Author's Note: Okay the beginning is a little corny cause the main
character goes back in time, but hey, this is fanfiction, I can write about
whatever the hell I want so, to bad. Hope you like! Please R&R!!! Also
there are a lot of run-on sentences in the beginning so it might sound
kinda funny.
CHAPTER 1: GOING BACK
Kat walked down the dark street shivering in her costume that really wasn't made for autumn in northern England. She and her friends had been out late considering that it was Halloween and had had a lot of fun partying out in the streets of the town they were visiting and basically just pissing off the neighbors. Around 10:00 most of her friend had gone home and the few that were left out with her had disappeared probably to jump out from some dark corner at any minute and scare the crap out of her. It was getting late now and she decided it was about time to go back to the hotel since she was freezing her ass off in her thin mid-evil dress since she was supposed to be a commoner and not a rich noble with all their warm petticoats. Plus this street wasn't exactly the best place for a 13- year-old girl to be wandering around at near midnight (a/n: yea she's 13, so?). Kat started to walk briskly down the street holding her arms around her.
'Yeah this sure was a great idea' I thought to myself as I quickened my pace. I got that prickly feeling on the back of my neck like someone was following me but I just kept on going, to afraid to look back. Suddenly I stopped. 'This is stupid,' I thought, 'why am I doing this? It' s probably just Zach or Joe sneaking up on me. That is so like them.' But still the prickly feeling kept on. Slowly I turned around expecting to see either one of the evil minded guys any second but instead I was completely surprised. I was looking into the face of an old man. He seemed like he was ancient but young and yet all together very frustrating for when I looked into his eyes, they seemed to hold all the wisdom in the world, and yet again nothing at all! What a strange visage (a/n: take that Mrs. Zimmerman! Yeah that' s right that's a stem word). I was about to scream and turn to run when all of a sudden the old man smiled! Can you believe it, he just smiled at me with his face crinkling up like old paper and it infuriated me for no reason at all! I was about to speak when he suddenly took the opportunity. "I think that you will be the perfect fit with him, yes I do but how and when do I get you to him that is the most prominent question I think. I believe that you will work quiet well since Morgaine obviously isn't going to cooperate at all with our plans. If only I had seen it sooner I could have brought you in before it all happened but then again wait a moment that's what I'm here for, is it not? To change what is happening and what I know will happen?" He peered intently at me as if trying to read into my very soul while all the while I was just standing there with my mouth agape while this old man whom I didn't know was practically checking me out like a piece of meat you're thinking of buying at the butcher's! And I thought I was rude. "Yes right I think you will do just fine for our little experiment." He said looking me over one more time. I was just about to ask him what the hell he was talking about and what the hell he thought he was doing looking at me like that when I suddenly heard Zach's voice whispering somewhere behind me. I turned around and stared dumbly at the old man when he snapped his fingers and then there was darkness.
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When I woke up I was still in my costume. It was a black skirt that came down to my ankles, a white blouse and a black fitted bodice that went over it. It was very realistic looking I thought. I was lying on my stomach on crumbling gray stone. I tried moving my arms and legs but all my muscles ached and were so stiff I wondered how long I had been lying there. Moaning slightly I stumbled to my feet and stared around me my mouth practically dropping to the ground. Suddenly I was no more in the little English street, but somewhere in a crumbling ruin overlooking what looked like acres of country-side ending in a deep forest. Holding my arms around me, I turned around scanning the castle ruin and realized that the ruins where smoldering. I was just about to call out for the old man guessing he had something to do with the sudden change of scenery when I heard a great roar from behind me. Spinning around to the direction of the commotion I saw a giant of a man raising a Saxon-looking battle-axe over his head. Well yeah of course I was interested in what in the hell he was all about, but I wasn't about to be chopped into pieces so of course I turned tail and ran as fast as I could in the direction of the forest.
