The Kidnapped Prince

Reunion

Half an hour after Sir Bedivere found or rather ran into the young Ladies, he brought them back to camp. A new site just off the beaten path. It was a wiser choice than the previous one of sleeping in a clearing easily seen by others on the road.

As the trio enters the view of the campsite, Sir Bedivere whistles a short tune. Galahad whistles back the accompanying melody. A neat telltale way of announcing your presence. It's one of the many things Sir Bedivere has taught Galahad.

"Look who I found," Sir Bedivere states, a smile on his lips as he dismounts his horse.

The knights and squires look up. Equal faces of relief flash across the men's faces. Galahad gets up from his spot, tending the stew and takes his sister's horses. He quietly mutters that he's glad to see them alive and well. The young ladies smile and brush their shoulders along Galahad's like they used to do as children.

The squire takes each horse and, in turn, is untacked and brushed. Then he turns them to a tree near the other horses, where their reigns are tied to a branch. Like humans, horses are also prone to jealousy. So keeping the Mercian breed apart from the Camelot breed was an intelligent decision made by the squire.

Sir Gawain's eyes immediately find Lady Alys's. "Alys,"

"Gawain," Lady Alys narrows her eyes on his side, currently being stitched up by his brother.

"I'll be fine," Gawain reaches for her hand, and she takes his hand in her smaller one.

Lady Alys lets him pull her down to the ground. As she's pulled to the ground, she pulls the belt holding her new sword off her. Lady Alys doesn't give a reply. She raises an eyebrow.

Sir Gawain pulls her close. He winces as his brother hits a particularly sensitive patch of skin. Sir Gawain is thankful his brother is here to do it. Between the brothers, Gaheris has always had more of a steady hand than Sir Gawain and Gareth. So stitching up people has always been his task.

Lady Rhoslyn meanders over to her original horse, an apple in hand. She knows she'll have to win his favour if she wants to ride him. Sneaking an apple before his dinner will have to do. After some persuasion and promises, the young lady manages to bring her horse around.

While Lady Rhoslyn bribes her horse, Galahad announces dinner is served and hands out bowls of stew. He starts with his master, followed by Sir Gawain, Gaheris, Sir Percival and his sisters.

Sir Gawain takes a bowl for himself and Gaheris as he puts away his needle and thread. Gaheris thanks his brother and begins wolfing down the stew. Lady Alys accepts her bowl and eyes Sir Bedivere.

Sir Gawain picks up on why she's eyeing his grandmaster. Ladies never eat on the ground, a log or blanket perhaps, but never while tucked under their betrothed's arm. "You're not going to make Lady Alys move?"

"Don't make me regret my decision," Sir Bedivere states, shoving a bite of stew into his mouth.

Sir Gawain and Lady Alys grin and go back to eating.

Lady Rhoslyn takes a seat between Galahad and Sir Percival. Her brother hands her a bowl filled to the brim. The young lady does all the improper things she can to not spill it all over herself. But it's not enough. The second her lips touch the edge of her bowl, a chunk of beef falls onto her boot.

Sir Percival chuckles at her mistake of not removing the spoon first. All well-travelled knights know when the bowl is too full, you remove the spoon and then sip. Not the other way around.

After digging into the delicious stew Galahad made, Sir Bedivere asks what happened to the ladies when they were separated from the knights.

Lady Alys and Lady Rhoslyn share a look. They share a light chuckle. Lady Alys nods to her sister to start. So she does. Lady Rhoslyn begins recounting their tale. Lavishly and in great detail of the beginning since Lady Alys was unconscious.