Better off in the Past? (Brynn)

[thegwaine]

Gwaine was sat with an ale, and whereas there was nothing unusual about that, he felt quite different. He wasn’t in the hub of activity for once; he wasn’t charming the newest barmaid or gambling bits of his wages away. No, he had tucked himself in a corner of the tavern and was just thinking. With the nature of Gwaine’s life, it wasn’t often that he had time to just sit and contemplate the world and all its oddities. Gwaine didn’t particularly like doing this either, because when you thought about things too much you just ended up dragging up pieces of your past which should just be laid to rest. Gwaine was always one for looking forwards rather than backwards. It was too hard to look back sometimes, so it had almost come naturally to him. Sighing into his ale, he drained the glass and set it down He was getting a few looks from some of the locals, who were torn between asking him for a game of cards or asking him what was wrong. At the end of the day, Gwaine knew hardly anyone cared about the worries of others. Everyone had their baggage, but some preferred to keep it close to their chest.

Running his hand over his face, Gwaine wondered how many ales it would take to just forget the last couple of days. He had been running from his past for so long, and unwittingly, Arthur had brought it back into the forefront of his mind once more. The incident with Caerleon had left Gwaine in a rather odd position. He had been stood mere feet away from the King who had turned his mother away in his hour of need. He had had to stand there and pretend it meant nothing to him; he had just had to act like nothing was wrong. No one but Merlin knew of his rather vague background. If Gwaine had reacted to the King in anyway, it would have sparked some sort of reaction from the other knights. Gwaine didn’t really want any of them to know about his noble roots, he just wanted them to know and judge him as the man he was now.

But now Gwaine wasn’t quite sure what to think. Should he be glad that Caerleon was dead? It was revenge in a way for the hurt he had caused Gwaine’s family. After all, his father had died in his service, and yet he had done nothing to aid his family. It still burned within Gwaine; the raw anger he had felt as a young man was still there. It had been the reason he had left home. He knew full well that his mother was unable to keep him and his brothers, so he had just upped and left; it had been better for them all that way. In a way, Gwaine knew that if Caerleon had not acted in the way he had Gwaine wouldn’t be the man that he was today, but was that a good or a bad thing? Gwaine sighed, in truth he had no idea. He liked his life how it was now; he had his new family here in Camelot. His thoughts returned to his family in Caerleon, he wondered how they were, and whether they still thought of him. However far Gwaine had travelled, he still thought of his family. In a way he knew he would never go back, he wasn’t the same man who left and he never would be. He didn’t want to embrace his noble status ever again, so he would remain in Camelot as a Knight and serve under Arthur. It was better for everyone that way.

Deciding that turning up to training in the morning half cut wasn’t a good idea, Gwaine refused the bar mans offer of another ale and headed out of the tavern. It was rather early for Gwaine to be heading back to the castle as the sun was only just setting. Therefore Gwaine decided that he would walk around the lower town for a while before heading up to the castle. After all, the knights would surely know that there was something wrong if Gwaine was back this early. He didn’t want their fuss or their pity. He just wanted to be left alone with his thoughts for now, and to gather them in a way only he knew how. There was no ale in the world which would rid him of this problem, so for now he just decided to walk through the town, and for once embrace his memories.

Tags: Brynn
Timeline: After His Father's Son
Time of Day: Early Evening
Location: The streets of the lower town

[Brynn Reade]

Brynn was smiling softly to herself as she idly wandered the streets of Camelot. What to do on such a wonderful evening when you had nothing more to do, but the rest of the world was apparently busy? She gave a low chuckle. Alright, so it might not be the whole rest of the world, it was just the rest of HER world. Her father was – like so often – on guard duty, patrolling on the parapet, and her mother was busy in the kitchen, aided by her two younger siblings who were slowly old enough to do their share of the work. And Alex… yes Alex was busy as well, and so after just having returned the geese to their shelter on the castle grounds, Brynn found herself here, wishing she could accept this night off. She had asked if her help was needed in the kitchen, but they had told her that everything was under control and she should go enjoying herself. Enjoy… Brynn was not someone enjoying doing nothing, it was not how she had been raised. Many might argue that herding geese was the equivalent of doing nothing the whole day, but then they only had to spend a single hour with that pack and stood corrected. It might seem an easy job, and it was surely a lot easier than what many other servants did, but it was still work that could leave you exhausted after a long day!

Sauntering through the streets of the lower town, Brynn greeted a few familiar faces here and there wit a friendly nod, but didn’t feel in the mood to stop for idle chit-chat, however much that might have passed her time. Something was different in Camelot today, but it might only be the aftermath of a huge storm that had been threatening them: War with Caerleon. Brynn’s father had of course been amongst those chosen to fight, and she had been almost sure of never seeing him again, but then Arthur had reached a miraculous agreement with the remaning Queen of Camelot and no battle had taken place. That was too good to be true, and the people of Camelot had given Arthur the reception he deserved: he was a hero, once again, not for winning this fight, but for avoiding it for his people’s sake. His sympathies had never been stronger with them, he had proven to be a worthy king.

So, everything seemed to be as should be on this quaint and wonderful evening, even though Brynn felt a little out of place. But then her idly straying eyes caught on something, or rather someONE that seemed even more out of place. Was that Gwaine just walking by? Shouldn’t he be in a tavern right now, after all she knew about him? Shouldn’t he celebrate like everyone else that they had just avoided war, pain and bloodshed?
Furrowing her brows in bewilderment, Brynn turned on her heels and hastened to catch up with the one knight she thought she could call a friend. He had been so wonderfully normal to converse with, didn’t seem to care about status difference without making her feel uncomfortable about leaving her place. If there was something wrong with him, she wanted to know.

”Gwaine!” she called out, and lightly nudged him, a smile on her face. “Everything alright with you? Shouldn’t you be making the taverns happy with your presence and your amount of money you leave there?”

[thegwaine]

Gwaine half wished the last of the Camelotians would take themselves off to bed, and leave him in the silence. It wasn’t often now that Gwaine got two minutes to himself to think. He used to live a solitary life, and drinking in taverns had been his only way of socialising so it had become a way of life. Now he had the knights, and they were like a band of brothers, so he was social most of the time. Although that didn’t mean that he was going to give up drinking anytime soon, it made the appeal of a drink to get rid of his problems less appealing. He couldn’t tell the knights what was ailing him, because then he lost a bit of his identity; the lie he had just learned to live. No one apart from Merlin really knew that he had a past history of nobility. Everyone else just thought he was like the other new knights, and that he had risen from humble backgrounds. In that sense he always felt like he was living a lie, but he was showing that it didn’t matter what people thought of you, you could be whatever you wanted to be. Arthur’s rule was certainly showing that already to an extent and Gwaine wasn’t complaining.

