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A painted archer ran; he was fast and fluid with a familiarity to the land, but he still couldn't shake his pursuers. The brown cloak he wore billowed out with his speed and sharp movements, being the only thing to catch on branches as he himself was too agile for their grasp. His breath came out in deep pants but he forced himself forwards, his arms pumping and hand in a deathly tight clench on his bow.
Those making chase however were faster and unforgiving. All were on horse back and resilient to the attack that had befallen them only moments before and the archer was wrong to hope for an escape from them.
The painted archer took to the denser parts of woodland, he knew every part and kept to trails that were tricky and forced a slower pace, lest you face injury, but also the horses couldn't manage.
The horse men split, two slipping down from their steeds without even stopping the beasts and following on foot while the rest save one kept to a clearer path. They too knew the land and could navigate themselves around the density of the woodland to cut off the archer at a better point their horses could reach.
The lone rider was different, he and his horse more used to the tricker obstacles and so they ventured through into the thick of the forest, not following their assailant's direct path but one much closer and more difficult than the other riders.
The painted archer could hear his pursuers behind and fear griped him; even on foot they gained. The men were like nothing he'd ever fought before; they were faster, stronger, and far too skilled for him and his people who'd attacked them. Even when the archer had numbers against the horse men it hadn't been an advantage like he'd first thought.
He chanced a look back as he ran, eyes wide and wild with fear. He was prey now, blindly bounding away for his life and when he turned to the path ahead his movements changed. Becoming more erratic, panic took over and blinded his rationality as he threw himself down an embankment and turned so sharply around a tree at the bottom that he ploughed over a figure that had been cowering there.
The two gave shouts of surprise and pain as they collided harshly and tumbled to the ground. Their matching cloaks blended with the mottled leaf littler and mud that they fell into and the pair were quick to look to one another. The painted archer was confused at what he'd hit and surprised to find and woman while she looked to him, alarmed and frightful and soon they were both scrambling up.
The woman moved back as soon as the painted archer reached for his bow and she was quick to turn and run the moment he lifted a hand for the arrows on his back. The painted archer's eyes weren't trained on her however, instead they were locked onto the path he'd just come from. He drew his arrow shakily and his breath quivered from his chest as he tried to calm and concentrate.
The woman fled, unknowingly putting herself in his path and obscuring his aim. She moved around the large tree trunk she'd previously been hiding behind; her movements were jittery and she stumbled over the great roots jutting from the earth, her escape a pathetic attempt in comparison to the haste and panic that commanded control of her body and hindered her.
Her lips parted with a gasp of shock as she tripped and her hands reached out to catch herself. Her body collided with a sturdy figure rather than the ground like she'd expected and her warm gaze sprung up in alarm and met the confused and surprised blue eyes of another.
A frown pulled at the blue eyed man's brows and with a sharp awareness his gaze moved from her and to the painted archer. His face changed from his moment of surprise and contorted with aggression as he noticed the preparation for attack and shoved the woman away from him. It was a harsh and unfriendly action but ultimately it saved her life and gave him the freedom to step free of the archer's aim.
The arrow was released with a pang while the woman fell back against the tree with a scream and blue eyed man himself rolled a shoulder back and moved into a side on stance, effectively narrowing as a target. The arrow flew past him and a moment of silence fell amongst the three as they stilled, looking to where the arrow had missed.
The woman was the first to move, picking herself up and again going to make a break for it, and again in her panicked movements she was unaware of another until the shadow fell over her. Her warm gaze snapped up in surprise but fear flew through her in an instant, halting her advance and sending her fumbling back with an almighty scream.
"Gawain!" The blue eyed man called out to the other, urgency in his voice to halt the other man's attack.
