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“Am I hearing you, right? You envy me because I know how to make tables? You must be getting really drunk, my friend,”

Lucan shook his head at this. “I’m being honest, I’m not mocking you or anything – it’s just, when you grow up only knowing how to do two certain things you tend to not notice anything else that you be of interest. To know how to do a variety of things like that makes me look pathetic” he admitted, “and should Arthur ever choose to host a ‘let’s make a table’ stand-off then I think you’d win hands down”

Camila. Ah yes he thought that Percival might ask due to his blushing. Lucan mentally kicked himself but answered all the same. “She’s…well…” he stammered slightly, wondering how to put it, “She’s my Camila” he shrugged. That was it. She was his – and he was hers. “She’s the daughter of one of the courtiers – Sir Aaron and Lady Eloise”. He looked down at the table top again, a little embarrassed by the whole thing. “…and i…well – I love her” he admitted, turning a light shade of pink.

He laughed as Percival joked about the swapping. Shaking his head lightly he looked back to his friend – “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to leave her out of the bargain...” he smirked. “and I’ll have you know that these shoes are VERY comfortable” he laughed. It felt nice to actually find someone who he could have a good old laugh with – not that he couldn’t do that with the others, but sometimes when you were around the same group of people for a long time, you knew them inside out.

Lucan gave Percival a goofy look as the knight chocked on his drink at the mention of female attention. “No wishing Perce – you’re living it” he remarked, “and I think you’ll find you have a fair few, so I’d start picking those hymns” shooting a grin at Percival, he then gestured to the barmaid for some more drinks.
“Anyway, Sir Yvain needs someone to contend with – I swear if his head gets any bigger then he won’t be able to fit through the door.” His friend certainly liked the female attention of the court, but with the new Knights now making their mark, their attentions were turning elsewhere, and the new additions were certainly turning heads.

Lucan paced the study as he waited for Aaron to return. He seriously hoped that he wasn’t in for a beating by another woman; he knew that Camila would want to because he hadn’t sent word of how he was.
He wondered whether she was ok, whether Morgana had indeed brought her to Camelot like she said that she would. It pained Lucan to think that Camila could’ve gone through so much because of his own doing. In fact it made him feel sick. He’d vowed in that dungeon to protect her and what had he done? It was obvious she’d not gone down without a fight; Aaron had mentioned that in a previous letter.

He turned as the door opened and finally saw her. Her beautiful face staring straight at him with a mixture of shock and relief. She looked tired Lucan didn’t know what he looked like – most probably the same. That didn’t matter though, he was here – they were both here and reunited with one another.

"Lucan!"

Immediately her arms were around his neck tightly. He held onto her, not wanting to let her go. “It’s alright” he said kissing her hair, “everything’s alright”. His arms kept a firm hold on her small body – nothing was going to keep them apart now. Nothing and no one.

He rested his forehead lightly against hers “I’m sorry” he murmured so as only they could hear. He knew that Lady Eloise was still watching the scene unfold from the doorway. He suspected that she’d been listening in earlier as he’d heard Sir Aaron say something as he’d left the room to fetch Camila. “I am so sorry for making you wait” he carried on.

He looked down at her again. Her beautiful face staring back at him still alight with joy, he brushed a few strands of hair from her face before kissing her forehead. “Are you ok? Your father wrote to me and told me what had happened”.

“I’m sorry about your mother,”

Lucan shrugged at this, “It’s alright – I barely remember her if I’m honest. I was only small at the time”. There were only snippets of Amice that Lucan could remember. His earliest memory, and the only one, was when she watching him with his little wooden sword that his father had given him. She’d disapproved that at such a young age, Lucan should be taught how to drive it through a dummy. Of course his father had disagreed. That was it. The only recollection. It didn’t make Lucan sad – why should it? To him his mother now was just a memory.

