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Llynya grinned and could not help but fidget with relief when she saw the knights approaching the barn. Ignoring Dagonet's amused smile, she let Gawain pick her up and kiss her thoroughly - heedless of Bors' laughter and Charlottes' smirk.
Alright?" he brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and she nodded silently, letting him take her hand and lead her back towards the others.
Arthur stood in the centre of the crowd imposing and solemn, Tom and the knights flanking him. Scanning the nervous faces of the villagers he explained what Tom had seen, and asked if any one had ever seen a creature that matched that description. The bemusement etched on their faces made it clear that they had not.
"A… tiger?" Dynadan looked confused. "Never have I heard of such a thing. How would a giant cat get from Rome to here? Can they swim across the sea?"
"They aren't native to Rome," Tom replied, "merely used as sport in giant arenas. There were dealers who sometimes came to Rome - traders from the silk roads. Often they brought strange animals with them, creatures captured or bartered for from lands I do not even know the names of. If there is truly a tiger out there then it was brought here."
"Brought here?" A middle aged woman with sharp eyes and pale hair looked at them in confusion. "For what purpose?"
"That we do not yet know, Lady." Arthur looked at the huddled people in front of him seriously. "You have my word that my knights and I will find out though. The village is secure at present, you may go back to your homes. Be on your guard and if you see or hear anything suspicious then make it known immediately to either me or one of the knights."
"You hear that everyone?" Dynadan looked around at his fellow villagers. "No-one wanders off into the forest and we keep together. If you are afraid to be alone then go to the tavern." He gave a questioning look to Louisa who nodded her consent.
"All are welcome there," she said, "and I have plenty of floor space if you do not wish to return to your homes."
"Then it is settled." Stepping back, Arthur motioned for his knights to let the people pass, smiling slightly as a little girl grinned up at him with an expression of awed wonder.
Llynya stayed with the knights, although she did squeeze Charlottes' hand as she passed. Feeling a nudge against her leg she looked down to see Lark settle down beside her, and bent to scratch her silky head.
"Knights, tonight we rest. We cannot go out hunting blindly, and there is still much we have to learn about this mystery. Bors, Dagonet - you will take the first watch, Lancelot and Galahad you will relieve them at moonrise. I will arrange with Dynadan to choose lookouts from his own people - the more surveillance we have the better. We cannot afford to be caught unawares again. The rest of you, clean -up, settle your horses, but be in the tavern before nightfall; we have plans to discuss."
Bors and Dagonet nodded and set off down to the path leading to the meadow, their big frames companionably silent as they idly checked their weapons. Llynya watched them go and raised a hand in farewell as Dagonet turned to nod to her.
"Hey," Gawains hair tickled her cheek as he bent to whisper in her ear. "Do I have competition for your affections?"
Llynya grinned. "Would it bother you if you did?"
"Wench," he muttered, grabbing her hand and setting off towards the little house that had been allocated. "You've been spending too much time with Charlotte."
Laughing, she let herself be pulled along beside him, blushing slightly as Lancelot rolled his eyes at the pair of them.
"Make sure to be at the tavern by nightfall. I'll sort out your horse for you -try not to get too… distracted," he said with a smirk
Gawains reply was short, to the point, and not entirely polite.
Pushing open the door to the cottage, Gawain let Llynya through before closing it behind them. The fire had subsided to embers, the bed still rumpled from that morning. Looking at it, Llynya wondered at how much had happened since then, and jumped a little when Gawain put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her back towards him. Resting her head against his chest, she put her hands over the fingers laced over her stomach and sighed contentedly.
"I thought I'd lost you today," he said quietly.
"I thought I was lost," She replied. "If Charlotte hadn't been there…" Forcing back the terrible memory of the beast that should have by rights taken her life that afternoon, she pulled away from Gawain's embrace.
"You need a bath." She smiled, pretending to wrinkle her nose in disgust.
"Aye Llynya," he chuckled, "are you offering to give me one?"
Giving him a haughty look, she nonetheless noticed the bowl of water and washcloth she had used that morning in the corner of the room. Her mouth twitching in a mischievous smile, she tugged Gawain towards the bed and bade him sit.
"Llynya? What.."
She shushed him with pretend irritation, fumbling at the laces of his jerkin. "You are not fit to be seen in polite company - if you won't clean yourself up then I will have to do it for you."
"Polite company?" Gawain asked with amusement, obligingly raising his arms so that she could pull his shirt over his head.
"Well… Company at any rate," Llynya acknowledged, placing the water bowl on the small table beside the bed. Dipping the cloth into the cool water she carefully wiped the dirt from his face, laughing as he gasped at the shock of the coldness against his skin.
