a sterile promontory [introduction]

[mooninherhair]

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[weristdas_graal]

She might find him in the kitchen, a blond young man in medieval garb, as if he walked out of a book of tales of King Arthur's knights, currently rummaging in the cold box, taking out a loaf of bread and a jug of wine. He's a bit tentative, since he'll turn the loaf of bread over, rap the bottom of it gently and sniff at it first.

Then he'll look up, smiling at the girl. "The Lord be with you, my lady," he says, friendly.

[mooninherhair]

She walks into the kitchen, still exploring, and smiles at him when he greets her. He seems nice enough, she thinks.

"Thank you," Alice says softly.

[weristdas_graal]

"Are you newly come to the Mansion? I have not seen your face before in this place," he says. "I am Sir Parsifal, Knight of the Grail and master of the chapel on the grounds of this manor."

[mooninherhair]

"I am new, yes," she replies. "And I am Alice Munro. And I am finding this to be a strange place, I must admit."

[weristdas_graal]

"Aye, it is a strange place, of wonders and mysteries, and yet it is become a second home to me, since the Lord turned my path toward it," he says, setting the bread on the table, and fetching the jug of wine. "But what of you? What kingdom do you hail from, Lady Alice?"

[mooninherhair]

"I come from England, originally, but I was in the American colonies for a time before I came here," she says.

[weristdas_graal]

"Ahh, we are all but countrymen: I am of Wales, but I once served in the court of King Arthur," he replies. "And there are, if I recall, some folk from America in this place. There are folk from many places here, from places I knew not the names till I came here."

[mooninherhair]

"It's strange here, yes," she admits. "Everything is different from what I've been used to."

[weristdas_graal]

"Aye, it is a very strange place, full of wonders I have not seen before," he says, fetching a clean plate or two from the cupboard. "Would you share some bread and cheese and wine with me? I am but having my noon meal, and I would share it with you."

[mooninherhair]

"I would like that," she says, and moves to sit down at the table.

[weristdas_graal]

He'll set one of the plates before her and murmuring a word of blessing over the bread, he'll pull a large chunk off the loaf and set it before her, before fetching a clean glass and placing it in front of it. He'll fill the glass before filling another for himself.

[mooninherhair]

She smiles and then waits for him to sit down before starting to eat.

"Thank you for the meal," she says, after she's eaten a little. "I was hungry."

[weristdas_graal]

"Then I was able to do you a kindness," he says, beaming. "It is what we Knights of the Grail are charged to do, to serve the Lord by serving our fellow man and woman.

"But what of you? You seem a high born lady come to this strange place in the midst of a wood."

[mooninherhair]

"My father was a military man," she replies. "But lately, I hadn't been living that sort of high-society life, truly."

[weristdas_graal]

He nods, understanding (he thinks). "Aye, that is a hard life: I have known but the small skirmishes in which I took part during my time in King Arthur's service, but even those are hard times."

[mooninherhair]

"I'm certain that they were," she says with a little nod.