Authors notes: Thank you for all the reviews. Welcome to my new reviewers and greetings to the old! (Not literally)-) Thanks especially to Beling! Anyways Enjoy!
OO
"Something is not right here." Gawain pointed out what the others thought was bloody obvious. Galahad rolled his eyes and snorted.
"Really and what gave you that impression? Could it be that the object of our search has just appeared in front of us out of thin air?"
"Sarcasm does not become you brat! Leave it to the professionals." Gawain replied whacking Galahad across the back of the head. The young knight glared and moved his horse out of reach. He then turned his attention back to the scene in front of him.
They had been riding along a well used trail with really no idea where to go as the new tracks they had been following had disappeared. Arthur's mood had been positively foul and it was not helped by the other Romans who had become increasingly bored and were passing the time by thinking up new variations of insults. Most of them the knights brushed off while returning equally biting comments until Arthur had silenced them. Unfortunately a particularly crude comment about Lancelot by one of the legionaries had had Arthur off his horse with Excalibur held to the man's throat. Pontius had quickly stepped forward putting the man on report. Since then there had been a tense silence. Then when Galahad had thought he would throw himself off his horse in an attempt to kill himself to end it all everyone had suddenly halted. On the ridge above them stood four horsemen easily recognisable as Roman cavalry.
"Identify yourselves!" Licinius cried before Arthur could open his mouth. There was no reply. The four horsemen continued to stand still.
Arthur nudged his horse forward and trotted up the path. The knights quickly followed. Halfway up Arthur drew to a halt. He did not like this situation. Something was wrong! They should have identified themselves quickly as was standard in enemy territory.
"Identify yourselves!" he demanded. Still no response.
"Arthur." Dagonet whispered. "We are not alone."
With a glance into the trees he saw Dagonet was correct.
"Tell Pontius but do so casually."
Dagonet nodded and turned his horse slowly. In a slow trot he retraced their steps down the path. Pontius looked up at his approach.
"They are acting as a distraction while we are surrounded."
Pontius nodded and whispered a few orders to his second in command. As discretely as possible the orders passed along the lines and there was a subtle shift from nonchalance to readiness. Dagonet slowly turned his horse and leaned forward assuming an almost relaxed pose, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
Arthur knew that the four cavalry officers were a decoy but something still unsettled him. If they had sided with the woads why were they just stood there? Why were they silent when most Romans would take every opportunity to gloat? Inching his stallion forward his confusion increased as their faces became clearer. The four men were terrified, their young faces were pale and drawn but their eyes divulged the almost all consuming fear. He watched as their eyes kept darting to the trees and one of the men was swallowing nervously as if he wished to speak but was frightened of the consequences.
"What now?" Gawain asked quietly. Obviously the horsemen weren't going to move to greet them and it would be foolish to move any closer considering the predicament they had now found themselves in. Before Arthur could admit he didn't really have an idea several things happened at once.
The young cavalry officer who had wanted to speak suddenly found the courage and with a cry he launched his horse forward.
"Run!" he cried. "It's a tr…" An arrow sailed out of the trees and the soldier fell from his horse dead. Arthur drew his sword as did the other knights and legionaries. The other three horsemen were swiftly brought down by additional arrows and the woads suddenly jumped out of the trees launching their attack.
The Romans swiftly braced themselves forming a heavily defended square. The knights quickly drew alongside each other and brought their weapons to bear. With their own individual war cries they charged down the slope to rejoin Dagonet and the Romans. Bodies crumbled before them trampled by the horses' hooves. Fury at being deceived fired Arthur's actions and he fought hard, he was brutal as were the others.
Despite the element of surprise and their superior numbers the woads were no match for the well trained, disciplined Romans and knights. Anyway Arthur mused bitterly they had served to outwit them; this little victory would fuel their fires for many months to come. They had been traipsing about the countryside for days like bumbling fools! When they got back to Baden Hill Lancelot was going to have a field day at the Romans and their expense!
With a last thrust of his sword he shoved one of the final attackers to the ground. The woads realising the likelihood of imminent slaughter quickly disappeared back into the trees. Glancing around the group he saw that there were few casualties. A couple of legionaries were dead and there were a few minor wounds but nothing serious. To his relief all the knights were standing and only Gawain had a gash on his forehead. It was bleeding freely but all head wounds were prone to this.
"Arthur!" Pontius cried. Arthur turned to see the centurion knelt beside one of the cavalry officers.
"He is still alive."
Arthur swiftly dismounted and handed his reins to Bors who was watching Galahad attempt to see Gawain's wound but was not being met with much enthusiasm. The Roman swiftly knelt beside Pontius. The cavalry officer was mortally wounded and a trickle of blood trailed down his chin.
"Tell him what you told me." Pontius said softly as he smoothed the hair away from the young soldier's forehead trying to offer some semblance of peace to the dying youth.
"It…it…was a trap." He gasped
"We know." Arthur answered.
"No" the man protested vigorously choking and wincing at the sudden movement.
"What? No what?" Arthur said with a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"We were ambushed…all but…but four of us died." The man whispered as he desperately sucked in air. "They wanted to draw you out."
"Draw us out? From where?" Pontius questioned but the man led still having used the last of his energy to tell that much.
"Arthur?" Pontius demanded as he watched the Roman knight slowly rise to his feet. His eyes closed in despair.
"ARTHUR! TRISTAN!" he heard Galahad yell. The man turned to face his scout who galloped straight up to him slamming to a halt inches away. Tristan's mare was breathing heavily and sweat ran down her flanks. The scout had ridden hard and Arthur feared his words.
"Smoke." The scout said winded. "From the direction of Baden Hill."
With unconcealed fury and anguish Arthur cried out loudly before managing to bring himself under control. Opening his eyes he saw everyone staring at him, all but his knights were shocked having never seen him loose his cool before. The knights were more concerned with the reason and their faces were grave.
"Gather our bodies we are moving out." Bors brought Arthur's horse forward and he mounted quickly.
"What is the meaning of this?" Licinius demanded angrily.
"This has all been an elaborate deception. The woads captured the cavalry unit, kept them alive and used their arrows. They wanted us to send out an expedition to find them, to draw us out and away from the fort. Tristan has reported that there is smoke from the direction of Baden Hill. We have been deceived! We need to return quickly but I fear their plan has worked exactly the way they intended, for if the fort is already burning we will be much too late."
As the words sunk in the knights became grim and they quickly formed up behind Arthur. Tristan turned his tired mare and urged her forward again intending to scout ahead. They moved as fast as they could but as Arthur said it would not be fast enough and their minds were filled with images of what they would find when they arrived. Arthur's one thought was of Lancelot! He prayed for his safety but if he knew his friend he would be right in the thick of things!
'Don't do anything foolish my friend!' he prayed. 'Just live'
OO