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Title: Morning Conversation
Prompt: 34 – Fish (picked by Clay)
Word Count: 577
Characters: Meredith, Lady Eryn, Petra, Morhanna
The next morning, Meredith awoke as fresh as if she’d slept through the night. It felt as if her conversation with Sebastian had been long enough ago that it was fuzzy in her memory. Maybe she’d dreamt about it, after all.
“There’s a strip of fabric tied here to the frame,” Lady Eryn murmured, stopping just outside the door of their tent. “Did you wander last night, Meredith? It wasn’t here when I came in last night.”
She had her answer. There had been no dream about Sebastian last night. Touching the blowing strand with shaking hands, she realized what he’d used as a single. Even though he was dressed as a peasant to blend in on the roads, he still carried his armor. This was a bit of the undershirt that every knight of Lord _____ wore, the bright blue helping show off the stark white of the standard, Devon had explained to her one day as she’d visited the knights practicing in the large field outside her uncle’s keep. It had been a swirl of dust and noise but she’d enjoyed spending time with Devon since they’d been able to catch only a few moments together now that both of them were busy with their own activities.
“Where’s Morhanna?” she asked Lady Eryn who still stood at her side. “I need to speak to her right away.”
“She and Petra are cleaning fish for breakfast, just across the clearing.”
“And where are the guides?”
Following her lead, Lady Eryn answered quietly, “Most of them are away for the moment. I haven’t heard how long they’ll be gone but you could have a few minutes of privacy if you went to help them. Do you want me to lead you over?”
Normally, Meredith would have shunned the request and walked slowly to the place she needed to go. Now that she had this sense of urgency overwhelming her, she held out her arm and let the other woman grasp it firmly with her little hand. Amazing the sense of power that emanated from one so small. Almost as soon as they started walking, Meredith felt a sense of peace edge out some of the panic. The three of them, plus the others in their party, would be able to handle whatever came their way. Even if the guides were bringing them into danger, they would hold on until help came.
“Good morn,” Petra answered when Lady Eryn greeted the women. “I’ve heard you aren’t sleeping well. If you’d like, I can make you a potion that should help.”
“No, but thank you. I have something that I need to talk to you about.”
Lady Eryn bent close to Meredith’s ear. “I’ll be just over to the right. If you need me, you only need to say my name.”
Nodding, Meredith concentrated on her words. She needed to be precise and articulate now, of all times. “Give me a fish so it looks like I’m doing some work. I have important news.”
There was a flutter of air before Petra began to speak again, her words explaining to Meredith what Morhanna was saying with her hands. “We found a bit of fabric fluttering from our tent peg today. Hya- Morhanna thought it was a sign of some kind. That someone has been in the camp.”
Meredith nodded. “Sebastian was here last night. We are in great danger. The fabric is from his standard. We are not safe.”
Prompt: 34 – Fish (picked by Clay)
Word Count: 577
Characters: Meredith, Lady Eryn, Petra, Morhanna
The next morning, Meredith awoke as fresh as if she’d slept through the night. It felt as if her conversation with Sebastian had been long enough ago that it was fuzzy in her memory. Maybe she’d dreamt about it, after all.
“There’s a strip of fabric tied here to the frame,” Lady Eryn murmured, stopping just outside the door of their tent. “Did you wander last night, Meredith? It wasn’t here when I came in last night.”
She had her answer. There had been no dream about Sebastian last night. Touching the blowing strand with shaking hands, she realized what he’d used as a single. Even though he was dressed as a peasant to blend in on the roads, he still carried his armor. This was a bit of the undershirt that every knight of Lord _____ wore, the bright blue helping show off the stark white of the standard, Devon had explained to her one day as she’d visited the knights practicing in the large field outside her uncle’s keep. It had been a swirl of dust and noise but she’d enjoyed spending time with Devon since they’d been able to catch only a few moments together now that both of them were busy with their own activities.
“Where’s Morhanna?” she asked Lady Eryn who still stood at her side. “I need to speak to her right away.”
“She and Petra are cleaning fish for breakfast, just across the clearing.”
“And where are the guides?”
Following her lead, Lady Eryn answered quietly, “Most of them are away for the moment. I haven’t heard how long they’ll be gone but you could have a few minutes of privacy if you went to help them. Do you want me to lead you over?”
Normally, Meredith would have shunned the request and walked slowly to the place she needed to go. Now that she had this sense of urgency overwhelming her, she held out her arm and let the other woman grasp it firmly with her little hand. Amazing the sense of power that emanated from one so small. Almost as soon as they started walking, Meredith felt a sense of peace edge out some of the panic. The three of them, plus the others in their party, would be able to handle whatever came their way. Even if the guides were bringing them into danger, they would hold on until help came.
“Good morn,” Petra answered when Lady Eryn greeted the women. “I’ve heard you aren’t sleeping well. If you’d like, I can make you a potion that should help.”
“No, but thank you. I have something that I need to talk to you about.”
Lady Eryn bent close to Meredith’s ear. “I’ll be just over to the right. If you need me, you only need to say my name.”
Nodding, Meredith concentrated on her words. She needed to be precise and articulate now, of all times. “Give me a fish so it looks like I’m doing some work. I have important news.”
There was a flutter of air before Petra began to speak again, her words explaining to Meredith what Morhanna was saying with her hands. “We found a bit of fabric fluttering from our tent peg today. Hya- Morhanna thought it was a sign of some kind. That someone has been in the camp.”
Meredith nodded. “Sebastian was here last night. We are in great danger. The fabric is from his standard. We are not safe.”
