Luminescence ✺ Arthur Pendragon

The Fires of Prairene [4]

Arwen walked alongside Ayana, a new bag hanging off her shoulder and hiding the books she'd gotten from the library for Merlin as they returned to the reception hall where she'd left Gwaine. While back then he'd been fast asleep, by the time of her return, the scene had changed. They found the man sitting at the table, a wide spread of food and drinks surrounding him as he indulged in the service. So much for his initial reservations about the castle...

"I see you've made yourself at home." Her teasing voice spread through the air, Gwaine's head snapping up towards her at the sound of it, mouth full and eyes wide as if he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't.

"It was here when I woke up. If it wasn't for us then you really should've left a note." Gwaine pointed out to Ayana, the older woman laughing at his criticisms as she shook her head reassuringly.

"It was intended for you. And I'm glad you found it to your satisfaction." She said happily before turning to Arwen. "Please, take some for yourself. You've gone much too long without sustenance."

"This is too much, Ayana. We couldn't possibly eat all of this." Arwen said in an incredulous tone as she herself took a seat at the table. Until now, food or hunger hadn't been on her mind, but as all of the scents invaded her senses, she couldn't deny that she was eager to eat something by now.

"Well..." Gwaine trailed off, the tone of his voice suggesting Arwen may be wrong in her claims. It made the redhead let out yet another hearty laugh as she filled her plate with some warm bread and ham.

"I will leave you to your meal. Take as much as you want with you. Now that the storm has passed I assume you'll soon be returning to your journey." Ayana's words made Arwen's eyes snap over to the large set of windows behind Gwaine. She hadn't even noticed that the skies had begun to clear. "I'll be there to see you off once you depart."

"Thank you again, Ayana." Arwen spoke before the woman could leave, making her send the princess another one of her warm smiles.

"And again, it has been an honour." Ayana said, lowering her head just slightly before she turned away and left the two by themselves in the reception hall. With her absence, Arwen and Gwaine fell into a comfortable silence as they ate. And while she focused on the food, Arwen didn't notice as the man's eyes continued to glance in her direction.

"So..." Gwaine finally broke the silence, making Arwen's green eyes turn to him curiously. "Will I be continuing the journey alone or will you be joining me?"

"What do you mean?" Arwen's brows furrowed at that. For a moment, she suspected it to be a reiteration of his offer to have her join him as he suggested back in the village inn.

"Well, I suppose there is no reason to journey home when you're already there." The knowing look in Gwaine's eyes made Arwen swallow down the food she'd been chewing, but she remained entirely silent, unsure of what to say as she couldn't know what exactly it was he was trying to suggest. "When you travel as much as I, you hear stories, legends... especially so close to the border."

"I'm not sure what you mean." Arwen tried to deny the assumptions he seemed to be making.

"How was it that the legend goes? Only when the true heir of the Baudissan line returns to the castle will its lights shine again." Some of the wording in Gwaine's retelling was off, but ultimately, the point was still right. And it seemed as if he knew it too, if the smile on his face was anything to go by.

"Ayana's in charge of maintaining the castle. I'm pretty sure that she means she's in charge of lighting the candles too." Arwen tried to suggest an alternative. One she knew was wrong, but it might still pass.