Sprinting and leaping over the bits of castle and rock, I suddenly caught my arm on a protruding bit of stone and gashed it open. I looked back about every five seconds to make sure he was a safe distance from me though he was catching up. Seeing the forest looming up ahead of me, I put on a burst of speed, knowing that if he followed me in there, at least I could hopefully find a place to hide. As I neared the edge of the forest I looked back behind me one more time and saw that he was a good bit behind me and then I ran into a tree. Except it came down under me and made a sound when I landed on top of it. I looked down staring straight into the most beautiful blue eyes (does Arthur have blue eyes? Oh well.) I had ever seen and I realized I had toppled over a boy, no a man. Then I heard the load roar of the Saxon close behind me and I remembered the sharp axe that came with it. Scrambling up off my obstacle, I proceeded to run into the forest hoping the poor man wouldn't get his head chopped off because of me. Hearing the sickening crack of an axe going into a tree, I hoped it meant a miss.
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I stared into the eyes of the beauty that had just run me over. Her green eyes looked scared for her life and then I realized why. A huge roar was emitted from somewhere nearby and I recognized it to be the battle cry of a Saxon. She let out a gasp and climbed over me, running into the forest not looking back. I jumped up just in time to duck the swing of a powerful axe, the blow aimed at my head. Looking around as I dodged another blow, I caught sight of my foster brother Cai coming up on his horse, sword drawn. "Arthur, run!" he screamed at me as he wielded his sword at the huge man. I watched, though at a safe distance, as my brother swung at the man causing him to lose his balance. I immediately took the opportunity and rammed my knife through his back. Feeling the blood run across my knuckles, I looked down at the man I had just killed. I had never killed a man before, and suddenly as my brother was congratulating me on not screwing up, I remembered the reason for the Saxon so close to home. Thinking about the beautiful girl that had run me over, I turned to my brother. "Cai, we have to find her," I said in a daze. "Find who brother? I saw only you and this beast." He said probing the man with his sword. "She, she ran into the forest! He was chasing her; we have to, we have to find her!" I said now vainly looking around me into the endless depths of the forest. "What if she gets mistaken for a Saxon and is shot running past a scout?" "Hey, hey, hey, come on and relax for a second Arthur, just tell me what she looks like, and I'll go look for her. I can probably catch up with her on my horse, don't worry about her. What's so special about one girl that you don't even know?" he said while mounting his horse, Leo. I figured he was right, we would find the girl faster if he rode on ahead. "Oh hey Arthur! Whoa you're bleeding." Cai said pointing to my tunic. Looking down I noticed a splotch of blood on my chest. Looking up at Cai I realized that was where the girl had landed on me. "Cai," I said, frowning, "it's not mine!" Suddenly he realized what I meant and he leapt up onto his horse, plunging into the forest. I ran after him as fast as I could but I couldn't keep up on foot and ended up slowing to a stop, waiting until I saw him. "Arthur! Come here quick! I think I found her." I could suddenly hear him shouting at me and ran in the direction of his voice, wondering what he had found.
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Running as fast as I could, I didn't dare look back, I was to afraid that even though I could no longer hear him, I would see the huge man coming after me. I was starting to slow and I could feel the blood seeping down my arm. When I hit the stone, I had thought that I only got a scratch, but it sure wasn't bleeding like a scratch. Finally I slowed to a stop, daring a look around. Also I was too tired to go on. Before I had even turned in a full circle around myself, I heard the beat of hooves on the rough turf. My head spun in fear as I realized I couldn't out run him when he was on a horse. Putting on a sudden burst of speed, I fled again, not seeing that the man that was racing to cut me off was there to help me instead of hurt me. Once again I made the mistake of looking back, and also once again ran straight into something. Except this time instead of it being a person to catch my fall, I ran into the flank of a horse. My vision getting blurry, I looked up at the tall man sitting astride the black stead. Moaning a little sigh of defeat when all I could tell about him was the color of his hair, I took a step back trying to see if that cleared my sight. Instead it just made my head spin and then I felt myself falling.
