Daydreaming (Open)

[Mariyana Porter]

Mariyana rested an elbow on the rough frame of the small fence, holding her father’s horse and constant companion, and gave a hapless sigh. “Now then…what are we..presumably..you..going to do today?” The grey stallion snorted and buried his face into the loose bits of hay in his trough and began to chew. With a small chuckle, she tickled his ear and turned to brace her back against the wood.

It was like this day, after day. Nothing but the constant routine of making her father and younger brother breakfast, daily tasks as a servant only to come home to more cooking and cleaning. She would do anything for an escape, an adventure a simple change from the ordinary, but fate had yet to call her into such. She sucked het bottom lip and stared up at the ceiling where a few sparrows had nested. There was some envy in her golden green eyes, watching them flutter and chirp. They could fly and soar anywhere they pleased. She was confined, and locked into this life, until she got married, then would be expected to bear children and live the exact same life she had been living. That and the fact, she would probably wouldn’t get the chance at love.

She heaved a deep sigh and turned back to force the great horse, resting her forearms and set her chin upon her clasped hands. “Perhaps…perhaps I will take you out and groom you today? The fresh air might do us both some good.” She smiled faintly, rubbing his velvet nose as he reached up for her affections. “An excellent excuse.” She whispered with a soft smile and reached for his halter. The horse gave another snort and tossed his head a bit before finally calling defeat and lending his head. Mar slipped the leather halter around his head and slipped the lead through. She pulled tight and led the out into the open, grabbing a bristled brush for his mane and soft brush for his dappled fur.

Under the bright sunny afternoon, she began grooming the large stallion, her father had no gallantly named Gavin. He would have been a warhorse, if he was ever put out into war. He was a fine horse, and looked epic enough to live in the noble stables, but alas he belonged to a simple man and his two just as simple children. Mariyana parted his flock away from his eyes and began humming lightly to herself, no doubt daydreaming again.

[Lancelot Du Lac]

Lancelot had spent an interesting day and a night in Camelot so far. He had met nobody he he would have wanted to run into, and had met up with some he had hoped that he would not run across again in this lifetime. But now, after a fitful night's sleep he went out in search of his Black Arabian, Sher-Fore, early the following afternoon. He had arrived at the Camelot and had gone straight to a tavern, the Ram, after nightfall, and as a result, had not seen much of the city.

Sir Lancelot had not been gone from the city for many months, so he thought that there was the possibility that he might be recognized by some. Of course, when he had left he had been stripped as a Knight of Camelot, but he now returned as a more-experience knight from the North. He was dressed as a knight therefore, but he hid it by wearing his weather-beaten traveling cloak, which had a pretty extensive hood, hiding his face pretty effectively. He noted, as walked through town, as he traveled through it on his way to the Stables, that there had been some changes, but the least changed were those areas near the central Keep. Those areas most associated with the monarchy, the Pendragons, had changed the least of all.

The Stables, he always thought, had been misnamed. The name had a connotation of a central building of stalls. Instead, it was a spread-out area, some completely enclosed, some partially enclosed, and others that looked to be entirely open corrals. Of course, the more important personages, nobles and Knights of Camelot had access to the more secure and comfortable central enclosed stall areas. He knew those areas were reserved, and the easiest places to get your horse in were one of the open area. Despite, his disguise, with his height and gate, he posed a more intimidating figure, as he approached one of the fenced-in corrals, where Sher-Fore and some other horses were at.

As he approached the fence, Lancelot noted that there was a young woman talking to her horse, apparently without much knowledge of the world around her. Apparently, all that was in her world at the moment was her and her horse. At least, he assumed it was her horse .... she acted like it was her horse. It was very possible, he mused, that she was merely a servant who was responsible for it. She seemed to be a bit too familiar with the animal for that As he stopped at the fence, watched her groom, he softly clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, getting Sher-Fore's attention, who quickly cantered over from the water trough to his spot. Listening to her hum, he remarked with a smile, pulling off his hood, "Aye, its a fine afternoon for that type of work. In fact, it would be fine weather for a good ride, if one had the time."

