"Why would he require me to send away my best friend and most trusted body guard. She just disrespected him one time and now he wishes me to get rid of her. I know after my father meets with him he will tell me to marry him. And then my darling Range will be forced to leave. I can not lose her."
She was starting to cry.

Percival's brow knit together. He looked to the ground, then back to her, "If I may ask, my Lady, whom is it that you speak of?" He was most curious to know the man's name. He didn't know why, but a new curiosity burned within himself.

"Lord Roderick."
She looked at his face curiously. She wondered if perhaps these two were aquantances and perhaps this man Lord Perceval could help her out.

At the mention of Roderick's name, Percival's eyes rolled harshly. He sighed and rubbed his face with both of his massive hands. He dropped his hands at his sides and sighed again, "And has he pursued you for long, my Lady?"

"I am afraid we only just met. Apparently our stations demand we are together and it will be an asset to both of our communitys. My parents will approve of him. My father is supposed to discuss it with him this afternoon."
She stared at him curiously.

Percival nodded slightly and sighed again. He chewed on his lip for a moment, then took a steady breath, "My Lady....allow me to warn you," he began, "Lord Roderick is not an easy man to get along with. He is stubborn and lacks real care for anyone other than himself. Please test these waters before diving in. Being Roderick's wife will be a living hell. I can feel it."

She looked up at him.
"I pushed for it under selfish reasons and now I see no way to make it end. I do not want it anymore. He is an evil man and wishes to remove my one thing I truly love. THe only thing I care about."
She could feel herself tearing up again.

Percival sighed lightly and shook his head, "What selfish reasons drove you to attach yourself to Roderick?"

"I was hoping that if I found a good match myself I would get out of school and my parents would not pick for me. They gave me the choice to find someone this year or else they would do it themselves."
She sighed. How stupid could she be?

"Ah, I understand," he paused, as if finding the right words to say, "If it makes this any easier to swallow, you still have a chance at freedom."

"And what do you mean by that Lord Percival? If I did not know any better I would take that as an offer."
She gave him a halfhearted smile.

Percival smirked and shook his head, "Child, I am old enough to have sired you myself." He took a deep breath and crossed his arms, "It just so happens that Roderick frequently talks about a woman he desperately wants to sink his fangs into. He is so smitten with her, that I believe you are safe. I mean no offense, but I do believe that her land is much more valuable than your own. ..At least..to the Duke."

She chuckled and stood up putting her arms around him gave him a hug.
"You are a very nice person. If anyone deserves to be a knight you are the one. But now it seems I must find myself another suitor or my parents will indeed match me with someone I have no choice in."

Percival returned the hug and smiled, "I thank you, my Lady. As for a suitor, pay close attention to the knights in the tournament. There are a number of honorable men competing this year."

He glanced over his shoulder for a moment and yawned, politely covering his mouth, "If you will excuse me, my Lady, I need to check on the baby back at my camp. She should be rising soon." Percival bowed to her and gave a final handsome smile. He turned and took the short walk to his camp just down the path.

Back at Roderick's camp, he was just beginning to rise. He dressed slowly in a white linen shirt, a black doublet, and black pants. He went without his boots for the moment, reveling in the feeling of grass beneath his feet. He exited the tent and looked out over the camp. He took in a deep breath and glanced up at the morning sky. He had a long day ahead of him.

Lina watched the man leave with a grin. He was so kind. It was odd that he was not married. He had made her feel much better. She sighed and headed off to home. Suddenly Range came around the corner and she did not look happy. She walked up to Lina and wrapped her arms around her neck.
"Love you but please do not do that to me. I spent all morning worried sick about you."

Percival sat outside of his tent at a small table that had been set up. He was enjoying a hearty breakfast with the child he had sent to bed the night before. She was small, very pale, with bright fuchsia hair and pretty pink eyes. They chatted quietly as they ate. It was strange that he was not married, but he had a small child in his care. A child that looked absolutely nothing like him. He was a strange man, indeed.

-:Figured I'd pooooooost. ..Cause I'm boooooored lol:-

It didn't take long before Tes'shiran had everything set out and situated perfectly for Roderick's breakfast and breakfast guest. Once that was all taken care off, Tess busied himself with some menial tasks that needed to be done as well. He did seem slightly on edge today..as if he thought Roderick would do something about what had happened last night. He shivered lightly and continued what he was doing.


