Hihi!

I finally finished this chapter! Tbh, it was hard for me to think about what to write (curse you, writer`s block), but I made it through!

As I was writing, I realized how much I missed it. It`s summer, which means more time to write :D.

Also, if there are any grammatical errors, please tell me! I want to improve my writing SO much and I don`t want to be that writer who makes their stories hard to read...

If there are any Qs, I promise I will A back to you via messaging or at the end of this chapter if you are a Guest.

Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate series.


Chapter 8: Broken History part 2

The night was silent. Only the moonlight was shining through the empty square in the wall. I sat up in my cot, unable to sleep for the umpteenth time since my first arrival. This time, Helen was fast asleep, unaware of my wake.

Once a week I would get a dream or a memory of my time in Britain before the Battle. Dreams about my childhood, the moment I had taken Excalibur, the times I spent with Guinevere, and Lancelot. Lancelot. My best friend and my first love. He always stood by my side, no matter what.

Tonight, I had a dream about him. It was when we were getting ready to fight the final Battle, he and I were sitting next to a stream before joining the others:

"What did you tell Guinevere?" Lancelot asked in the dream.

"I told her that I'll be back in one piece. That's all," I remembered saying to him.

"Did she believe you?"

I pressed my lips into a thin line, "Yeah."

Lancelot sighed in relief, "Good."

Guinevere was always waiting for us to return. She knew that I was a girl after I had rejected the marriage between the two of us. She's been supporting me since then. Before I had left, she introduced me to her fiancé, who I knew was going to make her happy. Guinevere had seen me off with a sad smile and had given me her handkerchief.

In the memory-dream, Lancelot turned to me, "Arthuria, you are the King of Britain, the King of Knights. So whatever happens, don't throw yourself in head-first."

He analysed my reaction, and then he said, "Don't look at me like you don't know. I know you. You'll end up on the ground bleed just to protect a defenceless dog from a beating."

My face stretched into a wide smile, "You still remember that? That was when I was a new squire, I was eleven."

"Yes, that was the day I had met you, too. Look at us now."

I chuckled lightly. Lancelot was still watching me, adoration on his face, "I just wished that we didn't have to keep this a secret. We could have shared our vows."

My smiled diminished, thinking of the possible life as a female courting Lancelot. I looked away from him, trying to hide my embarrassment. He gently took my chin and moved my head so I faced him. "Please remember, that no matter where, or what, we'll be together. Okay?"

The stings of tears that were threatening to fall felt so real. The dream was that vivid. I held the tears at bay.

"Okay."

That's when the dream had ended. I had awoken from the dream; silent tears were streaming down my face. Without stirring Helen, I crept out of my cot and walked outside for some air. Jared was sitting on the slab of rock, staring at the sky night. After weeks have passed and he had realized I wasn't going anywhere, Jared became more civiler towards me. Tonight, his gaze was sad and distant instead of the glare I usually see. I quickly wiped my wet cheeks before I approached him, "Jared?"

He jumped up in the air before twisting around. "Whoa, you scared me!"

"Sorry," I apologized. "Can I sit next to you?" Jared narrowed his eyes, questions fuelled them, but instead he nodded. Once I sat, Jared kept giving me side-glances until he finally asked,

"What are you doing up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep. How about you?"

"Same, I've got some stuff on my mind," Jared answered with the same starry-eyed look.

The silence made me start to think of Lancelot and Britain. My chest felt a squeeze from my heart at the memories. I wondered if Lancelot is still alive.

"What did you say to the King's Guard?" Jared asked all of the sudden. He was giving me a scrutinizing look.

"I didn't say anything about you or the family. All he did was escort me back and asked if I wanted to go back," I said, trying to focus on the conversation instead of falling into my grief.

"Why don't you go back?" he questioned in a strained tone. Jared had said that he would try to be nicer to me. This was him trying.

I pursed my lips, thinking of a way of putting it without saying I hate the king, "I don't want to live the way they expect me to in their palace."

"And you prefer dirt floors and itchy clothing over marble grounds and silky gowns?"

