Lessa and Galahad had just settled down sleep when there was a pounding on his door. Galahad shot up and out of bed, looking back at her with a concerned look on his face.
"Who is it?" he shouted, stepping towards the door as Lessa sat up and held the sheet up to her body. Who would be coming to his rooms at this time of night? She looked around frantically in case she needed to hide. Surely there was no way her father could have found out? He hadn't even bothered to come speak to them about the arrangements to leave yet.
Once she had had her things moved to Arthur's rooms it was as though he had washed his hands of her.
"It's Jols. You should come to the Wall. And quickly," he shouted through the door. Galahad quickly set about to getting dressed as Lessa looked around, grabbing at her clothes.
"Stay here," Galahad said, as he pulled on his breeches and boots, his tunic still hanging open.
"No, it sounded urgent," Lessa said, pulling her shift on and reaching for her boots. She didn't even bother with her dress, deciding time was of the essence.
"Lessa, we cannot be found out by you running from my rooms with me," he said, frowning at her. "Married or not, your father will make sure that you are on that caravan to Rome if he finds you've annulled your marriage to Arthur."
"I may be your wife, but I still have my own mind and get to make my own decisions," she said, pulling her cloak on. "Besides if anyone asks, we'll just say that Arthur sent you to fetch me." Galahad sighed and kissed her cheek.
"I'm not sure what I was thinking by marrying you," he said with a grin.
"You were thinking what great fun it would be," Lessa replied with a smirk. Galahad rolled his eyes as he opened the door and looked around the corridor. Once deeming it safe, he motioned to her and they both stepped out.
"Do you know what is going on?" Tristan asked as he joined them. Lessa jumped, not hearing him walk up.
"No, Jols just said to come to the Wall," Galahad replied. Tristan nodded as they continued, eventually joining up with Gawain and Lancelot, who smirked at the sight of Lessa in little more than a shift covered by a cloak.
"Shut it, Lancelot," Lessa said, giving him a warning look.
"I wasn't about to say a word," he replied.
They quickly made their way out of the barracks and to the main portion of the wall where many Roman guards were standing watch as Bors stumbled up to them. Lancelot bounded up the stairs first and immediately froze as he looked out over the parapet. Lessa felt her heart drop as she followed him.
"Oh god," she uttered as her hand flew to her mouth. It seemed like hundreds or thousands of campfires filled the land beyond the wall.
"Saxons," Gawain said as Arthur ran up the stairs behind them, Guinevere not far behind.
The knights looked to Arthur, who stared out at the fires, a solemn look on his face. Lessa pulled her cloak tighter around her.
"What do we do?" she asked, drawing Arthur's attention. He frowned slightly, not seeming happy to see her there. Especially as she had arrived before him. He looked passed her to the knights.
"Knights, I fear our journey together ends here," he said. Lessa's eyes widened as the realization of what he was saying hit her.
He wasn't going to Rome. He would stay and fight the Saxon army.
"This is madness," Lancelot shouted. "You cannot stay and fight an entire Saxon army on your own!"
"I must. But I will not ask you to share my fate. Go back to your homeland. Live your lives. I will stay here and fight," Arthur said before moving down the stairs. The men stood and looked out at the field. Lessa swallowed as fear struck her.
"Shouldn't you follow your husband, Lessa?" Brutus asked, walking up to the group. Lessa looked at him and then down after Arthur.
"Yes. I must go talk some sense into him," she said as she ran down the stairs, glaring at Guinevere on the way. She had no proof, but she already suspected Arthur's decision to stay had something to do with her. Galahad glared at the Roman soldier.
"Suspect the captain will insist on taking her to Rome with him tomorrow," Brutus commented. "Does make things a bit inconvenient, does it not?" Galahad started to lunge for him, before Lancelot blocked him.
"Not. Now," he whispered furiously. He spun Galahad around and pushed him towards the stairs, urging the rest of the men to follow before glaring back at Brutus.
"I know you have something planned," the soldier continued.
