Moment of truth (open to Gawain)

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline had left the forge after getting some sound advice from Dre. She made her way to the Gardens of the inn. She always felt a since of peace here. She sat on a bench off to the right near the roses. Maddie was watching a borboleta butterfly flying around.



Maddie put her finger out and let the butterfly land on her finger. She talked to the butterfly telepathicaly. Hey there little friend, would you mind delivering a message to a friend of mind? There is a furry looking fellow by the name of Gawain at the inn. Could you find him and tell him to come to the gardes for me. She gave the butterfly a mental image of Gawain, and sent him on his way

[Gawain]

Gawain was mostly hanging around in the room he shared with Airtia, grumbling and scratching his neck and chin. "Bloody beard is so much bloody flaming worse this time of month......gragh!" The last, of course, was a semi-snarl, but not to worry, it was the snarl of a domesticated werewolf. Anyway, he didn't notice the butterfly scooting into the window, but when it landed on his nose, he kind of did take notice. Twitching his nose, he crossed his eyes and peered at the little critter.

"Well, now, that sounds like an echo of Madeline.....waitaminnit, I really must be losing it. A butterfly?!" Take a few seconds, old guy, cool it. "Hmm...well, a butterfly can't talk, but the power that Maddie held could make it possible. She was practically an elemental since she fully embraced the teachings of the Goddess....anyway, he took off, headed down the stairs and into the garden wearing cutoff jean shorts, a t-shirt which read "If u c4n r34d this u r34lly n33d t0 g3t l41d".

Before long, he was walking through the garden, peering around and sniffing the air. Aha, there she is.....he picked up the trail of her scent, and followed it to her. "Heya, Maddie. How're things? Did you find anything in Avalon? Oh yeah, how's the old lady? Still old?" He snickered, remembering the last time he got lost on the way to Glastonbury. His thoughts also touched on another time in his life, years before, when he had been there for an entirely different reason. His face reddened, but maybe she wouldn't notice beneath the stubble....?

[Madeline Cauthon]

Maddie stood up and gave her dad, her real dad a warm hug. "Kind of. I took care of Jono. I know you wanted hiim buried in the family crypt, but I wanted to make sure he made it into the next life properly. I felt I owed him that much and I wanted to do this on my own. The Merlin was there, he sends his regards."

Maddie sat back down with that, and patted the bench for her sad to sit with her. "Dad how long have you known about Avalon?"

[Gawain]

Bloody hell.

He had walked right into that one, no doubt. Criminy, him and his mouth..."Well, The Merlin, bless his beard. Nice to know the old coot is still in his right mind, so to speak. Ever since that business with Uther and Morgaine's father, I've wondered....anyway." He sat down heavily, leaning forward and steepling his fingers in an almost meditative pose. "I have known of Avalon's shores since the Beltane rites years ago. Before you were born, kiddo." He chuckled slightly. "Of course, a LOT happened before you were born...married almost two months to the day I set foot in Rhydin, a 'father' mere months later, abandoned with a child close to a year later, then....well, it ended badly, that's all I'm saying. She was a being of great power, an unbound djinn, and our daughter...well, you could say she was blessed AND cursed. She went quite mad, attacked me, and died in the process. Accidental, the first time. She fell from a pretty good height....then the necromancer got her. You may not believe this, kid, but I was a general in an army that knew it's roots on a very, very distant shore. I led them in battle against the necromancer's fell armies, victorious under our banners of blood and tears...then, I saw her. She was the necromancer's trump card. My own flesh, perverted by his sick will to rule a world of the Dead." He sighed, rising and placing his back to her. "This isn't a rule, sweetie, but I had to kill her. Understand, she wasn't herself. She was fully under his control, so I let the caged beast loose. It's odd now that I almost enjoyed myself then. Now, I only feel dirty." Shaking himself, he turned, peering into her eyes. "Well, pointless though that was, now I shall give you a straight answer. I have known of Avalon for a long, long time, and I was the King Stag in the Beltane rites." A soft sigh escaped him then. "I never saw the woman who played the role of the goddess again. Light knows I looked, and when I failed, I took council from the Merlin and from Viviane, however silly that may seem. I shouldn't have been surprised at their refusal to help me. I mean, after all, they saw to it that brother and sister were bred to produce an heir, as sick as that is, and they were even stunned that it all went badly." He groaned, remembering the whole twisted era, and, for probably the ten thousandth time, wondered just how old he was. Something wasn't right, though, both in her scent and in her demeanor. "Why do you ask, Maddie? Moreover, what did they tell you?"

[Madeline Cauthon]

Maddie sat calmly listen to her father's story. He had an incredible life. She felt sympathy for all the hardships he had had. "I'm so sorry you had it so rough Dad."

She then took a heavy breath, and just let it out. " Well the reason I asked is because I wanted to know more about my father..my biological father. I'm the product of the Geat Marriage you took part in all those years ago."

Maddie waited to see Gawain's reaction.

[Gawain]

What a reaction it was.....Gawain blinked his lids several times, then closed them. In a quiet voice, he spoke. "The Merlin never told me anything. I asked who the woman was, and he said simply that I would never see her again. I even begged Viviane for information. She just smiled and said that she was the Goddess in human form, and that I should be honored to have been a part of the Great Marriage, then suggested I leave it at that." A mirthless chuckle followed. "How could I leave it at that? That old woman.......blood and ashes! She uses people as though they were her playthings!"

Calmness, Furball.

He took a moment before he turned to face her. When he did, he took a knee, and lifted his right hand to her. "I owe you a great deal, my daughter. The fact that I never knew you were truly my own flesh nonwithstanding, I have slighted you, and I wish to make amends." He would stay there, in that precise pose, until she spoke once more.

[Madeline Cauthon]

MAdlien eyes filled with thears she was grateful he didn't reject her. Dre had been happy. She wrapped her arms around him. It felt good to know he was happy.

"There is nothing you need to do to make amends Dad. I blame Viviane for most of this. I just hope your wife isn't too upset about this.However She never lets information like that out with out a reason. She said I had learned everything I could from the isle, but perhaps there were somethings from my father's side of the family. Do you have any idea what she meant by that?"

[Gawain]

Gawain sighed, stroking her hair as if she were a child. "Viviane didn't find out about my gift until after the Great Marriage, and was livid. She ordered me off of her Isle, but the Merlin told her to stop acting like a child. I've never seen a woman turn THAT red in my life, kiddo." He laughed, remembering the scene as if it had just happened. "The truth is, I am a werewolf, and truthfully, I have no idea how old I am. Much of my past is a blur, some of it completely obscured. The 'something' she referred to may be the fact that you could have inherited some of, if not all of, my gift. We'll work on that later though.......we need to go get blisteringly drunk. I'm buying, and yes, I'm saying you can drink too." He chuckled then, releasing her and ruffling her hair. "As if you needed my permission, Mrs. Cuervo."

[Madeline Cauthon]

"She laughed at her Dad. "Actually Dre calls me one of the Screwdriver sisters. Long story."

The though of Vivane mad did make her smile. "Well however old you are dad you look good for your age. As for your what talents I have reiceved from you I guess will find out in time. Right now All I want you to know is that I'm glad I'm your daughter. I love you Dad. "With that they stood up and hugged, and headed towards the bar.

(Thread closed)

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