Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait, everyone…between moving to a new apartment and working, I haven't had much energy for writing. But I'm back on track now, so hopefully, I can really get moving on my fics.
Chapter 10: Divided Loyalties
"The time has come to prove yourself, Sarmatian."
Dayn glanced at the Woad who had introduced himself as Illbrech as they hid in the shadows, meeting the man's eyes without hesitation, even as the Woad stared at him with barely disguised suspicion.
"Do you doubt me?" Dayn asked him, his eyes alight with amusement.
"I trust no one under Roman authority, and you Sarmatians are scarcely better than your Roman masters."
"Watch and learn, Woad," Dayn replied with a smirk. He moved off into the darkness, brushing past the Woad as he crept closer to the perimeter of the Roman camp before them. They'd been observing a relatively small squadron of Roman soldiers for hours now, watching silent and unseen as the unsuspecting soldiers prepared their camp for the night. Finally, they had all settled, and the camp had at last fallen silent, making the time just right for the Woads to attack. It also provided the perfect opportunity for Dayn to prove himself to the Woads, and he meant to do it well. Though Dayn had killed Roman soldiers before, it had always been lone soldiers; he'd never attacked a group of Romans, and for all intents and purposes, it would be his first actual battle, one he'd been anticipating for a long time.
Slipping over a small outcropping of brush, Dayn immediately dropped to the ground and began to belly-crawl down towards the dying embers of the Romans' campfire, careful not to jar any of the sleeping forms outlined in the fading light. He gripped his dagger in a tight fist, feeling something akin to nervous anticipation well up in him as he scouted out the perimeter. Preferring a more direct manner of attack, he had decided to start from the center and work his way out rather than kill off the soldiers around the perimeter first. I've never been much for the subtle approach, but if I absolutely have to do this the stealthy way, I'd at least like to increase the odds of it turning into more direct confrontation, he thought with a grin.
Pushing his nervous energy aside, Dayn darted forward, crouching down beside one of the sleeping men. Nudging the man's sword just out of reach, Dayn started to shift his grip on the dagger in his hand in order to kill the man properly when the soldier suddenly jerked awake, his eyes narrowing as he saw Dayn's cloaked figure stooped down beside him. Thinking quickly, Dayn expertly hid the dagger at his back and crawled up closer the man, assuming a wide-eyed, innocent expression as he flattened to whisper in the man's ear.
"I think we're under attack," he whispered, injecting just the right amount of fear into his voice to sound convincing. The soldier stared up at Dayn in momentary confusion before a look of scorn came over him.
"There's no attack, you stupid boy. It's still as death out here, now get back to your pallet," he said dismissingly, obviously mistaking Dayn for one of the serving lads who accompanied the small squad.
"You've got to believe me, they're attacking!" Dayn whimpered as he fought back a smile, enjoying himself immensely as he played along with the soldier.
"And how would you know?" the man asked patronizingly.
"Well, you see," Dayn began, his voice subtly assuming an icy tone as he lifted his head to stare into the man's eyes, "I'm part of the attack." Catching sight of the blue woad on Dayn's face, the man began to reach for his sword, but didn't quite make it as Dayn stabbed the dagger he'd hidden behind him down into the man's throat. He glanced around to ensure that no one had seen him, before he looked back at the man, shaking his head with mocking regret. "You should have listened to me," he said easily.
He straightened and glanced back, casting a nod toward the shadowed forest as he sheathed his dagger and pulled his sword. As he watched, the Woads began to trickle silently out of the tree-line, and Dayn couldn't help but marvel at their stealth. Perhaps they could even teach Tristan a few things, he thought in awe. As one of the Woads drew closer, Dayn frowned in confusion when he saw the man's eyes widen, gazing past Dayn in alarm.
Dayn looked back over his shoulder and spun just in time to block an upraised sword held by a Roman. The soldier pulled back, whipping his sword around in an arc meant to strike Dayn's side, but Dayn leapt aside at the last moment, and the blade only grazed him. Stepping back to gain his footing, Dayn suddenly felt the warm trickle of blood sliding down his side, and sudden fury exploded in him. With a bellow of rage that was loud enough to rouse the remaining soldiers, Dayn lunged at the unfortunate Roman, driving his sword into the man's chest. Blood spattered onto Dayn's face, but he didn't notice as he turned to meet his next opponent, his sword raised to strike. Years of pent-up anger exploded from the very depths of his soul, and he reveled in it, rejoicing in the sense of freedom he felt as he allowed his wrath to consume him.
His eyes took on a glazed appearance as he poured out his anger in words that had no meaning to him, even as the Woads understood and backed away, allowing Dayn free rein to overcome the remaining Romans.
