Chapter 6
Isabel decided to wear the simple, brown dress which Lancelot had given her. She thought that it was that kind of dress, which she would never wear, but now she had no other choises. She managed to get the dress on without any help and she was happy about that. She had noticed that there was no other women among the knights, and she would been a bit embarrased, if she would been forced to ask help from some knight, like Tristan. When Isabel peeked her head out between the wagon covers, she saw that Tristan and Gawain were standing nearby and both turned to look at her. She climbed out of the wagon and went to the knights hesitating a little when she saw their expressions.
When Tristan and Gawain saw the woman, who had caused a huge wondering among the men, when they had found her earlier that day, they almost didn't believe their eyes. For Gawain's eyes she looked almost totally different, when she was wearing the clothes what he had used to see on women. Her long, blonde hair was open and it was spread on top of Tristan's cloak, which she wore on top of the dress. She was taller than women which Gawain mostly had seen, and she walked her back straight and carried her head proudly up. Unlike Gawain, Tristan knew what to expect, he had seen Isabel in his dreams dressed like this, but still he was surprised, she looked really beautiful and her bright green eyes made her look a little exotic in his eyes.
Isabel stood by the men and watched them a little shyly.
"Doesn't these clothes fit me?" She asked when Tristan and Gawain were just staring at her.
"Yes those do. It is not that. You look…." Tristan started, but closed then his mouth.
"You look beautiful." Gawain ended his sentence wondering that why Tristan was so quiet still, in normal circumstances he would have started to praise the woman for the way she looked. But now the circumstances weren't normal and this woman wasn't certainly a normal woman, Gawain thought.
"Well, thank you." Isabel had a small smile in her lips. "I thought… If you could introduce me to other knights…"
"But of course. It is coming darker and Arthur decided that we will camp here for the night." Tristan said and took her gently by the arm. "Why don't you join us by the fire, so you can tell more about yourself."
Isabel had thought that she would have to tell about herself, but she didn't expect it being this soon. She had no idea what to tell to the knights, so that they would understand where she came from or why she was there, the thing she had no idea herself either. She knew she couldn't tell, that she was from the year 2006, the knights would think that she was some kind of witch or worse. Or just a plain nutcase.
Isabel followed Tristan and Gawain and when they arrived by the campfire, most of the knights were sitting there. Everyone watched the three with interest and Isabel noticed Sir Gareth nodding to her slightly. She recognized most of the other knights too, but she didn't show it.
Isabel sat next to Tristan who started to speak.
"I think I should finally introduce you to others. Your joining us has caused quite a lot amazement." When Isabel just nodded, he continued. "So, she is called Isabel. That is basically all I know about her, but she will have the change to tell more about herself."
Tristan turned to Isabel.
"You know me, Sir Gawain, as well you know Sir Lancelot and King Athur. They are joining us soon. The big man next to me is Sir Dagonet, then is Sir Bors, who you met earlier also." Tristan kept a short pause and continued then. "Then is Sir Geraint, Sir Galahad, Sir Bedivere, Sir Kay and the blonde is Sir Gareth."
"We have met." Gareth said and Isabel could swear that he winked to her, which made her blush a little, and it made her a little uncomfortable.
"You didn't say anything about it." Tristan raised his eyebrows to Gareth.
"I thought it wasn't necessary. And I don't have to explain you my actions." Gareth said a bit fiercely. "She will be travelling with us anyway, so what does it even mather to you, if I talk to her?"
"I am travelling with you?" Isabel watched at Tristan a little amaze.
"Yes. Arthur informed us that you will be in our group as long as you reach the place where you are going. Where is that place by the way?" Tristan watched at her with an interest.
Isabel hesitated a little before she gave her answer.
"This might sound strange, but I am not sure. But I feel like I have to get to place called Camelot. I don't know why, so do not ask about it. I don't know even how I ended up here. I was riding with my horse and then he spooked something and I fell down to snow. When I woke up, I saw Sir Bors' face."
