A/N: Hola everyone! Signed out for the last time, I'm no longer a highschool student (not sure whether that's good or bad just yet!) and got my laptop back today...sadly I'm going to have to do sooooo many updates on it -it's just not funny - the tech people had to wipe it completely, and now, I have an older version of pages, and it won't open my current documents so I have to type it all here first rather than copy-and-paste...gah! (It doesn't help at all that I'm technologically devoid...)
Anyways! Big thanks to wisdom1307 for following, and ErikaLynne and girllyingbythesea901 for favouriting (not to mention all you lovely people that reviewed!)
Just a warning, it gets a little dark at the end of this chapter...sorry, but I didn't sugar-coat it! Although we like to romanticise King Arthur and his knights, and the world they lived in...it wasn't all sunshine lollipops and rainbows...
Remember to Read, Review, Follow, Favourite and Most Importantly - ENJOY! :)
The arrow embedded itself in the center of the target with a satisfying think, making Rynelle smile to herself. THe next day would be the Queens birthday, and yet the woman in question was standing in the middle of the training field, practicing her archery skills.
Rynelle shook her head, utterly bemused. Guinevere was not the sort of woman a Roman man was expected to marry. She was adept at archery, did not obey direct orders unless she agreed with then, and was not afraid to speak her mind and voice her opinions. Although, when Rynelle thought about it, Arthur and his knights had not been the typical Roman battalion either, and Arthur was certainly not a Roman king. He had shown his true allegiance lay with Britton and it's people.
Rynelle's mind was jerked from her thoughts by a sharp pain in her finger, and she fought the urge to swear, holding her now bleeding finger away from the shirt she was mending in order to prevent it from being covered in blood stains. When she had met the King at dinner that night, almost a week ago, he had looked at her with an expression that made her severely uncomfortable.
Every time they encountered one another, it was almost as if his piercing grey-blue eyes penetrated her soul and lay bare all the hurts and memories she had no wish to resurrect. As such, she tried to avoid contact with the man as much as possible, preferring instead to spend her time in the company of his knights.
Rynelle unintentionally let out a wistful sigh as she finished repairing the undershirt in her hands. It was Gawain's and the infernal man had managed to re-tear every single one of the shirts she had fixed in the last week. He was impossible, and yet she found herself smiling at his sheepish expression every time he brought something to her to be repaired. His warm, hard hands gently bestowing the worn cloth in her own; brushing ver her skin with the lightest of touches as he left and returned to some other duty. Rynelle couldn't help wander what those hands would feel like-
"I hope I am not interrupting something important my Lady" the smooth-as-cream voice that could only belong to Lancelot spoke up from behind Rynelle, startling her from her daydreams with a blush, "My, my, that colour does suit you Rynelle, the red of your cheeks matches the green of your eyes. Do tell what it was that you were thinking about!"
Lancelot's black eyes sparkled with mischief as they regarded her and Rynelle simply glared at him in return "Sir knight, you really must be more careful" she replied archly, ignoring his request, "I could have stabbed you in the eye with my needle!" she raised her eyebrow cockily and held up her hand, the needle between thumb and finger.
Lancelot simply laughed at her statement, folding his hand over hers and the needle, "Really Rynelle," he smiled, "What sort of knight would I be if I could not stop you poking me in the eye with a needle?" and with that he brought her hand with the needle in it to his lips, kissing her wrist gently, wicked eyes watching the expression on her face morph into shocked embarrassment.
• • •
Gawain watched the interaction between the woman and man, a scowl marring his features. The other Sarmatians (Kalyna included) had made their way down to the training ground for their midday exercise. Galahad and Tristan had just returned from patrol and the younger knight had decided he was officially 'hawked-out' and needed some time alone with his woman. What had occurred instead was Kalyna dragging a grumbling Galahad down to the training yards so that he would not miss out on much needed practice.
Unable to find Lancelot; Gawain, Galahad and Kalyna had met up with Tristan and Bors, before heading down to the armoury. What they had found however, upon entering the field was not expected. Guinevere, shooting targets and Rynelle and Lancelot seemingly deep in discussion.
