Disclaimer: I do not own King Arthur or any of the characters in it. I do own Kai, Larissa, Naomi, Vida, and Val.
Hope you enjoy this!!
First Meetings
Kai looked around her. The others stared at her expectantly. The Old Hag they were after was in the cave nearby. All they needed was to enter it without her knowing. Kai made movements with her hands and the other four nodded their heads silently and moved. One stayed by her side. Naomi looked up at her leader in wonder.
"We following the usual plan?" she asked. Kai nodded her head.
"It hasn't failed us yet." She smiled back at her companion. "Can you tell how long she's been in there?"
Naomi frowned. "I know I'm the best tracker and everything but even that is pushing it a bit far." Kai shrugged her shoulders.
"You never know." Both women jumped as an aeroplane passed closely overhead. "I hate that!" Kai whispered as she tried to calm her breathing. She took her bow from her back and notched an arrow. She had no idea what the Old Hag had in mind for them and did not want to be taken completely unaware. Naomi pulled out a sword and nodded to Kai that she was ready. Kai looked around and saw that the others were in position too.
She stepped out into the clearing from behind the bushes and carefully approached the caves entrance. Something was bound to go wrong. Dreadfully wrong. A feeling in the pit of her stomach let her know this and she wanted to cancel the mission and just go home and have a nice mug of hot chocolate and get some much needed sleep. They had not even planned for this to happen. Val and Larissa had come across the cave when they went looking for food.
But she knew that if they did not stop the Old Hag more people would die. More people who still had their lives to live would die. Kai hated these things. These creatures that did not care for human life at all and only cared about their own existence. She took a breath as they all waited outside the entrance for a moment.
They had been doing this for four years now. It must have been fate that five people such as they could end up together using all the knowledge they held on fighting techniques to fight these things. Kai moved silently forward and the others followed close behind. Vi suddenly shifted off and hid. They could never risk their own doctor in the fighting. Vi never minded being left out of the fighting. She could fight if she had to but she preferred to let the others do the work. Her work would always come later.
She positioned herself behind a rock and watched as the others advanced in pairs. Kai and Naomi on one side of the wall and Val and Larissa on the other. They soon approached a large opening with a small fire going. The Old Hag had her back turned to them and as far as they were aware she did not know they were there. Kai and Val both tightened their grips on their bows and were about to lose the arrows when cackling started. It sounded as if it were coming from all around them. Naomi looked carefully around before mouthing the word "echo" to the others.
They relaxed slightly as the threat of more than one of these Old Hags passed. Again the grips on the bows became tighter and as they were about to unleash their arrows a voice spoke. It was ragged and harsh but echoed throughout the cave. Vi shuddered as the voice reached her on her rock.
"Kill me if you can Hunters." The Old Hag spoke. "But I can do far worse to you." The four women looked anxiously around at each other. Kai and Val finally unleashed their arrows. They dug in deep to the Old Hag and she cried out in pain. "How is it possible?" she asked slowly turning round and facing the four of them. The four women were about to move in for the kill when the Old Hag started to cackle again. "You are fools!" she shouted at them. "I cannot be defeated!"
"I tend to disagree!" Larissa told her and started to run up to her with Val close on her heals releasing another arrow and taking her own sword out. The Old Hag screamed again as the arrow hit her. Kai kept releasing her own arrows as the others advanced on her. Before any of them knew what had happened the Old Hag produced a staff and pointed it at Val and Larissa. What she said next none of the girls understood. Vi moved forward so she could see better. She noticed her twin sister frowning at the language the Old Hag used. To Val the language sounded familiar but she could not fully place it.
Suddenly in a burst of light Larissa and Val were gone. Kai looked at Naomi who was already advancing on the Old Hag. Kai released more arrows and moved to her friends side. This time the Old Hag only just managed to lift her arm and again the bright white light filled the cavern. Vi shielded her eyes and saw nothing. No one was where they should be.
"I can get rid of you too." The Old Hag called, seemingly to look straight at Vi. She quickly climbed down from her hiding place.
"Where are they?" she called. The Old Hag smiled despite of the pain.
