Exiting the tent, Ana draws her cloak around her as Much jumps up excitedly. He barks and she quickly hushes him before Gilmore grabs her hand with a smile. Together the three of them start toward the mess tents. As they get closer, the scent of the food wafts past them on a chill breeze and she feels her stomach knot up. Stopping a few yards from the tent, Gilmore stops and shoots her a curious glance.
She releases his hand and crosses her arms over her chest. "You and Much can go ahead." She shrugs nonchalantly. "I'm not really hungry." As she says this, her stomach growls loudly and he raises a brow.
"I think your stomach begs to differ."
Her cheeks burn as she tries to think of something. "I...uh…" She begins, her gaze shifting away from his amused expression. "I drank a lot of ale last night. It's just gas or something."
Stepping forward, he grabs her hand. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" He asks, keeping his voice low as his eyes meet hers. "I know something is wrong."
"It's nothing." She lies. "I'm just not hungry."
He gives her a skeptical look. "Ana."
Sighing, she rolls her eyes. "Fine. They're…" Looking away, her voice trails off.
"Yes?"
"They're… starving me out." Ana mutters, her face flushing with irritation and embarrassment. "They refuse to give me food."
His brows draw together. "What? Why?"
She shrugs. "I was just asking questions about the food when I got here and now they hate me."
Gilmore looks over at the open part of the tent where he sees a couple soldiers sitting at one of the tables, silently eating across from each other. He turns back to her.
"Have you tried,oh I don't know, apologizing?"
Her expression hardens. "Apologize? For what? I did nothing wrong!" She pouts. "All I did was ask a few simple questions. Why should I apologize? They're the ones who are in the wrong!"
"They probably don't see it that way, my love."
"And why should I worry about how servants feel?" She fumes. "They should know by now how to treat their betters! They should be apologizing to me for treating me so unkindly."
He sighs and she crosses her arms over her chest.
"What? It's true!" She exclaims.
Frowning, he runs a hand through his hair before meeting her gaze. "Ana, I know you're used to being treated a certain way," He begins, watching her expression as he carefully chooses his words. "But here… things are different. We're at war."
"So?" She shrugs, raising her chin. "That doesn't excuse them. I'm the Teyrn's daughter!"
"Do they know that?" She purses her lips and glares at him which gives him her answer. He reaches for her hand but she quickly pulls it away from him. He sighs once more as he crosses his arms over his chest. "See? Then how could they possibly know unless you told them? People can't read your mind, love."
"I'm not supposed to tell people." She mutters. "Duncan worries that revealing my identity will make me a target."
Gilmore nods. "He's not wrong." Stepping forward, he touches the frayed ends of her sheared hair. "You remember why he did this, right?"
Her eyes lift to his but she says nothing. She nods.
"You need to start blending in, for your safety. I know it'll be difficult but you need to act like you're lowborn." He pauses as she grimaces. "When I was sneaking around the castle using the hidden passages, I heard some of the soldiers talking about Howe was going to send men here to aid the king. I have no idea if he did, or how many he sent but you need to be cautious here."
At this news, her eyes widen and he sees the defiance drain from her and replaced with terror. "Really?" She whispers, her eyes looking around.
He nods and places his hands on her shoulders. "Yes. Many people here may not have seen your portrait but any soldiers who were at the castle might. You can't be making scenes over little things and drawing attention to yourself. You need to blend in. Understand?"
He watches as she visibly swallows. He waits as she meekly nods before pulling her into an embrace.
"I'm frightened, Rory." She mutters. "I don't know how to blend in."
He can feel her shaking slightly in his arms and he holds her tighter, pressing a kiss to the top of her hair. "I know but you have me. I'll be here to protect you and help you in any way I can. I'm not going anywhere."
They stand there for a couple moments until Ana's shaking began to cease. Pulling away, she wipes away some of the tears that began to break free with her sleeve. "Well then," She sniffs, drying her eyes. "Shall we?"
Gilmore offers her a small smile as he holds his hand out. "Absolutely."