Running as fast as I could, I finally spotted my foster brother kneeling over a person dressed in black. Slowing down a bit I saw him look up and see me and he stood up and walked over to meet me. "I think it's her," he said waving back at the person on the ground. "What happened? Was she like that when you found her?" "Nay, she ran straight into the flank of my horse. Then she just kind of looked up at me and fainted" "Funny," I said, a slight smile on my face, "she ran into me to. Then she just climbed over me when she heard the Saxon yell and ran off." "Ah well she was still running when I caught up to her. That girl's a fast one, she is. Well should we take her home to see if mother can do any thing, she's got a nasty cut on her left arm." "Aye, she's just a girl, wouldn't be any threat to us. Let's take her home and see if mother can patch that up for her." I said walking over to where the girl lay, motionless. But what I was thinking was totally different. The only reason I wanted to take her home was to get to know her.
The whole way home I walked beside Cai, every once and a while sneaking a glance at the young beauty we were bringing home. No wonder the Saxon had chased her so far; she was a good prize to take back. That had been the first time I had ever seen a live Saxon up close. Being only 16, my foster father hadn't wanted me to go to battle and looking at the girl again, I was glad that right now I wasn't in a battle somewhere. Finally we arrived home and mother was very glad that we had brought the girl home. She said that she looked like she could have been of noble blood and if she was then we certainly didn't want to leave her lying in the woods. Cai and I of course didn't tell her about the Saxon warrior that had been after her, we both feared it would worry her too much and we thought it best to let father know first. He had been at an important meeting with his councilors for most of the day and was just getting out when we arrived home. Cai immediately went to him and told him of our encounter in the forest with the girl and the warrior. Upon hearing our news, he went into the room with mother and the girl and proceeded to tell mother what we had left out of our tale. He came back out a moment later and congratulated us on our successful kill that we had caught earlier, and the way that we handled the Saxon. After we ate our evening meal, Father told us that we both should get some rest and not to worry about the girl that was still in a restless sleep just two rooms down from mine. Taking our leave, Cai and I proceeded to our separate chambers.
Walking down the hall together I could sense he was about to say something, but he was just waiting for the right moment. Finally when we got to his room, he stopped me. "Well, what do you think about this?" he suddenly asked me. "What do I think about what? What happened this afternoon?" "Ah well what do you think about this girl?" he said, rubbing the back of his neck, a nervous habit. "Do you really think she's of noble blood? She has the look of one, but she doesn't have the dress." "I don't know; I haven't thought to much about that. Why would someone like her be in a place like this anyway? Ah well it's to much for me to think about right now," I said, yawning, "maybe tomorrow I'll be up to questioning her background but right now I'm just too tired." "Aye, you're right. Well I guess she'll probably be awake by tomorrow and Father will probably do all the questioning. Goodnight brother, you must be very tired from your first battle." He said smiling a little. "Aye, goodnight." I walked lazily down the corridor to my chamber, hearing his heavy oak door close behind me. As I neared my room, I thought I heard the softest of singing coming from the room two down from mine. I figured, how could that be, but then I remembered that was the room that the girl was staying in. The room where Mother had put the girl was probably one of the nicest bedchambers. It had a beautiful view and a wide balcony that connected with the room beside it and mine. I noticed the door to her room was open a crack, so, of course, I looked inside. I could see the door leading out to the balcony slightly open and the room was empty. As I crept closer to the open door, the singing became clearer and I knew it was her. She had the most beautiful voice I had ever heard, even better than my sister Morgaine, whom I had almost forgotten. She was singing a sad song, something about an angel. Almost at the door, I could listen to the words. "In the arms of the angel, far away from here. in the arms of the angel, I feel safe at last, oh at last." After that, her voice kind of trailed off and I couldn't hear any more but I could hear her crying. Slowly, I pushed the door open and I saw her sitting on the stone railing of the balcony, looking up at the sky. She looked beautiful, her long black hair blowing back from her up-turned face and as the full moon slipped out from behind the clouds, I could see her face illuminated, tears running silently down her face. As I was pushing the door open, it creaked, and in her surprise, turning