Chapter 9
After a half-hour, they rode once more—and all throughout the night until morning, which they gave the horses a half-hour rest. And that pattern continued for two more days, in which Adena was now ridding with Lancelot at night to sleep. On the fifth day, the morning was foggy and raining, the group of nine sitting beneath the shelter of trees, resting the horses.
Adena stood at the edge, holding out her left arm out to the rain with a smile. The knight's spoke quietly, making jokes, as Horton stayed away from them, watching the woman carefully. Adena then walked into the clearing, bringing down her arm, and looked up. She closed her eyes, loving the feel of rain pouring down on her.
"You will become ill if you do not return to the shelters of the trees." Lancelot stern voice startled her.
She blushed when she noted everyone staring with smiles on their faces. The young woman quickly walked over to Lancelot, who held her cloak open for her. He wrapped the cloak around her, keeping his arms around her waist. He has seen her out in the pouring rain in the past and had always liked how her clothes stuck to her frame and her hair clinging down her neck and face.
Smiling softly, Lancelot gave her a peck in the lips before kissing her nose. Adena twitched her nose, smiling in amusement at the knight. She would have never thought he would be so affectionate with her in front of others—especially his brothers in arms.
"Come on, love birds; food's ready!" Bors cried out to them.
The knight's laughed while the young woman blushed. The couple walks over to them, Adena smiling shyly at them.
"You know, you should name that horse, now that you have tamed him." Gawain told the woman.
Adena hummed, looking over to the Thessalina as he stood beneath the rain, eating some grass. She tilted her head slightly to the left, seeing how his coat shined when he moved, and how he blended well with the darkness.
"Midnight," she said out loud.
The group was startled to hear her speak but was also surprised to see the stallion responding to the name. Adena smiled and looked back to the group before looking to Lancelot for some sort of approval.
Lancelot smiled, taking hold of her hand and leaning next to her ear. "The name is perfect. But whatever other name you would have given him would have been fine as well."
Smiling shyly, the young woman looked down at the fruit she took out of her bag.
"Why are you eating only fruit?" Bors asked suddenly. "You need more meat in your bones, girl!"
Adena blushed shyly, placing a piece of strawberry into her mouth.
"Aye, especially if you will be birthing Lancelot's children." Galahad joked.
Adena choked, spitting out the strawberry and coughing. The knight's laugh at this, as Arthur and Lancelot glare at the laughing young knight. Lancelot patted the young woman's back, knowing that she wasn't expecting that–she was still not used to being around the other knight's teasing her. He handed her his flask, which she took gratefully and drank her fill. Clearing her throat, she handed the flask back and started to put away her fruit.
"I was only joking, Ena!" Galahad laughed, using the children's nickname.
Adena looked at the young knight with some disapproval but didn't say anything. She just kissed Lancelot in the cheek, stood, and walked over to her bedroll that the knight had laid out for her a few hours ago. The knight's looked at each other, having seen the disapproval look the young woman gave Galahad for using the nickname.
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Adena didn't sleep and just looked out towards the woods, tuning out the knight's talk. She was tired, but she felt uncomfortable; and anxious to what is going to happen. Adena knew she wasn't supposed to be there, let alone involved with one of the knight's that was destined to die.
It was an hour when Horton went to sleep, then three hours when the knight's decided to sleep as well; spreading about to keep an ear open for an enemy. Adena tensed when she felt someone lying next to her, wrapping their arm around her waist. But when she heard the whispers he spoke, Adena immediately relaxed, exhaling slowly.
"Why are you still awake?" he asked softly, nuzzling the back of her neck. "When you are very tired?"
Adena turned in his arms, looking up at him through her eyelashes. Lancelot's eyes darken, his hold on her waist tightening a bit. Adena brought up a hand and brushed some curls away before wrapping her arms around his waist.
"I felt uncomfortable," she told him truthfully in a whisper. "I felt eyes on me from both the woods and the group."
Lancelot's arms gripped her, Adena looking at him curiously. He sighed and kissed her slowly, knowing who it was that was watching her within the group.
"Horton, he has been watching you since we've met that Roman commander." the knight said angrily.
Sensing jealously, Adena kissed him slowly, her hands roaming up and down his back. She pulled back and smiled shyly at the knight.
