Lost! {open}

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

Crumpled and forlorn, the letter lay lay across the room by her wardrobe, where she had thrown it last night in a rare fit of anger.

Sophia sighed and picked it up, carrying it to the desk in her small sitting room. The chambers she had been provided in the castle were more than adequate, and for that she was grateful. In fact, there was no reason to leave her rooms if she did not wish to, and most of the time she was content to remain secluded in this small refuge. Meals were sent up to her, a bathtub sat in its own concealed space, and she could send her maidservant for anything else she required.

Yet now that must change.

Because of the letter.

Sitting down, the young woman lay the crumpled paper on the desk and smoothed it out, hoping the words would still be readable among all the crinkles. Why she even attempted to read it, she did not know. The words were engraved on her mind and in her heart.

Her father wanted to know what progress she had made concerning her seduction of Prince Arthur. She had been at Camelot for two months; certainly the prince was groveling at her feet by now.

Right.

She had only spoken to Arthur once, on the day that she had arrived. If he had been impressed with her, he had certainly not shown it. Yet what had she expected? That he would be so entranced by her that he would ask her to marry him right there on the spot?

Sophia sighed. It would certainly be easier for her had he done so. It would have been easier for her had he shown any interest in her whatsoever. She doubted that he was immune to her beauty, but there were many beautiful women in the kingdom. He could have any one of them that he wished.

Why should he pay attention to her, an unsure and inexperienced girl of not quite sixteen? Somehow, she had to make herself stand out, make herself so appealing that he could not resist her.

But how?

Her thoughts were interrupted as Cedric came bounding over to her. The wolf cub was a little over two months old and finally able to eat on his own. She had arranged for the cooks to provide him with small pieces of raw meat several times a day, which were usually brought up to her room by her maidservant Kerensa.

After dressing her mistress his morning, the woman had asked to be excused for the day. Sophia had agreed. Kerensa had little free time, and she knew that her maid was seeing a man she had met a few weeks ago in the city. The woman had been with her since Sophia was six and Kerensa twelve. They had practically grown up together and Sophia considered her more of a friend than a servant. She certainly did not begrudge her a day off to spend time with her beau.

At least one of us knows how to attract a man's attention, she thought bitterly. Prince Arthur probably dismissed me from his mind as soon as he met me and no longer even knows I exist.

Closing her eyes, she sighed in frustration. And he never will, as long as I stay ensconced in my room.

Sophia picked Cedric up and stood. After licking her cheek with his slick little tongue, he settled down into her arms. Despite her morose mood, the girl laughed as she picked up a handkerchief and wiped her cheek. “It looks like I will be responsible for feeding you today,” she said.

Instead of bringing the bowl of meat up to him, she decided to take him down to the kitchen to eat. At least it would get her out of her chambers. Cedric was a friendly little fellow and she doubted that the servants would have any problem with him. If they did, she would simply collect the food and let him eat once she returned to her chambers.

Leaving the room, she wandered down the hall. Sophia had no idea where the kitchen was, but she did not think it would be too difficult to find.

Unfortunately, she was wrong.

Fifteen minutes later, she was hopelessly lost in the castle corridors, and more than a bit frightened. Her imagination conjured up many disastrous scenarios of how this little misadventure might end. What if she wandered into an unused area and no one ever found her? Or what if the first person she came upon had nefarious intentions and did not want any witnesses? What if some fearsome beast was lurking just around the next turn?

Sensing his mistress' apprehension, Cedric whimpered in her arms.

Sophia kept walking, her panic increasing with every step. Why was there no one traversing the halls? What part of the castle was she in? She had no idea what to do so she just kept putting one foot in front of the other, turning corners and strolling down corridors. Eventually, she was bound to run into someone who would be able to point her in the direction of the kitchen.

Or so she hoped.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

Gill jogged lightly up one of the Castle's many spiral staircases; her arms were laden with heavy books from the library, piled in a stack that finished just underneath her nose. The top few wobbled precariously with each step she took, and she leaned slightly away from the tower less one should slide backwards and hit her square in the face. She was running a few quick errands before the kitchens needed her again to prepare supper, and as both ladies she usually waited on were vacant from the castle, Gill had been sent with an assortment of very dull books to deliver to one of the old decrepit knights who refused to move from his bed chamber.

