Servants Of Camelot [Alex | Gwen]

[Guinevère]

Guinevère picked up the plates on the table, after the 'nobles' have finished their meal, and started to carry the tray full of dishes back to the kitchens. The dishes were a complete mess, as the new queen was rather . . . different, and she enjoyed the mess. While Gwen wasn't sure how to handle the troll queen, knew enough to keep her head down and do as she was told until things changed.

And she was hoping Arthur found a way to change things soon. She knew this had to be worrying him, as even the servants could tell that she was not going to be a fair and just ruler.

Gwen was a naturally happy person, who enjoyed people and loved her job. She was a handmaiden to the king's ward, which made her a servant of the royal household. It was a high honor for someone with her age and background and it was something she was very, very proud of. Still, it was hard to be optimistic and joyful when the queen was a troll, your best friend was wanted for crimes against her, and the prince you secretly loved was just disinherited.

WHEN: Mid-Season 2; Troll ep so you have something to laugh at.
WHERE: Kitchens, and Servant areas
WHO: Guinevère, and Alexander

[Alexander]

((ooc: Greatest choice of time!))


Alexander fought the urge to sigh as he eyed the piles of dishes sitting next to the water basin. He was quite used to having a lot of work but this was ridiculus. Ever since the new queen had arrived things just seemed to be getting messier. Then again, it certainly gave Alex something to laugh about. However, when he had revealed the scandalous information to a few friends down in town the other day they hadn't found it very amusing. Apparently higher taxes are not funny even if they are layed down by a troll whom the king seemed to be madly in love with.

Alex shook his head sharply to clear the distracting thoughts and stood up from his perch on a counter. Approaching warily, Alex set his mind to the task ahead. He even hummed as he got to work to keep himself in a better mood. It was probably a good thing that no one else seemed to be within earshot since they would most likely laugh. People tended to find it funny that Alex was always in a good mood. It didn't really bother him though. Alex was glad to be someone who could lighten moods.

Speaking of lightening moods, his eyes were drawn to a girl as she entered the kitchens via the dining hall. She seemed to have another load of dishes for him to clean as well. Alex grinned from ear to ear and let himself saunter over to meet her halfway.

"Bring a present for me? I'll bet you need help with those." He spoke quickly with a light tone and payed no mind to personal space as he came to stand directly in front of her. He continued to smile and tilted his head slightly to observe her.

"I'm Alex."

[Guinevère]

Entering the kitchens she was rather glad when Alex offered to take her arm load. It was a long walk from the dinning hall, to the kitchens when one was carrying a arm load of messy plates, cups and left over rotting food. Which she was very sure, had not been rotting when she'd carried it in there. It was enough to make one wonder about the new queen's eating habits--and wish to avoid them. She rather felt horrid for the knights who could not leave the king's table with out causing insult. She at lest could hurry off to fetch something, or disappear all together if she wished. This was why it was so much better to be a servant, then a noble.

"Yes, please." She told him when he offered to help her out. She handed him the try but then quickly moved to take part of the dishes so it would not be to heavy. She was willing to share the work load but not foster it off on another. Servants had enough to do with out causing other more work.

"I'm Guinevère, but everyone calls me Gwen." Guinevère was to fancy for a serving girl. "If you need help, I would love a reason to delay returning." She said with a bright, and slightly amused smile. While nothing was amusing about this to her, she knew better then to wallow in negative. She would do everyone more good but promising things would get better rather then complaining and bring everyone down with her. Gwen was a very positive person, and had hope in everyone. Especially Arthur, he would find a way to right this. He would save them . . . and his father; from the troll.

[Alexander]

Alex let her take some of the weight. He wouldn't mind carrying everything, but it spoke well for her character that she wanted to help. His smile only grew as he easily lifted the remaining dishes and started to leade her to the wash basin.

"You are very much welcome fair Gwen. Far be it from me to let someone so pretty haul this around with no help." He winked and continued to walk. He felt his jovial mood expand to give him a lightess of step. Talking with people was always his forte in life and he felt the want to continue to speak to her.

