Briseis was elated. The rain was whipping at her face washing away her thoughts. Archimedes was doing more than just galloping, he was flying, flying along the edge of the forest. Nothing could stop them. Nothing or so she thought.

"Here I come!" screamed a voice from behind her.

Court looked over her shoulder and couldn't help but laugh. Lancelot was gaining on her with this look of excitement him his boyish face. She had hoped he would join her for this run. When she swung her head back around a tree branch whipped at her face and her make shift hat. A cut appeared on her right cheek but that was not what caught her attention. The trees had snatched at her hat that was holding up her lock of hair. Panic spread over her, fear clenched at her innards. She squeezed her legs to encouraged Archimedes faster and he did as commanded but his young form was no match for the older warhorse Draven. What was left of her hair staying pilled up on her head was now gone. It fanned out behind her with pieced whipping her face as she turned back around to see where Lancelot was. Shock rang through her. He was nowhere to be seen.

"Where did he go Archimedes?" she reined him to a stop and threw glances over both shoulders into any possible place for him to be. Suddenly a force crashed out the woods; it was Lancelot and Draven and they were right on top of them.

"Ahh!" screamed Briseis and she kicked Archimedes back into a run. By now Lancelot was side by side with her.

"Why Court, my how you've changed." He mocked at her. "Do stop and talk to me, my arm is starting to pain me." At this Briseis looked over at his wounded shoulder and caught a fresh mark of blood staining the white bandage.

She leaned back and pulled Archimedes to a halt. Lancelot reined Draven to a halt also and then swung off his horse to walk towards her. Briseis swung down too and kept her eyes focused on his wound, concern spreading over her face. She reached out to grab at his shoulder and have a closer examination of it but instead of coming in contact with his arm she felt his hand close around her wrist. She was being pulled close to him as he enveloped her in a tight embrace crushing his mouth down upon her open protested one. He inhaled her sent, lavender and rain, she tasted so good. His tongue found its way into her mouth as his free hand came up to clasp the back of her neck bringing her closer to him. Together their tongues intertwined and fought, each battling the other for dominance. Briseis brought one arm around his neck and the other slipped around his waist. They tried to move closer into each other's mouth causing their teeth to bump. When air finally became a necessity they reluctantly broke apart gasping and staring at each other. A loud bolt of thunder cracked overhead and the trees around them danced.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he screamed trying to have his voice heard over the wind.

"I was going to tell you but I was afraid." He snorted in disbelief.

"Afraid, afraid of what?"

She turned her face towards the ground at his question. He walked closer to her begging her to answer him, "I was afraid of you not wanting me, wanting me like I have always want you."

He smiled at her vulnerability but in an instant closed his mouth down on hers while his hand came up to gently caress her face. A low growl erupted from his throat and she grinned into his mouth. The rain had now returned and was pelting the land with a new furry. Another crack of thunder broke the air causing then to break apart from their kiss,

"We better head back." Lancelot said. "This is not going to let up till tomorrow."

Briseis nodded her agreement and they broke apart to grab at their horses that were standing near by with looks of unhappiness evident in their eyes. Together they galloped back through the woods and found themselves at Hadrian's gate by nightfall. Briseis was now shivering from being wet all day. Before reaching the gate she pulled Archimedes to a stop and pulled her wet hair up into a twist that she stuck under her hat. Lancelot looked over at her and smiled.

"What a cute little boy you make." He teased. She stuck out her tongue and then smiled while queuing Archimedes back into a canter to reach the gate.

Thomas greeted the two as they plowed into the encampment and received waves from both of them. As they rounded the corner to the stables Briseis noticed that Katrina's younger brother Christian was sitting on a bale of hay watching the rain fall.

"Christian!" she screamed and he looked up and smiled at her and Lancelot. "Court." He said and nodded his hello. " Sir Lancelot, what a pleasure, an honor, to see you again."

Court laughed at his nervousness. Christian was only 13 and helped Court out sometimes. He was scrawny with sandy blond hair much like his sisters and deep blue eyes. Christian had always loved the horses and Court was more than happy to have him work around them; he was a good hand.

"What are you doing here so late? Surely you have something better to be doing than watching the rain fall?" wondered Briseis.

