Tresor pour toujours- This wasn't just thankyous before- I have no idea what happened. I hope you like it!
Well, I threw in a bit more Sera/Lancelot mushy romantic crap. Hope you like it.
TalkIsCheap- Daggy-Baby? That's a nice name. What a terrible threat! Thanks for the thought. You're such a loyal reviewer.
WarAdmiral- I'm glad you like the Dagonet/Fulcinia angle. Here's some more Sera/Lancelot mushy crap.
ChildlikeEmpress- Yes, that was disappointing for many. Not telling!
Elvenstar5- Whoa! Take it easy there! I'll see what I can do. :)
Verteri Lunum- Thanks, I'll take your thoughts into consideration.
Nianko-Thanks for another lovely review! I'll think about it!
Before the battle
"Have you ever ridden before?" asked Lancelot.
Lancelot had pulled Sera up in front of him. He still needed to hold the reigns, and it was the perfect excuse for him to put his arms around her.
"Yes. Often there is no time to waste when someone is injured." Perhaps she shouldn't have said that. Only powerful people among the Woads rode horses. "Sometimes, the healer in charge was too busy and sent me instead." It would not do for him to know that she herself was the healer in charge of all the other healers. She wouldn't break her promise to her friends, not even for him.
"So, will you fight the Saxon's with us?" it had to be asked, and he desperately wanted the answer to be no. He had a feeling, however, that she would be just as stubborn as she always was on this point. He wanted her to live to a ripe old age and die in her sleep, dreams untroubled.
"Of course, need you ask?" She didn't know how he would react to this. Having another fighter would help them out, it was true, but Lancelot liked her a bit, didn't he. Then again, he liked his fellow knights as well. 'And does he kiss any of them?' the annoying little voice in her head asked. As much as it annoyed her, the annoying voice was right. For whatever reason, she was different than the men. The thought made her smile a bit. Then, another idea occurred to her. He had let her win last night. He knew he could beat her and thought that she would be no match for the Saxons. That made her plenty upset. The nerve! But, was he right? Was she really feeling herself yet? No, she wasn't. If anyone else had suggested that she wasn't able to fight, she would have been off their horse in an instant, blade at their throat. But here she was, still on the horse, his arms around her. She was going soft. That wouldn't do. Her smile had long since disappeared. She held her head high, a neutral expression on her face.
He didn't see the smile. He didn't see the change, but he felt it. Her body went rigid. He had done it again. He could practically hear her thoughts. She would probably be insulted, enraged that he would say such a thing, even think such a thing. He tried to coax her to relax by nibbling at her neck a bit, but knew before her elbow connected to his gut that it wouldn't help. He winced but said nothing for several minutes.
"Lovely weather, isn't it?" he asked, lamely. He usually could come up with something better to say, to make her smile, but not now. He like talking to this woman, she had some very interesting things to say, but now, she wouldn't even open her mouth. "Damn…I'm sorry, alright?"
"Sorry really doesn't help me here, Sir knight." She said, tightly.
He groaned inwardly. He rarely apologized, and when he did, it was very hard on his pride. Now, she wouldn't even listen to what he was forcing out of his mouth.
"I just don't want to wade through your blood. Do you have any idea how disturbing it is to walk through a friend's blood? It's ten times worse to walk through a lover's."
"I've waded through more blood than you could possibly imagine. I've stood over countless friends, watching life flee from their bodies."
"And lovers?"
"I do not take lovers, as a rule. They complicate things, besides the fact that a man would have to be insane to want me."
"Well, that's pretty insulting. I find my mind to be quite un addled from wanting you."
Sera's spine went even stiffer, if that was possible. What was he talking about? He really had gone mad. She looked over her shoulder, studying him, a frown on her face. He met her gaze. ('Glare more like' he thought) They studied each other for a long time, taking no notice of the other riders.
Galahad was watching the exchange with interest. He had never seen a woman unnerve Lancelot to this degree. He was usually the one to be unnerving. But there he was, having a stare down with a Woad. Galahad sighed. He liked women very much, but the romance was rather one sided. He glanced down, and was surprised to find Rebekah walking next to him.
"Could I have a lift, Sir knight?" she asked. She couldn't stand being in the wagon any longer, Guinevere wasn't speaking. She felt sorry for this knight. He obviously was not gifted when it came to women.
"Certainly, my lady." He said, surprise and shock echoing in his voice. He gave her a hand, and she grasped it, hauling herself up. Galahad tried to start up a conversation about the weather, but Rebekah cut him short.
"When are you to be released from service?" she asked.
"We should have been free by now, but for this last mission. We are supposed to bring the boy, Alecto, back to the wall. He's the pope's favorite godchild. Why would a Roman family live so far into Woad territory? Because they're idiots, that's why, idiots! Marius Honorius was an arrogant fool. I'm not sorry he's dead."