These were just some more of the thoughts swimming round in Gwaine’s head, on top of thoughts of Caerleon. He couldn’t get the image of the King’s face as the blade had fallen upon him. To see the life ended that had caused his family so much pain was a surreal experience. It should have brought him peace, and revenge, but it didn’t. He’d seen too much of the world to know that revenge never got you anywhere. In a way, Arthur’s own actions with Caerleon’s death had proven that as it had nearly caused a war with the whole of Caerleon, and no one would have prospered from such an event. Gwaine ran a hand through his hair, now he was even starting to question if running off into the world by himself as a young man had been the right thing to do. What if he had gone back to help his brothers? Would it have changed anything? Could he have even helped?

He was torn from his thoughts as a friendly face appeared by his side. He’d been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed Brynn approaching, but that didn’t make him any less glad that she was here. “Were you sneaking up on me?” He asked playfully and began to step in line with her. He forced a grin onto his face and pulled out one of his pockets, “Alas I have no money to gamble away, nor to drink with. And I’m certain the barmaid knows all my tricks...” He winked at Brynn, trying to act as if everything was normal, “Anyway how are you? I’ve not seen you in a while.” Diverting the topic off him was probably the best thing to do, it stopped him confronting his own issues.

[Brynn Reade]

Gwaine’s reaction to her sudden appearance was friendly and even appreciating, but Brynn still had the impression something was not right. He tried his best to sound normal, no question of that, but Brynn couldn’t quite shake off this peculiar feeling he wanted to hide something – and that was an oddity in itself! She knew no other person, maybe apart from Merlin, that was so refreshingly open and cheery. The goosemaiden doubted he would be very successful in lying, but then that was just her own estimation. There could be hidden depths everywhere, and maybe Gwaine was just another example. What was ailing him? What COULD be ailing him?
Well, the whole of Camelot had been in quite the turmoil over the last few days, and a happy ending like it had turned out to be, had not been very likely. Somehow Arthur had managed to turn a war into an alliance, fragile as it may be. The people of Camelot had welcomed him back as the hero he was, but Brynn was not so ready to shake off the dread she had felt at seeing her father marching off into war. He would have fought for Camelot, and he would have fought bravely, but the odds of him returning had not been working in his favor. In the end, it was only one person winning every war: Death.

Was he being shaken by this as well? Brynn knew it was not true that soldiers and knights had no fear of battle. They simply knew how to deal with it, accepting that death was part of their vocation. Then again, Gwaine had often ridden into battle or on a dangerous mission before, and he had always returned the same cheeky flirt as he had been before. As soon as the horses had been taken care of and he had been able to get his leave from Arthur – or sometimes even without it – he had visited the next tavern, with or without money!
”Could anyone ever know all your tricks? I’m sure you’ll never be out of creating new ones” she joked with a mischievous gleaming in her eyes, but just like him, she felt she was not really into lighthearted banter tonight, not that she was often anyway. She wanted to know what was wrong, and before she didn’t have her answer, she would probably turn this in her head all evening, thinker that she was.

And then he asked about herself. It was obvious he wanted to shift her attention away from him, but as far as Brynn was concerned this would not be happening, not if she did not get something in return. This way out was too easy for him, he could not get away with it!
”I’m just glad my father’s home safely and that Camelot doesn’t suffer from a war”, she responded, but then waved it aside. “So I’m fairly well. But, don’t get me wrong here, you don’t seem to be.” She stopped and turned towards him, sincerity written all over her face. “Know that you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, but also know that I am here should you need me!” A little smile crossed her face. “People say I’m a fairly good listener.” Maybe that came with not talking too much, and thinking more. But whatever it was, if this character trait could help Gwaine, Brynn would be glad for it. She wouldn’t force him though. It was his decision and she would respect it.

[thegwaine]

Gwaine didn’t really like being quite so melancholy, because it really didn’t suit him. Everyone knew him as the jester of the pack, he was always the one to lighten the mood when no one else knew how. So for him to now be in quite low spirits over a matter he was really unable to discuss with anyone else, well it left him in a rather odd position to say the least. Rubbing his hands together, trying to rid his hands of the evening cold, he began to blow on them softly to warm them. The past few days had just brought up his past in ways he didn’t really want to face. He’d been running from his past life for so long, and it appeared to have caught up with him. It proved that you couldn’t really run and hide from who you were forever, and it irritated Gwaine no end. Why couldn’t his past just stay where it was supposed to?

Turning back to Brynn, it took him a few moments to think over what she was saying, and he just grinned back at her. Of course no woman would ever know all his tricks, he prided himself upon that much. Well, no woman he had ever come across had managed it just yet, but perhaps he would one day meet his match. He would love to see that, whoever the woman was, she would certainly be something to behold. Gwaine’s stance chanced slightly and he playfully took Brynn’s chin in his finger and thumb and whispered, “Perhaps we could make new tricks together?” He suggested playfully before releasing her chin and chuckling to himself. He knew Brynn would just take it as a joke, because she knew there was nothing in it. He hoped she would take it that way anyway, he hadn’t jested with her like that for quite some time now.

Her father? Oh yes, Gwaine had almost forgotten her father had been in the army facing Caerleon’s as well as him and the other knights. There had been so many who had been prepared to fight and die for Camelot that day that Gwaine had lost perspective of the scale of the battle. He and his fellow knights had been stood on the edge of a make or break battle, and Arthur had taken the responsibility for everything. Gwaine of course had offered his services as Camelot’s champion, he would have been prepared to die for Camelot on Arthur’s command. His loyalty as ever was unwavering. “I am glad everyone returned home safely.” Gwaine agreed softly and turned back to his friend as she said she was a good listener. Gwaine almost did want an ear to listen to his rants, but he didn’t know if Brynn was the right one for the job, but perhaps he could dodge around the topic softly without many of the details. He suspected she wasn’t going to go away until he did anyway. “The last few days have just been a bit....” He tried to search for the right word, “Different.” Was that even right in context? “I’ll be fine anyway, I promise.” He held his hands up to show he wasn’t crossing his fingers, but he knew even then it wouldn’t be enough for Brynn.

