A Byplay of Glances

A Byplay of Glances
Summary: A casual meeting of sorts at Laketown, where Samwell and Deidra seek to visit Sir Gauvain and Bethany - and Lady Claire of course. The casual gathering is soon joined by the smith's apprentice Landros, and many glances are exchanged, not all of them friendly.
Date: 11/11/2013
Related: Several
Players:
Deidra Gauvain Samwell Landros Claire 

Laketown
Laketown is a series of dichotomies laid out in the open. Grand cobbled stone boulevards feed into winding and cramped dusty alleyways and muddy side roads. The shimmering gleaming halls of polished stone that the merchants, guildmasters, local gentry, and nobles have built hide the dilapidated and grimy hovels and dirt and mud that seems to pervasively linger in a town always under construction. Even at night, the beating heart of the Laketown market square is filled with spectacles and merchants and the constant flow of money, although not always between buyers and sellers. All roads lead to the gold and marble pillars and bright cobalt tile roofing of the Blue Duck Inn, the unofficial hub of the business in Laketown set just across the way from the large, glittering temple.
November 11th, 1329

It had been roughly a week since they had returned to Laketown. Bethany has been settled into the Temple of healing, and Gauvain has more or less been settled in to Laketown. He has a room at the Inn, and visits Bethany when he can, but he also has duties, and she's asleep a lot of the time.

Currently Gauvain sits on barrel, his arm out of the sling for the first time since the arrow pierced it. He watches teh town go about the bussiness of trade, their morning chores. He sips from a brandy flask, and just appears to be lost in thought. Noting the horses for their breeding stock, the people in their different styles of dress, and just taking in the peacefullness of the chaos that is Laketown.

Laketown. Always worth a visit. Especially for a certain Blue Guard. She has been allowed a few hours off to check on her husband at The Drunken Clam Tavern, and now Sir Deidra the Swift is on her way to the Blue Duck Inn, where her superior, the Taniford Prince Samwell has taken up residence for the duration fo their short stay. She walks at a leisurely pace, her well-kept armor glinting in the warmer tones of the autumn sun, while the blue cloak flaps behind her, blown about by a sudden gust of wind. While her steely green eyes scan the place, her usually so sour mien is softened by a rare smile. A smile that stays on her face when she spots Sir Gauvain on that barrel, and after a second of hesitation, she approaches him, the formal greeting of a bow accompanied by a rather friendly address. "Good to see you're still alive, Sir."

"Ah. Good morrow Sir Delmort." Gauvain says as he is addressed. He puts a stopper on the brandy flask and places it beneath his vest. "Aye. Still alive, and not horribly the worse for wear." He shrugs his uninjured shoulder. "A few new scars, and some muscle healing to do in the shoulder is the worst of it me." He sighs, and looks the woman over as he hops off his barrel. "So, with you here can I assume that His Highness the Prince is here as well?"

One brow twitches upwards as she is addressed with her new family name - after all Deidra has been married for less than two months now - but her bewilderment does not last long. Inclining her head in acknowledgement of the returned greeting, the Blue Guard's gaze is raised as Gauvain suddenly stands before her. "You seem agile enough, sir," she remarks. "And scars and bruises,… even I have earned some fresh ones. Even though I was far from being as severely injured as you. And your daughter. How is she? Will she recover? I have heard she was grievously wounded." A touch of concern has entered her voice now as she shifts her weight from one leg to the other, before her gaze flits towards the Blue Duck Inn as she answers Gauvain's question. "Aye, he is. At the inn. You must have missed him. Or he is still asleep." The latter probably being the case, as her smirk betrays. It is after all still morning…

With a sigh Gauvain says, "Bethany will recover, her wrist is the primary concern, if it had been broken in one place it would be easier healed and she'd be fine, but she broke it three. Some ribs were cracked, but thankfully not snapped so no puncured lung, and the cut she took will leave her with her very own scar to remember the battle by." He sighs and runs a hand through hsi hair. "She sleeps most of the time, she banged her head pretty good when that Knight threw her against the wall with hsi blade. But when she is awake, she has her wits about her, so the Guardians were watching her." He nods once. Then smiles slightly, "And aye, he's likely still asleep. Young men will sleep till noon if you let them, I can only imagine it is the same for Princes."

The prince is never from from his Blue Guards and he certainly doesn't sleep till noon. His mother would stab him in his sleep if he did. Which is of course counterproductive to waking up but that's mothers for you. Princes do get waylaid by commoners though and when Prince Samwell finally appears on the horizon, he's trying to get away from a bunch of unwashed peasants, whom his Blue Guards are trying to chase away like flies.

