Disclaimer: I do not own anything that you recognize. Short ad sweet.
Chapter 3
Eleven years. Eleven years into a fifteen year service to the Roman Empire. 'Those damn Romans. This never would have happened if it wasn't for that stupid pact Roman soldiers had forced onto those Sarmatians.' Serina thought bitterly as she stood at the four fresh burial mounds. Serina was standing between Lancelot and Gawain looking at the four new graves in the Knights cemetery.
Two days before they had returned from a battle against a particularly nasty group of Woads. The famous Sarmatian Knights had been greatly outnumbered and to be honest, from what Serina had been told of the battle, it was a miracle from Arthur's God that any of them had made it back alive. Most of them had come back with only a large number of cuts and bruises but a few of them had needed real healing treatment.
Lancelot had come back with a nasty wound from an arrow on his leg. Gawain had a deep cut on his upper arm that had needed stitches. Galahad and Arthur had broken a couple of fingers. Bors had come back with a long but shallow cut across his chest. Dagonet had come back with a cut on his cheek and forehead that had needed stitching.
Tristan had come back the worst. She had to threaten to cut off his manhood to get his to let Naley to see to his wounds. Tristan had come back with a whole in his hand where a Woad dagger had went through his whole hand, a deep cut on the back of his shoulder that had needed stitching, a dislocated shoulder, that the men had push back into place when Dagonet had done what he could after the battle, and an would from an arrow on the side of his upper leg.
She had cried when the men had rode through the gates of Hadrian's Wall. Not only did she cry for the dead Knights but at how badly the other Knights were. Especially Tristan. Serina had barely seen Tristan the past few days. The Knights standing around her now were all stone faced and damned and determined to keep their emotions in check until Serina could get them back to the tavern so they could drown their sorrows.
They would be taking no women to their beds for at least a few days after having to bury four of their fellow Knights. Serina gave each a comforting hug that would accept one and headed back to the Wall to get cups and pitchers of ale ready for the men. Serina had been cleaning tables and preparing the supper meal for the night when then men filed in. Arthur had went back to his room to drink in private from what Serina could guess because he was not among his Knights.
The Knights sat at a table long enough to fit all of them and waited for Serina. Serina came and handed each of them an already full cup of ale and placed a full pitcher on the table. "Let me know when you need a fresh pitcher, lads. A whole barrel has been set aside for you." Serina said in a voice just above a whisper.
"I know you probably will not want anything, but let me know if you get hungry." Serina said as she started to walk away. Serina had almost made it away from the table when she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist and pulled her into an equally strong lap. Serina caught sight of a head of dark curly hair as it was buried into the curve of her neck and shoulder.
Normally Serina would object to Lancelot's handling of her, but Serina knew this had nothing to do with trying to seduce her and everything to do with comfort. Serina put down her serving tray and wrapped her arms around his head, just holding him in the unnatural silence of the tavern.
Four hours and three comforted Knights later, the night crowd of the Wall was in the tavern demanding ale, food, and female company for the night. Tonight's bunch was especially grabby. Serina had already had to have four large drunks removed from the tavern for getting to friendly with the bar maids that Serina knew did not offer after hour services.
Herself included. Serina had kept supplying the Knights with ale and had even brought them small amounts of bread and cheese that went untouched. Serina had seen Tristan heave the tavern many hours ago, probably to tend to Sasa and Serenity. He always kept company with them when he was very troubled.
Serina wished it was her he would come to, but at the same time she understood. Serina had just served a hot bowel of stew and was on her way back to the bar when an unfamiliar pair of arms jerked her into the lap of a very drunk Roman soldier. "Well if it isn't Mizz Serina herself. The second hellfire of the Wall.
Why don't you bring some of that fire to my bed tonight?" the Roman said breathing and licking on any exposed skin he could find.
Serina's arms were held against her chest by the Romans arms. "Let me go you drunken filth. I lay no man, so let go of me!" Serina yelled trying to break free of the soldier. "Too good to lay with a man, are you? Come back with me and I'll show you how wrong you are." the Roman slurred going in for a kiss and with no where to escape, he succeeded.
