Chapter 2: In the Snow
Snow fell from the sky, blanketing the earth in a soft white glow. Adima again, found herself hiding behind a tall grey tree for protection. She and several of her kinsmen were waiting on the outskirts of a small Roman home, for the opportune moment to attack.
Her older sister was said to have been taken prisoner there, and Adima was determined to free her. She listened to her surroundings; the slight wind flowing through the trees; the chirp of a bird or screech of a hawk. The air all of a sudden grew cold and silent. Adima turned her head from one side to the other, making sure her friends were prepared to fulfill their duty to attack when called upon.
Adima frowned, concentrating. Something told her to hold back the arrow she was ready to let fly. She lowered her arms and waited. The surfs working in the field in front of the gate to their master, Marius' house all looked in one direction; some stopped working all together. Adima couldn't see what they had but she knew she must wait. One of her kinsmen looked to her for instruction; Adima returned her gaze but refrained from speaking.
Adima realized what they were all looking at when she saw, coming out of a path in the woods, a small army of men mounted proudly on their horses. A look of disgust flared in her eyes. Adima recognized one of them. It was the man she fought not long ago. She looked closer and saw a hawk perched on his shoulder. She knew he and the other knights could be trouble.
She quickly frowned. She knew they wouldn't be able to free her sister while these men were here. They obviously were soldiers, she thought, and she would surely die along with her kinsmen if they attacked the home now. She would be patient and wait till they left; then she would order the attack. They couldn't possibly be staying long. What brought them to this far off land on the other side of Hadrian's Wall anyway?
Adima didn't know it, but these were Arthur's men; men told about in stories and inspiring tales. Men-soldiers who fought against evil; fought for Rome, with honor, and bravery. They were heroes of men, sent here on a final mission to return one Roman family to the opposite side of Hadrian's Wall and return them to Rome, for the devilish Saxons were on their way to that very land, to destroy all in their path, and eventually exterminate the Woads, and many others. These were Arthur's knights-those of the round table, and they were not to be underestimated.
Adima couldn't hear all they said when they arrived, but she could hear Arthur explaining his arrival to the owner of the land, Marius. Arthur seemed to have a particular interest in Marius's son. Some arguing went on, and some of the serfs went about there business. Then, tension seemed to grow down near the home. Adima waited, and watched. They were being deported; Marius' family, and the surfs that worked on his land.
After some time, Arthur made an unexpected move. He noticed some sort of stone structure on the outside of the stone wall before him that surrounded Marius' house. Arthur ordered it opened, and it was. He and his knights went inside. Adima's curiosity grew.
When Arthur and his knights came back, they had with them three bodies. Two were carried, the other, a man, walked out himself. Adima's eyes widened as she recognized her sister. "Guinevere," she whispered under her breath in awe.
She wanted to make the attack, but thought better of it. To attack the home now would be certain suicide. Arthur ordered someone to help Guinevere. They gave her and the small boy water. Guinevere was weak; she lay limply in the man's arms. The horror of this sight brought hatred and sorrow to Adima. She never wanted to see her sister like this. It petrified her. Anger burned within her. One of her kinsmen looked at her again; her eyes were filled with hatred too.
Adima cautiously moved closer to the edge of the woods to get a better view. She hid behind a tree when one of the knights looked up in her direction. The hawk on his arm lifted its wings and screeched. Adima warily looked around the tree at the village below them. The knight still stared at the woods. He then was distracted by the happenings around him and his gaze turned away.
Night fell, and the day rose again. The caravan of people was preparing to leave. All night long, the night before, Adima and her kin had kept a close eye on Guinevere and the boy with her. The knights had apparently succeeded in convincing Marius and the others to leave with them on that day.
But the Woads were not the only ones who kept a keen eye and heightened senses on things throughout the night. The knight with the hawk also stayed up the entire night, keeping watch. He could sense something was out there in the forest, but he didn't know what.
The lightly snow covered ground crunched beneath his feet as he walked over to his dappled grey and patted its neck affectionately. He placed its leather saddle on its back and tightened its girth.
The caravan with all the surfs, the captives, the master and his family, and the knights, set their course and began the journey to the other side of Hadrian's Wall, to a small British fort for safety. Adima and her friends would follow. It wasn't until nightfall that Adima decided to make the attack.
