Healing Hands
The hoof beats of the two stallions racing through the gates of Hadrian's Wall, sounded out through the late afternoon air. A gray steed lead a white one into the grassy valley just outside the fortress, as the gleam of the late sun shone brightly down upon the riders. Tristan rode hard, as he was accustomed to doing, but occasionally glanced over his shoulder to the lady behind him, making sure she was able to keep up with his steady pace. It didn't surprise him to see that Elaine was right on his tail, or Atheas's, her bright white horse, Luka, matching the speed of the beast in front of him. Turning back to the valley before him, Tristan smirked to himself. She'd obviously been trained in proper horsemanship as well. Had the Celts not taught her something?
Before long, the two riders came upon the edge of the lush, dark forests that bordered the valleys outside the fortress. They slowed their steeds, and Tristan leapt to the ground with an agile grace, making Elaine smile to herself. He wasn't like any man she had ever met before in her entire life.
Tristan's dark, alert eyes scanned the various entrances of the forests, his ears perking up at even the slightest sound. Elaine jumped down from Luka, stroking his mane, before unlatching the empty sacks and her gathering basket. She wore a forest green gown, that she usually wore when she went out to gather supplies, which had a brown belt that held a small utility knife at her side. Her brown tresses were held back from her eyes in green ribbons, gifts from Isolde, so that she could do her work without the constant distraction of brushing the loose strands back.
"I don't know why you wore that. Especially when riding."
Elaine turned to see that Tristan stood behind her, pointing down at her thick gown dress with the tip of his dagger, before he set it in its sheath at his side. Her eyes drifted downward for a moment, her fingers gripping at the skirts of her gown, before she looked right back up into his eyes again. She tilted her head up defiantly, but overestimated the space between her and the scout. Elaine's lips were mere inches from Tristan's. Her breathing became labored, and her hands began to tremble that she had to squeeze them together. But she didn't back down, not even for a single second.
"Because it is warm and the skirts are large enough so that I may use them to gather herbs in them."
Tristan suddenly drew even closer to her, his lips so close that he only had to bend down only a inch or two to capture her quivering pink lips. Elaine's eyes grew wide, as she stared up at the scout, unsure of what she should or could do. Then, his arm reached up, extending over her right shoulder, the roughness of his sleeve brushing the creamy skin of her neck. She couldn't help but gasp. Tristan's eyes. They held something within them, something she was too unexperienced to detect.
Suddenly, Tristan brought his arm back, and Elaine realized that he was holding her other gathering basket. He'd reached behind her at unhooked it from Luka's saddle.
"That's what this is for."
Elaine huffed, grabbing the basket from his hand. "Thanks," she mumbled as she walked passed him quickly, making her way into the forest. Tristan suddenly sprinted to her side in an instant, taking her arm.
"Not so fast."
Elaine rolled her eyes. They entered the forest together, quickly immersed in its musty darkness.
After an hour a good searching and collecting, Elaine found that she'd come up with a substantial amount of herbs and seeds, and other various things she'd need for making medicines and ointments. She sat upon the earth, using her tiny knife to strip feverfew plants from the ground. She shook the loose dirt from the plant, before setting it in her basket. Tristan watched her intently from where he loomed over, leaning against a tree just a few feet away. He looked about them from time to time, scanning the forest for any animals or woads, though he often made no distinction between the two. In fact, he probably held animals a few steps above woads in importance.
"What are you thinking about?"
Tristan's eyes shot back to Elaine, who sat looking up at him as she cut the yellow flowers from the plants she held, separating them each in two piles on her skirt.
"What?"
"I bet I can tell what you're thinking," she smiled, although he seemed only slightly affected by her words.
"Really?"
"Yes. You're thinking that you have much better things to be doing at this moment, than being here in these woods. That you'd rather be with someone else, doing something else."
He huffed, picking at his still bandaged hand with the tip of his dagger. "Um...no that's what you were thinking."
She stood, leaving her herbs and baskets at the ground. She looked at him, than looked out back towards the fortress.
"No. No, I was thinking that I was wrong."
"Wrong about what?"
She turned to him, her eyes deep with emotion. He stopped messing with his hand, hefting himself off the tree, and closing the distance between them. He looked at her, than turned to look back at the fortress, just as she had. The two stood there side by side, together, staring at the Wall, which was darkened by the setting sun that sunk in the sky behind it. It seemed that it glowed in the distance. To Tristan, it was a prison, but to Elaine, it was her home, now.