As she reached the top of the stairs, she strode around into the corridor, not able to see where she was going and collided with something or someone hard. She gave a sharp yell and jumped back as the thick volumes fell to the ground. She was left slightly dazed clutching the smallest one, and staring at the woman before her.

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

Sophia was growing more frightened by the moment. Every time she turned a corner, she dreaded what she might find. She hoped she would meet another person eventually; yet conversely, she was relieved when the corridor before her was empty. Cedric was becoming heavy, but she was afraid that if she put him down, he would run off. He was still only a baby and, while she was already training him, the lessons had not yet penetrated his little lupine mind.

Shifting him a bit in her arms, she turned yet another corner … and immediately slammed into something solid. Her forehead came in contact with a sharp and unyielding surface. Holding a bit too tightly to Cedric, who yelped as he was squeezed, Sophia stepped backwards, wincing in pain. When her vision cleared, she saw that she had collided with a woman … a pretty woman with pale skin and long dark hair … who was dressed as if she might be a servant. Several books lay scattered on the floor. One of them must have been what hit her in the head.

Sophia had hoped to run into someone who could show her the way to the kitchen, but she had not expected to do so quite literally. Quickly gaining her composure, she sat the wolf cub on the floor and smiled at the woman. In all likelihood, the collision had been the woman's fault, as she had been carrying such a large stack of books. Ordinarily, this would have made her angry, but at this point, it was not a good idea to show anger if she wanted this woman's help.

“Are you all right?” she asked. The other woman looked a bit dazed. It was possible that one of the books had hit her in the head as well. Bending down to where Cedric was sniffing the books, she began to gather them up.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

[OOC: Sorry for the late reply Sophia!]

"I'm so sorry m'lady!" Gill spluttered as she recognised the woman before her as nobility. "Are you alright...?" she continued, hoping none of the thick volumes had hit the woman as they tumbled to the ground.

She dropped to her knees to begin gathering the fallen books together, and was surprised when the lady did the same. It wasn't often nobility would literally stoop to the same level as the servants. Gill smiled warmly at the young woman before her, she thought about introducing herself, but remembered her place. She would only introduce herself if the lady did first.

"Thank you." she said gratefully, then gave a sudden yelp as she caught sight of the wolf club and fell ungracefully backwards onto her backside. "Is... is that a wolf?!" From her sitting position, Gill felt a little silly about her reaction; she could see now that whatever the animal was, it was young, and actually very cute. The woman probably thought her strange to be unecessary alarmed, as well as being very clumsy.

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

“I'm … I'm fine, I think. One of your books hit me in the head.”

If she did not need help finding her way to the kitchens, Sophia would have been infuriated by the woman's clumsiness. She generally treated servants kindly, but had little tolerance for ineptitude. Carrying so many books that it hampered one's ability to see was not wise, although if the woman had been ordered to take them somewhere, she had no choice but to obey. In this case, the young Lady did not know whether to blame the master or the servant, so she decided to simply accept the situation and place no blame at all.

Bending down to gather up the books made her dizzy, and she reached up to touch her painful forehead. A large bump was forming beneath the skin, but there was no blood. Her skin was pale and soft, and she would probably have an unsightly bruise that would linger on for weeks. If Kerensa could not hide it with cosmetics, she would have to conceal it by other means, such as a veil. Sophia could certainly not risk running into the prince in such a state; it would be mortifying if he saw her with a lump on her head. He would definitely never take her seriously after that.

Not that he knew she existed.

Sighing softly, Sophia turned her attention to the servant, who thanked her for helping her with the books. Before she could say anything in reply, the woman noticed Cedric and fell onto her backside. "Is... is that a wolf?” she asked.

As if realizing he was the current topic of conversation, Cedric left the books he had been sniffing and trotted over to the woman, sitting on his haunches as if he wished for attention. Sophia smiled and stood up, leaving the books on the floor, and lifted the cub into her arms. Her vision was still a bit fuzzy around the edges, but at least it was improving. “Yes,” she said as Cedric licked her chin. “I am sorry he startled you. I have had Cedric since the day he was born, so he is quite friendly around people. He won't hurt you. He's just a baby, really.”

