Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character names, save my own original creations. I do not wish to be compensated for this work, nor do I wish to infringe on any copyrights held by any stakeholders of the movie King Arthur. This work is an original creation, based on the legend of King Arthur and his Knights.
Chapter 9: Hunting for Forgiveness
Cerys sat in her chair by the hearth in the kitchen and picked away at a goose. She stared off into the empty doorway as she slowly picked each feather out.
"What's got into her?" One of the kitchen girls asked, as she emptied a bucket of water into the kettle.
"Not sure, came in this way awhile ago, asked if she could help with dinner. Tried to tell her that it weren't necessary, but 'ere she is." Another woman answered.
Cerys picked another feather and let it fall to the floor. She sighed, and without looking down, turned the goose and continued plucking. What had gotten into Lancelot? What had gotten into her? This morning had been a total muck-up, and she had no idea what had possessed her these past few days. To top it off, she had run from him! She knew she had hurt him, and she should have stayed and let him apologize. She was such a coward. He had startled her so much, and his kiss...
She pressed fingers to her lips and closed her eyes, remembering. Is that what friends did for comfort? She had no idea; she had never been kissed like that before. It certainly was different. Even now her stomach was flipping inside out thinking about it. She opened her eyes again and sat, goose in lap, hands settled on top, not moving.
"Cerys?" a voice jolted her out of her thoughts.
She looked up and smiled. Gawain was standing in front of her, bow and quiver in hand, dressed to ride out.
"You coming for a hunt today? It's too nice a day not to try and get a brace of pheasant before dusk."
Cerys pursed her lips together and knitted her brow. Perhaps a ride out with her hawk and some good friends would cheer her. Give her a moments respite from Lancelot crowding her thoughts. She needed to get back to even and concentrate on her work, there was still much to do. Besides, while she was out she could take stock of the fields and begin to work up the harvest schedules for the men.
"Yes. I would love to come! Let me run and change into my riding clothes, and we can meet out in front of the stables?"
Gawain nodded, a smile quirking his lips. He grabbed the goose from her hands and handed it to one of the other women. He winked at the woman and she nodded back, a secret passing between them in their glances. Cerys got up from her chair brushing dander and feathers off her dress. She kissed Gawain's cheek and patted his arm.
"Next time, try to be less obvious in your collusion with my staff to get me out of the way." She said as she turned to leave.
Gawain, bow slung over his shoulder again, raised an eyebrow and feigned innocence, but laughed when she shook a finger at him, her own smile spreading across her face.
"Go on with you, get your clothes, I will see that Tristan brings your hawk when he gets Isaac."
Cerys nodded and walked out into the afternoon sun to her rooms. She changed into leather trews, linen tunic and a leather waistcoat. She re-banded her hair and grabbed her leather armlet for her hawk to perch on. Tightening the laces around her arm, she decided that it was good indeed that Gawain had "found" her in the kitchens. This would be a good respite from inside the walls. She had not gotten out much. Fresh air, a gallop, and a good hunt were in order. She smiled and began to hum to herself as she looked for her boots.
She found them, pulled them on and laced them quickly. She stuffed a small dagger into the top of her right boot, where a sheath of leather had been sewn for it. She stopped and fingered the hilt lightly, rubbing a spot of dirt off the knob on the end. This had been a gift from Lancelot not more than a year ago, and she never rode out without it. She sat down on the bed and pulled the dagger back out, turning it in the light. This was silliness, truly. She breathed in deeply and sagged.
She would have to find him and set this straight. They were too good of friends to let this sort of nonsense get between them. Of course he would want to comfort her, and of course his male urges would get the better of him! She was naked and pressed against him! They had gotten him into so much trouble in the past, what would make her nakedness, that temptation, any different? It was simply a misunderstanding. She closed her eyes a moment again, and warmth spread through her abdomen as she thought of his arms around her, his gaze into her eyes... She shook her head and blinked.
"Stop it!" She hissed to herself.
She slid the dagger back into its sheath and got up from the bed, clenching and unclenching her hands. Focus! She thought, and retied her left laces again to make sure they were properly knotted.
