Cerella found them in the castle's kennel, after searching in several places. Gwayne was shaking Mark's hand, and Jacks was on the side agreeing something, four knights were behind. Mark and Jacks were two squires now, she knew them by sight.
"Just stay at your posts and do whatever Daeron tells you."
She coughed to announce her presence.
Gwayne looked at her and dismissed the men, except one of the knights.
— You arrived at the right time, cousin. Gwayne smiled at her. — I present to you, Ser Belvedere Bell, he will go wherever you go from now on, as your personal guard.
— Your orders, my lady. —Ser Belvedere, he bowed to her.
He was tall, but not as tall as Gwayne, with sandy hair, like Mark's, and honey-colored eyes. —she observed.
— I accept you as my guard, Ser. — she smiled sweetly. — now I need to speak alone with my cousin, you can go.
— As you wish, my lady. — he said, then went outside.
Gwayne bent down and checked the teeth of a huge hunting dog.
— You will be safer with Ser Belvedere in your guard, I met him on one of my visits to the soldiers' camp — he said, as he walked towards another dog. — he is young and agile with a sword.
— I don't doubt your skill with a sword, Gwayne. — she exclaimed. — I want to know what our grandfather was talking about.
Daeron walked away and sat on the wall.
— He told me some time after I arrived, he promised his hand and a man from the Clifton house. — he said, sighing in disgust.
— And you didn't tell me!
—No, and I don't regret it. — He got up and went to her. — I would rather you were pulped than what you're feeling right now. — Gwayne put his hand on her face.
Cerella blushed.
— Don't let this distress you, I will make sure he keeps the promise he made to me. — he said, with conviction in his voice.
— I had hoped to meet the man you were promised to, before all this, but now it will have to be this way. — he sighed.
— Gwayne, I'm scared...
Daeron stood up and placed his hand on her shoulder.
Gwayne was surprised and Cerella was happy, she quickly hugged him after that.
— Don't be afraid, Ser Belvedere will be wherever you are and if possible, I will meet your betrothed at Casterly Rock.
— And if he's ugly and bad... — she shuddered, in Daeron's arms.
Gwayne nodded at Daeron.
— So, my lovely cousin — Gwayne let out a dark smile. — he will never get to see your face.
Cerella ran to him and hugged him, Gwayne kissed her forehead.
— You need to go now, I have things to sort out. — he said, in a pleasant voice.
— But get ready for tonight, we're going out.
- Where? She asked, with a curious and excited face.
— We'll go to the lake.
Cerella squealed excitedly and kissed him on the cheek.
- Can not wait. — she said, jumping out.
- You come? — Gwayne asked Daeron.
- Yes of course.
—Then bring your bow.
Cerella and Daemon waited for Gwayne at the west side door of the village, she was covered in a heavy velvet cloak, and Daeron was wearing a light leather outfit. Gwayne had told them he was going to the knights' quarters, but he didn't say the purpose.
— And you and your father? — asked Cerella.
— Since I received the armor and been called Gwayne's faithful squire by Lord Lymond, he has changed. Daeron smiled. — he even stopped drinking.
"That's good" she said, touching his arm. — Gwayne told me that he now fills you with war advice, listen to him carefully. — Cerella made a serious face.
They talked while they waited, the moon was high in the sky, illuminating the world and the darkness of the forest.
They were laughing when Gwayne arrived, he was with Ser Belvedere and three other knights and a dozen torch-bearing men-at-arms, among them Jacks and Mark.
— We're ready to go. said Gwayne.
— why so many men? — she said, with a curious face. — before it was just us.
— I didn't want to be here. — said Jacks, while yawning. I'd rather be in my bed...
Gwayne slapped him on the head, and the knights pushed him from side to side.
— We're not children anymore, Cyre. said Gwayne. — we need to be careful now.
He led the march down the road with the torch in his hand, they went to the beach, walking five hundred meters along the coast until he found the entrance to the freezing lake, what marked the entrance was a half road of smooth and damp stones, long ago the The lake was connected to the sea, now only the memories remain in the old stones.
— Did you hear that? — said Mark, looking at the sea with the torch in his hand and looking scared.
— Don't be foolish, Mark. — Gwayne said in response, as he entered the forest.
Cerella ran after him in fear.
— It's a mermaid, Mark. said Ser Belvedere.
Jacks laughed.
- I'm serious. — Mark replied.
— Me too, stay away from the sea. said Ser Belvedere. - let's go.