'Well, that was quite an outburst' thought Rebekah. This one had a temper. He shouldn't have told her that much. She knew where to come, should she need information in the future. Tristan would never let so much slip to an enemy. Were they enemies anymore? Yes, as long as they served Rome. She had to be careful about what she said.
"So, what will you do when you are free?"
"I'm going home. I hate this island."
"Tsk tsk, Galahad, now you've insulted me. And here I was going to introduce you to some of my friends when we got back to the wall." She said playfully.
"You don't have a sister, do you?"
She laughed. He really did sound desperate.
"No, but Guinevere and Sera have some cousins. Then there are a lot of other pretty Woad women around. Why don't you ask about me? I'm hardly out of your league." She teased.
"Are you kidding? Tristan would eat me alive!"
"What does Tristan have to do with this?" She was genuinely confused now. "He hates me. I talk too much."
"He doesn't hate you. He can't put you away in a corner, that's all. He's used to being able to label someone, and not have to think about them later. You don't fit any mold for too long. It's quite entertaining to watch, actually. I've never seen him confused before." Galahad smiled. Tristan confused Rebekah too. "Not to mention, you made his hawk jealous. That creature picks up on things."
Now Rebekah was simply dumbstruck. His hawk was jealous? How could anyone tell? Looking for a change of subject, she saw Sera and Lancelot, staring stonily at one another. "Are they still at it?" she asked.
"It seems so. Odd, if you ask me. A bit scary, actually. Lets give them a bit of privacy, eh?"
And with that, he urged his horse forward, so that they could talk to Gawain.
"Gawain, did you hear? Rebekah's going to fix me up with a beautiful Woad woman!"
"Really? Is that before or after I have swept one of her feet, and convinced her to leave this forsaken land, and come home with me?"
"I thought you wanted a beautiful Sarmatian woman." Galahad said, a bit confused. He hadn't even noticed Gawain's stab at him.
"That was before I met the lovely Rebekah. Dearest mine, come with me from this cursed place. We'll ride away from here on the wings of love." He teased.
"You're beginning to sound like Lancelot. Alas, gallant knight, my heart belongs to another." She gave a deep theatrical sigh at this. She was grinning like a fool.
"Ah, well, it was worth a try. Can't say I blame you. He's a fine man. Just a bit silent. And Stoic. But, I'm sure you'll get along fine."
"Who's a fine man?" she asked.
"Why, Tristan, of course. Did you think no one was around to see you toy with his braids?" Gawain responded.
"I'll never live to hear the end of that, will I? I just wanted his bow, that's all." She said, with more force than she normally would.
"You can have my bow, if you sit in my lap." Announced Gawain, gleefully.
"Really, aren't you all supposed to be chivalrous? I am a lady! You don't really think I'll sit in just anyone's lap, now do you?" She asked, her grin coming back.
"Well, I guess I'll just have to live with disappointment."
Bors had been listening with interest. It was odd to see their scout taken with any woman, let alone a Woad. Yet, she didn't see it. For some reason, it made him think of Vanora. They had been together for years, yet sometimes she seemed so oblivious to his affections. He really should marry the woman. Show her that he was serious. They had twelve-no eleven-children. One would think after such a time she would see that he had never loved anyone as he loved her. Maybe giving the children names would be enough to convince her of this. It was worth a try.
"Vanora'd like you." He said to Rebekah. "She generally meets me at the gates with a slap."
"Smart woman. She'd have to, to keep you in line, Bors." She grinned at him. She liked him. She was fully prepared to like any woman that he did.
Lancelot and Sera were still having their staring match. Neither side was willing to give up. Finally, Sera leaned forward (or backward, as she was still looking over her shoulder) till their noses touched. She waited another second, and threw caution to the winds. She kissed him.
The kiss was different from any other they had shared. It was full of promise. She wanted to reassure him. She would be fine, or as fine as any of them would be by the end of this. She wasn't about to let some Saxon bastard kill her without a fight. They needed all the fighters they could get. She was one of them, and would see this battle through.
She broke the kiss, then kissed his brow, and turned back. His arms, still holding the reigns, snaked around her, holding her tightly. He pressed his face into her hair, her neck. He never wanted to let go, but knew he must. Sera found his hands and held them. He needed the silence now.
The lake was in sight, Tristan at its edge. Rebekah watched him. He was worried. That did not bode well for their crossing. The ice must be very thin. She dismounted and thanked Galahad for the ride. They would not want to be riding on this surface. Tristan looked back and caught her eye. Time past, and they developed an understanding. Then he turned away, slowly crossing the ice. Sounds of cracking quickly followed, and the entire caravan came to a halt. Suddenly, the loud thunder of drums rang out. Now was the time, there was no escaping it. Rebekah went to the wagon and retrieved her weapons. It was time to end her blood fast.
Muh, ha, ha! Now you have to wait even longer to find out if Dagonet dies or not! Ha ha ha!