Much as she enjoyed wearing her dresses, she felt the pants and boots were much more practical, and she pranced out a few steps, feeling the freedom from the layers of cloth in her skirts. Her station required her to dress as a lady when in the fort, but when out with her knights she could do as she pleased, and she pleased to ride out in a more practical gear. She had long been teased for it by some of the men, but she steadfastly refused to wear skirts when on her horse.
The last thing she grabbed from her rooms was her small bow and quiver. She might need them if she was lucky enough to get a shot in before the men! Most times she did not, but it was worth it, just in case.
As she walked towards the stables, she saw Jols pull her small chestnut mare out to stand beside Tristan's grey, Sky. Ah yes, Gawain had mentioned that Tristan was coming. She heard a squawk as she saw Tristan come around the corner, with Isaac and her hawk perched on either shoulder.
He smiled when he saw her, and as she drew close her hawk lit from his shoulder and landed on her outstretched arm. She clicked to him softly and he settled. Out of her pocket she grabbed a hood, and carefully tied it on, then feeding him a piece of bread from her other pocket.
"Ready?" Tristan asked when she stopped at his side.
She nodded. She moved her hawk onto her saddle and with Jols' help, mounted up. Tristan swung up beside her on Sky. She heard another two horses come out behind her from the stable and turned in the saddle to greet Gawain.
"Here you were ready before me, and yet you dawdle?" She said as she turned.
Her smile faded as she saw Lancelot swinging into his own saddle, his bay dancing sideways and mouthing at his bit. She swallowed and pressed a hand to her stomach. Oh dear, perhaps he would not leave her thoughts while she galloped after all. She turned again to look forward. She had forgotten that he had mentioned the hunt this morning before... Well, before they had... Her cheeks reddened and she looked away, blinking back tears she was sure would come if she did not steel herself.
Tristan looked back to Lancelot, who was checking a strap from his saddle, and had ignored the remark. He then glanced forward to Cerys, who was biting her lips hard and looking anywhere but in the direction of the knights. His brow furrowed.
Gawain mounted up on his light grey mare Demetia and nodded to Tristan as he rode past.
"Let's ride." Gawain said, wiggling eyebrows, looking back to the rest of the group, broad grin across his face.
Tristan nodded and clucked softly to move out with his horse. Cerys followed, with Lancelot in tow behind. Cerys could swear she felt Lancelot's eyes burning into the back of her head. She could not wait until they were out of the gates and she could loose her hawk and gallop. She would ride out her confusion, escape its grip and leave it behind in the dust.
They walked and trotted for a time, letting the horses warm their muscles. Lancelot seemed quiet, and Gawain's attempts to get him to talk eventually stopped, and they rode in silence. Cerys kept her eyes forward and spent her time making small kissing noises at her hawk, keeping his attention to her. Tristan seemed oblivious to the tension between the two and rode languidly, eyes roaming the woods around them, humming occasionally to Isaac, who twittered back. The birds knew what was afoot, and would screech and flutter if one didn't make small comforting noises.
They turned from the main road onto a valley path and Tristan stopped his horse. He looked to Cerys and nodded. She nodded back and they unhooded their hawks. Cerys raised her arm up and flung hers into the air first, Tristan following suit. A flurry of wings and squawking surrounded them for a moment, then a keening cry from Isaac as he spotted prey. Tristan's head snapped up and followed the hawk's flight.
Cerys looked to him, and a smile lit his face as he looked back to her. He pointed and she raised an eyebrow.
"HA!" Came the cry from her lips as she booted her horse forward in the direction the hawks had gone. Her horse bunched under her, muscles tensing, then exploding. Her heart pounded as they leapt through the air and landed in a hard gallop, her mare pulling at the rein, stretching her neck.
She could hear hoofbeats beside her and looked to her left to see Gawain riding up her flank, eyes bright, blonde hair flying. He was laughing now, giving the horse leg and slapping with rein.
