Chapter Fourteen - The Battle Begins.

It had been three days since the meeting in the Great Hall, and Sofia hadn't had a chance to speak to any of the knights. When they would see her coming, they would either leave or stare her down until she felt nervous and wouldn't go to them. Four more days until they all moved out, heading to battle with the Saxons and she had no idea if she stood alone, or if she had the help of her friends. She needed to get away from the village for a while so she went to the stables and prepared herself a horse. She rode the horse into the forest, and stopped at the pond. This was the last place she felt truly happy. She would give anything to have that day back. Leaving the horse to roam freely around the pond, Sofia went and sat on a rock, dangling her toes in the freezing water. A light breeze played with her hair and blew the light fabric of her dress around her. She smiled, inhaling the cool air, feeling it whip her hair about her face. She watched as red and yellow leaves danced to the ground, many of them landing in the water. She closed her eyes, replaying the last time she was here in her mind. "Will you be my wife?" that was the best moment of her life. She looked down at her now bare finger; the ring hadn't even been there long enough to leave a mark. A twig snapped behind her, and she whipped her head around. She stared in shock as Lancelot stood, leaning against a tree facing her. She stood up, moving her wild hair from her face to get a better look. He really was there, it was really him.
"Lancelot, how did you know I was here?" she asked him, moving closer to him.
"A lucky guess" he said with a shrug.
"Why did you come?"
"I wanted to speak with you" he told her, pushing off the tree and taking a step forward. She stopped and they were only a foot away from each other. She waited for him to continue. It took him a moment before he went on.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking these past three days. Thinking about your story, thinking about the girl I've spent the last year with. You said I know you best of all, and the girl I know would not harm me or my friends." he said. She smiled,
"I told you, you knew me best" she said.
"With that being said, I am still hurt you did not tell me this before. It would have been much less suspicious if you had just told us rather then keeping it a huge secret." he told her. She nodded in agreement.
"I know that now. I should have told you the truth right from the start, but I was afraid."
"Afraid of what?" he asked.
"Of everything. Of what you all would think of me. Of what you might do to me..." her voice trailed off. He reached out, placing his palm gently on her cheek.
"Sofia, I would never hurt you." he said. She leaned into his hand, she missed his touch.
"I know that now." she replied. Lancelot pulled her into a hug, leaning his face down he breathed in the scent of her hair. She hugged him back, wrapping her arms around his strong body,
"I missed you" she whispered.
"I missed you too."
They stood like that for a while and then Lancelot pulled back, and reached into his pocket.
"This belongs to you." he said, and he slid her ring back to where it belonged. She smiled up at him and kissed him. They parted again and sat down together on the rock she had been sitting on when he arrived.
"Do the others feel the same way you do? Or are they still upset with me?" she asked.
"Dagonet is coming around, so is Galahad. As for the others, it might take time."
"But the battle is only four days away!" she cried. He pulled her into his side where she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Do not fear my love, even if it is only you and me out there, I wont let anything happen to you."
"If we kill Cerdic and his son, Cynric, I will be free. We have to kill them" she told him. He nodded,
"I know that, and we will."
They decided to head back to the fort and when they arrived at the stables, Gawain and Galahad were inside. They looked up with surprise when they saw the two together.
"Hi there gentlemen" she said, getting off her horse. Galahad nodded his head, a small smile on his face. Gawain on the other hand, turned and left the room as if she hadn't even spoken to him. She glanced nervously at Lancelot.
"Galahad, where do you stand with this situation?" he asked, getting straight to business. Galahad was quiet for a moment but then he smiled.
"I believe you" he said. She smiled,
"Oh Galahad, you have no idea how much that means. Thank you!" she cried. She considered hugging him, but she controlled herself.
"Gawain on the other hand, I think it might take him a bit longer." he added. She nodded,
"I can understand that. I really didn't expect anyone to believe me so for you two to trust me, it means the world to me." she told them both. That evening Lancelot and Sofia managed to speak with Dagonet, who felt the same as Galahad.
"You are a brave, strong, kind young woman. I know you were in great need of freedom from the Saxons, and I can understand what you did." he told her. This time she didn't hold back, and wrapped Dagonet in a huge hug.
That night, Lancelot and Sofia were back in their old room together, and Sofia was still worrying about the others.
"If Arthur believes me, the others will too." she said. Lancelot nodded,
"I will speak to him tomorrow."
"I need Gawain..." she started to speak but was cut off by Lancelot putting his fingers to her lips.
"Shhh, enough" he whispered softly, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.
"Enough worrying for tonight, please."
She grasped the fingers that were pressed to her lips and kissed them lightly,
"I'm sorry."
He rolled on top of her, pushing her hair from her face.
"Don't apologize." he leaned down and kissed her.
It wasn't long before things fell back to normal, and she found she couldn't get his shirt off fast enough.

It was the day of the battle. Arthur and his knights and many of the Roman soldiers prepared early in the morning, and they were off before mid-day to meet the Saxons to the North. Sofia still didn't know where Arthur, Bors, Tristan or Gawains thoughts were, but she new she had Lancelot, Dagonet and Galahad on her side, and she felt confident. She found herself worrying more about seeing Cerdic in person for the first time in a year then actually fighting him. The things he did to her were unforgivable, and she couldn't help but shudder in fear at even the thought of him. As hard as she tried to put on a brave face, Lancelot could see threw the mask and see the fear in her eyes. He new she was a strong fighter, and she would fight till the death if she had to, but the Saxons brought out the fear, and he hated them for whatever they did to her to make her that way. The Saxons came into view when they reached the top of the next hill, and everyone noticed immediately how out numbered they were. Sofia heard many of the Romans gasp in shock, and some whispered things to each other like, we will never make it and there are far to many! The Saxon drums began, and they saw as the army marched forward, chanting something in their own language. To Arthur's horror, he saw in the forest to the left of them a large number of woads. He new they were out numbered before, but fighting both the Saxons and the woads would be suicide. But to his surprise, and everyone else's, the woads ran forward, attacking the Saxons. Lancelot and Arthur exchanged looks of shock and amazement as the blue coloured warriors ran to their aid. With new found hope, the knights charged forward, and the battle began.