Apocrypha: Original Gawain Scene
Blinktwice13
Underpaid Struggle Bus Attendant
- Location
- Eastern US
- Pronouns
- He/Him
"Wheeeeeh!"
Mash finally let go of my cheek, brushing her hand on her coat. "Hmph. That was a mean trick you played."
"Cunning. It reminded me of something Agravain would have done." Gawain gave a rueful smile. "Though likely with less gloating and more blood."
"...well that's creepy," I muttered.
Gawain shrugged. "Agravain was sent by Mother to betray the king. He never found the chance, given he died exposing Lancelot's sins."
I exchanged a look with Mash. "Hm."
"It's wonderful that outside of his - apologies, her majesty - I am the first Knight of the Round to arrive. Well, save Galahad for obvious reasons." Gawain chuckled.
"Artoria described me as a less awful Merlin," I offered. "Though the first I met outside of Artoria and Galahad wasn't you."
Mash nodded. "Mm, back in Orleans." She didn't elaborate.
"Hm? Who might it have been? I've yet to see any of my brothers in arms." Gawain's genial mood took a sharp upswing.
"Lancelot."
...and then an equally sharp downturn. "Ah." He gave a bitter grimace.
"If you're angry, consider that he doesn't view his actions charitably either." I shouldered Gawain's arm lightly. "He turned into a Berserker. Tried to smash me into paste until I broke through the madness with my voice."
Gawain's eyes widened. "You can do that?" he asked, distracted from his ill humor.
Fou pawed at my cheek.
"It takes it out of me, but yeah. Easier to just communicate." I reached up and poked Fou's paw. "Anyways, he's not best pleased with himself, so. Yeah. Strong as hell, but suffering in his own insanity. Though apparently he can recognize my magecraft as faerie-make thanks to his upbringing."
"He did mention Lady Vivian was his foster…" Gawain muttered. "Still. You'll have to forgive me for not accepting his self-mutilation as sufficient penance." His eyes narrowed. "Especially since you said he tried to murder you as well."
"In all fairness, he thought I was the King at the time." I shrugged. "I think he just really wanted to be punished by her for what he did. Or something; I can't claim to understand the man on that count."
Gawain's lips thinned. "Hm."
Lancelot did also murder your 'siblings' in his mad rush to save Guinivere. Gareth and Gaheris, Gawain's two most treasured people in the Knights. You know. Just a little thing like that.
Oh. Shit.
Morgan let out a low groan. I can't leave you alone for a minute!?
"...sorry. It slipped my mind, somehow."
Mash frowned, but jerked with realization a moment later.
Gawain let out a low huff. "Lancelot is not without redeeming features. Given you two were spared the… event… that was Camelot's fall, you likely lack the majority of the baggage associated with the man."
"He did kind of give his life to stop a vampiric horde from overtaking Orleans," I admitted apologetically. "And gave me the opening to stop an eternal starless night."
Gawain paused before resuming his stride.
"Gawain…" Mash looked downward.
"No. I can't blame the two of you for acting according to your experiences. Besides, my grudge is my own; if my sister were here she'd no more blame Lancelot than you - if for other reasons." Gawain grimaced wryly. "And I would not blame her for it. No more than I would blame Gaheris for accepting Kay back if he had returned after abandoning the king."
"...that sounds like a story." Fou leapt from my shoulder to Mash's at my comment.
Gawain gave a warm chuckle, perking up a bit. "Well, it is. Not a particularly happy one, but a tale nonetheless." A sly look crossed his face. "Though I will say this: though I've seen little of the two of you together, you've far better taste in men than Gaheris."
Oh. Ohhhhh.
"I mean, I knew because he told me. He, Gareth, and I - we were the odd ones out in our home after a fashion. Agravain was our Mother's to all appearances and Mordred… was Mordred. We banded together and made our names under the King's banner." Gawain huffed. "Unfortunately the customs of the time bade him marry the sister of Gareth's bride. At least Gareth passed as a man, so her options were… less constrained. Though I would have been happy for him to remain a bachelor, I cannot say that I regret he never approached Kay in that regard. It would have been a match made in hell."
