Sequel: Love is Magic ›
Status: No really editing has been done yet so I am aware there are many mistakes. Please leave comments and let me know what you think!
Change of Plans
Truth of Gwaine
The time had come for Arthur to choose five new men to serve as Knights. To be a knight was a great honor and many men would do anything to be chosen. There was to be a tournament to narrow down the potential knights.
Sweat pour down Gwaine’s face, the blistering sunlight reflecting off of the various pieces of armor that was scattered around temporarily blinded him as the weight of his sword grew with each swift movement. CLASH! His sword made contact with the sword of another man fighting for the title of a Kinght. His legs shaking and weak, Gwaine raised his sword and with one swift movement he knocked the other man out. Now armed with two swords Gwaine went after the few men who were left standing.
As he ducked and dogged swords Gwaine thought about his mother. He pictured her sitting up in the stands proudly watching him fight, and when he won and became a Knight she would be so proud and pleased. A smile appeared on Gwaine's face as he pictured her approving nod and her overjoyed blue eyes looking down at him. Then he realized that she might not be as pleased as he was imagining. If she were still alive she would have made sure that Gwaine told Prince Arthur who his father was. If Gwaine admitted that his father was a Knight he would not need to fight for a spot in the brotherhood of the Knights, he would be
given the spot because of his ancestry.
Growing up Gwaine wanted to be just like his father and become a brave Knight. In the late afternoon Gwaine would go wandering around the woods behind his house, and there he would run and jump around pretending to be a Knight like his father. He would slay imaginary dragons, kill evil scorers, and defeat the greatest armies. One afternoon that all came to a heartbreaking end…
"No! No! You can't! My husband was a good and loyal man. He served the King well!" Gwaine's mother screamed at a group of Knights.
"Ma Ma? What is going on?" Gwaine had been in the forest when he heard his mother scream. When he approached his home he saw several of the kings horses tied up outside, and immediately thought his father had returned from war.
As Gwaine came closer to his home he realized the entire cottage had been ransacked. Pots broken and scattered across the floor and his mother's drapery had been ripped down. Anything they owned that was worth something had been thrown into a pile by the door.
"Gwaine, go back and play. Everything is alright." His mother kept a very cheerful smile until Gwaine had seen one of the knights holding his father's shield and sword. Gwaine had seen it happen before to other children in the village, but never thought it would happen to him. When the Knights returned another Knight's armor it meant that the Knight had died in battle. Gwaine's mother knew that her son had put the pieces together. So she ran over to him and held him close.
Gwaine fought back and tears. He would not show weakness in front of the Knights even if his mother was crying. The only thing Gwaine did not understand was why the Knights who had been friends with his father were being so cruel to his mother and tearing apart their home.
"My lady, I am under orders given by the King to collect on Sir Lot's debt." One of the Knights spoke out.
"Sir, I asure you.. I would pay you any money that is owed to the King, but I have no idea what you are talking about. We have never taken a loan from the king and we are not behind on any of our taxes!" With each word she spoke Gwaine's mother was being coming increasingly upset. She eventually sent Gwaine away, but he knew better than to leave her alone with these men. So he hid behind a tree just out of their sight.
"If you can not provide the funds we will have to take these items and sell them. Your husband owes a great deal of money to the King."
"You can' t take these things! They are the only valuable things I have and now with my husband gone how am I suppose to support my son?" The tears were running rapidly down her face. She knew her husband had a gambling problem, but how could they hold her accountable for the debt that he owed?
The Knights did not care and the King wanted his money. They rode off with all of Gwaine's family possessions and never once looked back. Just as Gwaine's mother had predicted they struggled to pay their taxes. Gwaine had to start working at the age of eight, and when he turned nine his mother became ill. The healer told them that it was from stress and heartache. Gwaine became an apprentice at a black smith shop. The job kept him away from home most days, but it paid well enough to keep them afloat.
Sweat pour down Gwaine’s face, the blistering sunlight reflecting off of the various pieces of armor that was scattered around temporarily blinded him as the weight of his sword grew with each swift movement. CLASH! His sword made contact with the sword of another man fighting for the title of a Kinght. His legs shaking and weak, Gwaine raised his sword and with one swift movement he knocked the other man out. Now armed with two swords Gwaine went after the few men who were left standing.
As he ducked and dogged swords Gwaine thought about his mother. He pictured her sitting up in the stands proudly watching him fight, and when he won and became a Knight she would be so proud and pleased. A smile appeared on Gwaine's face as he pictured her approving nod and her overjoyed blue eyes looking down at him. Then he realized that she might not be as pleased as he was imagining. If she were still alive she would have made sure that Gwaine told Prince Arthur who his father was. If Gwaine admitted that his father was a Knight he would not need to fight for a spot in the brotherhood of the Knights, he would be
given the spot because of his ancestry.
Growing up Gwaine wanted to be just like his father and become a brave Knight. In the late afternoon Gwaine would go wandering around the woods behind his house, and there he would run and jump around pretending to be a Knight like his father. He would slay imaginary dragons, kill evil scorers, and defeat the greatest armies. One afternoon that all came to a heartbreaking end…
"No! No! You can't! My husband was a good and loyal man. He served the King well!" Gwaine's mother screamed at a group of Knights.
"Ma Ma? What is going on?" Gwaine had been in the forest when he heard his mother scream. When he approached his home he saw several of the kings horses tied up outside, and immediately thought his father had returned from war.
As Gwaine came closer to his home he realized the entire cottage had been ransacked. Pots broken and scattered across the floor and his mother's drapery had been ripped down. Anything they owned that was worth something had been thrown into a pile by the door.
"Gwaine, go back and play. Everything is alright." His mother kept a very cheerful smile until Gwaine had seen one of the knights holding his father's shield and sword. Gwaine had seen it happen before to other children in the village, but never thought it would happen to him. When the Knights returned another Knight's armor it meant that the Knight had died in battle. Gwaine's mother knew that her son had put the pieces together. So she ran over to him and held him close.
Gwaine fought back and tears. He would not show weakness in front of the Knights even if his mother was crying. The only thing Gwaine did not understand was why the Knights who had been friends with his father were being so cruel to his mother and tearing apart their home.
"My lady, I am under orders given by the King to collect on Sir Lot's debt." One of the Knights spoke out.
"Sir, I asure you.. I would pay you any money that is owed to the King, but I have no idea what you are talking about. We have never taken a loan from the king and we are not behind on any of our taxes!" With each word she spoke Gwaine's mother was being coming increasingly upset. She eventually sent Gwaine away, but he knew better than to leave her alone with these men. So he hid behind a tree just out of their sight.
"If you can not provide the funds we will have to take these items and sell them. Your husband owes a great deal of money to the King."
"You can' t take these things! They are the only valuable things I have and now with my husband gone how am I suppose to support my son?" The tears were running rapidly down her face. She knew her husband had a gambling problem, but how could they hold her accountable for the debt that he owed?
The Knights did not care and the King wanted his money. They rode off with all of Gwaine's family possessions and never once looked back. Just as Gwaine's mother had predicted they struggled to pay their taxes. Gwaine had to start working at the age of eight, and when he turned nine his mother became ill. The healer told them that it was from stress and heartache. Gwaine became an apprentice at a black smith shop. The job kept him away from home most days, but it paid well enough to keep them afloat.