A brighter day [Gwaine]

[isadora]

As an ally of Gwent and a friend of Prince Arthur's, Isadora was in attendance for the coronation of Camelot's new queen, although she was not the only one shocked by such an event. She knew there had been some who had even refused to attend such a thing; the marriage of a king to a commoner? It was unthinkable! Isadora had a hard time wrapping her mind around it, and like many, she was more than just curious about what this woman was like, the one who was worth causing such a controversy. She must be someone special indeed.

While no one could deny that the wedding was a slap in the face to tradition, Isadora knew the feeling of falling in love with someone you shouldn't, and she actually found that she admired Arthur for breaking tradition to follow his heart. Maybe this could be the start of a change in the traditions? Given the elation of the crowd as she moved through the courtyard, such a thing didn't seem out of the question, not that it would do her any good.

She didn't dwell on the negative, however, instead she let the crowd's infective cheer spread through her, smiling at the sight of dancers and other performers mingling in the crowd. Unfortunately, which she was trying to enjoy herself, she wasn't used to being in such close quarters with so many people; a celebration like this where nobles mingled amongst the commoners was certainly new, and while it made sense, Isadora was having some trouble navigating the crowd. She moved one way, and someone always seemed to step in her way. If she weren't so graceful by nature, she might even trip! And she was certainly getting a little frustrated, although like any princess worth her tiara, she was doing her best to keep it hidden beneath a sweet smile.

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[thegwaine]

The coronation was, at the end of the day, everything it deserved to be and more. Gwaine had wanted this to go well for Gwen’s sake. There had been much talk about a serving girl rising up to sit beside the most powerful man in the Kingdom. Gwaine had heard probably the worst of it from his frequent visits to the tavern, as he often went without his knight’s uniform, so no one took care to temper their tone around him. He had heard everything, the sceptics, those who were completely outraged at the thought, but then there had been the admirers, and those hoping that this meant that a new time was coming, where a man was not defined by his status or the clothes on his back. Gwaine could see both sides of the argument really, but he only ever gave time to the ones who believed that Gwen was right to be Queen, as she was. Arthur couldn’t have hoped for a better bride, in Gwaine’s opinion. After all, she had been one of the few women that had refused him. That took a lot of self control really.

It was quite an unusual celebration to follow a wedding which would never have been allowed if tradition had been listened to. There were nobles now mixing with the common man at the feasting. He wasn’t sure whether this would catch on or not just yet, after all, it was clear that some of the nobility weren’t comfortable with this at all, and some of the commoners were equally as put out. Gwaine was weaving through them all curiously now, trying to see if he could spot a familiar face, or better still, a new face.

Half of Camelot appeared to be here, and there was no one that was protesting, or that looked unhappy with the proceedings. There had been no worry about violence, or protests of course, but it never took very much to light the flame of irritation, and that could quickly be fanned into violence. He hadn’t suspected it was going to happen, the people of Camelot respected their king too much for that, but still, he had seen it in many kingdoms before. Gwaine quickly ran his hand over his face. He was thinking too much. This meant only two things; he needed an ale, or a woman. Looking round the crowd, he saw a young, dark haired noblewoman weaving through the people as he was. She looked to be in good spirits about the whole occasion, so Gwaine wasted no time in making his way over to her, and offered her his hand, so that he might help her through the crowd, “Let me help you my Lady.” He offered with a flashy grin, “Are you heading in any particular direction?” It was always difficult to charm women in crowds, so for now Gwaine was getting a larger scope of the situation before deciding how to proceed.

[isadora]

Isadora lifted the hem of her dress as she skirted around a group of laughing children, not wanting to disturb whatever game they were playing. She wasn't really sure where she was going, buoyed along by the enthusiasm of the crowd, allowing herself to be carried away in the motion of the crowd. A small part of her warned against such carelessness, aware of the dangers of such a crowd, but caution seemed so out of place amongst such ecstasy that she hardly paid it any heed. Even so, when a hand appeared before her, attached to a handsome man adorned in the armour and colours of a knight of Camelot, she was glad for the help, and a grateful smile lit up her face as she placed her hand in his with a gracious nod.

