Next chapter is here! (As you can see :p)


The first few days went smoothly without contact with the soldiers from Lord Cornelius. I wondered how long it would take before he would give up the search. I knew he was possessive but this was ridiculous. It was just a superstition, for heaven's sake. As far as I was concerned, there was nothing I had done or brought upon anyone who had had claim over me that was considered lucky. Except for the knights, maybe, as I healed their wounds and once or twice helped save their lives though they did not own me, so I suppose it did not count.

I continued my duties. Whether it was healing, cooking or cleaning. I did so with ardent enthusiasm to ensure that everything seemed normal. No one ever picked up on my concerns. That is, all except Antonius, who had the nose of a fox and eyes sharper than Tristan's hawk. "What's got into you girl? You're as jittery as a cricket."

"Nothing Antonius, just a little tired that's all." He hummed to himself thoughtfully then clucked his tongue at me.

"Don't think I don't know about what you did. With your eye." My head shot up, my only open eye widening slightly. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. All stuff and nonsense, you know. I am a man of logic, science, not legends! Poppycock the lot of it."

"Thank you." I whispered to him, exhaling with relief. "How did you see?"

"I'm very observant. I'm a doctor after all." As he shuffled past he patted my arm then left me to work, feeling a little more relaxed. The rest of the day went by without anything drastic happening until Belinda came rushing in.

"You're needed. You and those horribly bulky arms of yours." My arms were not bulky but I nodded my head all the same, following her to where her patient sat with a frown, glaring at us as we entered. Belinda smiled at the roman, who shamelessly allowed his eyes to roam her body without so much as glancing to me. I was glad for it.

"His Lordship requires you to…"

"Reset his dislocated shoulder." I finished for her. "I can see that. Bring me ice and some cloths." I ordered to her. "Go!" The girl scowled at me but did as she was bade. Turning around I tried my best not to scowl at the Captain, who finally met my eye.

"What happened to you?" He demanded. "You look like a slave beaten for tardiness." Swallowing my temper I walked to him and began to take off his armour, cloak and shirt.

"I was in the market when a fight broke out. Someone threw a clay jar at his opponent but he ducked, allowing the clay to hit me instead. I was so confused by the shouting that I didn't realise what was going on." I answered smoothly, the lie running off my tongue. I had told it a thousand times to everyone who had asked. "It happened all so fast, the next thing I knew I was being carried to the healers."

"Foolish girl. Fights are no place for women. You belong in the kitchens." Feeling my temper spark I dug my fingers into his dislocated shoulder, making him yelp in anger and pain.

"I apologise, I was merely making sure you have not trapped any tendons." I smiled sweetly then looked up as Belinda returned. "Ah, good. Cool those cloths in the ice." I commanded. Before the Captain could prepare himself, I had forced the joint back into place. He let lose a roar and I leaped back as he swung.

"You wench!"

"I apologise again. Had I warned you, you would have tensed and made it more difficult to put back." I explained to him simply, keeping my tone bland and informative. "Which would have made it hurt more." I picked up some cold cloths and set them over his shoulder like a cast to ease any swelling. "Belinda will care for you. Good day sir."

I curtseyed then left the room, returning to my routine duties. At least he hadn't questioned me. Oh how I loathed the pig headed man. He was weak, too. He demanded to rest at the healers overnight to ensure that his shoulder was properly attended to, though there was hardly anything wrong with him. He complained so much about it that Belinda had strapped up his arm and put it in a sling, which he bore proudly as if it were a battle wound. I thought back to all the scars I had seen on the knights. Those were real scars, real burdens. This flounce had little to be proud of. I doubt he had ever even seen a real battle in his entire life.

Though I knew he was resting in the room, I had to go in and clean it as part of my chores. Sucking in a deep breath for courage I opened the door then stepped inside. My mouth fell open in shock. The Captain, who I later learned to be called Captain Velius, was in the room but, he was definitely not alone.

Belinda tipped back her head as Velius bit at her neck, her legs hooked around him with her skirts pushed back to expose her thighs. A soft moan was purring from her throat as they both suddenly looked to me. I lowered my eyes, glad that a sheet was covered his bareness from my vision otherwise I would also be scarred for life.

"I'll come back when you've finished." I stated, not hiding my disgust. Belinda smirked then gasped aloud as Velius turned back to her, ignoring me completely. What was worse, my room was directly above his and I could hear them loud and clear, since they did nothing to hide what they were doing. With Velius's influence, not even Antonius put a stop to their play for fear of upsetting the Captain.

Giving up on trying to sleep I dressed myself, pulled on a cloak then copied what the other two girls had done. Left. Deciding I needed a drink and some good company, I headed to Vanora's tavern. Sure enough the knights were there, or some of them were. Bors was completely drunk, as were Kai, Gawain and Galahad.

