A/N: Oooookay.. The first chapter was easy but now I'm screwed! I have a plot but I'm not the most expressive chick, ya know? Wait.. How can you? Unless you have spied on me since my kindergarten years!? 'arches a brow curiously' Hmm.. I'll shut up now and continue =)

Verteri Lunum my first reviewer!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! 'bows to the ground and kisses Verteri's feet' Eww! Sorry for that XD

Chapter Two: Dag Meets Dilly

The frozen lake scene

The knights stood at one side of the frozen lake, the Saxons at the other. "There's a large number of lonely men out there," Lancelot's remark was ment for Guinivere. She smirked for a second and replied, "Don't worry, I won't let them rape you." The other knights heard her and smirked at Lancelot. The Saxons tested their shooting range but their arrows came short. Arthur ordered Tristan and Bors A/N: don't remember if it was them or smb else to test their shooting range. "They're out of range!" Guinivere looked at Arthur but her statement was proved wrong as Tristan's and Bors' arrows killed a few Saxons. Then all of them started shooting arrows at the Saxons, killing a large amount of them but they kept coming closer and the ice beneath them was not breaking.

"Prepare for battle!" Arthur gloomily decided. All the knights drew out their swords, except for Tristan who was still shooting arrows at the Saxons with Guinivere. Then Dagonet threw down his sword and grabbed his axe. "Dagonet, no!" Lancelot managed to yell but it was too late. The tall man ran almost to the middle of the lake and smashed his axe against the ice, trying to brake it. Only a crack appeared so he continued to smash the ice. The crack grew larger and several more appeared – it was working but not quick enough. There was a sharp burning pain in his left shoulder, as he turned to look at it he realized that he had been hit by a Saxon arrow. Doesn't matter, not now, he ignored the pain and kept hitting the ice. And then the cracking of the ice was clearly audible and the it broke. Several Saxons in front of him splashed into the freezing water that would soon become their icy grave.

Dagonet was hit by another arrow in the side of his lower abdomen. He gasped in pain and cursed out loud. The ice was beginning to crack under him and he slipped. He could hear someone shouting his name in the distance, probably Bors. He started crawling back but the slippery ice made it hard and the searing pain of the two arrows didn't help much too. A/N: like duh!? =) Suddenly he felt someone's hand grip his belt and pull him away from the advancing cracks. Then there was another figure who he was able to get a glimpse of as the man helped the other person pull him towards the other knights. It was a Rogue, he had seen him two days ago when a bunch of them had attacked him and his mates. What is going on? What is he doing here? Dagonet was beginning to black out. He'd lost a remarkable amount of blood already. When he felt he was pulled on top of a pile of snow, he knew he was safe, away from the lake. "Dag! Hey, Dag!" he heard a gruff voice call his name and run to his side. It was Bors. He then felt weak and blacked out.

Arthur came running to the people gathered around the unconscious Dagonet. "The Saxons have retreated, or what's left of them," he said and turned to Gawain. "How is he? Will we be able to move him?" "He has an ill wound in his stomach, a less serious wound in his shoulder," Gawain looked worried. "I don't know about the idea of moving him." Arthur turned to the two strangers a little away from the others. One of them had an arrow stuck in his thigh and his companion was currently debating with him on how to pull it out. He slowly walked to the two. "Thank you." Both Rogues looked up at him. "Lorna, do you need help with that?" the Roman asked. Lorna nodded and stood up, making room for Arthur to crunch down next to Finlay. "This will hurt, be ready," he looked briefly at the young man for his approval. "It's not like I haven't been shot before," Finlay gave a lopsided smile. Lorna knelt beside him and took her friends hand into hers, holding it tightly and giving him an annoyed then a reassuring look. Finlay got lost in her eyes for a moment but was quickly pulled back down to earth when Arthur pulled the arrow out. Tristan came to the three and equipped them with some bandages.

After she had cared for Finlay's aching thigh she helped him up. Wrapping an arm around his waist and un-knowingly sending shivers down his spine, they went to the others. Finlay had always had feelings for Lorna but knew that nothing would ever happen between the two. He had to settle with their friendship.