Taking his hand, she takes a deep breath and they start toward the entrance. As they enter, they take their place at the end of the line that reaches almost to the opening of the large tent. The aroma that fills the tent reaches her nostrils and she feels her stomach growl once more. She stares at the long line with a grimace but refrains from complaining about it aloud. She looks over at Gilmore who gives her a reassuring smile.
The line moves slowly but eventually they reach the servers. Seeing Ana, one of the serving women begin to grab the bowls when Gilmore speaks up.
"Is breakfast over already?" He asks with a frown.
Without lifting her gaze from Ana, she shakes her head. "Just for you." She says to her.
Ana clenches her jaw and looks to Gilmore for help.
"Has she done something wrong?"
"Ay." The woman nods. "She knows what she's done."
"I was only asking questions!" Ana hisses. "I didn't do anything wrong! You-"
The woman raises a disinterested brow and cross her arms over her chest as Gilmore nudges Ana with his elbow. She glares at him and he gives her pointed look before subtly motioning toward the woman.
Clenching her fists at her side, she exhales. She turns back to the woman.
"I need you to hurry up and leave." The woman says. "There's people behind you who actually want our food."
Heat rises to Ana's cheeks as she looks down at the pot before her. "I just came here to...apologize."
"Oh?" The woman asks, smirking. "What for? Insulting my food? Asking me stupid questions?"
Maker, this is embarrassing. If my father could see me now…
"I wasn't-" She begins to argue before being nudged again. She sighs. "Yes…"
"Yes what?"
Her eyes meet the woman's. "Yes, I'm apologizing for all of it." She says through clenched teeth. "It was unworthy of me to act the way I did and I deeply regret it. May I please have some food? I am very hungry."
Somebody behind Gilmore yells for her to hurry up but she ignores them as the woman narrows her eyes at her.
"How do I know your apology is genuine? You could just be tryin' to butter me up so I'll feed you."
She's not wrong. "I am honestly apologizing. Please forgive my attitude toward you. Everything here is new to me and I'm not entirely sure how to act."
The woman watches her a bit longer before letting out an annoyed sigh. "We don't 'ave any of that fancy food you like. We have only the bare essentials, nothing more. Take it or leave it."
Thrusting a bowl out to her, she impatiently motions for her to take it. "Here. Hurry up. People are waiting."
Gratefully, Ana takes the bowl which the man beside the woman quickly scoops a ladle full of grey-ish slop into the bowl. Holding out a crude wooden spoon, Ana mutters a thank you as she takes it and quickly moves to the side. She looks down at the slop and resists grimacing as she feels the woman's gaze on her. Gilmore gets his food and thanks them before rejoining Ana and motioning toward a vacant table near the middle.
"Nicely done." He beams at her as they take their seats across from one another. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" She glares at him which makes him chuckle. "It'll get easier with practice. At least you were able to get some food."
As he says this, she looks down at the grey mush in her bowl and grimaces. "Sure, if this is what passes for food around here." She plops her spoon in and gags as it stands straight up on its own. She glances up as Gilmore shoves a spoonful into his mouth and wrinkles her nose. "You actually like it?"
He shrugs. "Not so much as like it as I'm used to it. This is typical campaign food that your father and I both ate."
The mention of her father makes a wave of sadness hit her as her gaze droops down to the grey mush. Noticing, Gilmore frowns and reaches across the table to grab her hand. "I'm sorry." He frowns. "I just meant…."
"I know." She mutters. Looking up, she scowls as she notices Alistair walking toward their table. She groans and quickly shields her eyes which rouses a curious look from Gilmore. Taking a seat beside the newest Warden recruit, Alistair flops down on the bench and looks over.
"Good to see you managed to find the mess hall. " He comments, plunging his spoon into his bowl of mush and taking a big bite. "I remember my first week here. I somehow ended up the on far side of camp and got stranded in the maze of ruins for an entire night."
