A/N: And chapter 11 is finally ready (: Sorry about the wait, been busy with the move and school and etc of late. It's finally holidays for me, but they don't bring relief from any of the problems. I have to do catch up work, so yeah, basically still juggling a tone of things at once :/
Thank you very very much too 0white. as .snow0 for her review! And thanks, as always, to princesspomegranate for BETAing (:
. : Chapter 11: Chase : .
"Vanora!" Lancelot bellows, sounding half mad, half panicked. "Control your demons! Get them off! Get them off!"
"You're so insistent that half of them are yours…control your own children, Lassie." Ash taunts in a surprisingly bored voice.
She had spent the first half an hour upon their arrival at breakfast yelling and throwing things at them. Blaming them for everything and anything that had happened in the past ten days and no one was spared her wrath, meaning Arthur and even Dagonet had copped equal share of it.
Bors and Dagonet had looked Gilly's wound over. Lily had kept it wrapped and clean and it was healing well. Bors had gotten yet another tongue lashing over it from Vanora.
Dagonet had proclaimed that the wound probably didn't need stitches to which Lily agreed, but had thought it best. Since, being a child and one of Bors', he wouldn't have been able to stay clean and it would help prevent infection.
Tam had him drinking a tea that she assured Vanora would help with the occasional stab of pain and had to tell Gilly that it would make him as strong as his Da to get him to drink it. Since apparently, according to the seven year old, tea is for pansies.
"Aunty Lily! Aunty Lily!" Six cries, running over, diving into the blonde's lap and shoving a parchment under her nose. "See, see, see!"
Lily laughs and takes the paper away from the young girl, who gets comfortable in her lap and waits semi-patiently for her 'Aunt's' opinion.
Scrawled messily on the top of the page was the alphabet with the numbers one to nine under it. Then under that, Six had drawn a country scene of flowers, hills, a few trees and a lake.
"It's very beautiful, Six, well done."
The little girl beams at the praise and takes back her handy work.
"Have you shown your Ma and Da yet?" Lily asks, looking up at Bors and Dagonet who are standing behind her.
Six gasps and promptly holds up the paper to Bors, who takes it and inspects it closely.
"Aunt Lily is teaching us our numbers and letters Da!" she says excitedly, watching her father with keen eyes.
All eyes turn to her and Vanora stands proudly as she looks over Bors' shoulder at her daughter's work.
Lily blushes. "They were bored…"
"I think it's wonderful." Vanora smiles kindly at her, moving around her lover to put her hands on Lily's shoulders in support. "For them to learn to read and write, it'll give them more opportunities."
Arthur smiles at her. He was the only one of the men who knew how to read and write, the skill had never seemed important to the others. "As do I. How do they fair, Lily?"
"Well, they're picking it up fairly easily, and they seem to like it." she smiles back, sneaking a look at Bors apprehensively.
She doesn't know what his thoughts on it will be. He opens his mouth to say something, but One, Two, Three and Eight come running up the stairs. One goes straight up to Lily, and hands her the paper she was carrying, looking kind of nervous.
The other three go to their parents to show them their own works, happily yelling at them to view theirs first.
Lily stares at the neat drawing, awed. One, Lily had quickly learned, has great artistic talent. The drawing is of all of them, and it is pretty easy to tell who is who. Lancelot and Ash are drawn together, obviously arguing. Arthur has Excalibur drawn and was holding the great sword high. Tam is looking at Gawain and him at her, smiling. Galahad is clapping his best friend on the shoulder, but is looking at herself as she stands between Dagonet and Tristan. Tristan's hawk was perched on his right arm, and an apple is gripped in his left hand. Bors is standing next to Dagonet with an arm around Vanora, while all their children either sat or stood at their feet.
Lily grins and looks up at One. "It's amazing! You've done a magnificent job, how long did it take you?"
"Three days." she replies.
For a twelve year old, it was incredible. Lily didn't know anyone who could draw as well as the girl before her.
"I know what you should be." Lil laughs, reaching out and squeezing One's hand. "Is it alright if I show the others?"
She nods slowly, her eyes slipping to her parents.
Lily stands, shifting Six to her hip as she does so, and goes to Vanora and Bors who are trying to compliment and calm their bouncing brood.
"Alright you lot." Vanora calls, looking up at Lily as she approaches with two of her daughters.
Holding out the paper, face down, to the mother, the blonde woman grins at them.
"Who's is this?" Van asks, taking the paper and gasps as she turns it over. "Oh my…Bors, you great lug, look at this!"
"Alright, woman, I'm comin'." he mumbles, prying Eight from his leg. He goes quiet as he studies the drawing while One nervously awaits his opinion.
