Alexandra-Yes! Thank you…The "loves" are different.
Gil-hahaha wow! Ouch! But not everyone loves her...March may not even love her
Dear God, I don't even feel like writing anymore…Just kidding…Because it's my story and I'll be damned if I start catering to how other people think it should be. And just because everyone wants some "oh I love you and only you and I've always known it" Isolde, doesn't mean I'm going to give it to you. That would be a Mary Sue. I mean people make mistakes…It doesn't make her a bad person just cause she's not immediately ready to marry Tristan… Just uhh! Ok fine anyways. My story, not yours NANANANA!
Haha that's the most reviews I've ever had for one chapter! Wow..ahah Ok Well I just thought I'd clear some stuff up. Ok put yourself in Isolde's shoes… How many people go through life only having an infatuation with or loving only one person? I mean people date and have crushes before settling right? Nod your heads and say yes. And if you were young and you had never had a… sort of passionate, young, stupid relationship… you might just be susceptible to a hot half naked guy…Especially when she had seen him on and off for a few years and he kissed her and thought she was attractive…Yes? Yes. I mean and as for hoppin in to bed that quick, think of highschool and college students…Wow. At least she's not in an orgy… She is 21. She is young and she missed out on a lot of growing up. Some childish urges were bound to come out sometime. AND HOW COULD YOU THINK I WOULD KILL OF TRISTAN? DON'T YOU KNOW ME WELL ENOUGH BY NOW TO KNOW I WOULD NEVER KILL OFF TRISTAN! But we'll see how well it turns out… I absolutely promise you that it won't be resolved in some stupid, mary sueish, "I can never forgive you…I'm going to run away and do something stupid…then you rescue me and we'll make sweet sweet love…" way. Isolde just has to figure out what love is… I mean I kind of based it on relationships today…Everyone thinks they're in love and blabla divorces and highschool relationships with stupid break ups. Sometimes people are slow to recognize the truth…Whether its good or bad… I'm trying to make Isolde act her age a wee lil bit… Just a tad but soon you will all have the old cunning, cold Isolde back! She will actually come to realizations instead of passionate outburst… Wow I hope haven't given everything away! But I didn't want yall to foam at the mouth and boycott my story… By the way, my other story is starting off realllly slow I know, but it's going to get better. It's going to involve an actual love triangle where the other girl isn't a heinous bitch…It will be sort of bittersweet I suppose.
PS- March isn't a bad guy…He's just a funny woad who loves Isolde in an…infatuated way. He's not "the One" though…So don't go crazy.
PSS- Ealasaid is an old variation of Elizabeth, who was Mark's sister in the legend.
I woke up in the morning and sat up. I was famished. I quickly made my way to the kitchens, leaving March and Geraint sleeping in my room. I filched a small loaf of black bread and a some cheese. I was just about to leave when I remembered that Geraint would be starving. How to feed an infant… I looked at my food pitifully.
"Lady, how do you feed a babe?" I asked a hefty looking cook with a flushed face and arms. She looked at me while wiping her brow.
"Not yours eh?" She said eyeing my chest.
"No." I said stonily. The idea of nursing a child revolted me more than any man could understand.
"Does the child have any' teeth yet? You could chew some food aroun' then spit it out for the infant." She said seriously. The food I was munching on suddenly tasted rather bland. She raised an eyebrow at my repulsed expression. "Weeeell girl…You can put some milk in a skin and let it suck on that."
I nodded. That I could do. I looked around for something to use. A small drinking horn caught my eye and I picked it up. That would do nicely. The woman handed me a bit of leather and I twisted it into a soft, sturdy cone. The cook held the horn still while I grabbed a stein of goat's milk and poured some into the horn.
"Thank you." I said as I tied the leather to the opening of the horn. She nodded wearily and went back to work. I groaned as I began walking through the hall to our rooms. Children were so much work!
"Well, I'm fairly surprised. I thought you would have been killed ages ago." I heard a voice said. I turned around slowly and felt my face curl in a sneer.
"Scato." I said his name like the name of a plague. "Why have you decided to grace us with your presence? Is that perfume I smell?"
"No." He said annoyedly. "I thought a dog would have a better sense of smell. If you must know, I'm here to escort the Bishop back to Rome."
I snorted at his pose of valor and nobility.
"I cannot wait to be rid of this damned island. This place is nothing but a rock sticking out of the sea."
"Really. That's nice. Well it was lovely seeing you again." I turned to leave but his voice stopped me.
"By the way, what ever happened to that girl…What was her name? Brenna? Brigid?" He asked. I turned around and forced a smile onto my face. His smile was cruel and I knew he had heard of Branwain's death.
