Alennia sighed almost audibly as the negotiations finished. Although they weren't safe yet, Alennia was fairly confident that she had succeeded. Arthur had wanted nothing more than to talk, and though she was slightly irritated that all her careful planning and scheming was in vain, she was relieved that it would not have to be put to the test.
Merlin and Arthur paid each other the required compliments, and turned to go their separate ways. Alennia went to follow Merlin, but Tristan put a hand on her arm, stopping her. She turned nervously, uncertain as to what she should say, but Tristan spoke first.
"I seem to recognise that cloak," he said, a twinkle in his eye.
"Really?" Alennia feigned incredulity. "How strange. I found it, beside a path, a while ago."
Tristan raised his eyebrows, but he was grinning. "Perhaps we might meet one of these days, to continue our discussion as to the ownership of it."
"Perhaps we shall," Alennia said, bowing her head to him, so that, to all looking on, it looked like nothing more than an exchange of civilities.
"I wait upon that day with baited breath," Tristan grinned at her, returning the salute.
"Don't wait too long," Alennia said, before turning and following Merlin. She was amazed to find that she was shaking, and her arm still burnt with an icy fire from his touch. She shrugged the feelings off, laughing inwardly at herself, and plunged into the dark forests to where Merlin waited.
"You did well," was all the praise she received from her leader, and yet she even shrugged this sparse commendation off.
"I did nothing."
"But if they had planned an ambush?" Merlin asked. "You would have been ready."
Alennia bowed her head in recognition of the praise. Though she felt truly honoured to get such words out of a man who condemned more than he commended, she was exhausted. She hadn't slept in over thirty-six hours, and felt dead on her feet.
"I may go?" she asked, trying not to collapse from fatigue.
"Almost," Merlin said. "But before that…you will not fight the Romans?"
Alennia was surprised. They had had this conversation before. "I owe the Romans no animosity. I do not kill for pleasure."
"You would not kill for freedom?"
"Only from the Saxons."
"Very well," Merlin sighed. "Then I have no choice. You are now the commander of the clan of the wolf."
Alennia almost gasped out loud in shock. The Wolf clan? They were a group of men and women whose lives had been torn apart by Saxon raids. Those who had nothing left to live for but to kill Saxons. They had gathered together and roamed along the coastline in the summer months, killing with a brutal efficiency. It was said that they were the best protection Britain had against the Sason invaders, for they gave no thought for their own lives, and therefore fought where other men fled.
"The commander?" she asked softly.
"The commander," Merlin concurred. "They are stationed at the base of the mountains. You will need to be there within five days." He paused, almost smiling at her. "Don't get yourself killed too soon."
"Thank you," Alennia stuttered, but Merlin had swept away.
A/N – Yay! I finally have chapter names! What do you think of them? Most of them are song lyrics or titles, so this is just a disclaimed to say I probably didn't come up with them myself… Sorry if it was a bit confusing when I said, "trying to think of the best way to kill Merlin from Arthur's point of view" in Chapter 6: Well Met. I meant Alennia was trying to see things from the enemies' point of view, so that she would be well prepared when they attacked. I know.