Title: A Woman Among Men
Author: sabor ice
Summary: Where did Vanora come from? How do she and the knights meet? How did she meet Bors and fall in love with him? This is their untold tale.
Disclaimer: I don't anything, etc, except for any orginal characters and this story.
Feedback: Yes, please.
Three
The afternoon sun looked down upon the group as they traveled. It was not so hot, but more humid. Vanora was basically sticking to her mare's saddle, shifting uncomfortably from side to side. Her dress came past her knees, but that didn't help her legs. She tried to keep it down as much as possible.
Dagonet noticed her fidgeting and said, "Vanora, maybe you'd rather wear some pants. Mine wouldn't fit you, but perhaps Galahad's would."
Vanora nodded and asked, "How's your cut?"
The broad-shouldered boy ran his fingers over the slash mark that extended from his eye to his mid-cheek. "It's stopped bleeding at least. Do not worry, I will be fine."
"When we stop, I'll clean the cut out for you and stitch it. I have a bit of thread and a needle in my bag," she offered.
Overhearing their conversation, Lancelot said, "The girl can ride and sew. If she could cook we'd be in heaven!"
Dagonet and Vanora grinned equally. Vanora replied, "I can cook anything you'd like. My mother taught me how."
The other boys cheered quietly. They were beginning to think having Vanora along wasn't such a bad thing after all.
Vanora brushed stray hairs from her rosy cheek. "Yes, I will cook you all something tonight, but under one condition. You must teach me archery and swordfighting."
"And, she's a fighter, too!" Lancelot smirked.
"Why on Earth would you need to know that?" Gawain wondered.
"What, you think girls should not know how to fight?" Vanora said. "Afraid I might better you all?"
The boys laughed again, but realized she was serious.
"So, do we have a deal?" Vanora asked.
"Anything for a bite of some homemade cooking!" Bors answered and the others agreed.
The day dragged onward, making the group both bored and exhausted by the minute. The Romans, on their grand steeds, didn't seem to care if they had a break or not. They'd probably make them ride all night if they'd complained! It was past three when the gray-eyed Roman finally raised his arm to Vanora and the others.
"We will rest hear for an hour or so. Rest your horses, because we'll be riding into the night again today," the Roman said.
A wave of relief blew over the youths as they dismounted their horses. They removed the horses' saddles and let them graze on the open field freely. Vanora, with her hands behind her back, watched Tristan tend to his hawk. She bit her lip, wondering if the tattooed boy would mind her speaking with him. Timidly, she stepped closer to him. Tristan, who was busy feeding his hawk some bit, looked up at Vanora as she came beside him.
"Your hawk is beautiful. Where did you get her?" Vanora asked.
"I found Illiana abandoned in the forest one day. I tended to her injuries and set her free," Tristan said. "Only thing was that she insisted on coming back to me."
She sat on a mound of grass and crossed her legs at the ankles. "She knew your kindness and sought to repay you by staying by your side."
Tristan's eyes lowered as he put out Illiana on his forearm. "You can pet her if you want to. She won't bite."
Vanora reached out too quickly with her hand, for she was so eager to stroke the bird. Illiana squawked at the girl's quick movements, sending her to put her hand back on her lap.
Tristan shook his head and placed Vanora's hand on the hawk's back, allowing her to gently pet the animal. "Like this."
A few moments later, Dagonet called to her. "Vanora!" he said.
The girl smiled warmly towards Tristan as she stood and went to Dagonet. The older boy handed Vanora her small bag of personal items and sat on a rock. Kneeling beside him, Vanora took out her needle and thread and set it in her lap. She wetted a cloth with water from a skin and cleaned out Dagonet's face wound.
"I'm sorry about this, Dag," she said. "It's more my fault. Maybe we shouldn't have disobeyed them after all."
"And, let them take advantage of every situation?" Dagonet said with kind eyes. "No, little one, I believe what you and all of us did was the right thing to do."
"Yes, but it wasn't any of the rest of us that they cut," Vanora replied.
"'Tis but a scratch."
"A scratch that will leave a nice scar on your face, Dag."
"My first battle wound, how exciting."
Vanora chuckled softly as she began to stitch up his wound. Dagonet watched her as a brother would watch his sister, with tenderness and devotion.
"So, what do you think of the others?"
"I think they are wonderful. It's like having seven brothers now, instead of one. I will be glad when you teach me to fight."
"I must admit, at first the idea didn't sound so good to me. Now, though, I think it will be beneficial for you to learn."
Vanora finished up his stitches. "Can't be there to protect me all the time, right?"
The older boy pinched Vanora's cheek lightly and smiled warmly. The truth was that he was afraid to death for her. He was afraid of what would happen to her when he and the others weren't there. A fighter or not, Vanora was still a young woman. A young woman could easily be overpowered in any type of situation.
"Hey, Vanora! How about some of that cooking now?" Bors shouted.
Vanora placed her hands on her hips and cocked back her head. Suddenly, the rest of the boys joined in.
"Please!" they all pleaded.
Throwing her hands up in the air, Vanora replied, "Well, all right!"
The boys cheered again and proceeded in making a cooking fire. The boys cheered again and proceeded in making a cooking fire. Vanora was hardly surprised at how fast young men could work if they were hungry enough. Galahad and Gawain tended to the fire as Lancelot and Arthur collected more wood for burning. Dagonet had gone to the nearby stream to refill their waterskins. Tristan and Bors, with their bows at hand, ventured off into the woods to seek wild game. Twenty minutes later, Tristan and Bors returned with eight rabbits.
Vanora was ready to take and clean up the rabbits for rabbit stew, but was impressed when Bors and Tristan did all the cleaning and cutting up. She boiled water in a small pot that Galahad had given her and put the cut up rabbit in for a quick simmer. The boys watched eagerly, their eyes never leaving sight of the girl cooking over the fire. At one point, Vanora burst out laughing at the lot of them; their tongues were basically hanging from their mouths.
Sitting down between Dagonet and Arthur, Vanora slowly ate her meal, savoring every last bite; the boys hungrily choked down their food like a pack of wild dogs. With their stomachs full, they all lay back on the ground, staring up at the fading sun in the sky.
"I thought those Romans said an hour or so," Gawain said.
"Maybe we got lucky and they got eaten out there," Lancelot joked.
"I wouldn't think that so lucky," Galahad said. "That'd mean we'd be in danger, wouldn't it?"
"Naw, Galahad, beasts would take one look at your ugly smug and flee in terror. I think we're safe," Tristan said, feeding Illiana the last of the rabbit.
Galahad threw a small pebble at the tattooed boy as the others chuckled, amused.
"I'm so full, I can hardly move," Bors said, yawning.
"You, full?" Gawain asked, peering over at him. "You must be sick then. Who are you and what have you done with Bors?"
Suddenly, the call of wild beasts echoed throughout the forests and plains. In one instance, Vanora and the others were sitting up and looking around anxiously.
"Bors, I hope that was you're stomach," Lancelot said.
"What is it?" Vanora wondered, scooting closer to Dagonet.
"Sounds like wolves, maybe coyotes," Tristan replied, not worried.
"Let's get to the horses and go find those blasted Romans," Gawain said.
"I'm with you," Galahad answered, getting up.
Everyone quickly saddle their horses and mounted. The calls of wolves or coyotes was still heard in the distance. The Romans could not be far from where they were, so they turned their horses and rode.
End, 'Three.'
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