Chapter 2:

The Great Wall, or Hadrian's Wall, the young boy had called it, was...immense, the wall went on for miles making Lothiriel wonder if it was a wall or some form of border. It had taken them another hour of riding before they finally came to a section of the wall that held a large door that was guarded by two men on horses; both wore armor and carried spears in their hands. Lothiriel wondered what would happen if it hadn't just been the boy and herself, if it had been a whole army, or perhaps bandits, what would the two soldiers do than? Would the boy truly be safe here?

"What's your business at Hadrian's Wall my lady?" The man on the right, large, and ruffled asked as his eyes glanced anywhere else on her body but her eyes. Lothiriel was offended, she had hoped these men had more tact than the Saxons, she was far mistaken it seemed. Clearing her throat, Lothiriel straightened her back, using the boy in front of her to hide her chest as she spoke.

"We're here looking for the boy's father, what did you say his name was?" Lothiriel asked looking down to Bastien, Bastien seemed just as frightened as she felt, his eyes were blazing wide open while his entire body continued to tremble.

"Avil Thanos, he's a b-blacksmith and a soldier h-here." Bastien spoke up his voice horse from their long journey, though it lacked it strength, Lothiriel's presence behind him gave him some relief. The two guards looked at one another before the one that had first spoken gave a stern nod for them to go ahead. Lothiriel and the guards backed their horses away when the other soldiers blew a horn that had been at his side, the doors to the wall slowly opened with the help of four men as well as four large bulls, when the door was finally open Lothiriel smiled her thanks, her arm tightening around Bastien while she nudged the white stallion to go with a click of her tongue and they both entered Hadrian's Wall with great speed.

"Lothiriel?" Bastien called quietly as Lothiriel slid off the horse before reaching her arms up for Bastien.

"Yes?" Lothiriel asked lifting Bastien up and off the horse, smiling as he stumbled around a bit from the aching in his still legs, Lothiriel was just as sore, but nothing a little walk and stretching can't fix, sliding the blanket off the panting stallion she whispered her thanks to him and kissed his nose, her reply was a swift lick to the face that caused her to giggle before she pet his neck and motioned with her head for the horse to follow her into the stables.

"What are you doing in here? These stables are for the knights under Arthur's command!" A man with curly hair and blue eyes called from where he had been raking hay into a horse's stall. Lothiriel quickly rummaged around inside her sack before she produced three necklaces, all solid gold aside from the emeralds, rubies, and sapphires sizing up to the side of a hen's egg. The man eyed both the necklaces and Lothiriel wearily, almost unsure if he could take the jewelry as payment or not.

"I won't be here long sir, just until I find the boy's father." Lothiriel assured him, the white stallion now laying his tired head onto her shoulder, muttering with snorts as he did so. Lothiriel withheld a laugh; it seemed this noble stallion didn't seem so dignified now.

"We have to speak to Artorious!" Bastien piped up in an urgent manner at her side, Lothiriel glanced down, eyeing the boy beside her, who the hell was this Artorious? And why hadn't he mentioned this name before? The man glanced between the two once more before a sense of recognition began to dawn on his face.

"Of course, you two came from the village down south. A few others came in late last night...follow me will you?" The man asked setting his pitchfork off to the side, the horse upon Lothiriel's shoulder was still wheezing heavily, telling her of his needs at the moment. Lothiriel sighed; it seemed this Artorius would have to wait a moment.

"My horse, he needs some food and water, will these accommodate for your troubles?" Lothiriel asked once again as she held up the necklaces, the man didn't answer, just opened one of the empty stalls and motioned his head to Lothiriel. Lothiriel smiled as she kissed the horse's forehead, and began to lead him in silently into the stall. Once the horse was situated inside the stall, Lothiriel was given a brush and a bristle to comb the sweat off the horse, which she did much to the horse's satisfaction. Once that was done, fresh water was put into the horse's barrel as well as fresh hay. Lothiriel wondered if the horse was in heaven, for he seemed to be purring after Lothiriel had exited his stall.

"He's a beautiful animal my lady. Where did you find him?" The man asked, as he looked respectfully at the horse while he continued to pig out on the hay.