[Brynn Reade]

Her skin prickled when Gwaine took her chin between two fingers and she saw his eyes taking on this special hypnotic light, the light not many women could resist – and it still amazed Brynn that she seemed to be one of them. Gwaine was a charmer alright, and she was by no means immune to his tricks, as she was but a girl, but she was able to analyze it and think normally whenever he teasingly tried his ways with her. It must be because her heart was already taken, and she was not one to give herself to more than one man, the one she loved. Gwaine knew that of course, and they both knew how far they could go. He was more a brother than anything, however peculiar it was to see a Knight of Camelot and trusted friend of the king as a brother.
“I’m sure you don’t need my help”, she chuckled and grinned up at him, completely unfazed now. “I think I could only tell you what not to do. I’m still amazed I got myself a man, loner that I am.” Her eyes took on a certain glow as she thought about Alex. They might not see each other much lately, but she still thought of him many times every day.

Brynn couldn’t even put into words what she had felt when the messenger had arrived, announcing that King Arthur’s army was on its way back to Camelot, and that no battle had been fought except a duel between the King himself and a champion from the army of Caerleon. No other casualties were to be mourned, and Arthur had shown once again that he cared for his people more than for his pride. The preparations to give him the welcome he deserved had been rushed, but executed with as much devotion and happiness as they could muster.
“We all were… bless Arthur for his consideration”, she replied with a thoughtful smile. But she was not here to talk about their king or praise him. He deserved all that of course, but this was neither the time nor the place.

Gwaine’s answer was not in the least satisfying, and even though Brynn had said she would not pry further, she just could not let him get away with such evasive remarks that told her nothing about what was bothering him. Different?! What kind of answer was that please? No day in Camelot could be called normal, at least that was the impression you could get after spending a whole life within its walls. And after living here so long like Gwaine had, he should know that too.
“Different in what way?” she tried to dig deeper. “Is it about the near-war? But you have been in many skirmishes before, haven’t you? What’s so ‘different’ this time then?”
She was not asking out of curiosity – well, maybe a little – but out of heartfelt concern. This only underlined her notion that something was not like it should be with Gwaine. Whatever it was that was troubling him, she shouldn’t bury it inside him. Brynn knew how wrong that could be sometimes. Because the deeper you hid it, the stronger the eruption would be that brought it to light. And it would find a way to the surface one day… things always did.

[thegwaine]

Gwaine of course never meant any charms, or teases with Brynn in a romantic sort of way. No, she was too much of a friend to him for Gwaine to ever consider such things. Brynn had been quite a close friend him since he had been knighted, and she often helped him to see past the nobles which his duty led him to be in close proximity with. After all, Gwaine still had his prejudices against the larger noble community. He appreciated perhaps he had been wrong to tarnish every noble with the same brush, but they still had to earn respect in Gwaine’s eye. He found most nobles in the court of Camelot to be quite refreshing to those he found in other kingdoms, and that he hoped would only continue. Well, Iwan was probably the exception to the rule. The man really was insufferable, and the less Gwaine had to do with him the better it would be for both of them.

He knew perfectly well that Brynn would never fall for his charms either. Right from the off she hadn’t really been in favour of his charming ways, neither had she fallen for them. Although he had been disappointed at first, now he was rather glad as he had found a true friend in the woman. “And a most deserving man he is as well.” Gwaine pointed out. He wouldn’t want anything else for Brynn after all, and he was sure Alex deserved her affections completely. Gwaine was never completely one for believing in love and such things, but it worked for Brynn, so who was Gwaine to judge?

Gwaine nodded at Brynn as she spoke of Arthur’s consideration. It wasn’t so much his consideration which had led them all home, it was more his sense of honour and his courage which had ended the war which was looming with Caerleon. The knights had all been ready to lay down their lives for Camelot and its people, and that was often something which shouldn’t be lost sight of. No knight standing on the cliff face that day ever considered running away or not joining in the fight. They were a band of brothers, and they stood united against the other kingdoms.

Gwaine let out a small ‘heh’ noise, accompanied with a small grin as he looked across at Brynn. He knew perfectly well what she was doing. It wasn’t in her nature to just walk away from such things and this was probably not going to be the exception to the rule. “It’s not about the war no.” He admitted quickly, because it wasn’t the war which bothered him so much, as Brynn had said, he was used to such things so it wasn’t really worth his bother to get worked up about. He shrugged and ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it up so it was even more scruffy than usual. He coughed slightly, and brushed past some young lovers who were walking hand in hand down the street. He smiled at them, after all young love was something special to behold, even if Gwaine wasn’t that fond about acquiring it for himself. He looked down at his young companion and smiled at her, but it was a sad sort of smile, “I was born in Caerleon.” He began to explain, as he was sure he could get through this without actually saying that he was a noble, “That’s all there is to it, my family is from Caerleon.”

[Brynn Reade]

When she had said she still couldn’t believe Alex was a part of her life, Brynn had meant it. Not like she was questioning her luck or anything, but it sometimes was still hard to grasp that two people as different as Brynn and Alex should have found love together, in each other. There was that old saying: ‘opposites attract each other’, but until she had met Alex, Brynn had never believed these words. And yet he seemed to be everything she was not. Where she was considerate, he was impulsive, where she was silent, he was talking and talking. Where she was weak, he was strong. They were two sides of the same coin, her mother often said, though you could not say which side was the worse. They seemed to complement each other. She kept him down on the ground, while he made her fly. Impossible when you thought about it, and yet it was happening. Every day. Recent events had shown that they could not take each other for granted, and she was missing him while he had to help out with his family and hardly seemed to have time for anything else. But they would get through that as well, like they had gotten through so much.

”Deserving… I think he’d like that!”, she commented with a pensive and fond smile, but then banished all furher thoughts of him from her mind. This was not a night for love talk. Gwaine didn’t seem to mind, as he surely had his fair share of women whenever he wanted them, but still… something more sombre was in the air tonight, and she would do well respecting that. Gwaine deserved her full attention, he always seemed to give her his. Maybe that was what made women and girls fall for him again and again. He could make them feel like they were the only girl in the world, even if they knew it was not true, even if it was for just one night.
But analyzing Gwaine’s love life wasn’t her task as well, as little as it was her business. Other things mattered more.