"There is an army of Saxons waiting out there to kill us all and you still cannot get over the fact that you lost!" Lancelot spat at him. Brutus stopped and blinked at the knight. "She will never be yours. We'll make sure to that." He then turned and stormed off after the others.
"You can't do this, Arthur!" Lessa shouted as she ran into his rooms behind him, her eyes bright with tears. He looked over at her.
"I must," he said.
"You'll die!" she shouted.
"Silence, Lessa!" Arthur roared. Lessa grasped at her cloak, not used to Arthur raising his voice at her. "I… I must do this. I know it complicates things for you, but we will figure that out."
"Arthur, I don't care about that right now. I care about you. Living," she said, stepping closer to him. "I may no longer be your wife, but I care for your safety all the same."
"Lessa… I am half Briton. I must stay and fight. Go live your life with your knight. Leave this place and be happy," Arthur said, dismissing her.
"There are things at play that you do not understand," Guinevere added as she stepped into the room behind Lessa. "This is bigger than just a fight." The blonde woman looked at her, unhappy that some woman who barely knew her - barely knew Arthur - had somehow convinced him he needed to stay and fight for the Woads.
"Things that I do not understand? I've known this man half my life. Who are you to, to tell me that I don't understand that he will die tomorrow if he stays!" Lessa shouted at her.
"He is fighting for freedom," Guinevere said, stepping closer to her.
"HE HAS FREEDOM!" Lessa shouted back.
"Lessa! Now is not the time," Lancelot said, rushing in. Lessa spun to look at him, her eyes alight with anger.
"Not is the time? There is an entire army of Saxons on our doorstep and Arthur thinks it's his duty to fight them!" Lessa shouted at him. Lancelot looked passed her towards Guinevere, something flickering in his eyes. Lessa looked over at the woman, noticing her walking towards Arthur. Lessa shook her head, not sure she wanted to know what was going on there.
"This is folly, Arthur," Galahad said as he and the rest of the knights filed into the room.
"It's not up for discussion," Arthur said, silencing them all. He looked at Lessa and Galahad, who had stepped to her side. "I will stay. But you should leave. Early. Ride as fast as you can for the next village. I will hold off Lessa's father. I hope in the confusion of the evacuation, he will not notice that she isn't there until you are far enough away."
"But," Lessa started.
"But nothing, Lessa. Now go," Arthur said, clearly dismissing them. Lessa resisted the urge to stomp her foot and instead turned and walked quickly out of the room. She didn't stop until she was in Galahad's rooms and began pacing.
"He can't possibly think this is the right thing to do," she muttered. Galahad sighed and shut the door behind him.
"We won't talk him out of it," he said solemnly. Lessa looked up at him and sighed.
"It's… it's… gah," she said, walking over and flopping down on the bed. Galahad moved to sit next to her.
"We mustn't dwell," he said softly.
"Your commander is going to his death tomorrow and you think we shouldn't dwell," Lessa said, tears falling down her cheeks.
"It is his decision," Galahad said, though there was anguish in his eyes. Lessa reached over and wrapped her arms around him.
"Maybe… maybe he won't die," she said softly. "Maybe it'll be okay." Galahad laughed softly.
"That was an abrupt change," he said. He reached down and tilted her chin up to face him. "I guess this means we have a wild ride ahead of us tomorrow."
"Good thing I have my breeches," Lessa replied. Galahad kissed her forehead and pulled her close, falling back on the bed.
"We should try and rest. Tomorrow will be a long day."
Okay, so I admit I was kind of rushing to get this one finished as well, but then I got pulled into writing it so I've decided to slow down a bit and let inspiration take me where it will. I'm really happy with a lot of writing I got done today, though the latest chapter... not so much. Trying to tie up some loose ends and whatnot, but I think I may end up deleting it and adding the important stuff into the chapter before that. It seems like a better place to end it, but not without mentioning a few things.
And now I've been going through When Arthur Met Guinevere and thinking about rewriting parts of that because I feel like the ending was too rushed and could be better. Bother... why do I create more work for myself?
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this latest chapter!