Her pale blue eyes took in the scattered books, but she did not offer to help the other girl up. “Why were you carrying so many books?” she asked. “Weren't you concerned that you couldn't see where you were going? Couldn't you have found someone to help you with them? Why didn't you ….? Her voice trailed off and she blushed as she realized she was asking too many questions. “Forgive me,” she said shyly. “Sometimes I am too curious for my own good. Suppose I start over. My name is Sophia Lyonesse and I am new here. I was trying to find my way to the kitchens to get Cedric some food but I became lost. I would be pleased to help you get your books to wherever you need to take them, if you will show me where the kitchens are when we are done.”

Ordinarily Sophia would not have offered to help a servant with an errand, but as she needed the woman's help, she thought it was only polite to offer hers in return. It wasn't as if carrying a few books was going to kill her.

And it would be nice to have someone to talk to, if just for a short while.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

"I'm so sorry." Gill couldn't apologise enough, and glanced with genuine concern at the place on her head which the noblewoman before her was rubbing. "If you get a headache, or feel dizzy or anything, I'll run down to the apothecary rooms and get you some medicine straight away, my friend Lilith works there and..." Gill bit her tongue. What with being off work for a while, she was finding it difficult to remember her place when conversing with those in a higher station than herself.

Gill listened as the woman stood up, taking the wolf cub in her arms. Gill flushed a light pink realising she had of course over-reacted. The noblewoman petted the wolf lovingly as she explained a little about him to Gill. "Cedric..." Gill repeated, looking at the small cub with a smile, "He's lovely." On closer inspection, the little animal was very charming, but as Gill had never really had a close affinity with animals, she had no inclination to reach out and pet him.

She picked herself up and dusted down her skirts as the other woman launched into a list of questions, before Gill could open her mouth to answer, the woman had apologised for the inquiries and introduced herself. On hearing the name Sophia something clicked with Gill, So this was Arthur's new suitor she thought to herself. She wondered if Sophia had met the Prince yet, and what she thought of him. Many of the serving girls and maids were smitten with the handsome heir to the throne; he had a lot of suitors.

"Pleasure to meet you m'lady. I'm Gillianne, well, Gill." she replied politely, then smiled, "To answer your earlier questions, I was eager to get my work finished quickly today; so took all these books at once rather than making two trips. I've been off work for a few days... I haven't been well..." Gill didn't want to go into details about the abduction in the forest, and hoped Lady Sophia would accept her being unwell without further questioning. "Today's my first day back at work."

Gill bent down to pick up the books, leaving a few on the ground for Sophia. The pile in her arms was a much more reasonable height and weight now, and she could see perfectly over the top.

"Thanks for your help, of course I'll take you to the kitchens, I'll be heading back down that way anyway." Gill started walking and continued, "I need to take these to the other end of the corridor, to Lord Farsquith. He doesn't like to move around the castle much, not in his condition he says." In truth, the rotund Lord Farsquith's only condition was eating too much rich food, and drinking too much sherry. Servants were forever running back and forth between his quarters and the kitchens. Gill kept her lips sealed about all of these details, she couldn't risk being disrespectful in front of another noble.

"Have you seen much of Camelot yet Lady Sophia?" she inquired, making polite conversation as they walked.

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

Sophia pulled a handkerchief from the embroidered and jeweled pouch on her belt and and wiped her chin. She loved Cedric to distraction, but licking her face was one habit that she hoped he would grow out of. The cub was already getting quite heavy, and it was only a matter of time before she would no longer be able to carry him . Certainly his enthusiastic licking would stop then. Or so she hoped.

“I'm all right, really,” she assured the woman still sitting on the floor. She had no headache and her dizziness was almost gone. “It hurts horribly, but other than that, I am fine.” The servant seemed so apologetic and concerned, she added: “But I'll let you know if I start feeling worse. But I know I'll be okay.”

The young Lady stood there politely as her new aquaintance stood up and introduced herself. “I am pleased to meet you as well, Gill,” she said. And she was. If Gill had not come along, Sophia might have been lost in the corridors forever. Ok, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, and she had probably not been wandering around all that long, but a quarter of an hour could seem like a long time when you were frightened and didn't know where you were.

When Gill bent down to pick up the books, Sophia sat Cedric on the floor and joined her, gathering up the ones that the servant left for her. She noticed that her load was not as heavy as Gill's, but she did not say anything. A maid was probably not accustomed to a noblewoman offering help, and Gill probably did not want her to carry too much in case Sophia dropped one on her foot and started blaming her for it.

