Well meant deception
Rating: PG 13
I own nothing except places and people I make up. I don't even own the Knights you see in this chapter that weren't in the movie. The only knight I own is Sabina. Though I wish I owned the knights…
Chapter Six: The Village
To all my reviewers THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!
Sabina's had the same nightmare two days in a row, and after that she saw the knights dying. And again she couldn't save them in time. One night she watched as her brother was killed in her dream, she woke with a start, panting heavily.
"What is it?" Tristan asked from next to her.
"N-nothing." She stammered then lay back down, though sleep would not come to her.
"Hey girl, how are you going?" She asked patting her mare Bonnie. The horse whickered back to her. She fondled her mounts ears. "You're a good old thing, my love." She said affectionately. Bonnie butted her gently with her head.
"Hey I don't have anything for you." She said laughing.
"Salem." She turned, it was Arthur.
"Saddle your mare you and Tristan are going to be advance scouts." She nodded, and started to tack Bonnie up. Soon after Bonnie was saddled and Sabina was leading her to where Tristan was waiting. She mounted Bonnie and followed the quiet scout. She was very self conscious around Tristan because it felt as though he could see straight through her, it was disconcerting! They rode for silence after Tristan told her they were checking for danger until they got to a village nearby. Sabina searched the forests carefully but they saw nothing. Late afternoon they saw smoke rising in the distance. They looked at each other then drew their swords, urging their horses into a gallop. They galloped up a hill and reined their horses to a halt. They could see a small village, up in flames. They could see a few villagers frantically fighting off a handful of Woads.
"I'm guessing this is our village, then?" Sabina asked, putting her sword in it's sheath at the same time as Tristan who nodded grimly. She urged Bonnie on and her horse knew just where to go. As she came into range of two knights she shot one at a gallop, at the same time as Tristan. They fired a few more arrows each, before swapping their bows for their swords. Galloping over to two large Woads she expertly beheaded one and ran another through. It wasn't long until the last of the Woads were finished off. She dismounted Bonnie and gave the mercy stroke to a Woad with a gut wound. She turned and saw Tristan.
"Can I leave you in charge here while I warn Arthur?" He asked with a thick accent. Sabina nodded, surprised. She thought she would be the one to ride back to the caravan. It was a sign of trust from a very worthy man.
She nodded.
"Right, we'll be over when we can." With that he mounted and cantered off. She took a deep breath and surveyed the damage. There was a cluster of about six women and children about ten yards away from her, one was laying on the ground weeping uncontrollably next to the body of a baby. There were two large men nearby, bloody axes in their hands, there was also two teenaged boys, a girl, and two middle aged men.
"Can I have some help with the wounded?" She called as she bent down to an injured woman nearby. She had dark hair laced with grey, and a large gash on her thigh. A teenaged boy, three women and a man walked over.
" I want you to move all you can over there-" she pointed to a grassy spot with shady trees "- all the others, see what you can do." She thought for a second.
"You, you, and you." She pointed at the two large men and a middle aged man. "Try to do you best to put the fire out. The smoke will be a beacon to any Woads in the area. Do we have anyone that's good at scouting?" She asked. A teenaged boy spoke up.
"I am." She nodded.
"Can you, go look out for Woads. Anyone who can fight, keep your weapons at your side." She added louder, so everyone can hear. Then she turned her attention to the woman who was moaning softly.
There were now five people lying under the tree, wounded. One was still in the smoldering wreck of the village, too wounded to be moved. Two wounded children had already died. She stood up to check on the wounded man in the village, and was reminded painfully of her nightmare. She shook that thought away- she had to be strong.
It was dark when the Caravan arrived and none of the wounded had died. The villagers were now eating, but there wasn't much food. She walked over to Arthur and gave her report. In the dim lamp light he took in her sooty, bloody and tired face and told her to rest. She got her bedroll and settled down for a dreamless sleep.
When she woke, she remembered she hadn't washed. She headed down to a small stream and washed away all the grime, she felt remarkably refreshed. When she got back she found Dagonet sitting at her bedroll with some meat, bread and wine. She accepted gratefully and devoured it.
"You did a good job, yesterday." He said, Sabina smiled at him. She was still exhausted.
They stayed there for two days, then moved on. The villagers with them. It was a depressing affair burying the twenty odd bodies. Half were only children.
A/N: There we go, it's been a while hasn't it? Well any way review and tell me what you think!