CHAPTER TWO
Seath took a moment to take a breath when she left the room. In there was the man that had tried to kill her on several occasions, though luckily for her, he had never succeeded.
She was akin to him far too much but then she also enjoyed fighting. She knew that from the day that Arthur and Guinevere would be married he would be around a lot, seeing that he was a close friend of Arthur. Perhaps he could show here those movements, she always enjoyed watching on the battlefield.
"You will go to Bandon Hill, for I require your skills there," Merlin had told her when he had taken her from her cottage by the sea last month.
She had been one of the warrior's to survive the battle field; though she had seen many of her friends meet their deaths. She knew that Merlin was a good manipulator of people as she had watched Arthur fall for Guinevere, so that Merlin could unite his people under one man.
She was, however, unsure as to they why she had to be Guinevere's witness at the wedding. Seath didn't even get along with Guinevere. She would know when Saturday had arrived what Merlin had wanted her here for.
Seath!" Guinevere had followed her out of the building.
"Yes?" Seath just wanted to be left alone. She could do without all this fussing about a wedding.
"I'm supposed to take you to the seamstress as you're the only one left that hasn't been fitted her dress." Guinevere made the mistake of grabbing Seath by the elbow.
"Don't you ever touch me!" Seath hissed and yanked her arm away from Guinevere.
"Shut your mouth, it's not very becoming."As Guinevere looked with her mouth hanging open at Seath. As quick as the temper had risen it had come down again.
"I-" Guinevere didn't know what to make of this woman. She wondered why Merlin made her the witness for she would much rather have somebody else. This woman was far from normal and she had heard the tales that were being told about her.
"Seamstress?" Seath was known for the use of single words, but if she wanted to she could talk without end.
"This way." Guinevere made sure to avoid any further body contact with the woman.
"Arthur, why do I have the feeling that I know that woman from somewhere?" Lancelot was being helped out of his bed and into a chair by Arthur.
"Because she tried to kill you several times before." It was the first time since long that Tristan participated in a conversation.
"Not possible, she's can't be older than sixteen." Lancelot again was interrupted by Tristan.
"I have seen her for over twelve years now," Tristan admitted, though she probably had been sixteen when he first met her.
"How did a Woad managed to live that long without you killing her?" Lancelot wondered.
"She's good, Lancelot," he replied patiently, "and she isn't a Woad." Tristan remembered that because she never seemed to wear Woad clothing or the blue paint that gave the people their name.
"If she isn't a Woad, what is she then?" Arthur had pulled a chair next to Lancelot.
"Not sure." Tristan answered after the truth.
"Lancelot?" Raicheal took out some nasty smelling ointment, she wrinkled her nose involuntary.
"So you do want me with my shirt off!" Lancelot got back to his usual tricks.
"Do you want me to get Galahad, I'm sure he can do this just as much as I can." Raicheal threatened.
"No, I prefer you. Galahad isn't the most gentle or patient person on this island," Lancelot said as he tried to get out of his shirt.
"Let me help you I wouldn't want to open it up again." Raicheal was a bit concerned that Lancelot's wound didn't seem to heal as well as it should have.
"Why does this stuff have to reek so badly?" Lancelot turned his nose away from his shoulder.
"Because it keeps the ladies away and you here, are with me." Raicheal winked at Arthur.
"See Arthur every woman will succumb to me even if it takes over fifteen years." Lancelot played along and Arthur just rolled his eyes.
"If I remember correctly you ran away just like Gawain and Galahad when you found out that I was a girl." Raicheal liked to tease Lancelot, for he reminded her of her oldest brother.
"Well I was young and stupid but if I could do it all over again…" Lancelot was interrupted by Raicheal.
"You would run even faster." Raicheal put a clean bandage on the wound and helped Lancelot back into his shirt.
"You're absolutely right." Lancelot laughed out loud.
"I think it's time that the pair of you eats in the tavern. A change of scenery will do you some good." Raicheal looked at Arthur for agreement.
"You're the healer, why are you looking at me?" Arthur was glad that his friends would get out of this depressing room.
"I'm going to get Gawain and Galahad, perhaps I should bring Bors?" Raicheal looked at Tristan.
"I'll go." Tristan stared hard at her and moved to sit upright.
Seath and Guinevere had been at the seamstress' shop where Seath had looked at the dress and said that she would fix it herself. Does the woman think I'm going to run around naked? It's far too cold for that.
