The Wilderness [Lancelot]

[Romily de Braose]

The sun was finally setting on another day. Another day of hard labour and nothing exciting in return for it. Eldon had kindly given her evening off as she’d taken charge of the inn whilst he and his daughter had gone to visit a relative in the next village. Romily had only been too glad of the peace, without Eldon’s constant demands and his daughter giggling like a child at any man who was good looking and made eyes at her.

Romily was seated on a log poking at the ground with a stick. She hadn’t a clue as to how to spend her evening and had spent the last hour or so walking around the forest and picking flowers. But even flower picking couldn’t cure boredom and soon she’d found a clearing where she could watch the sun set before it grew too dark to see a step in front of her. Not that she cared; she knew this place like the back of her hand and knew that she didn’t want to head back to the inn yet.

She’d never taken any notice of just how beautiful the scenery around here was. Most likely because she hadn’t the time to enjoy it. She poked the ground a little more before throwing the stick away and wrapping her cloak around her. No matter how early it was, the nights were still a little cold.
She thought of her father and how he was probably sitting in his chambers – his mind on current affairs and not of his daughter. If he were there now he would’ve asked her what on earth she was wearing as an excuse for a dress, not whether she was getting cold. Romily didn’t care though, if she froze then at least she would in a place where no one would find her. The area she was sat in was rather secluded after all.
She knew that if she stayed out any longer she’d have to make a fire from all the twigs and wood she’d found littering the ground around her.

Romily was going to stay out for as long as she wished. Besides, why waste a beautiful moment like this?

Timeline: Before the end of Series 3
Tag: Lancelot [/color]

[Deleted]

It had been some time since Lancelot had been this close to Camelot. It was still a good distance away, but it wasn't that far, Lancelot tried to think of the place as little as he could, even though almost of the people that he might call friends were likely there. the problem was ... that was where Gwen was .... and where Gwen was Arthur was sure to be close by. At least that was how he had expected things would be.

He noticed that the day, or at least its daylight had pretty much escaped from him. He guessed that his mind was wandering. He cursed himself silently for acting so stupidly. Letting your mind wander in relatively unfamiliar territory, even for an accomplished knight was dangerous. Except, he reminded himself, he wasn't really a knight, at least of Camelot, anymore.. His sword and lance and bow were for hire these days.

He had finally grown tired of riding his black stallion, and had decided to take the load off his horse's back .... to give him a rest and was leading him through the sparse woods of the edge of the forest. He had been told that there was an Inn in this general direction, but he had not run across any sign of one, or even a village, or a road or path indicating that one was nearby. His horse had caught the whiff of fresh grass before he had seen it, and its muzzle had poked out of the forest to nibble on some fresh blades.

While his black Arabian, Sher-Fore, had found his meal, Lancelot stepped out at the the far end of a log lying against the edge of the forest, that was fringed with some flowers. The flowers reminded him of something that Gwen would probably have admire. However, Lancelot did not expect to see anyone here in this clearing, let alone a pretty maiden sitting at the end of the log, playing with the dirt at her feet with a stick that she was prodding it with.

The girl was apparently staring off in the other direction, probably watching the beams of sunlight moving through the tree branches as the light slowly faded. Lancelot reasoned that his presence was probably hidden by the glow of that light. He also expected that she would find his presence here as much a surprise, or more, than he had found hers. He wondered silently whether there was a way to make his presence known without scaring her half to death.

He considered that the evening chill would be settling in quickly and she did not appear to really be dressed in such a manner that would ward off much of the cold. So, he figured that she would be either going to some warmer shelter, or would be building a fire. It did not make much sense for a pretty young lady to be out here by herself, so Lancelot naturally hoped that she had some shelter that she might be willing to share with him.

He figured that one way he could quietly announce himself was with his horse, so Lancelot dug in his pocket for some dried apples that he carried with him, figuring that the sound of the horse's munching would attract her attention. At least that was the plan.

[Romily de Braose]

Romily shivered slightly, it was growing colder by the moment so it seemed. The sun was now close to it’s peak on setting and the forest had become darker.
She was sure that she could hear something coming from the trees, probably a deer or fox. It was possible, given the amount of wildlife that she’d seen roaming these parts.

Darkness had partially obscured some of the forest from her sight, so it was hard to tell where the noise was coming from, but as turned around to see what animal could be lurking close by she found that it wasn’t an animal at all. Well, it was an animal; a horse to be precise, but next to the horse was a man, watching her. Romily froze, she had no idea whether to run back to the safety of the inn or try to fight him off if he came near her.
She decided to go with the first option; she couldn’t care less if he thought of her as a cowardly maiden who would go running at the first sigh of danger.

Romily immediately jumped up and backed away from him, looking for anything that could be used as a weapon. Now where was that stupid stick she’d thrown earlier?!
She kept her eyes on him as she backed away further; he was tall with dark hair – great, she was going to be killed by a man and his horse in a clearing where no one could find her.

“If you want to kill me, then you may as well get it over and done with” she announced bravely, even though she was sure that her voice had come out just as shaky as it had sounded. “I’ve no weapon on me if that helps”

Why? Oh why did she have to go and say that – it now made her appear more vulnerable than she already was! She decided to go for the ‘keep them talking’ option in her mind, if it proved to be a distraction, then perhaps she could make conversation long enough to finally make a run for it. As much as she tried to open her mouth, no words would come.

