"Aye, good morning. What do ye’ve fer me?"
"Nothing really, sir. I just wanted to show me remorse and appreciation for what ye did for me last night. It seemed as if I had too much to drink. The ale from the Sutherland clan is quite...strong. I do nae drink much, and I underestimated it, and it almost made me commit a crime I would never live down the embarrassment. Thinking about it, I feel disgusted with meself. It took all the courage I could muster within meself to face that dancer this morning." Gawain raised a suspicious eyebrow at the man's embarrassed face. Hector kept his head down with his hands folded behind him, his foot dug slightly at the wet earth, kicking it up to step back on it, levelling it. "I did nae realize most of the things I did until me eyes had cleared, and I said something unforgivable about ye too. I sincerely hold ye in with the same respect I hold the Laird. Please, Sir Gawain, I’m nae that kind of man. We will be working together from now on, and I do nae want us to start off our relationship with disrespect, so I’m here to apologize fer me misdoings. Please, accept it."
Was it possible that Hector was telling the truth? Gawain could not be completely sure, but to an extent, he believed the man. Gawain nodded and was surprised when Hector beamed at him. A wide smile brightened up the man's face. For some reason, it eased Gawain's worries about the man. "Were ye that worried about what I thought of ye?"
Hector chuckled nervously, clasping his arms around himself to warm up a little. "Aye. I woke up petrified that I had ruined me image before ye and the dancer. I couldn't just let it go, it kept eating at me. I did nae want ye to think ye’ve one more enemy within the castle. Like I said when ye arrived, I do nae see ye in such light, and I’m nae yer foe."
"I see." Gawain nodded in agreement." I appreciate yer thoughtfulness." It seemed the ale must have been the cause of his actions. Gawain had some of the ale himself later at night, and he had slept like a bairn. So perhaps Hector was telling the truth, perhaps he had been drunk.
"Aye, and, Sir Gawain. I do nae mean this as an insult, but a good number of the guards seem to be afraid of ye. I tried and failed to ease their fears. I do nae want to make ye feel worse that ye probably already do concerning yer presence in the clan but if ye could keep a low profile fer the time being."
"Low profile? Ye what me to make meself scarce?"
"Nae, I meant— oh goodness." Hector looked straight past Gawain, who turned around to be met with the sight of Davinia hauling two baskets of heavy vegetables. Both men instantly rushed toward her, but Gawain got to her first.
"Davinia, let me help." He reached out for one basket, but she evaded him. "They are too heavy fer ye. Let me help."
"Nae, Gawain. I can manage this." She turned to Hector with a smile. "Good morning, sir." Hector replied with a nod before he gave an excuse and took his leave. Gawain, however, was determined to help out.
"Give them to me, Davinia. I can carry them fer ye. If ye continue like this, ye will nae reach the kitchen until the moon is out in the sky." He teased earning a laugh from her as she eventually released a basket to him. "These are pretty heavy fer ye. Why are ye doing it? Don't ye’ve someone to do this fer ye?"
She hummed as they resumed walking toward the castle. “Aye, I do nae usually do this, but a few maids snuck some ale from the ones the Sutherland clan gifted us and the groundskeeper drank a pitcher or two. He got drunk and fell, spraining his ankle. I asked him to stay back fer the day."
"And ye decided to do the hard work. That is quite noble of ye."
"Nae, I’ve don't nothing worth praising." She set down the basket to catch her breath before Gawain scooped it up for her. He gave her a reassuring smile, and she let him be.
“If the servants are nae on time with their work, it’ll cause more than a few problems. Not to mention that we have guests." Gawain nodded in agreement, picking up both baskets to walk alongside Davinia again. The cold breeze blew against their backs, causing her to shiver slightly. Gawain slowed his steps until he was walking directly behind her. Her hair was loose, falling over her back, swaying side to side as she walked. He watched her raise a hand to brush her hair out of her face before he spoke.
"If only ye had a ribbon to tie it with."
"I do not want it to wear too soon."
"If it does, I'll buy you another one. I'll buy you all the ribbons ye want." She opened her mouth to speak when's droplet of water fell on Gawain's shoulder. He looked upwards just as the sky began shower down on them. Davinia tugged at the sleeve of his shirt, dragging him out of the rain under the extended roof of the castle where the water flowed past their feet. "Aye, aye. I knew it would rain once more. ‘Twas such a cold morning."
Davinia said nothing as she huddled close to his arm, which was soon draped around her as they both watched the other servants take cover from the rain, a few of them leaving their baskets behind. He could even spot Hector hurrying the maids from the entrance.
"Can I ask a question?" Davinia looked up at him. "Hector, what do ye think of him?"
Davinia looked toward the man in question who hadn't noticed them. "What do ye mean? I think he's a reasonable person to work with."
"Nae shifty?"
"Hector? Shifty? The worst I've ever seen him do was dip his finger in a cake batter." She giggled at the memory. “Why'd ye ask? Has he done something wrong?"
Gawain shook his head, watching as Hector helped up a maid who had almost fallen. "Nae. I was just curious."
"Are ye sure? If he has upset ye, I ken ye two can talk it out."
"Nae." Gawain squeezed his arm around her, pulling her closer to him. “‘Tis alright." He heard the clack of a window opening above them, and when he looked up, he was met with the sight of a pot sitting on the ledge. "What fool would balance a pot like that?"
"What?" Davinia looked upward just in time to catch the pot tilting over. Gawain immediately swung into action, pulling Davinia away from under the pot, which crashed in the exact spot they had been standing. He had her pressed against the wall, shielding her body with his as a few shards of the pot flew into the air. Davinia's grip on his shirt tightened as both tried to snap out of their daze. Gawain heard the clack of the window once more, looking up to find it shut.
"What was that?" He asked as Davinia slowly released him. He stepped back a few paces, letting himself get drenched by the rain as he inspected the window. "Davinia, where is this window?"
"The old store. No one uses it anymore, so we keep unused things there...like this pot." She crouched to take a piece of the broken pot. "No one has the key except for Hector and me."
"Where is yer key?" Gawain ducked away from the rain as Davinia patted her apron down to take out her bunch of keys from her pocket. Gawain waited as she scanned through her keys, his eyes went over to Hector, who was helping the last maid in before he left the entrance, and the guards shut the door behind him.