"I doubt he would do anything to me here or when we return." she told him. "They all fear the knights."
Lancelot pushed the young woman to her back, holding her wrists near her head. He smirked down at her surprise and blushing face. She didn't like to show her sexuality in front of others, even when they were not paying attention to them.
"You know these stories, yet you do not fear me. Why?"
Adena smirked. "It is like I said; the Roman's made you who you are, it was not your fault."
Lancelot kissed her, smiling softly at her. "Good answer."
"Good, now get off before someone sees." Adena said, looking to the left at the other sleeping knight's.
Smirking, Lancelot leaned down and kissed the young woman when she looked back at him. The other knight's immediately left her mind as she kissed back, wrapping her legs around the knight's waist.
"You two should really go into the forest for that." Galahad said out loud.
Adena blushed furiously and buried her head into Lancelot's shoulder, trying to shrink away as the laughter from the other knight's could be heard. Jokes were thrown at them as Lancelot moved to lie beside the young woman. Adena sighed as Lancelot held her close to him, letting sleep finally claim her, the knight's laughter fading.
By morning they ate quickly and were on their way. Adena was able to keep up with them at the pace the knight's are used to. Of course the day was dark, grey, and sprinkling. As the group continued through the thick forest, Lancelot had transferred the young woman to his horse as she wasn't experienced enough. Adena looks about the dark forest, the feeling of being watched making her uncomfortable once more.
"Woads," Tristan told them. "They're tracking us."
The knights look about them, Adena gripping the saddle beneath her.
"Where?"
"Everywhere," Adena said fearfully.
Lancelot brought the woman closer to him, trying to calm her down. The horses started to shift nervously, Adena knowing it was due to the Woad's crawling under the bushes. Then suddenly, arrows attached with rope and thorn shoot out, blocking their path.
"Get back!" Lancelot yelled.
Dagonet repeats the order to the others. "Get back."
The group turns and tries to find another path, but they eventually get cornered and surrounded by Woad's. Arrows whiz by them, some narrowly missing Dagonet, before they came up to another dead end.
Then a net of spikes came up from the ground as arrows were being shot towards them but not hitting their targets. Trying to back out of the arrows way, Arthur somehow managed to take the group through another path, galloping as fast as they can. Soon arrows attached with spiked ropes stop them from going any further.
"This way!" Arthur yells, going to the left.
But the group did not get any further as more spiked ropes now surround the group, making them look around, taking out their weapons. Then a distant horn from somewhere above them is heard, making everything quiet and still. Everyone waits to see what was to happen next, some holding their breaths. The Woad's back off, still aiming their weapons towards the Knights and Horton.
"What are you waiting for?" Gawain yells at them.
Another horn sounds off and the Woad's completely disappeared into the forest. Adena buries her face into Lancelot's shoulder, getting goose bumps. It reminded her of the horror movies and stories from back in her time. Only now it was happening to her.
"Inish," Dagonet says, as they all look around. "Devil ghost."
"Why would they not attack?" Gawain asks in no one particular.
"Merlin doesn't want us dead." Arthur told the group.
Arthur and Dagonet cut the spiked ropes and continued on their way. Lancelot soothed the terrified woman, who looked over to the woods, having seen how the Woad's looked at her; as though they were waiting for the moment to strike her or something else.
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The group rode throughout the day, and night, wanting to get to the estate as quickly as possible. Because the forest had become even thicker, Adena continued to ride with Lancelot. They got there early next morning, the group quiet. Adena woke to Lancelot's hand creeping underneath her shirt, kissing the side of her neck. She moans quietly, biting the inside of her cheek. Lancelot smirked against her skin, bringing his hand down to her waist, and moved his lips to her ear.
"We are about to arrive, you must wake." he whispered before kissing below her ear.
The young woman sighed, opening her eyes to see a hut through the trees. Arching her back to stretch it out, the Lancelot's eyes darken at the view he gotten. She looks back at him and blushes as she noted his staring. Though she couldn't help but smirk as she couldn't believe that she was able to give the man desire without even trying.
Then she tried to hide her smirk as Lancelot's eyes flickered to her mouth, but it was too late he had seen it. He raised an eyebrow at the blushing woman, who cleared her throat and sat up straight. It didn't take long for the group to reach the estate, where the mercenaries closed the gate on them.