"Friends," she instructed her kin. "Tonight we must rescue my sister, and the boy." They all listened quietly. "We will not go for a full on attack. Guinevere and the boy are in that wagon over there," she pointed to where her sister and the boy were being held. "We will make our way down there in the darkness of this night, and kill all who oppose us. We must rescue them; if we fail, we will have come all this way for nothing, and we may be killed. Be careful all of you." They all nodded and readied their weapons.
In the cover of night, Adima and her friends made their way out of the forest and close to the wagon. They were only feet from it when one of the surfs screamed. Adima jumped in her skin.
"Knights!" he screamed. "Savages! Savages from the woods! They attack!"
Suddenly, four of the knights appeared. "Guinevere!" Adima shouted to her sister. Guinevere groaned. She was laying in the wagon, half asleep. "Guinevere!"
Adima recognized one of the knights and made her way towards him, her teeth bared violently like a wild animal. The knight recognized her as well. Adima pulled out her sword, as did the knight. Adima looked around her quickly, noticing her kinsmen fighting off the other knights. Suddenly, two more knights approached. Adima saw only two more of her friends still alive and fighting. Two of her friends already lay dead on the pearly white ground, the snow stained in their fresh blood.
Adima screamed ferociously with anger. She noticed another one of her friends fall to the ground as the knight slowly approached her. Suddenly, he made his move, charging for her. She lifted her sword blocking his blow and they fought. As their swords collided, she pushed with all her might against the knight, trying to knock him off balance. "Guinevere!" Adima shouted again.
Guinevere slowly came to in the wagon. She lifted her head and rubbed her forehead with her aching palm. She thought she'd heard someone call out her name. She tried to stand up but her legs collapsed underneath her. A woman who was in the wagon with her tried to pull her back but Guinevere screamed, "let me go!" the woman let go, startled by this act of resistance.
"Guinevere!" Adima shouted once more.
Her sister didn't know exactly what was going on, but she heard fighting going on outside. She poked her head out of the wagon. "Stop!" she cried when she saw Adima. She climbed out of the wagon, tumbling over the cold mounds of snow. Arthur pulled his sword out of one of the Woad's bare chests. The Woad lay on the ground, dead.
Tristan didn't hear Guinevere's shout. He moved closer to Adima who had fallen over onto the snow. She thrust her leg at Tristan attempting to kick him but his sword caught her leg instead, slicing it and creating a deep cut that was quick to bleed. Adima's face contorted with the pain that followed.
Guinevere called again. "Stop!" Tristan, standing over Adima, stopped and turned around. Lancelot tried to help Guinevere up for she had fallen over again. "Leave her," Guinevere shouted. "She's my sister!"
Tristan looked at Adima questioningly then at Arthur. "Let her go," Arthur commanded, hesitantly.
Adima struggled to lift herself up as Tristan sheathed his sword and stepped back from her apprehensively. Lancelot helped Guinevere make her way over to Adima. Adima clumsily stood herself up, grabbing her sword and holding it tightly. "We came to rescue you," she explained almost out of breath. "Come, we must go home, sister." Adima sighed deeply realizing she was the only survivor of their raid.
Arthur walked up to them before they had a chance to say any more. "Who are you?" Adima spat at the ground underneath his feet. Arthur didn't look at all amused. "My name is Arthur," he said politely. "Who are you?" He pointed his sword at Adima threateningly.
"This is my sister, Adima," Guinevere spoke up. "Please, don't hurt her."
"She can't take you anywhere," Arthur said calmly. He looked directly at Adima. "Your sister is weak; if you want to take her into the woods now, she'll never make it home. We will set her free once we reach the other side of the wall and are safe in our fort, but we don't have the time to fight with you now. The Saxons are probably only days away from us at this very moment. If you want your sister to live; we can help her, but you must cooperate."
Adima scowled, and limped over to one of the dead bodies of her kinsmen. "We must burry them," she said, leaning over him. Arthur nodded. "Be quick," he called to his knights, who immediately went to work. Adima, limping, took Guinevere back to the wagon to rest. She would stay with her sister, the boy, whose name she later learned was Lucan, and make the journey to the British fort run by Romans, the knights were on their way to. She knew Guinevere would never make it if they departed for the woods now; her sister was just too weak. She could be patient; she would wait to return home.
