Summary: Ordinary men make extraordinary heroes. Now Women, prove there
worth to King Arthur and his knights in the midst of a battle for their
homeland from the Roman Empire.
Disclaimer: I know what I wrote and I know what I got from the movie. Frankly, that's good enough for me.
------
They ran for god only knows how long, all they paid attention to was finding Artimus after he had turned a corner. It seemed like he had disappeared all together at some points.
They all came to a halt very suddenly when they took a corner to fast and ran into a cart full of hay. All of them ended up hitting the side railing and flipping inside it.
Running down the streets once more they left a trail of once good hay all over the place.
One woman was so frightened by Lancelot when he jumped over her display table she threw an egg at him and it splattered all over his back.
Artimus had stopped them finally, pulling them into an alley and talked to them in hushed voices, just across the street from the floral shop.
"She has no idea what Stephan did." Artimus said, wheezing for air.
"How could she not know? Everyone in that inn seems to have known her, or of her. Isn't it likely one of them might have said something about it? She could have really gone to kill the man." Tristan said, hoping he was right.
Artimus shook his head, "She would not know. After her family was killed she ran, I only see her on occasion. No one here would even think to mention it though, might set her off on them."
"Well, this Stephan character might not know that. He could think she's come to end his life, maybe he would let it slip how sorry he is and she would piece it together." Arthur said encouragingly.
"Or maybe she had no idea and Stephan distracted her until Alecto could get to her." Lancelot said suddenly.
"We are trying to think positive!" Arthur snapped.
Lancelot wasn't paying any attention though; he was looking right over Arthur, towards the shop.
Everyone turned around and was horrified to see Lancelot had been right.
As they spoke a very mature looking Alecto stood outside the shop, watching as two guards carried Arien, who looked unconscious, and put her into a carriage.
"We saved his life once. Would he return a favor and grant us audience?" Tristan asked quietly as the carriage disappeared down the crowded street.
"He will do much more then that or we will take what he owes us." Lancelot said darkly, marching off after it.
Arthur sighed, "What exactly does that man owe you?" Artimus asked quickly, all of them following Lancelot.
"His life." Arthur said, "But I get a feeling he will not be easily persuaded to let his bride go......nor will Lancelot be quick to give up. We very well may die this night." He said lightly, smiling at Artimus.
Artimus said nothing, but smirked at Arthur's words.
------
The entrance to the Emperors castle was heavily guarded, surprisingly enough none of the guards tried to hold them off, they simply ignored them as they walked past.
Lancelot and Arthur walked in the lead, anxious to find out what was about to happen.
They were stopped by a very thin, little, man who bowed to them, and ushered them into a room with a very large wood table. The fireplace on the far end of the rectangular room was lit, unusual for summer days.
They sat quietly, trying not so seem too curious towards there treatment thus far.
"He must have known we were coming." Lancelot said quietly, "Could Arien have told that man she traveled with Knights?"
Arthur shrugged as the door swung open and in strutted a very perturbed looking Alecto.
"To what do I owe the visit of my great friends from Camelot?" he asked curiously, sitting down in the largest seat, which also happened to be at the head of the table, with its back to the fireplace.
Lancelot tried not to laugh when he realized the fireplace was lit to make Alecto look more powerful and dangerous then any man his age should be.
"We have come to see your Bride, the Princess of Lothian." Arthur said politely.
Alecto leaned back in his chair and surveyed them like they were locusts. "That is impossible."
"Prey tell why?" Lancelot asked curiously, using most of his will power to stop himself from reaching out and strangling the boy.
"She is hardly fit for visitors. A beauty true enough, but her spirit keeps her in chains unless she can calm herself." Alecto said simply. "Was there anything else?"
Lancelot glared at him, "You would keep a woman in chains for the rest of her days? Is she nothing more to you then land and power?" he asked, clearly offended.
Alecto raised his eyebrows, "I will need heirs someday."
Lancelot leaned forward, clearly intimidating young Alecto, "You will let me see her." He commanded darkly.
Alecto laughed, "I owe you nothing! Knights you were saved my family to earn there free will. Now that debt has been paid, I see no reason for you to make commands of a person such as my self."
"Our will has always been our own." Arthur snapped.
Alecto laughed again, but did not seem all that amused. "And what is free will anyways, it has no price, can not be purchased."
"Free will is the ability to question authority. Asking why when no other would dare do so in fear of his safety." Lancelot said coldly.
Alecto slammed his fist onto the table, "No one has the right to question me or my actions!" he yelled.
"Our ancestors sold our souls to save their own lives!" Lancelot shouted, standing up now, "You sit here and hand yours to the devil freely! At least we know right from wrong and stand our ground defending it!"
