A/N: Some of this chapter is a tribute and reference to one of my all time favorite Gwaine-centric fanfics: Problems by May Glenn. Check it out!
The next morning dawned bright. Galahad nudged Gwaine and Fira each awake, followed by Percival. Mordred began preparing breakfast from food the villagers provided while Morholt woke the rest of the sleeping knights. Their early watch had been uneventful, as was breakfast. Before long Fira was cleaning the plates in the nearby river and packing the food stuffs into Aland's saddlebags.
Ioreth brought the children out after breakfast. Each wore a small cloak and had a little bag. Percival offered to carry the girl he'd helped last night. Fira took the other girl with her upon Aland. Their names were Ellie and Maggie respectively.
A pair of horses were brought to them by a townsperson. Mordred took the larger one and hoisted one of the twins upon his new steed. His name was George. Elyan took his twin, Owen. Last of all the two other brothers took the final horse as Darron, the elder, was capable of handling his own steed.
"Off we go," Gwaine said happily. He spurred Gringolet onwards, eager to gallop but knowing that with the children that was going to be limited.
Tor nodded. "Tomorrow is the Festival! We must get home."
"We should be fine," Leon said, joining Tor and Gwaine at the front. "We should reach Castle Bertilak by nightfall."
"Indeed." Morholt smiled happily. "I am eager to return."
"When this is over," Gwaine began, "Will you leave Somerset and return to Camelot? Arthur did offer you positions as Knights."
"I do not know," Morholt admitted.
Tor agreed with him immediately. "When the time comes, the decision will be tough."
Gwaine didn't know either. He hoped he could take Lorie back to Camelot, for he loved it there, and he, though he'd deny it every time, was proud to serve King Arthur as a knight. Yet Arthur still had a very clear ruling on magic in his kingdom. Fira, being the only exception, did not guarantee Lorie would be safe from the chopping block in Camelot.
"You're awfully quiet, Gwaine," Leon said with surprise laced in his voice.
He smirked and shrugged. "Just considering how crazy this entire bloody quest is. We're traveling with children now."
Leon snorted and nodded his head in agreement. "I will admit I would not have expected this."
"Oh look, Sir Leon didn't see this possibility!" Gwaine laughed merrily. "I thought you were the best strategist in all of Camelot."
Leon rolled his eyes and spurred his horse forward. "Never mind I said anything."
But Gwaine wasn't about to let this go. And now that he had the full attention of the children from his outburst of laughing, he decided it the perfect time to delve into a story of that one time Leon made a mistake and they were outmanned three to one on the border with Essetir…
The children laughed and clapped at his antics for several hours. The little girls and boys were especially interested, though even twelve year old Darron payed attention. Fira found herself laughing alongside Maggie.
Elyan called up the horses to the knight. "You're a regular court jester, Gwaine!"
"Say that again and I'll run you through!" Gwaine smirked and spun in his saddle to look at the kids. "Just like the time I got speared by a boar! Oh it was horrendous."
The girls looked horrified. The boys looked fascinated. Gwaine launched into the tale.
"There we were, out hunting with these pathetic spears. They had no crossguards!" He let Gringolet drop back so he was in the center of the children. "I told Merlin, you see, I said 'These are no good, mate!' but he told me that King Arthur wanted to hunt so I shrugged and went!"
"What next, Sir Gwaine?" Fira chuckled as he paused.
He winked at her. "We went on this huge quest! When we finally found the boar, it was… it was as big as a horse!" He threw his arms wide and grew animated. "I of course was not afraid of some wild pig. But when it charged the King, I stepped in front to save him."
"What happened, Sir Gwaine?" Ellie begged him, clapping her hands wildly.
He smiled before letting a somber expression fill his face. "What happened? It skewered me in the stomach, that's what! Blood everywhere!"
The children gasped. Maggie looked at him in awe. Fira nearly lost it, well aware of the tale Gwaine was weaving. She had been there after all. It had been the previous year, after their run in with Radella. They had gone boar hunting and it had been dangerous. But the boar that caught Gwaine had been a piglet with tiny tusks that scratched his leg. Still dangerous because of the potential for infection, but hardly as dangerous as four tusks to the stomach.
Edgar, Darron's brother, nearly fell out of his horse as he eagerly leaned into Gwaine's story. "How did you survive?!"
"Fira here saved me!" Gwaine winked at her. "She's a decent healer."
"Decent?" Fira rolled her eyes. "I saved you from four boar tusks to the stomach. I'm much more than decent!"
Gwaine laughed. "Fair enough."
The other knights laughed along with them. When Owen asked Elyan if it was true, he nodded.
"Knights do not lie," Elyan replied. "Not unless it saves someone."
Fira grew quiet. She might not've been a knight, but she tried to hold to their values. She understood why Leon and Elyan were so upset about the lies surrounding Emrys. She wanted to tell them so badly. But she could not. Not without Merlin's permission at least.
The day continued in much the same way. Every time the kids got restless, Gwaine would launch into a long and heroic and often exaggerated story about the knights' adventures. Leon was exhausted by Gwaine's voice at the end, but when night had just fallen they at last arrived in Castle Bertilak.
The entire city was bustling about despite the late hour. Great ribbon-covered poles and stages had been erected. They realized this was for the Winter Solstice Festival the next day. Everyone dismounted and the children were led by Tor and Morholt to the orphanage in the city. Ellie insisted on running to Gwaine for a hug.
"I'm very glad you're alive, Sir Gwaine." She smiled up at him.
He knelt down with a smile and nodded. "So am I."
She ran off to join the others as they walked away. The knights, in turn, made their way up the steady slope to Castle Bertilak. Servants took their horses and still others grabbed their bags for their rooms.
"Did you learn anything?"
The knights turned to find King Roland standing at the entrance to the citadel. He looked tired.
"We found a deserter," Leon gestured to Mordred. "He has promised us answers."
"Good." King Roland let them pass. "I have servants drawing you each a bath. Clean up, and dinner will be brought to you in an hour where you've been having breakfast."
"Thank you, Sire," Leon bowed to him and led the group to the guest wing in Castle Bertilak.
"Mordred, we'll have to pair you up with someone." Leon sighed.
"He can stay with us," Galahad decided immediately.
If Mordred is going to be anywhere, better with me, he figured. That way any magic use will be detected quickly.
Percival shrugged in agreement. "I don't mind."
Mordred thanked them with a silent bow of his head. He shot Galahad a confused look, though. Why did this young knight fear him as Merlin did? Or… not quite fear. But there was certainly distrust.
Fira was relieved to reach her bedroom. She walked inside and found a girl her age preparing a bath for her. It smelled wonderful.
"Thank you!"
"Lady Nyx, it is my pleasure," the girl bowed her head and smiled. "Would you like to wash your hair?"
"Please, Fira is fine." She went behind the changing screen and undressed. "And yes, I would love that. What is your name?"
She wasn't used to being waited on by servants, as she took care of this all herself at home. But she certainly didn't mind. Fira lowered herself into the bath and relaxed against the sides of the wooden tub.
"Elizabeth, my lady," The girl with blonde locks bowed again
"Well thank you, Elizabeth."
The girl helped Fira bathe and soon enough she was positively glowing and smelled of roses. As she left the bath and changed into a plain white dress, Elizabeth left the room. Soon enough Fira had brushed her wet hair and braided it back, so that she was ready for dinner.