Disclaimer I do not own anything that this Fanfiction is mostly based upon. Anything you do not recognize from the original concept, belongs to me or someone else whom has granted me permission to use their object, concept, etc. The female knight thing seems to be an interesting write-about, and so I have decided to create my own character which will take place slightly before, during and after the movie.
Author's Note Yay! Almost done! Sorry about the wait though -blushes-. Anyways, for this current chapter, I mostly listened to Hans Zimmer at the beginning, and the very end. P.O.D - Alive, was what I listened to, during the middle of the fanfic!... yeah.
The Rogue Knight
Chapter Eight; You Killed my Bird.
She felt as if, she were betraying one of the few people in her life that truely mattered. Her mind wandered to sinful thoughts that had to do with her previous reputation. After all, perhaps, she should actually live the tale of the Rogue Knight, yet twist the story to her liking.. She would toss away her word to Arthur, and ride to join him in battle, after all. If Cynric was there, she planned on repaying him for the death of her avian friend.
Fenaliy, rode abreast with Tristan, casting the dark Scout, half hearted 'malicious' glances they always seemed to exchange. Fen's eyes soon fell upon the Knight's that rode ahead of the two. Bors, Galahad, Gawain, and of course, Lancelot. Fen frowned slightly, remembering their exchange the previous knight. She quickly shook it off, and turned her gaze to the hill that they rode from. A single Knight sat astride his steed, held in hand was that of a banner that one might call the powerful picture of his name. Fen shook her head, and turned her attention once again back to the other Knights. Each sat warily astride their own Equine's. Heads low, their hands twitching as they recalled, that Arthur did not wish them to risk their lives.
But, was Fen truely one to accept the orders of a Roman Commander? One whom she would rather fight along side with, then walk away from! Not to mention, she wouldn't mind trying out a lovely excuse for arriving at his side the moment he noticed her pressence.
The grin that crossed the Rogue Knight's feminime visage caused Tristan to glance at her darkly, and quizically.
"What are you thinking of?" He asked, his voice cracking slightly. Fen gave him one look, her eyes flickering slightly from the thoughts of her devious plan rushing through her mind. Tristan stared at her for a mere moment before nodding. "Hmm.. so.. shall we?"
The female Knight nodded, and in turn, they both reined their steeds about and raced towards the large gates that blocked their passage. However, they were permitted to pass through, by God knows what Guards stared behind, and the two Knights soon found themselves in the courtyard of Hadrian's Wall. The loud creaking of the gate, warned the two of the other Knights arrival, and the two ominous Knights of the group turned slowly, and grinned.
"Ah, so.. finally wanna get a taste of the Rogue's side eh Galahad?" Fen winked at the young Knight, who paled slightly, and stepped closer to Gawain, who chuckled.
Lancelot cast a glance at all the Knight's in turn. "No regrets at their choice?"
Tristan smiled, which was odd, and glanced at Fen, whom grinned mischeviously, before she to glanced at Galahad, who remained neutral and turned his attention to Gawain, who turned his gaze to Bors, who looked at Lancelot. "No." Bors said softly.
"Then we ride to aid Arthur, and Rome." Lancelot said quickly.
"No." Tristan cut in.
"Great Britain and Artorius Castas, is whom we aid." Fen said, with her crooked grin hanging loosely upon her features. The other knights nodded in agreement, all unsheathing their swords and brandishing them above their heads.
- - -
"I want no one to kill her!" Cynric's voice was heard amongst the many saxons. It was a mixture of what one might call lust, and revenge. "If I find your sword in the Rogue Knight's body, I will slay you myself, and make sure it's slow and painful." Cerdic glanced at his son, whom, he thought was taking it a tad to far. The woman was different from the other women that they had stumbled upon, but, she was not worth this much worry, and threats.
"Steady Cynric. Do not allow your ego to get the upper hand of your mind." Cerdic's voice, harsh as it was, pierced Cynric's lusting mind, and sent the young man reeling back slightly.
"Aye, Father." Cynric's voice faltered slightly, and he reached up a gnarled, battle worn hand, and gently stroked his small, braided beard. "But, I still want her, whether for one night, or for many nights.." Cerdic merely shook his head and walked towards the front of the Saxon lines, as he watched Arthur Castas ride down from his hilltop and approach the Saxon army.