"Thank you, I'm afraid I'm not...accustomed to crowds like this." She said with a slight laugh, letting the knight's presence anchor her against the pull of the crowd. She knew better than to trust a man just because he dressed as a knight --she'd learned that the hard way-- but for the moment she was glad for the company. Who would use such a joyous occasion as this to do ill, after all? Besides, she could use a moment out of the press of the crowd to breathe, and having someone to distract her didn't seem like a bad idea.

"Whichever direction has a bit of room to breathe, please." She answered, her tone a bit uncertain as she wasn't sure that there was such a place in the crowded courtyard, but hopeful that the knight would know his own kingdom better than she did. She'd visited Camelot several times in the past, but she could hardly claim to know the city as well as someone who lived there. She used her free hand to lift the hem of her pale pink gown as she let the mysterious knight lead the way through the crowd to what would hopefully be a slightly quieter spot.

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[thegwaine]

Gwaine had half been expecting the noblewoman to turn him down straight away. After all, the day was quite hot, and women were in a bad mood at the best of times, but the mood could hardly have been lifted by her being trapped in a crowd. However, she seemed in good spirits, and Gwaine was hoping to elevate that, rather than undercut it. He used the hand which he had offered to the woman to lead her from the crowds gently, or at least begin to. They would have to go a long way to completely escape these crowds. Gwaine wasn’t surprised to learn that she wasn’t used to crowds; even Gwaine couldn’t say that he was used to crowds of this strength and variety. Usually only the high nobility celebrated such events, but this time there had been an open invitation, and most of Camelot looked to be here. It was more than a little overwhelming. “The crowds are a little thick today, my Lady.” He commended with a light chuckle, “I think the whole of Camelot decided to come.” Again, he let a small laugh pass his lips, helping to guide her through the crowds.

No one was being particularly loud or disruptive of course, everyone was euphoric and celebratory. There were children dancing round their feet, woman plaiting each others hair, and men joining in drunken songs together. It all felt too poetic for Gwaine’s liking, but it was Gwen’s day, so who was he to take anything away from it? “We could go to the gardens, if you wish my Lady? The crowds are thinner around that side of the castle.” He was being too subtle, even for his own liking. However he was a knight of Camelot before his own pleasures and fun, and he had a duty he supposed to make sure this fair maiden was rescued from the crowd. That was how he was justifying it to himself anyway.

As he began to lead the lady away, he realised he had made a fatal error in this dance of courtesy. “Forgive me my Lady, I should have introduced myself. I am Sir Gwaine.” His knighthood was something Gwaine had always worn with pride, and nothing would ever change that, “What may I call you? Though I am unsure what name could do justice to such beauty.” It wasn’t his best line, and showed how rusty he was. That was irritating, but it had been said now and he was just going to go with it and see where it left him.

[isadora]

A little thick, he said. This knight certainly had a talent for understatement. She'd never even seen so many people crowded into such a small space...in fact, she wasn't sure she'd ever seen this many people no matter how large the space was! She smiled when he added that the whole population of Camelot seemed to be there. "And then some, it seems." She knew there were nobles from other lands in attendance, like herself, so that would account for some of the extra bodies in attendance.

"The gardens sound lovely, thank you." She didn't want to leave the party entirely, but she needed enough room to turn without getting her dress trod upon or hit with someone's elbow. There was only so much adversity a noble lady could take before her best efforts failed and she threw a highly unattractive tantrum in the middle of a crowded square. It had already happened to a few ladies today, with lower tolerances than Isadora, and it had not been pretty. She had no intention of being seen in that state in public, so the gardens were probably a better bet right now.

She had noticed the lack of an introduction, but given the nature of the event and his sudden rescue attempt, she was willing to forgive it. Sir Gwaine, one of Arthur's peasant knights, unless she was much mistaken. Everyone had thought Arthur was mad for such a thing...but given his recent marriage, knighting a few peasants seemed much more rational in comparison. "You may call me Lady Isadora." A bemused smiled came to her lips at his flattery. "Really, sir, flattery? And here I was just starting to like you." She teased playfully, although she hoped he'd take the hint and knock it off.

