The Silver Lining

Sophia glanced round nervously when she found the tavern. It was a warm enough night that she had left both her coat and jacket back in her room. She was a little surprised when a heavily pregnant woman came over to her with a large smile on her face. Sophia did not know what to do as the woman held a hand out to her. The woman regarded her for a moment before looking down at her hand. "I ain't gonna bite ya, lassy," she piped up. "I'm Vanora, Bors' lover, owner of this here establishment. Nice to meet the girl who managed to out smart Lancelot."

It made Sophia smile before she took hold of the woman's offered hand. "Sophia Valerioius, um... gypsy and he is easy to out smart, I'm surprised he has bedded so many women."

Vanora laughed and shook her head. "The tavern girls see a handsome knight and they don't care about anything else. Lancelot finds it fruitful, he gets the pleasure without needing to say much at times," Vanora told her, making Sophia giggle.

"Well I am glad that I am not alone in my disliking of his nature and attitude," she mused, smiling widely.

Vanora laughed. "I am glad to find a woman who isn't attracted to him instantly. I doubt he'll ever change. Which is a shame cause the man can be very nice at the right times." That made Sophia giggle. "Well, come I think sitting with our knights is in order."

She began pulling her towards the table, only Sophia protested. She was still worried about what the knights were thinking of her now that they knew the truth. "Ah hush lass," Vanora ordered, pushing her down onto the end of the bench beside Tristan.

"Hush to what?" Galahad asked, smiling at Sophia who returned it with a small one.

"Nothing, the lass just needs a drink," Vanora stated, moving to get a mug for Sophia.

She quickly got up. "Please, I don't drink," she said which left the table of knights silent. She laughed a little.

"You don't drink?" Gawain protested.

Sophia nodded as she sat back down. "It is not that big of a deal, I do not drink, simple really," she shot back and Gawain pouted at her, complaining that drinking was one of the best things she was missing out on. Scoffing, she noticed the way Vanora was gripping her back slightly as she went towards the bar and got up, heading for her. "How far along are you?"

"Oh," Vanora startled a little and smiled when she glanced at Sophia, "Any day now actually. This will be number eleven."

Sophia stared in shock at the woman who saw the look and laughed. "El-eleven children?" Vanora nodded. "How do you keep up with them all?"

"I can't. They never cause trouble, the older few help when meant to and they are all home safe and sound at night. The knights and friends we have here keep watchful eyes on them too," she explained and Sophia looked over to the rather rowdy bunch of Sarmatian knights before glancing back at Vanora.

"You should ask her what they are named," Agravaine said low as he walked by and Vanora hit his arm lightly, scolding him playfully as he went into the back of the tavern.

"Why did he say that?" Sophia asked curiously.

Vanora laughed. "They don't have names, well save for Gilly who would be number six if Bors hadn't named him."

"Number six?" It dawned on Sophia. "You gave your children numbers instead of names."

The pregnant woman nodded with a large smile which made Sophia grin, despite she found this place to be quite crazy Sophia was also extremely curious about it all. Agravaine reappeared a moment later with a green and red apple in hand. He must have noticed her looking at him, actually she knew he noticed that she was because he nodded his head to her as he passed by her again. "Say lass, would you mind helping me out a bit round here? I mean the boys said you were staying on for the time being and well, I'm not able to do much cause of the baby, and I would pay you."

Sophia could see Vanora was a very good woman and would've offered to help as it didn't seem she had many workers. Three young girls and a man behind the bar itself. "I would love to help out in any way I can, need to be useful and earn my stay here." That had Vanora laughing as Sophia clapped her hands together.
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By the time the tavern closed up for the night, Sophia felt like she'd just endured a round of target practice, however she had not been the one practicing. The men who she had served seemed to like the fact that her pants were so tight they could grab at her rear when she came near them. It had taken Sophia all of five seconds to nearly break one man's arm when he had pulled her down onto his lap and tried to fondle her. After that, she received looks but no touches which worked for her as she could brush off those looks easily and without care of who was sending them her way. She was doing this for honest reasons and not like the three young women who worked alongside her. As she headed for the courtyard which lead into the knights living areas and such, Sophia noticed two of the girls with Roman soldiers and quickly turned away.

