Disclaimer: I own nothing for King Arthur or the movie and legends. I just own the Shadows…
Dellis: Don't worry…the pairings…will not be obvious with their similarities…that would not make it interesting. And I know the tiger is not very realistic, but I do not think it is impossible…but it is perfect for a fantasy story and a fanfic for King Arthur…thanks for reading…
Nicole: I have to ask you this…is this the Nicole I know from Pace? If it's not sorry…just wanted to ask…thanks for reading…
Punk monkey: thanks for reading…
Earthsong: String women, magic and interaction of different cultures and that stuffis what I look for in stories as well and what I love writing…Fantasy is my fav…
Kal's Gal: I will as fast as possible…Sorry that this chapter took so long…17 credits is hard to handle…
Shadows of the East
Chapter Two-Land of Bear, Land of Eagle
The Shadows were led back to their group cell and given back their weapons as they were locked up. Tyge and Rowan shared a glance before he walked off to report for duty.
"Well," she said with a sigh turning back to her companions. "I thought that was very refreshing. It is strange how I've missed fighting there, and yet I know I don't belong there. Or is that just me?" she asked sitting on her bed.
"I feel that too," Axe said simply, without explanation. Tyge just smirked.
"I agree," Nikki said cleaning her sword. "I think it's the crowd. It motivates you. Digs down into your very soul."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," D.K. added. "But I do agree with not belonging here."
"Do you feel nothing when in the Colesseum?" Vera asked her calmly.
"Anger," the young assassin replied instantly, with bitterness "Sorrow. Death. Nothing I miss or ever want to feel again, yet keep going back to." She ended with sadness on her voice, like a person that spoke for all slaves
Tyge shook it off. "We should sleep while we can. We all know we won't after we come back." There was a nodding of agreement, and all laid to rest. Tyge tried to sleep, but none came to her. It was the drug. But also the uneasiness she felt of this last mission. Something was not right, and she was not the only one you thought so. She turned her head and saw the stars were out and bright. She must have been lying awake for hours. They would come soon. She thought about her remaining friends, and if they would ever live to see their freedom. She thought of who they were to kill next. Who would it be? His enemies were losing numbers, at least in public. There was no proof it was actually the Emperor, but people had their suspicions, and eventually voices began to die down. His spies are all over, and his enemies were forced to disapprove to their self. It can't be anyone in Rome. There were so few left. But outside…Tyge could think of no one of much importance to proceed to this degree.
Then she heard footsteps. "Marcus?" she called without looking at the door.
"It's time," he stated simply.
The Shadows were escorted through the castle into the Emperor's personal office. There were ten guards outside the door. The women all smirked to themselves. When they walked in as the Emperor spoke. "Just because you are armed, do not think you have an advantage over me. You would never make it out of this city alive if you tried anything."
"And here I thought we were the best assassins in the world that could get into any palace to kill anyone," Tyge said calmly. The Emperor was not amused, but gave an even deeper scowl than the one they had seen earlier that day. "I'm well aware of your numbers against mine, nor are we afraid of them. Though you know as well as I we could take them without breaking a sweat."
"But not sure enough to try it, or you would have done it years ago," the Emperor countered.
Tyge looked away from him and captured eyes with Gaius, who had a look of utmost disgust on his face, as well as a horribly swollen nose that was date red. "It's a shame really," she said to him. "I wish I could have done that in the Colesseum, then you would really be disgraced." He reached for his sword, but stopped, and his arm fell to his side once more. It seems he had learned his lesson. And this time there are four more of them behind her. D.K. sniggered.
The Emperor gave a look of demand. "Hold your tongue, runt."
D.K. took a step away from him in defeat. Tyge didn't have to look behind her see her sister in her shadow. "You can command and insult me all you like, Emperor, but do not do it to my sister," she said to him with her calm deadliness.
"Tyge!" D.K. protested.
"Quiet, D.K." Tyge said calmly, not blinking from the Emperor.
"I can take care of myself…" D.K. went on.
"Quiet," Tyge said once more, in the same calm tone.