Serina tried to keep her mouth closed, and was doing good, until the Roman reached up and forced her jaw to open and he shoved his disgusting tongue inside of her mouth. Serina heard Vanora scream her name and then Serina was jerked out of the Romans arms. Serina felt a somewhat familiar arm tightly wrapped around her waist holding her into the other man's side. Serina heard a loud crack and a scream.
Serina looked up to see Lancelot with a calm face that could have been carved from stone, but pure hatred shone in his eyes. Serina looked down to see that Lancelot had broken two of the soldiers fingers on the hand that had held her still. Looking up at Lancelot the Roman got angry.
"You Sarmatian bastard! Mind your own business! You had no right to do that!" the Roman screamed at Lancelot. "The woman said no. Take a hint and go find someone who might want you." Lancelot said in a scary calm voice.
"She wanted me. She was just playing a game." the Roman said smirking at Serina. Serina's tempter went from zero to ten in 0.6 seconds. Serina went for the drunken Roman only to have Lancelot pick her up off the ground with her feet kicking in the air trying to get loose.
"Like hell I was playing a game?! Who in the hell would want to warm the bed of a disgusting Roman?!" Serina said as one of her feet accidently caught the soldier in the face and knocking him to the floor. Lancelot now had both arms wrapped around her upper body and quietly demanded in her ear that she behave herself, which she did.
The Roman glared up at her with blood running from his nose. 'I hope to Arthur's God that it is broken.' Serina thought looking down at the disgusting Roman. "You would rather lay with one of those Sarmatian dogs than a Roman?" the Roman said glaring from her to Lancelot. Serina couldn't stop herself.
He had just called the Knights she loved and cared for so much dogs. "YES! I WOULD LAY WITH A SARMATIAN KNIGHT BEFORE I LAY WITH A DISGUSTING GREEDY ROMAN DOG LIKE YOU!" Serina screamed fighting harder to get free of Lancelot so she could teach the soldier a lesson on who the dog was.
Serina seem pure hatred in the eyes of the Roman before Lancelot left the tavern with Serina in tow.
Lancelot opened the door to Serina's house and walked inside with her still in tow. Lancelot walked into Serina's room and tossed her onto her bed and walked back towards the main part of the house. Serina was dazed at first but then got up and followed Lancelot to see him starting a fire in her fireplace.
"Lancelot, what are you doing? And I am not speaking of the fire. I can see that much. I mean, why did you bring me home?" Serina said looking down at him with her hands planted on her hips. Lancelot got the fire started and turned to look at her with that eerily calm face.
"You should have let me handle the Roman, Serina. Every Roman soldier, including Arthur, will hear of this before dawn. And because of what you said about laying with a Sarmatian instead of a Roman, you will be branded as the Sarmatian Knights whore." Lancelot said looking down at her. Lancelot seen the look of realization cross Serina's beautiful face.
He knew what she had said was said in anger at the Roman. It had been satisfying to see the blood run from his nose because of Serina's dainty little foot. She was quite the hellcat when her tempter got the best of her. In his opinion it just made her more attractive to him. He wasn't sure when he went from looking at her as a sister figure to a woman be wanted in his bed, but it had happened.
He knew that she would never stay the night in his bed, but it was always worth a try with her. "Well I am quite in a spot now, aren't I?" Serina said in a small voice. "Yes. I am leaving now to give Arthur the real story before he gets a twisted Roman version. I suggest you stay here until this is resolved." Lancelot said giving her a small smile and leaving her to stand in the middle of the room.
Serina was sitting on her bed with her legs against her chest, arms wrapped around her legs, and her chin rested on her knees while she starred at her wall. She felt him looking at her before she even knew he was there. Serina turned her head towards the door until her cheek was resting on her knees, starring at the door to the dark figure standing there.
Serina didn't say anything and neither did Tristan. Serina had wondered how Tristan had taken the news. Serina and Tristan just looked at each other, neither moving or speaking. Tristan had heard from Dagonet what had happened at the tavern. He had left a few hours before because he had tired of his own company.
He had went to the stables to check a few wounds that Sasa had gotten in the battle and then he went to talk to Kalo, much to his mare's annoyance. Sasa had a thing for Kalo but Tristan had made sure that Kalo had never mounted her. He couldn't afford to have his battle mare pregnant.
