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Chapter 10:
Rayden tiptoed through the secret passage door, she could hear voices that she had never heard before and the sound of bricks falling and smashing. She slowly peaked her head around the corner. There were two men crouched down in a cell breaking the brick wall that was between the cells. From the corner of her eye she notice movement, there was the scruffy man the she had helped, Tristan was his name. She watched him struggle to sit up, when a sharp intake of breath from Tristan made her rush to his side. She put her hand on his now bare chest, she gasped as she saw that they had branded him with their mark. She ran her fingers gently over the brand, Tristan let out a hiss making her withdraw her hand away. Tristan let out a whimper as he tried to turn over.
" Shhh… Tristan don't get up, it's ok," Rayden soothed as she stroked his untidy hair. The sound of armor clinking as the man ran down the stairs made Rayden turn around to see who was coming. Three man came down the stirs and stopped dead in their tracks as their sight landed on Tristan, lying on the floor, gasping for breath.
" Tristan," the one man gasped with dark hair and beard, he looked younger then the other two.
" Get away from him you, wrench," screamed the huge, bald man as he steeped towards her weapons at the ready.
" I mean Tristan no harm, I've been taking care of him," explained Rayden with her arms in the air showing the she was unarmed. The three man looked shock at the man's name coming from her mouth. Tristan's coughs drew everyone's attention to him.
" It's ok she means no harm," Tristan gasped takeing a quick breath of air. The huge man when to kneel but Tristan put his hand out. " Go help the others, Bors," Tristan crocked. The huge man that Tristan had called Bors nodded his head in agreement and stood and walked to the other two men, who were crouched in the cell. The two men behind Bors followed him over to the other two. Rayden kneeled down beside Tristan again and put his head in her lap and stroked his hair and sang a lullaby to him, he closed his eyes and relaxed. She watched as the other men found the others and took them up one by one to be treated. Two of the men stopped in front of her, one had dark curly hair and a beard and the second also had dark curly hair but no beard, this one did look Roman or Britain unlike the other men. All these men seemed to have some sort of bond, maybe they fought together or something, all well her and her sisters would figure it out.
" My lady, we need to take him up now," explained the man with dark curly hair and beard nodding his head at Tristan. Rayden quickly stood up and backed away so the two men could take up Tristan. They carried Tristan's weak body up the winding stairs to the fresh air outside. The cool breeze played with Rayden's amber brown bangs, the hair tickling her face; Rayden took a deep breathe of fresh air to clean her lungs of the stale, rotting flesh smell.
" Water, give me some water," demanded Arthur, as they appeared from the entrance of the hut. Horton, the bishop's helper had rushed forward with the water. Having spent so much time with the knights he had started to take a liking to them, and a disliking to the bishop. For what the bishop had demanded of the knights was unfair, for it was their last night and they finally were going home after fifteen years of service to a country not even their owns. And all the fighting they done protecting this land was just going to the Saxons. Arthur and Lancelot placed Tristan down on the ground, the girl that had been behind them kneeled down by Tristan and helped the two men give Tristan water. Gawain had gone back down and brought up the two priests to explain and to pay for what they done to a brother in arms and all theses women and a small boy. The woad woman held Tristan's head as Lancelot and Arthur slowly poured the water into Tristan's mouth. As soon as the cold liquid hit the back of Tristan's throat, he started to choke, spiting the water out. The coughs shook his body and every muscle screamed for it to stop. Lancelot stood and walked away to, over to his horse, he was trying to control the reggae to hack off the Roman soldier's heads and to hack away at Marius himself. Fulcinia rushed forward to help the other knights with the other wounded. As she rushed forward Marius had a look of surprise, but then it turned into a dark glare at Fulcinia's back. Horton walked to Dagonet to give him some more water for the small boy.
" His arm is broken," Horton relised in horror, at what kind of treatment at a small boy would receive in such a hellhole. " And his family," asked Horton, Dagonet shook his head sadly. Once Arthur and the woad girl had got Tristan stable, he when over to one of the woad women. The woman he walked to was stunning, even when she was covered in dirt. She had long wavy born hair and soft brown eyes; Arthur kneeled at her side.
" I'm a Roman officer," Arthur stated. " Your safe now," he soothed. " You're safe," Arthur stroked her hair in comforting and a sign of affection not abuse.
" Stop what you are doing," Demanded Marius marching from the crowed over to Arthur. Arthur couldn't believe the shit Marius had done to these people, and one of his knights.
" What is this madness," bellowed Arthur standing his full height to add to the threat.
" They are all Pagans here," Marius pointed out, looking over each of his prisoners with disgust, and giving Tristan a dark glarer. Arthur and the other knights notice the look and all took note of it, they were going to ask Tristan what he did to Marius.