When the dark haired knight reached down and kissed the inside of her wrist, Gawain's blood ran cold. Only a lover would dare kiss a woman there, so intimate a place. The tiny voice of reason inside his head told him it was none of his business, he had not made a claim, but the other side of him insisted he go over there and shove Lancelot's face in the dirt.
He had experienced a similar sentiment regarding Tristan, and he caught the man in question studying him quietly from behind his tangled hair. You do realise you are starting to fall for this girl do you not? the voice inside his head sneered, You are intoxicated and she is oblivious. Well done. With a frustrated growl, Gawain stalked back into the armoury, wrenching out his axes and sword before stomping out to the others, already waiting patiently in the center of the field.
Gawain gave Lancelot one withering glance and Rynelle a glare in greeting before turning and finding himself under the scruitinising gaze of Kalyna; who's cocked eyebrow and all-knowing expression was beginning to make him severely uncomfortable.
Thankfully, the young woman turned her attention to Rynelle, still sitting on her stool sewing, albeit with a dark crimson blush covering her cheeks. "Rynelle, why do you sit there sewing? Join us!" Kalyna said to the younger woman beguilingly.
"I have already suggested her participation Kalyna, but is seems she does not to." Guinivere said with a smile, walking over.
Rynelle looked horrified, probably at the thought of ignoring the Queen of Britton, Gawain mused, "No my Queen, it is only I cannot," the blonde girl said, mortified, "I do not know how."
"That can be easily remedied dear," Kalyna replied with a wink, before turning to the others "Knights! I need a volunteer!"
Galahad smiled, and stepped closer to his lover "I volunteer." he said so sweetly, it caused Bors to mime gagging motions.
"Enough Galahad!" he grimaced, "Yer givin me a toof-ache"
The younger man glared at his fellow knight before Kalyna smiled, patting his arm comfortingly "No not you Galahad, I need..." Whatever Kalyna had been about to say was cut off as she was interrupted by another dark voice.
"I'll do it Kalyna. You can use me as your...swain, if you don't need Galahad." Lancelot said, smooth as silk as he slipped closer to the fiery brunette woman, like a cat who'd just spied the cream.
The look Galahad gave the curly-haired man was positively murderous and would have resulted in a rather messy blood-letting had Kalyna not stepped in. "No, no." she said, shoving Lancelot back the way he had come, and casting her eyes over the rest of the men, in search of another. When she found the man she was looking for, her eyes narrowed with a wicked gleam, "Gawain. Would you help me?"
The knight in question looked up, startled, from the tip of his axe, which he had made the pretense of studying for chips for the last five minutes. "Wha- If you wish Kalyna." Gawain replied, shifting his body around the group so that his form towered over the young blonde woman, whom he ignored. "What is it you want me to do?"
"I need you to help me demonstrate something to Rynelle, and then she can test it herself on you." Gawain stiffened when she spoke, but either Kalyna was oblivious to his discomfort or she chose to ignore it. "Would you assist me?"
Gawain inclined his head slightly in reply, "As you wish." He said, glowering at the faint smirk he saw appear at the corners of Tristan's mouth before the scout turned and joined the Queen at her archery.
"See, you do it like this...and this..." Kalyna said, demonstrating several moves by which a smaller, lighter opponent could gain the upper hand on an older, heavier man. "Now you try." She smiled encouragingly, moving away and motioning for Rynelle to take her place.
The younger woman did so nervously, the rest of the knights leaning against the fence posts enjoying the show. Even Guinevere and Tristan had stopped their training to watch. The men hid their shouts of laughter behind wicked grins as Rynelle tried and failed to make Gawain release his hold on her.
When his hands moved away for the third time to give her a moments respite, Rynelle took a deep breath, but out of nowhere, two, strong, hard arms snuck around her waist and crushed her against his chest.
Suddenly, it was no longer Gawain holding her around her neck and waist, but Gower. His long fingers digging painfully into her skin as he tried to tear the clothes from her body. With a panicked scream, Rynelle reacted, thrashing in his grip and reaching around behind herself to scratch at the face of the man she loathed with every fibre of her being.
With a cry of pain, he let her go and Rynelle fell to the ground, breathing heavily. Quickly, she scrambled away, out of his reach, and it was only when she was safely a meter away that she turned to see if he followed. To her mortification, it was not Gower standing there, but Gawain, a hand to his neck, trying to cover the fingernail marks that had left deep indents in his skin.
