Sorry for the lack of updates, but I've been getting ready for college! I'm excited.
Wow, so many reviews, thanks alot.
In this chapter, I have a few songs, written by Loreena McKennitt, Greensleeves and the Mummer's Dance. I own neither of them, of course, so I just wanted to add this little disclaimer.
Enjoy and Tell me, please, what you think!
Chapter 17
Getting to Know You
The Tavern was filled with loud laughter and merriment. Everyone was in a festive mood, music was playing, and the Knights sat around their usual table enjoying the gaiety about them. The nervous tension that had filled Elaine just moments after she had entered the Tavern, was slowly fading away as she laughed and joked with the knights around her. Lancelot sat at her side, laughing hard as they watched the drinking game that had developed between Galahad and Gawain. Completely unused to the effects of strong drink, Elaine watched the two young knights with a slight bit of fascination.
Just then, Galahad slammed down a mug, after downing the contents in a race with Gawain who still drank from his own, and the young man yelped a cry of triumph.
"I win, Gawain!"
The blonde knight frowned from behind his mug, before he set it down on the long wooden table in front of him. Lamorak, who sat directly opposite Elaine, patted his cousin's shoulder.
"There's no denying it, Gawain. He's finally beat you."
Lancelot chuckled, "And now you must face the terms of the wager."
Elaine giggled, "What were the terms?"
The young woman looked at Gawain, her heart warming when she saw him actually blush and turn his eyes away from her own. Lancelot smirked , winking at Galahad and Lamorak before raising his mug of ale to his mouth.
Elaine looked around the table expectantly, "Well?"
Galahad spoke up finally, laughing hard as he did.
"Gawain must sing a song for you, dear sweet lady."
Elaine's eyes grew wide. "He must what?"
"Yes, our poor friend here must serenade you properly before he can be released from the wage," Lancelot turned to her with a gorgeous smile, causing her to slightly become flushed. "He must woo you with his song."
Gawain groaned, dropping his head hard against the table with a loud thump.
"Gods, I'll kill you all before the night is through," the knight said beneath his folded arms.
Elaine looked at the knight sympathetically, as she reached forward across the table to lay her hand on Gawain's arm. Feeling her soft touch on his skin, Gawain slowly looked up. His eyes became hopeful at her understanding look.
"Oh Gawain, that would be much to embarrassing, I'm sure," she spoke reassuringly. Gawain smiled, thankful for the possibility of her salvation from the humiliation that he might be forced to bare.
"But, I am afraid it would also be a sight that I would most enjoy to see,"
Gawain's face fell back down to the table again, harder this time, as the knights erupted in laughter. Lancelot scooted even closer to her, smiling brightly upon the cunning woman that had stolen his breath away. He couldn't believe that such a strong, beautiful, witty woman could ever exist in the dark world in which they all lived. Yet there she was, sitting beside him, her eyes aglow with her sweet laughter.
"Come now, Gawain," said Dagonet, finally speaking up after having been more observant than anything the entire night.
Gawain's head shot up from its place upon the table, glaring at his fellow knight. "And if I refuse?"
"Ah, well," Lancelot said, winking to Elaine, "then you would have to do something else to win the lady's heart."
Elaine smiled back at Lancelot, catching on to his implications. She winked back.
"Yes, and the only other way to win a lady's heart is to profess your undying devotion to me."
The young knight's head flopped back up suddenly, causing his long golden strands to fling up into the air. "That! I'll do that!"
Lancelot sighed, "Very well, as you wish. Of course, you'd have to do it in the proper, traditional manner."
"What do you mean?"
Galahad smiled, "You know Gawain, in the proper way to show respect for the lady as well as her guardian."
"Again, what do you mean?"
Elaine smiled, "Well you'd have to tell Arthur, silly!"
"What?"