As if she would ever do that. Sophia was always kind to the hired help, for if they thought well of you, they were more likely to serve you enthusiastically. In fact she was rather concerned about Gill carrying so much after being recently ill, but again, she held her tongue, walking beside her and listening as she spoke of her errand, Cedric trotting happily at her heels. For the first time, she wondered just how many people lived in the castle, and how many were permanent residents.

Now that you'll be getting out more, perhaps you will meet some of them, she told herself. The one she really needed to meet was Prince Arthur, but she had no idea where to find him and how to get him to notice her. If she knew where he spent most of his time, she could make certain their paths crossed. Perhaps Gill would know? Yet how did she bring the subject up without being too obvious? Dilemmas. Sophia faced far too many dilemmas.

"Have you seen much of Camelot yet Lady Sophia?" Gill asked.

The young noblewoman sighed. “No, I have been here two months, but I have not been well either.” It wasn't exactly a lie. Ever since she had arrived, she had been homesick for Gore and heartsick over the task her father had set for her. That counted as being ill, did it not?

“I am feeling much better now, though, and eager to experience what Camelot has to offer. Do you know the city well? I do like to explore, but I would hate to wind up in an area that would be dangerous for me. Perhaps you could tell me which places are safe and which places I should avoid?”

And maybe you can tell me where I might find Prince Arthur, she added silently. Somehow, I must find a way to bring that subject up.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

"I'm sorry to hear that." Gill replied when Sophia spoke of her recent ill health. It reminded her of her own health issues, which she hadn't thought about for a while. That could only be a good thing. It didn't hurt to breathe anymore, and her cuts and bruises were all covered up by her dress. Gill was very impressed with the treatment she had received in the castle apothecary rooms.

Sophia continued: “I am feeling much better now, though, and eager to experience what Camelot has to offer. Do you know the city well? I do like to explore, but I would hate to wind up in an area that would be dangerous for me. Perhaps you could tell me which places are safe and which places I should avoid?”

"The spring air seems to make everyone feel better." Gill acknowledged with a glance out of the narrow castle windows they were walking alongside. The weather was already milder and the skies blue.

"I'm not a local to the city, but I've been here for a little while now. I wound up in a dangerous area in my first day..." Gill remembered back to her unfortunate trip in the slums where she was almost robbed, and worse. "I'd avoid the slums m'lady, there are a lot of petty thieves and cut-throats that work there." she thought about her recent abduction in the woods, "...and the forest." she added, her voice lowering, "It's dangerous for a Lady to wander alone outside of the city as well." Gill realised how dark her words sounded, and instantly brightened.

"The castle grounds are very beautiful though, and the central parts of the city are quite safe. Although I'm sure Arthur would ensure you had an escort wherever you wished to travel." Gill added offhandedly.

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

Sophia shifted the books in her arms as she walked. She had thought at first that she would be able to handle more, but now she was glad Gill had only left her a few. How does she carry so many?she wondered. My arms are already aching. Never before had she wondered about the life a servant led; now she realized just how soft and sheltered her own existence was. Not that she minded. She was the daughter of a king … she wasn't supposed to do menial work. The young Lady had never thought of something as simple as carrying a stack of books particularly difficult. Now she was rethinking those views. Yet this was something to think about later. There were more important things on her mind now.

Like how to get Arthur to notice her.

She listened carefully as Gill spoke of places to avoid while exploring Camelot. Sophia did not intend to visit the slums. There were slums in Gore as well, and someone as well-dressed as herself would be an easy target for robbery, rape, or murder. From Gill's words, she wondered if that was where the woman had found herself on the first day she spoke about … if she had become lost and wandered into the slums by accident. Sophia supposed that could just as easily happen to her: if she could get lost within the corridors of a castle, she could certainly get lost in a city. Although she hated to admit it, her sense of direction had never been good.

The forest, though … she assumed she would have to eventually let Cedric hunt. Wolves were wolves, even if raised by humans, and you could not change their inherent nature. It would be quite a few months before he was large enough to protect her. Oh, he growled at people now, but he was so small and cute, no one took him seriously. And forests were peaceful and quiet … a good place for some time alone. She also needed to exercise her horse Anoushaye.

