Hiding away from everything else (5/7, morning, Gwen/Bertram)

[Gwendoline Morgandy]

Gwendoline felt out of place. Certainly she knew how to act the lady, and this was her family. Her mother was a Fontenot, and thus, although a few generations removed, she was related to the king. Her grandfather was his grand uncle. They shared a great-grandfather. She liked to think about that, when she wasn’t thinking of Brietta.

She knew how to curtsy and how to dance. She could sit with the ladies and do needlework. She was polite when needed. She just... didn’t want to talk to these people. They didn’t understand. Yes, they’d all lost loved ones, but... the plague had taken their loved ones. Hers had killed herself. And she had known how much Brietta was hurting.

Today she was sitting by the lake, watching it as she normally watched the sea. She wouldn’t touch the water. The only time she even went close was when she placed a rose in the lake for Brietta. She blamed the plague enough for her cousin’s death. Too much death had been the breaking point for Brietta. But now she watched it, the water, as it lapped lightly against the shore.

She thought she heard footsteps behind her, but she didn’t turn. If someone was going to join her, they’d find her very poor companionship. The ball was tonight, and she knew she’d have to go, but Gwen wanted to spend as much of the day as she could by herself. That someone had walked all this way to a more remote part of the lake surprised her enough. Perhaps they’d understand why she was so silent...

[Bertram Fontenot]

Ever since the day Bertram had gone riding with his brother and his friend Flynn, he had gotten a taste for wine, he had started stealing some now and then so he could drink it and enjoy it on his own. Stealing? Was it considered stealing really? He was the prince, he could do as it pleased him couldn’t he? He knew that people considered him too young to drink wine, but as long as nobody knew, it wouldn’t hurt.

Today, he was slightly drunk, but not bad enough for it to be hard to hide. Nobody seemed to notice, but that might be because he was Bertram, the quiet and responsible prince who didn’t need to be looked after, who was always ignored. He snuck out and went riding on his own as he did often, he had gotten used to riding Night even under the influence from wine.

Night was galloping, it was fun to ride when drunk, he had learned that fast enough even if he had found the idea stupid and dangerous at first. He saw the girl sitting by the lake, a long time before he got to the lake himself, he had no idea who she could be. He decided to stop Night and climb off, he didn’t often meet people out here so he would have to find out who she was, however, he didn’t get the chance to stop Night.

As they got close to the lake, Night stopped at the edge. The sudden stop, caused poor Bertram to fly off the horse and right into the water. He didn’t even have the time to yell or scream anything before he was under water. Lucky for him, he knew how to swim, so he swam up and gasped in air once he came up to the surface. He swam towards where his horse had stopped and where the girl was sitting, once he got up from the water, he looked up, right at the beautiful girl who probably had never seen anything as ridiculous in her whole life.

[Gwendoline Morgandy]

Gwendoline’s eyes went wide as the youth flew past her into the lake. She hadn’t even noticed his approach, and considering he’d come on horseback, she should have at least heard the pounding of hooves. But there little time to even think! The boy was in the water! She had no idea the age of the person. She’d barely made out that he was male. And how had he let himself get flung from a horse?

But she couldn’t get into the water. She hated the water. It was dangerous and killed people, like it might kill the...

He was swimming to shore and Gwen breathed a sigh of relief. But she stared him all the same. He was younger than her and... the prince, she realized. She recognized him from the events. He’d been sullen and quiet next to his brother, and while most had their eyes on the king, Gwendoline had noticed Bertram. Quiet - like her.

“Are you alright?” she asked, almost surprised at the sound her own voice. She so rarely used it.

[Bertram Fontenot]

He stood up and wiped his face with his hands and got his hair away from his eyes, he was too shocked to be embarrassed. The older girl was beautiful, but he did not recognize her, however she couldn’t be just a common girl since she was dressed more like a noble girl. He nodded “yes, thank you, I am fine” he had been lucky, he could have hit something hard and hurt himself or drowned in the water, but there was no damage other then to his pride.

He couldn’t come back to the castle like this! He started shivering too, it wasn’t the coldest day, but soaked clothes usually did end up cold. He just stood there for a moment, trying to think straight, he couldn’t take off his clothes to let them dry either since there was a girl here, he was the prince and couldn’t undress in front of strangers.

At least Night seemed happy now, the horse was eating some grass, it would be fine over there, it never went too far away from him. His slightly dizzy head tried to figure out what to say “sorry, I don’t know what happened there, I just.. I don’t know, sorry” he didn’t know what else to do but apologize.

[Gwendoline Morgandy]

Gwendoline shook her head at the boy. He didn’t have to apologize to her. He was the prince. She bowed her head and curtsied. “Your lake,” she whispered. He could do as he liked. And she felt so silly that he would think to apologize to her.

She glanced to the horse and then back to him and his clothing. He was soaked and there was enough of a breeze off the lake that she thought he might be cold. She moved to her own horse, who was grazing as well, and sifted through the pack basket. She pulled out a blanket, one she’d brought to sit on but had forgotten about - Gwendoline didn’t much care anymore if she got grass stains on her dress, although she knew her mother was like to throw a fit - and turned back to hand it out to the prince.