"I would be most appreciative of some help. It seems our new queen is running her own personal campaign against the kitchen staff. I personally think that this place might surprise you with how flexible we've learned we can be." He joked. He observed her still from the corner of his eyes as he put the dishes down with the original pile he had still not finished.

[Guinevère]

He seemed a very happy person, or at lest one in a good mood, and Gwen truly needed that right now. Far be it from her to bring them down with worries. While she knew she could not pretend all was well, she could at lest enjoy a bit of conversation while escaping the nobles upstairs. Morgana would not need her until it was time for bed, and that was a few hours away.

"After seeing the sights of what I must bring down to you; I am surprised now. It appears you have been hard at work, for I only see a slight mess compared to what I knew was being brought down from the midday meals." Because the new queen seemed to enjoy eating a few meals a day.

She sat her own dishes gently over his, not wanting them to topple or fall. She looked down at them and then around the kitchens for a moment. "How would like me to help? I have done dishes before, I can scrub them if you would like a break." After so many dishes one's hand could grown tired. She could offer to take the burden for a while.

[Alexander]

A few meals a day indeed. Alexander had been doing dishes all day. Since the food was always rotted somehow after it was sent out, less dedication was going into making it and more was going into cleaning it. Alex's sleeves were still rolled up from the work. However, he could hardly take credit for all that had been done.

"Well you see, that's the ingenuity of the kitchens. We knew the food gets rotted somehow when it hits the tables so we made special care to use the already sullied plates from midday only for our dear Queen herself. Less work for us and she would never know the difference." He smiled and shrugged. He of course had helped the other servants keep track of which plates were which so that no one else eating in the hall would have been given dirty plates. That would not have ended well and they wanted to give the poor people stuck eating with the Queen at least one saving grace.

"If you would truly like to help, I could always use someone to help dry the dishes after I've scrubbed them. It's quite hard to multitask that well with only two hands. If only servants could grow a second pair of hands life would be that much easier. And no one would take notice since our most radiant Queen attracts so much notice." Joking at royalty's expense was always nice when they were not within ear shot. The Queen was by far not beautiful by any means, but she did radiate something. The smell was still faintly there even though she had not once stepped foot in the kitchens.

[Guinevère]

Gwen gave a soft laugh at her joking, since she knew he did not mean anything in a mean way. While the new queen might be her one exception, Gwen did not enjoy the type of gossip that would hurt others. The sort of that made people cry when they heard it repeated. However, she believed that Alexander was more honestly teasing rather then saying things just to make fun of the queen; which was why Gwen sound it refreshingly funny, rather then rude.

"How ingenious of you, to recycle." She told him, after he had explained about reusing the dishes. She did made a slight face at the talk of rotting food, as the memory of how it got rotten was enough to turn her stomach. She doubted he would want to know such a fact, she she remained silent on that topic.

"With out new queen, I think four armed servants might look almost normal." She returned the joke, thinking life would be easier with more hands. She decided she liked Alexander, he reminded her of Merlin in a way, always seeing up positive side of life. The world needed more people like Merlin, and Alexander.

She started pulling up her dress sleeves, and tucking them into them selves, as she spoke again. "Truly, if you wish a break from washing I will not mind. You should take a break while you can." She wanted to try again, just to make sure he knew she was honest about her offer of helping with the hard work. She picked up a clean cloth to be ready to dry as well.

[Alexander]

Alexander was glad to see she joined his joking. It was nice to find someone who would take part in his good mood. Most people in the kitchens seemed to not have the time nor the care to joke around much. With all the work to be done on a daily basis there wasn't always too much off time. Alex tried his best to keep a steady flow of chatter to amuse everyone, and it tended to have mixed results depending on the occasion.

