Her eyes were wide and glassy, frozen and focused on the forest outside. Kallista watched the branches on the trees bend and shift in accordance to the passing wind as she played with the necklace, twisting the chain around her finger with the pendant pressed to her lips. Beyond the forest was the castle of Camelot. She could see the thin wisps of smoke from the village that bordered the citadel and the huge stone strut just peeked from the sea of green. It was so peaceful outside the tavern where the only sounds where the singing birds and the hushed tones of the air were the only noises. But it was not the case for long.
Kallista snapped out of her trance as she heard the distressed snorts and brays of the horses in the stables outside.
"Bloody hell," she snarled under her breath and stood up, tucking the necklace under her shirt.
She stomped down the creaky wooden stairs, emphasising each step. As she entered the tavern below, she caught the attention of the barkeep, anxiously glancing outside while keeping an eye on her patrons.
"I've got it," she said to her.
"Then take this, Kalli," she tossed her a sword that was kept behind the bar, just for precautions.
She gave her a nod and marched out the door towards the stables. The young woman kicked open the doors and gripped the sword with both hands as she encountered the same horse thieves that had attempted to steal from them the previous week.
"My aunt told you leave while you still had your fingers," Kallista growled darkly.
The leader chuckled. He was big, butch and bald, holding the reigns of Kallista's stallion, a beast as black as night and faster and stronger than any of King Uther's horses. However, that made Bryn all the more desirable. A horse like him could fetch a man's weight in gold when sold to the right owner.
"And I suppose you've come to stop me, eh?" He turned to his companions, two more smaller and as equally ugly to their leader, and laughed.
"Get out." Kallista bared her teeth.
"Come on, lass," one of them grinned, "you don't want to get on the wrong side of us."
"Yeah," the other joined in, "we'll make you a deal, you'll let us take the horses here and we'll let you live or we'll be forced to kill you."
"What makes you think I won't kill you first?" Kallista spat.
The leader raised an eyebrow.
"She has a fiesty spirit!" He exclaimed. "Perhaps she'll be better suited to becoming one of us, maybe something to warm our beds-"
"I'd rather die." She glared, disgusted at their leering looks.
"That can be arranged, lass." One of the thieves drew a sword from his belt. "Let's dance."
He bowed, like a chivalrous suitor in an elegance display, but delivered blows like the ruthless thug he was. Kallista parried and struck back with equal fervour and relative ease which caused the over confident thieves to rethink their deal.
Kallista pressed him back, smiling at his distressed expression as he struggled to defend himself. He cried out as she slashed his arm and as his free hand clasped the wound as a reflex, the young woman sliced her blade across his hand, taking off three fingers.
The man screamed and suddenly fainted from shock as the two onlookers froze.
"Let's just go!" The remaining thug hissed to the large man.
"You'd better do what your friend tells you," Kallista warned, raising her bloodstained sword. "I have no problem with killing this one," she kicked the man at her feet, "and both of you."
"Let's call it a draw," the leader growled. "But I'll be back for a rematch."
"Can't wait." She smiled.
Reluctantly, the man dropped the reins of Bryn and helped his companion to his feet as the bleeding man mumbled something in his delirium.
"You won't last the week," he snarled as they rushed out of the barn.
Kallista, unfazed by idle threats, walked back into the tavern and placed the sword back on the bar. Her aunt raised an eyebrow from the blood stains on the blade but said nothing, sighed and wiped it down before tucking it under the bar again.
"Was it them again?" She asked as she slumped down on a seat before the bar.
She nodded.
"How many injuries did they leave with?"
"He left without these fingers," Kallista held up her hand, folding the fingers her opponent lost to her palm to show her aunt.
"If only you were born a boy," she tutted, wiping down the flagons by his side. "You'd be a brilliant soldier, maybe a knight perhaps."
Kallista's hand went to her necklace. The pendant was of a dragon, a reminder of the death of her father, a knight himself. A year previously, a dragon had attacked Camelot and the brave knights of King Uther had rode out to face it. Only the prince and his servant returned.
"I miss my brother-in-law as much as I miss my sister," her aunt Mary put a hand on her niece's. "You remind me so much of them. You know, you look like her when she was your age."
Kallista smiled.
"But you have his eyes, his skill with the sword... And his temper." Mary grinned. "Maybe one day the king will see what a skilled swordswoman you are and what an asset you'd be to the army."
