The Modern Knight

Cheeky

The 9th of March, 2014

"Today we're going to start things off simply. Guinevere will be giving each of you a set of supplies. You'll be given a Kevlar vest, a loaded backpack, and a firearm. You will then need to run a lap along the path that leads around the majority of the property. You will need to have your puppy running along side you. You are not, to hold your puppy," Merlin explained before turning and giving a nod to Nicolette, "Guinevere."

Nicolette gave a nod before going into the Manor. She made her way over to and down a flight of stairs before approaching a cart. The young woman then started to wheel the cart out to the front lawn of the Manor through a ground level door.

"Right, each of you are getting one of these packs," Nicolette said as she brought the cart to a stop. She then grabbed two of the packs off the cart, "I'd suggest keeping the firearm away from your puppies. They may be filled with blanks, but they can still spook the dogs."

"Looks like Guinevere has some strength in those curves," Charlie said with a smirk.

"What did I say on your first night, Charlie? And what do I have to keep reminding you?" Nicolette asked, well, more said, flatly while pushing a pack into Charlie's hands, "You're not here to flirt."

Nicolette had given packs to six of the eight candidates herself.

Roxy and Eggsy had retrieved their packs themselves, rather than wait for Nicolette to hand deliver the packs to them.

"Suit up quickly. We can't get started until everyone is ready," Nicolette said before going to pull the cart back inside.

When the young woman came back out from the Manor, she saw that the candidates had been dismissed.

"Can I be frank, Merlin?" Nicolette asked, standing beside Merlin.

"About?" Merlin asked in return.

"Charlie's an arse and acts like a chav."

Merlin couldn't help but chuckle, "I think both Harry and your father would be glad to hear you say that. And probably your brother, too."

Nicolette rolled her eyes at her "Uncle" Hamish.

"They started running three minutes and twenty-six seconds ago. I'll record the lap times for Charlie, Digby, Jacob, and Hugo," Merlin said, holding out a clipboard for Nicolette.

"So I have Roxy, Eggsy, Rufus, and Matthew. Lovely," Nicolette said as she took her clipboard from Merlin's hand.

As time rolled along, the candidates started to come back from their lap around the property, their dogs running along at their sides. Eggsy, however, did not have his little pug running beside him.

"Where's Eggsy's dog gone?" Merlin asked.

"I think I have an idea," Nicolette said with a smirk as he approached.

"I said that they're not allowed to hold the dogs."

"He's not. Both his hands are on his gun. He's carrying the dog without his hands," Nicolette said as she wrote down times.

"Cheeky," Merlin muttered in an annoyed voice.

"But of course. This is Eggsy we're talking about. He was one of my friends for a reason."

"No favoritism, Guinevere," Merlin reminded.

"What? It's not like I said anything to him about loop holes. He came up with that himself."

The 8th of April, 2014

Nicolette was in charge on night watch in the nerve center that night. She had been listening to some of her music on a low volume while she was typing away at the computers. Her attention was caught by a flush of light coming from the couple cameras keeping an eye on the six remaining candidates.

Jacob and Matthew had been sent home in the last month.

Eggsy could be heard yelling once Nicolette turned on the audio feed from the candidate dormitory.

The young woman let out a sigh before getting up from her desk and making her way towards the room the six candidates were in.

"Would someone like to tell me what's going on at ten 'til midnight?" Nicolette asked as she entered the room.

Nicolette looked around the room to see one of the rubbish bins moved to the center of the room, the bag for it sat where the bin was meant to be. She also saw Eggsy soaked head to nearly toe and his bed dripping.

"Are you boys that juvenile?" Nicolette asked with a sigh, her hands on her hips.

"It was just a bit of a joke, Guinevere," Charlie said with a shrug.

Nicolette didn't say anything to Charlie. Instead she simply glared at him before she turned to face Eggsy.

"Come on, Eggsy. You can bring J.B.," Nicolette said, motioning for Eggsy to follow her.

Eggsy looked at her confused.

"You're going to want to get out of those wet clothes and dried off," Nicolette said simply.

Nicolette heard a snicker in the room as Eggsy walked towards Nicolette and the door.

"Don't think Merlin isn't going to hear about this," Nicolette muttered, "Kingsman doesn't look too kindly upon being petty."

Nicolette let Eggsy leave the room ahead of her before she left herself and closed the door behind her.

"Ya know, I don't think this is gonna help my case," Eggsy muttered.

"So I'm supposed to let you go back to sleep in wet clothes? What kind of handler would that make me?" Nicolette asked as she led Eggsy towards the nerve center.

There was a small room near the nerve center that Nicolette or Merlin would rest in when they were on the night watch so they were near the computers if there was an emergency.

"Just wait here. I'll be back with a change of clothes for you," Nicolette said before leaving to grab a clean, dry t-shirt, a pair of boxers, and pair of joggers. She also grabbed a towel for Eggsy so he could dry off more thoroughly before getting changed.

"You can dry off and change in there," Nicolette said as she handed the dry cloth to Eggsy, motioning to the room he was standing in front of, "I can keep an eye on J.B. if you'd like."

Eggsy looked down at the pug that was sat between himself and Nicolette.

"We'll see where he goes," Eggsy said as he looked back up at Nicolette.

J.B. did not move when Eggsy went to close the door.

After a couple minutes, Eggsy came out dressed in the dry clothes.

"Um, I'm not really sure what to do with these," Eggsy said, looking more at the wet clothes and towel than Nicolette.

"Don't worry about those. I'll take care of them," Nicolette said before taking the damp cloth.

Nicolette motioned her head towards the candidate dormitory, "Let's get you back. I'd suggest sleeping in one of the dry beds. Otherwise this will have been for naught."

When Eggsy was about to go back into the candidate dormitory, he stopped for a moment.

"Do you think I belong here, Nic?" Eggsy asked.

"I don't see why not. You've gotten this far," Nicolette said softly, "And you're doing really well. Both Harry and your father would be proud of how you're doing."

Eggsy gave a ghost of a smile at what Nicolette said.

"Thanks, Nic," Eggsy said quietly.

"Make sure you get some sleep, Eggsy," Nicolette said before walking back towards the nerve center of the UKHQ.