Glancing around the entrance hall at all the flags, the shields and decorations, she nodded. “Shall I just wait here then?” She ran her hands sheepishly down her skirts. “I don’t really make much of a show, as a lady, do I? Trudging through the forest for a day or so will do that to you.”
Mordred slowed to a stop and turned to look at her, “You do have an excuse to look like that,” he pointed out, gesturing to her damaged clothes. “Besides, I will be escorting you, so it makes no difference. Nobody will question you.”
“Wha-oh.” Surprisingly, she coloured, looking up at him. “I thought — well, I suppose I rather thought you would simply go and report and I would look after myself. Truly, you’ve done more than enough, Sir Knight.” Stepping toward him, she seized his hand and kissed it.
Summer slanted a glance at Mordred. “If I cannot see him tonight, how would that be possible? I’m not demanding an audience now, mind you, I only rather thought I would beg a room at the inn.”
“I will speak to him,” Mordred answered, looking a little surprised. “Once I have spoken with him, then we can decide on the sleeping arrangements. He may allow you to stay in the castle,” he explained.
Glancing around the entrance hall at all the flags, the shields and decorations, she nodded. “Shall I just wait here then?” She ran her hands sheepishly down her skirts. “I don’t really make much of a show, as a lady, do I? Trudging through the forest for a day or so will do that to you.”
“Would you, please? Otherwise I’m afraid I’ll just have to try to track down those bandits myself, and I really don’t think that will go well.” She smiled, inviting him to share the joke.
”With the way things have been going for you lately, I would have to agree,” Mordred answered, letting slip a light chuckle as he lead her through the large doors into the castle itself.
”I doubt the King will speak with you tonight, but he might give you a place to stay,” Mordred explained.
Summer slanted a glance at Mordred. “If I cannot see him tonight, how would that be possible? I’m not demanding an audience now, mind you, I only rather thought I would beg a room at the inn.”
“I’ll have to beg one more favour of you, then, Sir Knight. Could you guide me? I’m going to be terribly in your debt,” Summer gave the tall knight her most appealing look. She hoped she would be able to get some help; otherwise she was going to have to get the loan of a sword and go back out there alone.
Mordred looked down at her and offered a small nod, “Of course. I have to go to the King right now, so, would you like me to request a council with him for you?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. It was likely that Arthur would not deny a request that Mordred made of him, anyway.
“Would you, please? Otherwise I’m afraid I’ll just have to try to track down those bandits myself, and I really don’t think that will go well.” She smiled, inviting him to share the joke.
When they finally approached the city walls, she had to stop. And just stare. Her mouth hung open a little bit before she swallowed, and glanced at Mordred. Squaring her shoulders, she began walking again. “I suppose I ought to speak to someone in charge about those bandits,” she sighed.
Mordred followed after her when she passed him, and he soon caught up with her in order to guide her towards the castle itself. “Yes, that’s the best course of action to take,” he answered, giving a light nod. Arthur would be waiting for him to return anyway and give his report, so might as well let that be included.
“I’ll have to beg one more favour of you, then, Sir Knight. Could you guide me? I’m going to be terribly in your debt,” Summer gave the tall knight her most appealing look. She hoped she would be able to get some help; otherwise she was going to have to get the loan of a sword and go back out there alone.
She admitted, “That’s true. I should not tease you so. Please forgive me.” Falling silent, she hitched up her skirts again and kept walking. She examined the young knight again, in light of his comments, and thought it over. It seemed odd that he would be a knight so young and yet be so familiar with forestry, which he so clearly was. Did he never sleep? Was that the reason for his solemn mien?
Mordred smirked lightly but continued walking without answering; the sky was darkened by now but that didn’t slow him down. They made the path in shorter time than Mordred had initially expected, but they still had to make the small walk to the bridge before they were completely out of danger. They were close enough already, though, that it was unlikely for anyone to make an attempt at attacking them.
When they finally approached the city walls, she had to stop. And just stare. Her mouth hung open a little bit before she swallowed, and glanced at Mordred. Squaring her shoulders, she began walking again. “I suppose I ought to speak to someone in charge about those bandits,” she sighed.
