I OWN NOTHING ( except Ava and her knights!)

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Chapter 2

"Ava, you know we have a long ride in front of us. So please, hurry up a bit. I know it's very hard for you, but you also know what your father will do if we're arriving only 5 minutes too late." He rolled his eyes and gave them a smile.

"I'm coming Mike. Always badgering me. You'll never stop that, will you? Stupid idiot." She sprang out of the bed and dressed. Gawain did the same and followed Ava out of his room. Mike and Ava were making jokes as usual, even if Ava was sad about her leaving. Gawain had never understood why Mike and Ava weren't lovers, because they often acted like lovers. They both knew each other since Ava was born. Mike was 2 years older and he always had protected her and loved her like the little sister he had never had. Ava loved him too, but as an older brother. They always made trouble as kids, but that only tightened her friendship and made it extraordinary. Whenever Ava made bad mistakes, Mike would take the blame. It was a very special bond between them, which was mostly misunderstood by people who didn't know the two.

They went to the stable, where Ava saddled Nyla, her beautiful dark black horse and Mike's own white horse, called Vanyar.

"Now we ride home dear." Ava stroke over Nyla's mane. " I think you'll like it. You missed home, didn't you?" Nyla nodded. Ava led her out of the stable, followed by Mike and Gawain. In front of the gate she stopped.

All the knights were standing there, waiting for her to leave. Arthur stepped forward.

"So, when me meet the next time you'll be queen. I'll hope you won't have to deal with war. It's awful, but you know that. You've helped us often."

"When I return I hope you're all alive and healthy. Don't wanna loose you. You're quite useful." She grinned at Arthur.

"Won't you ever stop talking shit Ava?" Mike stood beside her and looked furious at her.

Ava showed a big grin. "Never! And you know that. It's your fault that I'm the way I am. I grew up with you.You behaved badly, not me." She looked innocent at him and slapped him on his arm.

"Sure..it's always been my fault. Never yours. I'm asking myself always why I'm still having something to do with you. " He shook his head. The knights were watching this with amusement. They were already familiar with these situations and they were usually funny.

"That's easy to explain, dear. Without me you would be already dead since...since a very long time." She stuck her tongue out at him and turned to Gawain, who has been very quiet the last minutes.

"Now I must leave you. I don't want to leave you, but I have to. But you should know that I never loved a man like I loved you" Ava said and kissed him. "I WILL return to you and take you home with me.Or perhaps you can manage it and visit me in my castle." She smiled at Gawain and kissed him again. "Please say something. You've been unusual quiet."

"I love you more than my life and I will visit you. I promise!" They clung to each other in a deep kiss.

Galahad, who was standing nearly beside them, sighed deeply and grumbled: " I'll never get a love like that."

Ava heard it and turned to him. "Don't worry Galahad. Somewhere out there is your wife. You just have to find her."

"It's not that easy. Everytime I find a girl, she suddenly is addicted to Gawain. And I'm the loser." He looked as if he would start crying the next moment.

Ava consolde him and mentioned. " Then you just have to find a girl who hates Gawain. And for the fact he now has me it will be much easier for you. Or.. let me think...perhaps I could...Mike what do you think. Would it be good?"

Mike, who was talking with Arthur about their way home, turned around and gazed puzzled at Ava. "What?"

Ava rolled her eyes. " You know..Galahad and.." She slanted her head to the left and starred at him.

"Oh...you mean with his relationships..yes. That could be a great idea." Once more everyone was suprised about how Ava and Mike were sometimes talking with each other without saying a word.

Ava turned back to Galahad, who looked more confused than ever before. "The next time we meet you'll meet my sister. She has some special demands but you fit. If you want..." She gave him a secret smile, went over to Nyla and mounted her.

"Can we start then?" Mike shook his head. "We have to wait for Dylan."

Ava rolled her eyes. "Typical! Why is our scout always late?"

"Great timing" Lancelot announced. "That must be your scout. He looks a bit like Tristan. There must be a nest with scouts sitting in it." Tristan gave him a deadly look.

Dylan arrived gasping for breath." Ava. Mike." He bowed his head. "The road is clear now. We can go .But there are Saxons coming from the northwest." Mike mounted Vanyar and moved forward, while Ava was still talking with Gawain.

"Ava come on! We don't have much time. We must hurry!" Ava gave Gawain a last kiss and followed them.

As they were riding towards the open land nobody seems to notice the dark shadows in the forest near by, that followed them.