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Post by Griff Aubert on Dec 18, 2011 18:37:38 GMT -5
It was the screaming he would remember the most. Whenever he thought back to this day - that was assuming he survived - it would be the screaming and the running and the sheer terror on people's faces. Camelot was going to fall, just like it had fallen before. Griff hadn't been in Camelot when Morgana had taken over. He'd long since left, heartbroken and miserable he'd wandered Albion alone while people he loved suffered. He'd been completely oblivious to it. But now he was right in the heart of it.
He'd been outside, trying to get some fresh air, and sneaking a tankard of ale. Even after returning to Camelot he was still no stranger to a drink. After watching Caitrin's reaction to her uncle's drinking he doubted she would be too pleased about another borderline alcoholic (well, a borderline alcoholic. There was nothing borderline about Rouland) in her house.
That was when the screaming started. And then there was the fire and the men and the swords and he hadn't known what to do. He'd ran inside, obviously, because Caitrin was inside. He had to find her, that was the most important thing, especially as she was pregnant. He wasn't going to let her lose another child.
The house was already surrounded. He hadn't even noticed them. How had he not even noticed them? Urgh. Now wasn't the time. He had to find Caitrin and get her out of here. His mind flickered to his brother. If the estates were being attacked no doubt the castle would be too. Lucan would be in danger. Oh God. Why was everyone important to him suddenly in danger? He hit the palm of his hand against his forehead. He needed to focus. Lucan would be fine. He was a knight of Camelot, they were trained to deal with this sort of thing. Caitrin however wasn't. And she wasn't going to leave of her own accord, so it was up to him to make sure that she did.
As quietly and as quickly as possible he made his way to their chamber, somehow managing to make it there without being seen. He would have been impressed with himself if he had the time. The door flew open and he found Caitrin stood by the window, looking out. There wasn't time to stand there thinking. They needed to leave. "Cait," he grabbed her arm, perhaps a little too roughly, but it didn't matter. "We're leaving, come on. We'll go out the servant's way."
Tagged: Caitrin de Archer Timeline: During series four, episode eleven
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Post by Caitrin de Archer on Dec 18, 2011 19:21:55 GMT -5
It had just seemed like a normal average day in Camelot. Nothing had really gone amiss for some time and Caitrin was starting to naively think that everything was going to be ok, and that her pregnancy would run without any complications. She had spent most of the day being annoyed at her needlework. Although Caitrin had set out with good intentions about making some clothes for the baby, she had just ended up getting annoyed at the fact her needlework wasn’t up to scratch. Setting her fabrics aside, she had gone up to hers and Griff’s chambers for some time by herself. Her Uncle snickering at her failing needlework was starting to wear thin anyway.
She wasn’t quite sure where Griff had got to, but she wasn’t that concerned. Sometimes it was nice to have a few moments to herself. Pushing herself off her bed, she wrapped her arms around her belly and sighed softly as she walked over to the window. She was getting bigger by the day, and it was starting to worry her. If she was this big at only five months, then how large would she be when she was full term? She pulled the cloak she was wearing over her belly almost protectively as she peered out of the window. At first she had just been searching for the stars and the moon, but something a lot more worrying caught her eye.
There were lights; torches, coming in their direction. They lit up a large company of men and Caitrin’s heart began to thud wildly in her chest. It was happening again; the witch was back. That was the logical explanation of course, Caitrin knew other Kingdoms often tried for Arthur’s crown but Morgana had done this once before. She began to try to calm herself down, she’d been told that was essential to prevent any damage to the baby. However, it was a lot easier to remain calm when there weren’t soldiers marching on your home.
This was different. Before the men had just attacked the citadel, but this time there were men heading straight to the estate. Caitrin ran a hand through her hair, and despite her panic she felt defiance and anger burn through her. This was her home, and she would not allow it to fall into the witches hands. Both hands were at her belly, rubbing it soothingly as she tried to keep her emotions under control. Getting emotional wouldn’t help anything. Her eyes were just transfixed on the approaching men so she didn’t notice her husband until he grabbed her arm.
She spun around half in shock and pulled her arm swiftly from his grasp. There were much simpler ways of gaining her attention. As he spoke of leaving, Caitrin just looked on at him dumbfounded, “Leave?” She croaked. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the men approaching, and that confirmed her thoughts, “I’m not going anywhere.” She replied in a harsh voice; Caitrin wasn’t going to flee because of the witch, “This is our home, we can’t just leave.” Clearly Griff wasn’t seeing this logically. Where the hell would they go even if he persuaded her to flee? She was five months pregnant; it hardly made matters simple.
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Post by Griff Aubert on Dec 27, 2011 17:47:21 GMT -5
The majority of the time, Griff would just accept that Caitrin was going to be stubborn about whatever he was proposing, and although an argument would ensue, it wouldn't end in his favour and they'd just carry on. This was not going to be one of those times. If Caitrin wanted to be stubborn and argue, well fine, he couldn't stop her from doing that. But he would just carry her. "We're not arguing about this, Cait." He said firmly. It wasn't often that he was this forceful, but if they didn't leave now then they would be in danger and he wasn't going to let that happen. It was his job to protect her, after all, especially when she wasn't going to protect herself.