"I believe I am capable of washing with the two hands that I do have. You will just have to suffice in place of a second pair of arms. If you dry we should be done in no time." He said and picked up the first plate. He scrubbed at it for a second and let his mind marvel at the fact food had even rotted that quickly, as well as how dirty a plate that was clean an hour ago had been soiled so efficiently. He merely quirked an eyebrow as he studied the grime before happily taking a cloth to it's edges. The plate grew cleaner by the second. He even hummed a few more bars in his light tenor.

"Most people think work is dull, but I find if you simply pass the time in some way it can be much simpler." He spoke suddenly, not taking his eyes from what he was doing. He finished a plate and grabbed another. Changing the subject in a moment he glanced at her from the side.

"Haven't seen you before here in the kitchens, you must work elsewhere in the great abyss that are the many twists and turns of the castle. You also have a certain way of speaking... Lady's maid perhaps? Or you could just be used to being around those upperclass folk. Heavens know I've picked up a bit just being around the dining hall every now and then." Somewhere in his mind he was aware he was talking a bit to much, but he was loquatious by nature. He couldn't help the way he always wanted to fill the quiet with chatter. He would wonder that perhaps he was merely afraid of being lonely, but he wasn't one to dwell on such depressing ideas.

[Guinevère]

"You have a deal." She told him as she waited for the first dish to be dried. She glanced around to see where the clean ones would go, so she could make sure to put them away as well. She might as well save him some work. "Most people think work is dull, but I find if you simply pass the time in some way it can be much simpler." She turned to look up at him, and smiled slowly in a friendly way, "I completely agree, or even find a friend to work with."

Most days she worked with Merlin, for they were close and she enjoyed his eternal happiness. No matter what was going on, Merlin could make you smile, and have hope. He was like her brother at times, if not a dear friend. She tired not to worry for him, as right now he could be anywhere. The queen had claimed he had stolen something from her.

Gwen enjoyed how he lead the conversation. She often times could speak just fine, but then she would say something that would not quite sound just right, or she would over think something; or worse get nervous and she would just talk quicker and faster. "I am the lady Morgana's personal servant." She told him, "I spend most my days in her chambers or chaperoning." Unmarried ladies could not be alone with men who was not their family with out gossip, so one of Gwen's jobs was to be there for respectability; she did not mind, Morgana was another one of her friends.

[Alexander]

"Sounds good. I've heard nothing but good things of the Lady." Alex responded. It was true, all of the servants seemed to take a liking to the Lady Morganna. Although Alex had only seen her at a distance he had heard stories of her. It was a hobby among the kitchen workers to share stories of the higher ups. it was always interesting to see how the other half lived out their daily lives.

He finished another dish and set it down. Before picking up the next one he gestured toward a short pile of washed and dried dishes so that she could see where to put them. Running a hand through his hair, he tugged his sleeves up an extra inch. It was a habit you picked up when you worked in the kitchens. you never knew when a sleeve was going to catch fire. His hands were littered with small light scars. Another common trait in the kitchens. Knives were not the easiest tools of trade.

"I almost became an apprentice at a horse merchant's stall when I was younger. I might have ended up finding my way to working in the stables here if I had taken the offer. But, my step-father was a baker and I guess I just took to the idea of working with food." The topic was one Alex enjoyed talking about. There was always a hint of admiration when he talked about his step-father. Although most people were said to resent step-parents, Alex could never see why. His step-father had come in and made his mother happy again. Plus, he was nothing but a good father figure to both Alex and his younger sister Lita. Alex could honestly say that he looked up to the man.

With a showy twirl of a plate he let another washed dish settle into the pile. Starting on another he showed off a bit with an over exagerated gesture of flipping a bowl to land on his finger. He often amused others with this flippant manner toward chores. It certainly made his fellow servants laugh, although the head chef was always joke threatening to give him the worst shifts if he ever broke a dish. Alex merely laughed it off and continued his antics whenever he was sure the chef was watching. He may be clever but common sense could at times be lacking. However, he had not broken a plate yet, so there was something to be said for confidence. It pleased Alex to know that at least he had some talents to boast of. Plus, it was always great to show off in front of new aquaintences.

