Gawain hurriedly dragged Kation away from the sulking invalid – the man was such a fusspot. Gawain only meant to show the girl where the tavern was, load her up with enough food for the two of them, and then send her straight back to Tristan. Not that he didn't want to see the knights' reaction to Kat' – he just wanted to see how Tristan dealt with the knights' reaction more.
Oh this was going to be so entertaining!
But first, Kation needed to be introduced to the most important ally anyone at the fort could hope for. He led the girl round the back of the tavern and in through the kitchen door.
"Vanora! I've got someone to show you!" He called.
"Gawain! Back already I see, where's Tristan?" The beautiful redhead appeared round the corner, she was radiant, despite the slightly smoky atmosphere of the kitchen. Gawain put it down to the pregnancy.
"He's in bed, grumbling and throwing waterskins at anyone who tries to show him a shred of kindness."
Vanora shook her head, as weary of Tristan's antics as the rest of them. "I'll go see him in a second, just let me fetch my shawl."
"But you haven't met Kat!"
"Who's Kat?"
"This," Gawain hauled the girl out from her hiding place behind him and held her out to Vanora by the shoulders. "Is Tristan's new slave, she's called Kation."
"'She'?" Vanora said doubtfully, looking the girl up and down with raised eyebrows. Kation scowled and crossed her arms again.
"I know, that's why everyone – including your lover – thinks she's a boy. It has to stay that way; you understand?"
Vanora nodded immediately. "I understand. So why tell me the truth?"
Here, Gawain felt heat creep up his neck. "Well, there are problems… unique… to women…" Realisation dawned on Vanora's face and she smiled.
"Aha, I get it. Not to worry," she said, turning to Kation. "When it happens, you just come find me and I'll sort you out."
"Thank you," Kation said, she seemed to have warmed to Vanora slightly.
"And now we need food!" Gawain said, getting Vanora back on task – he really didn't want to be caught in the middle of a conversation concerning female matters.
"Of course, go through to the front and ask Brenna to fix you something. I'm go back to Tristan with Kation."
Gawain nodded. "Alright, see you later little Kitty-Kat." He ruffled the girl's hair with a grin – she ducked away, glaring at him. Gods, she was so like Tristan… it was almost spooky.
~oOo~
Gawain was, without doubt, the most annoying person I'd yet encountered. I didn't dislike him in the same way that Tristan made me recall my talents for violent behaviour – he was just an almighty pest. And now he had given me a nickname.
Vanora seemed like a nice woman really – barely older than me by the looks of it, but already showing a bit of a pregnancy bump under her dress. Cute. I wondered if she had any more lurking about. I didn't really like children – mostly because I wasn't very good at interacting with them.
"So did Tristan pick you up in Uxelodunum?" Vanora asked.
"Yes." I lied. Gawain had explained to me that this was another large military fort to the west, which Tristan and the now deceased Kay had stayed for a couple of days.
"Why has Tristan decided to disguise you as a boy?"
"Probably to make more use of me," I shrugged. "A woman can't do the same things a man can."
Vanora nodded sagely as she began to prepare a basket of food – I saw fruit, bread, cheese and cold meat all being packed away neatly. A veritable feast was being prepared for us. Considering no one had given me a decent meal since yesterday lunchtime, I was more than ready to eat. "That's true; Tristan needs a lad who can take care of matters for him here when he's out on patrol. A girl would just be left to take care of his clothes and warm his bed…" she broke off and blushed. "Sorry, I didn't mean…"
"That's alright."
"I-I mean… you don't…? He hasn't…?"
I knew what she was trying to ask, but was clearly nervous about upsetting me. "No, he doesn't have plans that way." Vanora seemed to relax. Tristan seemed to have something of a monstrous reputation… "Although I don't know if he'll tell everyone else a different story." I added darkly.
Vanora laughed at that. "Oh I think there are more than enough people here who'll think of half a dozen scenarios to that effect. My advice: ignore it."
I nodded. Of course I'd ignore it; there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Vanora fetched her shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Right, let's go." I picked up the basket and followed her out, tipping my head forward so that my hair hid my face as I scanned my surroundings, stretching out my 'personal space' to look for trouble. But, amazingly considering my luck, the most attention we got was people who greeted Vanora. They seemed to me ignore me, which was absolutely fine.
