Arthur looked over at the young woman lying next to him in the pale ribbon of silver light that cascaded through the small window. He sighed heavily at her sleeping form and watched her intently as she lay there; her face passive and serene and her closed eyelids hiding her deep brown orbs. Her mouth twitched slightly and a low moan escaped her lips in her dream-filled slumber. Oh how Arthur longed to kiss those lips, desired to comfort her from her dreams and craved to claim her as his. But he knew he couldn't; she was Gawain's and that much was clear. Frustrated, Arthur turned his head so that he was instead staring at the whitewashed plaster of the ceiling, and sighed seriously in the empty quiet.
"Arthur why do you stir so?" Anise's quiet whisper spoke out suddenly, causing Arthur to jerk his head back towards her and smile sadly at her bedraggled state.
"I'm just thinking that's all." He replied briefly and returned his eyes to the ceiling.
"Well don't think too long or else you'll never regain your strength and heal up." She yawned; her voice heavy with sleep.
Arthur nodded at her words and was surprised when he felt two hands lifting his tunic and running lithe fingers over his bandages.
"You've stopped bleeding." Murmured Anise as she scrutinised the dressing in the dim light. "But you still need your rest."
"As do you. You shouldn't be fussing over me, you're here purely to regain your own strength." Chided Arthur as Anise clambered back into her bed and snuggled into the blankets.
"Yes but I haven't got a bloody great gash in my side." She chuckled lightly, and reached over to wipe some of Arthur's dampened hair from his face.
"Aye." He murmured gloomily and watched as she rested her head against the pillow and stared at him. "What?" He asked with confusion as she continued to watch him with her vast brown eyes.
"I'll watch over you till you fall asleep." She whispered gently and smiled softly as Arthur's eyes slipped closed and his breathing deepened and slowed beneath her sleepy gaze.
Gawain was pacing restlessly within the confines of his chamber. It was late into the night but he simply couldn't settle; not knowing that Anise was not within his arms but instead in the infirmary. He huffed sourly as a vision of Arthur's hand in Anise's curls flashed in front of him; his fists clenched tightly and lips twisted in a scowl. He knew how Arthur had felt about Anise when she had first arrived at the fort and even though he trusted her and had much respect for his Commander, he still felt jealous. Gawain paused in his treading and sighed at his over-reaction; grabbing his axe and pulling on his tunic as he headed out the door and towards the practice fields.
The moon was large in the sky with wisps of cloud edging across its waxen shell. Gawain walked out into the moonlit-flooded field and headed for the posts near the benches. He swung his axe along beside him as he strode through the chilling darkness and the blade gleamed sinisterly in the silver brilliance. Once he reached the post he swung his axe up high and hit the wooden post with a powerful blow; knocking a large chunk of wood free of the post. He continued to strike the post with hefty blows, cutting large grooves into the post's already gnarled surface. Gawain let his anxiety and frustration flow through the swings of his axe and he gradually got more powerful with his bashes. After a while he noticed Galahad appear silently next to him and Gawain turned to face him; panting and flushed from his strenuous workout. They stood looking at each other for a few minutes; Galahad not knowing what to say and Gawain staring blankly at the younger Knight; his large frame illuminated in the silver radiance of the moon.
"Galahad what is it?" Gawain finally asked with an air of boredom.
Galahad stared back with a thrown expression and looked uncomfortably at his boots.
"I…I just wanted to see how you are." He answered after a few moments, kicking at the dirt agitatedly.
Gawain frowned at his young friend and dropped his axe to the ground before resting on it with his arms. Galahad looked up with slight apprehension to look at the blonde Knight and stared at him uneasily.
"I'm fine. Worried, that's all." Gawain replied with a sigh and Galahad nodded slowly as he looked back down at the dirt.
"Galahad what's the matter, really?" Gawain asked abruptly and looked at him questioningly when his head shot up.
Galahad sighed heavily at Gawain's raised eyebrows and looked at his friend dejectedly.
"I don't know. I just want to be rid of this place, rid of this life, rid of this memory…" He threw Gawain a defeated expression and it was answered with a sad smile. "I just want to go home Gawain. Back to Sarmatia, back to my family. No more fighting, no more killing, no more nightmares, is that too much to ask! I just want to go home." Galahad almost shouted but instead stopped himself and hung his head miserably.
Gawain watched his friend quietly and took him gently by the shoulders; letting his axe drop to the ground in a cloud of dust and Galahad to rest his head on his shoulder.
"Loire?" Gawain asked quietly and Galahad merely nodded numbly. "What she did to you, what she did to all of us was treacherous and she betrayed not only your trust, but also your heart Galahad. You did the right thing."
Galahad pushed himself roughly away from Gawain and span to face him with an incredulous expression.
"The right thing? I killed her Gawain!" Galahad didn't restrain himself from shouting this time and Gawain simply stood and let himself be yelled at. "No matter how much you try to dignify it by saying she killed one of us first, I still killed her! I had to watch her die by my sword. I had to clean her blood from my blade. I had to remove her dagger from my friend. How is that right?"
Gawain watched Galahad's anger diminish and he flinched at the raw emotion as Galahad whispered out the last few words. The dark knight stood numbly in the darkness as a cloud passed over the moon and his green eyes glinted dully.