Tristan was on his was back to his room when Dagonet caught up to him. Tristan hadn't been fit company for Serina so he had been avoiding her. He knew that she wished he would come around but that she also understood why he stayed away.
Dagonet had told him about what the Roman soldier had done and about hat had been said. Tristan had made a point to track down the drunken soldier. After Tristan had finished with him, he had been laying broken and bloody in front of the healing rooms.
Not that the soldier knew who had done it to him. No one may have known that Serina had been his for the past seven years, but he'd be damned if he would let anyone get away with touching his woman. Especially a Roman soldier.
Tristan knew how man people had heard what she had said about rather laying with a Sarmatian than a Roman. That comment would cause trouble for her. Many would label her a whore for the Sarmatian Knights and the Knights coming to her aid would only add fuel the that fire. Tristan was at a loss of what to do. Tristan still didn't want other to know of their relationship. Not that Tristan was ashamed of her, and he knew that she knew that.
He just didn't care for others to know about his personal business. At times like these, it was when Tristan wished that he was man enough to own up to his emotions and let people know about his love for Serina. Because then it would shield her from the reputation of a loose woman. "Dagonet told me what happened at the tavern tonight." Tristan said with his deep, slightly accented voice.
Serina said nothing. Just looked at his with slightly dull blue eyes. That alarmed him a bit. "The Roman was taken care of. I was sure to leave him in front of the healing rooms for Naley and Jonas to attend too." Tristan decided to try that instead. Serina still said nothing but most of the dullness left her eyes.
Tristan left the doorway and walked towards her and sat on the bed next to her. "Serina, say something. According to Dagonet you plenty to say to the Roman at the tavern earlier tonight." Tristan said petting her hair the way she liked. He felt most of the tension leave her body. But not all.
"Lancelot said that after what I told the Roman tonight that I will be branded as a whore to the Sarmatian Knights." Serina whispered. So that was what had been troubling her. "The villagers who have not known you for a while probably will. But will that really matter. The Knights, Arthur, Vanora, the children, your friends, everyone important to you knows the truth." Tristan said making her look at him. "I suppose." Serina said in a small voice.
Tristan knew that until she could get used to probably being treated differently that Serina would need the people she cared for. They could be there for her during the day, in the eye of the public. But he would be there protecting her in the shadows during the day and have her protected within the circle of his arms during the night, away from the eye of the public.
He would only ever take his eyes off of her when he absolutely had to. He just prayed to whatever God or Goddess was listening that nothing bad happened to her when he wasn't there to protect her. He would never forgive himself if the one good thing in his life got hurt or disappeared because he hadn't been there to protect her.
Serina woke the next morning to an unexpected but pleasant surprise. Tristan had fallen asleep on top of her blankets with his arms wrapped around her. Serina didn't get to really enjoy watching him sleep, which she had only gotten to do a handful of times in their seven year relationship. Serina heard a knock at her door and she got up to see who it was. Serina opened the door to see Lancelot standing there.
"Lancelot. What are you doing here?" Serina asked not expecting Lancelot to be up and about so early in the day. "I spoke to Arthur last night. He would like to speak to you as soon as you are ready." Lancelot said looking down at Serina. "Oh. Okay well than I shall go and see Arthur as soon as I am dressed." Serina said as if dismissing him. "Arthur said that you were not to go alone. I will walk you there." Lancelot said.
"I will take her to see Arthur, Lancelot." Serina heard from behind her. Serina turned to see Tristan leaning his good shoulder against the doorframe that lead to her bedroom. He had only removed his boots and his usual overcoat and was now fully dressed. Serina was shocked to say the least that Tristan had announced his presence. Especially to Lancelot.
Lancelot had seen Serina and Tristan together a number of times over the years and he knew that Serina had some sort of feelings for Tristan but he never thought he would have found Tristan inside Serina's house though. "I can accompany Serina to Arthur. There is no need for you to do it. No leave so she can get ready. I would like to have her business concluded as fast as we can." Tristan said with a calm expression.
