Disclaimer: Same as before so please don't sue me! The first song is from the KA movie and the second is from the animated film 'The Magic Sword' (Beth's favourite) and that too is actually about KA! With both songs no copyright infringement was intended so don't sue….and I thought they fit this chapter well.
Wolves and Peregrin Falcons live for approximately 20-21 years.
Sorceress Misha: I am so pleased you like it….hopefully you'll like this chapter too. Yeah, you get to find out in this chapter what she calls the other knights too! Also….poor Tristan! LOL
SpectralLady: I knew you'd love that! Hopefully this chapter will still keep you interested….hopefully! LOL Let me know if it's worth more….Glad you like it!
Calliann: I was hoping you'd like this one…it is a bit different to my others – she has to be as she hasn't had much contact with people. But she is similar to Tristan which is why I think they get along. Yeah, don't forget eating their eyes too! LOL (Gross muchly?) You will find out in this chapter what she calls the other knights too! Poor Gal! Hopefully this chapter will be as funny and let me know if you think it's worth me writing more.
Elfvamp1-13-97: Thank you, hopefully you'll like this chapter too!
lilstrummrgrl527: I'm glad you like the humour – this story will be a lot lighter (I am fed up to the teeth with angst!) and hopefully you'll like this chapter too. Worthy of more? I haven't read any of Bernard Cornwell's novels, but they sound interesting and I can promise she won't go evil…..this story is just pure fluff with a bit of blood and guts thrown in:O)
Aelia O'Hession: But you see this points out how bad I am! I churn them out! LOL Anyway, it was a little idea I had and decided to run with it. No it isn't I'm just thick and used the disclaimer from 'Heart…' and forgot to change Devon's name for Tári! Oops! See – I do not even have a brain! Glad you liked it so far – hopefully you'll like this chapter too. Let me know… what can I say…it's the call of the loner! He is just so AAAWWWWW! ;O
Dolcissimo: Hey listen, don't worry – I'm just grateful you bother to read them. You are not rude…so read and don't review, so what? I do not mind honestly! But thank you for reviewing this time. Well, hopefully you'll do it a little jig with this chapter too – and you'll like it (and want more?)
WARNING: BAD LANGUAGE AND VIOLENCE, SO READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL.
All reviews, and constructive criticism, gratefully received – but no flaming please; and I will try to update regularly.
'—' signifies thoughts.
"—" signifies speech.
Anyway…on with the chapter two!
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Wild Child
Chapter Two – The Woods
Tári was correct, Tristan had to fight hard to survive and it was 6 long weeks before he was well enough to go scouting. Eventually though he was given the all clear and Arthur said he could go out once more. Tristan relaxed as he found he was able to get out of the fort and breathe fresh air again.
Also it meant he could start what had been haunting him the last 6 weeks, finding the girl that Arthur said was called Tári. She had literally haunted him whilst he had been sick.
There were at least two occasions when he was certain she was actually in his room, sponging his face and telling him all would be well. But of course it couldn't have been true as she lived in the woods and never came to the fort; it was probably his fever driving him mad.
But today he could start looking; it shouldn't be too hard, he was the scout after all…and ethereal as she might be, she was still flesh and blood and so would leave a trail he could follow.
Tristan had yet to find a living being that could avoid his detection…..
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
4 hours of mindless riding around later, he was on the verge of admitting defeat for the first time ever in his life; when he heard a soft growl next to him.
He glanced down and saw a grey wolf baring its teeth. He went to throw a dagger only to have another hit his arm hilt first causing him to drop his blade, but not injure him.
"Don't hurt him, or I'll have to kill you, silent man…."He glanced up and saw her sitting in a tree.
"what makes you think you can?"
"I don't think – I know." She swung down lightly and dropped to the ground. "What do you want? You're the one they call Tristan right?"
He nodded "What of it?"
"No reason…I just wondered." She circled his horse "What do you want?"
Tristan could not answer as he did not really know…he just wanted to find her.
"I just wanted to find you."
"Why?"
Again he was stumped, she was irritating him – he was used to being the silent one, giving clipped answers. He was just beginning to realise why the other knights would get so annoyed with him.
"I wished to thank you…for…." He could not bring himself to say 'saving me' "for helping me…."
