"Are you sure milady?" Egan asked.
"Yes, I'll be fine." Rowan departed to her room as Egan and Marcus went to the dining hall.
The knights looked up from their meals as Marcus and Egan entered the room. Arthur had told the men why Rowan and the others were absent most of the day. Everyone was silent as the two new arrivals took their seats. Finally Lancelot questioned Rowan's whereabouts.
"Where is Rowan?"
"She wanted to be alone. She has had a trying day." Egan responded.
"Why did she request we not attend the funeral." Galahad asked.
"Rowan is a very private person. And she rarely likes to show her emotions. Rowan thinks emotion is a weakness."
"But she will be okay." Marcus said. "She is a strong woman."
The rest of the meal was solemn. After dinner the knights decided to get drinks to help relax and lighten the mood. Gawain, Tristan, Galahad, Egan, and Lancelot played with their knives. Bors, Dagonet, and Marcus were playing a game of cards. Arthur was in his room getting things prepared for the journey ahead.
Rowan lay in her room contemplating if she wanted a drink or not. She was not feeling social, but the ale would help dull the pain she felt. Finally she decided a few drinks couldn't hurt. Rowan slipped out of her room and found her way to the bar. She located most of the other knights and decided it would be best to avoid them. Rowan crept to the corner table. Vanora stopped her to find out what she was up to.
"Rowan what are you doing sneaking around?"
"Shh. I just want a few drinks. But i wish to be alone."
"Oh okay. I wont tell. Have a seat over there. And I'll bring you a drink."
"Thank you, Vanora." Rowan sat down with her back to the others. She pulled her hood up so they would not notice her. Vanora handed Rowan her drink and then left Rowan to her peace. Rowan stayed to herself most of the night. She went through five ales when someone tapped on her shoulder. She turned around expecting to see one of the knights had found her. But it wasn't.
To Rowan's surprise, a drunk roman guard was now gripping her shoulder. "Come along wench. I am tired and my back is sore."
"Well find another woman I am not coming." Rowan pulled her shoulder from his grasp. And then turned back to her drink.
"I said come with me." this time the guard was more forceful. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to the door. Rowan was ready. She pulled her knife and put it to his throat. By this time everyone in the bar was staring.
"No. Now leave me alone or you will find your back not to be your only problem."
Quickly, the guard released her and ran out of the bar. Rowan then noticed everyone's eyes were on her. Very casually she put her knife away, gulped down the rest of her drink, then walked out. As she left, she heard people whispering and laughing. At least she didn't get into too much of a fight. Rowan did not like wasting her energy on petty fights in bars but those fights seemed to follow her around.
Rowan laid down on her bed. The ale made her tired and ready to fall into her dreams or nightmares. She doubted her sleep would get better now that her brother was really gone. She had just placed her knife under her pillow when a knock came at her door.
"Hold on one moment." Rowan found her robe and put it on, also concealing her knife in case it was an unwanted guest. Then she opened the door. There stood Lancelot, Egan, Galahad, and Gawain.
"What are you four doing here?"
"Just checking on you. Making sure you made it to your room safely." Lancelot said.
"Well I am fine. So the four of you may return to your drinking."
"After your little performance everyone decided it was time to go to bed." Egan said trying to keep his balance.
"I did not mean to cause a scene."
"It's okay Rowan. It gave everyone a show a all the Roman guards a warning." Gawain said.
"What do you mean warning?"
"The Romans normally have at any girl they want. No one ever refuses them. But now they know not to bother you." Galahad replied still holding onto his drink.
"Well thanks again but I am tired so I am going to bed."
"Maybe you should stay in my room. Just in case that guard should return." Lancelot said trying to get in front of the others.
"No, she should stay in mine." Galahad said pushing him aside.
The four drunk men argued about where Rowan was sleeping when she closed the door on them. Locking it securely, then placing her knife back under her pillow, Rowan crawled back into bed. Sleep was not peaceful for her but she was able to get through the night with no nightmares.
The next day everyone was talking about the previous nights events. The knights praised Rowan for teaching the guard a lesson. Arthur even found the story amusing. Yet, he suggested she find a more subtle way of handling things next time. Even though everyone was happy with her, Rowan was not impressed. Men had done that before, and more will try. This was nothing new to her so she could not see why they were so pleased.