"Somewhere where they will never return!" The Old Hag cackled again. This time she sounded more deafening to Vi. She grabbed her own dagger from out of its sheath and ran straight for the Old Hag. The dagger plunged deeply into the Old Hag and a look of extreme annoyance crossed her face before flinging Vi off with her powers. Vi hit the rock wall hard and fell to the floor like a crumpled piece of paper. The Old Hag barely managed to raise one arm never mind both. But yet again there was the blinding bright white light and Vi was also gone. "Finally got rid of those girls." The Old Hag rasped out before collapsing onto her makeshift bed.
Val and Larissa landed with a heavy thud and the ground. Both looking around them in vast wonderment. Instead of being in the cave they were surrounded by trees and forest. Larissa stood up and brushed the bark and leaves that had attached themselves to the back of her brown leather trousers off. Val was still looking around puzzled. Her bow and sword lay not too far away from her, as did Larissa's sword. Larissa turned and looked at her friend. She smiled grimly and helped Val up.
"Where are the others?" Val asked looking around. She hoped desperately that her twin had gotten away alright.
"I'm not sure. But we'd better worry about where we are never mind finding them." Larissa told her. Val looked across at her puzzled.
"What do you mean?" she asked. Larissa pointed to the trees and put her hand on it.
"The only time I've seen this thick a forest was when we went to Kai's family farm to train. Other than there I've never seen anything this thick before." Val took a more careful look around her and noticed the difference.
"Wherever we are it ain't anywhere near where we were." Val answered. Larissa nodded her head.
"We should get moving. If we made any noise or anything when we landed someone might have heard. And I really don't want to think about who it is we'll run into." Larissa picked up her sword and sheathed it and started to head south.
As they walked both Larissa and Val felt eyes watching them. They shifted their gazes to each other momentarily to confirm and then focused on any odd noises that they should not be heard.
"You know there is one good thing about all this." Larissa called behind her.
"Yeah, and what's that?" Val asked.
"At least we're not dead." She said trying to sound chirpy. At that moment their path was blocked by several large burly men. Val stopped and looked up at them.
"You were saying?" she asked Larissa tapping the woman on the shoulders and pointing to the ten men that stood in their way. Larissa shrugged. "Do you think they have a brain between them?" she asked Larissa. Larissa sized them up as they leered at the women.
"I think you're being too nice. Maybe half a brain between them but not a full one." They looked at the faces of the men and noticed the direction of their gazes. Both wore v-neck tops with little bands of colour where the v met. Val glared at them and moved to Larissa's side.
"Don't you just hate men who stare at you as if there is only one part of your body that exists?" Val asked.
"Oh yeah." Larissa replied before both she and Val punched the closest guys to them squarely on the chin sending them flying backwards. This broke the others out of their trances. They all drew their swords. "Oh look, they have weapons." Larissa said turning to face Val and pointing at them.
"This fight just got interesting." Val replied and both she and Larissa started to fight the men. Each side got in some good blows and at one point both women were on their backs. Larissa flipped backwards and stood up before lunging herself at the nearest guys mid-drift. Val on the other hand kicked one guy in the nuts and flipped herself upright before landing a nice kick to the head to the guy on her right. If the others had been there to help them or if there had been fewer then they would have won. However, with five house sized men coming at both women there was no way that they were going to win. They broke free and stood a little way off, holding out their hands to stop the men from attacking. Larissa's sword had lodged itself in the branch above and she could not reach it and Val had no idea where her own had went.
"What if we agree to come quietly?" Larissa asked them. The ten men looked at each other questioningly as Larissa and Val shared the same look and the same thought. They really don't have a brain between them. The men turned back to them and nodded their heads. Larissa and Val sighed in relief as they allowed themselves to be taken.
When Kai woke up it was to the heavy sounds of screaming, pounding feet, and metal clashing with metal. She looked around her briefly and found she was in a field. Not far away she could see men fighting each other. She leaned up on her elbows and took a better look. The men on horses wore some sort of armour whilst those attacking wore barely anything. Kai shook her head and looked around her. Her bow lay under Naomi's sword and she saw Naomi herself lying still not too far away. Kai crawled over to her friend to make sure she was alive. Kai could see her breathing and relaxed slightly.