around so fast, she lost her delicate balance on the stones and started to fall. Shoving the door open, I rushed to the edge, just in time to grab her wrist. I looked down at her, pulling her up over the side again. When she got to where she could reach the top of the stones, she grabbed them and pulled her self up, completely surprising me. Pushing herself up, she tumbled over the edge and onto me. For a while we just stared at each other, I could tell she was kind of surprised and she just laid there, pinning me down while she studied me without saying a word. Then I realized I was studying her too. She was definitely the strangest girl I had ever met. If it had been any other person they probably would have immediately gotten up and demanded I leave. Instead she just propped her elbows up on either side of me and continued to stare at me, lying across my chest. Finally she spoke to me. "Who are you?" she asked me, cocking her head to one side. It took me a while to answer because I was completely mesmerized by the sound of her voice. "Ah, my name's Arthur." I finally managed to choke out. "Who are you?" I asked getting braver. She smiled at me when I asked her this and I'm sure that if I had been standing up it would have made me go weak in the knees. "My name's Kat." She paused and then started to giggle. Completely baffled at first, I didn't know what to make of it. "What's so funny?" I asked. "Well I was just thinking what this would look like to anyone who walked out here and saw us like this, Arthur." This was definitely the strangest girl I had ever met, but now that I thought about it, this would look really bad if someone walked in. After all, she was lying on top of me. After a while she rolled off and lay beside me, her arms spread out above her head. "So is this your castle?" she asked me after a while. "Not mine, my foster father's." I paused, not knowing what she was going to think of whatever I would say next. "Where are you from? I've never seen you before." At this she looked over at me and stared into my eyes. "From far, far away. A place you've probably never heard of." When she said this she sighed and sat up, still looking at me. "Were you the one I ran into this morning?" she asked me, suddenly serious. "Ah, yes actually, almost lost my head there." I said, trying to sound like it was nothing, which it was, but by the look in her eyes, she didn't think so. She stared hard at me and I could tell that she was deep in thought. 'Wait a minute,' I thought to myself, 'why do I feel so open with her? We just met and I feel like I've known her for years.' "It's getting late," she said suddenly. "I, I'm glad I got to talk to you Arthur, I, I." then she trailed off and leaned toward me and I realized I was doing the same thing. When our lips touched it was like magic and a strange thought crept it's way into my head. 'I'm in love with Kat,' I thought. I couldn't control myself and I put my hands on her hips, pulling her closer to me. Then I felt her hands on my chest and she pushed me away. "I don't know you at all," she said, blushing slightly. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. "Goodnight Arthur." She said, staring at my eyes like she would never see me again. "Thank you for saving my life." Then she just got up and went into her room. After a while I sighed and went into my room, falling asleep almost as soon as I laid my head down.
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The next morning I woke up and felt like I was a completely new person. I wanted to talk to Kat again and I couldn't wait to see her. When I got out of bed, I walked over to the small chest in my room and noticed a small piece of paper lying on it. Figuring it was just some notes from my tutor, I picked it up, looking to see what subject it was on. But it wasn't from my lessons. It was a note from Kat.
Dear Arthur, I'm sorry to leave you now that I've met you, but I just can't stay. I had to leave during the night because by the look in your eyes last night on the balcony I knew if I told you, you would try to stop me. Maybe in the future we'll meet again but until that day, I hope that you'll forget me. I met your foster mother up early after we talked and she said that you thought I was a noble. I may look like one but let me tell you a saying that we say where I come from. Never judge a book by its cover. ~Kat
I dropped the letter, my mouth open in shock. She did seem like a noble, and what commoner could read and write? She had better handwriting than I did! What a strange girl. I didn't really know how to react. The only thing I could think of was to ask my mother what she had said to Kat the last night.
A/n: ok so what do ya think? Reviews are welcome, come on people I'm not one of those people that says you have to give me like 5 reviews or whatever before I write the next chapter, but it couldn't hurt! Also thank you to Jennifer for bugging me about getting this out other wise she wouldn't have been able to read it for a while. Please R&R my other fic, Guardian of the Gates, and stories written by one of my best buds, elyra destiny!!!
