Chapter summaries Gwen & Art Are Not in Love Lex Croucher

Chapter 36 Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Chapter 36 opens with Gwen standing on the castle parapet, watching the battlefield below. She has just seen Arthur and Sidney ride out separately, with Sidney breaking away just before Lord Willard orders his men to attack. The two armies clash almost exactly where Arthur had fallen, and he is immediately swallowed up in the chaos. Gwen is certain that Arthur has not betrayed them—at least not knowingly—and she reflects that only a fool would have ridden into the middle of a battle to prove that point, but that Arthur has always been that kind of unthinking, wonderful idiot.

Agnes joins Gwen on the parapet. Gwen expects tears, but Agnes is white-faced and resolute. Gwen admits that Agnes had tried to warn her about Arthur, and that she had refused to listen. Instead of being angry, Agnes takes Gwen’s hand and tells her that the rest of the men have been sent out to fight and that people are being evacuated from the castle. Only the guard remains. Gwen finds the battle grotesque and mindless, unlike the graceful tournament fights she has seen before. She tries not to focus on any individual, but she cannot help looking for the people she loves. She had hoped that her anxiety would eventually numb her, but instead she feels everything—every shout, every breath. She sits down, puts her head in her hands, and asks when it will be over. Agnes tries to reassure her, though not convincingly. Gwen thanks Agnes for staying, and Agnes squeezes her shoulder.

A messenger appears in the doorway. He looks about twelve years old, is covered in mud, and is half-dead on his feet. He says that Gwen and the queen are needed downstairs in the war room. The queen refuses to go, glaring at the boy and saying she will not be ordered around. Gwen, frustrated, asks where they need to go. The boy says the war room, and that Sir Hurst, the Captain of the Guard, and Master Buchanan, the Wizard, have summoned them. The queen still refuses, and Gwen and Agnes follow the boy, leaving the queen behind, crying.

The journey through the near-empty castle feels endless. In the war room, Sir Hurst, Master Buchanan, and a few attendants stand around a table. Sir Hurst is filthy from the fight. Gwen asks where everybody else is, and Sir Hurst says they are fighting. He asks where the queen is, and Gwen explains that she would not come. Then Master Buchanan tells Gwen that the king is dead—her father fell at Sir Marlin’s hand, witnessed by the boy. Gwen cannot process the news. She feels detached, as if looking at the room from far away. She insists that falling does not mean dead, but Sir Hurst confirms it is true.

Sir Hurst explains that the prince is unaccounted for—nobody has seen him since the fighting began—and that they must assume the worst. The queen has authority, but she will not come, so they need Gwen to make a decision. Master Buchanan says the men are losing heart because they think it is over. Sir Hurst proposes sending out the last fifty or so castle guards to boost morale, but doing so would leave the castle and city undefended if the enemy breaks through. Gwen asks who decides, and Master Buchanan tells her that, in the absence of anyone else, she must decide.

Gwen looks at the family sigil on the wall—a lion, a hawk, and a cup—and then at the map of England. She wishes she could go back to her chambers, lock the door, and wake up in a world where her father is alive, Gabriel is waving to her, Bridget is waiting in the stables, and Arthur is knocking on her door to trade jibes. But she knows that life is gone, and that more can still be lost if she falters. She stands and orders the guard to be sent out. Sir Hurst tells her to fetch the queen and leave at once in case the castle falls, but Gwen refuses, saying the queen will not go and neither will she. She repeats the order to send out the guard, then adds that first she needs them to do something for her.

Key Events

  • Gwen watches Arthur and Sidney ride into battle; the armies clash near where Arthur fell.
  • Agnes joins Gwen on the parapet, and they wait together as the battle rages.
  • A young messenger summons Gwen and the queen to the war room; the queen refuses to go.
  • Gwen and Agnes go to the war room alone, where Sir Hurst and Master Buchanan report that the king has been killed by Sir Marlin.
  • The prince is missing, and the troops are losing heart because they believe the cause is lost.
  • Gwen is asked to decide whether to send out the last castle guard; she orders the guard sent out.
  • Gwen refuses to evacuate, even when warned the castle may fall.
  • Gwen asks Sir Hurst and Master Buchanan to do something for her first, leaving the request undisclosed.

