Mondieu666- Oh I just meant I'm glad yall liked the story!

OK not to put the pressure on, but I'm still waiting for the Exile of Numenor to update…. Awesome story…

Katemary77- I made you cry?


The hall where we took supper had an echoic quality to it. I felt as if my breathing could be heard throughout the hall. I sat in between Gawain and Galahad, uncomfortable at first. The only sound was Arthur's quiet conversation with the priest and the sound of everyone slurping at their soup. Our meal was a meatless, modest one of soup and bread. We drank water and Galahad drank it distastefully. The men wanted wine or ale to drink. Branwain loved wine. I closed my eyes for a moment. Gawain elbowed me and I looked up right in time for a mushroom to splatter against my face. I gave Bors a malevolent look. He looked slightly apprehensive. He had meant the offending food to hit Galahad. I threw the mushroom back into his soup and it splattered him and Dagonet. Dagonet looked at me stoically and then back to Bors. Assessing that it all was Bors' fault he stole Bors' bread and began munching contently on it. Bors, in turn, stole Gawain's bread. The holy men and Arthur all seemed oblivious to the war of food that was going on. Gawain stole Galahad's bread who stole my bread. I glared at Bors. He had started it. I grabbed Tristan's bread and tore a large chunk out of it with my teeth. He gave me a look frighteningly similar to the one I had given Bors. Deciding it was not worth having my eyes pecked out by his hawk, I was just about to return the bread when Tristan stabbed Lancelot's bread with his dagger and began eating it off the knife. Lancelot stared darkly at his empty plate before looking at Bors.

"Degenerate beast. What kind of man instigates a bread battle?" He asked. He did not steal anyone's bread, thus ending the vicious cycle. I offered half of my bread to Lancelot who accepted it graciously.

"Thank you fair lady. You are a goddess among these swine." He said attempting to grovel. Several priests looked up crossed themselves warily at the word "goddess". "I must find a way to repay you…Ah! How would you like to spend the night with me in ecstasy?"

"How would you like to wake up with a pillow over your head?" I asked flatly. Tristan snickered hoarsely while Galahad smiled manically. Lancelot slid an arm around Galina's waist. He was flirting with not one, but two women in a Christian sanctuary. The man had no shame…

"I'm sure there are other women who would appreciate my obvious…endowments." He said suggestively to Galina. She would have stripped naked for him right then and there had Tristan not coughed loudly. It startled her out of her heated gaze. Dear gods she loved him! I had prayed that it was a silly girl's fantasy, but now I saw that it wasn't.

"Knights, tomorrow we go hunting for woads." Arthur said suddenly. I raised my cup to that.

"You have women who fight with you?" A ferrety looking man in a brown robe said appalled. I stared him down.

"She fights as well as any man and she has never complained." Arthur said defensively. I was pleased when I realized he was defending me against a fellow Christian.

"The church has said it is against the will of God for a woman to be treated as an equal! The Bible says a woman should not wear the clothes of men! And Paul clearly states-" He began condescendingly but I cut him off.

"I have yet to be struck down." I said coldly. He looked as thought he would like to say something else, but the Father gave him a warning look. I locked eyes with him until he paled and looked down back at his food. Arthur looked at me and I relaxed. The mood was no longer so friendly and we quickly finished our food and retired.


"Galina?" I said as we laid down that night.

"Mm?" She said after she put a thin shift on. It was fairly see through and her hair had been brushed out to float over her shoulders. She looked like a maiden on her wedding night.

"Do you love him?" I asked softly. I could see her stiffen in the dark. She got up and laid next to me.

"Yes. When I look at him, I feel…" She said with her quiet joy. She began playing with my hair to calm me. I felt myself slip away… It wasn't fair. Her quiet hands had been able to quiet me even when we were children. She had an unfair advantage.

"What will you do when he leaves to return to Sarmatia? He will leave in nine months." I had never been one to try and make things less painful. She sighed and I yawned as her fingertips ran through my hair against my scalp. So sleepy…

"I don't know Isolde." She said. "When you are in love…It's hard to imagine life without them. You think they will be with you forever. It is not always so…"

I was twenty and Galina was twenty-three, but sometimes she seemed so much older. Her ethereal demeanor made her seem wise and ancient at times like these. Her quiet humming reminded me of the tranquil sound of a lazily flowing brook and I soon found myself dreaming of good days. I was vaguely aware of her standing up and leaving the room, but I wasn't conscious enough to guess why.