Lucan looked at Percival and smiled as the Knight listed the amount of things he could make. “Well – if there ever is a battle, you could always whip up a table and whack it around some bloke’s head” he grinned at the thought. “I must say though, that’s pretty impressive – to have a skill like that is always handy, in a way I’m quite jealous that I was never taught anything like that”. This was true. The only skills he knew was his Knightly ones and the duties of a Duke. Compared to Percival, he basically knew nothing. That was what it felt like anyway. Percival had built houses, whereas Lucan was slowly building bridges with his family. And pretty rickety ones at that.

What did he do when he wasn’t in training? Lucan pondered on this a little. “Usually go for a walk, somewhere quiet where I can just think – sometimes I like to just get a bit of training in here and there…” he trailed off, “and sometimes I like to go and see Camila”. Ah Camila. Just the thought of her made him want to melt into a puddle. Lucan knew he was blushing slightly and quickly looked down at the table with a small smile on his face. He quickly cleared his throat in a bid to change the subject, “ahem…anyway – what about you?”.

“Thank you. I guess this is destiny’s way of revealing whatever plans it has for me. Cruel as it may be to have my family killed for me to find the way to knighthood; I guess I have to accept it. I will continue to make them proud…as you will do to your family when you go home and become Duke,”

Lucan shook his head at this, “things happen for a reason – and I suppose this is your reward for what you have been through, as for me? I won’t make them proud – my family are not exactly the type of people to tell me how proud they are – my father has never said it anyway” he admitted, “I’m hoping my father decides to stick it out for a few more years before he even thinks about letting me take over”. And Lucan wasn’t saying that just because he didn’t want his father to die. “I can’t see myself in that role – I can’t even see myself as a husband let alone anything else!” he snorted, knowing that his first duty when he took the role would be to marry. “Fancy swapping places?” he looked up at Percival and smirked.

Lucan raised his cup “To King Arthur!” he toasted, hearing the clink of the cups before he took a sip. He sat back and looked at Percival. “A little bird told me that you’ve caught the eye of some of the ladies at court” he grinned.

The conversation turned to Lucan’s father. The knight shifted awkwardly in his chair, his father had always been so intent on giving Lucan an opportunity that had long passed him that he wasn’t even bothered when Lucan chose Camelot over miserable marriage to Maria Howard. Corneous Aubert was a man of very few words anyway, and apart from the od letter that Lucan had sent (just to give him a heads up that he was still alive after Morgana’s ‘reign’) the pair hardly had time to play the father/son bonding role. Lucan was pretty sure that Griff hadn’t written to their father either since staying in Camelot.

“He had the chance” Lucan explained, “did the training and everything…then circumstances changed before he could even have the chance to be knighted, so he didn’t really have much of a choice in the matter.” That much, Corneous had told him, “I think that’s why he drummed it into me from a young age – then again, I don’t exactly know how much time I have left as a Knight myself, hopefully a few more years at the least.”

By the way his father sounded the last he’d heard about him, he wasn’t doing too well. Lucan had already had nearly nine long years in Camelot. To bow out after ten or more would be an achievement. “Then I’d have to bow out, as much as I don’t want to, I don’t have a choice in the matter either” he gave a small smirk, “after all – this life I’d have to take on has been with me since the day I was born.” Yes. The heir to everything. The next Duke. Lucan shuddered at the thought. Had Griff had turned out any more different then Lucan would’ve gladly handed him everything as would’ve stayed on as Knight of Camelot, but with things as they were – he wasn’t prepared to do as his brother had now stated he wasn’t interested in the slightest of doing just that. Once again, it would be Lucan left to man the helm – Elaine wouldn’t be too happy about that.

He saw the look change on Percival’s face as he asked about his family. “you do not have to worry about being judged Perce, no one has the right to – besides, it’s not about where you come from, it’s about what you’ve got in here” he pointed towards his chest where his heart was. Percival explained about his family and how they were carpenters. A good profession to go into. “So…you’re good with wood then” Lucan chuckled, “Are your family still living in Escetia?”

