Talk to Galahad by the river

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Before we begin, please set your Mordred's appearance. Eyes: <<cycle "$eye">> <<option "green eyes" "green">> <<option "blue eyes" "blue">> <<option "gray eyes" "gray">> <<option "brown eyes" "brown">> <<option "hazel eyes" "hazel">> <<option "violet eyes" "violet">> <<option "black eyes" "black">> <<option "amber eyes" "amber">> <</cycle>> Hair color: <<cycle "$hair">> <<option "dark brown, deep and rich and almost black." "dark brown">> <<option "chestnut brown, dark and lush." "chestnut brown">> <<option "light brown like honey." "light brown">> <<option "lush, dark blond." "dark blonde">> <<option "icy blond, cool and lush." "icy blonde">> <<option "golden blond, warm and lush." "golden blonde">> <<option "auburn, deep red." "auburn">> <<option "copper red, fiery." "copper red">> <<option "pure black like the midnight sky." "black">> <</cycle>> Hair type: <<cycle "$hair_type">> <<option "straight" "straight">> <<option "wavy" "wavy">> <<option "curly" "curly">> <<option "coily with corkscrew coils" "coilycurls">> <<option "coily and cloudlike" "coily">> <</cycle>> Complexion: <<cycle "$complexion">> <<option "ivory" "ivory">> <<option "warm beige" "warm beige">> <<option "cool beige" "cool beige">> <<option "rosy" "rosy">> <<option "tawny" "tawny">> <<option "olive" "olive">> <<option "light brown" "light brown">> <<option "sepia brown" "sepia brown">> <<option "golden brown" "golden brown">> <<option "russet brown" "russet brown">> <<option "dark brown" "dark brown">> <<option "warm black" "warm black">> <<option "cool black" "cool black">> <<option "deep black" "deep black">> <</cycle>> Mordred's agab (at this point in the story, trans Mordred is not yet out): <<cycle "$gender">> <<option "male" "male">> <<option "female" "female">> <</cycle>> [[Next, some questions about your Mordred's personality and choices|SetMordred]]

<div class="titlelettersone" style='font-size: 100%;'>Llamagirl</div>

<<set $eye = "unknown">> <<set $hair = "unknown">> <<set $gender = "unknown">> <<set $magic = 50>> <<set $swordsmanship = 0>> <<set $persuasion = 50>> <<set $intimidation = 50>> <<set $deceit = 50>> <<set $independent = 50>> <<set $pendragon_magic = "1">> <<set $water_magic = 50>> <<set $honest = 50>> <<set $confident = 50>> <<set $impulsive = 50>> <<set $calm = 50>> <<set $kind = 50>> <<set $emotional = 50>> <<set $affable = 50>> <<set $complexion = "none">> <<set $age = "a few days old">> <<set $controlled_magic = 50>> <<set $hair_type = "no">> <<set $Gawain = 0>> <<set $gawain_friend to false>> <<set $water_study = "">> <<set $dragon_name = "">> <<set $dragon_he = "">> <<set $dragon_He = "">> <<set $dragon_him = "">> <<set $dragon_personality = "">> <<set $befriend to false>> <<set $crybaby to false>> <<set $chapt3_shyness = 0>> <<set $chapt3gallychoice1 to false>> <<set $chapt3gallychoice2 to false>> <<set $chapt3gallychoice3 to false>> <<set $chapt3convolance = 0>> <<set $chapt3gallymagic = 0>> <<set $met_callum to false>> <<set $water_gally to false>> <<set $gray_rock to false>> <<set $flush = 0>> <<set $fake_interest_gally to false>> <<set $defiant to false>>

<<link "Stats" "stats">><</link>> <<link "Credits">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Credits"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("credits").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>>

Name: Known as Mordred Leudonus of Lothia - but more often than not called Mordred Le Fay Age: You are 10 years old. //A description of your likeness// You have $eye eyes, much like your parents, $hair $hair_type hair alike your mother's, Morgana and $complexion complexion like your father's, Arthur. <<link "« Return to game" $return>><</link>>

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<div class="titlelettersone" style='font-size: 150%;'>The Bastard of Camelot</div>

<<silently>> <<if $gender == "male">> <<set $pgen to 0, $child to "boy">> <<else>> <<set $pgen to 1, $child to "girl">> <</if>> <</silently>> A few questions before we begin! Instead of going through each little choice that can increase or decrease Galahad's view of Mordred, define it here: <div class="choice">[[Galahad's cold facade is cracking; his starting to regard Mordred with puzzlement and troubled curiosity.|NextQuestion1][$Galahad to 21]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Galahad's cold facade is slowly, slowly cracking; he's regarding Mordred with wariness and confusion.|NextQuestion1][$Galahad to 16]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Galahad's cold and guarded around Mordred.|NextQuestion1][$Galahad to 10]]</div>

Galahad woke up early - earlier than Gawain, who was sound asleep in his nest of blankets and pillows - and sat quietly down by the window. Slept came reluctantly the night before, kept at distance by gnawing worry. He'd lingered in his parents quarters until his mother assured him that Lancelot would be fine, and gently urged him to get rest. With his father ill and conscribed to his bed, there were no duties to attend to, besides timely rousing Gawain, who often had problem doing so himself. The boy could sleep through a thunderstorm, and lounge in the bed till afternoon if he had his way. Galahad, on the other hand, doubted he could sleep more even if he wanted to, pressing troubles aside. His father had impressed upon him the necessity to start the day early, regardless of duties. //It's the kind of discipline a knight needs//, he told him, and Gahalad took it to heart. He never had the heart to apply the same rule to Gawain though, so he let him sleep longer, till it turned to a reasonable hour, taking into account the utterly unreasonable time it took him to get ready. So Galahad sat alone with his thoughts, listening to Gawain's soft, steady breathing and gazing out the window at the town bathed in feeble golden light. And there were many thoughts to sift through. A whirlwind of them. Gloomy, writhing concern for his father. And difficult, contradictory, uneasy thoughts that he'd rather be rid of. He shook his head - it did nothing to clear it - and looked at the clock. [[Time to wake Gawain.|WakeGawain]]

<<if $Galahad >= 20>> It was all less complicated before he met ?them. Red-hot shame/guilt blazed across his skin. How could he waver like this? The prophecy was clear. Then why weren't Mordred what he expected ?them to be? <<else>> <</if>> It was supposed to be simple. The propechy outlined it very plainly: Mordred was the undoing of Camelot. Mordred was a danger to them all. Yet why did meeting them complicate everything? They weren't quite...what Galahad had built up in his mind. He had an image, and try as he might, he struggled to superpose it over the real Mordred -a silhuette that eluded him, that tried to trick him. Yes, that's what Mordred was. A mirage, heatwaves in the summer, making the road ahead hazy and unclear. Trying to hide the uglyness that lay in the distance. Perhaps it made sense. Mordred was not yet fullfilled into what the prophecy foretold. Time had yet to shape them into it, but it would without fail. Now, they were just a child - younger than him, younger than Gawain even. A child taught to hate Camelot and Arthur and everyone else who Morgana saw as enemy. If allowed to bloom, they'd grow dangerous thorns - that's why Galahad had to try to nip it in the bud, as much as he could. Be on his guard. The fall would come, but if they were ready, they could build it all over again, it's what his father said. He shouldn't have to falter. He shouldn't have to fill that wrench in his heart, that doubt, that...sympathy. Sympathy for one that would try to destroy everything he loved, one day. Yet now, sitting next to Mordred, he could almost imagine they were ordinary children. Induling that fantasy was a mistake/dangerous. He couldn't allow them to slither that way under that skin - any vulnerability could be exploited, any weak spot leveraged later.

What pronouns does $dragon_name use? <div class="choice">[[She/her.|NextQuestion5][$dragon_he to "she", $dragon_him to "her", $dragon_She to "She"]]</div> <div class="choice">[[He/him.|NextQuestion5][$dragon_he to "he", $dragon_him to "him", $dragon_He to "He"]]</div>

Does Mordred practice the magic of the Lady of the Lake? <div class="choice">[[Yes. They're learning.|NextQuestion2.2][$water_study to "yes"]]</div> <div class="choice">[[A bit. They're learning certain things.|NextQuestion2.2][$water_study to "sometimes"]]</div> <div class="choice">[[No.|NextQuestion3][$water_study to "no"]]</div>

Your dragon friend's name is... <div class="choice">[[Malinda|DragonName][$dragon_name to "Malinda"]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Drake|DragonName][$dragon_name to "Drake"]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Bella|DragonName][$dragon_name to "Bella"]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Finneas|DragonName][$dragon_name to "Finneas"]]</div> <<textbox "$dragon_name" "" "DragonName">>

What's $dragon_name's personality like? <div class="choice">[[Playful.|NextQuestion6][$dragon_personality to "playful"]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Friendly.|NextQuestion6][$dragon_personality to "friendly"]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Bold.|NextQuestion6][$dragon_personality to "bold"]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Fiery.|NextQuestion6][$dragon_personality to "aggressive"]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Shy.|NextQuestion6][$dragon_personality to "shy"]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Fearful.|NextQuestion6][$dragon_personality to "fearful"]]</div>

Is Mordred stopping by the river to befriend or charm Galahad? <div class="choice">[[Befriend.|NextQuestion7][$befriend to true]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Charm.|NextQuestion7][$befriend to false]]</div>

He left Gawain to drowsily get ready while he slipped out the door, down the rousing hallways, muffled voices and movements trickling out from closed doors, headed for his parents' quarters. His father was visibly miserable still, but in better health than when Galahad saw him last night, heaving even after he'd upchuked everything in his stomach. The most unpleasant of his symptoms had alleviated, yet his fever did not give out, and brought along with it an entire suite of pains. The healers who milled about the chamber, checking on his health and administering medicine when necessary, assured him Sir Lancelot was recovering, slowly yet steadily. His father acknowledged his presence but spoke little, half-asleep and feverish. Galahad stopped instead to speak with his mother, who sat at the table, picking at breakfast, huddled close to Lady Camille whom she talked to in hushed tones. Elena offered a tender smile and stroked his hair. Camille filled a glass of tea for him and pushed a plate of sliced bread, browned to crisp golden and smathered with jam, before him. "What are your plans for today?" Elena asked, chin leant in palm. There were faint dark rings underneath her pale blue eyes. "Meet up with Callum." She nodded knowingly. "Alright. Afterwards the two of you will come with Camille and I to the fair?" Matters thus clinched, Galahad finished his breakfast and headed to the Alistairs, where Gawain was endeavoring to both stuff his face with food and fasten his jerkin. He accompanied Gawain down to the knights' pavilion, then continued on his way to the lodge. "There's a river in the woods," Callum said as they exited. In the distance, more and more people poured from the Castle, flowing in a colorful throng towards the arena. The knights were easy to pick out - their armor shone in the sun. "It isn't that far, especially if we fly," the dragon continued. He heaved a sigh. "I could really go for a flight. I scouted out the place yesterday, with Aria - I found a nice little strip of riverbank we could stay." They took off at a slow, languid pace, drifting easily through air. That was how Callum preferred flying, whenever not training; even then, Melker said he wasn't the fastest of dragons, but made up for it with his endurance and //spatial awareness//. They didn't head directly towards the spot Callum had found, meandering over the woods, relishing the cool air rushing against their skin. [[To the riverbank|ArriveRiver]]

Does Mordred cry easily and often? <div class="choice">[[Yes.|NextQuestion8][$crybaby to true]]</div> <div class="choice">[[No.|NextQuestion8][$crybaby to false]]</div>

