Chapter 3

Silence, that is the only way to describe it, and blank stares. They were all looking at me as if I had sprouted two heads. I knew then that my thought was correct, he was dead. My sobbing continued, the father I had never known, would never know me, or I him, the journey was for nothing. The pain, the fear, the loneliness was all for nothing. I left my home, everyone I knew to find him. The feeling rose from my stomach into my throat, I could not help it I vomited right at Arthur's feet, I did not care if it was disgusting, all I could feel was the pain. That is when I felt the arm on my shoulder; I looked up to see the last person I would expect to try to comfort me, Lancelot.

"Dear girl", he began and then I saw the smile on his face, "Your father is very much alive." He then pointed, "Taryn, meet your father, Tristan."

I followed his finger to find none other than my captor, the man who had caused all my pain. Not emotional pain, we would get to that later, but physical pain. I am sure he is normally a man very good at hiding his emotions, but this one was plain as day to read, horror. He was horrified, I am not sure if it was because he was finding out he had a daughter for the first time, or because of the fact he had severely injured me, and near killed me. I then did something I have never done before, I fainted.

When I finally did regain consciousness, I realized I was in the back of a wagon. My arm still hurt, but was in some sort of a makeshift sling across my chest, there was also a dressing on my head. I could hear the sound of hoof beats around the wagon, and men talking.

"Ah Tristan, I see you caught your, um daughters horse." I heard Lancelot tease.

Good I thought, at least I will have Black with me, when we get there. "She certainly must not take after you," Lancelot continued, "She is much better looking."

"Arthur, you are going to be short a knight, by the time we reach the wall, if someone does not shut up" Tristan muttered.

"Ah, already the defensive father" Lancelot said. I then heard the sound of a sword being drawn from a sheath.

"Lancelot, you will be quiet, or I will let him kill you" Arthur commanded.

"Yes, Commander Artorius" Lancelot cheekily replied.

"She is not my daughter, we will sort this out at the wall" Tristan said.

This statement brought tears back to my eyes; he did not even believe me. He was my father, the more I think about it, the more I am positive it is him. I will prove it to him, although I do believe I would rather have any other Sarmatian knight on this wretched island be my father, than him.

"Well I certainly believe she is your daughter, if she could safely make it from Sarmatia to Briton by herself, she must have your blood Tristan." Gawain said.

"She is beautiful, as Lancelot pointed out, and you have to admit, her eyes, and hair are the same as yours Tristan" Galahad added.

I heard a loud sigh, I am assuming came from my father.

"How old are you anyway Tristan"? Lancelot asked.

"31" Gawain piped in. "So that would have made you…."

"ARTHUR" Tristan shouted, and by the way everyone quieted down I assume he did not usually use this means of communication.

"Men please leave Tristan alone, this is something he, and Taryn alone need to discuss when we arrive at the wall" Arthur said. The rest of the journey was in almost complete silence. I heard someone mutter "Wait until Bors hears this". I was left to my thoughts.

I was scarred to death of him. I have never feared a person the way I feared him. His looks his mannerism, everything struck fear into me. How could a man fire an arrow at a person, he did not even know was friend or foe, is that his world, kill first ask questions later. His own friends, if he even had any seemed half afraid of him. Oh what have I got myself into! If only Black was tied to the wagon, I could jump on him and escape, and never have to face this man again. What am I thinking he would probably then assume I really was a spy made the entire daughter thing up, and just shoot me in the back right off my horse. No wonder my mother did not marry him, he is insane.

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