She could see him shivering. She only hoped he wasn’t one of those with a pride so great he wouldn’t take it.

[Bertram Fontenot]

As she bowed, Bertram had to laugh a bit, this whole situation was weird “no need to bow for me, not while I have just acted like a fool in front of you” he didn’t often call himself a fool, but he had been riding slightly drunken and had to pay for it by ending up soaked. “Please, do not tell anyone about this, it would be quite embarrassing” he said, wondering if anyone would even believe her if she did tell anyone.

When she got the blanket he was thankful, it was cold and he didn’t want to get sick. He wrapped the blanket around himself “thank you” he looked down at the ground for a moment “may I ask, what is your name?” She had been friendly, he appreciated that, especially in this weird situation.

He stood there awkwardly with her blanket wrapped around him, wondering what to do next, nobody had told him what to do if he flew off his horse, into the lake and then had to socialize straight after.

[Gwendoline Morgandy]

Gwendoline felt herself blushing. She hadn’t intended to be kind, but he was a prince and of course she should do such. Her mother had taught her all her courtesies and Jacqueline Fontenot Morgandy would never let her live if she was discovered to have been disrespectful to a prince! But her cousin didn’t seem like he cared much for the princely formalities and Gwendoline rather liked that.

“Gwendoline Morgandy,” she said softly, not so much because she was shy - Gwen had never been shy - but because she’d spent so much time not speaking that her voice always sounded strange to her. “Gwen though. Just Gwen.” Speaking wasn’t so bad, when there weren’t so many people around.

At first her family had tried everything to get her to speak after Brietta died. Gwen had found herself even more reluctant to because of their pressure, and as a result her first words a short time back were not to her mother or father, or anyone of Morgandy blood, but a young stable boy who had saddled a horse for her. Bertram was about the same age.

She turned and sat back down to look at the lake. “It’s pretty, the lake.” So much calmer than the ocean. Less waves, although some would say as deadly. “Do you like it?” she wondered, her hazel eyes turning back to look at his young face. He was... was he drunk? Gwen wondered if he’d brought some with him to share...

[Bertram Fontenot]

Well, she did act like a noble lady who knew her courtesies, but it was awkward when it was just the two of them and after what had just happened. “Bertram Fontenot” he introduced himself, even if she knew who he was already “a.. well it would have been a pleasure if I didn’t fly into the lake first, but a pleasure to meet you Gwendoline” he was polite and friendly.

Bertram wasn’t much of a speaker either, unless it was someone he connected with well and it did seem to him like there was a nice connection between them. He sat down next to her with the blanket wrapped around him “yes, the lake is pretty” he said, looking at it “it is also cold” he stated. He looked at her as she looked at him, almost as if he had read her mind, he got up and went over to Night.

Returning he had some wine “does the lady want some of the castles finest wine?” he said, offering it to her after taking a sip himself. He sat down again, shivering a bit as he had left the blanket behind when he went over to his horse, but he was now wrapping it around himself again.

[Gwendoline Morgandy]

She’d had wine before. Here and there at home, when the occasion warranted it. But her mother said a real lady didn’t over drink, and certainly ensured she kept her wits about her. So Gwen had never had much more than a glass with supper. She nodded and reached for the skin and took a sip, still lady-like. Especially with the young prince, she couldn’t dismiss her natural upbringing.

“It’s good,” she said softly, as she handed it back. “Where did you get it?” Her eyes though still looked at the water, as though she were stuck between needing to watch it because she was afraid it would rise up and swallow her and needing to watch it because she was fighting the urge to be drawn too it.

“Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to drown,” she said softly. And then she slapped her hand over her mouth, because she could not believe she had said that to the prince. “I’m sorry my lord,” she whispered.

[Bertram Fontenot]

He smiled as she accepted the skin and took a sip, she did act like a real lady, but she didn’t seem like all the other ladies, there was just something a bit different about her. He received the skin and swallowed a couple of sips, giving it back to her, letting it pass between them like he had done with his brother and Flynn not too long ago.

He nodded as she said it was good, he agreed with her, it was really good. “The castle got a lot of wine and I know where to find it” was his explanation, a bottle now and then wouldn’t be missed would it? “What are you doing out here? Beautiful girls isn’t often seen out here” the wine did change parts of his behavior, he didn’t exactly speak like the polite thirteen year old prince he usually was.

He raised an eyebrow as she said she wondered what it would be like to drown, he had never thought about that “I suspect drowning is not a very pleasant feeling” he remember once when he fell into the river before he learned how to swim, swallowing water and the pain in his chest.. But his uncle had pulled him up again, no damage done.

[Gwendoline Morgandy]

A resourceful prince. He seemed nothing like his older brother who had spent the tourney surrounded by girls and nobles who more than likely fawned all over him. Gwendoline imagined that Brietta would have tried to fight in the melee. She might have been knighted even if Cordelia had allowed it. She was good with a word. And Gwendoline would have cheered for her.

