Disclaimer: same as before…

BeautifulFirestone: I like keeping people on the edge. You will out more about her past (and Sparrow's father) in this chapter, but there is still mystery.

Am I moving too fast with Tristan and Rhyne? And what do you think about Sparrow liking Lancelot?

Justice Will Rhyne

Chapter Four- Early Morning Screams

Rhyne walked up the stairs in the Resident Halls and saw Hawk lying in front of the door of her room. His head shot up when she got there. "Is she in her room?" He mumbled something in reply. She knew it meant yes. He nudged her hand and tilted his head to her; she knew what it meant. "I went to the cemetery to see my father." He acknowledged the answer. When she opened the door she sighed, "You can sleep on the bed with me tonight." He was once again on the bed in an instant and fell asleep in a few moments.

Rhynestarted to up pack her things, which was not much, and put them into the large chest at the foot on her bed. She had a few sleeveless tunics, and a few that went just passed her elbows. And a few pair of trousers. No gowns, only the one she had one. She would have to remember to ask Vanora if there was a seamstress in the village. The water was still in the tub. Trying to avoid sleep she decided to try and clean off the blood on her armor. It was not true battle armor. It was light, for long-distance riding. She would need to get some true battle armor made for her.

She then washed her sword, the main one she used. Titan. It wasof Sarmatain style, and designed like the one her father trained her with when she was young. She specificallyexplained the design to a British blacksmith, and he made it for her. It was light. Longer than a Roman sword, and had a thinner width, but just as strong, if not stronger. It had a slight curve to it, and was deadly sharp. A stranger to the sword would think it frail because it was small and long. She had remembered the sword Tristan carried. Very much alike, but his was longer and had a wider base. Hers was made for a young girl to wield. There was Celtic knots engraved down the blade, showing her British heritage, from her mother. And the hilt was shaped into a long snake-like dragon. The creature representing her father's people. She then remembered the armor he wore, bearing the same dragon.

Rhyne smiled at this memory, and then she moved to her other weapons. Her other sword, Draco, was typically Roman, except for the engraved dragon that went down the entire length of the blade. And then there was the dagger the head of the British family she lived with for fourteen years gave her when she and Sparrow left to come here. It was of British style and had a few inch base. It was a good dagger, and already saved her life once when her sword was knocked out of her hand. Then she looked over her bow, making sure it needed no repairs. Her father had showed her how to make a bow, and arrows as well. This one she had made herself, her first weapon after she ran away into the woods. Her boots were very worn, she would need some new ones soon. She took out the small knives that sat behind each heel. They were not damaged.

She set her armor and weaponry in the chest as well, except for the dagger, which she slipped under her pillow. She wore just a tunic to sleep in and then slipped underneath the fur covers. She fell into what would be a restless sleep…


She woke with a headache, and she could see nothing but blurs, and could taste blood in her mouth. There was a horrible stench in the air. She was lying on what seemed like dirt. She could see a few blurred candle flames a ways away, and a voice. A man's voice. It seemed like he was saying a prayer. Her vision cleared slowly, and realized that there were bars on the small doorway.

She was in a small and dark room. The walls were piled rock. She walked crawled over to the bars, and shook. They didn't budge. She felt outside the bars, and found a chain and lock that held the bars still. The man the she now recognized as a Christian priest was pacing the room, praying. She spoke to him, "Hey." No answer. "Hey," this time louder, and still no answer. She finally yelled, "HEY!" And she grimaced in pained as her scream hurt her head, which was still throbbing.

She leaned her head against the bars, and stared blankly, not knowing what to do. It was then that she saw the others, all over the room. There were some chained to walls, with arms stretched above their heads, and others lying in cages like hers. But she realized, they were not other people, but bodies. They might as well be bones. She looked on them in horror. Panic started to take her, but out of habit she pushed it back. Panic blinds you from the truth. She kept telling herself that, over and over in her head. It was something her father said, during the beginning of her training. Once you control panic, you control your fate. It was one of the first things he taught her.

