Standard Disclaimer: KA and the legends are soooo not mine. The craziness of the characters is the only thing I own. Bad Language, Violence and Possible Sexual Scenes Warning. Don't like it, don't read.

Workin' Hard

I HATE MEN! THOSE GAAD DAMNED FUCKING SNEAKS! If it weren't necessary to have them around I would find them and KILL them!

Three months, three fucking months, I have lived here on Crest Hill. Milo and the other boys left just yesterday to return successful to Wren's Bend; once again fate has forced Charity on me. But that comes later.

Obviously abandonment has not suited me very well, actually the first week I raged about what I would do to the sneaks when/if they came back. Most of my ideas of revenge for the fuckers called knights were too violent for even Darrus to listen to. Geez, what's a little castration followed by a tiny bit of full body skinning? Wimp.

It then occurred to me that if I was going to survive, I'd need a job. The hospitality of the inn that the knights paid for was running out and I didn't have any way to pay them back, given if I forgave them or not and chose to see them. So I decided to work the tavern like I did back in Wren's Bend with Charity.

As it happened, Charity and I had to assimilate into the village, something I am so not good at because I lack the desire to be subservient and let people walk all over me. Therefore, my introduction into this new village was very rocky whereas Charity was the town sweetheart in a designer peasant dress. Can somebody please tell me why everyone is so enthralled by her? It's sickening.

Anyway, as it happened, I got fired from the tavern job... it sucked because I was better'n all the other girls too and more efficient 'cause I didn't waste my time on the laps of men. This, in fact, was the reason I got fired... I refused to warm the governor's bed and he had the tavern people fire me. I mean the guy is over sixty, pot-bellied, balding, butt-fugly, and smelly and not to mention married with three concubines on the side that his "devoted" wife has no idea about.

So being that I no longer was a tavern girl, I went from job to job. I was completely useless as a stable hand because 1) the horses frightened me and 2) I knocked out the head stable hand with a shovel for trying to grope me. EW! And it served him right anyway.

I couldn't work with the local seamstress because she deemed me too clumsy, geez one messy loom and I'M clumsy? I'll bet she didn't do so hot on her first try.

The fields were a complete bust because of the horses. I sucked out loud as a flower vendor because my supervisor/oppressor/tyrannical boss thought I spent too much time in the fields looking for flowers. Actually, I spent much of my time chasing the goats away from the flowers and avoiding the goat herder. Unfortunately for me, my word against his didn't pan out well.

So... now I am working the blacksmith's forge keeping the fires just right. For now alls good, it's hard work but kinda fun, hard though. Oh and not only is it hard work, it's really, really, REALLY hot 'cause I'm practically in the flames!

I'm a little worried 'bout my lungs and all from the damn smoke inhalation. Not to mention that my hair, clothes, face and skin are horribly blackened by the soot; if I were Charity (thank GOD I'm NOT) I would've lasted ten seconds as a bellows girl (that's what I'm called).

Also, my boss, Finn, is the BEST! He's kind, pays me well and has even offered to teach me the craft because I'm such a good hand at the forge. Or it could be that I'm like the female version of his twelve year old son who was killed four years ago by bandits.

Either way, Finn has become a surrogate father to me and I'm happy… for now. I'll just hate myself when I find a way to get home because this man is so good to me. But I will learn his craft and make him proud… it's the least I could do right?

"Ria? Ria pet, are you paying attention?" Finn snapped his fingers at my face.

I blinked from my reverie and smiled at the man, "Yes Da' I am," not only has he become like a surrogate father to me, Finn has been more and more like my real father, it's a little strange.

Anywhoo, Finn is teaching me to make horseshoes. For some reason, he has this idea that I'll be less afraid of horses or something of the like. His reasoning went along the lines of losing said fear if I learned to make the tools to tame them. I think he's crazy and told him so countless times; he never listens.

I stood by Finn and watched him heat the metal, shape it, heat it again and shape it. A tedious and repetitive process, but overall rewarding I'm sure. And making horseshoes is so boring; I'd rather much learn to make a sword than stupid horseshoes. Yet, like everyone says 'ya gotta crawl before ya can walk.' I'm getting really good at this, building so much upper body strength and I'm still a small B-CUP! Normal girls wouldn't be happy with this, but I'm not normal.

