Here I am with a new chapter. Sorry for the wait. Anyway, I don't own anything except for Natalie and Adria. Warning: My writing style focuses more on detail than actual dialogue. It's how I am. I like to set the scene for my readers to be able to visualize.
Extra: Sorry! I had to edit a few mistakes.
~The Calling~
"Do you still think that this place is lovely now Natalie?" Galahad questioned with a triumphant grin. The tavern was brimming with people. It was an odd shaped settlement. It had a signature aroma that left one befuddled as to whether it was pleasant or malodorous. Warbled requests for drink seemed to fill the air and random outbursts of noise came from tables in a sporadic order as games or arguments turned favorable or unfavorable. The place was not exactly a house of elegance. Natalie looked up at the knight and shrugged. "It does seem to have a charm indeed." Galahad frowned lightly but then broke back out into a grin. "Well, there's still the whole night to change your mind, milady," He said nudging her lightly before offering his arm to lead her to their table.
Morien watched them enter with a light frown. He was unsure of what to do. He wanted to act like her father and monitor her. That definitely involved keeping her away from men in general. Yet, she rebuffed and went as far as to ignore him at every turn. Dagonet noted his friend's troubled look and stood next to him. "Morien, perhaps you might try befriending her before trying to be her father. She doesn't know what to think of you yet," He offered quietly then went to join his friends at the table. Bors was surprisingly the last Sarmatian to enter the tavern and immediately started yelling out demands for ale and his woman.
Annoyed and not with child for once, Vanora walked over to the table with arms full of empty tankards. She set one in front of each of the knights not looking up, before she noticed that she seemed to run out. She looked at the table in confusion before noting they had an extra guest. "Oh pardon me dear. I'm so used to having a fixed amount to carry that I didn't even check. I'll be back in a minute," She said kindly to Natalie, taking her appearance in stride. The woman walked away swiftly ignoring the petulant cry of Bors, the one person at the table without a tankard.
Arthur and Guinevere finally made their entrance as they had stayed behind for a moment. Judging from the smile the Queen had on her face, Natalie had a feeling that they weren't exactly talking. After the silence and bowing that followed their entrance, they also joined the table, just as Vanora returned with three more tankards and a pitcher. She poured each occupant a drink, leaving Bors for last. Just as she had expected, he pulled her into his lap and kissed her openly and soundly disregarding the ale that sloshed onto the ground from his handling of her. "'Nora, we're hungry. Feed us my flower?" He asked overly sweet. She rolled her eyes and stood whacking him for good measure. "AYE!" He wailed grabbing the back of his head. "I'll feed ya, you lug, but quit wasting the ale all over."
Natalie laughed heartily at the display as it had distracted her and the others from their conversations. Gawain shook his head in mock solemnity. "Aye lass, that's something you could get used to. Their love is of the painful sort," He explained making her laugh harder. Bors sent his brother in arms a half-hearted glare before drinking heavily from his cup. "So, lady Natalie is there a lucky man who can boast the same about you?" Lancelot asked smirking at her. "Nope. Nothing of the sort. I've had a few men who have tried to uh… court me. Dad had a tendency to scare them off though," She said and suddenly the table grew silent. It was an awkward pregnant silence, but fortunately Gawain was there to alleviate the group's discomfort. "It's a good thing I'm not scared off easily," He said making the group chuckled. Morien did not have the heart to glare at him and make things return to the awkward state.
"Who said she'd have ya?" Vanora asked walking up with two other barmaids. They both held large platters while she held a stack of plate and utensils. Natalie immediately stood and began to assist the other woman in handing out the plates to the occupiers. The barmaids set the platters down and quickly disappeared before the knights could grab at them. Vanora gave Natalie a grateful smile. "I'm Vanora child. It's nice of you to help," She said and gathered the woman into a hug. Natalie gave her a bashful grin. "I'm Natalie, it's no trouble really."
"Natalie will be joining us at the wall for a while. The knights came across her in the forest as she was on her way to find her sister," Arthur intervened. It was a very subtle message to the knights and the subject herself about her back story as well as the need for secrecy. "Y'know you look a bit like our Morien. He's spoken before about a child. A girl similar to ye," Vanora added. Natalie was sure she heard someone curse under their breath. Vanora was quite intelligent as it seemed. "Actually yes, it must have been my sister Adria and I he was mentioning. We're twins. Identical at that. Sometimes we get mistaken for the same person. I was told on my journey that my father was here and I could not resist the chance to catch up with him," Natalie said giving Morien a smile over his shoulder.
The knight was absolutely caught off-guard but managed to gather himself long enough to nod in the affirmative. Arthur seemed just as shocked by her quick thinking and took a drink to hide his expression. Vanora smiled even bigger. "Well, it's great that ya have such a good father. No need to worry about one of these lugs getting to ya," She finished before moving on to serve more customers. Natalie made her way back to Galahad as the knights, and Guinevere watched her in silence. "This food actually looks pretty tasty," She commented before reaching to serve herself. She ignored the looks of her company and began to eat, and they had no choice but to follow in suit.
