Chapter Three:
Kelleigh ran her hands over her horse's neck gently, talking softly to the animal. It was early morning, and every knight was up, preparing for one last mission. Galloping hooves brought Kelleigh to gaze at the stable doors. Galahad was prancing around on his white stallion in circles. Arthur walked into the stables, full battle dress, complete with red cape and armour. Galahad halted his horse for Arthur, and sent his commanding officer a look of annoyance. Kelleigh didn't miss that look, and wished that she could change it. Arthur stared back at Galahad dispassionately. Arthur walked further into the stables, and Galahad pranced his horse around in circles around Arthur. Arthur looked at Kelleigh and she turned away, still upset at him for the night before. Going into her horses stall, she moved the hay off the trunk she kept hidden there and opened the ancient looking lid. Inside were dozens of daggers, a few swords, a Sarmatian bow, a quiver of arrows, and a few other things. Everything had been given to her over the years to protect herself when the knights were away.
Kelleigh pulled a dagger out of the trunk and unsheathed it. The blade was sharp, sharp enough to cut at the softest touch. The handle was made of metal, and it was handcrafted for her hand alone. Sheathing the blade, Kelleigh bent down to fasten it to her ankle. When she came back up, Tristan handed her a dagger that he'd gotten from her trunk. "Thigh," he said. "They'll never know it was there unless you tell them." Kelleigh nodded, and watched the young scout walk away from her. She fastened the dagger to her thigh, and started to close the trunk. Gawain smiled, coming up to her with a pair of pants.
"You'll be needing these, Kelleigh," he said, holding out a pair of pants that were well worn, but they looked like they would fit her. "It makes more sense for you to look like a man than the woman we all know you are," Gawain added. Kelleigh gave him a small smile. She went past Lancelot with the pants, and didn't notice the look he gave the pants that were in her hands. She didn't notice that he'd gotten up to follow her to the farthest region of the stables to change.
Kelleigh slid the pants over her feet and up to her knees. She had trouble getting the pants over her dagger, so she had to take it off and pull the pants up. "The point of a dagger on the thigh is to keep it hidden," Lancelot said. Kelleigh spun around so fast she almost fell. Lancelot gave her a sheepish smile.
"It's not very gentlemanly to sneak up on women, Sir Lancelot," Kelleigh gave him a teasing smile. "The pants won't fit over the dagger if I keep it covered," she added. Lancelot came closer to her. He was dressed in his armour, with his twin blades in their sheathes at his back. A black cape covered the sheathes, so that just the sword hilts were visible.
"I never professed to be a gentleman, my lady Kelleigh," Lancelot teased. He then turned serious. "Why are you coming on this mission?" he asked, looking pointedly at her.
"I can't leave you all to fight alone. What if one of you dies?" Kelleigh asked, walking to him. "Lancelot, you knights are my family. I want to stand by my family and fight."
"You can fight, but a safe distance away from the actual fighting," Lancelot countered. "If something were to happen to you, the knights would be lost. Arthur would be lost." He took her hands in his. "I would be lost," Lancelot added softly, staring into her eyes. Kelleigh looked at him, trying to decide if he was being serious or not. He had a reputation with the women. She didn't want her heart broken. She saw sincerity in his eyes.
"Lancelot..." She started, but Lancelot silenced her with a soft kiss. Their lips met, the softest of touches, almost like butterfly wings fluttering. It left her reeling from the headiness of the sensations. Lancelot pulled back and looked into her eyes. "Lancelot?" Kelleigh asked, bewildered, giddy, and completely off centre.
"I wish you'd stay, where I know you're safe, but, you are your own person," he said, then turned on his heel, and left Kelleigh standing there, stunned by his hasty retreat.
Kelleigh walked back toward the group of knights, past Lancelot and back to her horse, getting her weaponry ready. She'd just finished when the Bishop walked in, followed by his aide. Jols stood beside Arthur, fidgeting with something, while Kelleigh walked to stand beside Galahad, who'd dismounted moments before. The Bishop looked at her, then Arthur, shock evident on his face. Kelleigh looked at her pants, and the dagger that encased her slender thigh, then at Arthur with a smile. Every knight stared angrily at the Bishop, daring him to say something about Kelleigh being there. Dagonet walked by the Bishop, pushing his shoulder out of the way. The Bishop gave him an angry look, but Dagonet gave the holy man an even angrier look. Bors, half naked, stood up as the Bishop stopped walking in front of the benches. Everyone stared at him expectantly.
"To represent the holy court, my trusted secretary, Horton..." The Bishop looked around for his aide. Horton came forward. "Horton...will accompany you with your quest." Arthur stared at the Bishop, unimpressed.
"Jols find him a horse," Arthur said. Gawain stabbed a knife into the bench, while Jols and Horton went to find a horse.
"This way," Jols said to Horton, and they left.
"Godspeed, as you fulfil your duty to Rome," the Bishop said.
Arthur stepped forward intimidatingly. "My duty is also to my men."
"Then get them home," the Bishop replied self-righteously. Gawain put his hand on Kelleigh's shoulder to keep her from slapping the Bishop. Arthur walked off.
Everyone was mounted an hour later. Jols, Kelleigh, and Horton rode behind the knights, leading packhorses. They rode out the gates, north of the wall. They rode hard and fast. Kelleigh found herself beside Tristan for a while, thankful for the silence. They rose across the plains. Horton complained. Kelleigh rode up to Arthur. "Can I put him out of his misery?" she asked. Lancelot looked at her.
"We'd all welcome the silence," he added with amusement.