"The Guardians be blessed," Deidra replies when she hears about Bethany's state. "And I trust she is in good care here at the Temple. If that wrist of hers can be saved…", she shoots Gauvain a reassuring glance, "I am sure Mother Tylon can accomplish it." Her head turns when she hears the commotion surrounding the approaching prince. "Oh, I was wrong, obviously. He is already up and busy attracting trouble…", the Blue Guard remarks in the Tarris knight's direction, looking a touch amused momentarily. But that look vanishes at once when she moves towards Samwell to offer her help if needed - and a quick bow of greeting as well. "Good morrow, your highness. I see you are already enjoying the attractions Laketown has to offer?" Her gaze flits to those peasants who should take one or two steps backwards at the sight of her steely green eyes - eyes that can look quite threatening when she wants them to.

The peasants scatter in fright!

Gauvain snickers as he watches the Blue Guard scatter the people around the Prince and he leans on the Barrel absently. The Prince has enough people flocking after him, so instead he jsut sits back and watches the scattering of peasants and listening to the Prince's reply to Deidra.

The other Blue Guard - a young male - gives Deidra a grumpy look since her evil look worked so much better than his efforts. "Ah, Deidra, good to see you. Enjoy being back home?", Samwell winks at her and walks on, approaching Gauvain. "Sir Gauvain! I came to see you and Bethany. I hope she's recovering well?", he asks, "Is the Lady Claire still looking after her?"

Landros is no peasant. Not that the apprentice craftsman is too far off, of course, but he arrives presently and steps forward when the others scatter. He remains at a proper distance, of course, but close enough to satisfy his curiosity and observe whatever commotion is unfolding. He is dressed for work in soot-flecked clothes and an apron that clearly mark him as a smith's apprentice and he carries a moderately-sized sack.

Deidra shrugs when she notices that grumpy look of her colleague, her raised brows a silent question why he did not manage to master the situation on his own. That expression fades when her gaze flits to Prince Samwell. "Certainly, your highness.", she replies, one corner of her mouth twisting upwards in a wry grin. "And… Roltoff asked me to give you his best regards… and thanks for your decision to pay Laketown a visit." For a moment it seems she wants to add more on the subject, but then she shrugs again and falls silent, her green eyes wandering from Sam to Sir Gauvain when the prince inquires about Bethany - and Lady Claire. Of course. The apprentice is noticed, and Deidra turns her head, to shoot him a glance, assessing him for a moment, but not giving him the glare.

"She is recovering your Highness." Gauvain says evenly. "She is young, and the young tend to bounce when they fall." He nods once. "The Lady Claire checks in on her, but the Temple has been seeing to the healing for the most part." He shrugs a shoulder.

"I would like to visit her.", Samwell replies to Gauvain, then adds quickly: "Bethany I mean." Lady Claire too, obviously.But he isn't broadcasting that. "I trust Roltoff is well?", he turns back to Deidra and smiles, "I should pay him a visit too." He doesn't really pay attention to the apprentice. Commoners don'T really exist for royalty. Unless they annoy him.

Deidra's green eyes move from Gauvain to her prince, before she lowers her gaze. "He was happy to see me. So I suppose he is well enough." Silly question. "And yes, he would like that, your highness." Her gaze flitting to the commoner next. Samwell may ignore him, but she is expected to keep an eye on everything and everyone.

"Of course your Highness." Gauvain says evenly. "She sleeps most of the time, but I'm sure she would be glad to see you." He nods his head and runs a hand through his hair. The Knight rolls his injured shoulder and manages to not wince, before he says, "When would you like to see her your Highness?"

Landros continues to watch the nobles and their guards from whatever small crowd may have gathered around them. He does not appear especially interested — none of the names anyone says seem to register — but perhaps he sees it as a temporary escape from his work, and he sets down his sack. The apprentice seems to notice Deidra watching him, and he meets her gaze briefly, slightly curious.

"Whenever she is ready to receive a visitor.", Samwell replies to Gauvain, smiling, "I'd hate to impose on her." He watches the man for a moment, noticing the roll of shoulder and inquires: "How are you healing, Sir?"

Deidra does leave her prince and the knight to their conversation, as it in a way echoes the one she has had with Gauvain before Samwell showed up. The curious gaze of the smith's apprentice has her raise a brow, but nothing more. Not even her hand reaching for the pommel of her sword. Female knights - although there are three of them at the moment in the Blue Guard - are a thing that usually attracts the attention of some, a fact that Deidra already has gotten quite used to.

In the midst of collecting some errand before making a visit to Bethany, Claire arrives with a small amount of flowers - though thoughtfully tied in a braided ribbon of green and black. The former being something she had ample supply of. The fact that there is a crowd is enough for her and the guard in shadow to slow their respective steps. "It seems that there is a crowd after all," she remarks with a dipped curtsey in greeting and acknowledgement of Samwell's presence as highest ranking. "I thought to bring these for your daughter, Sir Gauvain." Meaning the flowers, briefly gestured towards.