[Deleted]

He saw, before she ever seemed to recognize that he was there, that she was shivering slightly in the early-evening air. It was no wonder, really, given that what she was wearing did not seem to have the ability to hold much heat. It seemed, though, now, that she seemed to sense that there was someone there, given that her body had changed from a shiver to a jerk of apprehension.

He could see her eyes, even from this distance, and she seemed to have caught sight of his handsome Arabian. Well, he could forgive her of that. He was much easier on the eyes, than he was, Lancelot thought to himself. Within a few moments, long moments it seemed to him, it appeared that she had caught sight of him, and she did not appear to have a very pleasant reaction. Her initial defensive reaction seemed to give way to one of a frozen statue. It did appear that the shock of his appearance was so great that she couldn't decide whether to fight or to flee. He thought in the present situation it just best if he kept calmly feeding his Stallion.

Despite his best attempt to show calmness, and lack of a threat, it was obvious that that was what she took him as. At the same time as she had sprung up from the other end of the log and taken several steps backward, she looked from side-to-side, as if she was looking for a weapon of some type. Since he had seen nothing in either hand, given the nature of the way she was dressed, he didn't figure that she was carrying any weapons at all, let alone a concealed one.

At her sudden aggressive statement, he looked up momentarily, before going back to feeding his horse the apple. "If I had been interested in robbing, or killing you, milady, surely its obvious that I would have just sneaked up behind you so that you could not escape. I thank you, though, for making it clear how lightly armed you are. Given the weapons that i have, compared to you, certainly I would have made short work of you, if that had been my intent,“ he said, smiling ever so slightly.

He had to admit, the obvious humor in this situation was so obvious that he could barely stop himself. Here was a woman, with no weapons, trying to act as if she could take on the world, and here he was, a well-armed knight doing everything he could do to prevent conflict. However easy the aggressive words had been, he now saw her mouth open, but no words spewing forth. "Really milady, although I am no knight, I am not a threat to you .... umm .... aren't you getting a bit chilly? I do have a blanket here that could at least keep you warmer than you are now."

[Romily de Braose]

He spoke about having no intention on hurting her, but even if he had done then she’d already be dead. Short work? Yes he would’ve made that of her but if she had happened to have had a weapon on her then she wouldn’t have been afraid to swing it around a bit. She stated this to him, “You’re lucky I had no weapon on me then” she told him, smirking slightly as he appeared to be doing so now. She could tell that he thought this was some kind of a joke so why carry on as it was? “I am no lady” she brushed this off, “just a girl trying to make ends meet”.

Romily had no intention of taking on this man now she cautiously went and sat back down on the log. He looked like a knight, and Romily hated Knights (as well all know). He hadn’t exactly made her opinion soar any higher of them. “You have a beautiful horse,” she said, only at this moment noticing that it was indeed a very fine beast.

She looked up as he asked if she was cold. “You’re not a knight?” she frowned, “but…you certainly look like one at that” she smiled slightly so as to show that she was waving the white flag. “And I’m fine, thank you for your concern anyway– I should be getting back to the inn soon, but I’m staying here for a while longer – I don’t want to have to be roped into working when im not supposed to be” she chuckled.

“And what about you? This place is so secluded that not even the most lost of travellers come across it,” she stated. “What is your name?"

She knew that this was total madness but it seemed as though he had no intention of hurting her and appeared more gentle in manner than most strangers. She wrapped her cloak around her a little more, as much as a blanket would be perfect for that kind of temperature right now, she knew that she’d be on her way soon.

[Deleted]

She seemed to be quite stressed, despite his concerted effort to not be a threat, or considered as one. It was as if she was trying to figure out the multitude of different threats that he might be able to pose, so she could select the absolute worst possibility. It seemed, though, as long as she was tying to figure everything out, as flustered as she apparently was, she could not come to a stable conclusion. And she continued to step back until she sat on the log again. He stayed right where he was, trying to force some calm on the tense situation.

"Yes, I would suppose I am lucky. However, it was pretty obvious that you weren't hiding anything in that dress." he chuckled once more, and said, "well .... being a lady is often more in the eye of the beholder than in the bearer, and who's to say hat a girl can't be a lady as well?" It was becoming obvious to Lancelot that the girl was accepting the fact, slowly, that he meant no immediate harm, as she sat down on the log once more.

"Yes ..... yes ..... Sher-Fore is a handsome horse .... definitely my better half. We have seen each other through many a battle .... most of which were close-run things, dependent on his speed and tactical gallops and my crazy ideas." He wondered if she had just taken a look at them once more, evaluating them once more.

"No ..... I am not a knight ..... I once was ..... but it was for a very short time. However, it has felt like I have been training my whole life to become a knight. And what exactly is a Knight supposed to look like," he said laughing, glad to see a smile break out across her face. "Very well .... I wouldn't want to keep you .... an Inn you say? Would there be any room for any other boarders perchance?" He smiled as she talked about why she didn't want to go back. "Me? .... oh I know much of this forest, include the extensive Forest of Balor quite well. When I was knighted, I was known as Sir Lancelot Du Lac, then simply as Lancelot the slayer of the Gryffon." It was getting quite dark now, so he assumed that she would want to go to a safe place where she would feel safe and secure .... perhaps this Inn she had spoken of ......

[Romily de Braose]

She smiled as he stated that she couldn’t have anything to hide in her dress. It was true; the dress wasn’t exactly made to conceal sharp weapons or any weapon at all for that matter. His words made her feel at ease, now it was obvious that he was not here to cause any harm to her.