A short plump woman came huffing to Percival's camp. At a glance one could tell she was a dress maker. She just had that look...she was followed by four younger ladies. Her assistants or something like that. She stopped short of Percival's small table, taking a few moments to catch her breath, as if she had been walking very briskly the entire way. "Mercy me..that's a long walk." She remarked casually to one of the girls, as if she hadn't even noticed Percival yet. Then she smiled to Percival and curtsied. The other girls followed her lead and curtsied as well. "G'morning to you sir. Lady Sabine sent me over, she says I'm to take measurements of your niece."

Percival swallowed and took a sip of grape juice as the lady introduced herself. He nodded to her and her ladies as they curtsied to him. He leaned back slightly in his chair, "Ah. My niece. ..Well, my good lady, I do not have a niece. Hell, I have no siblings to bear me nieces or nephews. With that said, however, I know of whom you speak," Percival smirked a bit. He looked across the table to the little one. She was attempting to get as many pan scrambled eggs onto her fork as possible and then scooped them as best she could into her mouth. Of course, several fluffy bits fell into her lap as she attempted this. She merely picked them up and ate them, too. Percival shook his head lightly, "Grammy needs to go over table manners with you again, young lady."

Percival stood and rounded the table. He put his hands on the girl's shoulders, "Madam, this is my baby, Roselyn."



Roderick, after enjoying a bit of the morning air, went inside his tent to see how Tess faired with breakfast. He nodded lightly as he sat down on the bed to pull on his boots. When they were on and secured, he looked over to Naerwen, whom still slept at the end of his bed.

The plump woman shrugged slightly at Percival's remark. "Well...Her Grace didn't seem certain as to how to refer to the young lady..she thought niece might not be too offensive." The woman smiled good naturedly and when Percival stood and introduced Roselyn she and the four ladies with her curtsied. "G'morning little lady." The plump woman continued with her own introduction. "I am Arell, and these comely girls behind me are my daughters." She grinned a bit at that, but the four young ladies seemed to frown and grimace slightly. They weren't gorgeous but they weren't comely either and far from ugly.

Percival smiled and nodded, "It is an honor, ladies. Forgive me, but you all seem to be blossoming into quite fine young ladies. As you may already know, my name is Percival." He nudged the small child out of her seat, watching her plop down onto the grass.

Rosie curtsied quickly, then reached back up onto the table and pulled down a piece of toast. She munched it quietly, looking up at the woman. She glanced back at her daughters and dropped one of her hands. Said hand went to her backside, which she scratched quite quickly.

Percival stood, pinching the bridge of his nose. He sighed heavily and rubbed his temples, "I swear to you, Madam, we have spent many hours going over manners with her. ..Even though it does not seem like it." He leaned forward and 'thunked' the child on the back of the head. Rosie's head wobbled forward, then went back into place. She didn't even flinch, proving that sort of thing must happen often.

The young ladies giggled softly and whispered to one another at Percival's compliment. The hushed rather quickly though with only a glance from Arell. The plump woman had giggled softly herself for a moment. "It's quite alright my lord. My girls still lack some manners..but I suppose it's part of their overall charm.." She winked at him and then shrugged. "Well, whenever the little lady is ready we can begin...It shouldn't take us too long."

Percival nudged Rosie toward the woman, "Go on, sweetpea. And hold nice and still for the kind lady." He smiled at her when she looked hesitantly over her shoulder.


Rosie looked back to Percival, then up to the woman. She swallowed the last bit of toast and chewed on her lip. She was awfully quiet.

Arell couldn't help but chuckle a little at Rosie. The young ladies behind Arell just smiled sweetly. "It's alright sweety, we just need to measure you and see how tall your are. That way we can make pretty clothes for you to run around in." Arell had knelt down, to hopefully make herself look less intimadating or imposing to the child.

Percival sat at the table once more and sipped at his juice.

Rosie approached the woman as she knelt down. She seemed slightly more relaxed, but not too much. She was very careful around new people. She paused, "..What do I ha'ffa do?"

"You don't have to do much, just stand very still and hold your arms out like this.." Arell demonstrated by holding her own arms out from her sides. "Then my girls are going to measure you with string, will I supervise and scold them if they do it wrong." she winked at Rosie. "It won't take us long." Arell had put her arms back down and the young ladies had stepped a little closer to them. Each girl had some string...but the string..as Arell had called it looked more like light blue ribbons with dark markings here and there and a number at specific intervals.