Gwaine fully kept his word of teaching Percival to fight. They got their hands on a cheap, battered sword in the next village, which the former farmer could train with. Even though it was in no way a quality weapon, Percival still felt good taking it up. Gwaine had been right about his talent. He was learning fast. If just a few weeks ago someone had told him he would be a warrior, he would have laughed. But now it actually seemed possible. Maybe that was his way forward in life? He could easily get used to the excitement.

The evenings they spent in taverns often developed to be quite festive, like the one where he had first encountered Gwaine. But he drank less and he decided not to take a girl to bed with him again; not like that, without thinking. And he did not, except for one evening, when he met a girl who reminded him to an unnerving degree of Eleanor from back home.

Her name was Edith and she was a miller's daughter. She was the same height, had the same hair colour, almost the same face and she moved and talked in the same way. She was a little timid but sweet and pleasing and smelled so wonderful that breathing near her made his head reel. He had a feeling he would get in trouble, but the temptation was too great for him to resist.

The next morning she went hysteric when she realised he meant to leave. This time he remembered everything that had happened and he was not sure whether that was a blessing or a curse. She had seemed nervous, and when he had asked her whether it was her first time she had said no, but he could tell that it was a lie. Now, apparently, she felt regret.

"You can't leave me like this. What if I'm pregnant?" she cried.

"I didn't exactly force you to come up here, did I?" Percival said angrily and started to get his things together. He felt like a bastard, but he couldn't stay with that girl. He just couldn't. Hopefully Gwaine was up and ready to go very soon. Percival just wanted to get out of there.

"I'm sorry, Edith," he said, stopping before he went out the door of the room. "If you want I can make it back here within the next half year, to check on you."

"Just go away and stay away, you piece of scum!" she cried. Then she began to pick up things and throw them at him. He hurried outside to find Gwaine.

A couple of hours later, when they had long been on the road, Gwaine and Percival was caught up by four men on galloping horses. Their leader said he was Edith's brother and that he had come to kill Percival. Percival and Gwaine managed to fight them off quite easily. Gwaine was quite enjoying himself, but Percival was sick and tired of the whole thing. He wished he had never taken Edith to bed with him. It had been a big mistake.

He even felt relieved over the fact that they were going to camp in the open for the next few nights. He rather began to think that the evenings in the taverns were not very enjoyable. Gwaine teased him about the business with Edith and her revengeful brother again and again.

"Just shut up and leave it!" Percival shouted angrily when he finally lost his head. Then Gwaine stopped.

Life moved on and Percival did not believe it to be sensible to keep sulking over something he couldn't change anyway. Slowly he became his old self again. But when they entered the next village, he got something completely different to think about.

They were eating a midday meal in the small tavern. A man came in and went to speak to the tavern keeper who had just served them.

"Hello Wulfric," the tavern keeper said.

"Hello Aelred. Have you heard what happened over in Longstead, you know the village in the valley behind the mountains?" the man asked.

Percival's head snapped up. They were weeks of travelling from Longstead. What could have happened that was so important it was spoken of here?

"Cenred accused the village of harbouring traitors," Aelred replied. "He didn't find any of the kind there, but still he ordered his men to raze the entire village as a punishment. Around half of the families were killed. Even some of the women and children."

Percival felt the blood drain from his face. This couldn't be happening. He shot up from the bench where he sat and faced the two men talking.

"Are you sure it was Longstead?" he asked, breathing hard.

"As sure as eggs in eggs," the man called Aelred replied, looking wonderingly at Percival.

"Do you know if anything happened to Alyss and Werth?"

Those were his mother and father.

"I don't know the names of any of those who were killed. Sorry, lad. Are they kin of yours?" Aelred asked apologetically.

Percival nodded.

Gwaine had risen from the bench and came to stand beside Percival.

"We can send a message to them," he suggested.