A/N- okay this is the conclusion toCamille's past. Now I can return to the present, phew. I want tosay thanks a million to my three most faithful and favorite reviewers, ephona, eradwyn, and meraculus.
As Wynth cried herself to sleep in Talorot's embrace, the trees, campfire, and the people sleeping around it, disappeared to be replaced by the stolid nondescript features of the sickroom. Camille shook herself as if to clear her head.
"As you may well imagine my parents married and lived together at the wall. My mother bore two girls my sister, Gwendolyn, and myself. Her execution, some called it murder, of Gowan Kelbraiugh would come back to haunt her though. After my father had finished his term on the wall. They moved to a small settlement just north of the wall to be among some of my mother's remaining kinsmen and friends. I grew up there, quite content with my lot in life. When I was almost fourteen, a striking new warrior joined our camp. His name was Teak and he was the possessor of my little-girl's heart from the moment I laid eyes on him. Far from noticing a scruffy little girl who snuck out of her household chores and went to shoot and spar with the boys, he had his eyes set on Gwendolyn. Teak had a dark secret however, one that would destroy my family and my life as I knew it. One day, early morning, we woke, besieged by roman infantry. The men ran for their weapons and my mother ushered the women and children into a secure area, ever the commanding warrior. Foolish as I was, I ran for Teak and threw myself at his feet where he was lounging with his breakfast. I should have noticed that this was unusual since you could hear the sounds of battle, but in my eyes, he could do no wrong. I told him to flee, for since he was a Caledonian war hero, he would certainly be a target. He laughed at me and when I insisted and became hysterical, slapped my face, knocking me down. When I recovered consciousness I ran back to my village to find our warrior's dead or fleeing, routed by the Romans. In the center I saw my mother, her hands bound, on her knees. Teak paced in front of her his sword unsheathed. I heard him laugh at her and tell her
"Now you will pay, murdering whore, for murdering my father"
"Gowan was a liar, informant, traitor, and slave scum, not fit for my blade!" she spat back at him, unafraid. His face purpled and in one motion he stepped forward and ran her through. I did not scream. I knew that if I was found I would be murdered as well. I hid sobbing silently, as they looted the village and left. As if they were mere trifles, Teak took her swords and cleaned them scornfully on her dress. When they had left I ran to her side. Her red hair was streaked with gray and her eyes were no longer steel gray but glazed over and colorless in death. I closed them for her and said a prayer. After a few minutes searching, I found my father, his body trampled into the mud. The pigs had even taken the amber beads woven into his braids. Continuing on numbly, I came upon Gwendolyn. She was dead; her beautiful face mutilated and slashed open. I dragged their bodiesto a campfire,my best attempt at a pyre and burned them, crying out all the tears inside. They next day dawned gray, like my mother's eyes. Looking at the sky I could almost feel her next to me and I could hear her voice, as well as my father's debating as they so loved to do.
"Hunt down the bastard, take up my swords and bow" she whispered,
"My little girl, you are a warrior among warriors" hebreathed "Live in remembrance of us"
"Avenge us," whispered Gwendolyn in my ears.
I realize now that I was delirious from grief and shock, but I would swear upon all the gods that he shades of my family lingered with me advising and comforting me. I had seen Teak depart with not only the blades of my mother, but the dirk of my father, his favorite weapon and tool, the same with which he had tracked down my mother. Both my parents had passed down a fierce pride that demanded vengeance, as they had sought in their own lives at some point. Coupled with my mother's stubbornness and my father's wisdom, I had no choice but to don a weak, poorly-made roman blade, discarded in favor of some spoil or another, and strike out against the man who had become my mortal enemy. Eventually I did find and kill Teak; I'll spare you the details, but when he died I retrieved my mother's swords and my fathers dirk. They are the weapons I carry today. I was lucky in that Teak was a healthily detested man with many enemies, so no one protested at his death nor pried too closely into the identity of his killer. Still whispers spread about me, and soon challengers appeared, seeking to slay a celebrity killer. Thankfully, the skill and cunning I had inherited from my ancestors saw me through any such messy affairs, and my sex, as well as the fact that it was self-defense, always protected me from legal action. Unfortunately, other, more clever ears heard tell of my skills and sought to employ me. These ears were roman and knowing that I would never accept a roman master, sought to entrap me. This man, very high ranking, and too powerful for me to mention his name, sent a band of men to ambush me. They were to engage me in combat and if I were to dispatch a few of his cronies, well they were expendable. I managed to take out three of them before being taken myself. They marched me back to the wall and the five survivors declared me their attacker, who had wrongfully ambushed them, murdering three. Against five male witnesses, I had no chance of acquittal, especially before a roman commander who feared me himself. Feeling no qualms, he sentenced me to death, only to be thwarted by the politician, who swooped in pardoning me on the condition that I would take up service with him. I was to perform ten missions in his service and then my penance would be through. Under the wing of this man, I killed his enemies and went as far as to fight the gladiators in the arena of Rome.
For final mission, he sent me back to Britain my homeland, Caledonia, in fact, to track down the godson of the pope, Alecto, and give his father valuable information about the man's political enemies back in Rome. The mission was one of suicide and we both knew it. I took it readily, however, feeling there was nothing left to live for. When I reached the shore of Britain and disembarked the leaky boat in which I had crossed the water, a feeling I had assumed I would never feel again knocked me over. What some call the "witchery of Britain" went running through my veins and I realized that if I were to survive, I would be free, no longer anyone to kill, fight or beat on for the politician. I felt a weight lift from my shoulders as the weight of the bodies of my mother, father, and sister left. Their shades kissed my cheeks and forehead, silent goodbyes. I wove my way through the trees, towns, and roads of this land until I heard that a corps of Sarmatian knights was headed my way. Curious to meet those who were of my father's homeland; I tracked them and rode ahead to meet them. From there, you know the rest of my story."
"Quite the life you've led, Vanora sighed, a bit jealous, even as she wiped a tear from her cheek. "And the weapons of your parents?" she asked. Camille smiled,
"I am surprised you have not guessed" she motioned at the side of her bed where, her two long swords were sheathed next to the belt that contained the dirk.
"They are!" Camille nodded and smiled. It felt good to finally have shared her sorrow, her joy, and her story at last.
Please review! I need two new reviews to post the next chapter! Thanks and bon nuit!