Penelope made her way to her room and hurried inside. Now alone and in the comfort of her room, the knight finally relaxed, not realizing how tense she must have been until her muscles relaxed. She wasted no time and kicked off her boots before lying down on her bed. The knight didn't even bother trying to get more comfortable before she closed her eyes. Sleep came quickly to her and she was out like a light in no time.
---
A knock came at her door, waking the knight from her slumber. It had actually been a couple hours but to a sleep deprived Penelope it felt like much less. She groaned into her pillow, clutching it tightly in her arms as if it would keep her from getting up. As the knock sounded again, she sighed and pushed herself up. She took a moment to straighten her appearance before going to answer the door. Opening it, she blinked in surprise to find Cedric waiting patiently on the other side.
He shot her an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I just came to get you for your guard shift. We're both stationed at the front today." he explained to her with a shrug.
"Oh right... Thanks." she said rubbing her eyes for a moment before stepping out of the room. She was in fact grateful for the reminder. Chances were she would have slept right through her shift if he hadn't stopped by to accompany her to the gates.
"Of course. Figured you'd be sleeping since I heard you had a night shift last night." Cedric grinned. He turned and began to lead the way towards the front gates. Penelope trailed after him. Her nap had helped some like she had suspected but she felt far from refreshed. She rubbed her eyes again, as if it could make her eyelids less heavy. It did help her feel a bit more awake though as she focused her gaze ahead. However, as she did, she noticed Cedric eying her with a look of concern.
"Still having trouble sleeping?" he asked softly.
"You could say that." Penelope responded quietly, shifting her gaze away from him, hoping he would take the hint that she didn't want to talk about it.
His gaze lingered on her for a moment longer but he eventually let out a sigh and looked back ahead without asking anymore. Instead he struck up a more casual conversation as they made their way to the front gates.
---
Her shift went by rather painlessly despite her weariness. The front gates weren't too busy aside from a couple nobles coming and going so she spent more time speaking with Cedric than anything. It was mainly casual talk about what was going on both at the castle and the warfront. Cedric seemed to be on good terms with most of the guards in the castle so apparently they often relaid news and rumors to him. Occasionally they caught up a bit on each other's lives as well. Penelope was cautious about the information she told him, often dancing around her past that involved Crow.
After having a bit of a stressful morning, Penelope had to admit that his company was a bit enjoyable. She knew she still had to be careful around him but it was nice having another friendly face to speak too. Although, it did make her wish she could have spent the shift with someone she was actually close to, such as Crow or Naida. Still, despite their history, Penelope was beginning to believe him a bit more about just looking to kindle a friendship. The way he approached her now was far different from how he had done in the past after all.
As the next guards came to relieve them, Cedric stretched his arms and then looked down at Penelope. "We're finally free." he said with a grin.
"Looks like it." Penelope agreed with a small smirk of amusement.
"So, shall we go get supper? They're probably about to start serving it right now." Cedric said as they began to make their way back into the castle.
Penelope hesitated before shaking her head. "You can go ahead. I need to stop by the Lenz's room to see if they need me for anything today."
Cedric frowned a little, seeming disappointed, momentarily before letting out a sigh and smiling once more. "Alright, well I guess I'll catch you later then. Good luck Penelope." he said as they reached the staircase.
"Thanks." Penelope gave him a small smile before turning and heading off to go to the Lenz's room.
---
A knock came at her door, waking the knight from her slumber. It had actually been a couple hours but to a sleep deprived Penelope it felt like much less. She groaned into her pillow, clutching it tightly in her arms as if it would keep her from getting up. As the knock sounded again, she sighed and pushed herself up. She took a moment to straighten her appearance before going to answer the door. Opening it, she blinked in surprise to find Cedric waiting patiently on the other side.
He shot her an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I just came to get you for your guard shift. We're both stationed at the front today." he explained to her with a shrug.
"Oh right... Thanks." she said rubbing her eyes for a moment before stepping out of the room. She was in fact grateful for the reminder. Chances were she would have slept right through her shift if he hadn't stopped by to accompany her to the gates.
"Of course. Figured you'd be sleeping since I heard you had a night shift last night." Cedric grinned. He turned and began to lead the way towards the front gates. Penelope trailed after him. Her nap had helped some like she had suspected but she felt far from refreshed. She rubbed her eyes again, as if it could make her eyelids less heavy. It did help her feel a bit more awake though as she focused her gaze ahead. However, as she did, she noticed Cedric eying her with a look of concern.
"Still having trouble sleeping?" he asked softly.
"You could say that." Penelope responded quietly, shifting her gaze away from him, hoping he would take the hint that she didn't want to talk about it.
His gaze lingered on her for a moment longer but he eventually let out a sigh and looked back ahead without asking anymore. Instead he struck up a more casual conversation as they made their way to the front gates.
---
Her shift went by rather painlessly despite her weariness. The front gates weren't too busy aside from a couple nobles coming and going so she spent more time speaking with Cedric than anything. It was mainly casual talk about what was going on both at the castle and the warfront. Cedric seemed to be on good terms with most of the guards in the castle so apparently they often relaid news and rumors to him. Occasionally they caught up a bit on each other's lives as well. Penelope was cautious about the information she told him, often dancing around her past that involved Crow.
After having a bit of a stressful morning, Penelope had to admit that his company was a bit enjoyable. She knew she still had to be careful around him but it was nice having another friendly face to speak too. Although, it did make her wish she could have spent the shift with someone she was actually close to, such as Crow or Naida. Still, despite their history, Penelope was beginning to believe him a bit more about just looking to kindle a friendship. The way he approached her now was far different from how he had done in the past after all.
As the next guards came to relieve them, Cedric stretched his arms and then looked down at Penelope. "We're finally free." he said with a grin.
"Looks like it." Penelope agreed with a small smirk of amusement.
"So, shall we go get supper? They're probably about to start serving it right now." Cedric said as they began to make their way back into the castle.
Penelope hesitated before shaking her head. "You can go ahead. I need to stop by the Lenz's room to see if they need me for anything today."
Cedric frowned a little, seeming disappointed, momentarily before letting out a sigh and smiling once more. "Alright, well I guess I'll catch you later then. Good luck Penelope." he said as they reached the staircase.
"Thanks." Penelope gave him a small smile before turning and heading off to go to the Lenz's room.