Chapter 24

It was midway into our second day of travel, when I noticed something was different. We were traveling through a trail on a fairly dense section of forest. Then Roman's were very quiet, and I could see their eyes scanning the trees.

"Phillip" I whispered, for he too was quietly scanning the woods. "What is wrong?" I asked knowing there was something definitely going on.

"This area is known for bandits, or rogues. We can usually pass through without problems, but this time with an especially large shipment we must be careful." He answered without taking his eyes from the trees.

"Are they out there now?" I asked fear creeping into my voice, I did not think we had to fear woads this far south of the wall, but I never thought of bandits, or rogues as Phillip called them.

"They are always out there, will they attack is the question." He answered calmly.

"What will we do Phillip?"

"We will fight of course, and we will win." He replied

"How can you be so certain? What if we are outnumbered, or ambushed they could easily shoot us down and never leave the cover of the trees." I said playing the scenarios over in my mind.

"If they begin to shoot, we will out run them, in hand to hand combat, we have three of the best warriors this island has ever seen. They would be foolish to challenge us in the first place, but if they are desperate enough anything could happen." He explained.

I assumed the warriors he were talking about were the knights, for the two soldiers behind us did not have any warrior qualities about them, other than the fact they wore weapons. I pulled my bow, from my saddle, and hung it on my back, arrows ready. I also made sure my swords were in reach.

I thought about my three friends in the front, and wished now I would have stayed with them, for Phillip was right, they could hold their own in battle, I had seen that first hand. I like the soldiers kept my eyes glued on the woods from that moment on. Then it happened, I could have swore I saw some brush moving, I started to ride to the front of the line to see if the knights had seen anything, but was stopped by a searing pain in my right hip.

I looked down and saw an arrow was lodged firmly in my thigh. Phillip noticed it the same moment I felt it. "We're under attack", he yelled, "Ride!"

The arrows started to rain down on us. The draft horses had been whipped into a run, and the wagons were going as fast as they could to get out of the range of the archers. We ran our horses behind them trying to escape the onslaught of arrows. We were almost to the opening of the woods, when the pass was blocked by several men, all with swords drawn.

"We claim these wagons as property of the British Rogue." Yelled the leader. "Leave the wagons and we will let you live."

"You know the Romans would not appreciate us handing their supply wagons over to you. Did you think it would be that easy?" I heard Lancelot call back to him.

"I had hoped, to spare you Sarmatians, but if it is a fight you want, it is yours." I peered around the side of the wagon, and could see they were circling now, there were six rogues with more appearing by the moment, to the three knights.

"Phillip, we should help them." I hissed.

"Taryn, you can't do anything with that leg, and we must stay here, and defend the back of the wagons, for they will soon be here also. Do not worry, the knights can handle themselves." He whispered back.

He was right, because in moments, there were another four or five men coming toward us. I knew if I had to fight it would have to be from Black's back. There was no way; I was going to be able to stand. The blood flow had slowed, but the pain was immense.

I had to give the Roman's credit, for they formed a semi circle around me preparing for the fight. The rogue men were not yet paying attention to me, so I took a moment to even the odds. I pulled an arrow from my sheath, and fired it quickly in to the heart of the only man I had a clear shot at. I watched his eyes fill with surprise, as he died. I noticed he was also wearing a bow. Probably the stupid beast was the one who shot me; I guess he got what he deserved.

The other four men, looked around in confusion to see where the arrow had come from, the soldiers took this moment to spring upon them weapons drawn. One of the men spied me, and saw the bow in my hand. An evil light came into his eyes. I could have easily sunk an arrow into his ugly head with no remorse, but I did not have a clear shot for Phillip was fighting a man in between us. He charged at me full speed, I had my arrow notched and ready for him, but Black choose that moment to frighten, and rear up. I dropped my arrow, while trying to remain in the saddle. Pain shot like lightening through my right side where the arrow was still embedded. The man was there, sword drawn, ready to slice into me, or my horse whatever came first. I pulled out my long sword, just in time to parry his blow that would have severed my leg into two. He used his strength to pin my sword and his between my horse and him. He reached up with his other hand and grabbed my arm, and pulled me to the ground. I landed on the ground on my left side. I looked at my hands and my sword was gone. I looked up at the sneering man, who held them both in his hands. He approached me slowly the evil gleam still in his eyes. He wanted blood, my blood, and it did not matter to him I was a woman.

I tried to stand to my feet, but the pain was unbearable, he was over top of me now, sword raised. I knew I had only one shot. With speed, I did not know I possessed, I pulled out one of my tridents, and implanted it with all my strength in the man's thigh. I used the hard twisting motion, Tristan had taught me that gave a greater chance of hitting a major blood vessel.

