Notes: Garcian is pronounced gar - thee - an.
I know Ector is Kay's father, but poetic licence and all that!
Reviews: Thanks to LovelyHeidi and again to BlackPaintedWhite!
Chapter 3 : Allies
"Arthur, we're being tracked."
"Woads?"
"No."
"Where?"
"They've surrounded us"
15 eyes stared at the scout disbelievingly. Lancelot was the first to speak.
"Hang on. You mean our famous scout who can spot a woad at 5 miles led us into a trap? Have you gone mad!" His voice got louder as he spoke.
"Lancelot, be quiet," growled Perceval, "would you like to give them an in invitation to attack?"
Lancelot scowled in response. A few knights smirked.
"So, we have Lancelot. Second in command to Sir Artorious Castus. Correct?"
"Oh shut up Bors." snarled Lancelot.
"Eh? I didn't say anything!" Bors replied.
"Bors and Lancelot, both in command of Sir Artorious Castus. Anyone else going to introduce themselves? The Scout for instance, does he have a name?"
"Tristan." The scout replied to thin air, looking around the surrounding trees warily.
A chuckle came in reply. A few knights jumped in response.
"Only a coward seeks to intimidate whilst hidden. Why will you not speak to us as true men. Face to face. What do you have to hide? Cowards." Kay barked into the thin air.
In response to Kay's words, shapes began to materialise amongst the trees and bushes. Cloaked figures mounted on horses with strange beasts around some of the horses legs and winged creatures on some figures arms.
"Nice one Kay," murmured his brother Ector, "now what have you gotten us into?"
"Kay," replied one of the figures, "well that's five down only eleven unnamed!"
"Ah, give the lads a break, Col, we've got to work with them, I for one would rather not have them willing to murder us in our sleep because you want to wind them up." muttered another figure.
"Spoilsport!" The first man uttered in return. A few of the others chuckled.
"Commander Antonius?" Arthur questioned the second man.
"That would be me." Said a man three figures to the left of the one named Col. He pulled down his hood and urged his horse toward Arthur's, a hand held out in welcome.
"And you would be Arthur. Yes?"
"I am."
As Arthur grasped the hand that was held out to him in greeting he looked into the face in front of him.
He saw a man that was probably around 20 years older than himself. A handsome face even though it was marred with a scar that ran straight down the right side of his face, from the corner of his eye to the bottom of his jaw, about an inch below the ear. Dark blue eyes that held the memories of many horrors, but right this moment were filled with not a little humour. His mouth was quirked up on one side and his grip was firm.
"Is there any reason you decided to surround us? Or is this your idea of amusement?" Arthur scowled at his fellow Roman commander. Unable to forget the small stab of uneasiness the first sight of the figures had caused him.
"A bit of both," came the reply, the quirk growing to a small smile, "we thought it was you but it could've been men in disguise. It's a common ambush and I don't like to take the risk. As for amusement, you should have seen your faces! And for the record," he said turning to face Kay, his face growing serious, "don't ever call this lot cowards," he indicated the men still surrounding the knights, "they've seen and done things you can't even imagine, so watch your mouth or they'll turn on you."
"You make it sound as if we're a pack of rabid wolves!" Said a figure at the back of the circle
"Well in the tavern you do a damn good impression of being an insatiable one" another threw in reply.
Most of the figures broke into chuckles at this, including the commander. He turned back to Arthur.
"Come, Sir Arthur. There's a nice place to camp a little further along this trail. We can discuss things better there and everyone could do with the rest."
"Lead the way Commander."
"No. Ride beside me"
"I'd be glad to."
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