I am just so pleased with the reviews! I check my email at work on an hourly basis to see if any new ones have arrived!
Brw1001: Is this soon enough? Glad you liked it and hope I don't let you down now that I'm getting to the part I'm having trouble picturing in my head.
Devonshirelass: Then help me with the reunion parts of the story. I know kinda how I want it to go, but Derek is just a shadow in my mind and I'm probably going to have a hard time making him seem real. Oh, well, as Scarlet would say, 'tomorrow's another day. I'll just worry about that tomorrow.'
LANCELOTTRISTANBABY: Glad you liked! Here's more.
Op: I never thought about it as pretty… but now that you mention it, oh, you meant the chapter and not Gawain… oops!
Tracy137: Glad I didn't lose you! I read your profile and I have to confess I've got a few years on you (I refuse to say how many!). My oldest son is getting close to your age and my youngest is half as old if that gives you any indication. I really need help getting the village part of my story down, (hint, hint) any ideas? Oh, and I think Tristan's detachment is what we all fell in love with as well. I've always liked the dark, brooding types (take Steven Seagal for instance, so why did I marry a sexy, blonde, outgoing man? Who knows! Actually, I have a picture of my hubby when we first met and he reminds me a lot of the way Gawain looked in the movie!)
Enough rambling… here's chapter 20 (and I still don't own any of the legend of King Arthur and I never intend to make money at writing about it. Couldn't, even if I did intend to!
When the two men stepped into the hall where the other knights were impatiently waiting and trying hard to find things to talk about, Bors stood up and gave the Sarmatian battle cry, "Rrrruuuussss!" as he held up his goblet toward Gawain. He gave a huge grin before turning to Arthur, "Sorry, I…" he began to explain his tardiness. But Arthur held up his hand, "No apology or excuses necessary. Now, we'll fill the two of you in on what we've been discussing." Gawain was glad he didn't want him to explain his absence, and more than a little curious as to why the meeting had been called in the first place.
After Arthur had relayed the information to the last two of his men, he settled back a little. "So, Gawain, do you think Sarah is up to the trip?" Gawain was about to answer honestly, when he noticed the glint of amusement in his commander's eyes. He closed his eyes for a moment and heard a few chuckles come from around the table. "So, this is how it's going to be, huh? Give me a false sense of security, then catch me with my pan… um, back turned!" The guffaws that came from everyone at the table, minus Tristan who just smiled, let him know they had caught how he'd almost said 'pants down'. He sighed in defeat as they all did when Arthur was involved. He might be a formidable leader, but when he was in a joking mood he could outsmart them all.
Arthur stopped laughing for a moment, "We'll leave at first light tomorrow. Will you tell her of our plans or would you like me to do it?" he directed the question to Gawain. "I'll do it." He answered and they all stood to leave. He turned to Galahad and asked, "So, how did you all figure out it was Sarah I spent my night with?" Galahad just looked at him before answering, "If it'd been anyone else, we'd have seen you leave with her. Besides… " and Bors interrupted, "We ain't blind ya know! The lit'le woman's been pining for ya since we got back, waitin' on ya hand an' foot an' all." Gawain saw the others nodding their heads and turned to see Lancelot with a frown on his face. "What's wrong with you, Lancelot?" he asked seriously. The other man looked over at him and with a preoccupied tone of voice answered, "What?... Oh, nothing, I'm just trying to figure out how I could have been wrong yesterday. I could have sworn she was upset with you." He stated as he shook his head, still baffled by the events of the day before.
Gawain wanted to let him suffer, but he couldn't, "You weren't wrong. But I straightened it all out when I went to see her last night." He saw the relief on the dark knight's face, "I knew I wasn't wrong! I'm never wrong about what I see in a woman's eyes." He boasted as they left the hall, heading for the tavern, of course.
When Sarah finished dressing she headed for the tavern. She didn't realize how beautiful she looked with the big smile on her face and her movements gave the people who saw her pass by the impression that she was dancing in the direction she was walking. Some of the people who had seen her before thought she was someone new to the fort because they had never seen her in the happy mood she now displayed. When she got to the tavern, she found Vanora already there busily preparing for the day. She saw a look of consternation on her face and wondered what she could be so worried about.
"'Morning, Vanora." She almost sang as a greeting. Vanora looked up at the other woman and raised an eyebrow, "'Morning, Sarah. What makes your steps so light this morn?" Sarah hesitated, she wanted to tell the other woman about how she and Gawain were in love. But she was afraid it might jinx them, or he might think she was talking out of turn about something private. When the other woman didn't turn away when she didn't answer, she said, "I don't know, I guess it's just a wonderful day." She began to fidget under the close scrutiny from the other woman, so she turned and said, "Is there anything in particular you wish me to do first?" She picked up an apron from the bar and began to tie it around her waist.
"Oh, no you don't." Vanora stated simply. "I hear everything that goes on in this fort, just ask anybody, and if you don't tell me what has happened to transform you into the sun goddess herself, then someone else will. So you might as well come out with it." Sarah turned to see Vanora standing with her hands on her hips and a determined look on her face. Letting her shoulders droop in defeat, she walked over to her friend and pulled out a chair at the table nearby.
