Author's Notes:

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters Arthur and his knights. They are from the movie 'King Arthur'. I own the new characters. I have done some historical research for place names, events etc, and any inaccuracies are my own. Story is much darker in tone – in contrast to the prequel - to reflect the movie itself. Pace is of course much faster, also to reflect the movie.

I loved this movie for more than a retelling of the Arthurian legend, great fighting and locations and of course, the hunky Mads Mikkelsen as Tristan! I find this movie compelling because it is set in a time when the Roman Empire was withdrawing from its provinces in Britain. This was a time of great upheaval and opportunity when old order dissolved, and individuals and peoples had the opportunity of making radical changes for better or worse.

I find a striking parallel between this period and our current time as global challenges of resource depletion, weak economy, erratic climate, stressful lifestyles, peak oil and a host of other ailments threaten our own existence but at the same time suggest a paradigm change. So the story is somewhat allegorical and peppered with references from my readings. If my writing is too ham handed, please pardon, but I hope you will enjoy reading. Comments are welcome!

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Fifteen years had finally dwindled down to a day. It was a clear morning in late fall. Eburacum had sent word ahead of Bishop Germanus. Arthur, red cape flying behind him like a banner, and his six British knights – Lancelot, Tristan, Bors, Dagonet, Gawain and Galahad - rode South across fields at a long gallop to meet the man who was coming to deliver them their discharge papers. They could have waited at the fort for after all the Bishop Germanus had his own escort of Roman soldiers. He was, however, a friend of Arthur's late father and the knights had been waiting for fifteen long years, fighting Woads and burying friends, for the documents he carried. Aside from that there was the fact that Woads had become bold of late, harrying Roman caravans far South of the Wall as if they too knew that Rome was leaving soon. Rumors were thick enough.

Tristan, the company's silent and observant scout, again wondered privately why a high ranking bishop would be making such a lengthy and possibly dangerous journey to deliver papers that could have been sent by a courier instead. He had kept his unease from the others though Dani had confided to him that she too found it strange and attributed it to the Roman eccentricity. Arthur of course assumed that the bishop's arrival would have something to do with change of command at the Wall where he had been in charge for more than a decade. He refused to believe that the Empire would completely abandon the frontier so many had died to defend, including his own father.

Tristan glanced around at his brothers and reflected that it was just like old times, before Senna and his company had come into their lives, welcome though they were. The Baltic knights – Senna, Percy, Gault and Eric, along with the Persian woman warrior Dani – had arrived at Badon fort a year ago from their previous posting in the remote Baltic region. They had been reposted following a battle that left their company severely short of men and the outpost abandoned. Their lately joined brothers had no business with the Bishop Germanus as they had four more years of service to Rome left. Arthur had given them the choice of remaining at the fort. They all had work to keep them busy.

Senna, the senior most among them, had become indispensable to Arthur in running the fort. He was frantically trying to wrap up several building projects, presiding over his workmen like a tyrannical camp supervisor, alternately threatening and pleading. Eric, youthful at twenty one with long dark hair, and older Gault, close in age to Gawain, added their efforts to the crew of auxiliaries and workmen laboring under Senna, more to calm their friend than to do the actual work. Right now the man was occupied with completing excavations for additional drainage channels for the fort latrines. Drainage channels to the latrine clogged often, a nasty business to clean.

'I don't want them crossing the sewers and the supply lines, sir,' he had told Arthur, looking harried and cross.

'Heaven forbid,' Lancelot had shuddered while Arthur excused the man and Gawain cracked a rude joke about Bishop Germanus using the latrine.

Percy the surgeon was busy at the clinic. At the best of times it was a chaotic place. Lately there had been an increase in patients as word had spread that the knights were leaving. Thirteen year-old apprentice Two was kept busy helping to wrap linen, boil water, fetch and carry, clean up, administer salves and soothe rattled nerves. Percy's servant Alan and Dani had been pressed into service helping with the patients.