Callum had been right. It truly was a nice little strip of riverbank, one of the more spacious he could glimpse from above. They settled comfortably by the rushing water, and talked for a while. Callum inquired after Lancelot, but they lingered little on such somber topics. They both wanted a respite from the tumult of the last days - especially Galahad. They turned the conversation on to the fair and feast, then the tournament. They'd been watching the trials from the sideline, taking note of everyone's technique and skill. The performance that most interested Galahad, however, was that of his own father. He knew it so well. He could tell the weight of his strikes, could see when the fatigue was starting to set in, could predict some of his next moves by the subtle tells he'd learned to look for. These were difficult to find even for him - Lancelot du Lac let little slip by. As he said, any vulnerability can be exploited on the battlefield. Galahad knew his moves and attacks and parries so well, he could reconstruct them perfectly in his mind's eye, yet not always so successfully in pratice. There were things he simply could not do - yet. He was determined to master it all, and then some more. As his father said, it wasn't enough to be the best - he needed to be //better//. "Saw those ice daggers father made?" Galahad asked. They were more than weapon, more than functional. They were a flashy display of his skill, a show of the control he exercised over his powers. To be able to shape such chiseled daggers out of ice, in the heat of the battle, at the flick of the wrist, was a great feat. "How perfect they looked." "Oh, they're very dramatic," Callum said, curled up on the grass. "And very pointy. Must be awful to be on the receiving end." Not for him with his scaled, armored skin, though. As Galahad stared into the clear water, foaming white and glimmering where it rushed over rocks and cascaded in small pools, an idea crystallized in his mind. "Let's give them a try." Callum raised his head, curious. Galahad's only reply was a small, playful smile, before he shifted closer to the river and fell into quick prayer. Callum now stood up on all fours, tail twitching with excitement. Galahad didn't just throw himself into attempting to recreate his father's daggers. Instead, he started with simple shapes; summoning round and jutted ice sculptures, like hailstorm, out of the river. It was play more than pratice. He raised the frozen shapes, and made them dance over the stream, around him and Callum like mishappen insects/birds. Callum tried to catch them with tail or snoot or talons before they melted back into liquid, chasing them up and down the bank, leaping about like a frog. They played like this for a while, each new wave of water he molded brought to a more refined shape, hewed to smoother forms. This came easy, provided the forms were of the simpler, plainer kind. Finally, Galahad worked his way to attempting the daggers. First, he fashioned them as rudimentary stakes; raised and dropped them a couple times. With each new try, he attempted finer detail. His brow creased in concentration, muscles tensed, and Callum, sensing the effort, settled down next to him, watching in anticipation. //This time,// Galahad thought, raising his arms, willing the water to follow. Wiggling his fingers, itching with magic, freezing, moulding, defining, giving it his all to build the image he held so clearly in his mind's eye. The water trembled, froze, shaped into stakes. Stakes he needed to further transform, to further hone... [[Stakes that turned into...|RiverWater]]

...into water, dripping back where they came from. A failure. His whole frame sagged, tension giving way to bitter disappointment. When his father did it, it came off so effortlessly - but in his hands, the magic felt so tremulous, so unyieldy, so slippery, as if he was struggling against more than he could handle. There was so much more he had yet to learn. So much self-control he lacked. Wordlessly, Callum pushed his snoot against his side, looking up with beseeching, big blue eyes and a small, tender smile. Galahad smiled back, faintly. There was no use moping and brooding about it, not now. Galahad raised him arms once again, but instead of attempting the damned daggers, he let water explode in a waterfall over them. Callum jumped in delighted surprise, opening his maw to catch the drops on his tongue. They both laughed, and the tension dispelled, evaporating like water in the sun. The telltale din of wings rumbled from behind them. Few dragons had passed over since they arrived, and all of them flew a distance away from their spot. Galahad turned. There was a dragon gliding over the treetops, about the same size and age as Callum. They weren't alone, either; someone sat atop their back. <<if $befriend is true>> [[Mordred.|RiverMordredArrivesFriend]] <<else>> [[Mordred.|RiverMordredArrivesCharm]] <</if>>

Mordred, watching him intently from atop the dragon. Mordred, the one he least wanted to see. And ?they was headed straight for him. They landed close by, sending a cool wave washing over them that ruffled Galahad's hair and pulled at his cloak. <<if $Galahad >= 20>> Whyever would Mordred approach him, when he'd made it entirely clear that he wanted nothing to do with ?them? Galahad was intent on keeping watch - from a safe, wary distance, for proximity to snakes posed a danger. Yet why did a part of him wish to inch closer, in the hopes he'd see more? Foolish, that part of him was. What was ?they hoping to achieve by coming here, other then confound Galahad? It was supposed to be simple. The prophecy outlined it very plainly: Mordred was the undoing of Camelot. Mordred was a danger to them all. Yet why did meeting ?them complicate everything? ?They wasn't quite...what Galahad had built up in his mind. He had an image, and try as he might, he struggled to superpose it over the Mordred he'd met - a silhuette that eluded him, that tried to trick him. Yes, that was what Mordred was doing - tricking him. Putting up an illusion, a mirage, heatwaves in the summer, making the path ahead hazy and unclear. Trying to hide the uglyness that lay in the distance. <<elseif $Galahad >= 15>> Whyever would Mordred approach him, when he'd made it entirely clear that he wanted nothing to do with ?them? Galahad was intent on keeping watch - from a safe, wary distance, for proximity to snakes posed a danger. If Mordred wanted to close that distance now, something was not right. But...Galahad couldn't deny there was a certain curiosity brewing in him - reluctant and apprehensive, a curiosity he shouldn't harbor, that he hated to even entertain. A curiosity that rankled more than intrigued him. Mordred wasn't quite what he'd built up in his head. The prophecy outlined it very plainly: ?they was the undoing of Camelot. ?They was a danger to them all. It was supposed to be //simple//. <<else>> Whyever would Mordred approach him, when he'd made it entirely clear that he wanted nothing to do with ?them? Galahad was intent on keeping watch - from a safe, wary distance, for proximity to snakes posed a danger. If Mordred wanted to close that distance now, something was not right. <</if>> Mordred spun around, revealing a surprisingly - and likely deceitfully - friendly facade. <div class="choice">[[They approached, growing shy yet still intent to try befriending Galahad.|FriendShy][$confident to $confident-5, $chapt3_shyness to 1]]</div> <div class="choice">[[They approached, confident and eager to befriend Galahad.|FriendShy][$confident to $confident+5, $chapt3_shyness to 2]]</div>

Mordred, watching him intently from atop the dragon. Mordred, the one he least wanted to see. And ?they was headed straight for him. They landed close by, sending a cool wave washing over them that ruffled Galahad's hair and pulled at his cloak. <<if $Galahad >= 20>> Whyever would Mordred approach him, when he'd made it entirely clear that he wanted nothing to do with ?them? Galahad was intent on keeping watch - from a safe, wary distance, for proximity to snakes posed a danger. Yet why did a part of him wish to inch closer, in the hopes he'd see more? Foolish, that part of him was. What was ?they hoping to achieve by coming here, other then confound Galahad? It was supposed to be simple. The prophecy outlined it very plainly: Mordred was the undoing of Camelot. Mordred was a danger to them all. Yet why did meeting ?them complicate everything? ?They wasn't quite...what Galahad had built up in his mind. He had an image, and try as he might, he struggled to superpose it over the Mordred he'd met - a silhuette that eluded him, that tried to trick him. Yes, that was what Mordred was doing - tricking him. Putting up an illusion, a mirage, heatwaves in the summer, making the path ahead hazy and unclear. Trying to hide the uglyness that lay in the distance. <<elseif $Galahad >= 15>> Whyever would Mordred approach him, when he'd made it entirely clear that he wanted nothing to do with ?them? Galahad was intent on keeping watch - from a safe, wary distance, for proximity to snakes posed a danger. If Mordred wanted to close that distance now, something was not right. But...Galahad couldn't deny there was a certain curiosity brewing in him - reluctant and apprehensive, a curiosity he shouldn't harbor, that he hated to even entertain, that rankled more than intrigued him. Mordred wasn't quite what he'd built up in his head. The prophecy outlined it very plainly: ?they was the undoing of Camelot. ?They was a danger to them all. It was supposed to be //simple//. <<else>> Whyever would Mordred approach him, when he'd made it entirely clear that he wanted nothing to do with ?them? Galahad was intent on keeping watch - from a safe, wary distance, for proximity to snakes posed a danger. If Mordred wanted to close that distance now, something was not right. <</if>> Mordred spun around, revealing a surprisingly - and likely deceitfully - friendly facade. <div class="choice">[[They approached, growing shy yet still intent to try charming Galahad.|CharmShy][$confident to $confident-5, $chapt3_shyness to 1]]</div> <div class="choice">[[They approached, arming themself with a friendly smile to charm Galahad.|CharmShy][$confident to $confident+5, $chapt3_shyness to 2]]</div>