"Who did this?" he asks finally, loudly, in case the child wasn't in immediate ear shot. His astounded voice draws the attention of the rest of his brethren and the tavern falls silent. Which is indeed quite a change for the seven Knights, four women and eleven youngsters.
"I did." One squeaks after Lily encouragingly pushes her shoulder a little.
Bors' eyes shoot back and forth between the drawing and his daughter. "By the Gods, girl! It looks just like us." he laughs. "Even got those two doin' what they do best." He gestures towards Ash and Lancelot, and then holds the paper out to Dagonet who runs his eyes over it and nods approvingly, smiling at One.
He then precedes to hand it to Gawain, who gives it to Galahad and so on. Finally it came back to Vanora who hugs her eldest with teary eyes. "It's beautiful, sweetheart."
One smiles shyly, the praise being thrown at her getting a bit much.
"Alright you lot, you're embarrassing her." Lil yells over the noise.
"We'll have to frame it." Tammy smiles, rocking the baby who has somehow managed to fall asleep in the uproar.
They agree and Arthur promises he'll see to it.
oOo
"So, between all the amazing things you do." The voice in her ear startles Lily as she stands alone in the kitchen, putting away the plates a few minutes later.
She tilts her head at Galahad, who stands mere inches behind her, a grin on his face. "When do you get free time?"
She chuckles and shakes her head. "Amazing things I do? Gal, I sit behind the desk and occasionally show the kids a word. They don't sit still long, I get enough breaks."
He shrugs, the grin not leaving his handsome features. "It seems amazing to me."
She blushes slightly, and, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks, turns back to her task. He comes up beside her and starts helping.
"And what will you be doing today?"
"Showing Arthur his schedule while he's here, having a bath, eating, spending time with you lot…" she lists the things off with a thoughtful hum. She never actually plans any of her days, not really.
He nods, thinking.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing at all. We still haven't had that ride you know." he announces, shooting a hopeful glance at her.
The corners of her mouth tilt up in the beginning of a smile, "So we haven't."
"I think we should." he continues, placing a stack of dishes away into a cupboard. "After all, I promised to show you around."
Lily smiles at him. "Alright. How 'bout this afternoon? I think I can free up some of my precious time for you."
He beams. "Great! I'm supposed to be training now, so I'll see you later."
"Okay."
He grins some more and bounds out the door. Lil shakes her head after him and finishes her task before heading to the 'office', as the girls have dubbed it. Which is really what it is, the word was just foreign to the men.
She spends the next few hours sorting through paperwork and explaining to Arthur, when he finally shows up after the training session, what he had to see to first.
Then, after he had assured her that he wouldn't make a mess and he would indeed be fine, she leaves and goes straight to the bath house. She knocks, and when there is no answer, ducks in and just about dives into the water.
Lily sighs, letting the water wash away the stress of the last few days, running her fingers through her soapy hair. It had gotten longer in the three weeks and she makes a mental note to get Tam to cut it. There is no way in hell she would give a sharp object to Ash with Lancelot around. Her friend was too good at darts.
Just when Lil decides that she'd had enough and had a towel wrapped around her, the door opens and an arm slinks in, snatches up her breeches and disappears as the door slams.
"…What the hell…?"
For a moment, she keeps the towel wrapped tightly around her body, before dropping it and throwing on her breeches-turned-under-shorts and tunic. Whichever smartass it was, was going to have to deal with an angry Dagonet-Bors duo for the looks she was about to receive in her almost-half naked state.
Throwing open the door and heading for the closest exit, she runs out of the building just in time to see Galahad dart around the corner, laughing like an idiot.
He'll be a dead idiot soon, she thought, taking off after him. She was quick, but he admittedly had longer legs, and was a Knight, so he stayed just in front of her.
They dart in and out through and around the fort, earning odd looks and cat calls. When they pass the tavern, they nearly give Dagonet a heart attack and make Bors spit out his drink and start choking.
"Galahad! You bloody asshole! Get back here!" she yells at him, for what feels like the millionth time. They come away from the buildings and he bolts up a hill, at the top of which, Gawain is waiting.
Figures, should have known where one is, the other is never far away.
Just as he reaches the top, he slows enough for her to close the last metre between them and tackle him to the ground. She lands on top of him, straddles his stomach and pins his arms to his sides.
"You moron! If you ever do that again, I will kick your arse." she growls between heavy pants. Her body is covered with a sheen of glistening sweat and her chest rises and falls deeply as she strives to get enough oxygen into her lungs. He is too busy trying not to laugh and openly stare at her to respond. Gawain is being absolutely no help at all, to either of his friends. The older man is gripping his sides with tears running down his cheeks and is nearly on the ground for laughing so hard.
"Give. It. Back."