[Guinevère]

"She is very kind to me." Gwen admitted to him, Glad there was something pleasant to speak of in these times. "I like to think of her as more then just my mistress, but my friend." Which was true, she knew Morgana felt the same way. They were very close; thought Gwen had just started keep secrets from Morgana. Big ones.

She smiled when he talked about his step-father. Gwen missed her own father so badly, she was alone int he city after he died. She had family out there, but none close enough to see. "He's a baker? In the city? I wonder if I have been there and not known it. I often buy my bread in the city." She asked wondering which one he might be. If she had not gotten bread from there she would have to make sure to stop by there one day. Since she did not own an oven she often bought break and just cooked the meat over a stone stove of her fathers.

Gwen was wiping down the plates, and stacking them into the pile he pointed to; but she fully planned to move them to the cupboard or wherever they might call home. She reached for another plate and saw him spin the wet one; her hands moved as if to try to catch it but they did not go to close as she watched him toy with the dish. That was a sign that he'd spend many hours doing this, if he had skill. After a few seconds, she let out a relaxed laugh before moving in to take it before he could drop it.

[Alexander]

"Not worried I'll drop it are you?" Alex asked as he saw her move as if to catch it. He laughed and stilled the plate in his hands. He held it out for her to take with a raised eyebrow. He didn't want to worry her so he might as well lessen his toying with breakable objects. If the head chef had seen this he might give Gwen a reward for taking away something that seemed to stress him to no end. Alex was teasing but took care to not take it too far most of the time. Usually his biggest problem was simply saying to much at any given time.

"You might have been there. I sometimes help out but since we have never met you would probably have seen my mother in the front of the shop. Tall with dark hair and blue eyes. People say I kind of look like her." He smiled and touched his own eyes lightly for a moment. It was really one of the only slightly feminine features on his face. Alex brought his hands down and faced Gwen fully.

"Next time you're in town and need to get bread, just turn left as soon as you get the the main road. The shops right off to the side. Tell them you my friend and you should get a great deal." He was often friendly with many people but he mostly hesitated to call them by the title of 'friend'. It was more that he made friends easily but not very long term. A hazard of his flighty nature. However, he liked Gwen. She was a happy person like himself and genuinely seemed to care for others. He could easily see himself sticking to being her friend for a while.

"Do you board at the castle, or do you live in town? Myself, I stay near the bakery to help out on my off days." He asked pleasantly. He figured since she bought bread in the city she must live there. No point in buying bread in the city if you had to trek all the way from the castle. Plus, in the castle there was normally a constant supply in the kitchens. Alex would know being as he helped carry it around all the time. Sometimes he even got sent to deliver it to other parts of the castle.

[Guinevère]

She laughed and looked up at him, "Actually, with your hands wet and covered in soap I thought you might." She admitted, wondering how many he might have broken while trying to learn to do that. She was sure the number was either very high, or he was very good. Who knew when a talent as a dish flipper could come in handy.

Taking the plate she pretended to study his face. "I might have." She thought for a moment; "Was there a child there sometimes as well? Very young?" She asked trying to see if they were the same people she often went to to get her bread. "If they are you family, I will have tot ell them of your dish flipping talents; and see if they have any stories to share."

"Or even to catch you on an off day." She joked, then her smile slipped as she thought of her father, and brother. "I was Tom the blacksmith's daughter; when he died the prince made sure I was able to keep his home. I live there, in the lower towns." She smiled again, trying to keep the mood bright, "But I stay in the castle some nights, Morgana has nightmares. I like to be there to comfort her."

[Alexander]

"Yes! That would be my little sister Lita! She's always scampering around there. Keep telling her that one day we will find her stuck in the dough." Alex said with no hold on the adoration in his voice. If there was one person he held above all others it was his younger sister. Even while he stood talking to Gwen he could clearly imagine her covered in flour and attempting to copy her mother and help out with the bakery. For a six year old she was very persistent.