Lancelot seemed to be in control of his liquor seeing as he had two girls on his knees, both of them giggling and pawing at him. I wondered if this was such a good idea. "Kat! It's good to see you. Come on in and sit yourself down." Vanora welcomed warmly, instantly making me smile. "You have no idea what these boys have been up to, I need you to rein them in."

"I'll certainly do that, Nora, don't you worry." I assured her, smiling at the baby on her hip. The little girl blushed, hiding into her mother's shawl before reaching out to me, a thick mop of curly red hair bouncing sweetly on her head. Vanora sighed, trying to shift the child whilst carrying a tray of food in the other arm. Finally she turned to me.

"Could you take her? I'm running out of hands."

"Of course I'll look after her." I promised, lifting the child into my arms then settled her on my hip, smiling at her. "Hello there little one, what's this? Have I got something?" I asked the child, who sucked at her thumb. I picked a length of string from my pocket and dangled it before her and, like a kitten, she began to swat at it. Satisfied she was entertained, I joined the other knights.

"Sit up Kai or you'll starve yourself of air." I laughed, grabbing his collar and yanking him back in his seat, making him groan then snore loudly, eyes firmly clamped shut.

"Kat, how are you?" Dagonet asked softly, looking up to me with a warm smile. "Have they found you at all?" I shook my head.

"I healed our dear friend's shoulder today. How did he dislocate it?" Bors suddenly jerked away, honking with laughter.

"He challenged me to an arm wrestle. Blinking fool!" Then he was out like a light again. I made a note to myself to never challenge Bors to an arm wrestle, for fear of losing my limb.

"I thought you were working early tomorrow?" Lancelot asked, tickling one of the girls on his knee, making her squeal loudly as he gave me a teasing but suggesting look. "If I had known you intended to grace us with your presence, I would have kept both knees vacant." The wenches suddenly glared at me but I ignored them.

"I can certainly think of one girl who would love to be sitting in your lap." I murmured to him suggestively, keeping my face plain and mysterious. Instantly both girls were thrown from his lap and Lancelot opened his arms to me. I put baby Six in his lap then sat next to Dagonet who laughed richly. Lancelot blinked at the child, who turned and offered her string to him, sucking on one end.

"You are unfair." He complained, taking hold of the young child to make sure she didn't fall from his lap then carefully fished the string out of her mouth so that she wouldn't swallow it. "Cruel and cold. You wound me with your iron heart!"

"Well, I am a healer. My prescription for such a wound is a good mug of ale." I replied, lifting my own, which had mysteriously appeared before me, then drank a little. Good conversation started. Gawain and Galahad sobered up enough to join in, sharing in the laughs though I knew that tomorrow they would not remember a thing that had happened tonight.

"Why are you here, Kat? You'll be tired tomorrow." Dagonet asked me gently. "I don't want you to wear yourself out."

"Have no fear, I'll manage." I promised him gently, smiling. "But even if I tried to sleep, I couldn't. My room is directly above the one they put Captain Verius in and he has…company of the feminine sort."

"Well I think he has the right idea of things." I kicked Lancelot under the table, making him jump then whimper quietly whilst nursing his shin around holding the baby. "Bors? Can't you look after your own kid?"

"I thought she was yours?" Gawain argued with a grin. "You're not admitting defeat now are you Lancelot? That the only two honourable women we know refuse to have you?"

"The rest are mine, this one I'm not too sure. Maybe it's yours Gawain?"

"Oi! Enough of that!" Bors roared drunkenly, leaping up before swaying on his feet, making Dagonet grab his jacket to hold him up. "My Nora is my lover…she's the most beautiful woman I ever knew…all 'er kids are mine."

"That's the nicest thing you've said about me since we had Gilly." Vanora said as she came over with refills. "Here, wash your throat out with that." She smiled then kissed her lover, making me blush and look away at the show of affection.

"Look at Kat! Kat's blushing!" Kai roared with laughter, too drunk to even sit up straight. "Blushing like a maid who's just got plucked."

"Go to sleep Kai."

"Aye, aye." He nodded then slammed his head onto the table, snoring loudly. I rolled my eyes then relieved Lancelot of Six, who snuggled into my cloak which I wrapped around her, falling asleep easily despite the roaring noise of tavern life. I wish I could do that, then I would be able to sleep through a war.

One of Vanora's other children came and took Six away to bed, leaving my hands free for more drinking. I couldn't drink as much as the men so I stuck to my maximum of two, which I knew would leave me sober the next morning. However, another mug appeared in front of me, then another and another until I was giggling like a young maid.

I wasn't drunk, I could still see straight more or less, but I knew that I would probably have a sore head tomorrow if I didn't get to a bed soon.


Te-hee, I cannot wait to show you guys the next chapter. Trust me, you guys are going to want to review so that I can put it up as soon as possible. It's just great, with Tristan and Kat in the main focus :)