"Just a bad match, or…?" Mash asked.
"Kay was a skirt-chaser. Inveterate." Gawain's smile was wry once more. "And he had sheer cunning and a barbed tongue both. If he noticed Gaheris' pining, he exercised a rare kindness in sparing him a premature rejection that would have shattered his heart."
"So what were they like?" I glanced behind us. Raphael floated along, seemingly happy to just listen in.
"Gareth was sweet. Impulsive, bold. Far stronger than her build would suggest - she decimated the forces of the Red Knight of Red Lands on her own, and was a force in her own right. I'd hesitate to be on the other end of her lance, and not merely for sentiment's sake. A true knight in every regard. Gaheris was… different. A handsome youth, though one of his arms outstretched the other. He was quiet, poor with words and better with action. I would almost call him shy. He was certainly touched by the fae gifts Mother wielded, though he never utilized her darker magics. He was also quick to anger…" Gawain trailed off. "His rage was usually just, but the display was in excess. Whatever fool dared offend rarely got a second chance."
"And given what you've said of both of them, Matthew didn't come as a surprise. Him and Cu Chulainn, at the least," Mash clarified.
"Not particularly. He does remind me of Gaheris, if a bit shorter and more inclined to mystics than melee. Though I will say the number of partners puts me in mind of Kay." Gawain tilted his head. "They are all aware of each other?"
"It's more like Musashi and Medusa are dating, Cu and I are a pair, and the girls… I think they're into me romantically? Pretty sure, given the conversations we've had. Someone pointed out that they're more into each other than me, which is fine." I shrugged. "But yeah, we're all kind of entangled. In a good way. Except Gilgamesh; he's kind of hanging around and waiting on me. Kind of."
"Hooo boy. Even I know his story. That's a minefield and a half!" Raphael piped up.
Fou's head whipped around, and the tiny animal's fur bristled. "Fouuuuuu…"
"Pbbt!"
...I have no idea how Raphael did that without lips.
"So what about you?" I asked.
Gawain perked up. "Ah, me? I would say of the Knights, I had the most strength in feats of arms. Between my blessings and that, I was second only to the King - though Lancelot was a near match." He shrugged. "Other than that, so long as it's for the King's sake I would take up any task. Mucking the stables, collecting debts, journeying and fighting…" A chipper grin crossed his face. "Though I will admit, I am grateful for this second chance. After all, my marriage vows no longer apply."
Mash made a disgruntled noise.
"Eh?" I blinked rapidly.
Gawain cleared his throat. "Yes, well. The young maiden with the large… arms was quite a sight, but it seemed that she's a bit smitten with the King of the Franks. And trying to compete with Hakuno for any of her brides is a non-starter." He paused. "Tell me, do you think that lovely redheaded woman is single?"
"Touko Aozaki? The puppetmaster? One of the youngest magi to earn the rank of 'Grand'? Someone who got hit with a sealing designation and was never caught, because she flat-out killed everyone who came after her?"
With each assertion from Mash, Gawain's head lowered a little.
Mash slowly turned her head to me. "And here I thought no one would be worse than you," she said in disbelief.
"Hey, I just haven't met anyone else who sparked an interest that reciprocated. I totally eyed up Siegfried's… assets." I crossed my arms, scowling. "Give it time, I'm sure I'll get more notches in the bedpost."
"You were hardly that bad before this started and you know it!" Mash hissed.
Gawain, Raphael, and Fou looked back and forth as though watching a tennis match.
"Blame the Irish in me," I snapped with a shrug.
"We're designer babies! And if Morgan is anything, she's Welsh!"
I waggled my eyebrows. "Never said it was a bloodline. Men of Ulster hit different."
In retrospect, I should have seen the fist aimed at the top of my head for that one.
