Disclaimer: I do not own King Arthur okay! So please don't sue me (not that you would get much money anyway…)!
Right, first ever fanfic so please review, no flames but constructive criticism welcome! Please notify me of grammatical errors as I am very bad on that sort of thing…
The carriage trundled along the muddy road jerking and shuddering, the wheels squeaked and the occupants were thrown unceremoniously around inside.
"Must this be so uncomfortable?" complained a well dressed neat woman with an air of pompous arrogance around her.
"I do not know madam." Answered her maid nervously, "but doubtless it shall be over soon…"
"I certainly hope so." Sniffed the well dressed women. "I don't think I shall be able to stand another hour of this mouldy old carriage the governor provided, shuddering and shaking its way through this feral country."
She peered out of the window, her eyes taking in the bleak hills and the wild woods. Despite her mistresses words the maid couldn't help admire the barren beauty of the place, with its tumbling streams and rocky peaks, and green moors as far as the eye could see, apart from where the forests grew. The maid sighed; it was so very different from Rome, without the hustle and bustle of city life, nor the greasy air or the pungent smell. She thought it was quite perfect.
A Roman Decurion rode up to the carriage. "Madam," He said nervously. "Could you please tell your children to come closer to the escort? It is not safe around here, only when we reach the wall should you let your children roam."
"Nonsense Decurion!" She snapped. "What could those barbarian savages possibly do against Rome's finest soldiers?" She looked around impressively. "You needn't worry; we are quite safe I assure you!"
The Decurion had to bite his lip to suppress a retort, but he contented himself with a grumble as he rode away, he had long since learnt to keep on the good side of Rome's nobility.
The Roman lady looked around fondly had her offspring, Caecillius with his handsome face and messy hair, Metella with her pale skin and delicate features and Juliet with her carefree and loud manner, playing together near the stream that ran alongside the road, running and laughing under the summer sun, It really made her happy and she smiled, pleased with bringing up such wonderful children.
Still, she wasn't overly pleased. Why her husband had decided to send her north to see Hadrian's war while he dealt with politics in Londinium she simply didn't know, but it was not a Roman woman's place to question her husbands decisions so she decided to take the children with her to meet the legendry Artorious Castus and his knights.
Suddenly an arrow flew out of nowhere embedding itself in a Roman soldier's chest and knocking him off his horse, a cry went up and a volley of arrows came from the woods downing yet more Romans and a band of warriors covered in intricate designs of blue paint leapt forth from the trees.
"Protect the carriage!" Screamed the Decurion. "Protect it with your lives, children, come here"
The children made for the carriage quickly but Juliet tripped and crashed hard into the ground.
"Juliet" Screamed the Roman lady "come here now, somebody help her!" Two soldiers rushed forwards but the Woads reached her first. One picked her up and rushed back into the woods.
"Juliet" Screamed the Roman lady. "Merciful god, someone do something!" A group of Roman soldiers rushed forward at once but were immediately set upon by the Woads who attacked them with hatred burning deep within their eyes; though the Romans were disciplined and well trained they were soon felled by the sheer ferocity of the assault.
The Roman soldiers were nearly overwhelmed in the ensuing chaos but then the voice of the Decurion rose above the clash of steel on steel. "God be praised, it is Arthur and his knights!" Everybody stopped fighting for a moment and turned their head to where the Decurion was brandishing his sword.
There indeed were a group of Sarmatian knights thundering across the green in battle formation, bellowing there battle cry: "Ruuuuuuuuusssss!"
The Woads starting fighting with renewed vigour for they all feared the deadly Knights but before they could reach the carriage the horsemen crashed into them scattering the blue warriors. Arthur at their head they started butchering the natives.
A horn went up from the woods and the Woads Started to flee back into the trees, seeming content to have captured at least one Roman and a rich child at that.
"Artorious!" Shouted the Decurion, "Capture one, we need answers!"
Arthur nodded his head and strode up to where a Woad was still fighting Lancelot. He calmly put Excalibur to the Warriors neck and the native froze.
"Is Madam Lucilla alright?" Arthur calmly asked the Decurion. As if in answer to this question Lucilla burst out of the carriage door distraught and in tears.
"Juliet, they took my little Juliet!" She sobbed.
Despite their loathing of upper class Romans, the knights couldn't help to feel pity for the Roman lady, this however was washed aside when they thought of their homes, being taken away at a young age to probably die for a land not their own.
Arthur, as always was in control. "Madam" He began in a low voice, "If your daughter is still alive we'll get her back, I assure you!"
"But how will you know if she's still alive?" Sobbed Lucilla hysterically.
"We will question the captured warrior" Said Arthur Solemnly.
"You captured a warrior? Where?" Lucilla looked around wildly, and then for the first time her gaze fell upon the Woad prisoner.
"But" Lucilla stuttered "She's a woman"
"Oh yes, didn't you know?" Said Arthur with his eyebrows raised, "In the Woad culture the woman often fight alongside the men."
"But their still ladies!" said Lucilla in a shocked voice.
"Oh but they ain't no Ladies!" Muttered Bors.
"A bit like dear Vanora them" said Lancelot with a sly grin.
Bors made towards Lancelot with a murderous look in his eye but Arthur got between them.
"Bors, Lancelot." Said Arthur seriously, "This is not the time."
They both sobered up immediately but Bors kept on glaring daggers at Lancelot.
"I repeat you madam," Arthur said again, "If she is still alive we will find out."
"I will never betray my people you Roman dogs!" The Woad spat. "I would rather die than become a traitor to my kin!"
A Roman soldier immediately hit her across the face and in retaliation she seized his dagger and stabbed it in his chest and he fell away, dead. She was instantly restrained by the knights and bundled on the back of the horse, with her hands and feet tied up.
"Bors, Dagonet. I want you to watch her."
Bors grunted and Dagonet nodded his head in response.
The caravan then set of north to Hadrian's Wall…
Well how was that for my first chapter? I've just realised that it's 3 in the morning so I had better be getting some sleep! Sorry for all the grammatical errors but I'm awful on that sort of thing and by all means point the errors out.
Like I said at the start, no flames but constructive criticism welcome and needed.