Romily got up and made her way over to him and his horse. “What kind of battle?” she asked a little curiously and then remembered that perhaps he did not want to share any memories; they could be ones he wanted to forget. “Im sorry, I shouldn’t have asked like that”, she apologised and leant back against a tree trunk. She listened as he stated that he was a knight once, but not anymore. This made her frown a little – why had he chosen to give up his status? He’d basically just explained that he’d spent all his life training for such a role.

“I have come across Knights before – I am ashamed to admit that I stereotype them and all because of one bad incident that involved a man of that role. I guess I just see a knight as being very arrogant and striding around as though he owns the place just because he can fight with a sword.” That sounded harsh, and very wrong! “Please, don’t be offended when I say this, and it appears that my judgement on the matter is very wrong indeed as you do not appear anything like what I have just described to you at all, I guess im just being shallow and the way that you are dressed threw me a little”. She gave him another apologetic smile.

He seemed interested when she mentioned the inn. She had no idea how long he’d been travelling for and nodded, “I work as a barmaid at the local inn in the village just the other side of the forest.” She told him, “as for any room, we have some free if you want to have a comfier night with a roof over your head rather than a forest floor” she smiled.

“Lancelot?” she nodded as he told her his name, “it suits you”

Perhaps she should introduce herself rather than just stand there, “Im Romily, although people simply know me as Millie” she shrugged, “or – if we get on very technical matters – Millie the barmaid” she chuckled lightly. “Why don’t you come back to the inn with me, it’s getting darker and a lot colder, if you like what you see then you’re more than welcome to stay the night”.

[Deleted]

Well, at least she was relaxed enough to smile, and perhaps she would actually now have a sense of humor, he thought. If he was even only going to send a few minutes in her company it would be nice to have someone who could tell or listen to a good joke, or have at least one funny story to tell, he hoped. At least, he hoped, she was not going to fearful at every move he made.

What was this, he thought, she was actually willing and comfortable enough to approach him, and now her body language was one in which she was a more confident female than the one he had just witnessed. "Many kinds in many different kinds of place, milady. Nay .... there is nothing for you to apologize for. What is there else for a knight ..... or a former knight ..... other than to talk about his battles," he chuckled. "What other conquests could he speak on, I wonder," he said with the slightest of a twinkle in his eye, which itself rapidly vanished.

He listened to her go on about the negative way that she felt about knights as well as her apology, and he shook his head slightly in a negative way. "If that is how you truly believe, do not hide that truth, for it accomplishes nothing but concealment, and its bound to come out anyway. So ..... be truthful. I can only assume that at some point one or more of my brother knights did something to you or someone you know that was bad, if not evil. I hope that my conduct will be seen more positively, and that I will earn some measure of trust for knights back in your most beautiful eyes. I would never say you re shallow, and what do mean by referring to my manner of dress?"

Lancelot did not know what her reaction would be when he made inquiries of the Inn. However, he was quite tired, and would have done almost anything to have a warm and dry place to rest himself and sleep, as well as get something good to eat and drink. "A barmaid .... you are not a noble woman then. I would have never have guessed. Yes ... yes .... though the forest floor is a welcome friend of mine ..... I would welcome such a room in the Inn even more, especially if I might be assured of more of your company," he smiled.

"And does the name 'Lancelot' suit me in a good or a bad way, I wonder," he said raising his eyebrows slightly. "Romily ..... Romily ..... sounds to be a strong but still feminine name in nature. Millie is a good but more common name I would say. Which do you prefer?," he asked. "Yes ..... that sounds like a fine idea ..... come Sher-Fore ..... come. Lead on ..... then .....," he said hooking his arm in hers as he brought himself to his full height. "I'm not sure how much further I could have gone without taking full advantage of the forest floor."

"I'm sure that the Inn will be most satisfactory. If you are representative of it I am sure I will find it as good of an Inn as I have ever stopped at." he said with a little wink and a smile, hoping that had not been too forward, but he was desperately tired and needed a drink, a meal, and a place to rest his head. So he hoped that this Inn would fit the bill. The young lady, at least so far, was a nice side benefit. It had been some time since he had had one so lovely to talk to.

[Romily de Braose]

He was quite chivalrous – Romily had to admit that she found herself feeling a little more comfortable than earlier. Possibly because he was making conversation with her and not looking at her chest!

Lancelot seemed to have hit the nail right on the head when mentioned about assuming her previous experiences with knights had been bad. She felt the lump in their throat form but swallowed it and smiled. “You are right, the incident was not pleasant, it may have wounded me slightly but I suppose for that to heal I need to be proved that no other knight is like he was”. She blushed slightly when he mentioned her eyes. “Talking to you is a good sign right now” she smiled, “so I guess the trust is beginning to form – as for how you are dressed, I gathered that no one would wear chain mail just for fun” she smirked.

Her breathing almost stopped when he appeared to mistake her for a noble. “If I had a gold coin for every time I hear that…” she chuckled, “No, unfortunately im not a noble, for some reason people assume I am, but I’ve yet to find out their reasons. And as for company, it’s my job to make visitors welcome, so company you shall have” she told him.

“A good way, it sounds like quite a brave name” she told him honestly, it did. “And I prefer whatever, I go by both names anyway so it doesn’t matter to me”. Lancelot seemed to welcome the idea of staying at the inn and so Romily nodded in the direction they would be headed and began to start walking.