[Mariyana Porter]

Mariyana swallowed nervously and turned with flushed cheeks to the deep voice behind her. She was no longer alone. She rose a steady gaze with her golden green eyes, taking him in slowly from his boots to his chiseled face and swallowed again, in an attempt to find words. "Yes....yes it is. Quite in fact. " Gavin turned his majestic head and began a bored nibble at the wooden frame.

Mariyana was still a cherry red, deep in embarrassment. Thank goodness she hadn't begun singing, or she would have certainly fell to pieces. The humming was quite enough, although the day was perfect for singing. With the high, warm sun, cool breeze and quiet time alone, until the mysterious knight decided to show his face.

She pursed her lips and gave a small sigh, attempting a smile. "Would...would you...like me to take your horse? I don't work in the stables, but my father does, and I wouldn't mind. It would be my pleasure..not..not like too much pleasure. I mean..I don't mind..I could do it..if..if you'd like.." Well, that was stupid. Now she sounded like a bumbling fool. Mar gave a small, chuckled laugh, chewing on her bottom lip, and tried not to look at him. She felt extremely foolish. She was practically asking for it. Humming and talking to her father's horse foolishly with a head full of daydreamed adventures.

[Lancelot Du Lac]

Lancelot knew that this girl .... young woman .... was probably not expecting a total stranger to come up behind her, and listen to her both hum and talking to a horse ... perhaps her horse. Lance knew that he would be embarrassed in similar circumstances, so he saw no need to bring it even further to her attention. He could see the color rising in her cheeks as she turned, which highlighted her beautiful green eyes. he found them to be quite strikings, as he assumed most others did.

He saw that she looked him up and down like he was a piece of horseflesh and now it was his turn to be somewhat embarrassed, but he was sure that his tanned face his what little there might have been. At least, he found, her surprise didn't inhibit her ability to speak ... too much .... and he simply nodded his head in return. He didn't believe in hiding from people he was addressing, whether they be peasant or noble, and it was at this instant that he swept his hood back. He noticed that the reaction was not as great as the coloring of her blush, but he did notice that she suddenly sucked in a bit more air than was normal. "I am sorry if I shocked or scared you too much, but I thought that what you had said was quite true," he smiled, mainly in response to hers.

"I'm afraid hat isn't necessary .... my girl ..... since he's been behind the fence of the coral all night and a good part of the day. He's that black Arabian stallion over there," and he clucked once more to draw him near. 'What do you think of him ..... isn't he a fine specimen ..... and quite smart .... perhaps smarter than is owner, eh? At least better looking," he chuckled. He could see that she was quite flustered, but he figured a few moments of calm and she might adjust and settle down a bit.

[Mariyana Porter]

"A fine horse indeed I must say. I have never seen one so graceful. Arabian..is it? I have never seen one with my own eyes." She smiled, quite proud that she could identify his breed, apart from only seeing them in books. Mariyana approached his horse slowly, extending a soft hand to his muzzle. "May I?"

Her green gaze took in his every detail, every inch of his magnificent frame. It was as if he had been sculpted from black granite, yet held the sheer smoothness of ivory. "A fine horse.." she repeated, quite mesmerized by the beautiful beast. "Smart horses do not take to dumb fools, so you must be quite smart yourself.

With a gentle hand she smoothed the horses black fur, deep between her fingers. She was almost spellbound by him. She looked up again at his owner, quiet in response to his comment about his looks. He was quite dashing, handsome. Worn by the earth, but caressed by the kindness in his eyes. She studied him without staring awkwardly. He seemed to be a just human, with strong morals and only wanted to do what was right. That much he gave off. She smiled again, less forced this time. Despite her foolish endeavors, she secretly hoped he would not judge her and she might form a friendship with this handsome stranger.

