Chapter 2

Gwen and Tate agree to work together, and Gwen finally shares her past.

Tate's slack-jawed face seems to be frozen in place, and his eyes dart between Gwen's hand and face. She smiles again as she sees Tate’s shocked expression.

“Let me guess, you've never been in the presence of royalty, especially exiled royalty,” Gwen says sarcastically.

Tate stares longer at Gwen, before finally speaking again, “You're right.”

Gwen laughs out loud at the dumbstruck expression on Tate's face. Hearing her laugh Tate pulls himself together, and his face turns stern.

“Rumors said that you were dead, and having heard nothing about you for years I assumed they were true,” Tate says.

“Well now you can see that you were wrong, and I'm clearly alive.” Tate nods in agreement. “So what's your plan?” Gwen asks.

“Plan?”

“To overthrow the queen,” Gwen says impatiently.

“Right, well we don't exactly have a complete plan,”

“You don't,”

“Well no, it's a work in progress,”

“Alright, what can I do to help?”

“You want to help?” Tate asks slightly confused.

“Of course,”

“Why?”

“Because Madeline was the reason I was exiled,” Gwen says darkly, the memory of the day she was banished flashes in her mind, but she pushes it away refusing to let the memory make her weak, especially with Tate around.

Tate stares at her intently. When Gwen notices she returns the stare, “Yes?” she asks. Tate shakes his head, “Well since you're familiar with the queen and the castle, your assistance will be very helpful.”

Suddenly there are shouts heard from outside. Tate quickly stands up and strides out the tent, while Gwen follows behind him. Outside the two come face to face with a large crowd surrounding a single person. As Gwen approaches she recognizes the person in the middle of the crowd and is not very surprised to find one of her messengers from her group.

Gwen turns to Tate, “Stand down, he’s one of mine,” she says. She heads to the man who stands proudly, not letting the shouts and insults faze him. As she approaches him, he nods to her, and his posture relaxes as he sees that his leader is safe and unharmed.

Once Gwen is standing in front of her scout, she turns around to face Tate, “I will return in a few days time, with my group; then we can strategize,” she says loudly and with such authorization, that all heads turn to her and all sound quiets. She ignores everyone else, keeping her focus on Tate, letting him know that her words ring true.

A small smile appears on Tate’s face, “I shall wait, Gwendolyn, leader of the Foresters,” he says. Gwen returns the smile, “Gwen, is fine,” she tells him as she turns and walks out of the camp, her scout trailing behind her.

When the two reach and enter the forest, they seem to disappear, blending into the darkness of the trees.

Just like she promised, Gwen returned a few days later along with her group, the Foresters. They appeared out of nowhere just materializing at the edge of the forest, not a single noise made.

Gwen at the front, stands proudly, her eyes serious. She walks through the crowd, authority dripping off her, touching every person, making them turn to look at her. She is a born leader, and she knows that, as she walks down the tents, she wishes just for a second that her father could have seen her like this; in command. But then she quickly pushes the thought away, keeping her mind on the present. She stops in front of the two guards who stand outside the main tent, they take one look at her and immediately part.

Gwen marches inside, with Andrew beside her. She sees Tate, who is once again sitting on the many blankets, along with a few more people who seem to be there in support of him. Gwen takes a seat across from Tate, while Andrew stays standing by the door.

“It is good to see you again Gwen,” Tate says nodding to her. Gwen returns the nod. She looks around the tent, scrutinizing each person that sits on the ground.

“As I assume every person here knows who I am?” Gwen asks. Everyone nods.

“Thank you for joining us, Princess Gwen, we truly appreciate your willingness to help us,” a woman says, she has the lightest colored hair that sticks out underneath her black hat.

“Before we begin, I would like to make clear that no one is to call me Princess, I refuse to accept that title. I have not been a princess in years so that title is not mine, on the contrary, until I take the title of queen, I will only answer to Gwen” Gwen says sitting up straight with her chin held high and her eyes fierce. Talking slowly spreads around the circle, first amusement, and confusion which quickly turns into realization and anger.

“How dare--!”

“Who do you think you--!”

“You have no--!”