"Arthur requested my presence at the meeting. I don't imagine that he would mind if you came along, Tristan. I suggest that you wait outside with me though Tristan. Serina will have a hard enough time after what happened at the tavern last night. The last thing she needs is to be seen walking out of her house with you." Lancelot said standing by the door.
Tristan looked at Lancelot for a long time before finally looking down at Serina's confused and uncertain face. Looking back up at Lancelot, Tristan had decided that Lancelot was right, but he didn't care. "Wait outside, Lancelot." Tristan said in dismissal. "Serina." was all he said as he walked back into Serina's room.
Serina looked back at Lancelot and seen him looking at her. Turning her back on him, Serina walked back into her bedroom, where Tristan was waiting for her. "Tristan you need to take it easy. You are still injured, not matter how much you block out the pain. Please, sit down so I can check your shoulder Tristan." Serina said in a soft voice.
"I am fine woman. There is no need to check my wounds. Now get dressed. I want to get you to Arthur and back here as soon as I can. From now on I will have you within my sight at all times unless I am out scouting or out on a mission with the other Knights. And when we are not around, you will stay with Vanora." Tristan said looking down at Serina in all seriousness.
"Am I understood Serina? I may have dealt with the Roman from last night but I have no doubt that others will try to get their hands on you for what you did. So I ask again. Are my orders clear to you or not?" Tristan said giving her a look that demanded total obedience concerning the matter of her safety.
"Tristan. Please. Sit down. I need to look at our shoulder." Serina said walking towards the bed. 'Damn this beautiful woman!' Tristan fumed stalking towards Serina. His should did hurt but it was nothing he couldn't ignore. Reaching Serina, Tristan grabbed ahold of her arms and shook her slightly.
"Damn it, Serina! I am being serious. I will chain you to my bed in my room if that is what it takes to keep you safe." Tristan growled in her face. Serina looked into Tristan's eyes and seen a dangerous look that she had seen there before. But it had never been directed at her before. "Get dressed. Now Serina. I am in no mood to be tabled with right now." Tristan said in a voice that told her to listen or she wouldn't like what he would do.
Sighing, Serina walked past Tristan, to her trunk and pulled out a red linen dress. After she put it on she walked over to the water basin in the corner and began to wash up, feeling Tristan's eye on her the whole time. She brushed and braided her hair in one long braid and put on her slippers.
Serina walked out of her house, with Tristan on her heels, to see Lancelot standing a few feet from her house. "Let us get this over with, shall we?" Serina asked Lancelot, who started walking in the direction of the fortress.
Serina noticed that a number of eyes were cast in her direction as she pasted villagers and soldiers alike. A short while later Lancelot led her into a huge room that held the round table of Arthur Castus and his Sarmatian Knights.
It was a large round table that had about three dozen chairs surrounding the outside while in the middle of the hollowed out table sat a large iron fire pit, that currently had a large, brightly burning fire. Arthur was sitting in his usual chair, talking to her Uncle Jols.
'How could I forget that Uncle Jols would be here. He only attends to everything that Arthur needs but he is my only living guardian so of course he would be here.' Serina thought unhappily. Seeing the trio of Lancelot, Serina, and Tristan walk in, Arthur stopped talking to Jols and stood up. "Serina." Arthur said looking at her. Arthur then looked over her shoulder to see Tristan standing there with his usual emotionless face. Arthur raised a questioning eyebrow at Tristan but said nothing.
Looking back at Serina, he decided to get to business. "Lancelot told me about what happened at the tavern last night. Although I understand why you did it, your uncle and I really wished you had let Lancelot handle it. Jols and I have been discussing on what should be done and we finally agreed upon a solution." Arthur said looking down at Serina with kind but serious green eyes.
"We have decided to have one of the Knights accompany you at all times. And we mean at ALL TIMES, Serina. When you go shopping for supplies, when you go to the forest to collect herbs, even when you are at home. Especially while you are tending to Kalo in the stables." Arthur said to a now stunned Serina. "But...but what about when I am at the tavern? Will they be guarding me there as well?" Serina asked in a low, still shocked voice.
"For the next week you will not be working at the tavern, Serina. Serving drunken soldiers is what got you in this position in the first Serina. You will stay away from the tavern for the next week. And I will give strict instructions to the Knight accompanying you to keep you far away from that place. Vanora will be just fine without you." Jols said from his place behind Arthur. "A week?! But, Uncle-" Serina started only to be cut off by her uncle.
