When the pair had wandered into the inn the previous evening, Claudine had been too exhausted by that day to pay much mind to the shocked look her innkeeper had given her when she’d returned with the gladiator in tow. Maria, who was a plain looking middle aged woman with a severe bun in her hair, frumpy dark blue cotton dress which an worn apron tied around her waist completed her look, had settled down when he’d asked for a spare key to the room next to hers though. It did give him a good chuckle however.

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Squinting against the brightness, the warrior was wide awake as soon as the sun burst through the clouds and blazed through his small window. He was eager to leave the warmth of the bed in which he'd snoozed with a thin blanket covering half of his legs, his feet hung slightly over the carven, ornate wooden bed frame. Low rumbling noises filled the room, his belly was making itself known, which clearly needed filling.

 

In the next room, having had a deep sleep, the priestess awoke long after her gladiator did. Sunlight streamed through her half drawn curtains to rouse her from the dreams that were slowly fading. Prone to the cold, the little bard would always linger in bed, wrapped up in her thick woolen duvet, and this morning was no exception. Once she'd motivated herself to leave her cosy den, and dressed for the day, leaving her nightclothes strewn across a chair, Claudine left her room and tread lightly down the wooden stairs to the main room of the inn. Wafting through the door as soon as she opened it was the enticing scent of warm bread. Breakfast was on her mind, and she was wondering would EvilClown still be there. The first thing she saw was the back of a giant crimson haired man sat eating bread and ale.

 

With his long leg, he pushed the wooden chair in front of him out for the girl to sit on.

“Come and eat with me, I think we need to discuss something today don’t we?”

Still groggy from sleep Claudine replied “Do you mean..? What? Give me a moment, I’m still half asleep.”

He pressed on “We should go to the lovers glade. I, erm, also have been carrying something around recently as I had a feeling something like this would happen. Well hoped for, not a feeling. I’ll give it to you then.”

 

The two continued to break bread together until both were quite done. At that point, they looked at each other, and looked towards the door.

“Shall we travel to the woods now then, Evil?” he simply nodded in response.

 

Around midday when the sun was highest in the sky, and the air had lost some of its’ chill, they left the inn and travelled to the lovers glade together. Stepping into the glade, they heard some excited unintelligible chatter in high pitched voices. With her one free hand, reaching into her hip bag, Claudine set down the beothaic deums she had brewed as an offering for the fae who presided here. It was much warmer in the glade, as if by the magic that was in abundance in the air surrounding the couple. Or perhaps it’s just because fae lived here? Who knows.

 

After they stepped back from their offering, two small fae fluttered around the glade waving at the couple. EvilClown stepped forwards towards the fae.

Looking first at the fae that had appeared before them, then down at Claudine, he declared “We want to be joined together, to declare our love for each other, will you glade us?”

The fae nodded enthusiastically. Claudine then stepped forward, and a voice filled the glade

“Do you promise to love each other? To never sully our blessing and do no wrong to each other?”

More nods ensued, this time from EvilClown and Claudine. Lots of giggling noises from the bushes appeared, as well as magical love hearts filling the air around them.

“You are now sword to each in an oath of love. We wish you a lifetime of happiness!” the fae announced, then suddenly it was quite in the glade, all that was left was magical hearts, and the two lovers hand in hand.

 

They quietly declared their love for each other in Deoch 134, during Winter and their love was etched into their legends forever more.