And if anyone was wondering, Yseult's name is ee-zolt. Sounds similar to Isolde.
I was asleep. Nooo…I was awake…Something was pressing on my mouth. Something wet. And warm air was tickling my nose. And prickly things were scratching my face. I opened my eyes groggily. Someone was kissing me! Tawny ropes of hair fell around me. The man kissed me a little harder before pulled away and standing up.
"Hello Gawain." I said with a painfully large smile.
"Isolde." He said nodding roguishly. "Miss me?"
In answer to his question, I tackled him to the floor and kissed him like I had never kissed anyone. Several long moments later, he folded his arms under his head and smiled in that ridiculous manly sort of way.
"I wonder what the other women will do…" Gawain said.
"When did you get here?" I said slapping his shoulder.
"Last night. We were bone tired, so I figured I'd come see you this morning. Or should I say afternoon." He said. Ahhh. I remembered the massive amounts of ale I had consumed the night before. That would explain the faint pounding in my head…
"We? You brought Galahad?" I asked excitedly. He shook his head.
"No. Galahad won't be long though. No, I brought…." He trailed off to increase the suspense. "My wife!"
I promptly fell off him.
"Wife?"
"Wife."
"Wife?"
"Wife!"
"Well where the hell is she?" I asked. Gawain groaned and stood up.
"Ragnelle!" He called out. A moment or so passed before I heard a scuffling noise. A very petite woman appeared at my doorway. She had a smile that quirked to one side and a wavy hash of bronze hair. And she was about as pregnant as Guineve. I looked at Gawain in an appalled manner as I counted the months in my head.
"Gawain! It's only been-" I began.
"Well, I told you the first thing I was going to do was find-" He started in defense.
"Oh for the love of Kolaksay!" I said shutting him up. I turned back the young woman.
"Hello. I am Isolde." I said politely.
"I am Ragnelle." She said. "And you mustn't get mad at Gawain. He can't help it."
Oh I liked this one. She was good.
"Very amusing." Gawain said gruffly, not liking the idea of being made fun of by the two main women in his life. "Ragnelle, would you like to go sit with Guinevere? She's not going down to the amphitheatre either."
Gawain's wife considered it for a moment.
"I think I will. I don't fancy the idea of sitting out there in the cold." She leant down and kissed him on the cheek. "It was nice to meet you Isolde."
I nodded.
"Well." I said after she left. "You really did find her."
Gawain looked too relaxed and triumphant for my liking.
"Of course." His smile faded a bit. "Lancelot told me about Tristan."
He wasn't giving me the same piteous look the others had. It was a somber look. I was filled with a rush of love for my friend. I could talk to Lancelot about the pain of it if I wished, but Gawain would be the better man to talk to about how I felt.
"She's…Well, you saw her that first night. Temperamental. Self-righteous." Gawain nodded and curled his lip. I didn't feel guilty at the words I spoke. They were true. Now I needed to refrain from calling her ugly.
"Tristan has finally cracked." He said after a moment. "I knew it would happen one day… Always twiddling around with that bird. Too many trips alone…"
I couldn't help it. I laughed until my sides hurt. Gawain and perhaps Galahad were the only ones who could make me laugh about such a despondent topic. I leaned my head against his shoulder.
"Well. You're when are you going to talk to him?" He asked me seriously. I gave him a look.
"Ah. You weren't going to say anything to the scout." Gawain said understand my look. "Isolde, I have loved you since I met you."
My lips quirked as I looked at him warmly.
"But I must tell you; To let him go because you are afraid is a cowardly act." He said. His voice was not unkind and I saw how sad his eyes were. I didn't cry or flinch. I took it. I let it go because I knew it was true.
"I know." I said quietly. I was filled with a new resolve suddenly. I wanted to tell Tristan. Courage surged through me like the hot red blood that pumped through my veins. I had never known this type of courage before. I did not fear did, therefore it could not be called bravery when I faced it. I did not fear doing what was necessary, so I had never been valiant in that aspect. I had never thought of myself as brave, but now I wanted to be. I wanted to use this courage and tell Tristan that I loved him.
I waited a moment for the euphoria to fade lest I do something stupid.
"I will tell him." I said to Gawain suddenly.
"Why not show him?" He said suggestively.
"I am not going to molest Tristan." I said flatly.
"It's not bad if he wants it..." Gawain said persuasively.
"Ugh." I said shaking my head. "You tricked her into marrying you didn't you?"
"That hurts. I wasn't suggesting that you rip his clothes off in front of everyone and-"
"Ugh!"
And so Gawain and I gathered our weapons and rode out to the amphitheatre. It was quite a bustling place actually. Spectators had poured into the stands near the edge where most of the fighting was going on. Well…I suspected this wasn't the place to confess my love.
"I see you two decided to finally grace us with your presence." Lancelot said loftily.
"Oh yes. Well I needed my rest." I said uncaringly. My face turned serious. "Now my flower, would you like to show us all how you twirl those pretty swords?"