Morien did not eat much of his food, but instead pushed it around as he stole glances at his… daughter. It was odd to think of it that way, but it was in fact the truth. Merlin said that she had been switched with Adria, so technically she had not lied to Vanora. Yet, the simplicity in which she had stated it had almost given him hope that she was already beginning to accept that fact. However, her insistence on looking anywhere but at him and the way her smile had become a bit forced negated that. Morien sighed and began to converse lightly with Arthur. Lancelot had managed to reel in a wench and had her perched on his lap as he ate. Gawain seemed to search for the same luck. Tristan sat at one end with his feet perched on the table top, the sounds of him sharpening his dagger was the only indicator that he was actually awake.
Galahad gave Natalie a light smile. "I meant to thank you again for helping me earlier. If you had not been so insistent on helping me from under the snow, it would have been a lot harder for my brothers to find me. I'm indebted to you," He told her sheepishly running a hand through his curly mop. Natalie shrugged and smiled. "Please don't thank me so profusely. You may recall that I did insult you and sass you and your fellow knights all the way back to the wall," She began and lowered her voice. "I know being from a different time can excuse my being more headstrong and open than most women, however, it does not excuse my being rude earlier." Galahad simply shrugged; an action that caused his arm to brush hers due to their closeness. Both blushed and immediately pulled away from each other going back to their food.
After sitting and chatting for a while longer, Natalie found herself helping out with the tavern. If she saw one of the barmaids looking overwhelmed with their burdens, she would assist them quickly before returning to the knights. Galahad remained near the table in case she did return and would throw knives with Gawain and Tristan while she was away. Morien and Dagonet gathered at a counter and stood silently watching the masses. Morien's focus was geared more towards Natalie. He tensed whenever he saw her assisting to serve a table full of men, finding the looks they gave her a threat. Dagonet chuckled. "Honestly my friend. She has a daunting group of men willing to protect her, including the king himself. She will be fine," He said before downing a tankard of drink. Morien grunted, but did calm himself a bit.
Eventually Guinevere approached the young woman, offering to take her to her rooms for the night. Natalie relented and the two parted with the company of Arthur, and Galahad who felt he would be needed.
Morien sighed. He would have to discuss the situation with her tomorrow it would seem.
~The Calling~
Natalie did not wake until light hit her face. The sky was still as gloomy as ever, but it was undeniably morning. She shifted on her bed, noting that it wasn't as comfortable as usual before her eyes snapped open. "This isn't my flat," She said aloud before gasping. Her chest constricted and a wave of fear seemed to wash over her. Tears flooded her eyes and she clutched her chest. "I'm having a bloody panic attack," She muttered before curling into a ball. "I'm really stuck here. Oh God. Oh God."
She heard a knock at the door, before it slowly swung open and then was closed once more. She turned to see the Queen with a stack of clothing in her hands. Once Guinevere noticed the younger woman's panicked look, she set everything down and rushed to her bedside. "Natalie?" She asked out of concern pushing her hair out of her face. "I'm sorry my… my lady," Natalie began awkwardly. "It's just… I'm really here. I thought maybe it was just a dream, but I'm really here. I… I just want to go home." By this time, she was really crying. Guinevere shushed her and hugged her almost awkwardly. The queen was not really sure what to do, but her hug seemed to help calm her down.
"Natalie, we will sort this out. We just need to find Adria and my father will help tell us what we need to do. Please calm down. I brought you something new to wear, so if you wash up, we can get you down to the table so that we can discuss getting you home," Guinevere said with an encouraging smile. Natalie nodded with a hiccup and wiped her eyes. She slid out of bed and wiped her face on the sleeve of the dress she was wearing. "I'm sorry," She said voice hoarse. "I sound really selfish right now, and you've been nothing but kind to me." Guinevere patted her back. "I'm sure I'd be the same if I were suddenly transported to your time Natalie. Now, let's get you all cleaned and dressed."
Guinevere grabbed a dress off the pile and led the younger woman to another room. Steam flowed from the crack under the door and Natalie found herself growing excited. The Queen smiled at her before opening the door to the bathing room. It was by no means a luxurious bathroom by the standards of the year 2003, but to Natalie the prospect was fantastic. A large wood basin was set in the middle of the room, nearly filled to the brim with water. There were scented oils within arm's reach and a few linens for washing and drying. Laughter drug Natalie out of her reverie as she turned to Guinevere with a questioning gaze. "Your facial expression reminded me much of Arthur's heaven. I'll leave you to wash." The queen walked out of the room, and Natalie immediately stripped and submerged.
She took her time washing and drying. She was suddenly grateful for the undergarments she had from her own time being amongst the pile of clean clothes. The Queen must have had them washed. Natalie finally took the time to observe the dress that Guin had chosen for her.
The gown was a creamy, pearly pink with cream colored under layers. It was heavier than the dress she had worn the day before which was an improvement as it was better suited to the weather. The sleeves flared at her wrists, covering her hands. The dress' bodice extended to her waist and tied in the front, making it simpler to wear than the other. Finally the skirt was full and almost covered her feet completely. It was the smallest bit from grazing the ground.
