Chapter 5

"Knights, brothers in arms," he began, "Your courage has been tested beyond all limits, but I must ask you now for one further trial," Arthur said sadly.

Bors holds his hand up to his mouth like he is drinking imaginary beer. "Drink," he joked.

Galahad laughed as Arthur continued. "We must leave on a final mission for Rome before our freedom can be granted," All the knights laughed, thinking it is a joke, "Above the wall, there lies a roman family in need of rescue. They are trapped by Saxons. Our orders are to secure their safety."

Bors scoffed, "Let the Romans take care of their own," he said.

Gawaine rather drunk replied, "Above the wall is woad territory."

Galahad angered that Rome is not abiding by their end of the contract said, his voice laced with anger, "Our duty to Rome, if it was ever a duty, is done. Our pact with Rome is done."

"Every knight here has laid his life on the line for you," Bors said, pointing to Arthur, "for you. And instead of freedom, you want more blood? Our blood!? You think more of Roman blood than you do ours?!"

"Bors, these are our orders. We leave at first light and when we return, your freedom will be waiting for you. A freedom we can embrace with…" he tried to say but was cut off.

"I'm a free man! I will choose my own fate!" Bors yelled.

As an uncomfortable silence followed Lillian could hear a baby crying in the background

Tristan, leaning against a post, Lillian standing near him looked at Bors, "Yeah, yeah, we're all going to die someday. If it's death by a Saxon hand that frightens you – stay home."

"Well if you're so eager to die, you can die right here!" Galahad yelled as he tried to charge Tristan.

Lancelot grabbed Galahad to stop him from hurting Tristan, "Enough, enough."

Galahad sighed and stopped reluctantly, "I've got something to live for!"

Lillian tired of the arguing, yelled out, "Shut up!" All the knights turned and looked at Lillian, "You have all been fighting and working together for a long time now, do you really want to spend your last few days as servants to Rome arguing with each other over some thing neither any of you nor Arthur had any control of?" she asked, the knights all shook their heads.

"Look, we all know that Rome is corrupt," she looked at Arthur, "I'm sorry to say this Arthur but the Roman Empire is crumbling," she told him, then looked at the others, "If you do not go, then you can not get your discharge papers and move freely within the Empire. This one last mission is the one that decides the fate of you all," Lillian said.

Dagonet looked at the others, "The Romans have broken their word. We have the word of Arthur. That is good enough. I'll prepare," he said plainly and started to walk off, "Bors, you coming?"

Bors turned and looked at Dagonet, "Of course I'm coming! Can't let you go on your own; you'll all get killed! I'm just saying what you're all thinking!" Bors said as he walked off then muttered something under his breath that Lillian couldn't quite catch.

Tristan started to follow Dagonet to go pack when Lillian touched his arm.

"Give me a moment please Tristan, I need to talk to Arthur for a moment," she told him.

She waited as Arthur spoke to Gawaine and Galahad.

"And you, Gawaine?" she overheard Arthur ask.

Gawaine sighed, then nodded. "I'm with you," Gawaine said soberly, then turned and looked at the reluctant Galahad, "Galahad as well."

Galahad stared at Gawaine in astonishment but says nothing. Galahad laughing in disbelief, took the bottle of wine he was drinking out of, tipped it upside down, letting all the wine drip onto the ground, then threw the bottle onto the ground bottle shatters. Arthur watched as Gawaine and Galahad left.

As Arthur is about to leave Lillian approached him. "Arthur," she said.

Arthur turned to look at Lillian, "My lady," Arthur greeted, "What can I do for you?"

Lillian smiled a little, "Arthur, please call me Lillian. And it's not what you can do for me, but what I can do to help you," she told him.

Arthur looked at her questioningly. Lillian sighed and looked him in the eye, "I know what's going to happen, and I may not be able to fight well or do much but I can help clean and seal wounds. I can also help nurse anyone who is sick."

Arthur was about to say no when Lillian cut him off, "Think hard my Lord Arthur, because even if you tell me not to come I'd follow. And personally I'd rather ride with you and the others tan ride by myself and trying to follow your trail."