Lorna glanced at Dagonet, who lay on a blanket now. The arrows had long been pulled out and Gawain was now bandaging the lad's shoulder. She noticed his stomach was already taken care of, but its bandage was soaked with blood in the middle. "My village is a half days ride away. If we take him there and let him rest for a day or two, he will be fine." The knights glared at her, the girl who had rushed to the lake to help their fallen friend. Nobody seemed to reject the idea and so Arthur ordered Dagonet to be put on a horse with a knight to hold him from falling and to casually check his breathing. Bors immediately volunteered for he was his best friend. So they mounted their horses and headed towards the Rogue's village, Finlay riding with Lancelot and Lorna with Galahad. A/N: although Lancey would have had it otherwise, now wouldn't he? 'smirk'

The village, early morning

Dagonet rose from his sleep at the smell of lilacs. His eyes fluttered open and the first thing he saw was the little girl in front of the bed he lay in. She had elbow length fair hair, azure eyes and a warm smile on her lips. She was holding up a small bag what was, as far as he understood, filled with dried lilacs. That was were the scent was coming from. The little girl watched him as he smiled back to her and she brightened up even more. She tied the bag of lilacs to the post of the bed. He watched her do so and somehow the girl seemed familiar. He then noticed his surroundings. It was a small room, with nothing in it except a bed, a cupboard filled with all kinds of things, medicaments and such. In the other corner there was a wooden rack for clothes. He noticed that all the garments hanging on it were of a female. That was all the furniture the room could offer for it's small size.

"I'm Disrealy," the little smiling girl interrupted his thoughts. He looked at the girl and returned a smile. Such a sweet girl. Her presence made him feel at peace. "Nice to meet you, Disrealy. My name is Dagonet." "All my friends call me Dilly," the girl all-knowingly told him and sat on the pelts that lay on the floor, still watching the knight. "Ma' said you're a knight. Is that true?" For a moment, he was confused. He was in a strange place, with a strange girl who seemed to know some things about him. He wanted to ask the girl who her mother was and what was he doing in this house but the door opened. His questions were answered when Lorna came into the room. Disrealy was the spitting image of Lorna, only the eyes were a different color.

"Morning!" Dilly said to her mother and exited the room. "I see you've met my daughter," Lorna said and knelt beside Dagonet's bed where the little girl had just been. "She's almost five now and has a lot of 'philosophical' opinions to share." She smiled. "How are you feeling?" Dagonet then remembered he was wounded from the night before. A/N: oh come on! How can you forget you have two holes in your body that DON'T belong there?? Gees =D He carefully sat up in the bed and leaned his back against the wall. Lorna took some fresh bandages and ointment from the cupboard and knelt back to his side. "Where am I?" She was expecting the question. "You're in my house, in my village. The other knights are here as well. I left Arthur sleeping in the front room and the others have found accommodations in other houses." She finished with his shoulder and moved on to change the bandage on his abdomen. To Dagonet, she didn't seem to feel awkward around a strange man with his shirt off. For a while he just observed her.

The shoulder wound looks good, she said to herself but grinned at the man's stomach wound. Not so good. She shrugged it off mentally and cleansed it. Lorna could tell he was watching her and that made her flush. Dagonet – so his mates had called him – was quite brawny and handsome. He seemed to care much about others and looked after his friends. The scene on the lake had shown that. She had talked to Bors the night before when he had not wanted to leave his injured friends side. He had told her some things about Dagonet and she admitted that she had been somewhat impressed. The man she was kneeling beside right now looked rough and stern but he had a soft heart, as Bors had put it. She still felt he was looking at her and turned to him.

Before she could say anything, he asked, "Will I be meeting with the charming Dilly's father any time soon?" She looked down for a moment but answered, "Dominic, my husband, died two years ago." All of a sudden he felt sorry for her. He saw her expression, which was one of sorrow. She must have really loved the man. Lorna was very young and had a child to take care of; she must have been thru a lot, he thought. She finished with his second bandage and looked at him. She hadn't talked about Dominic's death with no one except Algernon and Finlay. Of course now the knights know, she thought bitterly. Finlay had gotten extremely drunk the night before with Lancelot, Gawain and Tristan in his house and when the topic had went to Lorna, he had told them of Dominic, how he had died and about Disrealy. But what she saw in Dagonet's eyes was not fake remorse but compassion. Their gaze seemed to last forever and she flushed again. This time Dagonet saw it. He gave her a small smile; he liked her but was afraid that she would not return the feeling. Not to some stranger after all she's been thru.

The door opened and Arthur walked in. He glared at the two for a few seconds, he felt like he was disturbing them. The two looked up at the man. "Arthur," Dagonet nodded as a greeting. "I'll leave you two to talk," Lorna stood up and walked past Arthur. He saw her smile coyly and close the door behind her. "Was I interrupting something?" Arthur turned to his mate with a large grin of his face. Dagonet grinned also. "I don't know.." "Lorna, may I have a word with you?" She heard Algernon's voice call her as she stepped onto the snow from her porch. His voice seemed troubled so she hurried to his cottage.

The village square

Most of the tribe members were gathered to the middle of the village, in front of Algernon's house. Arthur and his knights A/N: well, except for lil' ol' Daggy who was still lying in bed, boo-hoo! =P stood on the right side of the porch. Algernon stood on the porch and looked grim. Lorna stood next to him but her expression was a little lighter. As the voices of the crowd grew silent, the old man started his speech. He told his people why the knights were here and about the invading Saxon army. He asked the Rogues for volunteers who would go with Lorna to the Wall and help Arthur. Silence fell upon the village. Arthur saw the looks on the faces of the tribe members – disbelief that a battle was ahead, and scorn towards their leader who wanted them to fight for strangers, most probably getting killed.

