(Untitled)

[garcon_dor]

Galahad is half-heartedly going through the motions of sword practice out by the lake when he sees a fair-haired woman leading a horse not far off. After a moment of indecision he half-jogs over, sword still in hand.

"Excuse me. Miss. Are you Susan?"

Comments

[sai_delgado]

She looks away from Kiseki at the sound of her name, and her eyes widen a little at the sight of a man with a sword hurrying toward her.

"Aye-- I'm Susan Delgado, sai--"

A bit warily, say true.

[garcon_dor]

Belatedly, Galahad looks down at his hand.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I was practicing. I didn't mean to alarm you."

He sheathes it neatly and looks back at her, not without wariness of his own.

"Sir Alanna said I should talk to you about doing some work in the stables. As part of a punishment."

[sai_delgado]

The familiarity with the weapon, together with the mention of Alanna's name, go a long way toward reassuring her.

"Punishment?-- Cry yer pardon, sai, but I've heard naught of this that I remember."

[garcon_dor]

"I drew blade and blood, in the bar."

He looks a little bit uncomfortable, but not guilty.

"Sir Alanna told me to offer you my help. It seemed fair."

[sai_delgado]

"Oh."

She looks at him carefully. "Did'ee not ken that there's to be no business in the bar?" But it sounds more curious than anything, say true, for Susan's known more than one such thing to happen, now.

"What's yer name, sai?"

[garcon_dor]

"I knew. But it was a matter of honour. A denouncement and marking of a traitor. It had to be done in public."

He shrugs. He's not yet found anyone else who quite understands his reasoning, but he's getting better at quick explanations.

"My name is Galahad du Lac."

A bow.

[sai_delgado]

Her hand on Kiseki's reins jerks, and the horse throws up his head in reaction, or tries. Susan is salt-pale and staring at Galahad, even as she moves instantly to soothe the agitated gelding.

(I curse thee with the ashes die ye faithless life to the crops death to you charyou tree)

She tries to speak, and fails.

[garcon_dor]

Galahad puts out a hand automatically to help Susan calm the horse, but his eyes don't leave her face. His own slowly falls into a worried frown.

"I...have I said something wrong?"

[sai_delgado]

Even in her current state, she notes very clearly that he's confident with how he approaches Kiseki, and is glad of it.

"Nay, sai Galahad-- not wrong, do'ee ken? It's only--"

She takes a deep breath and stands tall and proud, facing him directly.

"--I were denounced so and burned as a traitor, sai, although it were for false cause."

[garcon_dor]

He stands stilled, one hand resting on Kiseki's nose, obviously taken aback.

"You have my deepest apologies, Miss Delgado," he says eventually, carefully. "I have had memories of my own death thrown in my face by the smallest of triggers, and I would never wish it inflicted upon another."

[sai_delgado]

And oh, but she relaxes just a little as he doesn't also now denounce her--

(I curse thee with the ashes)

--and finds a little smile, even.

"Ye didn't know, sai. Ye didn't mean it so, say true."

"And ye-- yer time has moved on as well?"

[garcon_dor]

"Yes."

He returns her smile; guarded, but sincere.

"That is a good way of saying it, I think."

[sai_delgado]

"It's the way of saying it in the world where I come from, do'ee ken?"

"Time is a face on the water, and it moves on."

[garcon_dor]

He looks away, at Kiseki, thoughtful.

"It is built on sensible ideas, your world. Although not," his face darkens "that part of it that burns people without just cause."

[sai_delgado]

She shrugs, a little.

"The ways of the Old Ones were the ways of death, and it were the witch raised the town to bring them back to use against me."

Her words are bitter, but resigned.

"She wanted revenge, for her plans being spoilt."

[garcon_dor]

He tilts his head, remembering. Old Ones.

"There is a boy, Will Stanton. And another, Bran Davies. Do you know them? Are they from your world?"

He's a bit thrown now.