Chapter 3
—467 AD—
Adena stood behind the bar to grab more pitchers when she saw the last of the seven knights walking in, laughing and pushing each other. She looks back to when the last fifteen men that found her had finally come down to only seven since she's been here. And every time she attended their funeral but cried behind closed doors as she saw them as older brothers that wanted nothing more but to protect her. Despite not knowing her well, they actually cared about her.
She was now twenty-two years old and felt that she has been through more than she ever wanted to go through; especially of losing the last three knights. So many nights she had cried after each of the mission the other knight's brought a dead body back. Luckily there were no more deaths. Adena now knew where in this story she was in—for she has seen it a million times. The only difference was that she was in it and did not know if to stop some deaths or let destiny take its course?
Shaking her head, she takes hold several jugs of ale and quickly takes them to the knights just as they sat down. She also noticed Arthur was also with them, a very rare time to see him at his best rather than just the half-Roman Commander of the Sarmatian Knights. They greeted her as usual, Adena merely nodding in greeting, keeping both her head and eyes down. She went to turn around only to be grabbed around the waist by Lancelot, placing her on his lap.
"When are you going to speak, my lady, so that I may worship you and that lovely voice?" He whispered to her seductively.
Adena, however, turns and slaps Lancelot before she stands and quickly stalks away. The men laugh, as Arthur rolls his eyes and both Dagonet and Bors began to give a good lecture to the womanizer. However, they were all used to it as it was Lancelot's usual way of greeting her. And every time he would earn a hard, sharp slap from the young woman; no matter what.
"Oh, my lady wounds me again!" He cries before grabbing hold of a passing maid and sitting her on his lap. "Well you heal my wound, my lady?" He asked suggestively.
The woman merely giggles and falls for the man's charms, the other men rolling their eyes. They begin to let loose, but keeping a close eye on anyone and anything that would begin any trouble.
Adena continues her rounds, never missing a beat with Vanora and two other barmaids that weren't too busy sitting on someone's lap. But it was mostly Adena that would keep the ale and wine coming as Bors would sometimes take his lover away for a few private moments. Adena would keep an eye on their children, but she didn't mind. The children usually behave themselves and help her out with filling the jugs; especially now that the other two barmaids have disappeared.
By the end of the night, the tavern was completely deserted, save for the knights and Arthur. Though, both Bors and Vanora were both missing still, and the children were all helping Adena cleaning up. She wipe down the tables while number's One through Four placed the chairs upon the clean tables, while Five through Seven wash and dried the jugs that were used. Eight and Nine were both watching their younger brother and sisters, while they slept or played by the knights.
Once that was done, Adena sighs and turns to head over to the bar only to be circled by all of the children. She raises an eyebrow at them, placing her hands on her hips, wondering what it was that they wanted.
"We can't go home, Ena, you know as good as I do what our parents are doin'!" The oldest girl, number One, says.
Adena sighs, nodding her head, a small smile visible only to them. The children all cry, hugging the poor woman all at once. Adena laughs, hugging them back—or at least the older kids as they were taller.
"Why don't you go ahead and take them to your home, Adena?" Dagonet tells her, Adena noting all the knights watching them. "We'll close up."
Adena nods her head in thanks before beckoning the children out of the tavern. They all cheer, the younger ones holding hands and running towards the direction of Adena's home. She takes number Eleven from number Six, who hurries to catch up to the younger ones.
"Maybe now you can finish that story you were telling us the last time we couldn't go home, Ena!" Number five cries happily.
Adena smiles, nodding her head in agreement. As they disappear into the darkness, the group of knight's look at each other surprise as they have never heard Adena speak for a long period of time. Hell, she hardly spoke a word to anyone save the children, Vanora, Dagonet, and Bors. But even then it was only a word or two, never a full conversation. All chuckling in surprise, they continue their conversation; one of the knights sneaking away into the shadows.
Adena's home wasn't too far from the tavern or the fortress, but it was far enough for some privacy from anyone else. She ended the story of Sleeping Beauty to ten sleeping children on makeshift beds on her bed. She lightly bounced number Eleven in her arms and quietly walked out of her room, closing the door behind her. Her home wasn't big, but it was enough for her and the children whenever she had to watch them.
