Two Worlds Collide - An Anglo-Brythonic Tale:

[chaos]

Two Worlds Collide - An Anglo-Brythonic Tale:

Ceridwen trembled slightly as she stepped out her father's chamber with as much dignity as she could muster. The servants had outdone themselves in pleating her hair and dressing her in a new gown of fine green cloth. She felt very pretty, but she was also nervous - today she would leave the only home she had ever known with a group of strange men - quite possibly never to see her home or loved ones ever again.

She was to be a hostage. She would live with the Saxon Chief as an honoured guest - so long as her father remained neutral in the current round of fighting between the Saxons and the Britons. If he didn't... well, she'd either be married off to one of the Saxons to cement an alliance or... well she'd rather *not* think what would happen to her if her father sided with the Britons. A quick death would be the best she could hope for.

Still, her parents had emphasized the importance of comporting herself with dignity and aplomb at all times and she was determined to make them proud! Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves and banish the butterflies from her stomach, she made her way across the courtyard towards the Saxon delegation. She didn't know any of their (she assumed) barbarous tongue, but smiled and gave a polite nod of aknowledgement.

(Hopefully this is a good start. Feel free to give my character a nickname to avoid having to write her full name)

[Fenrir13]

Beorthric stood with the Saxon delegation in silence. He was wearing fine clothes and no armor, but was still armed with his trusty sword Trolls Bane. As he saw the small Briton girl approaching he gave her a slight smile. Yes, she was the enemy, but still just a kid. He´d rather been appointed to a more martial mission, but this was fine. At least he could drink and eat his fill at a lords table.
"Are you ready for our departure, lady?", he asked politely when the girl approached. No need to antagonize her. He was a tall young men with the long blonde hair and blue eyes expected of his people and he was charming, if not for his eloquence of speech. Honestly, she was kinda cute. Alltough hopefully not a brat.

[chaos]

Ceridwen was shocked to hear one of the barbarians speaking a civilized language, but she covered it well behind a mask of propriety.

"Yes, I think so..." she replied. She had already packed the few items of sentimental value that she'd be taking with her to the Saxon camp and bid farewell to her family and friends. Most of all, however, if her goodbye took too much longer she knew she'd start crying - something she was determined to avoid at all costs!

[Fenrir13]

Somehow Beorthric couldn´t help smiling. She was cute indeed. "Please follow me, mylady.", he said politely in her language after giving her some time to say goodbye in her fathers hall. Sadly they hadn´t much time, but it had to be enough. The journey was long enough at it is and they would have to reach the camp before nightfall. There was a modest palanquin for the ladies and the men would ride their horses. Saxons loved their horses. The young warrior was riding a tall one with beautiful, light red fur. He was very proud of it. "Very well, let´s go!", he said in his own language...and the entourage set out.

[chaos]

Ceridwen followed the Saxons to where the their horses were tied, carefully lifting her skirts just enough to climb onto the vehicle and take her seat.

As palanquin began to move, she tried to distract herself by focusing on the scenery, but the sight of so many familiar locations she would never see again made her feel rather melancholy and she began to ruminate on a number of important questions that had slipped her mind in the busy days leading up to this important day...

The Saxons were honorbound to see to her physical comfort, but would they know what kind of foods she liked? Would have anyone to talk to aside from that one guard? Would there be other little girls her age to play with? Who kiss her and hug her when needed?

Suddenly, poor Ceridwen began to feel very lonely....

(I hope it's ok that I focused on Ceridwen's emotional state. It's just that there's not much to say about riding in a vehicle and didn't want to jump ahead too far as I wasn't sure whether you have any events planned or even how long you intended for our journey to take)

[Fenrir13]

The journey was mostly boring an uneventful, eventually it got dark which meant they should reach camp, soon if everything was going properly. Beorthric was mostly focusing on his own thoughts, but he did notice the somber mood his little charge was in and it did bother him a bit. The Saxon warrior decided to check on her, making his horse go slower. "Is everything alright, mylady?", he asked,"If you are bored we could do a riddle or tell stories. Maybe you can help me with my Welsh?" He did not seem unfriendly and at his home Beorthric had always been good with children, entertaining them and comforting them when they were punished for misbehaviour, real or imagined. So he did propose a few ways travelers entertained themselves.
He would have also considered singing, but as a warrior, the only good songs he knew were about killing Welsh. So maybe not a good idea.



(sure)

[chaos]

Ceridwen turned and looked at Beorthric with a melancholy expression.

She could tell that he was trying to cheer her up and while part of her appreciated the gesture another part of her resented him for interrupting her current state of self-pity.

Still, she felt like some kind of response were warranted..
"You speak Cymraeg well, are there many like you among the Saxons?" She asked, trying to balance the formality suited to her station with necessity of speaking slowly and clearly for someone who might not, necessarily, be fluent in the language

[Fenrir13]

It saddened him to see the meloncholy so clearly on her face. The Saxon himself tried to smile lightly to keep her at ease, though this job was routine for him. He was used to seeing children wild and rumbunctious, unless they earned punishment, but maybe Welsh children were different? Well, she had a reason to be sad to be sure. Beorthric did not know she partly wanted to be left a lone so he kept at it, trying to entertain her.
"No, I am afraid not. But when you need a friend young lady, I´ll be there. I like children.", the Saxon said innocently. Beorthric noticed that she was speaking slower now, but it did make him understand better, so he didn´t find the gesture offensive. You did hear a lot of dialects and languages these days, espacially among traders, so he was sort of familar with it.
"If you want to know why I speak Cymrae, we had a Welsh slave girl who helped in the household. I think that is how most Saxons learn Welsh, as we are often at war. I hold no grudge against your people, though. It was us who came here and spread out, the bards say.", he further told her, making conversation.
One of the other warriors slowed his horse and said something to Beorthric in Saxon. He talked quite fast and slurred so Ceridwen had no way of knowing what he was saying. Her new companion gave the other man, an aged and experienced man with a thick mustache, a nod and he was back to the front of the party.
"Seems like we´ll arrive at camp in a moment. You will sleep comfortable today, milady. I hope you will be fine. Do you want something to eat? They make a good stew here.", he told in a chatty tone.

[chaos]

Ceridwen considered Beothric's words thoughtfully. He seemed nice enough, for a Saxon, but she still wasn't quite sure whether she could trust him and even if she could, she was feeling a bit guarded right now.

Despite having spent most of the day seated - being meticulously groomed at home and then riding on the palanquin rather than engaging in the sort of vigorous outdoor play that was her wont, the day had been an emotionally taxing one for the poor girl, leaving her quite tired - and very hungry!

"Are there... children at the camp?" She asked, trying not to sound too excited at the prospect of having playmates. For starters it struck her as a very childish consideration. For another, Ceridwen wasn't fully sure Saxons *had* children she'd seen or heard about Saxon men - perhaps they sprang from the earth like mushrooms?