Surely remaining in their home was not more important than staying alive. But that was just Griff Logic, obviously in Caitrin Logic this all made perfect sense. He might not have quite the same emotional attachement to the house as she did, but did she really want to stay here? And do what exactly? Alright, they had managed to fend for themselves against the Doroccha (and by they, he meant her, obviously), but this was by no means the same situation. This was far more dangerous. Firstly, they didn't have any way to defend themselves, and secondly, she was pregnant. He couldn't believe that her first thought wasn't for getting away from the danger. "Come on, we're leaving." He repeated, somewhat at a loss as to how he could make her see sense if she couldn't see it already.
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Post by Caitrin de Archer on Dec 27, 2011 18:06:02 GMT -5
Caitrin folded her arms, because that clearly meant that she meant business, and that she really wasn’t going anywhere. Griff had never dictated to her before, and he was choosing now to start? Her folded arms came to rest on the top of her bump, and she just stared intently on at her husband. “I’m not arguing about it.” She pointed out, as she had made her point quite clear; she wasn’t going anywhere. The witch was not driving her from her home. She should be able to feel safe inside her own walls, and she wasn’t leaving them without a fight. Last time this had happened Caitrin had to be taken from the house; she had not fled like some criminal into the night, and she still was insulted that Griff thought she was going to do just that. “I’m not going anywhere.” Two could play the firm card, plus by her not going anywhere it meant the baby was staying as well, but she doubted Griff would be incredibly happy with that. In a way she’d almost flinched, because he’d never used that tone of voice with her before. In all the time they had been together he had never once got angry with her, or commanded her to do anything seriously. It had always been in jest, or as a suggestion. Now he was commanding her, like he held status over her, and Caitrin didn’t appreciate it one bit.
She turned away from her husband now and went back to the window. The lights the soliders were carrying were still advancing on the house. A bead of sweat ran down her forehead; they had minutes at best. No doubt half the servants had already fled, but she was the Lady of this manor, and her pride was booming in the face of danger. Breathing out slowly, she placed a hand on her belly and looked back at Griff. He was still going on about leaving, obviously she hadn’t been clear enough with him. “You go if you want to flee, but I am not leaving.” She didn’t want him to go of course, she wanted him to stay with her, but if this was what it had come to then so be it. The soldiers were still advancing on them, and they didn’t have long left in which to argue or bicker in this room. It was now or never.
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Post by Griff Aubert on Jan 23, 2012 17:32:55 GMT -5
She'd folded her arms. Usually that meant she was budging and he could try all he wanted but he wasn't going to win. Well, he was just going to ignore her. Why she wouldn't just listen to him was something he was yet to understand. Could she not see the danger they were in? Could she not see the danger she would put herself, and their child, if she stayed? Griff was trying his best to remain calm but it wasn't easy when she was being so stupid. What possible reason could she have for wanting to stay here? Alright, it was her home and he accepted that, but it was it more important than her life? Was it more important than their child? "Why are you arguing?" The frustration was clear in his voice, but he was managing to keep himself from becoming angry. Anger wouldn't help at all right now.
Caitrin wasn't even looking at him now and her words hurt a lot more than they should, maybe she'd meant them to. After all, the situation was bound to bring the memories of Morgana's last rule into her memory. He'd left her then and it had been the worst decision of his life, there was no way he was leaving her again. There was not a day that went by that he wasn't reminded of just how much a coward he had been and regretted not returning to Camelot sooner. He wouldn't have been able to stop her going through what she had, but maybe he could have made some difference. At least he would have been there for her instead of wasting his life.
Griff ran a hand over his face. He honestly didn't know what to do and he was scared. How could he protect Caitrin if she wasn't going to listen to him? He couldn't even get her out of the house. "You think I would just leave you?" The frustration was gone from his voice, in its place there was just a dull acceptance. Why wouldn't she? He'd done exactly that before. He bit his lip and gave a small nod. Yes, she obviously would think he'd just leave her because even though they were married, even though he loved her more than anything, he'd done it before. He'd been a coward then so what was to stop him doing that now? "Cait, I know what you think but you're wrong." He stepped towards her, taking her hand in his, "We need to leave."
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Post by Caitrin de Archer on Jan 23, 2012 18:52:47 GMT -5
Caitrin went to answer straight away with why she was arguing, because this was her home, and she wouldn’t see it fall into enemy hands. However, Griff didn’t seem to approve of these motives anyway, so what was the point in speaking words he very obviously didn’t want to hear? For a few moments, Caitrin couldn’t look at her husband. She hadn’t meant for her words to come out as harshly as they did, but what was said had been said now, and there was no changing that. She bit her lip. In her innocence, she supposed she had got over the fact that Griff had left her alone, and run off to live off his life without her. She had thought it didn’t bother her anymore that he hadn’t come back for her for months, but she knew it still did, because she had come out with that. It still hurt that she had been alone, not just in the dungeons, but even after her ordeal. He had always been in her thoughts, she’d just wanted him safe, but he hadn’t shown the same sort of commitment until sometime after that. Caitrin couldn’t answer his question, it was more because she didn’t want to believe he would run off and leave her again. During her time on her own, she had realised just how weak she was without him, and how much he meant to her. Biting her lip, feeling her eyes become glossy she shook her head. No, they were expecting a child together, they were married, if he was going to run away again he would have surely done it before now.
