I'm a little amazed at how you guys are reviewing my story! I like the whole time travel thing because I secretly wish it were possible. I'm not going to respond to every review (that just takes time away from the story!) but I would like to thank each and every one of you collectively. Hey I need to know if any of you would like to be my new beta. My other one had to back out for work-related reasons and I need someone's opinion before I post. Just drop me an email and I'll send you a copy of the chapters. I currently have 38 written but only about 20 of them have been 'approved'.
Now back to the story…
The group made it to the tavern and walked 'in' together. The tavern was actually what would be called a 'lean to' because it was mostly outside with a roof over the bar part. The roof was held up on one end by two big rough hewn poles. Tables were scattered throughout the open area and various Roman soldiers were gathered for some down time. There was plenty of noise for everyone was laughing, talking loudly, or even singing. Bors walked over to the bar and ordered mugs for everyone.
Laney gingerly took the mug offered to her. She had only liked mixed drinks back home and the smell of beer made her nauseous usually. Taking a cautious sniff, she turned the mug up expecting to taste beer. She was pleasantly surprised by the taste. It definitely had a slight barley and hops taste but there was something else. It was a little sweet but not overly so. She took another bigger drink and looked at the others over the rim of her mug. They were all drinking from their mugs, except Tristan. He was eating a bite of the apple he was holding. As he bit into the sweet fruit she saw him looking directly at her. Lowering the mug, she smiled at him. She felt strangely sad when instead of answering her smile with a smile, he turned and walked away from her. What had she done now? She pondered this for a moment and had just decided to follow him and demand an answer when someone stopped her by placing a hand on her arm.
She looked up to find Gallahad looking at her, a very drunk Gallahad. 'How could he possibly have gotten drunk so fast,' she thought to herself. Then noticing that all the rest had at least three empty mugs in front of them she realized they must have been guzzling while she was sipping. She gave Gallahad a friendly smile and moved so that his hand fell from her arm. "Hello, Gallahad, I see you've been busy." She told him.
Gallahad laughed and waved his mug in her face. She moved her head back a little to keep from being hit on the nose. "Laney, you've got some catching up to do! Another mug here." He yelled to the barmaid. Laney tried to protest, "No, please, I'm not used to drinking a lot. It will probably just make me lose my lunch, besides, it's too early for this. I think I'd rather just look around and get my bearings." She felt bad at the disappointed look he gave her, but she refused to back down. She had always been good at knowing her limits and not exceeding them.
Gawain walked over and though she knew he had been drinking more than she had, he did not seem to be drunk yet. "I'll be glad to be your guide, if you'll allow it," and he bowed slightly. Giving him her biggest smile, both out of relief at being rescued from Gallahad's drunken advances and gratitude at his offer. "Thank you, I'd love to accept your offer." Then she looked at Gallahad and added, "Maybe when it is later than mid-day I can come back and be your drinking partner." She told him thinking to herself, 'but I'll probably just be your sitter and make sure you don't pass out before the sun sets'. She knew he had misinterpreted her words when he gave her a satisfied and very suggestive smile. 'Damn, I'll have to weigh each word with him from now on.' She thought as she followed Gawain out of the tavern.
They walked a few steps before Gawain stopped and waited for her to step up to his side. "What would you like to see first?" he asked her. She waited a moment then looked up to him, "Since I don't know what all there is to see, I'll let you decide the order of our tour." He offered her his arm and when she took it without hesitating, he moved to walk on. The first place he took her was to the stable yard they had ridden into earlier. "This is the private courtyard of Arthur and the rest of us. Whenever we return this is where Vanora and Bors children wait for him. Where, if we had loved ones, they would all be waiting." She felt the sadness his words conveyed. "Someday, Gawain, you will also have someone waiting for your return. Don't fear, you are still young and there are a lot of women who hate to see you leave, I'm sure."
She looked into his eyes and saw that he was pondering her words. "Laney, you've been listening to too many rumors already. I'm not the great lover I'm made out to be." He smiled at her and she smiled back. "I haven't heard these rumors you mention, but I have seen the looks you get from the women you pass. Any one of them would be thrilled to be chosen as the one you want to be with." Then she looked away for a moment, when she turned back he was looking at her with a strange gleam in his eyes.
"For some reason, I forgot all of them the moment I saw you sleeping in the field. I don't know what kind of spell you have cast upon me, but I want nothing more than to see you smile at my safe return the way Vanora smiles at Bors. A look in your eyes that speaks of heaven on earth when we are alone." The emotion in his voice made her feel so special at that moment. She slowly raised on her tiptoes and touched his cheek. He closed his eyes at her touch and she suddenly found herself reaching up to kiss him gently on the lips. He gave a soft moan and returned her kiss.
His lips were gentle and when he put his hands on each side of her face she relaxed. His lips were exploring hers and as the kiss deepened she felt his hands move first to her shoulders, where he squeezed them gently, then around to her back where he pulled her closer into his hard body. She forgot where she was in his kiss and when he lowered his lips to her neck she moved her head to give him easier access to her flesh. She felt a soft moan escape her lips and when he lifted her up until her feet left the ground she realized what was happening. She put her hands on his chest and gently pushed him away from her. He raised his head and looked into her eyes. She saw the passion emanating from their blue depths and knew what the other women saw. It would be too easy to forget who or what you were when he was looking at you the way he was now.
