The moment the wizard vanished from their sight, Ginny followed her aunt inside. After their long, late lunch, and an even longer talk which they continued in Aunt Ealasaid's chambers until the Countess was reminded by her maid that it was time to change for dinner, Ginny, not in a mood to attend, walked towards her room, situated on the floor above, next to Garreth's.

She was feeling exhausted and confused. So much, too much had happened in one week, nothing would ever be as it had been before. It was unfair that she was left behind, to wait for the mens' return in the safe boredom of Warwick, under the protective magic of Lord Myrddin-- How did that even work?-- while Garreth got to be close to his prince, and her knight, she mused as she passed the closed door of her cousin's room. She would give anything to swap places with him.

But she had to admit that the news of King Gwynedd's approach was alarming... The stubborn man had been asking her father for her hand ever since she could remember, and had only stopped once she had promised to marry Prince Arthur. Apparently, not even that engagement was enough to stop him now that she had the Excalibur. He seemed to be determined to marry her if she agreed or not.

If only she could give him that Sword, maybe then he would forget about her... but from what she remembered from the legends, it didn't work like that. The Excalibur would most likely become just an ordinary sword in the hands of those who did not free it from the stone themselves. And she... did not feel she had a right to give it up when it had chosen her. If only Myrddin hurried back with the knowledge he acquired in Avalon and took her to Celidon Wood with him. She... knew somehow that to drive the Saxons out from the isles, she and the Excalibur would have to be present in a battle. But it was not in her power to explain such a thing to a man. Maybe the High Priestess of Avalon, if there really was one, could persuade him...

Resigned to wait patiently for the wizard's return, the princess got undressed, washed and prepared for an early night with the help of one of Aunt Ealasaid's maids, behaving as was expected of her for once. Only when the woman left her alone did she walk across the room to the pile of her clothes and unpacked luggage, found the Sword buried underneath and carried it to bed with her.

Hugging the blue blanket concealing the magical blade and its new scabbard, she marvelled for a few moments at the beauty of the stones set in its hilt, glimmering dimly in the candle light. Then her eyes strolled to the wilted rose she had laid on the small table next to her bed. She reached out to it, wanting to feel the soft, pink petals under her finger tips, but stopped herself at the last moment-- it looked too fragile now, like it would crumble to dust under the lightest touch.

Sighing, she blew out the candles and closed her eyes.

It was the same maid who woke her up in the morning, telling her that Countess Ealasaid was expecting her for breakfast.

Ginny let the maid help her get dressed quickly, then hid the Sword under her clothes again, telling the woman to leave her things as they were. Then she rushed out of her chamber, down the corridors and staircases, towards the Great Hall.

She hardly sat down and filled her plate, while Aunt Ealasaid told her that all guests were gone momentarily but others would be arriving tonight, and this time she expected Ginny to attend the dinner, when a valet bearing a message was announced and let in.

"There are visitors," the man said, looking perplexed. "A young girl, accompanied by a man, asks for an audience."

"Who is she? Did she tell you her name?" Aunt Ealasaid asked, looking as surprised as the valet.

"No. But she said a certain Gwendolyn told her to seek you and enquire about Ginny..." the man's eyes now rested on the Princess.

"Morag!" Ginny jumped to her feet, nearly upsetting their food-laden table. "Aunt Ealasaid, she is a friend of mine, I met her last week..."

"Sit down, Ginny," the Countess scolded. "Let them come in." She decided swiftly, turning to her valet.

The man bowed and left the room only to return shortly, followed by Morag and her eldest brother Gawaine.

Ginny jumped up again and ran toward them, hugging Morag and letting her brother kiss her hand. She dragged them to the table, filled their plates with food, and only then introduced them to the stunned Countess.

"They are from Saintsbury. We spent a night at their family's inn," Ginny explained, leaving out a few unimportant details concerning their first encounter, smiling at the memory of that day.