Behold, the wages of horny.
You don't even go here! Morgan hissed.
Now I do!
Mash finally let go of my cheek, brushing her hand on her coat. "Hmph. That was a mean trick you played."
"Cunning. It reminded me of something Agravain would have done." Gawain gave a rueful smile. "Though likely with less gloating and more blood."
"...well that's creepy," I muttered.
Gawain shrugged. "Agravain was sent by Mother to betray the king. He never found the chance, given he died exposing Lancelot's sins."
I exchanged a look with Mash. "Hm."
"It's wonderful that outside of his - apologies, her majesty - I am the first Knight of the Round to arrive. Well, save Galahad for obvious reasons." Gawain chuckled.
"Artoria described me as a less awful Merlin," I offered. "Though the first I met outside of Artoria and Galahad wasn't you."
Mash nodded. "Mm, back in Orleans." She didn't elaborate.
"Hm? Who might it have been? I've yet to see any of my brothers in arms." Gawain's genial mood took a sharp upswing.
"Lancelot."
...and then an equally sharp downturn. "Ah." He gave a bitter grimace.
"If you're angry, consider that he doesn't view his actions charitably either." I shouldered Gawain's arm lightly. "He turned into a Berserker. Tried to smash me into paste until I broke through the madness with my voice."
Gawain's eyes widened. "You can do that?" he asked, distracted from his ill humor.
Fou pawed at my cheek.
"It takes it out of me, but yeah. Easier to just communicate." I reached up and poked Fou's paw. "Anyways, he's not best pleased with himself, so. Yeah. Strong as hell, but suffering in his own insanity. Though apparently he can recognize my magecraft as faerie-make thanks to his upbringing."
"He did mention Lady Vivian was his foster…" Gawain muttered. "Still. You'll have to forgive me for not accepting his self-mutilation as sufficient penance." His eyes narrowed. "Especially since you said he tried to murder you as well."
"In all fairness, he thought I was the King at the time." I shrugged. "I think he just really wanted to be punished by her for what he did. Or something; I can't claim to understand the man on that count."
Gawain's lips thinned. "Hm."
Lancelot did also murder your 'siblings' in his mad rush to save Guinivere. Gareth and Gaheris, Gawain's two most treasured people in the Knights. You know. Just a little thing like that.
Oh. Shit.
Morgan let out a low groan. I can't leave you alone for a minute!?
"...sorry. It slipped my mind, somehow."
Mash frowned, but jerked with realization a moment later.
Gawain let out a low huff. "Lancelot is not without redeeming features. Given you two were spared the… event… that was Camelot's fall, you likely lack the majority of the baggage associated with the man."
"He did kind of give his life to stop a vampiric horde from overtaking Orleans," I admitted apologetically. "And gave me the opening to stop an eternal starless night."
Gawain paused before resuming his stride.
"Gawain…" Mash looked downward.
"No. I can't blame the two of you for acting according to your experiences. Besides, my grudge is my own; if my sister were here she'd no more blame Lancelot than you - if for other reasons." Gawain grimaced wryly. "And I would not blame her for it. No more than I would blame Gaheris for accepting Kay back if he had returned after abandoning the king."
"...that sounds like a story." Fou leapt from my shoulder to Mash's at my comment.
Gawain gave a warm chuckle, perking up a bit. "Well, it is. Not a particularly happy one, but a tale nonetheless." A sly look crossed his face. "Though I will say this: though I've seen little of the two of you together, you've far better taste in men than Gaheris."
Oh. Ohhhhh.
"I mean, I knew because he told me. He, Gareth, and I - we were the odd ones out in our home after a fashion. Agravain was our Mother's to all appearances and Mordred… was Mordred. We banded together and made our names under the King's banner." Gawain huffed. "Unfortunately the customs of the time bade him marry the sister of Gareth's bride. At least Gareth passed as a man, so her options were… less constrained. Though I would have been happy for him to remain a bachelor, I cannot say that I regret he never approached Kay in that regard. It would have been a match made in hell."
