Caught in the Storm

Chapter Ten

10.From Camelot With Love

Uther watched as Morgana entered the room Arthur close behind as she rushed to him as he rushed to her, "It's such a relief to see you safe. I couldn't bear the thought of anyone harming you." he says grabbing her arms as if to hug her.

"The bandits still have Gwen," Morgana begged for her friend and maids life.

"I believe they were Mercian. We've received reports that Hengist has crossed the border," Arthur adds telling the King for his own selfish reasons as Magdelena was not with Morgana when she was found.

"Hengist?"

"You must send a rescue party."

"If Hengist is holding her, it would take a small army to rescue your maid," Uther says looking rather distraught at his ward, and the thought of sending his men to get her was a waste.

"We can't abandon her!" Morgana begged him.

"I could send Magdelena, where is she?" Uther asks staring at both his ward and his son, Arthur looked at the floor while Morgana stared at him.

"Magdelena stayed behind with Gwen," Morgana says, "She told me to tell you she had no choice."

"I knew I shouldn't have sent her on her own! I should have ordered her to stay with you not some maid." Uther snapped shaking his head, "I can not spare an army on her either. I just hope she can get out alive on her own."

"You will leave them to defend themselves!?" Morgana snapped at the man who stood in front of her.

"How many men would you have me sacrifice to save two servants?" Uther asked unbothered by his ward or his servant.

"As many as it takes! Gwen gave herself up so that I might escape. I owe her my life." Morgana says outraged that she need even try and convince him.

"She did so willingly, and she will be honored for it," Uther tells her sternly.

"I don't want her honored, I want her rescued! She is more than just my maid. She's my friend." 

"A servant is of no value to these bandits. I fear she's dead already."

"No! We cannot give up hope!" Morgana turns to the blonde Prince, "Arthur? I'm begging you. You have to do something. What about Magdelena?"

"My father's right. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do," is Arthur's calm reply to the enraged woman in front of him.

"How can you say that?! How can you live with yourselves?! All of you!" Morgana screeches at the two men before her, seeing them as nothing but cowards before her.

Magdelena stood held by the man, Gwen behind her with another man holding her, in front of her was a fat old man who sat in front of them, "Kendrick, I was beginning to think you'd failed me."

"May I present the Lady Morgana," Kendrick says pushing Magdelena forward who turns to glare at the man, the feeling this man gave off was enough to make Magdelena gag if she had been in any other situation.

"You're as beautiful as they say, Lady Morgana," he says staring at her fitting clothes. 

"Hengist you are as ugly as I have heard," Magdelena says, "When will I be released?"

"Just as soon as Uther Pendragon pays your ransom. In the meantime, you'll be my guest." 

"Do not flatter yourself. I am not your guest! I am your prisoner!" Magdelena snaps at 

" As you wish. Take them to the dungeon," Kendrick grabs Magdelena and drags her, followed by the man holding Gwen. They were thrown into one of the cells, Magdelena caught her footing and made sure that Gwen didn't injure herself.   

Not long after they were dragged from the cell Magdelena doing her best to resist but not being able to use her powers made her weaker than the man dragging her. She was brought in front of Hengist who was sitting at a table people mulled around with plates, "Won't you join me for supper?"

"If my maid may join us," Magdelena says, Hengist agrees and the two women are put next to him, Magdelena right by his side. Her stomach curls at his smell and the want forming from him. Magdelena kept her face stoic as she watched the men eat with joy, a metal cage sat in the middle of the room a tunnel off to the back, gated off to keep whatever was wondering in the caves from entering unless he wanted it.

"Silence!" the room goes quiet as soon as he finished yelling, "Our royal guest, Lady Morgana has grown bored! She needs entertaining." Magdelena worried what this meant, as the bandits around them began to laugh, "Bring on the challenger.

The familiar face of a once knight of Camelot enters the ring, Magdelena notices the glance shared between Gwen and Lancelot and smiles a bit.  

"Only one of you will emerge from the cage alive. Do you accept the challenge?" Lancelot bows to Hengist accepting his challenge. Not surprised when Lancelot is victorious and spares the man's life as he is led from the cage to stand in front of the fat man who tosses him a leather pouch filled with coins, "What is your name?"

"My name is Lancelot."

"You have proved yourself to be a skillful warrior. I believe you may even have impressed our royal guest, Lady Morgana." Hengist motions to Magdelena who sends him a small wink as he looks at her shocked.

"My Lady," Lancelot says dropping into a bow which made Magdelena feel guilty.

Hengist lets out a laugh which Magdelena has to close her eyes until he stops, "Next time you fight, do not expect any mercy. Release the Wilddeoren." Magdelena's eyes snap to the large naked mole-like creatures with a small smirk, but her smirk falls into a frown as she watches the creature attack the man with no mercy.

"Just goes to prove what kind of man you are Hengist," Magdelena snaps at the man turning her head only slightly to look at his now annoyed face, "A true man shows mercy when given the chance, only an ass gives no mercy to those who deserve it."

"You are lucky I can not hurt you Lady Morgana," Hengist says his fingers curling into a tight fist, his knuckles almost going white.

"I believe luck has nothing to do with our meeting," Magdelena says turning to look back at Lancelot who was smiling small enough that no one could really notice it unless you looked at his face for long enough.