12-30-2021, 02:37 PM
Gwen was restless after putting Lora to sleep so she took to walking the halls. She had always thought that her brother's home was huge but it was nothing compared to Hogwarts. There were endless hallways, countless empty rooms to find privacy, over a hundred staircases, secret passageways (if her brother was to be believed), and at least three towers to climb. It wasn't hard to lose one's way if they were not paying attention.
Fortunately, she managed to find the foot of the Astronomy tower to reorient herself. Finding that a bit of fresh air might serve her well and knowing the front door was likely already locked, Gwen began the long climb up. If memory served her well, there was an open parapet at the top that she could wander around. Not the first time she'd walked ramparts, as she had done it often enough back at the Gryffindor home, both before her marriage and then again after her husband's death.
With the latter, for a few months, it was hope that Godric was wrong. That Shelton had not fallen in battle but only been wounded. Once he had recovered, he would come for her. Thus, she would watch for him when not tending to her young daughter. However, after those first few months, she had had to face facts that her brother had not lied - Shelton was never coming home. Yet forever after, she still found herself up high, finding comfort in the ability to watch for visitors - just in case.
The tower was one of the tallest in the castle, though her brother's house claimed that title. It was still quite a ways. By the time she reached the top, Gwen was a little out of breath. She was incredibly grateful that she had put off wearing her widow's weeds just before coming here. It hadn't seemed right to the children to see their teacher dressed solely in black. Besides, it had been more than a year, something Gifford had made very clear when he'd started arranging for young men for her to meet to give Lora a father.
If it hadn't been for Godric offering her a place here, she likely would have been remarried by now - definitely not something she was quite ready for. She didn't want another knight who would just rush off and get himself killed. If she were to remarry, she was going to be considerably more discerning in her choice for Lora's father.
Reaching the top of the tower, she did not realize that she was not alone. At least not at first. She quickly headed for the nearest opening leading outside. Under the nearly full moon, she shuddered as the brisk Scottish wind pierced her uncovered skin. Unfortunately, she hadn't been thinking and had forgone going to collect a wrap before heading up the stairs. Hard to believe it was so cold but then, they were rather far north. It was bound to get cold earlier in the year than the more mild southwestern part of the country where she'd grown up. Taking a deep breath, she let it slowly out before her eyes began scanning the world below. The bright light from above should have lit the area up to revealing shadows, at least but they were so high up that it was very hard to tell.
Gripping the edge of the parapet, she leaned forward a bit to look down the full length of the tower, a bit dizzy and yet excited by the distance below her.
Fortunately, she managed to find the foot of the Astronomy tower to reorient herself. Finding that a bit of fresh air might serve her well and knowing the front door was likely already locked, Gwen began the long climb up. If memory served her well, there was an open parapet at the top that she could wander around. Not the first time she'd walked ramparts, as she had done it often enough back at the Gryffindor home, both before her marriage and then again after her husband's death.
With the latter, for a few months, it was hope that Godric was wrong. That Shelton had not fallen in battle but only been wounded. Once he had recovered, he would come for her. Thus, she would watch for him when not tending to her young daughter. However, after those first few months, she had had to face facts that her brother had not lied - Shelton was never coming home. Yet forever after, she still found herself up high, finding comfort in the ability to watch for visitors - just in case.
The tower was one of the tallest in the castle, though her brother's house claimed that title. It was still quite a ways. By the time she reached the top, Gwen was a little out of breath. She was incredibly grateful that she had put off wearing her widow's weeds just before coming here. It hadn't seemed right to the children to see their teacher dressed solely in black. Besides, it had been more than a year, something Gifford had made very clear when he'd started arranging for young men for her to meet to give Lora a father.
If it hadn't been for Godric offering her a place here, she likely would have been remarried by now - definitely not something she was quite ready for. She didn't want another knight who would just rush off and get himself killed. If she were to remarry, she was going to be considerably more discerning in her choice for Lora's father.
Reaching the top of the tower, she did not realize that she was not alone. At least not at first. She quickly headed for the nearest opening leading outside. Under the nearly full moon, she shuddered as the brisk Scottish wind pierced her uncovered skin. Unfortunately, she hadn't been thinking and had forgone going to collect a wrap before heading up the stairs. Hard to believe it was so cold but then, they were rather far north. It was bound to get cold earlier in the year than the more mild southwestern part of the country where she'd grown up. Taking a deep breath, she let it slowly out before her eyes began scanning the world below. The bright light from above should have lit the area up to revealing shadows, at least but they were so high up that it was very hard to tell.
Gripping the edge of the parapet, she leaned forward a bit to look down the full length of the tower, a bit dizzy and yet excited by the distance below her.