She laughed lightly, “a good representative? One could only wish”. He was very polite and not at all how she’d judged before. “Anyway, if you tell that to my landlord then im sure he’d be over the moon” Eldon liked it when the compliments flowed and even though he treated her like a skivvy, Romily knew that this job was what her life was only about at the moment.

It wasn’t long before she could see The Ram in sight and as they drew closer she pointed to it. “That’s the inn, there is a stable where your horse can rest too -once we get inside I’ll get you something to eat and drink, then prepare a room for you”. She knew that Eldon wouldn’t do it and Eldon’s daughter would either be out or flirting with the local men. “And then? Then you can have my company without me having to take any orders – it is my night off after all”.

Finally! A man who she could actually hold a conversation with, without having to beat him off with a stick!

[Deleted]

He could tell by her body language, and the way she smiled and spoke that she was becoming more comfortable with his presence. He found that a relief, especially after his tiring journey. He could do without the stress of others having a lack of trust in him.

She was quite pretty, and of course, as long as he wasn't obvious about knowing that fact, perhaps their conversation could be easier and much more pleasant, he hoped. He could tell by the expression on her face that what he had said had hit pretty close to home. However, her own words had done most of the implying for him. So, it had not taken much to figure out her words. "Knights, especially Knights of Camelot are supposed to live by a code that prevents that kind of ill treatment. However, they are not saints, as no no man is, but one would think that such men would be above such conduct. I do not know who has wronged, and it is probably est that I not know, or why would seek them out for a pr punishment, be they of Camelot or not," he said quite evenly and seriously.

He saw her look away suddenly when he mentioned her eyes, which he found quite curious, since by her actions he thought that it could have been accompanied by a blush. "It is curious, I think that a barmaid at a public place would be prone to shyness about her appearance, especially since her beauty is so apparent, and I assume has been commented on before by others. It just makes sense." He smiled in return , as her look of shyness converted into a smile and a favorable comment. "Yes, talking is always a good sign. If leaders are willing to talk its a sign that fighting is not desired and may not take place. Fighting is often such a terrible waste. For fun ... I hardly think so," he chuckled.

He stopped and turned as she spoke about being a noble. "Well .... you carry yourself as noble would .... full of confidence. At any rate, I have found you more than capable of making me feel welcome ... after your initial shock wore off, at least, and I will look forward to your company," he said with a wide smile.

"Really," he remarked. "Nobody has ever really said anything, positively or negatively, about my name in the past. It has just always been there. I see .... well then Millie it will be! There ... how's that for a command decision?" Lancelot always tried to be as polite as he could be, even though he was no longer a knight, officially, he still looked on himself as having those responsibilities. However, the nature of his existence had not been as a social creature. He had never had the need to go out and seek human companionship. However, he found this young lady easy to talk to, or to just quietly walk with ... much as he had felt with Gwen, although, he knew that nobody could ever replace her.

"Yes .... you are. I don't think many employers are aware of how much their success is built on the attitude of their workers and their ability to keep the customers tranquil, if not happy. If you want me to speak to him of course I will. However, it may have to wait until I see you skills displayed at the Inn first-hand."

They walked pretty much side-to-side, she leading him slightly, as his black stallion trailed behind them. She pointed out the Inn to him as they quickly approached as they left the trees and entered into an open clearing. "Will I need to bed my stallion, or will there be someone to take care of him? ..... Food, drink, and a prepared room? Now you are making me feel like nobility from Camelot," he said with a raised eyebrow as they walked forward. "Your night off .... then wouldn't you prefer to be doing something else than entertaining a lodger at Inn," he asked. "Surely you have something or someone better to divert your attentions during what free time you are given," he wondered.

[Romily de Braose]

Romily could only smile and nod when he mentioned about the code that was upheld by the Knights of Camelot. He also said about seeking out the perpretatior for punishment. “You may know of him, he is a Knight of Carmelide called Sir Frederick l'Adoube” she told him, “may appear nice on the outside, but a traitor on the inside” she felt her fists clench slightly.
It was amazing how after she thought she’d got over the betrayal that he was still able to get under her skin. It wasn’t even her fault! He’d led her on and then her father had caught them at the wrong time!

When Lancelot spoke about her being shy about her appearance she nodded. “Many people have said the same thing. I tend to shy away from it though – I do not think of myself as beautiful so I guess it still makes me become more shy when people comment on it” she told him.

She could only laugh when he chose to go with Millie. “Everyone knows me by that name anyway – it’s very rare that I am called Romily by anyone these days” she replied, “But I like it”.
He was certainly beginning to give her a little bit of leeway in her mind about Knights and what they stood for. He seemed entirely different to any other that she’d met. He wasn’t arrogant and didn’t go on about his rank. Perhaps not all of them were bad. Well Lancelot at least. She found his conversation fascinating and not once did she feel as though the conversation was going nowhere.

As they walked, Lancelot announced that his horse needed to be accommodated for. “There’s a stable round the back. I can take your horse there and leave it with the stable boy” she confirmed and then chuckled as he went on about feeling like nobility. “It’s all in the job description, so im hardly going out of my way”, she pulled her cloak around her a little more. It was becoming a lot colder now.
“I have no friends, and I hardly get any free time – this is the first night ive had off in months” she replied bluntly, “I wouldn’t have anything else to do anyway except sit in my room and sew” she gave a small shrug, “Besides, I like conversation, especially when it’s interesting – and ours appears to be, so if you do not mind then I shall entertain” A small smirk ran across her lips.

