The sun was still up over the early evening of Camelot when the knight with almost shoulder length wavy dark brown hair had gotten some rest and quickly walked down the stairs and out into the open air of the inner fortress of the castle. The shadows were starting to length from the angle of the amber light flooding the late afternoon blending into the dark outlines of the buildings.
Gwaine casually walked through the streets of the great city down to the lower town on the way to his favourite pub. He made this walk regularly when he was here and he knew nearly everyone he passed on the way because they had the same day to day routine, on the whole. This was a sign, to a few people and the rest of the knights, that he may frequent the pub too often. He would agree but he never understood the word "enough" and "drink" in the same sentence.
Too deep in thought he didn't realise until he bumped into someone that he was still walking. He regained his balance and before the other person could fall over he grabbed them by the arm and held them upright until they too regained their own balance.
"Sorry," he said chastely, "I didn't mean to do that. I was daydreaming back there…" He gestured his thumb behind his back to where he had been walking down and then turned back to see properly, for the first time who he had just met.
It was a young girl who, he assumed, was around Merlin's age or maybe a bit younger by no more than a year. Her dark brown hair fell down to her shoulders and a little bit below just reaching her décolletage. The front part of her hair covering her forehead came down to about her eyes.
"It's alright," she murmured as she put the book she was reading into a satchel thrown over her right shoulder and tied it up again. "I was reading- I didn't see you either." She looked up and shrugged her shoulders a little as she leaned her head a little to the left with a smile on her face saying "oh well worse things could of happened". He noticed that she had a brilliant shade of blue in her eyes, which were framed by dark eyelashes and eyebrows, and he was reminded of Merlin who had similar colour in his: If he didn't know that Merlin had no siblings then he would've probably mistaken her for his sister.
Remembering Merlin he thought he'd better go to the pub to see his friend. "I'll see you some other time?" he asked bowing slightly.
He noticed her laugh a little at his conduct when she said, "Maybe, goodbye." As she moved to leave he grabbed her hand and turned her back towards him.
"What's your name?" he asked, as he took a step closer to her.
"Now's where's the fun in that?" she asked jokingly. Seeing his pleading, puppy dog look she answered him. "There's no point you'll never need to know it."
"Really?" he asked. "How do I not know how you've got to be addressed? That you've not a title like lady or princess- oh you are, aren't you- you're a princess?" He grinned and bowed before her.
"No I'm not and you can stop doing that Gwaine," she answered, smiling.
"You know my name?" he asked.
"I know Gwen."
"Oh."
He looked at her. She looked back. They started laughing, breaking the silence between them.
"It would be better if you would've come up with a different line, but thank you all the same," she said.
"I'll try and remember that."
Both parted company nodding their heads and walking in opposite directions.
He walked into the pub and by the time he finished his third drink the knights, and Merlin, had gotten deep into conversation that it was only when got up, and disappeared into the crowd, he got momentarily distracted but got back into to the conversation.
"Hey, guys," said a newly familiar voice behind him. He turned around and saw the girl again, sans the book, with Merlin. Oh, he thought.
"Gwaine," said Merlin introducing them, and they responded by shaking hands. "This is Rachel: Gaius' new assistant. Rachel this is Sir Gwaine."
"Nice to meet you," said Gwaine in his low voice and a mischievous look in his eye.
"Same," Rachel replied smiling and then sat beside of Merlin and they all continued the conversation.
