OK so this chapter is shorter than the first one. Man was that one long. I was surprised that I even finished.
Disclaimer: see prior chapter I don't want to write it again.
Chapter 2: One Last Mission
"Arthur." Galahad said in a slurred greeting.
All of the knights gathered around Arthur instinctive. Not wanting to eavesdrop, but unable to quell her curiosity, Trinaty followed at a slight distance.
"My knights." Arthur said slowly. "You have all served me well, but I must ask you to complete one more mission."
"Drink." Bors said, miming taking a large gulp from a cup of wine. Galahad smiled, as if hoping that this was al a big joke. Trinaty knew that Arthur would never jest about such a thing.
"We leave in the morning."
"Leave?" Lancelot asked disbelievingly.
"There is a Roman family high above the wall. Our mission is to bring them back here."
"Above the wall is Woad territory." Tristan muttered. He showed no outward sign that the news had affected him.
"Roman bastards!" Bors growled angrily.
"Bors!" Lancelot said, and shot a warning glance at him.
Galahad nodded. "Bors is right. We are free men now."
"It is our duty to save these people." Arthur said.
"Our 'duty', if ever it was a duty, is done." Galahad said. It seemed to Trinaty that he was making an effort to keep his words strait and dignified. But the alcohol was still making them sloppy.
"Every knight here has laid down his life for you. And now instead of our freedom, you ask for more blood. Our blood!" Bars said angrily.
"We have our orders." Arthur said in a quiet but firm voice. "We are knights. And when we return your discharges of freedom will be here for you."
"But why?" Gawain asked.
"There are innocent people, a family, trapped north of the wall." He explained patiently. "They need to be brought back or they will die."
"Let the Romans protect their own." Bors spat.
Tristan, still looking at the apple in his hands, said, "We all die someday. If it is death at the hands of the Saxons that frightens you," he said finally looking up. "Go home."
"If you are so eager to die," Galahad snarled, "you can die right here! Some of us have something to live for!" Trinaty winced as his voice rose in a crescendo of fury.
"A noble death in battle," Tristan said. "That is worth living for."
Galahad lunged at Tristan, but he was drunk and Gawain restrained him easily.
"Enough!" Lancelot shouted. All of the knights stood straighter and glared at each other.
There was a strained silence. Then Dagonet, who had thus far been silent, spoke up. "The Romans have broken their word. But we have the word of Arthur. That is enough for me. I will prepare." And he turned and walked past Bors towards the stabled. As he passed the big knight he paused. "Are you coming?"
"Of coarse I'm comin'!" Bors bellowed. "I have to keep you from getting yourself bloody killed!" Then he added, "You're all thinkin' it. I'm just sayin' it!" He turned to walk after Dagonet and was joined by Vanora. Trinaty herd him mutter to her, "Vanora, kill me."
Arthur turned back to his other knights.
"I am with you." Gawain said. "So is Galahad."
Galahad glared at him wordlessly. Then he poured the wine that was still in the flask, on the ground, and threw the flask after it. All of the knights turned and walked away to prepare for the morning.
Trinaty starred at the shards of the flask on the ground at Arthur's feet. Then she looked up into her friend's eyes.
She shook her head. "I don't understand." She said quietly.
"Nor do I." Arthur said, taking a step towards her. "Will you ride out with us in the morning?" he asked.
"No. I will not watch my friends leave for this suicide mission." She said bitterly. She looked him strait in the eyes. "It's not just the Woads, Arthur. There are Saxons too now. I've heard word of an entire army set to invade, and take over Briton."
"I know."
Trinaty shook her head again. "This is suicide!" she spat in frustration. "You better bring them back, Arthur. That's all I can say. You. Bring. Them. Back. Alive." She said slowly.
Arthur just nodded and walked towards the stables. She starred at his retreating back for a while, then turned and walked away.
She paused at the edge of the courtyard and looked back. She saw her saddlebag still siting on the table, and shook her head. There was no cause for celebration on this night.
The ally way of the fortress were dark and silent as Trinaty moved slowly through them, back towards where she had let her horse loose to graze. As she passed the door way to the knights quarters she say a ripple of movement.
She paused and starred at the spot as one of the knights stepped out. They locked gazes for a long moment. Neither of them moved nor spoke. But both of them understood the other.
"Be careful." She whispered.
"I will." He said in a flat voice.
"And make sure Galahad isn't hurt. He deserves to go home in one piece."
The knight nodded and disappeared back into the shadows, and Trinaty left the fortress with out another word to anyone.
