The Last Pendragon

[Guinevère]

Camelot had seen many great battles recently. She'd seen monarchs fighting for power. Magic and dragons. She'd seen siblings fighting for power with one tearing the kingdom part for power, while the other tried to save it. It had seen both kings and queens fall. Yet though it all the kingdom stood tall, with it's white towers and bright flags a symbol to all around it . . .

Only, Guinevère didn't know what that symbol was supposed to be any longer. With Uther, it was might. Morgana, it was power. Arthur it was hope! . . . . She didn't know what she was supposed to bring to the kingdom. How did she decide the fate and lives of so many? Alone.

Guinevère had been queen for a handful of years now, and she was used to the weight that came with the crown; yet at the some time she knew she'd never be used too it. She was the daughter of a blacksmith. Arthur had lived and trained his whole life to lead--she'd not. The fear of doing something wrong, and the people suffering for it felt unbearable.

Today was harder then most recently. Arthur had been . . . been gone for a few weeks now, and she'd held hope that maybe he'd left her with a child. Yet this morning she'd awoken to learn that he hadn't. They'd tried for years, but it seemed it was not meant for them. The loss of the idea, so soon after the loss of her husband, left her feeling raw and hurting all over again. Touching Arthur's ring, both her wedding band and the royal seal ring, she tried to draw strength from them, but today it didn't seem to be working.

Walking out of the citadel she tried to keep the sadness at bay long enough to see to things. She could cry again when she was done. "Sir Gwaine," she greeted with a soft, but warm smile. He always managed to help cheer her up a little. "Are we ready?" She asked, knowing that today they would be going to check on some local merchants to make sure a recent storm hadn't taken out too many building. He was also supposed to update her on training some new men who sought to be knights. It was hard to see Gwaine in these formal roles, but she was proud of how he seemed to naturally take to them. Without loosing his charm.

Gwaine