Out of nowhere an arrow flew through the air and with perfect aim penetrated the left eye of Galahad's opponent. The Woad let out a blood-curdling scream before he sagged through his knees and died without uttering another sound.
At the same moment, Bors' battle cry resounded through the air, following the path of the arrow. "Ruuuuuuuuuuuus!" Not much later the sound of drumming hooves of galloping horses reached Galahad and Lancelot.
Lancelot turned his attention back to the Woads in front of him just in time to deflect a broadsword being brought down with force, intended to separate his head from his body. He immediately thrust the sword in his left hand forwards, impaling it in the warrior's abdomen. He ignored the pain in his arm as he pulled the blade out again.
Galahad tried to get up but fell back when pain seared through his left leg. A deep cut over his right thigh was bleeding heavily. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and he heard a voice above him telling him to stay where he was.
Gawain didn't have more time to check how Galahad was doing as more Woads came at them fast. The blond knight knew that Dagonet was fighting at Galahad's other side, swinging his axe in an almost inhuman fashion, to keep him safe. Fear had filled Gawain when he had seen the fatal threat to Galahad's life and it fueled him now to kill the Woads as fast as he could.
Arthur had joined Lancelot and was involved in a fierce battling soon but Excalibur was no match for any of the Woads. With a powerful swing of the sword, the Roman decapitated another of the blue painted men. He quickly glanced behind him where the dark knight was fighting. Arthur could see that Lancelot was covered in blood, but he could still make out the pale face of his second in command as well. He also noticed that the Sarmatian was no longer fighting with his usual fire and vigor, the dancing rhythm with which he usually wielded his swords lacking.
The Roman commander had no time to ask how he was doing as he sensed the approach of another Woad. A spear was aimed at him, but Arthur quickly spun around to end up almost nose to nose with the Woad, before he pushed Excalibur into the side of the man. His sword came free again as the man fell to his side almost in slow motion.
All of a sudden Arthur heard Lancelot call out, despair echoing in his voice.
"NO!"
Arthur quickly turned around to see what was happening to find Lancelot staring at Tristan who was about to plunge his sword through the heart of the Woad that was lying on the ground in front of him.
"Tristan! NO!" Lancelot screamed out again. He took a step towards the scout, but was immediately attacked by yet another Woad. The Sarmatian knight swiftly crossed his twin swords to block the sword that was swung in his direction. Just as quickly he uncrossed his swords again, surprising his opponent and bringing him out of balance. When the Woad fell forwards, Arthur was at Lancelot's side to finish the man off with a calculated slash of Excalibur.
Lancelot instantly turned to Tristan once more, relief washing over him as he saw that the scout had not killed the Woad that had been his and Galahad's captive, the only one that knew the truth about the murders of Valerius and Antonia Romanus. With the tip of his curved sword, Tristan held the man down to the ground. He looked from Lancelot to Arthur.
"Don't kill him!" Lancelot said, his voice taut with urgency.
"Do as he says. Tie him up," Arthur commanded, uncertain of Lancelot's motives, but not willing to question them.
Around him, Arthur noticed that Gawain at one side and Bors at the other side were taking care off the last Woads still standing. He re-sheathed Excalibur and glanced at Lancelot. "Are you hurt?"
"No," Lancelot answered firmly but quietly. "Galahad."
Both Lancelot and Arthur turned to where Dagonet and Gawain were already kneeling down next to the youngest in their ranks. Lancelot set off running towards them, Arthur following closely.
The Roman crouched down next to Dagonet, who was cleaning the huge slash across Galahad's thigh with wet cloths. Galahad hissed in pain.
"How is he?" Arthur asked.
"We're going to have to stitch the wound up," the big knight replied. He looked up over his shoulder to see where Tristan was.
The scout was pushing the Woad traitor forwards, using his sword to ensure that the man didn't try to escape, until they reached Bors who was standing next to the horses. Tristan handed their captive over to the bald Sarmatian.
"Tristan!" Dagonet called out. He turned back to Galahad without waiting for a response from the scout.
"Are you alright?" Arthur directed his question at Galahad this time.
"I'll live," Galahad answered through gritted teeth.
"You better!" Gawain said, showing his relief clearly. The blond knight briefly clasped his hand on Galahad's shoulder, conveying to him how glad he was that the younger knight was still alive, how glad he was that Tristan's arrow had been right on target to kill the man who was about to kill his best friend.
Arthur stood up as Tristan approached them to make room for the scout. He looked over to Lancelot, who was standing behind Gawain, watching as Galahad was tended to by his fellow knights. The dark knight was unusually quiet and still, worrying his commander. He moved to stand next to Lancelot. "Are you alright?" Arthur asked softly.
