| To Kingsgrove |
| Summary: | Traveling a ways ahead of the other Groves party, Nicodemus and Locke make their way towards Kingsgrove. |
| Date: | 27/05/289 |
| Related Logs: | Bunches |
| Players: |
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| Road — Wilderness |
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| Dirt road, lots of trees. |
| 27 May 289 |
The tent was emptied of their meager belongings and by late morning, the day after the dance, Ser Ben-… Ser Nicodemus Groves and his squire were on the road and making their way east. One advantage to traveling lightly is being able to depart quickly and with less, so while the larger party of unexiled Groves was still in the process of leaving The Twins, Nicodemus and Locke had already seen the road for a good hour. It's a quiet hour, the former Ser Lawson lost in his own thoughts as they ride.
With the clopping of hooves serving as some form of sound, Locke's luckily not been lulled to sleep on this ride. Not that he can sleep in the saddle, the boy is not so good for that. Keeping a good reign on his horse, he only moves slightly to come up and beside to Ser Benedemus. Eyes down for a moment, before he is looking right back up and over towards Nico as he comes closer. "So." he starts as his left hand hangs limp at his side. "That Septa see to you?" a raise of a brow. yeah he probably should have asked before just acting, but one thing can be said of Locke, he's a loyal and overprotective squire…Okay so that's two things.
"She did," Nicodict says, glancing over at his loyal and overprotective squire. "It wasn't really necessary, but thank you. Her name is Day. The Septa."
"Day? Fine name. That'd be grand if th' Groves had a Maester named Nyte." a grin there on the boy's face before he's trying to come back down in a rather serious look. Or trying at one, in case there are bandits loose. You know, bandits. Falling silent for a moment, he glances back over towards Nicodemus for the moment. "Are you excited?" brows up. "You know, to see your home?" Locke, ever the questioning man he is.
Nicodemus snickers, shaking his head. "Nothing like, though the Groves do have three knights, one attempting to come out of exile." He's quiet for a little while longer. "Yes," he says, "and a little scared."
"An when you find me worthy enough, I'll be a knight for the Groves, right?" Locke asks, looking back over towards Nicodemus. "Ser Lockesley Septswood. Sounds bloody fancy don' it?" A grin there before he is quiet for a bit. " Aye, I imagine I would be, if I was exiled by choice 'n' all." he tacts on. And there Locke falls quiet for a moment. "You're going to have to see a king, right?"
"When you're ready," Nicodemus amends, "then yes. Ser Septswood you shall be." His hand idly offers his horse's neck a pat. "Possibly. I may just have to see Lord Tully, if the— if King Baratheon's willing to accept an oath through the Lord Paramount."
"I think ready an worthy are the same or different? Like I donno.." he shrugs for a moment. "I like Ser Locke.. an when my hair is long an grey an I can be Ser Lockesley." A chuckle there before he is nodding. "You want me t' come? You know so you look all like a proper knight? I could pull on a Groves tabard an all an stand all seriously, with your horse an things."
"I think they're different. You're a man who I think is worthy of becoming a knight. It's only that you're not quite ready, yet." Nicodemus. He is helpful. There is a soft chuckle and he shakes his head. "No, stay. Better to be humble, all things considered, and there's no reason the Lord of Riverrun or the King needs to see your face associated with mine while I'm still technically exiled."
"Oh." he adds for a second, falling in silent before there's some sound coming from him. "Bloody hell." murmured before he's watching the other knight. "You can't think like that. If you go, I go. And I follow." A sniff there and he's rubbing his nose on his sleeve. "Are we on the same side?" a brow raised. "Are we?" Apparently it's time for serious Locke talk.
The 'bloody hell' causes a puzzled look from Nicodemus who peers over at his squire. "What? Yes, Locke, of course we're on the same side. We've been on the same side since we met. Did I do something to make you think otherwise?"
"Then why don't you want me to go into the wolf's den with you?" the boy asks, as he spurs his horse a little to keep it from wanting to lag. "If I am good enough to be your squire an a knight, then I should stand by you." Locke raises a brow "Through thick an thin."
"Because I don't think it's going to be very thick, really, just humiliating," Nicodemus answers. "I thought you might rather get to know Kingsgrove and Braeburn."
That causes his head to jerk up "Braeburn, who is that?" And there Locke pauses for a second before nodding. "Oh. The house, right?" He knows he heard it somewhere. "Will they like me?"
"The house," Nicodemus agrees. "My family's home." He nods, his smile growing. "They'll like you more than they'll like me, I'd wager."
Locke nods. "I hope so." he states before he is content to ride on in silence for a bit. "I don't think I could rightly handle them telling me to go. I'm attached." to Nicodict, or Benedemus. What have you.
"No one's going to send a squire off from his knight," Nicodictobendimus assures. "We both took oaths, you to serve and I to protect and look after you. Those are sacred vows."
"From what I've seen in my short span ser, is that not everyone views vows an rites as sacred." A nod there before he is looking back to Nico. "Do you think you will be allowed to return?" Locke asks. "By both King an yer father?"
"My family does," Nicodemus answers, his voice sure and certain. "I… I think so. I think my lord father will, and if Baratheon took back everybody else, I can't see why he'd refuse the fealty of the third brother of a modest house, even if it is six years later than the others."
Locke nods after a moment. "Maybe he hates third brothers." A faint chuckle there as he looks back towards his knight and reaches over and punches at his shoulder.
"In that case, I'm a second brother," Nicodemus laughs. "We never did figure out which one of us was out first." He lists playfully sideways for that punch.
"Claim it. Two is such a fine number. Three is not. Three means you've lost twice before." Conventional wisdom there on Locke's part. A chuckle there as eyes slide back towards Nicodemus. "How long, eh?" till they are there.
"It's near Terrick's Roost, so a day and a half (subject to change because I forgot how long the trip took)." Nicodemus smirks before he adds, "Three might mean that you won twice before. It's all about context."
Locke grins, "Well." the youth starts, "Winning twice before is fine too. It's certainly better than losing twice." A pause there before he nods. "I've seen the Roost..didn't know we were close then." he says with a small frown. "Why didn't we make for there? We woulda been richer than the tournament."
"Wanted to talk to Kittridge before showing up back at home. Give him fair warning and the chance to send me off, I suppose," Nicodemus confesses with a small shrug.
"Well Ser, if I can be bold an all." You know it's good when Locke prefaces with that. "If they don't want you, then fuck em. They aren't for you."
Nicodemus smiles faintly, glancing over at his squire. "Still. I hope they do. Or at least, will let me try to earn a place among them, again."
Locke nods back towards Nicademus "Just so." and he grins back towards the man before he is nudging his horse along. "I bet they will. You're too good to let go."
Nicodemuse snicker-snorts, nudging his horse into a bit of a faster pace, just to oblige Locke to keep up again. "I think you're biased. Just a wee bit."
A grin comes up on the boy's face. "A little." Locke adds before he is moving to spur on his horse, and thus make the older man chase after him. Not that he knows where he is going. But he doubts Nicodemus will let him get far off track.
Nico gives a kick to Lady's sides, and the black coarser answers by moving from a canter to a proper gallop as she works to catch up with Locke and his steed. And then, of course, to try and pass them.
