Knight Me

Chapter Fifteen

"I'm just going to get some water," Kay said.  He stood up from within the tent and turned to face me, "Do you think you can hold down the fort while I'm gone?"

I cocked my head to the side, "You doubt me?"

"Of course not," he chuckled awkwardly, running a nervous hand through his curls.  I laughed, "You have no faith in me whatsoever, do you?"

"What?  Of course I do.  I trust you with my life."

"You are so full of it.  Just admit it - you wouldn't trust me to handle myself for one day would you?" 

"I never said that," he stated.  Kay turned back to his satchel and loaded another empty skin of water.  Sticking an extra in, he turned to me, "Do you think I can haul four of them?  Or should I stick to three?"

"I thought you didn't trust my opinions," I teased, not bothering to meet his eyes.  Instead, my attention was focused on the map in front of me.

"Now you're just being a pain."

"You're right," I sighed, rubbing my hands over my eyes, "I'm just... on edge.  I have to get these plans together and I'm having a rough time doing it.  I can hardly remember what the camp looks like.  When Tristain and I went I was half asleep," I laughed dryly.  Kay shook his head at me, "What you have already looks fine.  You should just send a messenger with it and promise more later.  I'm sure we'll be doing more stake outs soon.  Besides, my bastard of a brother will be more pleased if you give him more information to work with."

"That's the problem though.  We only have one messenger," I groaned, "If I send him with what I have now, Arthur will make a plan.  Then by the time the messenger returns, I'll have more information that should have been given to Arthur and things will get all confusing."

"Have you tried asking Tristain?"

I didn't respond.  Instead I shrugged and returned to going over what minimal information I had jotted down.  Kay came to my side, rubbing my shoulders, "Let me guess - your pride won't let you ask Tristain."

"My pride has nothing to do with this matter."

He chuckled, nudging my back, "Just ask him.  You can't work miracles all the time."

"Go get some water, Kay.  And be careful," I stated.  Kay leaned down to peck me on the cheek, "I'll be fine.  Don't you trust me?"

He promptly left the tent, leaving me to my own thoughts.  Now that his lively self was gone, I felt a wave of lonliness wash over me.  Realization hit me that Kay was the only one really keeping me sane in this whole ordeal.  He was the only one I could be completely honest with.  

My eyes once again zeroed in on the map.  The smudge marks and dashes I had made earlier suddenly confused me yet again.  Had there been another branch of the Saxon encampment farther East than the barrier?  Or was it behind the camp?  And how wide was it?

Feeling my head spin, I weighed Kay's option.  Getting help from Tristain seemed like the only plausible way to get this report assembled.   And besides, Tristain wouldn't tease me.  It wasn't like I was asking for help, only his idea of what the encampment enclosed.

I stood up and tucked the map under my arms.  I exited the tent and looked around the minor tenament we had set up.  Tristain was a few tents over, closer to the center of the village.  He was the location closest to the fire if I remembered correctly.  

It didn't take me long to reach it.  I knocked on the framework of wood holding the cotton sheets up.  A murmur came within, allowing me to enter.  And enter I did.  I flipped open the flap of the tent and waltzed in.  Tristain was seated on the ground, staring at a sheet of paper.