“and a bloody good one he took too” Lucan replied after Percival explained about Arthur’s gamble on knighting him and the others, “Despite what the code says, I think that everything is about to change from now on – so what if you bend a few rules here or there? If you’ve got it, don’t waste it” Lucan told him, “Arthur knighted you guys because you proved worthy of everything that the code and the Knights of Camelot stand for – we trust him and he trusts us. So what if you’re not of nobility, you are nobles of heart and that alone is enough for any of us” Lucan smiled hoping that Percival would see that he truly didn’t care that he was not a noble born.

Not a person in sight, not since the word was spreading about the faceless killers that had attacked a village the previous evening. They had all since fled to the safety of their own homes – not that they would be safe there, if one entire village could be slaughtered, then what was to say that a city couldn’t be either?
Of course Lucan had volunteered to out on patrol this evening, not many others had wanted the job of stalking up and down the town when there could be ghost-like creatures on the loose. He had no idea why he’d said that he would go – he had some serious thrill issues though, and he was sure that it was something to do with it.

Joining him was Gwaine, one of the newest Knights (well – fairly new) and looking as though he was keep his guard up. One hand was conveniently placed on the hilt of his sword, ready for anything that came his way. In Lucan’s view, he didn’t look too good. “You can take your hand from your sword Gwaine, I hardly doubt that the bogeyman will spring out on us” he rolled his eyes slightly. He didn’t know whether Gwaine had volunteered or had drawn the short straw for this particular patrol. Dark and with the possibility of the creatures threatening to launch an attack on Camelot. So far it had been a peaceful evening, and soon they would be able to wrap it up and head back to the warmth of their beds.

Lucan looked down side alleys as he passed them, there was always something or someone down there who shouldn’t be. They proved to be convenient dwellings on dark nights for local men who were too drunk to stand; thankfully he hadn’t come across any tonight.

“We’ll carry on down to the lower town, then perhaps we can actually head back and get some sleep, my shoulder is killing me” Yvain had taken it upon himself to completely tackle Lucan to the ground in training earlier that day – resulting in many curse words and an aching shoulder. Needless to say that Luc had got his own back by sticking out his foot in Yvain’s path when going up against Elyan. All in good humour of course, and they would both wind one another up.

Lucan was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed one of his brother knights standing in front of him. He quickly shook himself mentally and then looked up. Percival? He was the tall bloke that seemed to have the upper hand in many duels during training. Lucan had not come up against him himself but knew that he would at some point. In fact, he wasn’t really acquainted personally with the newest Knights as everything had been a blur for him.

“Percival isn’t it?” he asked, “By all means, sit down” he gestured to the chair opposite.

By the looks of the Knight, Lucan hadn’t put Percival down as a tavern lover – then again Lucan didn’t hang out here himself. Tonight was just a one off and some time to collect his thoughts. “You’ll have to excuse me for not noticing you earlier, when I start thinking I tend to enter Lucan Land rather than keep myself in the real world” he smiled and took a sip of his drink.

This seemed to be quite a good opportunity to get to know the new Knight, even if he’d come here to drink alone, some company would be nice. Yvain was on duty still and wouldn’t be joining him this evening. Gwaine? Well Lucan had no idea; he was most likely lying under a table unconscious at another tavern.

“You’ve certainly got some skill when it comes to knocking people out” Luc smirked, “Remind me never to come up against you in a joust”.
Lucan had already received his fair share of injuries during jousting tournaments and whatnot. Even the south wall had almost defeated him back when the dragon had attacked Camelot. A few broken ribs here and there and he was as good as new. It would take more than a wall to bring Lucan down. He still had scars from where Morgana’s immortal minions had decided to beat him down in the dungeons. One ran nicely down his right side.

Lucan took another sip from his drink and waited for Percival’s reply.

Lucan was glad that the day was over. After having Sir Elyan clobber him many times in training and the patrols of the city and outside of Camelot, he was ready to wind down and relax. The atmosphere to Camelot had changed since Arthur had taken the helm, whilst the King was ill. For a start everyone was rebuilding their lives and then there was the new Knights who had helped to take back Camelot from Morgana.
Lucan had grown to know some of them, but not as well as he’d like to. There was always things to do and despite spending many days with one another – there was no time for mothers meetings. The banter on the training field tended to stay there so Luc had found. Then again he tended to throw himself into his duties rather than join anyone else for a drink should they offer.

