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.
To All the Reviewers: Thank you; your feedback is much appreciated.
P.S.: I'm not following the story in KA completely. It's true in the time period I've set, Bors and Vanora couldn't have 11 children. Therefore, they're not. Hope that cleared some stuff up.
Nine
Dagonet made his way back to his hut after a night of poppycock with his fellow knights. It was all fun and games until someone got hurt, that someone being the poor sap that had picked a fight with Lancelot. He had claimed the knight had been cheating at a game of cards. Dagonet, being the only one in the entire tavern not half-drunk, was the peacekeeper. Then, he high-tailed it before all hell could break loose.
The broad-shouldered knight hadn't seen his usual drinking partner all night. Bors was not one to miss a good drink or wench. He also hadn't seen Vanora since that afternoon. He figured she must've went home early as exhausted as she was.
The moon hung low in the raven night sky. It was well past twilight and more close to dawn hours. The stars had began to fade from their broadway show alignment, only leaving their golden stardust behind. The knight was as exhausted as nature was and would be glad to sleep in his bed, even if only a few hours. Opening the door to the hut, Dagonet figured Bors must have all ready gone to bed if he was here. The candle was burnt out and no light surfaced in the black room. Shuffling slowly to the table, Dagonet managed to get the short wick of the candle burning. His dark eyes had been on the flame for a moment, but began to drift left as something caught his eye.
His gaze slowly moved over the two forms in one of the beds. He stood more erectly from his hunched form. On the other side of the large body belonging to Bors, was Vanora. The burly man's arm was around her waist, and her hand was upon his. His face was so close to her that if she were turn onto her other side, their lips would be kissing.
Dagonet silently sat on the spare bed, still staring at the two sleeping forms across the way. A feeling arose inside of him, one he could not completely decypher. He knew it was not jealously, for he loved Vanora only like a brother would love his sister. Somehow, though, he felt enraged about this underminding engagement between the innocent Vanora and the sultry Bors.
The sun called to the sleeping surroundings from over the mountaintops. It's warm rays kept the icy chill from the lands. Vanora stretched one of her arms outward as she yawned. Slowly, she managed to open her eyes, straining them even, believing that her body did not wish to wake. She felt Bors' strong arm over her stomach and she smiled to herself. He hadn't left her all through the night. As she turned to face the sleeping man, Vanora saw another figure sitting on the bed across from them. Surprised, the young woman shot upright, nearly knocking Bors from the bed as she did. The bald man sleepily sat up and looked where Vanora was looking.
"Dagonet," Vanora managed to utter.
The older knight was sitting perfectly straight, his large hands placed on his knees. His eyes were tired, as if he hadn't slept at all yet. They seemed to look right through the two, yet he made no move to speak.
Rubbing his eyes, Bors quickly sat up and repeated, "Dagonet."
Vanora removed herself from the bed, as finally did Bors. Dagonet slowly rose to meet their same height, though his height was superior to theirs.
"What do you think you're doing?" Dagonet asked coldly.
"Nothing happened, I swear it," Bors said.
"Damn right nothing did. I've been watching over you both all night making sure of that," Dagonet replied.
"Dagonet, stop it," Vanora said, but he ignored her.
The tall knight was face-to-face with Bors now.
"Do you want to take this outside, Dagonet?" Bors huffed toward him.
Dagonet shoved the bear-like man. "After you."
Worried now, Vanora followed the two knights from the hut. The two shoved one another back and forth a few times, Vanora took powerless to stop them. She stayed back in slight horror.
"What do you think you are doing with her, Bors?" Dagonet shouted. "She's like our sister!"
"That doesn't make her our sister. In case you haven't noticed, that was a long time ago. We grew up. She grew up!" Bors retorted angrily.
Dagonet raised his mighty fist and cracked Bors across the jaw, sending Vanora to let out a small cry. Bors regained his footing and continued to circle with Dagonet. By then, the commotion had aroused others, who nosily poked their heads out from their quarters.
"That doesn't give you the right to treat Vanora as one of your common wench girls!" Dagonet spat back.
Bors struck Dagonet across the chin and followed up with a blow to the stomach.
"The truth is that you don't want her to know anything! You want her to be a little girl forever!" Bors shouted. "Well, the truth is, my friend, Vanora is a woman. She is a woman free to make her own choices!"
As the two started at one another again, they suddenly were met with a blade between their faces. They paused and promptly turned to see Vanora holding a short sword between them.
"I always knew this would come in handy one of these days. Just didn't think it would be for you two," Vanora said sternly. "Listen to me, both of you, and listen good. I will not stand by and watch you kill each other over something like me."
She turned to the questioning Dagonet with her eyes.
"Dagonet, I appreciate the love you show me as a brother figure. You were always my best friend...when we were children. Times have changed. Bors is right; we have all grown up and changed. Nothing happened between us last night, and nothing would have had you been there or not," she said. "I am old enough to make my own choices. I am not a prize to be won!"
With that last echoing note, Vanora dropped the sword at their feet. Before she let either of them speak out, she turned and stormed past Arthur and the rest of the knights who had been watching. Vanora didn't need to explain anything to anybody. She was a free woman.
Later that day, Vanora had resumed her busting of tables at the tavern. The place was more crowded than ever, for a group of Roman guards were passing through town on their way back to Rome. They were in high demand to be served, so naturally, Vanora was quite occupied. She had seen the other knights one by one fall into the tavern as well. She was sure they all knew of the situation that had occured between her, Dagonet, and Bors, but kept to their own business. She wished Dagonet would have done that for once. She knew he loved her as dearly as she loved him, but it didn't make up for her harsh actions towards she and Bors.
"I'll be right with you, love," she said to a patron as she served ale to another.
One of the Romans shouted to her across from the room, "Come on, woman, we haven't got all day! Get over here now!"
Vanora stood and turned in their direction, answering, "Why don't you come over here!"
Then, Vanora went about her business. The gray-eyed Roman snarled under his breath. He had heard that somewhere before, or perhaps lived it.
He said to his square-faced comrade, "Perhaps this little wench will need a bit of talking to. She doesn't seem to have any manners for authority like figures such as ourselves."
The comrade joined into a deep, hearty. chuckle with him. The gray-eyed Roman kept his eagle eye fixed upon the auburn hair barmaid the entire time as he gulped down his ale.
End, 'Nine.'
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