Wrongfully Accused – Chapter 8

Arthur stood up as his door into his chamber burst open. He watched in amazement as Tristan stormed in pulling Amelia behind him. Arthur nearly dropped the scroll of parchment he was holding as Tristan pushed the woman to her knees in the centre of the floor.

"What is this?" Arthur asked as he walked over to them. Lancelot had now entered the room and Arthur realised that he shut the door to allow privacy.

"I found her in the woods." Tristan said in disgust. "With Merlin!" Arthur stared down at Amelia, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Disarm her." As Arthur said this he looked down at Amelia and saw her loving eyes gazing up at him. Was it possible for her to betray them?

Tristan tried to pull the woman up but she pushed him away.

"I will do it myself." She said as she stood up. She removed her two twin blades and placed them at Arthur's feet. She nodded to him.

"And the rest." Tristan whispered from behind her. She closed her eyes slightly before pulling up her dress and pulling out a dagger that was strapped to her leg. She threw it at Arthur's feet.

"I have been nothing but loyal to you Arthur, I would not betray you and the Knights, you saved my life." She said calmly as she looked up to the commander. He stared at her but said nothing.

"Lock her up!" He said to Tristan. Tristan grabbed her arm quickly but she got from his grasp the panic spreading through her.

"Please Arthur let me explain." She begged as she fell to her knees.

"I said lock her up!" Tristan grabbed Amelia quickly and held her tightly. She tried pulling away but found that his strong arms were too tightly entwined around her body.

"Arthur he caught me killing his men! He told me terrible things that are to happen!" She screamed this as Tristan pushed her from the room. "Arthur!"

"Wait!" Arthur shouted as he followed them out of the room. Tristan stopped and turned Amelia to face Arthur, tears in her eyes.

"What did he tell you?" Arthur asked.

"Why should I tell you now, you do not believe me!" Tristan pushed her against the wall so hard that she cried out. Lancelot stood beside Arthur, his pleading eyes secretly telling her to speak.

"The Saxons are to invade." She said quietly.

"What?" Lancelot said.

"Small army's have been travelling the country, Merlin fears that an invasion is close. He said that Roman and Saxon must unite for one common cause."

"I will never unite with Woads!" Arthur said in anger.

"You are thinking of yourself Arthur." She said with the same amount of anger. "You may have lost your Mother to the woads but so did I. Think of your Knights, they have lost their whole families because of Rome's greed!"

"How do you know that?" Lancelot asked.

"My mother told me. She said that by AD 183, the Roman Empire had extended from Arabia to Britain. But the Romans wanted more - more land and more people loyal and subservient to them. Of all of the people conquered by Rome, however, none were as important as the once-powerful, defeated Samartian cavalrymen. In exchange for their lives, and the lives of their families, these Samartian warriors were incorporated into the Roman military. Many of them believed that it would have been better if they had died instead, for the second part of the bargain they struck, indebted not only themselves, but also there sons, and there sons after to serve the Empire as Knights."

"Your mother taught you well." Arthur said, she nodded.

"The Saxons will attack Arthur, of you do not unite with the woads then there will be no defeating them."

"You struck a bargain with him?" Tristan asked.

"I am to kill no more of his men and in return he will harm no Romans. He also hoped that the Romans would not attack the woads. Every man is vital when the Saxons do arrive."

"I will agree to this, but he cannot expect forgiveness Amelia. I will not offer it." Arthur said.

"I told him the same Arthur. I cannot forgive him for what he did to my family." He nodded. "Do you believe me when I say that I meant no harm?" He nodded.

"I do Amelia, you must forgive my behaviour." She nodded her head to him. "Release her Tristan." The Knight stood back and Amelia thanked Arthur.

As she lay in her room later that night she sighed, she had nearly been sent to prison by Arthur, the forgiving Arthur. Amelia had finally realised after the days events that Arthur was a forgiving man when it did not involve the woads. She laughed at herself, she had got herself into a lot of danger with Merlin and Arthur, danger she knew inside that she would not get into again.