She looked around her cell for anything that can be used as a weapon. She found two loose rocks, each good enough to fit in her hand. She took a shoestring from one of her high-legged boots and tied one of the rocks to her leg just above the inside of her knee underneath the gown she wore. Then she took the other rock and reached outsidethe celland proceeded to hit the lock as hard as she could. She heard someone telling her to stop, but she ignored them. Eventually the rock was taken from her. She was not sure how much damage she had done, if she did any damage at all. She then laid on her back and with all her force started kick with both feet at the bars.

She continued until her feet were bruised. It was no use. The only way she would get out is if the bar door was opened. She threw her boots at the wall in anger. She fell asleep from exhaustion.

She awoke by the sound of the bar door dropping open, and a hand reached out at her. She recoiled instantly and struggled against his grip. Her Owner. She was fighting him. She reached down for the rock, pulled it off her leg, and struck the side of his head. He was knocked out cold. She turned to run out, but found a sword at her neck instead. One of his guards. She reacted quickly hitting the sword hard to the left with the rock in her hand. That was the second thing her father taught her. Defense before Offense. As the rock came in contact with the sword it dug into her skin on the left side of her neck. She could not do much else, because he punched her, and she was taken by blackness once more.

She was slapped awake again by the sting of cold. Ice cold water was thrown on her. Once her senses were normal she saw her owner outside the bar door. "If I will not get you to listen, others will pay the consequences for you," he said venomously. He moved aside and a young boy was chained to a table lying on his stomach. "CONNER!" She rushed to the bars and reached out her hand to him. He was only a few feet away. He looked delirious, not knowing where he was.

She saw her owner pick up a whip with metal clips at the end, smiling like a devil. "Please don't, please. I will do what you say just don't hurt him. Please!" He did not answer, but lifted the whip above his head and brought down the whip on his back. She screamed…


Rhyne shot up screaming. There were tears rolling down her face and sweat all over her body. She reachedup to her neck and felt the scar on the left side of her neck. She was breathing hard. "CONNER!" She let out one more scream and the door flew open. Sparrow ran to her. "Mother! Mother, it's okay. It was only a nightmare." Sparrow threw her arms around Rhyne and held her tight. She was hysterical, saying things Sparrow did not understand, but she knew them.

Rhyne always had nightmares, and she always woke up screaming. It was either saying sorry to Conner, asking her father to forgive her, or screaming to get off her. Sparrow never knew what they meant, or who they were talking about, but she knew it was part of her mother's past that was hidden deep inside her. Things she never told anyone.

She was rocking back and forth now. "I'm sorry Conner, I'm so sorry." There was more tears. Hawk now was sitting on the other side of Rhyne snuggling against her cheek. He was used to her early morning screams as well. The door opened again, it was Tristan. And Lancelot was behind him. They looked on the scene, and rushed to Sparrow's side.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Lancelot asked frantically, kneeling beside the bed. He was shirtless, and pants were still not tied, and had no shoes. Tristan sat in front of Rhyne. "What's happening to her?" Tristan asked less frantically, but Sparrow could see the worry in his eyes. He was disheveled as well, but got one step further than Lancelot with his tunic on.

Rhyne was still in her trance, noticing none of them. "Her nightmares. She has had them since I can remember. I don't know what haunts her like this. She has never told me. She just says that she has had a dark past." Gawain and Galahad ran in.

"What is it?" They almost asked in unison.

Lancelot looked to both of them with a look of both compassion and anger. "She has nightmares."

"Of what?" Galahad asked bewildered. "Something from her past," Sparrow explained.

Lancelot pushed the hair out of Rhyne's face. He put a hand on her cheek. "Rhyne. Rhyne, can you hear me? Rhyne, its Lancelot. Can you hear me?" Gawain and Galahad were now sitting on the edge of the bed.

