I'm incorporating some of the legends into this… If you don't recognize anything, you can check out "The Lady of Shallot" and any of the Tristan and Iseult poems…

By the way Galina is a variation of Elaine.

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the vast blue sky. Endless, inescapable, beautiful. I heard people scurrying around and I stood up. I had fallen asleep right outside the encampment like countless other nights. It took me a moment to realize what was going on until it hit me like a splash of cold water. The Romans had been spotted. I walked briskly back to the huts and looked around. Everyone was nervous. It showed in every face like an arrow in the chest. In my own hut, my mother was sharpening her sword with a nostalgic expression. Father told me she had rarely used it after I was born, choosing instead to devote her life towards her new family. Father was sitting on his and mother's makeshift bed, staring at the wall. He had the same sinister feeling I had, and I was frightened for the first time in a long while. My father was a strong, quiet man prone to keeping his feelings to himself and his face blank, but now I could almost feel his anxiousness, like a hare ready to flee. I had inherited many of his traits including his observation and patience. I thought fondly back to the times when we had gone hunting together and sat without moving for hours, just waiting for our prey to show itself. I resolved to go hunting with him with this was all settled.

A shout from outside, and the entire tribe was outside. We stood proudly as the Romans rode into our gathering of huts. I had only been a small child when the Romans had last come, and I had forgotten what they looked like. Hard, chiseled faces with cold, leering eyes. I was perfectly aware of my sword lying a few feet away, ready for bloodshed, but I never took my eyes off the Romans. There were only six of them, but more would come if we killed these.

"Where are the cavalry you owe to the empire?" The commander said after scanning the crowd of thirty or so Sarmatians.

"We have none to give this year." My father said stepping forward. "A plague took many of our young ones four winters ago."

"You mean to tell me that there is not one boy of age to be taken?" The leader said turning his eyes on my father. His eyes narrowed as he disbelievingly surveyed the crowd once more. "Your barbarian ancestors were spared so that you could supply the empire with horsemen. Why are there only girls?" He said dangerously as he gestured to Galina, Branwain and me.

"Do you think we pick the sexes of our children?" My mother snapped. Her temper, like my own, was formidable and tended to be unmindful of the circumstances. His expression soured, but he ignored my mother

"Search the… huts." He said distastefully to one of the soldiers with him. The man dismounted his horse and began to poke his head into our huts. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Branwain grow red. I would soundly beat her if she did anything stupid like endanger our entire tribe.

"Nothing!" The man said once he was done with his fruitless search. The leader looked at us suspiciously.

"If your children are dead, where are their graves?" He asked.

"We burn our dead." My father said stiffly. It was a lie. We buried them in mounds with gold and weapons. I could see the suspicion in the man's eyes. He was not convinced.

"If that is so, then we'll take those three." He said nodding towards us. There was an uproar. Even his own men looked perturbed. He was bluffing I saw immediately. He still did not believe us and thought this would make us bring forth the young men. "Why not? You pagans treat your women like men? So will we. Prepare them."

"You cannot take-" My aunt began but was cut off.

"Prepare them." The man said and we knew he was serious. Just like that my life was handed over to the Romans. My own plan had backfired and now my two friends and I were Sarmatian cavalry for the Romans. I don't remember much of the next few minutes. Later I would only remember my aunt's weeping, my mother's wide eyed disbelieving stare, my father's cold hands in my own and Galina's sobs. I remember putting a thicker tunic on and my mother handing me her sword. Someone pressed a small satchel in my hand but I didn't bother to see who. Mounting Kolaksay. My mother gripped my hand fiercely as she walked with my horse to the waiting Romans. I studied her face for what I knew would probably be the last time.

