Authors notes: Thank you to all the reviewers! Welcome Beling2 I'm glad you like the story!!! A big thank you to Karina for both of your reviews. I hope you all had a happy holiday. Happy New Year!!!! Sorry for the delay on this chapter but I have been very busy!!! Anyway I hope you enjoy this!
OO
Tristan knelt on the dirt and lightly ran his fingers over the faint hoof prints that mottled the ground. The hoof prints were similar in size to his own mare and therefore probably belonged to the Romans, native ponies were much smaller. The tracks were about a day old, the cold frosty ground slowing down their rate of disintegration. There had been at least fifteen horses travelling with the party with only a few on foot. They were heading east further away from both Badon Hill and the fort they had set out from. Rising to his feet he swiftly mounted his mare and urged her to gallop to return to the main party.
As he approached he saw Arthur at the head of the party walking his horse slowly to allow the legionnaires to keep up. His face was as calm as usual but to a well trained eye Tristan could detect the strain. Working with the Romans had never run smoothly, the condensation and scorn that the Romans placed upon the knights at every opportunity had eroded any chance of their being harmony between the two groups. Of course the fact that we were taken against our wills, forced into service and then sent to this forsaken island, there was probably no chance of anything but resentment, hatred and revulsion flourishing. He for one was not in the least interested in promoting any relations.
He drew his horse to a halt next to Arthur.
"I've found traces of a mounted Roman party heading in that direction." He said indicating the direction from whence he had come.
"How long ago?"
"At least a day."
Tristan backed his horse away as Arthur turned to discuss it with the centurions. He had no interest in listening to the conversation. Instead he moved a few paces forward and raised his arm. His beautiful lady cried out and landed in a graceful flutter of her wings. With his free hand he stroked her head and she chirped leaning into his touch.
"I feel that as Lancelot is not here something should be said but I know I will never live up to his remarkable ability to insult so I won't attempt to." Gawain commented and Tristan raised an eyebrow.
"If that is true then our prompt deaths on the battlefield can be our only salvation." The scout responded.
"KNIGHTS!" Arthur bellowed and five disgruntled knights turned as one with equally irritated expressions to regard their commander. The group had moved off in the direction Tristan had indicated. Slowly they followed letting their horses drag their feet.
"If we happened to take a wrong turn and ended up back at the fort through no fault of ours would it be so bad?" Galahad wondered aloud.
"Unfortunately we have Tristan so we will never be able to convince them." Gawain answered.
"If it is for the greater good I am sure Tristan will take the fall." Bors grumpily suggested. Tristan merely moved his horse further away from Bors. Gawain and Galahad laughed heartily. Dagonet smiled, he knew Tristan was not worried about Bors, the scout had moved to make Galahad and Gawain laugh to ease the building tension.
"Uh oh I think Arthur is pissed." Galahad said slowly and the knights looked up to see Arthur glaring at them, the fact that he thought they were moving too slow plain to see on his face.
"Well I wouldn't want anyone to think the Sarmatian knights are slow." Bors grinned. All the knights returned the smiles and charged towards the Romans with a cry. Arthur just shook his head as several legionnaires leapt out of the way as the knights bore down on them.
"Yes this mission was going to be interesting." Dagonet murmured.
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Jols entered the stable block hoping that Lancelot was inside. Thankfully the knight was indeed there and in the process of saddling the grey stallion that he had called Demon. 'Matched his personality' Lancelot had told him with a grin. 'Both of yours' Jols responded.
"Where are you going?" Jols asked.
"A bit of exercise."
"I am not an idiot. Julio has forbidden anyone to leave the fort."
"He meant civilians."
"I don't think he makes the differentiation between the two Lancelot. You are not a Roman and therefore you are inconsequential to him. He will not bat an eyelid ordering you shot if you go against his orders."
With unconcealed fury Lancelot slammed his fist against the saddle forgetting that it was not Scimitar or any other well trained horse used to taking blows. The animal squealed and reared moving far away from the pair extremely agitated.
"Fuck it!" the knight exclaimed throwing up his hands angrily.
"We have lost two groups of sentries, an attack in imminent and we are practically defenceless. Julio is sat on his arse deciding that the best defence is to sit here and wait for out inevitable destruction."
Jols sighed. "What do you suggest?"
Lancelot looked torn well aware that anything he did would be at the least insubordination, at the worst treason with the penalty of death.
