The walk back to her room between Roald and Dom had her answering questions about the events of the past few days. She explained about the man tripping her on the stairs and hitting her head. No, she had not seen his face clearly. She explained about waking up in the back of the cart and hearing the men talking in a different language. No, she did not recognize the language, and no, she wasn't certain she would recognize it again if it was spoken to her. She spoke about their stupidity in all settling down to sleep without a guard or sentry and how she loosened the ropes. She spoke about making a run for it and getting off of the road. She received both approval and scorn for leaving the path. Dom approved her getting away from the road while Roald reminded her about the many different vicious immortals and animals running about. She spoke about running into the clearing that held Ivan's camp and how she was going to keep walking but he was offering her a moment to rest. She mentioned how he had taken care of her even though he thought her just a maid that had had the misfortune of being kidnapped. She made sure to inform him about how much of a gentleman Ivan had been sleeping outside and letting her sleep in the tent. She made sure to note that she needed survival training to both Dom and Roald incase that happened again. Maybe next time she wouldn't get so lucky.
"We'll see," Roald patted her arm but Gwen was certain she wouldn't be getting survival training. Roald's answer sounded like a diplomatic answer rather than a real answer. Dom waited until Roald left them at her suites with a promise to send food down before he assured her they would spend some of her free time working on things that would keep her alive if she ever found herself away from someone with experience again.
"Why would you agree to this when Roald doesn't sound all that thrilled?" Gwen asked when she got as far as the door to her office.
"Roald's just been a bit put off that you were taken from the palace without anyone about to stop it. He's been worried about you and putting you out in the open where he can't really do much to protect you for survival training is scary. I personally wouldn't take you out without a squad or two, maybe three of the Own. I would prefer a whole company, but it's my job to make sure you stay alive, even if I'm not about. It sounds like you learned a bit from Ivan but let's make you something of a theoretical expert. Once we get the theories down, I'll see what I can finagle out of our dear Prince." He smiled at her.
"You know it's not your fault right?" She asked. The way he mentioned Roald being a put off by not having someone about to protect her made her believe Roald must have said several somethings to Dom about his lack of presence at that time.
"I should have had a guard walk with you between the kitchens and here, even if you give me the day off." He shook his head. "I know you want to go places without a guard following you but they knew what you looked like without your costume and we can't chance all that much anymore.
"The recruitment for the Own, when does that take place?" She asked just one last question before she was determined to stop and go take a bath.
"It was scheduled to start tomorrow morning after breakfast." Dom informed her.
"I'd like to go to it, if possible." With that she disappeared into her room to run herself a bath.
She soaked in the water until the water turned cold and her fingers and toes were wrinkled beyond recognition. She brushed her hair out and let it stay down. Dressed simply in breeches and a shirt she went back out to join Dom. It struck her that this was the time Dom normally spent with Kel. When she mentioned it, Dom shook his head.
"We decided you are more important right now. I should be keeping a better eye on you." She saw it had probably been a fight, maybe something Roald had been involved in. Maybe Roald was frustrated and had gone to vent to a friend. Maybe Kel had taken it as a hint she needed to give Dom time to do his job.
"But she can still be here. It's not like I'm any less protected if you have her about or if she spends the night." She watched as Dom smiled and then stood to hug her.
"I'll tell her you said so when I go and speak with Raoul about you attending recruitment tomorrow." He hugged for just a few seconds too long.
"Dom, are you alright? You're not feeling overwhelmed, or burnt out, or missing your freedom too much are you? I would be absolutely heartbroken to send you back to your squad but at the same time I would be far more hurt if you didn't want this anymore." She received another very tight hug and she was beginning to wonder if Dom really was going to leave her to go back to the simple life of being a Sergeant in the King's Own.
"I'm alright, Gwen. I was just scared for you when we found out you were missing. And then Kel told me we had to stop because it was only going to get in the way of my duties, and here you are again back and you don't blame me, you want Kel around, and here you are trying to take care of me." When Dom stopped Gwen stood up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek before pulling away from him.
"I'm back, so let's pull things back together. I was only missing for what two full days. Nothing should be permanently damaged in that time frame." Her stomach growled loudly and she blushed. "But I suppose I should eat something first."
Dom laughed and moved aside so Gwen could see the spread that Roald sent up. Anything she had said she liked at any point during meals with Roald was sitting on a serving cart. She also had warm apple cider. She loaded up a plate and sat down waiting for Dom to join her. After a moment he did.