<<if $chapt3_shyness == 1>> Mordred approached, wringing the hem of ?their cloak between nervous fingers. <<if $Galahad >= 15>> Their eyes met, and Galahad frowned. It did not deter Mordred. <<else>> Galahad's frown didn't deter ?them, as he hoped it would have. <</if>> <<else>> Mordred approached, step confident. <<if $Galahad >= 15>> Their eyes met, and Galahad frowned. It did not deter Mordred. <<else>> Galahad's frown didn't deter ?them, as he hoped it would have. <</if>> <</if>> Not only was ?they not deterred by Galahad's less than friendly reception, but ?they smiled. Smiled as if ?they was truly happy to find him there by the river, and brightly said: "Hello," like one friend to another. <<if $met_callum is true>> "What do you want?" Galahad demanded, at the same time that Callum replied, far more enthusiastically: "Hi!" He eyed his dragon friend critically; he'd warned him before about Mordred, and the danger of approaching ?them, but Callum could be just as gleefully oblivious as Gawain. He was only afraid their friendliness might end up hurting them. With Mordred, it was a guarantee that it would. <<else>> "What do you want?" Galahad demanded. <</if>> "I just really wish for us to make things right," Mordred said. "Perhaps, even become friends?" <<if $Galahad >= 20>> //Friends.// He echoed the word in his head - shaking it to see how hollow it rang, trying to make it make sense. "Friends?" he repeated, out loud this time. Morded nodded, noting nothing wrong with it. "We can't be friends," Galahad roundly said. "Why?" The simple question, posed so innocently, hit him over the head like a boulder. Why can't ?they be friends, ?they asked, as if there weren't a thousand reasons and warnings and omens that stood in the way. Why would Mordred wish for them to be friends in the first place, was what Galahad asked himself. He had clearly advertised himself as wanting nothing adjacent to friendship, so then why approach him like this? With a smile and proposal that seemed to ring so genuine - but it couldn't. Shouldn't. The only possible reason Mordred would want to get close to him, would be to manipulate him. He hated how flimsy a motive it grew the more he stared into that open, wholesome face. But for Mordred to manipulate and spy on him, ?they wouldn't even need to know ?they was doing it. Lady Morgana would find a way to use ?them, as his father always said. Conjuring no satisfactory answer to Mordred's question, he turned on his heel and marched off. Footsteps quickly followed. If this was an attempt to endear Mordred to him after what ?their mother dared to do his father, he would not let it work. "I know Morgana is responsible for father's sickness," Galahad gloomly said. Was this reason good enough for ?them, as to why they couldn't be friends? Mordred's face twisted. "Your father attacked Accolon, in a match that was supposed to be friendly." The words speared through Galahad. The bloody memory of the battle paraded before his eyes, in all its horrible glory, and he shook his head to dispel it. He wasn't proud of what his father had done, but he'd said it was meant to send a plain, loud message to Morgana. "I bet she put you up to this, too," Galahad grumbled. "Fool me into befriending you so you can use me." There was no use hiding behind their fingers. If Mordred would not spell it - would not see it - than he'd say it for ?them. <<if $crybaby is true>> Mordred's face scrunched up, as if ?they was about to cry, and struggling with every fiber of ?their being against it. A jolt of panic and remorse ran through Galahad. "I'm being genuine," Mordred insisted, voice thin with emotion. "I want to be friends, and I wish you could give me a chance." <<else>> Mordred pressed ?their lips together, a sliver of frustration slipping through. "I'm being genuine," ?they insisted. "I want to be friends, and I wish you could give me a chance." <</if>> <<if $met_callum is true>> Callum nudged Galahad's side, gently. "Not you too," he mumbled, staring into their big, entreating eyes. It was heard saying no to that face. He sliced his gaze back to Mordred. "I know Gawain likes you. But I don't trust you, and I don't think he should either." <</if>> <<elseif $Galahad >= 15>> //Friends.// He echoed the word in his head - shaking it to see how hollow it rang, trying to make it make sense. "Friends?" he repeated, out loud this time. Morded nodded, noting nothing wrong with it. "We can't be friends," Galahad roundly said. "Why?" The simple question, posed so innocently, hit him over the head like a boulder. Why can't ?they be friends, ?they asked, as if there weren't a thousand reasons and warnings and omens that stood in the way. "Because I don't trust you," Galahad said. He had clearly advertised himself as wanting nothing adjacent to friendship, so then why approach him like this? With a smile and proposal that seemed to ring genuine, but that Galahad couldn't trust. Shouldn't trust. The only possible reason Mordred would want to get close to him, it'd be to manipulate him. ?Their face looked sunny and wholesome, as though ?they truly meant the words. Maybe ?they did. It changed little. Whether Mordred was complicit to it or not, Lady Morgana would find a way to get to Galahad through ?them. <<if $crybaby is true>> Mordred's face scrunched up, as if ?they was about to cry, and struggling with every fiber of ?their being against it. A jolt of panic and remorse ran through Galahad. "I'm being genuine," Mordred insisted, voice thin with emotion. "I want to be friends, and I wish you could give me a chance." Galahad shook his head. His mind was made up, his shield raised. <<else>> Mordred pressed ?their lips together, a sliver of frustration slipping through. "I'm being genuine," ?they insisted. "I want to be friends, and I wish you could give me a chance." Galahad shook his head. His mind was made up, his shield raised. <</if>> <<if $met_callum is true>> Callum nudged Galahad's side, gently. "Not you too," he mumbled, staring into their big, entreating eyes. It was heard saying no to that face. He sliced his gaze back to Mordred. "I know Gawain likes you, and I don't like it." <</if>> <<else>> //Friends.// He echoed the word in his head - shaking it to see how hollow it rang. It sounded like a joke. "Friends?" he scoffed, repeating it out loud this time. "Yes!" Mordred insisted, undeterred. "I know you must have heard many bad things about me, but if you could just give me a chance-" "No," Galahad roundly cut ?them off. He leveled ?them with a cold look. There had to be some ulterior motive to this. There was no reason for which Mordred might seek friendship with Galahad, who had clearly advertised himself as wanting nothing adjacent to it. <<if $crybaby is true>> Mordred pressed ?their lips together, smile crumbling away, face scrunched up as if ?they was trying hard not to try. It sent a jolt of surprise and remorse coursing through Galahad. If this was an act, Mordred was a great actor. <<else>> Mordred pressed ?their lips together, a sliver of frustration slipping through. <</if>> <<if $Gawain >= 55>> Seeing as ?they faltered in ?their attempts, Galahad pushed on instead, "And I'm not fond of you going around trying to be Gawain's friend, either." He feared Gawain's gleeful obliviousness and kind nature would end up hurting him one day. Especially if he awarded that kindness to Mordred. <</if>> <</if>> [[Next|FriendDragon]]

<<if $Galahad >= 15>> Their eyes met, and Galahad frowned. It did not deter ?them. <<else>> Galahad's frown didn't deter ?them, as he hoped it would have. <</if>> Not only was ?they not deterred by Galahad's less than friendly reception, but ?they smiled and stepped forward. As if ?they was truly happy to find him here by the river. "We started things on such a bad note," ?they smoothly said. "Why don't we begin anew?" <<if $met_callum is true>> Callum seemed to agree with the sentiment. He gave Galahad a beeseching, sweet look. It was hard to say no to that face, but this was a serious, concerning matter. He turned to Mordred and stonily asked, "Why?" <<else>> "Why should we?" Galahad flatly asked. <</if>> "Well, why should we fight? Just because our parents have unresolved issues?" Mordred spoke nonchalantly, as if those //issues// didn't hold in the balance the fate of Camelot, its King, and everyone Galahad loved. "That's between them, not us. Is it because of the things you've heard about me? I don't think it's fair to judge someone just based off rumours." "You mean like your mother teaches you to hate Arthur based off her own word?" Galahad retorted. <<if $dragon_personality == "playful">> Mordred kept calm. Infuriatingly calm and friendly and knowing. "I understand. You're wary of me. You must be, after everything you must have heard about me. I just wish we could put it aside and mend things." "Yes!" ?their dragon friend eagerly jumped in. "Everything would be better if we all just got along." Callum nodded. He knew everything about the prophecy - yet he was so quick to agree now. <<if $Galahad >= 15>> It made Galahad dither too, and he couldn't allow that. "How can I believe any of the words you say? How can I know they're genuine and you're not a snake like your mother?" Indeed, how could he? He wished he could see through ?them, measure what was truth and what was lie - but did it even matter? Whether Mordred meant this proposal of peace was nothing, when the prophecy was clear. Yet a part of him still held a hard to stifle, begrudging curiosity. "I suppose you can't know," Mordred conceded. "Not without trying to see for yourself." Galahad scoffed. Of course. See for himself, as to give Mordred a chance to manipulate him. <<else>> "How can I believe any of the words you say? How can I know they're genuine and you're not a snake like your mother?" His father had warned him not to trust a word of Mordred or Lady Morgana, for the latter was known for her deceit and venom which she was sure to teach the former. "I suppose you can't know," Mordred conceded. "Not without trying to see for yourself." Galahad scoffed. Of course. See for himself, as to give Mordred a chance to manipulate him. <</if>> <<elseif $dragon_personality == "friendly">> Mordred kept calm. Infuriatingly calm and friendly and knowing. "I understand. You're wary of me. You must be, after everything you must have heard about me. I just wish we could put it aside and mend things." "Yes!" ?their dragon friend eagerly jumped in. "Everything would be better if we all just got along." Callum nodded. He knew everything about the prophecy - yet he was so quick to agree now. <<if $Galahad >= 15>> It made Galahad dither too, and he couldn't allow that. "How can I believe any of the words you say? How can I know they're genuine and you're not a snake like your mother?" Indeed, how could he? He wished he could see through ?them, measure what was truth and what was lie - but did it even matter? Whether Mordred meant this proposal of peace was nothing, when the prophecy was clear. Yet a part of him still held a hard to stifle, begrudging curiosity. "I suppose you can't know," Mordred conceded. "Not without trying to see for yourself." Galahad scoffed. Of course. See for himself, as to give Mordred a chance to manipulate him. <<else>> "How can I believe any of the words you say? How can I know they're genuine and you're not a snake like your mother?" His father had warned him not to trust a word of Mordred or Lady Morgana, for the latter was known for her deceit and venom which she was sure to teach the former. "I suppose you can't know," Mordred conceded. "Not without trying to see for yourself." Galahad scoffed. Of course. See for himself, as to give Mordred a chance to manipulate him. <</if>> <<elseif $dragon_personality == "bold">> "Hey," ?their dragon friend rounded on Galahad, "listen here, you knucklehead, Mordred here is trying to be nice, though I don't know why-" Mordred halted them, placing a hand on their side, "It's fine, $dragon_name. Galahad is right to be wary of me, after all the things he must have heard of me. I just wish we could put it aside and mend things." Acting so infuriatingly calm and friendly and understanding. <<if $Galahad >= 15>> It made Galahad dither, and he couldn't allow that. "How can I believe any of the words you say? How can I know they're genuine and you're not a snake like your mother?" Indeed, how could he? He wished he could see through ?them, measure what was truth and what was lie - but did it even matter? Whether Mordred meant this proposal of peace was nothing, when the prophecy was clear. Yet a part of him still held a hard to stifle, begrudging curiosity. "I suppose you can't know," Mordred conceded. "Not without trying to see for yourself." Galahad scoffed. Of course. See for himself, as to give Mordred a chance to manipulate him. <<else>> "How can I believe any of the words you say? How can I know they're genuine and you're not a snake like your mother?" His father had warned him not to trust a word of Mordred or Lady Morgana, for the latter was known for her deceit and venom which she was sure to teach the former. "I suppose you can't know," Mordred conceded. "Not without trying to see for yourself." Galahad scoffed. Of course. See for himself, as to give Mordred a chance to manipulate him. <</if>> <<elseif $dragon_personality == "aggressive">> "Hey," ?their dragon friend rounded on Galahad, "listen here, you knucklehead, Mordred here is trying to be nice, though I don't know why-" Mordred halted them, placing a hand on their side, "It's fine, $dragon_name. Galahad is right to be wary of me, after all the things he must have heard of me. I just wish we could put it aside and mend things." Acting so infuriatingly calm and friendly and understanding. <<if $Galahad >= 15>> It made Galahad dither, and he couldn't allow that. "How can I believe any of the words you say? How can I know they're genuine and you're not a snake like your mother?" Indeed, how could he? He wished he could see through ?them, measure what was truth and what was lie - but did it even matter? Whether Mordred meant this proposal of peace was nothing, when the prophecy was clear. Yet a part of him still held a hard to stifle, begrudging curiosity. "I suppose you can't know," Mordred conceded. "Not without trying to see for yourself." Galahad scoffed. Of course. See for himself, as to give Mordred a chance to manipulate him. <<else>> "How can I believe any of the words you say? How can I know they're genuine and you're not a snake like your mother?" His father had warned him not to trust a word of Mordred or Lady Morgana, for the latter was known for her deceit and venom which she was sure to teach the former. "I suppose you can't know," Mordred conceded. "Not without trying to see for yourself." Galahad scoffed. Of course. See for himself, as to give Mordred a chance to manipulate him. <</if>> <<elseif $dragon_personality == "shy">> Mordred kept calm. Infuriatingly calm and friendly and knowing. "I understand. You're wary of me. You must be, after everything you must have heard about me. I just wish we could put it aside and mend things." <<if $Galahad >= 15>> It made Galahad dither, and he couldn't allow that. "How can I believe any of the words you say? How can I know they're genuine and you're not a snake like your mother?" Indeed, how could he? He wished he could see through ?them, measure what was truth and what was lie - but did it even matter? Whether Mordred meant this proposal of peace was nothing, when the prophecy was clear. Yet a part of him still held a hard to stifle, begrudging curiosity. "I suppose you can't know," Mordred conceded. "Not without trying to see for yourself." Galahad scoffed. Of course. See for himself, as to give Mordred a chance to manipulate him. <<else>> "How can I believe any of the words you say? How can I know they're genuine and you're not a snake like your mother?" His father had warned him not to trust a word of Mordred or Lady Morgana, for the latter was known for her deceit and venom which she was sure to teach the former. "I suppose you can't know," Mordred conceded. "Not without trying to see for yourself." Galahad scoffed. Of course. See for himself, as to give Mordred a chance to manipulate him. <</if>> <<elseif $dragon_personality == "fearful">> Mordred kept calm. Infuriatingly calm and friendly and knowing. "I understand. You're wary of me. You must be, after everything you must have heard about me. I just wish we could put it aside and mend things." <<if $Galahad >= 15>> It made Galahad dither, and he couldn't allow that. "How can I believe any of the words you say? How can I know they're genuine and you're not a snake like your mother?" Indeed, how could he? He wished he could see through ?them, measure what was truth and what was lie - but did it even matter? Whether Mordred meant this proposal of peace was nothing, when the prophecy was clear. Yet a part of him still held a hard to stifle, begrudging curiosity. "I suppose you can't know," Mordred conceded. "Not without trying to see for yourself." Galahad scoffed. Of course. See for himself, as to give Mordred a chance to manipulate him. <<else>> "How can I believe any of the words you say? How can I know they're genuine and you're not a snake like your mother?" His father had warned him not to trust a word of Mordred or Lady Morgana, for the latter was known for her deceit and venom which she was sure to teach the former. "I suppose you can't know," Mordred conceded. "Not without trying to see for yourself." Galahad scoffed. Of course. See for himself, as to give Mordred a chance to manipulate him. <</if>> <</if>> <<if $gawain_friend is true>> And Gawain, with his gleeful obliviousness and optimism, could walk right into this trap. "Is this what you're doing with Gawain, too?" Galahad coldly demanded. "Mending things?" "Well, that, and being friends." "Gawain doesn't need friends like you. And I don't, either." <<if $Galahad >= 15>> He spoke firmly, leaving space for no argument to be brooked. He couldn't help but wonder what ?their angle was, though. ?They seemed genuine enough, and ?their amiability may have more easily plied someone else. Even so, Galahad found his gaze and thoughts lingering on Mordred as something conflicted stirred within him. He needed to nip those feelings in the bud. He turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> He spoke firmly, leaving space for no argument to be brooked. <</if>> <<else>> <<if $Galahad >= 15>> "I don't need to," he said. "I already know." He spoke firmly, leaving space for no argument to be brooked. He couldn't help but wonder what ?their angle was, though. ?They seemed genuine enough, and ?their amiability may have more easily plied someone else. Even so, Galahad found his gaze and thoughts lingering on Mordred as something conflicted stirred within him. He needed to nip those feelings in the bud. He turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> "I don't need to," he said. "I already know." He spoke firmly, leaving space for no argument to be brooked. <</if>> <</if>> Callum shortly joined him by the river, curling up against him with an air of sadness. <div class="choice">[[Mordred sat down next to him. Tried to make conversation.|GalahadCharm2][$Galahad to $Galahad+2, $Galahad_friend to $Galahad_friend+2, $gally_river to "charm_good"]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Mordred left. Went down by the river.|GalahadCharmOver][$Galahad to $Galahad-4]]</div>

