Chapter 17: In A Clearing

Disclaimer: Don't own them, use them anyway. I own her, use her too. But you can't use her w/o my permission, and until you ask nicely, you don't have it.

Note: grins widely Fasten your seatbelts. It's gonna be everything but smooth sailing from here.

As Amanda sat on the bench, she thought about how long Joseph had been there at the city, trying to count up how many days had passed. It seemed like hours had passed before anyone had realized Amanda had gone to the courtyard. When the bright oranges and pinks from the sunset were desperately trying to break through the wall of grey clouds, Amanda turned her head in the direction of the loud thud of shoes. She saw Arthur running towards her, reaching her side in but moments.

"Amanda," he said, "Please, come quick, it's Galahad, something is wrong. We can't find him anywhere." Shocked at what she had heard, Amanda took a moment to absorb the information. Then calmly rising, Amanda looked at Arthur. In all the times she had done that, Amanda had never done it they way she did this one moment. She looked into Arthur's brilliant, green eyes with confidence. She didn't need to tell him what she was doing, he knew. She didn't need to explain herself for once in her life; Arthur knew well what her explanation would be.

"His horse is gone," Arthur said. Amanda nodded, not parting her eyes from him, and then Amanda went off to the stables, got her horse and rode off.

From the wall, Arthur watched her leave. By to his right, was Gawain, not watching Amanda ride off into the woods, but looking at Arthur.

"You really do care for her don't you?" Gawain asked. Arthur looked at him. However, his expression was not what Gawain expected. Gawain had expected that Arthur would shout no with shock written in every obvious way. Instead, he turned to Gawain with a smile and shook his head.

"No Gawain, I don't care for her," Arthur said. Gawain sighed and walked away, leaving Arthur watching Amanda's disappearing body. "I do much more than care for her."

"Galahad? Galahad, are you out there?" Amanda cried. The grey sky had let lose its snow hours ago, and the ill prepared Amanda was shivering underneath her cloak. Sighing, Amanda stooped closer to the ground searching for footprints, or anything that would help her find Galahad. Looking around the clearing in the woods, Amanda inhaled deeply once again, praying for some sort of sign. Walking over to a rock, Amanda took a seat, and listened to her surroundings. No birds chirped, no leaves rustled, no twigs snapped. Only the creaking of the trees could be heard through the dull whisper of the wind. And something else. Something heading this way. The soft thud of hoof beats sounded on the snow, and they weren't far from the clearing.

Well it can't be Saxons, Amanda thought, and I doubt it's Woads. Oh, I pray to God it's Galahad. Please let it be Galahad. Please, plea-Amanda's thoughts were interrupted when she saw who it was. Smiling, Amanda walked over to him and watched him dismount.

"I thought it was odd that you let me go off by myself Arthur," Amanda teased.

"This is how you greet the man who has brought you food?" Arthur replied, just as playfully. Amanda laughed and walked over to her horse. She ran her fingers through his black mane, and pat his neck. Suddenly, Amanda felt Arthur put something on her shoulders. Feeling it, Amanda realized it was a cloak. Turning to face Arthur, she saw him smiling, and looked at him.

"Arthur," she said taking his cloak off, "put your cloak back on, you'll freeze to death out here, and Britain can't exactly have a dead king, now can it?" Amanda reached to put it back on him, but he pushed it away.

"Please," he said, "Britain will do no better if its king is depressed from a dear friend's death." Amanda felt herself blush and wrapped the cloak back around herself.

"Any luck?" Arthur asked.

"No," Amanda answered. "I can't find anything that relates to him. Not that I'm the best tracker in the world." Arthur was stooped down by the rock Amanda had been sitting on, moving the snow. He lifted something up and Amanda rushed over to see what it was. Peering over his shoulder, Amanda saw that it was a small piece of cloth.

"Do you think it was his?" Amanda asked quietly. Arthur shrugged and looked off into the woods. Rising he turned to Amanda and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"You are to stay here and look through the snow in this spot, I'm going to search in the woods," Arthur said. Amanda opened her mouth to protest but she shut it when Arthur gave her a look. He turned and walked out into the woods, leaving Amanda to move snow.

"Arthur," Amanda called after him. Arthur turned, and Amanda asked "was Joseph there when you left?" Arthur appeared to think about it for a moment.

"No," he answered. Amanda's heart beat sped up, "be careful. Scream if something happens, I'll hear you. I'll yell if I need you." Amanda nodded in understanding, and watched Arthur leave her. When he disappeared from her sight, Amanda squatted down and started searching through the snow, looking for anything.

After what seemed like hours, Amanda took a break, rubbing her numb fingers. Here, Amanda should have been relaxing, trying to put life that she could feel back into her fingers. But, instead, Amanda was thinking the worst.

What if Arthur is hurt? What if Joseph lured him so far away from me I can't hear him calling for me? What if Joseph already got Galahad?

"What if he's around here? Waiting to get me?" Amanda thought aloud.

"What if he is?" said a voice from behind her. Amanda spun around to see who was there. Praying that it was Galahad, or Arthur, anyone but Joseph. Her heart pounded in her ears, and her breathing sped up. Of course, it was neither Arthur of Galahad. In fact it was not anyone but Joseph. It was Joseph, with a grin spread across his face, and a twinkle in his eye.

I will not fear him, Amanda thought, I will not fear such a bastard.

"Where is he? I swear to God that if you've hurt him I'll-"

"You'll what?" Joseph interrupted. "You'll scream out Arthur's name, and he'll come save you?"

"No," Amanda retaliated, "I swear to God I will kill you hear and now, with a smile across my face and not a doubt in my heart." Joseph burst into laughter.

"You? Kill me? HA!" Joseph said. "Tell you what; you can kill me after I have my fun with you." Joseph lunged toward her, reaching for her waist, and Amanda dodged him. Joseph ran right into the rock, bashing his face. Amanda took the spared moment to run over to Arthur's horse and pull out his dagger. Turning, Amanda saw Joseph running at her, and she ran at him, dagger ready. Much to Amanda's disappointment, Joseph managed to grab her arm, twist it back, make her drop the dagger, and smash her head against something very hard. Everything became a blur at that moment, but Amanda still knew what was going on.

"ARTHUR! HELP ME!" Amanda screamed at the top of her lungs, but Arthur didn't come fast enough.

"Don't call for him," Joseph whispered in her ear, "wait until he sees what I'm doing to you when he comes back. Oh, I can't wait." Amanda looked around wildly for Joseph, but her vision was going black due to the wound on her head. Then, her vision went entirely. To her surprise, Amanda could still hear what was going on. Barely, but she could. Suddenly, another mans cry could be heard. It was an angry cry.

"Get you filthy Roman Catholic hands off of her!" the man said. His voice was soft, and seemed distant to Amanda, as her body began to go numb.

"Galahad? Galahad, is that you?" she asked softly.

I'll have the next chapter up in a jiffy, I promise!