Alecto stood now to, but was clearly towered over by Lancelot in his rage. "It is better the right hand of the devil then the left arm of god! I am doomed to eternal damnation but my life on earth thus far has been more fulfilling then any of yours!"
"Your life means nothing, you judge yourself by jewels, slaves, and the power your Uncle gives you! We live day by day watching boys fight for there lives, men give there's for there family, and women sacrifice everything so there child can live in a world without ultimate evil. We do not judge, but when others call our name they say hero.........what will they call you?" Arthur asked quietly.
The room went silent. Everyone seemed amazed by his words.
"They will call me god." Alecto said simply. His expression changing from anger to passive.
Lancelot ran a hand thorough his hair and sighed, "Please, just let me speak with her."
Alecto looked like he was about to deny him once more, but instead he nodded and pointed to the door, "Tell Charles to take you to her."
------
Lancelot left Arthur, Artimus, and Tristan with Alecto as he followed a tall man with no hair down three flights of stairs.
Charles led him into a rather bright looking dungeon, there were windows in every cell, and the doors were non-existent. If this was the dungeon, he was interested in seeing the torture chamber. Probably full of potpourri.
Arien was laying in one of the door less cells in the sunlight from her window.
"Are you alright?" Lancelot asked quietly, standing in front of her.
She smiled, but kept her eyes closed, "I can not believe I did not see it coming. He used to be such a friend to me ......I thought I could trust him Lancelot." She said quietly.
"I blame that bloody inn keeper for not warning you." Lancelot said sourly.
Arien sat up suddenly, "What?" she asked curiously. "Why would he warn me?"
Lancelot smirked, "When we asked him where you went off to he went into this whole speech about how Stephan had betrayed your father."
"Lancelot, I have never met that man before in my life. No one in this castle would even recognize me, the closest I ever got was playing on that beach outside the cave as a child." Arien said quietly.
Lancelot looked confused, "But he knew all about the Shadow People living in the woods just outside the castle walls."
Arien's jaw dropped, "The Shadow People live near Camelot. We were staying with them when we ran into you guys on accident."
"I do not understand." Lancelot said, totally lost.
Arien stood up and pulled him inside the cell with her, talking very quietly so no one would overhear, "Lancelot you are not safe here. Stephan was not the one that told Alecto I was here, it was Artimus." She hissed.
"But Artimus came with us here, he is the one that yelled at the inn keeper for not telling us right away you had gone to the floral shop......I left Arthur and Tristan alone with them." He said suddenly.
"Did you leave anything at the inn? Absolutely anything?" Arien asked urgently.
"No, I only have my swords." Lancelot said quickly, still not understanding what was going on.
"If you did not know Artimus betrayed me he must have had help." Arien paused, "That inn keeper knew who I was? What did he look like?" she asked curiously.
"He was larger then the man from the other night, could he be a guard?" Lancelot asked suddenly.
"How many men were in the bar?" she asked, looking over his shoulder to see if anyone was trying to listen.
"Small groups of three or four every other table." Lancelot said.
"They must all have been guards......alright, I do not think Alecto wants to capture you until you find your way back to the Inn." She stopped and starting hitting her head light against his shoulder, "Artimus must still have something left to do before he turns you in. Pay attention to what ever he asks you on the way back, but be sure not to go back to that inn!" Arien hissed, talking faster now, "I am not sure what they have planned......but Lancelot, on your way out if Alecto asks you what we talked about, tell him its none of his business. That just means he will come ask his guards later." She said.
"What for?" he asked curiously, looking behind at the guard now headed there way.
Arien wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. His short beard made her smile as it scratched lightly against her soft skin. It took him a few seconds but he caught on eventually and pushed her up against a wall and kissed back. His body pushing against hers she wrapped her legs around his waist.
Arien slipped something into his pants just as a guard poked Lancelot hard in the back with his sword, "You go now." The man said, eyeing them.
Lancelot glanced at her before turning and leaving, still trying to spice together everything she had said. Something didn't add up about the innkeeper, he was sure the man wasn't a guard......but he did know an awful lot about Arien, and she was sure they had never met.
He walked quickly back to room he had left Arthur and Tristan in, surprised to see that they were the only ones in it when he arrived.
"Well?" Arthur asked, seeing his distraught expression.
"Do not trust Artimus." Lancelot hissed as the door opened and Artimus walked in with Alecto.
"Ah, Lancelot. I trust you thought Arien was in good keeping?" Alecto asked curiously. "I am eager to know what you two might have been talking about for so long."
"You sent no scribe to record our conversation, nor did I in my head preparing for your questions. I have done what I came for and we will take our leave now." Lancelot said sternly.
Alecto nodded to them, "Until we meet again." He said, his eyes flashing.