For a change Tristan did not mind Dani's preference for the dour surgeon. He remembered the reason and joy washed over him like a wave. He was now a married man of scant two days. News traveled faster than horses it seemed, for when they returned to Badon a few days ago from their mission in Luguvalium, the fort was already abuzz with his betrothal to Dani and Lancelot's tryst with Rigana, a wealthy widow at that city. She had bedazzled the flirtatious knight and he had championed her entry into the city's council. Privately the scout thought that she was the best addition to that sad lot. She had bold ideas that she had proceeded to put into action. Lancelot had been somewhat sheepish on his return. He had previously been wooing the Persian woman but now she teased him along with everyone else. He had offered a word of embarassed congratulations to the scout, glad that he wasn't the only one in the news.

Tristan and Dani had formally asked Arthur for permission to wed sometime before they left on their long journey to Rome, which as their commander he had legal right to deny. He did not, but it was Percy who put his foot down regarding when. Arthur had called a meeting right after their return and it was then and there that Percy declared dourly that he didn't want to have to 'walk into my clinic every morning and throw someone out who did not belong there.' That Percy would do so was not in doubt and he had the physique to manage such a feat.

Dani, lone woman at the fort, lived in the clinic. A shout of laughter went up while Tristan raised his glass in acknowledgement of a hit. Percy was Christian, a stickler for propriety and Dani's adopted family – older brother, uncle and guardian dragon. Arthur acceded and since both bride and groom were willing, a private ceremony was held that evening, presided over by a gently beaming Arthur. As private as it could be - thought Tristan - with all the knights, Vanora, her children, a crew of auxiliaries and assorted curious hangers on in attendance.

By mutual agreement, the simple ceremony was held in the grassy hill outside the fort where generations of knights rested for eternity. It was a civil ceremony for Tristan had not worshipped the gods of his ancestors for a long time and Dani said quietly that while she still prayed to Fire and the Elements, her religion had no place here in these hills. Nor did they want prayers said to Roman or Celt gods. So in the end, Arthur said a few brief words about friendship, love, courage and steadfastness while the couple held hands facing each other by the flickering lights of hand held torches and distant stars. Vanora leaned her head on the shoulders of an uncomfortable looking Bors, unwed father of her numerous offspring, and shed tears of happiness.

There was a noisy celebration after but even Tristan could not be so churlish as to deny his brothers merry making and boisterous games on that evening. He did put his foot down at dancing though and was content to watch his bride whirl around with the younger knights to a rousing beat, laughing and blushing at their teasing. She looked radiant in an old rust-colored gown, flowers woven in braided hair, and he turned his head to see a wistful expression on the face of Lancelot. Tristan intervened at last after she had too many mugs of ale and carried her off to her apartment in the clinic, hastily decorated by some of her women friends, resolutely ignoring the catcalls, advice and whistles while an uncharacteristically shy Dani buried her face in his shoulder.

The knights paused at a rise. All eyes strained towards a caravan guarded by Roman cavalry in scarlet uniforms coming up the road from the direction of Eburacum, which lay farther South. A suppressed excitement gripped all of them, even the stoic scout. The caravan spotted them and slowed down. Bors said he could smell freedom, giving voice to what they all thought. They were free and they were going home to Sarmatia, far away to the East.

Tristan yanked his thoughts from pleasant reminiscing to the present and raked back long braided hair from his face. Piercing eyes peered out through unruly bangs above tattooed cheekbones. His time in Britain had come to an end and they were leaving the settlements along the Wall somewhat prepared to defend themselves. He had made his choice. He would follow Dani, Arthur and the rest of the Baltic knights to Rome. He still dreaded the idea of going to Rome, but he had come to terms with it. His dream of returning to Sarmatia, perhaps with a family, was still alive. All was well in Tristan's world.

An arrow toppled one of the riders.

Author's note:

Latrines in Roman forts had running water to flush the toilets and clogged often. The disgusting work of cleaning floors and unclogging (yuck!) pipes was assigned to soldiers as punishments for petty misdemeanorsJ