Chapter 2
I woke up in a daze in the early morning; the sun was just coming through the curtains. I sat up and moved my hair from my face putting in into a plait. I looked around the room I was in and tried to remember how I had gotten here. I pulled of the covers and placed my feet on the wooden floor. I tried to get up before a cringing pain sent me back down onto the bed. I looked at my side and remembered how it had happened.
The door swung open and Lancelot came into the room holding a bowl with water in it. He looked up and noticing I was awake walked over to where I was.
'Lay down, you need your rest' he said with a laugh in his voice 'I'm happy to see you awake' he told me. He placed a cloth in the water and dabbed it on my forehead.
'How long have I been asleep' I asked looking at him curiously.
'A long time, some of the knights thought you wouldn't…. well.., you got hurt pretty bad… and…' he broke off.
Galahad appeared in the door way.
'Isabelle!!' he shouted rushing in.
Tristan walked in after him with a smile on his face
'How do you feel?' Tristan asked taking of the bandage around my waist.
'Like hurting Marius' I replied looking down at the deep wound that Marius had left with me.
'Guinevere's beat you to it' Galahad joked 'you slept through a lot'
'Eat you'll feel better' Lancelot said smiling and handing me an apple.
'Leave her alone she needs her rest' A voice said from the door way, everyone looked to see Arthur walking in.
'You gave us quite a scare' he said smiling and beckoning the other knights out. I smiled at him and took a bight of the apple.
'Get some rest' Arthur said as they all left closing the door behind them.
I got up and limped towards the mirror near my bed. I leaned on the dresser that was holding it up. My straight Blonde hair was messy from sleeping so much I took it out of the plait and flattened it down running my fingers through it, trying to make it look normal. I rubbed my green eyes that looked tired and warn, although I was only 18 year old.
I grabbed a blue jumper and placed it on pulling on the hood for more warmth. Walking out of the room I had to fold my arms as a cold breeze hit me. As I limped down the stairs clutching my side I tried not to think about the pain. I looked around the courtyard; I assumed we were at Hadrian's Wall. The sun was just coming up and the courtyard was coming alive with movement. People where preparing food for animals or talking amongst themselves. As I was looking around a boy ran up to me.
'I'm Lucan' he said to me looking up.
'You've been asleep for a long time Isabelle' he said as I knelled down on the ground.
'How do you know my name?' I asked taking his hand. He smiled
'Arthur and his knights found me and Guinevere after you got hurt, you did miss out on a lot, Marius died… there was a lot of ice..…. and we killed Saxons…and...' he stopped after seeing the confused look on my face.
'What…Sax...' I started
'Isabelle!' A voice from the courtyard interrupted.
I stood up quickly to see Lancelot, Galahad, Gawain and another Lady sitting at a table. Gawain gestured me over. As I walked over Lucan grabbed my hand and ran in front pulling me along. I smiled and laughed at him, trying not to show how much it hurt me. Lucan took the seat by Galahad and I sat down by Lancelot.
'This is Guinevere' Lucan told me pointing at Guinevere who smiled back.
'Are you going to the celebration tonight?' she asked me excitedly
'What celebration?' I replied
'Anyone can go, but it's because the knights got their discharge papers, their free men now. You have to come, I'll get you a dress, and do your…'
'She may need her rest, Guinevere can I see you for a moment'. Arthur interrupted coming up behind me. Guinevere shot him a disappointed look, and stood up.
'You shouldn't be up, people say you should stay in bed until your wound heals' Lancelot said as Arthur and Guinevere left
'If 50 million people say a foolish thing it is still a foolish thing' I replied leaning my head against Lancelot's shoulder.
'So you think I'm a fool' Lancelot said smiling
'I don't think you are a fool. But then what's my opinion against everyone else's'? I said smiling and closing my eyes.
Gawain let out a laugh and clapped Lancelot on his shoulder. We all talked well into the early afternoon, before Guinevere came and took me away.
'Where are we going?' I asked Guinevere trying to keep up with her.
'You'll she' she said running in a room and closing the door behind us, she ran over to the dresser and pulled out a gown. It was a beautiful long light green dress that came down to the ground, on one side it came of the shoulder and the sleeves came down to the elbow. It had dark green trimming around the waist.
