Visions of Destiny
Disclaimer: I do not own the movie King Arthur. I have merely used that story to tell my own.
Author's Note: I have come back to this story after a long break. Rereading it, I found a few things that I wanted to correct, and I have some new ideas as well. Given that, and the fact that this IS a long story, I have decided to rewrite and repost this story. To all of my loyal readers who have waited years for an update, my thanks and my apologies. To all of the readers who will see this for the first time, welcome, and I hope you enjoy.
Prologue
The knight turned to look at his wife who was lying on the bed, sweating despite the slight chill as autumn set in. She was panting heavily, exhausted by the difficult birth she had just endured. The two babes were quiet for now, being fed by the two wet nurses that she had insisted on. "I don't understand. I thought you were coming back with me." His tone was accusatory, and he turned to look out the window again.
"I wouldn't last the journey." He spun around to look at her again, an alarmed look on his face. "The birth was too hard. Even if I stay here, I will not live to see another spring."
"How do you know that?"
"I just know." She gave him a piercing look and he nodded. Over the years that he had been bound to Rome, he had seen that same look on her face many times. It always came after she said something that sounded like she knew exactly what was going to happen. He had learned not to press her for how she managed to predict future events so accurately. Bad enough that the Romans had forever forced her to tell them what would happen, often using him to ensure her cooperation. "You should take the lad with you…but the lass needs to stay here."
"Why?"
"She will need my people after I'm gone. They will be able to teach her things she would never understand if she went home with you." The knight paced back and forth angrily. "She will have abilities similar to mine. She would never learn to use them if she went with you. Also, she needs to be hidden from the Romans for as long as possible. If they find her they will try to take her and use her as they used me. That must not happen!"
The knight finally sighed in frustration and fell to his knees next to the bed of his wife. He took her hand in his and pressed a lingering kiss to her fingers. "As you will. The lass will stay here, and the lad will travel with me back to my homeland." He hesitated. "May I at least tell him about his sister?"
"Only that he has one and that she is in Britain. You realize that he will probably be brought back here as a knight once he's old enough?"
"Yes. That's why I want to tell him about his sister."
"And it is why I'm willing to have him know that she exists. But I don't want to make it easy for him to find her. It's a miracle that they have yet to find us. Goddess willing, they won't realize that there was more than one, or what happened to both." She motioned to the midwife, who pressed something into the knight's hand. He looked down to see the ring he had gifted her with when they had been married secretly. "Give it to him when the time is right. The matching necklace will go to his sister. It will help them find each other without bringing it to the attention of the Romans."
"Should I leave with him now?" The knight sounded panicked and his wife nodded.
"Go. Now before they come." The knight nodded grimly and signaled to the nurse who fled with her precious burden. He stopped long enough to press a kiss to his wife's forehead.
"I will miss you. You were the one true love of my life." With that, he was gone. He did not see the tears that crept down his wife's cheeks, nor did he see the other nurse leave with his daughter. He never knew that the Romans came storming in only an hour later, nor that they killed her in her bed when they learned that she had managed to hide her lover and children from them.
0o0o0
The entire village gathered together. Roman soldiers had been spotted about thirty minutes ago by their scouts, giving them time to make ready. The village leader, however, pulled his son into the shadows by their hut for a quick word before his son was taken. The man looked at his son with pride in his eyes. "You are a good lad, Son. You'll make a fine knight."
"I know, Father. I learned everything I know from you."
The boy's father laughed. "That you did m'lad. That you did." The laughter died quickly though. "You remember what I told you about your mother?" The boy nodded. "I had a matching ring and necklace made for her years ago. The necklace is still in Britain with your mother's family." This was their code for the boy's sister. "I have the ring here. Put it on with your pendant." He held up a beautiful gold ring set with three small emeralds. "The matching necklace is a gold chain with a pendant of three emeralds just like these." The man sighed. "I didn't like separating the two of you but your mother insisted."
The boy put his hand on his father's arm. "I know. You've explained this to me before. I know to look."
It seemed as if his father wanted to say more but then an unfamiliar voice called out in Latin. Both father and son turned to face the Roman officer that was watching them closely. They moved forward and the officer nodded, satisfied that they were not about to attack. "Mount up, we're moving out."
The boy nodded and went to get his horse and pack, returning a few minutes later. He had taken the time to untie the cord around his neck and thread the ring onto it so that it now hung next to the polished stone pendant he always wore. He mounted his horse and followed the officer to the group of soldiers waiting outside of the village. Two other boys were already there. The boy nodded to them. He knew, from his father's tales of being a knight, that they would continue to gather lads from all over Sarmatia until they had about twenty. Then they would begin the long trek to Britain.
0o0o0
A young girl watched as Arthur ran down the hill, skidding past not five feet from her spot, calling to his mother. "Mother! I finished!" He showed his mother something which she admired and then he bent down to wash it. Pelagius came down the hill while he was doing so and Arthur offered it to him.