His words still racked her with guilt though, did she truly have so little faith in him? No, she liked to believe she had more faith in him than that, but she was doing a poor job of showing it. He had never really snapped at her like that, and she almost flinched at his words. She wasn’t used to it, and that was it. Though they often argued, Caitrin could comfortably claim the upper hand was mostly hers. Now however, it seemed quite the opposite. Really, she didn’t appreciate being told she was wrong, and for a moment she couldn’t answer her husband. What might seem silly and insignificant to him meant everything to her. However, the fact that he had been so forwards, and forceful with his words caused her to just fall silent. Her anger was dispersing, and a sense of panic was left in its place. She breathed out slowly, and looked outside as she saw the lights start to close in on them. Her hand was running over her belly again, and all of a sudden she could feel her heart thudding in her ears. “No, I don’t believe you would leave me again.” Her eyes were finally locked with his, though she spoke in a quiet voice, though she needed him to know now that she did still hold faith in him, and that she still loved and trusted him.
She looked down at the hand Griff had slipped through hers and then raised her eyes to her husband; the man she loved more than anything. She nodded at him, it was only a small nod, but she was admitting that he was right, and that they had to leave now. She broke away from his hand and grabbed their cloaks, passing one to Griff as she slipped hers on around her shoulders. If she was going to run around in the middle of the dark at least she could keep warm. She slipped her hand back into Griff’s, and squeezed it, letting him know that she was ready to go. Pulling her hood up with her spare hand, she led Griff towards the door, “We’ll use the servants entrance.” She repeated his earlier plan, but as long as it sounded like she had put some input into this situation then her mood would be slightly improved. As they reached the end of the corridor, towards the servants entrance, she looked up to her husband, “Where will we go?” It was a standard enough question, and if he didn’t know then she would rather he said, rather than building up her expectations that he had some sort of plan. Caitrin knew her husband better than that. Notes: I’ve shifted it along/slightly god-modded Griff, let me know if you need an edit![/color][/size]
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Post by Griff Aubert on Mar 10, 2012 9:46:29 GMT -5
Caitrin hadn't answered his question, or rather she had, just not with words. Her silence said enough. He couldn't blame her, he had just left her last time, and even though that was before Morgana's reign and before she was in danger, he'd never gone back. He'd known those in Camelot were suffering, he'd known Caitrin was far too stubborn for her own good, known she'd get herself into trouble and even then he'd stayed away. He couldn't expect her to completely believe him now when he said he wouldn't, he could only prove that to her. But, finally, after what seemed like too long a silence, his question was answered.
"No, I don't believe you would leave me again."
He sighed, a relieved sigh, and pressed his lips together in a small smile. Of course he wouldn't leave her again. He'd been a coward, he'd been selfish and in doing so had made the worst decision of his life. There was no way he was voluntarily going to do that again, especially not with their child on the way. "I'll never leave you." He said, his voice quiet but urging her to believe the words.
It seemed he'd finally managed to get through to her, made her see sense. She was a fighter and a damned stubborn one at that, but Griff knew more than anyone when it was time to run away, and this was definitely one of those times. If they stayed they would only be putting themselves in danger. She handed him his cloak which he put on quickly and followed her through the servants' entrance, all the while trying to think of what to do now. He'd spent most of his energy persuading Caitrin to leave he hadn't really given much thought to where they were supposed to go. It was obvious that they needed to leave Camelot, but then where? He ran a hand through his hair. An idea sprang into his head, an idea that he would rather not listen to. "I might have an idea," he said, not entirely convinced this was the right option himself.
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Post by Caitrin de Archer on Mar 10, 2012 12:36:01 GMT -5
Griff was usually the voice of reason towards Caitrin. Her time under Morgana’s reign last time had shown her that she usually spoke first and thought later. It was a family trait, but this time she did have Griff to bring her back down to earth. That was what she had been missing last time, someone to just tell her to think for two moments about what she was doing. Perhaps if she had then she wouldn’t have gone through the ordeal of being in the dungeons, ad she wouldn’t have suffered the repercussions of that. She winced slightly, no, she couldn’t think of that now. They had this strong, healthy and loved child on the way, and she wouldn’t let Morgana take this away from her and Griff a second time. She nearly had, she’d nearly put them all in danger again, but she had her husband here with her now, and she knew he was right.
As he smiled at her words, she mirrored his expression and stepped towards him. “I know.” Caitrin leant up towards Griff and gave him a small kiss, just letting him know that she knew he wouldn’t leave her not now. She’d been stupid to even suggest it was a possibility, and she already regretted it. They were married now, they had this child on the way and they both loved each other. She knew he wouldn’t leave, just as she had no intention of leaving him. She couldn’t imagine life without him now, and she certainly didn’t want to.
The servant’s entrance led them outside, so they were underneath the stars in next to no time at all. They were out of the back, where Morgana’s men were passing by the front of the house. They needed to move quickly, though that was easier said than done in her condition. Her hands were grasping her belly as she moved away from the home, not letting herself look back at it. She knew if she looked back she’d want to go back, but she wasn’t going back, she couldn’t let herself. She picked up her speed as much as she could manage and tore into the forest; their path only lit by the stars in the sky. “What’s your idea?” She whispered loud enough for him to hear, but not loud enough to draw attention towards them. They were supposed to be running away after all, there wasn’t much point in that if they were going to get caught was there? In her head she wasn’t thinking much past the next few moments, but they would have to find somewhere to go; she couldn’t sleep on the forest floor or live like this while she was five months into her pregnancy.