"She called him this morning! When we got out of the woods! It was like magic!" Bastien called out as he smiled up at the stranger they had just met. The man looked to Lothiriel in disbelief, while she laughed nervously wanting to keep the boy quiet for now on.

"Wasn't magic, he just sensed us is all." Lothiriel shrugged, the man still looked unsatisfied but let the topic go as all three exited out of the stables, when the man had failed to take the necklaces as payment, she had slipped the fine jewelry into one of the tool boxes as they left. He would find it sooner or later; at least Lothiriel hoped it was him that found her payment to him.

"DA!" Bastien suddenly cried out breaking from Lothiriel's side as he ran blindly ahead of her, Lothiriel watched as man with the same sandy brown hair as the boys, lift Bastien into his arms and clutch the boy to his chest, his eyes near tears as he kissed the boys face blindly while tightening his grip, afraid to let go. This was Avil Thanos, at least he better be, for things would get very awkward if it turned out that he was someone else.

"Well...that was easy." Lothiriel admitted looking to the man at her side; he chucked and nodded his head in agreement as the two approached the united family. Bastien peeked up from his father's shoulder and smiled down at Lothiriel with gratitude shinning in his eyes.

"Da! This is Lothiriel, she helped me escape!" Bastien exclaimed pointing down to Lothiriel for her father to see, the man looked to Lothiriel and his smile widened as he took up her hand and kissed the palm, his beard making her skin tingle.

"I don't know how I could ever repay you, but if you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask." Avil assured her his eyes barely leaving his son.

"No payment is needed; any descent person would've done what I did. I'm just glad I could save someone's life..." Lothiriel assured him before she turned to hopefully head back to the stables, it would be a while before her horse was rested enough, but at least she would be out of public eye.

"I thought you needed to see Artorious!" the man from the stables called out to her, Lothiriel stopped, she still didn't have a clue who these people were talking about. The boy was the one who had needed to see this Artorious, not her!

"No, I didn't need to see him...the boy did." Lothiriel assured him, but before she could go another step, Bastien called to her again.

"You do though! She has to find a place to live...right da?" Bastien exclaimed looking to his father for help, Lothiriel wondered how her Ada was, did he even realize she was gone yet? And if he had, had he given up hope after thirty years of no sign of her?

"I'm not staying," Lothiriel answered simply once more before she walked away, ignoring little Bastien's protests as well as his father's. She had to stay away from the settlers of this world; it would do her no good to make connection with them if they were to be ripped away from her in a few short years. Besides, how would she find her way home if she was always busy trying to look after and help her 'friends.' No, that was definitely not going to happen with Lothiriel. She would take her white steed and run like hell as soon as possible. The further she was from the Saxon's hands, the better.

"I see you're enjoying yourself." Lothiriel laughed upon seeing the white stallion slumped inside the stall he had been put in, clearly dozing off from his harsh adventure of the day. Alright, she'd be here a little longer than she thought, but it was best to keep inside the stables and away fro the peasants and guards, better to be alone. The horse looked up from where he was beginning to fall asleep and snorted loudly.

"Thank you for your help today, I only wish I knew what to call you." Lothiriel whispered, only loud enough for the horse to hear incase there were people outside that were listening in. The horse knew what she was saying it seemed for he answered back.

"Cyrus it is then." Lothiriel grinned all the while Cyrus gave one nod of recognition before he rested his head once more to sleep. Lothiriel sighed as she sat down on the pile of hay in front of his stall and gently leaned against the wall beside the door. It had been a very long day; a very long two days to be exact, perhaps a little rest for herself wouldn't be so hard.

"Civilians are not allowed in here, you were told surely," A gruff voice started as it awoke Lothiriel hours after she had fallen asleep. Lothiriel quickly got to her feet, her vision wavering in a blurred globe as she tried to see the speaker that had awakened her. All she got was a gruff laugh that made her heart freeze in sudden fear. It reminded her so much of the Saxon leader that at first she had thought the boy had all been a dream. But as quickly as she had awoken, her groggy vision fled allowing her to see who had spoken to her, though she had to admit the loud ringing in her ears and the pounding headache was there to stay.

"I'm sorry...what did you say?" Lothiriel asked now eyeing the young man with dark curls and even darker eyes that held no warmth to them, he smiled coyly to her question and if anything moved closer to her.