[Lancelot Du Lac]

She may be a nervous one, when surprised, he thought, but when she addresses a topic she is familiar and comfortable with she can communicate well. "Yes .... well .... i guess if you've never seen one before he would be quite amazing to look at. He is quite 'common' to look at as an Arabian. However, in battle, I have known none that compare with him." He watched her carefully to see what her overall respect and attitude was toward the horse, before answering her question. "Why yes .... yes you may .... he is a appreciative of a gentle hand .... and an apple," he chuckled, as he dug a small one out from under his cloaK and tossed it to her.

Lancelot saw how she slowly and carefully approached him, her eyes apparently not leaving the horse's for a moment. He saw how she took the whole horse in with her eyes, much, he thought, as she had just done with him. "You use your eyes much, to evaluate, don't you. You are one who would probably say that seeing is believing, without necessarily taking someone's mere words as truth." He laughed loudly at her next remarks. "Well.... you would have to ask Sher-ore whether that is true of Lancelot. I'm sure if you ask him he will tell you. I doubt if he can resist a pretty face," he said, curious to see what her reaction would be.

Once she was close enough, though, he saw that she relied as much or more on touch, to evaluate the beast in front of her. Suddenly, though, he saw that she moved her gaze from the horse back to Lancelot. He almost had the feeling that there was a question that she wanted to ask, or a comment she wanted to make. He felt that it was right there on the tip of her tongue, but she resisted, and she just looked his way for a long moment. He wondered what she was thinking, but figured if it was an important thought, she wouldn't hold it back for long.

[Mariyana Porter]

Mariyana blushed once more, away from his gaze this time. His horse eagerly consumed the apple, leaving a slobbery sweet trail along her hand. He seemed happy, and happy horses made her happy as well. "Lancelot? Is that what you are called? I believed we skipped over formalities. My name is Mariyana." She bowed her head slightly, not exactly in a curtsying mood with horse slobber all over her hands.


With a short breath, she turned to answer his question, letting her brilliant blonde hair catch in the sun. "I have always been good at reading people..you could say. It's my way of getting to know people without actually...getting to know people." No escape now. She had just said how shy she was, without actually forming the words. Her quiet voice and tripping of words was probably a major indication to begin with. "I'm often a silent observer."

"Are you a knight here, kind sir?" she questioned with inquisitive eyes. His horse nudged her for another apple and she reached to grab another from a nearby bucket. He seemed one, a bit roguish, but his armor and long coat gave way that he obviously had some sort of fight in him.

[Lancelot Du Lac]

Now, it was Lance's turn to watch her, as she appreciated and stroked, and fondled Sher-ore's coat. The horse didn't mind it he was sure. He probably didn't think he got the proper attention he deserved. Lancelot chuckled to himself, believing that the horse was just eating the attention up. "Why yes ..... my given name is Lancelot .... Sir Lancelot du Lac. Mariyana ..... why that is a pretty name, both to hear and to say, but I'm sure you have heard that before, milady." he smiled as she attempted a partial bow. It was thoughtful that she tried to attend to the formalities, at least as she saw them.

For the first time he caught a good sight of her blonde hair. he thought that her eyes and her hair, together, were a quite striking combination. "If you have that skill, you are a lucky person. it is quite a necessary skill in today's world for survival I fear. It is for a knight as well. often it is more important to know the battles to avoid than the ones that are worth fighting. so many lives are often uselessly wasted." He chuckled slightly at her phrasing of how she observed people. "Yes, my mother used to call it the ability to be alone in a mob or a crowd. you are there but you are really on the outside looking in. I had that skill as well."

She asked him a question that he felt had just been hanging out there, like the two longswords that hung sheathed along his back, along with his round shield. "I was a Knight of Camelot for a short period of time. The King found I was not worthy, and stripped me of my Knighthood, and would not restore it, no matter what deeds I performed. So I left to prove to myself that i am worthy, if not to him. I've been serving the Earl of Huntingdon in Wessex. Actually, I' just decided to make a quiet visit to Camelot, just to see if its changed any, not knowing where I will stay for the long term. would you have any suggestions," he asked with a slightly mischievous smile.

