Chapter Five

Just as he said the last word, Germanis found himself lying on his back in a pile of horse dung. His jaw aching from where Meg had punched him. She straddled his torso and had her knife at his throat.

"Don't ever threaten them again. I will kill you next time; however, this time I will give you something to remember me by."

Meg held his head to one side and carved an 'L' and an 'M' on the side of his neck. "Now every time you get a wild hair up your arse to persecute innocent people, you will have me on your neck reminding you what one innocent 'harlot' did to you." With that she got up and walked toward the stable.

No one moved until Gwen ran after Meg, Arthur looked at Germanis then turned and followed Guinevere. Tristan, Dagonet, and Bors exchanged looks and silently left. Lancelot, Gawain, and Galahad were silently laughing at the dung covered Bishop.

"That was bloody brilliant." Galahad exclaimed.

"Yeah. Did you see his expression when she hit him? Priceless!" Gawain agreed.

"I wish it had been me, but then I never would have seen him brought down a peg or two. By a girl no less." Lancelot said as they went to the stables.

Jols and Ganis looked at the money from the bets then to each other. The rest of the crowd left as Horton helped Germanis up and handed him a cloth to stop the bleeding. Germanis snatched the cloth away and pressed it to his, now, scarred neck. Horton followed the grumbling and disgruntled Bishop back to his room to start packing, knowing full well that she meant her threat.

At the stables, Gwen ran in to find Meg, but was unable to locate her. The knights joined Gwen a minute later and were startled to not find Meg there.

"Where do you think she is?" Galahad asked Gawain.

Before anyone could say answer, Meg dropped in front of them. "Were you looking for me?" She asked.

Startled, everyone looked up and saw Meg hanging up-side down from one of the rafter beams by her legs. Bors looked at her and asked. "How in the bloody hell did you get up there?"

Meg chuckled. "Did you know that you just sounded like an irate father then? But to answer your question, I climbed up here. It's not that hard to do, even your portly self can do it."

Gwen and the knights laugh at Bors' face. Arthur stepped up to Meg and said quietly. "Thank you." She looked at him.

"For what? Threatening him, carving him up, or not killing him. Because I came very close to doing more than scarring him for life."

Interested in what was going on, the knights crowded around to hear Arthur's reply. When it came, it shocked everyone including Arthur.

"For everything. For saving Dagonet, for not interrupting my yelling match with Germanis. For singing number eleven to sleep and for making everyone think of home with a simple song. For making sure Gawain and Galahad don't drink and wench. But most of all, for taking a stand for what you knew was right and making sure others knew you were. And also doing the one thing I have been wanting to do, but have been to scared to do, and that is giving the little weasel something to remember you by and not the initials."

Everyone looked between Arthur and Meg, their mouths open in awe and disbelief. Feeling as if she was going to pass out, Meg quickly flipped off the beam to land on the floor. She stood up straight and walked over to Arthur. She hugged him and said.

"You don't have to thank me. I did all those things because I could help someone. Except the Bishop, he just pissed me off, and it is not a good thing to piss me off."

Meg stepped away from him and smiled at Gwen and the knights. "Okay. Enough with the serious stuff, who is going to buy me a drink?"

With that everyone laughed and walked to the tavern where Vanora was waiting with drinks for them.