Child of Time: The Pendragon Line

Part 26: Tending Needs

The top was too tight and the skirt was long I looked like a slutty bar wench with the hint of something more.

I pushed and pulled at the material, trying to provide myself with any kind of extra wiggle room, but it was in vain. I stood alone in the bath tent letting everything once again sink in.

Alice waited in the main tent with the girls, I'm sure they were all ready to critique my ensemble, as is the nature of women....no matter the timeline.

Alice and Mags hadn't said much more about Claira. They thought I was off but seemed to just accept that that's the way I was. I soon learned that not only was Alice keen to help anyone in need but she was a wicked gossip.

All the women here were.

"Oh and did you hear about Katherine Mags?" Alice clucked as she shoved me down onto a low wooden stool and immediately began her magic on my poorly shorn hair. "Has her heart set on the chemist."

Mags inaudibly gasped nearly dropping a pair of beautifully intricate scissors as she handed them to Alice.

"What in the world happened here?" Alice clucked again as she began snipping strands. "It was getting in the way" I answered, feeling safe and normal around these nonchalant women.

"Stop changing the subject, someone likes the chemist? Lewin...the chemist?"

"Aye!" She answered slyly "but that's much less interesting than my next topic of interested".

Alice slowly wove her fingers up and through my hair, attempting to make the perfect braid with such little length.

Her brown eyes gleamed sadistically in the tents low light. "Tell us." She demanded, with Mags looking both confused and concerned for my well-being.

"What's between you and his Lordship Beowulf". The dastardly tone of her voice made me shiver in my seat. The tone of the tent had changed very quickly.

"What?" I stammered, how did I get sucked into this? Weren't we talking about a hundred other things...none of which involved ME.

"He saved me from the castle along with the other Knights and brought me here," I answered truthfully.

"Aye," she agreed, waving her hand in dismissal. "Do you really think I went and got firewood for the center fire because we needed it?"

Her vibrant freckles rolled along her face as she grinned.

"I saw ye both sidled up together by the warmth of the flames, with yer arm around him."

A spy! I should have known better. There was more than enough wood stacked by that fire to last months! I did think it was odd that such a finely dressed woman would be out chopping wood in a camp filled with Pages and Knights.

"The girls and I watched you and the men arrive. Then Claira shoved me out the tent flap, as I said...she's very territorial."

The "Lordship" Alice had mentioned earlier, it was obviously Beowulf. I began to blush uncontrollably as I began to realize what having Claira as a Courtier must have meant.

I began to silently curse not only my cheeks but my entire body for betraying me.

Alice's smile only widened as my blush crawled down my chest.

Surely Mags would help me out of this awkward and embarrassing situation.

I quickly realized I was wrong as a smile, very similar to Alice's crept up took over her face.

Great.

"Well, that's the best I can do." Alice said suddenly, throwing the beautiful pair of scissors down on a nearby table. Startling me with another change in subject, as long as I was with Alice, I should probably start getting used to it.

Sweeping up a small worn hand mirror she held it up for me.

It was a very classic look, two braids running from each side of my head until they intertwined into a single braid down the back and tied together with a burgundy ribbon, to match the dress.

It didn't really work as well with short hair, but it would help me to blend in...if that were possible.

"I'm sorry. I did the best I could." Alice said with a touch of overly dramatic despair.

"Did ye really have to cut it all off?" She added.

"Probably not" I answered. Taking the mirror from her and softening some fly away strands. "It just felt right at the time."

I had seen enough Bear Grlls to know that long hair could be a hindrance.

"Well, time for the grand entrance." I sighed. The thought of going out there and facing all the Courtiers was grimace worthy enough, but having to go anywhere with my breasts hoisted to god made me feel naked and exposed.

Alice placed her pale hands on my shoulders reassuringly as I stood and tried to breathe.

"He'll love it" she whispered so only I could hear.

I felt my blush rising again. The betrayal of my own feelings ran deep.

"Perfect! Nice and rosy." Alice laughed as she flew the tent flap aside and we re-entered the "War" tent where the rest of the women gossiped and preened themselves like peacocks and for once, I truly thought of it as War tent, a war fought by jealous women.

A hush lulled through the room as we stepped inside, Mags to my right and Alice at my left, each one pulling me along.

Sya sat lazily on a deep round throw pillow, her slippered feet resting upwards along the side of a wicker table.

"Disappointing," she said allowing her dark eyes to rake over me as she played with a strand of her silken black hair. "Fair and slightly bland."

Sya rose slowly, stretching her arms to the ceiling. Her tanned olive skin glistening in the dim light. She was truly a beautiful woman.

She made her way to me and looked closer, placing one of her soft hands on my chin, her thumb pulling at my bottom lip.

"Intriguing," She said, "I've seen those eyes someplace before."

"Nice pair of tits" another woman yelled out brashly, and all of a sudden the room was again filled with the chitter chatter of Courtiers, breaking Sya's sensual spell.

My eyes scanned the room, I wasn't concerned with Sya or the others. To them, I was the mouse and they were a group of cats, looking for something to play with.

Claira was a mouse trap. Ready to spring closed on my throat, but as far as I could see, she wasn't in the tent.

"Hello! Archer, wonderful to see you have tended to your needs." Lewin sat on a chair, a petite and pale woman with large doe eyes sat at his feet transfixed.

"It was lovely talking with you Katherine, but I must get back to my duties." He said holding out his arm for me to take.

My eyes shot to Mags, who smiled as she pressed her finger to her lips silently with Alice who was already making her way to Katherine's side for all the gossipy details.

As I took Lewin's offered arm and he began to lead me from the tent I would have given anything in my mind to have been Katherine under Alice's assault then face the Doctor Chemists medieval treatments.