"Just a bad match, or…?" Mash asked.
"Kay was a skirt-chaser. Inveterate." Gawain's smile was wry once more. "And he had sheer cunning and a barbed tongue both. If he noticed Gaheris' pining, he exercised a rare kindness in sparing him a premature rejection that would have shattered his heart."
"So what were they like?" I glanced behind us. Raphael floated along, seemingly happy to just listen in.
"Gareth was sweet. Impulsive, bold. Far stronger than her build would suggest - she decimated the forces of the Red Knight of Red Lands on her own, and was a force in her own right. I'd hesitate to be on the other end of her lance, and not merely for sentiment's sake. A true knight in every regard. Gaheris was… different. A handsome youth, though one of his arms outstretched the other. He was quiet, poor with words and better with action. I would almost call him shy. He was certainly touched by the fae gifts Mother wielded, though he never utilized her darker magics. He was also quick to anger…" Gawain trailed off. "His rage was usually just, but the display was in excess. Whatever fool dared offend rarely got a second chance."
"And given what you've said of both of them, Matthew didn't come as a surprise. Him and Cu Chulainn, at the least," Mash clarified.
"Not particularly. He does remind me of Gaheris, if a bit shorter and more inclined to mystics than melee. Though I will say the number of partners puts me in mind of Kay." Gawain tilted his head. "They are all aware of each other?"
"It's more like Musashi and Medusa are dating, Cu and I are a pair, and the girls… I think they're into me romantically? Pretty sure, given the conversations we've had. Someone pointed out that they're more into each other than me, which is fine." I shrugged. "But yeah, we're all kind of entangled. In a good way. Except Gilgamesh; he's kind of hanging around and waiting on me. Kind of."
"Hooo boy. Even I know his story. That's a minefield and a half!" Raphael piped up.
Fou's head whipped around, and the tiny animal's fur bristled. "Fouuuuuu…"
"Pbbt!"
...I have no idea how Raphael did that without lips.
"So what about you?" I asked.
Gawain perked up. "Ah, me? I would say of the Knights, I had the most strength in feats of arms. Between my blessings and that, I was second only to the King - though Lancelot was a near match." He shrugged. "Other than that, so long as it's for the King's sake I would take up any task. Mucking the stables, collecting debts, journeying and fighting…" A chipper grin crossed his face. "Though I will admit, I am grateful for this second chance. After all, my marriage vows no longer apply."
Mash made a disgruntled noise.
"Eh?" I blinked rapidly.
Gawain cleared his throat. "Yes, well. The young maiden with the large… arms was quite a sight, but it seemed that she's a bit smitten with the King of the Franks. And trying to compete with Hakuno for any of her brides is a non-starter." He paused. "Tell me, do you think that lovely redheaded woman is single?"
"Touko Aozaki? The puppetmaster? One of the youngest magi to earn the rank of 'Grand'? Someone who got hit with a sealing designation and was never caught, because she flat-out killed everyone who came after her?"
With each assertion from Mash, Gawain's head lowered a little.
Mash slowly turned her head to me. "And here I thought no one would be worse than you," she said in disbelief.
"Hey, I just haven't met anyone else who sparked an interest that reciprocated. I totally eyed up Siegfried's… assets." I crossed my arms, scowling. "Give it time, I'm sure I'll get more notches in the bedpost."
"You were hardly that bad before this started and you know it!" Mash hissed.
Gawain, Raphael, and Fou looked back and forth as though watching a tennis match.
"Blame the Irish in me," I snapped with a shrug.
"We're designer babies! And if Morgan is anything, she's Welsh!"
I waggled my eyebrows. "Never said it was a bloodline. Men of Ulster hit different."
In retrospect, I should have seen the fist aimed at the top of my head for that one.
Behold, the wages of horny.
You don't even go here! Morgan hissed.
Now I do!