She heard screaming coming towards her and looked behind to see one of the barely dressed men running at her with an axe held above his head. She stood up, banged the heel of her boot hard on the ground, and a small dagger protruded from the tip of the boot. She kicked the man in the neck and he fell backwards leaving the toe of her boot covered in blood. Kai grimaced at how long it had taken her to polish her boots.
She looked around again and saw seven men on horseback join the fighting. They each fought bravely killing anyone in their way. Kai turned back to Naomi who was still unconscious. Kai grabbed Naomi's sword from the ground and stood ready to fight anyone who got too near. Several of the barely dressed men came running at her from the direction of the caravan. She would have cursed the seven men on horseback if she had had the time to do so. She cut into the torso of one man as another with an axe brought it swiftly down on to her shoulder. She jerked the sword out of the first man and into the man with the axe, whilst screaming in pain from the wound.
"Bastard!" she spat as he died as well. She turned a quick look to her shoulder. Her green jacket was torn through and blood soaked the black top she had on underneath. She was not wearing her usual leathers that she and the others wore when they hunted because it had been merely a coincidence that they had come across the Old Hag. Instead, she wore khaki combat trousers with many pockets, a black top and a jacket. She always wore her boots that she fought in as did the others. She looked briefly at Naomi who shifted slightly now at the sounds.
"Watch out!" A voice called and Kai turned round just in time to see a sword heading for her face. She quickly blocked the attack and killed the man. She looked around for whoever had shouted, but saw too many men killing each other to tell where the warning had come from. Several of the seven men were now on foot and she saw one of them dismount by flinging himself at two of the attacking men. She blocked several more attacks before becoming increasingly aware that Naomi was not being protected. She looked back at her friend and what she saw frightened her. One of the barely dressed men stood over her ready to cut her head. Kai started to move towards him when two arrows flew into his body and he fell backwards. Kai looked for the shooters and saw that two of the men still on horseback had bows. She silently thanked them and stood over her friends sleeping body.
As the battle raged on a sudden flash of white light emanated from beside the carriage. That looks familiar. Kai thought as she saw the slim figure of Vi appear. Kai sighed in relief that it was not the Old Hag that had sent them here. She wondered how Vi had ended up here as well and decided to ask the girl later.
"Vi!" She shouted above the ringing sound of swords clashing against each other. The olive skinned woman looked up and smiled slightly at seeing a familiar face. She quickly ran to Kai's side. "Take Naomi and get somewhere safe." She quickly looked around for somewhere safe. "Under the carriage with that man." She said pointing and helped Vi carry Naomi over. The man under the carriage looked up briefly at them before helping Vi pull Naomi under. Kai was pulled backwards and someone behind grabbed her hair. She gave a scream of annoyance and pain. She landed with a heavy thud on the ground.
"Useless son of a bitch!" She yelled and back flipped herself back onto her feet and stabbed the man with the sword. As she did so, she heard a scream from behind her but did not fully take the meaning of it. Some of the barely dressed men were retreating into the forest. Kai gave a sigh of relief and exhaustion as she dropped the sword. The wound on her back was pulsing in pain from her pulling muscles as she used the sword. Three of the men that had been on horseback were close by, and one was still mounted. They looked at her a little oddly but she did not pay them any notice. Two of them looked inside the carriage. Grim looks appeared on their faces and one knelt down. Under the carriage murmured Latin could be heard. Kai looked and saw the man praying.
"Save your prayers boy. Your God doesn't live here." The man kneeling down told him. She smiled slightly at the comment and only then noticed that Vi was not there. She looked at the man and he stopped muttering prayers.
"The girl that was awake. Where is she?" Kai asked harshly. The man looked stunned. What was he expecting? For her to talk a different language? She sighed and moved closer to him. "Where is she? I'll not ask again."
"They took her." He said, clearly terrified of her. He pointed at the trees. She closed her eyes and cursed herself. The scream she had heard had belonged to Vi. She walked over to where her bow lay and picked it up. She felt for an arrow on her back and pulled out one of the few that still remained in tact. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of the men talking with one of the barely dressed men. She did not know what was happening or where she was. All she knew was that she was three down and would be four down if she did not get Vi back. Kai pulled out a little circular ball and placed it at the end of the arrow.