CHAPTER 1: GOING BACK
Kat walked down the dark street shivering in her costume that really wasn't made for autumn in northern England. She and her friends had been out late considering that it was Halloween and had had a lot of fun partying out in the streets of the town they were visiting and basically just pissing off the neighbors. Around 10:00 most of her friend had gone home and the few that were left out with her had disappeared probably to jump out from some dark corner at any minute and scare the crap out of her. It was getting late now and she decided it was about time to go back to the hotel since she was freezing her ass off in her thin mid-evil dress since she was supposed to be a commoner and not a rich noble with all their warm petticoats. Plus this street wasn't exactly the best place for a 13- year-old girl to be wandering around at near midnight (a/n: yea she's 13, so?). Kat started to walk briskly down the street holding her arms around her.
'Yeah this sure was a great idea' I thought to myself as I quickened my pace. I got that prickly feeling on the back of my neck like someone was following me but I just kept on going, to afraid to look back. Suddenly I stopped. 'This is stupid,' I thought, 'why am I doing this? It' s probably just Zach or Joe sneaking up on me. That is so like them.' But still the prickly feeling kept on. Slowly I turned around expecting to see either one of the evil minded guys any second but instead I was completely surprised. I was looking into the face of an old man. He seemed like he was ancient but young and yet all together very frustrating for when I looked into his eyes, they seemed to hold all the wisdom in the world, and yet again nothing at all! What a strange visage (a/n: take that Mrs. Zimmerman! Yeah that' s right that's a stem word). I was about to scream and turn to run when all of a sudden the old man smiled! Can you believe it, he just smiled at me with his face crinkling up like old paper and it infuriated me for no reason at all! I was about to speak when he suddenly took the opportunity. "I think that you will be the perfect fit with him, yes I do but how and when do I get you to him that is the most prominent question I think. I believe that you will work quiet well since Morgaine obviously isn't going to cooperate at all with our plans. If only I had seen it sooner I could have brought you in before it all happened but then again wait a moment that's what I'm here for, is it not? To change what is happening and what I know will happen?" He peered intently at me as if trying to read into my very soul while all the while I was just standing there with my mouth agape while this old man whom I didn't know was practically checking me out like a piece of meat you're thinking of buying at the butcher's! And I thought I was rude. "Yes right I think you will do just fine for our little experiment." He said looking me over one more time. I was just about to ask him what the hell he was talking about and what the hell he thought he was doing looking at me like that when I suddenly heard Zach's voice whispering somewhere behind me. I turned around and stared dumbly at the old man when he snapped his fingers and then there was darkness.
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When I woke up I was still in my costume. It was a black skirt that came down to my ankles, a white blouse and a black fitted bodice that went over it. It was very realistic looking I thought. I was lying on my stomach on crumbling gray stone. I tried moving my arms and legs but all my muscles ached and were so stiff I wondered how long I had been lying there. Moaning slightly I stumbled to my feet and stared around me my mouth practically dropping to the ground. Suddenly I was no more in the little English street, but somewhere in a crumbling ruin overlooking what looked like acres of country-side ending in a deep forest. Holding my arms around me, I turned around scanning the castle ruin and realized that the ruins where smoldering. I was just about to call out for the old man guessing he had something to do with the sudden change of scenery when I heard a great roar from behind me. Spinning around to the direction of the commotion I saw a giant of a man raising a Saxon-looking battle-axe over his head. Well yeah of course I was interested in what in the hell he was all about, but I wasn't about to be chopped into pieces so of course I turned tail and ran as fast as I could in the direction of the forest.