"Who are you?" one of them called down to the group.
"I am Arthur Castus, commander of the Sarmatian knight's and by Bishop Germaius of Rome. Open the gate." he ordered.
They opened the gates, Marius accompanied by several mercenaries. Adena tunes them out, looking around at the villagers. She studies them and the place in which they live, seeing their bodies almost skin and bones. Then she looks over to the Roman in front of them, seeing a boy, Alecto, walking towards them with a woman, Fulcinia who was his mother.
She noted then how one of the Roman's was looking at her. Adena leaned back into Lancelot, wanting to become invisible, not wanting to be the center of attention. Seeing this, Lancelot wrapped his right arm over Adena's waist, his cloak covering her. The Roman looked up to the knight but quickly looked away in fear. Adena smiled, looking to her left at the villager's looking at them curiously.
"Get back to work! All of you! Get back to work!"
Adena was suddenly startled out of her thoughts. She looked back to the scene before the, Arthur now standing in front of Marius. The fat Roman takes a step back, watching Arthur carefully.
"If I fail to bring you and your son back, my men can never leave this land." he told him angrily. So you're coming with me if I have to tie you to my horsed and drag you all the way to Hadrian's Wall myself." Arthur mocks a bow at him, "my lord." he turns to the Fulcinia, "Lady, my knight's are hungry."
Fulcinia puts a hand on her husband, who looks at her sideways. "Go." he tells her quietly.
Marius and Arthur stare each other down, wondering who would back down. Finally, it was Marius who turned to leave.
"Come,"
Unfortunately for him, Alecto didn't follow. Adena turned to Lancelot, who moved his horse around towards the path they had just come from, shaking his head at his friend.
"Put me down, please." she told him quietly.
Lancelot frowned but nodded, looking about. "I want you to stay close to one of the knight's. I do not trust any of these Romans." he told tells her quietly.
Adena smiled, placing a hand on his cheek. "I will be fine, I promise."
She dismounted with the help of the knight, stretching out her limbs further. Midnight nudged her shoulder, Adena smiling with a chuckle. She looks over to Lancelot who was watching her, before looking over to Arthur speaking with the villagers, the area very silent. Shaking her head, Adena pulls out a blanket and starts walking towards the group, listening to Arthur. She moves around and sees Arthur freeing the old man.
"Help this man!" Arthur yells to them.
He watches Adena walk forward, already prepared with a blanket, towards the old man. He nods at her, Adena smiling softly. She kneels next to him and puts the blanket around his shoulders, talking softly to him. Then several serfs rush forward to help the young woman. Arthur continues with his speech, Adena not even paying attention.
It was a painfully long hour that resulted in packing wagons and horses, while some Roman's made a couple of serf's start to seal up a small hut on the side of the building. Tristan rides back to the estate, looking only at Arthur, nothing and no one else around him. Adena looked over to her left and sat up straight as she noted the scout had returned. She then looked over to Lancelot, who was mounted on his stallion, speaking with Galahad.
Smiling to herself, she looks around so as to not make it obvious that she was giddy as a school girl to see her crush. Though, her luck was never that good. The knight had seen her smile and her giddy appearance and smirked, riding over to her. Lancelot placed his hands on her hip, leaning close to her ear.
"Why is it that you blush every time I look at you?" he asked knowingly.
Adena shrugs her shoulders, hiding her smile. She looks over to Bors and Dagonet speaking quietly to each other. Suddenly the pounding of Saxon drums was heard. Everyone turned around, listening to the sound echo all around them.
"Come on. Get back to work!" one of the Mercenary yelled to the serf's.
Adena looks to Lancelot, who looks back at her then they rode over to the other knight's by the hut as Arthur dismounts with Excalibur drawn. He points his sword to the mercenaries.
"Move." when they don't, Arthur says it more aggressively, "Move."
The rest of the knight's ride up to the wall knowing that Arthur wasn't going to back down until he got some answers.
"MOVE!"
Lancelot rides closer to the scene his stallion snorting loudly in front of one of mercenary's face. They move back slowly, fearing the wraith of this one man and his men.
"You cannot go in there. No one goes in there. This place is forbidden." one of the monk's tells them.
