Dagonet strode towards the tavern with barely restrained anger towards the Roman tavern owner. That man had made his personal hatred for his beloved Kiana a source of more than a passing irritation. It was time he learned just how far he could run his mouth.

The stormy expression on the big knight's face instantly alerted the fellow Sarmation knights that all was not well with their usually mellow and quiet brother. Bors jumped up from his seat and crossed the crowded tavern to step in front of the big knight, "What's he done this time?"

"No man calls my woman a whore." The big knight made to step around his brother. Bors' hand on his arm barely restrained his anger, "Let go!"

Bors looked at the other knights and they rose from their tables to form a line between Dagonet and the as yet unaware tavern owner, "He's not worth it Dag!"

The big knight glared down at his fellow knights, "And what kind of man do I call myself when I don't defend the honor of my woman's name?"

"No one would ask you to leave this unchallenged. But I ask why I was not told of this trouble again?" Arthur's voice coming from behind him made the big knight spin around.

"She has done him no wrong, has worked hard for him and yet he labels her a whore this very day when she came to seek back her old job." He grit out. He was aware that he had again failed to bring his conflict with Sinich up with Arthur again and felt defensive.

Arthur studied his most steady natured knight and noted his tensely set shoulders and clenched fists. If not for the intervention of Bors and the other knights he may well have come into the tavern as the big knight was delivering his message with his fists. When it came down to the woman, Kiana, his normally calm and stoic knight was prepared to go to battle against all reason or thought. With a resigned sigh he told Gawain, "Bring Sinich out here." To Dagonet he barked, "You don't lay a hand on the man." He held the big knight's stare for stare until the knight nodded in reluctant agreement.

Gawain soon reappeared from the back kitchen with an angry Sinich in tow, "What is the meaning of this? Why must I endure more threats from these knights you claim to lead?"

Arthur let the insult pass for the moment, "I am made to understand that you have taken to calling the woman, Kiana, a knight's whore."

The tavern owner replied by spitting on the floor, "If the title fits…."

The steady Roman Commander allowed his glare to sharpen on the tavern owner, "You are aware that my knight's are held to a code of honor, and as such they have been granted the choice to follow their Sarmation customs in religion or marriage?"

"Why should I care what misguided leniency you grant to your Sarmation dogs?" Sinich was openly smirking as he realized that the big knight was clearly under orders not to do anything.

Arthur decided he had had enough of this man's arrogance and goading. He stepped into the tavern owner's personal space and when the suddenly fearful man backed up he walked him backwards until his back was against the tavern wall, "These are Sarmation knights, not dogs, and men with more bravery and honor you will ever dream of knowing in your lifetime. I have worked hard to ensure the peace between Romans and non-Romans alike in this fort. I receive few complaints these days yet continually hear of your goading towards my men."

Sinich had paled as he began to realize he was not going to win the favor of Arthur from this argument. He tried to deflect the Roman Commander's anger away, "It's always that woman! She has been nothing but trouble for me since the day I first hired her! Complaining and then running off with no word…."

His words were cut off as Arthur grabbed the front of his shirt, "You blame your attitude towards my knights on a woman? A woman you label as a whore even though she has never lifted her skirts in exchange for payment? A Roman should have more pride, more sense!"

"…But she now stays under the same roof as the big knight!"

Dagonet's voice was chillingly calm as he cut in on the argument, "My woman lives under my roof until my service to Rome is done and I can make her my wife. This does not make her any sort of whore and you'll not be calling her such ever again."

Sinich opened his mouth to reply and was cut short by Arthur further twisting his hold on the front of his shirt, "There. You've heard the truth of it from the man himself. Spread no more lies and insult the woman no more."

Arthur turned back to face the knights, "Come. Tonight let's leave this man to his business to think on what he's been told." It was a thinly veiled threat to the tavern owner. Keep up trouble with the knights and he'd lose their business. As much as he didn't like the Sarmations, they brought a significant amount of coin to his business.

Once outside of the tavern Arthur looked to the big knight, "Let this go from now on. If he's smart he'll guard his tongue more carefully."

Dagonet had no choice but to nod in acceptance of the order even though he silently vowed to break the tavern owner's arms if he heard one more word from him against Kiana again. He turned and strode back to his hut, stopping only long enough to buy some bread and meat on the way home.

When he ducked back inside the hut again he noted that Kiana had the herbs and plants put away and a fire burning in the hearth. He put the bread and meat on the table and pulled her to him for a possessive kiss. The very act of coming to the hut into her welcoming arms felt right and normal to him now, even after such a short time together.

They shared a quiet meal together, neither mentioning how his trip back to the tavern went. That night he was ever more passionate in his lovemaking with her than he had been in the past. In the morning he left her sleeping deeply in their bed.

Kiana woke with Dagonet gone from their bed and hut. She stretched and felt a delicious pull from muscles not accustomed to the passion from Dagonet's lovemaking the night before. It had been the first time they had been able to be together since being on the road with Gawain and Galahad. She had missed the intimacy and eagerly welcomed him into the bed and her body.

She had barely been out of bed and dressed when a knock came from the hut door. When she opened the door she saw Brynn's bright smile. The older woman had a cloth wrapped bundle tucked in her arms which she eager thrust into Kiana's hands, "This is the first morning my hands haven't hurt in a great many winters! I brought this to you to repay your kindness."

Kiana looked in the bundle and found cheese and jars of preserved fruits, "Oh this is too much. It was only a few herbs." She protested.

Brynn shushed her, "It wasn't a small thing to me. My hands have hurt so badly I could barely sew to make a living anymore. You never asked for any payment for your kindness and this is all I can offer having no spare coin just now."