"Father saw the other knights return later today and noticed that you two were not with them so he told me to go and take care of their horses and then to wait for the two of you." Briseis laughed and swung down off her horse.

"You're a good lad. Archimedes will look forward to being put to bed by your hands. He has always liked you." Christian beamed from the compliment and then pushed past Court to where the young stallion was standing. As soon as Archimedes saw Christian his head picked up and he nickered at the young boy.

"Hey Christian…" called out Lancelot. The boy froze in his tracks, "Ye ye yes sir…" he stuttered. "Do you mind taking care of Draven too?"

A cheshire cat smile spread over the young boys features. It seemed that every one of his teeth were exposed. "Why yes sir! It would be an honor to take care of Draven." At this Archimedes snorted his disapproval and pined his ears at the old warhorse in a threatening manner.

"Archimedes!" yelled a surprised but highly amused court. "How dare you, respect your elders." The stallion looked at her as if she was joking but decided to lower his head in defeat and seek apology from Draven. Christian took the reins of both horses and led them into the grooming stalls to begin his work.

"Why do these creatures listen to you so? It is like u speak their language." Stated a bewildered Lancelot. Briseis only smiled.

"That is because I do speak to them." He looked at her questioningly and she had to laugh. "When I lived in the forest as a young girl I happened to venture out of the tribe boundaries. I was very curious and adventurous and happened to get lost. The weather took a turn for the worse, much like it did this afternoon and I was stranded in the tempest for the whole night. I caught and awful cold and by the time I was found the next day, I had drifted into an unconscious state. Merlin could not pull me out of it so he prayed for the goddess to help me." Lancelot was now looking at her with amusement and with shock. He had known nothing of her past and believed she had indeed lived in the Temple of Hermes.

"You think I am lying do you? There is much about my past that you do not know and will soon find out. I am not Woad but yet it is all that I am." She offered.

"I am simply confused as to who you are. Not a priestess, not an orphan, raised by the Woad's yet not one. What are you Briseis, if that is even your name at all." He now took a seat on a near by hay bale.

"I have not lied to you, instead I only gave a foggy version of my life. The truth shall be revealed to you, this I promise. For now all you need to know is that my name is Briseis and I am in fact an orphan." He nodded his head signaling for her to continue with her story.

"The goddess was prayed for to heal me and she listened to the prayers. She arrived late one evening and her name was Morgain. She was so beautiful, unearthly really. You wonder how I know of her appearance?" And Lancelot nodded.

" Because I could see her. For some reason I could see all that was happening to me, I had stepped outside my body. When Morgain came to help she did not walk over to my still form lying on the bed, no she walked right over to the ghostly image of me standing in the corner. She smiled at me and said that it was not my time to leave this plane. I did not believe her. All my life I felt pain and suffering and now I only felt joy and peace. Why would I want to give up that feeling? She raised her two hands up and placed them on my shoulders while starting deep into my eyes. 'I must go back,' she told me, 'but this time, I would not be alone in my journey.' Then she proceeded to turn me around so that my back was to her and with a single finger, I felt a burn begin to appear on the back of my neck and cringed from the pain. The next thing I knew, I had woken up."

"That still doesn't explain why you can communicate with the horses so well." Answered a dumfounded Lancelot.

Briseis only grinned. She said in a whispered voice. "I was told that I would not be alone on my journey. My journey, like yours and everyone else's Lancelot, is life. The goddess touched me, she marked me." and at this Briseis showed him her neck where a small moon could be seen tattooed over the bone. Lancelot let the breath he was holding escape from his lungs. 'It made perfect sense.' He thought. 'She was touched by a goddess and it explained her mysterious beauty, her effect she held over him, the ability to read people, even her ability to fight with such grace and fluidity.'

Briseis could see the wheels turning in his head as he put all the pieces together. "This is truly amazing." But at this she only gave a sad smile. He noticed her despair, "Why do you sadden?"

"Yes I have been touched by the goddess and yes it is a gift to be cherished. But it is also my curse. You see, my life is bound to theses animals that I so love. When one is in pain, when one is injured, when one lies dying, I feel them. I feel every cut every wound every injury. And when one dies a small part of me also dies. Eventually there will be only a small part of me left and I too shall die. So yes Lancelot this is a gift of the goddess but a gift that I would give back willingly."