Without pause, Vanora entered Tristan's room, smiling broadly at him. The stubborn bastard was sitting up and seemed ready to leap from the bed at the sight of us.
"There you are! You gave us all quite a scare – and now I hear you have this charming creature for a slave." She said, smiling at me. I let something flicker across my mouth and dumped the basket on the bed. Then I fetched the solitary chair for Vanora, who was stretching her back out, and set it beside Tristan's bed. Then I hovered against the opposite wall, away from their happy little picture. Vanora looked at me sternly and patted the bed by Tristan's leg.
"Sit there and eat – you're going to need all your strength to serve him."
I glared at Tristan, because I could, and sat. Then I picked up an apple and shoved it at him. "Eat up," I said with sweetened evil on my face and in my voice. "Fruit is very good for you." The smile felt like a knife cut across my face. Tristan look slightly alarmed, while Vanora laughed and began to prepare the food. I took another apple and bit into it, feeling a whole lot better for the sour juice hitting my throat – it only sharpened my resolve.
The rest of the meal was a quiet affair, with Vanora describing Kay's burial to Tristan. I hadn't known the man – but Tristan's solemnity only reinforced my understanding that these knights were a brotherhood of sorts. Despite my dislike for him, it didn't change the fact he had suffered a loss – and I understood loss. Even Vanora was looking tearful.
I stood and bent down to hug her – if I had tried something similar with Tristan, I was liable to be slapped again. But Vanora gratefully hung on and let a single small sob escape into my shoulder. I stroked her lovely russet hair a couple of times, and then she released me with a watery smile of gratitude. She really was a nice girl. I squeezed her shoulder and then caught Tristan staring at me in something approaching surprise. I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow.
"Surely not." I murmured.
"Oh Tristan won't want a hug, girl," Vanora chuckled. I nodded, relieved, and sat down on the bed again.
"Where is everyone today?" Tristan asked, changing the subject.
"Well, Gawain is eating at the tavern; Bors and Lancelot are out on patrol; Dagonet is seeing to Bedwyr's daughter; Galahad is supposed to be training this year's colts with Jols, and Gaheris is also with them. And I suspect that the twins will have just finished running that errand for Arthur with Kahedin, so they'll be heading for the tavern soon."
This was remarkable. I later learned that Vanora's radar-like ability to know the knights' whereabouts stemmed from her powers of perception and an immense memory for their routines and habits.
Tristan, used to Vanora's gift, nodded and nibbled at some bread. "That means the next people to visit will be those three." He sighed. Clearly this wasn't a joyful prospect. "And what about Arthur?"
Vanora smiled. "Oh he's dealing with his reports… you know how he hates book-keeping – such a man of action."
"Hmph." Tristan's eyes were drooping – clearly the food and safety of his own room was having a soporific effect on him. Vanora noticed this too, and started to pack away the food.
"I'll leave the basket here, Kation." She said, turning to me as I helped to wrap up the food. "Don't hesitate to come back to the tavern if you need more, alright?"
I nodded. "What about medicine?"
"Ah, well Dagonet will be along sometime today – he is the medic amongst us and is on very good terms with the fort's chief surgeon. Just ask him to supply you with whatever Tristan needs."
"Thank you." I walked her to the door, handing her shawl to her.
Vanora's face turned serious. "No. Thank you," she said in a low voice, so that Tristan might not hear us. I doubted that. "You have saved us all the very grim task of nursing this fiend back to health. He is a very challenging patient."
I smiled thinly. "I can handle him."
Something in my tone or face must have seemed sinister then, because Vanora looked slightly alarmed for an instant, then nodded and left, calling out a goodbye to Tristan as she left.
Tristan grunted again, and tried to shuffle into a more comfortable sleeping position. I crossed the room and helped him.
"I suppose you will eat all the food while I'm asleep." He said crossly.
"No, I have had enough." I said, and then sat down in the chair Vanora had vacated only moments before. While he dozed, I let my eyes travel lazily around the room, familiarising myself with every detail. This would be my sanctuary for the foreseeable future after all.
The room was actually quite spacious, with Tristan's wide bed against the wall adjacent to the door. A small table and the chair were the only other furniture, and three large, studded trunks were pushed against the walls. Light came from a small window directly across from the door. It was about as homely as a tomb. Tristan's weapons had been carried up here by Gawain, and were now lying atop one of the trunks. I was seriously tempted to inspect them, but knew that if I moved, I would disturb Tristan. So it seemed like the perfect reason to do it.
