"Gawain?" murmured Anise sleepily as the two sat curled up in their bed later on that night.
"Hmm?" hummed the blonde Knight as he shifted behind Anise slightly and sat stroking her side absent-mindedly.
"Well I've been thinking about what Day said, about how they may return to her village once Tristan is granted his freedom, and well I was wondering if you would go back to Sarmatia with the others?" Asked Anise reflectively and smiled as she felt Gawain's hand move up to her shoulder.
"I might return. It all depends on what happens before then really, but I may go back there." He said quietly and with a serious tone to his voice.
Anise nodded against his shoulder and stirred slightly to get more comfortable. She was now sat with her back against Gawain's chest slightly and rested back against the taut muscle on his torso. He sighed softly and reached his arms around her and pulled her closer towards him before kissing her slowly on the head.
"It was good news today, was it not?" Anise asked quickly, trying to brighten the mood somewhat.
"Hmm, indeed." Agreed Gawain thoughtfully and smiled as he let his head fall back against the smooth wall behind the bed.
Sensing his smile Anise turned to look at him with a curious expression and inched forward so that she was at eye-level with him. He stared back into her eyes, his own dancing with some kind of amusement and Anise raised an eyebrow and sat back to wait for an answer.
"Well…" began Gawain, the ridiculous smile still gracing his lips. "What if we were to have children?" He sat up at this point to meet Anise and his face was the picture of excitement and glee as he stared at her.
"What brought all this on?" She asked with surprise and chuckled as he grasped her arms and brought her closer.
"Just think! It makes sense, and wouldn't you love to have children?" He asked excitedly, his eyes wide with delight and still with that stupid smile plastered across his face.
"Well I…" spluttered Anise with laughter as she stared back at Gawain slightly at a loss of what to say. He was so excited he was practically bouncing up and down on the bed and Anise couldn't stop herself from laughing out loud at his ridiculous childlike antics.
"What's so funny?" asked Gawain, laughing a little himself.
"You!" gasped Anise as she laughed helplessly and saw Gawain start to laugh with her.
"But it's an idea, right?" He said after a moment and received a kiss as if to settle the matter.
"Yes. One we'll have to take lots of time considering…" whispered Anise with a wicked smile as she pushed the Knight back onto the bed.
"Dagonet said-"
"Forget what Dagonet said." Interrupted Anise as she crawled atop Gawain and silenced any of his further qualms with a solid kiss on the mouth.
Jocosta slept well that night but found herself awake in the early hours of the morn. It seemed as though she was now fully revived and itching to be outside again. She sighed and glanced out of the nearby window to watch the pale amethyst sky of dawn unfolding and crawled over to peer outside. The snow had stopped falling and all laid still and silent in the lucid light of the nearing dawn, the snow-topped houses and fields glistening quietly and the forest subdued.
"Perhaps an early morning ride would do me some good." Jocosta whispered aloud and began fetching her clothes and basin so she could get ready.
After a few minutes of frantic motion Jocosta opened the door a touch and peered out into the empty corridor, searching for any signs of life. Satisfied that no-one was around she continued in edging open the creaky door, cursing silently to herself at it made a dull thud as it snapped shut and she paused in the hallway. Peeking out from behind her russet locks with guilty eyes she checked once more before creeping off through the fort and towards the stables.
Tristan woke immediately, opening his eyes and drifting from sleep into his present awakened state seamlessly. He turned his head towards the chamber door and listened intently to the muffled noises from across the corridor. Day was still fast asleep with her head resting just under his chin, her chocolate tresses splayed out across his chest so Tristan stayed still as he didn't want to wake her. After a few more seconds he heard the sound of a door closing and somebody creeping off down the corridor. Smiling gently to himself he nuzzled Day's head softly and settled back to sleep; wrapping his arms around her tightly and knowing that Jocosta was probably just taking a ride out.
Jocosta had crept silently through the fort, attempting to put the training sessions from her sister to use, checking that no-one was around until she finally reached the stables. She opened the side-door to the stable as quietly as she could and feeling no-one else present she felt it safe to hurry over to her horse without caution. As she saddled up her horse, patting its flanks and whispering in Celtic to it, she thought it odd that the door had not thudded as it normally did when it shut. All of her questions were answered though as an amused cough came from behind her and startled her out of her wits.
"What are you doing here?" She hissed at a smirking Galahad as she spun round and attempted to calm her nerves.
"I could ask you the same question." He replied laughingly but looked concerned for her all the same.
"I was going for a ride actually. How did you find me?" Jocosta enquired curiously as she patted her mare gently and stroked her coat.
"I was awake and heard something outside and saw you staggering across the courtyard." Chuckled Galahad lightly as he remembered the sight of the girl pitching wildly from his window.
Jocosta stared at him in surprise and mentally scolded herself for not paying attention to where she was going earlier.
"What did you fall over?" urged Galahad again, moving closer to the girl and attempting to suppress a laugh, and failing miserably.
Jocosta sighed in defeat. "A bucket." She replied hanging her head although her voice was tinged with embarrassment and humour. "I didn't see it until I'd put my foot in it."
Galahad laughed outright then and Jocosta joined in after a few seconds before punching the young Knight on the arm light-heartedly to which he deigned mock-hurt.
"Come. I'll fix you some mulled wine, it's chilly out here." Galahad said after their laughter had subsided and took Jocosta's arm before she could protest.
