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.
Eleven
As Bors quickly carried Vanora to her hut, she clung to his neck. He leaned his ear inward toward her lips.
"Don't tell the others," Vanora pleaded quietly. "Don't tell the others."
Bors gulped hard at her request. That was the first thing he thought to do was to tell the others. He knew he should have, but at Vanora's plea, he found he could not now.
Laying Vanora gently on her bed, Bors went back to the door and made sure it was locked. Then, he went to the window and closed the curtain. Returning to Vanora, he knelt by her bedside. She had curled herself into a tight ball. Her dress was ripped all up one side, revealingone whitethigh. Bors reached over and tried to pull her cloak over her more, but Vanora recoiled. He jumped back at her sudden movement. Her body was still shaking as her eyes watched him curiously.
"I'm sorry," he said.
She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. "Why did this happen to me? I've been running from the past as long as I can remember, and somehow, it has still caught up with me."
Bors knew how she felt, not exactly, but close enough.
"My past is not something I can be proud of either. Many things have happened, that I wish hadn't," he spoke softly, trying to calm her. "But, the one thing I will never regret...is the day I met you."
Vanora choked down her sobs and took deep breaths as she looked up at him. She didn't say anything as Bors continued.
"I've loved you since the day I met you. When we left I thought I'd never see you again, and then when I did, I thought I had died and gone to heaven," Bors said.
Vanora let on a small smile, her glossy brown eyes shining in the candelight. She laid her head by Bors' rough cheek. He slowly brought his hand up and caressed her hair and fallen tears away. She closed her eyes and moved her head to his chest as she listened to the sound of his breathing and heartbeat.
"I'm going to sing to you, little one," the knight whispered. "Maybe then it will chase away any demon dreams."
She nodded absentmindedly in reply, still listening to him closely. He sang:
"Land of bear and land of eagle,
Land that gave us birth and blessing,
Land that calls us ever homeward,
We will go home across the mountains.
We will go home, we will go home,
We will go home across the mountains.
We will go home, singing our song,
We will go home across the mountains..."
Vanora reopened her eyes and tilted her head inward. She brought her hand to his cheek and caressed it lightly. He turned and faced her, his eyes tracing her beautiful face over and over again.
"You make me feel like home is not so far away. I feel safe with you. I feel protected with you. I feel loved by you," she whispered, her slender fingers lightly tracing Bors' bottom lip. "You've rekindled hope in me. Hope I thought I'd never know again."
Vanora drew back, tugging on the knight's hand to come and join her on the bed. He was hesitant at first, but reluctantly laid down beside her.
"I don't want to hurt you," Bors whispered.
She pressed herself against the burly man. He felt his manhood stiffen at her first touch.
"You could only heal me. Make love to me, Bors," Vanora replied.
"Do you love me?" he asked.
"I do," she answered. "Make love to me."
Bors could think of nothing he would rather do more, than to succumb to his beautiful's woman command.
When dawn came, Bors and Vanora awoke, still in one another's embrace. Vanora loved the way she melted into him, and his arms fit securely around her, protecting her. Brown orbs locked with dark ones and she smiled cutely toward him.
"What will we tell the others...about us?" Bors wondered.
She traced his cheekbone with her finger. "Why tell them anything? What business of theirs is it what you and I do behind closed doors?"
"They will suspect something."
"What if they do? I'm not ashamed, are you?"
"No. Never. It's just..."
"You're afraid of how Dagonet would react?"
"I remember all too well what happened last time he saw us together, though that time nothing happened. I love him like a brother, and he loves me like his little sister."
"He's trying to protect you. I would have done the same."
"What? From you?" she laughed, tweaking his nose and laughing.
He growled playfully at her and tickled her sides. He kissed her on the nose as she continued to giggle uncontrolably. They both sighed deeply and kissed passionately.
"You're not working today," Bors said, nuzzling at her ear. "Or anyday after that. At least not in this town. Come with me, with the knights, when we leave."
"Will we be all right, do you think?" she wondered.
"Without a doubt, my woman," Bors replied, grinning.
He peered down at Vanora, who's smile had grown wide. She squealed with delight and hugged and kissed him over and over again. This was the happiest Bors had seen her in a long time, and he would continue to try to make her happy.
One Month Later
Vanora moved through the bustling crowd as she served the men drinks. They thanked and complimented her. The other serving girls were a little loose towards their visitors, but no one made her feel like she needed to be the same way. Actually, Vanora felt respected in this new town. She had traveled here with Dagonet and Bors and the knights when they left for home. Hadrian's Wall would now be her home as well.