The next morning I sat straight up and stared at her bed. I felt my breath catch in my throat. Galina was not in her bed. She had left in the middle of the night. The pretty shift, the hair, the dreamy face… I was in a thin shirt myself but I didn't pay any attention as I stepped into the hall. I gently placed my ear against Lancelot's door. Nothing. I knocked and was rewarded by the sound of a groan from a still sleepy man and woman. I darted into Tristan and Galahad's room before Lancelot opened the door. Galahad snored peacefully as I entered, but Tristan looked sharply at me.

"Hello?" We heard Lancelot ask.

"Who is it Lancelot?" We heard an even softer, quieter voice ask. Galina was probably delirious with happiness. We heard Lancelot quiet her with the gentle patience of a lover. I felt sick to my stomach. Lancelot was like my brother, but how long before he went back to sleeping with loose women and broke Galina's heart? I told myself she was not so frail that she would break if Lancelot did not love her forever. Tristan looked at me to see how I was handling it.

"She wants him." He said to me. He thought I was in disapproval of her taking a lover. I shook my head.

"But how long will he want her?" He nodded understanding the problem. Why couldn't Lancelot understand the complexities of Galina as well as Tristan?

"You could not have expected her never to take a lover."

"I haven't taken one." I said quietly. I would not risk my sanity for that kind of love. A casual lover would have been easier to accept. But Galina was not the type of woman to desire a lover who meant nothing to her. She had always wanted romance and love. I should have seen it coming. I wondered if I actually had seen it coming and just denied it to myself.

"You'll not die a virgin." He said confidently.

"Perhaps. But why does she want romance? If she wanted a lover, why couldn't she accept a casual bedmate…" I knew I sounded stupid, but I didn't want her to end up with a broken heart. Tristan gave the tiniest of wry smiles.

"It's easy for you and I. We want different lives than her." He said knowingly. He was right. The damage was done. She was only alive when she was thinking of Lancelot and I would not take that away from her.

"I still don't see the problem with a lover being a friend and nothing more. A friend can warm your bed without inciting this passionate love madness." I sighed. Pity everyone did not see my logic. Love led to foolishness. All cultures had horrifying tales of the consequences of love.

"You've never had a lover. You are sure you wouldn't want him to settle down and marry you?" He asked looking at me with his dark hazel eyes. It would be easier to read him without those damnable braids hanging in his face.

"Marriage? Tied down to one person for the rest of your life? Running a household? Bearing children? Tristan, do you even need to ask?" I said with a small current of disdain running through my voice. Me? Settle down? Ha. His customary frown remained in placed but he nodded as if he had decided something. He stood up and pulled his ring studded tunic over his high collared leather tunic. He looked me in the eyes and then his eyes traveled down my form. I raised an eyebrow until I realized I was in my thin, un-dyed shirt and nothing else.

"Marvelous." I said dryly. He smirked and began to tighten his belt. I returned to my room and put on my own dark tunic of an indefinable color. I slipped my soft leather harness and grabbed my weapons. I left quickly before Galina returned to put her clothes on. I stood around in the courtyard and saddled Kolaksay. Bors was sharpening his knuckle blades while Gawain gave rapacious grins to the nuns. Eventually we were all gathered together, Lancelot and Galina last of all. Her glowing cheeks and his cocky smile couldn't have made it more obvious. Arthur tried to catch Lancelot's eye but in vain. He made sure he avoided the accusing stare of his commander. Gawain and Dagonet passed worried looks. I locked eyes with Tristan. His gaze calmed me and I stayed quiet.


I looked around the forest. We would have company before long I knew. The woads had been tracking us for two hours. Arthur had led us deeper into the forest, daring them to show themselves.

"Hunting game is more enjoyable." Lancelot said with blackened humor.

"Why is that?" Bors asked.

"The animals don't try to kill you."

"Excellent point." Gawain said eyeing our surroundings.

"Arthur." I said calmly.

"Yes Isolde?"

"Get ready to draw your sword."

"Why?"

"I'll give you three guesses." I said airily.

