Chapter Two: Thighs of Death!
When Mardela awoke she noticed that it was now daylight and the soldiers were packing up their camp, she also observed that her head felt like it had been split in two. Why is it that I have woken up about a thousand times these last few days and I am still exhausted? Then she remembered the pain in her head and the fist that caused it. Oh yeah, I remember.
No sooner had she awoken did the Captain walk up to her, "On your feet wench." When she didn't move he roughly pulled her to a standing position, "I don't want any more trouble from you. Next time I will not hesitate to kill you." She looked him in the eye defiantly. The Captain simply turned and walked away, though there is no way he didn't feel the hole that Mardela was burning through his back with her glare. Moments later all the soldiers were on their horses and orders to move out were being issued. The cart that Mardela was tied behind began to move North on the road and all Mardela could do was follow at this point.
It was hours since they had stopped and Mardela felt like the Roman's were quickening the pace. She wanted to ask if they were there yet but she felt like those types of whining questions were reserved for children and the weak women of the royalty persuasion. Stay strong Mardela, you have undergone worse than this before. Now if I could just figure our where the hell we are going. She tried to think back to what the soldiers were saying at the campfire the night before. Something about a shipment I think, that must be what is in the cart. Probably going to restock one of their forts or something. Oh great, just what I need, more Roman soldiers. The sound of a horse riding up beside her brought Mardela out of her thoughts.
"We have quite the punishment for you when we return to the port. It will be rather fun to watch, that is if you manage to live through it." The Captain laughed as he started to quicken his pace.
"Why would you want to go and do I thing like kill me when I can be SO much fun alive. Unless dead bodies is what you are into." At this remark the Captain kicked her to the ground and rode to the front of the caravan in a huff. Mardela struggled to get to her feet as she was being dragged behind the cart, but that didn't stop the huge grin that appeared on her face.
After a few more hours of travel Mardela saw their destination far off in the distance, she also saw a group of horsemen heading their way. As she strained to make out the shapes coming towards her she didn't notice the shapes emerging from the woods to her right. She heard a scream from one of the soldiers and turned to see an arrow protruding from his chest as he fell from his horse. Mardela saw dozens of people painted and running from the woods, as if wolves were chasing them, all screaming with weapons drawn and at the ready. Well things just keep getting better on this trip don't they? Now what did those idiot soldiers do with my bag, more importantly what did they do with my weapons. Mardela scanned quickly trying to find her bag but it was no luck. One of the painted men approached her with a short dagger in each hand.
"You wouldn't hurt a defenseless woman would you?" She asked trying to delay the attack and find a way to catch the man off guard. The man said nothing and swung a dagger at her, she tried to dodge it but it sliced her right arm. Pain shot through her but she gritted her teeth knowing that the wound was not too deep. "I guess you would." Mardela managed to dodge the man's next few advances but she knew that she wouldn't last long in this game while tied to the cart. Finally she had an idea. Mardela grabbed the rope and held it with both hands like a staff; on the man's next attack she forced the dagger to come in contact with the rope, cutting it in two. "Thanks!" Mardela was now free of the cart. She quickly grabbed a portion of rope, swept the man to his feet and pulled the rope tight around the man's throat. Soon his struggle left him and his body went limp.
Mardela then rose and looked around to get a bearing on the situation. She observed that the only Roman soldier left standing was the Captain. I guess the Romans need to train their men a little longer if they want them to live. She then heard the roar of men and horses coming from behind her, there she saw a group of men charging towards the wood people, weapons at the ready. She started to count them when a large woodman ran at her. As the brute approached Mardela ducked just as he reached her and the man went flying over her body. She rushed over to him, grabbing the dead man's dagger on her way, and pulled his head back by the hair, slicing the dagger across his neck; the man fell to the ground. Mardela then stowed the dagger in her boot and picked up the man's sword in her hands, which were still conveniently tied together. She looked around in fighting stance and noticed that the other men that had just charged over the hill were doing quite well. At least some people around here know how to fight. She thought as she observed more and more wood people falling at the hands of these riders.