Arthur sighed, "All right, but you are to stay with Tristan," he ordered looking at Tristan who silently agreed.

Lillian smiled brightly and nodded in agreement before she left with Tristan to pack up leaving Arthur and Lancelot standing in the courtyard.

After packing the few clothes that she was able to obtain after selling her ring Lillian drifted off to sleep. She knew that this trip would be the last for some of the men but she'd be damned if any of her friends were going to die and she did nothing about it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The next morning she was woken up by the sound of Tristan knocking on her door. Rising from her bed, Lillian walked over and opened the door. "Is it time already?" she asked.

"It is; we leave in an hour. I'll be back to get you once you are finished," Tristan said.

Lillian nodded and shut the door as Tristan left to help ready the horses. After she washed her face, Lillian quickly brushed and plaited her hair before she dressed. As she put her boots on there was a knock at the door.

Without glancing up she called out, "Enter!"

"Lillian? Are you ready?" Tristan voice came from the other side of the door.

"Yes, I'll be out in a moment," she said as she finished putting her boots on, the grabbed her bag with her change of clothes.

She opened the door and when Tristan saw her outfit he looked shocked. Lillian shook her head.

"It's much easier for me to ride a horse like this than it is for me to ride in a dress," she told him as they walked into the courtyard and headed to the horses.

Arthur and the other knights were busy getting ready to leave the wall for Marius' estate when Lillian and Tristan walked up and mounted their horse. Minutes later the doors opened and the knights filled out as they followed Arthur. Lillian looked back and caught Bishop Germanius crossing his forehead as they left.

About five days into the mission the knights rode into a woad-infested forest. Tristan sensed hat they were being watched. He and Lillian rode up to Arthur.

"Woads. They're tracking us," Tristan said quietly.

Arthur looked a little worried, "Where?"

"Everywhere."

Suddenly woads crawling through the underbrush, started coming out of their hiding places, spooking the horses a little. Lillian looked at the others and saw they were nervous and worried as well. They continue on though but their path was blocked by arrows being shot out.

Lancelot looked at the arrows and yelled, "Get back!"

Bors repeated the order, "Get back!!"

As they tried to find an alternate path through the forest but became completely cornered and completely surrounded by Woads. Arthur drew Excalibur, and each knight drew their individual weapons.

Gawaine glared at the Woads, and challenged, "What are you waiting for?!"

As he spoke a horn blew in the distance and the woads lowered their arrows and retreated

"Inish!? Devil ghosts!" Dagonet stated.

Galahad watched as the woads disappeared and wondered a loud, "Why would they not attack?"

Arthur looked at his men and said in realization, "Merlin doesn't want us dead."

As they rode on the knights, suspicious, keep a look out but see nothing but the woods, rain, and fog.

"Ugh, I can't wait to leave this island. If it's not raining, it's snowing. If it's not snowing, it's foggy," Gawaine groaned.

Lancelot laughed, "And that's the summer."

Arthur pulled to a stop and ordered everyone to make camp for the night. An hour later as they all sat around the fire in the rain Bors looked up.

"The rain is good. Washes all the blood away," Bors said, breaking the silence.

"Doesn't help the smell," Dagonet added.

"Hey Bors. You intend on taking Vanora and all your little bastards back home?" Lancelot asked, curious.

Bors laughed, "Oh, I'm trying to avoid that decision…by getting killed."

Gawaine and Lancelot smiled and laughed at their friend's joke. Lillian grinned as she sat near Tristan and watched the interaction of the long time friends.

Bors leaned over, "Dagonet. She wants to get married, give the children names."

Tristan shook his head a little as he sheathed his sword, "Women. The children already have names, don't they?" he asked conversationally.

Bors looked over to Tristan, "Just Gilly. It was too much trouble, so we gave the rest of them numbers."

"That's interesting. I thought you couldn't count," Lancelot teased.

