Elvenstar5: Thank you so much for the review. Sorry it took so long, but I hope you like it!
Katemary77: Hmm. That was such a thorough explanation of a Mary Sue. Thanks. I looked at what I had written so far and I was like, 'Whoops, that could me Mary-Sueish.' I changed some stuff, and I hope she doesn't seem too MSish. Thanks for the review!
"words"
thoughts
'singing'
Chapter 3:
Five pairs of eyes widened slightly as the figure removed the cloak. They all noticed one thing first. The scar. It ran from just above the right eyebrow across the eye, and down to the right corner of the lips. The second thing they noticed was that he, was a she and despite the scar, she was beautiful. Long, wavy brown hair flowed down to the thin waist. Being males, they all immediately noticed the bountiful curves that made up the body in front of them. Thick black lashes framed her deep blue eyes and her red lips as they curved gracefully into a smirk.
"What business do you have with Lancelot?" asked the nameless knight, his look one of intense curiosity.
She looked at the drawn daggers, "Peaceful business, I can assure you. I drew my dagger only to keep that mans hands from going where they were not welcome." She gestured to the man who lay at her feet, trying to look inconspicuous.
Tristan took a bite of his apple and turned away. She raised an eyebrow at his nonchalance but didn't take her gaze away from the remaining knights.
Gawain elbowed Galahad as they both sheathed their daggers, "Bet that's the one those guards were telling us about."
"The one carrying Lancelot's baby?" questioned Galahad as they turned back to their game and ale.
Bors laughter cut off Gawains response, "Looks like I'm not the only one with bastards now. Soon your wench'll have as many as mine." The girls eye twitched at the name as Bors pounded the dark haired knight on the back. Bors turned and his expression quickly went from jovial to stunned as he saw Vanora standing behind him, hands on her hips and disgust on her face. She turned away and he followed after her.
The rest of the bar went back to their drinking and the girl was left staring at the dark haired knight. "I am Lancelot." he said, "But I do not know you. You must have me mistaken with another knight." He gazed at her curiously when she shook her head. "But I don't remember having ever slept with you." He was feeling confused. He did not remember ever seeing this woman before, yet something about her was familiar.
"That's because you have never slept with me. Nor am I carrying your child."
He was now at almost a complete lost, "But then why did you-"
She smirked, "It got me past the guards didn't it."
Lancelot, seeing that this woman was not one of his past affairs and had merely used his name to get in, felt his usual self returning. He gazed, smirking cockily, "Then tell me your name fair lady, and perhaps later, we shall know each other."
The girl grimaced slightly before narrowing her eyes, "That may be the way you get a wenches attention, but I am not a wench. And furthermore, if you ever say something like that again I think I'll be very tempted to castrate you to save the other women of this world from your most unwelcome advances."
"Who are you?" he asked, his eyes narrowed at her threat.
"Don't recognize me big brother? It has been awhile."
"Kaleigh." he whispered the name and she nodded slightly. He looked appalled for a second thinking about the way he had been talking to his baby sister, but then his joy at seeing her took over. He sprang at her, lifting her off the ground into a crushing hug and spinning her around.
"Can't. Breath." she gasped out.
Gawain snickered from where he sat, not hearing the words exchanged, just seeing the actions of his fellow knight. "Must be twins." he commented loudly as Lancelot placed Kaleigh back on the ground.
Lancelot laughed, "No, not twins."
"Triplets then." quipped Galahad.
Now Kaleigh laughed, "I'm not pregnant."
Bors nodded as he returned from seeking Vanora's forgiveness, "That'd make any man happy."
"She told that story so the guards would let her in. She's my little sister Kaleigh." cried Lancelot with a grin.
Galahad scoffed, "Right. Bors, didn't you say there were no beautiful women in Sarmatia?"
Kaleigh raised an eyebrow at Bors, who was glaring at his young friend. "I thank you for the compliment Galahad, but how many women do you know that can do this?" she spun and her dagger made a 'thunk' sound as it landed dead in the center of the handle of Galahad's knife which had been thrown again into the middle of the sideways stool. The men all stared, slightly shocked and Kaleigh glanced around, "Do you believe I am Sarmatian now?" She saw her brother smirk as Bors and Gawain nodded slowly.
Galahad however was the first to regain his speech, "You know my name?" Kaleigh nodded.