Vi saw Kai loading up her bow as she was dragged through the trees. She had not seen the men come at her and had been taken completely by surprise. She screamed as loud as she could and notice Kai's head jerk up. One of the men dragging her hit her to stop her screaming.
"Kai if you use that thing I'll kill you!" Vi screamed down at her. A little smirk pulled the corners of Kai's mouth as she walked forward a little.
"What do you intend to do my lady?" A voice asked from behind her. She turned briefly and looked at him. He had black hair and black armour on. His eyes shone brightly in the sun. She smiled at him.
"I intend to get my friend back." She replied and turned back to the trees. "I guess you're going to kill me then!" Kai called back to Vi. Vi's stomach did a somersault inside her.
"Give me sixty!" she called.
"How about forty-five!" Kai yelled turning a round metal ball. All the men around them looked oddly at the exchange.
"Bitch!" Vi yelled and Kai laughed aloud.
"Thank you!" Just as Kai was about to unleash her arrow, an arrow struck her in the leg. Her leg crumpled beneath her and she bit down so she would not scream in pain. One of the men pulled out an arrow and shot in the direction that the arrow had come from. He had brown hair with two strands that came down his face. Kai nodded her thanks at him.
"Kai!" Vi's anxious voice yelled when the arrow did not come. Kai stood up and fired in the direction of Vi's voice. The arrow hit one of her captures and he fell down dead. Vi punched the other one who was stunned and ran as fast as she could down the hill.
Kai looked at the men around her.
"How do you know you missed her?" One asked her. He had curly black hair and had two swords on his back. Kai shrugged.
"I don't." she replied simply as Vi burst out of the trees just as an explosion erupted from them behind her. The horses shied a little but their riders kept them from running away. Vi ran up to her breathless before anyone could ask questions.
"You bitch." She rasped out before seeing the arrow in Kai's leg. "Are you all right?" she asked. Her voice now full of concern.
"I'll live. Ni might not. What's wrong with her?" Kai asked. Vi ran under the carriage and quickly checked Naomi over.
"She's fine. She's just sleeping that's all." Kai shook her head.
"How could she sleep through all this?" Vi shrugged. Kai looked on in disbelief. The man in the black armour came over to the carriage.
"Bors." A man a little rounder than the rest pulled the flap of the carriage doorway and showed the man the contents.
"What a bloody mess." He replied as he pointed inside. The man in black armour looked in before turning to Bors.
"That's not the Bishop." He walked back over to those wearing red capes and looked around them. The man that had been hiding under the carriage stood up and brushed himself down. Kai stood close to him.
"God help us. What are they?" he asked the men around them. Bors stood forward.
"Blue demons that eat Christians alive. You're not a Christian are you?" Bors asked harshly. Kai tried her best to keep a smile off her face. However, the look on Vi's face showed that she was terrified that the man was telling the truth. The man that had hid during the fighting put his hands up in a prayer position and looked terrified as well. Kai bent down, put a reassuring hand on Vi's shoulder, and shook her head. Vi sighed in relief and tried to comfort Naomi's head. Kai stood back up.
"Does this really work?" Bors asked the man and started to mimic him muttering something as well. Kai put her hand over mouth to hide the smile. "Nothing. Maybe I'm not doing it right." Kai stood away from the carriage and approached them.
"If he wants to waste him time worshipping a non-existent god then let him. It's his time." Kai told Bors. Bors looked slightly impressed and a few of the knights were smiling. An exasperated sigh sounded from under the carriage and Vi poked her head out from under it.
"Is that why you never join us at mass on a Sunday? Because you think we're wasting our time?" she challenged her friend. Kai smiled.
"Vi if it wasn't for you four and your prayers of our safety I would probably be dead by now." she replied calmly. "Besides you know how much I like to sleep." Vi snorted in disgust and Naomi moved her head.
"Kai you're a bloody insomniac. You don't sleep." Naomi whispered. Kai bent down again and instantly regretted the movement. The pain in her leg became more aware.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" she cursed as she sat down. Naomi sat up and moved over to her and Vi sat by the leg with the arrow in it. She looked carefully at the wound and then up at Kai. "You even think about taking that thing out of my leg and I will kill you!" Kai told her. As Kai had spoken, Vi had carefully snuck her hand around the arrow. Naomi saw this and got ready to hold Kai.