The burly figure, Gawain, was in motion of his attack. He'd called out a war cry with a face contorted with anger and teeth bared in a snarl and he brought a hefty axe down to kill, but at sight of the woman and the call of his companion he realised the target to be wrong. At the last possible moment he redirected his swing and had the great weapon crunching into the trunk of the tree leaving the woman to drop down in a cower, her eyes screwing shut and hands cupping over her ears as she screamed from the sound of the impact.
The two looked to the woman before sharing a glance only to then turn back to the painted archer just as he shakily pulled back another arrow and fired it hastily. The aim was off and strength wasn't behind the bow but through sheer luck the painted archer landed a target as the arrow struck the blue eyed man in the shoulder of his right arm.
"Galahad!" Gawain called out with worry, while the other cried out in fury rather than pain as the hit knocked him back a step but didn't send him down.
Galahad threw a look to the arrow sticking out of his arm and clenched tighter at his sword while his muscles screamed against the action, pained by the arrow head. Next his furious eyes flew to the painted archer, and against the pain in his arm he raised his sword with a shout of anger and Gawain yanked his axe free with a splinter of wood to join the attack.
The two charged only for a pang of an arrow to sound and effortlessly it shot through the painted archer's neck forcing the pair's approach to slow and their cries of battle to fade as their target dropped down, defeated but not by them.
With frowns that changed from confusion to annoyance they both simultaneously turned their gazes to where the arrow had come from and even in the distance they recognised the lone figure sat upon the horse.
"Take the fun out of it why don't you!" The burly Gawain commented quietly as he lowered his weapon and watched the rider in the distance as he set his bow down and kicked his horse on.
Galahad scoffed in reply, annoyed and pent up as he angrily slid his sword back into it's sheath before lifting a hand to grip the arrow in his arm. With a frown on his brows and jaw set tight he gave nothing more than a grunt of pain as he ripped the arrow from his shoulder.
The woman watched from her cower as the man regarded the arrow he'd just been shot with as if it were nothing above a harmless annoyance before he snapped the shaft of the arrow in half and threw it down and away from him.
Her eyes followed the broken piece almost entranced by how the man had made it seem harmless when in reality she knew it to be a dangerous thing. Next she noticed the details of the broken arrow, the colouring of the feather something she'd not only seen before but knew.
Slowly she stood, her eyes flicking from the two warriors and to the broken arrow; she wanted to creep closer to investigate and confirm her suspicions. If the arrow belonged to who she thought it did then she wanted to be clear of the area when the rest descended.
The pounding of hooves sounded and the two men looked up in interest, both turning towards the sound and moving forwards to meet the riders heading their way. The woman took her change then, shuffling closer and passing a weary glance to the fallen archer before she crouched to inspect the arrow. She definitely knew the speckled brown feather now she could see the details closer and next she picked up the arrow head and stood when the riders came into vision. Quickly she shuffled a few paces back and away from the other half of the arrow and eyed the group of riders as they conversed with the two men, thankful for their disinterest in her for now and allowing her to turn her attention to the arrow head.
It was a relatively small arrow, rather streamline for it's assault but the purpose was so it was easy to dip into a small vile should the shooter decide to lace the tip. Her throat grew tight as she then moved her fingers to the arrow head and carefully took a swab of it. She moved the fluid she'd picked up between her thumb and finger tips, noticing the red smear of blood and feeling a fine grainy texture. With a light frown she lifted her fingers to her nose and took in the scent; blood disused most of the potent smell but she knew it easy enough and hastily wiped her hand clean on the rough fabric of her skirt.
"What are you planning to do with that?" A voice asked and only then did she notice the silence, her eyes raising and head snapping towards the group.
She held all their attention now and when the burly man that had nearly taken her head clean from her shoulders took a step towards her in warning she threw the arrow head down and staggered back.
"Gawain!" Galahad then scolded with a tired breath and when his friend looked back to him in question the blue eyed man shook his head.
The woman took her chance then and turned to run but her moment was short lived and her attempt of escape shunted as a horse appeared in her sight and with a scream she ricocheted off the great animal's shoulder and fell down on to her back side.