"I really wanted to tell you first thing, but I was afraid it was the wrong thing to do." She waited until the other woman sat beside her, then she said in a half whisper, "You see, last night Gawain told me he loved me and I told him I loved him too! I thought he might get angry if I told anyone, like I was carrying tales or something, so I just didn't want to say anything. Promise you won't mention it unless he tells you himself first?" Vanora looked at the pleading eyes of the younger woman, and despite herself, she started laughing. "Oh, Sarah, girl, you've still got a lot to learn about that lot! Not a one of them does anything that the others don't know about as soon as it's done. And what my Bors knows, I know. He won't think anything of it, believe me."
"Bors doesn't know, nobody does, except maybe Tristan. He came to get Gawain for some meeting of the knights, so he must have figured out where Gawain was. I don't think Tristan will say anything to any one else." Sarah said quietly making Vanora start her laughing all over again. "Bors might not have known anything before the meeting, but you can bet your last coin that they all know now." Vanora saw the stricken look on the other woman's face and hurried to add, "but they are so close, it would be hard to keep anything to do with them quiet. It's not bad, you see, they are more brothers than most people see."
Sarah's features slowly relaxed and she said, "So the other knights won't think me a whore for sleeping with Gawain so soon after we've met? I mean, I don't want them to think I do this kind of thing all the time." Vanora placed a hand on her arm, "They don't think me a whore and I have eleven bastard children by my Bors. No, those men are not like that. Believe me when I say this and besides you can count on any one of them to protect you should anyone else decide to call you anything like that. They're a close lot, that's for sure." Sarah was still trying to digest all that Vanora was trying to tell her when their conversation was interrupted by the loud entrance of the men being discussed.
"Vanora," yelled Bors at the top of his lungs. "Bring us some drinks." Then noticing Sarah standing holding her apron in her nervous fists. "'Morning, Sarah. Gawain is right behind us." She felt her face flush as she realized that Vanora had been saying true that they all would know by now. When she looked to the other woman it did not help that she received an 'I told you so' smirk. "Thank you, Bors." Was all she could say as she went to help get the pitchers of ale.
Gawain walked into the tavern with Tristan on his heels and stopped when he saw her standing behind the bar. Tristan almost walked into him and looked where Gawain was staring. He saw what had gotten the other man's attention. She was drawing ale and laughing and talking with Vanora. Something he hadn't seen her do since he'd come to know her. He could see what Gawain saw in her. She was very beautiful, but there was more than just her beauty. She seemed to brighten the area around her with her smile. He gently nudged his friend, "Close your mouth or you'll draw flies." He teased. He saw Gawain slowly nod and start to move toward their usual table. "Come on man, get control or the others will not let you live it down."
Gawain shook his head and gave Tristan a look of thanks, "She is beautiful, isn't she?" He said with awe in his voice. Tristan nodded and said, "Yes, and if I'm not wrong, I'd say she's thinking something along those lines about you." He moved his head in her direction and saw Gawain turn to look. Sarah was standing holding a couple of pitchers in each hand, staring at Gawain with such a look of love and devotion even the usually reserved scout could feel the warmth from her look. Gawain stopped walking and said under his breath, "Go ahead, I'm going to see her before I sit down." Tristan watched as he went to her and took two of the pitchers before leaning down to kiss her gently. He then looked toward the others and saw each one of them watching the display of affection. Gawain was certainly going to be teased about this sooner or later and from the smirk on Lancelot's face, it would be sooner.
"'Morning, again." Gawain whispered close to her face. He saw her open her eyes and smile, "'Morning." She returned. "How was the meeting?" she asked as they headed toward the table. "It was fine. We leave at first light and Arthur wants you to come with us." Sarah stopped when Gawain said the last part. "Why on earth would he want me to come?" She started walking again when Lancelot yelled, "Hurry with those pitchers, I am in desperate need of a drink!" Gawain sat the two pitchers he carried down in the middle of the table and took one of the two Sarah held. She placed the other in front of Lancelot and turned back toward Gawain, waiting for an explanation.
Gawain took her by the arm and led her away from the others. "We will be riding north to check out some stories about the Saxons. Arthur wants you to come so we can check on your village while we're there." He searched her face for some kind of emotion, some indication of whether she was happy to be going home or not. He saw that she was still just staring at him as if she didn't comprehend what he'd just told her. "Did you hear me?" he asked her quietly. She slowly nodded her head, and he continued, "Will you go with us or should I tell Arthur you don't wish to?" He saw her slowly shake her head, "No, I'll go." Then almost as if she were speaking to herself, "I guess it's time to get this over with."
"Sarah, I'll be with you every step of the way. Don't be afraid of what you'll find. Even if the Saxons did destroy everything you remember of your home, I won't let you face it by yourself. None of us will." He tried to make her feel more comfortable about the journey, but inside he felt the prickling of doubt begin to grow. What if the other man was really alive? Would she change her mind about him and decide to stay with her betrothed? He wanted to ask her, but the sadness and worry in her eyes made him reluctant to do so. He'd just have to wait and see what happened. And fight for her if that was what it took. He would not let this Derek take back what he'd found with her. No matter how much Derek loved her, he couldn't love her more than what Gawain felt in his heart.