Sparrow shook her head. "That doesn't work. I have tried calling her back. She comes out in her own time." Hawk, who was still sitting there, nudged Tristan's hand. He looked at the wolf. Hawk looked at Rhyne then back at him and mumbled something. Sparrow saw the exchange. "He wants you to try." Sparrow looked at Tristan with Rhyne still in her arms rocking back and forth. "He wants you to try and speak to her."

Tristan inched forward. Arthur was in the room now, followed by Bors and Dagonet. Galahad told him what was happening. Light was just beginning to show in the sky. "Rhyne, can you hear me?" Tristan asked it softly. There was no reaction. He picked up her chin to look into her eyes. "Rhyne. It's Tristan. Can you hear me?" There was no answer again. "A sword Rhyne. What happens when a sword is in your hand?" She stopped rocking but she looked down again. Her hands went to her head, and her face was almost in pain.There was a battle going on inside her."Justice…will…Reign." It came out softly and slowly, but once she finished she lifted her head and saw all the knights sitting around her. She could not stop her emotions.

The tears came again. Arthur was kneeling down in front of her. "I'm sorry Arthur. I'm sorry I was weak. I couldn't stop him. Conner is dead. He is dead because of me!" He took her in his arms. Rhyne clenched his shirt and sobbed wildly as she had done in her trance. Arthur was trying to calm her, as all the rest looked on in sadness. Sparrow was used to it, but was amazed Tristan had brought her back. There was a connection between him and her mother, she could see it. She doesn't just hear him here, but hears him in her soul. They all sat there, until her crying calmed, and then Sparrow lead them all out of the room. "She will be fine by midday, but will not have her usual spirit about her. It will be like that maybe until tomorrow or the next day. So don't aggravate her, or she will be worse." Before she closed the door Sparrow grabbed Tristan's wrist. "Thank you. I don't how she came back, and I don't how Hawk knew to ask you, but thank you." He nodded to her and went back to his room, which was right next door.

Sparrow slept next to her mother the rest of the night, with Hawk lying at their feet. It was past noon before Rhyne woke again. She had a horrible headache, and her stomach was calling out for food. She saw some food sitting on the small desk in the room, and started eating it. She took one of the chunks of bread and gave it to Hawk. He took it in his mouth but did not look away from Rhyne. "I'll be fine, I promise you." He was content with that answer and began chewing on the bread.

She could barely remember anything from the night before. Rhyne knew she had her nightmare, knew Sparrow came in, and a few of the knights as well, but that was it. It was normal. She rarely ever remembered what happened after her nightmare.

Rhyne's thoughts went instantly to Conner. "I'm so sorry, Conner. I am to blame for your death. I'm sorry I couldn't help you." She walked over to her window, which looked over the training fields and the stables. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and the air was not horribly humid. She saw some of the knights sparring with each other, and a few on their horses in the ring. Rhyne looked for Tristan. He was sitting on a table against the walls of the stables. He was sharpening his sword. He must have felt her gaze because he looked up to her window. They stared at each other with no emotion. The spell was not broken until Sparrow walked into Rhyne's room, and she looked at her daughter.

"How are you feeling?" Rhyne looked back out the window, and Tristan was sharpening his blade once more.

"Fine. I'm fine." Sparrow did not believe her. They just stared at each other a moment. "I promised them I would spar today," and she opened her trunk to pull to put some practice clothes on, and got out her weapons.

"I don't think that is a good idea, mother. You know how you are the day after you nightmares," she said it with a very concerned tone.

"I know, but I am home now. Just that is already helping. I am back where I belong, and I belong next to them," she motioned out the window where the knights were practicing. She picked up only Titan and her bow, and then headed out the door, with Hawk, as always, on her heels.


Tristan was the first to see her walking out to the training area. Dagonet saw him freeze like a predator waiting for his prey. "Tristan, are you okay?" But he didn't answer. Dagonet then looked in the direction he was looking and froze as well. When Bors saw this he looked too. "What the bloody hell is she doing out of her room!" All knights heard him and saw what he was screaming about. They all froze, not expecting to see Rhyne out of her room for a while, after what they saw this morning.

