Ok, this Chapter introduces young Gawain and give the backstory to the prologue. I hope all Gawian fans approve!
Dazzler 420: Thank you very much for the names and reviewing! I hope you enjoy this longer chpater, 3 will be up soon!
As I walk through the hallway filled with the quarters of the knights, my brothers, it all comes flooding back...
The first thing I remember after the fire was waking up to the sun piercing my eyes from above. I found myself on a thin cot in a hidden clearing in the woods. I quickly remembered the previous night but wished it to be some terrible nightmare that I had dreamt while accidentally falling asleep in the woods as I had on many occasions. I reached up to where I remembered being hit and felt, to my utter disappointment, a gash from my hairline to my left eyebrow, a scar which I would bear for the rest of my life reminding me that it had not been a nightmare; I had killed my family and above all failed my beloved brother. Feeling the cut brought back the final moments...the blinding, unforgiving fire... The horrible screams...sounds that would haunt my slumber for many years after, never letting me forget my mistake. A tear rolled down my cheek as I was overcome with grief and anger at myself. It was my job to protect them; I had promised.
My father had been one in a long line of Sarmatian knights bound to the Roman Empire. Like many, this bind cost him much of his life. He died soon after the last of my siblings were born; most ofmy siblingsand I never knew him that well as he seemed withdrawn afterseeing the terrible sights of battle.My mother was left at a young age with 3 boys and 2 girls. My two eldest brothers, Kyan and Eran,were twins and were taken to their duty by the Roman army soon after my father died when I was around7 and by third brother Gawain was 10. We managed to keep hope that they would someday return though we heard nothing of them for 2 years. It seemed my mothers last good spirits were ripped away when news finally came from areturning soldier; our brothers had died in battle soon after they were taken away from home. They were too young and inexperienced to survive the hardened life of a soldier and had met thefate of many knights before them.My mother retreated into depression only muttering about how the Romans had taken everything from us and how our family was cursed. I was only9 at the time but took the loss of my brothers hard, crying for days while Gawain did his best to comfort me holding me in his arms and telling me that he would not let anything else happen to our family. Our youngest sister,Wilona, was only 3 then, not truly understanding the chaos and tragedy in her life. From the time of my brothers' deaths forward, Gawain took on the immense duty of taking care of the entire family at the young age of 12. He did every chore he could and even found the time to maintain his jolly demeanor and do his best to keep our spirits high and hopeful one again. When I finally stopped grieving for the twins, I did my best to help him with what I could and enjoyed our time together, even just doing chores. Though Gawain was doing his best to keep our spirits up, I could tell that something weighed on his mind as time passed. He began to spend his spare time alone in the woods. Though I did not know it at the time Gawain had realized that soon the Romans would come for him and he had taken to the woods in order to train in weapons and fighting so that he would not meet the fate of our brothers. He was determined to stay alive and return to us as soon as possible and ensure the survival of our family, a duty he held above all others.
I found out of my brothers training one day when he came to me as I was washing clothes in a nearby river next to the woods where he went each day. Secretly, I hoped each day I saw him enter the woods that he might invite me along as I had always admired and loved my brother deeply. We had a connection deeper than the rest of our siblings being so close in age and having endured so much together in our short years. He lead me through the woods taking my hand gently, "Bri (short for Brigid),when I'm gone it will be up to you take care of our family." He began to speak seriously.
"Yes, I have known and feared this since we lost the twins." I lowered my eyes and spoke softly. " I only wish that you could stay; I do not know if I can live without you." Gawain pulled me to him and embraced me in a strong hug before my tears could hit the ground.
"I promise that I will return. Our family will suffer no more loss; you have my word." Gawain spokedeeply looking me straight in the eyes.At that moment, I saw my brother in a new light; he was no longer mysilly playmate, he wasbecoming a true knight withthe nobility of times past."Now you must dry those tears and make me a promise; you must keep our family going until the day I return. Can you do that for me?" He spoke more softly than before, simply my brother again, wiping the tears off of my cheeks.
" I stepped forward, tears gone, face stern," I do not know what strength I have or what good I can do, but I promise you, brother, that I will not let harm come to our family while you are away." He smiled softly, hugging me once more.
"You are more grown up than I thought," he released me and led me a few more steps, and as we reached the clearing a bright smile spread across my newly eager face. Gawain had brought me to the clearing that he had made into his training grounds. I could hardly contain my excitement at the fact that I was finally being invited to train to be a knight! I had watched my brothers train with my father when he was alive and able and had always secretly envied them even as young child. The weapons, the horses, the hand to hand combat, it all gave me an unusual thrill. I tried to hide my excitement from Gawain as we approached the targets and weapons he had made.
"I always new you wished to join in the fight; you were always tailing after the twins and father watching their every move," I grinned uncomfortably, "Don't think I haven't noticed you by the river when I leave." I know blushed and looked down in shame as it was not proper for a girl to show such interest in fighting. "Don't have so much shame, sister; I am delighted to finally have a sparring partner. I can't wait to see what a great fighter you will be." I looked up, beaming, letting my excitement show.
"I can't wait either; I'm sure your lack of competition has let your head get too big and I'm just the one to deflate it." I was quite quick-witted for my age, mostly from hearing Gawain all those years.
"Ah, it seems your ego needs to be deflated as well," he gave me gentle pat on the shoulder, "though this will be fun for the both of us you must also take it seriously. I am going to do my best to teach you basic defense so that you can properly defend Ma and little Wilona if you need to. We will have to spend every spare minute training; I fear that my time to leave is approaching." Gown's voice trailed off as he finished his sentence.
"So let's get started," I sad picking up a wooden sword and tossing one to Gawain, doing my best to lighten the mood. I would cherish every moment we spent together and try to forget that every day might be the last I got to spend with him.
Time went by too fast. After nearly a year, Gawain and I had both become skilled fighters in weapons and hand to hand combat, at least as skilled as we could be fighting against only each other and hand made targets. Though I was much smaller than Gawain, I still managed to knock him to the ground on occasion. My true skill lie in the smaller knives used for throwing. I hit the target more accurately and precisely than Gawain and it steamed him a bit, but he was unbeatable with a sword or spear. We were equals at the bow though my skill improved as my hands got bigger. We loved every minute of training; it allowed us to escape the hardships of our life and the foreboding feeling that our time together was running thin.
We could not escape forever; early one morning I awoke and went outside to fetch water and heard the hoof beats of the approaching soldiers. I found Gawain already preparing his horse. "We're you planning on leaving without saying good bye?" I said upset.
"I did not wish to wake you to such bad news but I am glad that you are here to see me off," he took me in his arms, hugging me so tightly I wished he would never let go. When he finally did, the tears that had been gathering in my eyes burst free.
"Why must they take you from us?" I pleaded desperately.
He took me in his strong arms again and spoke softly inot my ear,"Do not waste your tears for their sake; I will keepmy promise and you must do the same. Our family's fate is up to you now." He briskly kissed me on the forehead and mounted his horse as the Romans approached. I dried my tears as he joined the soldiers and began his long journey.
I ran as fast as I could to reach him and screamed, "I promise!" He looked back and I saw the mischievous smile on his young face for the last time before we were both grown.
Ch 3 will be up soon with how Brigid came to Gawain and the knights