Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the film King Arthur, nor do I own the myth, or anything else, just the girl character. This story was written for entertainment purposes only, no money was exchanged. Please don't sue, just tell me if I need to change something.
Chapter Eight: Baths and Melodies
I wander around the civilian part of the complex for awhile, trying to calm my self down. I find a stream near the outer edge, by a grove of trees, and sit there for awhile, just thinking, or trying not to think. I stay there for a very long time, until the sun starts to disappear behind the trees. I start to get up to leave, but I hear footsteps so I squat back down. It is a woman, alone, walking along the streams edge. She is coming from downstream, where two streams meet making a stronger currant. She is carrying a basket of laundry at her side, and is half-humming, half-singing a tune. She is beautiful, and for a second, I catch myself gazing in the mirror at my own reflection. She would never pass as a boy.
I jump out of my reverie, mentally slapping myself, and look at the woman again. As she gets closer, I can start to make out the song she sings. "Land of bear and land of eagle……lalalala, lalalana…." Why does that sound familiar? It plays over in my head…wait….the song! The one my mother used to sing! The one I couldn't remember exactly how it sounded…."We will go home….lalalana…we will go home 'cross the mountains…" Home! MY HOME! She is so beautiful. I follow her, trying to catch every word, every tune, but she is more humming than singing, it is hard. I am so caught up that I don't even notice that I myself am being followed. I have tears running down my cheeks, I haven't truly cried in years, but I don't care. I follow her back up through the dirt streets until she disappears into a small house. I sit on some steps across the way and watch the house. Maybe that's what my house was like…no, this is Roman style. But I don't care. I see Bors go into the hose a little after twilight, and am surprised. So I am Sarmatian after all.
Galahad finds me on those steps later, once night has fallen. He looks concerned, probably because my eyes are bloodshot, and because of how I acted this morning with Gawain. He doesn't ask me about anything though. I suppose he has guessed why I reacted that way, and I am in no hurry to ever speak of it. Instead, he walks me down the path to the bathhouse. He says that the other knights will be in conference, so I can bathe undisturbed. I think he enjoys no longer being the youngest, he likes having someone to take care of. I smile faintly and hug him, a bath sounds perfect, I haven't felt clean in months. Years maybe.
I sink into the bath, and the water floods around me like a warm embrace. It has mosaic tile around the edge, and white pillars. It is huge, and sunken into the floor, Roman style, like everything else. I close my eyes and just float on the surface of the water for awhile. I look around and see soap and scented oils in a cubby in the wall. For once, perhaps I can smell like a woman, or perhaps, at least just not like a dog. I get out to get the soaps, and as I am stepping back into the water, I hear footsteps. I turn around quickly, and see Lancelot step out from behind one of the pillars. I try to hide under the water, but its no use. It's water, clear, and doesn't do anything to hide my form. I glare at him, but he has this cockish smirk on his face. Finally, he says something, "I always knew there was something strange about our Dzer, and then today I hear how he panicked on the courts, so unbecoming of a warrior, and later I see him crying as he follows the fair Vanora to her house. These are not the tears of a love sick boy, I thought to myself…." He doesn't make anymore attempt to speak or even move after that. He just sits there, looking, enjoying his power and my shame. I glare back and stand up suddenly. I walk to the other end of the bath and step out, pointedly, deliberately, and unabashed. I throw a cloak around my shoulders and leave him there. I go back to my small room by the stairwell that leads to the knights chambers, and sit down on the bed. It's been a long day.