"Ah, Lemain. Of course." Gawains smile tightens a little but he inclines his head anyway. "Wonderful to meet you Heather. Now if you will both excuse me I will see to Scian before we head to the appointment!"
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Gawain wheels the Griffon before beginning to descend, landing and trotting Scian up to Jonith, before dismounting. "Good morning Jonith. And have you been summoned by our Liege as well? If so I have already got the memo, if that is why you are here. I am afraid I do not know your friend," He inclined his head to the woman with a smile. "I am Gawain, and you are?"
"Your Majesty!" Gawain snapped after the retreating wretch. Launching himself in to the saddle of the Griffin, Gawain spurred the creature in to the air, twisting him towards the roosts, planning on settling Scian in and currying him properly before making his meeting.
"You say they do not speak, and that is true, but this may be due to the design of their vocal chords and voice box, rather than their intelligence. Scian understands what I say, even if only on a basic level. Hence my wish to be able to speak with him mind to mind. Perhaps it would remove some or the barriers preventing us from communicating. Then again, what would I know, I only grew up with and have been riding and training Griffons my whole life!" Gawain inclined his head to the man in thanks, before making his way back to the stables.
Heavily muscled wings beat at the air around him, filling the sky with the loud whoosh of air being propelled away beneath him. Gawain lay flat along the neck of his mount, his eyes lidded against the rush of air as they sped through she skies like an arrow loosed from a giant bow. With a gentle tug of the reigns and some pressure from his thighs and knees, Gawain sent Scian in to a dive, wings folding along his body as they plummeted before he pulled back, causing the Griffin to spread his wings and glide for a second, before beginning to fly once more. "Maith an buchaill Scian, maith an buchaill. Agus arís!" They practiced this maneuver a couple of times, each time pulling up later and later till finally they soared, barely the height of a man, above the meadow. Gawain whooped loudly before signalling with his knees for the Griffin to land which it did, slowing to a trot just before they reached a small brook on the edge of the meadow. Gawain dismounted, keeping his hand on the creatures flank, as he moved around to stroke its neck and beak. "You are the most magnificent Griffin this world has ever seen friend. You soar like the wind. You are faster than the Angels above. Maith an buchaill Scian. Go raibh maith agat mo chara!" He smiled and pressed his forehead to the creatures as it bowed its head to get more of the scratching. "Come. Let us go home. I'll get you wiped down and find you some freshly slaughtered lambs for breakfast!" He smiled before taking the reigns and beginning to walk back towards the Castle, Griffin in tow. "You know if we could manage that with just my knees, I could use a lance and a shield. No one could stand before our charge then!" He glanced at the Griffin who met his gaze but of course,
"Well anyway... maybe some time!" "....."
Cool. That sounds like a plan.
Heh! I think I owe you patience and understanding in return for all I got with S&S!
Gawain stops and turns to look at Trimar before he leaves. "Skill does not depend on what armour you wear. We are all trained in different styles of combat, are we not? You and Dealan fight with grace and speed, I fight like an immovable rock, clad head to toe in steel, wielding my shield and sword and standing like an unbreakable anchor in the midst of battles. Why would I, who is built a lot stockier than you and Dealan, wear no armour when you will easily out class me when it comes to speed? Why stack the deck in your favour when I can even the field?" He shook his head before bowing slightly and turning to go collect his gear for the duel to come. "Come watch or even challenge me afterwards if you like, we will be below!"
"Oh forgive me, it is the accent you know?" He smiled cheekily before turning to Galahad. "Galahad I will need your help to get in to my armour please. Then the rest of your night is your own!"
All seriousness drained from Gawains face as easily as humour had before and he smiled brightly. "I'll grab my gear and meet you in the grounds." He bowed his head to the man before turning to the woman who had just joined them. "Titania, it is always a pleasure!"
Gawain laughed softly and nodded. "Oh yes, lets. Sounds like a bloody good time to me, and to Galahad too I would wager." He shot the boy a nod before his gaze returned to Dealan. "What about you Dealan, do you stand behind your own words? Care to pick up a length of steel and go a round or two? We can play safe and use dulled blades not live steel. No need for you to suffer more wounds today!"
