Disclaimer: I'm not trying to make money off of this or plagiarize. If I were trying to do either of those things I wouldn't be posting them here. If you want to sue me, go right ahead because you aren't getting anything. My bank account has dust bunnies in it.


Note:
This is probably going to based more on Arthurian legend then the actual movie. Some knights are removed and replaced, others may seem out of character.

A Kingdoms Eyes and Ears


Chapter One

Meetings and Drinkings


Livthia walked through the crowded streets of a growing city. She was used to the crowds and sounds of it all. The young woman didn't stick to the shadows, not wishing to look suspicious, however she kept her cloaks hood shrouding her face. Short brunette locks could barely be seen from her hood as Liv weaved her way around the market place hurriedly.

A castle loomed in the near distance, the king's castle. A meeting of his eyes and ears was secretly being held at the moment and she was late. It was an occurrence that rarely happened. Being late was a thing this woman did a lot, but she was ordinarily never late for these tedious meetings. Livthia walked through a set of inner gates with guards protecting it idly. They hardly seemed to notice the short woman who strode with confidence and ease through the courtyard. Pausing for a moment, Liv stopped to watch the king's knights duel.

Swords rang as they slammed into each other and there was a whizzing through the air as arrows flew into targets. Livthia leaned against the wooden fence surrounding the practice court, forgetting her duties and how as seconds passed the others grew more worried. What snapped her out of her thoughts was the sudden end of the knight's fights and a maid who almost tripped walking up to them. Liv's laugh, which she quickly stifled, rang out at the maid's clumsiness. A few of the knight's spared a glance in her direction, but before long she was gone and forgotten.

Livthia walked through a small garden quickly, ignoring the beauty and fragrances of it. A small servant door that was hidden behind a tree was what she used to enter the castle. No servant's seemed to find it odd that Liv was here. They were all too used to the comings and goings of these random people of whom they didn't know. She arrived at a rather plain looking door, on the first level, content to finally arrive at her destination.

With a series of loud and soft knocks she signaled her presence. The door opened. A bald man with hazel eyes looked down at the short woman. She shook her dark blue hood down, gazing up at the man with sea green eyes. Liv's hair was just a few inches over her shoulders and gleamed in the torchlight.

"Livthia! You've finally decided to join us," the bald man exclaimed. She saw behind him about twenty-odd other people sitting around a round table. The people differed in color, size, shapes and gender. However, each had a plate in front of them piled high with food.

"I got a bit caught up, Scrip. Things to attend to," she replied briskly as she pushed passed him into the large room. Liv took her normal seat between Wynter and Thirrin.

The king's place was still empty. Most of the people in the room ignored this fact and concentrated on their food, only exchanging words with those close to them.

"Where is King Arthur?" Wynter wondered aloud. Her accent was slightly Celtic.

"No idea," Thirrin replied, a strong Saxon accent gracing her speech, her lips pulled into a frown.

"I saw his knights training," Liv interjected. "Perhaps he's talking to them."

"Always his knights first," Wynter whined.

"Yes, but he has to live with them," Livthia laughed.

Thirrin spoke again, "We're going to a tavern after this council. I need at least some entertainment."

Liv rolled her eyes slightly as Wynter agreed quite happily to Thirrin's proposal.

"Wouldn't hurt to go," Livthia smiled at them. "I'm not helping you out of there if you pass out, though."

"When have I ever done that?" Thirrin asked, seeming to feign shock.

"When haven't you is the question?" Liv inquired with a lively laugh.

Not long after, King Arthur walked in. He looked over his group and exchanged smiles and pleasantries as he walked to his seat. As he sat he smiled broadly at them all. "What news do you have?"

The spies he had here now were mostly messengers. All seemingly telling the truth to their king as they told their information in a clockwise circle.

"King, in a few Woad camps there has been unrest," started Scrip. He looked straight at King Arthur as he continued. "It seems that a band of rogues and bandits has been a little mischievous of late."

The meeting slowly progressed. After each of the spies had told their information Arthur nodded and wrote, however most of his servants didn't seem to pay attention after they spoke. As it came to an end Arthur smiled at all of them again as he spoke, "I will see you all again in five months, as always."

"Finally, it's over," Thirrin said jovially, as they waited to leave. They left in pairs of twos or threes every ten or so minutes to avoid suspicion. Arthur hadn't told his own knight's about the eyes and ears of his kingdom.

When it was the trios turn, Livthia and Wynter threw their hoods up as Thirrin walked behind then, yawning slightly.

"Are you sure you want to go drinking?" Liv inquired to Thirrin, looking back towards her. Her friend's dirty blonde hair was escaping from her messy braid and her eyes shone from the ale that she had already consumed in the conference room.

"Hell yes I do!" was her automatic response. It was becoming a tradition for the small group of three, and sometimes a few other spies, to go to a local tavern and drink to their hearts content. The king didn't blame them; it was only every few months that they could relax for once.

Thirrin pushed her way through the noisy crowds as Wynter apologized to the people Thirrin apathetically shouldered out of her way and Liv now kept to the shadows and. The sun was just setting and the pubs would soon be full. The Saxon of the group led the way to what seemed to be one of the noisiest taverns.