“You made it sound so far! Only fifteen minutes, and within sight of the shining walls?” Summer laughed at Mordred. “Even I should not be afraid to take such a walk alone. I didn’t think a Knight would be so fearful — or it is caution? So worried for my safety?”
“I‘m not afraid, I spent a long period of time living in the forest. No, it’s simply that I would prefer not to worry about anything,” Mordred glanced over his shoulder at her, raising an eyebrow. “But everyone is scared of something.”
He had noted the hint of rudeness in her voice but didn’t comment on it, preferring just to turn his attention back to making his way through the forest.
She admitted, “That’s true. I should not tease you so. Please forgive me.” Falling silent, she hitched up her skirts again and kept walking. She examined the young knight again, in light of his comments, and thought it over. It seemed odd that he would be a knight so young and yet be so familiar with forestry, which he so clearly was. Did he never sleep? Was that the reason for his solemn mien?
“It was. Very lucky.” She glanced over at him. He was quite skilled in the forest, keeping that enormous red cloak from catching on all the little snags. “Well,” she said at last, “I am willing to press on through the dark, if you wish, since you say we are close. The night frightens me no more than the day. Or I assume you know of a place to make camp.”
The sun was already setting, the sky now orange; they weren’t far though, he could already see the white walls if you looked close enough through partings in the trees. Thankfully, he’d grown up in the forests, he knew how to work his way through them, how to survive in them.
“Then we will keep walking, we will only be walking a short while in the dark, no more than fifteen minutes at most.”
“You made it sound so far! Only fifteen minutes, and within sight of the shining walls?” Summer laughed at Mordred. “Even I should not be afraid to take such a walk alone. I didn’t think a Knight would be so fearful — or it is caution? So worried for my safety?”
“Oh, I am not trustworthy, not at all,” Summer laughed. “Alone, and rather more helpless than is my usual wont, as well. I don’t think you need fear me, Sir Knight.” She neatly ducked a tangle of slim branches, sliding through the brush beside him with barely a rustle. “Were you planning to stay the night in the forest, then, since you too were so far from the city? Or do I slow you down so?”
Mordred shook his head. He had not intended on spending the knight on the floor in the middle of a forest alone, only that he had taken a small detour and that was what had caused him to run into this woman. So that was twice as long as he had expected to take turning around.
“I was not going to stay the night, no, I knew I would be out until late but a few … happenings caused me to be later than I should have been. Luckily for you.” And it was lucky for her, had he not taken this route, he would not have come across her, and he doubted she would have been able to make it to the city without being attacked again.
“It was. Very lucky.” She glanced over at him. He was quite skilled in the forest, keeping that enormous red cloak from catching on all the little snags. “Well,” she said at last, “I am willing to press on through the dark, if you wish, since you say we are close. The night frightens me no more than the day. Or I assume you know of a place to make camp.”
Summer caught the smile and returned it. “I wondered if you ever smiled,” she commented. “The honor of the Knights of Camelot is legendary; not so their grimness.” She followed neatly, a certain tension easing from the set of her shoulders at the prospect of his protection. “I knnew how many days the trip would take ahorse, but I’ve no idea how far I’ve managed to come on foot. Is the city far?”
Mordred gave a small breath of laughter, “I do smile,” he answered, “only I was concentrating on whether or not you were trustworthy, it didn’t leave much of a chance for social niceties,” he explained.
He pushed through the brush, flattening ferns beneath his feet, stepping over fallen branches and logs. “It is not far, but I’m not sure if we’ll make it back before nightfall or not.”
“Oh, I am not trustworthy, not at all,” Summer laughed. “Alone, and rather more helpless than is my usual wont, as well. I don’t think you need fear me, Sir Knight.” She neatly ducked a tangle of slim branches, sliding through the brush beside him with barely a rustle. “Were you planning to stay the night in the forest, then, since you too were so far from the city? Or do I slow you down so?”