Lancelot frowned, "I cannot believe you don't know. In order to pledge your devotion, you must walk up to Arthur and say, 'My lord, I have fallen madly in love with your sister, and by my life or death, I pledge my undying devotion and protection to her. I ask you to grant me her hand, so that I may take her as mine forever, both as a wife, and more importantly, as a lover."
Elaine gasped at the last word that fell from the brash knight's mouth. He chuckled, before she punched him in the arm hard.
"Ow!"
Lamorak frowned, "Nice shot." Elaine smirked back at him.
Gawain's jaw hung down to the surface of the table, "I have to say that, all of that, to Arthur?"
Elaine smiled again., rejoining the game despite Lancelot's rude addition. "Yes. Exactly that."
"He wouldn't even give me the chance to run before he sliced my head off with Excalibur"
"Well, than I guess you're only option would be to sing," Galahad smirked.
Gawain groaned, "Fine."
The table erupted into cheers and whoops, as the young knight stood and joined the blushing Elaine beside her. Elaine giggled as Gawain kneeled before her. She felt bad that she was helping the other knight's in embarrassing her newfound friend, but he had aggreed to the terms of the wager. Elaine smiled sympathetically.
"Sorry, Gawain. Don't be mad."
Despite his obvious annoyance, Gawain looked up at the lady above him and winked.
"This happens a lot," he whispered reassuringly, "but usually not to me."
"No, no Gawain," Galahad called out, "sing so that all may hear your serenade to the lady ."
The groaning knight stood up, the attention from all of the tavern turned towards him. He shifted from on foot to the other.
"Alas my love you do me wrong To cast me off discourteously;
And I have loved you oh so long Delighting in your company."
"Louder, Gawain"
"Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves my heart of gold Greensleeves was my heart of joy"
"And who but my lady Greensleeves.
I have been ready at your hand To grant whatever thou would'st crave;
I have waged both life and land Your love and goodwill for to have."
Elaine smiled, tears in her eyes from laughter. Gawain was actually quite good.
"Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves my heart of gold Greensleeves was my heart of joy And who but my lady Greensleeves."
As the knight finished, the surrounding crowds erupted in cheer. Bors, who had been at the bar with Vanora at the time of the game, was practically rolling upon the dirty ground, convulsing in hard laughter. Poor Gawain's face was the color of red, as he rushed back over to his seat, hiding his head in his hands once more. Lancelot's rich hearty laughter could be heard above all else, as he wiped tears from his dark eyes, desperately trying to speak, but unable to form words with his quivering lips. Galahad and Lamorak held on to each other, both crying with laughter. Elaine herself, wasn't laughing quite as hard as the knights around her, as she sat astonished at the strong knight's musical abilities. Who would have guessed that such a sweet masculine voice was hidden deep within Gawain?
Elaine reached across the table just as the laughter in the Tavern was beginning to die out a bit. She rested her hand on the back of Gawain's head, gently stroking his hair with a reassuring manner. Elaine felt bad that the poor knight had lost and thus was subjected to the humiliation. Gawain groaned in response, thankful for his dear friend's comfort, but unable to bring his head up to acknowledge her for fear of more ridicule.
"Oh, Gods! I think I need to lie down," Bors said, as he began to sit drunkenly on the ground, clutching at his side, tears of laughter silently slipping down his round cheeks.
Vanora came up behind her lover with a stern face, kicking him gently with a firm foot.
"Get up Bors!"
Bors looked up at Vanora, instantly remembering his first reason for venturing back over towards the knight's table. He nodded at his lover with a tiny smile, rising up with the help of his shaky but strong arms. Bors wrapped his bulky arm around Vanora's waist, kissing the top of her forehead before guiding her over to the knights and Elaine. Vanora smiled at her lover's sweet gesture.
"Oh, Gawain," Lancelot said, finally able to speak after several moments. "Had I known that you were so musical, I'd have you singing a long time ago."
"Shut up."
Elaine smiled towards the head of Gawain.
"Gawain, it was lovely."
"Shut up."