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Post by Griff Aubert on Mar 23, 2012 13:27:34 GMT -5
Griff was completely unconvinced his idea was a good one, but at present it was the only one they had. They didn't have the luxury of time. They needed to leave and quickly. Before they could do this, however, Griff had to, to put it frankly, get over his own feelings and put his family's safety before his own comfort. For someone who had never cared for anyone apart from himself this wasn't the easiest of tasks, but he wasn't about to let Caitrin and their unborn child suffer because he wouldn't swallow his pride. He sighed. This was not something he wanted to do, at all, but he didn't have a choice anymore.
"The plan," he bit his lip, "The plan is to go to Glouchedon. To my father's." He doubted Caitrin would feel particularly enthusiastic, but at the moment he didn't care for what she thought. If he'd listened to her in the first place they'd still be inside and in worse danger so he wasn't going to listen to any objections now.
Glouchedon was the last place he wanted to go but it was also the only place they could go. He didn't have a home of his own and Allard's would be no safer than here. They needed to leave Camelot which meant Griff had to go back home. He had never considered going back there, he'd never considered seeing his father again and what with his reconciliation with Lucan and his life with Caitrin he'd never wanted to. Glouchedon had become a place of his past, and yet now it was the only place that could preserve his future.
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Post by Caitrin de Archer on Mar 23, 2012 16:05:56 GMT -5
Glouchedon? Was Griff being serious? She stopped mid run, well she was only partly running, it wasn’t particularly comfortable to run with a pregnant belly after all. She was sure she was swelling more than she should, but then again, she didn’t need to worry about that now did she? Her husband’s words were still ringing in her ears. Glouchedon wasn’t exactly what she would expect him to suggest in any circumstances, and she wasn’t quite sure what to think. She was running away from her home in the middle of the night and her husband was suggesting they went to his father’s home as an alternative? She wasn’t exactly seeing the logic in this. Griff didn’t get on with his father, what if they were turned away? She was five months pregnant, she couldn’t go all that way without the promise of a bed.
She still hadn’t moved and she just looked on at her husband, “Are you being serious?” Was all she could think to say, maybe he was joking, perhaps this was all some sort of sick joke to worry her. The baby within her stirred and she put a hand over her belly protectively. Caitrin didn’t get on with Griff’s father either, and she hadn’t met his mother yet but from what Lucan and Griff had told her, Elaine wasn’t a warm sort of woman. Caitrin’s mind was racing to the worst of this situation already, and it was almost blinding the logic in Griff’s words. They couldn’t go to Mercia because Payton wouldn’t take them in. She would probably be able to plead on one of her brothers to put them up, but they wouldn’t keep them for long. Anyway, she didn’t want her child anywhere near her father.
She knew that Griff wouldn’t have suggested this if he couldn’t see any other option. They didn’t have enough money to keep them going for long, she knew that. Camelot might never be raised from Morgana, and though that was pessimistic thinking, it could be the truth, and Caitrin had to live with that. She put a hand to her mouth and finally looked back to where they had run from so far. They had come quite far already, but she could see the glow from Camelot and she placed a hand over her mouth. That had been her home their home. It was supposed to be where they raised their child, and it should have been where they should still be. This was all wrong. The tears weren’t coming but she could feel them in her throat. She knew they couldn’t go back, she knew that, she just didn’t want to believe it. She finally looked back at her husband with tears prickling in her eyes. She wouldn’t cry, she was stronger than that so she brushed them away and sniffed back. “Will Glouchedon be safe?” Her voice was weary, but she would not go where she didn’t feel safe, for the childs sake more than anything. “How will we get there?” Caitrin couldn’t ride a horse, at best she could sit in the back of a cart comfortably, her condition wasn’t exactly helping the situation. She didn’t even know how far Glouchedon was. She would have put up more of a fight if they hadn’t been in this situation, she just needed to be somewhere that Morgana couldn’t get to her or her child, she needed to protect hers and Griff’s unborn child. She couldn’t let this life slip through her hands.
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Post by Griff Aubert on Mar 25, 2012 21:22:02 GMT -5
Of course he was being serious. Why would he joke about going to Glouchedon? And especially in a time like this. He knew Caitrin wouldn't like it but quite frankly they were out of options. It was Glouchedon or nothing, so he preferred Glouchedon. If it made her feel better, which he was certain it wouldn't, he wanted to go there a lot less than she did. "Yes, I am." He ran a hand over his face, "I don't like it anymore than you do, but," he shrugged rather defeatedly, "What choice do we have?" The simple answer was there was none.
The advantage to Glouchedon was that it was far enough away from Camelot to not get too involved in its politics. The people of his home wouldn't care for Morgana's reign any more than they cared for Arthur's. Besides, his father was the duke. No one would dare touch him or his wife. And, perhaps most importantly, even if it wasn't safe it was safer than Camelot so it really didn't matter. "Safe enough, we'll be fine." He tried to sound reassuring but it probably didn't work.
Ah, the next problem. Glouchedon's main advantage was also a rather large disadvantage. There was no way Caitrin could ride, not in her condition, so they'd have to find a carriage of some sort. While Rouland did have one, Griff didn't want to risk going anywhere near the house. "You're going to have to trust me," that was probably the most untrustworthy thing he could have said, "But we can't go back and get the carriage, and even if we could get there there's not enough time with the horses and...it's just not going to work." He sighed, he really didn't like this plan but it was the only one he had. "We're just going to have to go and...hope we find something. It is easier to hide two people than two people, a carriage and a horse though so..." That was obviously making everything better. "I'm sorry Cait, but...I don't know what else we can do."
