Gwen nodded along, taking some time to piece together what he was saying. It seemed like when he got more excited, his accent got a bit thicker. He wasn't impossible to understand. She just needed a moment to process it in her head. Thus, she nodded as though considering what he had said. Then when he leaned in a bit, she set her goblet down in excitement of whatever big secret he was holding back.
When he admitted to what he had figured out, she sat back in her chair. It was a rather talented bit of magic, if true! "That's...that is simply amazing! I mean, how did you come up with such an idea? I know you need a way to read the stars - it does rain here quite often so the solution is a good one. It is simply - such a huge concept and then to actually achieve it." Gwen was babbling because she was shocked. She'd never known anyone to come up with an idea so big - to actually enchant the night sky to perfect was huge and if it was accurate...
Merrick all out grinned as she got excited over his revelation. He had a little bit of trouble concentrating as he watched how her face brightened and her eyes twinkled with delight. "O'ly a lil' while," he said. "Took me fere'er te get it jus' righ' an' get the stars jus' se."
"Studyin' the sky as I 'ave, I know abou' where each one falls e'ery nigh'," he said proudly. It was probably his crowning achievement and he hoped people would remember it into the future. At least those who were as fascinated by the night sky as he was.
"'ave ye made any special ink fer yer classes? Somethin' special fer the star' o' the year?" he asked, curiously. His excitement over the charm was not easily outdone. He wanted terribly to share it with someone, to share it with her especially. She made things seem all the more exciting and vibrant.
"It's very impressive, Sir Raine," Gwen said enthusiastically, settling back in her chair with the goblet still in her hand. "Truly. I am sure that it is magnificent! Perhaps you will have time to show it to me, some night." She tried to keep the wistfulness out of her tone. Though last night had happened, it shouldn't happen again. She couldn't afford to make the same slips over and over, lest anyone catch on to any slight feelings she might be having. To be alone with him now should have been a scandal but they were colleagues. There would likely be many meals shared together - as the only other staff outside the healer and the four founders of Hogwarts. Very few like these though. And they certainly shouldn't be in a dark room together, no matter how badly she would want to see his amazing creation.
When he asked about any special discoveries, she shook her head. "Oh no, I leave the special things like that to Lady Ravenclaw and Helga. I am not so special as all that." Gwen assured him. "With Lora, I have little time to explore those sorts of things anyway. She needs me still and I want to be there while I can until she's too old for me. They tell me that time goes so fast and I will already miss so much teaching.
"But I am so glad to do it. Really, I am not sure what would have become of me had this position not come along so I want to focus on it - do it to the best of my ability. Make my brother's faith in my abilities not be ill placed."
"Please, m'lady, ye can call me Merrick. I d'nae min'," he said when she called him Sir Raine. It was all so formal and he didn't like it much. He supposed he should get used to it however since they would be having the students address them by their titles last he heard. "An' I would lo'e te show ye the nigh' sky enchanmen'. Bet ye could still pick ou' Polaris."
"Ye loo' li'e a fine mother te me," he said. "Very attentive te 'er needs an' the way ye spea' abou' 'er, ye jus' ligh' up the room."
Oh yes, he had noticed in a big way. He had noticed it right off the bat when they had been speaking the previous night. She outshone the moon above and that had captivated him more so than just her beauty alone. He briefly thought back on the kiss on the cheek she had given him and the electricity he felt flow through him from it.
"I believe ye will be a great teacher as well," he said encouragingly. He wanted to reach over and touch her hand or something to give her further encouragement and comfort in case she felt inadequate. If she was even half as dedicated to the post as she was to her daughter then the school had one hell of a teacher in its halls.
The pride she saw on his face when he said he would love to show it to her had Gwen trying to think of somewhere safe that he could show her exactly what he meant without it being too private. There had to be somewhere in a public area of the castle that they would be safe enough to be seen together without it being too much trouble.
His compliment made her shyly smile, ducking her head slightly. "Well, I thank you for your good opinion," she said, then daringly added, "Merrick." It felt odd addressing a man not her husband or relative by his first name but Sir Raine seemed so stiff for a man so relaxed and at ease with a baby. He had mentioned a little sister last evening, had he not. Someone he had helped out with so that would make sense. She wondered how old the sister was - if she would be one of Gwen students.
No, they weren't commoners. The girl would likely know how to read. Perhaps they would see each other in the hall, someone that looked just a little like him but much more feminine. That same dark hair and an amazing set of eyes...but softer, without the glint of having seen too much? While Sir Raine's eyes weren't as dark as her brother's, they had been companions. They had likely seen some very serious things together. Just something about Sir Raine (Merrick, she corrected herself) that didn't seem as heavily burdened as Godric always did. Something different in their personalities.
She really liked that, even though she was not supposed to. Again that thought of being a widow affording her some prerogatives that she had not had before her marriage. Genevieve from Kent - three times widowed had offered a wide array of stories about all the fun she had had now that she was no longer virginal and was less tied to any man than she'd ever been. Gwen's skin had felt heated with every story, so detailed were the accounts. It had definitely given her ideas that warred with the properly bred woman she was supposed to be.
"Thank you," she said again, her mouth opened to say more when suddenly it came to her. "The Great Hall! Imagine casting that image on that ceiling! The night sky so the students could always study it any time they liked!"
Merrick found that he liked the sound of his name from her lips and he was glad that she had taken his permission to use his name instead of his title. He was probably one of the least stuffy knights among those he had been in brotherhood with. Truth be told, he had often taken the part of the bard or minstrel in their little traveling band though he wasn't skilled with a lyre or other instrument.