"She's been watching us all night and day, since the fight with the Woads." said Tristan from where he leaned once again on the column. It was the first time Kaleigh had truly heard him speak and she noticed that he seemed to be the only one of the knights who had retained a slight Sarmatian accent.
Lancelot frowned, "You have been staying out of trouble, haven't you little sister?"
She shrugged, "I don't go looking for it. But it does occasionally find me." She looked over at the drunk who was attempting to slink away.
Lancelot reached out and grabbed the man by the back of his tunic, but Kaleigh laid a hand on his arm, wanting to quell the murderous look in her newly rediscovered protective big brother. "He's not the first, nor will he be the last. When he sobers in the morning he will undoubtedly regret tonight as it is."
Lancelot released his hold and turned to study his sister, not at all liking what her words had implied, "You have grown up little sister."
"There's nothing little about that sister." mumbled Gawain, earning him a glare from Lancelot and "Here, here." from Bors.
"So you come here from Sarmatia?" questioned Galahad motioning to an empty chair next to him.
"Not directly." She answered with a nod as she took a step forward. However, her dress caught on the table the drunk had overturned and she tripped on the hem of the fabric. She squeaked as she flew through the air and landed in Galahads lap. He looked startled at first but then helped her into her own chair. Kaleigh scowled at Lancelot's laughter.
"Still clumsy sister?"
"Still an ass brother?" she asked sarcastically before placing a swift kiss on Galahads cheek, "Thank you Sir Knight for not being a womanizing pig. I know some of your brothers-in-arms wouldn't have been so kind as to help me out of their laps." Galahad blushed as she sent a pointed look toward Lancelot and Gawain. They, however, ignored her look.
"That's a way Galahad! Kindness will get you everything with these women." cried Gawain sarcastically.
Bors laughed, "Pup still doesn't know better than to hold onto the pretty woman that fall for him. Galahad, I think you and I need to have a discussion over women. Teach you what to do with them."
"I think I'd be much better at teaching him that." sneered Lancelot, "Don't worry Gal, all you need is a confidence boost. We'll find you a nice young girl one of these days."
Galahad tried to retort and Kaleigh merely rolled her eyes and turned, planting her lips firmly on his. The other knights silenced and she could almost feel her brother's eyes boring into her back. When she pulled away Galahads eyes looked widely into hers, "That's for putting up with my idiot brother and your idiot friends for so many years." She glanced over at her brother to see that his eyes had indeed narrowed dangerously at Galahad, "Down brother." she warned, "Or I shall be forced to kiss someone else."
"What good would that do?" retorted Lancelot, smirking slightly.
She shrugged, "Well, I don't mind my kissing them, you obviously do."
Gawain cut off their argument, "Finish your brother-sister bonding later. I want to hear of home."
"What would you like to know?" questioned Kaleigh.
"Anything." said Bors as he turned to talk to the tall bald knight as he entered the tavern, "Dagonet. Dags!" he shouted as he followed him away from the table.
Kaleigh smiled and allowed her mind to travel back to her home before she had left. She could almost feel the wind whipping through her hair, "Well, the grass is greener than any you've seen and the hills it cover go on forever in every direction. Looking out from atop a hill you can see streams where children splash and horses drink, a horse occasionally give a child a wild ride back home." she paused, remembering how after Lancelot left she would often escape to the creek by her home so no one would see her cry her loneliness, except for her horses, but she could always trust them to keep a secret. A shout across the tavern drew her back to the present and she continued, " You can hear birds calling to each other and the sound of winds and hooves slicing through the grass. The smoke from campfires is strong, but not so strong as to erase the smell of the bitter sage and sweet grass and flowers. The air is warm, not like here. Right now is foaling season, and you can see newborns scampering after their dams wherever you look, kicking up their heels to the blue sky and the sun, which beats down on everything, warming and giving life." Kaleigh paused again. Her horses would be giving birth to the next crop of foals right about now. She wondered what the foals would have looked like. She looked over at her countrymen, who seemed to be staring, imagining themselves home. Her gaze continued until it met Tristans. His gaze seemed to be sizing her up and she met his gaze unwavering. She reluctantly turned away when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.
Her brother now sat in the empty seat next to her, "How are mother, and father. And our younger brother, Severn." he questioned eagerly.
She bit her bottom lip, wondering how much of home she should tell him, "Mother died. Ten years past, in childbirth."
His eyes saddened and darkened an the other knights turned back to their own conversations, "And the child?"