Guinevere had then proceeded to drag her to the Roman Bathhouse and insisted that she bathed.
"I have bathed last week, so surely it's not necessary to do this again." Seath's voice calm and soft spoken.
"You reek, and a woman should never reek." Guinevere complained.
"I promise that I'll bath on Saturday morning." Seath made a cross movement over her heart.
"Fine." Guinevere glared at her for a moment then walk back to the house of healing.
That's nice! She drags me all the way over here and then leaves me. She looked over to the house of healing and noticed that two of her brothers where standing outside. They appeared to be in deep conversation which made it easier for her to sneak up on them.
"That's going to cost you your left ball." Seath had jumped on her youngest brother and held a dagger to his neck.
"I knew you were going to do that." Rhys kept a wary eye on the dagger, should it wander downwards.
"No you didn't and this is not how we taught you. You can do better than that, I've seen it." Seath whispered "And you saw me coming and did nothing, so drop those breeches brothers." Seath smirked evilly at her other brother, Fychan.
"You're absolutely right but wouldn't you much rather scare Dryw?" Fychan wasn't the tallest man and he had always been rather small for his age. He could however convince you to do something you didn't even want to do.
"Dryw?" Seath wonder what all three of her brothers would be doing here. "He's upstairs talking to that Arthur." Fychan pointed towards one of the windows.
"Maybe I won't castrate you after all, you have done me good son." Seath stomped her brother on the back and proceeded to climb to the second story window.
"Is it me, or does she gets stranger with every passing season?" Rhys looked confused at his brother.
"I think she gets stranger every day." Fychan looked as confused as his brother. "At least she always manages to do something funny and this should be hilarious."
As Seath reached the window she peeked in carefully, trying to get a good picture of the situation. Arthur and Lancelot where still seated on the chairs with their backs to the window, Guinevere was standing passively behind Arthur and her brother was looking at that other man in the room. She climbed on the window-sill and silently put her feet on the floor, she then launched herself at her brother.
"Drool." She kissed her brother on his head, and then pounded him with her fist, before getting of Dryw who was taken by surprise by the little figure that was his sister. "Do you love me?"
"How, what…" Dryw got up and rubbed his arm which tomorrow would surely be bruised.
"When, where, why, and so on. It's nice seeing you all again but I have to go." Seath gave her brother another push and ran out of the room.
Dryw looked at the faces in the room, and they all looked as if they didn't believe what they had just witnessed. "That's my older sister, and that was normal." Dryw tried to explain, but knowing from the past his explaining his sister to other people was not possible.
"That's the person I'm taking to your wedding?" Lancelot looked at Guinevere. Guinevere was at a loss for words, for she had thought that Seath was a serious person more like Tristan but unfortunately it turned out she had gotten that wrong.
"I think I'll take my leave now, seeing that I have found my sister." Dryw excused himself from the room.
Outside of the room he found his sister and Raicheal picking up several items of the floor, turns out that while she was running out of the room she bumped into Raicheal.
"I'm really sorry, should have watched where I'm going," Seath said as she gave the last article back to Raicheal. "
It's not that bad, I can understand why anyone would run from that room." Raicheal took the article.
"You mean Pretty Boy?" Seath raised an eyebrow.
"Lancelot I can live with, Tristan I cannot." Raicheal admitted.
"Tristan?" Seath inquired.
"The one on the first bed with the look of death on him." Raicheal noticed that a man had come from the room and stepped aside to let him pass.
"Seath, why on earth did you do that?" Dryw looked at his older sister.
"Because." Seath shrugged.
"You know that's not a reason." Dryw look seriously at him.
"It was fun?" Seath tried again.
"For you yes, not for me. Vivian is going to be angry with you for hitting me." Dryw rolled up his sleeves to show the bruise that was already forming.
"Makes you a man." Seath had to admit that she perhaps hit her brother a little harder then was necessary. "Besides it's better than me castrating you for not paying attention to your surroundings."
"There are two sick men in there, a woman and Arthur. What could possible happen?" Dryw looked incredible at his sister.
"Remember that arrow in your shoulder?" Seath pointed her finger at him.
Yes." Dryw wondered where this was leading.
"The sick man in the first bed caused that, what makes you think he won't do it again?" Seath had turned seriously again.
"He's sick?" Dryw pointed out.
