Hello, my friends. Let me introduce you my new fav character (drum rolling): Sir Gwaine, Knight of the round table!

Disclaimer: i do not own any "Merlin" characters;

Chapter one. Tavern

Tavern was full of noises, smells and colors. It was mostly brutal laugh, burned food and dirty brown. Still people were enjoying themselves, not noticing any dirt or discomfort. Probably I'm just too captious. Of course, if great deal of your life you spend in a wonderful green land, full of flowers, animals and birds, full of life and beauty, the contrast with a common tavern surely would astonish you. When I first entered a tavern I was completely deafen with people's voices and chaos and constant movement. I was impressed. Now I can say that I got used to it. I've travelled for some time and now I know how to act so not to get in trouble. It's quite easy cause I'm a little fellow, plain and poor. What can you get from such a guy? Not much, so I don't have problems with people around me.

This place was not different from all the others. People were talking, drinking, eating, and laughing. I was looking for a job. Not actually looking but listening. Being as unnoticeable as I am let you learn what happens, where and how much you'll be paid if you can deal with it. I'm searching for ill and injured people, whose treatment failed and who I can help. Of course they don't usually trust wandering sixteen years old creature who claims that can cure. But sometimes they are so desperate, so let me try. And I do my best. They pay me mostly with food or clothing, some even let me stay at their places for a while. I don't have problems with guards, because I wander around small villages located far from Camelot and magic-hater Uther. And yes, I forgot to tell that I help people with magic. I'm not as good in healing as druids are, but still I manage to survive in this world.

If only I knew that today my peaceful life will be changed in such a twisted way, I would have stayed at home. Unfortunately foreseeing was not my gift.

So, I was sitting at the bar counter, my grey knitted hat was almost hiding my eyes. People at the back of the hall were getting too noisy. Tavern keeper was chatting with merchants. Something about gang in woods attacking convoy. Not my specialization. I'm trying to avoid stressful situations and dangerous occasions. So it's better not to live village now or not to go far in woods. I actually like this place, perhaps I can even stay here longer. Noise from behind me was irritating and people sitting around me turned couple of times to check on what's going on in there. The smartest one – son of cotton merchant – was sitting next to me; I think he's smartest because he left the same second as he turned around. I wish I had followed him. But I stayed because of my damn curiosity. Tavern keeper was listening attentively the tales about some mysterious events merchants were telling. They thought it was not a gang of evil men but some magical creature. Oi, people! Stop blaming magic for all your problems!

"…I've heard about it from my brother-in-law. He won't lie to me, no way man, and he saw it himself…"

"he saw… what he saw? A shadow of a tree? It was a windy day and everybody knows how your brother-in-law praise a booze!"

"He's not the only one who saw the creature. Guards still say it's a gang but how can a living person, even an evil one do such things?"

"… you heard 'bout last found victims? I can't imagine…"

His drunken speech was interrupted with loud voices and sounds of beginning fight. I was about to turn around when something big smashed on the counter right next to me! Honestly, I jumped and shut my eyes. Did I tell you that I'm trying to avoid dangerous situations?

"Now that was rude" low voice next to me mumbled. I opened right eye.

Something big turned out to be a tall man, he got up from the counter and shook his head. Next moment he was dragged away and the chaos began. Everybody was shouting, tavern keeper got a sword from under the counter but he hesitated using it. Crowd was growing. I'd better go out. Just give me a second to find a way through all those people standing around. I looked back and saw the man who earlier crushed the bar counter. He was standing his back to me and punching two guys. A scary big guy with bold head and large hands rose in front of me . He was right between me and that man. And he had knife in his hand. I don't know what I was thinking that moment. The big guy waved with a knife. I grabbed a bottle of liqueur from the bar counter and smashed it on his head. I guess I fractured his skull. Not good. He froze and crowd hushed up. Scary big guy slowly, very slowly turned to me. He's even scarier than I thought. He eyed me for a great deal of a minute and… finally fell on the floor. This guy whose life I've just saved turned around and looked on the floor than at me.

"RUN!"

He grabbed my hand and raced out of the tavern. Next ten minutes were just a crazy race. We were hiding under the market tables, jumping out of balcony and hiding in narrow alleys. And running, running a lot.

We end up on the other side of the village, dressed as two nuns or somebody like this. He headed to the old mill on the outskirts of a very nice village where I wanted to stay but completely messed up.

We finally stopped when reached the half ruined building of the mill. I was breathing heavy so was he.

"Now, that was something!" he smiled widely and I finally took a good look at cause of my troubles. He definitely was handsome. Straight nose, kind grey eyes and broad smile in genral gave him a sly look. He had a pretty long waving hair. I realized that I was staring at him and looked away.

"Thanks for help, man. I'm Gwaine by the way!" he stretched his hand. I shook it lightly with my gloved one. "Nin"

"Nin? What kind of name is that?" he chuckled.

"What kind of name is Gwaine?" I frowned. He smiled again. This man smiled a lot.

"Do you live here? In this village?"

"Not exactly. I guess now I'd better go somewhere else." I took off clothes, we've actually stolen from some merchant. Lucky I am that I have only one bag and always carry it with me.

"So, you don't have a plan, where to go?"

"Well, there is a town on the other side of the forest, probably I'll go there. Why?"

"Well, probably you don't mind my company, because I'm going the same way." He raised an eyebrow. Do I really need his company? This man is a one hundred per cent troublemaker. Well may be it would be nice to have somebody strong and armed as a companion.

"Why did those guys in Tavern attacked you?" I asked him heading for the forest. His eyes narrowed.

"Wrong place, wrong time, wrong drinks…"

So, what do you think? R&R please ^.^