"well, that's done…goodbye Silent Man…." She went to leave…
What is wrong with my name?"
"Nothing….I merely prefer mine."
His interest was piqued even further now "So, if I am Silent Man, who are the others?"
"Well, there is Pretty Boy…" she stopped and turned, a small smirk playing on her lips.
"Lancelot…." He dropped from his horse and went over to her. She had flopped into the grass, the wolves all lay down around her, the horse grazing nearby and her hawk in the branch above them.
"Fat Man….I almost called him Loud Fat Man…." She flinched as she remembered his loud voice and yelling.
"Bors…."
"Long Hair…."
Tristan had to think for a moment on that one; but then it came to him "Gawain."
"Large Man…although he too was nearly Large, Kind Man – for his has gentle eyes."
"Dagonet.."
"Leader…."
"Arthur…."
"And the last one is - Baby…."
"Galahad – has to be…." He truly had to bite his lip to stop the smile as he thought of the youngest knight's reaction to his 'name'.
"Aye…the one that wears a skirt…."
"A kilt….he wears a kilt." Tristan closed his eyes to the mirth that grew in him, he had not felt like he was about to laugh out loud in a long time – the suppressed smile tugged painfully at his lips.
"Hmmmm…he can call it what he wishes….it is still a skirt."
That was too much for Tristan, who had long thought the same, and he actually laughed.
"That is funny?" she seemed genuinely puzzled.
"Aye….only because I know what Gal….Baby would say if he knew what you called him and his kilt." Tristan regained control.
"Ah….he would not be pleased…." She shrugged, as if she cared less.
Tristan thought of something she'd said on the battlefield "You said you liked me?"
"Aye I do."
"Why?"
Her good eye glowed "you enjoy the hunt and you love the kill…so do I. You have a taste for it, they.." she waved her arm in the direction of the fort, even though they could not see it "do not understand….Baby seems to have the most trouble."
"aye, he does not like it."
"why were you on the ice?" She suddenly changed the subject.
Tristan told her in short terms of their last mission.
She nodded at the end "you were good men to be so honourable. I would not have been…."
"What would you have done?"
"I would have killed the Churchman and his men and took the papers." She shrugged as if it was the obvious solution.
Tristan smiled inside himself, it was what he'd thought of "Aye, but the Leader would not have liked it…"
"Who cares? Kill him too – he is only a Roman."
"Nay he is half Briton…"
"Really? He looks Roman…."
"and he is my friend…"
"Then you should pick better friends, Silent Man….he nearly got you all killed on the ice."
He ignored the jibe at Arthur, if she truly knew him she would like him.
"You have friends?"
"Aye, these…" she gestured to the animals around her "You have the same." She indicated his horse and the hawk.
"Do they have names?"
"Nay, why would they? They are wild and of the woods….names are pointless, a waste of breath." She looked at his animals "Yours?"
"Nay…I think it tames them somehow…" he looked thoughtful.
"Aye and that would be wrong; for they deserve their freedom full as much as we."
They shared a smile, knowing they agreed.
"What of people?"
"What of them?"
"do you have them as friends?"
"Nay, only Merlin…and I see him only rarely."
"You do not like people?"
"I like them well enough – I do not trust them."
"Me?"
"Oh you are different – you are of this…" she waved her arm expansively around the forest "you trust more than what you see – you sense too. If you did not, they would not be with you." she pointed to his horse and his hawk.
"Aye, but do you trust me?"
"well enough…."
She cocked her head "I must go…others come…" She stood.
Tristan listened intently and only then faintly heard the noise of twigs cracking.
"You're hearing is good…."
"It makes up for this." She indicated her blind eye.
"How?"
"spear…." She stretched "Bored now…bye." And she was gone – the animals and the hawk too - vanished…..
He stood "if I want to see you again?"
"I'll be around Silent Man…." Suddenly she was behind him, and just as suddenly she was gone.
He smiled….and Tristan rarely smiled.
0-0-0-0-0-0
2 days later he was back. "Tári!" he called quietly; it wasn't that he couldn't track her……merely that he did not want to.
"you keep telling yourself that Silent Man…" she grinned behind him.
"Did you read my mind as well?" his eyes lit as he saw her.
"Nay…but your eyes give much away."
"How are you?"
"Well…you?"