Lamorak punched Gawain's shoulder, only to receive a returned blow to the head, the bowed knight not even rising his head to do so. Elaine looked up to see the approaching Bors with a short, red- headed woman at his side. Again, Elaine felt the unbearable nervousness that usually possessed her in the very pit of her belly. She gulped slightly as the two came up right to where she sat.
"Elaine, this is my…uh..the mother of my children, Vanora."
"She's the mother of his ten children," Dagonet said, with a slight emphasis on ten.
Elaine's mouth gaped, "I admire you already."
The red-haired woman chuckled softly, before calmly walking up to Elaine, and attempting a slight bow, "Milady."
Elaine's eyes grew wide as she shot up from the seat. She reached out her hand and placed it on Vanora's shoulder.
"Oh, please no. Don't call me that, just Elaine."
Vanora smiled as her heart warmed. "So, it's true then, what they say about you then."
"I wasn't aware there was anything going around about me at all."
"No, there is much talk of the pretty lady of the Wall. They say you are not rude like the other ladies, that you might not be one because of it."
Elaine smiled, "That's just silly, of course I'm rude. Just ask our foolhardy Lancelot over there. Tell us, sir knight, just how many times have I won one of your gambling games tonight? Six times, was it? Oh, and I cleaned him dry of his earnings. How unfortunate that he won't be able to spend all of that foolishly on some random woman tonight."
Lancelot frowned, "You speak to much for a woman."
"Oh, what ever happened to the famous Lancelot charms? Insulting a woman will get you nowhere, I'm afraid."
Elaine smiled as she felt Vanora move closer towards her side, supporting her silently, amidst her bits of laughter.
"But your undeniable attraction to me will get me everywhere."
Vanora shook her head. "Lancelot!"
"You thought I was attracted to you? Oh, poor Lancelot here has confused sympathy for attraction." Elaine shook her head in a mock look of concern and pity.
Vanora erupted in an infectious laughter that soon drew Elaine in despite herself.
"Elaine," Vanora said, placing her arm around the younger woman beside her, "I think that you and I are going to be very close friends."
Elaine grinned, "That would be absolutely wonderful."
"Oh, no," groaned Bors as his head slumped forward to the table's surface, joining the still fallen Gawain who sat beside him.
Vanora soon guided Elaine towards the bar to meet some of her many children, the two talking and giggling the entire way there.
"That may prove to be a deadly alliance you just formed, Bors," said Galahad, pointing towards the retreating women as he drank the remaining contents of his half-empty mug.
Lancelot's classic smirk appeared across his face once again, and light filled his eyes as he watched Elaine leave, the anger that flashed in them before all but disappearing. Elaine's long, dark tresses seemed to float in the air behind her as she walked, and her eyes glowed in the delicate light that surrounded them all. His heart leaped in his chest when her soft smile spread across her face. He knew that there was no denying it now; Elaine had awaken something unknown within him, that had laid dead for nearly fifteen years. And although he didn't know exactly what that feeling was just yet, he knew that he felt strongly for the lady, in more ways than one. She was, obviously, the most beautiful, intriguing thing to have ever met his sight. It was as if her beauty shined brightly, untouched by the dark, terrible world they lived in. Elaine also was smarter and stronger than any woman he'd ever come across, perhaps even more so than some men. But, at the same time, Elaine almost always found a way to simply annoy the hell out of him. She was this infuriating, cunning ball of flame that launched itself at his heart and mind. Lancelot sighed, giving Elaine one last longing glance, before turning his attention back towards the other knights that sat around him.