Did Mordred sneak away from the feast with Gawain and met Callum (Galahad's dragon companion) in the lodge? <div class="choice">[[Yes.|NextQuestion9][$met_callum to true]]</div> <div class="choice">[[No.|NextQuestion9][$met_callum to false]]</div>

<<if $dragon_personality == "playful">> Mordred's friend jumped between them, scolding him in the dragon tongue, "That's not very nice of you! Mordred doesn't have a lot of friends, and really doesn't need another bully." As the initial shock of the outburst passed, Galahad let the words sink in, standing still as a statue as he stared into the dragon's eyes. It wasn't that big of a surprise to hear Mordred had little friends - the wide public may not know of the prophecy, but Morgana's hatred of Camelot and Arthur was no secret, and it rendered all wisely cautious. Whatever the case, ?they definitely had a loyal friend in ?their dragon partner. He might have lingered more on this if the second part of their speech didn't crush down on him. Is that what ?they thought he was? A bully? //Another// bully. That did not escape him, either. It all stirred a strange tumult within him. He pushed it down, tried his best to drown it out. Betraying nothing, he turned back to Mordred. <<if $met_callum is true>> <<if $Galahad >= 15>> "Fine," he said. If Mordred was in need of friends, Gawain was happy to oblige. And he was ready to protect him. "Be Gawain's friend, but I'll keep an eye on you. And I won't be your friend." He couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgement, as they were trying to do now. He needed to nip those conflicting feelings in the bud. The longer he looked on at Mordred, the more complicated they grew. So he turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> "Fine," he said. If Mordred was in need of friends, ?they might as well seek out Gawain. Galahad was ready to protect him, anyway. "Be Gawain's friend, but I'll keep an eye on you. And I won't be your friend." He considered the matter settled, and so turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <</if>> <<else>> <<if $Galahad >= 15>> "I won't be your friend," Galahad definitively said, leaving no argument to be brooked. He couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgement, as they were trying to do now. He needed to nip those conflicting feelings in the bud. The longer he looked on at Mordred, the more complicated they grew. So he turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> "I won't be your friend," Galahad definitively said, leaving no argument to be brooked. The matter settled, and so turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <</if>> <</if>> <<elseif $dragon_personality == "friendly">> Mordred's friend jumped between them, scolding him in the dragon tongue, "That's not very nice of you! Mordred doesn't have a lot of friends, and really doesn't need another bully." As the initial shock of the outburst passed, Galahad let the words sink in, standing still as a statue as he stared into the dragon's eyes. It wasn't that big of a surprise to hear Mordred had little friends - the wide public may not know of the prophecy, but Morgana's hatred of Camelot and Arthur was no secret, and it rendered all wisely cautious. Whatever the case, ?they definitely had a loyal friend in ?their dragon partner. He might have lingered more on this if the second part of their speech didn't crush down on him. Is that what ?they thought he was? A bully? //Another// bully. That did not escape him, either. It all stirred a strange tumult within him. He pushed it down, tried his best to drown it out. Betraying nothing, he turned back to Mordred. <<if $met_callum is true>> <<if $Galahad >= 15>> "Fine," he said. If Mordred was in need on friends, Gawain was happy to oblige. And he was ready to protect him. "Be Gawain's friend, but I'll keep an eye on you. And I won't be your friend." He couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgement, as they were trying to do now. He needed to nip those conflicting feelings in the bud. The longer he looked on at Mordred, the more complicated they grew. So he turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> "Fine," he said. If Mordred was in need of friends, ?they might as well seek out Gawain. Galahad was ready to protect him, anyway. "Be Gawain's friend, but I'll keep an eye on you. And I won't be your friend." He considered the matter settled, and so turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <</if>> <<else>> <<if $Galahad >= 15>> "I won't be your friend," Galahad definitively said, leaving no argument to be brooked. He couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgement, as they were trying to do now. He needed to nip those conflicting feelings in the bud. The longer he looked on at Mordred, the more complicated they grew. So he turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> "I won't be your friend," Galahad definitively said, leaving no argument to be brooked. The matter settled, and so turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <</if>> <</if>> <<elseif $dragon_personality == "bold">> Mordred's friend jumped between them, rounding on him in the dragon tongue, "Listen here, you bully! Mordred wants to befriend you, though I don't think you deserve ?them as your friend. Especially after the way you treated ?them. Apologize right now, and either give ?them a chance or leave ?them alone." As the initial shock of the outburst passed, Galahad let the words sink in, standing still as a statue as he stared into the dragon's eyes. Whatever the case, ?they definitely had a loyal friend in ?their dragon partner. He might have lingered more on this if the first part of their speech didn't crush down on him. Is that what they thought he was? A bully, harassing Mordred? All he did was protect those he cared about, yet the words stirred a strange tumult within him. He pushed it down, tried his best to drown it out. Betraying nothing, he turned back to Mordred. <<if $met_callum is true>> <<if $Galahad >= 15>> "Fine," he said. If Mordred was in need of friends, Gawain was happy to oblige. And he was ready to protect him. "Be Gawain's friend, but I'll keep an eye on you. And I won't be your friend." He couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgement, as they were trying to do now. He needed to nip those conflicting feelings in the bud. The longer he looked on at Mordred, the more complicated they grew. So he turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> "Fine," he said. If Mordred was in need of friends, ?they might as well seek out Gawain. Galahad was ready to protect him, anyway. "Be Gawain's friend, but I'll keep an eye on you. And I won't be your friend." He considered the matter settled, and so turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <</if>> <<else>> <<if $Galahad >= 15>> "I won't be your friend," Galahad definitively said, leaving no argument to be brooked. He couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgement, as they were trying to do now. He needed to nip those conflicting feelings in the bud. The longer he looked on at Mordred, the more complicated they grew. So he turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> "I won't be your friend," Galahad definitively said, leaving no argument to be brooked. The matter settled, and so turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <</if>> <</if>> The dragon shouted after him, with no response from Galahad; he could hear them speak to Mordred, making little effort to modulate $dragon_his voice to a lower tone. "The bully didn't apologize." It was followed by a deluge of expletives that would have awed him, were they not aimed at him. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "shy">> Mordred's friend jumped between them, pleading with him in the dragon tongue, "Please don't be mean to Mordred, ?they just want to make friends. ?They doesn't have a lot of friends, though ?they does have bullies like you..." As the initial shock of the outburst passed, Galahad let the words sink in, standing still as a statue as he stared into the dragon's eyes. It wasn't that big of a surprise to hear Mordred had little friends - the wide public may not know of the prophecy, but Morgana's hatred of Camelot and Arthur was no secret, and it rendered all wisely cautious. Whatever the case, ?they definitely had a loyal friend in ?their dragon partner. He might have lingered more on this if the second part of their speech didn't crush down on him. Is that what ?they thought he was? A bully? //Another// bully. That did not escape him, either. It all stirred a strange tumult within him. He pushed it down, tried his best to drown it out. Betraying nothing, he turned back to Mordred. <<if $met_callum is true>> <<if $Galahad >= 15>> "Fine," he said. If Mordred was in need on friends, Gawain was happy to oblige. And he was ready to protect him. "Be Gawain's friend, but I'll keep an eye on you. And I won't be your friend." He couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgement, as they were trying to do now. He needed to nip those conflicting feelings in the bud. The longer he looked on at Mordred, the more complicated they grew. So he turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> "Fine," he said. If Mordred was in need of friends, ?they might as well seek out Gawain. Galahad was ready to protect him, anyway. "Be Gawain's friend, but I'll keep an eye on you. And I won't be your friend." He considered the matter settled, and so turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <</if>> <<else>> <<if $Galahad >= 15>> "I won't be your friend," Galahad definitively said, leaving no argument to be brooked. He couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgement, as they were trying to do now. He needed to nip those conflicting feelings in the bud. The longer he looked on at Mordred, the more complicated they grew. So he turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> "I won't be your friend," Galahad definitively said, leaving no argument to be brooked. The matter settled, and so turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <</if>> <</if>> <<elseif $dragon_personality == "fearful">> Mordred's friend jumped between them, pleading with him in the dragon tongue, "Please don't be mean to Mordred, ?they just want to make friends. ?They doesn't have a lot of friends, though ?they does have bullies like you..." As the initial shock of the outburst passed, Galahad let the words sink in, standing still as a statue as he stared into the dragon's eyes. It wasn't that big of a surprise to hear Mordred had little friends - the wide public may not know of the prophecy, but Morgana's hatred of Camelot and Arthur was no secret, and it rendered all wisely cautious. Whatever the case, ?they definitely had a loyal friend in ?their dragon partner. He might have lingered more on this if the second part of their speech didn't crush down on him. Is that what ?they thought he was? A bully? //Another// bully. That did not escape him, either. It all stirred a strange tumult within him. He pushed it down, tried his best to drown it out. Betraying nothing, he turned back to Mordred. <<if $met_callum is true>> <<if $Galahad >= 15>> "Fine," he said. If Mordred was in need on friends, Gawain was happy to oblige. And he was ready to protect him. "Be Gawain's friend, but I'll keep an eye on you. And I won't be your friend." He couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgement, as they were trying to do now. He needed to nip those conflicting feelings in the bud. The longer he looked on at Mordred, the more complicated they grew. So he turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> "Fine," he said. If Mordred was in need of friends, ?they might as well seek out Gawain. Galahad was ready to protect him, anyway. "Be Gawain's friend, but I'll keep an eye on you. And I won't be your friend." He considered the matter settled, and so turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <</if>> <<else>> <<if $Galahad >= 15>> "I won't be your friend," Galahad definitively said, leaving no argument to be brooked. He couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgement, as they were trying to do now. He needed to nip those conflicting feelings in the bud. The longer he looked on at Mordred, the more complicated they grew. So he turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> "I won't be your friend," Galahad definitively said, leaving no argument to be brooked. The matter settled, and so turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <</if>> <</if>> <<elseif $dragon_personality == "aggressive">> Mordred's friend jumped between them, rounding on him in the dragon tongue, "Listen here, you bully! Mordred wants to befriend you, though I don't think you deserve ?them as your friend. Especially after the way you treated ?them. Apologize right now, and either give ?them a chance or leave ?them alone." As the initial shock of the outburst passed, Galahad let the words sink in, standing still as a statue as he stared into the dragon's eyes. Whatever the case, ?they definitely had a loyal friend in ?their dragon partner. He might have lingered more on this if the first part of their speech didn't crush down on him. Is that what they thought he was? A bully, harassing Mordred? All he did was protect those he cared about, yet the words stirred a strange tumult within him. He pushed it down, tried his best to drown it out. Betraying nothing, he turned back to Mordred. <<if $met_callum is true>> <<if $Galahad >= 15>> "Fine," he said. If Mordred was in need on friends, Gawain was happy to oblige. And he was ready to protect him. "Be Gawain's friend, but I'll keep an eye on you. And I won't be your friend." He couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgement, as they were trying to do now. He needed to nip those conflicting feelings in the bud. The longer he looked on at Mordred, the more complicated they grew. So he turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> "Fine," he said. If Mordred was in need of friends, ?they might as well seek out Gawain. Galahad was ready to protect him, anyway. "Be Gawain's friend, but I'll keep an eye on you. And I won't be your friend." He considered the matter settled, and so turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <</if>> <<else>> <<if $Galahad >= 15>> "I won't be your friend," Galahad definitively said, leaving no argument to be brooked. He couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgement, as they were trying to do now. He needed to nip those conflicting feelings in the bud. The longer he looked on at Mordred, the more complicated they grew. So he turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <<else>> "I won't be your friend," Galahad definitively said, leaving no argument to be brooked. The matter settled, and so turned around and walked away, sitting down by the river. <</if>> <</if>> The dragon shouted after him, puffing out a huff of hot breath over his head that blazed against his nape, red and angry. Yet he neither turned nor flinched, continuing on as he heared them speak to Mordred, making little effort to modulate $dragon_his voice to a lower tone. "The bully didn't apologize." It was followed by a deluge of expletives that would have awed him, were they not aimed at him. <</if>> Callum shortly joined him by the river, curling up against him with an air of sadness. <div class="choice">[[Mordred sat down next to him and tried to make conversation.|GalahadFriend2][$Galahad to $Galahad+2, $Galahad_friend to $Galahad_friend+2, $gally_river to "friend_good"]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Mordred left.|GalahadFriendOver][$Galahad to $Galahad-4]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Mordred left. Before they did, they said, "I really hoped you could have looked past the rumours and tried to give me a chance."|GalahadFriendOver1][$Galahad to $Galahad+1]]</div>