With a wail of despair and shame, Rynelle stood and ran as fast as she could, away from the man she had hurt and the people who stared at the in uncomprehending horror. Kalyna and Guinevere both called for her to stop, but she paid no heed, just kept running until she was safely back in her room, before collapsing with a sob, onto her bed.
• • •
Gawain stared after Rynelle's retreating figure in shock, one hand pressed to the new wounds that stung painfully on his neck.
"What was that all about?" Galahad asked, confusion and shock mingling on his face as he turned to his friend, "What happened Gawain?"
Gawain shook his head slowly, "I do not know," he said with a frown, wincing slightly, "She just froze and then went mad. When she looked at me it was as if her eyes could not see me, but another."
Kalyna pursed her lips in a silent thought, before catching Guinevere's gaze and giving an almost imperceptible nod "Gawain, you should be off to Vivianna to ensure those scratched do not become infected." she sighed, moving with Guinevere away from the others "Galahad, perhaps you should go with him. I do not know if the rest of you wish to continue to train but the Queen and myself shall return at a later time."
• • •
Guinevere and Kalyna found Rynelle several hours later, curled up in a ball on her bed, sobbing hysterically. She refused to look at the older women, even when they tried to comfort her. The quilt plaguing her would not relent.
"It is alright Rynelle," Guinivere said soothingly, stroking the young girl's hair until she calmed a little "Gawain is not mad at you, and neither are any of the others."
"Something happened to you did it not? A man hurt you." Rynelle looked up, startled at the comment and Kalyna smiled ruefully back at her, "I have seen it many times Rynelle, sadly, it is all too common. If I am right, you did not even see Gawain when you scratched him, you saw the other man, did you not?"
Rynelle nodded hesitantly, fresh tears cascading down her cheeks "It was before I came here," she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut, "and it had been happening for a long, long time." her eyes were closed as she continued to sob and she did not see the dark look that passed between the older women.
"Did he get you with child?" Guinevere asked, her face severe but her voice gentle.
Rynelle's eyes snapped open horrified as she shook her head vehemently. "No, I could not," she said hoarsely, "The healers said I was too small and thin, so I did not begin to bleed at the same time as the other girls. That is probably why he kept me for so long. When I started, I knew I had to escape somehow, so I ran. I had a feeling that he would dispose of me if he found out."
Kalyna frowned at her in concern. "Gawain and Tristan found with some men who said you were Lord Gowers. Was it him?"
Rynelle nodded tearfully, and Kalyna's face hardened immediately, "Is he also the one who gave you those injuries when you first came here?"
Rynelle nodded again, "He seemed to find enjoyment in others pain." she spat bitterly.
Guinevere's face twisted in a savage snarl and she stared at the other brunette woman, her eyes positively dangerous "Bastard." she whispered, her grip tightening around the younger blonde haired woman.
"Please, do not tell anyone what I have told to you today." Rynelle said, her red and puffy eyes going wide as she envisioned the reactions of the knights if they found out how...tainted she was. Their looks of disgust. "Please swear it!"
"They would not judge you." Kalyna said gently, her hazel eyes soft.
Rynelle shook her head emphatically, "That may be so, but I still do not wish them to know." she replied quietly.
"You have my word." Guinevere smiled, taking the younger woman's hand in her own. "I will not tell a soul the secret you have entrusted to me."
Kalyna was still frowning, but she nodded her head, "And I Rynelle," she agreed softly, "I also will keep your secret."
"Thankyou both," Rynelle whispered gratefully, "I have not had anyone whom I could rely on for a very long time. Thankyou."
Kalyna smiled in reply and sat down on her other side, looking over at Guinevere as she spoke, "That is what friends are for."
A/N: Ahem...yes I fully realise I am completely horrible, but those circumstances such as Rynelle's were and are far more commonplace than we would like to admit. Although, I realise this is fanfiction, and not meant to be a social commentary, but PLEASE, if you are ever in a situation like that, or know someone who has been, TALK to someone and make it stop.
On a lighter note, next chapter will be a little fluffy...thou hath been warned! ;)