"Remember who you are. You are my daughter Isolde. Isolde. Not Rome's soldier." She said fiercely. I reached out and touched her delicate features that she had passed to me. I memorized every detail of her deep brown eyes. I looked at my father. Dark black blue eyes. My own. It was only when the Roman said it was time to leave did everything slow down. Riding away from my family was dragged out cruelly. Every step my horse took seemed slow and deliberate. When we were only fifty yards away, I took one last look, memorized it, and didn't look back again. Galina's sobs continued for hours and Branwain was paler than snow. I could offer no comfort. I could not hold them and tell them it would be okay because I didn't know if it would be. I could not tell them that it would get better because I didn't know if would. And so I did nothing. I said nothing as we rode to another tribe and picked up two more boys. Apparently the boys from my mother's tribe were already on their way to the empire. I remember the satchel that someone had pressed into my hand. Inside were a few coins and a gold ring with coral inlay. I was surprised that anyone had thought to give me gold. Why waste gold that on a girl that will never return? I hid it away and drew my mother's sword. It was not long at all but made for slashing and chopping. It was well made. Both sides were razor sharp, but one side was straight while the other was curved. The hilt was a little large for my hand, but I would grow into it. I sheathed the sword and stared straight ahead.

For the fortnight it took to get to Gaul, I said nothing. Galina and Branwain talked, but rarely. We passed through many towns and cities and for the first time in days I forgot what my life was about to become. I had lived on the steppes my whole life, and I had never seen building after building all crammed together. I saw huge marble buildings that I understood had once been temples to Roman gods. No longer though, not since the spread of Christianity. I made note of the Roman's hypocrisy. One year, they were killing Christians; the next, they were killing pagans. Their new religion taught kindness, love, and moderation, yet they were (for the most part) the cruelest, greediest people I had every seen. Such an empire could not last.

We arrived at a small town in Gaul three weeks after we had left home. We were sent to barracks with the other "barbarians". There were a few Sarmatians, most of them about to be sent to Britain though.

"Damned pigs… They call us barbarians, but they steal our women when the men run out!" An angry looking young man said once he heard what had happened. He looked to be about twenty, and I could read the hatred in his eyes. "Don't worry. Lionel and I will take care of you."

Another Sarmatian who looked to be a year or two younger than the first stepped up. He saw the flicker of anger in Branwain's face at the suggestion that we needed a caretaker and smiled.

"What Balin here means, is that we will guard your backs against the Romans, if you watch ours." He said charmingly. I grinned slightly as I saw Branwain's face relax. He had saved his friend from a good tongue lashing from Branwain, and at the same time tried to make it seem as if they needed us to help them. "How old are you sweet flowers?" He asked us. Galina blushed a charming shade of pink and put a hand over her gracefully arched nose to hide her smile.

"Fourteen." Branwain said.

"Thirteen." I replied.

"And I am sixteen." Galina said after her blush had faded.

"I am Lionel and I am eighteen summers old. I am at your service fair ladies…" And with that he gave a sweeping bow. When he straightened up his curling black hair was in his eyes and he swished it back aristocratically. I liked him already.

"Well I'm Balin and I too am at your service. Though I'm not going to bow like this fairy…" Balin mumbled. His own light brown hair was wavy and fell to his shoulders. He was of average height, with a sturdy build. Lionel gave him a good natured look at his words.

"Don't be jealous of my bow just because you move like a tree stump. It's not my fault your mother and that bull-" He began but was cut off as Balin leapt upon him. Then began an amusing brawl. Everyone crowded around and I saw coins passing between hands as the wagers began.

" 'Like to bet against Balin?" A stringy haired boy asked me. I measured to two of them up. Balin was stronger, but Lionel was almost like oil as he constantly slid out from underneath Balin. I shook the boy's hand and watched.

"Like I said Balin, one night your mother was bored with her husband and so she went outside and-" That earned him a solid punch to the stomach.

"And how would you know about my mother?" Balin asked, his voiced laced with triumph as he pinned Lionel. In one fluid movement Lionel had thumped Balin's windpipe and had him by the neck.