"How far?" He asked and his horse pawed the ground.

"They're here." Tristan said riding up to us. He had returned from scouting. An arrow suddenly thudded into my side. The leather armor and thick tunic kept it from lodging itself too deeply, but Dagonet quickly yanked it out of my side to keep it from puncturing my lung.

"Thanks." I gasped and drew my bow. We began riding back towards an open clearing. Arthur wanted to draw them out to the open. We were trying to ride like hell out of the woods and shoot over our shoulders at the blue men and women who shot back at us. We managed to get to the edge of the forest before we were forced to stop and fight. Bors let out a war cry before he threw himself onto a man. I ignoring the pain in my side and the growing wetness. Better to bleed than half my head lopped off.

"Galina!" I shouted and shot a man who was ready to spear her through. She blanched and let her axe finish the job. I let Kolaksay rear up and knock a few men away before trampling the last. A man who tried to stab my horse soon found his head separated from his body. Who stabs a horse? Fool.

"Oomph!" I said in a pained voice. Once again I found myself knocked off my horse and staring up at a pair of brilliant green eyes. "Do you like knocking the breath out of me?" I asked savagely as I bodily threw him off of me. The damned woad probably couldn't understand me.

"You're easier to kill off you horse." He said simply. Hm. Surprise surprise.

"You'd be easier to kill without your axe." I said seriously. He smiled grimly and attacked me. Would he never learn? This time I met him halfway and used my entire weight to throw him backwards. He was up in an instant, swinging that bloody axe. I began swinging with a reckless speed. I slashed him across the chest thinly before his elbow connected with my wound. Pain exploded beneath my chest and I nearly doubled over. Dirty, low- I nearly yelped when I found the mad woad kissing me.

"I'm going to castrate you before I kill you." I swore somberly as I yanked myself away. An arrow suddenly thudded into the woad's shoulder and Tristan began notching another arrow, ready to finish the job. The woad, obviously of some importance, sounded the retreat. We were left alone with over two dozen dead woads. I touched my lips. Who kissed their enemy? Was he insane?

"Why?" Tristan asked simply as he slashed the throat of a woad who was not quite dead. No one else had seen it apparently as they went about their business.

"I guess that blue paint does something to the mind." I said simply. How was I supposed to know why some foolish woad had kissed me in the middle of a bloody battle? I looked down at my side which was stained red and then I looked around. Galina had a deep cut in her arm, Dagonet had a wound to his leg, Bors was fine as was Arthur, Tristan had a deep score from his forearm to hand, Gawain had an arrow sticking out of his lower back, Galahad had a wide gash near his groin, and Lancelot had a nasty looking cut on the side of his head. Yes, Dagonet would be the most logical choice.

"Dagonet." He looked up. "I'm going to pass out in moment or so. I would be eternally grateful if you didn't let me bleed to death."

He looked at me uncomprehendingly for a moment before he caught me as I slid off my horse.


"Mfnganua."

"Is she trying to say something?" I heard Galahad ask.

"Her wits aren't addled are they?" Bors.

"No." Tristan said. I looked at them.

"Water." I croaked and immediately Galahad had supplied a drink.

"Try not to bleed to yourself to death next time." Bors said as if he was talking to a naughty child. I would have hit him if I could move. I still felt weak.

"How long?" I asked Tristan. Bors, Galahad and Tristan were the only one's in the room.

"A couple hours." He muttered while handing me a chunk of warm bread. I smiled gratefully. Food….

"We're leaving in the morning. You can ride can't you?" Galahad asked nervously.

"We could always leave you with that Christian dog that was so fond of you…" Bors said in a mock concerned voice.

"Tie me to my horse if you have to." I said firmly and Bors let out a booming laugh. I finished the bread and laid back down. Stupid woads.


We left in the morning. Aside from a dull ache in my side, I was fine due to Dagonet's care. Once we were back at the wall, we had an easy few weeks. No one called on our services so our days were spent practicing and being lazy and our nights were spent at the bar. I noticed ominously that Galina went to Lancelot's room at least every other night. One night a week and half later, Galina came to my room. She was holding something behind her back as she gave me a smile. Her cheeks were glowing.

"I have something for you." She said superiorly. I raised an eyebrow. "Well… Guess Isolde!"