She walked up and saw all their faces. They were about to speak when she stopped them. "NO!" Rhyne knew what questions were coming. "Yes, I have nightmares. No, you don't have to worry. I have had them for fourteen years now. No, I don't know how to stop them. No, I am not going to tell you what they are about. No, I still don't know why I have them. Yes, I have learned to deal with them, and they are less frequent than they used to be. No, I don't remember anything about waking up. And no, I don't need anymore rest. Does that answer your questions?" They all thought for a moment, and eventually nodded. "Good. So who's first?" she asked playfullyholding up Titan.

Rhyne sparred with them for a few hours, and then Sparrow came walking on to the field in a workout tunic and trousers like her mother. There was a strap that went over her left shoulder that held sheaths at her back of two swords. Lancelot was leaning on the ring fence next to Rhyne when he saw Sparrow walk up. "She carries a back up sword like you," he said noticing the two swords.

"She good with one sword, but when the head of the family we stayed with realized she was light and quick he made her two shorter British swords. You will be amazed with how fast she has excelled with them. It's to the point where she can almost kill me. Once she gets final instruction from you, she will be as deadly as you are."

Lancelot couldn't believe it. "A British man knew how to use two swords. Then why are there no Woads who fight that way?"

"He did not train the Woads, they live and train on their own. He was just a simple merchant who was gifted with the logic of war, like his father, who taught him. He only chose not use that skill. He wanted peace."

"So why did he train you and Sparrow?" Lancelot was very confused now.

"His brother was killed." Rhyne paused for a moment. "By Romans. Sparrow was then of age to start training. And I was ready to defend myself again. It took seven years, but I was ready." Sparrow was now busy getting teased by the other knights. "Having that sword back in my hand brought back the person I once was. And he finished my training. And hers is almost complete."

Lancelot was more somber than Rhyne. "I'm sorry." She just looked at him. "I don't know why you have those nightmares, and I know it must have been hard, but…I am glad you came back to us." She smiled than punched him in the shoulder, trying to get into a better mood. Then hechanged back into the Lancelot everybody knew. "So, let's see what your daughter's got."

He jumped into the ring and took his swords in hand. "Sparrow! Let's see what you got!" She got into the ring and pulled her swords. All the knights were gathering to watch, along with Arthur. If Rhyne was as deadly as she is, then how was Sparrow? "I promise I won't be too tough on you," Lancelot gave a cocky smirk.

Sparrow said nothing, just readied herself against him. She turned from a sweet young woman he knew she was, into a malicious fighter, but not a warrior yet. She attacked him first. He was not ready for her speed. Sparrow got in between his swords and pushed them outwards while bringing her foot to his chest knocking him onto his back. "You must like being on your back." Their spectators were laughing.

"Lancelot, when I said she was quick, I really meant it," she managed to get out while laughing.

"I think you really met your match, Lancelot. You are no longer the biggest mouth and quickest sword," Arthur said while chuckling.

Lancelot stood and brushed the dirt off him. He was not angry, but he showed a level of readiness this time. They sparred well against each other. Although Lancelot did have higher skill, she had the potential to be just as deadly. Lancelot and the other knights yelled words of encouragement to her.

Almost two hours later they could see her fatigue, and so could Lancelot, who was tired as well, but his body had been through many battles, and it didn't know how to stop. He took advantage of this. On her next attack he forced Sparrow to turn her back on him and he put his arms around her to pulled her back tight to his chest. Sparrow struggled, but could not over power Lancelot's strength. "Never let your enemy see your fatigue, or he can take advantage of it," he said into her ear.

She cracked a smile. "Don't you mean so you can take advantage of it." He got a flirtatious grin on his face. Sparrow then stomped hard on his foot, and his strength around her weakened as he cried out a yelp. Then she elbowed his ribs that were sore from last night. She turned out of his grip and put a sword tip at his neck. "Never let your guard down, for then you lose control of your fate." There were cheers from the outside of the ring.