The anger grows as the people begin to realize that Gwen has her own plans and shouting quickly ensues. Gwen refuses to react instead she keeps her eyes on Tate until he finally takes control again.

“Silence!” he commands his voice drowning out the voice of all others, “We will listen to Gwen’s plan and then we shall make a decision.” Tate turns his attention to Gwen letting her know that she can continue.  

“I understand that my proposition of being queen is not one that seems to benefit anyone other than myself, but let me tell you all this. I was banished years ago from my own home by a woman who detested me and who now sits unrightfully on the throne. My father died before I could see him again, I was separated from my sister, and now, the kingdom that I love, our home, has fallen to ruin under the control of a horrible queen. I only want what is best for us all, and I can assure you that I will rule like my father, no… no, I will rule better than him. I will be a just, kind, and strong queen, and I will fight for my people just as I am willing to fight for them now. I will protect and help my people and I will become a grand queen,” Gwen declared her eyes burning with determination as she looks around the room once again.

Everyone stares at her surprised, they had not expected such a speech, yet as they look at Gwen they see a future in her. They see a place of peace and prosperity ruled by a strong independent woman who knows how to fight for her people, and they all fall in love with the vision of that future.

They discuss plans, ways to strike at the queen. They talk and plan until sundown when finally the tent empties of people. Gwen and Tate are the last to leave, they walk through the camp, which has doubled with the addition of Gwen’s group. Gwen walks calmly her shoulders light for the first time in years. She realizes that being in the tent and planning along with others who she saw where strong, intelligent, and brave people, had finally brought her some joy. It seemed to her to be the first time that she felt she was getting any closer to finally going home.

Tate beckoned her to follow him as they finally reached the edge of the camp, she followed and the two walked along an almost invisible path leading to a large hill that stood facing the setting sun.

At the top Tate sat down his back to the sun’s rays, Gwen smiled slightly getting used to Tates habit of sitting on the ground. As the two sat overlooking the camp Gwen was finally able to relax, the day had been a long one.

“May I ask you something,” Tate said interrupting the silence, Gwen turned to him, “Go ahead.”

“What happened to you? You were a loved princess throughout the kingdom and then suddenly you were banished, why?”

Gwen sighed her shoulders hunched as the memories of that day returned to her. Tate sat quietly letting her take her time to answer if she wanted to.

“As I’ve mentioned before, it was all Madeline,” Gwen said, and she continued when she noticed that Tate remained silent, “She was a great stepmother at first, I truly cannot deny that, and then she changed. Well only in front of me, I never knew what it was exactly, but I have my suspicions, she was jealous of the bond with my father. She despised me and would always keep me away from him whenever she could, and anytime we were alone she would only speak in insults throwing them at me whenever she could. She continued like this for a while but through her pregnancy, she stopped. She treated me kindly, all the time although she would rarely even look at me choosing to spend all her time with my father. I tried to not let it bother me, the fact that I hardly saw my father, he was as loving as ever when we did spend time together and he was happy once again, the death of my mother had really crushed his soul. And after the baby’s birth, everything seemed to be going well, until Madeline began to believe that I was trying to take her child, Lexis, away from her.

“She saw the bond that we had, and once again she was filled with jealousy. Her jealousy led her too far though. During one of the hunting days, the three of us Madeline, my father and I had gone out. The day was great and we had good game, but it all turned dark when an arrow was shot at Madeline. It did not harm her at all, but she made it seem much worse, life-threatening. I was the only one around her when it happened and when we returned to the palace she went straight to my father and told him that I had been to one to shoot the arrow. She also forced one of her servants to tell my father that they had seen me shoot the arrow. My father believed Madeline and left no room for me to explain or even try to tell him the truth and therefore I was banished for attempting to kill the queen.”

Silence follows once Gwen finishes her story, “I’m sorry,” Tate says.

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” Gwen responds. Her face turns to the sun enjoying the warmth it provides, she is glad to finally share her story, it has been a burden on her for years but now her heart feels free.

“Tate,” she said, “We have not known each other long, but I sincerely hope that you will trust me and believe that I will be a good leader for my kingdom.” Tate nodded “I know you will be,” then he offers his hand and the two shake, a friendship that would last years blooming at that moment.