"What do you think is so important about this family?" Gawain asked Bors.
Bors just shrugged and continued cleaning his sword although it was already clean. He didn't want to leave his family. They meant so much to him although he didn't show it much but he loved them more than anything else in the world.
Will held the rope halter around the grey stallions head as Jols slowly approached him with a saddle. Arthur had only agreed she go with them under the condition she use the proper equipment.
"Easy boy, there, there," soothed Will was the stallion snorted.
Jols didn't look to confident. He already had a bandaged arm from just feeding the damn thing.
The stallion stomped a hoof as Jols lowered the saddle onto his back. He stiffened but continued as he swung the girth over. He trusted Will to keep the stallion steady.
Galahad was already riding his horse. He rode it around in circles just inside the entrance to the stables. He was trying to loose some of the anger that boiled inside of him but it seemed the horse was paying for it.
"Galahad! Give the horse some slack. He's gonna be carrying you a pretty long way," said Gawain to calm his young friend down.
Galahad slowed the horse down but did not stop. He still wore the same angry face.
Jols now leaned against the stable wall sighing in relief. He was quite proud of himself. He hadn't gained even a scratch while putting the saddle on the grey stallion but had left the bridle to Will.
Every night turned as Arthur entered the stable. He wore a sorry and hurt look but tried to his it with his head held high nobly as he passed Galahad.
Galahad did not even try to hide the glare he gave Arthur. Will felt sorry for the commander.
Arthur walked towards the saddles that hung on racks on the wall and took his own to saddle his horse.
Then the bishop entered.
He wore a gleeful smile as if it was a blessing the knights were going away on such a dangerous mission.
"Ah my brave knights," he exclaimed as his smile began to fade. Each knight did not fail to hide their hatred of the man. Dagonet pushed past the bishop baring his axe to the man.
"Um, my secretary Horton will accompany you," he said with a flicker of fear as the rat-like man stood beside him holding his disgustingly ugly head high as if he thought he was somewhat important.
Arthur nodded unwillingly.
"Jols, find him a horse".
Horton walked past Germanius and followed Jols to a large, furious looking beast.
Will knew Jols had picked that horse in hope that it threw Horton and cracked his head open.
Germanius passed a fleeting look over Will. He didn't like her and really Will didn't like him either.
"I thought you said she was not a knight?" asked the bishop nodding his head in her direction.
"Well she is now," spat Dagonet at the bishop.
Will puffed out her chest a little in pride. Was she now a knight? She gloated at Dagonet's words and felt her cheeks brighten a little.
Germanius gave an unlikely nod and looked to Arthur.
"You're papers will be here waiting," he said just about to walk off but Arthur stopped him.
"I will hold you to you're word bishop," he said threateningly. No one but Arthur and the bishop knew what Arthur's words actually meant but it seemed to scare the bishop a little.
For the next half an hour they finished preparing. Will calmed the stallion a little. He had never worn a saddle before and was a little jumpy.
"If you're a knight you should be able to control your horse," said Horton seeing the stallion pig route a little.
The horse he sat on stood there calmly and seemed not to mind Horton sitting on him at all. Jols walked up to the horse and whispered something in his ear that only Will and the horse heard.
"Traitor".
The horse seemed to feel bad for betraying Jols to this man and immediately began pig routing as if to make it up to him.
Horton clung to his neck in fear.
"Can't say the same for you can I," spat Will. She heard the knights all give a short laugh.
Suddenly Tristan approached the horse and slung a bow into the saddle along with another sword. He put a small quiver of arrows on the other side.
"You'll need them," he said seeing the questioning look on Will's face. But she was merely surprised because the stallion had immediately stopped being nervous as soon as Tristan had approached.
"Thankyou".
Tristan walked back to
Arthur mounted his white horse and the knights followed curfew. They were ready.
Will took a deep sigh as they made the horses walk to the first gate to save their energy a little. Her heart was pounding hard inside her chest. She was so nervous and felt as if she could faint.
Soon they were racing out of the far gate and out into the open Briton, above the wall.
The stallion seemed to love the ride towards the freedom and thoughts of the woads entered her mind. Would Merlin be there? Will suddenly felt a need to speak to Merlin. After all he was a friend of hers and her mother's husband.
They rode and rose and never even slowed down when they entered the forest with Horton bringing up the rear.
Tristan raced further ahead to scout. Arthur led them all.
Will herself was behind Dagonet and in front of Galahad.