The rider of the animal looked down at her, his face passive and mostly hidden by the strands of hair that hung in and around his face and she could only gawk up in fear. He regarded her then as he rested one arm over the other on the horn of the saddle, the reins held limply in hand as he hunched forwards in a relaxed sit; he was not threatened by her nor bothered, but still he would wait to hear what would be done with her.
"Who's the woman?" A voice then asked, deep and calm and the man who'd spoke carried an air of strength and authority.
Galahad shook his head, his cool eyes on the woman before he turned them to his leader. "I don't know." He answered honestly.
"She was with the archer!" Gawain then added in and the man who'd asked gave a nod as he mulled over what little they'd said.
"Bring her here." He then decided and with out needing any more instruction Gawain prowled forwards only to have Galahad stop him.
Again Gawain looked to his friend in question but the other man simply gave him a pat as he walked past. "You look like you want to kill her!" Galahad commented as he instead headed over to the woman leaving the lighter haired man to scoff in offence.
The woman still had her weary eyes on the dark haired rider as she carefully picked herself back up and flinched when she felt a hold on her upper arm. She spun to face the man holding her and locked gazes with those same blue eyes before pulling her arm free and stepping back from him.
Next she moved her eyes around the people present, her heart hammering away in fear and mouth so dry she could form nothing to say. She was right to be scared, even when the man, Galahad, held his hands up calmly and assured her. "I'm not going to hurt you!" She was unconvinced and wanted to be free of these people and the area before anything else happened, or anymore arrived, and again she started to edge away.
The rider that had blocked her path straightened up a little as he watched her movements but his attention was pulled to his horse when the animal raised it's head and flicked it's ears forward, alerted by something the others couldn't hear. "Arthur, we should move!" The rider then called as his eyes scanned the area and soon the other horses started to dance about in excitement.
The called man nodded and gathered up the reins as he too looked around the woodland. "Knights!" He called simply as a command and all turned towards him, understanding what was being asked.
The moment Galahad looked away from the woman however, she bolted and he struggled to jump after her and grip her. He managed to catch a grip on a leather strap slung against her back only for her to turn and wrangle herself free and continue on, leaving the blue eyed Knight with her bag in hand and a lost look on his face.
"Galahad!" Gawain called, now mounted on his horse as he rode up to him with his own horse in tow.
With a look of annoyance Galahad turned from the fleeing woman and to the bag in hand before a voice called out. "I've got her!" The voice was confident and carried a smirk and when Galahad glanced over he saw the look on the handsome Knight's face matched his tone.
With a roll of his blue eyes, Galahad then took his horse's reins from Gawain and flicked them back over the animals head before standing at the saddle to attach the woman's bag. Once the item was secured he placed a foot in the stirrup and effortlessly sprung up into the saddle but sat heavily, his annoyance seeming to drag him down.
The woman took flight across the uneven forest floor. She was unlucky in her footing and seemed to catch every stick that reached out, rock that jutted up, and dip hidden by leaf litter in the ground. Her run was frantic and arms spread out to aid her balance as she was sent teetering and tripping.
She couldn't hear much over her own panting and the rush of wind as it whipped past her ears but when a great snort sounded as a dark horse rode up next to her she couldn't help the loud shriek that jumped from her. Instantly she moved away and made off in a different direction but the action choked her and a strangled yell came out in confusion as her feet lifted away from the floor.
Much to the woman's screams of protest and confused flailing the rider still managed to haul her up and onto the saddle in front of him, and once she was sat properly and fully aware of what had happened she stilled a moment.
The woman concentrated in a struggle to find a balance while sat side saddle but on every rock of the animal's canter she was out of sync with it, and it caused her to slip from side to side, constantly at threat of falling. Her brows knotted as she rocked awkwardly in the saddle and was forced to cling to the stranger who'd hurled her onto the horse and she threw him a weary glance.