Galahad snaps his eyes back to her face and stares at her, willing himself not to laugh.
"I can't believe you did it." Gawain wheezes, gasping for breath.
Serves the git right.
Galahad takes her distracted moment as an opportunity and rolls over so he is straddling her and she immediately starts struggling.
"Get off me!"
"What's going on?" The new voice nearly has all three of them dead from surprise.
Looking up, Lily laid her eyes on Arthur, Lancelot and Tristan, who are all on their horses.
Galahad scrambles off Lily and helps her up. More like grabs her forearms and heaves her to her feet without asking. "Uh..."
"I bet Galahad that he wouldn't be able to steal something of Lily's and make it back here before she caught him." Gawain supplies, almost recovered from his laughing fit, though his face is still a bit red.
Arthur raises an eyebrow and Lancelot looks her over. She is flushed and still breathing hard. Tristan remains indifferent.
"And did you succeed?" the Commander asks Galahad, who stands a bit straighter, grins stupidly, and holds up her breeches.
"Yeah, he made it…just." Gawain laughs again and Lily retaliates by kicking his shin.
"I shoulda known you were the brains behind this." she snaps, as she snatches the breeches out of Galahad's hand and pulls them on. "Just you wait till I tell Dag and Bors, not to mention what Ash is going to do to you." she replies crankily, glaring at them.
"Tattle tale." Galahad pouts at her.
She raises both eyebrows as the others snicker. "That's the best you can come up with? Who'd you get that off? Four?"
"Ash, actually."
"Ah. Well, while that does make sense, it's still childish and I'm still telling. This is the perfect time to try out my new battle tactic." she huffs, spins on her heel and starts to march off. She stops for a moment, and hurries back to them, giving both the duo a swift kick in the shins and resumes storming off.
"What battle tactic?" Gal yells at her retreating back, clutching his damaged leg. She kicked like a mule, not that he'd ever tell her that.
"You've got a way with the women, pup." Lancelot grins, watching their youngest sister storm off. "I'd hate to think what will happen to you pair when the others find out."
The two immediately look panicky.
"Arthur, send us out." Gawain begs. "If Ash does not tear us to shreds, Dagonet will! And Bors will pound us to a powder!"
His commander shakes his head in amusement. "I'm afraid you will just have to accept your fate, my brothers." he sighs dramatically, a gleam of amusement in his emerald eyes. "You should've thought of the repercussions before hand, shouldn't you?"
Tristan smirks.
"What is this battle tactic?" Lancelot inquires, also smirking at the pair.
"I do not know, but whatever it is, it will not be good for us." Galahad replies dryly.
"Nonsense. She loves us too much." Gawain reasons, hopefully.
The others stare at him and it is Tristan who replies.
"She just kicked you in the shins. Twice."
They pale and take off after Lily, who is almost at the base of the hill.
"Lily! Wait! We didn't mean it!"
She turns her head and jumps into a run when she sees them coming.
"Come." Arthur laughs. "We should make sure they do not die."
Turning his horse after the pair and urging him into a trot. Snickering, the other two follow.
Lily runs straight to the tavern where Dagonet and Bors are pacing out the front and Ash, Tam and Van are setting up for the evening. Ash looks murderous as she slams trays down on the bar.
The riders, only a stride behind the running men, come to an abrupt halt when they do so as not to trample them.
Lily looks over her shoulder for a second and smirks, then turns her expression into a teary-eyed, scared look.
Her followers all get suddenly worried. Very, very, worried.
"Daddy! Uncle Bors!" She cries and runs straight into Dagonet's arms, ignoring the stunned look on his face at his new name.
"Ah shit," Gawain mumbles. "Not good."
Lily, who was an amazing actress, clings to Dagonet's tunic, buries her head in his chest and 'sobs'.
Dagonet closes his arms around her protectively and rubs her back. Bors sides up next to them and lays a hand on the back of her head, stroking her hair calmingly.
Ash, followed by Vanora, storms down the stairs, and both rush to Lily. After a quick check to make sure that she would indeed live, Ash whips around to glare at Galahad and Gawain.
"What. Did. You. Do?" she snarls.
Vanora was fussing over her 'crying' friend, trying to soothe and calm her, and also turns to glare at them. "You've reduced the poor girl to tears, you great beasts!"
"Come 'ere pup!" Bors roars, advancing on the youngest knight menacingly. "I'm only gonna break your toes!"
"You can have his stinkin' toes!" Ash snaps. "I'm gonna break his neck!"
"It was Gawain's idea!" Galahad shrieks- actually shrieks- leaping back and trying to hide behind Arthur's horse without getting his head kicked off. "He dared me!"