"Why do you always treat me like a baby…" the young one rambled.
"SHUT UP, D.K.!" Tyge roared turning to her sister, who instantly went silent and bowed her head in respect.
The Emperor laughed and Tyge snapped her head back to him, and saw her eyes flash like that of a cat, and then they turned back to green. He could have sworn he heard a low growl, like that of a tiger. The smile was wiped of his face and returned to a passive stare. He cleared his throat and began. "Your next mission will send you to Britain."
"Britain?" Tyge question irritated. "Who in Britain is of any importance to you? The Empire no longer holds the Island."
"That's the point. We got word that they crowned a king."
"And why does that matter?" Tyge questioned in the same tone.
"Because he is Artorius Castus."
The women looked surprised. "The Roman Commander?" Nikki said more to her self than to anyone else. "The one who leads the Sarmatian knights?"
"That is the one," he stated with an insulting smile to the archer. She glared back. He realized with a satisfied smile not all were afraid of him, only the young one.
"And what are we suppose to do?" Tyge asked with growing interest. They had killed no one like this before.
"You will travel there, kill him, and return. He is still under my command, and I have sent a message to remind him of that, but he refused to reply. He is a traitor. So I send you to take care of him."
"And let the country fall into chaos?" Tyge asked almost disgusted. They had all heard of Arthur, the whole Empire had. Rumored to have a round table in which he sits at with his knights. Tyge could never have thought a Roman Commander to believe in equality with all men, even slaves. But of course, that is to be expected from someone who was taught by Pelagius. And her heart contracted in pain. She saw him in her dreams as well, among the ones who speak to her. He was better than all of them.
"Yes. It is unfortunate, but Arthur should have returned to Rome," the Emperor said without a second thought.
"Is that all?" Tyge asked with a million thoughts of how this mission should be taken out.
"No, you are to also kill his knights as well," he said casually.
The Shadows held their breath. "What?" Tyge asked, needing to hear it again.
"You are to take care of Arthur's knights as well."
"But they are our countrymen," Nikki blurted out.
"And they are traitors," the Emperor pointed out as if it mattered. "They killed a bishop and a Roman Nobleman."
"I heard they were given their discharge papers." Tyge said with growing hatred in her voice. "Some may be our kin."
"They still killed a Bishop," the Emperor mocked her. "This will be carried out."
"You bastard!" she yelled out, looking away from him. Tyge took a deep breath. "You are doing this to spite me. Because you have the power."
"I am doing this because it needs to be done," he explained.
"Oh, that's bullshit, and you know it!" Tyge snapped gripping her sais out of habit. "You usually wouldn't give a damn about them. But because of who we are you do it." His silence was the answer, as well as his smile. "You really are a son of a bitch." Tyge closed her eyes and cursed out loud. "How do you know that we will not run? Britain is a long way from here."
"Oh, I have that covered," he smiled wider. "You will carry this out, or I will invade your homeland and leave none alive."
The women caught their breath and grabbed at their weapons, but Tyge lifted her had that made them pause. "You wouldn't dare," she said slowly. "You need the Sarmatians and we all know that."
"Don't try your luck. It didn't work out the first time," he replied, clearly happy with himself. Tyge knew he would bring up her death how ever much he could, and each time it was a stab in the heart to her. She was too busy with her own thoughts she did not noticed Vera marching forward towards the Emperor, until it was almost too late.
"No Vera!" Tyge grabbed her wrist before she could pull her second sword. She had already had the first one pointed at her enemy.
"Come on you coward!" She screamed at him. All the Shadows were surprised by her sudden peak of emotion. Not only was her voice hostile, but her face showed absolute wrath.
Nikki grabbed the sword from her hand before she could injure anyone. Tyge was still having trouble holding her back. Axe stepped forward wrapping her arms around Vera's waist and pulled her back behind the rest of them. She was trying with all her might to get out of Axe's arms. "Let me kill him! Let me kill him!" she repeated over and over. They tried to calm her but it didn't work. "I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!"
Her eyes were fire.