Kaleigh felt herself fighting to keep her face neutral. "She died, in my arms." The two of them sat silently until she spoke again, "Father. He, had to ask me to grow up very quickly. And Severn was always getting sick, so it fell to me to take care of the horses. He taught me the old family secrets to training and raising strong Sarmatian horses and I have been helping him with the breeding for eight years now. Father taught me to fight as well. He worried that the Romans would return and I would be left on my own. He wanted me to be able to take care of myself." she paused and added, "He knew it'd be me he'd eventually send to find you."
Lancelot was quiet for a while, "How long did you search for me?"
"Over a year."
He looked startled, "A year? It took us barely three weeks to get here."
She scowled, "You knew where you were going. I didn't."
"What does your husband think about you being gone for so long?"
Kaleigh heard and saw the other knights pause in their conversations to listen to her answer, "I have no husband to worry about me."
"What!" Kaleigh cringed at the volume of her brothers voice, "But you are of marrying age! You have been for ten years."
She raised an eyebrow, "Lower your voice dear brother. Who did you expect me to marry? The Romans took all the descent men. And watch what you say, I'm not that old. I'm 21, I've only been of marrying age for several years." she elbowed Galahad at the suggestive word he whispered and glared at Gawain who echoed it. She turned back to her brother, "Besides, father needed my help to much. The two times he tried to marry me off, well, lets just say that the men and I had a differing of opinion. My dagger won." Her brother drew back slightly, not entirely understanding. "They're eunuch's now brother. But none of that matters now because you have your freedom and we can all go home." She looked happily at the other knights.
Lancelot shook his head, "We do not have our papers."
"But the man in the stable said that the Bishop came here to give you your papers. Did he lie to me?" her eyes narrowed at the thought.
"The Bishop wished to talk to Arthur privately. I do not have a good feeling about it."
Kaleigh felt her anger flash and she stood, "What do you mean? Why are they waiting? You've served your duty. They promised you your freedom, why can't they just be done with it?"
Lancelot grabbed her hand and pulled her back to her seat. She looked at him for an explanation but he looked away. The other knights could not meet her gaze either, for they were asking themselves the same questions. Tristan straightened and walked away.
"Come on Vanora!" everyone's attention snapped to Bors and Vanora. "Sing." he beckoned his lover.
"Sing a song of home." cried Gawain as he and the others temporarily forgot the sober mood of moments before.
"Please." Bors flashed Vanora a pout and she consented.
She sighed as she stood in front of everyone and then began singing softly.
'Land of bear and land of eagle
Land that gave us birth and blessing
Land that calls us ever homeward
We will go home across the mountains
We will go home, we will go home
We will go home across the mountains
We will go home, we will go home
We will go home across the mountains'
Vanora sang the song gently as she swayed her baby back and forth in her arms. Everyone was silent as she continued.
'Hear our singing, hear our longing
We will go home across the mountains
We will go home, we will go home
We will go home across the mountains'
Even after she had finished the song and returned to Bors the tavern stayed quiet. The silence was broken when someone shouted.
"Arthur!"
The knights and Kaleigh were snapped out of their trance and looked to Arthur. Lancelot placed his hand on Kaleighs shoulder and told her to stay where she was. She was going to argue but instead agreed when she saw the solemn countenance of the commander. Her brother had seen it as well. She stayed where she was and watched the six knights go out to meet their leader. They voices went from jovial to angry in seconds. Kaleigh couldn't make out what they were saying but when Bors started yelling she knew it couldn't be good. Tristan said something and Gawain had to hold Galahad back as he lunged and yelled at the unfazed, silent scout. A quiet word from Dagonet silenced all of them. She watched Tristan, Dagonet, and Bors walk by, the later of which was mumbling under his breath. After speaking to Arthur a moment more Gawain and Galahad followed, not before Galahad threw his pitcher of ale to the ground. She watched Lancelot stand with Arthur until Arthur turned away. Lancelot turned and stormed off and Kaleigh found herself alone.
"That didn't look good."
Authors Note:
Wow, I finally update my story. I feel like such a hypocrite now. I mean, I yell at writers for not updating their stories and here I am almost two weeks later. I think I'll hold my tongue from now on. Anyways, we finally find out who the girl is and what her relationship to Lancelot is.
Reviews, any type, are most welcome. They really do encourage writers. So, please, just push the little blue button and send me a word or two. You know you want to.