The Handmaiden [ Elsa | Guinevère ]

[Guinevère]

Arthur had just won the kingdom back just two days ago. The cleaning of the city, and rebuilding of the kingdom was underway. There was much to do, for many rooms had been looted, or over turned in the fighting. Out side the castle, many homes burned, farms burned, and lives taken.

Most had escaped to the woods, keeping their lives but not their homes. Guinevère had taken the job of giving the ones whom's homes were burned, small rooms in the castle until their homes could be rebuilt. She had spend all of the second day that Arthur had taken back the kingdom doing that. Now most of her time was spent getting blankets and firewood to all the rooms as well as finding food to be delivered for them as well.

It was the third day after Arthur taken back the kingdom that she found Elsa. It was in one of the overturned rooms and she looked to be working in it. Guinevère walking in slowly, and the two knights that Arthur had assigned to make sure nothing happened to her stayed at the door.

News of her upcoming wedding was announced the day before (again) and she wasn't sure how people saw her yet. She had betrayed their king, and he was taking her back after months of her in exile. Would she be welcome? Or would they not approve? "Hullo," Guinevère called tot he girl, in a slightly hesitant voice.

[Elsa de la Noue]

The entire experience with Morgana's takeover of Camelot had been extremely terrifying. Elsa was in no way strong or a fighter, despite how intimidating she could look when she tried, what with her height. All she did was sing, cook, and clean. She had never learned how to fight and she had no desire to; besides, there had never been a reason for her to have to learn. Until Morgana had reappeared with Agravaine at her side. As soon as her family had escaped to the woods, taking as many supplies as they could in the short time they had to gather them, she reluctantly asked her father to teach her a few things.

Her father was essentially a baker, but he was a man and knew the basics of fighting, both with his fists and with a sword. He taught her what he knew and she managed to pick it up easily enough. Then she'd gone and found a knight, but he'd refused to teach her anything and she returned to her family without any success. At least she was able to sort of protect herself now. Her brother was too sickly to fight or even run for very long and her mother was getting on in years and wasn't in the best shape, being only a baker's wife. Her father was the only one they could depend on to protect the family and Elsa didn't want that. She needed to learn.

The girl had spent the first day back in Camelot helping her family recover what they could from the ruins of the bakery. They would need to rebuild and buy most of their supplies over again. It would be a lot of work and take much time, but Elsa was determined to help however she could. Then the second day, her family was put in a room in the castle and Elsa returned to work, aiding in straightening up the ransacked fortress.

Everyone had heard about Gwen's return and Elsa was excited to see the woman. She had missed her after she'd been exiled and was glad that Arthur had taken her back. She knew that Gwen wasn't the type of person to do anything like be with Lancelot behind Arthur's back; something serious must have happened to cause it. She didn't dwell on it long, however, just glad that Gwen was back. She hadn't had a chance to see her yet as she'd been busy with fixing up the castle, but she was bound to run into the queen-to-be soon enough.

Speaking of Gwen, Elsa jumped when she heard the other's voice, spinning around to look at the visitor. "Gwen!" she exclaimed happily, giving a large smile. "You're here!" She hurried forward and hugged the woman tightly, which surely looked silly as Elsa was much taller. After she pulled away, she asked, "Are you alright? I heard about Arthur taking you back. How wonderful!" Then she realized just who she was speaking to and took a step back, curtsying. "I'm sorry, milady, I forgot you are going to be queen."

[Guinevère]

"Gwen!" Elsa seemed pleased to see her, at least. Even more so as she ran to hug her! Guinevère locked her arms around the taller woman, not minding at how short she appeared near her. Guienvere was shor next to msot people, and Elsa was tall next most. It was an odd blance. "You're here!" "Yes, It is good to be back." She whispered, as Elsa pulled away, not able to speak louder for the emotions that the welcome brought up in her.

"Are you alright? I heard about Arthur taking you back. How wonderful!" Yes, the wedding had been re-accounced. She'd hoped most would welcome back but she knew some for ever forget that night. "I'm sorry, milady, I forgot you are going to be queen." "No, please," She didn't want titles between them. Not in this moment at least, if ever. "I am still just Gwen today." And to some people, she hoped she would always be just Guinevère.

After a moment she looked up at the taller girl and smiled brightly, "I feared how the past would effect our friendship. I thought that some might not be able to forgive it. Thank you for still embracing me as a friend, Elsa. You have no idea how much that means to me." How truly much it did!

