❖ ００１ ; ＶＯＩＣＥ ⇨ ＶＩＤＥＯ （ ＳＥＥＬＩＥ ＋ ＵＮＳＥＥＬＩＥ ）

[graciousness]

[ the voice that can be heard is full of nervousness and skepticism ]

Alright, then. I know this is working, it worked for everyone else, no reason it wouldn't for me - aside for the matter that I do not know what I seem to be doing at all -

[ but then, video! at first you might see only freckles and then she'll step back and you'll see a young woman with dark curls, a purple, flowery dress and one bottom lip that seems to be busied between her teeth. ]

-- Greetings to both courts, I have heard there are two. I hope there are not more and if there are -

[ she might be offending someone. oh no. she'll take a quick yet graceful curtsy ]

to those who can hear - see! me. My name is Gunievere - Gwen, really. of Camelot! I - the fairies -

[ the fairies. this is so unsettling ]

I was told I was brought here to help. I will do all that I can but I - I am but a maidservant. I do not know what I can do, truly but whatever you might need of me, I am in your service.

-- They will send us home when our duties are through, will they not? I have other.

[ erm ]

duties! at home. I am already in the service of a Lady and she might be unsettled with me being gone.

[ and morgana being unsettled is bad news to all ]

--- It's nice to meet you all, I'm certain. Whatever I can do, truly.

Comments

video;

[burping]

[ mithian's brow furrows at gwen's words--] No... Have you not heard? King Uther has died. His son, Arthur, has been king for some time now. [ at least nine episodes.]

video;

[graciousness]

Uther? truly? but what happened?

[ she doesn't know how she feels, is surprised to find that she doesn't truly feel anything but surprised. she doesn't hate uther, has no affection for him. she feels -- nothing.

but arthur. arthur must be heartbroken and what will she tell morgana? ]

was he ill?

video;

[burping]

There are many rumors. It is said that Uther was ill for a long time. Some say his heart broke after the betrayal of one he held dear. It said that because of that an assassin was able to kill him. [ mithian does not know just how complicated it all was, she only knows what she's heard from her father, the knights of nemeth. ]

video;

[graciousness]

Arthur must have - been heartbroken.

[ she bites her lip. she may not care for uther but arthur did, arthur loved his father so dearly. ]

He is king, then. Have you met him?

video;

[burping]

[ her gentle smile falters a little at the question.] Yes. I was brought as I was leaving Camelot.

video;

[graciousness]

Is he - well? the King?

[ she should be more careful. for a servant to show so much care towards a king is perhaps too forward but she can always claim she asks for morgana's sake. she would want to know how arthur fares, after all. ]

video;

[burping]

[ for now, mithian does not think too much of gwen's concern. it's obvious and well known that arthur is beloved by his subjects.] He seems it, yes. [ she sets her jaw just a little as she tries not to think of her wounded pride.] He and I made attempts to settle the land dispute between our kingdoms.

video;

[graciousness]

You seem very kind, princess and I know King Arthur to be fair and kind. I am - glad that he is trying to bring forth more peace. We are all very fortunate. Have you - found the kingdom to be beautiful?

video;

[burping]

I believe after some... negotiation, we were able to settle it. He is a good man and I will be happy to call him friend and ally. [ she means that even if her heart is a tiny bit broken. he made an impression on her but he has no wounded her heart nor did she love him. she was... fond of him.]

Yes, Camelot is beautiful. And it's people are kind, loyal, hardworking. He is as blessed to have you as you are to have him.

video;

[graciousness]

And I am certain he would say the same about you, princess.

[ she smiles a bit at the compliment. she thinks she ought to tell morgana of this. at the very least, she could see that she was right all along about arthur bring a good king. ]

Is your kingdom very different than Camelot?

video;

[burping]

Thank you for those kind words. [ she may look a little hurt to think of it but she recovers quickly, giving gwen a thoughtful smile.]

I believe there are more similarities to Camelot than there are differences. Nemeth is beautiful and it's people hardworking. But tell me of yourself, Gwen. I would like to hear of what your life was like in Camelot. Did you hold a profession?

video;

[graciousness]

Me?

[ she is taken by surprise for a moment. that a princess will want to hear about her but perhaps mithian is exactly the same as morgana, perhaps to her people are simply people. if so, then Nemeth is truly fortunate. ]

I am a handmaiden - to the Lady Morgana of Camelot. She - is Uther's ward; though I am not certain she knows of his passing. She is here, in this realm, only in the opposite court.

video;

[burping]

[ the name morgana immediately unsettles the princess. she moves to sit up more, realizing quickly that this girl does not realize what morgana has become. although even more unsettling is that morgana is here, in this realm. the color leaves mithian's already pale face.]