"What ever do you mean?" Vi asked all innocent and smiles.
"You know…" A scream of pain and the flow of blood followed as Vi pulled the arrow out. Kai made to punch her but Naomi held her back pressing herself against the wound on Kai's shoulder. Kai turned and punched her instead. Naomi fell backward and looked annoyed.
"What the hell…?" she started to ask but saw the wound on Kai's shoulder. "Erm…sorry." Kai glared at her and Vi for a few moments as the men around them watched in curiosity and amusement. Their attention was turned to the men on horses with red capes. One of their voices carried across the way easily so all heard it.
"Arthur. Arthur Castus. You're father's image. I haven't seen you since childhood." An old man called out to the man in black armour.
"Bishop Germanius. Welcome to Briton. I see your military skills are still of use to you. Your device worked." Vi was making quick work of bandaging Kai's leg and all of them noticed a body being brought out of the carriage.
"Ancient tricks for an ancient dog." Kai looked at Naomi and both had the same look on their faces. They smiled at each other and Vi tightened the bandage causing Kai to yell a little in pain. After the bandage was secured, Naomi helped Kai stand up. The Bishop and Arthur were approaching them. "And these are the great Sarmatian knights we have heard so much of in Rome." None of the knights looked impressed. "I did not think you had women amongst you though." Arthur made to answer but Naomi got there first.
"We ain't knights." She told him. Kai shook her head in slight disbelief. The Bishop laughed at the statement.
"And I can tell that you are not ordinary women." He said looking all three over. Kai and Naomi crossed their arms in mild defiance and Vi stepped closer to Kai. "Tell me can you two fight as well as her?" The Bishop asked pointing to Naomi and Vi and then to Kai.
"I can, but Vi's more our own personal doctor than a fighter." Naomi replied. The Bishop nodded his head. He turned back to Arthur. "I thought the Woads controlled the north of Hadrian's Wall?" Arthur looked apologetic at the three women before replying to the Bishop's question.
"They do, but they occasionally venture south. Rome's anticipated withdrawal from Briton has only increased their daring."
"Woads?" Naomi asked.
"British rebels who hate Rome." One of the knights replied. He had long brown hair. Kai recognised him from the fighting.
"Men who want their country back." Another knight asked, clearly the youngest of them.
"Who leads them?" The Bishop asked. The girls kept looking back and forth from each other. Some of the names were beginning to sound familiar. Each becoming increasingly aware of who they were with.
"He's called Merlin. A dark magician some say." A knight with two swords replied. Kai recognised him as well. That confirmed it for Vi and Kai. A smile spread across Vi's face as she realized who these people were. Kai hit her gently and the smile vanished. Naomi still stood trying to puzzle it out. Kai leaned towards her a little.
"Think King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table." Naomi's eyes widened and her mouth hung open.
"Shut up!" She almost screamed in Kai's ear. All the men looked at her. "Sorry." She apologised before putting a neutral expression on her face. Arthur turned to one of his knights.
"Tristan ride ahead and make sure the road is clear." Tristan nodded his head and made to leave.
"Wait! I'll go to." Naomi perked up. Arthur looked at her questioningly. "It's the least I can do for saving us." She explained all sweetness and smiles. Arthur nodded his head and a horse appeared by Naomi's side.
"You know how to ride?" Tristan asked her sharply. Naomi nodded her head and mounted the animal with ease.
"Naturally." she replied and sped off. Kai and Vi shook their heads as Tristan followed Naomi out of the field and down the path.
"Do you have any control over your people?" Arthur asked Kai politely. Kai looked taken aback and Vi just smiled at her.
"My people?" she smiled at that. "They ain't mine. We're friends." She replied. "And trying to tell Naomi what to do is like getting blood out of a stone. She does what she wants."
"We all do." Vi added on. "Besides, Naomi's really great at hunting and tracking. He's in safe hands." Kai knocked the back of her head and she frowned at her. Arthur and the other knights smiled and laughed before he turned back to the Bishop who was looking at the two remaining women.
"Please do not worry Bishop. We will protect you." Arthur told the Bishop bringing his attention back to Arthur. The Bishop smiled at Arthur as he made to get into the carriage.