"So are we," Galahad spoke up coldly, wishing nothing more then that man's death by one of their swords, for what he did to all these people and Tristan. At that moment every knight had the mental picture of his swords at Marius throat.
" They refuse to do the task god has set for them," Marius searched for a better reason. " They must die as a example," Marius said trying to make his point.
"You mean they refuse to be your serfs," Arthur screamed not even trying to keep his anger in check. He knew for a fact that Tristan would never do a word that Marius told him. Hell at times Arthur has a hard time trying to make Tristan follow orders. At times he was sure that he had gathered a bunch of five year olds not Sarmation knights.
" You are a Roman, you understand," Marius stated to Arthur. " And you are a Christian," Marius continued, turning his attention to his wife. " You! You kept them alive," Marius screamed at Fulcinia. She stood in fear knowing what was coming. Marius backhanded Fulcinia across the face causing her to fall back to the ground. This made Arthur snap, Arthur swung and punched Marius in the face making the plum man roll to the ground. Arthur grabbed Excalibur and held the point to Marius' throat. All the knights gleamed at this hoping Arthur would fulfill their wishes.
" My lord," called the two guards that were guarding the hut, rushed over to help their master.
" No! No stop," Marius demanded holding his hand up at them, he stared up the blade of Excalibur and then to Arthur's face. "When we get to the wall you will be punished for this theresy," growled Marius.
"Perhaps I should kill you now and seal my fate," threatened Arthur as he grabbed the front of Marius' robes.
" I was willing to die with them," interrupted one of the priest. Everyone looked at the dirty man. " Yes, to lead them to their rightful place," claimed the priest. " It is god's wish that these sinners be sacrificed," stated the priest.
" Then I shall grant his wish," Arthur said staring at the priest with cold eyes. The priests and Marius thought that they had finally worked over Arthur. " Wall them back up," Arthur ordered as he pointed at the priest. All the knights liked this idea, they liked it a lot, but they stood their ground. " I said wall them back up," Arthur demanded.
" Don't you see it is the will of god that these sinners be scarified," the priest tried to explain one last time. A bunch of villagers started to push the priest back into the hut. " Unhand me, defil… they're sinners," pleaded the priest.
" Get in there," pushed one of the villagers as the others hollered in agreement. As Arthur and the other knights waited for the villagers to finish making the wall, they sat and looked after Marius' prisoners. Tristan laid on the cold, frozen ground waiting; he was starting to get a chill from it. A high pitch screech from high above made Tristan open his eyes and search the skies. There she was, his hawk circling high above him. Tristan had not the strength to call out to his bird, but he knew that she knew he was alive and in one piece. A velvety nose nuzzling him brought his attention from the skies, and to his dapple-gray warhorse. Tristan was surprise to see him; he thought for sure that he had lost his great steed, which greatly upset him.
" It's good to see you to," smirked Tristan as he placed his hand on the horses' nose and gently petted him. Tristan realized that his bridle was gone and there was only a simple rope halter. Tristan slowly rolled his head over, to his body displeasure and looked his horse over, when his eyes came to rest on the horse's legs that were bandaged. Tristan struggled to stand and investigate the horse's wounds, even though Tristan's wounds stretched and some reopened causing blood to flow again. Rayden, who had left Tristan to get them some food and water looked over her shoulder to check on him and seeing him sitting up and using his horse as a leaning post to stand; Rayden rushed over to where Tristan was, and by the time she got there he was standing, hardly leaning on his dapple horse. He shuffled to the grey's legs, and slowly tried to pick put the horse's hoofs. This caused a pain to shot through Tristan making him cry out in pain. Tristan was breathing hard and was leaning on his horse even more then before, but the shout had spooked the horse and it pulled away causing Tristan to fall to the ground with an even louder shout of pain. The shout made all the knights to look up and saw what happen and rush to his aid. Tristan was pretty sure that this was not helping his cracked ribs any.
Lancelot was the first one there, and helped to roll Tristan back onto his back.
" What happen to my horse," hissed Tristan, looking at Lancelot.
" It had stumbled into our camp a few days ago, it legs were all cut up, so Dagonet did his best to fix it,' Lancelot explain to Tristan. Tristan struggled to sit up again; Lancelot put his hand on Tristan's bare chest; his hand landed on the brand mark and Tristan hissed in pain. Lancelot looked down to see what he had touched, when he saw the mark, his heart filled with anger and hate. The mark kind of looked like a cross, but it was more a big black mark burned into Tristan's skin. Lancelot buried his feelings for now and helped them put Tristan into a wagon with the other injured.
Authors note: that was a long chapter; this is only a Lancelot, Tristan friendship thing. Review and say what you think.