-1A Heart On Wings
Hey out there, I hate it (not really) but how something as easy as one word can inspire a thought line for a story well this story was started from me hearing the word magical. I hope that you all like this story since I really like writing. Well here it is the first chapter! This is dedicated to LANCLOTTRISTANBABY.
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"The ice is not going to break, prepare for combat!" yelled Arthur.
Dag looking like something was tearing him up inside and he ran out on the lake with his axe. Bors' yells for Dag to come back where mixed with the screeches of a hawk. The bird flew at the Saxons causing many of the Saxons to hit their fellow soldier, "What the hell is your bird doing Tristan?" Lancelot asked Tristan as they grabbed their bows. Tristan didn't reply as he took aim at a Saxon.
'What was she doing?' he wondered. The ice cracked and the Saxons started slipping between the ice, Tristan's hawk began to soar back to the knights. The Saxons were already retreating and Dag pulled himself out of the lake he was half way in and went back to the knights, the hawk began to soar back to the knights. A Saxon archer shot at the hawk out of spite and the arrow made contact with the hawk's right wing. The hawk let out a pain filled screech and fell to the lake. The knights and Guinevere watched as the hawk froze in mid air not far above the surface of the lake. A bright light flashed and the defenders had to cover their eyes. When the light faded they looked and there was a woman laying on the lake's frozen surface with an arrow embedded in her right shoulder. The woman had long straight brown hair and she only looked as tall as Guinevere and she only had a thin light brown slip on.
Guinevere reacted first and went to the woman's side, "Arthur give me your cloak before she freezes to death."
Arthur handed it to her and laid it over the woman careful not to touch the wound and looked up at the knights, "We have to get her to your fort so she can be healed." Dag kneeled by the woman across from Guinevere he snapped the arrow. He picked the woman up careful not to touch the area around the arrow. They got to the caravan and the group stopped in the woods for the night. Dag and Guinevere were in the cart with the woman healing her as best they could, while the other knight sat around a fire.
"Who is she?" asked Gawain.
"And where did she come from?" added Galahad.
They all looked to Tristan who gave them a shrug. Dag and Guinevere sat down with the others, "How is she?" asked Arthur.
"Alright for now. Guinevere and I stopped the bleeding and we put some stitches on it. But she needs rest and I would like to put some things on the wound to keep out infection when we get to the fort." Said Dag.
"Did you find anything about her?"
"No she wasn't awake at all." Said Dag.
"Goodness talking like that you'd make them think I was dead." Said a light calm woman's voice. Everyone jumped Galahad fell off of the log he had been sitting on when they saw the woman from the lake.
"I apologize I did not mean to startle you." Said the woman sitting next to Tristan.
"A little late for that." Mumbled Galahad sitting back on the log he had slipped off of.
Tristan continued to sharpen his dagger as he asked, "How's your shoulder?"
"Hurts like hell, thanks for asking." Smiled the woman.
"Who are you?" asked Guinevere.
"My name is Natalie. I'm assuming you want a story. Well I don't really remember much except that I got lost in some woods. I also remember hearing an old woman's voice chanting something next thing I know I have feathers, talons, a beak and I can fly." Said Natalie.
Natalie looked at the knights and they didn't look convinced, "Well fine here is proof that I was really a hawk. It was right before the last time you knights entered the wall. Galahad said very angrily I might add, that he did not understand why the bishop couldn't just give you your papers then. To which one of the knights replied and I won't say who, Galahad you still know nothing of Romans they can't scratch their ass without having a ceremony. My memory falters because I don't know whether it happened before or after but you were talking about Samarian women and about their beauty. Bors asked, 'Why do you think we left in the first place?' then he mooed like a cow. Once again my memory falters but there was a discussion between Lancelot and Gawain about Gawain's future wife. Lancelot said this if Gawain's wife is as beautiful as he says then I expect to spend a lot of time at Gawain's house. Gawain asked Lancelot, 'What will I be doing?' And with his usual cocky smirk replied, 'Why it is in your good fortunes that all your children look like me.' " Said Natalie smiling at the open mouths looking at her, "Oh and Gawain had said something about hitting Lancelot with his ax."
Some of the knights were laughing remembering the conversation, "Do you trust me now or not?" asked Natalie.
The knights gave a nod and Natalie smiled, "Good I know you all very well and it would have been upsetting for you not to trust me."
Guinevere grinned, "Tell me a story of your travels with the knights."
Natalie smiled, "Well there was a time when the knights were saving a small village from some invaders. The knights had defeated them easily but it was that night that the troubles began. They were getting very drunk off of this local brew the villagers had. Well the knights were so drunk that they woke…"
The knights realized what she was saying and exclaimed, "No!"