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[thegwaine]

Gwaine wondered just how many people were actually here. The coronation certainly had been something of a spectacle, but it was surprising to see so many people joining the Pendragon’s celebrations. He doubted that this would have happened in Uther’s day. He had never really hit it off with the old King, though he had toned down his attitude of the man around Arthur. Gwaine nodded to the young woman he was now helping through the crowds. Most of this day had been spent looking after the nobles more than anything, as they weren’t used to mixing with a more common crowd. It didn’t bother Gwaine, but that was because he had spent most of his life on the road, and he hadn’t been able to be picky about the company he had been keeping at all. That wasn’t to say this woman was as intolerant as some, but she had caught his attentions, so he felt honour bound to help. The fact she had a beautiful face had absolutely nothing to do with it.

The gardens it was then, “As you wish my Lady.” There would probably still be people milling around in the gardens, but it was quieter than out here in the court yard. It had been a warm day anyway, but the amount of people here made it almost stifling, especially given the fact he was in his chain mail. He would be glad of a little more room to breathe as much as the woman, he guessed. Jesu, there really was no room here. As he tried to weave through the crowd, helping his guest along, it took all his concentration to avoid knocking anyone over, or banging into the children who were running round their feet.

He felt quite embarrassed in a way that he hadn’t thought to introduce himself right away. No doubt if Iwan ever found out about that he would give him a lesson, or twenty, on etiquette, and to that he would add how to treat women with respect. Gwaine didn’t much care for the man’s attitudes at the best of times, and he was glad he wasn’t here to witness that anyway. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Isadora.” He inclined his head as a means of respect, “I would bow, but I hardly have the room to walk, let alone give attention to a proper introduction.” He gave a soft chuckle, hoping the woman saw the more humorous side of that. You could never quite tell with noblewomen, it could go one way or the other. It seemed that she hadn’t taken his flirtations in the best sense; it wasn’t something that Gwaine was new to. Noblewomen often disregarded his flirtations. He had no intention to irritate Isadora, given the circumstances of their meeting, but he would not stop being his jovial self for anyone. “Only starting?” He asked with a grin, “Where are you from my Lady? I do not recognise your accent.”

[isadora]

Sir Gwaine's assistance was certainly welcome as they made their way through the crowd, Isadora was quite certain she would have been swept away by the masses or knocked right off her feet a number of times if not for his steadying hand on her own. It wasn't as though people were being malicious or trying to hurt anyone else, but everyone was so caught up in their own excitement that they weren't exactly watching their step as carefully as they might otherwise. Sir Gwaine seemed experienced in navigating the crowd, or maybe that was experience on the battlefield crossing over into everyday affairs. Either way, she was glad for his help.

She nodded with a smile when he said it was a pleasure to meet her, then laughed a little at his apology. "Given the circumstances, I think I can find it in my heart to forgive the slight, Sir Gwaine." Isadora may not enjoy flattery overly much, but humour was a whole other matter. She could laugh at the lack of protocol, especially since throughout today's celebrations there had been little enough of it.

"Only starting?"

She raised her eyebrows at his words, but a bemused smile still played across her lips. She chose not to respond, since she did not want to encourage him further. "I hail from Gwent, Sir. Have you ever been?" She responded, wondering if she should inform him that she was, in fact, the princess of Gwent, before she decided against it. She was used to people knowing who she was without so much as an introduction, particularly other nobles, and there was some kind of appeal in someone not knowing exactly who she was.

[thegwaine]

Gwaine was now just intent on getting to the gardens as quickly as possible. He had never really had much against crowds, but there was only so much one could take in such an event. He supposed it would be a different matter if he was mentally in the crowd, but as it were he was just passing through, and therefore the mass of people was somewhat of an irritation. He couldn’t blame the people for being so ecstatic, and he admired their loyalty to the King, even in his decision to break so quickly with protocol. Gwaine smiled a little as he watched them all, trying to navigate his way through them, “Not too long now, my Lady.” He assured her as he could see the gardens up ahead. Gwaine had been right in his earlier assumption that the gardens would be quieter; the crowds looked as if they were trailing off a little.

He grinned a little at her comment, excusing him for not bowing to her. Of course he could have bowed, but he would have knocked himself out, or someone in the crowd. It was hardly the impression he was going for really. “I am glad, my Lady.” Gwaine had already sussed that the lady was perhaps not one for outright flattery or flirtation He was still trying to figure her out in a sense, but there was plenty of time for that, “Are you here alone?” he asked softly, as she might prefer to be returned to a relative, or lover later in the day. It was odd to see such a beautiful woman travelling alone, after all.