Gawain turned slowly, frowning at Dealan, all the playfulness drained from his face. "I feel like you are attempting to goad us in to organizing a tournament to pit our Squires against each other Dealan. If you so wished to see your dear Squire unhorsed in a joust you had but to ask."
"I'll see that 2 gold and a week of baking and counter with 5 gold of my own to match. Galahad has your girl beat!" He glanced sideways at the man, his eyes tightening slightly, before he took a sip of wine. "I appreciate what you have been teaching your Squire Dealan but there is also the little matter of restraint. If they get injured fighting amongst themselves then their careers as Knights are over. Plus it is unseemly for Knights to be seen fighting outside of an arena or a battlefield. We do have to uphold an image after all!"
"Don't you feel like a proud parent watching these three interact? Though no fighting! Bad Squires!"
"There is no reason to send them away, they could stand here and listen to us all day, but they do that already. They deserve to just leave and live a normal life as they wish. Galahad is a young Prince with his own personality, I am encouraging him to go and shine in his own right, not to be stuck under the gaze of his old crotchety master!"
Gawain arched an eyebrow and nodded towards the young female squire who joined them. "I think young Walden is currently enjoying double his normal workload and probably has little idea why he is!"[b] He smiled and took another sip of wine. [b]"Rather your Squire than my own!" He began to laugh softly.
"There is no argument, I agree with the statements the man made, and ethics, morals, at the end of the day are they not the same thing?"
"Oh well we can talk about something else if morals bore you. How about... weren't you talking about how cute you thought a certain young Lady was... What was her name...?" Gawain grinned, grabbing Galahad in a playfully headlock and giving his hair a quick mussing. "Go, run, drink and be merry. Just don't drink too much. And no dueling or play fighting. Leave us old men to talk morals and religion!" He pushed Galahad away and turned back to the others.
Gawain laughed and nodded in agreement with Jonith. "Yes, yes now you are right Jonith. You have the thrust of it. Lying to spare pain or to prevent unnecessary conflict is acceptable, but is not to be practiced all the time. I agree with that wholeheartedly. And please, Jonith call me Gawain. This is not my kingdom. I am but a lowly servant of Arkay, a Knight of Arthur. I will be a Royal Highness when I return home, but now I am Gawain. Ser Gawain if you must!"
Gawains eyes tighten slightly as Dealan declares a dislike for Arkay, before a smile crosses his face and he glanced away. "Galahad is a good lad Ashton, and it was less a lie and more a bending of the truth, to aleviate possible tension, yes? Good and evil may be black and white but lying, that is a grey area, don't you agree? Lying to alleviate suffering is a good task surely? White lies are but shades of the truth, and shading is a wonderful thing!" Gawain smiled to show he was joking. "I have not had the pleasure of trying the cuisine Dealan but if it is anything like your baking I am sure it is delicious. Now, let the nice man treat your wounds so we can continue to enjoy the knight! HA! A pun, how delightful!"
Gawain frowned in thought for a second, intent on answering the mans question, before the Squire burst in to the room, Cleric Ashton in tow. 'Ah, well this may be a problem!' He thought with a wry grimace, as he took another sip of wine. When Dealan had finished speaking his piece, and before the priest could respond, Gawain coughed politely and stepped between the two. "Cleric Ashton as I live and breathe, it is good to see you sir. I have been looking for you actually. Or rather, Galahad has. The boy has had the worst cough for the last week and it needs looking at. Haven't you Galahad?" "Excuse me m'Lord?" The boy asked as he returned to the group, handing Ser Jonith a drink with a bow. "Your cough boy. The bad one you have had for a week that you direly need to talk to Cleric Ashton about!" "Oh... yes m'Lord!" The boy fakes a small cough. "Lord Ashton..." Turning back to Dealan, Gawain smiled before clapping the man on the shoulder. "Dealan I do not think his royal highness will mind. If you like I can speak to him with you? I always find it best to attack problems that have been troubling us with a friend at ones side, yes?"
Welcome back fearless leader.