"Stop!"
"She doesn't need to hear that story!"
"I think I do." Said Guinevere.
Natalie smiled and continued, "As I was saying they passed out and woke up in the morning with horrible hangovers and lovely various women's clothing."
Guinevere fell over laughing, "What did they have on?" she gasped after a moment of her laughter.
Natalie ignored the knight's grumbling and said, "Arthur, Lancelot and Bors were in dresses. Galahad, Gawain and Dag were in very cute night gowns."
Guinevere laughed at the image the came to her mind, "What of him?" she asked nodding at Tristan.
"He was smart enough to not drink as much as they did so he didn't have to wake up in a dress." Smiled Natalie, "Now we are even for you trying to shoot me."
"You shot at my bird?" asked Tristan venomously glaring at his fellow knights, "You remember a few months ago I was gone for a week, well that's why."
Tristan glared at the knights, "Why did you shoot at my bird?"
"It doesn't really matter she's fine now." Galahad offered weakly. Tristan became aware of Natalie sitting next to him and sat back.
Natalie smiled, "It's alright I'm not angry." One bye one the knights finally drifted of to where they would sleep for the night until it was Tristan and Natalie left at the fireside.
"I have a question." Said Tristan.
"Hmm?" asked Natalie.
"Why did you bite me last week?"
"I was hungry and you wouldn't let me go hunt. Which reminds me." Natalie punched Tristan's arm.
"What was that for?"
"For threaten to roast me over a fire." Said Natalie.
Then she kissed his cheek, "And that?" he asked looking into the fire.
"For being so kind to me. Goodnight Tristan." Natalie got up and walked to the cart that she and Guinevere shared.
Natalie snuggled up I the furs and Guinevere sat up and asked, "What was it like being a bird?"
"It was freedom. Getting to fly, be with the knights, and do what I want when I want. No other way to describe it than the word freedom." Said Natalie.
"It sounds perfect." Said Guinevere.
"It was, don't get me wrong I am very glad to be able to talk with a human again and be human." Said Natalie.
"I think that you and I will get along very well." Said Guinevere.
"I agree." Smiled Natalie. The two women rolled over and went to sleep. The caravan continued their travel to Hadrian's Wall.
Natalie sat next to Alecto who was sitting at the edge of the cart, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He said.
"You don't have to put up a front. I can tell something is upsetting you I am good at telling that sort of thing." Said Natalie.
Alecto sighed, " I am worried of what they expect of me in Rome."
"You are afraid that they expect to much of you." Said Natalie.
"Exactly but I do not know if that is even the path that I want." Said Alecto.
Natalie sighed, "You are a very smart, brave, caring young man. You are someone that has the power to change the world for the better. I will be very proud to see you use that power for the people that need the protection. Not all of the answers in the world come from your head they also come for your heart. Alecto you are going to be fine the only worry I have is for all the evil in this world that you are going to destroy."
Alecto gave Natalie a small smile, "Thank-you."
Natalie smiled, "You are most welcome." Alecto went back in the car with his mother.
"You dealt with that very well." Said Arthur ridding behind the cart.
"He is a good soul and I meant every word of what I said. People like him will change Rome to what it should be." Said Natalie, she looked out the cart at the wall, "Congratulations Arthur you got your knights back alive."
"If you with excuse me." Arthur bowed his head and rode to the front of the column.
They came into the palace courtyard, "Good Jesus! You are safe!" A balding man came down the steps. Alecto helped his mother out of the cart and Natalie was about to get out when she saw the bald man come at Alecto saying, "Alecto let me see you!"
"Alecto, could you come help me?"
Alecto turned away from the balding man and helped Natalie out of the cart, " You look like you needed rescuing." Said Natalie.
Alecto smiled, "Thank-you."
"No worries." Smiled Natalie, "Come along and help me walk that way he cannot come after you so easily."
"And who is this lovely angel?" the bald man walking up to Alecto and Natalie.
Tristan went to stop the Bishop but Arthur stopped him whispering, "Let her deal with it Tristan."
They looked at Natalie who gave the Bishop a false smile, "I am no angel, and I have killed to many in battle and cursed to many souls for me to be accepted into heaven. As much as hell will open its arms for you for the crimes you have committed; hell will not welcome me."
Natalie have the Bishop a halfway smirk and smile that sent chills through everyone, "And the reason the devil would not welcome me into his domain, he is too afraid of me taking over." Natalie let got of Alecto and walked into the palace without a second glance backwards.
One by one the knights pushed past the open mouthed Bishop and Bors whispered to the knights as he past the Bishop, "I think he soiled himself."