Adena turns to the left, seeing Marius panicking and making his way towards them, yelling at Arthur.
"Stop! What are you doing! Stop this!"
Both Adena and Bors rode in front of him, blocking his path. Arthur touches the stones, wondering what it was behind the bricks.
"Arthur, we have no time." Lancelot tells him, the drums getting closer.
Galahad shakes his head. "Do you not hear the drums?"
Arthur nods to the structure. "Dagonet,"
Adena looks up to Galahad, who rides over to her and Bors, Adena riding away from Marius. She dismounted and walked slowly behind Arthur, Lancelot watching her carefully before dismounting quickly and walks next to her. Dagonet dismounts without question, grabs his axe, and walks over to the hut. He quickly tears down the whole thing. Then he kicks it to see if it will open.
Arthur looks to the mercenary. "Key,"
"It is locked," the one on the right says, "from the inside."
Arthur nods to Dagonet, who kicks down the door. Lancelot sighs and unsheathes one of his swords, Arthur grabbing one of the side torches.
"You are not going in there." Lancelot told her sternly.
Adena smiles at him. "I am not going in; I was only going to wait for you all to return."
Lancelot frowned, wondering what the woman meant. She smiled at his confusion and walked around him to grab several things. Lancelot only shook his head and walked quickly behind Arthur, then Dagonet, the two monks, then Gawain. Tristan unsheathes his sword and blocks the mercenary who even thought to try and stop the group.
It was only twenty minutes when the knight's started to walk out, Lancelot first. He throws the torch to the ground with a distraught look.
"Water! Give me some water!" Arthur yells, carrying a woman.
Adena walks over towards Arthur, nodding at Horton to Dagonet and Lucan. She looks up at Lancelot, who looks down at the woman in Arthur's arms, stabbing Arthur's sword to the ground next to him. Adena watches him walk away, looking down with a strong emotion in her heart. She looks to her right to see Fulcinia cradling the woman's head.
Tristan sheathes his sword, looking at Bors, "She's a Woad."
"I'm a Roman officer. You're safe now." Arthur tells her. "You're safe…"
"Stop what you are doing!" Marius yells, approaching Arthur.
Adena quickly stands, taking a small step back. She never did like this man and was all too happy to see him dead before they reached the wall. Arthur quickly stands, moving around to stand next to Adena.
"What is this madness?" he asks angrily.
"They are all Pegans here!" Marius yells furiously, his son walking forward.
"So are we." Galahad tells him angrily.
"They refuse to do the task God has set for them! They must die as an example!"
Arthur growls quietly, glaring at the man. "You mean they refused to be your serfs!"
"You are a Roman." Marius says in surprise. "You understand. And you are a Christian!" he looks down to Fulcinia, who continued to comfort the woman. "You! You kept her alive!"
As Marius raised his hand, Fulcinia stands quickly. But the Roman was never able to hurt his wife as Adena grabbed his wrist. Marius wretches his hand out of her grasp and slaps the woman instead. It was one mistake the Roman did for he was punched to the ground by Arthur, who quickly grabbed his sword. Marius had three swords pointing at him, making him nervous with fear. Arthur dared the man to do anything else, while Lancelot glared with even more hatred at the Roman, wanting to kill him.
"My lord!" the Roman's cried, coming to their master's aid.
"No! No, stop!" Marius yells at his men. "When we get to the Wall, you will be punished for this heresy."
Arthur leans forward and grabs Marius shirt. "Perhaps I should kill you now and seal my fate.
Lancelot quickly sheathes his sword and walks over to Adena, who was by her stallion, trying to soothe him. Arthur could be heard yelling to his men to wall the crazed monks back up. Lancelot took hold of her arm, but Adena looked away from him, not wanting to anger him even further at the busted lip. But the knight took hold of her chin and made her look at him.
His eyes darken in anger but all he did was kissed her busted lip lightly. With a sigh, he whistles for his stallion, the group now ready to leave. Adena mounts her stallion, blushing in embarrassment and ashamed that she had let that man hit her.
A/N: Uh-oh, the moment of truth: what will Adena do during this part of the movie? How will she react to the way Lancelot acted towards Guinevere? Please review to let me know what you think!