Patrol on the outskirts of the Kingdom was typical for anyone sword to protect the city. As one of the city Guard, he had to share in the responsibility of keeping everyone in the city safe from potential danger.
As per usual with their minuscule numbers, Galahad was sent off on his own to patrol the bright clearings to the North of the Kingdom. It was rare that anyone (or anything) would come from the north seeing as it bordered the edge of a sheer dropoff. It seemed as though they were giving him the easy and unimportant task.
Through his walk in the quiet paths through the forested area the silence was broke by a cry for help. Galahad jumped in spite of the sudden noise, moments later just what she was saying became clear.
He calmly--quickly--followed the noise to a particular tree and looked up to the tops of it. A girl? "H-hello?" What to start with first. "Are you hurt?"
Maria turned her eyes down to see someone there. A silver hedgehog? She'd never seen him before in Nautilus... However, her mind immediately went to the thought of him being able to look up her skirt, especially as she was dangling from the tree branch in that type of angle where he would be able to. She shrieked and in a moment of panic went to use one of her hands to cover herself so he couldn't look up her skirt, however now she was sliding more.
"Ah! Oh my gosh, please hurry up and get me down!" She couldn't even bother right now with greeting him. "I'm not hurt so please hurry before I am!"
Given her first reaction was to reach to her skirt and try and cover herself, it didn't take long to put the dots together on what she was trying to do. "..." Galahad immediately looked off and held a hand up to his eyes for good measure. He could feel himself turn a slight shade of red.
It would be difficult getting her down if he couldn't look in her direction.
"Yes. Of course." He held a free hand out. The easiest way to go about granting her request was using his abilities to gently get her from the treetop. "Please hold still. I'm going to lower you down to the ground."
"Wh-What do you mean by that? And who are you? Oh never mind that! How are you going to get me down if you can't even look at me?!" She wasn't trying to be rude, but the poor girl was terrified and panicking at this point. She didn't want to die. However, she could feel her hand slipping and finally she loses her grip as she starts falling down with her schoolbag following and screaming about not wanting to die.
Galahad's turned as the sound of the snapping branch filled the air. He didn't have any time to consider his next move (or modesty for that matter) before he hurriedly held out both hands towards the girl and used his abilities to slow her descent to the ground. Having the ability to move objects, or people, could come in handy!
An aqua-colored glow surrounded him as well as the girl as he concentrated. Mere seconds later she would come to a light descent to the group as he sat her lightly in the grass. He let both his hands fall and turned away from her so that she could tidy her dress..if she chose to. "Are you all right?"
Maria was in awe at first of Galahad's abilities and when she stood up, she beamed brightly at him after dusting herself off then answered him. "I am! But oh gosh, that was amazing! How did you do that?! I've never seen anyone do that type of bending before!" Wait, this isn't Nautilus. She didn't recognize these woods anywhere in the city and that bright light coming from the book... Was she inside of it now?! Oh no, how would she get back to Nautilus now?! So now she went from being all excited to fretting with some embarrassment. "Oh... Umm... I'm sorry about that, I got a bit excited. Could you please tell me where am I and how do I get back to a city called Nautilus?"
The barrage of questions and adoration was.. something to take in and get used to.
But as she composed herself, as did he. Galahad looked at her and gave a light bow of his head. "I'd like to introduce myself first. My name is Galahad. I'm a guard from the nearby city of Camelot." He held out his hand in the direction of the city. As far outside the walls as they were, the Kingdom would be visible but not dominating the landscape. "Could I have your name before I assist you, My Lady?"
Maria blushed even more in embarrassment because oh jeez, she didn't even introduce herself to the guy who saved her life. She held out of her for him to shake with a bright smile. "Oh sorry, I should have introduced myself first huh? I'm Maria, it's nice to meet you Mister Galahad."
He looked hesitantly to her hand and then back at the girl. Ladies didn't shake hands with others, the only reason they would offer their hand like that was if they were expecting a gentleman to kiss it.
And he wasn't accustomed to being introduced to ladies very often.
"Call me Galahad, please. It's nice to meet you, Lady Maria." Though, as was custom and obligatory, her took her hand and leaned forward to give a light kiss. Galahad tried to not let it look like it was an awkward experience as he felt it was.
"You said that you were from a village called Nautilus?"
Maria was taken back by Galahad's kiss to her hand and her face turns a bright color of red with her starting to get flustered.
"It... I... Umm..." Oh no, she only ever got this way around her best friend Shadow. She felt awful for getting so easily flustered around around hedgehog! Nevertheless, she tries to shake off being flustered so she can answer him. "Ye-Yes! You wouldn't have happened to see any other hedgehogs like you around too, Galahad? A blue or a black one? Maybe a red echidna or an orange fox with two tails?"
He looked down in response to her reaction. Was that not the right thing to have done?