Sprinting and leaping over the bits of castle and rock, I suddenly caught my arm on a protruding bit of stone and gashed it open. I looked back about every five seconds to make sure he was a safe distance from me though he was catching up. Seeing the forest looming up ahead of me, I put on a burst of speed, knowing that if he followed me in there, at least I could hopefully find a place to hide. As I neared the edge of the forest I looked back behind me one more time and saw that he was a good bit behind me and then I ran into a tree. Except it came down under me and made a sound when I landed on top of it. I looked down staring straight into the most beautiful blue eyes (does Arthur have blue eyes? Oh well.) I had ever seen and I realized I had toppled over a boy, no a man. Then I heard the load roar of the Saxon close behind me and I remembered the sharp axe that came with it. Scrambling up off my obstacle, I proceeded to run into the forest hoping the poor man wouldn't get his head chopped off because of me. Hearing the sickening crack of an axe going into a tree, I hoped it meant a miss.
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I stared into the eyes of the beauty that had just run me over. Her green eyes looked scared for her life and then I realized why. A huge roar was emitted from somewhere nearby and I recognized it to be the battle cry of a Saxon. She let out a gasp and climbed over me, running into the forest not looking back. I jumped up just in time to duck the swing of a powerful axe, the blow aimed at my head. Looking around as I dodged another blow, I caught sight of my foster brother Cai coming up on his horse, sword drawn. "Arthur, run!" he screamed at me as he wielded his sword at the huge man. I watched, though at a safe distance, as my brother swung at the man causing him to lose his balance. I immediately took the opportunity and rammed my knife through his back. Feeling the blood run across my knuckles, I looked down at the man I had just killed. I had never killed a man before, and suddenly as my brother was congratulating me on not screwing up, I remembered the reason for the Saxon so close to home. Thinking about the beautiful girl that had run me over, I turned to my brother. "Cai, we have to find her," I said in a daze. "Find who brother? I saw only you and this beast." He said probing the man with his sword. "She, she ran into the forest! He was chasing her; we have to, we have to find her!" I said now vainly looking around me into the endless depths of the forest. "What if she gets mistaken for a Saxon and is shot running past a scout?" "Hey, hey, hey, come on and relax for a second Arthur, just tell me what she looks like, and I'll go look for her. I can probably catch up with her on my horse, don't worry about her. What's so special about one girl that you don't even know?" he said while mounting his horse, Leo. I figured he was right, we would find the girl faster if he rode on ahead. "Oh hey Arthur! Whoa you're bleeding." Cai said pointing to my tunic. Looking down I noticed a splotch of blood on my chest. Looking up at Cai I realized that was where the girl had landed on me. "Cai," I said, frowning, "it's not mine!" Suddenly he realized what I meant and he leapt up onto his horse, plunging into the forest. I ran after him as fast as I could but I couldn't keep up on foot and ended up slowing to a stop, waiting until I saw him. "Arthur! Come here quick! I think I found her." I could suddenly hear him shouting at me and ran in the direction of his voice, wondering what he had found.
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Running as fast as I could, I didn't dare look back, I was to afraid that even though I could no longer hear him, I would see the huge man coming after me. I was starting to slow and I could feel the blood seeping down my arm. When I hit the stone, I had thought that I only got a scratch, but it sure wasn't bleeding like a scratch. Finally I slowed to a stop, daring a look around. Also I was too tired to go on. Before I had even turned in a full circle around myself, I heard the beat of hooves on the rough turf. My head spun in fear as I realized I couldn't out run him when he was on a horse. Putting on a sudden burst of speed, I fled again, not seeing that the man that was racing to cut me off was there to help me instead of hurt me. Once again I made the mistake of looking back, and also once again ran straight into something. Except this time instead of it being a person to catch my fall, I ran into the flank of a horse. My vision getting blurry, I looked up at the tall man sitting astride the black stead. Moaning a little sigh of defeat when all I could tell about him was the color of his hair, I took a step back trying to see if that cleared my sight. Instead it just made my head spin and then I felt myself falling.
