She knew it was a dream, but even knowing didn't stop the fear. She could smell the sweat of the man as he leaned over her; feel his rough, dry hands touching her skin. In the dream she could remember him jerking as something hit him and he moved off of her to attack Bri; then the grunts as he worked to rip at her friends clothing had made their way to her ears. She didn't really remember picking up the club, but she did remember swinging it and the first time it connected with the man's skull. Dani remembered the sickening thump it had made; almost like a melon when dropped on concrete. It hadn't killed him though and she'd kept hitting him. She knew she had to make sure he wouldn't, no couldn't, get up and keep hurting them. Dani knew she could take a beating, but she didn't think she could live with being raped, and she didn't want to live with Bri being raped. She woke before the first blow hit the man's skull.

Bri jerked awake as Dani gasped and shot up in bed. "Are you okay?" she asked anxiously. A candled still burned in the room giving off low illumination.

The petite blonde nodded hesitantly and turned over onto her side to look at her friend.

"Bad dream?" Bri asked and received another nod. "About the attack?" Another nod. "Me too. Try to think about good things. Put the bad things out of your mind. Think of how brave you were. We're going to be okay Dani. Now we just have to worry about everyone else." Dani gave the other girl a questioning look. "They're all worried. Worried about us because we got hurt, worried because we've already suffered so much before coming here and now this is even more trauma. Galahad said that Gawain went out to scout and was going to go out on his own, but Tristan went with him. Said it was almost as if something savage was eating at him. He thinks Gawain was upset because you'd been hurt."

Dani thought about that. What did that mean? Did Gawain look at her as if she were a child? Or perhaps a sibling? She wondered if this were the case. She knew that when she saw him her heart sped up and at times it was as if she felt her entire body flush…she had found herself wishing she had the same effect upon him, but now it didn't seem like that was the case. It seemed more along the lines of him looking at her in the same way as Bors did.

"Why do you suddenly look sad? It might not be the time to be thinking romance, but really why not…" Bri continued to whisper. She was trying everything she could think of to get Dani's mind off of the attack and onto more pleasant things.

Dani found the small pad she normally wrote on and wrote her thoughts on it for Bri. She slid the note to her friend who read it and then began to grin.

"Oh Honey, no." Bri held back a chuckle. "You're partially right. Men are protective when they look at you like a kid sister or a child, but when they're interested in you as a woman they get protective too." Dani tilted her head and her eyebrows furrowed. Bri began to nod in earnest. "It's true. Galahad is always trying to look out for me. He feels that as my boyfriend, or suitor as he calls himself, it's his job to care for me and make sure I'm protected. I think maybe Gawain looks at you like that."

Dani looked at Bri as if the girl was crazy. Why would a man like Gawain ever be interested in a girl like her?

&

Kass had just finished washing the supper dishes when she heard a throat clear in the doorway. She turned to find Gawain. "Hey there."

"Kass." he greeted quietly. "I come to ask for your assistance."

"Sure. Anything." As soon as she spoke some of the tension left his shoulders.

"I need your guidance. I am going to woo the Lady Danika, and I need your tutelage."

Kass studied her friend. "Well, I know you don't need my help with the wooing part."

This brought a brief flash of a smile. "Nay, perhaps the wooing I can do on my own, but in the approach, and handling of the Lady, I am not sure I know how to be gentle enough. She has been much abused in the past."

Now Kass understood. "I see. And you wanted me to help you understand how to approach her."

"If you can…if you thought I would be worthy enough, or gentle enough for someone who's been through so much."

Kass had never seen the blonde knight quite this unsure of himself. Always he'd been confident and flirtatious. "Well, first off, don't stop your flirtations with her. If you act unsure around her, then she'll feel unsure of herself. If you're confident then it will make her feel that she should be confident."

"I don't follow."

"If you show confidence in your pursuit of her affections, then it will make her feel confident that she's worth the affections. We both know she's definitely worth your affection, but Dani's been brought up to believe she's worth less than nothing. So begin by giving her self esteem. Give her self worth." When she saw he finally understood she continued. "Second, don't rush her, but let her see your interest. When it seems as if she's scared, gentle yourself, but don't back off. If you back away, then she'll think she did something wrong. If you don't back off slowly she'll adjust, she'll start understanding that you aren't the same as the people who hurt her."

"And?"

"That's it…the rest of it is really just the wooing. And definitely woo her Gawain. Woo her in a big way." Kass took both of his hands in her own as Lancelot came through the door. "She deserves every minute of feeling that. Make her feel as if she's the most special, and important woman in this whole kingdom."

"Thank you Kassidy." Gawain whispered. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. He looked to Lancelot. "Again I'll say you're a lucky man." He left the two alone in the kitchens.

Kass felt as though she would cry. It wouldn't be easy, but if Gawain and Dani could make it through they could be beautiful together.

"Are you all right?" Lancelot asked as he approached and put his arm around his lady.

"Yes. He's going to pursue Dani."

"Really?" Lancelot was intrigued. "I suppose I'm not surprised. He was the only one able to get through to her when we came upon them after the Saxon attack. Do you think she'll respond?"

"I don't know. Bri seemed to think Dani has a crush on him. Maybe my sister knows something the rest of us don't. It won't be easy. Even if they do both have feelings for each other it'll still be hard for her to get past all the abuse she's been through. I hope he won't just give up if it gets tough."

"We are knights my love. We never give up when there is a battle to win. Nor when there is love to be had."