Distracted by the show that these riders were giving her she did not notice the man coming up behind her with a sword. She heard a noise and turned but it was too late, the man was about to bring his sword down oh her when he suddenly yelped and turned. Firmly attached to his thigh was Sasha, growling with teeth bared. "I knew you were watching out for me girl", Mardela commented as she sliced her sword across the belly of the man.
Most of the wood people were fallen and Mardela decided that it was time for her to get out of this place before anyone noticed. Little did she know, it was way too late for that. As soon as she started to sneak away she felt someone grab her by the hair.
"Where do you think you are going missy?" It was the voice of the Captain; there was no doubt in her mind. Mardela thought fast and swung around, slicing her sword across the Captain's arm. He pulled back and looked at his new wound. He then dismounted his horse and drew his own sword against Mardela. He advanced with extreme strength and it wasn't until now that Mardela realized that the slice on her arm might be worse than she thought. The Captain made a hard over the head blow that was meant to knock an enemy off his, or in this case her, feet and that is exactly what it did; Mardela went flying backwards but she quickly pulled her body together and rolled, kicking the advancing Captain as her feet came around. The Captain stepped back and then came forward again with blow after blow. Mardela was beginning to tire and each advance got closer and closer to her body until the final one pushed Mardela's blade right from her hand and cut a deep gash across her abdomen. Mardela stepped back as the Captain stopped and grinned at her. It was in that moment of arrogance that the Captain made his biggest mistake. Mardela pulled a dagger out of her boot and jammed it into the Captain's chest. The man looked stunned and fell hard on the ground.
Mardela was about to run when one of the wood people knocked her off her feet. She landed with a thud and her dagger went flying out of her hand. It was clear to her that the man had the upper hand, he had her effectively pinned to the ground with his body and the short knife in his hand played a large part in his advantage as well. The man swung the knife at her and she grabbed his wrist with both hands, holding the knife away from her face. Mardela quickly bucked her legs up and used them to grab the man's midsection. With a powerful twist of her body she flipped the man onto his back, still holding his wrists that held the knife. Little did Mardela know most of the battle was over and she had gained an audience for this little floor match that she was having. Three men stood a few yards away ready to come to her rescue. Seeing her struggle one of the men ran to help but as soon as the woman saw him she grunted, "I can take care of this on my own, now get lost." The man returned to his friends with a confused look on his face while the other two just laughed.
"By the looks of it Galahad I think she will be the one doing the hurting in this match." The second knight laughed as he observed the mystery woman roll on top of the woad, placing him between her thighs. She then tightened her thighs around the man and seemed to be squeezing him to death.
"I wouldn't mind being between thighs with that kind of power if you know what I mean." The third knight shivered at the image. The three then observed the woman bending her head down and with a grunt, biting the chest of the man and ripping her head away, right where the nipple was, before she ripped her head away that is. The man screamed and lost his grip on the knife, which the woman quickly turned around and shoved into the man's throat.
"Well Lancelot, if you plan on being between those thighs at any point you might want to wear a breast plate or something, I'm sure you don't want to be loosing anything." The man laughed as he looked at Lancelot, who didn't seem to notice his comment but was staring at the woman with lust clearly etched across his face.
The woman looked to be about twenty but the manner in which she presented herself led him to think she had already had many experiences in this world. Her attire was that of what a man would wear, breaches with a tunic tucked into them but they looked as if they were tailored specifically for her, Lancelot noted with an appraising look that the outfit accentuated all the right curves. The mystery woman had dark brown wavy hair that looked like a tangled mess falling from the loose tie that was holding it up. Even in the tie the hair reached her midsection. Her attire also consisted of a pair of black boots and pendants hanging around her neck, many just long enough to rest comfortably in her cleavage. From this distance Lancelot could not really see her face, well that and the fact that she was covered from head to tow in dirt and blood also made her features hard to decipher. But what Lancelot really saw in this woman was fire. She had sprit and he couldn't wait to get a piece of that fire.
"Come on Gawain, I think Lancelot can handle that one on his own, but he may loose a few body parts in the process." Galahad laughed as he and Gawain walked away. Mardela rose to her feet only to hear someone walking up behind her. "Oh great, not another one. Well let's get this over with already."