"A dress." Her expression soured slightly.

"I can't win." She said and showed me the dress. It was a burgundy dress of some fine material. It had thin yellow embroidery on a few of the hems and a fine bit of material held it snug around the hips.

"That's a very fine dress." I observed. Her cheeks reddened.

"Well, they had brought a few bolts of fine stuff for the Father back at the sanctuary… It was a good price." She said and I smiled at her. I surprised myself and embraced her.

"Thank you." I whispered. She squeezed back.

"You smell nice." She said stepping back.

"Bath."

"Ah! Good. You'll smell nice and look nice." She said as she tried to tug my tunic off.

"As opposed to usual?"

"Isolde, don't put words in my mouth."

"I was only asking-"

"A little help would be nice."

"Sorry-Fermghf"

"There! You'll have to borrow my shoes-"

"I'm a knight, I don't have to look that pretty-"

"You're going to look like a real woman tonight if it kills me-"

"Your funeral."

"Isolde!"

"Fine."

"Your hair needs brushing."

"You do it." I said contently. I would wear a sack if she would play with my hair.

"You're helpless."

"Mm." I sighed, not really paying attention.

"There. You look beautiful." She said stepping back from me. She held up the bronze mirror. My face was scrubbed clean but she had lined my eyes slightly with kohl. My hair was brushed and cleaned with a few of my normal braids. My feet were attired in soft leather slippers. Not extravagant, but more feminine than the boots we usually wore. The dress fitted wonderfully against my torso before falling to a skirt at my hips.

"How did you get it to fit so well?" I asked while I swayed just to feel the soft fabric move with me.

"It's really not to hard Isolde. In your case I just made it big in the bust and hips and tight in the waist." She said and I looked at her till she gave in. "I used one of your tunics."

She grabbed my hand and slipped the coral ring onto my finger. I looked back at myself. My eyes were the darkest blue and they shone from my delicate features. I didn't look half bad.

"Are you going to stare at yourself all night? I never thought you to be vain." She said with no real impatience. I stood up and then sat back down. I played with the slightly flared sleeves of my dress.

"Galina." I said and I was surprised to find that her name sounded like a beg. She looked at me startled.

"Nervous?" She asked soothingly. As much as it pained me to admit it, I nodded. I was scared about facing my brothers in arms in a dress. Dear gods above. "I understand. Come when you're ready."

She smiled at me fondly before quietly leaving.

"I'm a coward." I said a few minutes later. It was just a dress! And they were my friends! A bunch of homegrown Sarmatians like myself! I cursed myself and stood up. I would be damned if I hid in my room all night over clothes. I began striding purposefully to the bar, but as I walked closer my steps slowed painfully down. The first man who passed me whistled and I knew I was blushing like a girl on her wedding night. Damn damn damn. I looked at the table where Galina, Lancelot, and Bors sat and at where Gawain, Tristan, and Galahad sat. Arthur and Dagonet stood in the back talking. I brushed past the tables where the others sat and made my way to Arthur. Gawain whistled as I walked by. He had not recognized me! Arthur and Dagonet looked slightly startled by the sight of me.

"You look beautiful." Arthur said honestly. Dagonet crossed his arms and nodded with an approving smile.

"Is my Isolde growing up?" Vanora asked kindly as she walked past to get some more ale. I smiled. She couldn't be more than seven years older than myself.Her baby was in one arm and she handed him to Dagonet who looked at it distastefully.

"Hold the baby for a moment." She commanded and went along her business.

"Hello eleven!" I cooed. The poor child didn't have a bloody name yet. The babe gave a gooey burp and I recoiled. Nasty little things. I had just turned to Arthur to discuss his strange religion when an arm slid around my waist.

"Why Arthur! Won't you introduce your pretty friend to your dearest companion? Or did you want to keep her to yourself?" Lancelot asked suavely. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow and waited for him to notice that I was his fellow knight. "Lady I am- Isolde!"

"No, that would be me." I checked. He recovered quickly and gave me a conspiratorial glance.

"Shall we?" He asked wiggling his eyebrows.

"Oh let's." I replied and he escorted me over to the table where Gawain, Galahad, and Tristan sat. On the way he flashed me to Bors and Galina. Galina smiled at us and Bors' elbow slipped off the table. I was beginning to be insulted. They acted as if I looked like a man normally.

