Kara got up before dawn and got dressed as quietly as she could, so as not to wake Talaith. Kara saw Talaith return from the field in a depressed mood, but she knew better than to press Talaith for answers as to what was wrong. The only sound that could be heard when they went to sleep was muffled crying coming from Talaith's bed. Kara lovingly looked at her sleeping sister before getting up and getting dressed. As she dressed herself she saw a shadow pass outside her window. Leaning out of it, she saw no one. She shrugged and hauled herself out of the window but stumbled causing her to fall straight on her bum.
"There is a door." A deep voice said, with a hint of amusement. She looked and saw hidden in the shadows the knight named Tristan.
"Oh, what would the fun of that be? Where would be the adventure in that?" She said smiling, getting up and dusting herself off.
"Right, rather a sore bum." he replied sarcastically.
"That's right." She said smiling at him. In an instant he grabbed her arm and tugged her toward him, and removed a dagger. Kara looked at him, her glossy brown eyes going bigger.
"What is it?" she whispered trying to see what he was looking at. Tristan didn't answer her, but his eyes kept moving around.
"Am I interrupting something?" Lancelot said slyly. Tristan lowered his weapon and sheathed it. Kara looked confused at Lancelot, but then saw another shadow.
"Father." Kara whispered so as not to wake the others.
"Awww. There you are, and are these knights going to help us get our breakfast?" Dieter asked as he looked at the group.
"You know, Tristan is a fine tracker; he can find us breakfast. Plus, he likes to work alone. I say we leave him to it." Lancelot said with a smile as he yawned and stretched.
"That may be so, however, you are all guests here and we will not send one of you to fetch breakfast for a lot of people. If you care to join us you may." Kara said as she turned and took her bow and quiver of arrows from her father.
"Does that mean I can stay and sleep some more?" Lancelot asked as he looked at the two walking away. Tristan scoffed and turned toward the house, Lancelot followed.
"Oh, Lancelot before you go." Kara said before Lancelot entered the house.
"Yes, my lovely." He answered with a playful glint in his eyes.
"What did you do to Talaith?" Kara said growing serious and not giving in to his humor.
Lancelot sighed heavily as he recalled last night, but didn't know what to say.
"I was rude, I'm sorry." Lancelot said meaning every word, as he too got serious.
"Let me tell you something right now, my sister is not what she seems. She may seem rude or obnoxious but...she just feels responsible for things that were not her fault and hasn't forgiven herself for it. Grant it, if she insulted you in anyway, which I highly doubt, I will speak to her, but please don't give her any reason to feel more hatred for herself than she already feels. She's very beautiful, with her long wavy auburn hair and her forest green eyes, but if you are not serious than please refrain from playing with her. I know you are playful with the ladies from what I heard of you and how you act, but she views it seriously and does not realize that you are only jesting." Kara said in a loving way as she looked at Lancelot with a smile once again.
Lancelot looked at her and his respect for her kept growing.
"I feel as if there is something you want to ask me." Kara said as she smiled at him.
"Why does she feel responsible?" Lancelot said after a few seconds.
"It was long time ago, during the battle; it doesn't need to be remembered. If the gods granted us the ability to go back, I wouldn't have done anything differently. Well, maybe I would have befriended the Woads a lot sooner and get a beautiful bow from them but other than that I can't think of anything I would do differently." Kara said with a smile as Lancelot smiled in return. She got on her tiptoes and kissed his check. "No one need trouble themselves with what's past, but move forward."
Unbeknownst to them, Tristan had heard every word.
"You know, Kara, I wouldn't have minded that fellow gathering breakfast for us." Dieter said with a hint of a smile, as they started trekking through the woods.
"Do you wish I hadn't spoken at all?" Kara said seriously.
"You have always had a free, courageous spirit. Who am I to stop you? The world can use more people like you, who fight and stand up for what's right. I'm just sorry we didn't when…" Dieter said looking down with sadness, shame, and anger. Kara placed her hand reassuringly on his shoulders. She wanted to speak, to tell him that it's alright, but it wasn't. It still hurt too much. They heard a rustling and crouched down, scanning all around to see what it could be. Tristan came out holding three rabbits.
"Lancelot wasn't lying when he said you were a good tracker." Dieter said smiling and patting Tristan on the back, rather hardly. Kara was afraid that Tristan would retaliate or fall over, but he just stood there, expressionless, looking at her. Tristan handed her the rabbits to put in her pouch, she smiled at him.
"And our friend Lancelot?" Kara asked, looking around and then back at him with a knowing smile. "Sleeping? Well, thank you for your help, but if you want to sleep…"
"Huuumppphhh!" Dieter interrupted clearing his throat and looking at her with daggers in his eyes, Kara laughed.
"I like my breakfast on time; from the look of things it would take you all morning to get breakfast." Tristan said as he readied his bow and started off.
"Friendly isn't he?" Dieter said as he they watched him. "Kara?" Dieter watched as Kara headed in the opposite direction with her bow ready, and a determined look on her face. "Let the games begin." Dieter said to himself as he headed straight ahead.
"Ahhh, Tristan, you've returned." Dieter said as he took the 5 rabbits from Tristan. Anwen and Talaith were up and starting to get the food ready. The rest were still sleeping, or just waking up.
"Did you happen to see my sister?" Talaith asked Tristan. She was beautiful, Tristan thought to himself. A surprise she isn't someone's wife yet. He looked back at Talaith. She looked to be 17, with wavy auburn hair, and forest green eyes. She was the same height as Vanora. There was hardly a similarity between her and her sister Kara. Kara had black wavy hair, high cheek bones, and glossy brown eyes. She was two inches taller than Talaith.
"I'm right here." Kara said as she trudged up to them, completely covered in dirt. She wasn't smiling but instead just handed her 2 rabbits to her dad, and pulled out the other 3 that Tristan had given her earlier.
"Hahaha. What's happened to you?" Galahad asked as he came out of the house and looked at his dirty sister; Gawain looked at her cautiously.
"I fell." Kara answered without smiling. Instead she hobbled down the hill toward another part of the forest. Galahad was going to start following her, but his dad stopped him.
"Let her be."