And you say you did not know of Uther's death nor that Arthur had become king?

video;

[graciousness]

No, not at all. Last I remember, Uther was King and he was healthy and well and Morgana has returned to us after a year in captivity. We were happy I -

[ she shakes her head ]

Uther was he guardian. I do not know how I would tell her he is gone.

[ morgana was oft angry and resentful of the king but a guardian is still a guardian and gwen thinks it would still, in some way, affect her. ]

video;

[burping]

And I take it you have spoken to her here? [ mithian does not know what turned morgana's heart or if she had dark plans all her life, mithian only knows that she heard the stories of the army that marched on camelot and who led it. who took the throne from uther first.

and either this girl was aligned with such evil or she has no inkling as to what is to come (mithian cannot believe it is the first).]

vdeo;

[graciousness]

Yes, once.

[ she nods her head. she won't deny something was different about morgana, that she has changed. she seemed sharper, less in control and sad but morgana is morgana, still. ]

She is very far away. She tried to tell me not to come see her since the road is very dangerous. She always cared very much for the safety of her friends. She's very much like Arthur, kind and good.

video;

[burping]

[ it's unsurprising to hear that morgana is unseelie. at least that's the meaning she takes from gwen's words. from what she understands of the court or rather, what she's been told... it is not for those who have good hearts. although mithian has spoken to two who seem quite kind.]

You remember I spoke of a betrayal? In regards to King Uther's undoing?

video;

[graciousness]

Yes.

[ she nods her head. uther had many enemies among those with magic. time and time he has been challenged by them, so many times that he had began to see danger where there was none. Gwen herself was accused of witchcraft, one. ]

The one that led to his - assassination, you said.

private video;

[burping]

[ she swallows slowly, knowing that sharing this news may devastate this kind girl.]

The Lady Morgana was the one who betrayed Uther.

private video;

[graciousness]

[ Gwen looks at her and then shakes her head ]

No that's - you must have - it must have been a mistake. Morgana would not betray Uther, she would never hurt anyone. I know her.

[ morgana dislikes uther, gwen knows that. she had witnessed her distress time and time again but betrayal - morgana would not hurt him. she always believed arthur and herself to be better, more just and they were. it is exactly because of that morgana would never - gwen shakes her head again. ]

I have known her since we were both girls. She is compassionate and good, she would never betray the king. Whoever said that of her must have been mistaken somehow.

private video; LALA IGNORE THAT TIMELINE CONFUSION

[burping]

[ her expression is sad and sympathetic.] I am sorry. My sources were not mistaken. Word of her betrayal spread quickly. [ there is a pause.] I had hoped that it was under duress. [ but it was not. morgana was a witch. it is known]

private video; TIMELINES ARE THE WORST

[graciousness]

She would never.

[ she thinks of morgana, her morgana - the girl who let herself be shackled in the dungeons by trying to save her father, the woman who swore to save her from uther's wrath, the girl who told her she is sweeter than most royal ladies - morgana was good and sweet, she was kind and strong willed and she had loved camelot, she - ]

someone must have placed a spell on her to make her act like this. It must have been magic.

private video; THEY ARE

[burping]

She took Camelot by force. [ gwen mentions magic and mithian wonders if she should hold her tongue.] Magic, yes. It is has been said that Morgana is a witch.

private video; THEY ARE

[graciousness]

a witch.

[ she moves to sit, face becoming palepale. gwen knew of morgana's dreams, had always known, had seen what they did to her, what they reduced her to. at day she was bold and courageous and outspoken and at night they had made her into a pale, thin, crying woman and gwen was the only one to see her like this. the only one to wrap her arms around her and whisper sweet words in her ears until she calmed down. morgana thought, had always thought that uther would kill her for her dreams and gwen had seen him throw her into the dungeons for less but -

but the king loved morgana. could she had been right? did he discover the dreams, did he tell her something that made her turn?

morgana with magic when her guardian loathed magic above all else. morgana with magic. ]

if it is true than - than we have all failed her. if it's true that she has - that's she's a witch than she must have been - scared of uther and something must have happened.

private video; THEY ARE

[burping]

That must be it. [ she encourages the hope this girl feels for her friend even if she knows that it is more than likely misplaced. mithian had never met the witch but she had heard stories as everyone else had.]

I doubt you could fail anyone, Gwen. You are far too kind. But horrible things can come from fear so perhaps you are right. It is well known how unforgiving King Uther was of magic, how determined he was to purge the land of it.