Everyone started laughing at the familiar teasing. Lillian laughed as well and leaned back against the tree she was sitting by.

"You know, I never thought I'd get back home alive. Now that I've got the chance, I don't think I'd leave my children," Bors said, stoically.

Dagonet looked at Bors knowingly, "You'd miss them too much."

"I'll take them with me. I like the little bastards. They mean something to me... Especially number 3. He's a good fighter," said Bors, his voice holding a tinge of emotion to it.

Lancelot looked at Bors with a wicked grin, "That's because he's mine," he said causing Gawaine to almost spit out his drink in laughter.

Bors shook his head and stood up, "I'm going for a piss," he said walking off as the others continue laughing.

Lillian looked over at Lancelot and glared. She could tell Bors was upset at the remark Lancelot said. She was about to say something when Galahad spoke.

"Lillian, why so quiet?" he asked, "Tell us of your home. You haven't said a word about your family or home in the time we've known you."

Lillian looked at everyone and sighed, "All right," she acquiesced, and she told the knights the truth, "I haven't been completely truthful. My name is Lillian Everson, but I am not a Briton or a Roman citizen. I am from the future. I was born in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and seventy-six. I fell through time in the years two thousand and four…" she began.

It was a little awkward after she told them she was from the future. But after they thought about it the group bombarded her with questions about the future. Some of which she answered. Others, which were about the fate of someone in their group, she did not answer because she did not want to tempt fate too much. Becoming tired Lillian bid everyone a good night before retiring to the tent she and Tristan shared.

A few hours later Lillian woke up from a nightmare. She sighed as she rose from her bed roll and walked outside the tent. As she stood near the fire she noticed someone walking over to her. She gasped as she recognized who the man was that stood at the edge of camp.

Merlin motioned for her to come closer to him. 'Wonder what the man wants?' was the thought that permeated her brain as she walked over.

"Merlin," she greeted.

Merlin nodded, "Lillian Everson. You have traveled far from your home," he stated.

"I have, but I see why it is any business of yours," she questioned. "What is it you want?"

"What I want is a free Britain. You can help me achieve that with your knowledge of the future. You must help Arthur and the other knights see reason…" he said.

Lillian shook her head, "It's impossible to do something that they have already begun doing themselves. Now I suggest you leave before someone wakes up."

Merlin nodded and left her alone standing in the camp. Sighing, Lillian sat down near the fire and hugged her knees close to her as she thought about her situation. Sensing someone behind her she turned and saw Tristan awake and looking at her.

"Lily, what is wrong?" Tristan asked quietly as he sat down next to her.

Lillian sighed and turned to look at Tristan. "Have you ever felt that fate and destiny had taken your choices out of your hands and forced you to play by their rules?" she asked.

Tristan nodded, "Ever since Rome came and took me from my family."

Lillian smiled sadly. "You know I know the future. It's hard having all of this knowledge and not being able to use it because you are afraid that by changing one little detail, you will change the outcome," she confessed to him.

"I don't know how hard it is for you, but all I can tell you is that when the time comes, follow your heart," Tristan advised.

Lillian smiled slightly and leaned against him as they sat in front of the fire Lillian imagined that she and Tristan were sitting in front of the fire in their own home and just enjoying each other's company. She closed her eyes and smiled at the image, but never thought it would actually happen.

'She looks so peaceful and beautiful,' Tristan thought as he looked at her in the firelight. Unable to contain himself he leaned down and gently claimed her lips with his own in a sweet kiss.

Lillian's eyes flew open when she felt his lips on her own but closed them again as she melted into the kiss. 'He sure knows how to make a woman weak in the knees with just a kiss,' Lillian thought with a grin.

Breaking the kiss Tristan brushed a lock of her hair out of her face.

"Lillian," he whispered with a smile, "what have you done to me?"

Lillian grinned, "The same as you have done to me," she replied leaning back into his embrace. "I know I'm falling in love with you," she said as she laid her head back on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"I am already there Lily," Tristan whispered, kissing the top of her head and reclining against the tree and falling asleep himself.