The Mission Part VI: First Goodbye

The next morning Keena woke up in her bed later than usual and with a headache, she had a lot of wine last night. 'Thank god it was only wine or else I would probably be sick.' She thought. She got up and peeked out the door then carefully walked across the hall and went inside her sister's room to see she was still sleeping. She walked over and shook her lightly waking her.

"Keena?"

"Morning."

"Is it dawn already?"

She laughed at her little sister, she definitely had too much to drink last night. "Well past dawn, it was almost dawn when we came back from the tavern."

"Oh…so I have to get up?"

"Afraid so."

She moaned not happy about it but she sat up holding her head.

"How do you feel?" she asked sitting next to her.

"Just a headache."

"You sure you don't feel nauseous?"

She shook her head.

"Come, let's get some food in your stomach." She said standing and helped Brienna up out of bed then walked with her to the Main Hall. All the knights were there, already eating. They all stood when they saw the girls.

"Forgive us for starting without you, but we thought it best to let you sleep." Arthur said.

"It's alright." Keena said walking her sister over next to Gawain and Galahad.

"Are you alright?" Gawain asked Brienna.

She nodded.

"She'll be fine, just eat something."

"And you? How are you this morning?"

"Fine, thank you. All I drank last night was the wine, unlike my dear little sister."

They laughed and sat back down once she was sitting next to her sister. They ate and then the girls went back to their rooms to change into their other clothes, which had been washed for them. Keena left her hair down though. She grabbed all of her daggers from the drawer putting them back on her person and grabbed her swords and her bow before making her way to the stables. She walked into the stable her horse was in and petted him and groomed him humming to him while she did it.

"Is there anything you can't do?" Gawain asked walking in.

She looked over at him still brushing her horse. "What do you mean?"

He made his way to her leaning up against the door to the stable. "You can fight like a knight, you can out do even Tristan in throwing knives, who knows how many of us you could outdo with a sword or a bow, you can sing and dance like an angel (She smiled shaking her head flattered but disagreeing), and you are good with horses, not just a good rider. Is there anything you cannot do?"

She smiled to herself looking at her horse as she brushed him then looked back at him. "Fly." She said in a question like asking him if that was a good enough answer.

"Well no one can fly, is there anything you can't do that someone else can?"

"Hm…" she thought for a minute then laughing said "No." He laughed with her. "None that I have met anyway."

Brienna walked in.

"Ah, Brienna, good news."

"What might that be?"

"You can have your own horse instead of riding with your sister." He said walking over to another stable with a white horse and opening it.

"Oh good, riding is so much easier, and quicker, when only one person is on the horse."

"Well you didn't complain before."

"I didn't have a choice."

"She could have rode with one of us." Gawain said.

"I didn't think you would agree to that."

"I understand." He said letting her know he wasn't offended.

"Who's horse is he…or she I mean."

Gawain laughed. "She did belong to one of the other knights, but he was killed on our last mission."

"I'm sorry." Brienna said. Gawain nodded.

"Who killed him?"

"Woads."

Keena closed her eyes, she knew it but had hoped. She knew many of Arthur's knights had been slain by her people, just as her people had been slain by them. She used to – well, not hate them for it – but she didn't like them either, now she wanted to consider them her allies and possibly friends, but she feared once she returned to her people they would be the enemy again.

"Gawain." She said to get his attention.

"Yes Keena?" he asked walking over to her.

"I have to be honest, I know how many knights, your friends, your brothers, we have taken from you and likewise I know you have taken a number of my own people as well, and you used to be my enemy, but now I am not so sure…I mean right now, in this moment I want to believe we are not, but when we return and are once again at war will we be enemies again? I don't want that."

"Neither do we." Arthur said walking in. Gawain stood straight seeing his commander coming. "Keena, I must admit, you surprise me."

"You're not the first." She said. Gawain grinned, so did Arthur.

"I know. I am hoping that with your influence you can help us."

"How?"

"By talking to Merlin. You said you realize that we are not the enemy, only Rome. Perhaps you can convince Merlin of the same."

"He is not easily persuaded…and even if I do, it will more difficult to get the people to believe it. We are talking about over a decade of bloodshed between us, that is not easily forgiven."

"No it's not. I just don't want to lose anymore of my men, and I know you don't want any more of your people to die."

She shook her head.

"But, even if you cannot, you are not our enemy, you are welcome here."

"Thank you." She said and pulled her horse out of his stable and walked him outside where all the knights were waiting. She got on and looked back at her sister making sure she was ready.

"And when you see your father tell him Arthur Castus says hello."

"I will."

He walked away leaving his knights to say their goodbyes.

Lancelot was first. "I don't know what to say other than it was different…in a good way."

They grinned.

"Well I can say it was interesting meeting the two of you." Dagonet said. They just grinned. "You are brave women." He added.

"Thank you." They both said. He waved and then walked off.

"Just know that you earned my trust as well, which isn't an easy thing to do. But you could have left us to be slaughtered by your friend and his little army, and you didn't." Bors said.

She nodded. "Thank you."

"Be careful hm."

She nodded. Bors left with Dagonet who waited for him.

Bowen came forward next. "It was an honor to meet two women like you…I apologize for not being as friendly as some."

"It's alright, I didn't deserve it after how I acted."

"Be careful."

"Well, we may have gotten off on the wrong foot but it was an honor meeting you, both of you. And I hope it won't be that only time we meet." Galahad said from in front of Brienna, he was holding her horse petting it.

"You never know." Brienna said. "I certainly wouldn't mind meeting you again."

He grinned.

Gawain walked over. "I agree, it would be nice to see you again…as we've said many times, we just don't meet women like you."

"I'm sure this won't be the last time we see each other." Keena said.

"Be safe."

"You too, all of you, tell them I said so."

He nodded, gave her a small grin then walked away with Galahad. The only one left was Tristan. He made his way over grabbing her horse and petted it a bit before he thought of what to say.

"Instead of repeating what they said know that I agree with everything they said…you proved even a woman can be as great of a warrior as any man, even a Sarmatian knight, I respect that."

"Thank you…and I hope my challenge last night – "

"It was nothing."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. He looked the horse in the eye petting it and whispered something, neither one of them knew what he was saying. Brienna couldn't help but think of her sister, she talked to horses too.

Then he looked up.

"Be careful Tristan, you are too good of a knight to be rid of."

He smirked and nodded thanking her. "And you…until we meet again."

She gave him a grin, he backed away, the girls waved at everyone, they waved back and then they started riding. Gawain and Galahad watched from there until they couldn't see the girls anymore, the others went inside or wherever…and Tristan hid so no one would see that he was also watching the girls ride away.