"It'll never happen," Kallista waved her hand, "I'm a woman."
"The lady Morgana knows how to fight."
"The lady Morgana is the king's ward," she sighed, "she's allowed to do anything."
"Like I said," Mary patted her arm, "maybe one day, pet."
"Yeah, maybe one day," Kallista echoed, unconvinced as she resigned herself back to her room.
As the night fell, the inescapable dreams found her again. The screams of the villagers filled the air among the crashes of falling buildings, crackling flames and the thundering roar of the dragon itself.
"Father!" She screamed as she pushed though the crowd that raced out of the city.
The one knight turned his head, seeing his daughter race towards him.
"Kallista!" He shouted as she rushed towards him. "You have to get out of here! Get to your aunt's, now!"
"No! I want to fight with you!"
"You can't, please, Kalli, go!"
"I won't leave you!"
"You must!"
Her father pulled her into his arms.
"Please, Kalli, you have to save yourself."
"But..." She began to sob.
He released her and stepped back.
"I love you, Kallista, now please go."
Her father was the one to leave first, racing after the knights of Camelot, set out to slay the dragon and save the kingdom. Kallista just stood there a moment, amid the burning city as she emblazoned the despairing expression on his face, the last time she would ever see him.
"Father..."
The wind whipped through her hair and her shrill laughter joined with the snorts of Bryn as he galloped across the hillside.
"Go on, Bryn!" Kallista laughed, flicking the reins. "Faster!"
The stallion whinnied and shook his mane before pushing further into a pace that would have been impossible to match by any creature in the land. Kallista absorbed the moment, holding onto the reins with one hand as she extended the other, raising it in the air and closed her eyes as if she was flying.
But then, all too soon, the tavern came into sight and right on cue, Bryn slowed to a steady trot. Few homes have names, but hers was called 'Hog's Head' most likely an inside joke among Kallista's mother and her family who built the inn. After inheriting it after her elder sister's death, Mary considering renaming the tavern as a nod towards the infamous Bryn and his legendary speed that marked a symbol of the area but she couldn't let go of her family heritage.
They reached the stables and Kallista dismounted, patting Bryn's neck as she led him to a stall and set about feeding him.
"You've worked up quite an appetite," she grinned as he hungrily chomped on the apple in her hand.
Once satisfied, she left Bryn in the stables and returned to the tavern, greeted by the usual uproar of patrons. As she sat down at the bar, she faced her aunt, who gave a shaky smile and turned away.
"Aunt Mary," she called, "are you alright."
"Yes, yes," she scoffed and waved her niece away. "It was just that brute Dragr again, taking more of our money."
"Why didn't you tell me?!" Kallista demanded. "I could have helped you!"
"No, Kallista, not this one. I've let you fight others because there is only a few of them. He has an army of thugs to back him. I won't let you fight that many."
"I could fight that many!"
"You cannot and you will not!" Mary slammed her hands down on the bar. "Now, take a drink and sit down at the table."
Kallista took a small flagon of mead, needing no further promting and took a seat at a vacant table. As she took a sip, she heard the door open and the deafening rabble quieten. She didn't raise her head and continued her fixed gaze on the far wall.
That was until she felt the seat shift and a low cough beside her.
"What?" She grumbled, turning to see the thugs from the other day.
"Missed me?" The thug grinned, two others by his side.
"Oh, bloody hell," she groaned.
"That was awfully horrible what you did to my friend." With a cruel smile, he pulled a knife from his belt and traced it along the table. "I believe the punishment should fit the crime."
"Why don't you-" Kallista started before the seat shifted again as someone sat down on the other side of her.
Her eyes caught the flagon first, the liquid inside dripping down the sides. She followed the hand and the arm it was joined to and raised an eyebrow as she faced the cocky expression of a rugged man beside her.
"Can I help you?" She asked.
"I was hoping I could help you," he replied before turning to the thugs. "Why don't you leave the lady alone, eh?"
"This lady," Kallista barked a laugh, "can handle herself."
She turned back to the thugs who had their fists clenched and the knife raised. Kallista squawked as her arm was pulled out across the table.
"It's time to take back what's owing to me," the thug still standing growled as he extended his incomplete hand.
Kallista wriggled and wrestled in his grip, as the hand of the stranger wrenched the thug's hold off her.
