Chapter 8

When we arrived back at the fort, we saw to the horses, making sure they were brushed down, and well fed. Tristan then led me to a room filled with an assortment of weapons.

"You don't have your own sword do you?" He asked.

"No, only my bow and a few daggers" I replied.

"Well I think this one will work." He said pulling a long blade from the wall and handing it to me.

It was not nearly as heavy as it looked, so I began taking a few practice swings.

"Come let us go into the practice arena." He said.

He lead me to a large enclosed arena that was attached to the barn, lucky for me it was empty.

"Okay, attack me." He said.

I quickly made a quick thrust toward him, which he blocked easily. I tried again, trying to remember all my father had taught me. I was able to win most fights in the village against the boys, but Tristan, had far greater skill than anyone I had yet to meet. I tried to move faster, swing harder, but to no avail.

"Now, try to block my attack." He ordered.

I was able to keep up with him for a few moves, keeping my sword between him and my body, although I could almost feel my teeth rattle with each clang of steel. Then my defenses began to break down. I was breathing quite heavy. I stopped for a moment to wipe the sweat from my brow, noticing that he did not look winded or tired in the least bit. I raised my sword and prepared to go again, when thankfully we were interrupted.

"Tristan what are you doing?" I heard a soft but firm voice ask. I turned to see Dagonet and Bors walking up behind us.

"I am teaching Taryn how to defend herself properly." He snapped.

"Well I hope you plan on putting her shoulder back in place when you pop it out again. Tristan, you of all people should know the muscles must heal properly, or the shoulder can very easily dislocate again." Dagonet scolded.

Dagonet was right my shoulder was screaming at me to stop, but I felt the defensiveness in me rise.

"Well, it is my fault" I heard myself saying. "I begged him to help me train." I heard Bors chuckle at this.

"Taryn" Tristan interrupted me. "You don't have to lie to keep me out of trouble." He had a slight curve to his lips. "Dagonet is right, your shoulder does need to heal, I am afraid I was a little over zealous." He finished.

"Girl, you should have come here a long time ago." Bors teased. "This is the first time I have ever heard Tristan admit he is wrong."

"Probably, because this is the first time I have ever been wrong." Tristan said shortly.

"Ha ha, I bet you did not know your father was a comedian Taryn." Bors laughed, and this time I joined him.

"Not to change the subject" I said winking at my scowling father. "Maybe one of you could tell a girl where she can get some laundry done."

"Ah, now that I can help you with, I think it is time you meet my Vanora, she is a professional when it comes to laundry." Bors said.

"Oh she does laundry for a living?" I questioned.

"No, but she probably feels like she does, after all she has 10 children." Dagonet stated.

"10 children, wow, are they all yours?" I asked.

"He hopes." Tristan joined in.

"Pardon me Taryn, but Tristan you have no room to talk about knowing who your children are and aren't." Bors stated.

"But it wasn't his fault", I found myself defending him again.

"Tristan what did you do to make this girl so loyal to you already, tie her to a tree and shoot arrows at her until she pledged herself to you." Bors questioned.

"I did nothing, it's in her blood." He said looking at me, with pride in his eyes. I felt my heart swell.

"Come on, Taryn lets go get that laundry, and meet Vanora." Bors said while rolling his eyes, at the apparent emotional scene passing between father and daughter.

It didn't take long for me to run up to my room after my clothes, I quickly caught back up with Bors who was patiently waiting for me. Tristan had decided to stay, and train some more, like he needed it, but who am I.

"Yeah, Vanora has been anxious to meet you, said if I didn't bring you by, she would not let me sleep with her tonight, and we can't be having that now can we." Bors laughed.

"Oh, I see, your whole, I'll help you get your laundry done was just a ploy to get you in your wife's good graces." I teased him.

"Lover not wife." He said firmly.

"You mean to tell me she had ten children with you, and you are still not married." I asked incredulously.

"Nope." He grinned.

I do believe he was proud of this. I just shook my head.

"Well here we are. VANORA" He bellowed as he opened the door up.

"For heavens sake Bors the younger children are napping, shut your mouth." I saw a firey red head yell at him.

"Come now Vanora don't be mad, I brought you a visitor." He begged.

"Vanora, meet Taryn, daughter of Tristan." He introduced.

She smiled at me. "Hello Taryn, it is nice to meet you." She said holding out her hand.

"And you also" I smiled back, "I heard you are the mother to 10 children, you must be quite a woman, I am honored to meet you." I said while shaking her hand.

"Oh just wait, you will have your turn, I am sure it wont take long for one of these Knights to sweep you of your feet. I was about your age when I first met my Bors."

I could feel those dreadful cheeks of mine giving me away again.