They were now practically outside the inn. Romily took the horses reins from Lancelot. “Go on inside and find a table, I’ll join you once your horse has been taken care of” she told him.

[Deleted]

Lancelot listened to her closely as she both smiled at his mention of the Code and her more detailed explanation of her interaction with a knight that had gone bad for her. He found her knowledge of the Code both interesting and unsettling. She had apparent knowledge of it, but no confidence in a knight to live by it. He seethed internally that any man, night or not, noble or peasant, would behave in such a way.

"No Millie, I do not have knowledge of him. If I had run across him, and he had acted in a similar manner, our blades or lances would have crossed, I am sure. I have served several nobles in several kingdoms, but mostly in Wessex, and for a small stretch of time in Camelot. A man such as that, with such rottenness on the inside is bound to have it bleed out eventually," he grimaced.

"It is your bad fortune to have been the one to befall his designs, no doubt. You can rest assured that if I would run across him that I would deal with him. If he is lie most of that ind, you were undoubtedly not the first, nor will be the last. Do not feel that you need to go into any more detail of his treatment of you. The violation that you have expressed is more than sufficient for a true knight to act, even if he does not still formally hold the title."

She was not so shy, he found, to agree with him about how she beheld her own appearance. "It does not matter whether you speak on it or not, although being reticent about it does indicate a certain humility that many would find appealing. Besides, whether you admit it outright or not, does not alter the fact of your beauty. The only thing you could is try to hide it. I can think of no two things more difficult to hide than outer and inner beauty. They are both more obvious than the bearer often can imagine, I think."

He wondered why he was so free with the compliments with this one. Lancelot assumed that he had not had the opportunity to be social much in his life, and he found her easy to talk to. "Well .... if you wish it .... and it pleases you ..... I am am more than happy to call you by that name. I suppose that was your given name. It may be apparent to others, but is beyond my simple mind .... but why are you not called by that name more by others?"

As they walked he got a different feeling and a different attitude from her. Her defensiveness .... aggressive defensiveness .... had given way, finally. He had been patient, perhaps more patient than he should have been. Although she wasn't going to openly trust him, he thought, perhaps she would treat him with an open mind. It had been a sheer stroke of luck,too, that she not only knew where an Inn was, but worked there herself. It didn't hurt that she was easy to talk to as well.

"Yes .... well ..... that makes sense. To have a profitable Inn you must have a pace for the riding horses as well as any coaches that might be used for travel. It is not necessary, Millie, you can just point me in the right direction. I don't want you to go out of your way for just another lodger. ... Well .... if you're sure that you don't mind ..... I'm sure Sher-Fore will appreciate the company of a pretty girl, even for a short time," he said with a slight smile. "You need a heavier cloak .... would you want mine," he asked.

"I understand. The nature of my life is to have few friends .... at least friends that I can trust and that trust me. Except for Merlin of course. That doesn't seem quite fair .... the first night off in months? And you would want to spend it keeping me company? Your options must be few and far between," he chuckled slightly. "It is rare thing when anyone has said my conversation is interesting. No .... no .... I can't say that I would mind in the least," he said with the slightest of twinkles in his eyes.

She didn't hesitate to take the reins of his stallion from him. In some ways she seemed to possess a lot of self-confidence, he thought. She obviously had no fear of him, and he wondered if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "Yes, milady, as you command," he said with a slight dip of his head and turned to walk through the entrance, finding a table a good distance from the bar, and against one of the walls. He took a seat, leaning back in his chair against the wall, and began to wait.

[Romily de Braose]

Romily laughed lightly as Lancelot asked why people never called her by her real name. “It sounds too…” what could she say? She couldn’t say noble – then her whole cover was blown and questions would be raised. “Too superior” she told him, “and Millie has stuck with me since I arrived in the village so im just used to being called that and introducing myself as by that name now”. She explained.

She declined his offer of a cloak “I’m fine – besides we’re almost there”.

“Believe it or not I find you interesting” she told him honestly, “and I guess it’s nice to find someone who I can actually hold a conversation with once in a while. Especially talking about different subjects – I get so bored of the locals droning on about their hard day and why im not married yet, so to me, this is my definition of an interesting conversation”.

Once taking Lancelot’s horse to the stables, Romily headed on inside the inn where she found him sitting leant back against one of the walls at a table. She got him a drink and then went to make up his room and lastly, to bring him something to eat. “Here you go – you look hungry” she smiled and placed the plate down in front of him.

Romily then took a seat opposite Lancelot. “So I’ve prepared your room, whenever you want to go just say and I’ll show you to it.” She took a sip from her own drink; she’d have something to eat before she went to bed later on that evening. “And welcome to my home” she gestured to the lively bar around her. “Every girls dream, this is”.
She couldn’t help but laugh to herself. Hopefully, one day she’d finally be free of Eldon and his ways. But for now – she just had to call this home.

“So…how long have you been wandering the forest then?” she asked, conversation needed to be made and Romily felt slightly awkward when the man sat opposite her was clearly tired.