Lancelot ignored his comment and led them from the room, Arthur and Tristan walking just behind Artimus, who did not seem all that concerned about Arien at the moment.
Disclaimer: I know what I wrote and I know what I got from the movie. Frankly, that's good enough for me.
------
They ran for god only knows how long, all they paid attention to was finding Artimus after he had turned a corner. It seemed like he had disappeared all together at some points.
They all came to a halt very suddenly when they took a corner to fast and ran into a cart full of hay. All of them ended up hitting the side railing and flipping inside it.
Running down the streets once more they left a trail of once good hay all over the place.
One woman was so frightened by Lancelot when he jumped over her display table she threw an egg at him and it splattered all over his back.
Artimus had stopped them finally, pulling them into an alley and talked to them in hushed voices, just across the street from the floral shop.
"She has no idea what Stephan did." Artimus said, wheezing for air.
"How could she not know? Everyone in that inn seems to have known her, or of her. Isn't it likely one of them might have said something about it? She could have really gone to kill the man." Tristan said, hoping he was right.
Artimus shook his head, "She would not know. After her family was killed she ran, I only see her on occasion. No one here would even think to mention it though, might set her off on them."
"Well, this Stephan character might not know that. He could think she's come to end his life, maybe he would let it slip how sorry he is and she would piece it together." Arthur said encouragingly.
"Or maybe she had no idea and Stephan distracted her until Alecto could get to her." Lancelot said suddenly.
"We are trying to think positive!" Arthur snapped.
Lancelot wasn't paying any attention though; he was looking right over Arthur, towards the shop.
Everyone turned around and was horrified to see Lancelot had been right.
As they spoke a very mature looking Alecto stood outside the shop, watching as two guards carried Arien, who looked unconscious, and put her into a carriage.
"We saved his life once. Would he return a favor and grant us audience?" Tristan asked quietly as the carriage disappeared down the crowded street.
"He will do much more then that or we will take what he owes us." Lancelot said darkly, marching off after it.
Arthur sighed, "What exactly does that man owe you?" Artimus asked quickly, all of them following Lancelot.
"His life." Arthur said, "But I get a feeling he will not be easily persuaded to let his bride go......nor will Lancelot be quick to give up. We very well may die this night." He said lightly, smiling at Artimus.
Artimus said nothing, but smirked at Arthur's words.
------
The entrance to the Emperors castle was heavily guarded, surprisingly enough none of the guards tried to hold them off, they simply ignored them as they walked past.
Lancelot and Arthur walked in the lead, anxious to find out what was about to happen.
They were stopped by a very thin, little, man who bowed to them, and ushered them into a room with a very large wood table. The fireplace on the far end of the rectangular room was lit, unusual for summer days.
They sat quietly, trying not so seem too curious towards there treatment thus far.
"He must have known we were coming." Lancelot said quietly, "Could Arien have told that man she traveled with Knights?"
Arthur shrugged as the door swung open and in strutted a very perturbed looking Alecto.
"To what do I owe the visit of my great friends from Camelot?" he asked curiously, sitting down in the largest seat, which also happened to be at the head of the table, with its back to the fireplace.
Lancelot tried not to laugh when he realized the fireplace was lit to make Alecto look more powerful and dangerous then any man his age should be.
"We have come to see your Bride, the Princess of Lothian." Arthur said politely.
Alecto leaned back in his chair and surveyed them like they were locusts. "That is impossible."
"Prey tell why?" Lancelot asked curiously, using most of his will power to stop himself from reaching out and strangling the boy.
"She is hardly fit for visitors. A beauty true enough, but her spirit keeps her in chains unless she can calm herself." Alecto said simply. "Was there anything else?"
Lancelot glared at him, "You would keep a woman in chains for the rest of her days? Is she nothing more to you then land and power?" he asked, clearly offended.
Alecto raised his eyebrows, "I will need heirs someday."
Lancelot leaned forward, clearly intimidating young Alecto, "You will let me see her." He commanded darkly.
Alecto laughed, "I owe you nothing! Knights you were saved my family to earn there free will. Now that debt has been paid, I see no reason for you to make commands of a person such as my self."
"Our will has always been our own." Arthur snapped.
Alecto laughed again, but did not seem all that amused. "And what is free will anyways, it has no price, can not be purchased."
"Free will is the ability to question authority. Asking why when no other would dare do so in fear of his safety." Lancelot said coldly.
Alecto slammed his fist onto the table, "No one has the right to question me or my actions!" he yelled.
"Our ancestors sold our souls to save their own lives!" Lancelot shouted, standing up now, "You sit here and hand yours to the devil freely! At least we know right from wrong and stand our ground defending it!"
Alecto stood now to, but was clearly towered over by Lancelot in his rage. "It is better the right hand of the devil then the left arm of god! I am doomed to eternal damnation but my life on earth thus far has been more fulfilling then any of yours!"
