next chapter! thanks a million to all reviewers! enjoy
same warnings & disclaimers apply...
Chapter 11: An early morning…to a long day
'Curse you, Arthur,' Tristan thought for the first time ever. Dawn's first light and Arthur was gathering his knights for council—that could only mean trouble was close at hand. Actually Tristan shouldn't be cursing Arthur…'it's not his fault,' he realized glumly. His eyes traveled lazily to Mirran who still lay sleeping, glowing softly in dawn's purple light. He had not the heart to wake her. A soft smile played across his face as he watched her and he longed to still be beside her, her soft skin under his fingers. He knelt gently beside her on the bed, brushing a stray curl back and kissing her gently.
"I will find you when the sun sets." He whispered softly before quietly rising, grabbing his sword belt and fastening it about his waist as he left.
XXXXXXXXX
"Good gods Arthur! What the hell're you thinking!" Bors stumbled groggily to his seat around the table as Dedric and Marvlin laughed amusedly. Both felt a twinge of guilt at seeing the knights file around the table, for it had been them on watch since the moon began to fall in the sky that had found the worrisome news. If Arthur had not worry and concern filling his mind, he too would have been laughing.
Galahad sat with his arm propped on the table, his head resting in his hand, eyes closed and snoring faintly. Gawain was next to him, regarding his young friend disbelievingly, a drowsy-alert look on his face. Of them all, Dedric and Marvlin were the most awake, thanks to the graveyard watch shift they had been given. Dagonet sat down silently next to Lancelot who was being drilled by a curious, yawning Svent. Gawain shook his head, laughing silently to himself at the state all the knights were in—this ragged looking bunch of sleepy men were Arthur's famous knights!
"You…" Grenham said, startled at seeing Tristan enter as collected as usual, his exhaustion showing only in his eyes, "we looked for you in your quarters and you were no where to be found—how did you know to come?"
"Grenham," Gawain started as Tristan took his seat between them, "he's a scout—he's ever mindful. Even when he shares another's bed," he smiled knowingly at Tristan, who half smiled back, "he's always listening."
"You all have loud footsteps." Tristan added, his voice revealing his tiredness more than he liked.
"Knights, its good to see you all this morning," Arthur's eyes fell on a still snoring Galahad, whom Gawain instantly elbowed, jerking him awake, "now that everyone is present and awake," Arthur continued good-humoredly, "Dedric and Marvlin on watch received some disturbing news sent early this morning." Arthur held up a single arrow, crude in its refinements, but crafted for deadly accuracy.
"A woad arrow…." Tristan said softly to himself, but also catching the attention of the knights around him.
"It was not aimed at anyone—both knights were visible from the wall's watch platform." Arthur continued.
"It could have been aimed for them, but the archer's shot could have slipped." Svent speculated.
"Woads have deadly aim," Tristan suddenly said, "if they had been sent to kill, Dedric and Marvlin would not be here now."
"Exactly," Arthur said, ignoring the stiffness that seemed to fall over the room at Tristan's comment, "no—whoever sent this arrow, sent it as a message…a warning most likely." He finished somewhat solemnly as a low murmur rose around him.
"Warning us of what?...from what?" Lancelot suddenly asked, looking expectantly at Arthur as the murmur slowly died. Arthur's face remained expressionless as he glanced around at the questioning and anxious look of his knights.
"Knights…I need you all on call today—since we know not the nature of this message. Keep weapons close at hand and report to the watch platform once you've eaten and prepared." At Arthur's last words, the knights rose from the round table, all hopes of returning to warm beds dashed, now replaced with anxiousness and some fear of the day to come.
XXXXXXXXX
"I don't think I've ever seen so ominous a stillness." Gawain casually remarked, catching the wide-eyed attention of Galahad and Svent.
"'So ominous a stillness'…Gawain, you make it sound like we're all going to die." Svent said a nervous edge to his voice.
"That's certainly a possibility." Gawain commented, looking out over the wall at the gray morning.
"Thanks for the positive encouragement," Galahad said, "we all know it's a possibility. We just try not to think on it too much." Svent glanced nervously at Galahad. Even though they were both the same age, Svent still looked to Galahad for encouragement in times of battle.
"Lancelot, what news?" Svent suddenly asked as Lancelot walked by on the watch platform.
"Nothing more than we knew this morning. We sit poised for an attack that could never come or come any second." He said disturbingly, seeing the nervousness grow in Svent's eyes. "But we should be able to see them long before they can do any real damage…besides we're behind solid rock walls. The woads would have a difficult time breaking them down." Lancelot smiled encouragingly, clapping Svent on the shoulder and nodding to Galahad and Gawain before continuing his rounds on the platform.
