A/N: The Lancelot POV is just for the introduction. :) Thanks everyone for the lovely reviews! If you read, please review my story? LOL! Tell me what you'd like to see, or the mistakes I make. Something! Constructive criticism is cherished as well (but please don't count typos!).LOL.

Fina: I can't run spell check in English (it's not my first language), but I'd love to have a beta reader, maybe just for the silly mistakes I may realize I make later. Maybe you could help me there? It's not too easy for me to be aware of the mistakes I make before the chapter it's posted- and by then you can just yell: 'NOOOOOOOOOOOO!'. lol) Enjoy! :)

BLOOD OF THIS LAND

Sometimes he wished never to go back. To find his own peace in Rome and forget about his origins. The missions would certainly be painless, then. Lancelot admired Arthur because he remained loyal to the cause and to his knights, never to himself or his own lust for power. He would have followed Arthur to hell doubtlessly, he had been doing so for almost fifteen years. And now he just started feeling at peace with it all.

This place, either he liked it or not, had become home. But a home where he did not wish to stay more than the necessary. The mission assigned to them had been very easy, he remembered the letter that had been sent from Rome to Arthur that he'd read aloud for his knights.

There was an Irish princess that had to be taken as a bride for a Christian king, Mark of Cornualles. The knights were reaching now the gates of the maiden's castle. They'd been promised that they'd find a castle behind the forest, but Tristan came back from the front with news that there wasn't such a thing.

To the knight's surprise, what was there instead of the impressing fortress they'd expected was a Celt village. The first thing that came to Lancelot's mind was that this could mean nothing but doom. The Celts were even wilder than the Woads (if that was possible), only even more ancient. Their tribes were fierce and even vicious, and he was about to turn to Arthur and tell him that either Galahad had pointed out the wrong turn on the map (as he often did) or this was a big mistake.

But something told him that with their luck, this would be the place.

''Oh, no.'' Geraint said. ''Arthur, not the Celts. You really don't want to mess with the Celts.''

''One of their princesses is supposed to sign peace with the Romans through marriage. Geraint, don't let your senses fail you. You know the Celts have seen us. If you are still alive it's because they don't want you dead.'' The future king scanned the trees above him and could feel the eyes upon him. Celt hunters who'd never stop watching them until they received news from them that peace was signed.

''You say that as if they weren't murdering savages.'' Kay snapped.

''They are, but so are you.'' Tristan said back. If the knights hadn't felt the eyes and weapons on them, they would have laughed. Only Bors allowed himself a smirk.

''You know what happened to Bedivere.'' Said Gaheris, never losing eye-contact with his twin Gareth. ''These men have done nothing to us but evil. I'm not saying that they are not worthy of our pity or respect- only that we should not forget what they've done to us in the past.''

Bedivere was the one who remained most unaffected by these words. Maybe because he was the only one who actually knew what they meant. A few years earlier, in a battle against the Celts, one of them had chopped of his hand with a blade. The lost limb was taken as a trophy, and it had been a battle that the knights had lost- most of them were very young still and almost unable to fight properly. That they, they'd lost more than a battle- they'd lost their faith.

Bedivere's arm was now partly covered in metal. The hardest iron was soft against his skin, imitating the hand that he'd lost. He was still able to fight with his other hand, but he could hardly do anything else with his right hand than use it as a shield. Due to his ability in healing, he hadn't died of blood loss. But he'd been near enough.

Arthur's sister had been the one to have a metal arm done for him, and with the rumors about her magical powers (of which no one could really tell if there were or not), nobody in Christendom would have dared disobeying her. She was someone hated and feared at Hadrian's Wall. Thus she usually lived confined in her own chamber. When she made a trip to the outside world, the Romans would cross their fingers and hope to not be turned into toads. She'd presented the new limb to Bedivere as a gift for his bravery and as an apology for the Celts- who'd been her own people as well, even if they'd never been Arthur's.

By the time when they reached the Celt village, its inhabitants were already gathered there, either to thank them help achieve peace with a greater enemy, or to shoot all the knights dead on the spot. Someone with tattooed chest and face made his way to Arthur and said something that only he understood. Although Arthur was unable to speak their language, he knew enough words as to know that the leader of the tribe was telling him about who they'd be transporting to her new home.

''What did he say?'' Galahad asked Arthur, looking around curiously.

