Disclaimer: same as before
Tracy 137: Thank you. I really respect your opinion. I have loved all your stories. And you also are one my fav author list along with all three of your stories. I had to put those rain scenes in, I just couldn't resist. Thanky ou for reading.
Thank you all for your reviews...did not have enough to reply to all...have to go to class. I will next chapter.
Justice Will Rhyne
Chapter Seven-Visions
Rhyne awoke before the sun appeared above the horizon. They were facing each other in the bed. Both his arms were around her and her head rested on his chest. She smiled and kissed his chest lightly. His thumb started to caress the skin on her shoulder. Rhyne looked up at him and saw his eyes were open. "How long have you been awake?" She whispered.
"For a while. I didn't want to wake you. You are so peaceful when you sleep. How can you have such horrible dreams that you wake up as you did that night?"
"Well, I don't always have you in my arms, do I?" Rhyne leaned up and kissed him. His grip around her tightened. She pulled back after a few moments. "I need to go get ready. And take a bath." She stood and started to dress.
Tristan lay watching her. "What do you want to tell them?"
She knew what he meant. "Well, we can tell them now, or tell them later. Or just walk out to the stables with arms around one another. Everyone knew it would happen sooner or later." She continued gathering her clothes, which were scattered around his room.
"I'll take number three."
Rhyne slipped on her boots, but didn't tie them. Then she looked at him. "I like that one too." She bent down and kissed him one last time. She tried to pull away but he wouldn't let her. She laughed through their lips.
Rhyne eventually pulled free. She popped her head out of the door and looked up and down the hall. No one was coming. She blew one more kiss to Tristan and went out the door. She closed it softly behind her and then she was suddenly knocked into from behind.
Sparrow awoke as an arm moved around her waist. She could feel Lancelot's breath on the back of her neck. Her head rested on his shoulder and his arm was tightly around her waist. She looked out the window. The sun hadn't risen yet, but she could see the blue sky slowly appearing over the horizon.
Sparrow turned around to face him. She almost laughed when she saw that he almost grinned when he slept. She watched him for a few moments then stood from the bed slowly and started to dress. Before she walked out the door she kissed his sleeping lips. He stirred, but still slept. He grinned that grin, the one she fell for. And he started to mumble something. "Sparrow…I love you."
She couldn't move. He had said it last night, in the heat of the moment, but so did she. It meant nothing. You say a lot of things you don't mean in moments like that, like when you are angry; things just slip out. This was different. This was like speaking in your fever. These things you mean.
He awoke as she was kneeling there next to him. "Sparrow. Are you okay?" He leaned up onto his elbows.
"Yes." She looked into his eyes. "You said, you loved me." She sat down next to him.
Lancelot put his arms around her. "And I do." She didn't look at him. "I am no going to lie to you. I have been with a number of different women. But the way you make me feel, it's different than anything I have ever felt. Every time I look at you, touch you, kiss you, I feel a fire flowing through my veins. And you said you felt it too."
"I did, and I do, even now. But do you know its love."
"What else could it possibly be?" He kissed the side of her head.
"Lancelot, I'm only fourteen. You are ten years older than me."
"Don't worry. We'll make it work. If I ever hurt you, you can kill me yourself. Just promise me one thing."
"What." She said very distraughtly.
"That you'll let me have at least one of my swords, so I can have at least a fighting chance against you." She looked at him and he grinned. Sparrow smiled, and he erupted in laughter. She thumped him.
Lancelot leaned in and kissed her, deeply. "I need to go, before anyone else gets up." She gave him one last kiss before opening the door. She looked back one more time and he mouthed 'I love you'. She blew him a kiss and went out. Sparrow closed the door softly. She was tying on her trousers as she walked to her room and bumped into something in front of her. Sparrow screamed, and fell backwards. The person in front of her jumped forward a few feet.
Sparrow saw who it was. "Mother! What are you doing outside?" She stood.
