Maud: the Daughter of the Count of Nocturne

Chapter 10: History and New Beginnings

Maud sat bolt upright, her hair soaked in sweat. Her breathing was hard against the cold, silent night air and her heart beat like a rabbit's, hard and quick. She looked around but couldn't make anything out, for the fire had burned out and was nothing but embers.  The nightmares had woken her once again. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't forget her father's death.

Somewhere in the darkness a body stirred, and Maud could tell by the direction the sound came from that it was Gareth. A moment later he was at her side, a flask of water in his hand and a look of concern on his face. He laid his hand on her shoulder gently, barely touching the green fabric of her shirt. Maud smiled at him through the darkness and took the flask, just as she had the night before and the night before that. In fact, this had become their nightly routine. Every night since they had begun travelling through Ireland, the nightmares had woken her. And every night, Gareth would be there next to her.

"Are you alright Maud," Gareth whispered through the darkness. Maud could just make out his features in the dark. His blond hair was disheveled, a few leaves sticking out here and there, but his eyes, his deep, brown eyes, were filled with worry.

She nodded and wiped the sweat from her brow before taking a long drink off water. The fluid ran down her throat and calmed her, the cold liquid cooling her feverish body. She handed the flask back to Gareth and ran her fingers through her hair, tugging at the knots and leaves in it.

Gareth plucked a small twig out of her hair. "You never told me what these nightmares are about," he stated. "You've had one every night but you never talk about it."

Maud shivered, the memories flooding her once more. She messed with the emerald charm hanging from around her neck for a moment before speaking. "I keep remembering the joust. The joust in Scotland where-" her voice caught in her throat and she closed her eyes, the pain becoming too much for her.

Gareth stroked her hair. "It's alright. I understand. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Maud flashed him a grateful smile. She was glad he hadn't pressed her further. If he had, she probably would have lost control of her emotions.

She glanced at Gareth's chest, where Maxmillian's coat of arms was sewn to his shirt. The question began itching at her mind and before she could stop herself, it was pouring from her lips. "How did you come to be Maxmillian's squire?" She quickly covered her mouth with her hands but it was too late, the question was out.

Gareth stared at her for a minute before sighing. "Do you want the entire story or the condensed version," he asked, the hint of a smirk on his face.

Maud was relieved. "Whichever you feel most comfortable telling."

Gareth shifted and pulled his knee to his chest, resting his chin on it. He stared off into the distance, as if he were staring into his past. Perhaps he was, just searching for the bit he needed. When he finally looked back at Maud, his expression was solemn. "I guess the best place to begin would be the beginning. I was born in Liverpool to two poor farmers. I was the youngest of five boys, each of us three years younger than the one before us. We didn't have much but we got by, making a living off the livestock we sold.

"All that changed when I was ten. A hoard, i don't know where they came from, wiped out the entire west side of the town." His eyes had filled with sadness as he spoke. Maud laid a hand on his shoulder and he continued. "My entire family was killed. There was nothing anyone could do. I had been running an errand on the other side of town when it happened, and so was spared.

"But i had no one left. None of the other towns folk would take me in, so i lived on the streets. It wasn't until a small group of knights came into town that anyone showed me kindness."

Maud nodded in understanding. "Sir Maxmillian was one of the knights in the group, wasn't he?"

Gareth nodded. "He saw me and took me in. He said a boy my age shouldn't be on his own. So he made me his squire. I didn't mind. It was food in my belly and clothes on my back." He reached into the front of his shirt and pulled out a small, gold cross, hanging off a long chain. He held it out so Maud could see it. "Maxmillian gave it to me on my sixteenth birthday. He said that a man must always have faith, for without it, he is nothing."

"He was wise." She chuckled slightly before adding, "He didn't always come across that way but it seems he truly was."

Gareth chuckled as well and tucked the cross back into his shirt. "Yes, he was a lot wiser than he let on. He never gave me reason to doubt him." Gareth suddenly frowned. "At least not until i found out about his alliance with Avery and Morik."

Maud nodded. She remembered hearing their argument outside her window the night before the joust. "I heard you confront him. I didn't think anything of it though."

"I wish you had. Perhaps things would have been different." His eyes met hers and sadness seemed to pour from them, everything unspoken seen at that moment.

 "What's done is done. There's nothing we can do to bring them back. Besides, we wouldn't be able to sit here now if they were still with us." She blushed a deep crimson, suprised she had let her thoughts slip from her lips twice.

Gareth smiled at her embarrassment. "I guess you're right about that." He slowly reached up and tucked Maud's hair behind her ear, letting his hands rest just behind her jaw for a moment before dropping them. He sighed and looked up at the sky for a moment, taking in the stars and the low moon. "Looks like there is still a few hours before sunrise. you should get some more sleep. Guy will have us up and travelling as soon as the sun rises."

Maud nodded. "You're right. We should get some sleep."

Gareth lightly touched Maud's cheek and stood, looking down at her for a moment before turning and starting back to his bed roll. As he took a step, Maud's hand shot up and gripped his wrist, holding him in place. He looked back down at her blushing face and a smile crept back onto his lips. "Yes Maud?"

Maud dropped her hand and turned away to hide her embarrasment. "Nothing." She grimaced as he crouched down next to her and hooked a finger under her chin, forcing her to face him.

"What is it," he asked her. His voice was barely a whisper but it seemed to drip with sweet honey.

Maud stared back at him, captured by his voice and his deep brown eyes. She couldn't hold her tongue. "I don't want to be alone yet," she whispered back, her voice filled with the feelings left unspoken.

Gareth smiled and glanced at Sadie, who was obviously faking sleep for she had a large smile stretched across her face. He turned back to Maud and pushed another strand of hair behind her ear before kissing her lightly on her forehead. "Alright. I'll stay with you." He sat back against the tree and pulled her against him, her head resting against his chest. She smiled to herself and fell asleep quickly, Gareth's heartbeat playing in her ear like a lullaby.

Sadie opened an eye. "I told you," she chuckled. Her devilish grin still planted on her face.

"Oh shut up," Gareth whispered as he smiled at her. He laid his head back against the tree and soon slipped into slumber, sending a silent prayer to the heavens that he should wake up before Guy.