Each avoided the grabbing hands of drunken men as they found open seats and hailed the barmaid. "Give me the hardest you got!" Thirrin clamored to her. The waitress just rolled her eyes at it.

"Wine," was Wynter's gentle reply.

"Whatever's on hand," Livthia said with a smile to the older woman. Her red hair was slightly curly and made her stand out from the large crowd. Arthur's knights walked through the door. Most of the king's intelligence service had been required to memorize who each knight was. Liv rolled her eyes as some young women shifted towards them.

Soon enough, it seemed each knight held a woman in his lap and those without a lady would be scanning the room for one.

"If one of them tried to grab me I'd rip their frickin' head off," Thirrin muttered darkly as she sipped the concoction that the barmaid had set in front of her moments before.

Wynter scolded her immediately, "Don't speak like that! Both our groups work for the same man."

"I know that, Wynt. I just don't want their disgusting hands touching me. Don't know where they've been, really."

Liv burst out laughing as Wynter giggled slightly and Thirrin rolled her eyes. Each sipped their drinks while they talked slightly. Soft music began playing from a low stage. Thirrin stood quickly and pulled her two friends to their feet.

"Dancing!" Thirrin said, almost in a slur, as she pulled them towards the performers. Others were moving to the light and cheerful beat of the music. Pipes were heard the most as the trio started to move along with the growing crowd. Wynter seemed a bit awkward as she danced with Liv. Liv was moving along with Wynt, a cup in her hand, as Thirrin, quite rudely broke up a couple and began to sway along with the man.

Soon enough, the knights had joined the crowd of dancers; most had bright smiles stuck to their faces and glasses glued to their hands. Livthia soon found herself dancing next to Lancelot. She raised a brow at him as he turned to face her with a rather large grin on his face.

"Need something?" I inquired, looking him straight in the eye.

"Yes, you!" Lancelot spoke with a joking tone as he rested his muscled arms around my waist and pulled me near.

Pushing him away rather roughly, Thirrin came up. She was the perceptive one, and as always the protective sisterly figure. "You stay away from her, you hear?" Thirrin spat at Lancelot, figurative venom dripping from every word. Her accent was seemingly noticed by many of the people surrounding them. Hands flew to hidden weapons.

"Thirrin," Wynter said, she had finally appeared at their side with a concerned look on her face. "I believe it's time to go."

Livthia glanced around the room. Eyes flickered to the trio suspiciously. Wynt's and Thirrin's accents didn't go unnoticed tonight. Either people were extremely on edge or not as drunk as nights before.

Thirrin's friends escorted her out into the night. The streets weren't busy that night and the air bore a strong smell of cooking food. Thirrin kept muttering darkly under her breath about knights as they commenced walking to an inn not far from the pub. The Snowhill Inn was the place where most of the other spies stayed during their short stay in the capitol.

Wynt and Liv hurriedly walked Thirrin to her room, in which they deposited her on the bed. Wynt retired to her own chamber after, leaving Livthia alone. The woman shook her hood down and walked slowly down the hall, taking her time and giving her usual alert senses a short break.

Liv spied Scrip sitting by himself in the main common room, a bowl of soup lying in front of him. She smiled broadly as she made her way across the nearly empty room towards him.

"Dear Scrip!" she spoke cheerfully. "I'm assuming you're done with that soup." She snagged his soup and idly sipped it as the bald mad glared up at her.

"That's a friendly face," she laughed, seeing his glare. "Do you use it on all women or is it only for me?"

"Just for you, Liv. Now give me back my damn food!" Scrip's voice had a hint of amusement in it and a hint of frustration.

Livthia set the bowl in front of him, a wide smile on her face. She patted him on the back as she walked off. The spy walked at a casual pace throughout the common room and stopped at times to speak with others.

Soon enough, however, she was heading back to her room. Liv was looking for a key in her pocket as she heard footsteps coming towards her. They weren't any of the spies she knew, either. These steps had a distinct sound, as if they were trying to be quiet. The eyes and ears wouldn't do that in the inn.

Livthia's hand flew to the hilt of one of her many throwing daggers. She spun, about to throw it when she stopped in mid throw. It was Tristan, one of Arthur's knights. Hurriedly she tried to conceal the dagger as she asked in a meek voice, "Do you need something, sir?"

He took quick steps towards Liv and shoved her against her own door. "Which kingdom do you and your friends work for?" he hissed into her ear.

"And you're supposed to be the knights perceptive one," Liv grumbled. She tried to straighten, but found she couldn't under Tristan's rough grip. "Let me speak to Arthur," Liv spoke with confidence now, looking Tristan right in the eyes.

He shook his head. "I should kill you here."

"That'd be one hell of a mess. Not sure how'd you explain it all, either."

He seemed to think this through for a few moments. Tristan casually forced Liv out a back maid's entrance and were heading for a castles in minutes.


Thank you for reading all of this! Please review and tell me if I should continue or not.. Constructive criticism is appreciated!