"I was wrong when I thought that you were just another one of the knights."
"But I am just one of the other knights."
"No," she said, shaking her head with a chuckle. "No, not you Tristan. You are...different."
"Should I take that as a compliment?"
Elaine turned to him, "Yes, I suppose. You are different from any man I've ever met before. Much more complex, and much more aggravating...but, much more than anything I've ever known."
She blushed when he looked back at her, his eyes examining her closely. She turned back to the fortress, unable to stand to be under his heated gaze any longer.
He chuckled, actually chuckled, as he too turned back towards the view before them. "See, that's what I was thinking, about you."
Elaine smile reappeared over he face again, the blush that resided only in her cheeks previously, spreading further. When she dared to glance back at him again, she noticed him probing at his hand, that appeared to be carelessly bandage, with one of his smaller daggers. She gasped, causing him to look up questionably at her.
"What?"
She reached for his hand, which he of course moved quickly from her grasp. "Tristan! What have you done to your hand?"
"Nothing. Come one, let's get back."
"Oh, no. Let me see."
He groaned, or growled, she couldn't quite determine which.
"Elaine, let's go."
She placed her hands on her hips, staring back him sternly. "I will go no where until you let me see your hand."
He sighed, "So you're going to stay here all night? Fine."
"Fine."
He growled again, she knew this time it was a growl. He advanced towards her, his height towering over her.
"If you don't come now, all lift you over my shoulder and carry you back."
Elaine's eyes narrowed, "You wouldn't dare."
Tristan shrugged his shoulders, "Suit yourself." Before she could react, Tristan reached down and quickly hefted her over his shoulder, heading back towards the horses. At first, she lay frozen over his shoulder, but soon recovered. He grunted when her knee connected with his gut, causing him to drop her. It hadn't hurt him, which he knew she hadn't intended it to, only caught him of guard. Off guard, for the first time in his life. Tristan clutched at his stomach, kneeling on the ground to catch his breathe. When he did, he realized that his other hand was in hers, as she knelt before him, examining his hand.
"You little cat."
She smiled, as she peeled away the bandages, gasping when she saw the redness surrounding the slowly healing lesions.
"Tristan, how did you do this?"
He didn't answer only stared back at her.
"They could get infected. You should have told me. They'll need to be treated daily for at least the next two weeks."
"How?"
"Well, I'll have to wrap them in clean bandages, for starters. They'll need to be soaked every morning and evening and then I'll apply some aloe ointment to them before wrapping them."
Tristan groaned.
"What?"
"I don't...want to be.."
Elaine chuckled, "What? Is our mysterious scout nervous about the other men seing you all bandgaged and pampered by the healer, hmm?"
Tristan glared at her, standing quickly to leave. He only stopped when he felt her gentle warm palm resting on his elbow. If it had been anyone else, he would have shook them off, and left, but it was her. This annoyed Tristan even more.
"Tristan wait! Forgive me. The men don't even have to know. I'll make the bandages look inconspious, and we can meet early in the morning and late at night so no one will be around. Please, Tristan."
The scout sighed, "Fine."
Elaine smiled, than walked back slowly to here herbs and baskets. Tristan made to follow her, until he heard a twig snap in the distance. He froze.
"Elaine?"
She looked up, smiling at his dark form, which stood before the setting sun in the distance behind him.
"It's time to go."
"But I.."
"Time to go."
Tristan loaded the last sack over the top of Luka's saddle, tightening the straps quickly, before circling the horse. He sighed when he had made a complete circle, and looked back at Elaine. Stroking Luka's snow-white mane, he watched as she slipped the brown riding boots back on her feet.
"Well, I guess there's only one way Luka," he whispered to the steed, patting it's side before walking towards Elaine.
She looked up at him when he neared her. Elaine grabbed her other boot, and began to step into it.
"Ready?"
He held her arm as she shakingly stepped into the last boot, and she steadied herself, leaning onto his shoulder.
"Yeah, but you can't ride Luka."
"What? Why?"
"He's got to much of your packs on him. You'll have to ride with me back to the Wall."
Elaine froze. Riding back on Tristan's horse, feeling him so near her, was something Elaine wasn't sure she could handle. She feared that her heart would explode before they ever reached the fortress. If not that, then she'd surely be giggling uncontrollably.
"Oh, alright."
