CHAPTER 3
Lourdes found her gaze being drawn to the knight riding in front of her. Fascination took over her mind, thoughts forming into questions, curiosity and wonder all at once. What was his life like? What were his deeds? How had he grown from infancy into a knight that sat so strong and spirited on horseback?
The sombre mood that plagued the convoy did not seem to affect him. His thick curls were tousled by the wind, his green eyes squinting as the sun slowly peeked through the looming clouds. He patted his horse gently and it softly gave him a neigh of approval, warm air appearing from its nostrils, head bobbing up and down. Smiling, he then turned his attention to his surroundings, surveying the picturesque winter scene before him. Then, his eyes turned, landing on Lourdes.
She sat still in the wagon, a warm wool blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She met his gaze with unflinching steadiness, a smile pulling on her lips. He kept his gaze upon her as she sat up to lean on her knees, pushing back the mesh cover of the wagon even wider.
"May I ride with you?" Lourdes' brown eyes glimmered as the prospect of being free from the confined space of the wagon pleased her. Her legs cried out for movement. Her limbs ached from being kept in the same position for hours. The covers on the wagon blocked out most of the sun, and the darkened space did not help improve her mood.
The young knight nodded slightly, his head tilted to the side, as he seemed to agree to but question her request. Lourdes only answered him with a wide grin, immediately jumping from the wagon onto the blanket of snow. The surrounding knights, Bors and Gawain, looked at her curiously, but said nothing as they observed Galahad hold out an arm to her. The two knights looked at one another, shrugged, then continued to observe the two quietly.
With a satisfied sigh, Lourdes took her seat on the saddle behind Galahad. She used his shoulders to steady herself as the horse swayed slightly. The knight wondered why she had not moved to his front, where the ladies he rode with in the past conventionally sat. Keeping the question to himself, he turned his head faintly to his left, making sure that she was alright.
"Keep your arms around my waist." He stated lightly, lifting his elbows.
Lourdes nodded, gingerly placing her arms around the knight. She immediately felt the steel armour and sword under his cloak, reminding her what he did for a living. Though feeling comfortable on the steed, the slow pace dulled her, almost lulling her to sleep. She cleared her throat, attempting to catch Galahad's attention.
"You have been a knight for a long time?" she began, not at all feeling the cold as she pressed her body to his back. She did not know whether mentioning his service to Rome was a good idea, but she was merely curious.
"Fifteen years and two weeks." Galahad tried to erase the bitterness in his tone by asking, "And you, milady?"
"Oh, you know, not counting the informal training and all," Lourdes counted with her fingers as she looked to the sky, "I think about sixteen years next month."
"That is truly a very long time. You must be as skilled a fighter as you have claimed to be!"
"It is not a claim, dear sir, but the truth!"
The two burst out in laughter, gaining the attention of those walking around them. Save for the howling wind, they were the only two speaking amongst the travellers. Galahad, though, did not mind, for it broke the sombre silence that made him uneasy.
"Where is home for you, Sir Galahad?" she quietly asked, her voice lowering as she thought of her own forsaken home.
"Two months' ride east from the Sarmatian border. I do believe it is near the centre of Sarmatia."
"Is it beautiful there?"
"Very."
Bowing her head, Lourdes paused, trying not to think of what her pillaged village looked like. "Do you think I will see it someday?" she looked up with twinkling eyes as Galahad slightly turned his head to her. "Well, I mean, since I have no home to go back to..."
Lourdes' sentence trailed off until she became silent. Galahad pursed his lip as he realized her dilemma, feeling much pity for the young woman. He patted her hands that still clung to his waist gently, hoping to bring her some comfort.
"Of course. When this is all over, you are welcome in Sarmatia." he smiled, turning his head back to his front. "If you would like, I could even show you around my village, introduce you to my family..."
Lourdes laughed softly at the prospect. "Oh, do not jest! I simply wish to find a suitable home."
"Tis no jest, milady," Galahad replied seriously, stating, "Sarmatia can be your home."
