ravenDivinity

When the Flames Die

Harker chuckled nervously, suspecting she caught his attempts, but he smiled softly and carried onward anyway, despite fear of embarrassment. "The pleasure is mine, Sophia. My name is Gareth Harker." If Gareth couldn't seem proper, then he just had to talk smoothly to cover himself. It wasn't easy, especially for someone with no experience in the court of the king, which made him a bit of a public farce. "This gentleman next to me is Karl Leid." Hopefully Karl wouldn't be upset at Gareth for introducing them both.

When the Flames Die

Gareth's anticipation of a response from Karl was interrupted by Sophia, and he turned to face her nervously, in close contact with another person of higher rank. Softly but calculatedly, the half-elf spoke. "Ah, um, indeed." He straightened his posture to compliment the princess's noble status. "I find the food quite, ah, palatable." Harker smiled, pulling the hem of his shirt down and bridging his hands propped by his elbows on the table. "Ah, I do believe I saw you the night before, in the throne room?" A flustered commoner attempted smalltalk.

When the Flames Die

Gareth kept silence for a few moments. He thought he could have a chance if he had less competition, and he supposed Karl was right about there being few archers around. "I suppose... I will attempt." The young man managed a half-smile. "But when, might I ask, is the tourney?" He plopped a berry off the table and into his mouth, chewing softly. Across the room he spotted conversing Thomas and the lady from the night before, and he eyed them curiously while he awaited Leid's word. Harker remembered his intent on coming to the coronation. He wanted to acquaint himself, and what better way was there than to make a name for himself among the people in a tourney? It was a gamble on fame and accolades, but nonetheless even trying would warrant him notice in some way.

When the Flames Die

"Ah..." Gareth secured from the table a helping of mutton to consume, and he did so. He needed the sustenance. When he chewed it to nothing, the half-elf spoke again. "No, I, um, am afraid not. I've never competed in any event of archery." His face looked concerned as he fell into thought again. Harker didn't know what the tournament entailed, however even if he did, he believed he wouldn't perform well even if he tried. He grabbed another plum nervously. He supposed it would be fun to try and compete, but moreover the idea of poor performance troubled him and he felt discouraged. "I don't feel I'm the right kind of material for it..."

When the Flames Die

Gareth silently hoped he wasn't interrupting anything for Karl. Aside perceiving any kind of annoyance to Leid, Gareth chuckled at Karl's utterance about his company and beamed at Karl. "No, I've barely arrived and have yet to eat anything save a plum. Ah, my, what shall I feast on?" He hungered, for he ate none that morning before he had arrived. The food looked excellent, and the taste was certain to be sublime, especially on as important of a day as the coronation. Harker looked about the selection of food before him and pulled down his cloak, dropping his bow and quiver that he toted with him on the ground. "You'll have to excuse me," the half-elf spoke. "I brought my bow with me. I was out this morning fetching food for a neighbor of mine." The thought of it was funny in his mind, as it was ironic for him to provide food for a neighbor, and then receive none for himself. His eyes were fixed on the feast.

When the Flames Die

As the trumpets blared, Harker's attention came to the king, and Gareth closely dissected King Bard II's speech as he spoke, lingering on his mention of troubles in the land. The speech had a brevity that he caught, and the brunet felt as though it wasn't as long as a king's speech should be and glossed over many important subjects. The king's short word wasn't less admirable than that of a well-seasoned speaker, thus the half-elf opted to tone down his expectations of the king's speaking ability. He suspected that Bard was nervous, and the king had a right to be, in this time of distress and in his failure to bring forth an impacted oration. It didn't really matter to Gareth though, not like he was any better of a speaker than Bard was. But his calling was to the celebration at hand, and he didn't know the first thing about coronations. That was where his current panic set in, and Harker approached Karl's table. "Ah, salutations, Karl!" He pulled a chair and sat next his recent acquaintance. "Mighty fine bounty we have before us..." Gareth paused, looking around the room at the food and the king, for a moment, before he returned his focus to Karl. "How are you?"

When the Flames Die

A new day came, and the young Harker found himself again on the palace grounds, after he had a good night's rest and prepared himself for a good time. He passed again through an empty throne room to make his passage to the Grand Hall, where gathered a crowd was coming together for merriment by appetizing themselves with small snacks and few sips of wine. Gareth's stomach tugged him then towards the long table of food, where he snuck a plum that he now ate intermittently, himself meandering about through the crowd. The bowman didn't yet notice Thomas or Karl quite yet, although he figured they would be in attendance what with their work and intent. He was certain he made a good decision in coming to the palace that morning, for the sun bathed Gareth in its warmth even through a thin, split blanket of clouds and promised a good day.

When the Flames Die

Gareth bowed his head to Karl and Thomas as they left him alone in the throne room. With them gone and the palace nigh empty for the evening, he judged that his best decision was to simply depart and go home, thus he pulled his cloak over his head and began the trek in the night. It was dark outside, and for a while Harker couldn't see well until his eyes adjusted to the dim moonlight. His footsteps were soft on the paved road, footsteps that lingered along the edge of the street tentatively. Silently a vow he made to visit that knight the following day, and in that the half-elf gave himself an excuse to return to the palace for the next day of the coronation celebration. Indeed they should have their king by tomorrow crowned, and both anxiety and excitement lingered in his heart, placed for many people and many things. Gareth wondered if perhaps things would proceed correctly.

When the Flames Die

"Oh no, sir, it's nothing of high importance." Gareth chuckled. "I'm only a mere common man, after all." He noted Thomas's lack of a direct blood tie with an elf, but he enjoyed the company of another half-elf nonetheless. Moonlight fell upon them as Thomas noted, and Harker knew he would have to leave to go home soon, for he would need the rest for tomorrow's festivities. Indeed he would rather stay, even take up a post with Thomas just to enjoy the luxuries of the palace a little longer, and yet he had a home of his own, the palace needed security, and he knew better than to concern himself with petty prodigal living. The half-elf nodded. "Ah, indeed. I need rest. My my, I'd love to stay too, but it is late." The brunet decided on retiring to his home for the night and returning at the appointed time tomorrow to the palace. The walk home would be a treacherous one for him, mostly since he left home without any weaponry equipped; however, he had nothing of value on him save for a pouch of a few pieces of silver and many pieces of copper, and he assured himself he wouldn't be attacked. In the meantime, he would stay and chatter. "How long have you until you gentlemen must depart? I can spare perhaps a little longer."

When the Flames Die

"Ah, you're too kind." The half-elf found the knight's words endearing and returned a smile. It was only appropriate that he compliment the knight and appraise his service, for being a member of the Order that lived up to its true standards was something to be acknowledged. When the time came, Gareth too vocally praised the king, and he bowed his head to say his own wish for the king to have a long reign. The words Thomas used to describe the king's situation Harker nodded to, but he perked up more fully when he was directly addressed. "Yes, sir, I am. Born to an Elven mother and a human father. You are as well, I take it?" Harker took on an appreciative tone out of respect for Thomas's knighthood and of appreciation for their similar blood.