"There is nothing wrong with his hands or arms." Dryw turned silent after hearing that, Seath was right.
"Now go outside and tell my dear brother's that castration will begin after dinner tonight." Seath turned her attention back to Raicheal.
"Sorry about that, my family has no manners. By the way I'm Seath." Seath held out her hand to Raicheal.
"Raicheal." Shaking the hand of Seath.
"It was nice meeting you Raicheal." Seath walked away to join her brothers outside.
That's one crazy woman. Let's hope Gawain and Galahad will return quickly. Raicheal walked along the corridor making sure that the rooms where ready if they needed them. As she did her final check of the rooms she came across Galahad.
"Where's Gawain?" Raicheal needed the bigger man to help Tristan into the tavern.
"Why is it that every time I come across you, you ask for Gawain?" Galahad sounded a little irritated.
"Don't make it sound so stupid Galahad. You know every time I come across Gawain the first thing I ask him is where you are," Raicheal said offended by Galahad's tone.
"I didn't mean it like that. It's just that you seem to think that we come in a pair. We are both individual people." Galahad tried to explain what was bothering, but he was lacking the words at the moment.
"I know that, don't I do things alone with you. Remember that we went fishing last week?" Raicheal seemed to soften a bit.
"It's just that…never mind." Galahad stopped as he saw Gawain coming from the other direction.
"Gawain! Just the knight I was looking for. I need your help with Tristan." Raicheal smiled as she also noticed Gawain coming towards them.
"Isn't it Galahad's turn?" Gawain had enough of Tristan for that day.
"Gawain you're bigger than Galahad and stronger, you will be able to help Tristan get to the tavern better," Raicheal explained as she pulled the reluctant knight along with her.
Gawain leaned backwards so that Raicheal would have to drag him along, but Galahad had snuck up from behind and started to push Gawain along. To counter this, Gawain just let himself fall back on Galahad, pulling Raicheal down on top of him.
"Get off me! I can't breathe," Galahad complained and tried to shove Gawain of his stomach, but Gawain being heavier made this not an easy task.
"If you're still talking, it can't be that bad." Gawain started to roar with laughter.
"Gawain you big ox, let go of me," Raicheal complained and started to hit the arm that was around her waist.
"No this is far too comfortable." Gawain pushed Galahad further into the floor.
"Isn't this an interesting sight?" Lancelot had decided he waited long enough for either Gawain or Galahad to show up, so he left the room on his own. Arthur and Guinevere had left moments before.
"Raicheal, you're right. That I cannot give you." Lancelot pointed at Gawain and Galahad.
Gawain lifted Raicheal of him and put her safely on the ground, Galahad scrambled to his feet as soon as Gawain moved. All three of them watched, with red faces, Lancelot leave, whistling to himself.
"Couldn't you accidentally knock him on his bum in the next training session?" Raicheal look at both men, who refused to look her in the eye.
"He's not fit to train," Gawain reminded Raicheal.
"Maybe I should rub some hot salve on his shoulder the next time." Raicheal pondered out loudly.
"Wouldn't that stop the healing process?" Galahad knew that Raicheal took her healing very seriously.
"Tristan!" Raicheal screamed as she saw the knight stumble out of the room.
Gawain raced over and grabbed Tristan under the shoulder, which earned him a glare from Tristan. Ignoring Tristan he motioned for Galahad to help him, together they helped the scout into the tavern. Raicheal followed closely keeping an eye on her patient, making sure he wasn't about to drop dead on the spot.
"Just put me there." Tristan pointed at a dark corner of the tavern, it was the spot he was usually hiding. Gawain and Galahad turned to look at Raicheal, who nodded in approval. She was glad that she had finally gotten Tristan outside. Anything to keep the man happy was okay with her.
"Hey watch where you're putting your sick, I'm sitting here." A female voice sounded in the dark corner.
"It's dark here so we didn't see you." Gawain apologized.
"That's just stupid." The voice answered.
"Seath?" Tristan remembered that voice.
"Maybe, who wants to know?" The voice came now from their left side.
"The one that shot an arrow at your brother and managed to hit him." Tristan had heard the conversation Raicheal, Seath and Dryw had in the house of healing.
"Then the answer will be yes." Seath leaned forward so that a little light fell on her face. "Shall I light a candle so that you can put my enemy on a stool next to me?" Seath felt around for the candle she knew had to be there somewhere.