"Galahad…" began Gawain awkwardly but his friend waved him off abruptly.
"Don't Gawain." He murmured dismally. "It's in the past. It's my own battle to fight, and fight it I must." He frowned sadly at the hushed blonde Knight and stalked off into the darkness without another word.
Gawain watched him go and bent to pick up his axe only to hear another set of footsteps approaching.
"What is this? Night of the living insomniacs?" He murmured austerely but stopped and blushed as he saw Day once he'd turned around. "Er, Lady Day I'm sorry…I...er didn't realise it was you."
Day smiled at his embarrassment and he relaxed at the humour in her eyes.
"What was it you wanted?" He asked softly and presented his arm to her as they began walking off the field.
"Well I was wondering where Galahad went. I saw him out here and wished to talk with him." She said quietly as they wandered through the silent streets of Badon Hill.
"Oh I can't help you there I'm afraid. Back to his room I suspect, we had another argument." Gawain answered shamefully and hung his head as Day pulled them to a stop.
"I will talk to him. Instead you have more important things on your mind." Day whispered with a knowing smile and bade him goodnight before hurrying off into the darkness and leaving the Knight stood alone in the empty silence of the night.
Gawain sighed and turned around, only to smile at the girl's cunning. She had left him outside the infirmary.
A light knocking rapped across Galahad's door so he simply groaned and ignored it. But it continued on incessantly and eventually Galahad could listen to it no more.
"Gawain if that's you then go away." He barked roughly at the door and was relieved when the knocking stopped for a moment.
"It is not Gawain, Sir Galahad."
Galahad started at the voice and sprang up from the bed. What was Day doing here? Galahad had no time to think so instead strode across the room and opened the door swiftly. Day shifted uneasily beneath his gaze and cleared her throat after a few moments before breaking the silence.
"May I come in? I wished to speak with you." She asked eventually and Galahad instantly moved out of the way and motioned for her to enter.
Day glided silently into the room and adjusted her eyes to the dark interior before glancing around quickly. She heard Galahad close the door behind her and rest against it as he watched her.
"What is it you wished to speak with me of?" He asked quietly; folding his arms across his chest.
"About that morning in the garden." She stated gently and heard Galahad cough quietly at her response. "And also about what just happened with Gawain."
"That has nothing to do with you." Galahad remarked quietly and frowned at Day as she moved to face him.
"Aye, but he seemed saddened and I told him I would talk with you." She replied calmly and gave the young Knight a passive look.
"What were you doing there anyway?" He asked confusedly and with slight annoyance.
"I was looking for you Sir Knight." Day replied in the same calm voice and watched him relax a little. "I just wished to talk to you, that's all."
Galahad nodded but kept his defensive stance at the door and simply stared at the young woman in anxiety.
"Well I wish to apologise. It was not my place, nor my right to threaten you so. It was wrong of me." Galahad said softly, hanging his head in shame.
Day smiled sadly at him and accepted it as an apology.
"Do not worry Galahad. I can understand your reasoning for it now." She murmured gently and placed a soothing hand on his arm.
Galahad looked up hastily and Day noticed the hurt that flashed across his eyes; even in this dim light.
"You remind me so much of her." He admitted subtly, staring at her with the hurt still resonant in his eyes. "But then you are so different. Your eyes are not the same, and neither is your countenance and you are much more… loving than her. True I loved her but love makes you blind, and I could not see what she was doing to all of us. She never loved me; she was just here to kill." Galahad whispered softly, although his voice turned slightly bitter towards the end and he stared down at Day's hand which still rested on his crossed arms.
"Would it make you feel better if you knew she loved you or not?"
Galahad gave Day a confused look but seemed to consider her question. He let his head fall back against the door as he thought about it and Day watched his turmoil as he struggled to decide.
"I…I suppose it would be better knowing not whether she loved me or not. For if she loved me then how could she do something such as that? And if she didn't then she fooled me so blindly and I was the cause of my comrade's death. I think it is best left a mystery, don't you?" He replied and looked at her almost pleadingly.
"No-one shall ever know. Sometimes it is but the way of the world, and some things are meant to never be known." Day said with an air of elusiveness and smiled forlornly at the troubled young man before her.
"Gawain has much on his mind. Do not be offended if he seems distant. Talk to me instead." Day whispered gently as she reached up so that her lips rested near Galahad's ear.
Galahad nodded his thanks and gave her hand a gentle squeeze as she opened the door and slipped out of the room. He listened as her soft footsteps slowly diffused into the night and instead heaved himself down onto his bed. Perhaps she was right, perhaps it was best if Loire was left a mystery and he moved on. Galahad sighed resolutely to himself and climbed into bed, mentally blocking off that section of his memory forever.
A/N: Lol there wasn't much point to this chapter...and I don't like it either lol. Crud is a word that springs to mind lol. Ah well having a bit of writer's block again, and I'm off school with a migraine since yesterday, but at least I made it in for 3 days lol. I'm gonna go see the doctor but we all suspect they're stress-related, surprise surprise lol. So if you've got any idea/suggestions please don't hesitating in telling me as they'll be much appreciated! Thanks for all your lovely reviews tho x