"Isn't there anyone?" Lorna shrieked at the crowd. What was wrong with her people, they usually agreed with everything she or Algernon had to say. "The Saxons are dangerous! They will not settle just with the Wall, they will come here as well!" Arthur saw the look of despair in her eyes. He had talked with Dagonet after she had left them. He had said that he thought Lorna to be a strong woman in appearance but fragile and easily hurt inside. The way his mate had talked about him, Arthur had come to an understanding that he had fallen for her. And he's known her for one morning, he smirked to himself. "I'll come with you!" he turned to a young man who was standing on a porch some distance away. It was Finlay. The young boy slowly walked to Lorna's side. Seems Dag is not the only one who has his eyes set on her. The boy reached the girl and she smiled gratefully at him.

More men started offering their help to Lorna, who happily excepted it. "We leave at the break of dawn!" she announced and stepped off the porch. The crowd scattered as the audience ended. Arthur traced the fair-haired girl with his glance until she disappeared into her cottage. Algernon had spoken with them both a little time ago about the Rogues helping him fight the Saxons. Arthur had told them that the Sarmatian knights would leave the Wall and not fight; and that he understood their decision. However Lorna had been shocked at the thought and came to the idea that the Scots will help him and the Woads. She was determined to kill the Saxons. When she had left, Algeron had told Arthur that she was not really that bloodthirsty. She hated bloodshed but sometimes the circumstances made her fight. Her talent was in her bow.

Dagonet stirred from his daydream as the door opened. It was now afternoon and he felt himself stronger than in the morning, he healed fast. Lorna entered with two bowls of hot chicken broth. Disrealy followed behind her with one bowl and closed the door behind her. They both sat on the pelts on the floor, next to the bed Dagonet lay in. He sat up against the wall again and took the bowl Lorna offered him. Disrealy took three spoons from the pocket of her blue frock and handed them both one. "Thank you, milady," Dagonet smirked at the little girl who giggled in return and began to eat her broth. Lorna watched them, amused, and did so as well. Dagonet tasted the broth. It was the first meal he had had since the morning before and it was delicious. After they had finished their bowls, he and Lorna talked about a number of things. Dilly would occasionally butt in and make a funny remark. He loved to watch her smile and she felt quite safe and comfortable around him. She hadn't felt that since Dominic's death. A/N: uh oh! 'smirks' Think someone's falling for somebody, not to mention any names 'cough-Lorna-cough-Daggy' ..I think I'm coming down with a cold, gotsta get myself some of that chicken soup! XP

The Next day, break of dawn

Dagonet woke to the sweet smell of lilacs. The bag that Dilly had tied to the bed was still there and he smiled to himself. Last night had been fun. He had talked with Lorna until Dilly had fallen asleep on Dagonet's bed. Lorna had said it was time for all of them to get some rest and lifted her darling daughter to her arms. He had felt her hand slightly brush against his when she did that and felt warm inside. He had fallen for her and to him, it was a bad thing. He would never see her again. Or Dilly, for that matter; he had grown to love the little five-year-old in just one day. He sighed in regret and dressed himself carefully for he did not want to agitate his stomach wound.

Lorna had spent the night with Disrealy in her arms. Her sleep was restless for she was afraid of what would come. She did not want her daughter to loose a mother but she was determined to help Arthur and the Woads. If anything should happen to her, she knew that Malorie and her husband would take Dilly to live with them. Her friend had always been very fond and caring of her. She looked out of the window and saw that it was morning. "Time to get up", she murmured to herself and got up, trying not to wake the little girl.

The knights and about sixteen Rogues were waiting for her when she reached them. She mounted her horse and motioned her comrades that they were all set to go. As they all turned, a tiny voice was heard. "Ma'! Ma'!" Dilly ran over the village square. Lorna didn't notice tears gather in her eyes as she jumped quickly off her horse and grabbed hold of her little girl. They held each other tight and both cried silently, their cheeks pink. "Ma', you have to promise," Dilly murmured to her mother when their eyes met. "What do I have to promise, sweety?" "That you'll come back!"

The knights were looking at the scene and each other. They all knew that Lorna might not return. Dagonet felt a slight anger towards Lorna when she promised the tiny girl that she would return soon. But understood her plight, she didn't want to upset Disrealy even more. Lorna kissed Dilly on her check and her eyebrow, and mounted her horse once again. She rode to the front of the Rogues and knights, just behind Arthur. As she did so her eyes met for a moment with Dagonet's and he saw her in pain. He wished he could do something but could not. They started off towards Hadrian's Wall.

A/N: not TOO cheesy, I hope? =)