Lancelot unsheathed both swords at the challenge. Bors and Tristan stopped fighting immediately. Even the Saracens looked on with interest.
"Ready?" He asked as I made sure my machaira was loose in its sheath. I drew Pata and held the shield with my other hand. I eyed our surroundings. The ground was completely flat, and we had plenty of room to move about. On the other hand, the ground was slippery from melted snow and dirt. I cocked my head to the side in a predator's stance and examined my friend. Lancelot was heavy on the offensive. His two swords would come flying at me in every direction. It took a lot of concentration to keep both swords at bay, but if I could manage to keep his swords busy for a moment… Yes that would work. Lancelot relied so heavily on his offense that he left himself open. Of course, most of his enemies did not live long enough to take advantage of that. I said nothing in response to his question. Instead I began to circle.
"My money's on Isolde." Bors said loudly.
"I'll take that bet." Safir called out.
Lancelot gave me a wicked smile before launching himself at me. I threw my shield in front of myself and let it take the blows from Lancelot's swords. Before he could snake a blade under my shield, I twisted and swung the shield. The half moon caught one of his swords and held it. Now we were locked together with one sword apiece. I swung violently at his head and he parried it. He misjudged how hard he needed to block and soon his arm was swinging away from his torso. I took the opportunity to slice at his chest, but was thwarted as he twisted and rammed against me. The shield flew upwards and jarred my shoulder painfully. I ducked his next swing and my attack grew fiercer. I sliced my shield at his head and he whipped backwards. Pata barely missed slicing his thigh.
Safir was looking discouraged now. March cheered from the stands. Lancelot was not to be deterred however. He feinted attacking my front so I slammed my shield at him. I was unpleasantly surprised when his foot slammed upwards towards the shield. To keep my arm from being snapped like a twig, I let go and watched as the thing flew several feet away into the mud. I was forced to draw the machaira. Lancelot's smile was triumphant now. I straightened up for a moment. Lancelot took this as a sign of weakness and charged at me. I ducked low to the ground and swung the machaira in an arc. Lancelot was forced to hop to avoid the blade. When he came back down I kicked his legs. He slipped and fell into the icy mud. I laid Pata at his throat neatly. He looked up at me, shocked. We stood up and Bors laughed.
"Well done." Dagonet said clapping me on the shoulder. Palomides stepped forward.
"Lady, any king would be lucky to have such a fine warrior." He said sincerely. I smiled at the Saracen.
"Majesty," Safir said amusedly as he stepped forward. Apparently he did not mine losing his bet to Bors. "Wed the lady to my brother and he will serve you all his days."
Lancelot laughed and looked to Arthur.
"Yes Arthur! Send her away! You cannot know the toll this is taking on my pride." He called out jovially.
Palomides smiled kindly at me, and I laughed.
"Run away with me lady!" He said chivalrously and held out his hand. I took his hand and laughed even more.
"I accept!" I joked. Suddenly Lancelot was rubbing his whole body against me. He hopped away and I looked down on my form. He had smeared mud all over me.
"Shall I avenge you lady?" Palomides asked half seriously. I felt like blushing every time someone called me lady.
"Absolutely." I said with mock serious. "Rub his face in the mud when you are finished with him."
Palomides drew his sword, and Lancelot pretended to sag against Arthur.
"Well, who's going to defend my honor?" Lancelot asked faintly.
"Unless you look like Isolde under that tunic, no one." Gawain said drolly.
Tristan stepped forward and drew his curved blade. Lancelot gave me a knowing look at and I stepped on his foot.
"A kiss to the winner!" Arthur declared. I imagined myself throwing them all off a very high cliff. It was a conspiracy. Palomides stepped out into the area we had cleared for them. He drew a large saber and shook off his cloak. Safir caught it and handed it to another man. I made my way over to the stands where Ealasaid sat with her brother and a few young women. Yseult was sitting on the end of the group. March stuck a hand down and pulled me up into the stands. I sat in between the brother and sister and rubbed my hands together.
"So Isolde. A kiss to the winner? Who do you hope wins?" March asked in his lilted voice, knowing full well that Yseult sat not three feet away. At his words, Yseult stood up and walked away.
"March. You shouldn't upset her like that." Ealasaid said as she watched the two men circle each other. Two heads peeked around from Ealasaid and looked at me. It was the two girls from the feast. The dark haired one was giving me a very calculated look. I suspected she was friends with Yseult.
"Isolde, this is Ethne, Kaherdin's woman." Ealasaid spoke as she motioned to the dark haired girl. I nodded in acknowledgment. "And this is Andrivete, Cador's daughter."
The pale girl smiled politely at me. My fingers stiffening with the cold. I clamped them between my legs and watched my breath fog in front of my face. Palomides lunged at Tristan, who parried the blow with frightening ease. He let the Saracen attack again with similar results. It was almost as if he was-
"Toying with him. Your scout is just toying with him." March said into my ear. It was true. Palomides was a strong man who relied on heavy strokes like Dagonet. Tristan was too graceful and swift for him.
