I know it's been a very long time since I've updated. Over three years, in fact. I had to go back a read the whole thing because I had forgotten what I had previously written. So, to recap, Arthur and the Romans are waiting for the Saxons to come over the hill. They are still waiting for the Scotts from Eire to join them in fighting the Saxons. Now on with the story!


The drums sounded louder as the Saxon army neared. It echoed in the valley Arthur chose as the battleground, resonating off Hadrian's Wall to the north, where a hundred of Rome's archers crouched in hiding, and to the south where his knights and dozens of other horsemen used the cover of the woods until it was time to spring forth. Arthur turned, assessing the troops that the southern settlements could muster in such short notice. In total they were barely one thousand strong on foot, armed only with sword, spear, and shield.

Arthur's jaw tightened as he thought of the Scots from across the sea who vowed to ally with them against the Saxons. Here they were within minutes of battle, outnumbered ten to one, and they were no where to be seen. He turned back to the road in front of him in time to see the first Saxons crest the hill. Undisciplined and out of ranks, they stopped mid-stride in shock, causing those following too closely to collide into them. The drumming faded and orders were barked through the groups.

The commands came from a big, bulky man with dark hair that draped his shoulders. As his men organized, he quickly assessed the situation. Their arrival to this land had been in planning for years. The only setback was lack of fighting men. After the battle with the Scots resulted in a draw, they made a pact to wage war against the Romans in Britain together. They were to meet along the Stanegate, waging war along the way. Slaughtering this pathetic attempt to oppose invasion will bring them closer to the west where the Scotts should have already taken two coastal forts, and on to victory.

Arthur watched as the leader let out a mighty battle cry and charged down the hill followed by his men. He waited patiently for them to come within range before signaling the commanding officer on the wall. The crouched archers stood, revealing their location, and brought a hail of arrows down upon the enemy. For every Saxon that fell, another took his place as thousands swarmed down from the road ahead.

The Saxons crashed down upon the Roman infantry, but their shields held strong, created an unbreakable barrier. With no where for the front ranks to go and the Saxon troops still moving forward, the valley became crowded with no room to move. Arthur signaled toward the trees where Kayleigh waited, torch in hand. She lit a row of logs the troops had spent the afternoon chopping and covering with tar. Flames darted across the wood igniting the ropes that held them secure atop the hill.

Columns of fire tumbled down the hill, crushing and burning Saxons below. With their deaths came more room on the battle field but trapped the enemy forces between burning logs and the wall. The Saxon leader sent in reinforcements to replace the fallen left flank. The logs successfully split the Saxon army in two.

Arthur smiled to himself and signaled to the trees to the South. The mounted knights bounded from the trees and down the hill roaring their Sarmatian battle cry. Calvary from the legion followed, armored horses leaping over burning logs and tearing through the Saxon's left flank like demons out of hell. On the right flank, Saxons were tightly packed between the burning logs, Hadrian's Wall, and the Romany infantry.

Kayleigh watched momentarily from the tree line. The Roman's were gaining a foot hold in the battle but were still outnumbered. Brother keep me safe, she prayed. Just as she turned to her horse there was a rumbling under her feet.

On the battle field the Saxon leader turned toward the hill they had charged from only moments earlier. He shielded his eyes from the glittering light rising from the hill like the summer sun. He smiled when he saw Airell in elaborate golden armor, his jeweled sword swinging above his head, a battle cry in his throat. His armor alone could pay two years wages for every man in my army, the Saxon thought greedily. That would come in its own time though, after we've finished off the Romans.

Arthur also saw the glint of light and sighed with relief as he watched hundreds of Scotti Champions on horses and chariots strike the rear lines of the Saxon army. There was a moment of confusion as the Saxons realized their allies had turned against them and then utter panic. The Saxons in the rear trying to escape the Scotts pushed their own frontlines directly onto the blades of the Romans. As Arthur's eyes scanned the valley, they locked with the Saxon leader, who visually was tearing Arthur apart limb by limb with his hatred. He turned to practically apply the hatred to the nearest Scotti, engaging in combat.

Kayleigh rode east along the tree line turning to join the Scotti Champions. "You're late," she yelled over the melee to Bevyn, careful not to get too close. The wheels of the chariot he rode were adorned with spikes that would tear through flesh, organs, and bone alike. He laughed even as the enemy's blood spattered on his cheek.

"Sorry lass," Turi replied for Bevyn who veered to the right, his eyes locked on a stray group of fur clad Saxons. "The letter with Arthur's wax seal was as useless as tits on a pig. Every damned Roman scouting party wanted to stop and threaten us."

"I'm sure you did quite a bit of threatening yourselves," she managed to get out while slicing Saxons with her sword as they galloped through the field.

Soon they found themselves in the middle of the battle. The Roman infantry successfully held the enemy back but the volume of live bodies around them was so dense they slowed to a cantor, then the horses stopped completely, unable to move forward and not enough room to turn and retreat. The horses reared and kicked in defense as their riders either clung to them for life or dismounted. Kayleigh and Turi dismounted, cutting down Saxons to free an escape for their steeds while dodging hooves. Kayleigh saw a Saxon going for the tendons of her horse with an ax. She jumped forward with a yell and blocked his swing with her sword, putting her dagger through his throat before he could balance himself again.