"Leave. Her. Alone." The man snarled as he stood, his cheeky expression darkening.
"This is none of your business." The thug stood and faced him.
"If a lady needs rescuing, that makes it my business," he retorted.
"For the last time," Kallista said, "I'm not a lady-"
The stranger threw a punch, striking the thug in the neck and he stumbled back as the other two jumped into action. Kallista leapt into the fight, kicking out at one of the thugs before bringing her flagon down on the head of the third man.
"Nice one, little lady!" The stranger laughed as the thug stumbled back from the force.
"I am not a little lady!" She retorted through grunts as she ducked from the knife that slashed through the air.
"C'mon!" One of the thugs yelled through the bar brawl. "Let's get the horse and go!"
The three fled from the fight, stumbling out of the door as they nursed their bruises.
"Ha!" The stranger raised his flagon in farewell and took a swig from it. "There you go, little lady, all taken care of."
"It's not all taken care of," Kallista growled as she raced out of the door, following the thugs. "And stop calling me little lady!"
The stranger, eager for the fight to continue, took another gulp of mead and rushed outside.
Bryn whinnied and shook his head, rearing up as the thugs tried to lead the horse out of the stable.
"Hey!" She yelled, eyes wide and heart racing as she saw the thugs grasp the bridal of the stallion, yanking him out of his stall.
"Still looking for trouble, aren't yer?" One sneered.
"I do believe trouble is my middle name," the stranger suddenly appeared beside her. "C'mon, I'll fight you for the beast." He raised his fists. "You win, you get the horse, I win, you leave and never come back."
"Oh, I don't like those odds," Kallista grumbled.
One of the thugs smirked and stepped forward, accepting the challenge. He raised his fists and threw the first punch. The ragged stranger ducked the blow and responded with a blow to the ribs. The thug gasped for air and his hands went to his stomach, allowing the stranger to strike his face. The thug stumbled back, and moved forward again with a knife in his hands.
"That's fighting dirty," the stranger scoffed.
"What are you going to do about it?" He snarled in return.
The stranger shrugged but with a smirk, lunged forward. He moved so quickly, it was all Kallista could do to keep up with the action. But as her eyes drifted to the other thugs, she realised it was just a distraction. A rope was tied to the bridal and ever so carefully, they were leading Bryn out to the other side of the stable. With a growl, she snatched the shovel from the side and raced towards the thugs. She slammed the shovel against one of them as the other rushed at her. She pushed him back with the shovel and watched as he stumbled back towards the rear end of Bryn. The horse whinnied and kicked out, sending the thug flying as Kallista side-stepped to avoid the sprawling man. Both men down, she dropped the shovel and leapt up onto Bryn's back. She used her knees to urge Bryn to turn around and kicked him into a sudden sprint, heading towards the fight between the remaining thug and the stranger.
"Hey!" She called out just in time for the stranger to look up and see her extended hand. He took it and swung himself onto the back of Bryn as he bolted from the stables.
"This horse can really fly!" He cried out as he wrapped his arms around Kallista's waist, glancing over his shoulder to see the inn and the stables disappear rapidly from sight. "No wonder they were after it so badly!"
"Yes, and now I can't go home because they'll still be after him but I'm glad you're enjoying you're ride!" She snarled before her thoughts returned home. "Oh, Aunt Mary! They might hurt her!"
The stranger groaned suddenly and an arm retreated from her waist to hold his side. Kallista pulled on the bridal, making Bryn stop as she saw the blood on his hand.
"Oh, my... Are you okay?" She gasped, watching as he turned pale.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," he slurred, "I just... Just need a drink."
The stranger's eyes rolled back and he fell off of Bryn's back, landing heavily on the grass.
"Crap!" Kallista jumped down and knelt by his side, hands hovering over the amount of blood that was pooling from his side. The knife must have cut deep. She tore a strip from the bottom of her shirt and bunched it into a ball, pressing it to the wound. "Hold that there," she told the barely concious man, "we need to get help."
"So the little lady is a nurse too?" He smirked weakly but did as he was told.
"I told you, stop calling me that," she sighed, gently helping him to his feet. With her strength, he climbed back on Bryn, lying against his neck.
"Then tell me your name," he said softly, barely able to concentrate on her.
"Kallista," she replied. "And yours?"
"It's Gwaine," he murmured and closed his eyes.