"Yeah, Da' I'm paying attention."

Rubbing the tip of my nose I wait for the sheet of metal to heat, I'm making my first sword, Finn finally thinks I'm ready, I think I've been ready two weeks ago. It's early morning and I'm bumping to the beats of Linkin Park's song Faint on my iPod. I think there's some magic afoot because yesterday my battery life was half and today it's full, but hell I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth or maybe my backpack is magic since the same thing happened to my black hoodie.

Anyway, bobbing my head to the music I'm absorbed in my work as Finn supervises while I take out the heated sheet of metal with the tongs and fold it like he showed me.

I am
Little bit of loneliness
A little bit of disregard
A handful of complaints
But I can't help the fact
That everyone can see these scars
I am
What I want you to want
What I want you to feel
But it's like
No matter what I do
I can't convince you
The bangs of the hammer on the hot steel go in tune with the music.

I am
Little bit of loneliness
A little bit of disregard
A handful of complaints
But I can't help the fact
That everyone can see these scars
I am
What I want you to want
What I want you to feel
But it's like
No matter what I do
I can't convince you
I moved the unfinished blade into the barrel of water to see how it looked, so far it looked like a crude katana. I smiled to myself in pride at the dented bit of metal.

I am
A little bit insecure
A little unconfident
'Cause you don't understand
I do what I can
But sometimes I don't make sense
I am
What you never want to say
But I've never had a doubt
It's like no matter what I do
I can't convince you
For once just to hear me out
So I let go
I noticed that Finn was no longer supervising me and took the opportunity to do work on an air guitar solo to the music around the forge.

Watching you
Turn your back like you always do
Face away and pretend that I'm not
But I'll be here
'Cause you're all I got

I pulled out another set of tongs to pull out smaller bits of steel for the daggers I was to make for the tavern. Twirling the hammer in my fingers I began the rhythmic banging as it went to my music occasionally enjoying the random acts of air guitar.

I can't feel
The way I did before
Don't turn your back on me
I won't be ignored
Time won't heal
This damage anymore
Don't turn your back on me
I won't be ignored

No
Hear me out now
You're gonna listen to me
Like it or not
Right now

As the song ended I finished six daggers, despite what most people here believe I'm not that lazy and I definitely take work seriously, so it was really easy for me to dance, hammer and create rather quickly. Like I've mentioned before, I'm efficient.

I started bumping to Skye Sweetnum's It Sucks when Finn came back into the forge, nodding once to him I began belting out some of the lyrics in English, "It's so frustrating, you're not the type that I should be dating, no matter where I go or what I do. It sucks 'cause I wanna be with you… It's so frustrating, you're not the type that I should be dating, no matter where I go or what I do. It sucks 'cause I wanna be with you…" I grinned at Finn's shaking head when I finally noticed the commotion from outside.

"Hey Da', what's going on?" I asked my surrogate father.

"Now I don't want you doing anything you'll be punished for, but the knights…" I roughly tossed my iPod onto the nearest bench and bolted out the door completely disregarding my current state of dress; I was wearing a dirty beige halt tank top, under a knee-length leather apron, baggy leather breeches and oversized boots, I had soot covering my skin and a dirty grey kerchief over my hair.

When I got to the gates, there was already a crowd around the knights but I managed to push my way through to the front. Arthur regarded me for a moment before continuing to speak to someone else, and in that moment all my anger was brought back to the surface. Without thinking, I marched right up to the knight commander and hit him with a very well placed left hook. Before anybody could react I slipped away from the crowd and was back at the forge before anybody could notice.

Finn looked up from inspecting the dagger I had just finished. I was smiling completely pleased with myself. I had long forgiven the knights, but it felt wonderful to let Arthur have a piece of my mind.

"What did you do?" Damn, Finn has long gotten to know me and my ways to be fooled by simple words and nonchalant gestures.

"Nothing. I'm going to clean up."

"Stop, turn around… Ria?" He held me in his fatherly/scrutinizing stare.

"So, I left hooked Artorius… no big" I shrugged before running up the rickety stair to my room. "Bye!"