Mordred did not leave, as he expected. Instead ?they followed, and sat down next to him by the river. Had it not bemused Galahad in such a vexing manner, he could almost commend ?their stubbornness. He looked at ?them askance. "What are you doing?" Mordred smiled, infuriatingly friendly. "We don't need to be friends to make conversation." <<if $Galahad >= 15>> Fine. If ?they was so set on talking to him, ?they might as well stay. Something good may yet come of this. Perhaps it was the perfect occasion for Galahad to untangle that messy knot of thoughts and emotions that he'd been struggling to unravel the more he saw of Mordred. He could gain useful insight into ?their character. If nothing else, it may finally convince Mordred to leave him alone. <<else>> Fine. If ?they was so set on talking to him, ?they might as well stay. Something good may yet come of this. He could gain useful insight into ?their character. If nothing else, it may finally convince Mordred to leave him alone. <</if>> He would not be the first to speak, though. <<include FriendConvo>>

Mordred did not follow. The flutter of wings filled his ears and blew a cool gale over him, then Callum and he were again alone. Once the commotion faded into the distance, Callum angled his face towards Galahad, in that manner that betrayed something was weighing down on his mind, and tentatively said: "You know, Gally, perhaps you're being too...harsh on Mordred." Galahad set his jaw. "The prophecy is clear." "I, I know, but-" "It's too dangerous to get close. We must keep an eye on ?them from a distance." "Yeah..." "If we're careful enough, we may yet lessen the fallout." Callum grimaced. "I know," he said. "But maybe there's other ways to do it. Less...antagonistic ways." The dragon heaved a sigh. "I just feel so bad for Mordred. ?They seemed so nice - and to have that prophecy on ?their head...it's not kind." He couldn't deny that the prophecy was of a very tragic nature. That was why he couldn't afford that same unfettered friendliness as Gawain - who was clueless to there being any prophecy at all - or the same cautious optimism as Callum. One way or another, Mordred would fulfill it. One way or another, ?they'd grow into being one who could destroy Camelot. And it was up to him to protect it from Mordred. [[The End|End]]

Mordred did not follow. There was silence, dragging on longer and heavier, until ?they called out: "I had hoped you could look past the rumours and give me a chance. To see that I'm not what they make me out to be." The words did nothing to ease the tangled knot of Galahad's thoughts. The flutter of wings filled his ears and blew a cool gale over him, then Callum and he were again alone. Once the commotion faded into the distance, Callum angled his face towards Galahad, in that manner that betrayed something was weighing down on his mind, and tentatively said: "You know, Gally, Mordred's right. Hanging out with the other Lothian dragons, I've heard all sorts of stuff...Not all well founded." Galahad set his jaw. "The prophecy is clear." "I, I know, but-" "It's too dangerous to get close. We must keep an eye on ?them from a distance." "Yeah..." "If we're careful enough, we may yet lessen the fallout." Callum grimaced. "I know," he said. "But maybe there's other ways to do it. Less...antagonistic ways." The dragon heaved a sigh. "I just feel so bad for Mordred. ?They seemed so nice - and to have that prophecy on ?their head...it's not kind." He couldn't deny that the prophecy was of a very tragic nature. That's why he couldn't afford that same unfettered friendliness as Gawain - who was clueless to there being any prophecy at all - or the same cautious optimism as Callum. One way or another, Mordred would fulfill it. One way or another, ?they'd grow into being one who could destroy Camelot. And it was up to him to protect it from Mordred. [[The End|End]]

<<if $chapt3gallychoice1 is false>><div class="choice">[["Were you practising water magic?" Mordred asked.|GallyFriendConvo1][$chapt3gallychoice1 to true]]</div><</if>> <<if $chapt3gallychoice2 is false and $met_callum is false>><div class="choice">[["Your dragon friend seems nice," Mordred remarked.|GallyFriendConvo2][$chapt3gallychoice2 to true]]</div> <</if>> <<if $chapt3gallychoice2 is false>><div class="choice">[["Callum seems very nice," Mordred remarked.|GallyFriendConvo2][$chapt3gallychoice2 to true]]</div> <</if>> <<if $chapt3gallychoice3 is false>><div class="choice">[["Why are you here and not at the tournament? Or with Gawain?" Mordred inquired.|GallyFriendConvo3][$chapt3gallychoice3 to true]]</div><</if>> <div class="choice">[[Silence fell between them.|GallyFriendConvo4][$chapt3gallychoice3 to true]]</div>

"Were you practising water magic?" Mordred asked, intent on making banter like they were friends. "Yes," Galahad curtly replied. ?They could see that for ?themself, couldn't ?they? <<if $water_study == "yes" or $water_study == "sometimes">> There was a long pause, as Mordred expected him to elaborate. Then ?they said: "I'm studying it, too." <<if $water_gally is true>> "I know," he replied without skipping a beat. He glanced at Mordred, only to find ?them already looking at him with surprise. He snapped his head away and explained, before ?they could conjure some ridiculous notion: "You said so on the first day of the tournament." "You remembered!" ?They said it so excitedly. As if it meant //anything//. It didn't come as that big of a surprise that Mordred practiced, given the Le Fay had always been devout, and had done so much for the Temple; yet it confused him that Lady Morgana could still claim allegiance to the Goddess and act the way she did. It was such a pity what had become of the Le Fay. In another world, devoid of Mordred's prophecy, they may have found kinship over it. As it was, whatever glimmer of curiosity attempted to seep through needed to be roundly squashed. <<else>> It didn't come as that big of a surprise, given the Le Fay had always been devout, and had done so much for the Temple; yet it confused him that Lady Morgana could still claim allegiance to the Goddess and act the way she did. It was such a pity what had become of the Le Fay. In another world, devoid of Mordred's prophecy, they may have found kinship over it. As it was, whatever glimmer of curiosity attempted to seep through needed to be roundly squashed. <</if>> <<else>> "That's impressive," Mordred said. So obstinately set on acting nice. Why? He coudn't help but note that Mordred made no mention of practising ?themself. The Le Fay had always been devout, and had done so much for the Temple; yet it confused him that Lady Morgana could still claim allegiance to the Goddess and act the way she did. It was such a pity what had become of the Le Fay. <</if>> Mordred persisted on. "What exactly were you practising?" ?They wasn't going to give up, was ?they? At lenght, Galahad sighed and said: "I was practising the ice daggers father did at the tournament. Among others." The mention of the tournament dragged with it far less pleasant memories. Memories of a bloody, bruised knight in moss green armor being rushed off to the healer's tent. Images of Mordred's panicked, pained face. All of it seared into his mind. Galahad asked: "How's Sir Accolon?" He felt Mordred's eyes boring into him, but he couldn't bring himself to look upon ?their face. "He's recovering," Mordred said. Good. //Good.// <div class="choice">[["I'm sorry about what happened to Lancelot. How is he?" Mordred felt genuinely bad for him, despite him hurting Accolon.|LancelotGallyConvo][$chapt3convolance to 1, $Galahad to $Galahad+1]]</div> <div class="choice">[["How's your father?" Mordred still believed Lancelot deserved it for attacking Accolon. But Galahad did inquire about their father, and they sympathized with Galahad's position.|LancelotGallyConvo][$chapt3convolance to 2, $Galahad to $Galahad+1]]</div> <div class="choice">[["So, is it something you enjoy doing, or just part of your training?" Mordred asked. They didn't wish to inquire about Lancelot. He was the one who hurt Accolon, after all.|LancelotGallyConvo][$chapt3convolance to 3]]</div>

