Chapter Text
Once again Gwaine was fighting in a tavern. He was on his own against four huge men and he was drunk. Perhaps not the best circumstances for a fight but not the worse he had ever been in.
One of the men grabbed him by the neck and chucked him at the table. A well timed roll had him standing on his feet the other side without any injures. He smiled in laughter and flipped the table onto its side as his attackers tried to follow.
Two wooden thumps confirmed that he had taken them out as they dived for him. The final two opponents walked around the table in different directions penning him in. Unlike Gwaine they had drawn their swords and held them steady ready to attack.
They lunged at he same time as Gwaine dropped to the floor skidding forward to hit one of the men's ankle with the full force of his weight. A swift kick ensured the man was out before he turned to the final man.
Before either man could move three knights entered the tavern. Taking in the scene it was only moments before they were holding the two men back.
"Who attacked who?" Leom growled angrily but neither man answered. "Tell me," he snapped, glaring at Gwaine. The man dropped his head but stayed silent unwilling to talk.
"He did," Gwaine's opponent said quickly. If it wasn't for my friends he would have killed me. Gesturing around at the three unconscious men as if this supported the story.
"Liar," Gwaine hissed his voice calm but deadly. "They attacked me sir because they believed I was cheating them at dice."
Leon turned to him. Unlike the other man's words these rung with truth. "And were you?"
"No,sir. I was simply lucky." Gwaine replied his head still bowed. He may not of seen his opponent break free of the knight's grip but he heard him. As the man charged at Leon a knife in his hand Gwaine dived.
He brought the knight down seconds before he would have been killed by the knife. In a moment Gwaine was up an pulling Leon to his feet.
The second two knights approached warily and tried to subdue Leon's attacker. It took a while but soon the man was restrained. With a glare at Gwaine he spat at the Leon's feet. Leon took a step forward his fist raised in anger but Gwaine stepped in the way.
"Don't," he said. His voice may have been commanding but his eyes were pleading for Leon to listen. "He hates all those of noble birth don't give him the satisfaction of being right about you."
Leon lowered his fist eying the man before him warily. "And you? What do you think?"
"I think that those who follow the knights' code are honorable." Gwaine replied after a while contemplating the question.
"You would say that." Came a chuckle from behind him and Gwaine swung to look at the restrained man. His eyes challenging for more to be said. He may not visibly be ready to attack the man as Leon had been but his eyes had a very dangerous glint in them.
"Why?" Leon asked from behind him but he refused to turn back. So he didn't realize that the knight wasn't asking him.
A low chuckle escaped the man and Gwaine took a step closer and growled quietly, "don't speak."
Another laugh and the man explained. "His father was a knight." Gwaine tensed as the three knights turned their gaze on him. He shifted uncomfortably and waited for someone to speak not even bothering to try and deny it.
"You're a noble." Leon said the amazement that he would find such a man here obvious in his voice. "But why would you be here?"
"Did you not hear what he said. My father was a knight. When he died we received nothing and with no money coming in after my mother fell ill there was nothing we could do to keep the estate running. Eventually we sold and moved to a small cottage and then my mother died." His voice had been even until now but it was beginning to break. Looking Leon straight in the eye she continued, "Ever since I was twelve I've been living alone. Earning money by hiring my sword to those in need. It's been a while since I have been called a noble."
Leon looked away breaking his steady gaze. Something about the man unnerved him and he got the feeling that they had met before. "You will camp with up tonight." He said and the three knights left dragging their prisoner to the stocks where they locked him securely.
Gwaine stood there a moment before he followed. He was already breaking Uther's decree by crossing the Camelot border if the knights made him travel with them he was as good as dead.