"Oh, so he's the brains then. I'll make sure to fry him, but you're not getting off!" she shouts, running at them. They both take off like scalded cats with Ash and Bors on their heels.
"Come." Dagonet gently turns Lily around and takes her up the stairs, Vanora following.
Tam stands as the doting pair go past and shakes her head as the riders came up to, trying to hide their laughter. Even Tristan looks amused.
"Liliana." The brunette mouths, trying not to smile.
Lily looks over Dagonet's shoulder and smirks, holding a finger to her lips.
oOo
"That was very cruel." The voice beside Lily startles her out of her thoughts.
Half an hour after the tavern began to fill with patrons, Ash and Bors had returned with their now very silent victims trailing behind. The pair had whole heartedly apologised to Lily and practically begged for her forgiveness. Which she thought was a little over the top, but Ash and Bors had looked thrilled with themselves.
After sighing dramatically and pretending to think about it, she had granted them their request. The night then went as usual, the Knights starting the process of getting drunk, Lily and Tam babysitting them, while Vanora and Ash served.
Lil raises her eyes to meet the scout's and smiles sheepishly. "They started it…are you mad?"
He shakes his head and takes another mug from the bar. "It was brilliant. Don't do it too often, I do not know how many lives they have."
She stares at him. "Did you just make a joke?"
He takes a mouthful of the ale and disregards the question. "Come, back to the table."
And with that he heads back to where their friends sit. After a moment, she follows him and sits down between Gawain and Galahad, just to prove that she doesn't hate them.
"What'd they do to you?" she whispers to Galahad, reaching up and pushing his curls away from his face to check for injuries.
"I am fine." he smiles at her. "Lots of yelling and chasing and threats mostly. They did break a few things to prove the point however. I've never seen wood shatter into so many pieces."
She chuckles, withdrawing her hand. "Sorry, but you deserved it."
"I am aware that I did, and I'm still sorry." he murmurs sincerely, trying not to show his disappointment as her touch left him.
"I've already forgiven you, Gal, don't stress on it." She smiles at him and squeezes his hand under the table. "Don't worry about it."
He nods, staring at her again as she smiles but forces himself to look away. Now wouldn't be a good time to get caught by the others.
Too bad Tristan and Dagonet both notice, and they glare at the younger man's slightly pink cheeks as she checks him over for harm. You can't really tell with Tristan, however.
Lily doesn't seem to notice his less-than-relaxed state as she goes back to looking at the others, searching the crowd for Ash.
The redhead is ducking and diving her way around the packed place with ease. Lily watches in amusement as she is pulled into some bloke's lap, who receives a quick slap before she's up and off again.
"Men are hideous creatures." she pants as she set more mugs on their table. "The lot of ya's, bloody assholes."
"Take it easy, Ash." Lily says off-handily, crawling out of her spot. "When do you change shifts?"
"Now." her friend replies, watching her replacement come out from the kitchen and nod to her. "What did you have in mind?"
"Sleep." She yawns. "I spent half of today chasing people remember, I wanna go to sleep."
Ash grins at her. "Well, this is a pleasant change. I was getting sick of you staying around all night. I mean, hitting people is fun, but seriously scaring off all the guys that are interested in you is getting annoying."
Lily wrinkles her nose while the others at their table look around for said suitors, ready to chop them up into itty bitty pieces and then pound them into dust.
"What guys?" the youngest asks interestedly, also scanning the crowd.
"Losers. You're too good for them, never mind." Ash replies instantly.
"But..."
"No buts missy, no guys for you unless they have been approved of by everyone." She makes gestures to the men and one to Vanora across the tavern.
Lily groans. "Might as well be a nun then."
Ash grins. "Maybe not a nun, I don't like those penguin suits."
"First good suggestion you've ever made." Lancelot teases.
"Shut up, Lassie." she replies sharply.
Chuckling, Lily moves around to Dagonet and kisses the side of his forehead. "Night Daddy." Throwing a teasing, yet triumphant smirk at Galahad and Gawain, she waves to the others. "G'night, people."
"Night, Lil." They laugh and Ash loops her arm through Lily's and pulls her away.
"Good night, you idiots." She calls over her shoulder before disappearing into the crowd, and then into the night.
A/N: There you go (: Hope you liked it! PLEEEAAAASSSE let me know what you thought!
As most of you know by now, I'm moving. And it's kinda taking up a lot of my time. And once we've moved, we won't have internet straight away, so I can't really tell you for sure when the next chapter will be up. I never know the what's happening until its happening lol. I'm guessing we'll be leaving in the next 3-4 days though. So when I suddenly drop off the radar, you'll know why lol. For updates on what's happening, check my profile. I'll try to let you guys know as soon as I do.
PLEASE REVIEW!
~Meg xx