"Very well." She sighed, smiling up at the dark-haired Knight and relaxing as they strolled back through the fort's empty streets.
They crept back through the barren corridors of the fort though as not to awaken anyone else as it was still early, although Galahad teased the girl mercilessly about watching out for any lurking buckets.
"You are a monster Sir Galahad." Whispered Jocosta with a broad smile as they reached the confines of his room and closed the door behind her gently.
She glanced a look around Galahad's chamber and he laughed as she looked around with horrified eyes.
"It's not that bad." He remarked as he made his way over to a jug and his fireplace; stepping over some bedclothes and discarded breeches.
"Not that bad?" replied Jocosta, stunned. "I think I shall have to clean up before I find anywhere to sit." She said as she began walking after Galahad and picking up pieces of clothing as she went.
Galahad sighed exasperatedly and pulled the clothes from her arms before throwing them to one side.
"You aren't here to clean. And you can sit on the bed." He said and watched quietly, yet with a small smile, as she made her way back towards the bed and settled herself on it.
He continued in stoking the fireplace and pouring the contents of the jug into a small pot which hung over the licking flames of the fire. Jocosta watched with interest as he knelt down to warm his hands before letting her gaze drift elsewhere. The dark-haired Knight removed the pot carefully after a short while and filled two cups with it's contents.
"Here you are." He said proudly as he handed a steaming cup to Jocosta and sank down onto the bed beside her.
Jocosta thanked him quietly and welcomed the warmth between her slender fingers as she felt Galahad's person mere inches from her. The young Knight kicked off his boots with a satisfied groan and reclined backwards slightly so that his legs were straight out in front of him and he was resting backwards into his pillows a little. He peeked out of the corner of his eye as he watched Jocosta take a sip of her mulled wine and smiled slightly as her eyes closed and the hot drink warmed her insides. He could feel her shift slightly next to him as she lounged backwards too and stretched her legs out across the covers. He noticed with amusement how much smaller her feet were compared to his and closed his eyes; enjoying the comfortable silence, only broken by sounds of contented sighs and thirsty gulps from their cups. Jocosta glimpsed over at the resting Galahad and smiled warmly at his closed eyes, taking the time to study his face without his knowing. She scanned his closed eyelids, his dark curls and beard, his smiling mouth and his slightly sculpted cheekbones and turned back to facing the fireplace and watching it's dancing flames.
"You're comfortable here?" Galahad asked softly after a while, his eyes still closed and Jocosta still watching the fire.
"Hmm." Jocosta replied sleepily, her warm and cosy surroundings relaxing her and enveloping her with inviting thoughts.
Galahad opened his eyes slowly as Jocosta reached across him to place her cup on his bedside table. He gazed at her from his position beneath her and watched as she calmly stretched out her arm holding the empty cup. She could feel him watching her and glanced down gradually to meet his appreciative eyes. Galahad kept his eyes on her as he reached out his own arm and placed his cup down on the wooden cabinet before taking her hovering one from her hand and putting it down next to his redundant mug. Jocosta watched him in wonder, sinking in his deep green eyes and feeling him gently lacing his fingers through her own and bringing their outstretched arms back to the bed. She breathed heavily as he moved upwards slightly, closing the gap between them and brushing his lips gently across her lips; slowly, softly, sensuously. Her breath caught as he did this and her eyelids dropped shut as he pressed forward smoothly and kissed her delicately, but deeply. Galahad pulled back after a few seconds and silently gazed at Jocosta, the sounds of the crackling fire the only noise in the room. Galahad then gently turned Jocosta onto her side and wrapped an arm over her waist as he pulled her back into him and the two fell asleep in the flickering light of the fire.
"Like it or not Arthur you have to stay here for a while longer." Remarked Dagonet in a soft but stern voice as he talked with the others Knights and his commander in the Table room. It was a few hours later and Galahad had left Jocosta asleep on his cot to come here; they were being debriefed about a Roman outpost further along the wall that was in need of assistance, due to attacks from the Woads although no-one knew if they were rebels or not.
"Can't I ride at all?" enquired Arthur exasperated, his eyes imploring and a frown on his face as he looked towards Dagonet.
"No." came the unyielding reply and Arthur sighed.
He glanced silently around the room and rolled his eyes before turning towards his already smirking second-in-command.
"Lancelot," he began determinedly, but couldn't hide the reluctance in his voice. "You will be in charge then."
Lancelot smiled triumphantly and looked around at the other Knights with a proud smirk.
"Of course Arthur." He replied smoothly and received a groan from the others that were assembled. "What? You heard the man, I'm in command."
"That's the problem." Grumbled Gawain and Lancelot threw him a glare as everyone chuckled lightly.
"When do we leave?" asked Galahad seriously after a moment of subdued jeering as many of the men had hangovers due to the celebrations held in honour of Tristan and Day.
"Tomorrow. So make the most of today." Answered Arthur and everyone nodded determinedly.
A/N: Ok to be fair it was more Galahad/Jocosta fluff lol but I couldn't help it lol. I don't know abour scaring you KnightMaiden but when I first read your comment it scared me too! lol You can tell I don't tend to proof-read my work before posting it lol. And perhaps in the next chapter I can introduce Gryfn! Oh yes! More of Day's family lol. Keep those reviews rolling in as they work wonders for the ol' self-esteem and motivation lol. Thanks x