Abandoned

Shakira managed to bring Gabriel to see Tristan before he went off to another battle. She was staying because she was to meet Arthur and the Knights when they arrived.

Gabriel was being taken care of by Anuk because Shakira was now working as a healer for the wounded warriors being brought back.

She stood beside her husband as he was preparing to ride off into battle. She held the reins of his horse as he put his sword in its sheath. He touched her face softly as she smiled, not certain that she would ever smile again. 'I love you,' he said softly as he watched her lips as if hypnotized.

'And I love you,' she sad as she pulled him forward for a kiss. She let go of the horse before burying her fingers in his hair as his tongue wrestled with hers. 'Don't….die…ok?' she breathed as he pulled her forward for another kiss.

'Never,' he breathed as he pulled back. 'Kiss Gabriel for me.'

'I will,' she said as she stepped back. She looked to the other warriors who were saying their goodbyes to their families. She watched a very pregnant Anuk passionately kissing her husband as his hands touched her stomach.

Gawain and Galahad stood beside Tristan on their horses. 'We'll see you Kira,' Galahad said and put a hand on her shoulder.

'You'll be fine,' she said smiling. 'Besides….I don't think their pony's can jump.'

Gawain chuckled and hugged her lightly before Tristan held the nape of her neck as she kissed him again. Galahad whistled and Tristan grinned against her mouth and put on a bigger show. He pulled back looking extremely smug and Shakira looking flushed. Gawain mounted his horse smiling as Galahad mumbled 'Show off.'

0-0-0

They had been gone a week. Shakira was forever healing and watching men die around her. Just when she was loosing hope Arthur the Knights and Guinevere and Jet arrived. All of them looked worried and extremely tired. Guinevere told her they hardly slept in their rush to get here. Shakira told Arthur everything that had been happening and the Knights left straight away to join Tristan, Galahad and Gawain in the battlefield.

'Aunty Jet!' Gabriel squealed when he saw her.

'Hello there little man,' she said with a laugh. She kissed his cheek before he ran off to be with the Woad children.

'Where did you leave your baby?' Shakira asked her. 'With Van?'

'Of course,' she said. 'Michael should be any problem since he's only a few months old.'

'And you Guinevere?' Shakira asked her. 'How do you fare?'

She nodded mutely. 'As well as anyone else. I have not told Arthur yet….for we have more important things to think of. I cannot conceive. I visited a healer in secret and she said it would be hard for me to bare a child.'

'I'm sorry,' Shakira said. 'I feel bad because I am just over two months along with my second.'

Jet laughed and hugged her tightly. 'No wonder you are not on the battlefield! Guinevere you will have a child I know it. Shakira can help.'

'I know,' smiled the Woad. 'But for now we must concentrate on healing these men.'

They worked through all hours of the night. Healing the men and keeping down their fevers. They had word that the Scotsmen were arriving within the day and the western side of the Pics had joined in the fight. Iazyges had been wiped out and Alani were holding their barriers but they would soon loose to the mass amounts of Huns unless the Scotsmen arrived soon.

It had been three days since Guinevere and Jezebel arrived and a rider rode to the middle of the camp hastily. Everyone crowded around the messenger and waited for him to speak. 'They are taking prisoners!' he said loudly. 'Thirty men from the front have been captured and held as prisoners of this war. The Scotsmen are already on the front and have been fighting along side the Sarmatian's and Woads. For those who have been captured let us wish the Gods be with them.'

'Who has been captured?' Shakira called through the crowd. 'You must have names for you would not know the number of men captured if you did not.'

He nodded down at her and handed her a long roll of parchment. 'I'm sorry Lady,' he said sadly before riding off.

'Read it!' a woman called from the back of the crowd.

With shaking hands, she opened the parchment and breathed in deeply.

'Heath of the Woads,' she said in a steady voice. The crowd murmured and she stoped speaking until there was silence once more. 'Allyman of the Woads, Leeward of the Woads, Fredrick of the Sarmatian's…' on and on she spoke the names until she reached the second last name. Tears ran from her eyes as she looked at her husbands name just before Arthur's name.

Jet took the parchment from her hands and read out the last two names. 'No!' Guinevere yelled. She fell to her knees with her hands over her face as she sobbed loudly. Shakira took her into her arms but did not cry. Her grief was to strong to cry. All around them the crowd murmured….some women cried….some stood silent…but everything lost its hope. And for a moment….they could smell their defeat.