"Please, that would be very helpful." Gawain wondered what that was all about.
"There is only one problem." Seath's face came back into the light.
"Yes?" Gawain hoped the woman wouldn't pull out a dagger and kill them on the spot. "I seemed to have miss-placed the candle. Why don't you turn around and I'll guide his butt to the stool." Seath's face didn't even blink at Gawain while she said that.
"WHAT?" Galahad hollered loudly, while Gawain started to laugh so hard that Tristan decided to look for the stool himself.
"There is no need for shouting and I'm just trying to be helpful." Seath pretended to be hurt by Galahad's response; she even got her eyes to water a bit.
Having found his stool, Tristan also found the misplaced candle, which would prove to have been quiet painful had he sat down on it. "I have found your candle." Tristan stretch out his hand in the direction he thought Seath must be sitting.
"What a man! First he shoots my brother, then he finds my candle; Knight will you marry me?" Seath got up and lit the candle on a nearby candle then returned to her stool to put the candle on the table there.
"Gawain, get up." Galahad sounded angry as he shouted at Gawain, who was rolling on the floor from laughter.
"Leave him be, maybe he's ill? Perhaps he's having some kind of seizure?" Seath tapped her lips with her fingers, looking very deep in thought.
"No he's not." Galahad started to sound like a five year old again.
"There, there, little boy." Seath had pulled the unsuspecting Galahad in her lap and started to hush him.
Galahad turned even redder and he almost had steam coming out of his ears.
"I think I'm going to soil myself." Gawain managed to croak out.
"Gawain, I do not need to be informed of you bladder movement." Seath pushed Galahad of her lap and left the three knights behind.
Galahad turned to look at Tristan and same for the first time a huge smile on his face. "What are you smiling about, this is not funny." Galahad fumed.
"Actually it is." Tristan answered and extinguished the candle with his fingertips.
Galahad had, had enough of people making him look stupid he turned and decided to go back to Raicheal, only to trip over Gawain who was still lying on the floor catching his breath. Galahad was glad that Tristan had extinguished the candle as he put his hands on Gawain's chest and pushed himself of his friend.
"Can't breathe." Gawain complained. "Galahad" Gawain yelled after his friend, but Galahad wouldn't listen, as usual.
"What was that about?" Gawain turned his attention to Tristan.
"What?" Tristan knew what Gawain waited but wasn't in the mood for telling.
"Never mind." Gawain dusted himself of and went in search of Raicheal.
Tristan stayed behind alone in the darkness, or at least that's what he thought until he felt a hand brush against his right foot. Staying as still as possible he focused his attention on the movement below the table, he even closed his eyes to focus better.
"Hey that's mine." Seath's voice came when Tristan managed to grab hold of her hand.
"Seath?" Tristan was sure that he had seen her leave the tavern on the other side.
"Brilliant deduction." Seath tried to pull loose again, but Tristan was stronger than her.
"What are you doing under the table?" Tristan was confused, and to his disdain, she managed to do that a lot to him.
"Looking for my pouch, I must have dropped it here." Seath answered still twisting her hand around.
"Can I have my hand back? I'm rather fond of it." Tristan felt her breath against his face, realizing that she was closer than he thought.
"I bet you are." Tristan let go of the hand.
Again he felt her hands brush past his legs, "I'm not sitting on it." Tristan pushed her hands away from his body.
"You nearly sat on my candle, so one can never be too sure." Seath's hands returned to Tristan's body.
"Woman, leave me be." Tristan grabbed both hands and pulled Seath up to his body.
"I will leave you be when I have my money back," Seath hissed at Tristan.
"Let me go." Seath let her weight fall back, but it proved useless since she didn't weight enough to unbalance Tristan. She proceeded to let herself hang limply against Tristan's body, quickly realizing that, that also wasn't such a good idea either.
"Tristan, are you alright?" Raicheal had come to see if Tristan was still alright, since Gawain and Galahad had left him by himself. She got worried when she heard him breathing quickly.
"Fine." Tristan growled and pushed Seath away from him. "I want to go back."
Raicheal let out a squeak when Seath appeared out of the darkness, looking a little bit red. She watched Seath quickly move out of the tavern. "I'll see if Gawain can bring you back." Raicheal didn't want to know what was going on there and quickly disappeared from Tristan's sight.