The entire day was devoted to preparing for the five day journey. The route to the docks took two days. Riding back, however, would take an extra day due to the cart and extra riders. Rowan had little clothing to take. She wore her only riding gear, and the two dresses Dag gave her would be no good on this trip. The rebels destroyed her other belongings. As rowan packed there came a knock to her door.
"You may enter." Dag opened the door carrying a bundle of clothes.
"Here Rowan. I was able to find you some other clothes. Most things are left over riders gear. I am sorry we could not find better." Dag handed over the leather skirts and the heavy shirts.
"These will do just fine."
"When we return, Vanora said she could make you more comfortable clothing."
"Thank you."
Dag smiled then departed to finish preparing. Everyone arose at first light the next morning. The knights saddled their horses then they were off. Most of the ride was uneventful. Tristan did find an arrow from a woad. But there was no sign of the shooter. Bors suspected it was from a past battle.
That night Marcus and Egan started a fire while Dag prepared the food. Rather than eat together, Tristan and Marcus went out scouting. Everyone else sat around the fire eating a talking of past bar room fights. The men made a rivalry of this. Each tried to out do the others with stories of large bar fights with many fabricated details. Rowan stayed out of the conversation.
"The best fight I've ever been in happened two years ago." Egan started. "We had just got back from capturing a serial killer. Some of us went out to celebrate the victory. Rowan you were there. Do you remember?" She nodded in recognition. Egan then went on. "So I was having a good time flirting with this bar maid. Long blonde hair, blue eyes, and her body." Everyone laughed, Rowan just rolled her eyes. "So she was on my lap and we were making out when this mammoth of a man comes and grabs her off of me and starts yelling at me. Said I shouldn't be touching his things. Well the maid was yelling of course saying that she didn't belong to him and that she wanted to go home with me. So I stood up for her telling him to get lost. I go to help the girl up and he grabs me and punches me in the face. I stumble for a second then I jump onto him punching and fighting. Two of his buddies come to help him, but they weren't as smart as I am. I pushed them out of the way to find their leader with his sword drawn. I take out mine at we duel. To make a long story short, he went home with a gash on his upper arm and a cut half way across his face." The men were pleased with the story, but in their minds they were thinking of stories to out do him. Rowan knew half of the story was fake. Egan did get into a fight with a rather large man but he did not defeat him alone. Aiden, Marcus, and herself had to assist him in taking down the two buddies. But she allowed Egan to tell his less that true story. It didn't matter to her.
The others went around coming up with more fantastical ideas than the last. Finally Rowan was tired of hearing how each battle armies alone. "I am going to bed."
"Wait Rowan why don't you tell us of your bar battles. You surely have some that are interesting." Gawain said.
"I think not. I do not feel like participating in this silly game." With that final word, Rowan took her blanket and went to a tree several feet away and fell asleep.
""Why do you suppose she didn't want to tell about her fights?" Bors asked.
"Maybe she hasn't been in any good fights?" Gawain said.
"Oh no. She has, better ones than any of ours. Rowan just thinks that telling stories to show off is pointless." Egan stated.
"Why would anyone want to fight her in the first place? After seeing her ability I wouldn't want to upset her with a weapon in her hand." Galahad asked.
"In our old villages, the men thought they could have whatever they wanted. When Rowan refused them, they would try to force her. But she was far more skilled then them. That was another thing that infuriated the guards. The fact that a woman was better than them. They would attack her while she was at the bar hoping to catch her off guard but she is always ready. Every man she encountered thought they could tame her, teach her a lesson."
"Why would they keep on testing her when they know she would never break?" Lancelot asked.
"Wasn't it you who said you were going to bed her no matter how long it took?" Galahad said.
"Well yes, and one day I hope to but I am not going to the lengths those men did. I have great respect for her."
"And the fact she can kick your ass." Arthur added. All the men laughed. And soon went back to telling make believe stories.
Sorry it is so short. I have been really busy this week and was unable to get another chapter written. But Thanks to MORWEN12 for the message.