'It's beautiful' I said walking over to it
'It's yours' Guinevere said smiling and handing me the dress.
'What... no I couldn't... When would I wear it?' I said trying to hand it back to her.
'At the celebration tonight, take it please' she said smiling and stepping away so I couldn't hand it back. She pulled out a brush and sat me down on a seat and started to brush my hair. She spent an hour fixing me up, in the end I had the dress on and my hair came down to the top of my stomach and was left out with a bit at the top pulled back into a plait.
'Beautiful' she said stepping back so she could admire her work. I walked over to the mirror
'It's so…not hideous' I said looking at my reflection
'Get over yourself' she said smiling
I laughed feeling excited about the celebration. Guinevere walked over to the door. She had already done her hair and had her blue dress on.
'Shall we go?' she said smiling and holding out her arm.
I took it and we walked into the courtyard. It was already dusk and the sun was just setting. There were people heading down towards the hall where the celebration was. Everyone was dressed up and laughing. I scanned the courtyard for Lancelot, we had grown close and I didn't know why but I wanted to see his reaction. And I knew his thoughts would be important to me. Me and Guinevere walked down the path behind everyone else with our arms linked laughing excitedly.
The hall was surrounded by trees except for out the front where there was a small clearing and a path leading from the doors up to the village. We walked in behind some other happy couples, there were long tables all lined up and a space in the center for dancing. There was fast music playing and food on the tables. Some people where already dancing and eating or sitting down talking. Everyone was happy and laughing, I searched the room for the knights, they where all sitting at a table in the corner drinking and laughing.
Guinevere led me over to them. They all stopped and turned around to look at us. There was a moment of silence. A looked at all there faces of disbelief and shock. Guinevere looked from me to the knights excitedly.
'Well what do you think' she asked putting her arm around my waste pushing me forward a little.
'I didn't think you get any more beautiful, but you've proved me wrong!' said Gawain laughing and standing up. I smiled at him
'I've got first dance' Galahad shouted pushing Gawain out of the way and taking my hand.
Arthur took Guinevere's hand and led her out onto the floor. The other knights started to rush out as a new song started. As Galahad rushed me out onto the floor I looked back at Lancelot, he was still sitting staring at me with his mouth open. I smiled at him which broke him out of his trance. He stood up and took the hand of another girl like the other knights had done and led her onto the floor. Everyone stood in a circle as a man instructed them on what to do.
'You all know this dance' he boomed over the music.
'Swap partners when I say'
'I wish I could find a wife as attractive as you' said Galahad smiling while dancing
'Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it' I replied as we did a turn in time with the music.
'Thanks for helping me before, you got Marius knife pretty quickly; I said smiling at him
'I've still got it' he replied pulling out the knife he had taken from Marius.
'Take it, it's my gift to you'' he said smiling and handing me the knife
'Thanks Galahad' I said putting the knife in a small pocket in my dress.
'CHANGE!" Shouted the man on the stage, Galahad looked disappointed at this, as another girl took my place.
I got a bit nervous when I saw who was next in line. Lancelot smiled at me as he placed his hand in mine and arm around my waste.
'You look different' he said looking at me. I didn't know whether to take it as a complement or not.
'Thanks… I've never felt this beautiful before' I replied
'It's foolish to wish for beauty, sensible people never desire it for themselves' he said not smiling as he said it which told me he was angry at me for something.
"So you're calling me a fool' I said thinking of the conversation we had had earlier.
'Yes' he said bluntly still not smiling I broke of from him and took a step back
'What did I do wrong' I asked him looking confused, he just stood there.
'You shouldn't try to impress these men' he said still looking at me in a disapproving look.
I looked at him angrily, his opinion was the one I most valued and he didn't even care. I turned and ran towards the door pushing through a couple dancing. I ran out the doors and sat under a tree at the border of the forest about 15 meters from the hall's doors. Silent tears started to run down my face. I hated Lancelot for saying those things.
I looked up to see a man running as fast as he could towards the hall, he didn't see me in his rush, He ran into the hall closing the doors behind him. I sat there looking confused it was dark now and all the light that the hall gave of was now gone. I stood up and leaned against the tree.
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