Barmaids and Handmaidens [Guinevère]

[Romily de Braose]

She’d caved. She knew that she would and it had only been a couple of hours.
After much debating and arguing with her conscience, Romily had decided to head back to the training ground to seek out Gwaine. This was the third time she’d attempted to go to the training ground and each time had turned back. She’d then get back to the inn and realise that she needed to do this. This was Gwaine after all. Part of her was saying yes, when the other just screamed no.
Now, on her fourth try, she was finally making her way towards to ground where she could see some knights training.

Not wanting to get too close, just incase Gwaine did happen to be there and spot her – she kept to the back of the people who were watching with interest, but at a very vast distance. She’d already drawn enough attention to herself for one day, and if she did happen to see Gwaine, then she didn’t want another showdown like earlier.

Romily had always thought herself a strong character. She hadn’t cried over a man before. She’d had no reason to cry over Frederick for making her lose everything that she had, but Gwaine? Well Gwaine was something else. She could feel the tears pricking her eyes and blinked them away. How was it that one man could make her feel so angry and yet so remorseful? Gwaine certainly had a hold over her that was for sure. How could she have been so stupid as to walk away from him? Wait – he’d lied to her! She didn’t know what to believe anymore, no…she was being hypocritical – she had secrets too, but it was for protection!

Why was her mind so for and against what she had with Gwaine? Romily could feel her legs shaking and settled herself down on the grass, a little way from where everyone else was.
Why, oh why had she chosen to come back and look for him? Oh wait, she knew why. Because she was weak, and that she knew that she still loved him.

Tagged: Guinevère
Timeline: After S3
Setting: Training Grounds – the thread will move around though

[Guinevère]

It was odd, to know that just weeks ago her life had never seemed darker; and now it had never seemed brighter. She was in love! And not just with the most amazing king and man that ever walked across the lands but with life! Everything was changing! Growing! Taking shape! Arthur had been named king! His knights--her brothers both in blood and heart--were standing behind him! They had friends and family and each other! Everything was just . . . . better . . . then before.

With any bright light of hope and joy there were dark shadows, places that one dared not go or speak of. Yet she would not dwell on the darkness today! The sun was out, and the boys were training and playing! Everything seemed to be pointing toward a glorious day!

She'd walked to the training field with her brother, and spoken to a few of the others before walking out to the fields near by to pick a few handfuls of flowers. Beautiful ones of every color! Purple, and pink and red and blue and gold!

As she walked back to where the boys were she noticed a crowd had grown! It seemed the new knights drew everyone's attention! She walked up behind the crowd and stopped to watch with them as Arthur, sword in hand, trained them. Guinev�re found her self smiling at them, some playing some training. Her eyes fell to Gwaine and her smile faded. He seemed different in a way she wasn't quite sure how to say.

As she turned to walk away from the crowd her eyes fell on one girl who looked . . . . she couldn't quite place the expression on her face. Taking one of the flowers from her hand, Guinev�re approached her and held it out. "You look like you could use this." She said softly, to the girl.

[Romily de Braose]

"You look like you could use this."

Romily looked up, the voice had seemingly jolted from her thoughts. A woman was standing in front of her holding out a flower.

She wondered why on earth a total stranger would be making such a kind gesture, let alone making the effort to actually come over and give her the time of day.
She’d seemed to have lost everything. Her home, her father, her mother and now Gwaine (but that had been her own doing). Romily wondered why on earth she was here – going after Gwaine. she’d said all she had to earlier and yet she wanted to seek him out and tell him how sorry she was.

She looked to a new pair of knights who were now battling it out on the field, before turning back to the woman.

She smiled weakly and shook her head. “Thank you, but I doubt a flower would help me heal a broken heart”.

With that, Romily stood up and dusted her dress down. “Im Romily”.

[Guinevère]

Guinevère watched as the girl looked to the knights before speaking, and when she did it was about a broken heart? Guinevère knew that Arthur's knights (as opposed to Uther's knights) were not of noble blood. She wondered if this girl knew one of them? Was she speaking of them or just in general?

Guinevère did not wish to force someone to talk and was about to give her a bright smile, and promise that everything will look better with time. However her next words stopped the words on her lips before she could speak them. “I'm Romily.” “Romily, her name is Romily. She’s a…barmaid at this in…the Ram’s Head…”

Guinevère managed not to have her eyes look for Gwaine's and instead keep them on Romily. What had happened!? She had spoken to Gwaine no long ago when he took her to visit her father's grave. He'd seemed . . . . he had seemed happy!

"No, flowers wont, but a friend with a good ear helps them." Guinevère told her, wanting to know more but not wanting to push. She would let the bar maid make the choice to trust her and speak with her or not. "I am no stranger to a broken heart, if you need someone to talk to." It was a bold offer for a stranger, but Guinevère loved Gwaine. Loved him as she did Elyan, and Merlin. He was a brother to her, and if something was wrong then she wanted to help. "I'm Gwen, I live not far from here." Or did. Or still did. Times were a bit uncertain as to who she was at the moment. Her brother was a knight, so she was a lady. She simply had servant roots.

[Romily de Braose]

The woman was staring at her like she’d seen a ghost! What had she said? All she’d told her was her name and that was it.

"No, flowers wont, but a friend with a good ear helps them."

Romily smiled weakly. “That’s all well and easy for you to say – but I have very few friends. Especially here where I know hardly anyone at all” she told her. Well apart from Yassia and that was it. Romily already knew what Yassia thought of the whole situation and hadn’t wished to discuss it with her.
"I am no stranger to a broken heart, if you need someone to talk to." The woman offered kindly.
Romily shook her head slowly. “Im fine – really. I guess the first wound is always the deepest” a small sigh escaped her, “and from a man who I thought truly cared for me”.

Ah, Gwen – it suited her. She looked like a lady of authority anyway. Romily remembered a time where she’d be dressed in a dress like Gwen’s – elegant and pretty, but practical.
Romily stood up and smiled. “I guess that as you are no longer a stranger – it would not hurt to talk, but I must say that I don’t want to burden you with my problems – they are really not worth the bother”. Not to a lady like Gwen anyway.

She looked over to the training ground. “Do you know what it’s like to say something to someone and then realise that you made the biggest mistake of your life?” it was a delicate question, more a delicate situation as well – she didn’t expect Gwen to answer, but if she knew of such things, then it would be a real help.