[Mariyana Porter]

She smiled warmly as he said her name. Sounded better from his lips. "It was my grandmother's name. My mother and her were very close." she had to stop herself from telling this Lancelot her entire life history, not that it was exciting or anything. "And..no..no one has told me that in a long time." She replied quite matter of factly. "it's all too often just yelled or screamed for me to get back to work. " She gave a short laugh and turned from his horse, to finish grooming Gavin, who had turned his appetite to the fresh grass that sprouted up.

"And thank you. It is but both a skill and a curse. I often do not do well with people. I'm too shy for my own good."She gave another small giggle of a laugh and bushed through Gavin's shedding fur, disposing the clumps of hair in the wind. Mariyana tried to remember the last time she had spent so much time in an active conversation with someone other than her brother and father. It had been years, and suitors often found her useless. She gave a short sigh and cleared her thoughts.

She listened intently to his story, taking in his every word. Whether he knew it or not, his life was far from boring. Rather overflowing with excitement and adventure. She craved for such and tried not to let it show in her golden green eyes. She was jealous, but tried in earnest not to act like it. "I don't really have an idea for lodging, a few of the small inns perhaps. We do have a spare makeshift mattress in our humble home if you can find nothing else. You do not seem the type to try anything evil. I can sense it is not in you." She gave a faint smile, and rubbed Gavin's wispy forehead. Lancelot seemed quite the gentle type.

[Lancelot Du Lac]

He noticed that when he said her name that she smiled at the sound of it. From that he assumed that she did not hear it often. As she educated him with her next comments, though, it was not that she didn't here her name, but it was the way that they uttered it, or perhaps the distinct other words that used with it. he shook his head at her description. Once she mentioned the word of work, it was as if it reminded her to get back to her horse, which was absently chewing on some fresh blades of grass.

"I've never exactly been a people person either. My whole village was wiped out when I was a teenager. However, when I just had entered being trained with a longsword I was taught the basics of a knights code of honor, and how an honorable man should treat those around him. As long a I am treated with respect, I will treat others that way as well. If not, all bets are off."

As it turned, she was like a lot of people who were quiet and shy across the years. It turns out that such types were almost always good listeners. He had led an adventuresome life before he had come to Camelot the first time. then, his whole focus was on becoming a Knight of Camelot. Since, though, when that possibility was shut off to him, he had focused his desire for service in other areas, where he could be an honorable knight, just not a Knight of Camelot.

"Oh, mademoiselle, you misunderstand. My question is not where I can find proper accommodations, just yet. My original plan was to stay in Camelot overnight, but just overnight, before I headed south looking for a noble to serve. My question is whether I should stay, or whether I should move on. I expect that there are those who are not anxious for me to meet them again."

[Mariyana Porter]

Mariyana pulled Gavin's head up to groom his mane. He snorted and pawed the ground eagerly, trying to get back to his fresh wisps of grass.

"It...it would be a shame to see you go kind sir. Camelot needs more kind and genteel knights such as yourself." she smiled with honesty deep inside her green eyes, the gold catching the light. . "I do suppose it is all up to you, but should we all not venture for second chances? It all depends on what you seek in the end. What do you seek kind Lancelot?" Mariyana strode over to him and looked up to the tall, dark knight, looking him straight in the eyes with her lingering words. "Would it all be worth it to leave...or stay?"

[Lancelot Du Lac]

In some ways, Lancelot could not believe that he had just come out and said that. However, he was merely bringing voice to the thoughts that had been running through his head over the last few days. He didn't know what direction he should go, or even if he should stay on the path of a knight. And if he did or if he didn't, should the path run through Camelot, or perhaps somewhere farther to the south? He saw that his words had got her attention, at least, as she had broken away from the care of her horse, and marched back across the corral.

"Very few people that I have known, especially on the battlefield, would call me kind. And how exactly would you know that I am either kind or genteel. How can I be genteel if I am not noble? I thank you, though, for thinking that it would be a shame or a loss for Camelot. There are times that I question even being a knight or leading a knightly life." He thought on her next words for a few moments before answering. "I think we all wish for second and third chances, but in truth, they are rarely given, especially by kings." With a very tired look, for one so young, he answered her last question the only way he could. "Actually, ma cherie, I do not know, at least not yet. Do you have any suggestions?, he asked with a mischievous smile.