Running as fast as I could, I finally spotted my foster brother kneeling over a person dressed in black. Slowing down a bit I saw him look up and see me and he stood up and walked over to meet me. "I think it's her," he said waving back at the person on the ground. "What happened? Was she like that when you found her?" "Nay, she ran straight into the flank of my horse. Then she just kind of looked up at me and fainted" "Funny," I said, a slight smile on my face, "she ran into me to. Then she just climbed over me when she heard the Saxon yell and ran off." "Ah well she was still running when I caught up to her. That girl's a fast one, she is. Well should we take her home to see if mother can do any thing, she's got a nasty cut on her left arm." "Aye, she's just a girl, wouldn't be any threat to us. Let's take her home and see if mother can patch that up for her." I said walking over to where the girl lay, motionless. But what I was thinking was totally different. The only reason I wanted to take her home was to get to know her.
The whole way home I walked beside Cai, every once and a while sneaking a glance at the young beauty we were bringing home. No wonder the Saxon had chased her so far; she was a good prize to take back. That had been the first time I had ever seen a live Saxon up close. Being only 16, my foster father hadn't wanted me to go to battle and looking at the girl again, I was glad that right now I wasn't in a battle somewhere. Finally we arrived home and mother was very glad that we had brought the girl home. She said that she looked like she could have been of noble blood and if she was then we certainly didn't want to leave her lying in the woods. Cai and I of course didn't tell her about the Saxon warrior that had been after her, we both feared it would worry her too much and we thought it best to let father know first. He had been at an important meeting with his councilors for most of the day and was just getting out when we arrived home. Cai immediately went to him and told him of our encounter in the forest with the girl and the warrior. Upon hearing our news, he went into the room with mother and the girl and proceeded to tell mother what we had left out of our tale. He came back out a moment later and congratulated us on our successful kill that we had caught earlier, and the way that we handled the Saxon. After we ate our evening meal, Father told us that we both should get some rest and not to worry about the girl that was still in a restless sleep just two rooms down from mine. Taking our leave, Cai and I proceeded to our separate chambers.
Walking down the hall together I could sense he was about to say something, but he was just waiting for the right moment. Finally when we got to his room, he stopped me. "Well, what do you think about this?" he suddenly asked me. "What do I think about what? What happened this afternoon?" "Ah well what do you think about this girl?" he said, rubbing the back of his neck, a nervous habit. "Do you really think she's of noble blood? She has the look of one, but she doesn't have the dress." "I don't know; I haven't thought to much about that. Why would someone like her be in a place like this anyway? Ah well it's to much for me to think about right now," I said, yawning, "maybe tomorrow I'll be up to questioning her background but right now I'm just too tired." "Aye, you're right. Well I guess she'll probably be awake by tomorrow and Father will probably do all the questioning. Goodnight brother, you must be very tired from your first battle." He said smiling a little. "Aye, goodnight." I walked lazily down the corridor to my chamber, hearing his heavy oak door close behind me. As I neared my room, I thought I heard the softest of singing coming from the room two down from mine. I figured, how could that be, but then I remembered that was the room that the girl was staying in. The room where Mother had put the girl was probably one of the nicest bedchambers. It had a beautiful view and a wide balcony that connected with the room beside it and mine. I noticed the door to her room was open a crack, so, of course, I looked inside. I could see the door leading out to the balcony slightly open and the room was empty. As I crept closer to the open door, the singing became clearer and I knew it was her. She had the most beautiful voice I had ever heard, even better than my sister Morgaine, whom I had almost forgotten. She was singing a sad song, something about an angel. Almost at the door, I could listen to the words. "In the arms of the angel, far away from here. in the arms of the angel, I feel safe at last, oh at last." After that, her voice kind of trailed off and I couldn't hear any more but I could hear her crying. Slowly, I pushed the door open and I saw her sitting on the stone railing of the balcony, looking up at the sky. She looked beautiful, her long black hair blowing back from her up-turned face and as the full moon slipped out from behind the clouds, I could see her face illuminated, tears running silently down her face. As I was pushing the door open, it creaked, and in her surprise, turning