"You vixen." It was all Lancelot could say, but it was good natured. Arthur was right; he had met his match, in everyway. There was something about this girl that made him go crazy and let his guard down.

Over the next week that was all they did. Spar all day and drink all night. Rhyne asked Arthur if there was something she and Sparrow could do for work, so he put them to work in the stables for a good pay. Because of the bet Rhyne won, Lancelot could not interact with any women sohe spent most of the time with Sparrow, finishing her training. The two weeks were almost up and Rhyne was grooming Zyfer in the stables when Lancelot and Sparrow walked in. They were in riding clothes and armed with their weapons. "Where are you guys off to?" Rhyne asked as they started saddling their horses.

"We're going for a ride. Practice fighting on horseback," Lancelot said.

"Alright. But I just cleaned this place up, so don't go making a mess when you get back or you will have to deal with me," she threatened playfully.

"Nag, nag, nag. Is that all know how to do sister?" Lancelot replied grinning. Rhyne threw the brush at him in protest.

Tristan walked in as they left. Rhyne had turned back to her horse and did not see him enter. She started speaking to Zyfer, in the Briton language. She finally heard Tristan's footsteps and gave him a smile in greeting. Hawk on the other hand walked up to him and set two paws on his chest. Tristan pet the creature happily. It had become a normal thing now. The wolf really had a liking to him. "It's strange. He has never greeted anyone like that except for me and Sparrow. There is something about you that he really likes." He just smiled, something that he was showing more often since Rhyne's arrival. They talk regularly now, and each conversation gets longer. But he is still quiet. Their friendship was slowly progressing to what it once was.

"You speak as the Woads do," he observed.

"Well, when you live with a British family for fourteen years it tends to rub of on you." She said it sarcastically but it was the truth. Tristandropped the subject.

"There is a lot of tension between those two," he said walking over to his grey stallion. The horse nudged him lovingly.

Rhyne knew whathe was talking about. "They have a good relationship. The challenge that goes back and forth is good for them." She looked at him underneath the neck of Zyfer. "Should I allow it to go further than that?"

He thought for a moment, but didn't look at her. Rhyne could see him contemplating the question. "There is something about that girl that makes Lancelot care for her. He is very protective. I have seen them in the tavern. He always sits next to her, eyes her when she is not by him, makes other men who look at her leave her alone. I haven't even seen him look at another woman since the first day you two were here."

"Good observations," she said smiling. But he still didn't look at her. "Somehow she has put a leash on his want for every woman he sees. She has the power to tame him. But the real test will be once our bet is over. That is the one thing I can not figure out."

"Whether he looks at her because of the bet, or if he really cares?" Tristan finished for her.

Rhyne just smiled. They were silent as she finished grooming Zyfer, and she put all the supplies away. The she started to braid his mane into various different sizes and styles. She attached beads as she went. She finally broke the silence. "Thank you," Rhyne said looking over to Tristan.

He stopped brushing down his stallion and looked at her with his passive face. "For what?"

Her tone softened. "For bringing back the night I had my nightmares."

"I thought you said you didn't remember." In still the same calm tone he always had.

"I lied." They just stared at each other for a moment. "I heard you calling my name. When I am in that trance, I am buried deep inside my soul. I see nothing and hear no one, not even my self. But I heard you. That is the only reason I came back that quickly, because it was your voice." Rhyne did not notice she was walking towards him. "We are connected you and I, on a higher plain that travels through our souls. That is the only reason I heard you." She stopped and few feet away from him. Neither of them moved, but just stood their, staring into each other's souls. He started to walk towards her but Jols walked into the stables.

"Tristan. Arthur wants all the knights to meet at the Round Table. There is a new mission. He has also requested your presence Rhyne." They both gave Jols a nod and started to exit the stables.

"Have either of you seen Lancelot?" Jols called after them.

"He and Sparrow are on a ride. They should be back shortly," Rhyne told him before they exited.


Yea. This chapter took me forever to write, but the next two will be quick. They are already drafted in my head. Are those nightmares weakness enough?