It had been difficult keeping her love affair with Bors a secret when they traveled to Hadrian's Wall. They were careful to wait until after the others were drunk and passed out before Bors stole her away to a secluded part of the forest. Beautiful thoughts flooded the young woman's mind as she remembered how they made love each night under the stars. Around the men, Bors was rowdy and out-spoken, but under the cover of night, he was gentle and romantic with her.
It was hard not to watch her lover as she worked, for his eyes never strayed from watching her. It was becomer more and more difficult to keep this secret of their love affair from the others, but most of all, Dagonet. Bors wanted to tell the knight straight out, but she wouldn't allow it. Vanora knew that she would be the one to tell him. It was only right.
Vanora wasn't the only person noticing how Bors watched her. Galahad and Gawain were watching the whole scene from the opposite side of the courtyard.
"So, what's up woth Bors and Vanora?" Galahad wondered.
"What do you mean?" Gawain said uninterested as he was more focused with the girl on his lap.
"I mean look at the way they keep looking at one another," Galahad replied.
"So?" the long-haired knight answered. "What's your point?"
Galahad punched him on the shoulder to get his full attention. Gawain let the barmaid slip off his lap as he turned to Galahad.
"I mean she's never looked at me like that," Galahad said.
Gawain laughed. "No woman has ever looked at you anyway."
"You're not helping," Galahad said with a sigh. "Do you think Dagonet knows?"
"Whatever it is, it's none of my business," Gawain said, drinking some ale.
Lancelot had overheard the entire conversation and decided to drop in.
"Well, I for one love making things my business," the dark haired knight grinned.
"What's the matter, Lancelot? All done cheating at your card game all ready?" Gawain raised an eyebrow.
"Ah, it's no fun taking money from losers that don't know their right hand from their left," he replied, sitting beside the two.
"So, what. Either do you," Galahad commented.
Gawain practically spit out his ale as he laughed. Lancelot glared at Galahad but decided to let it go, just this once. Vanora was making her rounds with the ale pitcher.
"Here's my chance to poke my nose where it doesn't belong," Lancelot mused. "Vanora!"
The auburn haired woman smiled as she approached the three knights.
"Hello, boys," she said. "Can I refill you mugs for you?"
Lancelot nudged the youngest knight and said, "Galahad has something to ask you."
Galahad's eyes widened as Vanora looked at him and smiled.
"Yes, Galahad?" she asked prettily.
"Um...ahh..." the knight began. "I was just wondering how you are doing."
Lancelot groaned and rolled his eyes at his companion.
"He was wondering what's going on with you and Bors," Lancelot unexpectantly chimed in.
Caught off guard by the statment, Vanora at first didn't know how to respond. Had the two of them been so obvious?
"What do you mean?" she managed to say.
"I've seen the way you've been acting around him. I was just curious to know if you've fucked him yet or not," Lancelot spoke outright.
A gasp came from the other two knights and Vanora. Angrily, she slammed the pitcher down on the table and raised her fist to Lancelot, slugging him hard across the cheek. The force knocked the knight backward.
"Lancelot, I don't know how you could say something like that to me. What do you take me for, a common wench!" she stayed strong. "My personal life is none of your business!"
As she stormed away, Lancelot sat up and grinned slightly.
"I think that answers your question, Galahad," Lancelot rebounded, adding, "She wants me."
Gawain and Galahad exchanged glances and laughed at Lancelot getting punched by Vanora. It definitely served him right.
Vanora finished working her shift as if nothing had occured. Truthfully, though, she was terrified inside. She knew most of the others knew something was going on between she and Bors now because of her overreaction. She was glad Dagonet hadn't been there that night. She knew she had to tell him before someone else did.
"Tell me what happened earlier tonight," Bors said, holding Vanora behind the safety of the walls of her hut.
"Oh, it was nothing. I'm sorry," she said, sighing. "They know about us now because of my stupid overreaction to Lancelot's rude questions. I have to tell Dagonet before one of them do."
Bors nodded. "All right, but not tonight, ok?"
Vanora smiled faintly and laid her head on her lover's chest.
"There's something else, too," she said. "Something I wanted to wait to tell you until I was sure of it myself. Something I want to tell you now before we reveal ourselves to the rest of the outside world."
Bors didn't motion, but only listened to her words.
"I'm pregnant," Vanora said.
She looked up at Bors, who's eyes widened with curiosity and excitement.
"A baby? We're going to have a son?" Bors asked in disbelief.
"Or daughter," Vanora corrected. "Is that all right?"
"Of course it's bloody all right; I'm going to be a father!" he shouted.
Vanora laughed out loud as Bors laid his head on her stomach, as if expecting a baby's kick.
End, 'Eleven.'
Please R&R! Thanks!