Authors notes: Many thanks to all my reviewers. Special thanks to Cardeia for the two points you brought up! My word history is not that good but thanks for pointing it out and I will remember it in future writings. Another good point about the swords which when I re-read the chapter is suddenly amazingly obvious…Thank you for taking the time to write the review and it is much appreciated. The next chapter will have a slight delay due to my graduation but it will wing its way along shortly. Without further ado…enjoy!
OO
Lancelot choked as emotions whirled within him. He pleaded with his eyes…please Bors please just let me go. Bors shook his head and again indicated he should dismount. Lancelot resigned himself and was about to dismount when Scimitar reared up. The stallion could sense his masters growing distress and was attempting to distance himself from the danger it perceived. Bors let go and then darted forward to try and catch Lancelot who had unbalanced and was falling. He was too slow and the knight hit the ground. Immediately the knights jumped forward to try and get Scimitar away from the grounded man. The stallion however moved away instinctively avoiding crushing his master.
Tristan grabbed his reins and set about soothing the animal. Scimitar rolled his eyes and pranced nervously but he was calmer.
Bors dropped to his knees beside Lancelot. The younger man had rolled onto his side away from him and struggled to his feet. Bors reached out to try and steady him.
"Don't touch me. Get away from me. All of you just leave me alone." He said distressed moving away with his arms raised. Bors looked doubtfully at Tristan. Had they pushed too far and too hard?
"We want to help you. You are our friend and you are suffering." Gawain said moving forward his face a picture of concern.
"And? Are you worried that I won't have your back in a fight?"
"Of course not. We all trust you with our lives and nothing that has happened has changed that."
Lancelot looked at them all. He was not prepared for this and with that in mind he sat back down to wait in silence for them to give up.
"Fine this is not working." Gawain said as the others gathered together.
"It was expected." Tristan replied. Bors threw up his arms.
"Then why are we bothering?" he exclaimed.
"Just leave him be. He has suffered before and probably will do again. He is tough he just needs us to stop hassling him." Dagonet said softly.
"He tried to kill himself." Galahad blurted out.
"So?" Dagonet continued. "He wouldn't be the first to attempt it nor to succeed. Yvain killed himself. Others probably have in battle, charging into the enemy without moving to defend themselves. You can't tell me that some of you haven't thought of it. Lancelot had a moment of doubt and that was it. He won't try it again and he is not any weaker for it. He just needs to realise this by himself."
"How can you be sure?" Gawain demanded.
"Because we would have arrived here to see him with a knife but we didn't."
"How does that mean he won't try again?" the knight continued.
Dagonet sighed at the younger knight.
"He has tried it before." Galahad stated and before he knew Tristan had grabbed him.
"Shut up about things you know nothing about. That is not relevant to this situation."
"Leave him alone." Gawain snapped moving forward to drag Tristan off Galahad.
"He should learn when to speak and when to keep silent."
"And who are you to tell us what to do?"
"Someone with more common sense apparently."
Gawain raised his fist about to strike the scout when a hand grabbed it. It was Lancelot.
"STOP IT!" he yelled. "I will not have you fighting over me."
The knights all stepped backwards giving each other space. Lancelot stared at them furiously in turn.
"This ends here and now otherwise there is no point in the woads trying to kill us because we will do it for them. I can handle this myself. I am not going to self destruct. I will endure and so will you."
"Fine but we want some answers. We are not going to judge but we want to understand." Gawain stated and Lancelot nodded tiredly.
"What do you want to know?"
O
"It's noon, I am supposed to be on patrol as of an hour ago and in a fort as small as ours no one has managed to locate any of my knights even one that should have been in the hospital, have I got this correct?" Arthur spoke slowly and deliberately to the squire in front of him. The man looked like he wished the ground to open and swallow him.
"Yes sir." He said nervously.
"Has anyone checked the stables for their horses?"
"Um…yes sir."
"And were they in there?" he questioned. It was like drawing Bors away from the Tavern, very slow going with patience slowly evaporating with each word spoken.
"No the knights weren't there."
Arthur released a slow deep breath. Dear God please speed up Jol's recovery.
"No were their horses there?"
"Oh no sir."
"So its safe to assume that they are not in the fort."
"Um…yes sir."
"Right. When did the supply wagon arrive?"
"About an hour ago sir."
"I imagine they left then. Fine, send Centurion Plautius to me at once."
The man nodded and left. He wasn't particularly concerned that the knights were gone. They had done it before when things had been difficult and although it hurt slightly that he wasn't included he understood. He was their commander and was not Sarmatian. Most commanders wouldn't stand for it but Arthur had let them continue on with their traditions as long as it didn't interfere with the running of the fort or go against strict roman policy.
He knew they would return eventually.
A knock on the door heralded the arrival of Plautius.
"Come in."
Plautius strode in and closed the door.
"Does your wanting to see me have anything to do with six missing knights and a patrol that is not patrolling?"
Arthur chuckled.
"How remarkable it actually does." He commented acting surprised.
"And you would like me to assemble some men and conduct the patrol myself?"
"That's an amazing ability you have."
"Thank you."
"So where did they go?"
Arthur shrugged. "One learns not to ask. They like to get away from the fort and us Romans."
"Sometimes I wish the same." Plautius laughed. Arthur joined him.
"Well I better go and assemble the masses. I am sure it will take a bit of doing as when they are off duty they successfully manage to spread themselves across the entire fort."
O
Merlin stood watching the approaching Roman detachment. It seemed that whoever visited Arthur had left only to return with reinforcements. This was unsettling; despite their losses the fort still had the knights and Romans who had returned with Arthur. This was a step too many. They were arrogant not posting scouts ahead and Merlin would use that to his advantage.
"As soon as they are all in the forest come round behind them and on my signal attack." His lieutenant nodded.
"Sir…" a voice gasped running up the old man. He was a scout.
"What is it?"
"The knights are in the clearing of the moon pool."
Merlin frowned. This was a new development.
"Wait until the soldiers come across them and then attack. I told Arthur I would not spare him or them on our next meeting and I intend to show him that. Show no mercy and kill them all."
OO