The Beach: Sunday night

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Somehow, somewhere, in Galahad's attempt to find a ship to take him home, he'd lost his bard.

He needed his bard, his bard was very important.

A bard could go where a knight could not...unless that knight was the bard's guard. Chaucer was his key to safe passage.

When he found himself on the beach, now free of mountain sized talking monsters, he decided it would do for tonight's camp. Plenty of dry wood, with a lee in the rocks that would protect him, Gaiwan, and the fire from the wind and the cold. It was perfect.

No bunny tonight, but as it turned out there were deer in the woods - tiny, strange coloured ones - a haunch of which he set to cooking over the flames.

[ooc: why yes, it's open! Especially for his bard.]

Comments

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

"I'm serious," Chaucer informed the seagull, "A Sarmatian knight. Yea high. Sword. Looks like he's never learned how to shave."

He strolled onto the beach, staring up at the heavens more than anything else. Hey, the animals could speak-- one never knew.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I was wondering when you'd turn up," Galahad called. "And you've kept your clothes this time."

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

"Nudity as a statement works only within increments," Chaucer replied, seguing neatly from his searching past his bafflement into his certainty, "I wouldn't want to waste my nakedness for no good reason."

He moved down the beach, towards Galahad. "That would ruin a good story."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Not to mention the cold." Stories were the bard's responsibility. "There's deer, if you're hungry."

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

"And the cold, yes," Chaucer admitted, slipping down to be seated near Galahad's side, "But in the grand scheme of things, that passes." Pause. "Unless one never gets one's clothes returned. Deer, you say?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"It makes a change from rabbit." He turned the makeshift spit, making the meat sizzle and spit, and grinned at Chaucer. "And I've given up on the return of my shirt. You can consider it yours."

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

"Ah, variation!"

He peered around Galahad, stealing a look at the meat. "First rabbit, then deer. We appear to be moving up in the world."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Only the best for my bard," he laughed. "it will be ready soon. Now, tell me. Have you ever thought of travelling across the sea?"

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

"I've often thought so," Chaucer said, thoughtfully, "But it's good to see a decent smatter of genius recognized. The sea is dreary, grey, and not particularly appealing, but it's preferable to lounging about the island in my underwear."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Asriel told me that Rome is several weeks journey across the sea. Once I find a ship, I intend to take it. You could join me. Arthur would welcome a bard."

[scary-jeff.livejournal.com]

"Does it pay?"

Because that was the important part.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure something could be arranged."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Serafina had taken refuge in the woods after being unable to discern what had happened to that boy's daemon. However, that hadn't stopped her from exploring the island -- flying overhead, peering down at those below, and trying to understand where she was and how she was there.

As such, when she spied a fire, she swooped lower to investigate, Kaisa at her side as she flew a little closer. She wasn't hiding as much as she should, given her curiosity about the place, and her confidence in her own abilities should she need them.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Galahad had mellowed a lot since he'd woken in the stables, the comfort of knowing he could could get home easing his worry.

It was never going to be enough for him to greet a flying woman with equanimity, especially not when he had a bard to protect.

With one smooth motion, he rolled to his feet and strung his bow, nocking an arrow to track her motion across the sky. "Come no closer," he warned.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Serafina muttered a spell to slow her descent, lowering her cloud-pine and reaching for her own quiver. "I mean you no harm."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I have only your word for that." He didn't take eyes, nor bow, off her, fingers tight around the string. "Where I come from, women do not fly. What are you?"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"My name is Serafina Pekkala," she said quietly, lowering onto the sand as Kaisa stayed close, watching the man. "I am the witch queen of Lake Enara."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Witch was a word he knew, a Roman word, thrown against those who didn't follow their one god.

As Galahad himself did not. Pagan, they called his people.

He lowered the bow but didn't loosen it. "I am Galahad. Queen you may call yourself, but I will not bend knee to you."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"I didn't ask you to," she said with an almost-smile. "And this is my daemon, Kaisa."

The goose at her side gave him a cursory, curious look.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He returned the look in equal measure, letting the arrow slip from the bow and he let it rest by his side. "Do you know a man named Asriel?"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Yes," she said slowly. "Is he here?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"He is. With his daemon," he added, looking at the goose. She knew Asreil and didn't expect to be treated as a queen. It was enough to ease his fears.

Galahad set the bow aside and grinned. "It was he who told me how to find my way home. Will you sit and share the fire? It's hardly fit for a queen, but it's warm and there's food, if you're hungry."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"The cold doesn't bother me," she said absently, but she did come over to sit with him, setting aside her bough and weaponry. "Are you lost?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I was." He settled near her, not too close, and poked the fire. "I don't know where I am, I don't know how I got here, but I know how to get home. Asriel told me Rome is many weeks journey across the sea. All I need is to find a ship to take me there."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"You seem to be in the right sort of place," she noted dryly.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"There's no shortage of water," he agreed. "But there is a shortage of ships." He shook his head. "It's only a matter of time, and then I can be on my way back to Arthur."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Who's Arthur?" she asked curiously.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"My commander," he explained. "I'll be a thought a deserter by now."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Serafina nodded in understanding. "If he's a fair commander, he will allow an explanation."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"With any luck. Though I don't know how I'm going to explain this land without being locked up as a madman." Galahad pointed at Chaucer, who was asleep again. "It's my hope the bard can help with that."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"He and his daemon should be able to vouch for your sanity," she said with a smile. "Unless of course, you are insane, which is possible."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"If anyone's mad on this island, it's not me." But it might be her, and he looked at her warily. "He doesn't have a daemon. He has a dog, but the only thing special about it is its smell."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"What is wrong with this world and your lack of daemons? Are you sure his dog isn't his daemon?" she asked worriedly. "If he's a servant, it would be."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"He's not a servant, he's a bard, and it's just a dog," he said patiently. "I think your kind are the strange ones, with your talking animals."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"They're not animals," she corrected, and Kaisa looked very offended.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

They looked like animals, they talked, but he would humour her. "Daemons, then. They are still strange."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"They are part of us," she said, shooting Kaisa a quieting look. "You're strange for not having them."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

It was on the edge of his tongue to dismiss it as foolishness when there was a snort from behind him.

Galahad glanced over his shoulder at Gawain, who was half-dozing in the warmth from the fire. He looked from him, to the goose, to Serafina, then back at Gawain.

"My people have a legend," he said instead, still watching the horse. "That fallen knights return as great horses, who see what will happen and who watch over their riders as they bear them into battle."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Serafina smiled gently. "It could be possible."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He gave her a quick, flashing smile. "So maybe your daemons are not so strange."