"Well…."
"Good…bye then…."
"Wait!" he did not want her to leave so soon.
"What?" she stopped and looked expectantly at him.
"How long have you lived here?"
"Since I was 3 summers…"
"Alone?"
She rolled her eyes "No daftie….not that little, my parents were with me then."
"How long alone?"
"Since I was 6 summers.."
"Oh and that is so much older…." He tried to tease, it was not his way but he wanted her to stay with him for a little while.
"It is….3 summers older." He could see the jest was lost on her – she had had little interaction with other people, so jesting and sporting with them was an unknown element to her. Her life was purely black and white…..
"How many summers are you now?"
She thought for a moment "Merlin says I am 24."
"You mean you have lived alone for 18 summers?" Tristan was incredulous.
"No….I had company."
"Who?" though he thought he already knew the answer.
"Them." She pointed to the wolves and the hawk. She snapped her fingers twice and the wolves came. She flopped down on the grass and put her arms round the neck of the nearest one.
"He came 6 winters ago…" she nodded at the horse. "The romans called him a demon and said they would kill him….only because he was wild and would not let them break his spirit."
"What did you do?"
"I killed them instead and took him. A demon horse for a demon warrior; fitting is it not?" she flashed a smile.
"Aye it is…" he smiled back.
"He has been good and true to me, as they all have, because he knows, as they all know, I love him as a friend and not an owner." Tristan understood, he felt the same about his animals.
She returned her attention to the wolves "His father was my first and bestest friend." She indicated the one she had her arms round "They live for 20 summers, but he was killed 2 winters past by a damn Saxon." She smiled even as tears swam "I killed him though, the Saxon, took his head…"
"Do you lose many of them in battle?"
"Nay, he was the first in many a long time…until the last one with all of you, I lost his mother and brother then….that was hard." She sighed and buried her face in the fur "but we burnt them as is the custom… I will not give them to this rock."
"What custom?"
"My parents…I had to burn them, Merlin said it was their custom – so I do it still with the rest of my friends." She pointed to the animals.
"But the custom of this land is burial."
"They were not of this land."
Tristan thought for a moment "Is that a bear pelt?" he pointed to her cloak.
"Aye, it was my father's - he came from the land of the bear. He knew a song…" she thought for a moment, a light dancing in her eyes "ah yes…I remember…
"Land of
bear and land of eagle
Land that gave us birth and blessing
Land
that called us ever homewards
We will go home across the
mountains
We will go home
We will go home
We will go
home across the mountains
We will go home, singing our song
We will go home...
Hear our
singing
Hear our longing
We will go home across the mountain
We will go home
We will go home..."
He was reminded of Van the knight in the tavern – singing of going home; and now it looked as if they were all staying…he definitely…now.
Tári had a beautiful voice, soft but strong at the same time – haunting. He had a lump in his throat, she sang with such longing – and yet he doubted she knew of what she was singing.
"You are Sarmatian…" it was a statement.
"My father was…."
"Your mother?"
"Roman….they were slaves and ran away…" she looked round her beloved trees "Mother did not like it here and would not venture as deeply as father wished.
One day, three winters after we came - and they'd made friends with me" she indicated the wolves and the hawk "the Romans came….5 soldiers. My father hid me in a tree with a bow and told me to shoot only if needed.
I was….I killed 2, he had killed 2, and the fifth I wounded; but he saw me and jabbed me with his spear." She pointed to her eye.
"Then what?" Tristan was intrigued.
"They had wounded my father and killed my mother….he begged me to finish him, he did not wish a slow death – so I took his head. He told me he loved me and to always remember I would never be alone just before I killed him." Her voice was so matter of fact that it hurt Tristan, even he would have baulked at that.
"Was it hard to do that?"
"Aye….for I loved him muchly…but I was a good daughter, and always did as my father bade me."
"Muchly?"
"it was a word he used when he thought something was more than 'so much' or 'a lot'…. He would say to me 'I love you muchly Tári' or 'I liked that stew muchly'." She smiled then.
"How did you live with such a wound?"
"Merlin…he found me and tended me. I told him I wished to live alone and by myself, I did not wish to be a Woad….so he left me, coming to see me sometimes."
"That has been the way of it these past summers?"