Finally, Dayn's rage subsided as quickly as it had come, leaving confusion in its wake. Comprehension was slow to return, and all that Dayn truly was aware of were the physical demands of his body. He bent at the waist, his hands resting on his knees as he tried to catch his breath, not really certain why he was so breathless or why his side was burning. He felt tired and weak without knowing why, and he was left to wonder just how much he'd had to drink as he struggled to stand upright. Suddenly noticing the blood that stained his sword and hands, worry set in as he struggled to recall what he'd been doing. He looked up, and seeing the Woads standing around him with grim stares, he slowly began to recall where he was. But what happened? Why can I not remember?
"Is all well with you now, Sarmatian?" Illbrech asked, stepping toward Dayn cautiously. Dayn nodded slowly, not certain exactly what Illbrech meant, but as he looked around and beheld the blood-strewn grass and the lifeless bodies around him, he looked up and met Illbrech's gaze with puzzled eyes.
"What happened?" he asked, his voice emerging in a hoarse croak, his throat parched and raw.
"You have proven yourself more than we could have imagined," Illbrech answered softly.
"So I did kill some of them?" Dayn asked hesitantly.
"No. You killed all of them." At Illbrech's words, Dayn stepped backwards, his back hitting a tree as he struggled to comprehend what had happened.
"But there were at least twenty of them…I'm only one knight…and not even fully a knight, yet. That's not possible."
"You underestimate yourself, as we underestimated you. One of the gods must walk with you, for you are truly a force to be reckoned with, despite your youth. Perhaps you will prove to be the one we've awaited for so long, the one who will free our people from the yoke of Roman rule. Will you join us?"
Dayn straightened once more, lifting his head as he met Illbrech's gaze. Stabbing his sword into the ground, he nodded resolutely.
"Yes."
As Orainne wrapped a bandage around him to staunch the bleeding from the gash in his side, Dayn watched her with a strange tenderness in his gaze, smiling at how careful she was trying to be.
Orainne smiled up at him then, and he brought his hand up, tenderly cupping her cheek as he smiled back at her gently. After a long moment, she grasped his hand and pulled him to his feet, leading him toward a pile of rough wool blankets in the corner. She motioned for him to lie down, speaking to him softly. Slowly, he did as she asked, repeating her words haltingly, an effort she rewarded with a delighted smile.
Maybe having Arthur and the others gone for awhile isn't so bad after all, for it would seem that I've found a way to amuse myself. Of course, I probably shouldn't mention my choice of activities to Arthur, though, he thought with smirk. He could imagine how that conversation would go… "Yes, Arthur, while you were gone, I saved some Woad girls, joined up with their army of warriors, and killed a Roman scouting party when I went battle-mad. How was your mission?" Laughing aloud, Dayn banished the image and focused on Orainne who had started toying with his hair as she sat by his side.
Slowly, his eyes began to close as he listened to the rise and fall of Orainne's lilting voice as she spoke quietly to him, and without even realizing it, he slipped into a peaceful sleep. And though Dayn was not aware of it, a voice on the wind whispered softly to him.
"You have done well."
Dayn washed the blood off his face and hands in the creek impatiently before vaulting to his feet and running back towards the Wall. He hadn't expected to get another opportunity to go up against the Romans, but when Illbrech had come for him around dawn, he'd eagerly accompanied the blue-painted warriors. Unfortunately, he'd lost track of the time, and now he was racing to get back to the garrison. If I'm not back before the others return, Arthur will never give me a moment's peace. He looked down at his blood-stained clothing and winced. Gods, how do I explain the mess I've made of my tunic? I've got to get back and don a clean one before Arthur sees this--he'll ask too many questions otherwise. Running at breakneck speed now, Dayn sprinted back over the Wall and hurried toward the barracks.
"Dayn!" At the sound of Caderyn's voice, Dayn skidded to a sudden halt and slowly turned to see Caderyn and Gawain leaning on either side of a pillar, arms crossed as they looked at him, identical grins on their faces. They straightened and walked toward him, circling around him as they sized him up. Subjected to their scrutiny, Dayn could only stand there in painful discomfort as they smirked at him.
"So where've you been, Dayn?" Caderyn asked him, throwing a playful arm over Dayn's shoulder. Dayn stiffened, not sure what to say as he realized that he should have prepared a lie in advance for just this sort of occasion. In truth, he was bursting with excitement, wanting nothing more than to tell Caderyn and Gawain all about his first battle encounters. But they won't understand, and if they tell the others…what if they never trust me again? Dayn realized then, though it pained him to admit it, that he could never tell them the truth. With no other option in mind, he planted a mischievous grin on his face and shrugged carelessly.