Sophia supposed she could always ask for guards to accompany her. Her request would certainly not be denied. That, though, would be the last resort. Her father had insisted she be guarded everywhere she went, and she had loathed always being followed, always being watched, never having any privacy at all. Here she had determined it would be different. Here she would be free of such restrictions. After all, she would be sixteen in a couple of weeks. That was certainly old enough to take care of herself.

Gill's next words caught her interest. "The castle grounds are very beautiful though, and the central parts of the city are quite safe. Although I'm sure Arthur would ensure you had an escort wherever you wished to travel."

Arthur.

Of course.

It was just that simple.

If she had not been carrying a stack of books, Sophia would have hugged the woman. Gill had just come up with a wonderful reason for seeking out Arthur … not to ask him to provide her with guards, but to ask him to escort her around the city himself. Who knew the kingdom better than its crown prince? Certainly he could not refuse to show her around?

It was perfect.

And now more ideas came to mind. Suddenly she was full of them, like a dam had suddenly burst inside her head and let out a flood of possibilities. Some were better left to ponder later in the privacy of her chambers, but there was one she could act on now … she could show she was interested in Arthur, and perhaps then he would notice her at last. She couldn't lay it on too thick, though, or it would backfire on her. So no gushing about how handsome he was … although it was certainly true. A more innocuous word might be better. Intriguing. That was an appropriate and quite innocent word.

“Yes,” she said finally. “He probably would be the best person to ask.” Her smile was wry. “I only met him once, the day I arrived. All he did was welcome me to Camelot, but he seemed … I don't know … intriguing.” Sophia blushed a becoming shade of rose. “Do you know him, Gill? If so, what is he like? And where would I be likely to find him if I wish to ask him for an escort?”

Or rather, to ask him to escort me himself, she added silently.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

Lady Sophia replied as they reached Lord Farsquith’s chamber door. "One moment m'lady." Gill apologised as she paused to rap sharply on the door before them. A fellow maid answered with a weary smile, and accepted the books that were handed over to her. Gill then turned to take the books Sophia was carrying, and handed them over before the door was closed.

"Thanks." Gill started, wanting to thank Sophia for her help once again before replying to the Lady's unanswered questions. "A lot of the maids here find him... intriguing too." Gill gave a small laugh, remembering the gossiping young women from the servants’ quarters who spent their days squabbling over who would serve the Prince dinner, and gossiping over who bumped into him in the corridor.

Gill noted Sophia's heightened colour, but didn't say anything. Instead, she resumed walking in the direction of the kitchens. "I've not met the Prince personally, only seen him from afar, just around the Castle." Whilst Gill wasn't as smitten with the Prince as many of the Castle's staff, she decided she would like to meet the Prince up close. Just to say she had.

"The other maid's are always talking about him, he's very handsome... I can point out his chambers when we pass them on the way to the kitchens- although he's usually up at the training grounds. Arthur's very dedicated to the army." Gill tried to recall any other useful information she could share with Sophia, "His servant is called Merlin, and Arthur dines with his father every evening. I'm sure you will be invited to dinner one night..." Gill smiled. She thought Lady Sophia was very lucky to be a prospective partner for the Prince; hundreds of women would kill to be in her position, but that wouldn't be appropriate to say out loud. Besides, it probably came with its downside. It must be hard to come to a foreign place by yourself and to live with a rival king.

"I'd be happy to take him a message for you." Gill offered, then realised a lady like Sophia would probably have a maid of her own, "Or your handmaiden could, of course."

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

When the maid opened the door, Sophia was afraid that Cedric would scamper inside, but the little cub stopped and sat down at her feet while the books exchanged hands, his head cocked to the side curiously. As soon as Gill relieved her of her stack, she scooped the wolf into her arms again and carried him as they resumed walking. The young girl looked around her, searching for unique objects that would help her remember her way if she ever found herself in this area again.

She blushed once more when Gill mentioned pointing out Arthur's chambers. While she would like to know where his rooms were, she certainly could not just walk up, knock on his door, and invite herself inside. He would probably think her a harlot if she did something so bold. She doubted her father would mind if she acted the trollop, she thought darkly. He just wanted a marriage arrangement … he probably didn't care how she seduced the prince, as long as he was so captivated by her he would do anything for her, including banning magic from his kingdom.

