She sat up slowly, carefully trying to ensure that her head didn't start to spin. She needn't have worried though, as she spotted the almost empty glass placed on her table. The liquid that remained was clear; it was the water she had thought she drank in her dream. Then that wasn't a dream, she thought. So who brought me back here?

Running her fingers through her hair, Cass pushed it back from her face, leaving the inky curls to fall straight back into place again. She sighed and swung her legs off the bed, to stand on stiff legs. Cass stripped from the dress she had slept in and stood for a moment in the cool air as it caressed her bare skin. She yawned, and eventually pulled on her red dress.

I should find out who brought me back here... Cass thought as she tied the laces of her boots. Standing again, Cass drew her cloak around her shoulders and left her room to an empty corridor. She assumed that she was awake much later than usual as when she walked outside, into the mild-temperatured, blue-skied day, there were plenty of people in the street.

It was a different story, however, when Cass reached the tavern, expecting to find the Knights at their usual table, and instead found only Dagonet. He waved a hand to Cass when he saw her near the tavern and she took a seat next to him. A small, deep laugh came from the Knight next to her, and Cass turned to look at him quizzically.

"You know, you seem to have a better recovery rate than most of the Knights," he said with a sideways grin.

She smiled at him and shook her head, answering, "Not really, but someone made me drink a pint of water before I slept last night."

Dagonet raised an eyebrow as he looked at her and asked, "Someone?"

A hesitant expression crept onto Cass' face along with a cheek-darkening blush, as she grudgingly admitted, "Er... Well, you see... I can't remember who it was."

He laughed at her; his sideways grin remaining on his face. She wanted to scowl at him, but she had to admit that it was pretty pathetic that she couldn't remember who brought her back to her room the previous night.

When he stopped laughing, Dagonet said, "Too much to drink?"

Cass shrugged and made a face at him, her cheeks becoming a slightly darker shade of red, which he took to mean a yes. Her answer only made him laugh at her again. She didn't really mind Dagonet's laugh; it was soft, more like a chuckle. Like the rest of the Knights, his laughter was never malicious. She didn't mind the laughter, but she was curious as to who it was that had brought her to her room.

Her voice interrupted his laughter, "Are you just going to laugh at me all day or are you going to tell me who took me back, so I can go and thank them?"

Dagonet nodded, and eventually replied, "Tristan took you back to your room last night. He never quite gets as affected when drinking as the rest of us."

Cass blinked and tried to force back the blush that threatened at the thought of Tristan taking her back to her room; carrying her back. She almost groaned when she thought of what she could have said to him after she'd had too much to drink. But she refrained, and instead asked Dagonet if he knew where Tristan was. She felt the need to thank him for making sure she arrived at her room safely, and for making her drink the water that had saved her from probably the worst hangover she'd ever have had.

"Out scouting again," Dagonet answered with a nod.

"Right," she said, standing up.

"You'll never find him," Dagonet added warningly as Cass began walking from the tavern.

"I can only try," she half-shouted back to him as she left.

Cass left the tall Knight at the table and turned her mind onto her next to impossible task; finding the scout. How can I find someone who's so good at not being found? she asked herself.

She soon found herself wandering to her room before she would even attempt to find Tristan. Cass strapped her sword around her waist, and walked to her door. As her hand grasped the door handle, she paused and glanced behind her. Cass walked back to her table, picking up the paper and charcoal that lay upon it. He is the last I have to draw... At least I'll be able to draw him if I do find him. Better than finding him and not being able to, I suppose... Cass thought, nodding to herself and leaving the Fort to try and find Tristan.

Outside of the gates, Cass looked around and saw nothing, no one. She scanned the floor for any sign of tracks. She saw nothing. Cass cursed herself for not being able to see anything, though reasoned that Tristan was not one likely to leave traceable tracks behind him. She let out a long sigh and made up her mind to start by following the wall in one direction.