"Oh, you know me, Cade—I'm always off looking for trouble," he answered playfully.
"And did you find it?" Gawain asked with an answering grin.
"You could say that," Dayn hedged, looking away with feigned innocence.
"So was it a fight or a woman?" Cade asked as he began to lead Dayn back toward the center of the garrison.
"A bit of both actually," he replied, thinking of Orainne's gentle smile and sparkling eyes.
"Well, from the looks of your tunic, it must have been some fight," Gawain threw in laughingly.
"Or some woman," Caderyn remarked with a grin. The three shared a laugh as they strolled through the garrison.
"So…how long were you waiting for me?" Dayn asked carefully, trying his best not to sound worried.
"Not too long. We searched the entire garrison for you first," Gawain said pointedly, aiming a frown at Dayn.
"Sorry. Didn't know you were looking for me, or I'd have been someplace more convenient for you to find me."
"Yeah, well, Arthur wants to see you," Caderyn said easily.
"Whatever it is, I didn't do it," Dayn said automatically, his tone becoming immediately defensive as he stopped, pulling away from Caderyn as threw his hands up.
"No, Dayn, it's not like that," Caderyn told him reassuringly. "He's going to let you come with us on our next mission." Dayn's eyes widened with a burst of pride and happiness before he realized with sudden dismay that he was about to have a serious problem. He felt his heart drop as he finally began to consider the ramifications of what his actions meant. At last, it occurred to him that his loyalties were now divided, and he felt torn, uncertain what he was supposed to do.
Even as he put on a smile for Caderyn and Gawain, his heart seemed to drop into his stomach as he pondered his new dilemma. What happens to my alliance with the Woads when I start riding with the knights against them? He'd waited for so long for the moment when Arthur would allow him to ride with his brothers, but now that the moment possibly had come, he could only worry about what it meant for his pact with the Woads.
"What's the matter, Dayn? We thought you'd be happy at the prospect of getting to join us," Gawain said questioningly. "You've only been pestering Arthur about the chance since you grew old enough to properly wield your sword. What is it?"
"I'm uh…just not certain that he's actually serious about it, that's all. He always says I'm not ready. How do you know that this time is any different?" Dayn asked, voicing the question with the intention of avoiding the worry that Gawain sensed, only to realize that he meant every word of it.
"Well, despite Lancelot's arguments to the contrary, we're fairly certain that Aldric and Dagonet were able to convince Arthur that you're a capable enough fighter."
"What, and you two didn't speak up for me?" Dayn asked playfully.
"Well, we weren't exactly included in the discussion…" Caderyn said sheepishly.
"We were eavesdropping," Gawain remarked easily.
"But we know that it went in your favor," Caderyn told him earnestly, looking at Gawain for confirmation, both men nodding.
"Oh, but when Arthur tells you the news, act surprised, alright?" Gawain finished.
"Yes, alright, Gawain" Dayn said with a grin. "But you two go on ahead--I need to change my tunic before I go in. I'd rather avoid an interrogation about the bloodstains, if you know what I mean."
"What, you don't want Arthur asking about your illicit activities?" Caderyn asked with a grin. Caderyn would never know the exact truth of his words, as he assumed that Dayn had been fighting with a random soldier in a mild, rough-and-tumble sort of fight, the sort where everyone walked away. Knowing he could do nothing to enlighten Caderyn to the truth, Dayn merely smiled and shrugged helplessly.
Caderyn laughed and dropped his arm from Dayn's shoulder, telling Dayn not to be late as he and Gawain continued on their way to the main hall. For a long moment, Dayn watched them before he finally turned and headed back toward the barracks to exchange his soiled tunic for a fresh one. Time was short, he knew, and with a sudden burst of speed, he began to run. Caderyn was right in advising him not to be late--too many questions would be asked if he didn't hurry.
Dayn slid into his seat, hoping to escape notice and thus avoid being asked to answer for his whereabouts. On the way to the main hall, he'd pondered Caderyn and Gawain's pronouncement concerning Arthur's intentions, but he found himself skeptical. Despite the assurances of the two knights, Dayn was wary of becoming too hopeful, nor was he sure it was even what he wanted anymore. How can I fight with the Woads when the time comes for me to fight with my brothers? They've been fighting the Woads for years. He was still considering it as he began to serve himself from the various platters placed on the table, his arrival having gone unnoticed by the others.