"I don't understand how clam everyone is. We're idly sitting around waiting for our deaths from something we don't even know is coming or not….how you all remain calm and collected, I'll never know." Svent paused and glanced to his left, seeing Tristan standing still, his gaze fixed solidly ahead. "You most of all—your emotions never seem to change from one situation to the next. Whether it be the pub or the battlefield, you almost always look the same."
"When you're in a situation you can't change one way or another, you learn to deal with it—mostly by not letting anything in the first place." He inwardly blanched at his own words, for he hadn't done that. He had let Mirran in and now she was a definite vulnerability to him. In a way, he hated himself for doing so, yet would not have it any other way.
"Let nothing in at all, Tristan…?" Gawain questioningly asked, his gaze momentarily locked with Tristan's.
"Ideally…but that is not always so. We are, after all, human." Tristan coolly responded.
"He admits it!" Galahad said, a smile forming across his young face. Tristan's head instantly snapped around to face the woods, his eyes narrowed. Arrows were coming…he looked quickly up…sure enough.
"Arrows!" He called out as everyone around looked skyward before ducking under shields. And just that suddenly and silently, battle had come.
XXXXXXX
The woads attacked in full force after that. Arrows constantly raining down had distracted the knights and soldiers from the Woads' hidden endeavor, and with an earth shattering bang, the gates of the fort exploded and broke, letting in streams of Woad warriors. From there it was every Roman and knight for himself as they came down off the watch platform and took to the fort's streets, fighting the rampaging Woads and watching as innocents were cut down, and some buildings set ablaze.
A woad kicked open the door of a closed up building. 'A room of women…only one with a sword,' the woad thought, a wicked smile on his face.
"Perfect," he growled, smiling menacingly before hollering something in his native tongue.
Mirran's brow furrowed, confusion and surprise written clearly across her pale face as she tightly gripped the sword. 'These are no Woads…they're Saxons!' Two Saxon men, disguised as woads, stormed into the tavern, the first one heading for Magda and Falia, the two newly arrived towards her. Instantly she pitted herself against them, their swords clashing and clanking. A minute—a slash across the chest, a quick jab in the stomach and both Saxon men fell as screams pierced the air. Mirran spun to see Magda fall, and Falia soon followed, run through in her stomach. Mirran flew at the Saxon determined to make him pay for Magda and Falia's death. Even though she'd learned to fight against a man armed with two swords, her skill was no match for the man she now fought against. A moment and his sword cut into her right arm, causing her sword to fall and her arm to snap instinctively to her chest, her face a twisted grimace.
"You didn't honestly think you had a chance against me?" He asked coldly.
"I had to try. I could not let you get away with the death of my innocent friends." She spat, locking her angry eyes with his, moving to brace against the bar.
"Well what will you do once I kill you too? No one to stop me…and you sure as hell can't do anything about it." He stepped closer to her, raising his sword threateningly. She wheeled around, grabbing a heavy clay pitcher and hurled it at his head, despite the screaming pain in her arm. A roar of dull pain erupted from him and she fled from the tavern, desperate to reach the door. A massive, strong hand latched itself to her long curls, yanking her roughly back.
"Bitch—you will pay for that!" He hollered over her scream as he drug her by her hair out of the tavern to the noisy, smoke-filled street. She fell to her knees, yanking her wooden cross from her neck and clutched it tight in her folded hands, whispering silent prayers to whichever deities were listening.
"You believe that will save you?" He suddenly asked much to her surprise.
"Every one believes something will." She simply said, raising her eyes to his.
"Not I. I save myself—I am the only higher power I know. Not anyone—not you, a soldier, my children—no one and nothing is saved by some power beyond, but only by themselves."
"You've a child?" she suddenly, interestedly asked, noticing an unreadable flicker in his eyes. "I am with child as we speak." She softly said. She would know in a week or so for certain—but she just felt it and knew it to be true—she carried Tristan's child. He looked down at her, a confusion on his face—was it true? What if the woman bearing his son was struck down? Should it matter? He swung his sword loosely in his hand, looking away from Mirran. Instinctively she gripped her cross tighter, hoping against hope.
"Rise, lady…."
oooooo...a cliff-hanger (hopefully...).tune in to the next chapter to find out the outcome (if its not too obvious what happens next). review if'n ya want. next chapter should be up sometime this weekend. thanks again reviewers!