When she exclaimed that he should charm the ceiling of the Great Hall he grew curious as it was a much larger space than his room. He seemed thoughtful about it. A part of him wanted to dazzle his students with it in his room alone but at the same time, the Great Hall would be perfect to really put it on display.
"Ye know, tha's nae a bad idea," he said as he reached up and rubbed his stubble-covered jaw. "Would ye come wit' me te ask the others if I can de tha'?" It would give her an easy out if she didn't want to be alone with him in a dark room. It's not like he had bad intentions if they did end up in one. He simply wanted to show her what he could do.
"Of course I will," Gwen said immediately, knowing that going up against the foursome all-together could be a bit intimidating. When they interviewed her for the position, she had been twitching the whole time. Perhaps it had been that steely, doubtful gaze of Salazar or maybe it was the wisdom of Lady Ravenclaw that had intimidated her. After all, one of the wisest women in the land and Gwen thought that she could offer up something small to ease the grand lady's workload for Godric had assured her that if Gwen did not do it, the ladies would likely take up the task - particularly Rowena who was a bit of a perfectionist.
Yet, despite her own self-consciousness about her skills, she had managed the interview with grace and decorum (and her penmanship the very best it could be) and the job had been hers. It had still been a bit nerve-wracking. And trying to alter their grand project of ten years could be just as overly intimidating.
So of course she would show her support to her fellow colleague in facing them all.
"My suggestion would be to start with Helga. From what Godric has said, the kitchens and the Great Hall are her domain - constructed to her specifications. If there is anyone who needs to give permission, it is her," Gwen said. Maybe just starting one on one would be best for the time being. And they would all be so busy, perhaps telling one would be best as she could tell the others. Helga knew them better and if she agreed, she could easily convince the others to agree as well.
"At this time of day, I would assume she would be hard at work in the kitchens. Would you like to go now before we head down to the trading post or wait until there is more time this evening?" Gwen asked.
Suddenly, he was a lot more nervous about showing off his skills. Charms and enchantments weren't usually his forte but Maximus had been working with him to strengthen his abilities before going off to the school. He looked at Gwen and the positive belief in her eyes that he could do it and he felt the nervousness begin to shift. It went from nervous discouragement to nervous energy and he nodded.
"D'we 'ave enough time te de it now? I d'nae want to make ye late te meet the students loo'in' te get their wands," he said, concerned. He had the job of escorting her today not taking up all of her time. He wanted to make sure she was completing her tasks as the Four had assigned them and he didn't want to let Godric down. He appreciated the trust the man had shown him to watch over his sister.
"Ye probably be righ' abou' startin' wit' Lady Hufflepuff," he said, remembering the little that he saw of the busy, busy woman. She seemed like a force to be reckoned with if one didn't give her enough credit where it was due. Lady Ravenclaw was a bit snooty, and Lord Slytherin seemed to look down his nose at everyone. Godric had been the one to champion his cause in coming here to serve and teach his subject.
Gwen nodded, draining the last of her drink from the goblet before jumping to her feet. Well, not exactly jumping as her dress would hardly permit it but as quickly as the voluminous skirt would allow her! She also knew Helga would be the kindest of the quartet and consider it fully, unlike the others who were a little quicker to make snap judgements.
But honestly, it was the woman's domain and Gwen wouldn't dare go to any of the other's without her approval and she would strongly suggest that Merrick feel the same, had he not agreed with her suggestion. Honestly, out of all the houses, she had most strongly identified with the calm, caring house that her sister-in-law through marriage had set up for those loyal and caring for others. While she loved her brother's ideas, she just didn't think she could keep up with the energy.
And she knew, with absolute certainty, that she was not nearly intelligent for the lady Ravenclaw's house. And Salazar, he didn't seem to much care for her thus being in his house would be rather awkward. Honestly, it was better that she was a teacher and not a student for they all were intimidating. It was just that Helga was less so because she was still kind and sort of family, and very accepting of everyone and everything. Or so she seemed to Gwen, anyway.
Thus, to Helga they would go!
"We will make time. It shan't take more than a few moments to propose the theory to her. And really, with a canvas like that, it would make it so much easier to see. I, honestly, cannot wait. I truly hope she approves for it will truly be the best ceiling that anyone could ask for - the night sky. And very unique!" She headed for the door, pausing by it to await him, since it was his idea after all. Her enthusiasm for him and his thought was just so good that she could not help but be excited at the possibility.
When she jumped up again, he stood quickly. Too quickly and ended up hooking his sword into his chair again. He paused to untangle himself and right his sword, before moving around the table and coming up beside her. Before she could open the door he did the polite thing and presented his arm to her.
Merrick would let her decide whether to take it or not as he opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. It was then that something occurred to him. "Erm, m'lady, I d'nae know where the kitchens be," he said, having not figured that part of the castle out yet. He knew his quarters, the staff room, his classroom and tower, the Great Hall, and then places on the grounds like the hunting hut but he didn't know where the kitchens were.
Like Gwen, he probably would have aligned himself with Helga Hufflepuff's ideals. He was loyal and hardworking, though brave when he needed it, he wasn't driven by his courage. He was smart enough to get things done but he wasn't brilliant like Lady Ravenclaw or striving for perfection like Lord Slytherin, even though his studies had to be perfect in some respects.
"If ye could lead the way," he suggested, giving her leave to do just that. He trusted her not to get them lost in these crazy hallways that changed and moved around them.