"There are many who reside in the Kingdom. It sounds like you may be describing several Knights of the realm." He nodded. "Sir Gawain is a Red Echidna, He's a Knight known for his insurmountable strength. Then there is the Black Hedgehog named Lancelot. He is the bravest and most courageous of all the Knights."
It would make sense if the Knights had met this girl on one of their many journeys to distant lands. Maybe they could help her further.
She really was in another world, wasn't she? Her friends were now part of the a story or maybe this was some weird dream of hers. She began feeling like Alice in Wonderland or Dorothy in Oz. "Can you take me to see them then?" The girl was about to figure out what kind of magic Nautilus was pulling this time.
He shook his head. "I apologize, but the Knights have been away from the city for some time now." Them and many of the guards had gone to calm trouble with mythical beasts in a neighboring Kingdom. It left their own Kingdom with very few soldiers, and thus he'd taken to paroling on his own.
Not something he should concern a stranger with, though.
"My father has assured me that they would be returning within a few fortnights. I can see to it that you have a place to stay within the city if you'd like to wait for their return."
She sighed before looking disappointed, especially since she didn't know how long she'd be in this world. Though her curiosity was getting at her too when he mentions his father. "I see, but that's okay... Though if I can ask, who is your father?"
"My Father's name is Sir Lancelot of the Lake. He's the leader of the Knights in the city." Even he called his father by a title, it had become so habitual by that time. "He's a black hedgehog with red eyes."
... What. WHAT?! She looks over Galahad quickly as if in complete shock. Shadow in this world had a son?! Did that mean he was married too?! Wait wait wait! If Shadow and Knuckles were in this world, a version of her had to be here too. Would she be human though? Or would she be an elf or another type of creature? What if she was an in fact a hedgehog or a different animal in this world? Ah the questions running in her mind was endless and it was clear by her expression she was thinking way too hard and almost in agony. Yet if she was a hedgehog or different animal, that would mean... They were married and had a baby. No way, it couldn't be true. It couldn't be. Her and Shadow had a baby and were husband and wife... It was too good to be true yet that had to be it. She suddenly looks excited and super cheerful instead of how she looked previously, she even was giggling happily with a faint color of pink on her face.
"Your father sounds like a really amazing and handsome man. I'm sure your mother is a very beautiful woman too."
It took some time for the girl to say anything else. Galahad had to stand politely--somewhat awkwardly--as her face changed expressions and turned a light shade of red. Eventually he just glanced off in fear that he'd begun to stare.
But his own expression turned solemn as she continued. "I.. never knew her." And he never dared ask. His father had to be rather young when they met considering the age difference between himself and his Father. "My Father never speaks about my Mother, but I like to imagine her as a kind and thoughtful person."
Oh. Oh no, did something happened between them in this world or... Oh. She knew too well what might have happened to her other self now in this world. She then turns to Galahad and kneels down to take one of his hands into hers. "Galahad, I'm sure your mother was as you think of her. Just trust me on that, okay? She probably loved your father very much with all of heart and he the same as her. But, I can also tell you he has his reasons for not speaking about her to you. I'm sure your father is hurting deep down, yet he doesn't want to upset you. So don't be too hard on him, all right?"
"..." It was probably obvious from his waning expression and tears that threated to fill his eyes that discussing the matter still was a sensitive subject. Galahad nodded and turned, taking his hand back and running it across his face in order to better compose himself.
"I'm sure he knows what's best." He answered in an even tone. "You seem to understand him well for someone who he has never met."
Could Maria tell him the truth? Part of her didn't want to, because she might sound insane. Yet, she had to try. "This might sound a little hard to believe, but your dad and Sir Gawain exist in my world as different people. Their names where I come from are Shadow and Knuckles. They're both even my good friends! Well to be more exact, your dad is my best friend who has been with me for a long time and cares about me deeply. I guess even in this world, it's the same with the me in this world and your dad."
It did sound..strange. Far-fetched. but much too polite to outright call tell her either of those things, he didn't say anything to the contrary. "If they're different people where you are from, then perhaps you'll want to judge them here as different people here." He could scarcely imagine. "Though, I hope that anyone here would be as much of a friend to you as you expect."
The girl smiled at Galahad and nodded. "I'd like to hope I can be friends with them here too. I'm sure both of them are very nice people." She wanted to be hopeful at the very least that Lancelot and Gawain were close in personalities to Shadow and Knuckles respectively. Though, she did want to say one other thing. "But hey Galahad, I just thought of something." She hadn't just thought of it, but she was pretending like she did. "If the me in this world and your dad were truly together, wouldn't that make me your mother?"
Though the gesture could be a seen as a.. nice one, it didn't receive a positive response. "..." To him 'friends' meant just that, so jumping from that to a Mother figure--one he'd never known--seemed very sudden. Especially when it was a subject he had such a hard time dealing with.