Gwent, hmm, Gwaine racked his brain a little, and then nodded softly, “Once, a very long time ago my Lady.” He had sampled some of the taverns on the outskirts of Gwent, but he hadn’t really been into the centre. His attentions had quickly been gripped by a more southern outlook. “I have been to many places in my time.” He explained a little as he continued to lead the lady towards the gardens and through crowds.

[isadora]

To Isadora's relief, the crowd seemed to be thinning out now, and she didn't have to work quite so hard to keep from being trampled on or swept away. His words only served to confirm this assessment, and she gave a little nod. She was somewhat wary when he asked her if she was here alone, reminded of another time when she'd gone off on her own with a knight and things hadn't exactly gone according to plan. The last thing she needed was another celebration to end like that. But there were still plenty of people around and the gardens were secure enough.

She was here alone, in a sense. She had a retinue of knights here to keep her safe, and she was sure they were somewhere around here, doing very important knightly things, but as for anyone who wasn't sworn to protect her, no, there wasn't anyone like that here. She was quiet for a moment, she didn't exactly feel like admitting that to him, or anyone. "Of course not! I'm with you now, aren't I?" She smiled, covering the truth without lying as best as she could, and brushing the question away. She didn't need people to know she was alone.

"And what's kept you away so long? Something scare you off?" She asked with a bit of humour in her voice. But honestly, she was much more curious when he mentioned the other places he had been. Isadora was always curious about the rest of Albion, and in fact, the rest of the world, so whenever she met someone who was a seasoned traveller, she was intrigued. "What kinds of places?"

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[thegwaine]

Gwaine was sure that he never wanted to be caught up in a crowd like this, ever again. If this was how the people of Camelot expressed their love for their Queen then Gwaine shuddered to think what public shows of affection would be shown in future. Would things be the same when the Queen gave the king an heir? That would be a cause for celebration, of course. It was strange to think that the girl Gwaine had encountered all that time ago in the streets of Camelot was now sitting upon the throne as Queen. It was all a lot to take in when he sat back enough to consider it properly. Of course Gwaine couldn’t imagine anyone else upon the throne next to Arthur, perhaps once he thought Mithian might have occupied the seat, but not anymore.

Her answer was a curious one, but Gwaine recognised when someone was keeping their cards close to their chest. He had done it enough in the past to be able to pick up on it. Her answer was encouraging though, as most women would admit to having a lover, or husband, so perhaps this was his way in. He hoped so at least, as Gwaine was no stranger to having his fun gate-crashed by a jealous lover, “Well observed, my Lady.” He chuckled, he had never had that response before, Isadora was wittier than he had initially given her credit for.

He smirked a little at her words, and shook his head, “Your culture wasn’t up to my particular tastes.” He winked at her, to let her know that she was jesting. It was too crude to say to a lady like this that he had not gone back to Gwent because the ale hadn’t been as good as some of the other kingdoms which he had visited. Culture counted as taverns, sort of. It was the culture of the average man, and that was what Gwaine loved. The fact she was pressing him for more details made him grin a little, Gwaine never tired of recounting his tales to new ears. “As far north to see the perilous lands, and as far south to see deserts which stretch as far as the eye can see. And everything inbetween.” He grinned, sometimes he did miss his life on the road, but he enjoyed his life now for different reasons. This was his home, and it always would be.

[isadora]

She was grateful when he didn't pry into her lack of company, smiling softly at his chuckle and brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. But her smile faded away, turning to a mock pout when he spoke of her culture. She knew he was joking, at least to some degree, but that didn't mean she couldn't give him a hard time about it. "Well, your tastes must be dreadfully shallow, Sir Gwaine." She fluttered her eyelashes innocently enough, but a slight upturn at the corner of her lips hinted at the humour behind her own barbs. She couldn't help but get slightly defensive of her country, even at the most cursory slight. If she didn't defend it, who would?

"You ought to come back sometime, so I can change your mind." She added with a genuine smile, to show that the offer was legitimate. It could get so boring sometimes, it would be nice to have company to ease the tedium if Sir Gwaine decided to take a break from his knightly duties for a short time. And there was no doubt in her mind that if he got a proper taste of Gwent, he would have no choice but to change his mind, because it was simply the finest kingdom in all Albion, without contest. Not like she was biased or anything.

