thank you thank you thank you to all who review continue to review! here's the next chapter (sorry for the kinda long wait...school is insane).
same warnings disclaimers apply...
Chapter 7: A word, a chase, a meeting
No sooner did her eyes open then everything flooded her mind. She bolted up, eyes wide awake, immediately pulling up the cloak that had fallen off her shoulders. She knew she wasn't alone…but that wasn't what made her heart race or caused the troubled look on her face. She remembered Tristan. 'Oh good gods….' What was he going to do once he found out…if he found out?
"Mirran?" She turned around quickly at Gawain's soft voice, meeting his sleep-laced eyes. "What is it?" He asked gently, sitting up beside her. "Don't think on last night—nothing too good can come of it." She turned from his eyes, focusing on the quilt bedspread.
"Gawain—promise me you won't." She suddenly asked, trying to sound resolute, but finding a meek, almost begging quality to her voice.
"Won't what?" He asked, a gnawing suspicion that he already knew the answer clouding his mind.
"Tell him…or anyone really."
"Mirran, I cannot."
"Yes you can. What concern is it of theirs?" She asked pointedly, as Gawain stared back at her wide-eyed.
"For Tristan it is quite a concern I imagine. As it is to those of us who don't want to see you hurt." He answered firmly, seeing a twinge of defeat in her eyes before disappearing as her eyes narrowed at his.
"Don't start that," she warned softly, "this stays between you and me," she looked away from him, biting her lip, shaking her head, "he can't know…Tristan just can't," she thought back to that night in the woods…about being made of glass….
"I promise you he will think no less of you." Gawain softly said, breaking her thoughts. She turned back to him.
"Maybe so…but that does not mean he won't treat me differently—more like someone in constant need of protection, more like a helpless child—"
"You? I doubt any man would." Gawain said skeptically as he rose, ignoring her playful glare.
"He will…he's done it once already," she trailed off, ignoring his questioning look, "never mind—just promise me you won't tell him. Let me." She added hopefully. 'Like hell she will…,' he thought almost angrily, annoyed beyond words with her stubbornness, but glad some man could see through it. His eyes narrowed seriously issuing to her wide-alert sapphire ones an understanding and promise—as though a warning of what was to come if didn't tell Tristan.
"Very well," he said, forcing himself to say it, "I will say nothing—but you must." Though it went against his better judgment, his far better judgment, he couldn't take back his word, nor did he find himself truly wishing to. He wanted to have that trust in her. She nodded her head quickly, her eyes momentarily clouding over.
"Thank you." She said as she visibly relaxed and smiled carefully up at him, some light and laughter returning to her eyes.
"You be careful." He said warmly, as he leaned over her, kissing her head gently as she fought from rolling her eyes. As he pulled back she slipped his cloak off and quickly pulled up her quilt over her chest and the tattered remains of her shift. He nodded his head thankfully, meeting her eyes once more before gathering his cloak and silently leaving.
She rose quickly, determined to put the previous night behind her as best as possible, including taking a bath and discarding the remains of her dress and shift.
Sometime later she stood in a dark blue skirt and shift, having bathed and feeling somewhat better about everything. What relieved her most was having Gawain's word he wouldn't tell anyone—she trusted that. When Tristan found out, she would be the one telling him. If he found out…the last thing she needed or wanted was the man she loved to be arrested for murder or keep her locked away in a cage. She heard the creak of a hinge and she spun around to see flying black fabric and a head of wavy, black hair atop a face with blue eyes and a playful smile.
"Galahad! Bring that back!" Mirran's voice cut through her open window to Galahad's ear as he ran, the black fabric of her shirt clutched tight in his hand. Had she followed him? He dared not turn around for fear of being caught and then losing the bet.
"Galahad!" He chanced a glance and saw her running through the street after him. 'gods she's pretty fast,' he thought as he smiled triumphantly and picked up his pace. Through the gate of the fort he lead this merry chase, crashing into two roman guards and giving his quick apologies as he continued running towards the shade of a big tree, knowing Mirran was close on his tail.
"Galahad!" He heard her call out again, this time sounding slightly out of breath as he reached the shade under the tree where two other knights were lazily reclining.
"Mirran's shirt! That's prefect!" Marvlin burst out laughing as Mirran came running up behind Galahad in her dark blue skirt and white shift that fit tight against her skin.
"Galahad—my shirt please!" She said determinedly.
"I think you owe me." Galahad said to Marvlin and Grenham as he tossed the shirt to Marvlin who studied it as though he doubted it was real.