OK so like I said this chapter was shorter then the last. I hope you liked it. Please Review.
Disclaimer: see prior chapter I don't want to write it again.
Chapter 2: One Last Mission
"Arthur." Galahad said in a slurred greeting.
All of the knights gathered around Arthur instinctive. Not wanting to eavesdrop, but unable to quell her curiosity, Trinaty followed at a slight distance.
"My knights." Arthur said slowly. "You have all served me well, but I must ask you to complete one more mission."
"Drink." Bors said, miming taking a large gulp from a cup of wine. Galahad smiled, as if hoping that this was al a big joke. Trinaty knew that Arthur would never jest about such a thing.
"We leave in the morning."
"Leave?" Lancelot asked disbelievingly.
"There is a Roman family high above the wall. Our mission is to bring them back here."
"Above the wall is Woad territory." Tristan muttered. He showed no outward sign that the news had affected him.
"Roman bastards!" Bors growled angrily.
"Bors!" Lancelot said, and shot a warning glance at him.
Galahad nodded. "Bors is right. We are free men now."
"It is our duty to save these people." Arthur said.
"Our 'duty', if ever it was a duty, is done." Galahad said. It seemed to Trinaty that he was making an effort to keep his words strait and dignified. But the alcohol was still making them sloppy.
"Every knight here has laid down his life for you. And now instead of our freedom, you ask for more blood. Our blood!" Bars said angrily.
"We have our orders." Arthur said in a quiet but firm voice. "We are knights. And when we return your discharges of freedom will be here for you."
"But why?" Gawain asked.
"There are innocent people, a family, trapped north of the wall." He explained patiently. "They need to be brought back or they will die."
"Let the Romans protect their own." Bors spat.
Tristan, still looking at the apple in his hands, said, "We all die someday. If it is death at the hands of the Saxons that frightens you," he said finally looking up. "Go home."
"If you are so eager to die," Galahad snarled, "you can die right here! Some of us have something to live for!" Trinaty winced as his voice rose in a crescendo of fury.
"A noble death in battle," Tristan said. "That is worth living for."
Galahad lunged at Tristan, but he was drunk and Gawain restrained him easily.
"Enough!" Lancelot shouted. All of the knights stood straighter and glared at each other.
There was a strained silence. Then Dagonet, who had thus far been silent, spoke up. "The Romans have broken their word. But we have the word of Arthur. That is enough for me. I will prepare." And he turned and walked past Bors towards the stabled. As he passed the big knight he paused. "Are you coming?"
"Of coarse I'm comin'!" Bors bellowed. "I have to keep you from getting yourself bloody killed!" Then he added, "You're all thinkin' it. I'm just sayin' it!" He turned to walk after Dagonet and was joined by Vanora. Trinaty herd him mutter to her, "Vanora, kill me."
Arthur turned back to his other knights.
"I am with you." Gawain said. "So is Galahad."
Galahad glared at him wordlessly. Then he poured the wine that was still in the flask, on the ground, and threw the flask after it. All of the knights turned and walked away to prepare for the morning.
Trinaty starred at the shards of the flask on the ground at Arthur's feet. Then she looked up into her friend's eyes.
She shook her head. "I don't understand." She said quietly.
"Nor do I." Arthur said, taking a step towards her. "Will you ride out with us in the morning?" he asked.
"No. I will not watch my friends leave for this suicide mission." She said bitterly. She looked him strait in the eyes. "It's not just the Woads, Arthur. There are Saxons too now. I've heard word of an entire army set to invade, and take over Briton."
"I know."
Trinaty shook her head again. "This is suicide!" she spat in frustration. "You better bring them back, Arthur. That's all I can say. You. Bring. Them. Back. Alive." She said slowly.
Arthur just nodded and walked towards the stables. She starred at his retreating back for a while, then turned and walked away.
She paused at the edge of the courtyard and looked back. She saw her saddlebag still siting on the table, and shook her head. There was no cause for celebration on this night.
The ally way of the fortress were dark and silent as Trinaty moved slowly through them, back towards where she had let her horse loose to graze. As she passed the door way to the knights quarters she say a ripple of movement.
She paused and starred at the spot as one of the knights stepped out. They locked gazes for a long moment. Neither of them moved nor spoke. But both of them understood the other.
"Be careful." She whispered.
"I will." He said in a flat voice.
"And make sure Galahad isn't hurt. He deserves to go home in one piece."
The knight nodded and disappeared back into the shadows, and Trinaty left the fortress with out another word to anyone.
OK so like I said this chapter was shorter then the last. I hope you liked it. Please Review.