The wind blew loose strands of Elaine's hair into her face, as Tristan's gray steed tore across the valley towards the Wall. His arms rested infront of her, inclosing her into a safe cage. As they rode, Tristan couldn't help himself. He took advantage of their required closeness, to take deep inhales of her scent. Suddenly, on of the green silk ribbons holding her hair, slipped away in the wind, completely unnoticed by their owner. As fast as a wild cat, Tristan snatched the ribbon in mid air. He tucked it away in his sleeve.
Arthur was waiting in the stables, leaning against the benches with Kay and Lancelot. They all looked up when Elaine and Tristan entered the stables, on Tristan's horse. Arthur smiled, jumping down to the ground. Lancelot and Kay exchanged glances. Kay chuckled and smile. Lancelot's hands clenched at the sight of Tristan's hand resting on Elaine's stomach as they passed by. He glared after them, before hopping down with Arthur.
Kay shook his head, chuckling to himself. "I'm I the only one here that sees anything at all."
Lancelot helped Elaine carry the sacks back to the living quarters, and Arthur made to join them but was stopped by Tristan's hand on his shoulder.
"Yes, Tristan? What is it?"
The scout's face was dark, "Arthur. There were Woads in the woods tonight, ten or twenty surrounded us."
Arthur became stern. "How many did you have to kill?"
"None."
"They did not ambush?"
"No. They just watched us."
Arthur's eyebrow cocked up in confusion, "When has a band of woads never ambushed? What do you think they were waiting for?"
Tristan's jaw tightened, "They weren't going to ambush at all. I think they were watching Elaine."
"Elaine?"
"Yeah. Arthur, I think they want her for some reason. Remember the day she killed the two of them by the carriage?"
"They were trying to take her to Merlin."
Tristan nodded at his commander's sudden relevation. The two men stood in silence to a few moments.
Arthur nodded, placing his hand on Tristan's shoulder.
"Thank you, Tristan. She doesn't go out of the fortress walls, except when she has two of us with her."
Tristan nodded in return, "Yes, Arthur."
He opened the chamber door slowly, hearing it creaking quietly. The rooms were almost entirely dark, all except the bedchamber. He entered, closing the door silently behind him, as he wandered towards the dimly lit room before him. He wasn't supposed to be there. Arthur would kill him. But he just keep walking into her chambers, making no sound whatsoever. Her bedchamber was lit by a small lamp that stood near the huge bed in the middle of the room. Pale white silk curtains almost hid her sleeping form from his sight. He neared her bed, gazing down upon her with hungry eyes. Slowly, he passed his fingers along the curtains, drawing them away. His breathe was caught in his chest when he laid his eyes on her form; her brown tresses lay fanned out above her head, her lovely face glowing in the lamplight, her mother's pendent shining as well, and her creamy smooth shoulders exposed by an off the shoulder chemise nightgown. His fingers ached to touched the warmth of her soft body through the silk of her chemise. His mouth grew dry, as he lowered him self done into her forbidden bed. He ran his fingers along her perfect jawbone, savoring the softness. His lids slid closed as he felt her warm skin.
"Tristan?"
His eyes shot open at her whisper. She stared up at him with gentle, and to his surprise, welcoming eyes.
"I..."
Elaine lifted up, placing her hand to his lips to silence him. They stared deeply into one another's dark eyes. He moaned when he felt her fingers begin to move slowly across his lips, feeling their featherlike touches. His arms wrapped around her small form instantly, and she gasped when her breasts collided into his powerful chest. Her chest heaved up and down, teasing Tristan, as he felt her heartbeat against his own.
"Kiss me."
Tristan caught her lips with his, moaning again when he felt her move into his lap. She gasped when she felt his tongue stroke against her soft lips, and parted them to allow him entrance into her mouth. He explored her sweetness, savoring the feeling of her lips on his, her arms around his neck.
Tristan shot out of bed with a start, sweat pouring down his naked chest. He panted, staring about his chambers. It was a dream. Her body against his. A dream. Tristan buried his head in his hands, growling fiercely. He tossed the blankets off of him, grabbing the dagger from under his pillow and launching it into the wall with a terrible cry.
He jumped out of his bed, throwing on a loose shirt and busting out of his door. He stalked down the knight's hallway, turning the corner quickly, with the grace and ferociousness of a wild cat. But when her made it too her chamber door, Tristan collapsed. His back fell against the door, sweat still falling down his body and chilling him in the night air. She had destroyed him. She'd injured him more deeply than he'd ever been before, and she hadn't even lifted a finger.
Tristan sighed, looking down at his opened palms. In one hand, fresh bandages were wrapped around his healing wounds. In the other, lay Elaine's green ribbon.