The Emperor stood. "You control her Captain!" He pointed to Vera who was still thrashing in her companion's arms. "Or I will have to call in the guards!"
Tyge turned to him faster than the wind could blow. He found a sai stuck in the arm of his chair, just underneath his hand. The thud silenced the room. Tyge's eyes stared into the Emperor's. "You hold you tongue, your Highness, or I will cut it out." All stood silent, looking in between Tyge and the Emperor. The other guards were too frightened to charge the Shadows, so stood their ground. Tyge walked forward, but Gaius stood in her way. She held the point of her second sai to his neck. Tyge tilted her head with a smirk. He gulped and stepped aside.
She walked around the desk, retrieved her sai, then back to her position in front of her companions. The eyes of all never left her. She sheathed her sais and turned to those she led. "Go. Leave us," she sighed. The four looked back at their Captain, and nodded at the look Tyge was giving them. They slowly filed out, Axe still keeping her grip on Vera. The assassin turned back to the Emperor, who was sitting once again, but she could tell her threat was still on the surface. "We were civil before. It is as if you stab our hearts. That will not pass lightly," Tyge spoke calmly; almost pitying the position he just put himself in. Almost.
"You will do this," he said with verbal force. The fraction of pity she held for him evaporated and promised herself at that very moment, that she would return and give him what he truly deserves. His death will come by her sword, or she will bring him back and kill him again.
Her thoughts traveled to their assignment, knowing that losing a few of her people would be better than thousands. The Goddess would never forgive her for this. She didn't even know what she would do, but this had to be stopped somehow. But how? There was no way…it had to be done. "Fine. But when we come back, you give us our freedom. Or when we return you will find my knife in your heart." You will no matter what.
The Emperor smiled. "When you return, one more performance and I will give it to you for all of Rome to see."
"Agreed," Tyge said sticking out her hand. He was hesitant, but then took it. "You fall from this oath and I will kill you for all of Rome to see."
"No need. I will hold this oath," in a very satisfied tone.
"And I am taking the tigers with me." He just looked at her. "Well, you will give them to me, or I will release them myself. Either way." He nodded and waved her away. Tyge turned away, but stopped at the sound of his voice.
"Oh, and that guard today, the one you were a little friendly with, I hope you were just trying to manipulate him, for he just signed his death warrant."
Tyge caught her breath, but recovered. "Well, if you are going to kill him, let me do it. Send him with us, and his death will be an accident. I promise to tell him it was from you. And what makes you think I would fall for a Roman? The scum of the Earth."
The Emperor disregarded her comment. "Very well. Have your fun. You will leave just before dawn."
Tyge opened the door and was greeted by various questions from her companions. "It must be done." They were so stunned by what she had said to even speak. Not even D.K. protested. Vera had her head down in desperation, something Tyge had never seen in her face before, after all these years. "We will discuss it later," and she began down the hall. The four followed her grimly, Vera supported lightly by Axe.
The Shadows walked themselves out and back into the carriages they had arrived in. "You're not coming back, are you?" Marcus asked Tyge once the carriage was on its way.
"I don't know," she answered truthfully.
"Will you kill the knights?"
"I don't know."
"Good Luck, in what ever you choose, Tyge," he said sadly.
Tyge looked over to him. "Thank you, Marcus. Will you do one last thing for me?" He nodded. Tyge untied one of the necklaces from around her neck. It was black beads, with one larger one in the center. Tyge handed it to Marcus and he examined the center bead closer. It was an exquisitely carved tiger head. "Will you give that to Andromeda? She has always admired it." He nodded once more, in awe of her gift to the Emperor's daughter. "And tell her that some of us may be caged, but it is inside that we must carry our strength. It is there that you find the true spirit of a tiger, and they will always run wild and free. Can you remember that?"
Marcus nodded grimly. "Will you ever return?"
"One day my friend," she nodded. "Even if it is years from now." He smiled, hoping she was telling the truth.
The Shadows were locked into their cell once more, not looking at one another, all dreading the next coming weeks. Tyge sat down onto her bed, covering her face with her hands. How could they do this? How could they kill their own countrymen? Tyge un-strapped her weapons and laid them beside her.