I got to my feet and moved silently over to the heap of weapons. I could always say I was sorting them. I picked up the heavy sword – it reminded me of a Chinese dao – and laid it on the table. Then the knives. These were of far more interest to me, since I could actually use them if I found myself in a pinch. Just as I was admiring a narrow-bladed knife with a pale antler grip, I heard excited voices in the outer courtyard of the knights' compound. I presumed it was the aforementioned twins and Kahedin. They thundered up the stairs, talking loudly. I didn't know what to do with myself, so I woke Tristan and then stood at the foot of the bed, hands clasped behind my back.
They burst through the door a second later.
First were two tall, blond men with identical faces and brilliant blue eyes. How they managed to squeeze through the door simultaneously was anyone's guess.
"Tristan!" they yelled in unison, rushing the bed.
"Leave off!" Tristan bellowed, holding out his uninjured arm to ward them away from physically hurling themselves onto the bed. They checked themselves and hovered over him, teetering as they regained their balance. As they babbled at him excitedly, talking over each other and sometimes in unison, another man appeared in the doorway. He was slightly shorter than the twins, and far less bulky, with mousey coloured hair. He had handsome, high-boned features and his grey eyes missed nothing. They fell upon me at once.
"Who's this?" he drawled, not taking his eyes off me. Starting as I meant to continue, I stared right back into his eyes; my gaze even and unwavering. I hid all emotion from my face and didn't fidget. Narnia had been a school of very, very hard knocks – politically and martially. Some small treacherous part of me thanked the God of Cloud-Cuckooland for sending me to that magical land first. But these men didn't know that.
The twins rounded on me.
"Whoa!"
"Who's that?"
"Tristan! Is this…?"
"My slave, Kation." My 'master' interrupted. I would have to do something about those mental apostrophes… they were inhibiting my act and I had to look really sincere about this, no matter how much it killed me inside to bow and scrape to this bastard.
"WHAT?" the twins bellowed as one. Kahedin's reaction was mild by comparison – he shot his brother-in-arms a searching look (very similar to Gawain's) and walked over to me, grabbing my chin and tilting my face up to look at it closely. I jerked away and let my hands fall to my side, ready to block him if he tried it again. I didn't trust him one iota. If the twins were a pair of boisterous Labradors, this was a cynical and wily fox in front of me.
Kahedin frowned and looked at Tristan again. As soon as he'd moved away, the twins pounced on me. But their treatment didn't have the same calculating evaluation as Kahedin's had, so I tolerated their gentle prodding and examinations.
"He's got a girl's face! Cute!"
"So tiny!"
"What good is he to you? We know you don't like boys that way…"
"He's good with horses." Tristan said shortly. "Even Tagiytei likes him."
"Oh, that I must see." Kahedin drawled, throwing another speculative look at me over his shoulder. He was standing over Tristan with a small smile on his face.
"I'm Cador, and that idiot's Dinadan," said one of the twins with a smile. I noticed he had a scar above one eyebrow and immediately tagged it as a point of distinction between the two, who were otherwise mirror-images of each other. Their clothes weren't the same, but I knew if I tried to tell them apart by their wardrobe I would only be confused again tomorrow.
"I'm not the idiot, you are!" Dinadan protested. Cador threw him a sarcastic look and then winked at me. Sibling antics like this were alien to me, an only child, so I simply stared at them both, affecting patience.
"I am afraid I will have to reserve judgement for the moment, sir." I murmured. My 'boy voice' produced three pairs of raised eyebrows and another unanimous look at Tristan.
"He is not…" Tristan began hotly, but Kahedin waved away his protestations.
"Even if he is, it doesn't matter." He said, staring at me again. "So apart from horses, what else can the child do?"
"Read, write, mathematics…" Tristan mumbled.
"Well, you have no use for that." Dinadan huffed. "Honestly, there are enough stable boys – so that means you must be fucking him."
Wow. Blunt.
I tried not to laugh. "I am also very discreet." I managed to keep the grin down to a smirk.
Tristan looked at me for a moment. "Indeed."
"You know, I think Tristan's found an apprentice, rather than a lover." Cador murmured to his brother, but Dinadan growled and crossed his arms.
"We don't need another like Tristan skulking about the place." He said emphatically.