Gawain laughed and nodded. "My brother was quite fond of chasing married women in his youth. Especially older women, those who had husbands who were uncaring or unkind, those who would be seen harassing servants because of their status. I used to berate him sun up to sun down, 'Why won't you find a nice young woman of your own instead of doing this?' but he never told me. I guess he saw it as his form of justice? Who knows..." He smiled to himself, lost in fond remembrance.
"Awfully quiet around the rest of the ladies..?" Gawain trails off as he arches an eyebrow at Galahad with a grin. "Gods if I had cheeks like that and half the brains he seems to have, I'd be a wealthy wealthy man!" He laughed softly before Galahad cut him off with a slight cough. "My Lord, you are wealthy!" "Ah... yes." Gawain smiled and nodded, idly resting a hand on the hilt of his blade, out of habit rather than insult. When Jonith joined the group and offered up his bow, Gawain returned it curtly, before reaching out and clasping the man on the shoulder. "Now now Ser Jonith, no need for that. We are equals here and now. Galahad, please get Ser Jonith a drink if you would. Something strong and warming." The squire bowed his head and made his way to go do just that. As talk turned to the training of Squires, Gawain sighed slightly. "Galahad is a talented fighter, strong and true, and quite a kind and caring man, filled with the goodness and strength of Arkay. But by the gods he is as interesting as a wet blanket. The man needs to learn to lighten up. I am trying to teach him to enjoy life, but gods it is a struggle." He was about to say more when Ser Deleflaur burst in to the room. Gawain raised a hand in greeting, but let it fall as the man began to strip and change before the whole room. With a laugh, Gawain shook his head and averted his gaze slightly, "I have not seen a man get dressed so fast unless he was running from a very angry husband. Hail and well met Ser Trimar!"
Introductions: He stood, stripped to the waist his eyes closed tightly as he slowly weaved a pattern of slashes, stand and parties with his blade, moving his sword with effortless grace. A soft rain had started some time before, drenching him from head to toe, but still he remained unreachable, locked within his own head, focused as he was on the feeling of warmth spreading through his body from the love of Arkay.
"S-sir, it is going t-to start storming soon!" Gawain opened his eyes and stared up at the dark black clouds rolling in high above. He relaxed back in to a neutral stance, letting the heavy broadword he held come to rest point down in the grass beneath his feet. "You are right Galahad. Isn't it beautiful?" He smiled brightly, turning to glance at the younger man who stood huddled beneath a tree, the cowl of his thick forest green cloak pulled up over his head. "Arkay blessed, Galahad I forgot you were even there till you spoke. You are getting better at being still. Stillness is key to connection with Arkay. You can not hear the God unless you can cancel out any and all distractions. Yes?" Galahad froze, his eyes widening slightly as he began to think of a reply. Before the boy could do too much harm to himself Gawain laughed and shook his head. "I best Galahad. Forgive me for zoning out on you. Come, let us take our things and go get cleaned up. We will meet in the common room in an hour." Galahad smiled faintly and bowed from the neck. "Yes m'lord," With that the boy bowed and began to gather their things as Gawain turned to do the samw. ***Later*** Gawain pushed his way in to the common room a couple hours later, dressed in his freshly cleaned and pressed uniform. Oh his chest sat the mark of Arkay, beside it hung the Pendant of Taelen, a pendant depicting a Griffon, wings spread in flight, with a large sapphire set in the centre. The pendant and the sapphire burned with its own light, bright and clear. He moved to a table against the wall and poured himself a goblet of wine, before he was drawn towards the sound of arguing common from a table part way in. He walked over curiously to find a young girl berating her Knight openly. Gawain smiled, meeting Galahads eyes, on the other side of the pair, before he stepped forward, clearing his throat quietly, once the shouting had calmed down. "Driving your Squire insane again I see Ser Garnett. What was it this time? A charging boar attempting to trample a maiden? When will you upgrade to proper armour?" He chided playfully, knocking his goblet against the womans plate to show what he meant. "Though the young lady may kill you herself, no matter what armour you wear. What day you Myla? How goes your tutelage? I trust Ser Garnett is treating you more kindly than I treat poor Galahad here?" He gestured at the young man who moved forward and inclined his head to the girl before bowing to the Knight. "Do you require someone to look at your wounds Ser Dealan? I can send for a healer quite quickly..." |