"No! Serina, you assaulted a Roman officer. Other officers now have their eyes on you to make you pay for what you did." Jols said with the face he only used on her when she was in trouble. "Yes, Uncle." Serina said sighing. "So who is to be my shadow until it is decided otherwise?" Serina asked looking between Arthur and her Uncle.
"Why not the shadow himself?" Arthur said with a smile looking behind Serina. 'He is just going to love this.' Serina thought understanding what Arthur was saying. "Tristan, you are to accompany Serina everywhere until Jols and I have decided it is safe for Serina to be alone." Arthur ordered. "And who is to watch her when I have to go out on scouting missions?" Tristan asked liking how this meeting was going but not letting anyone realize it.
"I will." Lancelot said. Tristan looked at Lancelot with a gleam in his eye. "You will only have to go scouting every couple of days." Lancelot said with a mischievous grin on his handsome face. "Alright. Now that is settled. If you will excuse us, Jols and I have alot to do today." Arthur said to the trio and left the room with Jols following behind him.
Lancelot had went his own way after they left the fortress while Tristan walked beside Serina all the way back to her house. Walking into the house Serina walked upto the fireplace and stocked the fire before adding more wood to feed the dying fire. Tristan closed the door and turned to look at Serina feeding wood to the fire.
Tristan knew that everyone thought that Tristan would be extremely annoyed with the new duty of having to guard Serina everywhere she went. But it was just the opposite. He had told Serina that she was not to leave his sight before they had left to see Arthur. And now, thanks to Arthur and Jols, she might as well be tied to him. Arthur and Jols had given him strict orders to have her in his eye sight at all times. Especially at night.
They knew that she lived there alone and were afraid someone might break in to harm her during the night. He enjoyed the nights he got to stay with her but hated that he always had to leave her warm bed and sneak back to his cold one so no one.
And now his guard duty was the perfect excuse to stay with her all night with no one the wiser. "It seems you got your wish. Arthur and Uncle have given you strict orders to not leave my side." Serina said in a somewhat defeated voice. He didn't like when she used that tone much either.
"I thought that you would be happy. I have to stay with you all day and night. You have wished we could be like this for years now." Tristan said not understanding why she wasn't as happy as he was about the situation. "Exactly!" Serina exclaimed spinning to look at Tristan. "Arthur and Uncle ordered you to stay with me. If you are only staying here, now, because of this whole situation with the Roman soldier, then I would rather Lancelot or Gawain or any of the other Knights stick to me like a shadow!" Serina screamed at Tristan.
Tristan did nothing while he let her words sink in. Serina turned away from him and stormed towards her room only to be grabbed. Tristan had grabbed Serina's arm from behind and spun her around so quickly that she slammed into his body from chest to knees. Tristan didn't want to chance her temper spiking and getting the better of her so he trapped a wrist in each of his hands and pulled them behind her back.
Not only keeping her from walking away from him but also keeping her body crushed against his. Tristan looked into Serina's eyes to see that she was only being ornery because she had been ordered to stay away from the tavern and she was spoiling for a fight but he was in no mood to fight with her.
"I told you that I wanted you within my sight at all times before Arthur and Jols told me that I had to. I would have shadowed you even if the had assigned another Knight to watch over you. I am happy that they chose me, however, because it means I get what I want and no one can question it. And with me with you no one will speak to you much less bother you." Tristan said to her.
"I know you are upset because Jols said that you are not to go near the tavern but that is no reason to take it out on me. Now if I am not mistaken you were demanding to look at my shoulder while you were trying to stall for time so you wouldn't have to go see Arthur." Tristan said.
He gave a small smile at seeing her pout at his words knowing she had been found out. Giving her a small peck on her lips, Tristan released her wrists, grabbed her hand and lead her to her bedroom so she could look at his shoulder.
Now that he wasn't so frustrated with the little spitfire behind him, he felt a good portion of the pain coming from his shoulder. He let go of her hand and took off his coat and shirt and sat down on the edge of her bed.