This brought Lourdes to a thoughtful state. She had been so preoccupied with the present that she did not even stop to think about the future. Why did she separate from her family? What was this longing that she felt? She was surrounded by company, but she felt ultimately alone - a woman that was visibly different from the others, travelling amongst strangers. Though, she said to herself, kind strangers that allowed her to travel with them, offering their protection. She then sighed, shaking the thoughts from her head.
"Sir Galahad?" she slowly asked. She poked his side lightly, making him jump slightly.
"Yes, milady?" he answered in a relatively still voice, head turning to face her.
"How fast can your horse run?"
"Fairly quickly." Galahad raised an eyebrow, although Lourdes was not able to see it. Then slowly continued. "Why do you ask?"
She ignored his question and continued with, "Then let us gallop at full speed up to that hilltop!"
"But…"
"Please, Sir Galahad?" Lourdes bent her neck to the side, pouting her lips in a child-like manner as he faced her. "Any slower and I will be asleep on your back!"
Galahad chuckled in amusement, positioning his horse so that it walked a few meters to the side of the group. Without being told, Lourdes held onto him more tightly. With a click of his tongue and a flick of his wrist to flap the reigns, the horse took off, alarming some of the travellers, who quickly jumped out of the horse's path. Arthur, Guinevere and the rest of the knights watched in surprise as Lourdes shrieked in happiness, her black hair flowing wildly in the wind.
"Where do you think they are going?" Gawain piped up, biting on an apple that he took out of his cloak pocket.
"I think they want to be alone." commented Bors with a guffaw, nudging Lancelot, who rode to his side.
Lancelot's eyes exhibited both disapproval and bewilderment, seeing Lourdes and Galahad gallop further into the distance. "What are those two possibly thinking?" he scowled, turning to Arthur, who was himself laughing in amusement.
Closing her eyes, Lourdes imagined that she was flying. The cool, crisp air hit her face, making her body shiver. Slowly, she held out her arms like wings, surprisingly able to keep her balance. Galahad became momentarily alarmed, placing his arm back so as to keep her steady, but Lourdes only sat there with a content smile on her face, keeping her eyes closed.
As they neared the top of the hill, the sound of rushing water came faintly. Lourdes opened her eyes, repositioning her arms around Galahad's waist once more. She peeked from his side, looking to see what scene awaited them. Galahad softly tugged at the reigns, the horse slowing down to a trot, then finally, to a stop.
Using Galahad's extended arm, Lourdes dismounted, walking to the very peak of the hill. Galahad followed her, holding the reigns of his horse, then stopped at her side. The two became breathless at the sight before them: a field, still covered in an untouched blanket of snow, that sloped down to a rocky escarpment, which then led to a rushing waterfall. Tall and majestic, the waterfall roared, towering around a small pond surrounded by boulders, outcroppings and snow-covered trees. It was a small piece of winter paradise.
Lourdes giggled in delight, quickly taking Galahad's arm. Before he could protest, he let go of his horse's reigns, being pulled down to the side of the escarpment. It was not steep, and the two carelessly hopped from one rock to another until they reached the edge of the pond.
Lourdes breathed out contentedly, turning her attention to Galahad with a smile. Galahad feigned a look of disapproval, shaking his head at her.
"Do you not feel so free?" she called out over the rushing water, arms in the air. "No care in the world, no orders being barked at you, nothing to fear!"
Chuckling, Galahad smirked at her, crossing his arms as he observed her with amusement. He watched her walk from rock to rock, making her way directly to the front of the waterfall. She stood for only a moment, taking a look at the 50-foot wonder. Then, she continued, stopping just beside the falling water, being slightly sprinkled. Galahad walked to her side as she held out her arms, taking some water into her palms. Drinking quickly, she repeated her action once more, but this time, she held out her cupped hands to the knight.
Galahad bowed his head slowly, keeping his eyes on Lourdes' as he drank slowly. The cool, refreshing feeling coursed throughout his entire body and he suddenly felt his energy return. Lourdes looked satisfied, nodding her head once to him. Suddenly, she swung her left arm, splashing a handful of water at the knight.
He looked up at the hysterical maiden in surprise, wiping his face clean of the liquid. Then, without warning, he took the sides of Lourdes' arms, pushed her into the surprisingly warm water for only a second, then pulled her back out. She screamed in shock, her face, hair and cloak all soaked. Galahad was the one that was now in hysterics, seeing Lourdes' ridiculous appearance, holding his stomach as he tried to keep his balance.
