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Llynya froze. She could feel the dampness of the ground seeping through her thin dress, could feel every sharp ridge and ripple of the stones beneath her palm. She did not dare move, and as the beast padded closer, it's huge muzzle nuzzling her back, it's breath warm against her damp skin, she stopped breathing. Somewhere deep within her mind something shifted and mercifully shut out the horror. There was only so much fear a person could take, and she turned her head to look at the tiger; curious, terrified and almost accepting of her fate.
Beautiful, she thought almost dispassionately. This was the last thing that Charlotte saw: this is fire and claws and the hybrid of a thousand tales of monsters told to get young children to bed. She could feel the tickle of its whiskers against her neck, the slide of silky, powerful muscles as it brushed her shoulder, and fought impotently against her fear. She was close - so close. The knights were obviously unwilling toloose their arrowswhile she was in such close proximity to the target - it was up to her to give them a clear shot.
Stretching her fingers out slowly, she wrapped her fingers around a large chunk of rock. The beast growled lowly, obviously waiting for a command, and Llynya tried to keep herself as still as possible. At the sound of another whistle she moved as swiftly as the beast, rolling onto her back and swinging the rock at the tiger's muzzle. The beast snarled with shock and pain, swiping at its bloody nose with a huge paw. Llynya did not wait to see if her plan had been successful. Throwing herself forward and scrambling to her feet, she raced towards the tavern, barely dodging the arrow that thudded into the ground beside her. She had a couple of seconds head start at best, and now Tauleus was shooting at her. Dodging sideways, she gained a few precious seconds when the beast snarled in pain as one of the knights' arrows pierced it's flank.
"Run Llynya!" It could have been Gawain calling, it could have been her long dead mother - it could have been Arthur's God urging her faster for all she knew, but she heard the call and heeded it. Racing around the corner beside the barn into the narrow alley, she recognised Bors's voice and threw herself to the floor at his shouted command. The tiger was almost upon her, there was no room for error. Squashing herself as tightly as she could into the wet ground, she barely heard the thud of the axe as it severed the rope above her, but the hiss of the log swinging down bare inches from her head was impossible to ignore, as was the snarling cry of rage and pain behind her. Glancing back, she ducked as the piece of wood studded with metal and now dripping with blood, swung back over her and shuddered to a halt as Bors and Dagonet grabbed the ropes that held it.
The beast had been thrown backwards by the impact of the log, it's body crashing against the side of the barn. Llynya scrambled backwards and felt herself pulled to her feet roughly by Gawain.
"Stay here." Kicking down one of the fences that surrounded the pig pen, he shoved the trembling girl into the shelter. "I mean it Llynya, stay here."
She nodded mutely, her mind whirling, as she collapsed upon the dirty straw. She could still feel the beast's breath upon her skin, could hear it's low rumbling growl. Getting to her knees, she poked her head out of the hut. It was not difficult to see what was happening. Galahad and Dagonet held blazing torches, the light flickering in the gloom and casting strange shadows upon an already dreamlike scene. The tiger snarled and bared it's teeth at the men before it,the green eyes a blaze offury and pain.The beast was obviously badly hurt: the bright coat was dark with blood, it's breathing laboured. Snarling, it made an abortive attempt to spring at Arthur, only to fall back as the Roman sliced forward with Excalibur, the sword opening a deep wound in the beast's neck. Struggling to it's feet, it roared once in pain and defiance, before falling onto its side. The knights watched intently, their weapons shining in the faint light, their eyes ablaze, as Arthur walked towards the fallen creature and with a harsh cry, severed it's head from it's body.
"It's over," Llynya whispered to herself, getting to her feet and brushing the straw from her knees.
"Hardly." She yelped and turned so fast that she almost fell over, at the voice behind her.
"Calm down Llynya," Lancelot looked almost amused. "You didn't think Gawain would leave you alone without someone to keep an eye on you did you?"
"I can take care of myself." The words were defiant, and squaring her shoulders, Llynya looked at the dark knight lounging against the fence with a bravado that was neither genuine nor particularly convincing.
"Yes, you seemed to be doing a marvellous job of that so far. Was falling down in front of the beast part of the plan or improvisation on your part? If Gawain dies of a heart attack in the near future then I will hold you personally responsible."