"Get everybody ready to leave at a moment's notice."
"What?" the squire stated shocked.
"You are not stupid Jols, we will not win. The best we can hope for is a distraction to try and allow most of the women and children to escape."
"What if Julio notices?"
"I highly doubt he will, one of his officers will probably tell him though. Make something up. Spring cleaning? A festival?"
Jols looked sceptical but nodded. Lancelot continued.
"Find men willing to fight and get them weapons. They will need to protect those who flee. Keep this as quiet for as long as possible but be ready to move at a moments notice. I will talk to Julio."
"You? Talk?"
"Yes talk."
"Be careful. He will not hesitate to imprison you."
"I would like to see him try."
Lancelot and Jols left the stables quickly leaving the grey stallion snorting angrily.
O
Plautius was finishing distributing the extra sentries on the walls when he saw Lancelot burst out of the stables. Quickly he hurried over to join him.
"Whatever you are about to do…don't!" the Roman said dropping into stride with Lancelot.
"I am not going to just sit here and await my death."
"As much as you hate him Julio is a competent commander." Lancelot halted.
"I did not think that even you were that stupid! He is an idiot!"
Plautius froze momentarily and Lancelot continued to march in the direction of the building. Plautius hurried after the knight determined to stop him from undoubtedly causing himself a world of trouble. Lancelot slammed open the doors and Plautius watched in small satisfaction as Julio jumped and spilled wine down his front.
"Plautius what is the meaning of this?" Julio demanded angrily fixing Lancelot with a glare that would have quelled any Roman but Lancelot refused to back down.
"Are you planning to sit here gorging yourself until a woad army bursts through the doors?" Lancelot snarled. Plautius sighed. Crap! Does Lancelot know anything of tact? Julio rose to his feet and strode over to stand in front of Lancelot. The Roman had a good few inches on Lancelot but if anything Lancelot's glare grew fiercer.
"How DARE you burst in here and talk to me like that?"
"I dare because I am someone who knows that if you continue doing nothing, this fort and everyone in it will fall."
"Do not seek to lecture me on matters you know nothing about."
Lancelot took a step forward himself and Plautius moved closer.
"I am a Sarmatian knight and not a fat Roman commander who thinks out of his…"
Plautius grabbed Lancelot and pulled him out of the way of Julio's retaliatory blow.
"Damn it Lancelot are you trying to get yourself imprisoned or killed." Plautius whispered harshly in an attempt to prevent Lancelot from lunging at Julio.
"GET HIM OUT OF HERE!" Julio roared. "LOCK HIM UP!"
"Sir he did not mean…" Plautius started.
"I meant everything I said. Every moment you sit here you are condemning everyone to death. You need to act now! Prepare the defences; get the women and children ready to flee."
Two guards grabbed Lancelot but the knight shrugged them off.
"LISTEN TO ME!" Lancelot cried angrily, he struggled again to reach Julio and make him understand. One of the guards struck the Sarmatian a glancing blow across the forehead. Lancelot stumbled and Plautius stood protectively over him as he steadied himself.
"HOLD" Plautius stated and the soldiers stepped back. Lancelot quickly rose up. Julio moved closer.
"You are nothing; I would take any son of a bitch Briton over the scum that are the Sarmatian knights. Your forefathers were too cowardly to die honourably instead they condemned you all to servitude. You are not even thought of as people, Romans talk of Sarmatians in the same breaths as their whores."
Plautius watched as Lancelot's fury grew but also he could detect anguish. Lancelot was totally out of his depth. He was one of the finest warriors he had ever known but he had little experience with power politics as Arthur had dealt with them. This was showing vividly and instead of letting the barbs wash over him he was taking them personally.
"And you are by far the worst Lancelot. A knight who considers himself to be equal to or better than us. I have seen Arthur try to defend you and open himself up to ridicule. I will not ruin my career and public image by listening to a knight…now remove yourself from here or I will have you imprisoned."
"On your head be it!" the knight sneered and he turned to leave. "But I am not going to go quietly and neither are any of these 'son of a bitch Britons'"
Plautius watched as Julio laughed and he shook his head.
'Again you underestimate him' he thought. 'This will be the last time you will do that'
Plautius followed Lancelot out making sure he slammed the door just as Julio was about to take another sip of wine.
OO