Gauvain nods to Samwell and bows to the man. "I'm sure she will be pleased to see you your highness." As Claire approaches, the Knight bows to her as well. "Flowers. Bethany will be most pleased my lady." He nods once, "Ribbons are a nice touch."

And there she is. Deidra's eyes widen ever so slightly before she bows to Lady Claire, her mien all politeness. And certainly, that gaze she shoots Samwell next doesn't mean a thing. Or does it? However, she is a Blue Guard who knows when it is sound to remain unobtrusively in the background. Especially since she fails to think of an appropriate comment on flowers and ribbons. And so she remains silent, exchanging a glance with that grumpy male colleague of hers, before scanning the area in front of the Blue Duck Inn with her ever vigilant green gaze.

Is Deidra shooting a look at Samwell? He sure doesn't notice, because he's too busy smiling at Claire and stepping forward to take her hand and bring it to his lips for a greeting. "Lady Claire, a pleasure as always. I was just talking to Sir Gauvain about Batheny. Would you allow me to see the girl, Mylady?"

As amusing it might be to continue his staring match with Deidra, Landros seems to think the better of it and looks elsewhere. More and more nobles seem to be coming out of the woodwork to fawn over their visiting prince, and Landros' interest falters. He picks up his sack off the floor.

Alas, Landros fumbles the bag and drops it, and a number of tools come spilling out, among them a hammer that falls onto his foot. The young man clutches it in pain and mutters, "Ah… Kharnas, curse it…"

The byplay of glances may only be a measure of inducing confusion to one Claire Sollinger. Even with her free hand taken with a kiss applied to it, she could but won't ask the more immediate question of 'what'. Instead, she offers a smile in return, "Of course. I dare say that she would be glad for company." That, comes before the tools coming to crash on the ground and sending her own guard closer in prospect of emminent danger. Nevermind that there are a number of Blue Guard also around.

Gauvain blinks at the hammer falling and swearing. He nods to the man and looks to the foot. "I do need to thank you Smith, the sword you forged for me held up fantasticly and has served me well in both Fortress Brenton and Rikton." He looks at the foot and then asks, "Are you okay?"

Samwell looks pleased at the news that Bethany can receive visitors, but before he can herd Claire and Gauvain off, that bag of tools drops and a young man complains. "Perhaps you might check on him?", Samwell suggests a little reluctantly, "He might have done himself an injury."

Landros winces at he looks up at Gauvain, and manages to speak through the pain. "…Thank you, uh… sir, that is… good to hear. I'm… fine enough, fine enough. He kneels down to gather up his tools again, pausing only to blink in surprise when the prince recognizes his existence, however indirectly.

"It may be pride than anything else," Claire notes softly to Samwell, including Gauvain in her words as she looks to Landros with a smile to include him into the conversation. "Are you certain? And.. did I hear correctly that you are a weapons smith?" There was mention of swords.

Gauvain nods and then gives Landros a smile. "I have some errands to see to. It was a pleasure to see you again, and again, thank you for the excellent work." He turns and bows to Samwell, "I'll find you when she wakes next your Highness. Pray, excuse me." He nods to Claire and heads off.

"Take care, Sir Gauvain.", Samwell tells the man with a friendly smile, then falls silent to watch Claire interact with Landros and see if the young man is really injuried or just whiny.

Landros nods to Gauvain distractedly as he picks up his tools and puts them back in the sack where they belong, and then blinks up at Claire when she arrives to see to him. "Uh… my lady. Yes, I'm Master Johan's apprentice. But I'm sure I'm fine. Just a hammer. Nothing feels broken. My lady."

Gauvain is sent off with an understanding smile, though not quite yet herded off by Samwell to see Bethany. "As terrible as it sounds, your foot may be better served by your walking on it. Albeit slowly," Claire suggests as an afterthought, the bouquet adjusted between one hand and the opposite arm so that it can rest accordingly. For all that her attention is turned towards Landros, she nods in acknowledgement of the apprenticeship of the young man. "Perhaps, I should speak to you or Master Johan later about a bow. As much as I would like to go back home to retrieve mine, that would take time and it seems that there are many pressing issues that keep me on this side of the kingdom."

It's enough for Samwell to hear that the commoner is fine. "I'll be seeing Bethany then. I will catch up with you in a bit, Lady Claire. Come, Gauvain!" He heads off, expecting the man to follow.

Landros nods slowly. "I… well, I'll have to walk on it anyway." Tools finally gathered up into their proper places, he stands back up. "I will be sure to tell Master Johan you said so, then. Thank you, my lady." He begins to walk off, wincing when he takes his first step, and limping slightly for the rest of the way.

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