"We can't do this!" D.K. announced loudly. "We can't! How does he expect us to do this!"
"SHH!" Nikki covered her mouth lightning fast before D.K. could even try to push her away. "Do you want everyone to know what we are?"
D.K. pushed Nikki away from her mouth. "Okay, okay," she said much quieter. "But come on. We can't be serious about this. How does he expect us to kill our own countrymen?"
"You heard him, D.K.," Nikki whispered unstrapping her sword. "He will wipe out our homeland if you don't do it."
"Better to kill six than thousands, if there is even that many left," Axe pointed out vaguely.
"I agree," Nikki said sitting on her hay bed. "Vera?" They looked to the woman who was sitting in a corner, far from everyone staring at the wall ahead of her. "Vera?" Nikki asked much softer. She slowly turned her head to them. Her eyes were empty, as if her soul had left her. She gave a single nod then looked back at the wall. Nikki was silent a moment before continuing. "This must be done. What other choice do we have?"
"We can fight them," D.K. exclaimed in a loud whisper. Nikki and Axe looked at her like she was crazy. Tyge still had her face in her hands. "You know we can easily get into the palace and kill all that know about us. He is right about that. That is why he is so afraid of us. Why don't we act on it?"
"It may be possible, but not without losing one of us," Nikki said shaking her head at D.K. youth and ignorance.
"Killing them is not a choice Nikki. We can not choose to do that. We can warn Sarmatia, that is easy enough."
"Not good enough. We will lose one," Axe complied with the scout.
"And you know he will not give us our freedom when we return. Not a chance. We will die in the arena before that ever happens."
"We have no other choice," Tyge spoke for the first time. The three looked to her. "We must do this, or there will be greater consequences."
"They are our people, Tyge," D.K. tried to persuade. "How will we ever forgive ourselves?"
"How will we ever forgive ourselves if All of Sarmatia is dead and gone? As if our people never existed?"
At that D.K., knew she was right, and knew what had to be done, not matter how hard it would be to carry out. Each one sighed in guilt, still, no matter how impossible, tried to think of a better way. D.K. was right. How would they ever forgive themselves, no matter which they chose? Their people were going to die, and it would be their doing. "Get packed," Tyge said breaking the silence. "I want to leave as soon as possible on the morrow. It is a long way to Britain. Then we get our freedom, and will go home."
With that, all went to their bags, packing what was needed, and leaving what was not. Then tried to sleep, but most not being able to, knowing what was coming in the next weeks.
Tyge woke to crunching footsteps. She looked up to the door as Rowan came into view. He was not wearing his Roman armor, but something that looked similar to the Gallic armor the Shadows wore on missions, so no one would know their origin. They always wore their Sarmatian armor in the arena. Tyge stood and greeted him at the barred door. "Where did you get this?" she asked him motioning to it.
"Had it made by a local armory," he smiled. "Told him I wanted it Gallic, and this is what he did."
"It is fairly good, considering a Roman made it."
"The sun will be up in an hour. We need to get you to the stables."
Tyge simply nodded and turned to wake the others. They were all up, covered in their black cloaks, and on their way to the stables within minutes. Their five horses stomped and neighed as the women entered. Rowan's horse was already tacked by the stablemen, while the women's horses were not. Being Sarmatian horses they are very touchy to anyone except their owner, but that is how the Shadows trained their horses. The first time they tried to tack their horses the three of them received bloody bruises, and one two cracked ribs, thanks to Vera's black stallion Hannibal. He was not named after the Carthaginian King for no reason. The horse truly was a barbarian itself. With Vera atop him no one faced those two and won. You would have to be Hector or Achilles reborn to accomplish it.
There was a cage in the back of the stables. Tyge walked and unlatched the lock, letting down the gate. A tiger sat at the entrance. Tyge kneeled before him and bowed her head. "You are free to leave if you wish. Just let us escort you from the city." The tiger bowed his head and walked out, followed by two more. Tyge stood and walked to her horse.