Snow fell from the sky, blanketing the earth in a soft white glow. Adima again, found herself hiding behind a tall grey tree for protection. She and several of her kinsmen were waiting on the outskirts of a small Roman home, for the opportune moment to attack.
Her older sister was said to have been taken prisoner there, and Adima was determined to free her. She listened to her surroundings; the slight wind flowing through the trees; the chirp of a bird or screech of a hawk. The air all of a sudden grew cold and silent. Adima turned her head from one side to the other, making sure her friends were prepared to fulfill their duty to attack when called upon.
Adima frowned, concentrating. Something told her to hold back the arrow she was ready to let fly. She lowered her arms and waited. The surfs working in the field in front of the gate to their master, Marius' house all looked in one direction; some stopped working all together. Adima couldn't see what they had but she knew she must wait. One of her kinsmen looked to her for instruction; Adima returned her gaze but refrained from speaking.
Adima realized what they were all looking at when she saw, coming out of a path in the woods, a small army of men mounted proudly on their horses. A look of disgust flared in her eyes. Adima recognized one of them. It was the man she fought not long ago. She looked closer and saw a hawk perched on his shoulder. She knew he and the other knights could be trouble.
She quickly frowned. She knew they wouldn't be able to free her sister while these men were here. They obviously were soldiers, she thought, and she would surely die along with her kinsmen if they attacked the home now. She would be patient and wait till they left; then she would order the attack. They couldn't possibly be staying long. What brought them to this far off land on the other side of Hadrian's Wall anyway?
Adima didn't know it, but these were Arthur's men; men told about in stories and inspiring tales. Men-soldiers who fought against evil; fought for Rome, with honor, and bravery. They were heroes of men, sent here on a final mission to return one Roman family to the opposite side of Hadrian's Wall and return them to Rome, for the devilish Saxons were on their way to that very land, to destroy all in their path, and eventually exterminate the Woads, and many others. These were Arthur's knights-those of the round table, and they were not to be underestimated.
Adima couldn't hear all they said when they arrived, but she could hear Arthur explaining his arrival to the owner of the land, Marius. Arthur seemed to have a particular interest in Marius's son. Some arguing went on, and some of the serfs went about there business. Then, tension seemed to grow down near the home. Adima waited, and watched. They were being deported; Marius' family, and the surfs that worked on his land.
After some time, Arthur made an unexpected move. He noticed some sort of stone structure on the outside of the stone wall before him that surrounded Marius' house. Arthur ordered it opened, and it was. He and his knights went inside. Adima's curiosity grew.
When Arthur and his knights came back, they had with them three bodies. Two were carried, the other, a man, walked out himself. Adima's eyes widened as she recognized her sister. "Guinevere," she whispered under her breath in awe.
She wanted to make the attack, but thought better of it. To attack the home now would be certain suicide. Arthur ordered someone to help Guinevere. They gave her and the small boy water. Guinevere was weak; she lay limply in the man's arms. The horror of this sight brought hatred and sorrow to Adima. She never wanted to see her sister like this. It petrified her. Anger burned within her. One of her kinsmen looked at her again; her eyes were filled with hatred too.
Adima cautiously moved closer to the edge of the woods to get a better view. She hid behind a tree when one of the knights looked up in her direction. The hawk on his arm lifted its wings and screeched. Adima warily looked around the tree at the village below them. The knight still stared at the woods. He then was distracted by the happenings around him and his gaze turned away.
Night fell, and the day rose again. The caravan of people was preparing to leave. All night long, the night before, Adima and her kin had kept a close eye on Guinevere and the boy with her. The knights had apparently succeeded in convincing Marius and the others to leave with them on that day.
But the Woads were not the only ones who kept a keen eye and heightened senses on things throughout the night. The knight with the hawk also stayed up the entire night, keeping watch. He could sense something was out there in the forest, but he didn't know what.
The lightly snow covered ground crunched beneath his feet as he walked over to his dappled grey and patted its neck affectionately. He placed its leather saddle on its back and tightened its girth.
The caravan with all the surfs, the captives, the master and his family, and the knights, set their course and began the journey to the other side of Hadrian's Wall, to a small British fort for safety. Adima and her friends would follow. It wasn't until nightfall that Adima decided to make the attack.
