A/N: Thanks for all your patience with the whole recent criticism thing, (if you don't know what I'm talking about, its probably better that way) The issue has come to a happy resolution, and I removed the verbal reprimand or what ever you want to call it to prevent further conflict. Just so you know, the wild part of Brittania during the roman occupation was known sometimes as Caledonia. Please give me feedback!
As they galloped along the wide dirt road most of the men had jubilant thoughts of their coming freedom. Lancelot however had his mind on a completely different subject. He glanced over at Camille. She rode tall and strong, like one of the men, a few wisps of hair pulled free by the wind. Riding next to Bors she struck up a conversation "What will you do when we reach the wall Bors?" "Kiss me wife and hug me bastards." He responded bluntly.
She laughed and continued, "Yes, I have heard tales of your Vanora's beauty throughout the land" He beamed proudly at this and the other knights laughed softly, adding, "Yes, she's quite the beauty". "Well she supposed "I guess I shall be of use to none but the roman garrison, I'm sure I could never hold a candle to her." Bors smiled again at this but Gwain, frowning, cautioned "Stay away from the soldiers, they're brutes" Lancelot scowled at the thought of the soldiers "they're loose men with no morals, and would do you harm at a moment's thought." "Are they such fearsome fighters that I could not defend myself?" she questioned "They have no honor, they would gang up on you in groups of more than seven" Galahad answered disgustedly "They are pigs and cowards," agreed Tristran.
"You are so supportive of fellow soldiers" she remarked "I thought it was the way of the soldier to be forever brother in arms" "They are not our brothers" Galahad said bitterly, "We do not serve the Romans, we serve Arthur" Dagonet added. "I see," she allowed "then I shall be sad to part from your company when we reach the wall" "You're leaving?" Lancelot asked abruptly "perhaps" she answered frowning, "Many things depend on the sequence of events as they occur." "Have you ever been to Hadrian's wall?" asked Arthur "Only in dreams" she smiled. "I promise you, it's a sight to be seen and not soon forgotten" he assured her as she rode up beside him "Ahh, there it is, over that hill" he pointed, and her gaze followed, eyes widening at the magnificent edifice of rock and mortar. "It's lovely" she gasped, "all I had imagined and more" he grinned, enjoying her reaction, although it was quite common. A dot appeared at the ramparts, waving a red flag, "They see us coming?" she guessed "Yes" he confirmed "they're giving the signal to open the gate"
As if on cue, the huge spiked gates began to creak and moan as if injured as they swung open inch by painful inch. "Legend says, when you ride through those gates for the first time, a beautiful woman wakes weeping for your folly." Lancelot told her, his eyes laughing. "And what folly is that?" she retorted, "that you're destined to receive fleas from the first barmaid you kiss!" Arthur snorted at this outrageous tale his friend had clearly made up then was forced to bite his tongue to keep from laughing when she replied "well hopefully I shan't be kissing any barmaids in the future, and you needn't worry since I'm sure you already have the fleas!"
Gwain rode up and queried hopefully "If I put on a dress and handed you a tankard of ale, would you kiss me?" "Depending on how drunk I was, I'd kiss you without the dress" she responded, giving raise to great hilarity. "Is that a threat or a promise" asked Tristran "and does it apply to all of us?" added Galahad eagerly. "Perhaps I will make it my goal to kiss each one of you before I go" she teased "We would greatly appreciate that my lady" chortled Bors, making a ridiculous bow from the saddle.
Riding up beside her Lancelot asked "Would you kiss me if you weren't drunk and I was wearing men's clothing?" She cocked her head and smiled, as if taking his measure. Then suddenly, she leaned out from her saddle, standing in the stirrups, and brushed her lips against his. Smiling at his astonishment she cautioned him "Now that is just going to have to do my good sir knight" Coming out of his initial shock, a huge grin split his face and kicking his horse into a gallop, he rode out to the front and spurred his charger again, so that it reared back, pawing the air with its front hooves. Trotting back to his place beside her, he leaned out just as suddenly, grasped the back of her neck with one hand, buried the other in her hair, and pulled her into a deep, passionate, and certainly less chaste kiss. Cheers rent the air at this reckless boyish act. When he leaned back into his saddle, she looked just as shocked as he had and he responded to her previous warning "For now my good lady I shall be content with that" Among uproarious hooting and laughter she drew one of her swords and slapped his horse's rump with the flat, sending the high-strung animal into a gallop, which she charged after on her mount, yelling in mock outrage.
After unpacking their horses and gear, the knights headed to the courtyard of the fortress, which functioned as a tavern as well as an open yard. The knights greeted their favorite barmaids with hugs and kisses, but more than one sent a brief envious glance towards Lancelot, who had Camille to accompany him, his arm around her shoulders as he guided her around his sometime home. "Vanora" Bors yelled, striding around as if he owned the place "Vaaannnoraaaaaa!" A tall handsome woman with brown wavy hair and a sweet, kindly face emerged with several children in tow. She approached him sternly then slapped his face, demanding "Where Have you been? I've been waiting for you!" "Ahh such passion" Bors declared lustily, before pulling his wife into a long, intense embrace. "Come my bastards; tonight we dine like kings" Bors roared to his children as they cheered and followed him.