<<if $met_callum is false>> "Your dragon friend seems nice," Mordred remarked. <<if $defiant is false and $dragon_personality == "bold">> "Unlike you," ?their friend quiped in the dragon tongue. He frowned, but didn't say anything. Mordred may have acted amiable, but it was clear ?their companion did not share ?their feelings. He remembered the accusations thrown with a pang of conflict. <<elseif $defiant is false and $dragon_personality == "aggressive">> "Unlike you," ?their friend quiped in the dragon tongue. He frowned, but didn't say anything. Mordred may have acted amiable, but it was clear ?their companion did not share ?their feelings. He remembered the accusations thrown with a pang of conflict. <<elseif $defiant is true>> ?They added, teasingly: "Certainly nicer than you." He frowned as his chest panged with conflict, but didn't say anything. They weren't meant to be nice to each other. They were on opposing sides. <</if>> Mordred turned to Callum. "What's your name?" He sliced his gaze to Galahad, nervous and unsure, before giving a small bow of his head. "Callum." <<if $dragon_personality == "playful">> Mordred's friend offered an enthusiastic nod in response. "I'm $dragon_name. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Want to play?" $dragon_He spoke quickly, eagerly, reminding him of Gawain. Callum made to get up, then stopped short as he glanced at Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "friendly">> Mordred's friend offered a friendly nod in response "I'm $dragon_name. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Want to leave them to their own affairs and have some fun?" Callum made to get up, then stopped short as he glanced at Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad wouldd be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "bold">> Mordred's friend offered a friendly nod in response. "I'm $dragon_name. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Want to ditch them and have some fun?" Callum's eyes widened in surprise. He glanced at Galahad, studying his expression, then back to $dragon_name. He made to get up, then dithered. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "shy">> Mordred's friend offered a bashful nod in response. "I'm $dragon_name. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Do you...would you like to play?" Callum's eyes widened with surprise. He made to get up, then dithered, glancing to Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "fearful">> Mordred's friend offered a bashful nod in response. "I'm $dragon_name. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Do you...would you like to play?" $dragon_he quietly asked. Callum's eyes widened with surprise. He made to get up, then dithered, glancing to Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "aggressive">> Mordred's friend offered a quick nod in reponse, and seized Callum up. "I'm $dragon_name. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk." They paused. "Do you want to play?" $dragon_he asked, so intensely there was no place left for refusal. Callum's eyes widened with surprise. He made to get up, then dithered, glancing to Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <</if>> <<else>> "Callum's very nice," Mordred remarked. <<if $defiant is false and $dragon_personality == "bold">> "Unlike you," ?their friend quiped in the dragon tongue. He frowned, but didn't say anything. Mordred may have acted amiable, but it was clear ?their companion did not share ?their feelings. He remembered the accusations thrown with a pang of conflict. <<elseif $defiant is false and $dragon_personality == "aggressive">> "Unlike you," ?their friend quiped in the dragon tongue. He frowned, but didn't say anything. Mordred may have acted amiable, but it was clear ?their companion did not share ?their feelings. He remembered the accusations thrown with a pang of conflict. <<elseif $defiant is true>> ?They added, teasingly: "Certainly nicer than you." He frowned as his chest panged with conflict, but didn't say anything. They weren't meant to be nice to each other. They were on opposing sides. <</if>> "I should introduce you to my friend. This is $dragon_name." <<if $dragon_personality == "playful">> Mordred's friend offered an enthusiastic nod in response. "Nice to meet you! I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Want to play?" $dragon_He spoke quickly, eagerly, reminding him of Gawain. Callum made to get up, then stopped short as he glanced at Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "friendly">> Mordred's friend offered a friendly nod in response "Nice to meet you. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Want to leave them to their own affairs and have some fun?" Callum made to get up, then stopped short as he glanced at Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "bold">> Mordred's friend offered a friendly nod in response. "Nice to meet you. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Want to ditch them and have some fun?" Callum's eyes widened in surprise. He glanced at Galahad, studying his expression, then back to $dragon_name. He made to get up, then dithered. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "shy">> Mordred's friend offered a bashful nod in response. "Nice to meet you. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Do you...would you like to play?" Callum's eyes widened with surprise. He made to get up, then dithered, glancing to Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "fearful">> Mordred's friend offered a bashful nod in response. "Nice to meet you. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Do you...would you like to play?" $dragon_he quietly asked. Callum's eyes widened with surprise. He made to get up, then dithered, glancing to Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "aggressive">> Mordred's friend offered a quick nod in reponse, and seized Callum up. "I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk." They paused. "Do you want to play?" $dragon_he asked, so intensely there was no place left for refusal. Callum's eyes widened with surprise. He made to get up, then dithered, glancing to Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <</if>> <</if>> <<include FriendConvo>>

"Why are you here and not at the tournament? Or with Gawain?" <<if $chapt3gallychoice1 is true>> "I wanted to spend time with Callum. Gawain's busy attending to his father, anyway." <<else>> <<if $chapt3gallychoice2 is false>> "It's none of your business," Galahad tersely replied. When Callum pressed his snoot against his arm, gently coaxing him, he elaborated: "I wanted to spend time with Callum." <<else>> What was it to Mordred? Galahad wondered if he really should be having such nonchalant, jovial conversations with ?them. Finally, he said: "I wanted to spend time with Callum." <</if>> <</if>> <<include FriendConvo>>

Mordred's inquiries stopped, and silence settled over them. In the distance, over the susurrus of water, came the buzzing of conversation in the dragon tongue, punctuated every now and then by laughter. Galahad would almost call it companionable, comfortable quiet - if he'd allow it to become so, to slip into it, to be lulled by it. If he wasn't so focused on trying to figure Mordred out. ?They sat by his side, looking far more relaxed, basking in the sun. After a while, ?they inched closer to the river, and leant over its bank to peer into its waters. ?They stared and stared, till ?they finally reached into the shallows and picked something up. Galahad craned his neck to get a better look: it was a rock, gray and rounded. "I used to collect shells and rocks in Avalon," Mordred said, surveying ?their find. Then ?they glanced back to Galahad. "Gawain said you've been to Avalon, too. Have you visited often?" "A few times." It was both pilgrimage and vacation, and he always looked forward to the trips. "Did you pick shells and rocks, too?" "Yes." He'd spend a lot of his time by the beach, reading or playing, praying or walking, sometimes even just sitting down on the sand, staring out at the foggy horizon. He'd go swimming daily, and at times even went out at sea, cruising within the misty ring of the island. "With my mother." Mordred nodded, then looked back down at the rock in ?their palm. ?They contemplated it with a pensive face. <div class="choice">[[They gave it to Galahad. A token of friendship.|RockGift][$gray_rock to "true", $Galahad to $Galahad+1]]</div> <div class="choice">[[They gave it to Galahad. A token of friendship. And affection, though they didn't say that. ❤|RockGift][$gray_rock to "true", $Galahad to $Galahad+1]]</div> <<if $gally_crush == 0>><div class="choice">[[They gave it to Galahad. A token of friendship. 💕|RockGift][$gray_rock to "true", $Galahad to $Galahad+1]]</div><</if>> <div class="choice">[[They let it fall back in the river.|RockGift][$gray_rock to "false"]]</div>

<<if $chapt3convolance == 1>> "I'm sorry about what happened to Lancelot," Mordred said. "How is he?" <<if $Galahad > 20>> Galahad scoured ?their expression with his eyes for any sign of deceit. He found none. "A little bit better," he replied. <<else>> Galahad scoured ?their expression with his eyes for any sign of deceit. He couldn't find one, but it didn't make it less likely to be an act. Shouldn't Mordred be satisfied that ?their mother responded in kind? "Why do you care?" "I care," Mordred said, so fiercely earnest it bewildered him. What surprised him more, was that he actually believed ?them. He slowly inhaled, and breathed out: "He's a little bit better." <</if>> "So," Mordred said, changing the subject, "is it something you enjoy doing, or just part of your training?" There was no harm in answering. Tracing his fingertips gently along Callum's scales - a motion that always calmed the both of them - he said: "It's a crucial part of my training. But...I do enjoy it." His lips started to pull upward before he caught himself. This was veering too close to friendly. <<elseif $chapt3convolance == 2>> "How's your father?" Mordred asked. <<if $Galahad > 20>> Galahad scoured ?their expression with his eyes for any sign of deceit. He found none. "A little bit better," he replied. <<else>> Galahad scoured ?their expression with his eyes for any sign of deceit. He couldn't find one, but it didn't make it less likely to be an act. Shouldn't Mordred be satisfied that ?their mother responded in kind? "Why do you care?" "Because I understand you," ?they said, cutting right through Galahad. He slowly inhaled, and breathed out: "He's a little bit better." <</if>> "So," Mordred said, changing the subject, "is it something you enjoy doing, or just part of your training?" There was no harm in answering. Tracing his fingertips gently along Callum's scales - a motion that always calmed the both of them - he said: "It's a crucial part of my training. But...I do enjoy it." His lips started to pull upward before he caught himself. This was veering too close to friendly. <<else>> "So," Mordred said, changing the subject, "is it something you enjoy doing, or just part of your training?" There was no harm in answering. Tracing his fingertips gently along Callum's scales - a motion that always calmed the both of them - he said: "It's a crucial part of my training. But...I do enjoy it." His lips started to pull upward before he caught himself. This was veering too close to friendly. <</if>> Something that Mordred quickly latched on to. "And is it only combat oriented, or do you learn healing too? I suppose you must meditate for hours, too." Galahad frowned. Why? ?They kept acting as if ?they was trying to get to know him - as if it was a friendship they could pursue. It would be quite advantageous to Mordred, and dangerous to Galahad, to get him to lower his guard around ?them. Surely there had to be a scheme involved, yet ?they acted so infuriatingly genuine in ?their attempts to chat him up. Why all of this effort? What was ?their angle? Frustration coursed a restless, hot path through his veins, and he pushed at a jagged rock with the heel of his boot, watching it tumble over the bank, into the water, with a splash. "Why are you asking so much?" "Because I want to learn more about you," ?they replied, like it was a perfectly ordinary thing for ?them to want. "Or maybe you'd prefer small talk?" Mordred glanced up. "Talk about the weather. I think I overheard enough nobles to know how to make a properly dull conversation on it." An amused huff of breath pushed its way unwillingly and explosively through his nose. They stared at each other, both dumbfounded by the noise. Then Mordred smiled, and Galahad looked away, begrudging his mistake. Hating himself for thinking that this was almost enjoyable conversation. Here he was, already letting his guard down. Maybe if he did, only a little...not enough to let himself be vulnerable, there would be no harm. He might even find out Mordred's angle. Or find there is no angle. "I'm not much into small talk," Galahad carefully admitted. "See? Now I'm learning more about you." <<if $water_study == "yes" or $water_study == "sometimes">> <div class="choice">[["I mostly learn healing," Mordred said. "If I need to control water, I can simply draw on my own powers."|LancelotGallyConvo1][$chapt3gallymagic to 1, $water_type to "healing"]]</div> <div class="choice">[["I mostly meditate, when I want to clear my mind and relax," Mordred said.|LancelotGallyConvo1][$chapt3gallymagic to 2, $water_type to "meditation"]]</div> <<else>> <div class="choice">[["I'm not interested in practising it, personally, especially since I already have my own powers," Mordred said.|LancelotGallyConvo1][$chapt3gallymagic to 3]]</div> <</if>>

<<if $chapt3gallymagic == 1>> "I mostly learn healing," Mordred explained. "If I need to control water, I can simply draw on my own powers. And for this, I obviously meditate, too." "I train in both," Galahad said. He had no magic of his own, but he was honored to wield that of the Goddess. <<elseif $chapt3gallymagic == 2>> "I mostly meditate," Mordred explained, "when I want to clear my mind and relax." "I meditate, too. For clarity." He stretched a leg out towards the river. The water, and the Lady's magic that he could reach out to through it, calmed him greatly. "And train both in healing and combat." He had no magic of his own, but he was honored to wield that of the Goddess. <<elseif $chapt3gallymagic == 3>> "I'm not interested in practising it, personally," Mordred explained, "especially since I already have my own powers." Galahad shifted, glancing at Mordred. "I thought all Le Fay were followers of the Lady of the Lake." It should almost be considered blasphemous, shouldn't it? He wondered why ?they wouldn't be devout like the rest of ?their family - and what Lady Morgana must think of it. "Well, guess I'm the exception," Mordred said, throwing out ?their arms as if asking to be beheld in ?their whole curious self. "I sure do fight a lot on it with mother." <</if>> <<include FriendConvo>>