Lancelot looked up briefly and their gazes locked. Arthur could clearly see the fatigue in the brown eyes. The Sarmatian nodded slowly. "We should get Galahad back to the wall as soon as possible," he spoke up. Without waiting for Arthur's answer, the dark knight walked off towards his black stallion.
Dagonet had told Galahad to lie down, while Tristan prepared needle and thread to sew the wound closed. Galahad looked at the scout with trepidation.
Gawain caught his gaze and tried to distract Galahad. "A tiny needle can't possibly hurt as much as the sword that cut through your leg!"
"I'll remind you of that the next time you are the one being sewn up!" Galahad answered with passion. "A sword is fast, a nee…" Galahad screwed his eyes shut as Tristan drove the needle in for the first time. "Gods!" Tristan continued steadily while the young knight cursed every deity in existence. Gawain didn't improve the situation when he started snickering at Galahad's cursing.
After Tristan had finished stitching the wound, Dagonet bandaged it gently. With Gawain's help, the tall knight pulled Galahad to his feet, while Arthur watched on. "Can you ride?" the Roman asked.
"I think so, yes," Galahad replied. He was leaning heavily on Gawain, who had draped Galahad's arm over his shoulder and wrapped his own arm around the other man's waist.
Soon they were riding back to the wall. Arthur could hear Bors and Gawain talking with Galahad, asking him everything that had happened in the past couple of days. Dagonet and Tristan were riding in the back, quiet, but listening to Galahad as well. Arthur cast a glance aside to Lancelot, who was riding silently alongside him. He suppressed the urge to ask his best friend once more if he was alright. Lancelot's pale, pasty appearance, his weary features and dark hollow eyes worried his commander a great deal.
At the stables they were greeted by Jols, who couldn't suppress his joy at seeing all of his knights return to the fortress. After one look at Lancelot, the squire looked at Arthur questioningly. Silently Arthur gestured to Jols to leave Lancelot alone, that he would deal with the dark Sarmatian himself. He dismounted swiftly, handing the reins of his white stallion to Jols.
Arthur turned to the Roman guards at the gates to the stables. "Take the captive to the main hall," he ordered. "I will be there soon to question him. Knights, get cleaned up and meet in the hall in an hour."
Gawain walked over to where Galahad was still sitting on top of his grey mare. "Need a hand?" he asked concerned.
Carefully Galahad swung his uninjured leg over the neck of his horse and slid out off the saddle to the ground. Gawain was there to support him when his feet hit the ground. Galahad groaned in pain as bolts of fire seemed to strike his thigh.
Lancelot had dismounted as well and was watching how the Roman guards took the captured Woad away. He leaned against his horse, feeling his strength leaving him rapidly now that he had returned to his 'home'. His vision was blurring and he blinked several times to clear it.
Arthur looked over at where Lancelot was standing, aware of the unfamiliar silence surrounding the dark knight. He watched how Lancelot took an unsteady step forwards, and then how, without a word, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he collapsed to the ground. He felt his consciousness fading.
"Lancelot!"
Arthur ran over to him and crouched next to Lancelot. The others gathered around, surprised and worried. Tristan knelt down next to the unconscious knight as well.
"Was he hurt? He seemed unharmed," Dagonet asked concerned.
Arthur gently laid Lancelot on his back, and with Tristan's help he quickly checked the curly haired man for hidden injuries.
Galahad limped over with Gawain's help, the bandages around his thigh already staining red again with blood that was still seeping out of the cut. "He is completely exhausted. He hasn't slept in days, maybe even since the day that the Romanus family was murdered. He dozed occasionally, but he refused to sleep. I tried to argue with him, but he's kind of stubborn…"
Arthur's lips curled briefly into a smile, knowing all too well what Galahad was talking about. "I'll take him to his room," the Roman said, and carefully lifted the dark knight up in his arms.
Dagonet had followed his commander and opened the door to Lancelot's quarters. Gently Arthur placed Lancelot on his bed. "We need to get his armour off," Arthur stated.
With efficient motions, Arthur and Dagonet unbuckled the scabbards, Lancelot's leather chest armour, his leg and arm protectors. His boots quickly followed. Arthur proceeded to undress the Sarmatian completely, while Dagonet stood and left the room to get a basin of warm water and cloths to clean the blood and dirt off the knight. When they were finished, Arthur pulled the blankets up over Lancelot. The dark knight had not stirred once at their ministrations. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully, the paleness of his face making him look very young, very vulnerable.
Galahad appeared in the door opening to Lancelot's room, Gawain supporting him while they walked forwards slowly. His leg was freshly bandaged. "I'll stay with him. You'll want to hear what the Woad has to tell you. You won't like it," he told Arthur, his voice grave.
