CHAPTER TEN: The Trouble with Dex

"Tristan will be fine," quipped Bors loudly.

"I don't know, Bors," began Gawain. "You remember what happened last time, don't you?"

"Look at it this way," he said, "he finally gets a chance to get back at the bastards!"

Elena turned toward the portly knight, curiosity taking control of her senses. "What are you talking about," she asked him. "Your commander, he told me he once fought these me before. Have you as well?"

Bors shook his head. "No. But Tristan-"

"Bors," said Arthur in a warning tone. Arthur had no interest in the conversation and dared the knight to continue.

"Your scout has fought these men before," she asked Arthur. He nodded. A pinch of relief went through her as she spoke. "Good. Knowing what you are up against is most helpful."

"Yeah," snorted Bors.

"I don't know why you let him go after them by himself," said Gawain.

"By himself," repeated Elena, turning toward Arthur. "You let him go off alone?"

What kind of commanding officer would send one man to face many? Elena became instantly concerned for the scout…for Tristan. She stood, seemingly stable for the moment.

"Should you not send one of your men to assist him?" Elena said those words as calmly as possible, and as authoritatively as possible.

"Nothing will happen," said Arthur, reassuringly.

"Really," she began. "Forgive me, I'm not very keen on those words considering your own knights can't understand why you let your scout go off alone in the beginning."

"It was his request," stated Arthur truthfully.

"And I suppose," she began, "should I request favor, one of the most ridiculous of favors, you would be just as quick to oblige me?"

"Do you not think him capable," asked Gawain. "Do you not think us capable?"

"I never said that." Elena raised her hands in defense when Gawain brought his axe to rest upon his shoulder. "I'm sure you are all very well trained in the art of battle. I only-"

"You seem so concerned Princess," came soft words of Lancelot. "If you know we are capable, why do you worry? You're not starting to like us, are you?" Elena prepared herself to speak, but Lancelot began again, "Or perhaps your unease is only that for Tristan?"

Lancelot was rewarded with a hearty laugh from his brothers. Elena was unable to hid the light blush that spread upon her checks. She frowned at his accusations, doing her best to sound the least bit concerned. "I am merely attempting to point out that you should not send a man to battle alone, no matter how capable you believe him to be. And just so we are clear," she added, "I care nothing for your scout."

Lancelot smiled. "So your eyes hold that love for me, then?" Elena raised her brow at his comment.

"Is that honestly the best you can do," she asked him, unable to believe his forwardness.

"Are you challenging me, Princess?"

"Lancelot, leave the girl alone," said Gawain, "or she really might fall in love with you!"

Elena's heart fluttered slightly when Lancelot inclined his head toward her. She immediately turned away. Lancelot was very outspoken. Especially when it came to women. His flirtatious side was very alluring. Too alluring for Elena's taste. Nevertheless, she thought him very kind…enticing, but still kind. Her sister would instantly fall for him. Then again her sister would fall for anybody offering 'a good time'.

Now, back to the current problem. Tristan, out in the woods alone with possible death staring him in the face. Elena caught up with Arthur, walking quickly, stopping just behind him.

"Commander, I am not finished -"

"There is nothing more to discuss," he stated firmly.

Arthur left her standing there with her mouth slightly open. He just dismissed her without another word. Never had she been treated so in her life. But more importantly, how could he treat his knights in this way?

No man would make such a request, she thought to herself. Unless of course, he happens to be senseless.

Elena watched as the knights talked amongst themselves. Their talks were always that of war. It was all they knew, she assumed. Her father told her all about them before their arrival to Leoness. Elena hadn't been paying much attention at the time, but she did remember his saying that they had been serving Rome since childhood. They had been bound by their fathers before them.

"Men," she whispered to herself. "At times I have no desire to understand them." Elena moved to the right and leaned her back against the tree, arms folded across her chest. She looked up when she heard the sound of a bird in the sky. Her eyes squinted a bit before realizing it wasn't just any bird.

"That's his hawk…" she said. Seeing Tristan's feathery friend suddenly made her wonder where her own pet had gone off to.

The bulky man fell to the ground as the sharp blade swiped past his neck. Tristan made no attempt to look back as he moved forward into the trees, cleaning the knife on his shirt sleeve.

There were two other Raiders just up ahead. The woman they had been chasing had no where to go. She was now cornered, clutching the stone wall behind her, as the two ruthless men approached. Tristan was hiding behind a nearby tree, moving very slowly and quietly, trying his best to stay invisible.

The woman they trapped seem vaguely familiar to the knight, though he wasn't sure of their first meeting. She was an older woman, the age lines clearly visible upon her face, They were just as clear as the tears that were rolling down her cheeks.

Quietly and carefully, Tristan maneuvered his bow round, quickly loading it with an arrow. He pulled the end as far as it would go, but hesitated in firing when his hawk spoke to him through the covering trees. His eyes shifted upward, above the rock. There he saw the furry feline that had followed them on their journey. He casually seated himself on rock and began licking his front paws.

Tristan lifted his brow. Had the cat followed him? Why? The knight shook away the thought. He would dwell on it later. He repositioned himself and his bow, taking aim. But unfortunately, he was distracted yet again, when a gentle voice sounded through the trees.

"Dex," came the voice suddenly. "Dex, where are you?"

Tristan quickly moved to the ground when he heard her voice. The Raiders' ears, of course, picked up on the delicate sound as well. The man on the left looked up and listened again for the sound just to be sure. Tristan closed his eyes in annoyance when he began to hear the rustling of the princess.

Their grins widened.

"Well, who could that be," came the voice on Tristan's left.

"Sounds a lot younger than this one," said the other, snickering as he spoke.

"Thor," he said again. "take this one back to camp. I will find our new little guest."

Tristan would waste no time. As he saw the man head off deeper in the forest, he turned his attention back on his friend. He approached the woman quickly, gripping her wrist tightly, pulling her to him roughly. The woman resisted instantly, but it was of no use.

Tristan stood quickly, taking aim with his bow, releasing the arrow. It landed in the lower portion of the man's back. It was not a killing shot. Tristan had to move quickly. It was the only way to reach the princess in time.

The man release the old woman when he felt the sudden pain in his back. He stumble backward, reaching around, grasping the arrow with his fingers. Before he could regain his sense, Tristan approached him, grasping him by the top of his tunic.

"Hello Thor," was all Tristan said right before his fist connected with his face, rendering the man unconscious on the ground. He moved toward the woman, pulling her with him. "Come on."

"Sir Knight," came her voice suddenly, grasping his shoulder lightly. Tristan turned quickly, very surprised that this woman addressed him as a knight. His eyes widened when he looked at her face.

"You…" he started, unable to believe who as before him. "You are the maid -"

"Yes," she nodded quickly. "Yes! I have come to warn my dearest Elena -"

"How did you," he began, but then stopped his question. "Come on, you have to go."

Tristan grasped her hand and pulled her along. He pulled the old woman to stand in front of him and pointed straight ahead. "Follow the trail to the clearing," said Tristan quickly. "There you will find the others knights."

The woman protested turning to face him. "No, you do not understand, I must warn Princess Elena about -"

"Maid," he shouted, "first I must your princess!"

"You have lost her," she replied in fear, her eyes shedding new tears.

"If you delay me any longer, I will not be able to reach her before the others! Now go," he shouted once more. "Go!"

His hawk cried once more above the tree tops before Tristan took off, sprinting in the opposite direction.

i do not own king arthur...i just enjoy writing about it. as i enjoy reading your wonderful reviews. hope you liked this chapter. a new one is on the way!