Bors had managed to calm Dani down enough that Terri had been able to examine her. Her physical injuries had just been bruising and a few minor lacerations. She hadn't needed stitches. Now she lay sleeping on one of the cots in the infirmary. The only other people in the room were Bri and Galahad. Bri had suffered a severe sprain to her ankle, a split lip, and bruises to her shoulder, belly, and hip. Now she lay propped up on pillows, with a pillow under her ankle, and Galahad sat on the edge of her bed. They spoke quietly so as not to disturb Danika.
"She's so brave." Bri murmured staring at the small blonde girl.
"You are just as brave." Galahad told her somberly. "You saw your friend being injured, and even with a hurt ankle you fought for her; turning the bastard's attention onto yourself."
"God Galahad, I saw him on top of her and all I could see in my mind was Rob attacking Kass again. I wasn't strong enough to really hurt him."
Galahad leaned forward kissing her forehead and kept his lips pressed against her flesh. After several moments he spoke again. "Seeing that man on you Brianna…seeing you bruised and bloodied…my heart can not bear to see it."
He was trembling and Bri pulled him close. "I'm okay Galahad. I promise. I'm sorry I worried you, but I'm okay. I will never go off like that again without protection either, I can promise you that. Kiss me…"
"What about your lip?"
Bri smiled softly. "You're gonna let a little split lip stop you from kissing me? When I'm the one telling you to?"
"As my lady wishes." He told her and began to kiss her tenderly.
Gawain and Tristan returned to the keep in silence. They went directly to the stables, and Tristan could only watch the younger man as he waged an inner war. Finally Tristan decided to speak. "Lady Danika is truly a special girl, wouldn't you say?"
Gawain looked at his fellow knight with some suspicion. "I would."
"For someone who has suffered much abuse, she is filled with such joy and kindness; generosity." Tristan continued. "It is not often seen I'm thinking. And then to fight off a Saxon at least twice her size…truly a gift to us."
The blonde knight could only nod.
"I'm thinking that if a man were to decide to woo the lady it would be a difficult road, but one well worth it. I'm thinking the man would have to tell Bors of his intentions, and then perhaps it would be wise to seek out the counsel of someone who has suffered similarly to the lady…perhaps to get insight on what to expect."
Gawain was silent. Then he nodded once and left the stables. Tristan began murmuring soothingly to Voslow. "That was quite decent of you."
He'd already known she was in the stables, so her voice didn't surprise him. He looked over and raised an eyebrow.
"What you did for him…you knew he was wrestling with how to deal with what he's feeling and you gave him good advice." Terri had been looking for Jols when she'd come across the two men stabling their horses.
"Easy to see he's torn up inside." Tristan said shortly.
Terri looked at the quiet scout. "Not everyone would be able to tell why."
He looked at her, "Perhaps." The woman from the future moved up and Voslow nuzzled her neck. "It's rare for Voslow to like someone."
"Maybe he just recognizes that I like horses." She said smiling and rubbing the beautiful animal's nose.
"I must go." He nodded to her curtly. "Arthur awaits."
Terri watched as he abruptly left. She looked to Voslow who also watched the man leave. "He's a bit odd." She told the horse who huffed at her. She took that as agreement.
"Vanora, we don't have to do this right now if you'd like to go see Dani?" Kass told the other woman. They were currently fitting Kass for her wedding dress.
Vanora shook her head. "No, Danika is sleeping, and she needs her rest. I will go to see her in a little while." The woman told Kass with a shake of her head. "Besides we have to get your dress done…the wedding isn't that far away now." Vanora had already been to check on the girl she thought of as her adopted daughter three times now. She had to admit it was hard to stay away. None of her children had ever needed her quite as much as this girl from the future seemed to. As horrid as she was sure it made her there had been several times now where she'd wanted the girl's birth parents to show up; just so Vanora could take a stick to them both. Well, if Bors left anything for her to take a stick to. Bors had taken his role of adoptive father very seriously from the start. It made her proud of him…prouder than she'd ever been. Just thinking of the man brought her fierce love for him bubbling to the surface.
Bors was working his frustrations out on several of the men who had enlisted to fight on behalf of Arthur's new Briton. He kept telling himself he was training them, but couldn't help to feel good when one of his swings of the training sticks brought an 'oof' from one of the men. "You call that fighting back!" he roared. "If we were attacked today the whole lot of you would be killed."
"Perhaps they need a demonstration." Gawain said approaching the men.
Bors grinned and nodded. "Let's show em." With a savage cry Bors rushed the blonde knight. Gawain parried the blow and spun to deliver a blow of his own. The two men fought and occasionally landed a hard blow to the other's limb or torso area. Neither stopped fighting. The trainees stared in awe to see Arthur's knights' battle prowess. The fight continued on, and though each man tired, neither stopped. "Why did you come?" Bors asked Gawain as the other knight barely avoided a blow to the back.
"I come seeking permission to court Danika." Gawain voiced grimly and smacked his stick into Bors belly.
Bors looked to the other men. "That blow would've killed with a bladed weapon." He instructed; then turned his attention back to Gawain. "She's just a girl."
"Nay, she's a woman…a woman who I find I care about."
"She's been through hell…several times now."
"Yes she has…which is why I seek to give her happiness, if she'll have me."
"And you seek my permission?" Bors landed a blow to Gawain's left hip.
"A disabling blow." Gawain shouted to the men watching. "I do. For all purposes you are her father…and my friend. I would not go around you."
Bors held up his hand to signal the fight had ended. "Get out of here the lot of you." He snarled at the men and they scattered. He looked at Gawain. "She's been wounded enough Gawain…I won't have her played with."
Gawain frowned angrily. "I have no intentions of playing with her. She is not a tavern wench there for amusement. I mean to court her, and if she returns my feelings I mean to petition Arthur for marriage."
Bors was dumbfounded. He'd fought alongside Gawain for fifteen years. The last time the man had spoken of marriage had been when he'd talked of returning to Sarmatia and marrying a Sarmatian woman. The man hadn't mentioned marriage again since the battle with the Saxon army, and the decision to remain in Briton. "You have my permission to woo my daughter." He told his friend. Truth be told, Bors didn't know of another man, except for perhaps Dagonet, that he would trust the girl with.
"Thank you." Gawain said as his shoulders relaxed. "Now I must find Lady Kass."
Mandy was busy washing dishes when Brandon and Dagonet entered the kitchens. "What are you doing?" Brandon frowned. He looked to Dagonet. "Should she be doing that?"
"I do not believe she should be lifting the heavy pans." The giant of a man murmured.
Mandy sighed. "I'm fine. I can do a few dishes."
"Why is it girls never show any common sense?" Brandon sighed, drawing an irritated look from the redhead. He shooed her away from the dishes. "I can finish these. Go sit down or something."
Mandy pouted for about thirty seconds and then realized she was quite tired…and her feet hurt. She took a seat at the table. Dagonet had also taken a seat and was beginning to eat from the lunch which had been set out. "What have yall been doing?" she mumbled.
"Dag was giving me an archery lesson." Brandon told her.
Dagonet had placed food on a plate and he pushed this over to Mandy. "You need to eat more. You're babe needs more sustenance."
Mandy sighed and began to eat.