With great interest and pent up breath she listened as Gwaine began to outline his reasons for his offbeat mood tonight. At least he admitted it was not about the war, so she had been right with that. That was good, she was not losing her touch after all. Being so quiet and pensive, Brynn usually saw deeper into most people than others, she had a way to find out what ailed them, though she seldomly asked them about it. Meddling was not her way. But this was Gwaine she was worried about, and appart from her family and Alex, Gwaine was the one she felt closest to for whatever reason. And he seemed rather reluctant to spill his motives, so reluctant apparently Brynn started to feel bad for ever asking.
But then he said it, and suddenly quite a few things made sense. She would need a bit more time, perhaps on her own, to fathom the whole extent of this surprising revellation, but there were a few things she understood at once. “OH!” she exclaimed, and startled the couple that was just passing them by with it. Throwing them an apologetic glance, Brynn bit her lips and forced her emotions down.

”Oh…”, she repeated, more softly this time. “That makes sense… I mean… considering the life you led before and that you are here now and not there… it means you weren’t at best terms with the king?”
Maybe she was asking too much again, but Brynn needed the reassurance to get her thoughts in order.
”I mean, I can’t judge of course, but people do talk. And they don’t tell the best tales of the former King of Caerleon.”
What possibly could have happened? Maybe some noble had stolen his family’s land, that was not unheard of, nobles stealing from commoners. And maybe the king had not intervened like he should have? Or was she telling too adventerous tales?

[thegwaine]

“I am sure he is deserving of such beauty.” He gestured to his friend in general with a wide smile. Perhaps once he would have teased, jested and flirted with her about her looks, but now he could appreciate Brynn’s beauty as a friend and nothing more, and Gwaine did not mind that. There were too many women in Camelot who tried to throw themselves in his way now he sported the uniform of the Knight’s of Camelot. It sometimes worked in his favour, but sometimes he would prefer for women to get to know him for who he was, rather than his status. “I hope Alex knows just how lucky he is.” He now said and poked Brynn lightly on the nose with a chuckle. Perhaps one day Gwaine would have the pleasure of seeing his friend wed. He pulled a face slightly, Gwaine could never imagine himself as the marrying type, he could never imagine being tied down for that long to one woman.

Although Gwaine knew that Brynn was just trying to be helpful in her own way, and she was just trying to be sensitive and help him in his hour of need, he didn’t want to let her know every detail of his former life. No one knew that much about his past, and Gwaine wanted to keep it like that. After all, it wouldn’t do any good. Gwaine wanted people to judge him on the man he was today, rather than the man and the life he had once been and lived. He was now a knight of Camelot, which those back home would probably be in disbelief about. It had always been expected that he would become a knight for Caerleon, which was natural as it was where he had been born. It had been the path his father had taken, and look at him now.

Gwaine already knew that Arthur would never abandon Gwaine as Caerleon had abandoned his father. Arthur’s personality told him that much already; he cared for the smallest aspect of his kingdom, and never let anyone suffer injustice if he could rectify it. Shrugging, he looked back at Brynn and ran a hand over his face. Jesu, it had been a long time since he had thought of home this much. Home had never been a popular topic in his mind, so generally he just left it alone, after all, what good was there through over analysing things which had already come to pass? It wasn’t as if he could change events, so why dwell on them? “I was too young really when I left Caerleon to really remember what he was like.” That was mostly true. Of course Gwaine remembered what Caerleon had done to his own family, but that didn’t have to come into play here of course. “But from what I remember, he was not a particularly popular sovereign.” Once again he shrugged, he had been a teenager when he had left Caerleon, and he hadn’t left with a popular opinion of the kingdom. He had never been back and there was a reason for that. Camelot was his home now, and his loyalty was to the Pendragon’s and no one else.

[Brynn Reade]

Brynn slapped his hand that was poking her nose away like you would wave aside a nasty fly, but she smiled. She didn’t get awkward at these kinds of things anymore, she had grown up as well, and Gwaine had never been the one getting her heart in peril. Though it was an interesting thought to ponder over what Gwaine would do should Alex ever do anything to Brynn that would hurt her. Would he step in as a big brother would? Or would that be too far for him to go? Goodwill and interest, but no real involvement? Well, Brynn didn’t think Alex would ever do anything like that, so the question was moot anyway. It was just interesting… a play of thoughts.
”I bet he does”, she said lightly and smiled. “And if he doesn’t, there are enough people to remind him. My father once said he’d kill him with his very own hands if he ever made me cry… didn’t expect that from him at all.”
That was what had made these words so scary, as John Reade was a man of deeds and not words. He meant what he said, if he finally spoke some words. Alex better be warned. Though of course he had laughed it off as always.

She was not sure if she could help Gwaine at all. Maybe she did make matters even worse, poured salt into open wounds by constantly asking… it was a tightrope to walk on between an urge to help and being annoying. And a thinker as Brynn was, she of course doubted herself first and foremost. She didn’t want to leave Gwaine alone with whatever was ailing him, but she also didn’t want to lose his friendship by being a pain in the neck and too obtrusive. It was a hard decision to make whether and when to ask further and when to be silent and leave something be.

Everything in Gwaine’s outward behavior, the way he held himself, the way he constantly moved his hand either over his face or his hair, showed how deeply troubled he was. There was something nagging at him, and somehow his explanation seemed too simple for that. If he hadn’t known the king that well, why was he so moved by his death? He didn’t seem particularly unhappy about it, but maybe that was what was ailing him. Did he experience some sort of identity crisis? Like he felt he should be more concerned about matters in Caerleon, because he had been born there, and now he found he was not? Who would have guessed that Gwaine, the happy-go-lucky, would harbour such deep and disturbing thoughts! If she was right that was… she could be entirely wrong.
”So why does his death concern you so much?” she asked softly, cocking her head. “It is so, is it not? Or was it simply the fact that you were there when he was killed? That he wasn’t just some other man, but a man you have ties to, no matter if you know him personally or not?”
Brynn herself gladly had never been in this situation, but she expected it would feel the same for her if she, say, had been there when Uther was killed. He had done so many bad things in his life… and yet he had been her king.

[thegwaine]

Gwaine pulled a face at Brynn as she batted his hand away, and he looked at her in an almost hurt way. Of course he was just being dramatic, but Brynn was too much fun to toy with sometimes. She was sometimes like the little sister he had missed out on. “Hey, they hurt!” He protested, and looked concerned over his hand for a few moments, before he decided that Brynn probably wasn’t buying any of this, so he stopped and paused for a few moments, concentrating on her next words. Well, at least Gwaine wouldn’t be alone in hunting down Alex if he ever did anything to hurt Brynn. “And I’ll be there to take care of the bits your father missed.” He promised faithfully, his hand on his heart. After all, he was a knight of Camelot, and it came with some advantages.