"I'm sure they could tell you some stories. Not sure I'd like that. Most people don't like having their most embarrassing stories revealed." He replied to her teasing. He smiled to let her know he was also kidding. To be honest, Alex did enough to either embarrass himself or reveal previous embarrassments himself. That was a problem in talking to much. Alex began to wash another dish but paused when she spoke of where she lived. Since he had been around the palace a while and lived in the lower towns, he was very aware of the story of what had happened to the blacksmith. Not all of the details were available but people talked. Alex had even spoken to Tome once or twice while running errands for his step-father. He had seemed like a really good man.

"I'm sorry for your loss. if you don't mind me saying, I'd met your father once or twice. He was a good man, and he raised a very kind daughter." For a second his usual smile faded. He was acutely aware of what it was like to lose a father. For him it had happened earlier, and he had his mother and later his step-father to help him. However, he hated that someone like Gwen could be left alone like that. He felt himself sympathize immensely with her plight. Yet she had grown and still managed to go on. It was more then most people would have been able to do. it made Alex admire her all the more.

[Guinevère]

Gwen was not completely alone, for she had a brother out there somewhere. He was missing, of sorts. It had been about three years since she had last seen him. Still, she knew what it was like to have a sibling like he was talking about. When he gave her condolences about her father she put on a brave face, with a soft smile. "Thank you, It's nice to know that some people did not think he was evil." Her father had been arrested for magic; and she had feared that most people would think him guilty or worse evil. She knew in her hear neither was true.

"Your sister sounds adorable." Gwen said, as a way of changing the topic to something they both could enjoy rather then damper the mood with her new found friend. "You seem to love her very much." Again she thought back to her own brother, "Girls love their older brothers; you are luck to be close to her. I know it's not so for everyone." she had been close to her brother until he went away. Now she only wondered if he was alive, and safe. "If I ever buy some bread and find a little girl in there, I shall be sure to return her." She teased.

[Alexander]

Alex let her change the subject as soon as he realized is was a touchy subject for her. He knew what it was like to lose a father, but he could not imagine how hard it was to feel like your parents honour was forever in question. So instead of continueing to speak of such things, he transferred his thoughts to Lita and Gwen's new line of conversation. Even at the thought of his sister his smile reappeared.

"Indeed I am lucky to have such a sister. I would most likely consider the person I am closest to." He said beaming. Alex even chuckled at the mention of finding Lita in a piece of bread. She was so small that Alex wouldn't even be surprised if one day a customer found a filling they didn't quite expect. Imagine a small girl leaping from your lunch.

"I would much oblidged kind lady. I fear that someday someone might eat the poor little dear if I am not careful." Although he was joking, the slightest hint of real protective instinct flashed briefly over his features. He might kid about lita, but when it came to her saftey he would do anything in his power to protect her. Silly as Alex may appear, he was quite serious when it came to his Lita.

[Guinevère]

Gwen laughed when he claimed someone might eat his little sister. The darling girl was just to die for the new times Gwen had meet her. She could see that Lita had her brother wrapped around her little fingers. Poor guy, he knew it too. "The man who took over my father's forge, his name Gawain; he has a daughter about the age of four. I often watch her for him, when I have the time and he needs me too. Perhaps we will have to set a play date for the girls?" She offered.

"Unless someone eats her by then." Gwen teased him, following the flow of easy and light conversation. The worries from her life were still foremost in her mind. She still thought about everything that was going horridly wrong above stairs but down here, in these few stolen moments with a new friend it was nice to pretend.

She also thought he was very perspective. There were some who might not have let the topic of her father drop so casually; and he had just let to flow from their conversation. She did not have the backbone to ask people not to talk about her father; she often just put a smile on and tried to be polite so it was very nice that someone was able to understand that it was still hard for her.

