Thanks for the reviews!
Op: I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I was afraid I made it a little melodramatic, but then I figured, love is melodramatic most of the time. Even after years of marriage there can be misunderstandings and hurt feelings over small things that get blown up in our minds. Now we get to the parts I'm dreading to write. Just how in the world can I keep the story interesting without getting all stupid with it? Ideas? Will be muchly appreciated (just a word I borrowed from my favorite story by Tracy137).
Melosine: I have no idea how old you are, but you have a very mature mind when it comes to affairs of the heart. Rejection is the one thing most humans fear most and I think maybe Tristan fears it as much as the rest of us, he just thinks he's got a handle on things. If it were him, I'm sure he would be just as reluctant to put his heart out for all to see. By the way, I love "Book of Memories"!
Travy137: You'll never know how pleased I was when you reviewed! I thought you had lost interest in my writing and for some reason it made me sad. But since this old woman made another 'old lady' happy, then I'm pleased as punch! Anytime you want to jump in, feel free. All ideas and prodding will be greatly appreciated!
Parixs: It's always good to have a new reader and I'm glad you liked it! I take it that English is not your native tongue, so at least you can read in English, I sometimes wish I could read (or speak) in another language. I tried taking Russian, but being from the deep south of the US, my Russian sounded really pathetic, so I gave it up. Maybe one day I'll get brave enough to try again. Thanks for reading at whatever speed!
Here's another chapter in the saga of Gawain's love life! In this chapter I'm trying to show how the guys always try to include anyone who is attached to one of them into their little 'family'. Hope it works for you.
I still don't own any of this. (Sigh…)
The low murmurings of the men sitting around the round table slowly died down as Arthur walked into the room. He looked around the table at the men he'd been chosen to lead, the men who had become more than soldiers in Rome's war with the world. These men were now his friends with a friendship forged through the years of battle. When his gaze came upon an empty seat, he raised an eyebrow toward the man next to it. Galahad shrugged and swallowed, "Couldn't find him. He didn't come home last night." Was all he said, as if that explained everything. Normally, it would have. Gawain didn't always come home at night when they were at the fort.
Without waiting for Arthur to ask someone, Tristan stood up, "I may know where he is." He saw Arthur nod almost imperceptively, then headed toward the door. The normally stoic man almost smiled. It seemed his advice may have done some good, after all.
Once Tristan had left the hall, Arthur sat down in his seat, "Well, this answers my first question." He said with a smile. "And what question would that be?" Grinned Lancelot. Arthur looked at his first knight and returned the grin, "Whether or not Gawain was healed well enough to go on a mission. Since he's been on his own mission, I see he is well enough." The other knights all joined in the small joke as laughter went around the room. Bors suddenly spoke up, "What kind of mission are we goin' on this time?" He asked his commander.
Arthur looked around the table, "I think we should go north and check out the story of Saxons. If the story is true, sitting here is only allowing them to move further south without hindrance. If there really are Saxons, it will only be a small scouting party and we could stop their progress with little trouble." Galahad spoke up, "Sarah said it was a large army. That sounds like much more than a scouting party." Arthur looked at the younger man before answering his unspoken question, "True, she did say that, but when the Saxons attack a village that is unused to battle, it could seem much larger than it actually is." Before he could say more, Lancelot interjected, "and she said her village was a peaceful village. They would not be used to battle enough to gage the size of an army. Besides, even if she said they were Saxons, it could just be a group of marauders and not Saxons at all. I doubt she would know what a Saxon looked like if she saw one up close."
Arthur listened to Lancelot's words, nodding as he heard them. "Lancelot speaks true. If her village is as secluded as she claims, they could have been mistaken at the identity of their attackers. Either way, sitting here is not giving us the answers we need." None of the others spoke for a few minutes, and since they all knew what the mission would be about, the men began to talk amongst themselves while they waited on the two missing knights.
Tristan went to the rooms behind the tavern. He didn't know exactly which room was hers, but he was sure when he found it, he would find the missing knight. He grinned slightly and made his way to the first door along the hall and knocked. When no one answered, he moved to the next and did the same. Finally, after the fourth time, he heard sounds coming through the thick wood. He stepped back and waited for someone to open the door and was not surprised when it was Gawain who stuck his head out. "What… Tristan, what are you doing here?" he asked groggily. Then he saw the half-grin on his friend's face and gave him an answering grin.
"Arthur has called a meeting. He is waiting for you at the round table." Having delivered his message, he turned to leave. He heard Gawain as he reached the door leading outside, "I'm right behind you." Then he heard the door shut as he left the building. He decided he'd wait on the other man and go back to the meeting together. Even though he didn't seem to get involved with the affairs of his brothers, he still wanted to know if things went as well as they appeared.
Once the door was closed, Gawain went back to the bed where Sarah lay awake watching him. "I have to leave," he started. "Usually when we're called to the round table it means we'll be leaving on a mission." He leaned down and kissed her gently. "I'll find you before we leave." Then he raised up and began gathering his clothes from around the small room.
Sarah wanted to go to him and wrap her arms around his neck, but suddenly felt shy about parading around without any clothes in the broad light of day. Instead, she sat up, holding the covers to her chest. "I'll be at the tavern. If you don't come to me quickly, I'll be in the courtyard as I've seen Vanora do when Bors leaves." He nodded and fastened his trousers. Before he went to the door, he quickly went back to the bed and kissed her. "I love you, Sarah." He whispered. "I love you, as well," she whispered in answer. She watched him go through the door and leaned back with a sigh. Things had surely turned out different than she had thought they would.
She closed her eyes and remembered the night before. How her heart had been breaking when he first came to her. Then in a matter of minutes she had been flying with the birds, high in the sky, happy and carefree. He loved her! This was more than she could have hoped for. Yesterday morning she had been prepared just to spend a night in his bed. A token that would have given her something to remember in the lonely life she pictured before her. Now, it seemed she would have many nights to remember when she was old. She blushed at the thoughts of what those nights would be like and opening her eyes, she quickly got up to dress. She did not want to be found still lounging around when he came looking for her.
Gawain was a little surprised when he stepped outside and saw Tristan leaning against the building, his dagger in his hand as he cleaned beneath his nails. "I thought you'd be back at the hall by now." He told him unnecessarily. He watched him easily sheath the dagger as he pushed himself away from the wall, "I thought it might be a good idea to warn you that the others have figured out where you were and you'll probably get a lot of teasing about it." Tristan began the easy conversation. "Good, I won't have to tell them anything, then, will I?" He shot back with a smile splitting his features.
They walked in silence for a moment, then Tristan glanced at him, "Well, I guess you worked everything out?" Gawain returned his look, "Better than I had hoped. Tris, she loves me! I think I've finally found what I've been looking for, someone to share my life with." He stopped talking for a breath, then continued, "now all I have to do is be sure to return alive from our missions. I'd hate to think I found her only to die and leave her behind." He had always wondered if he'd make it through his years of service, but he'd never before thought about leaving anyone behind. He'd never had anyone to worry about before now and the thought suddenly made him feel afraid. An emotion he'd never had to face before.
Tristan saw the worry on his friend's face and knew that he was facing his immortality. He knew that men changed how they looked at battle once they had someone to care if they lived or died. "We all have to die someday. Just live each day as you would if it were your last and you will have no regrets." He quietly told the man. He saw Gawain look at him with different eyes. They all thought they knew him, but in truth, no one really did. He had the same feelings as everyone else, he just chose to keep them to himself. "Thanks, Tris, you are a wise man, wiser than we give you credit for." Gawain told him sincerely. He nodded and they continued in silence to the hall.