Authors Note: Hmmm this one got a touch messed up... -_- I apologize. Well I hope you're enjoying the story, this is officialy the furthest i've ever got with a fanfiction and posted ^^

Katie xx

Night was falling again by the time I had finished my chores. Sighing I leant against the stable wall; the broomstick clasped in both hands. It had taken a while to sweep the yard and now I was exhausted. I wiped a few strands of brown hair out of my eyes and tucked them behind my ear.

'Aliae.'

I turned round to see who was speaking. A pretty blonde girl I knew from sight but not by name stood smiling at me. She worked at the bar. I smiled back.

'Can I help you?'

She swept closer until we were barely inches from each other. I was suddenly very conscious of my sweaty face and dirty dress. Her smile, I noticed, wasn't a pleasant one.

'I hear the knights are coming to visit you.'

'Well of course, I work with their horses, they come to check on them.'

Her pretty nose wrinkled as she leant back to inspect an immaculate fingernail.

'I do hope that's true. There have been…rumours…that there is something more than polite going on between you and Tristan.'

She arched an eyebrow.

'But I can see that wouldn't work, I mean look at you, you're not exactly a catch, and he's a knight.'

She put a slight stress on the last word as if it were something to be awed by then turned the full force of her blue eyes on me.

'So please, for your own good, put a stop to the rumours.'

She blew me a quick kiss and walked back to the bar. Gently I leant the broom up against the wall I had been leaning on and walked back into the stable. Towards the back was a series of small rooms; this was where I lived so I could tend to the horses at night. On one of the walls was a small looking glass. It was to this that I walked. Staring at my reflection I took in the familiar features: The unruly mess of brown hair that stuck out at all angles, brown eyes that tipped up slightly at the corners, a round slightly off-centre nose and a mouth that drooped slightly at the corners giving me a sulky look. I wasn't pretty, that much I knew. I was plain in the extreme but my father had told me I had more than enough of a personality to make up for that.

'The only problem with that' I thought as I tried to flatten my hair 'is that women are not expected to have a personality.'

I had never really cared before but after talking to that girl I realised that she had been speaking the truth. I prodded my cheeks a few times before shrugging and walking back to the yard. I had never cared before, why should I start now?

When I reached the yard Gwain was standing in the middle holding the broom. Surprised I took a step back.

'This yours?'

I nodded and held my hand out. He laughed and passed it back to me.

'Thank you for talking to Tristan, he seems to have taken whatever you said to heart.'

'It was only because you asked me to, it would have been rude to have refused a direct request from a knight.'

He cocked an eyebrow. 'You seem quite stiff this evening.'

'I have a lot on my mind.'

I stole a look behind Gwain to where the blonde girl was working at the bar. She hadn't seemed to have noticed my visitor.

'I wouldn't like to seem rude but do you not have somewhere else to be this fine evening? There are many places that would be honoured to have you pay a visit.'

'But not here?'

His voice was mocking me, I could tell, it made me angry but I took a breath and refused to rise to the bait.

'If there was anything I could do…'

'I'll have an ale.'

My face flushed red with anger but I turned back into the blacksmiths to fetch the ale.

'Here.'

I dropped the pewter mug in front of Gwain on the wooden table that father and I had our meals at. I turned to leave again but he stopped me.

'Please sit.'

'Why?'

I was being rude but I didn't care.

'Tristan said you had very little respect for the knights, I didn't believe him at first but it seems you just pretend. What is it about us that you hate so much?'

'It's not that I hate you.' My voice was desperate now 'It just shocks me that any of you would want to talk to me. You shouldn't even know my name!'

To my disgust tears were leaking from my eyes and down my cheeks. Angrily I wiped them away with the back of my sleeve and turned my back on Gwain.

'What makes you think that?'

'I'm the blacksmiths daughter, I'm not pretty or social, I look after horses.'

'And why would that make you unworthy of our attentions?'

I gasped and turned round to face Tristan.

'I'm sorry…'

I tried to push past him but he caught my arm again.

'You don't have to be ashamed of crying, you're a woman, showing emotions is your privilege.'

I sniffed and hid my face.

'My father taught me that crying was weak, you should never cry even when you are faced with pain.'

'Then your father has no idea about women.'

Stunned I pulled away and glared at the two men.

'What right do you have to say that! My father may not be a knight but he is a better man than either of you!'

I ran from the workshop my face lowered to the ground. As I passed through the village centre I saw the blonde girl watching me with a smug smile on her pretty face.