Chapter 1
I ran as fast as I could against the cold wind. I knew the Saxons would catch up to me soon. I couldn't out run them. I ran into the woods hoping to hide or outmaneuver them. The trees whipped my face leaving stinging cuts behind. I pushed past all the trees ducking and weaving through the branches. Not looking where I was going I darted into a clearing.
I looked up and saw the sunset upon rolling green hills. It was getting dark and I was getting tired. I stopped running and turned around. 'Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared' I said quietly to myself as I drew my sword from around my waist. The three Saxons chasing me drew their swords while running.
I stood with my sword up in front of my face. The three Saxons stopped about 10 meters in front of me.
'Dying is a very dull affair and my advice to you is to have nothing to do with it'. Shouted the largest Saxon. 'We give you a chance to return the sword you stole'.
'I am not dying, not anymore than any of us at the moment.' I replied closing my eyes.
The Saxons let out a battle cry as they leaped forward. I lent back and swung my sword at the Saxon running toward me, it deeply sliced his stomach causing him to drop his sword and fall to the ground. Another Saxon ran at me swinging his sword which I managed to block. He swung again from over his head which collided with my sword causing me to be knocked to the ground. I rolled over dodging his sword. I scrambled up quickly jumping back trying to dodge the sword that sliced my leg. The pain shot up my leg causing me to stumble to the ground. The Saxon grabbed my sword and stood over me.
'Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional' he said running his eyes over the sword he was holding.
I spat at him trying to lift myself of the ground. He bent down and hit me striking me on the cheek. He lifted the sword over his head ready to bring to down.
Everything was silent. I didn't even hear the horses coming. I closed my eyes waiting for the blow that would seal my fate. It never came. I opened my eyes to see the Saxons lying on the ground dead. I looked up to see knights on horses one with his bow drawn. A man jumped of his horse it was amazing how much admiration I could have for a man I hadn't even met. He walked over to me and knelt down on his knee.
'Why where these men chasing you' he asked as he looked over at the three dead Saxons.
I didn't say anything just eyed him and the other knights on horses. I didn't trust these men and was not about to tell them everything.
'You know the cruelest lies are told in silence, I suggest you talk' the man whispered.
'I took my sword back' I told him shooting a glance at the sword the dead Saxon was holding.
'I see' he said taking the sword in his hand and standing up.
He looked over it carefully before passing it to one of his knights.
'What is your name?' he asked looking down at me.
'Isabelle' I told him, I figured he would have killed me by now if that was his intention.
'I am Arthur' he told me giving me his hand. I took it, as he lifted me up a knight jumped of his horse.
'You are hurt, you can ride with Lancelot' he said helping me towards another knight.
I stumbled nearly falling down again as the pain from my leg worsened. Lancelot caught me and helped me onto his horse. He jumped on behind me placing his arms around me so I wouldn't fall. I looked around at the knight who had my sword; Lancelot saw me and followed my gaze.
'It must be a special sword if you stole it from the Saxons' he said smiling.
'What makes something special is not what you have to gain, but what there is to loose' I said not taking my eyes of the sword.
'Very well' he said kicking his horse as it lurched forward I took one final look at the dead Saxons. I smiled to myself thinking of how close I came to death.
'We have a long ride ahead of us you can sleep if you wish, I wont let you fall' Lancelot whispered in my ear.
I appreciated Lancelot's kindness and leaned back so my head was on his chest and slowly drifted into a sleep.
When I woke up it was almost dark, the sun was going down which made the sky glow a bright orange. I stood up noticing there was a bandage around my leg where it had been cut.
'You're awake'
I spun around to see seven knights sitting around a fire looking back at me.
'Come sit' one said beckoning me over.
I slowly walked over to them and took a seat on an old log next to a young knight.
'I'm Galahad' the young knight said nodding and smiling at me.
'And this is Gawain, Bors, Dagonet Tristan and I believe you've already met Arthur and Lancelot"
I nodded and looked at Lancelot smiling
'What were you doing out there all by yourself?' Gawain asked
'I ran away from my home, when those three Saxons found me. They took my sword and other things, and when I stole it back they chased me.' I said looking down at the ground.
'Why did you run away from your home' Bores asked me curiously.
'My home is not a place, its people' I said looking up at him.
'My family was killed when they disobeyed the rules' I replied looking back at the ground.
'He must have been Evil, why would they have to be killed?' asked Gawain slightly raising his voice in anger.
"When someone is in power they don't think it is evil but a necessity or even a duty' I answered.
'We should go if we want to get there by morning' Lancelot said standing up.
As the other knights stood up and got ready to leave, Lancelot took my hand and helped me onto his horse.
'How's your leg?' he asked looking at the bandage before hoisting himself upon the horse behind me.
'Fine, I never thanked you for saving me. They would have killed me 'I told him as we lurched forward
We rode for hours as me and Lancelot talked about his home and where he came from. I closed my eyes trying to imagine what it would be like. I found myself falling asleep once more as Lancelot held me tighter so I wouldn't fall.
'Isabelle' I awoke to Lancelot brushing my hair from my face whispering for me to wake up. He helped me of the horse and put his arm around me to guide me to where the other Knights where. I tried to open my eyes but the sun light was blinding me. I blinked so my eyes would adjust.
'You!!' I heard someone shout. As my eyes adjusted I saw Mariuscoming towards me. I looked around quickly in a panic. I stumbled back away from Lancelot and the rest of the knights. I looked around the village where we were. It was the village I was running from, the last place I wanted to be.
'What is it Isabelle?' Asked Arthur
Mariuspushed past the knights and stormed towards me with a furious look on his face.
'Guards!!' he shouted as two huge guards came up behind me and grabbed my arms
'Arthur' I shouted looking at him half angry, even though I knew it wasn't his fault.
'What's going on?' Arthur demanded as he and Tristan walked to Marius's side.
'This girl is a pagan, she ran away from the village when she should have been killed like her family' He said walking towards me.
Marius was inches in front of me he pulled out a knife and drove it into my side
'You shouldn't have come back' he whispered into my ear.
As soon as Marius pulled out his knife all of Arthur's knights had drawn their swords. Arthur knocked him to the ground holding his sword over him threateningly.
Galahad took Marius's knife as Tristan and Bors grabbed the two guards holding my arms. I fell onto my knees and placed my hand on my side where I had been stabbed. Lancelot dived onto the ground in front of me.
'Are you alright' He quickly asked looking panicked. I held my blood covered hand out and looked at him. He stared back at me.
'Gawain help' he said not taking his eyes of mine.
'Don't help her!' Marius shouted looking up at Arthur from the ground.
Gawain grabbed bandages from a pack and ran over knelling beside Lancelot.
'You'll be alright' said Gawain trying to act calm as he wrapped a cloth around my waste to stop the bleeding.
'Don't help her!' Marius screamed again jumping up. Lancelot jumped up and drew his sword; he stormed up to Marius and placed his sword on his throat. Arthur grabbed Lancelot's arm and pulled him back. Marius looked at everyone and muttered something under his breath, before turning and walking away.
I saw Lancelot Tristan, Gawain and Galahad looking over me before I drifted of into a deep sleep.
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