The ride went on and on until they stopped by a stream for a rest. So far there had been no trouble.
Tristan returned with no news of danger or anything like that.
Will found herself always looking about to catch sight of any woads.
"We will take it slow from here for the horses and camp further up the stream tonight," explained Arthur as they remounted.
So they continued in a fast trot and following Arthur's orders made camp at sunset.
Will took the saddle from the stallions back and he reared up with glee, free from the tight girth.
She placed the saddle next to the knight's ones beside the fire so they could use them as saddles.
Not many conversations were made that night. Really the knights and Horton all simply lay down and went to sleep, not even bothering with supper.
Will didn't fall asleep that easily. Her thoughts wandered from their mission to the little seven, or Orlon as he was now called.
Little Orlon was almost a replica of her father. Maybe that was why Will loved him so much.
Suddenly Tristan sat up as fast as lightning. He slept beside her and Dagonet on the other side.
Tristan stared at a tall tree and Will could only just see his face with help from the dying fire.
His eyes looked up and down the tree. Then they rested just where the two tree branches broke away from each other. He stared threateningly at it and Will wondered what was there.
Then as her eyes focused on the tree she could just see a figure perched up there, or was it merely her eyes playing tricks.
She gasped slightly as the figure suddenly disappeared. There had been someone there.
Tristan turned to face her as she sat up.
"It's alright," he said reassuringly. But Will was not satisfied. She was almost certain that Tristan knew also what it had been. A woad.
Will had recognised it by how they were hidden in the tree. Tristan's ordinary face stared into the fire and he leant on his knees. He did not seem worried but was willing to stay awake in case of an attack.
Will wondered what he was thinking. Did the silent scout even think at all for he never talked?
Quietly Will stood up and walked down to the stream telling Tristan she just wanted a drink.
Luckily the stream was a fair way away from their camp so he would not see her.
Will looked desperately around for the woad. Had it just been her imagination? She had recognised the woads built body. She knew exactly who it was.
Suddenly she heard a gentle thump and she spun around. The moonlight showed the man that stood behind her.
"I haven't seen you for awhile Will," said the man. He was tall and built but also quite thin. His long, straight and knotted hair hung limply down to the middle of his back.
His bared chest was covered in blue woad paint. His kind and gentle face bore a smile.
"The same goes for me, Julius," answered Will. Memories flooded back to her.
Long ago, when Will had turned thirteen the marrying age her mother had begged her to agree to marrying a woad boy. This woad boy.
Then Julius had been fifteen and very eager to marry her. But Will had not returned the favour. She had never wanted to marry nor had she ever really wanted to be with a man since her father's death.
"How are you?" she asked the woad. Julius sat down on a rock and Will did the same.
"Oh I'm fine".
"Are you married?"
"No".
The answer came as a shock to Will. Julius had always been a very handsome young man and also quite popular with the other girls.
"You?" he asked looking straight at her.
Will shook her head with a smile. She felt a little guilty. After all her mother had said she had broken his heart after not marrying him.
"What on earth are you doing with Sarmatian knights Will?" he asked.
Will shrugged.
"They are my kind".
"Will, you are our kind. You are woad".
"I am also Sarmatian Julius and nothing will change that".
Julius sighed heavily.
"Why them over us?" he asked. He was asking why she stayed with the knights and didn't return to the woads.
"You wouldn't understand Julius".
Will wasn't even sure if she understood fully why she stayed with the knights.
"Will they are our enemy".
"Wrong, they are your enemy".
Julius looked to the rushing water of the stream.
"Come back with me Will. Come home and marry me," he pleaded. Will sighed. They had been through this the night he had proposed to her a few years back.
"Julius, my home is not with you or anyone of woad, not even my mother".
Julius looked hurt by her words. He also looked angry.
"Then you would betray us for them. Become one of them," he said as his voice rose a little.
"Wake up Julius I am one of them!" said Will frustrated. Julius glared at her and suddenly ran off. He ran into the forest and Will sat there angrily. She had hurt him but he had asked for it.
Will stood up furiously ad began to head back to the camp. But she ran into someone's strong body and looked up to find Tristan standing there.
Fear engulfed Will. Had he seen her with Julius? Would he tell Arthur? What would Arthur do then?
Will swallowed and waited for Tristan to act. What would he do?
The next chapter defines wether tristan trusts her, likes her or merely despises her. Stay tuned folks! XOXO