Maybe it was the fact that I was about to lose all my friends or maybe it was March, but I decided to let my temper get the best of me. I splashed some of Geraint's milk in Scato's face and watched his reaction. He closed his eyes in disbelief and wiped his eyes.
"It's a shame they didn't get you along with the bitch." He said hoarse with anger. I eyed his nose and the crooked spot where I had broken it. I smiled with gritted teeth. I struck my arm towards his face and felt his nose break. I left him howling and bleeding on the ground.
"Hello love." March said as I entered the room. He was still stretched out on the bed. Once again I wondered what on earth I had done…But then I reminded myself that I had no obligations to Tristan and it was my own body. Geraint was sitting up and looking at me. He cooed happily and held his tiny arms out.
"Here you go basha." I said scooping up the boy. His dark gold hair was like a crown.
"What does it mean? Basha?" March asked from the bed. I smiled at him.
"It means prince in the old language." I said while helping Geraint discover how to feed from the horn. He quickly took to the taste of goat's milk.
"Would you like to spar?" I asked once Geraint was finished. I hefted him over my shoulder and patted his back all the while praying he wouldn't barf on my tunic.
"Maybe later. Why don't we go on a ride?" He said with his green eyes shining. I wanted to have a sword in my hand, but I could always practice with Tristan or Arthur later. "I've always wanted to see my land from that wall."
"Then let's go." I said and he stood up to dress.
"Where will you be sent Isolde?" March asked me as we walked along the wall. It was nearly noon and I knew Geraint would be getting hungry again. I thought about it for a moment. When the Arthur went back to Rome and the Romans abandoned Britain, I would have to be assigned to a new post. Galina and I could be sent even farther away from home…
"I will go where I am told to go." I said plainly. I had no other choice. In the end, I was nothing more than a soldier in the eyes of Rome.
"You could stay here. We would hide you." He said taking my hand. I looked at our joined hands.
"I could never return home. No family…No knights." I said after a moment. I was in my burgundy dress and the sun was stifling. I thought of the worst part. "Arthur would be disappointed."
"You would sacrifice another eight years of your life to-" He began but I cut him off.
"I have known enough men and women in my life to realize that people are like animals in the end. Arthur is one of the few men that has something truly noble in his soul. I would not trade his love for anything." I said, my voice quiet and low. I would give up my very life before losing Arthur's esteem.
March looked away for a moment. We walked in an awkward silence for a while.
"Your knights have arrived." March said as he glanced back. I whipped around to see a trail of horses riding into the gates. I began running back towards the fort. We had walked quite a distance and soon I was panting in the heavy dress. I took four stairs at a time as I bounded towards the inner gates. I ducked in and out of alleyways and into the back of the inner part of the fortress where our quarters were. I paused in the door way of the hall and felt March at my back. The knights were staring at the Bishop with murderous expressions.
"You are free!" The Bishop said with forced joy as Lancelot handed out the last of the rolls of parchment. Discharge papers. Horton shoved past Guinevere to get to Germanius, eager to return to his position of lackey.
"Pelagius, the man who showed me everything good in this world, and now Isolde. There will never be another Isolde. What else will you take from me?" Arthur said in a strained, deadly voice as he stepped near the bishop.
"I loved her! And she's dead now!" Galahad raged half hysterically as Gawain put a warning hand on his chest all the while looking hatefully at Germanius. I looked around at their torn faces. Galina's hair was stringy and pulled at and she had clawed at her face and arms. Bors was sniffling while Dagonet looked damned. Didn't he know what happened wasn't his fault? It wasn't! I chose to follow him. Lancelot was gripping his own paper until his knuckles turned white. I felt something in my stomach squirm guiltily as I watched Tristan quietly drop his paper and stare off into the distance. I had known they would mourn me…But the devotion they were showing made me feel like I never had to be alone again.
"Dead? Arthur, no the girl-" The Bishop said confusedly. Lancelot looked as if he was about to peel the Bishop's skin off his face. March poked my back and I realized that now was the time to step in.
"Hello." I said artlessly as I stepped into view. Alecto looked at me amazedly while Galina started sobbing and threw herself on me before the others could open their mouths. Arthur strode over and embraced me once she let go.
"Isolde…" Gawain's voice was choked. Oh gods… I didn't want them looking at me like I was some spirit… They would want an explanation.