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[Alexander]

"I am sure Lita would love that. And I will do my absolute best to keep her undigested until that time." He replied. He was pretty sure he had seen Gawain around before. Plus, he knew that Lita absolutely loved to meet others near her own age. Alex could recall a few instances in which Lita wanted him to take her to play with the other children of the Lowertowns. Of course, Alex had no strength whatsoever when it came to resisting Lita. He could hardly count the number of times when he had caved into her every little whim. It was rather emasculating to be bossed around by a little girl, but Alex made do with the hand he was dealt.

"Watching kids, waiting on the elite... Are you ever not helping people. If all people were as good as you, we would never have to worry about anything." Alex said laughing. He was quite sure he had never encountered someone who seemed so giving and cared so much. It was refreshing compared to the conniving and sometimes mean spirited manner that was common these days. Alex sometimes found himself missing the easy going days when he was young. Everything seemed brighter as a child. It was most likely his want to bring that feeling to everyone that caused his consistent good mood. Making others feel good was reward in itself.

Looking down, Alex realized they had cleaned their way through half of the dishes. He beamed up at Gwen.
"Having you around has certainly made time go faster. That or we have simply worked at the best rate I've ever seen." Alex said incredulously. He was sure that they had only been at work a few minutes. Then again, he wasn't used to having help with his work. Alex was sure he would have to make it up to Gwen in some way. Perhaps he would do something nice for her when she least expected it. Brightening other's days was after all his unofficial job.

[Guinevère]

"I will speak to Gawain and see when might be a good day, and then see when your free." She told him, offering to be the one to try to coordinate everyone. With her waiting on Morgana, her times were the most hardest to tell so she knew it would be best that way. Gwen blushed however, when he started to sing her praises. "Oh, No," She laughed slightly awkwardly, "If everyone was like me then no one would be special. I like things mostly they way they are. Being different is a way of being you."

Then her tone turned teasing, as she tired to shift the conversation off of her, before her blush became noticeable. "Besides, I would not torment the kitchen staff by flipping dishes." She did not mind talking about her self, but when Gwen grew embarrassed or doubtful she tented to start talking quickly and rambled. While she was learning to curve that habit, she did not want to test out her self control. The last thing Alex might want to to be over talked.

Her blush softened, and faded as she spoken in a way that almost sounded like a thank you for her help. Time had gone by quickly, and she was loathe to return. "Yes, well . . . " She looked up at the stones above them, before looking back down to him and giving him a shrug in a silent hint that this was much more fun then being up their with the Troll Queen. "I have enjoyed the relaxed company." She was not planning to leave, just making sure he knew she was not eager to return.

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[Alexander]

"That would be wonderful." Alex replied when she offered to arrange the get together for the little girls. Alex was sure that Lita would love to show her favorite doll to another girl near her own age. Somehow showing it off to Alex didn't have the same weight. Although that didn't stop Lita from also trying to get Alex to grow out his hair so she could practice braiding. On that matter Alex had managed to stand his ground.

"Ah, but torment is such a harsh word. I prefer to call it playfully jesting with." He responded in mock hurt. He even managed to llook a bit sheepish before he shrugged. His grin returned to quickly for him to have been serious in the first place.
"However, I admit you are right. If everyone were the same, I could not admire you so." He said with a repenting look. He gave Gwen a small mock bow before straightening up again.

When Alex heard her say she was enjoying herself, he didn't feel like he could let her go back to the horrors that waited inside the dining room. So Alex tucked his dishtowel in a pocket of his pants and put his hands on his hips.
"I'm glad I've entertained you, but it would be against the unspoken honour code to let you return to the dining room while it is inhabited by unsavory things. So you might as well hang around her a bit longer. If you did I could feel like I am upholding my honour." Alex said it was he felt to be a valiant tone. Of course there wasn't an actually code, but the exuse was the best he could come up with at the moment. That and he didn't want to make Gwen work more. With their chore done they could relax untill the meal was completely over with.