"Don't be such a baby," she whispered, although she could not help a shudder of her own when one big hand reached around to the small of her back, the other lightly caressing her hip. Biting her lip in concentration, she pretended to be oblivious to the blue eyes watching her intently; running the cloth down his neck and soothing the marks where his armour had rubbed against his skin. Tracing the lines of his collar bones and running her fingers through the soft golden fur upon his chest, she cleaned away the dirt and sweat, her chest constricting at his soft sigh of contentment. His belly tightened when she swept the cool water across it, the flex of muscles against her fingers causing her own muscles to tense, and she swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. Pushing his hands away from her gently, she scrambled onto the bed behind him. His tangled hair cascaded over his broad shoulders, and sweeping it to one side, she continued her ministrations. Rubbing the tired muscles and seeking to tell him everything she dare not say with gentle fingertips and silent tenderness. She bent to kiss the puckered scar of an old arrow wound and muttered a brief prayer to herself; Gods keep him safe, keep him whole. He shuddered and turned around, knocking the water to the floor and pulling her onto his lap. Burying her face into his neck, she felt his rough hands run up and down her sides, his soft lips against her shoulder and reluctantly pulled away.
"It's getting dark," she said quietly. He looked at her for a moment and she felt her heart twist with a strange mixture of joy and sorrow.
"Aye it is." Giving her a chaste kiss on the lips, he released her and reached for his shirt. "Are you working tonight?"
"I don't know. I suppose so." Llynya suddenly realised that she probably should have gone straight to the tavern to see if she was needed. "I should go and find out." Turning towards the door, she was pulled back before she had taken two paces.
"Gods woman." Gawain looked at her in frustration. "We'll go together. There might be guards watching the village, but it's far from safe out there. You've already scared me half to death today - I'm not having you make a habit of it."
Llynya rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll wait for you." Running her fingers through her hair and smoothing her skirt, she did her best to make herself presentable. She would probably be expected to serve at the bar tonight, and she could only hope that she would do a better job of it this time. To fail in front of a group of villagers she did not know was embarrassing - to make an idiot of herself in front of the knights would be beyond humiliating.
"Ready?" Gawain held out a hand towards her, and Llynya took it with a small smile and a nod.
The street was almost deserted, although the silhouettes flickering behind the fire-lit windows prevented the village from seeming as desolate as it had been before. Looking around nervously, Llynya scanned the dark shadows. While it was comforting to know that Bors and Dagonet were out there somewhere keeping watch, she could not help but worry for them. Gawain squeezed her hand reassuringly and she smiled. Trust him to anticipate her fears.
Entering the tavern, Llynya almost took a step back. If she had thought it had been busy before, then that was nothing compared to the mayhem that greeted her now. It seemed as though half the village were crammed into the big room. Children scrambled beneath the tables, men drank and gambled, their women either perched on their laps or gossiping in groups together. In the far corner, Arthur and the other knights sat around a table drinking from a pitcher of ale and looking more relaxed than she had ever seen them, despite the intent conversation they were engaged in.
"Llynya!" Charlotte hurried towards her, batting away the hand of an inebriated young man as she did so. "Praise the gods - do we ever need your help tonight." Her hair was escaping it's braid and her cheeks were flushed. "It's a mad house in here."
"So it would seem." Letting go of Gawain's hand, she smiled at him and let herself be pulled back towards the kitchens, the blonde girl chattering away as they made their way through the throng.
Louisa had somehow managed to maintain her aura of serene calm, despite the bedlam around her. Sending Charlotte and Llynya back out in to the melee laden with pitchers of ale and a tray of rough earthenware mugs, she instructed them to refill any empty glasses and tied a leather pouch around Llynya's waist for the money she was to take in payment.
Biting her tongue in concentration, she did her best not to trip over the children scrambling around her feet and poured the drinks as carefully as she could. Taking the coins that were shoved towards her with as confident a smile she could muster, she could not help but feel a little proud at Charlotte's encouraging nod. Turning swiftly at Louisa's call, the large mug she was holding hit a dark curly head with an audible clunk. With great reluctance she lowered her eyes to the man that she had just hit and found herself looking into Arthur Castus' green eyes. "Oh Gods…" she gasped, "I'm sorry, I didn't…" Panicking she gave a half curtsey and promptly poured a small river of ale into his lap. Frozen with mortification she willed the beast to make an appearance, or at least a hole to open up in the ground and swallow her.
"It's quite alright Llynya." Arthur patted her arm comfortingly, "I was in your way - it's my fault."
Llynya opened her eyes tentatively, but could see nothing but kindness in the Roman commander's face. Beside him Lancelot smirked and Galahad was almost crying with laughter. Blushing so hard that she felt her face was aflame, she hastily thrust the now half -full mug onto the table and turned to flee. Gawain grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto his lap before she could escape. Giving her a quick kiss he whispered "you're doing fine," before releasing her with pat to the bottom. Glaring at him crossly, Llynya went back to the kitchens, her embarrassment forgotten for a moment.
"Bloody men." Charlotte said as she hurried up beside her. "Think they're all gods gift to women."
"Llynya laughed and nodded her agreement. "You're going to have to teach me some of your put-downs - I have a feeling I'm going to need them if I'm going to be working here."
The younger girl grinned. "By all means, although if all else fails a swift kick to the crotch always seems to work."
Laughing, they scampered back to refill the pitchers, the beast forgotten for a moment - the danger ignored for a few brief hours.
A/N Kind of a fluffy chapter, scene setting really - more about the beastie in the next one. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter - much appreciated.