Page 38 of The White Enchantress

“Yes. But don’t worry, I didn’t kiss back. Though I feel a bit bad for Melwas. He seems rather mopey over there in the corner.”

“Do not feel sorry for Melwas. He is moody by nature.”

Guinevere’s hand is still in mine. I feel her squeeze it before pulling it underneath the table, lacing my fingers with hers. “I’ve missed you, Lancelot. Why have you been avoiding me?”

I squeeze her hand back. “There is much going on at Camelot. I’ve been running around the castle and village, ensuring peace and order. And with you in constant company, I did not wish to disturb you. But now that I know the company you kept was unwanted, would you desire for me to call upon you?”

“Very much.”

Chapter 19

Guinevere

I feel like adesperate buffoon when I wake up with a hangover. The attention I had been receiving from nearly everyone at Camelot was overwhelming. At the same time, I was incredibly lonely. I yearned for Lancelot’s company but he had been avoiding me like the plague. That was until I forced him to endure my presence during dinner. I needed to know why he was ghosting me. Instead of asking him, I got drunk off ale and made a complete fool of myself.

Lancelot didn’t seem to mind me making such advances though. He would move in closer, not wanting anyone to sit between us. And when he grabbed my hand, it was magnetic. And the concern on his face, the anger he felt when I told him that Melwas had kissed me, I melted. Yes, I relished that moment. I drank all of him in which made my already drunk mind dizzy with love. And now everyone at Camelot must know that I am head-over-heels in love with Sir Lancelot.

Not ready to face any living soul that might have witnessed me throwing myself at Lancelot last night, I grab my lute; the one I sort of stole in Avalon. Then I seek out a quiet nook to practice some songs I think would be appropriate to play for a fifth-century crowd.

Only a few people are wandering the hallways and garden since breakfast has already been served in the great hall. I walk briskly and with purpose, locating a quiet spot under a tree far away from the keep and main hall.

Since I have a private room with a window, I can easily charge my cell phone without any curious eyes glimpsing at what could only be considered witchcraft. I don’t always carry my phone around, but I need some inspiration from my downloaded songs on Spotify. Confirming that I am alone, I pull out my phone and earbuds from the hidden pocket in my dress.

Vivienne had a group of priestesses put together a modest wardrobe for me back in Avalon. My one request was that my dresses have pockets. And I am eternally grateful for them. The pockets and the priestesses. I couldn’t carry around my twenty-first-century leather backpack with zippers adorning the outside. This, too, would most likely be considered witchcraft.

Carefully laying my hair over the wires of the earbuds, I play the “Time Traveler” playlist I had started curating when I was bored out of my mind in Avalon. Luckily, I had downloaded hundreds of songs to my phone for the flights I had taken to and from America.Slipping my phone back into my pocket, I begin playing my lute, trying to find the right cords to the songs I listen to.

After perfectly playing “Epic III” fromHadestown- the original live cast recording version, not the Broadway one - I’m unsure if the people here know anything about Greek mythology, but it feels appropriate for the crowd. I have a good enough set to get me through maybe an hour; that should be more than enough.

As I am about to take the earbuds out and head back to the keep, “The Heather on the Hill” fromBrigadoonbegins to play. I sit back against the tree, holding the lute against my chest, listening, remembering. The first time I kissed Josh, it meant nothing. We were Fiona and Tommy, not Guin and Josh. Thinking back on that memory of when we kissed, I can’t remember feeling any stirrings of love or passion. I can’t say for certain when I discovered those feelings for Josh; if I still have those feelings. But I loved him then just as I love him still.

“Hey, Lady Guinevere.”

“Josh!” I ran toward him at full speed, falling into his outstretched arms. Though I knew we would be at school together, I was caught by surprise seeing him at the principal’s office.

It had been a couple of weeks since I first met Josh at the park, but we texted nearly every day. I had taken Josh’s advice and approached my dad about the bullying. It took me some time to convince him, but Ed finally enrolled me at a different school, the same one Josh attended.

“Are you in trouble or something?” I asked, standing back to get a better look at my surroundings in the principal’s office.

“Not today,” Josh teased, a mischievous smile curving his mouth. “When you told me you’d be going to school here, I volunteered to be your buddy, help you get settled in. Plus, I could use the extra credit.”

I yelped in excitement, feeling pure happiness for the first time in months. “This is gonna be awesome. So, where to first?”

“I know you will want to be going to your classes and maintaining that perfect student persona, but first, I want you to meet some of my friends. They don’t have to be your friends, but they are good people. It’s healthy to have good folk around you, especially after being surrounded by dementors.”

“As long as I’m not late to first period.”

“You won’t be, plus we are all in the same homeroom.”

“Oh, and don’t tell anyone who I am. No more ‘lady,’ okay?”

Josh nodded, understanding my need for privacy. I knew things would get complicated once I made friends with other students. I’d figure that out later. Grabbing my hand, Josh pulled me out to the hallway, escorting me through the throngs of teenagers scrambling toward homeroom. As we passed a bulletin board, I noticed a poster announcing auditions for the spring musical,Brigadoon. I had performed in school musicals and also did community theater back in Princeton. This would be the perfect opportunity to get my life back to normal, at least as much as I possibly could.

A pang of sadness hit me unexpectedly as I think about my mom. She would have loved to see me play Fiona. Music was an essential part of life for my mom, an obsession she passed on to me. And musical theater, well, that was air for the both of us. I loved living in Princeton, close to New York City and Broadway. My mom took me to see a show once a month. After she died, I hadn’t listened to any music and hadn’t even thought about musicals. Since meeting Josh, I had been drowning myself in my Spotify, listening to all my mom’s favorite musical soundtracks.Brigadoonwas one of them. This had to be a sign.

Sensing my rapidly changing emotions, Josh slowed down his pace, turning around to ask if I was okay. I nodded, showing him my best smile. With two minutes left to spare before the bell, Josh pulled me over to a group of three guys and two girls, explaining that homeroom was just through the door to our right.

“Hello mates, this is my friend, Guin. It’s her first day, so be nice and welcoming as you all were when I was the new kid.”

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