[Deleted]

As they approached the Inn, Lancelot listened to Millie .... or Romily talk about her name, and why she didn't use what was apparently her given name. He found it quite curious how the name she didn't want to use, the more elaborate one, was probably her given name. It seemed likely that her origins were somewhat more elevated or even noble than he present station as a barmaid might indicate. "Too superior .... I think not .... I think rather it has a certain amount of beauty .... like its bearer." However, he thought,what she wanted to be called was her own affair.

She went on to decline his ready offer of his own cloak for her use. It was obvious that she was quite cold as they approached the Inn. True, it apparently wasn't far, but it didn't change the fact of how she was feeling. Besides, it was the knightly thing to do and offer. "As you wish, Millie, but I still saw it as my place to make the offer as any gentleman or knight would offer, even though I am currently neither one."

As they came within a few steps of the door of the Inn, Lancelot smiled slightly at her remarks about her finding him to be interesting and it being a pleasure to have someone to talk to. "Forgive me ..... Millie .... but I have never been talked about in that way by anyone ever before, perhaps with the exception of one. I have lived quite a solitary life, not one where I was expected to, or given the opportunity to have much ability to socialize with others. Hmmmm ..... as far as that goes I would not look on it as my responsibility to load you down with my problems or what has transpired in my life. Each of us, in our own way, has our own crosses to bear, and I fail to see why we should force others to bear our pain."

The other question though was an interesting one. Why hadn't she gotten married? Perhaps it had to do with her station in life here at the Inn he pondered. Anyway, it was not a proper question for him to ask he considered. If she decided it was something he should know she would tell him soon enough,after bringing it up herself. Besides, after this night it was likely that he would never see her again, as he would wander on once the night was over.

It would be best if it he kept these questions to himself, he thought, as he had gone through the entry and found the table that he wanted. He saw some curious stares from the bar at the front,and even more when she came in and got him a drink of Ale, and later came back with some food for him. He quickly got the impression that she was not one who cared much about,or even thought about,what others thought. "You are most kind .... yes .... indeed I am .... good meals are tough to find on the road," he responded.

"Again ..... you have been most kind ..... it was not necessary for you to go to so much trouble .... for me. I think that I owe you at least some conversation first, at least when I am finished with this plate." Lancelot was quite hungry, and he spent the next several minutes devouring what she had brought. He indicated,though, that what she had brought was more than enough for his needs. It would not be a good thing to have his stomach get used to too much food. He needed to keep his stomach small, so that it would be satisfied with the small amounts he would likely get as he traveled on down the road. She was indeed a pleasant sight to look on as he completed his meal, though. It wouldn't displease him to stay more than a single night, especially with this kind of attention. He laughed lightly at her comment. "If you are satisfied with it that is all that matters."

Finally, though, she asked a question,and it was a variation of one that he had been expecting,one about his past. "Hmmmm ..... several possible answers are possible,depending on exactly what you are asking. Are you asking how long I have been wandering through this particular stretch of forest, or how long have I been wandering. Or perhaps more to the point, how and why did I start on this wandering path that I have taken up,eh? So, which is it to be?"

[Romily de Braose]

"Too superior .... I think not .... I think rather it has a certain amount of beauty .... like its bearer."
Romily blushed and looked away. It wasn’t hard not to like Lancelot. Even if he was a knight – or ex knight, he was still very charming. Then again – Frederick had been charming too, that was until…

Well, anyway she finally regained some composure. “I am anything but that,” she told him, “whatever people may say I still think of myself as rather plain.”
Her father had drummed that one into her. even when she was looking nice in her dresses he’d still sigh and say that she would never make any man happy.

“You and I both” she told him as he explained about a solitary life, “I was kept shut away – im not one for large crowds of people because of it. Just going to the market makes me feel giddy – but I am getting used to it. I used to be afraid but since meeting new people it’s allowed me to socialise more – and my job defiantly gives a lot of that”.
It was then she frowned. “Did you not socialise with many people when you were a knight?” she asked. Surely he had some friends to rely on?


She watched Lancelot as he ate. At least he’d have a proper meal this evening. He was quite handsome now she was seeing him up close. Dark hair with kind eyes. Romily knew that he was no ordinary knight, but kept to the standards that were expected of him all the same. Even if he was no longer active within that rank. “It was no trouble at all – I treat the guests as though they are friends,” she told him, before spying Eldon’s daughter beckoning her over. “If you will excuse me” she smiled and got up – heading over to where Eldon’s daughter was hanging over the bar.

“Who’s that and where can I get one?” she smirked

“A guest – and you can leave him alone, he’s very tired from his journey”

Eldon’s daughter pursed her lips, “and I suppose that you are the one who shall be making him more…comfortable?”.

Romily rolled her eyes at the accusation. “I shall be making sure he gets a peaceful night without any distractions – if that is what you’re implying?”

“It must be so hard for him” Eldon’s daughter sighed and rested her chin on her palm, “distractions are so easy to come by when you are around”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Nothing” Eldon’s daughter pushed herself off of the bar, “I was just merely stating that you’ve been known to turn more than a few heads since your arrival”.

If this was her way of saying that Romily was pretty then Romily wasn’t buying it. Eldon’s daughter was never one for compliments or friendliness for that matter. As she walked away Romily watched her leave before heading back to Lancelot. “Im sorry about that – she’s the landlord’s daughter,” she told him before anymore questions were asked

He then asked about with scenario she was speaking of. Romily thought back for a second on what he’d said, “All three” she smiled, “at least then we have a topic – if you wish to discuss it that is”.