As she passed by with Vanora, Tristan had caught a trace of her warm scent. She seemed to always smell of roses, and oddly, the smell of a deep, dense forest. Like evergreens with fresh dew still dripping off their pines, and a youthful rose still clinging tightly to the vine. It was a strange combination of aromas, but nonetheless intoxicating to even him. He had watched her all night from the shadows of the Tavern. She had been shy and unsure of herself at first, sitting straight up in her seat by Lancelot, denying any drink but water that had been brought to her. Than, as the night progressed, she had become more comfortable, laughing with Galahad and Lamorak, sitting with a compassionate smile during Gawain's half-drunken singing, and putting down Lancelot's snide remarks effortlessly. Tristan glared at the brash knight now. He'd seen the way his eyes had watched she walked away with Vanora. His palm throbbed with pain from his self-inflicted wound, and was now reinforced by his hatred of Elaine. She made him weak. He sighed before emerging from the dark corners of the tavern.
Lamorak was the first to take notice of the scout, before he sat off to the side of the table. "Tristan, where have you been around all night?"
"Around."
"What have you done to your hand?" Dagonet spoke, pointing his giant index finger towards his palm in question.
Tristan opened his hand and smirked, carelessly wrapping the wound in some linen. "Cut myself."
No one question the dark scout further, but each man wondered how the agile Tristan could have possibly cut himself on accident. They were soon joined by a laughing Elaine and Vanora, who held her youngest up against her hip. Galahad jumped, startled by their arrival, slicing his finger with the dagger he had been sharpening.
"Dammit!"
Galahad groaned, grabbing a piece of Tristan's tossed away linen and haphazardly wrapping his heat bleeding finger. Elaine frowned, taking the young knight's hand in hers. Instinctively, Galahad pulled away.
"Come now, let me see."
"I'm fine, Elaine."
Elaine grabbed his hand, Galahad sighing as he relented to her. She peeled away the linen and accessed Galahads accidental injury. Her brows furrowed.
"This is deep, here."
Elaine applied pressure to the wound, and as the bleeding stopped, she grabbed Lancelot's beverage, dabbing an extra piece of linen in the drink. She uncovered the wound and allowed the alcohol to clean it out.
"AHHHH! THAT HURTS! STOP!"
Tristan kicked at the knight's chair, "Stop whining like a child."
Elaine looked up at the dark scout, realizing he was there as her heart began to pound in her chest. She smiled at his attempt to help calm Galahad down, but was distraught when Tristan ignored her, turning his attention back to his apple. She frowned, turning her attention back to the injured knight. Did he not seemed concern with her safety earlier that night? Hadn't he brushed his warm hand along her skin, causing flame to erupt inside her?
"There, I'm finished now."
Galahad pouted slightly, looking over his injured hand. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," she said as she sat down again.
"Oh no, I have to get to work," Vanora said as she looked at the large crowd that was forming around the bar again.
"Um..here will you take him, Elaine please?" Vanora lowered her young son into Elaine's lap.
"Oh, I don't..."
"Oh, pleas it will only be for a little while, I promise." Vanora rushed away before Elaine could even respond. She looked down at the tiny boy in her arms and smiled. The babe cooed at her, and she made pretty little faces at him, causing tiny giggles to erupt. Despite himself, Tristan stared at Elaine. She gently cradled the babe in her arms, the baby grabbing one of her loose strands of hair in his small palm. She smiled, causing Tristan's heart to thump hard against his ribs.
"You have a way with children it would seem," Lancelot said.
Elaine beamed up at the knight, "I've taken care of many of the young in the Celtic tribes before."
Suddenly, the baby sensed his mother's absence and began to squirm about, even though he's enjoyed the warmth of Elaine's grasped.
"Oh, he gets that way from time to time," Bors said looking across the table and into the eyes of his bastard. "He usually calms down when Vanora'll sing to him."
"Sing? But she's busy it would seem," Elaine's eyes desperately searched the crowd for Vanora's form.
"Well, why don't you sing to him then?" Lancelot said with a menacing look on his face. He was up to something.
"Oh, I couldn't."
"Yes, sing to him," Lamorak said.
Galahad, Dagonet, Bors and Gawain all started up as well despite Elaine's constant refusals.
"Come, sing!"
"Elaine sing!"
"Sing!"
"I did it, now it is your turn! It's only fair!"