- - -
"Agh, I haven't worn this stuff in a while." Fen shifted her shoulders slightly, wincing as her ebony tinted armour rubbed against her scabbed shoulder. She sighed heavily, and brought her right hand up to her view, it was still wrapped in white cloth, and had been bleeding any time she managed to bend her right appendage. She sighed heavily and glanced down at her legs. Her wounded leg, was outlined by a perfect puncture in her armour.
Lancelot glanced at her quizically, as did Gawain and Bors. "You haven't been wearing it for the past three days... How long did you usually wear it?" Lancelot's question, caused Fen to grin slightly.
"All the time. Never knew when someone might sneak up on you." Fen chuckled at the look, that appeared on all three of the knights' faces. "What? I was a nomad Knight, can't blame me.." She laughed softly, and turned back to Maximus, grabbing her bastard sword's scabbard and attaching it to her side. "So let me get this straight.. Right now, we're down here getting ready, whilst Arthur is now speaking with that.. Saxon?"
Lancelot nodded in reply.
"So, what happens if he is killed whilst down there?" She asked.
"He won't be," Gawain cut in, "They flagged the white flag, they dare not slash him, or shoot him down. It is against ancient traditions.."
"Pish Posh." Fen stated. "When was a Saxon ever to follow ancient traditions?"
"Since the time of Honor." Bors added roughly, tightening the girth on his horse's saddle.
Fen nodded, "Well, then. This little battle of ours, will certainly be interesting." The others nodded in agreement.
- - -
"Arthur, where ever I go on this wretched island, I hear you name. Whispered, as if your a god." The Saxon Cerdic, paced about, infront of Arthur, as the Knight tried to calm his steed, which seemed to read Cerdic's aura, and found him most untrustworthy. As Cerdic, tried to rest his palm against the roman nose of the grey stallion, the equine jerked back quickly. "But, I see, you are no more God, then the creature beneath you.."
"What is it you truely want, Saxon?" Arthur asked, venom dripping coldly from his lips.
Cerdic grinned, his scarred face contorting, and twisting to make the mot unpleasant view that one could possibly imagine resting their eyes upon. "Britain. I want you and your Knight's to leave. Well, the other five anyways. My son, seems to have taken a great liking to the female Knight, that has earned the title 'The Rogue'."
Arthur shook his head, before unsheathing his sword, and wielding it to point the Saxon directly between the eyes. "Mark my face Saxon, for the next time you see it. It will be the last thing you see on this Earth. And tell your son, The Rogue, will castarate your boy, before he can even lay a hand on her." With that, Arthur reined his steed about and kicked him away, leaving Cerdic grinning.
"Finally," he said roughly, his husky voice trailing off in the slight wind, "A man worth killing." He turned around quickly, and walked back to his army.
- - -
As Arthur sat atop the hill upon his horse, his eyes levelled towards the caravan which was moving off in the distance. It seemed to hold less people then it did before, and Arthur merely shook his head, thinking himself, going blind.
However, the approaching sound of horse hooves, soon accompanied by the bellow of Bors, and the rusty laugh of Fen, Arthur only grinned softly, and turned his steed about to face the six knights that approached. Upon reaching Fen's visage, Arthur frowned slightly at the crooked grin that had spread across her visage. "I told you not to come after me Fenaliy."
"When am I, one to follow your orders Lucius Artorius Castas?" She playfully leaned over, on her horse, and patted her commander on the shoulder, before arranging herself beside him on his left. Soon, the others reined up beside the other two, Lancelot, pushing his way inbetween Fen and Arthur, Bors, moving beside Fen, Tristan beside Arthur on his right, Gawain, and Galahad, soon sat with Tristan on Arthur's right.
Fen gripped her banner's pole tightly, and grimaced at her shoulder suddenly pinched with pain. She leaned forth in her saddle slightly, resting her right hand against her horse's armoured neck. Lancelot cast her a worried glance, but she merely nodded to him softly. "No worries." She whispered. Maximus snorted, and tossed his head, the single rhino-like spike that rested upon the equine's headgear shone brightly, and glinted an iridescent ebony-silver.
"How do you do that?" Lancelot asked, eyeing the spike that rested upon Maximus' nose.
Fen looked at him, her cranium unhindered from a helmet. She chuckled, "It's easy.. Ask a blacksmith to do it." As she finished her sentence, she pulled her ebony hood up, cloaking her features in an umbratic eave. Lancelot merely laughed and shook his head.
"Nice reply."
- - -
(Started Listening to P.O.D -Alive. Right at this moment)
The gates creaked open, and in ran the saxons. They massed in the courtyard of Hadrian's wall(like ants to a twinkie!), eyeing the foggy atmosphere with distaste. They watched, they looked, they searched carefully amongst the grey atmosphere, searching for the seven knights that would soon battle against them.