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Post by Caitrin de Archer on Mar 29, 2012 17:10:31 GMT -5
No, Caitrin didn’t like this situation at all. However, she supposed that Griff didn’t like it anymore than she did. It wasn’t exactly the place she would choose to run away to, but like he said, they didn’t really have a choice. However, that wasn’t improving Caitrin’s mood about the situation on the whole. Why on earth would she want to go to the South by choice? She quickly thought of Mercia, and Caitrin ran a hand through her hair. However, though Mercia would be a haven to her and Griff in some ways, the negatives outweighed the positives. She didn’t want her baby anywhere near her father. She wouldn’t be able to rely on Oliver’s support and guidance because he wasn’t there anymore, he was in Ailantha with Yassia, and his brother Edmund was no friend of Caitrin’s. Great. Glouchedon it was then. She couldn’t reply to his question because there wasn’t an alternative. Instead she just nodded, she wasn’t going to like this, and neither would he, but they weren’t doing this for themselves in a way. They were protecting their unborn child and their future.
Caitrin had no idea how far Glouchedon was, or how long it would take to get there. She’d never really bothered to ask because it had never entered her thoughts that she would ever have to go there. At least it would be safe, she had to keep reminding herself of that fact, they would all be safe, even if she was already feeling uncomfortable about spending time with Griff’s family. Meeting his father had been awkward enough. Griff was pointing out they would be safe as well. Right. Everything was going to be fine, “Will your father just take us in?” She found herself asking, because it needed to be asked. Hopefully Corneous wouldn’t turn them away, she couldn’t see why he would but everything was running through her head so she had to ask it.
Looking up at her husband as he spoke, Caitrin just found herself nodding. He really didn’t need to ask her to trust him, because she already did trust him. She’d always loved and trusted him, and this was no exception. Caitrin’s hand found her husbands as they were still running, or half running, whatever, and she squeezed it softly, “We’ll figure something out.” She promised him, because she wasn’t sure what else she could say. They would have to find a carriage, or a cart or something to transport them. Failing that, they’d be walking the whole way there, and she would just be incredibly uncomfortable the whole way there. There were more urgent, pressing matters at hand though, as it was the middle of the night and they could only carry on running for so much longer. Her hand left her husband’s as she slowed down her run, holding her belly with both her hands. “How much further do we need to go?” She asked, trying not to pant and look as tired as she actually was. She wasn’t just running with her weight, she was carrying this child around with her as well, and it was starting to grate on her.
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Post by Griff Aubert on May 18, 2012 18:54:10 GMT -5
In all honesty, Griff had no idea what his father's reaction would be. He hadn't returned to Glouchedon and hadn't had any intention of doing so either. Corneous was a proud man and so Griff doubted he'd be greeted back with open arms, but surely he wouldn't be turned away? And even if Corneous couldn't possibly find it in his heart to accept Griff back into his home, he wouldn't want the mother of his first grandchild in danger? Well there wasn't any time to worry about that, so he would just have to hope for the best. He wasn't going to tell Caitrin about his doubts though, she didn't need to know that Griff really wasn't sure how Corneous would react to his son and wife just turning up. "Of course he will," he replied with what he hoped was a reassuring tone. They were in enough danger already, Caitrin didn't need another thing to worry about. Besides, if he could convince Caitrin that everything would be fine he could convince himself too.
Griff hadn't actually taken into account that Caitrin being pregnant would mean she wouldn't be able to move as quickly as he was. Well that was stupid of him. He felt her pull her hand away from his and realised that she was probably struggling with their current pace. They wouldn't be able to carry on like this, not if Caitrin was already finding it difficult. He had no idea where they would find a carriage from, or how long it would take to get to Glouchedon. When he'd first made the journey between the two kingdoms he'd had a fair view detours so any estimations based on that would be useless. What he could say with some certainty though was that Caitrin was not in a state to be travelling. Perhaps, if he could find them somewhere to sleep tonight he could go off the next morning and find some transport. Once again, he wasn't exactly sure how he'd go about doing that, but he would have more luck in the morning than he would now.
Caitrin was a few paces behind him so he walked over to her and took her hand again. It was a ridiculous situation - a pregnant woman and her hapless husband stuck in the middle of nowhere and running for their lives, and this was not the first time he found himself wishing he was actually capable of protecting her. But, he couldn't think like that right now. His main priority was finding her somewhere to sleep.
"I'm not entirely sure," he admitted, "but we'll find somewhere to rest tonight, try to find some transport tomorrow." He started leading her forward, trying to find a clearing between the trees. It wasn't exactly safe, but they were without alternatives. He turned back to her, pressing his lips together before adding, "We'll be alright, Cait." It was his job to look after her, so that was exactly what he was going to do.
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Jul 31, 2013 11:44:21 GMT -5
Tag me @caitrin
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Post by Caitrin de Archer on May 19, 2012 9:26:04 GMT -5
Caitrin wasn’t sure that she was that convinced by Griff’s words. She hoped his father would be more accommodating than her own would be in the same situation. She now wondered why she had even considered Mercia, because it was completely out of the question, not after what Payton had done last time she had taken Griff there. She needed to protect the baby that was growing within her as well as her husband, so they would be safer going anywhere but Mercia really. “I’m sure he will be more receiving than my father would be.” She gave an involuntary shudder, Caitrin had often tried to block out the events of that night, mainly because it had shown how much of a hold her father still had over her, and that scared her more than anything. Caitrin looked up at Griff, there were no physical scars from that evening, but it had taken a long time for the mental injuries to die down, for both of them.