"Well its what she told me when she woke up in the morning after we-" Balin let out a roar and tried to flip Lionel over but Lionel was ready. He snaked a foot under Balin's legs and knocked him flat. There were several cheers and I turned the boy next to me and held out my hand. He grudgingly dropped a few coins in my hand and walked away. Lionel saw the coins in my hands and smiled proudly. He slung an arm around my shoulder and grandly presented the large room we were in.

"Welcome to your new home." He said.

"Lovely." I said dryly. He smiled.

"Always good to meet someone with open eyes." He said patting me on the back. "You've got fifteen years. You live in this room with the rest of us. You eat, drink, and train with us. Cause trouble, and you'll be whipped like a dog. You're expected to ride perfectly and to know the basic cavalry skills, but it's always better to know more. Show skill and they'll ship you off to a bigger post like Britain. It's more dangerous, but there's a good deal more freedom. If you're weak or unskilled, you'll spend the rest of your days here and believe me, it's hell. Balin and I have been here for five winters and we've hated every day of it. We're due to go to Britain in the winter though."

I took all of it in and looked around. Hell indeed. I knew eventually be sent to another outpost if what Lionel said was true. I could handle a sword better than anyone I knew. Branwain and Galina were not bad either.

"What's training like?"

"Harsh. Six days a week they'll drill you like a dog. We spend the first half of the day doing basic things with the auxiliary. Roman sword training, spears and such. Its stupid really, we're not soldiers. We're Sarmatian Cavalry. Anyways after noon you spend the rest of the day with Praefect and a Sarmatian. The Praefect's job is to watch over it all…make sure were not preparing for a rebellion. The Sarmatian, Bela, will train you in every manner of warfare. Don't cross him, he's somewhat allied himself with the Romans. His duty was over years ago, but they pay him good to train us." Lionel said. Balin had walked up and was listening.

"You train with what he tells you to." Balin said warningly. "He tells you to spar with a knife; you want to shoot your bow, too bad. When you get sent to a new post you'll pick your own weapons."

I nodded. I would use whatever weapon he told me to. A weapon was a weapon and blood was blood. I could set aside my preference for a while.

"This is…" Galina said walking up to me. She couldn't find the words though. Branwain walked up.

"Well cousin," I said. "You've always wanted adventure."

She smiled roguishly. "And you've always wanted a purpose."

"I see no purpose here." I said grimly. She smiled bitterly.

"Well, how about blood?" Galina asked softly.

"That will have to do." I said and prepared to go to bed.

Balin woke me up in the morning.

"Come and greet the sun, Hecate." Lionel said. I looked at him curiously.

"Hecate was the Greek goddess of death." He said. I raised an eyebrow. I had not known he was learned.

"And that relates to me how?" I asked. He scrutinized my face.

"I've been told you enjoy killing." He said and I saw it was a question. Galina would be the one to say such a thing. Branwain was more understanding.

"I enjoy battle. Death is… Only part of it." I said as I put on my thick tunic over my thin shirt. I grimaced. My chest was growing and I would soon need a new tunic. "Damn it all to hell." I said darkly. Balin looked over from where he was tightening his belt.

"You'll need to hide you figure around the men at this post." He said somberly. "Your face can't be helped, but you could try and make yourself look shapeless."

"Or at least till you're tall enough to defend yourself." Lionel said with a huge smile.

"I'll grow." I said firmly. Neither of my parents were short so I hope I might grow a little taller.

"Aye, but in the mean time you're growing in other places!" He said and slapped my shoulder. I narrowed my eyes at him and woke up Galina who had fallen back asleep.