"You're new here aren't you..." The man stated rather than asked, Lothiriel didn't answer, just continued to stare wearily up at him, not afraid, just cautious.

"Lancelot come! We go to the tavern!" Another adolescent man with golden hair and vivid blue eyes announced as he entered the stall along with a boy a few years younger than his companion with dark, chocolate brown curls and lovely blue eyes. There trotting in a few feet behind was the caretaker of the stables that she had met that morning.

"I see you're awake, feeling a bit better I hope?" The man inquired entering the stables, ignoring the men standing clad in armor as he did so. Lothiriel nodded wearily, she was beginning to wonder just how long she had been asleep in the first place. A loud snort coming from Cyrus seemed to be her answer. Lothiriel wanting to slink back to the ground, she couldn't remember the last time she had truly slept.

"Awake? She has been awake since I came in here, and that was after daytime mess!" The man with the dark eyes admonished blatantly causing Lothiriel to blush; it seemed she still slept with her eyes opened after all.

"Did you know you sleep with your eyes open? I heard about warriors who did that back in Alexandria, but that was only to scare off thieves. I didn't actually think it was possible though." The stable caretaker stated enthusiastically, Lothiriel held in a groan not wanting to go into this. It was common knowledge that elves slept with their eyes open unless they were unconscious, drugged, or in a healing sleep…but she couldn't tell these humans that.

"Old habits die hard when you travel alone. I must be going; I have a lot of ground to cover before the day is through." Lothiriel stated as she gently petted Cyrus's head earning a laugh from the noble steed as to my avoidance of their statements.

"And what's a fair maiden like you doing traveling unaccompanied in these lands? You do know of the dangers the Woads bring do you not?" Cocking her head to the side as she listened to the knight's rambling, Lothiriel tightened the hood of her cloak around her face to be sure that no one would see her ears before turning her back on them to continue tending to Cyrus.

"I know of the dangers of these lands, but I also know of the dangers within these walls Sir Knight," Lothiriel answered simply as she rubbed the horse's back, at the time, Lothiriel was still contemplating buying a saddle for her new companion, or simply using the Horse Lord until she made it back to the wilderness to release him.

"A beautiful lady with a quick witted tongue—it seems I have seen everything now." The man, Lancelot, chuckled as he moved to stand right behind Lothiriel, his arms entrapping her while the stallion kept her from moving forward.

"I trust you know it is impolite to be so forward Sir Knight, now if you excuse me, I have to prepare for my departure." Lothiriel stated firmly without turning around to face the man who was starting to unnerve her to the point of tears.

"You will depart before I have the pleasure of learning your name? I think not milady." The man stated gruffly all while moving closer to the point that his chest now pressed against her back. Stiffening at the contact, Lothiriel held her breath and counted to ten before turning briskly around to the man that seemed to possess no manners what so ever.

"If you do not mind good sir knight, I would appreciate if you take your whorish approach someplace else. I'm not interested in being harassed by men wherever I go, now please just leave me be." Lothiriel had started out yelling at the man, but by the time she had finished, the pain in the man's eyes had reduced her to tears. Shoving the mortal away, Lothiriel clucked her tongue and bid the mount to follow her outside of the stables.

"Wait, forgive me my lady, it's just that—I don't know what came over me." The man apologized as he continued to pursue the lovely maiden cloaked in black. Lothiriel ignored the knight all together as she continued on towards the main court yard that would allow her to leave the fortress, and later the Great Wall all together once she made it to the lush green fields beyond this small village.

"Will you return to the wall?" Lancelot finally whispered, but thanks to Lothiriel's sense of hearing, she heard every word.

"If the gods will it, then perhaps, if my will is done, than nay." With Cyrus' help, Lothiriel mounted the great steed and began her journey away from the wall, and even further from the settled civilizations of this world.

Thank you so much for reviewing. I agree I was little put off by the idea of having an elf during the middle age times. But if people are constantly putting up farfetched stories of girls from present times falling in, then I figure there wouldn't be too many flamers out to kill me. I do love girls that dress up as men to become knights stories, I'm still thinking of starting one, but I think I need to finish this one first.

But if anybody knows the titles to the summary I just describe, that, and if they're any good, please let me know.

Angelique