"No. Ride with us," Arthur told her. Kelleigh did as she was ordered. She was glad, for once, that Gawain had given her pants to wear. They were so much more comfortable than her dress. It had become windy, making a dress pointless. They rode into the forest at a gallop.
"Woads. They're tracking us," Tristan said.
"Where?" Arthur asked in reply.
"Everywhere," Tristan answered. Kelleigh soothed her horse, as did the others. Everyone was alert, and then arrows shot out of nowhere, blocking their path.
"Get back!" Lancelot yelled.
"Get back!" Bors repeated. They tried another way out, but they were cornered.
"This way!" Arthur shouted, leading them, unknowingly, into another dead end. Woads appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, with spears, bows, knifes, and daggers, pointed at them. Kelleigh drew her bow, Arthur drew Excalibur, and everyone else drew their respective weapons. Kelleigh turned her head when she heard a horn blow hauntingly in the distance.
"What are you waiting for?" Gawain called out. The Woads retreated. Kelleigh looked around warily, as did the knights.
"Inish," Dagonet said, "Devil ghosts."
"Why would they not attack?" Kelleigh asked, looking at Arthur.
"Merlin doesn't want us dead," Arthur replied. Kelleigh looked at Lancelot, her heart hammering. She'd never been so near to death before. Lancelot nodded his head at her, as if to say that she was still alive, and that he'd keep her that way. Everyone looked around suspiciously, but saw nothing. "Move out!" Arthur shouted, and the knights obeyed. Kelleigh found herself riding with Jols and Horton this time.
"Were they really going to kill us?" Horton asked, looking at Jols and Kelleigh. Kelleigh looked at the Bishop's aide with contempt.
"You think they'd only track us to give us lessons in horse riding?" she asked sarcastically. "They'd kill anyone from Rome without so much as a second glance," Kelleigh added, and gigged her horse to move faster, away from the Bishop's aide.
Rain poured heavily upon the group as they took shelter that night under a grove of trees. Dinner was over with quickly, and everyone was settling in for the night. Gawain groaned. "Ugh, I can't wait to leave this island. If it's not raining, it's snowing. If it's not snowing, it's foggy," he said, huddling under his cloak.
"And that's the summer," Lancelot added. Kelleigh huddled beside him in her own cloak, trying to curl into his warmth. Lancelot pulled her closer, and into the safety of his arms, sharing his body heat with her.
"Rain is good. Washes all the blood away," Bors said, tending the fire.
"Doesn't help the smell," Dagonet added. He sat next to Bors, wrapped in a cloak.
Lancelot rested his chin on Kelleigh's head. Kelleigh shivered. His heat seeped in to her tired body, soothing her, and lulling her to sleep in his arms. "Hey Bors, do you intend on taking Vanora and all your little bastards back home?" Lancelot asked, moving his chin from atop Kelleigh's head.
"Oh, I'm trying to avoid that decision...by getting killed," Bors said. Gawain laughed and Kelleigh saw Lancelot smile. "Dagonet, she wants to get married, give the children names," Bors told the knight, leaning over.
"Women. The children already have names, don't they?" Tristan asked, sheathing his sword. He sat a few feet away from Gawain, who sat by the fire. Kelleigh looked at Tristan.
"I resent that remark," she said with a teasing smile. All of the knights knew that she loved them as family.
"Just Gilly," Bors said, answering Tristan's question. "It was too much trouble, so we just gave them numbers."
"That's interesting, I thought you couldn't count," Lancelot teased. Everyone laughed at the older man's expense.
"You know, I never thought I'd get back home alive. Now that I've got the chance, I don't think I'd leave my children," Bors said.
"You'd miss them too much," Kelleigh replied with a knowing smile.
"I'll take them with me. I like the little bastards. Especially number three...he's a good fighter," Bors told them.
"That's because he's mine," Lancelot teased. Gawain almost spit he laughed so hard. Kelleigh gave a weak smile to Bors, hoping the older knight knew that Lancelot was joking.
"I'm going for a piss," Bors replied, getting up and walking off, while the knights laughed at Lancelot's joke.
Kelleigh looked at Lancelot, while resting her head on his shoulder. "We should check on Jols and that Roman," she said.
Lancelot leaned his head on top of hers. "Jols can take care of him. Arthur would have my head if you were to get sick in this rain. Stay," he whispered to her. Kelleigh thought she heard something in his voice that meant he wanted her in his arms, but she wasn't sure.
"If I must," Kelleigh replied, reaching up to touch his face with her hand.
"We're in the woods, Lancelot, bed her properly at the wall," Gawain said, breaking the tender moment. Kelleigh looked at the knight with a nasty glare.
"You're lucky you're over there, and I'm here, Gawain," she said. "I'd slap you. I still may slap you," Kelleigh added. Gawain laughed at her. Lancelot turned away from the knight.
"Let it be, Kelleigh," Lancelot said. "He'll get his due." Kelleigh sighed.
"Do you think it'll be easy to get the Roman family?" Kelleigh asked softly, relaxing her tense body.
"Sleep," Lancelot commanded softly. "You'll need all of your strength tomorrow. Arthur plans to ride hard."
"When doesn't he ride hard?" Kelleigh asked, closing her eyes. She was instantly asleep. That was when Lancelot knew. He knew that for the last ten years, he'd been harbouring a love for the woman he'd claimed as a friend, a sister even. With her in his arms, he was invincible. It felt right, after ten years, he finally felt complete; somehow whole again. He knew that he couldn't leave her here while he went back home. He wouldn't leave her on this island.