We were allotted a small but filling breakfast and then hustled out to a field. We were handed old rusty swords and made to spar for a long while. All the Sarmatian's were better than the Romans I noticed proudly. A Sarmatian was trained as an individual warrior, while a Roman would be trained as just another shield and spear. We had mock battles and went over battle tactics. That I took a great liking to. I had never before studied organized warfare. I saw the logic behind many of the Roman tactics, but I still resented just being treated as a soldier and not a warrior in my own right. There were gawking faces and shouts of disbelief everywhere we went, but by the time we went to our Sarmatian captain, it was fairly well accepted that there were now three females being trained along side the men. Bela was heavily Romanized. I saw the Sarmatian pride about him, but he would please the Romans if it meant keeping his face clean shaven and his hair trimmed close to his head. I could not read his face when he stood in front of Galina, Branwain and I. Was he proud of the three girls who had lived up to the legend of the mixing of Amazons and Scythians? Or did he think we were just three new problems who needed to be dealt with? I did not know.

"What weapons are you familiar with?" He asked Branwain briskly.

"Sword, bow, dagger." She answered nervously. He turned to Galina, but she would not look him in the eye.

"Bow, dagger." She said quietly. Her willowy frame made swordplay difficult. He grimaced and turned to me. I stared back into his flinty eyes with out flinching. I was not going to allow myself to be intimidated by this man. The same Sarmatian blood ran through our veins.

"Swords, dagger, hand to hand, spear, bow, axe." My father was a well respected warrior among our people and he had taught his daughter well. Bela nodded curtly and backed away.

"You will not be given any special treatment. Do not come to me with female problems; you can go into town for that. I expect you to train just as hard as the men. You will not make a fool out of me. Do what I ask of you, and in a few years you will be sent to Britain like the rest of the men." And with that he began ordering everyone around. An hour into training and I almost envied the Romans. They had it easy compared to us. Bela was unforgiving and harsh. We sparred for hours upon hours until it was dark. When it was time for us to go get our cold supper, he nodded a sharp approval to us.

"Gods be damned I hurt…" Branwain said unabashedly as she sat next to me. I only nodded and tore at my crude bread with my teeth. I was covered in bruised from wooden swords.

"I bet you do my flower. Rest assured tomorrow will be archery or wrestling. Think of it! More muscles to pull! More bruises to be gained!" Lionel said gaily sitting next to Branwain. She scowled at him. Already I could see the endless hours of amusement to be had watching Branwain and Lionel banter. Balin sat in between Galina and I and looked over at the other two.

"What is there to do around here?" Galina asked. Balin looked at her surprised.

"This isn't a normal post. This is hell. You train and you sleep. You'll see in a few days." He said knowingly. "You'll be so worn out; fun won't even cross your mind."

Balin proved to be right. The next few days were sufficient to prove it. Everyday we trained with the Romans and then Bela. Each day we practiced with a different weapon. I enjoyed my studies of warfare with a fervor that surprised my instructors including Bela. I learned to treat wounds effectively, though Galina excelled in it. When our day was finished, we retired to our barracks and ate and slept. On the one day we had to ourselves, we spent it together. Home was a popular topic though I found my thoughts turning more and more towards the future. Lionel and Balin became our fast companions. Lionel and Branwain argued constantly and I must say I enjoyed it. As the weather turned cold I could see Lionel and Balin's growing excitement. They would be shipped to Britain where they would probably become knights. I was happy that at least some of us were getting out of this hellhole, but I knew things would be worse with out them. The day came for them to leave and I found myself close to tears.

"I guess this is it then." Lionel said and for once he had nothing witty to say. Galina embraced both of them and stepped back quickly. Branwain, to my surprise, burst into tears and hugged Lionel. I was suddenly ashamed that I had not even thought about my two oldest friends' sorrow. Balin drew me into a fierce hug and I returned it. He kissed me full on the mouth in a chaste way and passed me to Lionel. Lionel cupped my chin and smiled.

"Lighten up Hecate. Give me a smile with that pretty face." I raised an eyebrow and did as I was told. His smile grew even broader and he kissed the top of my head. They got on their horses and were gone. It was the last time I would ever see Balin.

Aight here's the deal. I'm gonna be more merciful to the knights, but expect some character deaths. And the main story is about Isolde and the knights, I'm just taking my time getting to it! REVIEWWWW!