Vanora began laughing. "Ah you already have him picked out don't you, now which one…."

"Vanora leave the poor girl alone." Bors saved me. "It's not likely Tristan will let any of them near her."

"Tristan has only known me two days, it is I who I decide who I will and will not be around." I said firmly.

"Got a little spunk to ya, ha girl, we will see." Bors laughed.

I was starting to get uncomfortable with the conversation when I remembered my laundry.

"Vanora, Bors was telling me you could show me where I could do my laundry." I asked.

"Of coarse follow me." She replied.

I noticed my surroundings for the first time. The room we were in was large, and seemed to service as kitchen/dinning room/ living area. It was decorated with colored rugs, and the prettiest woven baskets I had seen. Vanora led me through a door way on the left side of the room.

"I was just finishing up with some of mine." She was saying. "The water is still warm. If you would like to just leave them here, I will do them and give them back later." She offered.

"Nonsense, you have plenty to do, if anything I should be doing yours." I said looking around the little room, with a large tub in it.

She smiled with appreciation. It did not take me long to wash my few articles of clothing, although I spent a great deal of time scrubbing a few of them, trying to get the blood splatters out. Overhead I could hear footsteps running across wooden floors. It sounded as if the children were up. I walked back into the main area of the house to look for Vanora; she was busy preparing food in the kitchen.

"Oh done already?" She called.

"Yes I don't have much." I replied.

"Well the young ones are up now, and the older children are coming in from there chores, you must meet them. Children" She called."

It sounded like a small earthquake, as I heard the sound of 20 pair of feet all running toward me. As they began to fill the room, the large room seemed to be getting smaller and smaller.

"The twins are the oldest they are thirteen." Vanora said pointing to two very similar looking young girls. They both just grinned at me. "Then comes number three he is the eldest boy. " She stopped her introduction for a moment and began looking around.

"Four and Five." She started hollering. "Come out now, or you have to spend the rest of the day watching Two and Three."

"You children have numbers not names?" I asked with disbelief in my voice.

"Of coarse they have names, the numbers are more of nicknames, and if I started rattling off all there names you would never remember them or keep them straight. What do you take us for Barbarians?" She said with mock anger.

We both took this moment to glance over at the father of this mini village. Who was cramming creamed potatoes into his mouth by the handful.

"What," he muttered through bites of potato.

Vanora and I both burst out into giggles. "Well maybe one of us is a barbarian after all." She laughed.

I knew this would be a place I would enjoy spending time at. It was something I had always wanted a family. Yes I had a mother and father who I loved dearly, but we spent most of our time working the fields caring for animals. I had longed for younger brothers and sisters to play with and care for. It was very lonely at times growing up an only child. I envied these children for the life they had here.

So that was how I spent my next two weeks. I would spend time in the mornings riding with Tristan, or watching the knights train, and the afternoons and evenings I spent with Vanora and her children. I grew very close to the twins. Bella and Lilly I soon learned were there names. We had a great time telling stories, playing games, talking of oh certain Knights. I felt like I was getting a second chance at childhood. Unfortunately we all have to grow up sometimes to soon.

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"Taryn, you spend too much of your time here with the children." Vanora was saying one afternoon. "Why don't you come and spend some time with us big people at the tavern." She teased.

"I can't do that, who would take care of the children." I asked.

"Taryn, dear, the twins were doing just fine two weeks ago before you got here, I am sure they can survive one night without you." She scolded.

"Well, I guess I can go, Galahad is always begging me to join him." I said hesitantly.

"Great, I have the perfect dress for you, it was one I was saving to wear after number ten was born, but now that number eleven is on the way, I doubt if I will ever fit into it again." She said with a sigh.

"I can't take your dress Vanora." I said lamely.

"Of coarse you can, the dress you are wearing needs thrown in the burn barrel, you take this." She said handing me the dress. "Now go get dressed fix your hair, you are going to have some fun tonight!"

Authors note: Thanks again to every one who reviewed. Someone asked if this is pre or post movie. Sorry if I didn't explain well it is pre movie, by about a year. Also everyone has wondered about the idea of the knights being old enough to have kids. I got the idea because in the movie the actor that plays Tristan, Madds Mikkelson, (sorry if I spelled the name wrong if any of you are die hard fans) Is at least in his late 30's early 40's. So I just thought I would right a story based on that, what if he really was that age. I know historically speaking they were probably more like in there early 20's, but as you already know there is nothing historical about this story, lol. Sorry this chapter is boring, it is a filler, the next one is coming soon, it will get much more exciting I promise. Yes romance is coming, and no Taryn will never be a kick butt warrior, but she will get better, besides, I suck at writing fighting scenes, if anyone has any tips please help.