I shrugged.

"I've never met a woman like you before." Diarmuid's warning popped into my mind.

"Do you know anything about the rebellion?" I asked, carefully watching his reaction. Jared's face turned grim. At first, I thought he wouldn't want to talk about it, but then he said, "I wasn't born yet when it happened. I only know what I've heard from my family. I'll never forget the expression of pain on my father's face when he told me that."

I nodded for him to continue.

"My grandfather was part of the rebellion. He was the leader of the group with his friend, Milo Khan, who betrayed him in the end. My grandfather just wanted to live a life back home. He didn't want to work for a man who had killed his friends. Back then, he and his friends were whipped if they had done anything that displeased the guards. No matter if they just spoke a word or stood there. They were merciless. My grandfather drew the line when the guards threatened to do the same to his children if he hadn't worked any faster. That's why they started to plan the rebellion in the first place. My grandfather was captured and killed for treason."

Jared paused, and turned to me. "You noticed how I don't have a mother, right?"

I nodded, realising he had become a loose cannon who cannot be stopped.

Jared balled up his fists tightly, "It had started when a man from the other camp wanted justice by killing our family for being disloyal to the King. He tried to go for me first, but my mother got in the way and took the knife instead. She died instead of me.

"Now, the whole kingdom is waiting to see if we'll conjure any rebellion again. History is hard to erase, but there are thing we can do the present. Maybe it's near the time to give them what they expect," Jared chuckled coldly at the last line and looked into my eyes with icy ones.

I faced the stare. If I had looked away, it would mean pity. Jared didn't want pity, he wanted vengeance. Jared hadn't said it, but it was clear in the way he said it all, and in the way his eyes grew grimmer. His true feelings were standing in between us in their raw, naked forms. I felt as if I was seeing a peek of him. And I didn't want to look away.

"Is it true? Did you actually strike King Gilgamesh?"

I sighed outwardly and rubbed my temples in attempt to chase away the memory. "Yes," I finally answered. Jared laughed. My answer, somehow, amused him.

"You really are strange, aren't you?" Jared said, his hand brushed my cheek when he pushed away a stray hair. I tried not to flinch at the touch.

"Is that bad? Being strange?" I kept hearing that lately. And I wasn't sure if it was a good thing.

"No. I'm not sure," Jared frowned, his hand touched my hand.

As if he had just touched fire, he was the first to jump off the rock. "It's almost morning, you should get to bed or Helen might notice you gone and wake the entire family."

"What about you?" I asked when he started to walk down the path opposite to where the hut was.

"I'm going to walk a bit! Don't follow me!"

I heard a chuckle behind me, "Boys, they are full of energy." I turned around to see Will standing at the entrance, watching his son run down the path with a warm smile.

"Did we wake you up with our chatter?" I asked the tired-looking man.

"Chatter?"

"It means a conversation," I explained.

"Oh, then no, you didn't. The men are awake during this time," Will answered with mirth.

"Oh."

Will sat down next to me. "I hope Jared isn't causing you any trouble."

"No, of course not!" I said almost immediately. I knew Jared wasn't very welcoming in the beginning, but ever since the night I had a nightmare, he began to warm up to me. Although, I get feelings that Jared is hiding something from the suspicious looks and glimpses I get from him.

"That's good," a relieved look on Will's face. "I better get ready for the day." He stood up and stretched with a groan.

I got up with him. "I should get breakfast ready then."

Just as we were going back in, Helen's head popped out. "There you are! Get back in here and help with breakfast! The soup isn't going to boil itself!" Her playful grin was shining brightly early in the morning.

I had the impression that she heard our conversation, but I mentally let it go. I smiled, "I'm coming."

For the next hour, we hurried to prepare for the day. I helped warming up the leftovers from last dinner and gathering the tools the men needed to work. I was the first to notice Jared coming back. His eyebrows were drawn together and his lips pursed in thought.

"Welcome back, Jared," I said to him, waking him from his stiff stupor.