Natalie had to admit, the girlish part of her knew that if she had the choice to take something home it would be this dress. Or one of the knights. The thought made her giggle as she gathered all of her things. It took her a short while, but she found her room once more. Spending a good five minutes convincing her hair to comply with her using a few well-placed braids to hold the mass of curls back, she was ready to go. Having paid better attention to the location of her room, she was sure that she could make her way to the Table without getting lost. A keen sense of direction was not her strong suit. "Bullocks." She muttered several times when she made a wrong turn during her journey. She groaned and walked down an eerily quiet hall, before going down a flight of stairs.
"Worst case, I'll just end up outside. It'll be easier that way though," She said aloud to herself. Fortunately, she did eventually end up outside. Unfortunately, she needed to be on the other side of the establishment. Natalie sighed and began scaling the building, unwilling to go further away from it than necessary, lest she end up in the middle of town. She muttered to herself all the while before another set of footsteps joined hers. She turned around and nearly jumped out of her skin. "Tristan! You startled me," She said and the only apology she received was an incline of the head. "Can you help me find the Table room? I get so lost around here." The knight nodded and they began to walk in a companionable silence.
They arrived at the doors and Natalie gave him a beaming smile. "Thanks," She said and tried to step in, but was stopped by his arm. "Morien is having a hard time trying to decide to be your father, friend, or stay a stranger. Be easier on him," He said and the young lady nodded. "I will," She agreed and walked in.
The others were already there, but Guinevere was pacing around while Arthur spoke to her. At Natalie's entrance she looked up, and smiled. "Natalie!" She exclaimed startling the knights from their breakfast, and rushed over. "I'm sorry I left you. I went back to your rooms but you were gone. I was afraid you were lost." Natalie shrugged. "I was, but Sir Tristan happened across me and helped me find my way." She reassured her. "Also, Natalie, that dress is very, very becoming of you. I myself did not care for the color, but it suits you so well," The Queen added with a rather enthused smile. Natalie had the decency to blush and thanked her friend once more.
"Good day," She said and took her seat next to Galahad. The knights responded accordingly except for the youngest. He simply offered her a rather silly grin over a mouth full of food. Natalie giggled a bit at the sight of him before tucking into her own bowl. The breakfast consisted of some sort of grainy porridge that, while in desperate need of sugar, was as a whole not too bad. Natalie continued to eat, and laughed at Lancelot's bawdy jokes and Bors' tales of their many adventures. Morien and Dagonet were discussing herbs, but did interject several times to correct any of Bors' hyperboles. Unbeknownst to Natalie, and much to Tristan's amusement, Gawain and Galahad were having a conversation of their own about her. However, theirs was silent and involved mouthing things back and forth to each other over her head. It was fortunate really, that she was so short.
Tristan's bowl had been emptied minutes after his arrival and he was currently peeling an apple and observing. He hid it well, but his appetite was just as voracious as his comrades. He was just faster about getting his food. Years as a scout had conditioned him into being swift and doing things a certain way. Every day he exited through the kitchens so that he could filch a few extra snacks for himself. "And then, Lancelot stumbles onto the training field. He was on time alrigh' but he forgot his breeches. The man was wandering around in his underclothes!" Bors stated loudly, smacking the table as he guffawed loudly. Natalie giggled into her hand at the annoyed expression on Lancelot's face. He took it in stride. "I can do it again if the lady would like to see," He offered with a wink and Natalie made a face at him.
She turned to Galahad who quickly righted himself as he was in mid-silent speech. "Galahad would you mind showing me around the fort? I get lost far too easily here," She asked and he smiled. "It would be a pleasure Natalie," He said nodding and she returned his smile. Natalie noticed Morien's crestfallen face across the table and she immediately thought about Tristan's words. She would not renege on touring with Galahad but she needed to make this right as well. "Morien, do you think you and I could talk later? We have a lot to solve and I am going to need to spend a lot more time with you; especially if I need to be convincing as your daughter." Her "father" brightened immediately and nodded. "Of course Ad- I mean Natalie. Meet me here before dinner, and we may talk." Dagonet smiled at the exchange.
Galahad stood and offered her his arm. "Would you like to see the fort now?" He asked and she nodded taking his arm. The two exited the room and Gawain slouched in his seat and sighed wearily. "Honestly, the pup's driving me mad. He's lucky she asked him to give her a tour before he did; otherwise it would've never happened," He said to his brothers who all nodded in their own way with the exception of Morien.
Morien frowned at this and looked at his brothers and king and queen. "I do not like the idea of Natalie being involved in that way. No offense meant to you all, but she's my daughter," He stated thumping his fist against the table. Lancelot glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "She may be your daughter, but the likeliness of her staying here rather than returning to her time, may depend on her falling for someone. Who best of us than the pup?" asked the twin sword wielder.
~The Calling~
There's the end of this chapter! Longest chapter ever. However, the next will begin with another appearance from Mordred and Nimue in disguise. It also marks the beginning of the journey to save Adria. Or…does she actually even need saving?
I promise to update sooner now that I have time.