"Well done Artorius. You keep it. Deliver it to me when you come to Rome." Pelagius turned to adjust something on his horse and suddenly a horse whinnied in the distance. The girl turned cautiously and stared at the group now passing below her. Fortunately, none of them saw her. It was times that made her glad that she knew how to blend in with the country, becoming practically invisible unless someone was looking hard for her. She had a feeling that if the Romans had spotted her, she would have been in serious trouble. She had spent her life learning to hide from the Romans, in spite of the animosity her own people displayed to her. She didn't understand it. Why do my own people hate me so? Surely they don't expect me to fight against my blood? She had been told of her brother for years by her mentor, who was practically the only one to not dislike her. Frowning with her thoughts, she carefully started to back away from the edge of the hill as the last of the soldiers moved past. However, her movement caught the attention of Arthur.
Arthur quietly moved to the hill and started to climb, keeping his eyes on the moving shape he had seen. Now that he was closer, he could tell that it was a girl backing towards him. He moved even closer, intending to tackle her, when suddenly she turned and saw him. He saw the flash of fear as her eye met his and softly called out before she could bolt. "Wait!"
The girl froze. She was silently berating herself for getting caught, but she was puzzled by how quietly Arthur had called out to her. It had been loud enough for her to hear, but not loud enough to attract the attention of the Romans who were still within calling distance. Could it be that he had no intention to reveal her presence to anyone else? She looked at Arthur, her gaze now a mix of fear and curiosity. Arthur moved a few steps closer and she stiffened, but he stopped and sat down a few feet from her. He kept his posture relaxed, willing her to realize that he was no enemy to her.
At least, not yet. "Who are you? I've not seen you before."
The girl gave him a piercing gaze before glancing from side to side. She seemed to be debating with herself before answering. "My name is Elena." She looked him directly in the eye. "I am supposed to be your enemy."
Arthur studied her a minute before replying. "Supposed to be, yet you have not attacked me. Indeed, you look more frightened of me than anything else."
"Well, what do you expect? I wasn't expecting to be seen, I actually didn't hear you coming, and I had no idea if you were going to call the soldiers over or not."
"The last is still a possibility." Elena looked at him with undisguised fear on her face. "Unless you can give me a good reason for me not to, I will turn you over to them."
Elena swallowed hard before answering. "The Romans are the enemy of my people, not you or even the knights they bring here to fight us. And they want me, for reasons that I don't even fully understand." The small lie easily slipped past her lips. Until she could fully trust Arthur, no need to tell him why she was hunted by the Romans. "If they find me, they would enslave me just as they did the knights. I mean no harm to you. I only want to go home."
Elena's eyes met Arthur's, silently pleading her case. They stayed that way several minutes before finally Arthur nodded and looked away. "Very well. I will let you go in peace." He stood to go and glanced back down at her. "I hope this will not be the last time I see you."
Elena gave him a small smile. "It won't be if you look hard enough. I come and go. However, if it makes any difference, I can promise that I will never harm you."
"What if that means going against the will of your people? I know that both the men and women of your people fight."
"If it ever comes to where they try to force my hand against you, I will leave them and come to you. I will not fight you." Her voice was firm, assuring Arthur of her honesty.
"What about the knights that I will lead?"
"One of them is the reason why I refuse to fight you, even though he knows nothing about it."
"Which one is he?"
Elena looked sheepish. "I don't know his name, only that there is a blood tie between us. I hope that one day he and I can meet in peace."
"Why don't you come with me? You could meet the knights right now and find your kin."
Elena gave him a warm smile. Her trust in him had not been misplaced. "I thank you for the offer, but I must decline. I doubt the Romans would appreciate a Woad meeting with the newest knights when they are still wishing they were home." With that, Elena stood and left.
0o0o0
Arthur was quiet that night at dinner and his mother noticed. "What is wrong, Artorius?" Arthur started and then looked at his mother sheepishly.
"Nothing's wrong. I've just done a lot today. I met the Sarmatian knights that I will command." Arthur paused. "I also met a girl today, about my age. She's one of your people."
Arthur's mother looked up sharply. "Did she tell you her name?"
"Her name is Elena." Arthur heard his mother's surprised gasp. "What is it?"
"I didn't think that you would ever meet her. It was her mother's dying wish that she be kept hidden from the Romans. How did you meet her?"
"She was on the hill above where you go to wash clothes, dressed so that she blended in with the land. I only noticed her when she was backing away from the Romans and knights as they arrived. She was so intent on getting away from them that she didn't see me. We talked for a little bit, enough to establish a truce, and then I let her leave." Arthur looked at his mother as she put her hands on his shoulders. "Did I do the right thing?"
"Yes you did. She now knows that she can trust you, which means that she will possibly start visiting more often. I knew her mother, and know that she would have approved of your friendship. In time, Elena could prove to be a valuable ally for you and the knights." She smiled. "Now, time to wash your face and get ready for bed." Arthur whined in protest, but it was more out of habit than any real desire to stay up. Then he went to do what his mother had told him to do.
A/N: I have tried to be as true to life as possible with this story, with a few obvious exceptions. Whenever I come to a part of the story where I did a bit of research, I will include it at the end of the chapter, as well as translations/name meanings. You don't have to read it, but if you're interested, it's there.