His tantalizing words about far off places caught her attention, however, piquing her interest. They had reached the gardens, and with enough room between the pair of them and the other people milling about, she turned to face him with an excited smile, eyes bright with curiosity. These were places she would likely never visit, too far away and far too dangerous for a lady like herself to venture, so she could only hope to live vicariously through the tales of others. "Sounds terribly exciting. Would you regale me with tales of your adventures in these foreign lands, and the people you met there?"

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[thegwaine]

Were his tastes shallow No, Gwaine would say they were tailored, or unique. Not many had the privilege of travelling around Albion for the sake of it, and trying out the different taverns had given him something to do. Gwent was one of the kingdoms he had visited when he had first set out, so he only had vague memories of the place. There must have been a reason why he hadn’t gone back, Jesu, he’d even been back to Mercia a few times, and that was one of the roughest kingdoms in Albion and beyond. “Perhaps my tastes differ to those which are most common in Gwent.” He reasoned, with a smirk at his lips, perhaps she had too high an opinion of him, and thought he was referring to cuisine, or music. No, he based most of his experiences off ale, and where he was least likely to get beaten up. It sounded strange, because it was, but most places didn’t like strangers; especially drunken ones.

He could hope that there was an innuendo tucked away in her words, but he suspected that wasn’t the case. She was probably too high brow for such vulgar words and thoughts. Gwaine was a lot calmer in those respects than he had once been, but he was still probably worse than the average man. “I shall take you up on that one day, my Lady.” He grinned, though he knew that it would be unlikely for him to stray far from Camelot now that he was a knight unless he had good reason to. Perhaps he could persuade Arthur to let him have a few weeks off. Though given how much time Merlin was given off, Gwaine could already give himself an answer to that question.

Gwaine had been right to suggest the gardens, as the crowds thinned dramatically as they entered them. Perhaps the gardens were still regarded as a place for nobles, and the like, for most people. There were some children running about, and the odd couple here and there, but otherwise it was a welcomed change from the hustle and bustle of the crowds; though he didn’t let go of the ladies hand just yet. It didn’t surprise him that she wanted to hear more of his stories, which was why he had brought the topic up. There was no point in rushing these things though was there? “”Where would you like me to start, my Lady? Geographically, the north or the south?”

[isadora]

He agreed to her casual invitation and Isadora smiled; she always did enjoy entertaining guests. "I hope you do! I'm sure it won't be too much trouble to find some tastes you share with the people of Gwent." She reasoned lightly, the people of Gwent varied widely, particularly in the capital, so she wasn't too worried about finding some way to win the knight over. He seemed an easy going sort, so she imagined that if he gave her kingdom another chance, he'd grow to see how truly wonderful it was in no time.

There were still enough people milling about that Isadora didn't feel uncomfortable in the presence of the knight, even with her dainty hand still enclosed in his. While she was unsurprised by his willingness to share his stories, she was pleased that he was so agreeable to it. Most men didn't mind talking about their adventures, impressing ladies with tales of their harrowing bravery and overwhelming manliness.

She considered for a moment where she should ask him to start; honestly, what difference did it make? She hoped to hear all the tales he was willing to tell her, at least until he was too exhausted to continue any longer or was called away on some chore of knightly importance. So she gave a slight shrug of her shoulders and raised her eyebrows, "why don't we start with the north and work our way down from there?" She suggested with a smile.

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[thegwaine]

Gwaine was now wondering if he could persuade Arthur to send him on a mission to Gawant, perhaps it wouldn’t be that hard. Then again, there was always something happening in Camelot, the knights of Camelot certainly earned their keep, as it seemed like the kingdom was always being plagued with some problem or another; Gwaine was sure that the other kingdoms he had visited weren’t this bad. However, Camelot was rich, and rich kingdoms brought many enemies; there was no point in attacking a kingdom with nothing to give, he reasoned. “I’m sure there will be something we can all agree on.” He grinned a little, hoping that one day he would actually be able to visit the kingdom. Perhaps if he broached the topic with Arthur one day the King might let him loose for a week or two. Sometimes Gwaine did miss being able to just go where he wanted when he wanted. It had been hard to adjust at first, and there were times when he still missed the freedom, but he enjoyed his life the way it was, and wouldn’t trade it for what he had given up.

