The Secrets of Llawnech

She nodded. "Yeah sure." She told her holding her arms out in invitation. "
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"I can imagine."He whispered.

Emma moved closer so that should could wrap her arms around her and hug her.

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"What was it like for you, over there?"

"A bit better than Emma, the guards treated me nice."
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She held her close.

"Well, with you being a guard to be then your their future colleague, hm?" Gwen hummed, almost suspiciously with a raised eyebrow.

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"Th - thanks." Emma whispered, pulling away after a few minutes.

"It's alright, if you need to talk about how you're feeling I will make time for you."
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He nodded. "Yeah."

"I have a son somewhere out there who would be your age," Gwen mused gently. "His seventeenth birthday would of been yesterday actually, I dont know if Rose told you about it."

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"I- yeah. Yeah, the same goes to you."

"She mentioned him."
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She nodded.

"That's surprising, she doesn't talk about things like that with us -if anything she finds it iritating." Gwen hummed. "Anyway, you are all stitched up now so I will leave you to your day."

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"I should..." Emma began, picking up the dirty laundry and going to leave.

"Thanks Gwen."
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"Emma take. Tomorrow off." Alicia told her. "You've been working hard."

"Take it - take it off? But.. what would I do instead?" Emma asked with a small frown.

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"No need," Gwen hummed, before walking away - searching the palace for Hayden then.

"Spend time with your best friend."
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Hayden was cleaning his armour.

"Hi," She greeted from the doorway, almost shyly - having barely spoken to him since she begged him not to go the previous night.

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"O- Okay.. thank you."

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Rose was in the field with her mare, not caring that the land beneath her was muddy and said mud was ruining her clothing. Her forehead pressed against the space between the mares eyes, fingertips brushing up and down the side of its face as she spoke quietly to it. Giving the mare, but mostly herself, a pep talk on how they were going to be brave whilst Hayden was away.

"Hey yourself." He td her as he finished his task of cleaning.
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Jackson went out for a walk and he soon came across her but he kept his distance.
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She smed softly

When the horse snorted softly she looked up, quickly spotting him. "Hi, you okay?"

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Emma headed out then, closing the door behind herself.

Just as Emma left the room, Leo would of entered it. Musing softly as he wandered in, "Ah, you had the younger maid today."

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"All ready for tomorrow?"

"Yeah are you?" He asked.
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Alicia nodded. "I did, I've given her tomorrow off." She got to her feet and walked to him.
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"As ready as I will be."

Gwen inhaled shakily and nodded in response, walking over and placing herself down on his lap, sliding her arms around him and burying her face against the crook of his neck.

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Rose nodded subtly in response, "Just fine," she lied quietly, though it was a lie to herself rather than to him.

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Leo nodded, "Speaking of tomorrow, I will be getting an early night tonight in preparation for it."

"You know princesses can't lie right?" He asked her as he walked over.
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Hayden held her close.
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She nodded. "I understand, I will join you." She told him.

"How are you feeling?" Leo asked gently, resting his fingertips against her cheek. "You've been very quiet on the matter,"

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"If Leo comes home and you don't I am going to kill him," Gwen whispered, voice muffled against his neck.

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"I'm only half a princess really, so.." Rose shrugged, turning her gaze back onto her mare. "Its just like a dressage show, thats all. You say its going to be fine, you just get on with it and you ignore the twisting in your stomach that makes you want to throw up. Its just like a show..."

"I know that there is nothing that I can do to change it." She told him. "I'm worried for you, for our friends, but I know ot has to be done." She continued. "But I have a bit more on my mind."
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Jackson nodded. "Isnt all of royal life a show?" He asked. "Pretending to be someone you're not."
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Hayden smiled softly. "I can still put his highness on his ass and I'm half blind."

"Mm, which would be reassuring if he was the one you are fighting but he is not." Gwen whispered, moving back from the hug to look at him and frowning when she saw his smile.

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"How would you know that?"

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"More on your mind than my heroics, I would be offended if I weren't so curious. What is it?"

"I'm pregnant." Alicia told him looking to him.
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"I've been around royals my whole life." He shrugged.
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"Have some faith in these old bones my love." He requested.

"I have plenty of faith in you, but you are going to war and I would be a fool to live with an assumption that you will definetly come back."

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"Then your royals didn't do well pretending,"

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"Your... I- Thats amazing!"

She smiled softly. "So you need to. Come back to us."
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"No probably not."
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"But I will definitely come back." He told her.

"Right, whatever you say. I am not arguing with you, not again. I'm tired of it." Gwen whispered, getting to her feet.

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"Oh I will, don't worry. You know I will."

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"Are you ever going to tell me the real reason you came here? And not any of country that accepted those seeking refuge."

She smiled softly and she kissed him gently.
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He watched her. "It's not an argument if you actually believe me."
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He raised an eyebrow. "That was the reason."