Reunion 14
This chapter will focus on the Knights more than anything else and their struggles to find a consensus with their present families, their emotions, their duties-past and present-, and their relationships with their old families.
This does have a small part that may seem like INCEST, but it IS NOT! Habren's just admiring how handsome her brother has grown.
I repeat: NOT INCEST!
Unknown to the Ladies of Camelot, as they began the heartbreaking responsibility of preparing a funeral pier for the orphaned girl-woman, Katheryne, the Knights of the Round Table, themselves, were starting to feel the pangs of suppressed obligations and family bonds.
Each man knew that they had promised their families to return, and in Gawain's case, he had made the extra promise to his mother to make sure that his younger brother, Galahad, remained alive and lived to see the greens of the Steppes once more.
Dmn it! Why'd they have to come! Why couldn't they just let us go? It's not like Knights ever came home in the past. Some did and some didn't. What made us SO important for them to travel so far to find us?
But…they did think we had been kept here by Arthur against our will…AND we ARE the princes of the eleven tribes…but it's not like the bloodline was in any danger of dying out! I mean, there is Tarkan, Habren, ah…I think his name is Zimkar, and then Hera of the Lion Tribe. Then there is Agrimpasa, Athena, Areia, Rugon, Rabadron, Reekon, and Gowan…if they still live?
He blinked at that. It had been a VERY long time since he had thought about any of his older half-brothers.
He glanced at his younger sister, the twin of his very well-loved, baby brother, Galahad and asked in a voice he hoped didn't reveal just how scared he truly was about the answer nor how disjointed he felt from his Sarmatian family, "So, how are Rugon, Rabadron, Reekon, and Gowan?"
Agrimpasa twirled to him quickly and snorted as she said off-handedly, "Not that you TRULLY care-right?"
At his grimace, she laughed lightly and said humorlessly, "Rugon is alive and married to Agrippia and has two children-two boys named Gawain and Galahad in honor of his FALLEN baby brothers."
He grimaced again and thought of his blond hared, brown eyed brother as she continued, "Rabadron and Reekon are dead, but both were married to Satina and Calipia. They left them pregnant when the Huns attacked. Both had girls named Rabada and Reeia in honor of their brave fathers who fell during the raid."
Galahad, who had joined his siblings winced and sent a silent prayer up to the heavens I know I claimed myself no longer Sarmatian when I became Galahad Weaponsguild Wolfe but…they are my brothers so…Mythras protect them and may they run freely across the Steppes.
Agrimpasa continued on not even bothering to hide the contempt she felt for her DEAREST older brothers, "And Gowan, he recently married Missinia and is expecting his first child. I expect that when we return home, the baby will be born and we'll have a new baby niece or nephew."
Galahad's shoulders sunk as he heard the news of his older half-brothers. He had to admit, he hadn't thought about them in a very long time. Even before he had married Enys and became a Lord of Briton, when he was still under Rome's thumb, he hadn't thought of them. He just didn't see the reason to moan and groan for men who were thousands of miles away and scattered all over the Empire. If they lived, he'd see them again in his life. If not, well there were always the divine Steppes.
The two brothers of House Wolfe shared a glance. The women their brothers married were in fact their cousins-fourth or fifth true-but they were cousin nonetheless. If the Sarmatian people didn't learn to tolerate those not of pure blood, their once proud countrymen would quickly die out.
Galahad sighed as he finished his thought and that's Habren's whole point for this visit-isn't it!
Even Arthur was starting to feel horrible about how they had been treating the families of his beloved Knights.
It's not like they didn't deserve it!
He thought with vicious pride. The Sarmatians had been the ones who had threatened and mocked their children-in their faces even! He hadn't forgotten nor forgiven how Tor made a wholly artificial 'heart-felt' apology to his own nieces!
But, even he had to admit, that not all the Sarmatians were evil or bad. And, if he was honest with himself, not all of them deserved his and his Knights treatment of them.
Also, if he wanted to be REALLY honest with himself, he'd acknowledge one of his deepest fears come to life with the arrival of the Sarmatians.
I don't want them to take my dearly loved Knights away from me! He thought selfishly.
Plus, the true evil ones, Attila, Tor, and Artur, had been taken care of.
He smirked as he thought and right now they are probably sitting in the rain as we ride through it right now! And he added as his smirk grew the best part is, the Sarmatians think they are dead!
Lancelot was attempting to NOT look at his little sister's vast, watery, bruised, brown eyes. He didn't want to feel as though he had failed her somehow. He knew that she blamed him for her current situation, being married-reluctantly-to Melean.
But! It's not like she couldn't have spoken up on her own behalf! I didn't have to be THE ONE person to save her from an unhappy marriage! She's been trained to handle the political world with Tarkan!
He sighed.
He had promised though.
And he NEVER broke a promise-NEVER!
Perhaps I should have gone home-for a short time. It's not like Emmy didn't have enough support for her while the twins were being born. I could have gone back to Sarmatia, handled Habren's situation, let Pappy marry her, and returned home. GOD! What am I to do! I feel horrible for breaking my promise to her! But, I love Emmy…
She needed me more than they did.
Promises left unfilled!
Come on Lancelot, why don't you be honest with yourself…you didn't want to go back home because you had, had it up to your ears with politics…ROMAN politics and you knew that if you went home, you'd have to become the next King and handle discussions with all the Romans in the area…as tradition dictates…
But…she's still my baby…little sister!
His eyes hardened in his weakening attempt to distance himself from his own flesh and blood siblings But…oh who am I trying to fool! I didn't return because I didn't want too! I didn't want to leave one kind of enforced slavery just to return to another, differently shaped, slavery!
But I made a promise!
If I had returned to Sarmatia, mother would have taken one look at me, nodded, most likely she would have whacked me on the back of the head too…and shoved me into wedding robes and married my off to Agrimpasa before I knew what had happened!