"Spooked?" Gawain raised his eyebrows to a strange word.
"An owl scared him and he dropped me." Isabel explained and realized that she had to choose her words more carefully, if she wanted these men to understand her.
When Tristan heard about the owl, it made him thinking, but he decided not to mention anything about it.
"So where do you come from? You said the place was called Canada, but none of us has heard about it." He said.
"Yes. It is a land called Canada, it is far away from here. I live… Lived in town called Vancouver." Isabel said and heard how her stomach was growling. From the minute she had sat by the fire she had smelled the roasting meat and she was very hungry, she didn't even remember when she had eaten last time.
"Where is that place exactly?" Bedivere asked, but before Isabel had the change to try to explain where Canada was, they heard King Arthur's stern voice.
"That is enough for questions. Can't you see that the poor young woman is as confused as we all are? And I'm sure she is hungry as well. Why don't you give her something to eat?" The last sentence was more a command as a succestion and Tristan stood up fast.
"I'm sorry, Isabel. I should have realized that you are surely hungry."
"It doesn't mather. But I am hungry, that is true." Isabel smiled a little and gave a grateful glance to Arthur's direction.
"So, you seem to fit fine with us, although you are the only woman here." Arthur said sitting next to Isabel, when Lancelot sat just opposite from her.
"I think I do." She said and took a piece of meat from Tristan. She realized that the knights didn't use plates, knives and forks, not at least when they were on a mission, but she didn't let that bother her, she was starving.
"She told, that she feels like she has to get to Camelot with us." Gawain said suddently and Arthur watched the woman, who was eating with a good appetite, a little aloof.
"Do you feel like that?"
"Yes. I think there is something I have to do..." Isabel was amazed about this realization, but she had had that kind of feeling from the moment the knights found her, only now she understood, what the weird feeling was. She felt like someone or something was placing those things to her head.
"We won't be back in Camelot for many days." Arthur said hoping that there wasn't anything wrong in the town, because for some reason he believed this strange, young woman.
"We aren't in hurry. We have time." Isabel said confidence in her voice and wondered at the same time, that what in the earth made her say those things.
Isabel sat with the knights by the campfire for a moment, until she yawned and realized that she was very tired. It had been very exiting and above all, very weird day for her. King Arthur noticed that she had difficulties to keep her eyes open.
"Are you tired?" He asked turning to Isabel.
"Yes, I am. But where can I sleep?"
"You can sleep in my wagon. I am taking the first guard hours anyway, and I can go to sleep in Gawain's wagon." Tristan answered instead Arthur, who just nodded.
"I'm not so sure if I want you to my wagon…" Gawain muttered.
"I'm sure you would want her instead of me, but you can't choose." Tristan grinned slightly.
"That is true, I would rather take her. You snore so loudly in your sleep."
"But better me snoring than Dagonet. Sometimes he wakes even the birds in the middle of the night." Tristan stated glancing to Dagonet. Isabel watched also to man, who she knew as a gentle giant from the stories she had read, but now the big man didn't look so gentle.
"You little…" Dagonet muttered standing up, but Tristan was faster and took a safe distance to him.
"I'm just telling what I heard from Galahad." He laughed and Isabel realized that it was the first time she heard him laughing or saw him smiling in that matter, and she liked his laugh.
Before Dagonet had time to turn to Galahad, who had also backed few steps from the place he had been sitting, Arthur stated sternly.
"I think we should all go to sleep. We have a early wake tomorrow."
Everyone obeyed him and when Isabel was going towards Tristan's wagon, she heard him calling her name and turned.
"See you tomorrow morning, Isabel. Sleep well."
Isabel just waved her hand and smiled a little, then she turned back to wagon and climbed in. She realized that she couldn't sleep on the dress she was wearing, so she sighed a little and decided to wear the T-shirt and trousers, which she wore previously. When she was changed, she lowered herself down to blankets and despite thoughts, that she wouldn't get sleep so easily, she was immediately in deep, peaceful sleep.