"Tyge, do you believe that is such a good idea?" Rowan asked eyeing the tigers.
"They will be fine," she reassured. Tyge greeted her black and white painted mare, Morrigan, with a hard pat on her neck. "Ready for a long ride?" The horse reared in its stall with anticipation. Tyge had always called her a queen because of how she acts around the other four horses that belong to the Shadows. Morrigan must sense Tyge is their leader, for naturally, the mare leads the horses. When the other four get excited at a bad time, Morrigan nips at them and puts them in their place. When the rider can not control their mount, Morrigan is the one who calms them with a stomp. Tyge always finds it very amusing. Especially when Hannibal does his own thing. He must sense he is named after a king, for he acts like one. He and Morrigan always have their little arguments in one way or another.
They groomed and saddled their horses in silence, until they heard Axe beginning to hum a song they all knew. A song about home. They hummed along with her, until the chorus of words came and the Shadows began to sing.
Land of Bear and Land of Eagle
Land that gave us birth and blessing
Land that calls us ever homewards
We will go home across the mountains
We will go home
We will go home
We will go home
Across the mountains
We will go home
Singing our song
We will go home
Across the mountains
Hear our singing
Hear out longing
We will go home
Across the mountains
We will go home
We will go home
We will go home
Across the mountains
We will go home
Singing our song
We will go home
Across the mountains
Rowan watched as they ended with another series of humming, and silence lay over the stables once again. He admired these women. They are stronger than any other in the entire city of Rome. Not many slaves could defy the Emperor at every corner and live to tell the tale. Not every slave had the power to sneak in any city in the world, no matter how guarded it is, and kill their leader. They could kill the Emperor, but they would never get out of Rome alive. They were known here. He admired these women because they are nor afraid of anything, only never returning home again. That is why they area assassins. They already lost one in their numbers, Tyge was not going to risk losing another but not taking and fulfilling the tasks given to him by the Emperor. He killed one because they refused at first, now they have no choice. She is afraid of being responsible of more deaths. And now their whole country is endanger. It is a shame they were made this way, they are good people, and would probably by now have husbands and children if Rome had no taken them away. Though, he was glad they did at the same time. Rowan would never have got to meet them otherwise, Tyge more particularly. Day in and day out he wondered what her true name was, and what type of person she was before all this happened. He figured caring and kind to those she knew and loved as friends and family. Calm and witty to those she thought her enemy. Passionate and tender to her lover. Patient and adoring to her children. He hoped that she was simple and happy, yet he would never want her to lose the wild spirit she carries. It runs free like a tiger is how she always loved to describe it. Thought now she has a deeply scarred soul from almost a lifetime of fighting and war, he always sees these things in little bits. He wished for nothing more than for her to find happiness.
Rowan looked at Tyge from where he stood on the other side of the stables. She was strapping her saddle onto her oddly colored mare. It was not everyday Rome saw a horse with two different colors in its fur like Morrigan. She had several large black patches on her massive body. One ear, cheek, part of her neck, and the area of her eye was black, with the rest of it white. Her mane and tail her a mix of black and white. She was beautiful, if not strange. "Are there many horses that color in Sarmatia?" he asked.
Tyge looked at Rowan then back to Morrigan, patting her cheek. "Not many, but there is a good number." She smiled at Rowan then went back to packing her horse. She hefted her saddles bags over the mares back, then buckled them onto the back of the saddle. Morrigan thrashed her head from side to side, in impatience. "There, there girl. We will leave soon. Then you can run all you like. We have a long way to go."
They were ready and trotting out into the still vacant streets of Rome within the hour. The sun had not yet risen. They reached the edge of the city which was at the top of a hill. The gates were opened for them to exit. Tyge turned for one last look at the city. It truly was beautiful at sunrise. It glowed a silver blue in the light. It was one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen in all the travels she had made. Sarmatia was no competition for this city's beauty. She turned back to the open gates and kicked Morrigan to a run, the three tigers running beside her. The mare had no complaints and bolted out into the open. The others followed her. And so began their long trek to Britain.