"Vanora, meet Camille" Lancelot laughed pulling both women onto his lap and put his lips to Vanora's neck. "Pleased to meet you Camille" she laughed then slapped Lancelot playfully "My lover is watching you!" "Ahh well, if you must break my heart, would you at least bring me some ale to soothe my wounded pride?" he replied mournfully as she got up and went to the bar. Camille slid from his lap to the bench beside him and added "and I have no cause to sit in you lap, my friend, I'm not your woman" he smirked, eyes smoldering, as he retorted "Not yet!"
Several roman soldiers came over to the table and the biggest one said in a hearty, if not a bit condescending voice "ahh my sarmatian friend! How good to see you and your fellows back! Perhaps a game of dice?" "Gladly" he answered, smiling in return, although his eyes were cold, "It is always a pleasure to remove a man of his wages" "Well, let's see who dame fortune favors this night!" the roman responded, his own eyes narrowing slightly "Although it would seem that you have a head start" his head acknowledging Camille. Several dice throws later and a fairly significant amount of money passed either way across the table, the roman, sure of his superiority, and extremely intoxicated slurred "You're far too pretty a wench to suffer the charms of a foreigner; come give me a kiss and I'll pet your feathers the right way tonight! Besides he carries a short sword!" his companions, also drunk, sniggered at the suggestion as they eyed her themselves. She smiled, coldly as she said "Sadly I do not kiss, let alone lay with animals"
Even through the haze of drink the man could see the insult and roared, standing clumsily "You dirty whore! I'll teach you respect" Lancelot stood snarling, "She's NOT a whore!" Camille stood slowly an touched his arm whispering "Let me…" She walked over to the roman captain, smiling seductively as he leered drunkenly and said "that's more like it, seee allit takes isa stronghhhand" "yes" she smiled and touched his face swallowing her disgust at the stubble and dirt on his jaw. Swiftly she raked her nails down his face, leaving four deep gashes, which immediately welled with blood. As he stared at her in astonishment she smiled again and brought her knee up sharply into his groin sending him to the ground, moaning in agony. She knelt down drawing one of her rapiers "I do not dirty my blade on fools, but cross my path again, my stupid friend and you will pay YOUR respect to me in cold steel"
She rose quickly her sword immediately resting in the hollow of the second soldier's throat. "Back off" she instructed him cordially. A third moved forward menacingly and the second rapier immediately cleared leather and landed on his nose, "must I slay one of you to get my point across?" "I wouldn't mess with her my slow-witted mate" chuckled the rest of the knights, gathering around the tables "We've watched her dispatch three woads twice her size and double her weight in less than five minutes" Renewed fear and grudging respect rose in their eyes as the backed away and bowed their submission.
"I would've slain the fool for you" Lancelot told her seriously "Well" she said cupping his face with her hand "I was worried that I might one day require your help with a much more lethal opponent and didn't want to owe you a debt" He smiled at this tactful way of nursing his pride. Seeing him smile, she felt the sadness well up inside her and burying her hands in his own curls drew him into a desperate kiss.
When she released him, he saw that a single tear had escaped her resolve and rolled down her porcelain cheek as if a precedent to a storm. Concerned he laid her head against his chest and murmured into her hair "What is wrong?" Sitting up she closed her eyes and said "I must leave you on a mission tonight. It is dangerous and I do not exaggerate when I say that I may not survive to see you again" He looked stunned at this admission.
"Where are you going?" he asked weakly. She smiled sadly "I cannot tell you, which makes parting from you even more bitter. I Shall miss all of you greatly-" She projected to the rest of the room, addressing the other knights "But you," she lowered her voice "You I think I shall miss most of all" she caressed his cheek again "You will return" he said desperately, "because if you do not I will never love again" "Love," she laughed softly, trying to keep more tears from falling "We've only known each other a few days" "Which makes me more desperate to hold on to you" he responded "Is there any way I can keep you?" "No, I owe a debt that must be paid" she said brokenly more tears seeping from beneath her lashes against her will. "Well then let's go out with a bam" he whispered, "I'll never forget you" she sighed into his lips as they kissed once again. He brought his hand to her face where he could feel the tears running down, like Caledonian rain. "And how could I possibly forget you?" he murmured in return. "I will return, by all that I know, I will return to you." She cried with that she broke from his embrace and hurried around to each of the knights, kissing them on the cheek before running from the courtyard towards the stables. Ten minutes later he heard the thump of hooves against the hard dirt of the fortress as she rode out of towards the gates as quickly as she had ridden into his heart.
Thank you very much for reading! please review!