"Would you like me to take you to Camelot to find place to stay?" He said softly as he turned back to the city.
Maria tilts her head, but then she realizes oh. She said something bad, huh? Something that upset his feelings. Usually most people told her or make it clear, but Galahad didn't seem that type. Nevertheless, she nodded at him. "Of course and... I'm sorry, about what I said. I hope you can forgive me."
He didn't say anything more either way. Saying that she'd be forgiven would give the assumption that she had done something wrong in the first place. With her agreeing to follow him into the city, Galahad started to lead the way.
"Perhaps you could tell me more about my Father from.. your world." He looked ahead. "He keeps many things to himself."
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2016-04-07 12:50 am (UTC)As per usual with their minuscule numbers, Galahad was sent off on his own to patrol the bright clearings to the North of the Kingdom. It was rare that anyone (or anything) would come from the north seeing as it bordered the edge of a sheer dropoff. It seemed as though they were giving him the easy and unimportant task.
Through his walk in the quiet paths through the forested area the silence was broke by a cry for help. Galahad jumped in spite of the sudden noise, moments later just what she was saying became clear.
He calmly--quickly--followed the noise to a particular tree and looked up to the tops of it. A girl? "H-hello?" What to start with first. "Are you hurt?"
no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 12:59 am (UTC)"Ah! Oh my gosh, please hurry up and get me down!" She couldn't even bother right now with greeting him. "I'm not hurt so please hurry before I am!"
no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 01:28 am (UTC)It would be difficult getting her down if he couldn't look in her direction.
"Yes. Of course." He held a free hand out. The easiest way to go about granting her request was using his abilities to gently get her from the treetop. "Please hold still. I'm going to lower you down to the ground."
no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 01:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 01:56 am (UTC)An aqua-colored glow surrounded him as well as the girl as he concentrated. Mere seconds later she would come to a light descent to the group as he sat her lightly in the grass. He let both his hands fall and turned away from her so that she could tidy her dress..if she chose to. "Are you all right?"
no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 02:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 02:28 am (UTC)But as she composed herself, as did he. Galahad looked at her and gave a light bow of his head. "I'd like to introduce myself first. My name is Galahad. I'm a guard from the nearby city of Camelot." He held out his hand in the direction of the city. As far outside the walls as they were, the Kingdom would be visible but not dominating the landscape. "Could I have your name before I assist you, My Lady?"
no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 02:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 02:49 am (UTC)And he wasn't accustomed to being introduced to ladies very often.
"Call me Galahad, please. It's nice to meet you, Lady Maria." Though, as was custom and obligatory, her took her hand and leaned forward to give a light kiss. Galahad tried to not let it look like it was an awkward experience as he felt it was.
"You said that you were from a village called Nautilus?"
no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 02:55 am (UTC)"It... I... Umm..." Oh no, she only ever got this way around her best friend Shadow. She felt awful for getting so easily flustered around around hedgehog! Nevertheless, she tries to shake off being flustered so she can answer him. "Ye-Yes! You wouldn't have happened to see any other hedgehogs like you around too, Galahad? A blue or a black one? Maybe a red echidna or an orange fox with two tails?"
no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 03:12 am (UTC)"There are many who reside in the Kingdom. It sounds like you may be describing several Knights of the realm." He nodded. "Sir Gawain is a Red Echidna, He's a Knight known for his insurmountable strength. Then there is the Black Hedgehog named Lancelot. He is the bravest and most courageous of all the Knights."
It would make sense if the Knights had met this girl on one of their many journeys to distant lands. Maybe they could help her further.
no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 03:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 03:32 am (UTC)Not something he should concern a stranger with, though.
"My father has assured me that they would be returning within a few fortnights. I can see to it that you have a place to stay within the city if you'd like to wait for their return."
no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 12:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 10:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 10:34 pm (UTC)"Your father sounds like a really amazing and handsome man. I'm sure your mother is a very beautiful woman too."
no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 11:39 pm (UTC)But his own expression turned solemn as she continued. "I.. never knew her." And he never dared ask. His father had to be rather young when they met considering the age difference between himself and his Father. "My Father never speaks about my Mother, but I like to imagine her as a kind and thoughtful person."
no subject
Date: 2016-04-07 11:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-04-08 12:18 am (UTC)"I'm sure he knows what's best." He answered in an even tone. "You seem to understand him well for someone who he has never met."
no subject
Date: 2016-04-08 12:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-04-08 01:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-04-08 01:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-04-08 01:40 am (UTC)"Would you like me to take you to Camelot to find place to stay?" He said softly as he turned back to the city.
no subject
Date: 2016-04-08 01:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-04-08 02:11 am (UTC)"Perhaps you could tell me more about my Father from.. your world." He looked ahead. "He keeps many things to himself."
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