Authors notes: Many thanks again to all my lovely reviewers. I hope this instalment satisfies everyone and comments on what you liked/disliked are always welcome!
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"Well aren't we a sorry pair." Lancelot murmured as he stroked the neck of Scimitar, the horse nickered in agreement from its position on the ground next to the knight. Scimitar was no longer sprawled flat on his side; he had struggled up tucking its legs underneath its body. Lancelot was leaning on the stallion, running one hand down the animal's neck. Scimitar's head hung low occasionally turning to regard the knight.
Lancelot flexed his leg and winced as pain flared for a brief moment. With a groan he dropped it back down. Snorting Scimitar nudged him.
"Fine I won't do it again." He said.
"You two are so much alike it's scary." Jols commented as he halted in his work cleaning the stables.
"I will take that as a compliment." Lancelot smiled and Scimitar whinnied in agreement. Jols burst out laughing.
"Leg better then?" the squire asked.
"I got here didn't I." the knight said arrogantly.
"Definitely better." Jols muttered as he wondered away to continue his work.
"Well I should get going." Lancelot said and with a pat on the stallion's neck he rose to his feet, groaning as he did so. His head swam slightly and he gripped the side of the stall as it slowly righted itself. Scimitar shook his head and with a gusty sigh rose to his feet. Rubbing the bay's face, he scratched behind its ears.
"Nothing can keep us down can it?" He smiled. Scimitar nodded in agreement with a snort.
He hobbled to the stall door and carefully closed it behind him. Arthur's second grey stallion was stabled next door and his head quickly appeared demanding attention. Scimitar quickly poked his head over the door and whinnied upset that Lancelot was giving attention to another horse.
"Worried are you?" the knight said with amusement. "Well you are still my favourite." Lancelot pulled out an apple and held it out. Appeased the horse ate it eagerly. With a final pat Lancelot left the stall and hobbled across the stables to the stall at the far end. Jols had told him that was where the new animal was housed. Halting outside the stall he peered inside. At the back was stood a snowy white stallion that had been nicknamed 'the terror' by all the stable hands. Once the horse spotted Lancelot it pinned its ears back and shot across the stall teeth bared. The man didn't move, just crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow. With his ever present smirk he nodded.
"Perfect." The horse just shrieked its protest.
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"Well I don't think they are having a fucking party?" Bors yelled and Arthur resisted the urge to bury his head in his hands before proceeding to hit Bors over the head with something to put him out for the remainder of the visit. Fortunately Dagonet and Tristan hauled him out of the room before he could utter another word.
"Is insubordination a key part of the command style that you are currently employing?" Licinius questioned snidely.
"I apologise but as you can understand my men are upset. They have just had arrows shot at them by people who are supposedly on the same side. One of my knights was almost killed and tempers have frayed. Not even you can fault them for that." Arthur stated quietly his own temper close to breaking point. Before Licinius could respond Pontius interrupted.
"Back to the topic at hand we are proposing that two units of your soldiers, with all those that we brought with us set out to search for them." The centurion tried to stop Licinius offending Arthur or the Sarmatians any further. Arthur was normally calm but even the most even tempered person could be pushed too far, especially since the man's best friend was injured and Licinius was constantly deriding the Sarmatians.
"Will you aid us?"
"What's in it for me? They are most likely dead and all we would be doing is wondering around in enemy territory waiting for the woads to pick us off one by one."
"They could be but I think it is highly doubtful. Whatever your opinion it does not matter, I technically outrank you and you will do as I say. Their fate needs to be determined. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir." Licinius snapped. "My men will be ready at dawn." The centurion stood up, nodded at Pontius and left the room.
"You had better keep the knights under control Arthur. Licinius will do whatever he can to antagonise them in the hopes of causing an incident that he can report to higher command."
"Easier said than done. Lancelot would have clubbed Bors over the head by now or have said something to focus all their anger on him. They are so easy to wind up and he knows exactly how to press their buttons."
"A remarkable talent I am sure."
"He must be talented for no one has killed him yet." Arthur commented. "Although considering the attitudes of the Romans here it was probably better he was left behind."
"Indeed. How much trouble can one knight get into alone in a fort?" Pontius laughed and Arthur froze.
"I should have brought him with us."
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'Is it possible for a man to be bored to death?' Lancelot pondered as he listened to the old man before him bemoaning the fact that the knights' horses' had churned up one of his fields. Frankly Lancelot could not see the problem and was at the present moment contemplating various ways to maim Jols for tricking him into this. An elbow in his ribs by the man himself refocused his attention on the old man who was looking at him expectantly. Realising that he had absolutely no idea what anyone had just said he turned to Jols and glared at him. Clearing his throat he turned back to the man. Quickly he ran through all possible answers and realised that if he said any of them he would probably cause an outrage, well tact wasn't one of his strong points.
"Um…thank you for bringing this to our attention, when Arthur returns I will make sure it is given the full attention it deserves." Lancelot lied smoothly knowing full well that if any of the other knights heard about this Bors would immediately take out his giant of a horse and ride up and down the field until it was a horrific mess. He would them proceed to scare the man until he keeled over. Luckily the man seemed appeased by this and left.
"Only five more." Jols stated happily, he stood intent to fetch the next one but Lancelot grabbed his arm and yanked Jols towards him, the man's face inches from his own.
"Unless men heralding the apocalypse are outside I am not speaking to anyone else. You have obviously mistaken me for someone who either cares or knows how to deal with them. Show another person in and I will use you as the prey in the next hunt." He snarled. Jols swallowed nervously as Lancelot let him go.
"I'll just tell them to leave." The squire ran out, slamming the door behind him.
Taking a huge gulp of the warmed wine he had been given Lancelot rose from his seat at the table tentatively putting weight on his leg. The door reopened.
"I sent them away." The squire stated looking nervous. Deciding to take pity on the man Lancelot smiled.
"Good. It would be easier to wait until Arthur returns. I am more likely to create ten more problems rather than solve one."
Jols smiled in return.
"Well seeing as we now have the rest of the day free, how about we look at that new horse of yours?"
Lancelot's smile broadened.
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