"Sparrow? What are you doing out?" Rhyne eyed her daughter questionably. The door in front of them opened, and Sparrow screamed again. Tristan came out, with sword in hand. His clothes looked as if they were shuffled on. Lancelot's door opened and he stepped out with just his trousers on.
"What's going on?" Tristan asked.
"Nothing. We just startled each other. It's okay." Rhyne said.
"Why did you scream?" Lancelot asked.
"I was startled. Wasn't watching where I was walking." Sparrow explained.
A door further down the hall opened. "What's going on?" Galahad yelled. Still with a bit of a slur.
"Nothing, go back in your rooms." Rhyne said down to him.
"I heard a scream."
"Yeah. That was me. It was nothing." Sparrow said.
"A scream is not just nothing," another voice said from across the way.
"Well, it was nothing this time Gawain. Go back in your rooms." Sparrow snapped.
A door opened beneath him Bors came out. "What is everybody yacking and screaming about at this hour!"
"Shh! Bors, it's okay, we just scared each other." Rhyne tried to explain. But everyone started to ask more questions. The entire hall was now full of noise. Dagonet opened his door but said nothing.
Arthur came around the corner from behind Rhyne. "What's going on? I can hear all of you from my quarters. What are you all doing?" He was slightly angry.
"Sparrow screamed." Gawain said.
"Twice." Galahad pointed out.
"I was startled." Sparrow tried to explain.
"From what?" Bors asked.
"Her." Sparrow pointed to Rhyne.
"Why?" Arthur asked.
"She bumped into me." Rhyne said.
"Why?" Bors asked from below.
"I wasn't watching where I was walking." Sparrow explained.
"You two bumped into each other in the hall, then she screamed, twice. And then you lot came out to see what happened."
"Exactly." Tristan said leaning up against his door.
It was silent for a moment. "Wait. Why were you two walking in the halls to begin with?" Arthur now looked absolutely confused.
"That's what I want to know?" Gawain said crossing his arms. The rest of the knights nodded in an agreement, except for Lancelot and Tristan. Lancelot looked down and started scratching his head, while Tristan looked down trying to hide a smirk. He didn't hide it very well.
"You are smiling." Gawain pointed to Tristan. "Why are you smiling?" He looked at Tristan questionably for a moment. "And you." He now looked over to Lancelot. "Where are your cocky remarks? I haven't heard one." Lancelot just shrugged. "The first time in your life and you have nothing to say." He just looked at him for a moment. "Something is going on here."
Everyone was now looking at Gawain. "He's right. Something is strange." Bors commented.
"Oh come on, knights. It's not that strange." Dagonet's first words of the morning. "Rhyne came from Tristan's room, and Sparrow from Lancelot's. They knocked into each other when walking back to their own rooms, and all this mess started."
Everyone eyes were now shifting between Rhyne and Sparrow. The silence was broken with Rhyne's laughter. "I'm impressed. Besides Tristan, he must be the only smart observational one of you lot." There was no laughter except for Rhyne's because everyone was still confused.
Bors finally cut through her laughter. "Hey! It's about time. Good for you fellas! This calls for a drink."
"Bors! It's not even dawn." Gawain point out.
"So."
"Bors. For you, anything is a cause to celebrate." Rhyne leaned against the wall next to Tristan. This time she got laughter from her remark.
"Okay, okay. You knights better start getting ready. It's not too long before dawn." Arthur walked away then.
Rhyne looked over to Tristan. "Well, I guess we'll have to take choice number four." He nodded in agreement. She kissed him. "I'll meet down at the stables." Rhyne started to walk to her room, but noticed the silence around her. She brought her head up and all the knights were staring. "What!" No answer. "Oh come on. Is it that much of a surprise." Rhyne walked into her room a little annoyed.
Their eyes shifted to Sparrow. "Oh no. You're not getting a proof kiss from me." She then disappeared into her room quickly. The knights were left to stare at each other. Lancelot and Tristan quickly ducked into their rooms.
"Well. They're right. Why are we surprised?" Gawain asked.