<<if $gray_rock == "true">> Determined, Mordred turned around and scuttled closer. Galahad stared, wondering whatever else could be going on through ?their head now - what other questions simmered on ?their tongue. Instead, Mordred proffered the gray river rock. Galahad looked between ?them and ?their hand, at a loss for words. "I want you to have it. Something from Lothia, as a gift from me." "A rock?" <<if $defiant >= 50>> "It's not cursed or anything," Mordred huffed. "If you don't want it, I can just throw it back where it came-" "No." Of course he had no such dumb notion. He'd seen Mordred scoop it up. Its surface was still sheened with water. Something about ?their demeanor - that frustration bleeding into ?their tone, that threat to toss it away - prompted Galahad to take it. He reached out his own hand, palm up. He almost expected Mordred to chuck it away as promised. Instead, ?they relinquished it onto him. It was just a rock. A plain one, by rock standards. He had a far more colorful and diverse collection back home, amassed from his trips to Avalon. Yet there was something quite charming to its simplicity. And there was something utterly vexing to it. He fixed the rock. If only he could smash it and find within the explanation to understanding Mordred - and what compelled ?them to give this...gift to him. It seemed so random and genuine - if peculiar - a gesture, that it hurt his head. He closed his fist around the rock. The complicated feelings it stirred did not disappear from view quite as easily. <<else>> Mordred nodded earnestly. Galahad dithered, then reached out and took it. Fine. If Mordred wanted ?them to have some random rock, he'd have it. The sheer surprise of it compelled him to accept. It was just a rock. A plain one, by rock standards. He had a far more colorful and diverse collection back home, amassed from his trips to Avalon. Yet there was something quite charming to its simplicity. And there was something utterly vexing to it. He fixed the rock. If only he could smash it and find within the explanation to understanding Mordred - and what compelled ?them to give this...gift to him. It seemed so random and genuine - if peculiar - a gesture, that it hurt his head. He closed his fist around the rock. The complicated feelings it stirred did not disappear from view quite as easily. <</if>> <<else>> Mordred let the rock fall back into the river with a splash. <</if>> Galahad let the silene stretch on for a while. Time had stretched on too, and he'd spent enough - perhaps too much - by Mordred's side. He got up and excused himself: "Callum and I should get back to the castle." Mordred smiled. "You should stop by one of the stalls and get some sweets if you haven't already. I have, and got treats for both $dragon_name and I." Gawain had already marched him through all the sweet stalls. He was sure Callum wouldn't complain, though. A smile started to curl his lips before he could bite it back. He called out to his friend, who returned to his side reluctantly. Mordred rose to ?their feet. "I'm glad we talked. Hopefully we can do this again." Galahad was about to mount Callum, back turned to Mordred, hand resting on his friend's scaled skin. "Why?" was all he asked. All he wanted to know. Such a simple question, yet it puzzled him so. <div class="choice">[["I told you," Mordred said. "I want to be friends."|RockGift1.1]]</div> <div class="choice">[["I told you," Mordred said. "I want to be friends." And perhaps more. ❤|RockGift1.2]]</div> <<if $gally_crush == 0>><div class="choice">[["I told you," Mordred said. "I want to be friends." They felt a pull to him. 💕|RockGift1.1]]</div><</if>>

"I told you," Mordred said. "I want to be friends." Such a simple question, with such a simple answer. But it couldn't be just that...could it? Before he hoisted himself up on Callum, he chanced a peek behind at Mordred. He couldn't help himself. There was it, Mordred's smiling, candid face. It made it so much worse. They took off in a hurry. [[Next|GalahadThoughts]]

"I told you," Mordred said. "I want to be friends." Such a simple question, with such a simple answer. But it couldn't be just that...could it? Before he hoisted himself up on Callum, he chanced a peek behind at Mordred. He couldn't help himself. <<if $complexion == "ivory" or $complexion == "warm beige" or $complexion == "cool beige" or $complexion == "rosy">> There was it, Mordred's smiling, candid face. Blazing red. His brow furrowed at the concerning sight - ?they looked as if ?they was running a fever. He chased that stray worry away, chalking it all up to embarrassment, and took off in a hurry. [[Next|GalahadThoughts]] <<else>> <div class="choice">[[Mordred's face heated up, flaming like a beacon in the night.|RockGift1.2.1][$flush to 3]]</div> <div class="choice">[[The color in Mordred's cheeks is evident enough.|RockGift1.2.1][$flush to 2]]</div> <div class="choice">[[It wasn't easy to tell when Mordred was flushing; only people that knew them well could see the telltale signs.|RockGift1.2.1][$flush to 1]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Mordred's complexion did not show their flush.|RockGift1.2.1][$flush to 0]]</div> <</if>>

<<if $flush == 3>> "I told you," Mordred said. "I want to be friends." Such a simple question, with such a simple answer. But it couldn't be just that...could it? Before he hoisted himself up on Callum, he chanced a peek behind at Mordred. He couldn't help himself. There was it, Mordred's smiling, candid face. Blazing red. His brow furrowed at the concerning sight - ?they looked as if ?they was running a fever. He chased that stray worry away, chalking it all up to embarrassment, and took off in a hurry. <<elseif $flush == 2>> "I told you," Mordred said. "I want to be friends." Such a simple question, with such a simple answer. But it couldn't be just that...could it? Before he hoisted himself up on Callum, he chanced a peek behind at Mordred. He couldn't help himself. There was it, Mordred's smiling, candid face. Flushing red. His brow furrowed at the concerning sight - ?they looked as if ?they was running a fever. He chased that stray worry away, chalking it all up to embarrassment, and took off in a hurry. <<else>> "I told you," Mordred said. "I want to be friends." Such a simple question, with such a simple answer. But it couldn't be just that...could it? Before he hoisted himself up on Callum, he chanced a peek behind at Mordred. He couldn't help himself. There was it, Mordred's smiling, candid face. It made it so much worse. They took off in a hurry. <</if>> [[Next|GalahadThoughts]]

Mordred was not what he expected ?them to be. Perhaps it made sense. Mordred was not yet fullfilled into what the prophecy foretold. Time had yet to shape them into it, but it would without fail. Now, ?they was just a child - younger than him, younger than Gawain even. A child taught to hate Camelot and Arthur and everyone else who Morgana saw as enemy, no doubt. If allowed to bloom, ?they'd grow dangerous thorns - that was why Galahad had to try to nip it in the bud, as much as he could. Be on his guard. The fall would come, but if they were ready, they could hold strong, rise again. That was what his father said. He shouldn't falter. He shouldn't feel that wrench in his heart, that doubt, that...sympathy. Sympathy for one that would try to destroy everything he loved, one day. Yet then, sitting next to Mordred by the river, there were moments when he could almost imagine they were ordinary children. Indulging that fantasy was dangerous. He couldn't allow ?them to slither that way under his skin - any vulnerability could be exploited, any weak spot leveraged later. Galahad needed to be on his guard. [[The End|End]]

Hope you enjoyed it!

Mordred did not leave, as he expected. Instead ?they followed, and sat down next to him by the river. Had it not bemused Galahad in such a vexing manner, he could almost commend ?their stubbornness. He looked at ?them askance. "What are you doing?" Mordred smiled, infuriatingly jovial. "We don't need to be friends to make conversation." <<if $Galahad >= 15>> Fine. If ?they was so set on talking to him, ?they might as well stay. Something good may yet come of this. Perhaps it was the perfect occasion for Galahad to untangle that messy knot of thoughts and emotions that he'd been struggling to unravel the more he saw of Mordred. He could gain useful insight into ?their character. If nothing else, it may finally convince Mordred to leave him alone. <<else>> Fine. If ?they was so set on talking to him, ?they might as well stay. Something good may yet come of this. He could gain useful insight into ?their character. If nothing else, it may finally convince Mordred to leave him alone. <</if>> He would not be the first to speak, though. <<include CharmConvo>>

Mordred did not follow. The flutter of wings filled Galahad's ears and blew a cool gale over him, then Callum and he were again alone. He chanced a look over his shoulder, catching but a glimpse of Mordred before ?their dragon friend spun away. Once the commotion faded into the distance, Callum angled his face towards Galahad, in that manner that betrayed something was weighing down on his mind, and tentatively said: "You know, Gally, perhaps you're being too...harsh on Mordred." Galahad set his jaw. "The prophecy is clear." "I, I know, but-" "It's too dangerous to get close. We must keep an eye on ?them from a distance." "Yeah..." "If we're careful enough, we may yet lessen the fallout." Callum grimaced. "I know," he said. "But maybe there's other ways to do it. Less...antagonistic ways." The dragon heaved a sigh. "?They seem willing to mend things - perhaps that could help. The prophecy is so...dismal." Galahad couldn't deny that the prophecy was of a very tragic nature. That's why he couldn't afford that same unfettered friendliness as Gawain - who was clueless to there being any prophecy at all - or the same cautious optimism as Callum. One way or another, Mordred would fulfill it. One way or another, ?they'd grow into being one who could destroy Camelot. And it was up to him to protect it from Mordred. [[The End|End]]

<<if $chapt3gallychoice1 is false>><div class="choice">[["Were you practising water magic?" Mordred asked.|GallyCharmConvo1][$chapt3gallychoice1 to true]]</div> <</if>> <<if $chapt3gallychoice2 is false and $met_callum is false>><div class="choice">[["Your dragon friend seems nice," Mordred remarked.|GallyCharmConvo2][$chapt3gallychoice2 to true]]</div> <</if>> <<if $chapt3gallychoice2 is false>><div class="choice">[["Callum seems very nice," Mordred remarked.|GallyCharmConvo2][$chapt3gallychoice2 to true]]</div> <</if>> <<if $chapt3gallychoice3 is false>><div class="choice">[["Your friendship with Gawain is very endearing," Mordred said.|GallyCharmConvo3][$chapt3gallychoice3 to true]]</div><</if>> <div class="choice">[[Silence fell between them.|GallyCharmConvo4][$chapt3gallychoice3 to true]]</div>