Really, Gwaine didn’t want to be in this conversation, but he also didn’t want to walk away from it. It would only cause tensions between himself and Brynn if he did that, so no matter how uncomfortable he was, he decided he would have to stick it out, and explain this in the easiest way without actually giving away his true status. He wouldn’t be too inconvenienced if everyone did learn that he was a noble, but he had earned everyone’s respect without that aspect of his personality, so he saw no real reason to explain that aspect of his past any further. Everyone in Camelot knew him for the man he was now, rather than the boy he had once been.

Gwaine sighed as he continued to walk down the street, and then he realised how rude he was being. He extended his arm towards Brynn and, with a soft smile, offered it to her, “Would you do me the honour?” He asked her with a cheeky grin. He didn’t mean this in an affectionate or romantic way, but she was his friend, and it was only meant as a friendly gesture. Plus, it offset the topic of conversation for a few moments, which gave Gwaine a few moments of respite in which he could gather his thoughts.

Looking forwards as they walked on, Gwaine began to wonder why this was bothering him so much. He supposed it was just because he had pushed his former life from his mind, and seeing the king again had dug up old memories that he would have rather forgotten about. “I did not follow him personally.” He pointed out to his friend, “I wasn’t that high up to have the pleasure.” Of course that was sarcastic, but even in his noble status, Gwaine couldn’t really remember the King at all. “I suppose it bothers me as it brings back memories of home, and that was a long time ago.” He shrugged, “But it is all in the past. “ This would probably be the only time in his and Brynn’s friendship that she would ever see him like this. It was quite out of character for him to be anything like this, and it was just because he had been forced to think of home because of the weeks events.

[Brynn Reade]

For sure, for sure, as if a weak girl like Brynn could hurt a strong man such as Gwaine, who had been a good fighter even before he joined the knights of Camelot. She just shrugged and showed him the tip of her tongue. “Pleaaase. Serves you just right you know.” But of course she didn’t mean that. He hadn’t done anything wrong after all, and they both knew that. Thatw as also why he abandoned the charade himself pretty fast and assumed a serious demeanor again. Almost too serious in Brynn’s eyes. Her eyebrows darted up and her lips parted in surprise as he told her with all signs of true honesty that he would finish of Alex if he ever hurt her. She would never have expected that of him… and for a moment she didn’t know how to deal with it.
”That’s… that’s sweet of you”, she finally said and smiled. “It’s just… unusual for me I guess. I’m the eldest child in my family, and my parents are often busy… so I guess I learned to look after myself, instead of others looking after me, at least when it comes to these things.”

Brynn might not be nosy in general, but she was certainly stubborn in her own calm way. Gwaine looked like he really didn’t want to talk about this, but the goosemaiden had convinced herself that he needed to talk at least about a few things that ailed him, to show him that he was not alone in this. That he had friends to lean on, friends that might not share his background, but knew things about families and pasts. She might not be in his skin, but she could understand a few things his fellow knight might not. Maybe because they were men? Brynn wasn’t one for gender clichés either, but sometimes it was simply true men could not be as… sensitive and insightful as a girl would be. So she wanted to see if she could give Gwaine a good counsel that might help him, but for that she needed his reasons… and could only hope he would feel he could trust her enough.

The offer of his arm came completely out of the blue, and she had to suppress a chuckle. In her eyes, there was nothing rude about just walking side by side, but then, if it made him happy, she would surely not resist. Like she had seen the ladies doing so often from afar, she slipped her – compared to his - very small hand under the crook of his arm, and continued to walk like that. It felt a little preposturous, but then… it also felt grand in a way.
”Of course, the honor is all mine!” she replied in a bit of a blasé voice and winked. Playing noble had surely not been on her schedule for tonight, but now that she was doing it, she found it to be rather amusing. And she didn’t think twice about how could see them. She may have given it a little thought, but then, even if someone acquainted with Alex would see it and felt the need to tell him of Brynn sauntering around with a knight of Camelot in the silver moonlight, Brynn knew Alex would know how to take it: as a simple gesture of friendship.

Memories of home and the past… indeed…. Slowly Brynn thought she was reaching deeper into the problem, though the bottom still seemed a little far off. But maybe the bottom was not of her business. This alone told her much of what she thought was Gwaine’s problem.
”I see…” A knowing smile spread over the young woman’s face as she examined Gwaine for a second. “And that is very unlike you, isn’t it? Thinking of the past rather than the present. Goodness, if that confuses me as your friend, how much more must it confuse you! It can be pleasant to be surprised by yourself, right, but… it can also be annoying. Thinking you don’t know yourself as well as you think you did.”
It was by no means comparable of course, but in a way it reminded Brynn of the time she first had discovered something about her unusual connection with the wind. It had taken a lot of time to accept it as a part of herself, and simply come to terms with it. Maybe that was what Gwaine needed as well. Time.

[thegwaine]

Gwaine was still trying to act like Brynn really had hurt him, but of course he doubted that she was capable of hurting a fly. Immaturely, poked her side in his little sort of revenge and winked at her. “There, now we’re even.” That worked, sort of. Brynn would know that his actions weren’t meant in a negative way anyway, he enjoyed toying with her because she was so easy to wind up sometimes. Gwaine quickly dropped the act as the conversation switched back to his friend, and the fact that Gwaine would do anything to help protect her if Alex did anything to hurt her. To him it was second nature now to help protect those who he had become friends with. Although he had always aimed to help and protect those who were in need, it was only recently that those people had become his friend. In the past he would slip in, help, and slip out of everyone’s lives as quickly as possible. That had been his life, but now he was based in Camelot and everything was different. “Well you let Alex know that if he ever does anything to even cause you to be a little unhappy, he will have a Knight of Camelot to answer to.” He gave her a wink, because if she didn’t want his help he wouldn’t force it upon her, but she needed to know that it wasn’t a weakness sometimes to ask for help.

Opening up and expressing feelings was completely new territory for Gwaine. Usually he just ignored his feelings, like most men, and just got on with his life. On the outside, he was always the jovial, albeit slightly irritatingly talkative knight. Never once was he really quiet around anyone, and he hoped Brynn would be the first and last person that he was like this around. Then again, he doubted his past would ever be dragged up again in such a direct and rugged way. He should have felt some sort of revenge that the man who had thrown his family into poverty had now met his maker, but he didn’t, because it didn’t change anything. Gwaine had still left home, and his family was still in ruins; it didn’t change anything in Gwaine’s opinion.

