Thank-you to all my reviewers, plus all those people who have this fic on their favorites list and/or author alert list. You are my favorite people in the world (seconded closely by Mom, cos she's making dinner). Enjoy!
Chapter 10
Tristan and Akira only just pulled their horses to a halt in time to avoid skidding on the icy lake. The scout looked back at the assassin.
"We'll have to cross it, there's no other way." He told her curtly.
She nodded once, her eyes on the ice in front of them. "You think it'll hold?"
"We have no choice."
"I wasn't disputing that, merely asking if you think we'll make it."
"Possibly. If we're careful."
Akira looked at the ice for a moment longer, then wheeled her horse round and turned to return to the caravan. "Arthur isn't going to like this."
"He doesn't have to." Tristan retorted. Akira grinned at him, and spurred Myrrah back across the path the wagons were taking, Tristan not far behind.
They arrived back at the wagons in time to see Arthur conclude what seemed to be a stormy discussion with Guinevere. Akira rode up to her, leaving Tristan to report to Arthur.
"What did you say to him?"
"I'm trying to get him to help us hold the Wall against the Saxons." Guinevere answered.
"In those exact words?"
"No... I'm trying to convince him that he belongs here, in Britain, not in Rome."
"You're trying to rope him into a war that doesn't concern him in the least way." Akira surmised.
"You make it sound awfully mercenary."
"Isn't it?"
"No! I'm trying to keep my people alive!"
"At the cost of the knights' lives."
"Of course not. I just need Arthur. The knights do not belong here. He does."
"Are you blind, Gwen? What Arthur leads, the knights will follow, sooner or later. You're trying to get them killed."
"Why do you care!"
Akira turned to face her, her eyes smoldering. "Because my brother also died for a cause not his own. How many of the knights who have died have family waiting for them at home, Guinevere? How many more will be killed if you make them fight your war?"
"They are free to make their own choices!"
"Then let Arthur make his choice as well."
Akira dug her heels into Myrrah's flanks, driving the horse to the head of the column. The knights were all up ahead, already on the ice, sounding it out, avoiding the weak spots. She dismounted and followed them.
They were almost on the other side of the lake when the noise of the Saxons' drums filled their ears. Arthur turned round to face the knights.
"Knights..." he began.
Bors grinned. "Well I'm tired of running. And these Saxons are so close behind, my arse is hurting."
"Never liked looking over my shoulder anyway." Tristan said.
"It would be a pleasure to put an end to this racket." Gawain added.
"We'd finally get a look at the bastards." Galahad smirked.
Dagonet smiled. "Here. Now."
Lancelot stayed silent.
Akira shook her head. "Eight against two hundred... Very bad odds."
Arthur looked at her. "You're going ahead with the wagons."
"Arthur, quite frankly, if you want to survive this, you'll take all the help you can get! You'll need me before this is over, if only for healing those who are wounded during the fight."
Lancelot looked skeptical. "You speak as if it's a foregone conclusion that we'll win."
"It's my experience that if you go into a fight thinking you'll lose, you will. Plus people with defeatist attitudes irritate me."
Arthur looked at her for a second longer, then turned and gave instructions to Ganis. Most of their conversation was lost on the wind, but Akira distinctly caught the words: "You're eight against two hundred!"
"Nine." Guinevere made her way over to stand by Akira. "You could use another bow."
Yes, I know I said I'd put the battle in this chapter, but the conversation between Guinevere and Akira got a bit out of hand on me. I put that in cos Guinevere had always irritated me, whether she's in the books or the film. She has this really annoying holier-than-thou attitude that really bugs me. Hope you enjoyed.
Carline
P.S. And yes, the battle will be in the next chapter. Hopefully.