0-0-0

The camp was silent now. Gabriel lay sleeping in his tent and the only sounds around were the wind, the random crackles of the fire and hushed voices. Guinevere sat silently beside Jet….staring aimlessly into the fire before her. She had ceased from crying hours earlier and now sat like an empty shell.

'How are you?' Anuk asked Shakira as she sat down beside her.

'I don't know,' she said in a low hurt voice. 'I don't know what to think…I feel worry and hurt…and extremely lonely.'

'He will come back,' Anuk whispered fiercely and she squeezed Shakiras arm.

'I feel a terrible….emptiness…but a part of me is hoping that what my heart is telling me is true. You…,' she stoped speaking as she began to cry. '…you can understand that can't you?' she asked through her tears.

'Yes Kira I can,' she said softly. 'But he is not dead. We cannot loose hope. All we can do is hope and fight this.'

'It hurts,' she chocked. 'I just want him to come back!'

She buried her face in her hands and put her knees to her chest. She was alone.

0-0-0

Gawain and Lancelot rode back to the camp the next day. Shakira walked out of her tent in a blank daze and watched Jet speaking to Lancelot quietly. Both men looked tired and depressed. Gawain saw her standing by the tent and slowly…and somewhat regretfully walked to her.

'He's not dead,' he said looking at the floor. 'They are in a camp and so far…by what we know…they are all alive. We have captured some of their own also. I'm sorry Shakira.'

'And what is everyone going to do about it?' she asked him in a monotone voice. 'Are you waiting to see if they are going to be set free? Or is someone going to get them out?'

'How Shakira?' he asked sadly. 'How do you infiltrate an enemy camp?'

'You're the men! You're the fighters! The great minds behind war and all its worth! I don't care how you do it just do it now!' she said as Gawain took her into his arms. She sobbed in his chest angrily and he stroked her hair.

'He's the strongest one out of all of us,' he whispered fiercely. 'He won't die. Not knowing he made you a promise.'

'I'll help,' she said looking at him. 'I can help.'

'How?' he asked her.

'We kept it a secret since I was a child,' she said as she wiped her eyes. 'I'm a witch Gawain. Jet and Tristan are the only ones who know.'

'Why didn't you say anything?' he said.

'Gawain….do I really need to answer that?' she asked sarcastically. 'I've never really fancied dying by being burned at the stake.'

'We would never do that,' he said looking down at her. 'Witches and seers are rejoiced among our people.'

'Not like me,' she said with an uncomfortably. 'I can do a whole lot of things but….I haven't done any real witchcraft since Gabriel was born. I've had no use for it.'

'We'll keep your secret Kira,' he said as he put an arm around her shoulders. 'Let's see what Lancelot's plan is. He's been talking non stop about an ambush.'

0-0-0

Tristan lay on a cold floor in agony. His armour had been stripped off and he had been beaten with the rest of the men for hours until he could no longer stand. He now lay in a tent with ten other men bloodied and in pain just wishing he could die. He rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. If only he could feel her…jus give her one more kiss…and hear her laugh….watch her tell stories to Gabriel as she showed him figures made of mist as she spoke. He longed to lye back in his bed and watch her undress….or walk into their room after coming back from a mission and find her curled up wearing one of his tunics….for her to wake him in the morning by lightly kissing his face and nibbling on his ear.

No. This was not going to beat him. He was getting out of here. He had a son to raise and another child on the way….he knew his wife would fade away with out him…if she did not take her own life straight after finding out he was dead. He stood up painfully and walked out the men to find Arthur in a corner; just as bloodied and bruised as he. 'Arthur,' he said. He could not bend over without feeling pained so he put his foot to Arthur's side.

'Tristan,' Arthur croaked as he opened his eyes. 'I've given up on prayer, I have given up on God…we must….get out of here.'

'Get up,' Tristan said in an ordering voice. 'Were getting out of here.'

'How?' Arthur asked.

'Any way. I don't care how but I'm going back to my wife.'

0-0-0

Author Note:

lilstrummrgrl527Thanks so much for reviewing. I hope you like this chapter too.
Beth: Thankyou.
KnightMaiden: Thankyou for your review. Everyone counts. You'll have to see if Tristan lives….sometimes his determination can be his down fall. Remember he has no fear of death…but he fears if his family dies. I hope this chapter makes the story more interesting.

So people! Do we think it's still interesting? Should I keep updating? I've given it a bit of an edge….I'm quiet excited about it actually. Thanks so much for reading.

Nikkitagq