Authors notes: Thank you to my lovely reviewers and your great comments. A. that was praise indeed and I am very grateful, I hope it continues to retain your interest. As you can gather I am back from graduation which went off without a hitch and with all of us looking like rejects from Hogwarts! Anyways on with the story. Enjoy!
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"Crassus is going to kill you." Gawain said watching from his position sprawled on the ground next to the pool sopping wet.
Lancelot shrugged as he went about searching his saddle bags for something. He was wet as were all the others. Galahad had tripped and fallen in the pool. Gawain had attempted to get him out but had unfortunately chosen to do so from a very slippery mud bank. One thing had led to another and they were now all very wet. Lancelot also felt very sore.
"Not just me. I'll tell him it was all your fault." He shouted as he latched on to something and pulled it free. Tristan watched him examine a piece of leather and he realised what it was. Walking over to Lancelot quickly and quietly he saw that the knight was struggling to put it on.
"Let me." He whispered. The knight glanced at the scout and held out both the leather and his wrist. Tristan softly ran his fingers over the raised scar the woad had given Lancelot before gently trying the piece of leather Tristan had made tightly over his wrist.
"Thank you." Lancelot murmured genuine gratitude shining in his eyes.
"It is nothing but if it has shown you that you are only a slave in designation then it has done its duty. You may have killed but you have also saved life therefore you are not a monster or a savage. Remember that. You are strong of soul and nothing can take that away from you."
Tristan moved away and Lancelot swallowed harshly, blinked and breathed in deeply letting it out slowly. Scrubbing his eyes hastily he turned around to face the others; he secured his swords to his back and walked back towards the others casually insulting Bors as he passed. The large knight spluttered indigently as the others laughed.
"We should get back before Arthur has a fit. I think you lot were meant to be on patrol earlier." Lancelot spoke and watched as the others groaned good naturedly.
"We'll blame you." Bors said seriously. "It will work."
"Hush!" Tristan exclaimed suddenly halting and tilting his head to the side as if listening to something.
"There are men on foot approaching."
"Woads?" Gawain asked as he quickly got to his feet and picked up his sword.
"No too loud and heavy. Romans." The others could now hear the sounds of marching feet approaching and awaited their arrival with wariness.
The Roman detachment marched into the clearing with all the arrogance one associates with the Roman army. Upon seeing the knights the leader ordered a halt and with perfect precision the unit did so.
"State your names." A young man demanded stepping forward.
"State your name." Lancelot responded crossing his arms. The man turned to face him and took another step forward.
"And you are?"
"And you are?" Lancelot repeated and he heard Bors snort behind him. The Roman looked like he was going to stamp his foot in anger and frustration.
"Answer the question." The man stated angrily. Lancelot wondered for a few seconds if he should carry on Roman-baiting but decided to spare Arthur later grief.
"Lancelot."
It was like Lancelot had insulted the Roman's mother not introduced himself. The others noticed it too and closed ranks.
"So you are the Sarmatian knights?" the man questioned as if confirming something.
"Yes and you are?" Gawain asked trying to divert the man's attention from Lancelot but not succeeding.
"The man who is going to arrest you."
"Really?" Lancelot said with interest. He now knew who this man was. Marcellus.
"Yes for gross insubordination and striking a senior officer."
Lancelot sighed. "Firstly I am not a Roman nor am I in the Roman army therefore he couldn't be my senior officer. Secondly I didn't strike him I punched him and thirdly again I am not in your army therefore speaking my mind cannot be punished."
Marcellus's mouth had opened in shock. It was amusing.
"Just thought to let you know." Lancelot shrugged and turned round to head back to Scimitar. Galahad's cry of warning made him turn round sword raised and aimed at the man's throat, Marcellus's sword fell to the ground at his feet. The rest of his detachment moved forward but were dissuaded from doing something by the rest of the knights.
"So you want to add murder to the list? Can't say I am surprised…savages." Marcellus spat.
Lancelot stepped backwards lowering his sword. "I wouldn't like to give you the satisfaction but do not try that again."
"Arthur is going to hear about this when we get to the fort." Marcellus sounded like a child about to go running to his mummy.
"Indeed he will." Lancelot replied.
The knights were soon mounted. Lancelot moved Scimitar around in circles annoying the legionaries who had to keep moving out of the way.
"Are you quite done?" Marcellus snapped.
"Oh sorry are you ready to go?" Gawain asked innocently which was answered with a glare from the roman.
The group began to move when Tristan whirled his mare around.
"Woads!" he cried. His announcement was accompanied by a rain of arrows taking down three legionaries. This was followed by screams as the woad painted warriors burst out of the tree line and the trees themselves. A woad swung from a tree knocking Galahad off his horse and sending the animal to its knees. Lancelot too found himself with a woad sat behind him trying to pull him off. Using as much force as he could he propelled himself backwards taking both of them off the back of Scimitar. The landing was hard and for a moment they were both still. Then Lancelot sprung into action, rolled off the man, grabbed one of his knives and gutted the woad. Tristan was immediately by his side. It was an unconscious action that a knight who had been recently injured in a fight would be shadowed by another. Gawain had Galahad and vice versa same with Bors and Dagonet. Tristan and Lancelot always drifted together, along with Arthur when he wasn't directing things from afar in larger scale conflicts.
The Romans had been as surprised as the knights and had let their guard down content to watch their commander argue with the knights. This worked in the woads favour as they managed to get in between them before ranks were closed. As a result they were scattered and the knights had to adapt their fighting technique as they usually did when fighting with others not their own but allies. This however did not apply to the Romans, one of which had barely avoided skewering Dagonet only to be thumped into unconsciousness by Bors in retaliation. Lancelot saw this and cursed.
"Pack it in Bors." He yelled and the man snarled at him in return. Lancelot then had to swiftly look to his own situation when a roman blade caught him in the side. It was Marcellus. The knight staggered and Marcellus had a falsely apologetic look on his face. Lancelot replied with a curse and moved away.
The woads were increasing in number; obviously all had not been committed in the first attack. Lancelot knew that his body could not withstand an intense and prolonged battle. If it didn't end soon he would be in serious trouble. Luckily or unluckily he didn't have to find out how long he would last because a blow to the back of the end rendered him dead to the world.
Tristan looked behind to check on Lancelot and saw him hit the ground. The knight shouldn't have been fighting.
"Galahad!" he called to the young knight who was closest to him.
"Get to your horse as soon as you are able and ride for help."
Galahad saw Lancelot and nodded offering no resistance. As soon as a horse neared him he grabbed it and was off like a rabbit being chased by a fox.
Tristan moved to stand near Lancelot and the rest of the knights were rallying towards them. Soon they were in an impenetrable circle against a heaving mass of woads with unfriendly Romans adding to the fray.
'Another lovely day on the island of Britain' Gawain thought sarcastically before all thinking other than that concerned with battle shut down.
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