One Thing - Chapter 9
KnightGuardian - Thank you so much for the lovely review. Yes, she doen't feel the need to jump in every bed she can. Please stick with it. It's not a quickie 'fall in love.' It's a gradual thing.
A/N: I have to do a little clear up here. From here on out, you'll see a lot of Lancelot and Tristan paired. Both want Teagan. But for purely different reasons. Gawain had stated that he prefers the stables to watch. And since Galahad is Gawain's best friend, they do their duties together. Dagonet is a healer, so he does that. And Bors, well, he just does what he does. That leaves the other two. It is natural for Tristan to have watch, as he watches everything. And I can't picture Lancelot mucking stables.
Swatting at the insistent poking to her forehead, Teagan opened one eye to see Lancelot about two inches from her face. She pulled the covers over her head only to have them pulled down again. "Doesn't anyone believe in locks around here?"
"No." Lancelot was laughing his cocky laugh. "Get up. We're going riding."
Picking her head off the pillow, she looked through the door that had been left open. "It is not even light out yet." She said grumpily.
Lancelot pulled her by her arm, so she sat up on the edge of the bed. "It will be light soon. We'll eat on the way."
Teagan cocked an eyebrow at him. He was so sure of himself. "Who planned this little outing?"
"I did and Arthur agreed. He thinks you've shown promise."
"Promise?"
Lancelot nodded. "Yup. On the training field. He says that it may be a good idea for you to get to know some of our villages."
"It's to early for me to begin to understand what you are prattling on about." Teagan tried to wave him away, but the pest just wouldn't go. He even pulled her back up when she moved to lay down.
"Come on. It'll be a nice ride."
She pouted at Lancelot. "What if I don't want to go? I actually have two nights off. I want to enjoy them."
Lancelot was not taking 'no' for an answer. He threw her some clothes.
Teagan glared at him while she pulled on her breeches and tunic. She had put on an old worn shirt to sleep in, so put the tunic over it.
It was to early for her to be awake, much less up moving, so she did not care that Lancelot was openly watching her dress. In fact, she let him have an eyeful.
"Who else is going?" She asked as she pulled on her boots.
"Tristan, you and I. That's all."
"Oh joy. This will be soooo much fun." Teagan mumbled as she followed the knight out of her room. One cocky knight who kept trying to bed her and one silent one. She wondered how she had angered Arthur to put her with these two.
0o0o0o
Lancelot and Tristan were ready and waiting for Teagan as she bridled Aodh. She was leading the horse out of the stall when Tristan stopped her.
"Are you not going to put a saddle on him?" He asked as he looked her horse over.
"Depends."
"On what?"
"On how long we are going." She preferred to ride without a saddle if she could help it.
"For two days. Maybe three." Tristan said simply.
Teagan nodded. "Then I shall put a saddle on."
"I've noticed you out riding. You do not use a saddle much. And you keep your seat well."
Teagan blushed at the compliment. It was a big thing for this silent scout to say more than two words at a time. "Thank you. And not usually. Only for long distances and battle."
Tristan looked closer at this small woman. "You have been in battle?"
Teagan nodded, but did not say anything more as she saddled her stallion.
She needn't say anything. Tristan smiled in understanding and left the stables.
Tristan wasn't gone long. He was back before Teagan finished getting her gear situated. When Teagan looked up, she saw him carrying a sword in an ornate scabbard.
She pointed to it. "What's that?"
Tristan handed it to her. "For you."
Teagan took the blade, removing it from the scabbard. It wasn't all that long. But it was light and after swinging it around a few times, Teagan noticed that it felt good in her hands. She looked at Tristan, slightly confused.
"Why give this to me?"
He shrugged. "Why not? You do not have one do you?"
Teagan looked at the exquisite sword. "No. I don't. Thank you."
Tristan smiled a small smile at her as he attached the scabbard to the pommel of the horse's saddle.
Lancelot took that opportunity to pop his head back into the stable. "Hey children. Are you ready to go yet?"
Teagan swung up onto her horse as Tristan did. "Yes sir, master sir. Let's go." She said with as much sarcasm as she could muster. It was still to damned early.