around so fast, she lost her delicate balance on the stones and started to fall. Shoving the door open, I rushed to the edge, just in time to grab her wrist. I looked down at her, pulling her up over the side again. When she got to where she could reach the top of the stones, she grabbed them and pulled her self up, completely surprising me. Pushing herself up, she tumbled over the edge and onto me. For a while we just stared at each other, I could tell she was kind of surprised and she just laid there, pinning me down while she studied me without saying a word. Then I realized I was studying her too. She was definitely the strangest girl I had ever met. If it had been any other person they probably would have immediately gotten up and demanded I leave. Instead she just propped her elbows up on either side of me and continued to stare at me, lying across my chest. Finally she spoke to me. "Who are you?" she asked me, cocking her head to one side. It took me a while to answer because I was completely mesmerized by the sound of her voice. "Ah, my name's Arthur." I finally managed to choke out. "Who are you?" I asked getting braver. She smiled at me when I asked her this and I'm sure that if I had been standing up it would have made me go weak in the knees. "My name's Kat." She paused and then started to giggle. Completely baffled at first, I didn't know what to make of it. "What's so funny?" I asked. "Well I was just thinking what this would look like to anyone who walked out here and saw us like this, Arthur." This was definitely the strangest girl I had ever met, but now that I thought about it, this would look really bad if someone walked in. After all, she was lying on top of me. After a while she rolled off and lay beside me, her arms spread out above her head. "So is this your castle?" she asked me after a while. "Not mine, my foster father's." I paused, not knowing what she was going to think of whatever I would say next. "Where are you from? I've never seen you before." At this she looked over at me and stared into my eyes. "From far, far away. A place you've probably never heard of." When she said this she sighed and sat up, still looking at me. "Were you the one I ran into this morning?" she asked me, suddenly serious. "Ah, yes actually, almost lost my head there." I said, trying to sound like it was nothing, which it was, but by the look in her eyes, she didn't think so. She stared hard at me and I could tell that she was deep in thought. 'Wait a minute,' I thought to myself, 'why do I feel so open with her? We just met and I feel like I've known her for years.' "It's getting late," she said suddenly. "I, I'm glad I got to talk to you Arthur, I, I." then she trailed off and leaned toward me and I realized I was doing the same thing. When our lips touched it was like magic and a strange thought crept it's way into my head. 'I'm in love with Kat,' I thought. I couldn't control myself and I put my hands on her hips, pulling her closer to me. Then I felt her hands on my chest and she pushed me away. "I don't know you at all," she said, blushing slightly. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. "Goodnight Arthur." She said, staring at my eyes like she would never see me again. "Thank you for saving my life." Then she just got up and went into her room. After a while I sighed and went into my room, falling asleep almost as soon as I laid my head down.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next morning I woke up and felt like I was a completely new person. I wanted to talk to Kat again and I couldn't wait to see her. When I got out of bed, I walked over to the small chest in my room and noticed a small piece of paper lying on it. Figuring it was just some notes from my tutor, I picked it up, looking to see what subject it was on. But it wasn't from my lessons. It was a note from Kat.
Dear Arthur, I'm sorry to leave you now that I've met you, but I just can't stay. I had to leave during the night because by the look in your eyes last night on the balcony I knew if I told you, you would try to stop me. Maybe in the future we'll meet again but until that day, I hope that you'll forget me. I met your foster mother up early after we talked and she said that you thought I was a noble. I may look like one but let me tell you a saying that we say where I come from. Never judge a book by its cover. ~Kat
I dropped the letter, my mouth open in shock. She did seem like a noble, and what commoner could read and write? She had better handwriting than I did! What a strange girl. I didn't really know how to react. The only thing I could think of was to ask my mother what she had said to Kat the last night.
A/n: ok so what do ya think? Reviews are welcome, come on people I'm not one of those people that says you have to give me like 5 reviews or whatever before I write the next chapter, but it couldn't hurt! Also thank you to Jennifer for bugging me about getting this out other wise she wouldn't have been able to read it for a while. Please R&R my other fic, Guardian of the Gates, and stories written by one of my best buds, elyra destiny!!!