Well, to Glouchedon it was then. Caitrin had always been a little curious to know what Griff’s home kingdom was like, he hardly had a good word to say about anything to do with his home, but she had been interested anyway. She knew that she had hardly ever spoken about Mercia in a good light, but she did love the kingdom, and would love it even more if her father wasn’t there. At least they had a sort of plan now, but that didn’t make much difference in the immediate. Caitrin was panting, and couldn’t keep up with her husband. He was going too fast for her, after all, she was carrying the weight of their baby as well. Caitrin paused to draw breath and leant up against the nearest tree, she hadn’t been getting as much exercise or anything recently, after all, she couldn’t really do much with this belly, and that combined with the weight she was carrying meant that she was already exhausted.
At the moment she didn’t care where they chose to sleep for the night, as long as it was covered and they were still together. They didn’t have much money, and could they risk sleeping in an inn? What if there had been men sent on after them? They would be checking the local taverns wouldn’t they? Caitrin could feel herself getting worked up again but she just let Griff lead her on regardless as her head mulled over what they were going to do now. “Griff, we’ll have to sleep in the forest tonight, what if there are men out searching the taverns?” She asked him, looking up at her husband, knowing that she was right. Then her attentions turned from her husband to look for somewhere that they could bed down for the night. She’d done this before, many, many years ago. Up ahead there was a collection of trees, surrounded by high bushes, that should give them enough privacy, and they could be up at dawn to move on. It wasn’t ideal, but they were in the middle of nowhere and it was the middle of the night. Caitrin had no idea how far they’d run, and where they were. She pulled Griff towards the spot, and looked up at him again, “This should do, Jesu, I haven’t done this in years.” Because her time with Richard had gone so well. Without waiting for Griff to say anything, she sat down and stretched out her legs, cradling her belly softly. “Is this ok, or should we move?” She finally asked him, while she was still trying to catch her breath.
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Nov 10, 2013 8:47:29 GMT -5
Tag me @griflet
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Post by Griff Aubert on Jun 11, 2012 14:00:00 GMT -5
Griff would have been fairly certain that no one could be less welcoming than his father, especially as Griff had never gone back to Glouchedon after leaving all those years ago. But, past experiences had proven him wrong. Payton was definitely the least welcoming, Griff had the missing teeth to prove it - although luckily Caitrin's father had prefered the side of his head, and so he'd only lose a couple of molars. His perfect looks still remained intact. He looked over at Caitrin, just in time to see her shudder slightly. He bit his lip, just thinking about that night still made him angry, not for himself, but for her. He would never understand how Payton could hurt his own daughter like that. It made him all the more determined that their child would be happy and loved and everything they had both been denied.
He hadn't noticed Caitrin falling behind until he turned to ask if she was alright and saw that she had stopped a few feet away and was leaning against a tree. He'd been going to fast for her, well, this was already a good start. He walked over to her, "Are you alright?" It was quite obvious that she wasn't, but he was going to ask anyway. Besides, if she said no then he knew there was a serious problem, she never told him when something was wrong. Personally, he couldn't see why a couple of nobles would cause this much trouble, especially as neither of them were actually from Camelot. They hardly posed a threat, and yet here they were, running for their lives, running to Glouchedon. Fortunately one of them happened to be an expert at all things cowardly and danger-avoiding.
Unforunately, Caitrin was correct in that sleeping outside would be the safer option. It hadn't actually been that long since he'd last gone without a roof over his head. After he'd left Camelot all those months ago he'd taken to wandering and falling asleep wherever. How he hadn't been robbed and murdered by now he didn't know. "Yes," he sighed, "I expect your right." He was fine with sleeping outside, he'd done it enough, but Caitrin shouldn't have to, especially not as she was pregnant. Well he'd make sure she had his cloak has well, that was the least he could do. He frowned at her words, when had she least slept outside? It didn't seem like the sort of thing she'd do. He'd have to press her about that later, for now finding somewhere comfortable was his priority, but she'd beaten him to it. "I don't suppose we'll find anywhere better." He shrugged, feeling rather tired now himself.
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Jul 31, 2013 11:44:21 GMT -5
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Post by Caitrin de Archer on Jun 12, 2012 6:06:43 GMT -5
Caitrin pulled her cloak around her shoulders as they continued to run. It hadn’t sunk in at all; what they were doing. At the moment all Caitrin could comprehend was actually running, and making sure she didn’t trip over or lose Griff in the forest. After all, she was falling more and more behind. She shouldn’t be doing this, they shouldn’t be here at all. Caitrin bit her lip, she was trying so hard to keep up with her husband, but she knew that she wouldn’t last much longer. Caitrin finally stopped, with her hand up against a tree, just to rest herself, just for a few moments. She was about to shout to Griff, but he had already turned round, and doubled back to meet her. She shook her head, she wasn’t fine at all. There was nothing wrong with the baby though, that was the most important thing of course right now to Caitrin. They had both run away in the middle of the night, left their home, friends and what little family they had in Camelot to protect not only themselves, but mainly to protect the baby she was carrying. After all, Morgana had already stolen one child from them, she wasn’t going to have the satisfaction a second time. “No, I can’t go on much further.” She explained, the hand from the tree moved to cup the bottom of her belly. She sighed out softly, “The baby is fine though.” She managed to get out in-between pants. Their baby was going to be fine, they would get through this, she knew they would.