''That her name is Isolde.'' He pointed to the biggest house the Celts had built, and from it came a hooded woman. The cloak fell over to her feet, and none of the knights was able to make out her face inside the dark robe. She walked to Arthur and the Celt leader gave one last advice to him- possibly the safest route back home, then sent the woman to him. She looked at the future king for a moment, and just nodded. Some women covered in black ash tattoos and designs carved upon their own skin gave some of the knights supplies.

She walked in front of them to the end of the forest and the knights followed close. That was so the hunters up the trees knew that she was with them and that there hadn't been any problems. Once out of the village, Arthur descended her horse and let her climb onto it.

The knights gazed oddly at each other- it looked like they'd completely lost their ability to speak. And it couldn't have been because they were intimidated, since she was a rather petite woman and up to now hadn't shown any qualities except for the ability to make everyone shut up. Yes, even Bors.

She looked rather unwilling to climb onto Arthur's horse. He turned to her and tried to explain with a few words in her language that the journey would be long and that she'd need to be rested by when they reached Hadrian's Wall, and later on her new home. But she kept refusing his offer with words that (at least to the knights' ears) seemed polite.

Arthur decided that he'd walk with her instead, at least for a while. The other knights did nothing but think that so much diplomacy had finally affected him and now he lowered himself to anyone, even some Celt fighters. Parsifal was the first one to make a comment about this, and it wasn't too nice either.

''She'll slow us down, Arthur. Just pick her up and let's get on with this normally.'' Parsifal was the only one out of all the warriors to accept Christianity and the rules of the Romans. The only thing he would have changed was the obligatory attachment to this group- he would have rather had his friends following Arthur willingly.

At the knight's words, the woman seemed to turn her head slightly to him and backed away even more from Arthur. Parsifal bit his lower lip, worried: she could understand their language. That was probably why she was the most fit to marry Mark and not any other Celt. It was unusual for them to learn their language, but the necessity for peace must have made them act.

Regardless of this, the lady had to reach her destiny one way or another. And if that meant tying her to a horse, it was what they would do. And while Arthur hesitated about doing so (a Celt offended was known to be very dangerous), Kay didn't. Appearing from the back of the group, he dashed past the lady and with a swift movement lifted her off her feet and placed her onto his horse. The lady stirred a bit, but didn't say a word.

Isolde turned to look at him, and that was when he was able to see part of her face. Her eyes were of a pale bluish gray, and copper brown bangs fell over her eyes. Her hair was straight, but didn't fall lifeless and limp over to her shoulders- it was a sort of lion look alike. But what Kay also saw in her eyes was rage. And before he could say something, he was doomed.

''Ow!'' He said right after she elbowed him hard and jumped off his horse, taking off in the distance. She didn't run back to her village, she seemed to want to break free from everyone and everything. To get lost in a world that would have betrothed her to someone who she despised.

Arthur sent Lancelot a look that was the most panicked one he'd seen from his friend for ages.

The twins readied their bows to shoot her down if necessary, but Arthur stopped them. At his sign, Tristan was the one who took after her. Arthur gestured for his other knights to wait –he was the best hunter, after all.

She heard the horse close behind her, and rushed into the woods near them. There wasn't too much space between the trees, so he wouldn't be able to continue. The sun started setting, and she felt her time running out. Being alone in the wild was a lot better than being trapped between the walls of a cold fortress where no one would see her as anything other than a way to peace.

But deep inside she knew this was selfish. To put her own desires before her people's was probably the most horrid thing she'd ever do. She pondered about going to Mark's house herself to prove her worth, not escorted as if taken prisoner. But before she could take a decision, it had been taken for her.

Tristan jumped off a tree right in front of her and she asked herself how it had been possible for her not to hear him. But of course that would be underestimating Tristan. She attempted to run away again, but this time she'd been grabbed by the arm and was practically being pushed back to where the others where. She pulled back and yelled the worst insults at him, but he didn't lose his grip.

He let her scream and pull back, not letting his eyes change. He remained calm as ever. When he reached his horse, to everyone's surprise, he got slapped. The only sign that he'd actually got hurt was that he blinked. He turned around and Isolde swallowed hard. He observed her, all made a mess. Her cape had been practically fallen to the floor while she struggled, and the right arm that he'd been grabbing was covered in tattoos made by fire onto skin. Her hair didn't reach much more than past her shoulders, and here eyes scolded him in silence.

He just pointed to the horse.