He was quite glad that Brynn took his arm, because for once it was meant in utter sincerity. Gwaine knew that once he would have tried to charm Brynn, but now she was like an adopted sister, and as such there was nothing wrong with them walking hand in hand. “Alex won’t get jealous will he?” He teased softly, not sure if Brynn would have mentioned him to her beloved at all. He wouldn’t blame her if she hadn’t. She comfortably placed her arm in his, and he was therefore able to steer her down the lower town without either of them walking into those last few members of the town starting to go to their beds.

Brynn’s words were all true he supposed, as recently Gwaine really wasn’t himself, and he didn’t like it in the slightest. Gwaine pressed his lips together, and managed a small smile at his friend and patted the hand she had linked through his in an affectionate sort of way. He did appreciate her words, because she was only trying to help him. “I think perhaps now is the time to start thinking about the future again.” He reasoned gently, “This is the man I am now; here.” He gestured to himself with his spare hand, and he wasn’t just trying to convince Brynn with his words, he was also trying to convince himself with a degree of success, “After all, can’t have the other Knights thinking I’ve gone soft can I?”

[Brynn Reade]

Gwaine probably had the time of his life playing with her like that, and even Brynn had to admit it was quite amusing. That was probably how an elder brother would act, and she experienced that sometimes when her cousin came to visit, but that was only a rare occasion. No, this was nothing but fun, and she had no difficulty playing along. It might be silly and leading nowhere, but sometimes even Brynn needed a holidays from her role as responsible eldest daughter.
”Hey!” she exclaimed in fake indignation, but then her facial expression softened into almost nonchalant one. “Fair enough”, she agreed with a very dignified voice she had often overheard noblewomen using. “Let’s call it quits. For now!”
Brynn was all but sure Alex would not like the idea of having neither a guard nor a knight of Camelot after him, so he would probably behave if only for that, but nevertheless, the thought of his face when she told him said message would be worth the irritation this might cause. Alex knew about her friendship with Gwaine, and they already had had some half-serious banters about it. Hearing this promise now would only continue the long lasting banter of ‘Brynn getting involved with a knight and abandoning her poor dishwasher.’
”I’m sure to tell him, mark my words!” she finished her line of thinking.

And again they were on the subject of jealousy. For something that wasn’t even there, this topic received quite some attention. Maybe too much? Brynn shrugged it off inwardly, as there was really nothing to worry about. Gwaine would probably like it, if he made Alex at least a little jealous, as he was still quite the lady’s man. It wouldn’t hurt to spark a little territorial thinking in other guys for their girl’s, at least that was how Brynn interpreted his line of thinking.
”If he thinks he has to be jealous it’s his own fault entirely”, Brynn said while she followed Gwaine’s lead into a direction where less people where bustling about. She liked that better as well, never having been one for large crowds unless the occasion clearly called for it. “But I’m sure he will not be. He knows me too well.”

Maybe he was right. Maybe Gwaine and her should leave that subject now and focus on the present and future. Too much living in the past wasn’t good as well. Alex had tried without end to rid her from her hatred for Morgana, telling her her evil doings were in the past now and that she never would take Camelot again. The inner wounds and the shock just had taken longer time to heal than the crossbow wound she had received. Maybe it was the same with Gwaine. He was here now, he was a Knight of Camelot and that was what he referred himself to. Where he had been born was of no consequence, at least not now Arthur was king. It took some time to get used to these kinds of novelties, and maybe Gwaine’s confusion was also part of that learning process.

”Yes, true, that might be so”, Brynn agreed thoughtfully. “Everyone here knows you as Gwaine, Knight of Camelot. Since Arthur has become king, lineage is not so very important anymore, as Sir Percival and Sir Elyan also have no noble background. It has been a clean cut in history, and it might take some time to get used to.” Another thought crossed her mind and she had to smile.
”You know… you are afraid that the other knights might think you soft, but… did it ever occur to you, your fellow knights Elyan and Percival might have identity problems too? You men just never talk about such things, and that’s why you feel alone and awkward with it, instead of seeking help with someone who might feel the same way.”
That had been a long speech for Brynn, and she was surprised herself where it had come from. She just hoped it helped someway, even though she just couldn’t imagine the knights teaming up to talk about problems.

[thegwaine]

Gwaine knew that he was quite lucky really. He had his little family now in Camelot, which was strange to think of because he had only had himself for so long. That didn’t mean that he didn’t enjoy company, because he did, and that was why he was usually found in taverns. The company was so diverse, and there was always a conversation to be had. Brynn was part of his little adopted family that he had in Camelot, and he was sure she felt the same way about him in a way. There was Gwaine’s band of brothers of course, and he would not give up any of the knights for anything. He doubted anything would ever tear any of them apart. Then there were others like Gwen of course. Gwaine was still convinced that she would one day be Queen, but what did he know really?

Gwaine chuckled back at Brynn, and put his hands up, trying to profess his innocence. He was even giving her a look of innocence; how could she fail but to fall for that? Gwaine wasn’t sure how she could resist, but knowing Brynn, she probably would. “Fine, we’ll call it quits, but just for now eh?” He gave her a wink. He would never stop teasing her, because it was so much fun, and she was always a willing victim for his taunts and teases. As he counted Brynn as a sort of younger sister, in an adopted sense, he was glad to hear that she would tell her young man that if he stepped a toe out of line, then Gwaine would be there to sort him out. It was of course true; Gwaine would do anything to protect a friend. “Make sure that you do, or I may just have to tell him myself.” He winked at her again, he was sure that she wouldn’t ever want that conversation to go ahead.