"There!" A saxon shouted quickly, pointing towards the seven knights that reined their horses about in odd patterns. Upon such an exclaimation, the other Saxons took off running, their feet clattering against the soggy ground, causing the green grass to soon turn to an unpleasant mush that caused many to slip as they rushed towards their victory, or death.
Arrows soon rained down upon them, warning the saxons, with soft whizzing sounds, and loud thumps, as their allies were felled. In a meager trice, did the sound of seven sets of hooves rush to their ears. Each Saxon soldier turned in alarm, as swords came running down upon them, slicing into their throats, chests, and faces.
The same means of attack happened more then seven times, before a single Saxon Soldier was left. The man, stumbled towards the gates, glancing back in alarm to see if anyone was after him. None were, the Knights' merely sat astride their horses, eyeing the single man as he flee for his life.
"Let him carry the tale." Arthur said softly, noticing Fen had grabbed for her bow and arrow. She merely glanced at Arthur and nodded softly.
- - -
The battle began again, as the next wave of saxons emerged through the gates in a manner of minutes. The sound of war cries from the woads in the distance, gave Fen a sense of pride that she was working with such beings. She winced slightly as her shoulder began to ache again, this time, it raced down her chest and to her heart, she leaned foreward slightly, and shook her head, trying to bring herself back from the world of pain.
Lancelot glanced at her worriedly. "Are you okay?"
"Yes." she whispered, holding her bastard sword tightly in her palms. Lancelot merely drew his horse closer and prodded at her shoulder, making Fen yelp in pain. "Stop!"
"Your in pain, this is not good, perhaps you should not-"
"What?" She smiled, eyeing him through her cloak. "And let you get all the honor? Never." She spat hoarsely, laughing and quickly sitting up, ignoring the pain that shot through her again. "Come.. we must battle."
The sound of clashing Saxons, with Woads and Knights, hit Fen's ears, and she laughed raucously. However, four saxons made their way to her and Maximus, bringing their shields up, they knocked her from her stallion, causing her to land on her back and gasp for air slightly. However, her sword was still within her left hand, so she quickly righted herself, standing up quickly, and stumbling as she tried to regain her breath.
All in this short time, the four saxons circled her. They knew who she was, oh, Cynric had told them, even described her. They knew her, from the black cloak and the umbratic hood that covered her features.
"Rogue doesn't seem to fiesty eh Dedric? Perhaps, we can 'ave some fun with her, before we give her to Cynric." The first Saxon said, nodding to the third saxon who stood opposite him with Fen in the middle.
Fen shook her head, and wielded her sword in a graceful arch, the men continued to grin, having heard no sound that her sword made contact with them. That was until, the First Saxon gasped slightly, blood beginning to run from his stomache. The second, had blood running from his throat, and the same wounds happened to the other two Saxons. "Yuck.. horny men.. who would have thought."
The battle commensed. Fen rushed throughout the many soldiers, and woad warriors, she even passed by Bors at one point and gave him a soft nod and encouraging smile to ease him up as he battled. The rush was amazing, Fen felt it as it raced through her veins. This was what she lived for, she would never be able to settle down after she was granted freedom, she would probably move about, seeking out lone Saxons, or bandits that just couldn't keep their hands to themselves.
Fen's sword connected with that of a throat, causing a man to scream loudly, before the scream turned to that of a gurgled cry. She wielded her sword about, causing it to arch once again and slash upwards between the man's legs. He fell foreward, and Fen gracefully side stepped his large body.
It was then she saw him, Cynric, fighting with Woads, and slaying them easily, just as easily as she slay the saxons. She smiled, and she twirled her sword about in her hand, causing it to catch the light, and shine directly through the mass of grey fog and finally upon Cynric's eyes. The man looked up, suddenly aware of Fen, he laughed loudly, and stepped through the churning mass of bodies, towards the woman he had set his desires upon, towards the woman that had dreamt about killing him.
"Finally," Cynric said softly, grinning from ear to ear, causing Fen to raise a brow, and gently cough. "I will enjoy waking in the morning, to your warmth.."
Fen crinkled her nose in disgust, and lifted her stiff, bleeding right hand to the hem of her hood. She pulled it back, to reveal her distaste to Cynric, who only frowned. "Your disgusting."
