Blood Oath

Ainia paused for a moment, and turned as if to leave. Looking down at her cut hand she twisted to face the knights once more. Her amethyst eyes watching Arthur carefully before she spoke, "I came for revenge. It's as simple as that." Reaching back she gathered her hair and tied it back with a thong. Nodding towards the women, they began to make their leave as Merlin and Guinevere approached the Knights. Ainia saw her sister's muscles tense with anger when they saw Merlin. And it was all Ainia could do to not plunge a dagger into the devil woad's heart. As they rode off Ainia heard the old woad speak, "Revenge dearest Ainia is never simple."

Tristan could see the young Amazon's muscles tense and her hand slowly fingering one of her arrows feathers, silently contemplating if it was worth it. To Tristan's disappointment her hands returned to her horses reins and she continued on, her companions and herself disappearing into the thick forest.

The knights stood there stunned. Their first encounter with an Amazon both enchanting and frightening. As they watched the forest, seemingly losing sight of the girls the old woad spoke to Tristan, "You decline her offer of the Blood Oath. This is unwise."

Tristan glowered at the blue man; if looks could kill the woad would have died thrice over.

Lancelot looked puzzled at the forest once before looking at Merlin, "Tell me woad what is this Blood Oath you speak of."

Merlin began to speak but was quickly silenced by Arthur, "It's an offering from an Amazon to a admired warrior in which draws blood from the giver."

Merlin nodded accepting Arthur's definition before continuing, "It is highly sacred and not to be taken lightly."

Galahad looked towards Tristan with a teasing smirk, "Looks like are dear scout has an admirer."

The Knight's, not including Arthur and Tristan laughed heartily. Tristan, who found no amusement in this situation glared at Lancelot who was cheekily making fawning noises. Arthur for all his seriousness could not help but smirk at the display and at his normally composed scouts angry posture.

"Goddess be damned." Moaned Ainia as her cousin Tari stitched her stomach.

Antandre chuckled at her sister's reaction and turned to Tamuril nodding to announce their recommence of sparing. Swinging her ax Tamuril was able to disarm Antandre in one swift movement. Her long sword now laying some five feet away. Both girls' knew that Antandre was defeated but they continued anyway. Antandre dodging Tamuril's quick attacks. Soon however she accepted defeat and in a fit of laughter the girls approached their injured sister.

Ainia stood rubbing around the stitches softly to loosen the muscles. The girls noticed with surprise and wonderment that their sister's emblem of their tribe was ripped from her underskirt. There was only one way this would happen and all of the young warriors were horrified to think there long time sister would do suck a thing.

Antandre was the fist to question her, "Ainia who have you made the Blood Oath to?"

Ainia looked at her sister with a flushed expression. Her cousins gazed at her with shock. "It matters not."

Tari however would not accept this answer, "Ainia who was it given to…not one of the Saxon swine I hope."

Ainia's eyes darkened, as she spun angrily on her cousin, "Of course not, you think me a fool to have promised my protection to one of those bloody dogs! It was a Knight of the round table!"

The women gasped as Ainia pushed past the small wall they had created in front of her. "We leave for Hadrian's Wall at sunrise. I suggest you all get rest." Grumpily she pulled her cloak from her saddlebag and wrapped it around her while lying against a tree. "Antandre take first watch, I will take second, Tari third, and Tamuril last. Keep a sharp eye we don't want that devil woad to find us."