Serina walked over to a small trunk in the corner and grabbed two medium sized jars, one containing a cream and the other containing an oil. Serina walked back towards Tristan and climbed on the bed behind Tristan. Serina looked at the six inch cut on his shoulder blade that she had watch Naley sew together.
"Your cut looks good." Serina said in a mild tone as she uncorked the jar that held the cream. She scooped out a small amount on her fingers and spread it across his cut so it wouldn't get infected. She wiped he
r hand on a rag that she had grabbed from the medicine trunk and got off the bed to look at his bruised shoulder. Tristan's shoulder was a swollen and a mass of colors, mostly black, blue, and purple. "It must have been a while before Dagonet could fix your shoulder for it to be so bruised and swollen. And I am sure that you beating that Roman half to death didn't help much." Serina said with a small smile.
She may have had quite an annoying morning but she was also glad at how it had turned out. She was happy that Arthur had chosen Tristan to guard her. He had been right about him
getting to be with her all the time and no one the wiser as to that Tristan was actually enjoying his new guard duty. "Maybe an hour or so. And the Roman soldier didn't just stand there while I beat him. He may have gotten in a good hit or two." Tristan mumbled. Serina smiled and uncorked the jar that held the oil.
Serina poured a generous amount of oil into her hands and started to gently massage the oil into Tristan's shoulder. "I hate the smell of that oil." Tristan said watching her hands rub in the oil. Serina laughed. "Says the man who more often than not comes back to me smelling of either sweat and horses or battle." Serina said with a smile.
"You act as if it is made of manure. It is only almond and hemp seed oil. I think it smells better than whatever oil it is that Arthur has the Knights bath hall stocked with." Serina said with a small chuckle.
"Well than I suppose that you should make a better one if you dislike it so much. I would much rather you make and sell creams and oils than work at the tavern. You would get into a lot less trouble that way." Tristan said looking up at her. "But if I did that, I would never get to see you Tristan." Serina said. She stopped massaging his shoulder and looked down at him with a serious face.
"I rarely ever get to see you now. I only ever see you at the tavern and on the nights you decide to break into my home." Serina said in the same tone. Serina wiped her hands on the rag and sat down on the floor between his spread knees. Serina looked up into his face with a look on her face that he didn't like. He wasn't sure why until he noticed exactly what emotions it was that he was seeing there. Seriousness. Hopefulness. Doubt. But the emotion he seen the most of was sadness.
"Tristan. May I ask you something pertaining to your duty of watching over me?" Serina asked with a voice laced with all of the emotions he saw on her face. "You know you can ask or tell me anything, Serina." Tristan said, his hand cupping her cheek, which she leaned into closing her eyes briefly. "I know you don't want marriage or a family, with me or anyone. But please, I beg of you Tristan, from today until Arthur and Uncle say that it is no longer necessary, give me what I can never have with you. Let me pretend that it is real, that we are a family.
Sleep with me in my bed, enjoy when we go out, even if it is only us that know that you are enjoying it. Let me pretend, even if it is for a short while, that it is possible for my hopeless dreams for us to come true. Please, Tristan." Serina said in a low voice.
Looking down at her Tristan felt like a heartless bastard. He knew of her dreams for them and knew that in the end it might do more harm to them than good. But maybe by doing this he would slowly change his mind about giving her part of her dream.
After pretending to be in a marriage with her and then having to go back to his dull normal life he would change his mind about marrying her. He had denied her few things in their seven years together but children, marriage, and confessing his love for her were at the top of his list. In that order.
'If it will make her happy, put a glow to her skin that I have never seen before, can I really deny her such a small thing such as this? Especially if n one but us will know about it?' Tristan thought to himself looking down into her beautiful sad eyes. Surely she was sure that he would say no to her request.
Tristan gently grabbed her hands and pulled her up and placed her on his lap. "Will that truly make you happy, Serina? To pretend to have something we may never have?" Tristan asked having to be sure before he made his decision.
"Yes, Tristan. I want to be able to look back and think that for a short time, what we had was real." Serina whispered
"Then you shall have it. Until Arthur and Jols say otherwise. You shall have it, Temptress." Tristan said. He then kissed her shocked parted lips to seal the promise.