''Enough of this.'' Isolde lowered her gaze. This was a childish attitude, and even though she was tempted to take off towards anywhere but with the knights, she knew she didn't have a choice. Slowly she crept up the horse and stood there, with the cape hanging from her shoulder, dismantled and messed up, looking at nothing but the horse's head. Tristan finally stopped eyeing her close and as if nothing had happened, jumped onto the horse right behind her. She didn't scold or flinch, she just remained silent.

''Why can he boss her around like that and not me?'' Kay complained.

''Because she won't be groped on her way home, to start with.'' Gawain answered. Tristan smiled slightly and the other knights laughed. Arthur made everyone start moving and they continued with their journey.

The tension dissipated after a while, and the knights became themselves again. Arthur was the first to go, along with the twins that followed him close. Tristan and the Celt had been placed in the center of the company, so that the knights would be able to defend her in case it was needed.

''I doubt she'd need us to defend her.'' Gaheris commented when Dagoned brought up the topic. ''The tattoos on her right arm indicate she is a warrior.'' Isolde seemed rather pleased by this comment. She was slowly getting to know who the knights were just by hearing them snap at each other. She observed every one of them until her gaze was finally fixed on the one that was at her right.

''What's so interesting about Galahad, lady?'' Lancelot asked her with a smirk.

''His legs.'' She answered. Galahad blushed bright red and she smiled. It was logical to be looked at when he practically showed them all around the place with that short skirt of his. ''They're nicer than mine.''

The knights laughed, and even Arthur, who was pretty ahead of them uttered a smirk.

''It seems you've got a competitor, Gawain.'' Bors said, sending Isolde a conspiring smile.

''Drop dead.'' Laughter erupted again.

She started to realize that she rather enjoyed the company of the knights, despite being forcefully attached to them. Well, she'd reach King Mark's house and save everyone big trouble... The group was finally reaching Hadrian's Wall, and soon Arthur's home was near. She felt uneasy. She'd never been in any other city that wasn't of her own people.

''Don't worry.'' Tristan said. ''I don't think anyone would be stupid enough to molest a Celt. Except maybe Bors.'' Bors let out a sarcastic laugh and the others decided to just smile until they reached home. ''If I were you, I'd be more afraid of the man you're about to marry.''

''You could always swap places with Galahad.'' Kay offered. ''I don't think anyone would tell the difference.'' He snapped. Galahad just sighed, exasperated, and put on a 'Why me?' face.

''We could always send you instead of her.'' Lancelot snapped back. ''He is a rather vicious person, he'd enjoy your company. And we enjoy the lady's better than yours.''

''Agreed!'' Said Bors. ''Vanora locks the door every time he's back safely. '' It was widely known that Bors' wife was temperamental and almost as fierce as the Woads. She didn't hesitate before slapping Lancelot, scolding Galahad or simply lecturing everyone on their bad habits. But Kay was the only one she believed bad-intentioned. And now she was pregnant she became even more paranoid.

''What are you naming your first kid, Bors?'' Gaheris asked.

''That depends on whether it looks like me... or Lancelot.'' At the mention of his name, he smirked. The others took this usual joke either rolling their eyes or smiling.

''If they look like me they'll charm everyone.''

''Or get slapped by barmaids.'' Gawain spat back. ''Which happens often.'' Lancelot sent him a poisoned stare.

''I think you are scaring the lady.'' Dagoned said. ''She'll think we're a bunch of morons.''

''I think she knew that from the moment she saw us.'' Gareth laughed.

''Actually, it was Kay who gave you away.'' Isolde finished. The others tried to hold back the laugh... but couldn't. Kay looked ready to kill.

Tristan let her join the others with the puns and laughter. He'd barely uttered a word on their way back home. Mark of Cornualles seemed to be in a battle against the Saxons in the North of Britain, that could take him a while. That was why Arthur was supposed to keep Isolde safe until they were able to get her to him. But Tristan started to think he'd miss her. And he rarely missed anyone.

''Arthur.'' The knight called. ''Where is she staying?''

''Not with you. You become dangerous under the full moon.'' Bors started howling, and soon the remaining knights were copying him.

''She'll decide that herself!'' Arthur almost had to scream above the howls.

Isolde smiled behind her at Tristan.

''Then I think I've decided.''

''Kay, she just turned you down forever.'' Lancelot stated with a smirk.

''Drop dead.''