Lourdes looked at him wearily before she tried to pull him into the water. Though, the knight was too strong, and she only managed to get one side of him wet and get herself even more wet! Galahad laughed even harder, and, after a few moments, Lourdes slowly joined him, her laugh becoming stronger by the second.
As the two caught their breaths, Galahad began to untie his cloak. Draping it around his arm, he then moved to untie Lourdes'. She merely watched him as he placed his dry cloak around her, smiling contentedly. He caught her eye for a moment as he tied it around her neck.
"Galahad! Lady Lourdes!" a booming voice called from the top of the escarpment.
The two gazed at one another for a moment longer before looking up at the call.
"We must now journey to the east to avoid the mountain ranges in the distance." Lancelot peered down on them, beckoning for them to follow him. "I suggest you come now before you are both left behind!"
"We shall be with you in a few moments!" Galahad replied, hand on his face to enunciate his voice. He then turned to Lourdes as he extended his elbow to her. She smiled, linking her arm with his as they retraced their steps to the top of the escarpment. Lourdes lost her footing briefly, but thanks to Galahad's quick reflexes, he caught her around the waist, keeping her balanced. Lourdes breathed out in relief, blowing a strand of hair from her face as she gave him a whimsical smile. Galahad only looked at her fastidiously, eyes gleaming.
With one last step, they finally made it to the top, immediately spotting Galahad's horse. It looked at the two of them quizzically, as if questioning why he was left all alone to graze in the snow. Lourdes smiled at it, comfortably embracing it in 'apology'.
Unbeknownst to the two, fixed eyes watched their every move from one of the trees at the bottom of the escarpment. The figure only stood there, a staff in hand, as the two disappeared from his view. It drew a breath. Then, as stealthily as it came, it was gone.
Night fell quickly, its curtain of black and indigo enveloping the travellers. Firefly-like stars blinked above them in small clusters, peering from small wisps of dark clouds. The chilly air became even colder, and the group unconsciously huddled closer together as they continued their journey.
"It was quite careless of you to run off as you did earlier."
Turning, Lourdes caught the sight of Lancelot. She quickly gave him a look of distaste, his condescending tone not at all improving her mood. He continued to smirk, not flinching at her stony gaze.
"I thought the Saxons were behind us, not in front of us." she retorted, pulling her blanket closer to her as she huddled in the wagon. Guinevere and the other released prisoners were fast asleep, obviously exhausted from the journey.
"Not only that," the knight continued his teasing, moving his horse closer to the wagon's side with a flick of the reign, "what if you fell off the horse and broke that pretty little neck of yours? Then, where would you be?"
Lourdes squinted her eyes at him in annoyance, retorting, "First of all, that would never happen because of my good balance." she counted with her fingers, holding her hand up for Lancelot to see. "Second, I believe that Sir Galahad is a good enough rider to..."
"And you longed to ride with him?" Lancelot raised an eyebrow, fully knowing that he annoyed the poor maiden with every word that he said. He only waited for her to reach her boiling point, which was quite close indeed.
"Oh, you..." Lourdes began before Bors caught both hers and Lancelot's attention.
"Lad, you can't have all the women to yerself!" he guffawed, looking at Lancelot and Lourdes alternately. "Ye can see that this maiden needs her rest, and yer still here attempting to woo her?"
Lifting her chin, Lourdes turned her gaze to the grinning knight. "Believe me, Sir Bors, he is not even close to doing such a thing."
Lancelot scoffed in mock offence, "And believe me, Bors, trying to woo this woman is the furthest thing from my mind."
Lourdes' jaw dropped in half offence, half annoyance as she watched Lancelot, with a click of his tongue, turn his horse to the back of the group. Bors only cleared his throat, realizing the little bit of tension that he had caused. He looked half-apologetically, half amused at Lourdes before nodding to her and making his way to the front of the group. She only grunted in full annoyance as she rolled around in the uncomfortable wagon, closing her eyes as she sought solace in sleep.