"Aye…" she stretched "Bored now…" she went to leave, then stopped "you ask a lot of questions, silent man…" and then vanished.
"Aye but I get a lot of answers too…you are a marvel…" he muttered.
Her head hung upside down out of a tree above his "No, I am Tári..." and she was gone; a twitching of leaves above his head, and a flattened patch in the grass beside him, the only signs she'd even been there.
He smiled and mounted his horse; he suddenly thought of something "What is your hawk?" he called.
"A peregrine." came the distant reply "Yours?"
"a Sparrow hawk….."
"Mine is bigger…" there was a sense of pride in her voice.
"That is what they all say…" he jested.
"They would because it is true…." A distant voice floated back…
Tristan made a mental note to teach her what a jest was, the next time he saw her.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
A week later he was riding out of the fort in a foul temper; he had been confined to the accursed place as there were much chores and repairs to do. Then, just when he thought he could get away for a few hours and see Tári, Arthur decides to send him scouting…..
He had only been on the road a little over an hour when he was set on by a band of Saxons.
There were 20 of them; and good though his skills were, they were not that good. He took a sword wound to the leg and an arrow to the shoulder….but then three arrows flew from the trees dropping three of the Saxons.
Tristan knew who it was even before the wolves appeared. Between them they made short work of the enemy.
Soon all 20 Saxons lay dead or wounded. Tári moved among them stabbing any of those still moving.
Finally she went to Tristan "this will hurt" she said as she pulled the arrow. She too, had two sticking out of her leg. She removed the arrows from her own leg, without murmur or movement.
She helped him to his feet "I seem to be doing this a lot for you." she looked at him with a shake of her head "You do seem to like picking outnumbered fights. First it was 8 against 200, then 1 against 20…."
"How came you to be here?" He limped with her help over to his horse.
"Can you ride? - I followed you…"
He nodded and then asked why.
"Because I wanted to see where you were going…." She rolled her eyes at his obvious question.
"Ah…of course." He tried hard not to smile.
"Then I saw you fighting and thought it looked fun, plus you were having a few problems – so…." She waved around the dead Saxons.
Her horse stamped his feet and her hawk screed above her "They are annoyed."
"Why?"
"They did not get to play too…" she smiled "we all play together usually…but there were not enough today." She spoke the last louder.
Tristan stumbled, she took his weight and looked "Oh, you are bleeding badly. I must heal you."
She helped him onto his horse and mounted behind him. She held him up and the motley band moved into the trees. Soon she was on a clearing with a large stream, high waterfall and a small lake.
"Come…." She led him to the waterfall, drawing her cloak over them they walked through it…
Tristan saw there was a cave behind it…a very large one, which seemed almost cosy….then he fainted.
Tári sighed "let us get him comfortable and then we can patch him up."
She worked quickly and effortlessly on the fallen knight, then took care of her own wounds. She banked a fire and cooked some rabbit stew. Tristan woke to find her talking to the Alpha wolf.
"You are good to share as I could not leave him to hunt myself….thank you.." she petted the wolf, and nuzzled his fur. He panted and for all the world looked as if he was grinning.
Tristan could not help but smile…..his stomach growled loudly.
She turned "I do believe your hungry, silent man!" she smiled "Here…." She handed him a bowl and spoon.
He took it and began to shovel the food into his mouth "this is good…" he said, he thought for a second before continuing "muchly good…." His eyes flicked over to her, to see her beaming…..it was nice to see.
Like him she kept her face passive, her voice was usually fairly emotionless – so it was nice to see her smile…grin in fact, he thought, casting her another quick look.
"You remembered! Thank you…." she eyed him with the food "But eat slower or you'll get a belly ache – at least try and chew it, instead of merely inhaling it!" she smiled again.
Tristan nearly dropped the bowl "A jest….you made a jest?"
"Aye…you think I know not what a joke is?"
"But I have joked…."
"Nay, that I have noticed you have not…"
Tristan suddenly realised he was being toyed with and smiled "You are as sly as your friends….."
"then that is a good compliment." She dipped her head in mock thanks.
"Are you not eating?"
"Aye, when you have finished."
"why?"
"I have but one bowl, spoon and mug….." she saw his look "I do not have company for meals very often….why would I need more?"
He felt bad then, and offered the bowl back.