It became clear quite quickly that she would be better trying to find a needle in a haystack than Tristan in... wherever he actually was. Cass decided that she'd try again in the other direction, and set off back for the Fort. It occurred to her that she may have missed him completely and that he may have returned to the Fort, but Cass dismissed that thought and continued anyway.

When she made it back to the Fort, she looked out to the grassy field directly in front of her. She could see from where she was, almost exactly what she would see if she continued; a whole lot of grass and not much else. Cass made a change in her plan, and instead of walking the way she had planned, she trekked up to the tree-line of the forest that Tristan had found her in. She found herself at the base of a very tall, but very climbable, tree.

She placed her things at the bottom of the tree, using her sword as a paperweight. Cass took a deep breath, steadying herself for the task of climbing the tree. If you get to higher ground, you may be able to see him. Cass kept that thought fixated in her mind as she started to climb, trying to distract herself from her other prominent thoughts; namely, slipping and falling. After a lot of shaky-leggedness, Cass had climbed half way up the tree to a good sized branch. She wondered if she should try to climb higher, but on glancing downward and realising that she was up higher than the Wall, she decided against it.

Cass stayed sat on the sturdy branch; her legs dangling to one side, one hand on the trunk of the tree to steady herself. As she looked out, Cass' fingers dug into the bark more, her fear of falling sticking with her. She realised that the Fort was bigger than she had initially thought, that the fields and trees surrounding her were beautiful- even if their leaves had started to fall. Though her most notable realisation, was that she was not going to be able to find Tristan.

She sighed. I must have missed him... I'm sure he'll be in the tavern later. Cass made up her mind to go there straight away; perhaps she would be better off waiting for him to come to her. The problem she had to solve next though had immediately become top of her priorities list. How in buggery-shitting-Hell am I supposed to get down?

Cass frowned. Looking down was one thing. Climbing was completely different. She had thought that she had just conquered her fear of heights, but the thought of climbing down terrified her. When climbing up, one could see where their hands were going, but when climbing down, one has to place their feet. It's as bad as doing it blind, she thought, her eyes wide and phobia-filled.

As she was about to steel herself to look again, Cass saw something fly passed some of the nearer trees. A bird of prey, she guessed. She saw it again, almost as if it was circling her. The third time the animal reappeared, Cass saw that it was not, in fact, circling her, but headed straight for her. She flinched as it neared, eventually landing on the branch beside her. The bird, which Cass now saw to be a hawk, landed so close to her, and her flinch was so great, that Cass lost her balance.

She slipped backward, leaving a fingernail trail engraved in the trunk of the tree. Her scream pierced the air as she fell, and thoughts flooded her mind- too many to even distinguish between them. Cass tumbled in a downward spiral. Her scream stopped. She held her breath.

In an instant, she hit the ground.

Not only the ground though.

As she had neared the ground, Cass had closed her eyes, not wanting to look at the grim fate that awaited her. If her eyes had been open, Cass would have seen the man standing at the bottom of the tree; the man that had seen her falling and had been ready to catch her. Tristan had caught her, though the sheer force of her fall had pulled them both to the ground, the small girl on top of him.

Tristan looked at the girl resting over him and his brow creased. He wasn't sure if the unmoving girl was unconscious or not. Moments passed before Cass finally moved; the hand she had on Tristan's chest curled into a fist, bunching the material of his shirt. He saw her turn her head, eyes still closed from when she had fallen.

Slowly, Cass' eyelids fluttered open, and when they focussed on Tristan and her hand clutching his shirt, her eyes widened. Cass pulled back immediately, her cheeks turning a peculiar shade of puce. She pushed herself up unsteadily, and saw the Knight stand too; all expression wiped clear from his face as he did.

"Tristan, I am so sorry... I, er..." Cass began apologetically.

"...Thank you," she finished quietly as her eyes searched for his.

Tristan nodded, more strands of his dark hair falling before his face, making it harder for Cass to find his eyes. Neither said anything for a while until Cass finally let out a small laugh.

