Note:Thanks for the reviews! Not very good but it moves things along a bit. Thank you for reading and have a smashing good day.

Kida

Kida opened her eyes. Where was she? She moved and gasped. Her body burned. Slowly she began to remember what had happened. There were blue demons, Liam, knights, fighting. It came back to her in pieces. Her left side was numb and her right shoulder ached. The last thing she remembered was the knife falling towards her. How did she get here? Where was she? All these questions raced around in her mind. Who found her? Did they? She sat up and looked down. She was bandaged. That means that who ever helped her knew that she was…She collapsed into the bed. Her secret was out, but who was it that knew it?

Liam picked up Kiran and carried him to his horse. He tied him to his horse and led it back to the fort. It was quite a surprise to find that the young Kiran was a girl that would explain his small size though. The other knights were silent as they gathered the rest of their wounded and dead. The final count was seven dead, five severely wounded, and three deserters. The knights still standing were scratched and bleeding and exhausted. They gathered their horses and put the dead and wounded on their mounts and then led them back to the fort. They all avoided speaking about Kiran. They did not know what to do, for there has never been a situation like this before.

Once back at the fort, they took the wounded to the infirmary, left the dead in a court yard to be looked after. Lysander hovered near by watching them. Liam did not leave Kiran at the infirmary, time was needed to decide what to do with her and he felt that everyone else did not need to know where secret. He took her to the home of the bar maid Vanora, there he asked her to take in Kirna. Vanora took one look at Kiran and nodded her head. They found her a cot and moved it into the back shed. Vanora began to gather clean cloth and water. Liam stayed and helped her with the bandaging.

"Who's this?" Vanora asked him.

"I don't know," Liam replied.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"Well she was Kiran, but now she's not. Does that make any sense?"

Vanora nodded. "He was a she."

"Exactly, but I don't understand how she could hide being a girl for so long."

"Perhaps you should wait for her to tell you that."

Liam nodded distractedly. Who was this girl? How did she know Kida? What was going to happen to her if she lived? Vanora shooed Liam out of the shed and told him to take care of himself. Reluctantly, Liam left. He did not know why he felt responsible for her. Maybe it was the fact that she had risked her life to save him. What ever it was he was determined to find out her story.

Lysander watched as Arthur and his knights rode into the fort. He looked for Kiran and found him slung across the back of his horse like a sack. With satisfaction he went to the infirmary to get a better look at the wounded Kiran. To his dismay he discovered that Kiran had not been taken to there and no one knew where he was at. Furiously, he went to his chambers to fume. What did this Arthur and his knights think they were doing hiding his knight from him. He would find Kiran and he would take his leave of Arthur with Kiran.

Arthur and his living knights gathered in the great hall after they had been attended to and rested. The burial of the fallen knights was to happen that evening. Arthur sat in his chair silently. He had lost seven men today, and five more would probably die from the events. It was hard for him to watch his knights die. He felt as if it was his fault, for it was his duty to lead them and protect them and he had failed them today.

Lancelot noticed his disheartened mood and took him aside to speak with him. He thought Arthur was too wrapped up in things and took everything to his heart. The other knights noticed their commander's mood and they seemed to reflect it in their own faces. They had lost their comrades; they who were invincible had lost almost half of their forces in one day.

The three knights who deserted them were now being held for desertion. Arthur was ashamed of them for running but felt it was also his fault that they ran. He felt as if they had not been trained well enough. Maybe he was not hard enough on his knights. Maybe he should not get personal with his knights. All these maybes and no answers, he did not know what to think.

Kida woke again to the face of a woman. She shrank from the face who smiled gently down at her. "It's alright, I just need to change your bandage," she said.

Kida reluctantly let the woman touch her and watched as she removed the bandages around her shoulder, left leg and arm. The bleeding had stopped on the leg and arm but the shoulder still bleed freely. "Where am I?" she asked when she found her voice.

"You're safe here," was the reply. Kida looked at the woman more closely. She looked familiar but Kida could not place her face.

"Who are you?"

"Vanora." Bors girlfriend, Kida realized.

Kida had hoped that it was only Vanora who knew her secret but she highly doubted it. "How'd I get here?"

"You need rest."

"Tell me."

Vanora looked at Kida and sighed. "Very well. Liam brought you." Kida's stomach churned. She was dead. She was very dead. If Lysander knew she was a girl he would kill her. Her mind began to race. How many people knew she was a girl? If Liam knew why wouldn't the entire fort know by now? Vanora saw the worried look in her face and said reassuringly, "I promise no one besides me and the knights know, and not even all the knights know." She handed Kida a cup of dark liquid which she drank and fell back into a dreamless sleep.

Liam waited outside the shed. When Vanora emerged he asked her, "How is she?"

"She's mending."

"Can she talk?"

"Yes, but don't bother her until she's stronger. She has lost a lot of blood."

Liam sighed. He would have to wait longer until the mystery could be solved. Vanora shoed him away and he went to the stable where Dag and the others were.

"How's Kir…the girl?" Bors asked.

"She's living. Vanora said she would live," Liam said.

"Well it's not everyday boys turn into girls," Lancelot remarked. "The Romans must be real desperate for knights to start taking daughters." The knights chuckled uncomfortably; they didn't know what to think. It was all too odd to comprehend.

Liam sat next to Dag. Dag looked at his friend and asked, "What's wrong?"