Ealasaid nodded. "It is nice to meet you. But... why are you here?"

"I decided to join our army in Celidon Wood, my lady," Morag's brother said politely. "When my sister found out I was leaving, she insisted that I accompany her here on my way. She said that Gwendolyn, I mean Lady Ginny, had told her to come..."

Ealasaid nodded; it was typical of Guinevere to make such unlikely friends. "Do your parents know where you are, young lady?" she asked, glancing strictly at Morag, who looked even younger than she was.

The tall, lanky, blonde girl dressed in a simple brown gown with sleeves a few inches too short dropped her gaze to her plate shyly, only shaking her head in response.

"Let me send them a message. Then both of you can stay as long as you wish," Ealasaid offered, sending a maid who approached them to clear the table for a valet, who would carry the news about their daughter's whereabouts to Andrew and Iseabail.

Both siblings smiled at the countess thankfully but the young man added, "Thank you for offering hospitality to my sister but I wish to leave after breakfast, my lady, I have a long way to go."

"Would you... mind taking a bag to Sir Lancelot-- the knight you saw with me? Please?" Ginny asked suddenly.

"Not at all, Lady Guinevere."

"Just call me Ginny. Wait right here!"

Before Aunt Ealasaid could stop her, she was in the corridor, taking the steps leading to her floor two at the time. In her chamber, she quickly moved her clothes to the side, revealing the two bags, then moved all her knight's belongings into one, hoping a single bag would be easier to carry. In no time, she was back in the Great Hall, breathing heavily, passing the bag to Morag's brother who stood up, ready to leave the moment she returned.

"Thank you," she said after Gawaine took his leave from her aunt and his sister, then looked at her again, Sir Lancelot's bag now slung across his back.

"My pleasure. You two," he said, eyes flickering between her and Morag, "be careful."

"You be careful. And come back soon," Ginny said, allowing him to pull her in a quick embrace.

The two girls and Countess Ealasaid-- after she had obliged him to accept another bag, this one brought from the kitchens and filled with food for his long journey-- accompanied the young man to the courtyard and watched his retreating figure until it vanished in the distance.

"Righ," Aunt Ealasaid said then. "I want you two always present at meals. Apart from that, I don't expect you to sit at my feet... But should you leave the castle walls, do not go far, Guinevere. Please. You know about the dangers, you remember what Myrddin..."

"Thanks, Aunt!" Ginny said, smiling at her thankfully, even as Morag muttered, pulling at her short sleeves thoughtfully, "I can't meet your visitors, my lady, I have nothing better to wear than this."

"I have too many dresses that will fit you perfectly, Ginny will show you. Have a nice morning, girl," the Countess said, returning inside.

Ginny showed Morag the castle's gardens before taking her into Aunt Ealasaid's dressing room, to choose a couple of dresses the Countess used to wear when she was younger. As her aunt had thought, they were a perfect fit-- Morag, taller and less curvy than Ginny, was as tall and lanky as her aunt had been before Garreth was born.

They had lunch in Aunt Ealasaid's chambers. Both her aunt and Morag wanted to know more about Ginny's and Garreth's adventures and Ginny, smiling bravely through the tears she forbade herself to shed in front of them, brought into her eyes by the memories of the magical moments spent with her knight which she jealously kept to herself, recounted them a few entertaining events.

Then, telling the girls to be careful, and explaining Morag Myrddin's magical barrier which protected the castle from most evil charms of other wizards but did not extend far beyond the castle's walls, the countess allowed them to go for a horse ride in the forest, accompanied by a group of her men.

The girls promised solemnly that they would avoid all dangers, and thus-- sleeping till late in the mornings, meeting Aunt Ealasaid's guests at banquets, walking in the gardens and riding in the woods, occasionally accompanied by Ealasaid and her visitors-- passed several weeks in Warwick.

Until the morning when a messenger, sent by the counsellors left in charge of Ginny's father's castle by Lord Myrddin, arrived.