Arthur strode through the courtyard, the freshly fallen snow crunching under his feet. He heard running footsteps, and then the blur of someone running past him, laughing. He frowned. It had looked like his nephew. But why would Gawain be running through the courtyard? He shook his head. Sometimes his knights seemed more like children then the knights they claimed to be. He turned the corner and walked face first into a snowball.
"Sire! I am so sorry; I didn't see you there!"
Arthur reached up and wiped the snow from his face. "That's quite all right, Terence. I suppose that you were aiming for Gawain?" The snow cleared from his face, he looked at Terence.
"Of course," Terence declared. "Who else? He ambushed me in the stables, so I chased after him. I would've gotten him too, except. . ."
"Except I got in the way," Arthur said, nodding. "And I'm afraid that I may have given him enough time to get away safely. So would you like some assistance?"
A slow smile grew on Terence's face. "Who am I to refuse my king?"
. . . . .
Gawain scurried through the corridors of the castle, ducking around corners and attracting stares from the servants. He heard someone coming down the hall and ducked into an empty chamber to wait for them to pass. Instead, whoever it was entered the room he was in.
"Ah, hello, uncle," he said, doing his best to not appear suspicious.
"Gawain," the king responded. "Whatever are you doing, skulking around the castle like you are?"
"Who, me?" Gawain asked, blinking innocently.
"Yes, you," Arthur responded, his brow raised.
"Ah, well, you see, I was—I was looking for Terence."
"Terence? What for?"
"Well, you see, I—I needed something."
"You needed something. Of course. Never fear, nephew, I can assist you. Luckily for you, I know exactly where Terence is."
Gawain blinked in surprise. "You do?"
"Of course!" Arthur's voice was warm as he wrapped an arm around his nephew's shoulder and began to guide him towards the door. "Can't have one of my knights wandering around the castle searching for his squire, now, can I."
"No, it's really quite all right, I can find him on my own." Gawain dug his heels in, trying to duck out from underneath the king's arm.
"Nonsense! There's no point in you spending all that time trying to find Terence on your own when I know exactly where he is." He tightened his grasp on Gawain.
A few minutes later, Arthur guided Gawain into a courtyard, both of them blinking in the bright light. Gawain took advantage of Arthur's brief moment of disorientation to try and spring free, but Arthur's grasp was too strong. Unfortunately for Gawain, the ground was slippery with a layer of ice, and his struggle sent him falling to the ground. Arthur laughed and went back through the door into the castle. "You're welcome!" he called back.
Gawain looked up from where he sat sprawled in the snow. Terence stood a few feet in front of him, a wicked grin on his face and a large ball of snow in his hands. Gawain gulped in fear. "Now, Terence, think very carefully about what you are about to do. Remember, you are my squire."
Terence smirked. "I'm only returning the favor, milord." He let the snowball loose. Gawain flinched away with a shriek as the snow struck his face.
From the doorway came a low chuckle. Terence looked up from his victory to see the king standing in the open doorway. A large bucket of snow was in his hands. Terence's eyes widened in fear as he whirled around and fled.
"Never fear, nephew, I shall avenge you!" the king cried out, chasing after Terence.