[Deleted]

Lancelot knew it was a compliment, but it was also so clearly obvious and true he thought. He saw her almost immediate reaction to the words as she looked in another direction and her cheeks colored in a slightly scarlet way. Surely he could not be the first to have noticed obvious good looks and commented on them. "My apologies ..... Romily .... if I have offended or insulted you, although I do not know how that could be taken in a bad way."

Eventually, though, she had composed herself and had turned back in Lancelot's direction, denying his compliment and calling herself plain. "I think that you will find that beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder. Of course, you are free to believe what you wish, but that does not reality. My eyes see what they see, and recognize what their vision shows, and I suppose we'll leave it at that," he said as he up into her eyes with his pale blue ones, slightly smiling in a friendly way.

Lancelot had no desire to make her uncomfortable. Their initial meeting had gone so badly, then slowly turning for the better, that he had no desire to have it go in a negative direction now. So he gladly moved on to other subjects. As they stood at the door, he was quite surprised that she had lived a solitary life as he had, but he tried to hide that surprise. How could someone who looked as she did be allowed to have lived a solitary life.

"You were kept shut away? By whom, and why would they wish to do such a thing, unless they wanted to protect you from the prying eyes of others." He wondered for the first time if she was holding back some key points about her past. "Well, I understand that. It doesn't make me feel giddy, but I never sought out people, and even when I was with a mob of people I was separated. My parents said I had the gift of being alone in a group." Those abilities would get further developed by later events, he thought to himself. "Yes, I would expect that working here you would get more than your fill of new people. Hmmmm ..... me ....... socialize? No, my circle of friends was very small, and my time as a Knight of Camelot was very short. So short that I doubt my name even was added to the official listing in the records of the Kingdom."

He had not had many proper meals in the last several months, he considered, and none of this quality. He did not want to eat too much, both out of politeness .... this was her evening off after all .... and he did not want his stomach to get to used to this amount or quality of food. By tomorrow, he expected, he would be living off the land once more. He definitely was not used to someone watching him eat. What was she looking for, he wondered. It was as if she was looking him over, as if for the first time. He noticed, another girl, across the room, was watching him as well.

Lancelot simply nodded his head at her words, as he noticed the girl across the room make eye contact with Romily and motion her over. He finished up his food as she went over to talk to her. He wondered what they could be talking about. It was probably something that was going on in the kitchen, or some message that she was passing on from someone else, he thought to himself.

The conversation didn't last long, and in a few moments she was back at Lancelot's table. He thought her explanation seemed somewhat strange. Instead of saying what the words were that the two women had exchanged she just said who she was, except Lancelot hadn't asked who she was or even what she wanted. However, he just shrugged it off as words between two work girls, and he nodded at her explanation. "Nothing to apologize for, unless you were talking about me, of course," he laughed, thinking it was none of her business. "I hope you told her that it was my responsibility to entertain you on your evening off," he said in a joking way, thinking no more of the exchange between the 2 women.

He knew that she had wanted to engage in conversation so when she had asked the question about wandering he had given her three options that he could talk about. To his surprise she told him all three. "Hmmmm ...... ok .... well lets start with the first one then. I have been traveling through this stretch of forest, a little bit at a time, for several weeks. I was involved in a ..... situation ...... at Hengist's castle," he said as his thoughts darkened over the remembrance of leaving Gwen. "Soon after that I was beset by a group of bandits, was attacked and severely injured. I was lucky to escape with my life. It is only in the last few days that I have felt fully recovered," he said leaving out the person who had treated him and saved his life. "Your other questions involve a much longer story. Are you sure that you want to be bored by my life's history?," he asked.

[Romily de Braose]

She wasn’t used to compliments. She shook it off, “you haven’t offended me, it’s just that no one has really said anything about my beauty before” apart from Frederick, but that was all lies. “and because I was kept away, no one has ever given me a compliment either – im not used to them so forgive my reaction.”

"You were kept shut away? By whom, and why would they wish to do such a thing, unless they wanted to protect you from the prying eyes of others."

Great. That had done it – she was sure that he’d guess of her noble roots now. She couldn’t lie. “My father” she replied, “He was very…protective, of me”. She knew that protective wasn’t even the right word for the situation she and her father had.

After sitting herself down again she laughed at Lancelot’s next words. “As a matter of fact it was you we were talking about actually” she admitted, “Agnes is the landlord’s daughter, and was planning on disrupting your evening” she rolled her eyes, “and given the fact that you look rather tired from your journey I told her to stay away from you- it is for your own good after all, she’s like a vulture when it comes to men” Romily chuckled, “so if you do happen to take a fancy to her – you know where to find her.”
Romily hoped for Lancelot’s sake that he didn’t seek Agnes out. She knew Agnes inside out. She’d play the flirty barmaid and then would lead men into thinking they had a chance. She’d then drop them and move onto the next victim.

Lancelot then explained about how he’d wandered through the forest and had been injured – stating that he’d now recovered. “Are you quite sure?” she asked, what if he hadn’t. “I could always check your injury just to make sure that it is properly recovered”. Eldon wouldn’t be too pleased if he had to remove a body from his inn the next morning. Better to be safe than sorry.

“Why not?” she smiled, she was eager to find out more about this mysterious Lancelot. “I have all evening anyway – tell me more”.