"Do not be a dolt, silent man….eat, eat! A wait of a few moments will not kill me….and you bled badly, you need the nourishment sooner than I." she pushed it back.
She stood "I go to bathe…." She took some soap from the side and went outside…..
Tristan finished eating, but then heard her wonderful voice filtering through to him; it seemed to echo around the cave and the animals in there seemed to sigh as they settled.
He listened and his heart stopped at the words….the contentment and pride in them, but also the defiance and aloneness……
"I know
the sound of each rock and stone
And I embrace what others
fear
You are not to roam in this forgotten place
Just the likes
of me are welcome here
Everything breathes
And I know each
breath
For me it means life
For others, it's death
It's
perfectly in balance
Perfectly planned
More than enough
For
this woman
Like every tree
Stands on it's own
Reaching
for the sky
I stand alone
I share my world
With no one
else
All by myself
I stand alone
I seen your world
With
these very eyes
Don't come any closer
Don't even try
I've
felt all the pain
And heard all the lies
But in my world
there's no
Compromise
Like every tree
Stands on it's
own
Reaching for the sky
I stand alone
I share my
world
With no one else
All by myself
I stand alone
All
by myself
I stand alone"
He walked through the waterfall quickly, so as not to get too wet. She was a wonder…she was…he watched her standing in the shallows of the small lake – naked - her body covered in scars from battles, he assumed.
But by all the Gods she was a beauty….though not like most women would be thought beautiful. Probably to Lancelot, Pretty Boy – he smiled – she would be considered plain….but to him…to him she was a Goddess.
She turned and began to walk out of the water….he quickly turned his back.
"What is it? Do you ail? I have herbs that can help with any pain…."
"I…um…you…..you are naked…."
"Aye….but I needed to wash…what would you have me do?" she seemed perplexed.
Suddenly it dawned on Tristan. "You have never been with a man, have you?"
"\what do you mean?" she was confused, and that confusion confirmed his suspicions. But then why would she have been? She had lived most of her life alone and had little contact with people…
"I mean that you have never had a man kiss you or touch you…no one has ever seen you naked…."
"Oh….no…." she thought for a moment "Why – does it bother you?"
"No…but I do not wish to take advantage by staring…"
"I see…is staring at me wrong then? Because you do it overmuch when we are alone at other times."
"No…...I…" he stopped "Do I?"
"Aye…so is it wrong – should I hit you or something?"
"No…just…umm…." for once the normally controlled scout was at a loss to explain how he wished to take her in his arms and kiss her, carry her to her small bed and make love to her…he felt himself responding to those thoughts and decided a dip in the ice cold lake was a good idea….injuries or no.
"No it's not…but I shouldn't when you're naked that's all…and I won't…I can't…." he brushed past her.
She stared at him as he stripped and then went into the water.
"You can't?"
He turned to find her in the water beside him….and still, oh Gods, naked….
She had a quizzical look on her face that he found both endearing and scary. He could easily take advantage…he could…but he wouldn't…he moved further away; but she followed him.
"You…I…" he took a deep breath "could you step back – only for a few minutes….give the cold water a chance to work…"
He closed his eyes, trying to regain his usually rigid control….okay…maybe rigid wasn't the best word to be thinking of right now. He sighed again…..
She looked at the clear water "What will it do?" then she looked at him "Can I help you?" she stepped forward again - he stepped back so quickly he slipped on some rocks under foot and fell over, going under.
He felt a hand in his hair hauling him up "Are you alright? Did the water work?"
She held him against her naked body. Tristan breathed through his nose, wiping the water out of his eyes and trying to think of anything but what his body was doing…against his will…..definitely against his will.
"What's that?" He froze - Gods, please do not make me have to explain….
"What?"
"That…" she pointed to his….he held his breath….tattoos.
Tristan breathed out shakily with relief "They're my tribal tattoos…..I am Sarmatian, like your father was, we get them when we make our first kill. " she stepped forward once more, her body heat reaching him - even through the cold water - and caressed the tattoos on his cheeks.
"I see…they feel flat…." She reached up and touched one with her lips "they are… they're not like a scar…." her breath fanned his cheek.
Tristan looked toward the Heavens, deciding the Saxons had in actual fact killed him and this was Arthur's hell.
AN: More?