Beautifully Broken | The Weeping Monk

XI. STRANGE ENCOUNTERS

THAT morning, Guinevere was walking down the streets of Gramaire, breathing the fresh air. Children playing, adults working, young couples talking discreatly in corners, how much she missed this peace.

"Would you like to buy a flower?" asked a poor elder women. Guinevere looked at her, she was dressed  poorly, her dress had holes and it was dirty. The flowers she wanted to sell were no better, most of them dried, the only one that looked good was a primrose.

She had few silvers with her. Guinevere decided to simply give the women her silvers without buying anything, she needed them more. The poor elder was going to say something, but as she opened her mouth, a man appeared next to them.

He put ten silvers on her table, taking the primrose. Well he must be rich. The man put the primrose behind Guinevere's ear, smiling at her.

"I can't tell which is prettier, the flower or you, milady." he said smoothly.

"Thank you." she said, smiling at him. Guinevere looked at him, he was maybe seven or six years older than her, about Tristan's age. The man was rather hadsome, tall, strong and dark. He was also dressed in an armour, was he a knight?

"I belive you are the Shadow Lord everyone is talking about." the man continued, giving her a charming smile.

"Indeed. Are you a knight?" she asked, not being able to restrain her curiousity.

"I am, I came to visit distant relatives. Your name, milady?" he questioned in that same charming way.

"Guinevere. Your's?"

"Mordred." He said, kissing her knuckle. This Mordred was indeed very charming, Guinevere would even be attracted to him in another life.

"Sixty barrels of ale, fourty-five barrels of wine, a hundred bags of wheat flour. We've salted the fishes and there are still fowl in the moats... But-" the man wanted to finish, but Nimue cut him off.

"How much Time before we s-"

"Starve, milady?" finished the man. "A few days at most. We just have too many mouths to feed."

"A conditional surrender is our most sensible course of action." said Arthur.

"Aye, you're good at that." commented his sister.

"Morgana..."

"What, is that bothering you?" she kept going. "You were never too good at standing up to uncle. Certainly not on my behalf..." she finished, bitterly.

"We'll starve sooner," the man continued "if your creatures keep raiding the food supplies. They take what they defile, the street-" he didn't got the chance to finish, as Nimue spoke.

"They are not creatures."

"Don't be surprised when Gramairians demand their city back. Then you'll have war inside the walls as well." he said.

"Can I make a suggestion?" chimed in Tristan. "Guinevere can try and talk to them. She made friends here, some even trust her. It can help." it was true, she spent her days here among the locals, trying to earn their trust, as it was too dangerous to go to the Elador Lake.

" I am the Queen. I'll take care of it. " Tristan and Guinevere rolled their eyes.

"Certainly, anyone encourging a rebellion will sleep in the dangeons. We need guards around our food supply at all hours." continued Nimue. "Your help in this matter will be apreciated."

"Yes, milady." said the man, leaving. Nimue and Arthur were still talking about the situation with the fey and the locals.

"Is there any word on Squirrel?" asked Guinevere, speaking for the first time since the converstion started. Squirrel disappeared shortly after Gawain and no one had anything about him.

"Not yet." Arthur told her and she sighed. "Pym and some Fauns are out, searching this morning. We'll find him." No, they won't. Guinevere had to take care of this herself. She left the room, not saying another word.

The girl exited the castle, hurring in the city. Guinevere was looking after a blonde girl that Squirrel used to play with before he disappeard. Maybe she knows where he is. After asking a few people she finally found the little girl, playing with some other kids.

"Hey! Come here a little." the girl left her friends, coming closer to Guinevere. "Have you seen Squirrel?"

"He left." she answered simply, shrugging her shoulders. "He said he's going after The Weeping Monk. I don't know who's that."

"Have you seen what path he had taken?" again, the girl just shrugged.

Guinevere sighed, thanking the girl. Squirrel is playing with fire and she has to save him before he burns. She took a horse, leaving Gramaire. There was no use to tell the others, Nimue usually ignores her.

~~~~~~~~~~

"And now what?" asked a Faun man, Tristan had no idea what was his name.

"We haven't searched everywhere, yet." he reaponded.

"He's just a boy, Tristan."

"He is a friend of mine. Come with me or stay here. I don't care."

The Faun man shook his head, he wasn't going to risk his life for a boy he doesn't even know.

Tristan left that second, taking his sword and horse. He heard about a paladin camp nearby, it was the only place left.

Gawain and Squirrel had to be there.