"Oh, 'morning," He smiled halfheartedly. Jared looked wary, I was going to ask him if he was alright, but Terrance wrapped an arm around his neck playfully, "You better hurry and eat, or we'll leave you behind!"

Jared visibly relaxed and stuck his tongue out. He wedged his way out of his uncle's hold and went to look for breakfast. Terrance laughed at his nephew's quick retreat and left after saying good morning to me. I watched Jared gathering his food, thinking about what he said about the feud between the two camps. The way Jared was acting distant and cold when he was telling me his story made me wonder the extent of his hatred towards the country's royal family.

After the men left for work, the women and I left with our pots to get more water. When we got back, the daily routine of washing and cooking lunch began and ended as usual. We packed the lunch and headed to where the men were working.

As we were getting closer to the resting area, I heard someone yelling up ahead. The same squelching feeling was back in my stomach. The Kuman women stopped in their tracks, their faces consorted in mixed emotions of fear and worry.

"Oh boy," I heard Helen say. I snapped my head to see Helen purse her lips, her eyes distant. She suddenly turned to me, "Well? What are we standing here for?" Helen shifted the basket of food in a comfortable position in her arm before continuing on down the road.

For a beat, we watched her walk confidently. Despite knowing that Helen is planning on walking into a fight, I was impressed with Helen's strong will. I followed after her with the other women trying to catch up.

By the time we made it, Jorg was holding up Jared by his shirt. I watched Helen's face slowly turn cold and emotionless. An assertive tension was palpable in the atmosphere once everyone noticed Helen walking in.

"What is the matter?" Helen addressed both sides. Her eyes were trained on her grandson.

"Your grandson,"Jorg spat with disgust and tightened his hold on Jared's shirt, "was sneaking around the camps this morning and last night."

"Jared, is that true?" Helen asked with a leveled voice. Jared whipped to face Helen, determination was shown on his face, "It's not true."

Helen pursed her lips, and then she turned back to Jorg. "There. He didn't do it."

Jorg's face turned beet red. "Of course you would believe him, he's your grandson."

Helen took a step closer to Jorg, standing on her toes to reach his face. She gave him a hard stare. Jorg clenched his fists tighter as if he was about to pounce. Instinctively, I pulled Helen away and stepped in her place. If Jorg was going to swing, I would rather take the fall than watch Helen take it.

Everyone gasped in shock upon realizing what just happened. Jorg growled, "It's you, again."

"You got the truth. I think it`s best if you left, you might attract attention to the guards," I said, ignoring his menacing tone and pointed to the guards. Jorg hesitated, but went back to being angry.

Another man stepped beside Jorg and whispered quick sentences that made Jorg finally relax his stance. I tried to hear what the man told him, but the man spoke too quietly.

The man was as tall as Jorg, maybe even slightly taller. He had a bulky build from working and had a bald head. He was leaner than Jorg and had brown eyes that held sneaky intelligence.

Jorg's friend patted Jorg firmly on the shoulder and gripped it. He gave us a strained smile, "We're sorry for disturbing the peace." He turned to Jorg and said with even tighter smile, "Let's go."

Jorg shrugged him off roughly with a glare and went back to face us. He pointed to Helen, "You are messing with the wrong person. You'll see what happens to traitor, and liars. Mark my words, Helen." Jorg looked to me, "The next time we meet won't be without blood."

I glared at his back, his words held a promise, but underneath those words also held something deeper than a promise. He was plotting a plan and it had to do with that promise. His promise is just the beginning.

He, his friend, and their group left with hate trailing behind them. I could help but notice Jorg looking back at me with a deranged smile.


I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter!

Q&A:

Wonderful catxangel asked: "Does Arthuria still have Excalibur with her? And where is Excalibur anyway?"

Her sword is not with her at the moment, but fear not, it'll come in time. I found out something about the sword while doing some research on King Arthur (possibly watching movies involving the legend...:P) and I want to use what I found! ;)

I would like to thank the following readers for commenting and reviewing the story so far:

Briianna
all of the Guests

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and all of the other ones I missed! I love you all for reading this story so far!

With love,

taintedangel