"I've no doubt Commander. No doubt." Kai and Vi both mimicked him. The knights around them suppressed smiles and laughs. The man that hid under the carriage made to get in after the Bishop.
"Dozens don't worry me nearly so much as thousands." The Bishop dropped the flap of the door before the man could enter. All the knights and the two women were looking at him expectantly.
"Thousands?" The one with two swords asked. The man shrugged and walked off. Arthur approached the two women.
"My name is Arthur and these are the Sarmatian knights. We are at your service." Kai and Vi looked at each other in dumbness. Neither one knowing what to say.
"Thank you." Kai managed at last unsure as to whether it was the right thing to say. The tallest of the knights came over to them.
"My name is Dagonet and if you'll let me I can tend to your shoulder wound." He addressed Kai. Vi looked surprised and turned angry eyes at Kai.
"You had more than one wound!" she yelled. Kai grinned sheepishly at her. Vi turned to Dagonet. "No you won't. It's my job to heal them." She stated. The man bowed and left. Vi felt foolish at how rude she was being. "But help wouldn't go amiss." She smiled at him. Dagonet smiled back and helped roughly dress Kai's shoulder.
"That should hold until we get to the fort." Dagonet told her. Kai looked up at him.
"Thank you." she replied. Vi smiled sheepishly at them and yawned. It had been a long day for them. It had been almost night in their time and here it was the middle of the day. "My name is Kai and this is Vi. The one who rode off is Naomi." Kai introduced them to the knights.
"My name you know as well as Dagonet. This is Lancelot, Gawain, Galahad, Bors, and the one who is with your friend is Tristan." Arthur replied pointing to each knight in turn. Vi frowned.
"I'll never remember all those names." She told them. "Oh, and it's not Vi and Kai. Those are our nicknames. Our full names are…" She stopped as Kai put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. "My full name is Vida." She corrected.
"What's your full name?" Gawain asked Kai. Kai looked up at him.
"It's a secret." she replied and turned her attention to Arthur. "So this fort we're going to. Where is it?" she asked bluntly. Arthur smiled at her reassuringly.
"It's along Hadrian's Wall." He replied. Kai nodded her head trying to figure things out. "My lady, know this, so long as you are with me and my men no harm will come to you and your friends." She stared at him.
"You mean no more harm don't you?" She asked playfully. He smiled and nodded his head. "Thank you Arthur. We really appreciate this."
"It's our pleasure lady." He turned to Vi as well as to herself. "Can you both ride like your friend?" he asked. Vi paled under her olive skin and her green eyes darkened slightly. Kai covered her mouth and looked away from her. She coughed it away before answering Arthur.
"I can. But Vi has a slight problem with horses." Arthur nodded.
"Would your friend agree to travel in the carriage with the Bishop, or double with one of my knights?" As Kai was about to reply Vi spoke at her shoulder.
"I would rather double than share the carriage. There's something about the way he keeps looking at us that makes me feel uncomfortable." Vi shuddered a little.
"Glad it's not just me." Kai told her. "Wonder if Naomi felt it too?" Vi smiled.
"That's probably why she rode off." Kai laughed and nodded. Arthur smiled at them as well. A darkness still shrouded Vi's eyes and Kai looked at her a little worried as they joked. Arthur turned to his knights.
"I need one of you to volunteer to double with Vida." He called out.
"I will." Dagonet replied before Lancelot could. Vi walked over to Dagonet and he lifted her effortlessly onto his horse. She wobbled slightly at first but managed to keep her balance. She nodded her head at a question Dagonet had asked her and smiled. They looked slightly odd together. Her olive skin against his pale skin. Lancelot moved his horse closer to Kai as Arthur wondered off somewhere.
"And what about you my lady? Do you need someone to share a horse with?" she looked up at him and smiled as sweetly as possibly.
"Sorry but you're not my type." She told him as some of the knights rode by. Some laughing whilst others smiled. Lancelot himself laughed before offering his hand out to her. "I can ride." She told him flatly, as Arthur returned with a bay mare and offered the reins to Kai. "Thank you." She replied as she climbed up easily into the saddle and set the horse in motion.