He waited for Mark to enter the forest and followed him, looking back with strange eyes.
On the trail, Ser Belvedere had his sword drawn over his shoulder, and was talking to the other knights about mermaid stories.
They finally arrived, Gwayne ordered the men to build a fire fifty yards from the lake, in a clearing in the forest and prepare some thick cuts of meat that he took from the pantry, along with potatoes and onions.
While the men set up camp, they went to the lake, which, as always, had crystal clear and illuminated waters.
Gwayne made a small fire near the lake and then stood at the edge and looked at the bottom, the pebbles were completely visible at the bottom.
Daeron and Cerella approached from behind, while a wolf howled in the distance.
Cerella shuddered at the sound and threw herself at Gwayne, throwing him into the lake.
Then, she and Daeron burst into laughter.
She didn't know whether to laugh or apologize.
Gwayne emerged from the water with a frown.
Cerella and Daeron ran away laughing.
He just removed his shirt and dried his clothes. — you need to grow up.
— he said seriously and turned to the lake.
They looked at each other suspiciously, after a moment they approached each other unsurely, Cerella apologized.
Gwayne pulled her velvet cape, throwing it on the lawn and pushing Cerella into the water, then lifted Daeron and threw him into the lake, while laughing.
The two submerged laughing.
- you bastard! — said Daeron.
— I'm freezing — she shuddered, her chin shaking and moaning.
— Why do you think I built this fire? — he laughed, and offered his hand to help her out. — was thinking of you.
She grabbed his hand, in a failed attempt to throw him into the lake.
Daeron laughed at her failed attempt.
She went out and huddled by the fire, Gwayne covered her with the thick velvet cloak and ran, jumping into the water.
After they had some fun, Cerella jumped into the lake again and after a few moments the three came out and huddled next to the fire.
— Did you bring your bow, Daeron?
— yes, I gave it to Mark.
Cerella looked at them with half-closed eyes.
— what are you up to? — she asked.
"Nothing," Daeron said quickly. - don't worry about that.
Ser Belvedere appeared between the trees, behind him you could see the light of the fire in the distance.
— It is ready, my lord.
- We are going. — said Gwayne, they got up to follow him, then they heard a sound in the bushes near the smooth stone road that led to the sea.
Ser Belvedere reached for his sword.
— It's not necessary, it should just be a squirrel. — said Gwayne, indicating for them to go ahead. — Ser, accompany them there, I'll check the noise and find them soon.
Cerella walked, looking more backwards than forwards, until he was out of sight.
Gwayne sighed and felt his heart speed up a little.
He drew his sword and walked to the other side of the lake, towards the place where the sound came from.
Opening the bushes with the sword he found nothing, but he heard a sound as if something was sliding through the stones and looked at the road pointing the sword sloppily.
Gwayne thought he saw two luminescent eyes in the darkness, they moved quickly and disappeared into the darkness. He heard the sound of something entering the sea seconds after that. He felt a strong desire to follow that path and go to the sea after seeing the eyes.
But a random sound in the forest brought him back, he put away his sword...
Gwayne emerged from the trees an hour later and joined them in the clearing.
He sat next to Cerella and kissed her on the lips lightly, and whispered in her ear. "Trust me"
Then he raised his voice for everyone to hear.
"A sea worm and a mermaid in the same day" he laughed, everyone laughed with him.
Cerella patted his arm as he grabbed a pitcher of ice water.
Daeron laughed, throwing himself onto the ground.
— Why did it take so long? — asked Cerella, with a curious look.
"I ventured into the darkness of the forest," he said, then laughed.
Mark passed by and they got a skewer of meat and potatoes, which they devoured in minutes. Cerella even sucked the juices that slipped between her fingers.
— It was a good day, thank you... — she whispered to Gwayne.
He smiled at her and went back to eating.
The men laughed at the knights' war stories, it was past the hour of the wolf when they went to bed.
Cerella was sleepy and called them to the tent.
Upon entering, Gwayne observed a "bed" of sheets and blankets on a piece of wood. A torch on a log illuminated the tent.
— I think it's the best we can hope for, but it won't ruin our night. — he lay down in the middle. — it's very comfortable. — he yawned. Cerella lay on the edge next to him, and Daeron on Gwayne's other side.
Outside the sound of wood crackling on the fire, the rustling of trees and laughter of men at arms muffled by meat or drink, The low voices of men arguing who would take the first watch.
Cerella lay on his chest and yawned, Daeron did the same on his arm.