"Your are beautiful.." His words, hit her hard, and she stumbled slightly, gritting her teeth, and shaking her head.
"What's with you Saxon men? Your all grotesque hogs, that find themselves turned on, by anyone with a sword." She yelled such words, over the loud roar of the battle. "I imagine, you have dreamt of your own men aswell?" She smirked slightly.
Cynric frowned, and gritted his teeth, his appendages gripped his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white. "You are fiesty."
She rolled her eyes. "Men. They should get their priorities straight."
Cynric chuckled, before moving closer to her, now, standing a meager meter away. "You know, after we win this battle, this war, I shall have all of your remaining friends, and have them watch, as I make love to you." He smiled, and stepped closer, only to be greeted with the tip of Fen's sword, at the tip of his nose.
"Say, anything like that again, and I'll cut out your tongue, and feed it to-" She stopped herself slightly, and remembered that Marcus no longer could eat her enemies tongues, lips, and eyes.
"What?" Cynric laughed. "Feed it to your dead bird?" He continued to laugh loudly.
"Shut up!" Fen sobbed, her defenses falling as he began to laugh at her companion's passing. She lundged at him, anger overflowing her battle senses, pushing her to the point where her eyes flickered dangerously with her lust for the man's death. Cynric took this to his advantage, and merely managed to dodge her every attack. Apparently, with anger flowing through her veins, she wasn't much of an opponent.
"I thought you aren't suppose to attack in anger.." Cynric yelled as he dodged yet another attack from her bastard sword.
"SHUT UP!" She screamed, arching her blade, yet again, and bringing it down a mere inch from his right foot.
"Aah!" He cried, jumping back in shock, at her 'near-hit'.
Fen immediatly lashed out as he took in the new information, about almost loosing his big toe. She planted the tip of her sword into the muddy ground, and put her weight upon the hilt, before lashing out her right foot, and catching Cynric with her foot, causing him to topple over onto his back.
As Fen stood back up, she watched as Cynric tried to catch his wind, but he gasped desperately, and doing such in vein. She grasped the hilt of her weapon and pulled it roughly from the ground, before she stalked over to Cynric..
"You killed," She grasped the hilt of her sword in both her hands, wincing slightly at the pain in her hand and shoulder as she lifted the sword above her head, "my Bird.."
The sound of metal piercing metal rung through Fen's ears. Followed, by silence. She stared at Cynric, who, in turn stared back at her. Both their faces remained neutral as they stared at each other.
It was then, that Lancelot, turned to gaze at Fen and Cynric. Cynric lay upon the ground, sword thrust upwards, and Fen stood above him, sword held over her head as she prepared to kill him. However, she would have been successful, were it not for the large blade that protruded from her lower back, covered in the red vitae, or many others, and her own.
Fen, finally realized what was happening, and gritted her teeth as pain shot throughout her entire body, she let out a shaky breath, that was soon followed by blood dribbling from the corner of her mouth. She glanced at Cynric, who was now grinning.
"As..I... said.." She wheezed. "You... killed... my... bird.." She brought the sword down, running the tip through the middle of the man's face. A sickening crunch issued forth from his skull. "Oh.. god.."
Fen fell. She fell and landed beside Cynric, facing the heavens, the fog... She suddenly felt a pressence at her side, and sure enough, soon found herself staring up at Lancelot, who was kneeling beside her, tears sparkling in his eyes. "Fen.. Fen.."
"Yes?" She gasped, more blood bubbling up around her mouth. Lancelot, brought her head up to rest on his lap. Her eyes were, unshielded, and he saw evidence of something she had tried to hide from him. Evidence, which she had denied. Evidence, that assured him of something that he had tried to tell her, he himself felt for her.
"I.. I love you." he said softly. She merely smiled.
"I know." Her hand, gently moved up to caress his cheek, and she smiled, her eyes flickering as her life began to drain..
"Do you love me?" He asked urgently, his voice betraying his desperateness..
"I think you already know the answ-"
A defiant neigh echoed soundlessly amongst the silent battle, as that of knight, closed her eyes.
Author's Note
-cough cough- Wow.. I actually did it after, nearly two weeks! Yes! Anyways, yeah, sorry to break it to you, but Fen just kicked the bucket, joined the angels, clucked with the chickens, croaked.. uh yeah. Anyways, during the last part of the chapter, I listened mostly to Hans Zimmer - We are Free from the Gladiator soundtrack.. -cries- That music really helps with it all.. yeah, anyways, one more chapter! Might even have a different ending if your want!