She was glad that Griff agreed with her that there was no other alternative to just sleeping outside. She had already settled herself down not far from the tree that she had originally stopped by. She really had no energy to move tonight, she just wanted to sleep. Caitrin pulled her cloak around her belly and huddled herself by the tree; as she was sat down with her back to it. There was no way she was going to be comfortable tonight. She hadn’t been comfortable last time she’d been forced to sleep outside, though the company was a lot better this time. All Richard had done was complain and been annoyed at her. “I suppose once you’ve slept on one forest floor, you’ve slept on them all.” She commented lightly, and looked across at her husband with a small smile, though she could only just about make him out through the dark veil of the night.
Caitrin shuffled towards Griff, and moved so she was now lying on her side. She took Griff’s hand in her own and squeezed it softly, her other hand was running across the swell of her belly. Though it was near impossible, she knew she had to keep somewhat calm, and try to not let her emotions run too much, for the baby’s sake. The physician had told her as such when he’d diagnosed her condition, and she was not going to do anything which could harm their baby. Her thoughts started to run back to Camelot, she wondered if many others had fled, or whether they hadn’t been given the chance. “I’m glad we didn’t go to that feast.” She muttered, they hadn’t gone to the Feast of Beltane because she had been feeling a little unwell. The castle had fallen, of that she was sure, and there was no way she would have been able to get out of the castle in her condition. Caitrin didn’t really want to dwell on what had happened in Camelot, but she hoped that Arthur was ok. If Morgana had taken the throne completely then there was no way they would ever be able to return home. She shivered again, and looked up at her husband, “We should get some sleep.”
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Nov 10, 2013 8:47:29 GMT -5
Tag me @griflet
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Post by Griff Aubert on Jun 16, 2012 17:46:40 GMT -5
The whole situation felt surreal – it hadn’t quite sunk in yet, what this meant for Camelot, for everyone else. Griff had been so completely focussed on getting Caitrin away from the city that he hadn’t stopped and thought about what could be happening. His brother would be in the heart of it, protecting the city and its inhabitants. The thought was not a wanted one – Lucan could be injured or even dead... No, he wasn’t going to think about that. Lucan had been in enough battles like this and always survived, that’s what he would do. He’d survive; he’d protect Camelot against Morgana and her forces and everything would return to the way it had been. Griff was sure of it. But that was not the only thought to enter his mind, and while he was worried for his brother, he couldn’t ignore his own guilt. It was a stupid feeling, he kept trying to tell himself, because really, what good was he going to be and he had Caitrin to think about, but even so. He had to force himself to stop that thought continuing and remind himself that regardless of what was happening in Camelot he had to protect Caitrin, and that was the end of it.
Griff gave a small nod; he wasn't entirely sure what to do in this sort of situation and just going with whatever his instincts were telling him to do wasn't really helping. They were probably far enough away to relax a little and there were plenty of places to hide, especially as it was the middle of the night. As long as Caitrin and the baby were fine, that was all that mattered. He took off his cloak before joining her on the floor. It was going to be a cold night, but she needed the extra warmth more than he did so he wrapped it around her and kissed her forehead. If he just focussed on one thing at a time and told himself they were going to be fine he'd start to believe it.
He'd forgotten all about the feast, it seemed like years ago, being back home seemed like years ago when it couldn't have been more than an hour ago. The guilt was creeping back, reminding him of the fact that if they had gone they might not be alive now. "Try not to think about it." He replied, as much to himself as to her, "You're right, we both need some sleep." He kissed her forehead again before closing his eyes, and tried to think about anything other than their current situation.
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Jul 31, 2013 11:44:21 GMT -5
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Post by Caitrin de Archer on Jun 16, 2012 18:49:41 GMT -5
For someone who was currently five months pregnant, and sleeping on a forest floor in the middle of nowhere, Caitrin Aubert felt surprisingly warm. Her husbands cloak was still wrapped around her, she hadn’t had the energy to protest or argue with him last night when he’d given it up for her. She’d wanted him to be warm as well, but she knew her husband, and if he’d been selfless enough to give up his own warmth for her then she was better off accepting it. Plus, she had to keep the baby warm as well, so she supposed it made sense. Caitrin stretched out a little, her whole body just ached; the forest floor was the least comfortable place to sleep whilst pregnant. She had thought it was bad last time, but this was so much worse. Then again, she didn’t have a certain someone moaning at her, and she hadn’t been kidnapped yet so she supposed this experience was winning somehow. She sat up, keeping Griff’s cloak around her as the morning dew was still upon them, and it was quite a chilly morning.
Griff was still sleeping soundly by her side, and she hadn’t woke him up, and she had no intention of doing so just yet. She stretched out her legs, and ran both hands over her belly. The babe within her stirred, as if too was bidding her good morning. It was quite a nice moment, until the memories of last night came back to her. She could still hear the screams ringing in her ears, and the smell of smoke still ran through her senses. It still didn’t feel real, it still felt like they could go home, even though she knew they couldn’t, not while that witch sat on the throne. Breathing out slowly, Caitrin looked around her, wondering how far they had come last night. It was all a daze from when she had let Griff lead her out of the house and into the forest. Looking back on it, she couldn’t believe she had been so stupid as to have tried to stay, Griff had been right to persist, and to take her away. She might not like it, but it was what they had to do to survive. The most important thing to Caitrin was her family, and she had nearly ruined everything.