When I came back down from a quick bath and change, I saw that Finn had guests… the knights. Arthur was sporting a lovely bruise on the side of his cheek that had me laughing inwardly. Apparently they were here to get some armor fixed or something, but all their attention was on me as I descended the stairs. My attention, however, was on the green-eyed knight behind Lancelot.

"Lady Ria?" I ignored Arthur and pushed past the open arms of Lancelot before launching myself onto my boyfriend with a fierce kiss. I could hear the other knights hooting and whistling as Gareth and I snogged for who knows how long.

Finally I let him go for lack of air and took a moment to look at him. Gareth looked worn, but still very happy to see me. He had a beard coming in, but that I could live with. All that mattered was that he was alive and here with me.

The rest of the knights left the forge in search of the usual: drink, women, beds, drink and food. All of said 'usual' could be found at Hope-Sung Tavern, where Charity was. I introduced Finn to Gareth, and Finn was respectful if not distant.

I spent the rest of the evening with Gareth talking, cuddling and annoying Charity at the tavern with the other knights.

"I suspect that is the reception I can expect from you?" Gareth asked me as I sat on his lap, I had tried to get him to let me sit on my own, but he refused to let me; something about not having me in his arms like that. Dunno and dun rightly care. We watched as Galahad was trying to get Charity to sit on his lap unsuccessfully while Lamorak and Belvedere were trying to drink as much as Bors and Dagonet.

The night wore on and I was getting very tired, but I did find out why I had woken up cold and lonely that morning. Tristan came riding back in the middle of the night with reports of bandits. Arthur had deemed the mission too dangerous for Charity and I to continue with them so they left us. Whatever the reason, I would have still liked to know what the fuckin' hell was going on instead of them just leaving like sneaky thieves! I asked how long they were staying in Crest Hill, Percival told me that it should be at least a week. Stifling a yawn, I told Gareth I needed to get back to the forge, Finn would need me to finish the pans and cutlery for Wren's Bend by the end of the week, but I had a lot of other projects to finish.

Getting up, we bid the rest of the knights good night before telling them to fuck off when they made all kinds of rude noises and gestures and suggestions of how little sleep we'd be getting.

I firmly told Finn that Gareth was staying with us, no ifs or buts about it. Surprisingly he agreed, I only hoped he wasn't thinking the same things the knights were.

"What are you afraid of, Ria?" Gareth asked me, his drowning green-eyes stared me down as we lay in bed that night.

"Nothin'." I answered defiantly. His brow rose unconvinced. "What makes you think I'm afraid?"

"Not much, could it be the fact that everyone said you raged for a week about castration and flogging, but the moment I see you, you jumped straight into my arms happy?" He replied indifferently wrapping his arms around my shift covered waist. I laid my head against his bare chest.

"Maybe I just missed you. You're still my boyfriend, why shouldn't I be happy to see you?" I moved his arms tighter, inwardly I felt safe. He moved his hand to lift my chin to face him.

"Ria."

"Gareth." I blinked twice calling his bluff. I don't want him to know how scared I was, I hated being left behind… it was a horrible experience. Stupid, but still horrible.

He must have seen it in my eyes and I caved, "I'm scared to be left behind…it was an accident, but it still scared me. I was five with my mum and oldest brother, we're about sixteen years apart, we were at the market and somehow I got separated from them. I dunno what I was looking at, but I turned around and my mum and brother were gone. I cried so much because they left me. My mum thought my brother had me and my brother forgot I was even along. They left me in the market for four hours. It wasn't until my mum realized I wasn't singing along with the radio did they notice I wasn't with them. I know it's a stupid thing, but I've always hated being left behind. When you left, I was having flashbacks of that day all over again." I finished and looked up to Gareth's face… the rise and fall of his chest told me that he was fast asleep.

"Just don't leave me okay?" I whispered against his skin, he stirred a bit but didn't wake, "Its fine, you're better off not knowing."

The next morning, I was pleased that the knights were still here and that Gareth was still wrapped in my arms. He didn't mention anything about the conversation last night and that was fine with me.

As promised they stayed for a week and a half, but during that time Gawain, Galahad, Gareth and I had fun pulling pranks on the other knights. Finn gave me the time off, so it was fine for me. Arthur stated that the men needed the rest, but carefully the knight commander and I avoided one another.

