Dagonet didn't sleep that night. He paced around his room, his thoughts full of the Woad with the bewitching smile. The touch of her skin on his, the taste of her lips, her expression as she looked up at him: so trusting and, dare he say it, loving.
He growled angrily. What was it about her? She had a hold over him that no woman had ever had before and it almost scared him. Before he had always been the one watching Bors fall in love with Vanora, watching Lancelot wooing his women. Now it was his turn.
He was drowning: all memory life before her was gone, and life without her was impossible. He wanted her so badly, and yet would rather die than hurt her. He slammed his fist into the wall, his temper boiling over.
Adara walked back to her room and got into clean, dry clothes as if in a daze. She was intoxicated by the memory of warm hands around her, a smile dancing in his eyes, his lips on hers…
Adara gave a moan and threw herself onto her bed. She could almost kick herself she was so angry with herself. What was she to fall at the feet of a Sarmatian? She was an ignorant fool who was letting her emotions get the better of her. She was a Woad, he a Sarmatian knight. It was not going to happen.
Dagonet left his room before dawn and went to the courtyard where the knight assembled. He hadn't slept and had bags under his eyes and stubble on his chin. He sat down next to Bors and downed a cup of wine in one go.
"Bit early for that my friend," Bors commented, looking worse for wear himself.
Dagonet growled at him and filled up his wine cup again.
"Let me guess," Bors said, his voice thick and eyes bleary. "The mighty Dagonet has finally found a woman."
Dagonet said nothing, and Bors turned to him in disbelief. "It's not true is it?" he asked incredulously, the traces of his hangover fast slipping away.
"What woman?" Bors asked roughly.
Dagonet did not reply, but at that moment Adara walked nervously into the courtyard, and for a fraction of a second her eyes met Dagonet's before Vanora approached Adara and the two women disappeared off.
"That woman?" Bors asked in amazement.
Dagonet glared at him and Bors laughed.
"Oh my friend. Now you are going to have great fun!" He chortled.
"Don't you dare tell anyone," Dagonet finally said.
Bors raised one eyebrow. "Would you spoil my fun old friend?"
"She's a Woad," Dagonet said roughly. "Think of Tristan."
That stopped Bors in his tracks.
"He's going to kill you," he said in a stunned voice.
"He's going to kill her," Dagonet said.
Bors gave him an amused look. "You're learning your priorities quickly old man…what are you going to do?"
Dagonet shrugged. "Get drunk."
Bors studied his friend for a moment, and then nodded. "Good plan," he said seriously.
The two men proceeded to execute their plan to the best of their ability all day, stopping only to pass out at one stage.