After a bit of laughter, Simon seemed satisfied that his captured prize was going to stay awhile. He felt comfortable with the Admiral, certainly, perhaps not entirely as father and son, but something close. As for the Admiral's lady, Simon barely knew her. It seemed she was always busy or away.

The Admiral became engaged in a conversation with Blackthorn, Captain of Camelot's Watch. Quickly bored of it, Simon made his way to Wenn again. Unlike Lady Morvil, Wenn seemed to fill a void of motherly attention in his life, one he'd missed, possibly more than even he knew.

"Good afternoon, Sir Simon. I see you found your quarry." She could not help but brush an errant lock of hair away from his forehead.

Simon shook his head, causing the hair to fall right back into the same place. "No, no rocks. But I found an admiral!" He smiled proudly.

Wenn giggled and whispered, "There are two kinds of quarry. One is something you seek and the other to do with stone."

He furrowed his brow and pursed his lips then tried to straighten Wenn out. "But, I look for rocks too. Same thing."

Ancient Wolf chuckled as he rose to his paws, leaving Wenn and the boy to work out their difference of opinion.

Wenn's giggle faded quickly as she saw Admiral Cartwright turn his attention to the wolf approaching him. Ancient Wolf paused then sat back on his haunches. His wolf form was soon covered in bright shimmering light, which stretched up then began to fade. As the light dimmed, there stood an elderly man, dressed neatly in pristine white robes. He regarded the Admiral with eyes of forest emerald. His tanned face was framed in stark white hair, flowing over his shoulders and down across his back. In his right hand, was a wooden staff of white ash, worn smooth from age and use.

"M'Lord Cartwright..." Lord Wolf spoke in his smooth, quiet, human voice. More than a few turned to listen, for they had not seen or heard much from him. He was generally in the background of things, if around at all. None knew him to be terribly social and most wrote it off to all the lore of the lone wolf.

"You wish to speak with me, sir?" The Admiral knew Wolf, at least from Council. He assumed that he'd found some pressing issue to be discussed. As a paladin, Cartwright really did not take well to a lot of magic users. He depended on faith and not what he often deemed trickery. He'd always found Lord Wolf to act honorably, but still there was this reservation about him. Mutation of one's form was not an altogether acceptable activity in Cartwright's view. So, his response to Lord Wolf was always courteous and respectful, if business-like and cold.

"My greetings, Admiral. I have a boon to ask this night." Wolf's voice was steady and calm, everything that Wenn was not, just at that moment. The possibility that crossed her mind, surely could not be, yet...

"Indeed, and what boon is that?"

"I have heard that you have taken the fair Lady Wenndolyne under your protective arm and that you are her guardian. Is this true?"

At this point, Cartwright looked across to Wenn and smiled as he answered. "It is indeed true and I am most proud." The Admiral was a bit amused at how quickly such news gets around. He was also more than curious as to why the mage wanted to know.

Wenn's heart pounded. She struggled to hear the men and to fight down what she was thinking, what she felt. It just could not be so. Simon tapped her arm. "Wenn? Are you alright? You look kinda scared." She nodded and shot a weak smile to him then patted his hand before gluing herself to the other conversation again.

Wolf followed the Admiral's gaze then turned back to him with a completely expressionless face. "Then, I ask this night, here before all of Camelot, for the privilege of formally courting the Lady Wenndolyne."

Wenndolyne swallowed hard. She opened her mouth to speak, then shut it again. She started to get up, then dropped back into her place on the hearthstone bench. Simon was completely confused about all of this. He wasn't sure about the other discussion, but Wenn sure seemed to be in a mess over it. She could not sort out what to make of this. She could not believe how horrid the timing had been. Poet had just been here! He would have been the first to the Admiral, but now there stood the old mage asking for her?! Her usually pale skin was now completely bereft of any color.

Lord Wolf stood patiently, awaiting an answer. When it came, it was not the assurance he had hoped for, but neither did it have the finality that Wenn feared.

"I shall consider it, but I will not give my answer until this Friday eve, giving others opportunity to speak with me, concerning the lady."

Her sigh of relief was audible. Wenn finally breathed. She was so very grateful that the Admiral had left room for other possibilities, especially the one she so hoped for, Poet's return and petition. She would try to speak with Cartwright in the meantime and be less circumspect about her situation. She would have to make her desires known, then surely the Admiral would grant Poet what they both wished for.

"Then I shall return this Friday eve." With a nod and a brief bow, Lord Wolf turned from the Admiral. He gave Wenn a bow as well, though she could read nothing from his face. Then, his graceful stride took him from the firehall and into approaching night.

Simon jumped off the bench and wandered over to Admiral Cartwright who immediately smiled down at the boy.

"Yes, little one?"

A little finger curled and wiggled, beckoning the Admiral to lean down for a whisper. The lad still had to stretch up on tiptoes to reach Cartwright's ear. Simon's hands gestured a bit while he whispered seriously. After a moment of thought, Cartwright knelt and whispered something in Simon's ear. There were a few short exchanges then the boy shrugged his shoulders and sighed, "Yeah. I guess you're right," he said.

Cartwright chuckled and patted Simon on the chest as he stood up again. "But your heart is in the right place."

Simon crinkled his nose and looked at his chest. "Huh?"

"Never you mind, lad. Some day, you will understand."

Simon didn't understand anything of the heart comment. He thought maybe he understood the other part though. He could see that Wenn had been upset. He had asked Cartwright if he could 'court' her, whatever that was, like the wolf fellow asked, and if maybe it would make her feel better. Simon now sort of understood that sometimes bigger people had to do things that younger people his size couldn't do. This made sense to him. He knew there were things he wasn't tall enough to jump over yet, so, maybe this was like that. Anyway, he would stick close to Wenn when he could, just in case, but for the moment, he was yawning and the ship was back in the harbor and bedtime sounded very inviting.

Wenndolyne hugged Simon goodnight. She was pleased to see the Admiral escorting him to the ship. She felt that someone always should. She was slowly calming down from the day's events but decided a walk in the cool night air was very much in order. There would be one more night of lodging at the inn, for her stateroom within the castle was to be readied on the morrow.

Imaginary conversations started to collide in her mind. She let the night breeze cool her face, if not her worry. How to tell Poet and when would he be back? What to say to the Admiral? Would it help to speak with Lord Wolf? Why had he challenged Poet's affections? Surely he noticed Arin's manner with her.

She had no clue as to why Ancient Wolf, Lord Wolf, had done this thing. He helped protect her on the quest, certainly. They'd gotten on well since, but this... was a surprise.

(..)