"I don't know." Galahad wondered. The rest simply just shrugged and all disappeared into their rooms. The halls were quiet once more.
Rhyne closed the door behind her and turned her attention towards the bed. Hawk was lying on, dead asleep. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Hawk mumbled something without looking up. "I know you're sleeping. I meant in my bed?" He mumbled something again. "Well, it doesn't matter now, because very soon I will be moving next door, with Tristan." She whispered it into his ear. He popped his head up. "Yep, that's right. Now you can have your own room, as long as Arthur allows it."
Rhyne walked up to the tub. The water was cold from last night, but the coldness would be good to her. Her skin was sticky from sweat, and it would wake her up.
After her bath she dried and dressed. She put most of her hair in random braids, getting it out of her face. She put on her sleeveless tunic, meant to be worn under her armor. Rhyne slipped on her boots and checked both knives to make sure they were sharp. Then she lifted the chest and took out her weapons, armor and packing bags. She packed only changes of trousers and tunics, and two cloaks. And packed one of her father's books, The Iliad.
"Hawk, come here." The wolf came to her. Rhyne knelt on the floor and he sat before here. She took his head in her hands and touched her forehead to the top of his head. "Goddess, watch over us as we go on this quest. Guide our hands, that we may sustain justice on this soil. Protect and watch over our brothers. Give me strength that I may fulfill my task to these people." She tied a beaded necklace around his neck. And another around hers. "So mote it be."
Rhyne buckled her new forearm coverings around her arms, and then showed them to Hawk. "Aren't these great?" He nodded. Tristan walked in.
"You ready?" He was carrying his pack bags and already had his travel armor on.
"Yeah. Just help put these on," she said pointing to the chest plate and shoulder covers.
"Where did you get these?"
"It was my fathers. Arthur had it remodeled to fit me. Aren't they beautiful?"
"Yes, they are well made," he commented while buckling her chest plate on. Then he attached the leather skirts, and then moved to the shoulders.
"Did you pack any food yet?"
"No."
"Well, I got some for you." He motioned towards one of his bags. Tristan then noticed her arm covers. "What are these?" He picked up one of her arms and studied the blade.
"Arthur's idea." Rhyne just smiled. "How do I look?"
Tristan looked her over. "The armor fits perfectly. You look like a knight." She walked towards him and put her arms around his neck. They kissed. Rhyne slid her fingers through his hair. He groaned slightly and pulled her hips tight to his. "I don't like armor on when doing this, I can't feel you," she said with lips against his.
"Well, we will just have to wait til tonight then."
She pulled away from him with a stunned look, and punched his chest. "You are so bad."
He smiled and handed her belt that had two sheathed daggers attached. "Come we must go." She buckled the belt at her hips. Then he held out Titan. "This is a good sword. Designed much like mine."
"Yes, but lighter, and a little shorter." She took it in her hand, and suddenly she was no longer in her room, or in the fort. She was in a small clearing. Bodies lying all around her. She could smell blood, and could feel her blood on fire. She was raging with anger. And then, she saw in the distance a body she recognized. Sparrow. Then everything went black.
Rhyne woke up from the vision on her knees, and Tristan was calling her name. "I'm fine," she heard herself say.
"Fine? You just collapsed."
Rhyne stood on her feet. Her head was pounding. "That's how it happens." She said simply.
"How what happens?" Tristan was confused. He didn't show it, but she heard it in his voice.
"My visions. I collapse when they come to me. And wake up when they are over." Rhyne splashed cold water on her face.
"Visions? I don't understand."
"When I was fifteen I was dedicated to the Goddess for life. I became a witch under her service." She was now strapping Titan over her shoulder, and it sat contently on her back. "Since then I have had visions. Of my past, others past, the present. And at times, even things that have not yet come to pass. This is one of those times, and this is something I have to stop." She threw her packed travel bags over her shoulder. And took Draco in her other hand. "I need to speak with my daughter." Rhyne walked out the door with Hawk at her heels. Tristan eventually followed.
Hope you all like it. Thanks.