He gazed at Galahad's well-endowed fraternal twin sister and ended with a shake of revulsion and I would have ended up with THAT as my wife…a slut who only wants more power…I would have ended up with a certifiable she-Roman digging for gold!
As he sent his gaze to his sister, who was on his right flank, he cast her a-side-long glance, while not turning his head, Habren said, "Is it always this…eh…wet?"
Lancelot snorted at her opening statement, and said wryly as he thought back to a time, only five to six years ago, when he too thought as she did-she despised the wet, muddy, misty, and dreary weather, "Most of the time it seems like it, yes, but the weather has actually been pretty nice. This is the first time in nearly a month that we have had a nice, slow, wet rainfall. The last time in rained, it poured so much and for so long, I thought we'd end up killing all the children because they were NOT handling the enforced inside restrictions."
At her confused look, he added helpfully as Arthur joined him on his left flank, "They did NOT like staying inside for a full month."
Habren snorted at that. She could understand the children's feelings perfectly. She and the other Children of Sarmatia are born wild and free like the horses they were so well known for. To be cooped up inside four castle stonewalls, for an entire month, was the very things of her nightmares.
She glanced at him and couldn't help be feel a jolt of desire rush through her. Her eldest brother was very handsome. In fact, he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. She bit her lip and chastised herself harshly for it.
She tried to rationalize it away by thinking to herself I haven't seen him since I was five-years-old-he thirteen! It's not like I grew up with him and the moral family bonds of brothers and sisters! My body is just reminding me that I have a very handsome man close by and that I haven't been to my marriage bed once in my entire wedded life! I'm twenty years old! I should have two children by now!
Tarkan bit his lip as he watched his eldest brother and eldest, younger sister ride side-by-side. He wanted to hate Lancelot for not coming home like he had promised so long ago, but he found himself unable too. When he thought of Lancelot, his thoughts immediately went to his brother's beautiful Briton wife and his three adorable children.
He knew almost immediately that he could not harm his brother's family in the way he had planned to. He could not ruin his own brother's happiness for his own sake.
He knew this to be true, because he knew that Lancelot, despite the fact that they had not seen each other in twenty years, would never harm him in anyway-seriously.
He also knew, that if, IF by any chance they were able to bring Lancelot back to Sarmatia, his brother would NEVER try to flirt and steal the mother of his unborn child.
So, why am I planning to do this? Am I THAT deplorable? Am I THAT desperate? NO! I'm NOT! If Lancelot does not return, and mother tries to force me to marry Agrimpasa, I'll…I'll…I'm not completely sure what I'd do, but I know for certain that I will move away from the tribe...
As he stared out at the hazy landscape and futilely at his brother and the other Knights, who looked completely at home in the rain-but more importantly-they looked AT PEACE, he ended thoughtfully perhaps, I'll move here. Perhaps, I, too, can find my peace…
He smirked vindictively and added crossly to himself wouldn't mother just throw a fit if I left the tribe? Then she will have lost two sons to Briton and neither of them will be lost to her because of death, but by choice-a worse heartbreak.
He glanced at his sister and felt an incredible urge, to confess his old plans. Since he knew she'd keep his secret, he knew he could tell her. He trotted up to her and raised an eyebrow.
She hadn't notice him approach.
He cleared his throat and waited.
Nothing.
He frowned and gently shook her by her shoulder.
Habren's thoughts were torn from her when she felt a hand on her upper shoulders.
She turned and saw her brother, Tarkan, eyeing her weirdly. She raised and eyebrow and he shrugged.
She pursed her lips and waited.
Tarkan sighed and said softly so that only the two of them could hear, "Habren, I don't think they will come home. We MUST find a way to get them to let us stay. I don't know about you, but I am NOT marrying Agrimpasa! If I have to, I'm dragging Lancelot back home with Emogen and his children trailing behind."
Her glare sharpened as he shrugged and said carelessly, "At least I am not going to try and break up his marriage as my first plan needed."
Before Habren could scold him for his plan of betrayal, Tristran, who had been sent on ahead by Arthur earlier, trotted back to them and said, "The Wall is just over the next hill. Aldus is expecting us."
He turned towards the Sarmatians and ended in a smirk, "All the royal banners are out and flying in the winds."
Lancelot and Arthur groaned and Lancelot said scratching, "I'm going to KILL Aldus if he's attempting what I think he is."
Before Habren could ask him what he meant, she and the others got their first glimpse of the famous wall their forefathers, brothers, uncles, and brothers gave their lives for.
The banners Tristran had spoken of where flying proudly in the Briton skyline, and Habren couldn't help but feel a sense of pride for her brother and his friends. The bold dark navy blue and gold of the Pendragon and the sharp emerald and silver of the Lion were the very first standards that caught her eye, and she was spell bound. That more than anything proved to her just how far reaching Arthur's arm crossed Briton. If they didn't do as the King said, they could be easily propelled off the island with very little trouble.
As they all dismounted, Lancelot said sarcastically with a smile to his second-n-command, "Home Sweet Home."
Aldus chuckled and said with a warm smile as a young lady hugged his right arm, "This way My Lords!"
Pappy demanded with a superior air, "And just WHERE are we going?"
He ignored the grating looks from the Knights as the woman stood tall and said just as superiorly, "It's a surprise!"
With large grins to match their growing egos, the Knights followed Lancelot's second-n-command. The Knights eyed their past countrymen evilly, so the Sarmatians sighed and grudgingly followed their unwelcoming hosts.
Tarkan growled and asked as they stepped into the courtyard, "What is all this…"
Melean gasped out with wide eyes as he stared at the drenched, wrinkling, lousy-looking men, "You're ALIVE!"