Ch.10
After hearing Arthur's decision to leave her petty, trivial town, Rose sunk down at a bar stool determined to forget everything that had happened in the past few days. The other knights seemed quite happy with Arthur's proposal, all except Lancelot of course, but Rose expected that. Following the news, he disappeared upstairs, no doubt to spend ever last moment with Reya who, from time to time, Rose could hear laughing and talking enthusiastically.
Rose gloomily looked around at the shabby bar to which she use worked hard hours in before the knights arrived. Dagonet had come back down the stairs a few minutes after Lancelot went up and he now stood talking quietly with Arthur; they remained in the corner.
The rest of the knights were spread out and talking cheerfully; they were obviously happy about leaving the unkempt town. Rose couldn't exactly blame them; she wanted to leave too.
Suddenly, Rose sat up a little straighter and did a silent head count of the knights. Lancelot was upstairs; Dagonet and Arthur in the corner; Gawaine, Bors, and Galahad were sitting around a slightly dirty table drinking and talking….that meant there were six. "Tristan…" Rose quietly said his name aloud wondering where he was in all this hubbub.
At that same moment, as if he was reading her mind, Gawaine looked up from chatting with Bors. "Arthur! Where's Tristan?"
Apparently Arthur had not noticed before and Rose watched him scan the bar slowly. Nothing.
Arthur shook his head and motioned to Dagonet who hurried up the stairs. Arthur turned back to Gawaine and shrugged. "He's probably upstairs with Lancelot and Reya." He tried to sound sure of himself but Rose noticed that he look worried.
Dagonet came right back down the stairs a few moments later, followed by Lancelot, and to everyone's surprise, Reya. Rose could see right away she wasn't doing to good. She was gripping the handrail so tightly her knuckles were white; Rose quickly walked over to assist her.
The other knights gathered around the trio that had made their way to the area around the fireplace; although Reya and Rose still dragged behind.
"He's not upstairs." Lancelot confirmed Arthur's worries in a simple sentence.
Arthur sighed. "When was the last time anyone had seen him?" he asked trying to sound calm.
Everyone was quiet.
Rose, finally having brought Reya over to the knights, spoke up. "I saw him late yesterday evening. He was going for a walk."
"How late?" Arthur inquired but was overpowered by Galahad who spoke angrily.
"And why didn't you tell us where he went? Didn't you notice he wasn't here this morning?"
"Well, obviously I didn't notice or I would have said something!"
"How could you not have noticed?" Galahad sneered. "You watch his every move."
Rose flushed and was about to fire a retort before Arthur broke in. "Rose," he said evenly, "how late was it when he went out?"
Rose paused thinking. "I'm not sure. It was pretty late though. The place was empty; it was just us."
"No other knight was here?" Lancelot asked frowning slightly.
Rose shook her head. "No. Well, Bors, I think. But he was passed out."
Lancelot rolled his eyes as Arthur spoke. "So, he's been gone for awhile then…."he trailed off.
The knights, Rose, and Reya, who was still having a terrible time just standing as she was now gripping Lancelot's arm, stood waiting for Arthur's plan and answer to all the questions that were running through their minds.
"Alright," Arthur said after a little time, "Gawaine, Galahad, check the time. Ask anyone, everyone if they had seen Tristan that night. Including the Romans," he added and Galahad made a face.
"Rose, Dagonet, check the horses, and make sure Tristan's is still there. If it isn't, come back and tell me immediately. Lancelot, Bors, I want you to search the area around this town. Don't go to far though, and take the horses. See if you can find a trail or anything that Tristan may have left if he did leave this vicinity. I'll stay here with Reya."
Arthur paused and looked at the knights and the two girls. "Go! Move!" he shouted and everyone hurried off.