"WHAT?" Mirran shrieked, more surprised at hearing it was a bet then she was angry at the fact that she had chased Galahad through the fort in naught but her shift and a skirt.
"Well done Galahad," Grenham said sitting up, ignoring Mirran, "I must say I didn't think you would do it."
"Do what? Steal my shirt?" She asked mock-angry, her hands braced against her hips.
"Not your shirt per say, but the bet was for Galahad to take something important of a woman's and make it all the way back here, depositing the object in my hands before he was caught." Marvlin explained as Mirran rolled her eyes.
"So his coming to you was purely his choice." Grenham said laughing as Galahad's cheeks flushed slightly.
"So you chose me, hunh?" She asked, facing Galahad who simply smiled back at her.
"Yes I did—I knew you wouldn't take it as hard as the other women. For out of all of them, you are the easiest going—plus I hadn't counted on you actually pursuing me in your shift." He finished somewhat embarrassedly.
"Yes, why didn't you put on another shirt?" Grenham asked curiously.
"Because I intend to wear that shirt today and saw no purpose in getting another one dirty as well. Now that he's completed the bet, may I please have my shirt?" She asked, smiling seriously at Marvlin, anxious to put it on and have the staring from the people of the fort stop.
"Of course Mirran." Marvlin laughed lightheartedly and threw her her shirt.
"Thank you." She said as she pulled it over her head, grateful for its cover even though she hadn't really been that embarrassed. She looked up from smoothing it down against the waist of her skirt and saw Galahad's back to her. A smile of playful revenge crossed her face.
"You'll pay for that Galahad!" She called out as she ran and jumped onto his back. Knowing him to be somewhat ticklish, courtesy of Falia, she latched one arm supportively about his shoulders and the other started tickling his sides. His light laughter filled the air as he backed up, trying to get her off him, as she continued to tickle him mercilessly, laughing as well. Grenham and Marvlin found themselves unable to help their friend due to their own fits of laughter and were rather enjoying Mirran's revenge on Galahad.
"Gawain! Welcome to the show!" Grenham called out to Gawain as he approached on horseback, a bemused look across his face as he saw Mirran latched onto Galahad, both of them laughing.
"What is this?" He asked curiously.
"A casual bet set by Marvlin to Galahad required him to bring something of a lady's here—he chose to bring Mirran's shirt. She followed him here and is now paying him back for that." Grenham explained over the shrieks from both the young man and young woman.
"I bet now you'll think twice before you ever steal my shirt again, hunh?" She called out playfully before her laughter returned, for Galahad had now discovered she was ticklish as well.
"Mirran—stop—" Galahad called out between breaths and laughter, he looked up and saw Gawain shaking his head amusedly, "Gawain—stop her! Don't let her do this to me!"
"Oh no, don't drag me into it…" Gawain wisely said, dismounting his horse.
"Galahad—wha—wah—!" Her words fell short as Galahad's balance faltered, sending them both crashing to the ground, her landing squarely against his back.
"Alright…I don't plan on borrowing one of your shirts ever again…" He said breathlessly, turning his head around to meet her sapphire eyes that danced with sunlight and laughter.
"Glad to hear it." She said comfortingly as she patted his shoulder gently and rolled off his back. She sat up on the grass, catching her breath and watching Galahad lazily roll over, looking skyward.
"That's what I remember most from home…" he suddenly, distantly said, waving a hand across the sky, "the sky…just as endless as…as anything. And the clouds blowing across it, like waves across water." He stopped his soft musing, noticing Mirran looking skyward as well from where she sat.
"How many more years until you return home?" She asked.
"Six and counting." Galahad immediately replied.
"You've been here nine years already…wow…that's a long time to be away from one's home."
"And what of you, Mirran? You just arrived here a while ago. Surely this is not your home." Galahad questioned, rolling over to lean against his left arm as he looked up at her.
"No, this is not my home. My home…," she paused and couldn't really figure out how to describe it. She'd never really had a home—it died when her mother died those years ago…but how to say that without saying too much, "my home was destroyed. I have no memories of home even…so there has never been one for me to return to or think on." She said, finishing quietly and looking down from the sky to Galahad.
"That sounds depressing," Galahad quickly mused, "I am sorry—I wish it was different for you." He finished with a gentle smile.
"As do I." She said, meeting his smile.
"Gawain!" Galahad suddenly called out, noticing the slightly older man leaving the shade of the tree and walking their way, "you didn't come rescue me from my attacker!"