"Friends," she instructed her kin. "Tonight we must rescue my sister, and the boy." They all listened quietly. "We will not go for a full on attack. Guinevere and the boy are in that wagon over there," she pointed to where her sister and the boy were being held. "We will make our way down there in the darkness of this night, and kill all who oppose us. We must rescue them; if we fail, we will have come all this way for nothing, and we may be killed. Be careful all of you." They all nodded and readied their weapons.
In the cover of night, Adima and her friends made their way out of the forest and close to the wagon. They were only feet from it when one of the surfs screamed. Adima jumped in her skin.
"Knights!" he screamed. "Savages! Savages from the woods! They attack!"
Suddenly, four of the knights appeared. "Guinevere!" Adima shouted to her sister. Guinevere groaned. She was laying in the wagon, half asleep. "Guinevere!"
Adima recognized one of the knights and made her way towards him, her teeth bared violently like a wild animal. The knight recognized her as well. Adima pulled out her sword, as did the knight. Adima looked around her quickly, noticing her kinsmen fighting off the other knights. Suddenly, two more knights approached. Adima saw only two more of her friends still alive and fighting. Two of her friends already lay dead on the pearly white ground, the snow stained in their fresh blood.
Adima screamed ferociously with anger. She noticed another one of her friends fall to the ground as the knight slowly approached her. Suddenly, he made his move, charging for her. She lifted her sword blocking his blow and they fought. As their swords collided, she pushed with all her might against the knight, trying to knock him off balance. "Guinevere!" Adima shouted again.
Guinevere slowly came to in the wagon. She lifted her head and rubbed her forehead with her aching palm. She thought she'd heard someone call out her name. She tried to stand up but her legs collapsed underneath her. A woman who was in the wagon with her tried to pull her back but Guinevere screamed, "let me go!" the woman let go, startled by this act of resistance.
"Guinevere!" Adima shouted once more.
Her sister didn't know exactly what was going on, but she heard fighting going on outside. She poked her head out of the wagon. "Stop!" she cried when she saw Adima. She climbed out of the wagon, tumbling over the cold mounds of snow. Arthur pulled his sword out of one of the Woad's bare chests. The Woad lay on the ground, dead.
Tristan didn't hear Guinevere's shout. He moved closer to Adima who had fallen over onto the snow. She thrust her leg at Tristan attempting to kick him but his sword caught her leg instead, slicing it and creating a deep cut that was quick to bleed. Adima's face contorted with the pain that followed.
Guinevere called again. "Stop!" Tristan, standing over Adima, stopped and turned around. Lancelot tried to help Guinevere up for she had fallen over again. "Leave her," Guinevere shouted. "She's my sister!"
Tristan looked at Adima questioningly then at Arthur. "Let her go," Arthur commanded, hesitantly.
Adima struggled to lift herself up as Tristan sheathed his sword and stepped back from her apprehensively. Lancelot helped Guinevere make her way over to Adima. Adima clumsily stood herself up, grabbing her sword and holding it tightly. "We came to rescue you," she explained almost out of breath. "Come, we must go home, sister." Adima sighed deeply realizing she was the only survivor of their raid.
Arthur walked up to them before they had a chance to say any more. "Who are you?" Adima spat at the ground underneath his feet. Arthur didn't look at all amused. "My name is Arthur," he said politely. "Who are you?" He pointed his sword at Adima threateningly.
"This is my sister, Adima," Guinevere spoke up. "Please, don't hurt her."
"She can't take you anywhere," Arthur said calmly. He looked directly at Adima. "Your sister is weak; if you want to take her into the woods now, she'll never make it home. We will set her free once we reach the other side of the wall and are safe in our fort, but we don't have the time to fight with you now. The Saxons are probably only days away from us at this very moment. If you want your sister to live; we can help her, but you must cooperate."
Adima scowled, and limped over to one of the dead bodies of her kinsmen. "We must burry them," she said, leaning over him. Arthur nodded. "Be quick," he called to his knights, who immediately went to work. Adima, limping, took Guinevere back to the wagon to rest. She would stay with her sister, the boy, whose name she later learned was Lucan, and make the journey to the British fort run by Romans, the knights were on their way to. She knew Guinevere would never make it if they departed for the woods now; her sister was just too weak. She could be patient; she would wait to return home.