He had embraced Arthur’s decision to knight the unknown fighters. Camelot needed the best and if Arthur’s judgement was anything to go by – then they were the best that Camelot had to offer. Lucan was only too happy to have more men like them fighting for what they believed in.

Tonight Luc had decided to have a few drinks alone to think things through. He did quite a lot of thinking these days and most of the choices he made involved Camila somewhere along the line. He felt guilty for not seeing her as much as he should and there would have to be a lot of making up on his part to do. He sipped his drink thoughtfully and glanced around the inn, not many drinkers in this evening and Luc was grateful for that –at least he wouldn’t be disturbed. Now back to pondering – yes, pondering was good.

Camila was in shock, which much was clear to Luc. She clearly hadn’t been expecting him to come out with that. He grinned at her, as if it wasn’t awkward enough for him at this moment. “Told you that was baggage”.
Lucan quickly decided to guide her and sit her down on the little stone seat that he’d sat on moments before. He was sure that her father would know already about his circumstances. He was sure that he’d briefly met Sir Aaron before, but it was only an exchange of hello’s before Yvain had dragged him off to the nearest tray of wine to get incredibly drunk.

“Cam…I don’t mind if this changes your opinion of me for the worse” he began, “it’s not something I usually tell people about when I first meet them” she should feel privileged that he’d plucked up the courage to tell her.

She looked pale now. Lucan was worried – if she fainted then that would be the end of the courtship that never began. Sir Aaron would kill him if he were to discover Lucan trying to fan his unconscious daughter in the gardens. And alone. “Are you sure that you’re feeling alright?” he asked and crouched down in front of her. If she did faint, then he’d at least be able to catch her!

"I'm sure I can." Camila was replying to his earlier question.
Should he ever marry Camila (which at the moment seemed out of the question) she would defiantly have a culture shock at the life she would be leading. Elaine had taken her role in her stride, but only because she’d wanted it. Luc had no idea if Camila even wanted this potential life.

He took her hand, stroking the top of it. “Would you like me to return you to your parents?” he asked, “I wouldn’t want them worrying about you.”

Lucan grinned when Cam stated that she didn’t do ‘snooty’. He was rather glad of it. “Just a fool that drags you out into the garden during the early hours of the evening” he chuckled. Camila liked to toy with men so it seemed, but he wouldn’t get away with it for long if Lucan had anything to do with it. Mutual rules were needed to be made so it seemed.

She mentioned her father – Lucan was sure that he knew of him, Sir Aaron was it? By the description that Camila was giving him, it didn’t look promising – then again fathers always wanted the best for their children – the main priority being an advantageous marriage. It was no wonder that Camila’s father had sent all potential suitors away.
“It’s understandable,” he told her, “I’m sure that ive heard of your father, and most likely have seen him at court on some occasions. I know that Yvain has defiantly been acquainted with him.”

Lucan smiled at her knowingly, “well…if nobleman do not seem to suit his tastes – would a Duke?”
She’d wanted him to tell her about the baggage that he carried earlier so now would most likely be a good time to. “That’s my baggage” he admitted, “Im not only a Knight, but also the future Duke of Glouchedon”. He wondered how she would react to that.
“It might not seem like ‘baggage’ to you, but for me it’s pretty much a big deal” he chuckled, “my father brought me up to be this chivalrous Knight and from a young age I was involved in a lot of the things that I’ve been trained up to manage when I inherit the estate. One of them being managing the welfare of my brother and stepmother.”
Not that Elaine would want to be ‘managed’. Lucan could send her away for all he liked, but had promised his father when he was younger that he would look after both Griff and Elaine, should anything happen to Corneous suddenly. “Another problem that comes with this whole thing is having to give up my position here in Camelot.”
He didn’t like the idea of having to give up the job that he’d worked hard for since he was younger. Being a Knight was his life, but eventually it would have to be traded for a new one.

“So…” he began, “Think you can still handle me Camila Faintree?”