort of way), of Elsa's family bloodlines.

"My father is rather proud of his French heritage." "I can think of worse things to be proud of," Guinevère told her, "You should be proud of your name, I think it's very beautiful sounding." And the connection to a place and a history so far from here was something she could tell her children of one day, and explain to them the pride in their name.

Her next words were kind, and Guinevère was grateful for them. "We all do, I think," Grateful, but Arthur's father's health was something hard for them all to speak of. "That is good to hear." Looking down the hall she gesture to the space, "Shall we tour the castle then? I know how daunting the castle can feel your first few times in it. It's so large that you fear if you did get lost, no one would find you!" She teased.

[Elsa de la Noue]

Elsa smiled at Gwen when she told her that she should be proud of her heritage. "Thank you," she replied, flushing a bit at the compliment and ducking her head. "I suppose it does sound nice. I'm proud of it, too; it's just a bit embarrassing when people assume things because I have a surname. It wasn't even really a surname to begin with... It was just what my grandparents told people. 'Jacqueline et Pierre de la noue,' was what they would say. It just caught on as part of their name."

It was difficult to speak of Uther's health, especially since most of them knew that he was not getting any better. There was a small chance that he might recover, but not even the court physician believed that would happen. And so when Gwen changed the topic to the tour, Elsa was grateful and smiled. "Yes," she agreed. Then at the teasing, she laughed and added, "It is! I had to continuously ask guards where to go as I made my way up here to meet you. I was worried that if I made a wrong turn somewhere, I might end up somewhere I wasn't allowed to be!" And that would certainly be a devastating mistake on Elsa's first day on the job.

[Guinevère]

Guinevère found herself laughing softly at the story of trying to make her way up here. "I was worried that if I made a wrong turn somewhere, I might end up somewhere I wasn't allowed to be!" Technology, servants were not allowed int he royal halls unless they had passed inspection. However as Elsa had been given the job personally by the acting-king, they were able to forgo the need for approval.

Clearing the acting-king would approve, he'd given her the job! "You have no reason to fear," Guinevère told her with a soft laugh in her tone, "The only places you are not allowed in are the cells below, where people are locked away, and a few others halls down there. As as long as you are in the upper parts, you will be safe." There were some halls down below such as the vaults, and the caves that were guard at all times. "If you get to close to one of the halls or rooms, their are guards and knights that will turn you around before you can get into trouble."

"Yet, today I will help give you a tour of the castle, and see about getting you familiar with it. Hopefully let you feel at ease while being here!"