"You go against any expectations I ever had for the Godssent." He informed her when he took his seat. "I expected a man first off or at least someone older. Probably someone bigger too. I expected someone like my cousin who spouts of everything and anything they know. I expected someone who wanted to live in luxury and have their every need taken care of. I expected someone who would treat their guard like a slave. I expected someone who thought they were better than ever having to stoop to a lesser world's level of learning. And yet, there's you. A young woman who is small boned, very knowledgeable but also very tactful in what you say and do not say. You appreciate the fine things you've been given but you don't demand them and you certainly don't ever expect them. You don't treat me anything like a slave but more like a friend and companion rather than a guard even. And you haven't stopped asking questions since you got here because you want to learn how to do things our way here rather than enforcing your way." Gwen blushed when Dom stopped. She hadn't realized all of the expectations she had broken and probably had broken for very many people. "It's not a bad thing, it's just, I believe our world is very lucky to have you."
"I'm glad you feel that way. I feel extremely lucky that Roald asked you to be my guard. I couldn't have asked for a better one because I doubt anyone would be as much like a brother to me as you are. After lunch will you go talk with Kel and Raoul? I'd like to get things fixed as soon as possible."
"What will you do?" He asked as he loaded his own plate up.
"Read probably, and then take a nap." She shrugged. She turned the talk to the process of joining the Own and enjoyed Dom's story of how he survived recruitment and then how he became a sergeant. Dom left after lunch and Gwen took a book to bed with her. She had barely closed her eyes when she felt someone shaking her awake again. Dom was grinning down at her as he pulled the book out of her hands.
"Good morning," he teased.
"What time is it?" She asked pushing herself until she sat up. Dom was marking her page in her book and setting it down.
"Past dawn. I let you sleep in, but if you want breakfast before we go to watch the recruitment start, you need to get up now." She threw herself back on the bed and groaned.
"But it feels like I just fell asleep." She pouted as Dom laughed. "Well, you seem happier. How did it go with Kel?"
"She's setting up breakfast." Dom winked at her. "I'm very glad you slept soundly. Now up, costume, breakfast, go." He turned and left. Gwen got up and threw on clean clothes, her golden robes, and hurried to do up her hair and face paint. Today she colored her eyes and lips royal blue. Breakfast was hurried but she was happy to see Kel and Dom enjoying each other's company. She had been very worried that Kel would hold out.
On the way to see the Own, Dom and Kel put Gwen between them. She kept her mouth shut as they walked and Dom's arm somehow pulled her in closer when they found themselves in a busy hallway. She knew he was worried and even more so than usual because this was her first walk out after the kidnapping. Her kidnappers could even still be about since she escaped. So she let him be protective until they reached the outdoor practice courts where Raoul was interviewing potential members and Captain Flynn was running them through drills with the men of Third Company.
Gwen's appearance stopped everything though as all eyes turned to her. She put her most benevolent smile on her face and let Dom lead her up to Flynn to thank him for allowing her to come and witness this event and then up to Raoul where she was offered a seat and a stack of papers. She recognized applications and turned to see Raoul grinning.
"You wanted to come, you can work." He paused as he watched her start reading the first paper. It was Ivan's. Raoul had given it to her on purpose because Dom had mentioned the made mention of him probably being the reason Gwen wanted to see the recruitment.
"Kel has said it many times. You are a bad man." That earned Gwen a chuckle.
"I prefer sneaky." He smiled as he beckoned Ivan forward. "And I could use your ability to read people."
Ivan was a handsome man, Gwen knew that much from him rescuing her. His eyes were a light crystal blue now that she saw him properly in the light. She saw him look over her appearance now and saw a bit of a smile light on his face.
"Something funny?" Raoul asked, very much the commander reprimanding a man under his authority.
"No Sir, I was just thinking about how beautiful the Godssent it." Gwen kept her blush to herself as Ivan spoke. Raoul asked for his application from Gwen and proceeded to question him about his motives for joining the Own, his weapons skills, some other basic questions that were meant to gauge any prejudices against lower classes or Immortals. He answered everything sincerely and then Raoul dismissed him to go work with Flynn so they could see how well he worked with others.
"He really wanted Third Company," Gwen said as Raoul wrote his thoughts on the man down. She saw him nod. "I personally feel like he would fit in with that bunch of hooligans well. Not that I know much of Second or First Company but well. Second seems too serious and First is more ornamental. Third Company has always felt something like unruly children full of charm and mischief but they always magically become serious when needed. I think Ivan would fit in there."
"Glaisdan, the former Captain of First Company was more of a puff and pomp. We are working on turning First into more of a fighting unit but getting men to do something they don't want is difficult." Raoul reached for the next application.