"The woads…They pulled me from the ice." I said gesturing towards March who said nothing. The next few moments were a blur of hugs. Bors squeezed me and lifted me from the ground while Galahad, Gawain and Dagonet all kissed me full on the mouth. Lancelot grasped my shoulders for a moment before hugging me tightly. Tristan came last, but the look on his face did not make me think he simply did not care. He stared me straight into the eyes and put his arms around me. He nearly sagged against me and I saw that there were dark circles under his eyes. I wondered if my "death" had taken sleep from him. I remembered the stance of his shoulders as he watched out over the ice for me. His fingers dug into my back as if to make sure I was really there.
"I'm here. I'm not dead I promise." I said quietly into his hair. I heard March's breath become slightly raspy. But I didn't want to let Tristan go, and so I didn't for a while longer. I stepped back from the dark eyed man and looked around at the knights. Guinevere walked over and embraced March. She clasped my forearm in a greeting as she passed me by. She smiled at me and then nodded to Arthur. She and March began walking away to discuss what I knew to be battle plans.
"I saw you…In the water. You were bleeding and sinking." Dagonet said painfully.
"I was gone for a while…When I came back, I was close to the Saxons. I couldn't call for you. I couldn't move." I said remembering the horror I had felt. I had watched them leave and I had thought I was going to die with a Saxon body over my shoulders. "March pulled me out of the water. He's the cousin of Guinevere."
I saw Arthur and Lancelot relax somewhat. They had both noticed the woads' embrace. Tristan's ear's backed for a moment when he heard me say the woad man's name. His eyes traveled down the dress I was wearing and then back up to the bruise on my neck in the shape of a mouth. I was surprised to see his shoulders slump a bit.
"Geraint. He's in my room." I said to Galina trying to break the awkward silence.
"You need rest. Go to your room and get some sleep. I'll take care of our son." Lancelot said to Galina and I knew she would follow his order. I was always pleased to see Lancelot spend time with his son. He was a surprisingly good father.
"Gods I need a drink." Bors said rubbing his head. Arthur was still quiet and I wondered about what he said of Pelegius…I knew how much Arthur worshipped the Roman who had inscribed ever noble idea into him as a boy. His gaze was still sad, though thankful as he watched me for a moment. It suddenly occurred to me that Arthur needed someone. Man, woman or child, just someone who was like him. Who understood what it was like for him…No matter how much time he spent with us, he was always slightly set apart from us. He was our commander, half Roman. He was a Christian and he wanted a righteous purpose. Burdens and responsibilities of leadership weighed heavily on him…Arthur needed a partner.
"You see Arthur? She is alive! By the grace of God no doubt…" The Bishop's voice faded as Arthur gave him an indescribable look. "Ah yes I almost forgot! As a token of the Holy Father's gratitude, Rome has put the last two Sarmatian knights under your authority. You may consider them your own paid guards."
The Bishop looked hopefully at Arthur, thinking that it would salve his wounds.
Well this was news. Galina looked questioningly at me. Arthur stayed still for a moment before walking off, saying nothing to the Bishop. This was good I decided…For the remaining eight years we would be with Arthur. He could order us to go home. Galina looked relieved. I personally no longer cared where I went. Once the others were gone, I could only hope to at least have a sword in my hand. Being with Arthur was wonderful though. The Bishop strode off angryily with Horton at his heels.
I suddenly found myself starving…My dress was looser on me and I knew that I had lost some weight over the past few weeks. I decided to gain it back. Bors excused himself to go see his family Galina and Lancelot went off to the barracks. Arthur squeezed my shoulder once more before heading back to his quarters. That left Tristan, Galahad, Gawain, Dagonet and me. We silently made our way to the kitchens.
"You will leave in the morning?" I asked looking at each of them. After collecting a copious amount of food, we had sat down where the auxiliary usually took their meals.
"Yes." Gawain said clearly.
"At first light." Galahad said. He was already dreaming of it.
"That woad, he was Guinevere's cousin?" Dagonet asked after a moment.
"Yes…Merlin's nephew." I said shortly. I didn't much feel like discussing him with the knights. I could only imagine their feelings about my taking a woad lover. Especially a woad I barely knew.
"He saved you?" Tristan asked peering at me from behind his braids. Perhaps it was my imagination, but the tattoo on my neck seemed to tingle. I nodded.
"He and his sister, Ealasaid." Perhaps they would ask me about the sister now…Not the brother. We all felt uncomfortable for a few moments. It seemed so obvious to me…They all probably had guess about March…Uhhh…
"What happened to my wine?" Galahad asked looking at his empty cup. Gawain looked away and scratched his nose. I smiled as the tension faded away. At that moment in time, I wanted nothing more than to spend time with my knights.
Blah. Hope you all liked it…