She chanced a glance across the field. Arthur had reformed the troops into a more offensive position and had joined the battle. Most of the knights had led their horses to the safety of the outer ranks and regrouped. She turned her head in time to watch in horror as Gawain's horse fell screaming.

"Turi! Gawain!" She gestured in his direction with her chin as she blocked a blow to her chest. "Make a way," was all she could get out as her vision blurred from emotions and smoke. She mounted her horse between its kicking and dug her heels into its sides forcing it forward through the mass of swarming bodies.

Turi looked around for any of his men that could help clear a way for Kayleigh to give the knight a chance. He spotted Bevyn not too far away and let out a high pitched whistle to get his attention. Bevyn wheeled the chariot and brought it alongside Turi who leapt aboard and took the reigns.

"We must clear a path for her before she gets herself killed!" he yelled at Bevyn over the clamor.

Bevyn nodded and picked up a bow and quiver of arrows, clearing the Saxon infantry from the chariot. Turi whipped the horses into action, gathering enough speed to trample anyone who stood in its ways.

"Kayleigh!" Bevyn yelled. "Allow us to plow the fields!" His laughter rang out above the grunts and screams of those his arrows found targets in.

"I don't know who's more deranged," Turi said to Bevyn, "You or Kayleigh."

Kayleigh fought her way to the clearing made by the chariot and followed its path across the battlefield to Gawain.

"You're on your own, lass," Turi hollared as they wheeled away. To keep a chariot unmoving was death to all it carried.

She nodded her thanks and dismounted, quickly taking out the nearest Saxon. Gawain was fighting above his horse like one possessed. "Gawain," she called to him. He swung out blindly at anyone that neared him.

"Gawain," she yelled louder. He turned, his sword slicing through the air between them. A Saxon came at her and she dodged his attack brining her sword up to slice his midsection. He dropped to the ground wailing.

"Gawain, it's Kayleigh," she tried again. "We need to go!" The Saxons were coming at them in all directions and they would not be able to hold them off much longer.

"My horse…" Gawain muttered.

"Your horse is dead!" she yelled. She cut a lock of hair from the horse's mane before mounted her own horse. There was no time for this.

"Come on, Gawain," she yelled hold her hand out to him. A Saxon on the other side of her horse swung his axe catching her lower leg. She cried out and thrust her sword into him. "Gawain, now!"

The tone of her voice brought him back to himself and he mounted swiftly behind her. She kicked her horse into action, slicing Saxons down as they galloped out of the fray. They rode up the hill to the tree line to give both the horse and themselves a respite.

Gawain dismounted and turned to Kayleigh. "I'm sorry," he said. "I've had her since Sarmatia," he tried to explain.

"Don't worry about it," she told him as she swung her leg down from the horse. The moment she put the weight on her right foot, her leg collapsed.

"Kayleigh!" Gawain came over to help her. "You're hurt!"

"It's nothing," she said through gritted teeth. He helped her over to a tree, which she leaned against and then slid to the ground.

"Let me look at it," he offered, crouching to peel the flap of her trousers that hung off her calf.

"No," she said, stopping him. He sat back, frowning. "Listen. Do you hear that?"

"The battle? It's difficult not to hear that."

"No," she listened for it again. "There," she said as a trumpet called, its notes barely loud enough to flutter over the din of battle.

"It's the call to regroup," Gawain said, listening. "Arthur must have a plan."

"Go. Take my horse."

"I can't just leave you here—"

"Yes, you can!" she exclaimed, taking him by the shoulders. "That is your duty. It's what you're here for. Besides, Arthur needs you. The men need you."

He nodded and stood. "I'll come back for you," he promised as he mounted her horse.

She smiled. "I know."

After he was gone, she peeled the blood soaked flap of her breeches away to reveal a deep gash in her leg. She ripped the cleanest strip of cloth from her clothes that she could find and tied it around her leg to slow the bleeding. She resigned herself to resting against the tree though she wanted to rejoin the fight.

Kayleigh heard the trumpet again and a horn sounded in response. The clash in the valley below became quieter and she wished she had chosen a spot closer to the tree line so she could see what was going on. She took the horse hair she had cut from Gawain's horse from her pocket and began plaiting it into a long cord. She knew how difficult it was for him to lose the last thing that reminded him of home.

She knotted off the cord and returned it to her pocket. The sky was getting darker and she folded her arms before her to conserve her body heat. She wasn't sure if it was getting cold with the setting of the sun or if she was losing too much blood. She hoped it was the former.

Suddenly, a twig cracked in the forest. Her eyes darted across the landscape. "Gawain?"

The footsteps became louder and quicker. A flash of animal furs appeared between the trees. Kayleigh cursed as she pulled herself up to standing position. The world swayed in front of her and she held onto the tree to steady herself. Her sword rang from its sheath as three Saxons stepped into the clearing before her.