"I always thought the best way to train a man was with food. They respond to food." Gwen's straight face as she produced the document he was looking for made him chuckle. The poor nervous looking young man coming up to be interviewed paled at the sight. Gwen understood. Lord Raoul was a legend, the Giantkiller, trainer of the Protector of the Small, close friend of the King, close friend of the Lioness. He was terrifying in himself. And then there was the Godssent, a much more recent type of legend but in her experience, slightly more terrifying to those that did not choose to cross paths with her. This attitude stayed for most of the morning as the men stared at her either with awe or fear while they were questioned. Every now and then she would throw in a question of her own while Raoul was interviewing. Some would stutter over their answers, others would try their best to tell her what they thought she wanted to hear.
They broke for midday and Gwen found herself in the Own's mess between Raoul, Flynn, Dom, and Qasim all discussing the activities of the morning. The recruits could eat in the mess if they desired which caused the place to be a bit more packed. Gwen ignored the looks she was getting from the recruits. By now she was used to it.
"So Sergeant," Raoul's voice carried over the hall easily. "Are you getting out of practice now that you don't have to do drills every day?"
"I still do drills every day, or I should say We do drills every day." Dom nudged Gwen with his elbow making her smile. "I'll turn her into a warrior yet." Gwen responded to him by sticking her tongue out in the most childish manner.
"So what's after this?" She asked after the laughter at the table died down.
"We go through drills with those you sent to me this morning," Flynn explained. They had roughly twenty-five spots to fill and though they had spoken to about seventy men over the course of the morning, they had only narrowed it down to about fifty men. "I'll be taking your guard for the process," Flynn explained.
"Sergeants usually wander through the lines to help with running the drills and talking to the men more one on one to see if they let their guards down." Qasim explained. Gwen nodded her understanding.
"Do you pair the recruits up with members of the Own for their drills?" She was catching on to how this thing would work as Raoul nodded.
Back out on the practice courts Gwen found a nice vantage point sitting on a fence post. For the most part Gwen was left on her own, watching from the fence while the men worked. As the afternoon wore on and more and more men were dismissed she grew somewhat bored and very hot from the long robes in the August sun. She thought long and hard about stripping off her robes to go down to the breeches and shirt she wore under and attempting to balance walking across the top of the fence, but that would make her a very open target. She sighed, and focused in on where Dom had gone. To her surprise he was talking with Ivan, Raoul, Flynn, and Wolset. She saw all of them turn to look at her and it alarmed her slightly. Then Raoul and Dom broke away bringing Ivan with them.
"We thought you should know that your rescuer will be taking the new empty place in Dom's squad." Raoul said patting Ivan on the shoulder.
"Is Wolset leaving?" She asked looking back to where Wolset and Flynn were still talking.
"He's being promoted to Sergeant." Raoul explained. "Emmit will be moved up to Corporal. Ivan will take the empty place." Gwen's eyes flashed between Dom and Raoul sensing something very much alarming. Dom was Sergeant. If he was being replaced then what did that mean.
"I had a few more things to discuss with Raoul yesterday after midday." Dom was talking softly like she was a skittish horse. "I can't keep my commitment to the Own on top of guarding you."
"So you resigned?" She found her voice finally. "You can't do that! Everyone knows you love the Own."
"My squad needs someone who can go out on calls with them. Right now, I couldn't imagine leaving you to your own devices for as long as that happens. Even if I left you with Roald or Faleron, or even Kel, I'd worry about you and not the job at hand. Besides, I'm going to try and make an honest woman of Kel at some point in the near future." Dom gave her a wolfish grin.
"So what does that make you?" She asked him when he pulled off his arm band to hand it to Raoul.
"Roald rather liked 'Captain of the Godssent's Guard'." Raoul teased making Gwen blush. Ivan stood watching the exchange appearing thoughtful. "Don't worry, Dom's not really done with the Own. Besides I'm still charged with your overall safety so he can't escape me."
"Well if you say so." Gwen sighed. "Congratulations on your abduction into the Own. I hope you're prepared for that bunch of hooligans." She turned her attention to Ivan who only gave an innocent smile.
"I'm sure they'll go easy on me. I've been peddling the story that I rescued the beautiful Godssent." He jammed his hands into his pockets and looked back towards where the men were still doing drills.
"I hope they put a dead snake in your bed," she informed him.
"My lady, you hurt me with your ill wishes." Ivan held a hand to his heart much like a player but he was smiling.
"I think you'll recover." She said to Ivan. Then she turned to Dom. "We should probably go in and prepare for dinner. I'm sure this is going to be an interesting one, Captain."