Magic.

So far she had seen none, but so far she had not ventured beyond the castle walls. Perhaps that was one of the reasons she had stayed shut up in her chambers. Magic frightened her more than anything else. It was evil, plain and simple.

“Yes, I would like to know where his chambers are,” Sophia said, and suddenly realized how brazen that sounded. She blushed again. “Just because I'm curious,” she hastened to add, “not because I want to ...” Her voice trailed off as she realized she was only making matters worse. Hopefully Gill would not think she was a tramp. Such a reputation would not serve her purpose, even if it got back to Arthur and he thought she might be up for a bit of casual fun. That kind of seduction was not what she had in mind. Her blush deepened.

Cedric was squirming around in her arms, so she let him down. He liked to be carried, but not for long periods of time. She frowned when Gill mentioned sending a message to Arthur. Sending a message seemed a bit forward, but she supposed that it was not any more forward than asking him in person. But with a message, he could always refuse. It would be more difficult to refuse if she was standing there looking at him with a hopeful expression on her face.

“Thanks for offering,” she said. “I think I will try to ask him in person first … if I can find him.” Going to the training grounds did not sound appealing. Sophia was not fond of fighting or blood. She even avoided tournaments when she could. Violence of any kind repulsed her. Gill had also mentioned dining with him. Perhaps that might be a good idea if she could get an invitation. She could dine with both Arthur and his father and charm them with her … what? Her youth? Her inexperience? Her shyness?

Her music!

She could play her harp and sing for them. That was definitely something to think about.

The young Lady turned her attention back to Gill. The woman was quite friendly and Sophia decided that she liked her. She wondered … “Tell, me Gill, how long have you been working here? And do you serve anyone in particular?”

When Kerensa had a day off, it might be a good idea to have someone else to attend her and accompany her if she wished to do something such as shop at the market. Sophia was already finding it difficult to without her trusted maid, and it was still morning.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

Gill smiled when Sophia blushed and faltered to explain her intentions toward Arthur. The women Gill saw at Court varied wildly in their attitudes toward men, some courtesan's only aimed to seduce and others were far more chaste. Sophia definitely seemed the latter.

“I think I will try to ask him in person first … if I can find him.”

"Well let me know if you change your mind." Gill replied, glancing down in amusment at the ground to watch Cedric trotting alongside them. She didn't know what it was but the little wolf cub made her smile. Sophia seemed deep in thought as they descended a flight of stairs, and Gill didn't want to interrupt.

“Tell, me Gill, how long have you been working here? And do you serve anyone in particular?”

Gill was secretly pleased Lady Sophia had asked her a question. It wasn't often that nobles took an interest in the lives of palace maids.

"Well, I came to Camelot last autumn, so a while now." she considered, "I'm just a general maid, mainly kitchen work, cleaning and errands. I was assigned duties to Lady Eva and Lady Anna. They rarely call for me though; I think they both have other maids." Gill tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear, "If you ever need me, or anything, m'lady, all you have to do is ask." Although she knew that Lady Sophia could request whatever she liked in her position as a princess, Gill wanted her to know that she would be more than willing to help.

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

Sophia glanced back at Cedric in concern as they descended the staircase. He was much more adept at going up than he was at going down. This time he managed quite well, although he hopped more than he loped. It wouldn't be long before he was large enough to take the stairs two at a time. What would happen, she wondered, when he was fully grown? Would she still be allowed to keep him in the castle? He already scared some of the servants, and even a few nobles had looked at him warily when they passed by him in the corridors. She was already training him; when she was finished, he would be as well-behaved, if not better, than the average pet dog. Now that she was determined to get out more, the people of Camelot would become accustomed to him as he grew, and hopefully would accept him when he became a fully grown wolf.

And what if she was sent back to Gore? What would her father say about Cedric? Unless her guards had spoken of it when they returned to the kingdom, he did not even know she had a pet. King Urien could be quite strict and unyielding, but so far he had been able to deny his only daughter nothing. With any luck, he would allow her to keep the little fellow.

Not that she would be returning to Gore anytime soon. It was difficult to woo a man you couldn't even find. Arthur seemed to have taken absence to its truest art form. Sophia had the feeling she was going to be stuck in Camelot for a good long time.