Elaine sighed, looking down at the babe in her arms, "Now look what you've done little one." The babe grinned up at Elaine and gurgled as if he knew exactly what he'd started.
"Alright."
"SILENCE EVERYONE!" Lancelot shouted to the crowd as he stood from his seat.
Elaine pulled desperately at his sleeve, "Lancelot, stop!"
"THE LADY ELAINE WILL SING TO US ALL!"
"Lancelot!"
"YAYY!
The crowd quickly grew silent, all eyes turning towards Elaine. She stared right back, clutching the babe to her tightly. Her heart thumped hard in her chest. "I..I...I don't ...have...what song...I."
"Sing us a song from the Celts," Lamorak said, gently coming up behind her and helping her to hr feet.
"I...which...I can't...I."
"Come now, Elaine. For the baby." Lancelot smirked and winked. Elaine glared at him, finally realizing that he was attempting to get payback. This was another challenge. She couldn't loose.
"Very well."
The crowds encircled her, and a gentle fiddler began to play a song that she had whispered to him, hoping that he might know. No one was quiet prepared for the soft, angelic voice that she would soon evoke.
"When in the springtime of the year,
When the trees are crowned with leaves.
When the ash and oak, and the birch and yew,
Are dressed in ribbons fair."
Elaine sung out, glancing to the babe in her arms from time to time. The knights stared in awe as she continued her enchanting melody.
"When owls call the breathless moon,
In the blue veil of the night,
The shadows of the trees appear.
Amidst the lantern light."
"We've been rambling all the night,
And some time of this day.
Now returning back again,
we bring a garland gay."
That's when Elaine's eyes met Tristan's dark ones. They stared deeply into each other's eyes, as the words floated out from within her soul. He never faltered in his stare, his eyes soft and more mesmerizing than Elaine had initially thought. There seemed to be a heat between them, that both felt the effects off. Elaine grew flushed, and Tristan's palms began to sweat irritating his wound, but he could feel nothing but what he was feeling all over his body. Her words washed over him like a wave, and he had to grip the arms of his chair so that he wouldn't jump up and close the unbearable distance between them.
"Who will go down to those shady groves,
And summon the shadows there,
And tie a ribbon on those sheltering arms
In the springtime of the year."
Arthur and Kay walked into the Tavern that very moment, and both stopped dead in their tracks.
"Well what's this?" Kay whispered.
Arthur could only stand there like a fool, listening to the sweet song his lovely sister sang as she held the babe in her arms. She was so very beautiful in that moment, more beautiful than he had ever seen. He simply couldn't get over the fact that she looked so much like their mother, which was reinforce by the white shine of the pendant that lay gently upon her breast.
"The songs of birds seem to fill the wood,
That when the fiddler plays,
All their voices can be heard,
Long past their woodland days."
"And so they linked their hands and danced,
Round in circles and in rows.
And so the journey of the night descends,
When all the shades are gone."
"We've been rambling all the night,
And some time of this day.
Now returning back again,
we bring a garland gay."
As the song ended, there was a brief silence before the crowds erupted in applause and cheers. Elaine blushed, hurrying over to the smiling Vanora to take the babe in her arms once again. Tristan's heart still thumped hard in his chest, and his breathe was coming out in labored puffs. He quickly made his way towards the exit, but noticed Arthur standing by the door with a concerned look on his Roman features.
Tristan switched over to his alert, scout self instantly upon seeing his commander, "Arthur?"
Arthur turned towards his scour slowly before making his way to the table. Tristan and Kay followed him, as the other knights soon acknowledged the arrival of their leader. Elaine looked up and smiled brightly to her brother.
"Ah, Arthur drink!" Bors yelled joyously.
They all soon noticed the stern look on Arthur's countenance.
"Knights, a problem has arisen and I must ask for your council."
"What is it Arthur?"
"It is...It concerns Elaine."
"Me?"
"Yes, come we must all meet at the Round Table. You too, Elaine."