Gwaine couldn’t really see how Alex could fail to be jealous at such a man as he taking Brynn’s arm really. It was impossible wasn’t it? Clearly, despite the emotions running though Gwaine’s head tonight, his ego was still intact. Gwaine was almost disappointed to hear that her young man wouldn’t be jealous of his company with Brynn. What was the point of having a beautiful woman on your arm if it didn’t lead to a tease or two? Well, that was the alternative of course, there were many more things you could do with a beautiful young woman on your arm, however, Gwaine merely saw Brynn as a friend. “

Brynn’s naivety about matters was sometimes refreshing, and indeed this was one of those times. He graced her with a gentle chuckle, half to show her hat he was indeed alright. The knights had received a frosty reception at first by the landed elite in Camelot, but Gwaine had never let that bother him. He had never really asked any of the other knights if it bothered them as well. However, he didn’t intend to have a heart to heart with any of them because well, it just wasn’t done was it? Men didn’t have heart to hearts, they beat a dummy in training as a method of dealing with emotion. Women talked about feelings, and as stereotypical as that was, Gwaine was sticking to that point of view. “Maybe I’ll mention it sometime.” He mused carefully, just to give her a little credit. She had a point, but one that Gwaine probably wouldn’t be complying with. “Anyway, how have you been? I’m sorry I haven’t been able to come and see you, but you know, this face is in high demand.”

[Brynn Reade]

Gwaine probably didn’t know it, but the more he tried to look innocent, the less he could fool Brynn. Maybe he could fool other women, because they were not miraculously partially immune to his charms, but Brynn had always been able to read her friend well. It caused her to give a dry chuckle, seeing his best efforts to appear less the rascal than he was. For the world’s sake, Brynn really hoped that Gwaine would never change. His thoughtful behavior had scared her a little. Of course Gwaine had the right to mood changes like everyone else, but the world needed to look very dull indeed for Gwaine to lose his wit and his cheery outlook on life. Brynn had never been there of course, but she was sure, Gwaine would even laugh in the face of danger, cheering his fellow knights up or winding them up in the most tense situations. That might be annoying to some, but she was sure they also appreciated it. Sometimes people took life far too serious, and Brynn knew she was one of them. Gwaine’s jests and jokes helped her often enough to see the fun in life, just like Alex helped her to see life from its loving side.
Oh dear, Gwaine and Alex having a conversation about this? No never! And if Brynn had to gag Gwaine to prevent this from happening! Groaning she threw her head back and stared up at the sky, before moving her gaze towards her dear friend again, as if she just had asked for heavenly support.
”Goodness, will you leave the poor guy alone!” she demanded, but a smile crept over her face nevertheless. “We’re talking of bridges we most likely will never cross anyway, and you should know that’s not a good battle tactic, Mylord Knight!”
Not that she didn’t appreciate this concern anyway, but… some jokes could just be put too far for comfort and now Brynn feared Alex would be the victim of all of this. Sometimes talking about nonexisting problems made them appear.

He might say he would mention it, but Brynn was almost sure he never would. That showed in how quickly he tried to change subjects, now this talk about his emotions seemed thoroughly through. Typical. But oh well, she had done what she could, and maybe it had helped him after all. Brynn dearly hoped so, but she couldn’t be sure. Who knew if any of her words had any effect at all, that was the thing about too many words. Her father always said you better said one word too little than one too many and made up for the rest in deeds. Well, no, correction: he didn’t SAY that, he lived it. For John Reade words were well-nigh unnecessary. Brynn wasn’t sure if she ever had heard him say how much his family meant to him, but that was of no consequence. They all know they meant more than the world to him. Gyrth and Elinor usually talked more than all the three other Reade’s combined. Maybe they would turn out like that one day too, or maybe they would not. It might not be so bad to have a few more talkative members of the family after all.

Now she was asked how she was. That was an easy question to answer indeed. In Brynn’s little world everything was as it should be.
”You didn’t miss out on much”, she told him with a soft smile. “My routine has been as usual and for now Camelot seems normal enough. Gyrth got kicked by a horse the other day, as he was playing in the stables as usual, but apart from that, we’re all well. You keep us safe enough, the famous Knights of Camelot.” That was said half way between a praise and a tease. After all, Gwaine’s ego was already big enough as it was.

[thegwaine]

Gwaine pulled a face straight away at Brynn’s words. Since when had Brynn started calling him ‘My Lord Knight’? He didn’t really appreciate being called by such a formal title by such a close friend, but he knew she was probably just doing it to wind him up. Damn her. He just chuckled at her words, while his brain rushed for a suitable retort. Gwaine of course couldn’t let Brynn just get away with such a comment after all, she knew him better than that to expect to get let off the hook anyway. “Since when did you get so formal?” He jested but shrugged all the same, “You should know, I have my own battle tactics.” He was going to make some comment about him using said tactics on Alex, however given the tone of her voice earlier, Gwaine quickly thought better of it. He knew exactly what he would do to Alex if he did harm Brynn, and that was all that mattered; as long as he didn’t lose sight of that fact.

Gwaine noted Brynn’s silence after he said he would mention it to some of the other knights maybe. Perhaps she already knew that he was lying, he couldn’t blame her, seeing as he was lying. He’d known Brynn for too long now to just be able to lie to her and get away with it with ease. That was nice in a way though. He’d never cared what anyone had thought about him until now. Well, he still didn’t to an extent, but he liked the way Brynn cared in a sense. He couldn’t help but thinking there wasn’t a bad bone in his friends body, and it was for people like her that he took up his sword and fought for alongside his fellow brothers.

Turning round, Gwaine felt slightly panicked at the fact Brynn’s brother had been kicked by a horse. Boys had been killed in less serious accidents than that, though the calm way Brynn delivered her words suggested that he was alright. “Is he ok?” He asked, quite concerned. After all, why should he not be concerned? He was quite fond of the little boy, he had taught him how to use a little toy sword after all, “Did he not use any of the sword skills I taught him against the horse then?” He asked with a grin. He hoped whatever had happened with Gyrth, the boy was not too badly hurt. After all, he had high hopes of that boy one day fighting with them, if he wanted to of course.

Brynn’s latter words left his mouth in a smug sort of grin. He nodded back to Brynn, and managed to use the arm he had locked through hers to steer her past a couple who were walking in the opposite direction. “So long as I am protecting you all, there is no need to worry.” Of course some credit had to go to his fellow knights, but they weren’t here being praised, so they would have to deal with it in their own way.

[Brynn Reade]

Brynn couldn’t suppress a smile at Gwaine’s obvious surprise. Did it really mean so much to him whether she called him Mylord Knight or not? Didn’t he know she had meant to do it only in jest? Then again, maybe that was not some kind of joke he understood, even though it was fairly common in her family. They always resumed to formalities when they wanted to mock someone, it was like saying: ‘Listen, mister,” if her mother suddenly started to call her husband by his last name, like his seargant did. And her father sometimes called her ‘young goosemaiden’ instead of Brynn, when he wanted to get a point across. That was exactly what Brynn had tried to do, getting her point across by resuming to a higher level of formality, however jokingly.
”Since when did you get so silly?” she retorted and shrugged with another grin. In her eyes, it really was silly to speak over things that most likely never would come to pass, like Alex hurting her in that sort of way. He might be very busy lately, and thus their relationship had become a little distant, but that didn’t mean there was anything wrong with them, right? Great. Now she was starting to worry and overthink… thanks Gwaine, indeed!