"Your life means nothing, you judge yourself by jewels, slaves, and the power your Uncle gives you! We live day by day watching boys fight for there lives, men give there's for there family, and women sacrifice everything so there child can live in a world without ultimate evil. We do not judge, but when others call our name they say hero.........what will they call you?" Arthur asked quietly.
The room went silent. Everyone seemed amazed by his words.
"They will call me god." Alecto said simply. His expression changing from anger to passive.
Lancelot ran a hand thorough his hair and sighed, "Please, just let me speak with her."
Alecto looked like he was about to deny him once more, but instead he nodded and pointed to the door, "Tell Charles to take you to her."
------
Lancelot left Arthur, Artimus, and Tristan with Alecto as he followed a tall man with no hair down three flights of stairs.
Charles led him into a rather bright looking dungeon, there were windows in every cell, and the doors were non-existent. If this was the dungeon, he was interested in seeing the torture chamber. Probably full of potpourri.
Arien was laying in one of the door less cells in the sunlight from her window.
"Are you alright?" Lancelot asked quietly, standing in front of her.
She smiled, but kept her eyes closed, "I can not believe I did not see it coming. He used to be such a friend to me ......I thought I could trust him Lancelot." She said quietly.
"I blame that bloody inn keeper for not warning you." Lancelot said sourly.
Arien sat up suddenly, "What?" she asked curiously. "Why would he warn me?"
Lancelot smirked, "When we asked him where you went off to he went into this whole speech about how Stephan had betrayed your father."
"Lancelot, I have never met that man before in my life. No one in this castle would even recognize me, the closest I ever got was playing on that beach outside the cave as a child." Arien said quietly.
Lancelot looked confused, "But he knew all about the Shadow People living in the woods just outside the castle walls."
Arien's jaw dropped, "The Shadow People live near Camelot. We were staying with them when we ran into you guys on accident."
"I do not understand." Lancelot said, totally lost.
Arien stood up and pulled him inside the cell with her, talking very quietly so no one would overhear, "Lancelot you are not safe here. Stephan was not the one that told Alecto I was here, it was Artimus." She hissed.
"But Artimus came with us here, he is the one that yelled at the inn keeper for not telling us right away you had gone to the floral shop......I left Arthur and Tristan alone with them." He said suddenly.
"Did you leave anything at the inn? Absolutely anything?" Arien asked urgently.
"No, I only have my swords." Lancelot said quickly, still not understanding what was going on.
"If you did not know Artimus betrayed me he must have had help." Arien paused, "That inn keeper knew who I was? What did he look like?" she asked curiously.
"He was larger then the man from the other night, could he be a guard?" Lancelot asked suddenly.
"How many men were in the bar?" she asked, looking over his shoulder to see if anyone was trying to listen.
"Small groups of three or four every other table." Lancelot said.
"They must all have been guards......alright, I do not think Alecto wants to capture you until you find your way back to the Inn." She stopped and starting hitting her head light against his shoulder, "Artimus must still have something left to do before he turns you in. Pay attention to what ever he asks you on the way back, but be sure not to go back to that inn!" Arien hissed, talking faster now, "I am not sure what they have planned......but Lancelot, on your way out if Alecto asks you what we talked about, tell him its none of his business. That just means he will come ask his guards later." She said.
"What for?" he asked curiously, looking behind at the guard now headed there way.
Arien wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. His short beard made her smile as it scratched lightly against her soft skin. It took him a few seconds but he caught on eventually and pushed her up against a wall and kissed back. His body pushing against hers she wrapped her legs around his waist.
Arien slipped something into his pants just as a guard poked Lancelot hard in the back with his sword, "You go now." The man said, eyeing them.
Lancelot glanced at her before turning and leaving, still trying to spice together everything she had said. Something didn't add up about the innkeeper, he was sure the man wasn't a guard......but he did know an awful lot about Arien, and she was sure they had never met.
He walked quickly back to room he had left Arthur and Tristan in, surprised to see that they were the only ones in it when he arrived.
"Well?" Arthur asked, seeing his distraught expression.
"Do not trust Artimus." Lancelot hissed as the door opened and Artimus walked in with Alecto.
"Ah, Lancelot. I trust you thought Arien was in good keeping?" Alecto asked curiously. "I am eager to know what you two might have been talking about for so long."
"You sent no scribe to record our conversation, nor did I in my head preparing for your questions. I have done what I came for and we will take our leave now." Lancelot said sternly.
Alecto nodded to them, "Until we meet again." He said, his eyes flashing.
Lancelot ignored his comment and led them from the room, Arthur and Tristan walking just behind Artimus, who did not seem all that concerned about Arien at the moment.