[Deleted]

Lancelot was relieved that he had not offended her. The one thing that he had little of was friends, and he was not looking at losing one so quickly, especially as pretty a one as she was. "It is hard to believe that no one would have noticed and commented on your looks before. There is nothing to forgive. Its just amazing that they would have hid you away unless there was a good reason. Well, then, I will do my best to see that you make up that compliment deficit," he said, smiling broadly for the first time tonight.

He waited patiently to see what her response would be . The expression in her eyes and face indicated a certain hesitation, but it was one that Lancelot wasn't able to decipher quite yet. "Your father ..... well most fathers are quite protective. However, parents of common peasants are generally not protective in that way, especially since their children are not likely to go through the formal process of marriage ..... like a noble would," he said with a still-puzzled look in his eyes.

He saw that she quickly changed the course of the conversation, but Lancelot was determined to return to it at some point. He had just been joking when he had suggested that they had actually been talking about him. So, he was quite amazed to find out that he had actually been the subject of their discussion. "The Landlord's daughter .... so .... in some ways your superior then .... I see. Disrupted ...... what do you mean by disrupted?." He smiled when he came to a dual-realization. That this Agnes was on the prowl for new men that happened to come through the door of the Inn, and that Romily was both trying to protect him from her and was concerned about his fatigue. "That is quite touching, Romily. Are you generally so protective of ill travelers and other men who come through those doors, or am I receiving some kind of special treatment. And if it is special, why are you taking such an interest in this former Knight of Camelot, he wonders. Rest assured ..... I have no interest in ..... Agnes," he said with a slight smile and a sip of his ale.

Lancelot saw once more that she was quite concerned with his well-being .... his health. "Yes ..... yes ..... I am quite sure. However, if it would set your mind at rest, you can inspect it if you so desire. However, it is not a wound that you should inspect in the middle of the bar, especially with Agnes so close by. It was made by a long-sword in my upper back and shoulder. So it would be necessary to retire to the room you have prepared. If you still want to inspect it we would have to do it there, as long as you trust me to behave. It would be as good a place to continue with my story, and away from ears that want to hear too much," he smiled.

[Romily de Braose]

"Your father ..... well most fathers are quite protective. However, parents of common peasants are generally not protective in that way, especially since their children are not likely to go through the formal process of marriage ..... like a noble would,"

Romily was sure that she’d stopped breathing. He knew. He knew she was of nobility, or at least the suspicion was there. She bit her lip. “Indeed…” Should she tell him? Could she trust him? She’d only ever told Yassia of her secret. “My father was protective of me – more protective than any other nobleman would have over his daughter”. She gave him a knowing look.

Romily took another sip of her drink. “What I mean is that you would hardly want Agnes interrupting your evening” she told him, “and yes – she likes to think she is, but around here – I do all of the work. All she has to do is stand there and look pretty. Most of the time she’s never here so the term ‘landlady’ isn’t exactly applicable to her”. She explained.

"That is quite touching, Romily. Are you generally so protective of ill travelers and other men who come through those doors, or am I receiving some kind of special treatment. And if it is special, why are you taking such an interest in this former Knight of Camelot, he wonders. Rest assured ..... I have no interest in ..... Agnes,"

“For a start I care about any guests and friends of mine who dare to venture inside here” she chuckled, “and secondly, Agnes will just play you like a cat and mouse, so im glad you have no interest because she is hardly worth the bother” harsh, but true.

She nodded at his suggestion. “I shall inspect it, after all I very much doubt that Eldon would want to be dragging a body out of here tomorrow morning”. She drunk the rest of her drink, “Are you ready for me to show you your room now?” she asked.

[Deleted]

As Lancelot gave his measured answer back to her he listened and watched her carefully. He saw her take a sudden breath and hold it. Was she afraid that she had said something she shouldn't, or that he had stumbled upon something. Was it that obvious, he asked himself, that he simply didn't see it. Indeed? .... Indeed what? He saw her nite her lip, then speak again. She spoke again ..... but this time ..... it seemed to him that she emphasized the word 'nobleman', and then gave him a look. Could that be it? No .... it was not possible. He decided to test it by nodding back and smiling slightly, awaiting her response. He would not speak it, unless she offered something more verbally.

He agreed with her that he would not want her type of an interruption. "I see that, even though you have known me a short time, you know and recognize what I am not likely to be interested in," he said with a grateful smile. "It is good that you have tried to head off anything that I might find embarrassing and unwise," and he tipped his tankard of ale towards her, with the slightest of winks. So it was that kind of situation, one was technically the boss, while the other did all of the work. "Why do you put up with such a situation, milady?", he said with a raised eyebrow.

He noticed that she gave him a pretty artful sidestep of his question why that she was paying him so much attention. It
seemed that she would also play off her inspecting his wound as a desire not to have a surprise of a dead body in the morning that would have to be explained. He decided not to press her on the exact reason. She had the right to keep her reasons to herself and private, he considered.

"Very well ..... as I said .... as long as it doesn't bother you, you will have to remove the clothing from my upper body ....... the cloak,the mail, the uniform and the shirt. If that does not bother you, then be my guest. It probably would be a good idea to have it checked. Its been several days since its been looked at." He drained his glass, and stood up. "Yes .... I am ready. I will follow you. I trust you will have someone look at my horse before he is bedded down for the night. Lead on. Now .... to begin to answer the other questions as we walk ...... I have been a wanderer since I was 14, which was when left being a carpenter's apprentice, and began to train with the sword. I was all alone in the world, and had to fend for myself. ...."