Liam looked at Dag. How could he explain what he felt? If this girl was taken by the Romans to fight, how was he to know that Kida hadn't suffered the same fate? For all he knew she could be dead. His thoughts were not making any sense to him and the more he tried to organize them the more confused he became. He wished the girl would wake up so that he could hear her story.

For the moment, there was no need to worry about what laid in store for her, for he, Arthur, Bors, Dag, Lancelot, Tristan, Galahad, Gawain and Vanora were the only people who knew she was a girl. He did not know why he did not tell anyone else but he made them all agree to not tell anyone until everything was worked out.

Lysander followed them around and was always trying to find Kiran. None of them would tell for they had no doubt that he would kill her. Since the battle the air around the fort was heavy. Everyone avoided Lysander for if they did not they would do something they would regret.

Kida woke again to find the pain in her left side gone and her head clear. She was thirsty and starved. Looking around her she began to put the pieces together. She was now at the mercy of the knights. Could she trust them? Well she guessed she could since she was not dead yet. Her thoughts came to Lysander. What was he up to? She was sure that he did not know her secret or else he would have killed her long ago.

Slowly she sat up. Her shoulder ached but her bandage was clean so she assumed that the bleeding was stopped. She tried to stand up but her legs gave out. She hated feeling weak. Reluctantly, she settled back into bed; knowing she could not go anywhere.

A few minutes Vanora entered with a bowl of food. Kida's mouth watered as she grasped the bowl and devoured the soup in it. She would have liked a thick stew but she knew she probably could not keep it down. It was best to break the stomach in after long illnesses. When she was done with the bowl she handed it back to Vanora and asked, "How long have I been here?"

Vanora took the bowl and said, "A few weeks." Kida stared at her. She had been unconscious that long was hard to conceive. "You spent most of the time in-between sleep and wake so you probably don't remember anything. There are a few people who want to talk with you. If you feel up to it I'll bring them in." Kida was speechless and just nodded her head. Three weeks had passed; it was hard for her to grasp the concept. It seemed impossible that so much time had gone by.

Vanora soon returned with Liam, Dag, and Arthur. They came in and sat near her. Vanora helped her sit up and then turned to Liam and said, "Remember, keep it simple, you distress her and I make you leave." Liam nodded and Vanora left.

Once Vanora was gone Liam turned to Kida and said, "So, what's your story?"

Kida eyed him and the other two. They looked at her encouragingly. She took a deep breath and said, "What do you want to know?"

Liam looked down at the ground and said with some difficulty, "Who are you?"

Kida sighed. He did not recognize her, but she did not know why she expected him to, it has been a long time since they had last seen each other. "Do you not know me?"

Liam shook his head. "Tell me. But first I must know how do you know my sister?"

"I know your sister because…"

"She's not dead is she?" he interrupted. "Where you the only girl they took from your village? Did they take others? Did you meet Kida because she was taken too?"

"Liam, calm down," Dag said. "Let her answer the first question before you ask more."

Kida gave Dag a grateful glance. She took a deep breath, held it, and then slowly exhaled. She knew she would have to tell him some time, why not now. "I was the only one taken, my mother sent me in my brother's stead for she could not bear to loose him. I spent the last eight years in the Roman's service." The three knights listened to her story silently. When she came to the end they sat in silence.

After a few minutes Liam broke the silence by asking, "Who are you?"

Kida sighed. "Do you not know me?"

She looked at him. He must recognize her, he must. He looked at her intently then his eyes widen. "Kida?" he whispered. Kida nodded. Liam gasped and then hugged her. "Kida, why…" he stuttered. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I didn't know how to tell you," she replied. "I didn't know how you would react and I was afraid that you would shun me once you found out what I've become."

Liam still hugged her and said, "Would I do that?"

"Not now, but you might have. Besides would you have believed me if I told you before now?"

"I don't know, but I must tell you you gave us all a shock," he laughed. He was so happy that he had found Kida.

"Yes indeed," Arthur said. Kida looked at Arthur with a puzzled look. "What is it?"

"What are you going to do now?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Arthur said.

"You know who I am. Are you going to tell? What about Lysander, does he know?"

"No, your commander knows nothing. As to tell, what is there to tell? To me you proved yourself to be as brave as any of my knights and I admire that. I believe you deserve to decide your own fate," Arthur replied.

A wave of relief swept through Kida. "Thank you." Arthur smiled.

Liam put Kida down and held her hand. "I'm never going to let you go again."

Kida shook her head and said, "You have to. I am stationed under another commander."

"I won't let you go."

"Liam, you can't start treating me any differently or else I'm through. Treat me like Kiran the boy."

"She's right, you treat her special and she's as good as dead," Dag said.

"But…"

"No buts, I know you love me but you don't need to protect me. I can take care of myself."

Liam's smile faded. "But, you're my sister. Kida, little Kida."

"I'm not little Kida anymore. I have done the same things you have," Kida started. "I went through the training and passed. I fought Woads and received wounds. I don't need to be protected from the realities of the world. I've seen it and lived it as you have."

Liam looked at Kida and she looked back at him. He did not want to let her go but she wanted him to. She needed him to let go of the past for her to have a future. It hurt him and her to sever their childhood bond, but it had to end. It tore at her to see the sadness in her brother's eyes. "Liam, I'm sorry."

Liam turned away from her. Dag looked at his friend and the notorious Kida. He and Arthur then looked at each other. They felt highly uncomfortable.

"I know, but I can't," Liam finally said sadly.