The young princess turned her attention back to her companion, occasionally glancing at the doors they passed, wondering what the rooms behind them contained. Again, she wondered exactly how many people lived in the castle, and what purpose each one of them served. Did any of them loathe their missions as much as she did hers?

“I have a maidservant,” she said, “but occasionally I give her a day off, like I did today. You will probably think me helpless, but I am finding it difficult to get along without her. She is the one who usually takes care of Cedric's meals. If she were here, I would not have gotten lost in the castle. But yes, I think I could use your services every now and then, when I give Kerensa some time off.”

Sophia sighed. “In truth, I am finding it difficult to adjust to life here. This is the first time I have been away from home, and my life here is so much different than it was in Gore.” There she was the admired and pampered daughter of the king; here she was basically nobody. She had more freedom here, but she also had to be careful about her behavior, as she was now a representative of her father's kingdom. The girl had no idea how Urien and Uther felt about each other, but acting in an undignified manner would only hurt Gore in the long run. There were so many things to remember; perhaps yet another reason she had found it easier to hide herself away in her chambers.

“I really want to enjoy my tine here,” she said, “but I guess I really just don't know where to start.”

And the fact that she was confiding in a servant showed just how lonely the young princess was.

[Lady Gillianne Auvray]

Gill listened to Sophia, quietly watching her as she spoke. She knew how the Princess felt, leaving your family and coming alone to a big new city, but she wasn't able to empathise much further than that. Servants and nobility ran in very different circles, and Gill often found herself wishing she could afford beautiful clothes and playthings. Sophia had the potential to marry a dashing nobleman and even become a Queen. Gill knew that would never be able to happen to her, and although she didn't often resent it, there was sometimes a longing for things she would never have.

Still, Gill couldn't complain. She hadn't been given a bad lot at all. And with riches and titles came responsibilty and loss of liberty. Gill had a stable family back home, she had a job, she had a... well, a Henry... and she was young and healthy.

"It's bound to be tough to begin with," Gill admitted, considering Sophia's situation, "But Uther will treat you well; the nobility here want for nothing. We see to that." she smiled to assure Sophia she wasn't taking a dig, "Besides, you'll soon make friends amongst the other nobility here, and I'd be happy to accompany you anywhere in the City the next time your maid has a day off." It was a little forward to offer her services so specifically, but Gill liked Sophia, and it was a novelty talking to one in a station so high above her own.

As Gill finished talking, the double doors to the kitchen came into view at the end of the corridor. She waited for Lady Sophia to reply before indicating them, and announcing, "The kitchens m'lady."

[Princess Sophia Lyonesse]

Gill's words were true as far as the way she was treated. Sophia had wanted for nothing since she had arrived at Camelot. Whatever she needed was cheerfully provided, no matter how odd the request might seem … such as once when she has been particularly homesick, she had sent Kerensa to the kitchens to tell the cooks to have some traditional dishes of Gore prepared for her. Even when her full-length mirror had shattered yesterday when she had first read her father's letter, it had been replaced within a few hours, no questions asked.

The only thing that had not been provided to her was an opportunity to speak to Arthur. Not that she had tried very hard up until now.

“Thank you,” she said to Gill's offer to show her around. “I will probably take you up on that, especially if you know some good places to shop. I do love shopping.” Parting with her money was one of the princess' favorite pastimes. She had more than she knew what to do with anyway. Her father was more than generous with the allowance he gave her, and the amount had increased considerably since her arrival at Camelot. Not that it mattered, If she needed more, all she had to do was ask. He had never been able to deny her anything.

Yet would that change if she failed in getting Arthur to marry her? She hoped not, but she could not be certain, which was one reason she had gone along with Urien's plan to begin with.

When they reached the kitchens, Sophia picked up Cedric before she opened the door. She could already smell the delicious aroma of roasting meat, and was afraid that the little wolf would not be able to resist such temptation.

Stepping inside, the princess looked around her curiously, finally becoming aware that most activity in the room had stopped and quite a few people were looking in her direction. Sophia blushed and looked down, realizing that they were probably not accustomed to foreign royalty visiting their humble domain, and certainly not one carrying a wolf cub in her arms. Feeling out of place and more than a bit embarrassed, she whispered to Gill: “Do you know where I might find some raw meat for Cedric?”