"I don't plan on hurting you Miss…that is unless you want me to." Mardela turned to see one of the riders that she had observed fighting earlier. He was quite handsome; with his dark curly hair hanging into his face, his lips curled into a half smile, and his dark eyes staring her down with a little glint behind them. Maybe I will stick around for a while after all. She thought and put on a smile.
"We'll see, but first I need these ropes cut." She replied holding her hands out in front of her. She watched the man walk closer to her until she could almost feel his breath on her face. He pulled a dagger out of nowhere and cut the ropes, all the while his eyes never left hers. Wow! Those eyes, there is something about them that I just can't put my finger on. Mardela got this feeling and suddenly she felt quite uncomfortable with the closeness with this stranger. There is something not right here. She thought but she still couldn't pull herself to step away.
He then leaned into her ear. "My name is Lancelot." He purred. She suddenly felt that she needed to keep this one at a distance; he was trouble, and not the kind of trouble that she was looking for.
"Good for you." She replied and stepped away from his grasp. I bet all the girls just swoon at this one but I'm thinking that it is all a mask. He's probably lacking some skills in the bedroom, either that or lacking the proper equipment. With a grin she turned to scan the area for her companion, spotting her she whistled and Sasha came running to her side in a moments notice. She turned back to Lancelot and asked, "Now who is in charge here. I would like to talk to someone who might actually be able to give me some information." Mardela knew just how to get this guy to back off by hitting just the right spots. By the look on Lancelot's face his sudden infatuation with her was dying out fast. "Nothing to say then?" She questioned further with a smirk on her face. I can already tell that this one is going to be fun to toy with. Mardela thought to herself, but then the other voice in her brain spoke up, you had better be careful, there is something there that you need to watch out for. Lancelot was about to say something when Mardela simply walked away, no doubt because she saw the men rallying around Arthur.
Lancelot thought to himself, who does that bitch think she is? What was I thinking going after a girl like THAT? He shook his head and followed in step behind Mardela. As he began to catch up the woman's dog turned with a growl and snapped at him. "Maybe you need to put a muzzle on that mutt." He called.
"Don't worry Sasha, HE'S no threat. Couldn't hurt a fly I bet." Mardela knew this wasn't true but the glare that she knew Lancelot was giving her made it all worthwhile. Soon Mardela reached the man that was clearly their commander. The man had a presence about him that demanded respect and Mardela very rarely felt the obligation to show a stranger respect. The man instantly noticed her and quickly turned to face her. "Who are you?" He asked in a stern tone.
"My name is Mardela and those Roman soldiers found me on the road and took me for some kind of thief or something. It was terrible." She put on her most innocent face but it was clear that the man saw right through her little charade.
"If that is the story that you want to give, fine. I am Arthur and these are the Sarmatian knights. We will take you in but there are still many things that need clearing up so you had better get your story straight." Arthur looked down at the woman and it was clear that she had taken in his words and their full meaning and implications. "Now knights, we must get these supplies back to the fort. Miss Mardela you may ride with one of my men." Arthur turned and galloped towards the building that Mardela had seen in the distance a while back.
"It would be my honor if you would ride with me Miss." Mardela turned to see a huge man stretching his hand towards her. He was quite ruggedly handsome with long blond hair that fell past his shoulders.
Mardela looked over to were Lancelot was mounting his horse and watching her as she replied, "It would be my pleasure Sir."
"Gawain." The man filled in as he hoisted Mardela up behind him.
"Sir Gawain, thank you for your help." She purred into his ear.
"Just hold on Miss" With that Mardela snaked her arms slowly around his midsection making sure he felt them there. She looked back to were Lancelot was scowling at her and raised an eyebrow at him Careful girl, that man is trouble. That damn voice in her head was starting to bug her, what was it, her conscience? Her good sense? Her heart? None of those ideas really appealed to her at this point. Gawain then nudged his horse into a gallop and they were on their way.
Two down, no idea how many to go! Atleast I am being truthful. I'm not to sure that I will be able to keep all the knights in character but I will try my best. I am a theatre student and I'm constantly being told, "If you don't have the answer on the page then make it up." That is how I am going about this. I will try to interpret the characters as well as I can from the movie but I will also try and fill in the blanks when need be. Please R&R! I will cook you some cookies if you do.The delivery might be a problem though!