"Gawain, Galahad, Tristan. I would like to introduce you to Isolde." He said and thrust me forward. I glared at him. He had tricked me into thinking we would play some joke on them, but really he had just put me into an awkward situation. Stupid pretty boy…

My thoughts of torture towards Lancelot disappeared quickly at the others' reaction. Gawain managed to drop the woman in his lap to the ground and Galahad's cup missed his mouth. He dribbled his ale into his lap. Tristan even choked on his drink.

"I don't know whether to be complemented or injured." I said flatly. "You might want to mop that up." I said and looked pointedly at the wet spot on Galahad's pants."

"Marry me?" Gawain asked.

"No."

"Eh." Tristan said.

"Eh?"

"Dry my pants for me?"

"Never." And with that I sat next to Galahad and Tristan.

"You look nice." Tristan almost mumbled.

"Thank you." I said. A few minutes passed.

"Isolde, will you get me another pitcher?" Gawain asked. I stood up and walked over to get more ale. Several more minutes passed.

"Isolde, go ask Arthur if he's heard any news." Galahad asked. I grumbled.

"Just because I'm in a dress doesn't meant I'm your new serving girl."

"Arthur, Galahad wants to know if you've heard any news." Arthur looked at me oddly.

"What news?" He asked. I looked back at the table and found them staring at me. I stalked back over.

"News?" I asked slowly. They looked away. "Why am I running errands?"

"So they can stare at you as you walk." Vanora said sliding some drinks to a near by table. I gave them a deadly look.

"Is this true?"

"You have such a lovely-" I cuffed Galahad's ear before he could finished. Gawain laughed hysterically and raised his cup to me. Tristan smirked and avoided looking me in the eye. I sat down again. They had the sense to look ashamed and conversation picked up again. Several cups of ale later and Gawain was laughing at nothing at all. Galahad was almost on top of me and Tristan was giving him alarmed looks.

"Dear gods. I'm off to bed." I said and stood up. I was bored and I felt odd in a dress. They all were acting strange. Stupid dress.

"Dagonet? When do you want to take my stitches out?" I asked. He paused and counted the days in his head.

"I forgot. I'll take them out in the morning." He said and I nodded. Once in my room I looked at the reflection in the mirror. It felt odd to have men look at you with… Desire I suppose. Galahad and Gawain had always made me feel desirable, but the way they had looked at me in my dress was different. I heard a small knock on the door.

"Yes?" I asked and Tristan walked in.

"I'll take out the stitches." He said. I nodded gratefully as they itched. His eyes were dark as they observed me through his hair. I went to pull my tunic up before I realized it was a dress. I shrugged and stepped towards Tristan. He undid the back of my gown and I let it fall to my hips where I held it in place. My breast band was in place and there was no need for modesty. I laid down on the bed and made sure he had access to wound in my ribs. The knife was cold against my skin as he deftly cut out the stitches. He ran a nimble hand over my skin to make sure it was alright and not hot with infection. I kept myself from shivering. He did not remove his hand however and I looked at him. He stared at me and I held the gaze. I didn't protest when he let his hand trail up to my neck. He ran a coarse thumb over my throat and all I could do was tilt my head back invitingly. I kept my eyes open when he kissed me. It wasn't passionate or aggressive, but it wasn't mild or sweet either. It was from a man who knew what he wanted and that was to bed a woman. He pulled back after several gloriously long moments. I had forgotten what real longing felt like. He looked down from his half sitting position over me.

"It wouldn't mean anything." He said wanting to make sure I had no other designs but a sleepless night of enjoyment. I had never lain with a man before and I decided it was about time. I didn't exactly plan on getting married and raising a family, but I didn't think it was necessary to deny myself a man's company. Tristan knew I was a virgin so I wasn't ashamed. I nodded and in an instant his mouth was covering my own again with that same deep kiss.

Several hours later I barely paid any attention as he stood up and dressed. He obviously did not want to finish the night in my room but it didn't bother me. As soon as I had the bed to myself I spread out lazily with satisfaction. We should have done it years ago I decided as I slipped into a hazy sleep.


I hope yall enjoyed that! Mm He's hot! Review!