"Of course I managed it." Ana snaps. "You'd have to be incredibly dull not to know your way around here. Then again, we can't all be fortunate enough to be trained by the best navigators." She smirks as Alistair's grin falls. Gilmore sighs and taps her foot under the table reproachfully but she ignores it. "I'm pretty sure even my mabari could find his way around with no problem."
At the mention of him, Much raises his head from where he's beneath the table near her feet. He cocks his head at her and Alistair follows her gaze. Seeing the large hound, he beams.
"Oh! I didn't see you there." He smiles, ripping a piece of bread and holding it out to him. Much sniffs curiously at it before scoffing it down and licking his hand clean.
"Much." Ana hisses, giving her hound a stern look which makes him lower his head with a whine. She glances up at a puzzled Alistair. "I didn't give you permission to feed my dog."
Alistair looks taken back. "Permission? I just gave him some bread."
Ana opens her mouth but Gilmore nudges her leg once more with a stern look of his own. "It's fine, Alistair." He says, clenching his jaw. "No harm was done. Ana, if I can speak to you for a moment?"
Know well what he was going to say, she shrugs. "Not right now."
His gaze pierces through her. "Ana, I insist."
Sighing, she rises from her seat. "Fine. Much, stay. I'll be back."
Much whines as Ana follows Gilmore outside the tent.
"I already know what you're going to say." She frowns, crossing her arms over her chest. "But did you hear what he said? ' Good to see you managed to find the dining hall'. Managed!" She exclaims. "As though I'm an idiot with no sense of direction!"
Gilmore sighs heavily. "I doubt he meant it like that." He says. "You're reading too much into it. He was just happy to see that you're making it around on your own. "
She shakes her head. "I know what I heard. I'm disappointed that you of all people don't believe me."
He glances around them before lowering his voice. "Ana, we've talked about this. You can't keep making a scene."
" You're making a scene!" She pouts. Feeling tears well up, she turns from him him and takes a deep breath. "I wish Fergus was here."
Stepping forward, he turns her around and places a hand on her cheek. "I know." He frowns. "Has Duncan heard anything yet?"
Ana shakes her head. "No. I'm starting to fear that he never will."
Alistair watches the two of them as they walk out and Much moves closer to his feet and lies with his head on his boot. He smiles down at the hound and rips another piece of bread and tosses it below the table.
"You like that, don't you?" He grins, spooning more of his porridge into his mouth. He glances up as Ana and the knight seem to be yelling at one another. He frowns. "Your mistress really is one to hold grudges, isn't she, Much?" He asks. Looking down, Much is looking up at him and cocks his head to the side. "She's quite terrifying when she wants to be." Much gives a low bark and Alistair raises his hands. "I meant no offense."
He glances back up as they embrace and his brows furrow. As he watches, he recalls something from the night before. She calls him Rory. The realization begins to set in and his eyes widen as he feels his cheeks burn. Sweet Maker.
As Ana and Gilmore start back, the memory of Ana's smooth back and her breathy moans return to the forefront of his mind and he feels a twitch of interest in his trousers.
Noticing Alistair's expression, Ana narrows her eyes at him as she once more takes a seat. "What?" She asks as Gilmore sits beside him. "Can you stop staring at me like that? You're creeping me out."
Lowering his gaze, he quickly jumps up and almost knocks over the trestle table in his haste. "Sorry." he says, unable to look at her. He awkwardly clears his throat and grabs his bowl. He's about to rush off before he remembers Duncan's task and stops. He looks up at Gilmore, his face flushed. "Once you two finish eating, Duncan will meet you at the bonfire near the mabari pens. You'll meet up with the other recruits and he'll go over the details of your task."
Gilmore thanks him and he gives a brisk nod before risking glance at Ana. She scowl at him and he quickly swivels around and takes off.
Watching Alistair rush off, Ana raises a brow. "What was his problem?"
Gilmore shrugs with a sigh and pulls his bowl closer to him. "Perhaps he had duties to see to." He suggests, spooning his food into his mouth. Or maybe you scared him off with your hostility.