"Oh you think it's that easy do you?" She yelled and spurred her mare to move out more. The mare obliged and she felt her hooves fly as she gained ground from Gawain. Oh the sweetness of a gallop! She let out cry of victory and thundered on, Gawain's yelp of surprise drowning in the sound of hoof beats and snorting as the horses cleared their lungs.
From her right she heard another set of hooves and out of the corner of her eye saw Lancelot's bay come up beside her. She grimaced. She kept pace with him for a moment. She could see his eyes forward, his jaw set, leaning close over his bays neck, hands clenched to rein. He was such a good rider, and her mare's legs would not keep up to the stride capable from Klyndd. She let him pass, tucking in behind him as they leaned through a bend in the road. Dust came up from his horses hooves and she turned her head into her horse's mane to protect her eyes.
Normally this would have given way to some smart comment from him, but today he was silent. Cerys cursed herself quietly at their awkward situation and clicked to her horse to keep up to Lancelot's horse's fast disappearing bay rump.
"Left fork!" She heard Tristan yell above the din of hooves. The group veered left and continued following the road, now at the edge of a field. Tristan pulled up her right, level with her mare, and they galloped together in stride, letting their horses out a bit more. Tristan's braids were flying through the air, and she could see his eyes sparkling, his normally tight face relaxed and focused on riding hard. She delighted when he showed his happiness. It was a bright point to the day for her. She relaxed a bit as well. Awkward situation or no, this was enjoyable.
Cerys could see the hawks circling up ahead to the right, and raised her arm to signal that they should slow. Tristan pulled right into the field, slowing before Cerys could pull up.
"Here!" Yelled Gawain and he too sat up to pull his horse in. Cerys slowed her mare to a soft canter, then circled easily back to join the group. She could hear Lancelot coming back up behind her again, his horse's hoof beats slowing as he too pulled up.
All four of them were panting, the horses snorting, jingling their tack with shaking heads as they slowed to a walk and struck out into the field where the hawks were circling. Cerys could not help but smile and she patted her mares arched neck to soothe her.
"Cerys." She heard the voice to her left. She turned her head to regard Lancelot, her eyes setting, her stomach flipping itself inside out. Stop it! She told herself again.
"I am glad you came out with us." He said, looking out ahead at the field in front of her.
"I am glad to be here." She replied.
She could see him shift in his saddle, clenching his jaw muscles, working the nerve up for something. She clucked to her horse to move forward and joined Tristan at the head of the group. She wasn't ready to talk to him yet. She could hear him sigh behind her. Damn... why was she certain one moment of what to do, then the next feeling awful for her actions? She licked her lips and focused ahead of her again.
They made their way across the field to a low branched oak tree. Each dismounted and grabbed their bows and advanced into the brush on foot. The horses, trained not to go too far, began to graze under the tree, swishing their tails at flies that gathered once they stopped.
Gawain lead point into the bush, glancing up every so often to make sure the hawks were still in view. He stopped and held his fist up, and the rest of the party followed suit. He pointed left and they worked their way around some dense bushes into another clearing, stopping at the edge.
From here Cerys thought she saw movement in the tall grasses at the edge of the trees. She twittered and Tristan looked over. She pointed with outstretched fingers to the movement. He nodded and twittered to the other two, now off to their right. They heard Lancelot's distinctive whistle back, and knew they had heard.
And then they waited.
Cerys looked over Tristan's head to Lancelot. She could see him perched in the grass just out of the tree line, his bow notched in his left hand. Why was he using his left instead of his right today? He still had not unclenched his jaw and she noticed his right had a bandage on its fingers. She could see Gawain shift in his spot, his right leg out to prop him up as he too held his bow up, arrow notched and ready. She watched them a moment more, her focus taken off the movement ahead of them.
She turned her head back in time to see Tristan's arrow fly from the string of his bow and then she heard the thump as it hit its mark. She looked up to see a young buck rear up, arrow firmly lodged in its chest, its front hooves flailing, screaming and frothing pink at the mouth. She looked up and the hawks were still circling. This was not the quarry they had seen.