Trying to distract himself from his concerns, Dayn glanced around, hoping to join in on one of the many conversations that had already begun. Unfortunately, it was Lancelot's voice that seemed to carry, and Dayn soon found himself listening as Lancelot recounted a tale to Bors concerning a particularly cunning Woad he'd killed.
As Lancelot told the gory details, Dayn bit his lip as he once again became consumed by the dilemma he was now facing. What happens when I'm forced to choose? There was no question in his mind, of course, of turning against his brothers. Harming any of them is out of the question, of course, he thought in absolute resolve. But the Woads offer me something that my brothers never can—the chance to take revenge against the Romans who wrong us all. Can I give that up so readily?
"Dayn." Hearing his name, Dayn looked up to see that Arthur staring at him questioningly. Odd, I never saw him come in, Dayn thought, wondering how Arthur could have slipped by him unseen.
"Yes, Arthur?" he asked, hoping he hadn't missed anything else while he was lost in thought.
"Have you been practicing with the bow as you were instructed?"
"Um…well, about that, you see, I sort of became distracted…" he hedged, averting his eyes from Arthur's all too knowing gaze.
"So you neglected to practice your skills, then," Arthur said, casting a disappointed look at his youngest knight. "Dayn, how do you expect to improve if you don't practice?"
"Why do I need to use the bow when a sword will suffice?" Dayn retorted.
Arthur sighed and rubbed at his forehead wearily, already starting to feel the headache beginning to pound in his temples.
"Because, Dayn, you never know when you will be called upon to use a skill you don't care for in the heat of battle. It may be necessary."
"Well that's why we have Tristan and Galahad. What's the use in me learning a skill I don't care for when we have such like them who excel at it as well as enjoy it?"
"Dayn, there are times when I despair of you," Arthur said with a weary sigh, unwilling to continue the burgeoning argument. "You'll never learn to wield the bow properly if you neglect it out of dislike."
Lancelot smirked at Arthur's words, but for once, Dayn didn't take offense. The truth was, Dayn could handle a bow just as well as any of them, Tristan and Galahad excluded; he just didn't want to. He much preferred the sword and the ax, up-close and personal weapons, rather than the long range weapons like the bow that Tristan, especially, preferred. Pretending he lacked the skill with the bow was an easy way to avoid having to use it.
"Since you have neglected your bow skills, I shall make that a condition for the proposal I'm ready to offer you."
"What mean you?" Dayn asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"I'm willing to allow you to accompany us on our next mission for Rome, provided that you practice with your bow regularly. We may have need of your bow skills one day, and should that day come, I would have you ready. Are we agreed?"
Dayn briefly considered foregoing bow practice altogether in order to avoid being placed in the quandary of choosing between his brother and his new allies, but just as quickly, he discarded the idea. The others would no doubt become suspicious if he didn't appear willing to do anything to go with them. Thus Dayn resigned himself to having to make a decision, and with a forced smile, he nodded.
"Yes, Arthur. We're agreed."
A/N: I feel as though my creative juices have been revived a bit for this fic, and as such, I was able to brainstorm my way through another chapter. I had planned to end the story with this chapter, but I find myself able to continue for at least one more, so expect Chapter 11 at some point in the near future. Please review for me!
BeautifulFirestone: Thanks for the review! I'm sorry I make you wait so long for the updates, but I hope they're worth the wait. Let me know what you think of this one!
chiefhow: I'm trying really hard to link this story up with "Peril," and that means filling in the gaps concerning Dayn's hook-up with the Woads as well as Orainne. It's tricky though, because there's still a two year gap between the two stories, and I'm not certain I want to try and fill in all of it. I've got maybe one more chapter planned, and I'm hoping that will do it. Anyways, thanks for reviewing, and I'll try and pull young Hummingbird in one more time if I can.
dmitchell: I know I'm a bit lacking in the Dayn-Orainne department, but it's tricky to get into that, because it will drag the story out for a lot longer than it should go…I'm trying to get scenes of them in without letting it overpower, but I don't know how satisfying it is. Anyways, thanks so much for reviewing, and I hope to hear what you think of this chapter!
Artemis Darkclaw: I'm glad you liked Hummingbird's appearance—I'll try to pull her in again before the end, but I'll have to see if it'll work. Anyways, thanks so much for reviewing for me!
ModestySparrow9: So how do you think I'm doing with Dayn and Orainne? I'm trying to include some tender moments without letting it overwhelm the story, but I'm not sure how satisfying it is for everyone…anyways, thanks again for letting me use Adima in the last chapter, and I hope to hear from you soon.
spamtotz033190: To my new fan, welcome! LOL, j/k. Anyways, thanks for the review and I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Let me know what you think of this chapter!