"I know better then to interfere in your fights, Galahad," Gawain said a note of seriousness to his voice before a smile graced his face, "besides, I'm sure Mirran would have beaten the both of us." His eyes met hers and she saw that he knew his words to be just as false as she did. And now, while his eyes held a sense of seriousness and maybe even worry, his smile was that of a true caring friend.
"Oh…I don't know…" Galahad said, looking at Mirran skeptically, "unless she's got a dagger hidden under that shirt of hers—"
"Why you!" She cut him off and flew at him once again, catching him off guard and knocking him back to the ground. Gawain laughed silently and shook his head—count on a twenty-two and a twenty-one year old to act two and one years old.
"gods, Mirran you're acting more and more un-lady like the more time you spend around us," Gawain plainly said, noticing Arthur riding their way with Lancelot at his side. He kneeled down beside the squirming pair and latched his arms easily about Mirran's waist, effortlessly pulling her from Galahad and onto his lap.
"Gawain, wha—"
"Your friendly fight with Galahad has caught even Arthur's attention." Gawain seriously said. Mirran froze and her eyes widened. 'Surely not…,' she inwardly pleaded. The serious look in Gawain's crystalline blue eyes fell instantly away as he laughed, surprised she'd taken him seriously.
"Gawain!" She hollered, realizing his joke and slapping his shoulder.
"Ah, the list narrows…" They heard Lancelot say as they turned and looked up at him, seeing a knowing smile across his face. He was dead set on discovering whose bed Mirran was sharing—since it wasn't his, he was immensely curious to know who had won Mirran's favor so quickly over his. Mirran rolled her eyes as she rose from Gawain's embrace and brushed the grass from her dress and hair.
"I heard about and saw a part of an interesting chase through the fort this morning…" Arthur started, noticing and smiling at the blush creeping to Mirran's cheeks.
"Just a bit of harmless fun," Grenham said defensively, having joined them, as though protecting himself from punishment.
"Did you make it Galahad?" Arthur curiously asked, already aware of the bet, and momentarily forgetting his role as their commander. Galahad's face brightened into a smile as Marvlin and Grenham broke out in laughter.
"Aye sir." Galahad said proudly. Mirran bit her lip to keep an embarrassed grin from spreading across her face as she crossed her arms about her chest, hearing the men laugh good-humoredly. The mirth and laughter died away in Arthur's eyes and filled with their usual seriousness.
"Knights, we need to meet for council very soon. Just as soon as we all return to the fort." Arthur suddenly said as the smiles faded away from the surrounding knights.
"Some northern trouble has wandered south…." Lancelot said quietly to the knights as Arthur turned his horse and walked around the group, back towards the fort.
"We'll need all the help we can get," Arthur said quietly, more to himself but then upon turning his eyes to group, he met with her curious sapphire eyes, "know how to wield a sword Mirran?" He asked jokingly, a smile across his chiseled face.
"Honestly no…" She said almost sheepishly as all the knights turned and stared at her in surprise.
"You don't? You exude the confidence of knowing how to defend yourself with a weapon." Galahad remarked. She found herself without words, and her eyes involuntarily rising to Gawain's as all the only response she could think of was a simple shake of her head.
"Meet me later then," she turned and looked up at Lancelot who smiled warmly down at her, "meet in the courtyard and I'll teach what you need to know."
"Very well then." She said, inwardly surprising herself. No woman she had met had ever been given the opportunity to learn how to fight, much less would have accepted it. With a nod of his head, Lancelot turned his horse and followed suite after Arthur towards the fort.
"Well we should get going…." Grenham grumbled as he and Marvlin started for the fort gate.
"You're sure you want to practice with him…alone?" Mirran turned at Gawain's question, smiling somewhat nervously.
"I think I'll be alright. It's the ones I don't know that I worry about, not the ones I know." She said, meeting his knowing eyes that harbored memories of the previous eve. He smiled at her, knowing he could trust her and chiding himself for not trusting Lancelot that much. He couldn't say where that protective instinct about her came from, but it was just there, and judging by the look in her eyes, she was glad for it. She moved towards him and wrapped her arms around him in a caring hug as he held her gently.
"Thank you again." She whispered before pulling away from him, her hand trailing down his arm as she turned from him back towards the fort. Gawain looked up, squinting in the sun's brightness before turning to head back towards his horse, trying to ignore the questioning, knowing, surprised look on Galahad's face.
"So it is you…" Galahad said, falling into step alongside Gawain.
"No. She does not hold my heart, nor do I hold hers," he simply said, "nor would I wish to. Our relationship works as it is." Galahad, upon hearing the sincerity of his friend's voice, could not doubt him or pester him further.
well, there ya go. review if'n ya want. next chapter should be up shortly.