"It was muddy." Llynya took a deep breath and put out a hand to steady herself against the pig shelter. The adrenaline was leaving her system, leaving her muscles weak and trembling, her heart fluttering in her chest like a trapped butterfly.
"Are you alright?" Lancelot looked at her with concern, and Llynya nodded, sinking to her haunches as the world seemed to spin around her.
"Fine." Closing her eyes, she struggled to find her equilibrium. Come on girl, don't fall apart now, she mentally berated herself. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head to clear it, and gave Lancelot a lopsided smile. "I'm alright." Waving away his outstretched hand, she managed to get to her feet . "It was just a bit…"
Lancelot nodded, his eyes glinting with a little of their old wickedness. "Yes, I suppose it was."
"Llynya?" Gawain glanced at Lancelot before walking swiftly over to the young girl still half-propped against the pig shelter. "What were you.. I thought…" growling, he abandoned his admonishment and pulled her against his chest, burying his face in her dirty, tangled hair.
"Oof." Llynya hugged him back for a moment, before struggling free. "Sorry, couldn't breathe." Looking up at him, she lifted a hand and brushed a heavy lock of golden hair from his brow. His eyes were dark, his expression worried as he ran his eyes over her, checking for injuries.
"I'm alright." He met her eyes and she gave him the first genuine smile of that evening. "It was a close thing, but I'm alright, and the beast is dead."
"Aye, it is." He cupped her chin and ran a rough thumb over her cheek. "Tauleas is still out there however, and I cannot imagine that the loss of his pet will put him in a very good temper. The village is not safe, you are not safe."
"But they will be." She kissed his palm as he dropped his hand from her face. "One man against Arthur and his legendary knights? He might as well give up now."
"That is a very dangerous assumption," Gawain said, grasping her hand and helping her over the remains of the fence he had destroyed earlier. "The beast might be dead, but remain on your guard. Promise me that you will stay close, either to me or my brothers."
Llynya noted the tension in his voice, felt his big hand almost crushing her fingers, and realised that Gawain had had to stand back and watch while she was almost killed earlier. What would she have done had their roles been reversed? Certainly she doubted that she could have controlled her emotions with the same discipline that he used to hold his in check. Attempting to lighten his mood a little, she squeezed his hand and quirked a smile up at him.
"Now I've fought Woads and a tiger. All I need to do now is kill a few Saxons and Arthur might make me one of his knights."
"Wench." Gawain gave her a brief one-armed hug, but seemed to relax a little. "When we get to the wall the only danger you will face will be pricking your finger on a sewing needle."
Llynya snorted in mock disgust, but moved a little closer to him. It was reassuring to know that he could still laugh, and gratifying to know that she was the one to bring him out of the horror of his life, even for only a moment.
The knights stood around the body of the beast, all of them alert with adrenaline and eager to fight. Arthur ordered Dagonet and Bors to free the villagers from their shelter, with the proviso that they return to their homes swiftly and kept on their guard, Tristan vanishing as swiftly as he had arrived to keep watch on the meadow. A couple of the braver village lads would join him in surveying the village, well aware that there was a rogue archer on the loose, and taking care to make sure that they did not present an easy target. Llynya blushed and bobbed a short curtsey when Arthur commended her for her courage, and was almost knocked flat when Bors patted her on the shoulder and joked that he thought "she'd had it for a moment, back there." Gawain had scowled at that, a response that went completely unnoticed by the older man.
Picking her way over to the crumpled body of the beast, Llynya crouched before it and cautiously touched it's silky fur. The giant paws were still, the severed head staring glassily at the evening sky, the huge teeth bared. It was beautiful and terrible even in death, and she wondered at such a strange creature being here in this tiny , ordinary village. A monster from a fairy tale brought to life and killed by heroes of legend. Heroes and a scruffy village girl with too many dreams and too little sense, she thought with a wry smile. Getting to her feet, she smiled at Dagonet as he passed, and followed Gawain back to the tavern.
A/N Well my poppets, here is the resolution to that cliff-hanger. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter - I hope this makes up for any distress caused (smile). Sorry, I didn't have time to reply to each review personally, but I did read them and appreciated all the comments. I felt a bit mean killing the beast - I'm a feline lover, asmy black cat sprawled on the table behind me will testify lol.