"He shouldn't humiliate him." I said as my eyes followed Tristan's movements. "Arthur's hoping he'll swear to be our ally."
"Well, perhaps you shouldn't have played along with Safir's marriage joke. Then the scout wouldn't be trying to slice him open." March said pointedly. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Don't give me that look. Tristan and I don't really spend much time with each other obviously, but I can think of no other reason why he would dislike the Saracen. By the way, is it awkward sitting here with me knowing that we've laid naked in bed together?"
I slapped my hand to my forehead. Dear gods… I turned my attention back the fight. It was starting to look like Palomides might have a chance. He swung over and over again at Tristan, trying to wear the man of a more slight build down. Tristan parried one particularly savage blow and spun in an arc. His sword purposefully missed slashing Palomides head from his body, but the win was evident. Bors cheered loudly. Gawain and Lancelot walked over and yanked my down.
"I am going to cut off both of your manhoods." I said in a sinister voice as they carried me to the victor.
"It's not my manhood you should be concerned with." Lancelot whispered. "Though I see how you cannot help yourself…"
Palomides looked slightly embarrassed, but the man handled it well. Arthur looked highly pleased. Bastards. All of them… The two asses that carried me set me down in front of Tristan who looked as calm as ever under his dark braids. I wondered if he had noticed that Yseult was gone. Perhaps he would say he would want his prize later. And later I could find him in private and kiss him and then tell him I loved him. Apparently, Tristan wasn't thinking the same thing. He put a hand on the back of my neck and pulled me forward. His braids brushed my face as he pulled me against his lips. I noticed he had not bent at all to kiss me. He was standing stiffly. That wasn't exactly fair I decided. I was having to strain to hold the position. I grabbed the throat of his tunic and pulled him down. This time another hand went the small of my back. He was careful not to kiss me any longer than Gawain or Galahad might of, and as he stepped back, his face was blank. I realized I had not kissed him in over half a year. Something that had lain dormant in me awakened and I felt a fire rushing through my cheeks and stomach.
"Tristan, lemme ask you somethin'." Bors said slouching with one hand on his hip. "Why is it that when you win a kiss from a young, beautiful woman" at this point Lancelot nodded and motioned towards his chest to indicate my breasts, "and you kiss her like she's your sister?"
Tristan didn't bother answering. Perhaps it seemed odd to the others, but it was just Tristan to me. He was involving with another woman. It wouldn't be like him to give a woman, no matter what woman, a passionate kiss in those circumstances. It would have been strange with everyone watching. I would rather it be in private when we could-
"Isolde, you bring any food?" Bors yawned.
"No. I'm hungry though." I said.
"You're always hungry." Tristan muttered.
"Calling me fat?" I asked nonchalantly.
"No." He said in his accented voice without even looking at me. I started off to where I had tied up Scosin. Tristan followed and mounted his own ride. We rode out into the dismal land surrounding Caerleon. We rode in silence for much of the way. My courage was dwindling…I struggled to find the right words. Nothing had ever been this difficult. I tried to force the words out of my mouth. Once it was done, I would feel better. Or would I? I was assuming that he returned my love… Well…
"You shouldn't humiliate Palomides. We may need him" I said. Tristan shrugged.
"He wants Arthur to give him a high ranking wife. You shouldn't encourage him." Tristan said in response.
"I am not going to wed the Saracen." I said flatly. More silence.
"Tristan. When I first met you, I didn't like you." I said suddenly. It sounded childish to my ears.
"Well, I liked you." He said aloofly. I felt like I couldn't just blurt out that I loved him. I felt like I need to explain how I felt…
"Tristan." I said again. He was listening intently, waiting for it go somewhere. "Before I left for Sarmatia, a young woman made me curious about something. You never said you didn't want a family, but I always assumed the answer was no. Was I right?"
This was an odd way to confess one's love… Tristan gave me a strange look.
"I wouldn't mind a son or a daughter." He said simply.
"And what of the mother? Would you love her? Marry her?" I asked intently. He stopped his horse and looked at me blankly.
"I hope so." Was all he said. I turned back around. "But not all women want a family."
I turned back around. I wasn't going to speak in riddles.
"I do. I want a husband. I want a child." I said plainly. We rode into the domus gates. I walked Scosin into the stables quickly. I dismounted and began to take off his saddle. Tristan occupied the box next to me. He looked up when he finished and gave me an unreadable look. I think he was beginning to understand what I wanted to say.
"I love you." I said as loudly as I could. My voice was barely above a whisper. I saw Tristan's shoulders tense and knuckles whiten on the hands that clenched a railing. I thought about if for a moment. I had just laid my pride and my heart on the floor in front of him. My wanted nothing more than to walk quietly out of that building that smelt of horse and dirt and worse things. Tristan was obviously having some trouble deciding how to respond. With no further declarations to make, I walked out of the stables.
Ta da! Declaration of love! Review if you please.