“It’s good,” she added. What else could she say? There was wine and they would drink it all and then she’d stumble home. Wine hit her hard. Or perhaps with the ball that night she needed to be careful. Did she even much care?

“I like to be alone, My Prince. And look at the water. Water is dangerous. Deadly. It takes those we love away and...” And couldn’t finish the thought as a image of Brietta’s bloated body flashed in her mind. If the aftermath was any indication, drowning was horrible.

[Bertram Fontenot]

Gwen didn’t seem at all like other girls, but it seemed like she was full of thoughts and that something was bothering her, Bertram wondered if that was just the way she was or if something bad had happened to her. It would not be polite to ask if anything was wrong to a stranger, it was her business and if she wanted to share, she would share.

“I like to be alone too” he looked at the water again “yes, the water can be dangerous, that is why my uncle made sure I learned how to swim” he liked swimming, but listening to her talk while looking at the dark water made it seem a bit more scary and mysterious. “I wonder what is on the bottom of the sea, some people say there are terrible monsters who eat people and sink ships down there” he had heard many stories about different things, never sure about what to believe.

It was nice to sit here and the wine was going straight to his head, he almost felt a bit sleepy. He yawned and kept staring at the water with her “nice to meet you Gwendoline” he said with a smile, it was like they could sit here without ruining his alone time, since both liked to be alone. Others often didn’t understand why he wanted to be alone, but he was left alone anyway, unless he was needed somewhere.

[Gwendoline Morgandy]

She sat for a while without answering. She knew what was on the bottom of the sea. The ship that held her cousin and lord Tristen, and the bodies of some of his crew. Gwen had often wondered if those who died at sea lived as ghouls to haunt the waters forever. She hoped not. But who could say? She had felt nothing but fear on the boat ride from Enyon to Forsilvra, which might have been those ghouls haunting her dreams.

“I know how to swim as well,” she finally added. “Everyone in Enyon learns. My people are one with the sea, and yet, the sea still took Tristen’s life when it sunk his ship.” And then it took Brietta.

“My prince. I know you have lost people. We all have. Do you... still miss them? Do you still grieve?”

[Bertram Fontenot]

Bertram looked at Gwen, she seemed like a very deep person with a lot on her mind, as a sign of comfort he leaned his head on her shoulder, usually this would have been considered inappropriate, but he didn’t really know what else to do plus he was drunk, inappropriate was a unknown word. “The sea gives us food, but yes, it does take people, beautiful but dangerous” he had never cared for water, but this conversation made him think about it.

When she asked who he had missed, he moved a little bit away, as if realizing that it was inappropriate of him to sit that close “I have lost my parents, my uncle, my little sister, many others” loss was a normal thing, who didn’t experience it? “I don’t remember my parents much anymore, I was quite young when I lost them, my uncle became a second dad to me so I miss him, my sister.. I loved her a lot, I grieve for her every day” he looked away, not wanting her to see the sadness in his eyes or the tear running down his cheek.

He didn’t want to ask her about her losses, the conversation seemed to turn out rather depressing, wine and sadness were not a great combination. He swallowed a mouthful with wine this time, as if washing away his problems.

[Gwendoline Morgandy]

Gwendoline reached over, took the wine, and took a long swig. It was damn good, and she wondered why she hadn’t indulged in some at home. Bertram had lost more than she had, when she thought about it. Her parents were alive. And her siblings. She’d only lost cousins, two at that, two that she had loved a lot. But he’d loved two.

“I suppose I have taken far too long to get over Brietta,” she finally said, “But it was so hard. It’s still hard. I still think about her all the time, Bertram. I...” she hadn’t talked to anyone about her, but now, now was a good time.

“She threw herself off a balcony into the sea and drowned...”

[Bertram Fontenot]

He listened and understood what she meant “I will never get over the loss of Laurine” he always felt like something was missing where the little girl should have been, she was the only person who truly loved him. He knew that the rest of his family loved him too, but the relationship he had with his little sister was special.

He was surprised to hear how she had lost Brietta, that was horrible “I am sorry” he said, not knowing what else to say, he did not know anyone who had taken their own life.

“She must have had her reasons, but I think it makes you a coward if you take your own life” he stated, speaking his mind. “She probably gave everyone she knew a lot of pain by taking her own life, there is nothing that makes taking your own life worth it, not any pain in the world” he rarely did speak his mind, but it felt good to do so right now, he did however hope he did not offend Gwendoline.

[Gwendoline Morgandy]

“She has caused me a lot of pain,” Gwendoline whispered, and then against her will, she began to cry. “I think it was too much, when her brother died at sea. She didn’t handle the loss well but why she made me lose her too I just can’t understand. We were so close. I should have listened more, been there more, seen that something was wrong with her. It might have been cowardly, but no one who takes their life is thinking right! If they were, they’d let someone help them. Brietta was always... different. Maybe she just couldn’t take that anymore.”

She leaned against Bertram then. She was small, and so was he, but they seemed to fit together like they were meant to comfort one another.

“I’m sorry about your sister,” Gwen replied. “No one should lose a sibling so young.”