Sophia was not exactly comfortable with affection such as what men gave to women mostly because she had never had a man look at her in that way before. She turned a corner, only to bump into someone. Apologizing to them, she looked up and found Agravaine. Due to the darkness, Sophia was a little taken back at first because of his sudden appearance but she smiled at him after a moment. "Shouldn't you be resting? What if you were called out?" she inquired.

Talking with the knights tonight every now and then she found that they could be called out anytime if they were ordered to. He wasn't looking at her directly. In fact Sophia had noticed that he didn't actually look at her but really a part of her that didn't include her face. Realizing he was watching her hand, Sophia waved it a little, gaining his attention partially. He still wouldn't look up. "Why don't you look at my face?"

He shook his head and turned, telling her that he'd walk her back to the courtyard. Sophia nodded and before Agravaine really had a chance, she had moved forward and slid her hands around his arm. "Why don't you look at my face?" she repeated, pressing the subject now that he could not get away easily.

"I just... Its not comfortable," he answered, almost meekly while attempting to pull his arm free.

"Why?"

He sighed heavily. "Because most women run away from me the moment they see the scar on my face, not looking at them sort of helps on my account from feeling like a beast."

"Well... I haven't run away from you and the only time I was a little taken back by the scar was just then in the dark and when you put your sword to my wrist when I first woke up among the lot of you," she told him. "So- you can look at my face I'm not going to run away."

Sophia caught the smile on his face and grinned as they continued walking. "It is not just that, I've had this scar for nearly ten years and no woman has looked at me or come near me since. So much for them being drawn to scars like Lancelot said, facial ones like mine, they find hideous."

"I don't find it hideous," she told him. He scoffed only she nudged him. "Want to know what I think?" Agravaine glanced at her for a second.

"Do not try and cheer me up about it," he grumbled, finally pulling his arm free of her hands. "I don't like it."

She laughed a little. "You really don't deal with women much do you?" she questioned.

He glanced at her. "On a daily basis in ways like you and I are conversing now, no. Vanora would be the only woman I have spoken to in some time." Sophia stared at him in bewilderment which made him laugh this time. Reaching out to her, he tapped her chin, shutting her mouth. "Do not look so alarmed about it, I prefer it."

"But- why?"

Agravaine sighed heavily. "I just do Sophia."

"How did you get the scar?" she asked.

He looked up at the sky for a moment and grinned a little. "Too many questions you ask of me, Lady."

Sophia blushed and hung her head. "Sorry, I am just curious, this time is very different to my own," she remarked.

"I gathered."

Glancing up, she quirked an eyebrow at him. "You believe me?"

"Like Tristan said to the others earlier; your eyes don't lie and I doubt you would know what you know if you weren't telling the truth," he said with a nod. Sophia smiled saying that at least she some people believed her. "That and I have never seen a woman so quick to nearly break a man's arm like you did to the drunk."

She lifted a shoulder up and glanced over it as she heard someone call out to Agravaine. "Aggy!"

The knight in question growled a little. "Only that he is drunk am I sparring him for that," he muttered as he looked over her head to find Galahad.

Sophia laughed. "I think you secretly like that name, you just need to keep up appearances," she mumbled and saw him smirk as he walked towards Galahad, patting her on the shoulder and leaning down to her ear.

"Let's just keep that between you and me." Sophia grinned and nodded as she turned to follow him.
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Arthur sighed heavily, running his hands through his hair as he looked over the letter on his desk. Glancing up as he heard someone open the door he found Lancelot there. "Tristan said she wasn't lying," he remarked.

The other man just shook his head. "I still think she is."

Lancelot dropped down into the chair opposite his commander before noticing the letter in front of him. "We being called out?" he inquired, tilting his head towards the item.

Arthur looked from him down to the letter and nodded. "It is urgent but we need the rest tonight, we'll be riding out tomorrow."

Nodding, the curly-haired knight stood up. "Where and why?"

"We shall find that out when we get there, a village not far south of the wall and the letter is vague at best as to what the problem is." As Lancelot move to open the door, Arthur spoke. "What do you think of her? Is she telling the truth?"

Lancelot lifted up a shoulder. "Her clothing certainly does not belong and I don't think she is lying Arthur but it is your choice what to believe and do with her. She's helpful though, Vanora has already got her working in the tavern," he told his commander and brother like friend, grinning at him.

Arthur chuckled at the look.