The War of Six Crowns: The Vanished Knight

Gawain Gives In

Callan paced the confines of her room, trying to figure out her next move. But was there one? Her encounter with Darrion had shaken her. Escaping wasn't about finding her past anymore. It could mean her life.

Not that she'd had much of one until now.

And then there was the fact that the entity had tried to kill Darrion. No, she didn't like him one bit, but killing him?

Why him?

A key scraped inside the lock, drawing her attention to the door. Without thinking, Callan went to it. Gawain peeked into the room, smiling when his eyes found hers.

"I hear you're turning out to be a troublemaker," he said.

Callan ducked her head, trying not to blush. "I just..." She let herself trail off. It wasn't as if he'd get it. He didn't before.

Warm fingers nudged her chin up, caressing her skin. How'd he come so close without her hearing? His features were as warm and gentle as his touch. He stood much too close, but it didn't matter. It felt good. Safe.

"You're very stubborn," he murmured, cupping her jaw.

Mmm. She melted. Only way she could explain it. For now, all her issues, her past...everything... They faded away. She tilted her head into his touch, covering his hand with hers. Somewhere, she heard herself whisper, "Sorry."

"It's...fine."

His voice was deeper than usual. Huskier. Tremors shot up and down her spine.

Then he cleared his throat and dropped his hand away. Cold air crashed into her thoughts and she fled to the window, trying to collect them. No one ever managed to get her to stop thinking before. And here Gawain did it by touching her cheek in a friendly gesture.

It had to be friendly, because he made no attempt to cross the room and touch her again.

Which was just fine.

"I was thinking," he said, voice back to normal, "I can try to help you, but you need to promise me something. If we fail to find anything, you won't endanger yourself to try anything else."

She faced him again. "Really?"

He nodded.

Callan beamed and rushed at him, impulsively giving him the biggest hug she could. "Thank you!"

Gawain chuckled, putting his arms around her. "You're welcome. Now come on."

Stepping back, he took her hand and led her out to the corridor. They strolled like that, hand in hand. It felt right. Did swordplay give his hands such calluses? They weren't rough, exactly. But neither were they soft and smooth.

"Where are we going?" she asked, focusing on Gawain's face.

"We're going to where our government keeps its records. If there's anything at all about your parents, it'll be there."

She beamed at him. "Thank you!"

He sent her a soft smile back.

"What will be done about me?" she asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"Nothing, necessarily. Darrion and I will talk to the king. He'll decide what will happen next. Maybe you'll be sent back to school. Maybe he'll decide something else."

"School! I forgot..."

Gawain burst out laughing. "You've had a lot going on lately. I'd forget about school too. In fact, I often do."

"I think Claire said people could be expelled for missing curfew." So James would get what he wanted...and she'd never read about her mother's time at Grayston. And she'd be far away from this world where her parents used to live.

"Callan..."

"Yes?"

Gawain drew her closer for a sideways hug. "Stop worrying. Everything will work out like it's supposed to."

"Right." She managed to relax somewhat. "You're right."

"I tend to be."

She laughed and lightly slapped his arm. "Don't be cocky."

They chuckled and walked on in companionable silence once more, arriving at a heavy oak door after a bewildering amount of turns and trips down staircases.

"Do you have a middle name?" Gawain asked, shoving the heavy door open to reveal a huge vault.

Callan's heart sank at the place's sheer size. "No, why?"

Gawain frowned, letting her enter first. "That's odd. And inconvenient. Our naming tradition has a father naming his first child after his father or mother. Like me. My second name's Jurian. After my grandfather."

"So you could have tried to trace me back to my grandparents?"

He nodded.

"Pity. Why didn't you just call yourself Jurian? If you don't like your other name?" She ran her finger over a dusty shelf.

Gawain grimaced. "You'd need to meet my grandfather to understand. Luckily for you, you won't." He took her hand and led her down the aisle and deeper into the vault. "Come on then. Let's see what we can find of your past."

Another short section, so I'll be posting another one right after this. Before you go, though, please remember to vote if you liked this section! 

Do you have a family name?