The three 'boys' and I had targeted Charity and Percival today with very imaginative uses of feathers, honey, dyes and Charity's make-up. After hearing Charity's screech, the four of us bolted out of her room like the bloody devil was at our heels. Needless to say, that the two refused to leave their rooms for the rest of the day and well into the next.

After a week, Jols rode into the tavern with news… a high and pompous Roman official was coming and the knights had to escort the man and his family from the shore. I had one more prank up my sleeve, one that involved all the knights… except Gareth. So that night whilst everyone else was asleep, I put a very thin lay of glue on their saddles. They won't feel anything until they've ridden for a while; I only wished that I could be there when they stopped for a break. I'm not a troublemaker, I just think they need to loosen up a bit… it's all in good fun. Besides, they are leaving me behind.

"Ria?" Finn called me. I was working on a set of long and short swords like I had seen him do. It had been another three months and as far as I knew, the knights had not come to the village, I was over my anger at them but I doubt they were over theirs of me. Maybe I shouldn'tve tried to glue them to their saddles. Oh well, water under the bridge and all that, truthfully I kinda miss the big idiots, they made me laugh and Gareth is still my boyfriend despite all the pranks I pulled.

"RIA!" Finn yelled next to my head.

"AHHH! Gaad damnit Finn, I need my ears. What?" I had dropped the red-hot blade back into the fire when he yell and was now searching the hearth for the deviant steel. "Can't you just talk to me like a normal person? Geez."

"I did try talking to you; I do not understand why you wear those things in your ears." He waved at my white headphones. I gave a cry of triumph when I found the steel blade, "I must speak with you... it is rather important pet." Taking the headphones from my ears, I wrapped them in my pocket before going back to shape and folding the steel blade.

"If this is 'bout marrying me off again, Da' your wasting your breath and my time. I don't have a bride price and don't want one. Whatever the hell that is. Nor am I ready to get married... ever! And another thing, quit encouraging that stupid blither to court me that... what's his name? Whatever, I don't care. I'm not interested okay? Besides, I'm already with Gareth." I said intently as I kept banging the steel cold. The harsh clangs were tell-tale signs of my frustration. Charity had come by to annoy me earlier that day. That guy came by to try and win my affections only to be turned away and now Finn is (once again) trying to convince me to get married to one of the well-to-do villagers who are probably old enough to me my uncles! EW!

"Ria, you need to heat that before you can shape it again."

"What?" I looked down at the cold steel, the dents that the hammer made were evident and ugly. Damn, I had let myself get carried away in thought again.

"You got carried away again Ria," Finn cut me off before taking the steel blade from me and thrusting it back into the hearth.

"Now, this is not about marriage pet, yet it does concern your future." He pulled the heated blade from the fire after he sat me down on the nearby bench and began to fix the dents I had created earlier. "Over these past six months I have taught you everything I know of the blacksmith's work and you have made me proud to call you apprentice… and daughter." I beamed at his words, I still had no idea where this was going, but something was definitely up… Finn was giddy. "Victoria, not only have you made me proud as a teacher, but you have surpassed my skill in a shorter time then my own son, rest his soul. I have nothing more to teach you.

"Are you kicking me out!" I asked my voice in a fevered hitch.

"What? No, poppet, never. I just am saying that I have nothing more to teach you… But I know someone who would," Finn gripped my shoulder grinning widely, "My brother Argon is a master metalsmith in a well know trading center; I think you would do well to learn from him." I stared at my surrogate father unsure what I should say. "Victoria, I want to pass your apprenticeship over to my brother until you too become a master."

"Um… okay. Sounds interesting enough, but then what? Where do I go from there?" I replied with a disbelieving smile on my face, "I mean sure, I become a master but I'll have no business. People would rather go to an inadequate blacksmith than a master who is a woman Da'."

"They would if she were trained by the owner of Raven Armory poppet." I stared at him wide-eyed. I was rendered speechless as he told me how his brother is the master blacksmith of the best armory in the known world.

"Where?"

"Hadrian's Wall."

A/N: Woo… I'm finally done with this chapter. Soooo sorry it took me forever. But we finally get her to the wall and back with the knights. Yay! I thought the blacksmith thing would be better than being a tavern maid… although effective, it's a bit over done. So this was chapter 8.