Caitrin wondered how far it was to Glouchedon, and just how they would get there. They could walk, but in her condition it would take them forever, but between them they had little coin, and there would be many fleeing from Camelot, seeking safe passage elsewhere. There was a soft crack of a branch through the trees, and Caitrin swore she could hear someone coming their way. She could feel her chest tighten, and her heart began to thud. After her last experience in the woods she wasn’t fond of people she didn’t know sneaking up on them. Shaking Griff’s side, now sure someone was coming that way, she began to panic, “Griff, Griff wake up, someone’s coming.”
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Jul 22, 2013 15:15:56 GMT -5
Tag me @richarddecalys
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Post by Richard de Calys on Jul 8, 2012 6:08:25 GMT -5
Richard de Calys did not do sieges which is why he was currently high-tailing it out of Camelot. The only good thing about sieges was all those large, well-furnished houses going all abandoned. It would be such a waste to let them continue in such a state, and really, who was going to appreciate a silver goblet engraved with the initials G.B. more than him? No one, that was who, so that’s why it was currently in the leather bag over his shoulder, somewhere in between a jewel encrusted dagger and a velvet pouch full of gold coins. That had been a rather nice house and he was sure the others would have been equally nice, but his sense of self-preservation kicked in so he’d skedaddled and was now making his way through the forest. He’d go west; he hadn’t been that way for far too long.
Feeling rather pleased with himself, he started whistling, his walk turning into a slight skip which made his cloak swish behind him. He was far enough away from the city to not worry about anyone attacking him – hence why he was whistling so confidently. And if anyone did spot him, he was Richard de Calys. He could get himself out of any unwanted situation – or bribe them with G.B’s goblet. This was his third siege now; he was used to them, used to the sort of people that went searching for others in forests and other such places. Personally, he didn’t see the point in them. Alright, so Camelot might end up with a new ruler, but sooner or later someone else would come along who didn’t like them, and they’d rebel and there’d be another siege and another new ruler, and another person who didn’t like them. It was constant, it was inevitable and it was getting in the way of Richard’s business. People were always weary and paranoid after their homes had nearly been destroyed and a new, violent ruler had stolen the throne. They were less likely to trust a strange man turning up and asking for their help – and their money.
Ho hum. Camelot was just another city and there’d be plenty more where he was headed. The west, he had concluded a few years ago, was the land of the simpler folk, especially down by the coast. Too much dealing with the Welsh. But it did mean Richard was in with a better chance of improving his fortune, so he wasn’t complaining. With a plan in his mind, and plenty of bounty in his bag, he continued his jovial half-walk, half-skip until he saw a rather odd thing. He paused in his tracks, a confused expression on his face, an expression which quickly turned into a dejected sense of acceptance. This was just his damn luck. Well, he’d better make an entrance. Swinging the bag back over his shoulder, he found a rock a few paces away from him, near enough to jump onto – rather elegantly, he might add. He took a bow on his make-shift stage. “Ah my Lady de Archer. What a pleasant surprise.”
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Jul 31, 2013 11:44:21 GMT -5
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Post by Caitrin de Archer on Jul 8, 2012 9:03:14 GMT -5
Caitrin was still incredibly shaken by the events of the previous night, so the fact she could hear someone coming their way wasn’t making her feel any better. She was still trying to rid herself of her grogginess, and everything just ached. It wasn’t comfortable sleeping on a forest floor at the best of times, but she was pregnant, and therefore she was just uncomfortable in general. Caitrin ran her hands over her belly; the child within her stirred and gave her something to be glad about. No matter how desperate their situation looked here and now, she knew the baby was still safe, and that gave her some hope at least. If they had stayed in Camelot there would have been no mercy for any of them and their baby would have been put in the way of that witch. After the last time Morgana had taken over Camelot, Caitrin was not going to let anything happen to her little family because of her. She had already caused them so much pain, so that was why they had run away in the middle of the night. Though it didn’t feel like they were under much protection here; they would have to cover some ground today; somehow, or find shelter somewhere. They were hindered by the fact she couldn’t ride of course, they could only walk or find a carriage or something. But they had little money between them. Jesu, she should have gabbed more money before they had run, but she hadn’t been thinking straight.
Griff hadn’t woken up when she had been nudging him, so she stood up, debating whether to kick him or not. She decided against it for the moment, as if they just remained quiet then whoever it was who was gaining upon them might just walk past, and pay them no heed. Leaving Griff for a few moments, Caitrin stepped forwards cautiously at first, trying to glimpse who it was. If they were bearing arms or a crest then she could just sulk back into the shadows. She had no idea who could be out here after what had happened in Camelot. It could be someone like them, or it could be one of Morgana’s men; she couldn’t assume anything. The person was coming into view and she gulped slightly and held her breath carefully. When the man came into view she furrowed her brow; it couldn’t be him.
Caitrin was more taken aback than anything. Richard it seemed had noticed her too, and she watched him with a bemused expression on her face as he bowed to her. He hadn’t changed a bit then, it would seem. She curtseyed as low as she could manage, “My Lord de Calys.” She raised herself up; a hand on her belly, “But I would have you address me as my proper title; I am Lady Aubert now.” He could hardly fail to notice her condition so she felt it unnecessary to point it out to him as well. Griff was still asleep behind her, so she smirked at Richard before shaking her husband again to wake him, “Griff, we have company.” She said rather plainly and got up again so she could face Richard, crossing her arms with a smug look on her face, “I am surprise you took the trouble to reintroduce yourself with me my Lord, given the nature of our last meeting.”
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