For a moment she watched the buck lurch forward, then land heavily in the grass, the screams slowly dieing, the grass going still. None of them moved. There could be others.
Cerys saw the next head pop up and begin to run. A doe! She loosed her own arrow and it hit just above the deer's shoulder, as she veered from her original path. The doe stumbled, but continued running, shaking her head back and forth.
"Bloody hells." She whispered, notching another arrow. Tristan looked over at her noise.
She saw Gawain's arrow fly, and it hit its mark true. The deer somersaulted over into the grass and went still.
Tristan looked up, then over to her again and nodded, twittering once more. She heard the other two stand. They were a mated pair, there would be no others.
"Seems like a good outing to me." Gawain said cheerily as they reached the buck. Cerys laughed, giving him a push with her hand. She was sad she had not gotten the kill, but nonetheless was happy with their catch.
"Lucky I slowed her down for you." She jested and reached down to pull Tristan's arrow from the carcass. He laughed and stuck his tongue out at her.
"Lucky for you I stopped her or we would not have two deer to bring home!" He jested back. They both laughed and Cerys handed Tristan's arrow to him as he joined them. He was smiling, and she reached over to pinch his arm, a saucy look crossing her face. He grabbed her hand as she did, and winked at her, then released her, bending over to examine the buck.
Cerys walked the short distance to the doe, leaving Tristan and Gawain to hoist the buck up and take it to a tree where they could bleed it out. She joined Lancelot, who had walked to the doe first. She stood by his side and they regarded the animal together. Lancelot crouched down slowly and grabbed Cerys' arrow, pulling it loose with a quick movement. He turned it slowly in his hand, not looking up.
Cerys... I..."
She looked at him, bending down a bit to look into his face. She could see pain on his face and she felt her stomach flip once more. Had she done this to him, in the baths? She immediately felt remorse, dropped to her knees and put her hand on his, holding her arrow.
"Please... tell me I..." she stopped. His eyes found her.
"I'm sorry." He said slowly, grabbing hold of her hand, his eyes pleading.
She didn't know what to say, they just stared at each other. She could feel herself heating at his gaze and admonished herself. Why were his eyes causing her such feelings?
"I didn't mean to hurt you." He mumbled quite suddenly, moving his eyes to the ground again.
She reached out a hand and touched his face. She felt suddenly that she needed to touch him, she needed to feel his warmth, and she was trembling. She felt her heart begin to race. These feelings were so strange to her, yet she couldn't stop.
Her hand caressed his cheek and he raised his eyes again, the look going from pain to confusion.
"It's alright. It's forgotten. Please... You mean more to me than..." She began, her eyes welling up. She shuffled forward on her knees, getting closer to him. He reached out then, grabbing her close and holding her. She could feel him shake too, as his arm encircled her.
"Please, please don't cry." He whispered in her ear, his voice wavering. She broke from his grasp and dashed at her eyes with her fingers. He abruptly stood and lifted her up to her feet. His courage seemed to return to him and he grabbed her shoulders.
"I should not have done what I did, and I hope that this has not changed what we have." He said, looking down to her as she sniffed. She looked up to him and blinked. Gods but he was a mystery to her! One moment, seeming so fragile, the next being the big, strong man... She shook her head and smiled through her tears.
"No, just remember that the next time you attempt to take advantage of this girl in the baths that she might not be so kind, and leave you with a bruise or two!"
Two could play this courage game, she thought to herself as he took her comment in surprise, then laughed. He pulled her to him again and rested his chin on her head. She could hear the rumble of his laughter in his chest as he held her close. She closed her eyes and sighed, the tension between her shoulder blades from the morning leaving her.
"There's my Cerys," he said, holding her away from him again and looking down to her, "Now, shall we haul this doe up and get her bled before dark?"
Cerys nodded and they began their tasks. Her mind played back his last words... My Cerys... and she smiled.
Dear Reader:
Seemingly all is well. But is it? I bid you be the judge, and comments are most appreciated. I thank you for your time reading with me.
Until next time, my salute to your dreams, may they have knights galloping home to you.
Cardeia