[Elsa de la Noue]

"Yes, It is good to be back." Elsa was certain it was. It must have been hard to go to a completely new place with no idea of who anyone was or what she would be able to do to support herself. The blonde woman knew that, had she been in Gwen's position, she would have been terrified. Leaving everything she knew and everyone she loved... The fear of not knowing what she was supposed to do, or even if she could do anything at all. She admired Gwen for surviving the experience.

The other's next words made Elsa smile gratefull. "No, please. I am still just Gwen today." At least she wouldn't have to worry about titles for a little while longer. It would be odd to call her friend "Your Majesty" or "my queen." Normal friends weren't supposed to deal with fancy titles or anything of the sort. "Alright," Elsa agreed. "Just Gwen then."

The last words from Gwen's lips made Elsa frown sadly. She knew that some people would not accept the woman for her past mistakes, but those were in the past. Gwen was not the type of person to betray the man she loved. "Of course," she assured the other. "While some may not be able to forgive your mistake, those who know you surely will. We all know that you are sorry and would never do so again. I do not even believe you meant to do it in the first place, and even if you did, the past is the past. What good is it to dwell on such things?"

With those words, Elsa went back to idly straightening the room again. "So what brings you here? Are you helping to fix the castle? If so, I refuse to let you help me. You have been through more than enough and deserve a rest." She gave Gwen a smile.

[Guinevère]

"Just Gwen then." Good! She didn't want to start things off between them awkwardly. She wanted there to be that friendship still there! if only with Elsa, Alex, and Merlin. They were her friends! She wanted them to not use titles that might they feel less of her friend. "While some may not be able to forgive your mistake, those who know you surely will.","Oh Elsa you are too king too me."

She even went on to speak of not dwelling on such things and Guinevère thought that might be the best advice she'd gotten in years. Arthur had asked her to marry him and he had forgiven her. They were going to build their lives on the idea of forever. Thinking every day of the past would only put chips into that wall. Guinevère knew then that she would make herself take that advice and try to forgive herself. Even though she knew she would never

"So what brings you here? Are you helping to fix the castle? If so, I refuse to let you help me. You have been through more than enough and deserve a rest." She doubted that Elsa would ever believe the tale of what all she'd been though, but wasn't about to explain it today. Perhaps one day she would share the tale of her . . . . 'adventure' . . . but today she had something else to ask of. "Well today you are getting my help. So do not try to talk me out of it. I need to keep busy." Or she would feel restless.

"Besides, I need to ask you something and I want you to feel free to say no! I above everyone know what it is that I am asking of you and it's not easy but it's a good job. Respectable and pays better. You could help your family a lot, and I would make sure you had time to be with your brother. . . . " She was stalling and she knew it. "If I am going to be a respectable queen, I need a respectable chaperone--or handmaiden is the better terms for them. Like I was to Morgana before . . . " She turned on the kingdom.

"So if you think you'd like to job, there is really no one else I feel better asking then you. I rather spend all day with a friend, then with a stranger."

[Elsa de la Noue]

"Oh Elsa you are too kind to me," Gwen was stating and the blonde woman shook her head in disagreement. "I could never be too kind to you, Gwen. You should know that! You are my friend and friends can never be too nice." The next words Gwen was saying, however, made her frown. She didn't want the other woman to help her! This was supposed to be Elsa's job and Gwen had been through more than enough. Cleaning up a room was certainly not something she wanted to put on her friend. Finally, she sighed and nodded. "Alright. I will allow you to help this one time." Her smile was teasing.

Then Gwen was speaking of a new job, something more difficult but with better pay. A new position in the castle? If it paid better, than Elsa was certainly up for it! Gwen understood that her family needed her now more than ever and it seemed that she was offering her this job with that understanding. Then Gwen was getting to the real point and Elsa's eyes widened in surprise. "Handmaiden to the queen?" she repeated slowly. "You want me... to be your handmaiden?" She had never been a handmaiden before! She would have to learn certain things, like how to do up elaborate dresses that Gwen would be wearing and how to clean the royal chambers -- she had never done that before as Merlin was the one who served King Arthur.

Elsa beamed happily at her friend and nodded. "Gwen, I would love to be your handmaiden! This is the best opportunity I have ever gotten! Oh, Gwen, thank you so much!" She leaped forward and hugged the other woman tightly, extremely grateful for this chance. If she was Gwen's personal maid, she could get days off to help her family rebuild if it was necessary or watch after her brother when he fell ill. "This is wonderful, Gwen! Thank you! I will learn to be the best handmaiden any queen has ever had, I promise."