She moved about the kitchen and living room, all the while humming and bouncing the small boy in her arms and Conner walking slowly along side her. Adena was tired but knew that she wouldn't get any sleep if the last son of Bors and Vanora didn't go to sleep some time soon. Although she had a second bedroom, she doubted number Eleven will want to lie down. With a sigh, she sat in the Roman style chair, Conner lying down next to her.
Number Eleven moved and laid his head upon the top of her chest, playing with the necklace she had found upon her neck on the morning of her twentieth birthday. But before she knew it she had hummed herself to sleep, number Eleven playing with the necklace or her curled hair. Suddenly, someone silently emerged from the shadows, Conner immediately looking up. But as he noted who it was, he laid back down, the person begging to softly sing a lullaby in their language. Number Eleven begin to fall asleep to the soothing sound of the voice.
It was another two minutes before number Eleven finally fell asleep on top of the young woman, clutching the necklace and the top of her dress. The person carefully took the young child into their arms and took him over to the second bedroom before placing him in the left side of the bed and placing pillows around the edges so he wouldn't roll over. They moved back to the living room quickly and silently. They picked up the weightless woman into his arms and took her into the bedroom, Conner quickly following.
They placed her on the bed and covered her with a blanket made by Vanora and given to the young woman. Conner jumped up to the bed and lied down at the end of it. The person sat down at the edge of the bed and brushed the few long curls away from her face, the young woman sighing in her sleep. Leaning forward, the mysterious person lightly kissed Adena's forehead before getting up and getting out of the house. They pointed his forefinger at Conner with sternness, the dog placing his head back down to sleep some more.
With a roll of their eyes, the person left the house unnoticed by anyone except the two oldest children of Vanora and Bors. They smile to each other before closing the door and walking back to the bed, wondering in amazement and surprise of the way the person had treated Adena. A way that they knew this person never treated any other before. Perhaps there was still hope in the world for the knight of Arthur after all.
Adena found herself waking up to muffled noise moving about outside her door and number Eleven playing with her hair. She smiled at the two year old before stretching out her limbs and sitting up. However, she frowned in wonder of how she gotten into the second room as she didn't remember falling asleep on the bed but the Roman couch. Shrugging at the thought perhaps she was too tired then she realized, Adena moved it from her mind and stood up to leave, taking the child into her arms and Conner at her side.
She smiled at the sight before her, shaking her head in stubbornness, if not embarrassed. Vanora was moving around with some of the older girls in the kitchen, getting breakfast ready, as Bors played rough house with the other children. Holding number Eleven to her left hip, Adena cleared her throat, raising an eyebrow.
The group stopped all what they were doing, turning to the young woman looking on in amusement at them all. The group once again began to do their thing, greeting the young woman in the process. Vanora walked over to her, taking her child back.
"You just go sit down and eat, young lady! We have lots of thanking to do for what you did; especially for the tavern last night." She told Adena, ushering her to the table.
Adena waved a hand at the older woman, feeling her cheeks turning red with embarrassment. Vanora merely waved a hand back and pushed the young woman to sit down on the chair, Conner immediately coming to lay down by her side. With a defeated sigh, the young woman took in the sights, smiling softly to herself. This was her life now. The way she knew it for years; and she doubted that she would trade it for anything in the world.
But sometimes she just wonders about her own family back in her time. Do they miss her? Have they even notice that she's missing? Have they pronounced her dead? In all the years, she would have wished to be with them one more time, to say goodbye. But she knew that wasn't possible any time soon. If she didn't know how it was that she became to be here, there was no way of going back.
No, it was best to forget them now but it was so hard for her. So much pain and suffering, yet there was always hope and joy in her life. Despite the damage that was done. Yes, she had to stop thinking about them or it will ruin her rather then make her stronger.
A/N: Thank you for those who had reviewed and were patient for me to return from my vacation! Please review and let me know what you think!