Character Development

Gwen undergoes a significant transformation in this chapter. Earlier in the story, she has often been reactive and uncertain, but here she is forced into a position of command. When told that her father is dead and her brother is missing, she initially struggles to process the news, feeling detached and numb. Yet she does not collapse. Instead, she looks at the family sigil and the map, acknowledges that her old life is gone, and makes a decisive military choice: to send out the guard. Her refusal to evacuate shows a new sense of duty and courage, even as she admits she is shaking. Her request for “something” before the guard leaves hints at a plan or a personal mission, suggesting she is thinking strategically rather than simply reacting.

Agnes also shows growth. She does not weep or rage at Gwen for having kept her from Sidney; instead, she stands with Gwen, holds her hand, and offers comfort. Her loyalty is quiet but steadfast, and her presence gives Gwen strength. The queen, by contrast, is shown in a state of breakdown—she refuses to go to the war room, shouts at the messenger, and begins to cry. This contrast highlights Gwen’s emerging maturity and the queen’s inability to face the crisis.

Arthur’s loyalty is reaffirmed from Gwen’s perspective. She believes he did not betray them, and she frames his reckless ride into battle as proof of his character. This moment deepens the trust between them, even though they are separated.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Sacrifice and Duty: Gwen’s decision to send out the last guard is a sacrifice of the castle’s protection for the sake of morale and the larger fight. She also sacrifices her own safety by refusing to evacuate.
  • Loyalty and Betrayal: Sir Marlin’s betrayal of the king is the central act of treachery, while Arthur’s loyalty is affirmed. Agnes’s loyalty to Gwen is also emphasized.
  • Grief and Numbness: Gwen longs for numbness but instead feels everything. The chapter explores the difference between emotional detachment and the overwhelming pain of loss.
  • War’s Brutality: The battle is described as mindless and ugly, a stark contrast to the graceful tournament fights. This underscores the reality of war.
  • Family Legacy: The family sigil—a lion, a hawk, and a cup—appears as a symbol of the kingdom’s heritage and the weight of responsibility that now falls on Gwen.
  • Leadership: Gwen is thrust into a leadership role she never expected, and her decision-making under pressure becomes a central theme.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 36 is a pivotal turning point in the novel. It marks the death of the king and the disappearance of the prince, leaving Gwen as the de facto decision-maker in a crisis. Her choice to send out the guard and her refusal to evacuate demonstrate her growth from a passive observer to an active leader. The chapter also deepens the emotional stakes: Gwen’s grief over her father, her fear for Arthur and Sidney, and her reliance on Agnes all come to the fore. The unresolved request she makes of Sir Hurst and Master Buchanan creates suspense and sets up the next stage of the plot, suggesting that Gwen is not merely reacting but planning a course of action. This chapter solidifies Gwen’s role as a central figure in the kingdom’s fate and prepares readers for the climax.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Gwen decide to send out the castle guard, despite the risk of leaving the castle undefended?

Gwen decides to send out the guard because the troops are losing heart and need a morale boost. Sir Hurst explains that the guard may not change the tide of battle, but it could restore the soldiers’ spirits. Gwen understands that if the army collapses, the castle will fall anyway, so she chooses to act rather than wait passively. Her decision reflects her growing sense of duty and her willingness to take a risk for the greater good.

2. How does Gwen’s reaction to her father’s death differ from the queen’s reaction?

Gwen initially feels numb and detached, but she quickly moves toward action. She asks questions, processes the information, and then makes a command decision. The queen, on the other hand, refuses to engage with the crisis altogether—she will not go to the war room, shouts at the messenger, and breaks down in tears. Gwen’s ability to function despite her grief contrasts sharply with the queen’s paralysis, highlighting Gwen’s emerging leadership.

3. What does Gwen’s request to “do something for me” suggest about her state of mind and her plans?

The request is left undisclosed, but it suggests that Gwen is not simply reacting to the immediate crisis. She has a specific goal in mind, likely related to protecting someone or seeking justice for her father’s death. It shows that she is thinking strategically and that she is willing to use her authority to pursue a personal mission, even in the midst of war. This moment adds intrigue and sets up her next actions in the following chapter.

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