Kiana felt tears welling in her eyes at the other woman's heartfelt sentiment, "Well, thank you for this."

The two women spent a few moments chatting before Brynn left to resume sewing on a dress ordered from a well to do Roman woman.

Once the other woman had left Kiana took inventory of the basic household supplies in the hut and found them to be woefully lacking. Making a mental list she grabbed a basket and headed towards the fort's shops to do some shopping. She hated the thought of spending any of Dagonet's savings, but realized they couldn't live on air. Flour had to be bought to bake bread and oil had to be bought for the lamp.

She was returning to her hut several hours later when a soft female voice startled her, "Beg pardon, are you called Kiana?"

Turning, Kiana looked down to see a small woman with her arm wrapped thickly with rags, "I am."

The other woman looked at her nervously and then motioned towards her arm, "Brynn told me I should come see you. I got cut and it's festering. The fort healer won't see me on account of what I have to do to live."

Feeling instant sympathy for the woman, Kiana motioned for her to follow, "Come. Let's get to my hut so I can look at it properly."

Once inside the hut Kiana gently unwrapped the woman's arm to reveal a shallow cut that had begun festering with sickness. Had the arm gone untended another handful of days and she would have lost the use of it completely. Noting the woman's timid silence, Kiana gave her a warm smile of reassurance, "You brought it to me in plenty of time. All it needs is a decent cleaning and a poultice pack to draw out any lingering infection."

When the other woman's eyes began to fill with tears she wrapped her arm around her shoulders in a comforting hug, "There now. No need for tears."

The other woman sniffed back her tears, "The old healer said it would rot off. Told me to have it removed and be done with it."

Kiana felt her back stiffen in anger at the other healer's callous words, "No cut as minor as this should ever be left to go that far." She set to cleaning out the cut as gently as she could. The infection was painful and she knew her ministrations must be causing the other woman a great deal of discomfort. When she was done she wrapped the arm back with a clean bandage and herbal poultice, "This will draw out the remaining festering. Leave it on for a day and come back to see me so I can clean it out again and check the healing."

The woman gave a relieved smile and handed her a few coins, "It's all I have, but it's yours for your care and kindness."

Kiana was taken aback at her words. She knew just how hard life at inside the fort's walls could be, having lived the day to day existence herself. When she would have made to refuse the payment the other woman grabbed her hand and firmly placed the coins in her palm, "It's less than that other healer would have asked for and you will need to keep food on your table for your trouble." She quickly left the hut leaving Kiana in stunned silence.

That night when Dagonet returned to the hut she told him of her payment from Brynn and the cut prostitute. She was concerned over his reaction to her taking on a healer's role without being formally trained as a healer. Her fears were quickly evaporated when the big knight gently enfolded her in his arms, "It was your kind spirit which is what drew me to you. That old crone has been due to be challenged for a replacement for some time. Charge what you feel is just and do the best you can."

Kiana responded by drawing him down for a kiss which rapidly deepened. His hands were on the ties to her dress when a sharp knocking came from the door to the hut.

With a disappointed huff the big knight jerked open the hut door to reveal the old fort's healer standing out in the cold night air, "What do you want old woman?"

The older woman glared sharply at Kiana, "I'm hearing you have been treating fort whores and Brittan's with your paltry medicines."

"What of it?"

The old crone didn't hesitate to step into the privacy of the hut past the glowering knight, "What do you know of healing now? It was only a winter's past that you came begging to my door to cure a simple winter's fever."

Kiana felt her anger quickly surfacing at the insult, "I may not have your age and experience but I spent the last summer and fall under the schooling of an experienced healer. Unlike you, I'm not going to turn those who I don't deem worthy of my skills away."

The old woman snickered, "So you think part of a year's training makes you qualified to call yourself a healer now? Well, so be it. When you find your so called skills lacking don't come crawling to me." She spun away and left the hut.

Dagonet shut the door a little more firmly that necessary, "I believe in Peronell's teaching to you. Don't let her scare you away if this is something you truly wish to do."

Kiana looked up at the man who had come to mean the world to her, "Just make sure you don't end up needing my skills."

The big knight swept her into his strong arms and kissed her passionately again. His hands resumed working on the closure of her dress as he gently trailed kisses down her neck, "Worry naught for me. I have found much to bring me home each night." Once he got her dress off he quickly shed his shirt and breeches, "Only the winter and spring remains until I make you my wife in every way."

Kiana returned his passionate kisses and led him to the bed. She gently shoved him onto his back and crawled over him until she was straddling his strong hips. Gently grasping his erection she positioned him at her entrance and sank down on him slowly impaling his body inside hers. At his groan of pleasure she began to slowly ride him while feeling her own pleasure rapidly mounting.

Dagonet allowed her to set a slow pace for a few moments while enjoying this new sensation. He had never taken a woman this way and found himself being stroked in new and the most pleasurable ways. He gently grasped her hips as she rode him and began to pull her down on him more forcefully, feeling his control slipping.

Just when he thought he might find his release before her he felt her inner walls clamping down on him and heard her loud moans. He gave up on his control and thrust deeply into her a handful more times before he too found himself releasing deeply into her body.

Kiana collapsed forward onto his chest to catch her breath and heard him ask, "Just where did you learn how to do that?"

With a mischievous laugh she looked up and met his startled eyes, "Peronell and Adelaide told me there were many ways to find pleasure with a man."

He looked startled for a moment and then joined her in laughter, "Perhaps we can explore these many ways then."

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. My writers muse hit a block. To those who reviewed, a big Thank You!