GLADIUS // Eret X Reader

23

You sat by the fire with Eret and Simon a bit more before retiring to your own tent for the night. It took you a while to fall asleep, not used to the bedrolls that you had laid out on the ground, but you managed eventually - falling into a fitful sleep until you could hear the camp waking up around you again. 

You and Simon made a breakfast out of the leftovers from the night before and you helped him pack up the tent as best you could (not that your packing skills were anything that could be of use to Simon - it was more in spirit helping). The horses bags were filled again, and then you were back on the road, joining the steady march of Eret's battalion.

The forest was getting thinner as you rode on - a sure sign that you would at least reach the edge of the kingdom today - if not make it all the way to the castle today. You rode beside Eret - Simon having fallen a few paces behind to make conversation with one of his captains about the finery points of traditional swordplay. You didn't mind too much, Eret was usually more than enough company to keep you occupied. 

He seemed a little put out this morning for some reason though. 

You glanced at him out of the corner of your eye before drawing your gaze back to the landscape around you. "Alright, Eret?" You asked.

He snapped out of whatever he had been thinking before, turning to you. "Hm?"

"You seem a little lost in thought." You said. 

"Ah well." Eret said, a thin sort of smile coming onto his lips. "You don't mind if I'm a little honest, do you?" 

"Of course not." You said. "Please, if it's something that's bothering you perhaps I could ease your mind about it."

"Perhaps you could." Eret mused, pausing before he continued. "I'm a little worried about, ah, fitting in when we arrive in your kingdom. From what you and Simon have said, it's a bit different from my own and I wouldn't want to accidentally offend anyone or do something that isn't within the social norms there."

Oh Eret. Sweet, generous, humble Eret. Of course he would be worried about making the people around him uncomfortable or doing something that would be considered taboo. You wouldn't have even thought the worry would cross his mind - he was a king, after all, and even if he did say or do something that was outside the norm, no one would dare utter a word about it to him. 

"I wouldn't worry about it." You said. "Even if you do make a mistake no one would say anything about it - you're a king." 

"That's what I'm worried about." Eret said. "I've been in that situation before - where I've messed up but no one's said anything just because I was the king - and I would really prefer it not to happen again."

"You can always ask, you know." You said. "I'm sure anyone would give you an answer - and if you're really unsure you know I'll help you."

"I know." Eret said, smiling at you. "I can't help but worry though - this is a king I'm coming to meet after all, and one of my father's old friends."

"He spoke very highly of you when he told me I would be visiting you." You said. "I'm sure you won't have much of a problem with impressions."

The conversation dwindled a bit then and your gaze turned to Eret again. He still seemed a little nervous - you could see it in the way he played with the reins of his horse and in the set of his shoulders. You knew he would come around to telling you eventually.

Sure enough, a moment later he sighed heavily and began to speak. 

"It's just... the war, you know?" He said. "I don't...". He paused. "I don't know."

You could see the frustration in him - the way his eyebrows furrowed slightly and the rush of breath that left his lips. You could see where he was coming from as well - this was the first time he would be fighting in a real war, and he wasn't even fully certain he wanted to be fighting at all. When he'd said the decision wouldn't be easy to make, you had believed him - war was never easy. 

"One day at a time, yeah?" You said. "I'm sure it'll all work out in the end."

"Ah, we can hope." Eret said, gaze falling on you again. "I'm sorry - you probably don't want to be talking about this-"

"No no it's fine." You said. "It was obvious that you needed to get it off your chest - I'm more than willing to be a pair of ears for you."

Eret's smile widened. "Thank you." He said, genuinely. "I don't know if I've told you yet, but you've become a very good friend to me, and I can't thank you enough for it."

"Oh." You said, a rush of affection building up in your chest. "That's awfully sweet of you Eret... and I could say the same as well. I didn't think I would be getting a friend out of this trip, but here we are, and I can't say I'm too disappointed. You're a great friend - couldn't ask for anyone better."

Eret's smile turned blinding and you couldn't help but laugh at the dopey expression on his face. He just looked so happy, and the morning sunshine made the frames of his glasses sparkle. The conversation turned to something lighter as you rode on, but you knew you would be thinking about Eret's words for a while - he was quite literally riding into a war he didn't know if he was prepared for.

You would do your best to be a comfort though. After all you didn't think you were quite prepared to walk into battle either, but at least you would have Simon and Eret by your side.