Chapter 3: A Thank You
The bar area was loud with the four knights and citizens. Lamps gave off a weak light on the cobblestoned floor. Gawain was in a corner playing a game of dice with two other men. Galahad and Bors were noisily joking around in a corner. Lancelot, however, was sitting in a chair by himself, seemingly lost in thought. Bors glanced over and nudged Galahad. The two walked over and Bors slapped Lancelot on the back.
"Why so glum? No pretty ladies decided to grace your presence tonight?" Bors joked.
Lancelot gave a half smile and took a gulp of ale.
"Nay. I am worried about the young maiden I rescued today," he explained.
Bors eyes lit up in an instant.
"Young maiden, says you? Is she pretty? If so, then tonight, I'll be paying a little midnight visit," he chuckled.
Lancelot looked up with a fake, sweet smile.
"Bors, why don't stick with your wife before she saves us the trouble of killing you one day?" Lancelot said with good humor.
Bors pretended to punch him in the shoulder, before heading over to the bartender for another pint of ale. Galahad shook his head and then followed. Lancelot got up from his chair and headed towards the table were Gawain was playing dice. He stood silently, watching Gawain and the other men as they argued and played. Suddenly, the bar became quieter and heads turned to the entrance up to the castle. A pretty blonde woman was standing at the entrance in a blue dress. She had a white shawl around her shoulders and her fair hair fell past her shoulders. She gave a shy smile and walked over towards where Lancelot was sitting. The noise quickly returned to the bar and it was once again as loud and rowdy as before. Lancelot looked at Elizabeth as he quickly stood up and offered her a chair.
"No thank you, sir knight. I wish to speak with you for a moment," she said.
Lancelot nodded and they walked out to the stables.
"I see you're feeling better to have come down to visit," Lancelot said.
"Yes. I really wanted to thank you once again for what you did though. I just hope I won't be a burden here," she said as she absentmindedly stroked a chestnut horse.
"Of course you won't be. Actually, I was just about to come up to show you the room you would be staying in while here. Also, I wanted to tell you that as soon as you are feeling better, you're free to leave or stay. It's your decision because nobody owns you," he said with a meaningful look.
Elizabeth looked at him and a small smile broke out on her face.
"I've waited a long time to be told it's my choice," she said.
Lancelot smiled and they stood there for a few minutes, quietly listening to the horses. Elizabeth turned to Lancelot.
"You know when I was younger, I used to dream of a knight in shining armor coming to my rescue. He'd be tall and he'd ride a big charger. I used to play with Guinevere and we'd pretend that we were captured by evil men and then our dream knights would come save us. Then we learned how to defend ourselves and we stopped playing those silly games. But, even though I know how to defend myself, I still dream. Especially when my father abused me, I dreamed of a knight. I never knew one would come. How did you know to come, Sir Lancelot? I knew you as soon as you walked in the hut. The tales always said you were deadly with a sword. But how did you know?" she said with small tears slowly sliding down her cheeks.
"My guard heard. He was telling me about it and I didn't think it was right. No one deserves what your father was doing," he said.
Elizabeth turned towards the horse, her face away from Lancelot. He moved closer and gently wiped the tears from her face.
"Was your father always abusive?" he asked.
"No, it started about six years ago. First he beat my mother and she fled. I stayed. Hoping that he'd come out of it. I'm not a quitter. I didn't want to give up on him. Then it just got worse and worse and he got mad at me for the smallest things and I didn't know what to do. The day you came, he had hit me several times because I had dropped a dish while washing it. I always had to have on my warrior outfit incase a roman soldier came by. My father would have killed me if even the Romans refused to buy me. You saved me," she said as another fresh wave of tears streamed down her face.
Lancelot offered her a handkerchief and she took it gratefully.
"Elizabeth, I think it's time we should head back up to the castle. Remember, you're safe now. Follow me, I'll take you to your room," he said gently.
Elizabeth nodded her head slowly and Lancelot gently placed his hand on her back and guided her to the door and they headed up to the castle. In a few minutes they had reached their rooms. Lancelot unlocked the door to her new room and he handed her the extra key. The room had a full length mirror in it and new clothes were at the foot of her bed. The bed was good sized and had extra quilts for cold nights. There was a stand with a wash bucket in the corner and a new bar of soap.
"Thank you, Lancelot," she whispered.
He nodded and walked two doors down before going into his own room. He shut the door behind him and shook his head. He didn't even want to think what could have happened if Elizabeth had been left with her father or sold.