Clearing her throat, she gently kissed his lips one more time before trying to wriggle free from his grasp. She saw the passion fade from his eyes as he let her slowly down to stand on her own again. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let it go so far," She told him, adding, "I didn't mean to lead you on in such a manner." When she finished speaking, he took her hand in his and raised it to his lips, kissing the inside of her wrist. "No, Milady, it is I who should apologize. I should not have treated you like one of the women who give themselves so readily to my advances. I'm sorry, please forgive me." She flashed him one of her smiles and he relaxed his hold on her hand.
"Let's continue our tour before the light of day leaves it all in shadows." He moved to walk away and she again placed her arm through his. His smile showed his gratitude that she had not taken great offense to his advances. They walked on for quite a while, Gawain pointing out things he thought would interest her, Laney looking where he pointed and reveling in the way of life these people had. The afternoon was spent walking over the entire fort with him arm in arm. She noticed the way the other girls looked at them and wondered at their apparent disappointment. She looked up at him and realized he was very handsome, and gave off the animal attraction that any woman would latch onto. He was also looking very possessive with the way he held the hand she had put through his arm. She also realized that as wonderful as he made her feel with his kisses, she would not be happy to give herself to him. The overpowering love she craved wasn't there. All she felt was sadness at his lack of love, but she knew that love was not her.
Gawain seemed to sense that as well for not once did he speak the words he had spoken before. He acted as though she had taken the test and for whatever reason, failed. Once when they stopped to watch some boys play fighting with wooden swords, she saw the longing in his eyes. "Gawain, do you have any children?" she doubted he did, but wanted to hear his words.
"No, Laney, I am not as blessed as Bors. Whether by fate or care, I have not found the woman I want to carry my children." He paused for a moment, then looking at her, he continued. "I thought for a moment that woman might be you, but even though I would take you to my bed with only a little encouragement from you, I feel it would only be for a short time. I'm sorry." He seemed to be truly apologizing for something and she smiled. "I agree, Gawain, I find you very tempting and your kisses made my body feel more alive than it has in the years I've been on this earth. But I find that you too are not the one true love I seek." They looked at each other for a few more moments. As if coming to some kind of agreement, they looked away and things seemed to be settled between them. They would be friends, close friends probably, but never lovers.
As the sun lowered close to the horizon, Laney found herself walking down the hallway to her room. Gawain had his arm loosely around her shoulders in a way that spoke of years of friendship instead of only hours. She was glad they had spent the day together.
When they arrived at her door, she turned to him to thank him for her tour. "Beautiful Lady, if ever you need someone to talk to or just to keep you company, my room is the last one on the left. You can come to me at any hour and know you will be safe from harm." He then took her hand and kissed it gently the hair from his beard brushing against her wrist. She smiled and thanked him. When she opened her door and stepped inside she almost screamed, leaning against the wall next to her bed was a man. The shadows from the small window covered his face, but she recognized his clothes.
"Tristan, what are you doing here?" she asked in a breathless voice. When he didn't answer but just kept looking at her, she gave an exasperated sigh. "Is it your usual practice to lurk in the shadows of women's rooms and wait for their return?" In answer he pushed away from the wall and walked toward her. When she was standing directly in front of him, he took some of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers. She looked into his dark, brooding eyes and saw that he was relishing the feel of her hair. "What are you doing? It is only hair and I might add it is tangled and unruly at the moment."
He never spoke a word, just let her hair slip from his fingers as he reached up and pulled the leather cord that held most of her hair back from her face. When he pulled the cord her hair fell loosely about her shoulders and down her back. "So much beauty." He quietly whispered. She made to move from his gaze and he stopped her by side stepping directly into her path. "Did Gawain's kiss decide which one of our beds you will warm tonight?" he said throatily.
His words stung her like the stinger of a bee. Before she realized what she was doing, she raised her hand and gave him a flat handed slap across his face. The slap didn't seem to faze him. All he did way grab her by the hair and pull her to him. "Maybe I should show you your other options before you fully decide." Having said that he kissed her roughly. The brutality of his kiss scared her. She didn't know whether to fight or just stand there and take it. In his state of mind, if she fought he might only try harder to make her succumb to his kiss. If she stood there he might think she was okay with his advance.
Before she had time to decide, he let go of her hair and she stumbled backwards. If he had not grabbed her arm she would have fallen. She looked up at him and he saw the tears in her eyes. He felt shame at his actions but he didn't think he could have stopped them just a moment before. He had only felt this much jealously once before in his life and nothing but pain had come from it. Sadly, he let her go and moved toward the door. She didn't move to stop him and he hesitated with his hand on the handle. "Forgive me, Lady, I don't know what made me do that. If you want to share your bed with Gawain, it is none of my business." Then he opened the door and walked out, leaving the door standing open.
Laney, rubbing her bruised lips, walked over and peered out. He was nowhere to be seen and she slowly closed the door. She stood there for a moment then went to lie down on her bed. She felt like crying but no tears would come. Why did he think she was such a whore. If he had seen the kiss, then he had also seen that the kiss had not led to anything. Gawain would never move on her again, and she did not wish it to happen. She lay there for quite awhile trying to decipher why what he thought made a difference to her. She could not come up with anything so she got up and moved over to the table next to her bed. She poured some water into the bowl and splashed her face. Taking the towel laying next to the bowl she dried her face. Then she ran her fingers through her hair and grimaced as they caught in several tangles. As she worked the wooden comb through the tangles she remembered the look in his eyes as he held her hair in his hand. He was a mystery and right then she didn't have the energy to try to figure him out.