<<if $met_callum is false>> "Your dragon friend seems nice," Mordred remarked. <<if $defiant is false and $dragon_personality == "bold">> "Unlike you," ?their friend quiped in the dragon tongue. He frowned, but didn't say anything. Mordred may have acted amiable, but it was clear ?their companion did not share ?their feelings. He remembered the accusations thrown with a pang of conflict. <<elseif $defiant is false and $dragon_personality == "aggressive">> "Unlike you," ?their friend quiped in the dragon tongue. He frowned, but didn't say anything. Mordred may have acted amiable, but it was clear ?their companion did not share ?their feelings. He remembered the accusations thrown with a pang of conflict. <<elseif $defiant is true>> ?They added, teasingly: "Certainly nicer than you." He frowned as his chest panged with conflict, but didn't say anything. They weren't meant to be nice to each other. They were on opposing sides. <</if>> Mordred turned to Callum. "What's your name?" He sliced his gaze to Galahad, nervous and unsure, before giving a small bow of his head. "Callum." <<if $dragon_personality == "playful">> Mordred's friend offered an enthusiastic nod in response. "I'm $dragon_name. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Want to play?" $dragon_He spoke quickly, eagerly, reminding him of Gawain. Callum made to get up, then stopped short as he glanced at Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "friendly">> Mordred's friend offered a friendly nod in response "I'm $dragon_name. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Want to leave them to their own affairs and have some fun?" Callum made to get up, then stopped short as he glanced at Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "bold">> Mordred's friend offered a friendly nod in response. "I'm $dragon_name. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Want to ditch them and have some fun?" Callum's eyes widened in surprise. He glanced at Galahad, studying his expression, then back to $dragon_name. He made to get up, then dithered. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "shy">> Mordred's friend offered a bashful nod in response. "I'm $dragon_name. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Do you...would you like to play?" Callum's eyes widened with surprise. He made to get up, then dithered, glancing to Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "fearful">> Mordred's friend offered a bashful nod in response. "I'm $dragon_name. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Do you...would you like to play?" $dragon_he quietly asked. Callum's eyes widened with surprise. He made to get up, then dithered, glancing to Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "aggressive">> Mordred's friend offered a quick nod in reponse, and seized Callum up. "I'm $dragon_name. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk." They paused. "Do you want to play?" $dragon_he asked, so intensely there was no place left for refusal. Callum's eyes widened with surprise. He made to get up, then dithered, glancing to Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <</if>> <<else>> "Callum's very nice," Mordred remarked. <<if $defiant is false and $dragon_personality == "bold">> "Unlike you," ?their friend quiped in the dragon tongue. He frowned, but didn't say anything. Mordred may have acted amiable, but it was clear ?their companion did not share ?their feelings. He remembered the accusations thrown with a pang of conflict. <<elseif $defiant is false and $dragon_personality == "aggressive">> "Unlike you," ?their friend quiped in the dragon tongue. He frowned, but didn't say anything. Mordred may have acted amiable, but it was clear ?their companion did not share ?their feelings. He remembered the accusations thrown with a pang of conflict. <<elseif $defiant is true>> ?They added, teasingly: "Certainly nicer than you." He frowned as his chest panged with conflict, but didn't say anything. They weren't meant to be nice to each other. They were on opposing sides. <</if>> "I should introduce you to my friend. This is $dragon_name." <<if $dragon_personality == "playful">> Mordred's friend offered an enthusiastic nod in response. "Nice to meet you! I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Want to play?" $dragon_He spoke quickly, eagerly, reminding him of Gawain. Callum made to get up, then stopped short as he glanced at Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "friendly">> Mordred's friend offered a friendly nod in response "Nice to meet you. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Want to leave them to their own affairs and have some fun?" Callum made to get up, then stopped short as he glanced at Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "bold">> Mordred's friend offered a friendly nod in response. "Nice to meet you. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Want to ditch them and have some fun?" Callum's eyes widened in surprise. He glanced at Galahad, watching his expression, then back to $dragon_name. He made to get up, then dithered. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "shy">> Mordred's friend offered a bashful nod in response. "Nice to meet you. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Do you...would you like to play?" Callum's eyes widened with surprise. He made to get up, then dithered, glancing to Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "fearful">> Mordred's friend offered a bashful nod in response. "Nice to meet you. I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk. Do you...would you like to play?" $dragon_he quietly asked. Callum's eyes widened with surprise. He made to get up, then dithered, glancing to Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <<elseif $dragon_personality == "aggressive">> Mordred's friend offered a quick nod in reponse, and seized Callum up. "I saw you around the lodge but we didn't have the chance to talk." They paused. "Do you want to play?" $dragon_he asked, so intensely there was no place left for refusal. Callum's eyes widened with surprise. He made to get up, then dithered, glancing to Galahad. He'd warned Callum about Mordred and those who associate with ?them, as he had warned Gawain. Their attitude was far more optimistic than his, however, which worried Galahad. Yet he wouldn't stop Callum. He, like Gawain, was free to make his choices - and Galahad would be there to make sure they wouldn't lead to trouble. He watched wearily as they went. <</if>> <</if>> <<include CharmConvo>>

"I can see you care a lot about Gawain and want to protect him," Mordred softly said. "It's very endearing." <<if $Galahad >= 15>> Galahad stared at ?them, trying to weigh the meaning of ?their words. They were spoken genuine enough, but he couldn't help but feel a prickle of suspicion. There was nothing in ?their face or tone to clue Galahad in to it being more than just a harmless observation - after all, he'd made it very clear to Mordred that ?they should keep ?their distance from Gawain. Such a gesture plainly displayed his fondness. <<else>> Galahad stared at ?them, trying to weigh the meaning of ?their words. They were spoken genuine enough, but he couldn't help but feel a prickle of suspicion. Was this supposed to be an allusion of sorts? "Is he at the tournament?" Mordred asked. "It's strange not seeing the two of you together-" "Yes," he tersely cut ?them off, severing this line of conversation. <</if>> <<include CharmConvo>>

Mordred's inquiries stopped, and silence settled over them. In the distance, over the susurrus of water, came the buzzing of conversation in the dragon tongue, punctuated every now and then by laughter. Galahad would almost call it companionable, comfortable quiet - if he'd allow it to become so, to slip into it, to be lulled by it. If he wasn't so focused on trying to figure Mordred out. ?They sat by his side, looking far more relaxed. Basking in the sun, no trouble painting ?their features. Finally, Galahad got up. "Callum and I should get back to the castle." "You should stop by one of the stalls and get some sweets if you haven't already. I have, and got treats for both $dragon_name and I," you pat your pocket. Gawain had already marched him through all the sweet stalls. He was sure Callum wouldn't complain, though. A smile started to curl his lips before he could bite it back. He called out to his friend, who returned to his side reluctantly. Mordred rose to ?their feet. "I'm glad we talked. Hopefully we can do this again." Galahad was about to mount Callum, back turned to Mordred, hand resting on his friend's scaled skin. "Why?" was all he asked. All he wanted to know. Such a simple question, yet it puzzled him so. <div class="choice">[["I told you," Mordred said. "I want to mend things."|Chapt3Mend]]</div> <div class="choice">[["I told you," Mordred said. "I want to mend things." And perhaps...they did enjoy themself.|Chapt3Mend]]</div>

Mordred persisted on. "What exactly were you practising?" ?They wasn't going to give up, was ?they? At lenght, Galahad sighed and said: "I was practising the ice daggers father did at the tournament. Among others." The mention of the tournament dragged along with it far less pleasant memories. Memories of a bloody, bruised knight in moss green armor being rushed off to the healer's tent. Images of Mordred's panicked, pained face. All of it seared into his mind. Galahad asked: "How's Sir Accolon?" He felt Mordred's eyes boring into him, but he couldn't bring himself to look upon ?their face. "He's recovering," Mordred said. Good. //Good.// <div class="choice">[["I'm sorry about what happened to Lancelot. How is he?" Mordred felt genuinely bad for him, despite him hurting Accolon.|LancelotGallyConvoCharm][$chapt3convolance to 1, $Galahad to $Galahad+1]]</div> <div class="choice">[["How's your father?" Mordred still believed Lancelot deserved it for attacking Accolon. But Galahad did inquire about their father, and they sympathized with Galahad's position.|LancelotGallyConvoCharm][$chapt3convolance to 2, $Galahad to $Galahad+1]]</div> <div class="choice">[["So, is it something you enjoy doing, or just part of your training?" Mordred asked. They didn't wish to inquire about Lancelot. He was the one who hurt Accolon, after all.|LancelotGallyConvoCharm][$chapt3convolance to 3]]</div>

<<if $fake_interest_gally is true>> "I've taken an interest in it, too," Mordred said. It didn't come as that big of a surprise, given the Le Fay had always been devout, and had done so much for the Temple; yet it confused him that Lady Morgana could still claim allegiance to the Goddess and act the way she did. It was such a pity what had become of the Le Fay. In another world, devoid of Mordred's prophecy, they may have found kinship over it. As it was, whatever glimmer of curiosity attempted to seep through needed to be roundly squashed. <<else>> "That's impressive," Mordred said. So obstinately set on acting nice. Why? He coudn't help but note that Mordred made no mention of practising ?themself. The Le Fay had always been devout, and had done so much for the Temple; yet it confused him that Lady Morgana could still claim allegiance to the Goddess and act the way she did. It was such a pity what had become of the Le Fay. <</if>> Mordred persisted on. "What exactly were you practising?" ?They wasn't going to give up, was ?they? At lenght, Galahad sighed and said: "I was practising the ice daggers father did at the tournament. Among others." The mention of the tournament dragged along with it far less pleasant memories. Memories of a bloody, bruised knight in moss green armor being rushed off to the healer's tent. Images of Mordred's panicked, pained face. All of it seared into his mind. Galahad asked: "How's Sir Accolon?" He felt Mordred's eyes boring into him, but he couldn't bring himself to look upon ?their face. "He's recovering," Mordred said. Good. //Good.// <div class="choice">[["I'm sorry about what happened to Lancelot. How is he?" Mordred felt genuinely bad for him, despite him hurting Accolon.|LancelotGallyConvoCharm][$chapt3convolance to 1, $Galahad to $Galahad+1]]</div> <div class="choice">[["How's your father?" Mordred still believed Lancelot deserved it for attacking Accolon. But Galahad did inquire about their father, and they sympathized with Galahad's position.|LancelotGallyConvoCharm][$chapt3convolance to 2, $Galahad to $Galahad+1]]</div> <div class="choice">[["So, is it something you enjoy doing, or just part of your training?" Mordred asked. They didn't wish to inquire about Lancelot. He was the one who hurt Accolon, after all.|LancelotGallyConvoCharm][$chapt3convolance to 3]]</div>

"I told you. I want to mend things." //Mend things//. Galahad would have laughed, if he wasn't so choked up by such deep, conflicted confusion. If Mordred truly meant this, and they weren't just empty, sweet words, it'd still matter little. The prophecy, as dismal as it may have been, promised to destroy everything. Before he hoisted himself up on Callum, he chanced a peek behind at Mordred. He couldn't help himself. There was it, Mordred's smiling face. It made it so much worse. They took off in a hurry. [[Next|GalahadThoughtsCharm]]

Mordred wasn't quite what he expected ?them to be. Perhaps it made sense. ?They was not yet fullfilled into what the prophecy foretold. Time had yet to shape ?them into it, but it would without fail. Now, ?they was just a child - younger than him, younger than Gawain even. A child taught to hate Camelot and Arthur and everyone else who Morgana saw as enemy, no doubt. If allowed to bloom, ?they'd grow dangerous thorns - that was why Galahad had to try to nip it in the bud, as much as he could. Be on his guard. The fall would come, but if they were ready, they could hold strong, rise again. That was what his father said. He shouldn't falter. He shouldn't feel that wrench in his heart, that doubt, that...sympathy. Sympathy for one that would try to destroy everything he loved, one day. Yet then, sitting next to Mordred by the river, there were moments when he could almost imagine they were ordinary children. Indulging that fantasy was dangerous. He couldn't allow ?them to slither that way under his skin - any vulnerability could be exploited, any weak spot leveraged later. Galahad needed to be on his guard. [[The End|End]]

[[On to the story!|Begin]]

Would your Mordred be considered fairly defiant? <div class="choice">[[Yes.|BeginStory][$defiant to true]]</div> <div class="choice">[[No.|BeginStory][$defiant to false]]</div>

Are Mordred and Gawain friends? <div class="choice">[[Friends!|NextQuestion2][$gawain_friend to true]]</div> <div class="choice">[[Acquaintances.|NextQuestion2]]</div>

If Mordred joined Gawain and Galahad in watching the trials, did they mention studying the magic of the Lady of the Lake? <div class="choice">[[Yes.|NextQuestion3][$water_gally to true]]</div> <div class="choice">[[No.|NextQuestion3][$water_gally to false]]</div>