"You know, I was actually looking for you to thank you; and, now I find myself thanking you for something else..."

He tilted his head and looked at her almost questioningly.

She continued after the pause between them, "For taking me back to my room last night. And making sure that I drank that water."

She took the glint that appeared in his eye for the briefest of moments to mean "You're welcome", though he said nothing. Cass absentmindedly looked down at her arm and saw a plum-sized section of her skin turning blue. She sighed as she touched a finger to the suddenly coloured patch of her flesh. It hurt, but it wasn't as bad as she knew it could have been, especially if Tristan hadn't been there. Cass looked up again and saw Tristan staring at her arm; something odd in his expression brought on by the almost-frown darkening his face. Cass felt her cheeks burning again, though she wasn't sure why.

"It's... just a bruise," Cass said slowly, taking her hand from her arm.

He nodded and opened his mouth to speak. He said nothing though, as an interruption came in the form of the bird that had frightened Cass out the tree. She stepped backward, accidentally pushing herself back into the tree as it flew toward them. The hawk, however, was not actually out to get her as she had thought, but instead landed upon Tristan's outstretched arm. Cass stared at the man and the bird in amazement.

As Tristan took a small strip of meat from his pocket and began to feed it to the hawk that he then proceeded to stroke, Cass said quietly, and confusedly, "That hawk's yours?"

Tristan looked up and shook his head, his deep voice replying, "No. She's free.

Cass blinked, confused even more by the fact that the bird would so readily fly to him if it was free. Before she could ask, Tristan continued, surprising her with an extremely un-Tristan-like elaboration.

"She had a broken wing and I helped her heal. She's stuck with me ever since."

The corners of his lips turned into a small smile as his fingers stroked the bird's feathery breast. Cass watched them in wonder for a while as the bird eyed her suspiciously. She could tell now, after watching them; that the hawk was his companion. Where all the other Knights had another Knight, Tristan had her. Both quiet, both solitary, both deadly; and it seemed, both had a knack for startling Cass. Tristan gestured for Cass to come forward. She blinked and shook her head.

"Oh- no, it's okay, I-"

"She won't hurt you," he said softly, though Cass was unsure if he had meant to say that to the bird or to her and stayed put.

"Tristan, she just scared me out of a tree, I don't think she likes me too much," Cass replied, the pink tinge appeared on her cheeks as she remembered the fall that caused her to land on top of the Knight.

Tristan shook his head and took a step toward Cass, who had nowhere to go since she was already backed up into the tree. I hate this tree, she thought to herself as Tristan brought the hawk closer. He took hold of her hand with his free one, sparking another deep blush to erupt onto her cheeks. Tristan guided her reluctant hand to the bird and placed it against the bird's breast, his rough fingers gently keeping hers in place.

The hawk tilted her head at Cass, predatory eyes boring into her as if she was passing judgement. Suddenly, making Cass jump, the hawk let out a loud, distinctive cry. Tristan allowed Cass' hand slip away this time, sensing her discomfort as the bird had; he did not move back from her though. Cass looked at the pair as she half-pressed her back into the tree; they really were like two parts of a whole, as real friends always are.

"Erm, Tristan?" Cass said, working up the courage to speak again when so near to the hawk.

His eyes turned to her.

"I... Well, I was going to ask if you'd mind me drawing you... But... if she'll stay, I could... draw you both..." she suggested.

Tristan paused, considering her idea.

He nodded after a minute, and said quietly, "If she stays."

Cass smiled at him, asking if he'd sit down so that she could draw him. Tristan did as she asked and Cass slid down the tree to the ground next to Tristan and the hawk. She picked up her paper and charcoal and then looked at the subjects of the picture not yet begun. Cass paused, studying the light as it hit Tristan's face; how it hit the hawk's dark feathers. She outlined the picture, drawing the basic image of the Knight and the bird.

