Shielding her eyes, Wenn managed to see the small dark figure against the shimmering water. Adjusting her approach, so as not to be in the direct line of blinding sun, she thought she recognized the mumbler. Eventually her identification was certain for the sunlight shone through his copper hair, even as it did her own.

"Simon?"

He turned quickly then back to throw another rock into the goldfish pond. "Huh?"

Wenndolyne stopped just behind him and could almost understand his muttered words. They were angry.

"Always gone..." Plunk. "Never plays..." Plunk. "No time..." Plunk. Each phrase accented with a hard throw.

"Simon, what troubles you?"

"Nothing." Plunk.

"I think the fish might disagree. They might think you're angry with them."

He stopped his activity, looking over his shoulder at her from his elevated perch on layered stones at the edge of the pond. "They're just fish." He turned back around and plunked in another rock with a forceful pitch.

"Aye, just fish and not aware that a young sir stands upon the pond's edge, seemingly trying to kill them with a handful of rocks."

Simon turned sideways on the stone edging and furrowed his brow at Wenn. "I'm not trying to kill fish! I was just..." He shrugged and casually tossed the remaining rocks from his hand into the pond with one last chorus of plunks and splashes. He started to walk along the stones, having to watch his balance, for the way was neither smooth nor much wider than his feet.

Wenn followed along beside him, walking in the soft grass around the circular pond. At least the fish were safe again. She wasn't sure about Simon. She worried that his balance might not be sufficient to keep him dry. "Just what? Pray tell."

"No." He continued to walk, now extending his arms to keep himself steady. "Just the Admiral. That's all."

"Ah, but he's away. Did he--"

"YES." Simon hissed the word out. "Always away. Always on his boat out there somewhere." He angrily flung his hand out to gesture and nearly lost his footing. His voice became a mumble again as he proceeded around the stone circle. "Always busy. Never sees me."

"Oh." Wenndolyne didn't know how to comfort this. She had been a little disturbed by the Admiral's absences herself. "Well, when he is here, do you not spend time with him? Does he not talk with you of sailing or school work or... something?"

"No." Simon now walked in an up and down loping gait, as his right foot used the stones but his left used the grass. After all, the ledge around the pond was only a couple of stones high. It was just the pond side that was dropped. "I have to catch him and make him stop and I think he doesn't like it and... then he's gone most of the time anyway." His little shoulders shrugged. He stopped the stepping walk and proceeded with Wenn in a slow circle around the pond.

"What of Lady Morvil? Does she see to things and spend time with you?"

Simon shook his head. He twisted so he could turn one of his pockets wrong side out to find a leftover rock. He flung it into the pond as well, the very last one. "I don't even know her. She's why the Admiral's away though. I'm pretty sure of that." He sighed and his continued steps seemed all too heavy for a young lad, Wenn thought.

She had more questions that she was afraid to ask him. Didn't he ever go with the Admiral on these journeys? If Lady Morvil's estate was to be his new home, had he not visited to see it? Wenn began to think that Simon was not privy to any of these decisions and she didn't want to be the one to stir them.

"Where do you stay when the ship is not in port?"

He shrugged again. "Oh, I got a room. I got a room in the castle. It's just mine. Yeah, just me."

Wenn's heart was breaking. She didn't know all the details of Simon's life in Camelot or how he'd come into the Admiral's care precisely, but it seemed to her that he was getting very little care at all. She stepped ahead of Simon then turned and knelt before him. Her best smile greeted his somewhat sad but curious expression.

"Did you know that I also have a room in the castle now? So, let us go through the firehall to fetch a tea or such then you show me the way to your room and I will show you the way to mine and we need not be alone in our rooms anymore, if we want company, hm?"

Simon tilted his head and thought about this a minute. "I could come to see ya sometimes?"

"Yes, Sir Simon. You would be welcome any time."

Simon tipped his head to the other side and smiled, just a little. "Do ya have frogs in yer room?"

Taken aback by the question, Wenndolyne blinked. "Um, no, I have no frogs."

"Then I'll give ya one of mine!" He took off running toward the entrance of the firehall. "C'mon, Wenn!"

While she worked to catch up, Wenn also contemplated how to politely refuse such a generous offer.