All the men walked around the field claiming bodies and helping anyone whose injuries weren't deadly. The knights helped for awhile, then Bors and Dagonet told Arthur they wanted to prepare for their journey to catch up with their loved ones. The plan was to travel fast and light so they could catch up before they left Britain for Rome. Neither man wanted to travel to that hated place. Arthur bade them farewell and Godspeed and they left. They promised to try and return before the celebration and wedding of Arthur and Guinnevere. They would not give their word to be there. Their loved ones were more important as strange as it sounded to Dag. He never thought he'd be as lucky as he was at this moment. A short trip and he would finally be with the woman he loved.
The two men didn't even take the time to clean up except for the wounds they sustained in battle. They did take off their armor but kept on the clothes they had been wearing underneath. Neither wanted to take the time to change. They took off at a fast pace leaving no room for conversation. Bors kept looking over at Dag wondering how he had gotten so involved with the Roman woman in such a short time without his friend knowing anything about it. They had been riding for several hours when they slowed down to cool the horses down before stopping for a short rest. As they rode at a slower speed Bors tried to engage Dag in conversation.
"So, Dag, tell me 'bout you and this Roman woman. What's her name?" he tried to sound like he was just making conversation so Dag wouldn't know he really wanted to know the details. Dag looked over at his friend with a big smile on his face. "I guess I started paying attention to her when we arrived at the estate. I could tell she wasn't happy," he paused and Bors took it upon himself to interject, "she'd been beaten too. Did you see the bruises she was trying to hide?"
Dag frowned, "Yeah, I guess that's what got my attention. She would catch me watching her and you could see the fear when she looked at her husband to make sure he did not see." As if reflecting on what had happened between the two, he stopped talking for a moment. Shaking his head, he looked at Bors. "She was different that the women we've been around at the fort. She was gentle in a way I haven't seen in anyone before. I got to spend time with her while she was taking care of my injuries and I liked what I learned about her. I guess she liked me too because she agreed to stay with me here so we could know more and that's when the Saxons arrived. I think she will be surprised that I lived through this and frankly, I am a little surprised myself."
Bors waited a few minutes before saying anything. He wanted to broach the subject of Vanora but if Dag didn't say anything now then he knew he wouldn't either. Their friendship was too important to chance causing an awkwardness between them. "Hey, I think the horses are cool enough now. I need to take a piss and my stomach thinks my throat has been cut." He gave a gruff laugh and stopped his horse. As he dismounted, Dag was stopped but made no effort to get off his horse. Bors looked up at his friend. "What's wrong? Do you see or hear something?" Bors began to look around them. Seeing nothing, he looked back at Dag.
Dag gave his friend a sad half-smile, then he stepped down from his horse. Bors walked around a small stand of bushes to relieve himself and Dag took some jerky out of his saddlebags. He took a bite and waited for Bors to return. He had made a decision. No matter what the outcome, he had to tell Bors of his feelings for Vanora. In the years they had been friends he had never lied to his friend about anything else and it was time to tell the truth now so they could move forward and get past any problems this might cause.
Bors walked back up to his horse and took some of the same jerky out of his saddlebags. They dropped the reins and went over to the trees to sit down and lean back against a tree trunk. It took Bors a couple of minutes to get in a comfortable position. He kept holding his left shoulder where the Saxon had stabbed him. Dag moved over to where he was sitting. "Let me take a look at that." He told Bors. Bors grumbled a little but made no move to stop Dagonet. When Dag removed the bandage he saw that it was soaked with blood. The wound had only been cleaned a little and bandaged. It should have been treated with some of the salves they kept just for that purpose. Dag got up and walked over to his saddlebags and took out some supplies he always carried to tend wounds. He came back and put some salve on the wound and re-bandaged it. He could see Bors relax even as he put his shirt back in place. Then he sat down and took another piece of jerky to eat.
Bors took a drink of the wine he had put in his water bag and passed it to Dag. Dag accepted it and took a deep swig. When he passed it back he took a moment to observe his friend. Bors was about 5 years older than Dag and the extra years along with the harsh life was showing on his face. He had several scars, as did they all, but Dag could see that his friend was already into his twilight years. If they'd had to fight any longer he wasn't sure if his friend would be able to continue at the pace they had been. Dag cleared his throat and tried to find a way to bring up the subject of Vanora. He had thought the hard part would be over now that he had made up his mind, but he was wrong. He guessed he'd just have to come right out and say it.
"Bors, I need to tell you something. I thought that I had been keeping my feelings to myself but it seems everyone else knew. I wanted to be the one to tell you not somebody making jokes when they're drunk at the pub. As you can remember, when Vanora sent Lancelot packing, I spent a lot of time hanging around her. I thought I might have a chance to pick up the pieces of her broken heart. But then you came around and she fell into your arms instead. I didn't say anything because I thought it would be like all the other women you got involved with. I just waited so I could take over when you dropped her. Since that never happened I made a fool of myself waiting all this time because I was convinced that I loved her."
When Dag had stopped talking Bors waited a moment then told his friend, "Dag we all knew about yer feelings fer as long as I can remember." That was all he said. Dag got the impression that now that he had admitted the truth, it was all over and done with. But to be sure, he had to ask, "Did you hear what I said? Did you understand what I meant?" His voice had risen on the last question so he cleared his throat. When he looked back at Bors the man was looking at his hands.
"Dag, I know what you said and I know what you meant. Did you ever make a move on her since I been with her?" he asked. When Dag shook his head, Bors continued. "Then what's the problem? I've waited on things before that I didn't really want in the end. Besides, just because she's my woman doesn't mean I don't expect other men to want her as long as they don't get her." He took a breath and waited for Dag to relax. When he didn't, Bors went on to explain. "Look, Lancelot jokes all the time about one of my kids being his. It may be true but I'm not holdin' it against him until I see with my own eyes. We're all brothers here, we have to forgive and forget wrongdoin's as long as they don't keep it up."
Dag looked at Bors and realized he had been saying he couldn't be mad at him for loving his woman just like Dag had told Tristan he couldn't choose Vanora over Bors. He realized that he must not have loved Vanora at all, if he had he would not have cared whose woman she was. Love was such a difficult emotion. Why was it so important?