Tristan seemed not to want to talk as she drew, and contented himself with stroking the hawk on his arm. There was a long silence that sat between the three, interrupted only by the whistle of the wind and occasional rustling of the trees.

Cass didn't realise how hard it would be to draw Tristan, and she had only made the task harder for herself by adding the hawk to the picture. She had to admit though, when she had finished, the picture was one of her best. Almost as soon as she had told Tristan that she was finished, the hawk took flight. Both Cass and Tristan watched her fly away until she was lost in the trees. Cass smiled at Tristan.

"She's beautiful, Tristan," Cass said, sincerely.

He turned his gaze back from the sky to the girl that was leaning against the trunk of the tree, holding the finished picture to her chest. He gave her a small nod and looked out to the field between them and the Fort, an unreadable expression on his face.

"She's free," Tristan said to the wind.

Cass said nothing, but mentally noted the regretful tone in his voice. She was left no time to dwell upon his response though, as Tristan stood almost immediately. He turned back to Cass and held a hand out for her. She stared at his hand for a moment before she took it, feeling her face turn red as his hand closed around hers. Tristan pulled her to her feet and it seemed, to Cass, a long while before he released her hand. It was as if they were suspended in time with her hand in his. Though in actuality, it had been only moments that he had had hold of her, his eyes meeting hers.

"I- I should probably head to my room; you know, to put this with the others," she suggested, gesturing to the picture at her chest when he let her hand slip from his.

He nodded and waited for her to pick up her sword and strap it around her waist before they began walking. She smiled and set off across the field, walking quietly beside the Knight. She found herself looking at her feet a lot during the walk back, occasionally avoiding particularly muddy patches of earth. Tristan raised his eyebrows enquiringly at her as she did.

She sighed and answered the question in his expression, "I only have three dresses. I don't really want to get them horrifically dirty if I can help it."

The guards on the gate seemed to recognise Cass now, as each day they took less time to decide if they'd let her into the Fort or not. But, as Cass was with Tristan, the gates opened almost as soon as they arrived in front of them. No Roman would ever consider not letting the quiet, Sarmatian scout into the Fort. Cass smiled slightly at the thought of what Tristan would do if they didn't let him inside. There'd probably be a few dead Romans, she surmised.

As Tristan and Cass walked into the Fort, something caught her eye. Or rather, someone. She inhaled quickly, her breath stuck in her throat. The Roman who had tried to kiss her. He was staring at her again. She tried not to look at him. Can he not just fucking stop that? Cass thought as her fists clenched. She and Tristan walked closer to him and she turned to her left, about to ask the Knight if they could change their route.

He wasn't there, however. Tristan had moved to her right without her even noticing. He stood now between Cass and the Roman, though she was sure that Tristan had not known that that was the man she was so worried by. Cass looked at the Knight beside her, and saw that his face was impassive.

She became certain that Tristan knew though, when he placed a hand upon her back and almost ushered her passed the Roman. Cass stared at the floor, a huge sense of relief washing over her and leaving behind a cheek-staining blush. It was as if he'd stepped between the Roman and her and made sure that nothing was said between them, on purpose. But why would he do that? She dismissed the thought, convincing herself that any of the Knight's would have done the same, had they been with her. It was in their nature.

But the hand that stayed on her back until the Roman was out of sight, made her half wish that she was wrong.

Author' Note: So, just a note, I won't be posting the next chapter until I've completed all the drawings- I'm very behind. =/ So apologies for the wait, but at the moment the only Knights I've drawn are Gawain, Dagonet and an outline of Galahad (whose beard, might I add, is being extremely difficult right now. :/)

Oh, and some random news, I had a snow day yesterday and so when I got back in from nearly killing myself and some random people (if you want to know, just ask), I ended up writing about two pages of a chapter that I had not intended to write.. You'll probably be able to guess what chapter it is when it's up by the snow.. :P I may use it as a one shot, later actually..

Kit xx