[Mariyana Porter]

Mariyana had not known Lancelot long, mere moments, but she was deeply intrigued by him and part of her could not bear to see him leave. This much she wanted to show in her eyes. Him, simply talking to her been the most excitement she had been given in quite a long time. Knights did not talk to poor useless servants, such as herself.

She breathed deep, but kept it subtle, then swallowed, preparing for words. "From what I have known you are kind, in the least you have a good heart. That you cannot hide or make petty excuses for. I have said I read people, and this is what your story is telling." That sounded almost magical, but Mar knew she had not even a drop of magic in her being, she was simply gifted. "Say you were given a second chance, would you not take it? Perhaps fate smiles upon you."

She averted her gaze away from him, thinking back how incredibly bold she had become in this conversation. Who was she to speak out for his life choices? She should have just kept to herself. "I have been far too bold Lancelot. My opinion matters little, but I will still give it. I have known you little, but I would like to see your shining face another day. I would like you to stay, but in the end it is not my decision." She turned to smile broadly up at him, blushing a little once more.

[Lancelot Du Lac]

Lancelot thought that despite what appeared, at first, to be a quiet young woman, although one who had a tendency for talking to horses, to be someone of strong opinions. She had not known him long, and yet, seemed to be quite willing to give advice. Lancelot rarely announced, in any of the new places he traveled, let alone Camelot, that he was a knight. He had lived most of his life, notwithstanding the nobles his parents had started out as, as an ordinary persons, and that’s the role he felt most comfortable in. And yet, even though she had knowledge that he was a knight, she wasn’t hesitant in giving him advice. In fact, it had just seemed to encourage her. That was amazing!

Seeing her body language, and the deep breath that she took, Lancelot imagined that she was gearing up for a major lecture, and he found he wasn’t disappointed. He decided to listen carefully, so that when she was finished he could take his time rebutting each of the points she was now making. “I was not aware that taking care of horses in a stable provided such excellent training for the evaluation of character,” he smiled, half-seriously. “But I may be a very good actor, and be well-practiced at hiding the evil designs that I have in my heart. Did you ever consider that?,” he tried to say with as convincing and serious face that he could muster. “Who would not take a second chance, if it was a true and fair chance and that it did endanger or hurt anyone else. Oh? ….. Fate …… Fate has never been kind to me!”

He then saw by her expression that perhaps she had gone too far. Or perhaps she was afraid that with someone of his rank that she had crossed some un-written line. Whatever it was he could sense that she was backing away somewhat. “There is nothing wrong with what you said. You had a concern that you felt had to be raised. That’s only natural. Now …… everyone’s opinion matters ….. yours ….. even mine. You would? And why is that exactly?”, he said noticing the blush that came to her face, but this time she did not looked down, but up into his eyes.

[Mariyana Porter]

Mariyana was amazed he was actually listening to her, and better yet, trusted her words, or at leastseemed to be. This wasn't how she imagined this moment to be, but she hadn't quite objected either. He was stimulating conversation and proved only miutes of adventure which was far more than she could possibly ask for.

"My father woks with horses." she corrected him with a sly smile. "You would have to be quite the horrible man to lie to such a woman. And perhaps you are a great actor, but if you were such, I would cease such conversation with you and find someone truly worthy of an honest word. " She replied in a more serious tone, setting her deep green eyes, almost into his soul. If he was a brilliant actor, hidden by such a polite facade, she had yet to see or find it. She wanted to see the best in this man.

"Fate plays by it's own rules. Sometimes it is kind, other times it is not. I do not know your full story dear Lancelot, but I do know it has brought us together on this fine afternoon. Take from it, what you will." She smiled warmly once more, setting a soft, but brave hand upon his chest. "I cannot tell you why I wish you to stay, for even I do not yet know. You have intrigued me in these brief moments, that much I will be honest about. Your choice to stay lies in your heart. What does your heart tell you Sir Lancelot.?"