Disclaimer: I only own my characters. Thanks to all who reviewed. I have received a query about Aranwe's name. May I just say that I thought that name up and did not realise it was a male name, let alone an elvish one at that. So just to keep you happy I'm changing the name, though it will take some time for me to update all the chapters.

Chapter 6

Arlia was up with the first morning light. The group were supposed to start travelling soon. But what the hell, she still had to get ready. She pulled on her trousers and just pulled on her smock when there came a knock at the door. She opened it and looked out onto Gawain. She stared in shock before she smiled. He looked slightly sleepy as if he had only woken up. She knew she didn't look at her best, her long hair was tangled from her sleep and it felt as if she had just opened her eyes. What the hell, the all the knights were going to see her looking a heck of a lot worse than this before their journey had finished. Gawain coughed to bring back her attention which she soon gave to him. His eyes opened in shock when she looked questioningly at him, he had just been studying her.

"Time to go yet?" Arlia asked.

"Yeah soon." Gawain mumbled before walking off.

Arlia smiled off at the retreating knight's back. Gawain had probably forgotten about why he had come when she had seen her. Looking down at herself she saw a messed up woman, where as the day before she had presented a well groomed side, well as well groomed as you could get after days of travelling. But she had no excuse for not looking smart today as she was setting out on a new mission. So she set about improving her appearance. First she finished off dressing, this time using a long-sleeved shirt over her linen shirt. Then she pulled on her leather armour and her boots. Then she set about tackling her hair. It was very hard to brush, owing to the fact of how thick it was. But she managed it in the end and pulled it back into a braid and finished it off with a flourish. Then she walked out, retracing her steps to the stables. When she got there she was greeted by Yildiz, which alerted Reseda to her presence. The younger girl smiled and turned back to her horse, Danta. There was something different about the younger girl, so Arlia decided she had to find out what it was.

"What's wrong Reseda?" Arlia asked.

"It's nothing really." The younger girl carried on brushing her horse.

"Tell me please, you know I won't judge you." Arlia spoke reassuringly.

"It's Galahad." Reseda finally admitted after a pause.

"What about him?" Arlia asked, though she had some idea of what was coming.

"I like him, well I think I do." Reseda shrugged.

"Don't worry about it." Arlia reassured.

"But I don't really know how I feel." Reseda protested.

"You just have a long trip with him to work it out." Arlia hauled her saddle off her side of Yildiz's stall.

"I love you." Reseda hugged Arlia in an unaccustomed display of affection.

Arlia smiled and hauled the saddle onto the beautifully brushed Yildiz, who Reseda had brushed. Getting her ready was easy enough for Arlia; in fact she had soon done it. The age-old routine was for her comforting. She hoped Reseda would sort her problems out, she deserved a bit of happiness. And she knew that Galahad was a good man, who would make her happy. But her herself was a harder problem. She wanted to love and be loved, but life had turned her hard and bitter. She had tough edges all over the place that drove men off. This had hurt her at first, but then she had developed a side that said she didn't care if she never got married, though she really did. If you got down to it, she needed someone who she could open up to, or who would force her to open up. Fastening the straps deftly Arlia soon had Yildiz tacked up and ready. She knew she should get some breakfast, but she wasn't really bothered about it until Gawain came in.

"Vanora sent me to find you." He bowed to Arlia.

"Now why would that be I wonder?" Arlia asked.

"Breakfast." Gawain intoned one word.

"I'm not hungry." Arlia said curtly.

"I have orders to drag you down there if necessary." Gawain smiled.

"I'm not hungry." Arlia growled.

"Fine then." Gawain grabbed Arlia by the wrists and dragged her down to the tavern.

"And where have you been?" Bremusa asked.

"Seeing to Yildiz." Arlia calmly asserted, even though she had just been dragged.

"Well you need some breakfast." Vanora placed a bowl of porridge in front of Arlia.

Arlia muttered and grumbled until she tasted it. It was the best breakfast she had had in ages; well it was the first one she had had in ages, so she couldn't really judge. But she knew that Vanora was a good cook. After a while she had finished another bowl was served up in front of her. After a while all the other amazons came in to collect their breakfast and soon the group was all sitting around and talking. Those knights who hadn't already come down came down after a while, groaning and clutching their heads. Arlia asked Vanora if she would boil some water and bring her six cups. While she was waiting for the water to boil Arlia took out a thin muslin bag containing a mix of herbs. When the hot water had come Arlia dipped the bag in each of the cups, until the water was lightly flavoured. She then proceeded to hand them round to each of the knights, all of whom looked the worst for wear.

"What's this?" Tristan asked, smelling the mix.

"Herbs in boiled water." Arlia explained.

"What's it do?" Tristan asked, looking suspicious.

"It clears your head the morning after you got drunk." Arlia explained.

"Well it tastes good whatever it is." Gawain drank his in one go.

"I think I need the recipe." Vanora muttered.

"I'll give it to you later." Arlia smiled.

"Is it poisoned?" Lancelot asked.

"What would I stand from poisoning you?" Arlia challenged.

"This is good." Tristan muttered before walking off.

"Thanks." Arlia muttered darkly.

"That's the best compliment you're going to get from him." Lancelot smiled.

"When are we going?" Arlia asked.

"Soon, I don't quite know when." Lancelot shrugged.

Arlia sighed. Arthur said they would be leaving in the morning. And morning it well was, dawn was well past. Arlia was such a good leader that if she said morning you were up at dawn ready and waiting. When the rest of the knights had eaten their breakfasts them and the moon riders made their way to the stables, where they found Reseda, Galahad and Arthur. Locating Yildiz was an easy job for the Amazon leader, who swung herself into the saddle with a lot of grace. All the rest of the amazons followed suit. The knights whistled and then easily swung themselves onto the saddles, eager to show off as well. Arlia smiled and clicked her tongue to Yildiz, who set off without any more prompting. The other knights were soon following her and her group, and soon enough everyone had left the fort behind.

Author's notes: Well here we are another short chapter. I think and hope the next one will be longer, but I've been having a bit of a writer's block with this and my other story, so apologies.