There was no mistaking that today was going to go down in history in Camelot, as it really was an historic day. Gwaine usually wasn’t sentimental about these kinds of things, but he had always believed that it should be those who deserve to rule who did, not those who simply saw it as a birthright. In Arthur and Gwen, there was a perfect balance of those things, and Gwaine supported the marriage, where others would seek to criticise it.

The north it was then! Gwaine continued to walk, the ladies hand in his, as he wondered where to start. None of the knights really paid his tales much heed, they had their own campfire stories, and he was usually too drunk to tell his by the time he was given his chance, so they’d just got passed over. “The north is colder for a start.” He gestured to the general splendour and weather, “This kind of weather is a rarity, but I did spend a while up there. There’s the perilous lands of course to the north and east, but not many have been further north than that, past Mercia and into the highlands. I didn’t go that far of course, but the people there are apparently different to those in the five kingdoms, they even speak a different language. Or so the Mercian’s tell you.” He grinned a little, trying to not go on with himself, “Have you ever visited Mercia my Lady?”

[isadora]

Camelot certainly had more than its share of troubles, but they also had more than their share of enemies, so it was unsurprising. Although it seemed that since ascending to the throne, Arthur had been making great strides towards peace, ending old disputes and feuds and pacifying enemies without resorting to warfare. Isadora had to admit, she was impressed with the progress he had made, especially when he had made the unprecedented decision to lift the oppressive ban on magic towards the peaceful druids. She didn't know why he had done it, but she had her own reasons to be glad, although she knew there were those in her own kingdom who didn't share her sentiment. His actions so far made her hopeful about the future of Albion, and it was obvious from the crowd that she was not the only one.

Isadora loved to hear stories. When her mother had gotten sick and couldn't leave her bed, Isadora had stayed inside with her all day, and they had passed the time telling stories, the ones her mother knew and the ones Isadora made up. She was sure none of hers were very impressive, but they had made her mother smile and that was what was important. Being cloistered in the convent after that, there had been little else to do but read when she wasn't attending her lessons, but there was something special about hearing stories from another person, something books just seemed to lack. It was those stories that made her so curious about the world, and since she hardly had the chance to see it for herself, she thrived on listening to them.

She listened intently to his stories of the frozen northern lands, picturing desolate mountains and frostbitten grass, and wondering what the people beyond the five kingdoms were really like, questions she knew he wouldn't be able to answer. She nodded when he asked if she had ever ventured to Mercia. "I have, but only briefly, and only for diplomatic reasons." They had held the summit to determine what was to be done with Escetia after King Cenred's death in Mercia, and she had attended in her father's stead. "What else do the Mercians tell you?" She asked with a smile, wondering what other things he had heard about the strange peoples to the north.

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[thegwaine]

Gwaine wondered if this was truly the start of a new age for Camelot. He had heard about the great purge, and how Uther had chased magic from the land, and how he had moulded the kingdom into his own idealised view. Perhaps Arthur was gradually doing the same thing with his rule, though he was sure that his friend would have a rounder view on how to rule than his father had. Gwaine had travelled to many lands, most of which allowed magic, yet none were overrun with anarchy or misery. Magic was respected in other cultures, and though Gwaine now sought to protect the citizens of Camelot against magic, he sometimes wondered how far he actually believed in what he was fighting for, and to what extent he was just following orders blindly. He had seen his friends possessed by magic, others cut down by spirits released by Morgana and much more beside. Even given all that, Gwaine knew that in some kingdoms those with sorcery were respected and only used magic for good. He wasn’t sure though, he had never really thought on it seriously.

At the moment though he didn’t have to think about magic, and his personal views on it though. Gwaine instead was just enjoying relaying his own tales at the moment, rather than thinking about where Camelot would go from here onwards. Right now he was living in the past, and enjoying every moment of it. He hadn’t expected her to have visited the kingdom for diplomatic reasons, she had after all only introduced herself as a lady and nothing more. Perhaps she meant something along the lines of marriage, or as accompanying her father or suchlike. “Did you enjoy your stay?” He asked out of courtesy more than anything. Mercia was a kingdom either loved or loathed in Gwaine’s opinion.