The rider turned his gaze from ahead to catch her eyes and instantly one corner of his lips curled up in a small smirk while a single brow twitched up in interest. "Well, hello!" He greeted, his tone teasing.
Instantly the woman's face dropped and she reeled back and away from the handsome Knight. She gave a shout, one which he didn't understand but assumed it just to be an odd noise she made due to her own action's nearly throwing her from the horse. "Hold still!" The Knight frowned as the woman pushed him away while he countered and pulled her in, their struggle causing him to tug on the reins in an awkward way.
His horse was unsure of the message he was trying to send and grew irritated with the jerky actions that pulled at the bit in it's mouth and so it flicked it's head up with a whine and gave a confused buck.
The motion caused both in the saddle to bounce up and while the rider landed fine and perfectly balanced, the woman landed too far over on one side and started to slip off backwards.
With a scream of fear the woman instantly went from pushing the rider away to clinging onto him. The handsome Knight's grip on her arm was all that was stopping her from slipping off but he was forced to lean the opposite way of her to counter balance in the saddle while also trying to get the momentum to yank her back up.
"I thought you said you had her?" A voice called from behind in a tease and the handsome Knight didn't need to look back to know who'd spoken or to know what expression they held on their face.
Gawain's grin turned from the comical sight ahead and towards his friend riding next to him and the pair shared a look of amusement before the blue eyed Knight then kicked his horse on to catch up.
Galahad knew he'd have to be the one to offer help because Gawain would be happy to continue to watch and laugh at the struggle. "Need a hand?" The younger Knight quipped. His brows rose expectantly and a smile pulled at his lips while the struggling rider passed an irritated look his way but said no more.
With a small chuckle Galahad moved his horse closer before leaning over the gap between the two animals and taking a grip on the back on the woman's cloak. He lifted her up easily even when his injured arm burned from the action before he then pushed her back onto the saddle properly.
The woman finally stilled her struggles only so she could stay upon the horse but the Knight she rode with was then able to get a better grip on her, and concentrate on the ride.
With her brows furrowed in confusion and worry swimming in her eyes the woman put up with the man holding her while she moved her warm gaze across the other riders she could see ahead before peering over her shoulder at the blue eyed Knight who'd lifted her back into the saddle.
The Knight had his eyes straight ahead and his face was perfectly calm. Compared to the anger and aggression she'd experience earlier his relaxed expression made him appear much kinder and she couldn't help her staring; wondering if it was indeed the same man. He noticed her staring and took his gaze from the riders ahead to turn an inquisitive look her way.
Galahad could tell the woman was terrified; she'd screamed enough from their actions, tried to escape every chance she got, and worry was worn clearly on her expression. The Knight could almost see the thoughts running through the woman's mind but it was her dire look of confusion that threw him. She wasn't playing innocent or dumb, she truly didn't know why she'd been taken and it caused him to question too.
With a quick glance to where he could see their leader ahead, Galahad wondered what would happen and quickly felt agitated that it would probably be some time before they rode to a safe enough distance to then be able to stop and find out.
He looked back to the woman and she was quick to lower her gaze, having grown aware of her own staring, and Galahad wondered about her little. He wanted to know if she was a Woad and if she was in fact with the painted archer, and if not, what was she doing so far into the forest by herself.
The woman now grew aware of the Knight's staring like he had of hers and her brows tugged together in a frown as she concentrated on not looking back at him only to jump a little as the man she rode with gave a sudden scoff.
Galahad looked towards the handsome Knight with a quirked brow as the other man frowned and moved his head back to try and free himself from the web of dark hair that was drifting in his face. The blue eyed Knight gave a short chuckle then as he caught the other Knight's eye and turned forwards while the other again had to spit some of the woman's hair from his mouth. "Would you care to take over?" The handsome Knight offered, both sarcastic and hopeful, only to have the blue eyed man flash a quick grin and kick his horse into a fast pace to pass them.