Gwaine’s reaction to the tale of Gyrth’s injury was warming Brynn’s heart right away. She had known Gwaine had grown a little fond of her rascal brother, through teaching him a few tricks, but she hadn’t imagined the extent of his worry. Usually Gwaine didn’t show so much care, right? Only if he wanted to charm someone, and that he would want to charm Gyrth was of course out of question. She was glad she could ease his worry easily, as Gyrth was certainly on the mend.
“It is really nothing to worry about, and you should know that is saying something, coming from me!” she said and squeezed his arm. Then a chuckle escaped from her lips and she shook her head in wonder. “That might just be what caused this scene, I fear. He was being very tough and secretive about it all – probably wanted to stay in the knight role and not mind the pain – but what we got out of him was that he played wyvern hunt with the equerry’s two sons. The horses were the wyverns”, she concluded with a slight eyeroll.

They hadn’t even found out about all of this until the evening, when Brynn had brough the little ones to bed. Gyrth had had a purple bruise in the shape of a horseshoe on his ribcage, and yet hadn’t said one word. Torn between admiration and annoyance, Brynn had thought it best to inform her mother, even though Gyrth had begged her not to. “He was very brave, you know”, she mused, completing her line of thinking. “I think he wanted to impress us all with his knightly stamina. Must have had you in mind.”
While they passed by another couple, Brynn craned back her head and looked up at the nightly sky, wondering about the funny ways of life. Who would have thought that one day a little servant boy would come in close enough contact to a knight to not only get a little playful trainging from him, but also use him as a distinct role model.


“Yeah, you run the business singlehanded, don’t you?” she felt in the mood to tease him. “For the other hand you need to down your next ale.” Behind this teasing lay great affection and gratitude though. Brynn was glad for having Gwaine in her life, a constant reminder of not becoming to sombre and thoughrful. Before he had become her friend, Camelot had been a home because she had been born there, and Alex and her family was there. But he made it even more so, even though or just because he had been a foreigner, coming into all their lives.

[thegwaine]

Silly? Gwaine disagreed with that statement entirely. He was many things but he wasn't silly, he was the joker in the pack, but he was never just silly for the sake of it. He had a lot more taste than that. He frowned at his friend but continued to lead her down the road. He grinned, not letting her show that he didn't really approve of her words. "I think you meant to say handsome, not silly." He winked at her, handsome he could go with, but silly? She was barking up the wrong tree with that little statement. Gwaine would rather have women swooning at his feet because of his feet because of his looks, not because they thought he was silly. They had a court jester for those sorts of things anyway.

Well, if Brynn wasn't worried then there was no reason for Gwaine to worry was there? He did care quite a lot for Brynn's brother as he had tutored him in wooden swordplay quite a lot so he had got to know the young boy quite well. Gwaine was quite glad that they now lived in a world where someone like Gyrth could rise through the ranks and become a knight of Camelot. It would have been unheard of a few years ago, but it would be quite the norm from now on wouldn't it? Gwaine nodded in agreement with his friends words. "He is incredibly brave." To withstand such an injury at such a young age in private was certainly something to be admired. Gwaine did admire the young lad, "I'll come and teach him some more moves in the future, I've been busy recently, but I'll make time." Gwaine sometimes felt bad how much his job got in the way of his friends, but his job was to protect them, so it was a bittersweet sort of annoyance.

Gwaine smirked at his friend, and straightened out his tunic with a smirk. Of course he ran the operation sort of single handed, the other knights just helped out every now and again. He was usually at the forefront of the knights attack, or he was just stood on the outside of everyone else because they often complained he spoke too much. Gwaine disagreed, they just hardly had anything interesting to say so he constantly felt like he needed to fill the gap in. "I never mix work and pleasure." Gwaine said now, quite seriously, "My pleasure is one ale in one hand, a woman in the other."

[Brynn Reade]

The easiest thing about teasing Gwaine was that he seemed to take at least a little offense in everything that didn’t get together with his high views of himself. Like, simply being called silly did the trick. If Brynn had been more of a teaser, she probably would have had a field day every time she and Gwaine exchanged a single sentence. She was not though, and thus she rather let this one slip without getitng to close into a wordfight. She would lose that one in anyway, she always lost word fights. Words were simply not her thing, so why waste so much time on something that wouldn’t lead anywhere? That might be her father’s genes who never wasted a word too many, or was simple habit by usually spending the day, or at least a large part of it, by herself and in the company of creatures that cackled enough for any crowd of people.”I meant to say what I said”, she answered simply and nodded her head. Still, there was a smile tugging at her lips. What was it about Gwaine that you could never stay serious around him for long?

Oh Gyrth would love this! Brynn thought with an inward smile. To be admired by your elder sister was well-nigh embarrassing, but to be admired by your idol… it was the perfect accolade! How his eyes would gleam, even though he would try to act all ‘manly’ about it. Gyrth surely was in that phase were he tried to copy male adult behavior to a tee, which often enough looked so sweetly ridiculous that both Brynn and her mother had to bite their lips to not embarrass him further with their laughter. The only one he was able to impress was little Elinor, but then she had worshipped her brother from day one.
”I’m sure he would be delighted!” Brynn promised with a heartfelt smile as she squeezed Gwaine’s arm gratefully. “He wants to be one of you so badly, but my father’s trying to steer him towards the guards, practical man that he is. He would never dream of his son one day being a knight.”

Brynn could only guess as to what the other knights would think of Gwaine’s boasting. Did he really believe so much in his own abilities? Sometimes it was hard to differentiate between what Gwaine said and what he really meant. He surely wasn’t as humble as his other fellow knights, like Elyan or Percival, sometimes he was more a chip of the Kings’s block. That women seemed to find him irresistible of course didn’t help him with lowering his self-esteem to a reasonable height.
”Well, as knight duty can arise every possible minute knowing Camelot, I am sure work and pleasure have been mixed before”, Brynn stated quite confidently. “And please, spare me the details of your ‘pleasure’, will you?”