Her question brought a grin to his face and he stretched out a little and ran his spare hand through his hair. “Most of the rest of it is nonsense; a lot of them believe they relate back to the first men of Albion, and hail dynastic lines from there.” He shrugged, Gwaine had never paid much attention to that kind of thing, “And of course they are the best warriors, and they all claim to have a sorcerer in the family.” He chuckled a little, “If you ask me, they spend too much time out in the cold. Affects their heads.” He tapped the side of his head to emphasise it, and chuckled again, “Now my Lady, where would you like to hear of next?”

[isadora]

Isadora was used to people just knowing who she was, whether she had introduced herself or not, so explaining herself didn't really occur to her, even knowing that she hadn't given him a proper introduction. It was perhaps a touch of hubris on her part, but she could hardly be expected to remember everything. "I'm afraid the cause for my visit may have tarnished the experience somewhat. It was a rather tense affair, I'm afraid I had little time to enjoy the country itself." She had spent her time locked in intense discussions with the other lords, and it had been more stressful than relaxing, unfortunately. "Is it worth it to return under better circumstances?" She looked to him for advice, he was the expert, after all.

She covered her lips when he spoke of the boasts of the people of Mercia, to hide her giggle, it seemed people from all over liked to believe only the best about their own nation. She couldn't really fault them, of course, not with how biased she could be in regards to her own kingdom. She smiled and nodded her agreement when he tapped his head. "The poor addled things." She laughed, dropping her hand to lift the hem of her skirt slightly as she stepped over an overgrown root that was protruding into their path.

Where to next? She thought of what she knew of Albion's cartography, thinking to places she had never ventured. "Have you ever ventured across the sea?" Gwent was a coastal nation, and while she had spent lengths of time gazing at the sea and beyond, she'd never had cause or opportunity to cross. She doubted if she ever would, so she had to live vicariously through the stories and experiences of others, like Sir Gwaine. She might feel bad, if he didn't seem to be truly pleased to have a rapt audience, but he seemed to enjoy speaking of his ventures as much as she liked to hear of them.

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[thegwaine]

It was quite strange to hear women speaking of inter-kingdom matters as tense or otherwise, especially as she was a Lady. Gwaine pressed his lips together, wondering if his young guest was something higher than the rank of a Lady. If she were nobility, it would explain her tense arrangements with the Mercians. They weren’t the easiest people to deal with diplomatically. “If you don’t mind me asking my Lady, why do you describe the negotiations as tense?” He probably talked too much; it was a trait Gwaine had always had, but now was hardly the time to abandon it, and besides, he was curious. “Any country is worth visiting under favourable circumstances; Mercia has its charm, you just have to have the patience to look for it.”

Of course, Gwaine would never be the one to repeat any of this in front of an actual Mercian. It was fine with a neutral party, or perhaps a Mercian with a sense of humour, but unfortunately for Gwaine that was something most of them lacked. Or rather, they did have a sense of humour, they just didn’t enjoy being laughed at. Gwaine would be able to go with that if half the things they said weren’t laughable. “Indeed.” He began to guide his guest through the gardens, finding the usual walk that was taken through these parts. “Though of course I wouldn’t say such things out in the open at court; there are one or two Mercian’s in residence in Camelot at the moment, and I’ve been on the end of a Mercian temper far too often to repeat the experience.”

Gwaine shook his head when she spoke of crossing the sea. It wasn’t as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him before, and Gwaine had been given the opportunity to pass over the sea to foreign lands more than once, he just hadn’t. “Boat’s don’t agree with me.” He joked lightly, though he wasn’t sure that was the case at all. Within the five kingdoms, he supposed though he was always travelling alone, and to places he had never been before, they were always familiar places. The people were from one kingdom or another, they all spoke the same language, albeit with funny accents most of the time. He had never had any urge to cross the sea though. He had heard that the people across the sea spoke different languages, and had odd ways of doing things. No, what had really scared Gwaine was the prospect of there not being any ale across the sea. “I have heard though, that they speak a different language across the sea.” He paused for a moment, for the effect more than anything. Gwaine was a showman through and through, “That they worship strange God’s, and there are those to the east of here who raid upon the shores.” He grinned a little, “That is what I have been told anyway, most of it is probably seamen’s gossip, but it’s fun to listen to nonetheless.”