The man stepped back groaning in pain, my sword fell from his hand as he clutched his leg. I used my last ounce of strength to grab the sword, and thrust it through his abdomen, and into his chest cavity. The man died almost instantly. I watched him die. I did not feel sadness for him, only relief. I sank back down to the ground remembering the pain in my thigh. This arrow had to come out, I needed help, and quickly.

"Phillip" I called to him. He was still fighting off a Rogue that refused to die. I noticed only he and one other Roman were standing. The other Roman was lying dead, along with the seven rogues; three more must have joined the fight.

As if on cue, Phillip finished the man off, with a sweeping cut to the throat. As the man fell he came running to my side.

"Taryn, your alive, thank good, I saw that man pull you from your horse, I thought you were dead." He said trying to catch his breath. "I tried to get to you, but it all happened so fast."

"Phillip the arrow, it has to come out." I said my voice growing weak.

"TARYN" I heard a shout, and then the sound of footsteps running toward me.

"Taryn, Oh God, you are wounded." Gawain gasped kneeling next to me practically pushing Phillip out of the way.

Lancelot and Galahad were soon by my side also. All covered in blood and looking very concerned.

"Please help me, Gawain, it hurts so bad." I pleaded my eyes locking with his.

"Gawain, we cannot stay here, we have to move and get out of their territory before nightfall, there could be more." Lancelot interrupted.

"Lancelot, we have to fix her leg or she will bleed to death!" Gawain argued.

"Do it in the wagon, Gawain, if we stay here we all could die." Lancelot said. "Taryn" He said softly looking at me "We will clear a spot in the wagon for you to ride. You understand we can't stay here." Lancelot pleaded with his eyes for me to understand.

I knew the ride was painful, but Lancelot was right, we could not make camp here for the night. I nodded to him. We must go, and soon.

"Lancelot we will not go anywhere until we remove the arrow and cauterize the wound." Gawain said firmly.

"You have fifteen minutes Gawain, and then we must leave." Lancelot said, turning to see to the drivers, and check on the wagons.

"Phillip, hurry start a fire." Gawain commanded. "Taryn we have to get the arrow out, and when we do it will bleed uncontrollably, the only way to stop the bleeding is to cauterize the wound. It will be painful, but it must be done or you could die." He said holding my hand gently.

"It already hurts Gawain, do what you have to, I trust you." I said squeezing his hand forgetting all the emotional pain I had gone through the previous day. Now I wanted his help, and only his, he would get me through this.

"Good girl, now I need you to lay on your left side." He said while helping me roll to my hip.

"It got you good Taryn." Galahad said from my other side. "It is clear through your leg and out your back side, you are lucky it did not hit you in the gut, you would be dead." He said in amazement.

"Galahad would you please shut up, she does not need your blabbering right now." Gawain said sharply.

I wanted to defend Galahad, but I did not have the strength. So I just lay there as Gawain used his dagger to make the opening in my pants wider so he could see the extent of my wound. Phillip called out that he had the fire going. I heard Gawain toss him a dagger and instruct him to hold it in the flame.

"Taryn first I am going to break the end of the arrow off, so we can slide it through the rest of the way." Gawain explained, and then without warning, I heard a snap, and then felt a rush of pain through my upper leg. "Okay the arrow is gone, Phillip, bring that to me." He called.

"Thanks for the warning" I mumbled.

"Taryn this is the rough part." He said. "Gawain, hold her shoulders, Phillip you hold her legs. "On the count of three, One two….."

I couldn't help it as the searing heat hit my already tender flesh, I screamed, I tried to fight, but strong arms held me down. First the pain was in the front of my leg, and then I felt the pain in my backside, as he cauterized the exit wound. I did not stop screaming until the red hot blade was removed from my body.

Gawain pulled me up into his arms rocking me gently. "Shhh Taryn, I am so sorry, it is over now." He said stroking the back of my hair.

"Gawain we have to ride now." I heard Lancelot call.

"Taryn, I am going to carry you to the wagon, I will need to stitch the wound up there." He explained.

"Okay." I said through my tears the pain was easing ever so slightly. He lifted me and carried me to the lead wagon. They had already moved the supplies around to make enough room for two people. No sooner had he settled me on the floor did the wagon lurch forward.

Gawain stitched the front of my leg first, it was painful, but it did not compare to the cauterizing, and the edges were kind off numb from it. When he turned me over to work on the back side, I became aware that a good portion of my bottom was revealed. When he stopped to rethread the needle I reached back to feel the open area with my hand, and saw he had ripped away almost half of the seat of my pants.

I started to say something, but what was there to say, it must be done, there was no woman here to do it and he had already been starring at it the last twenty minutes anyway. Gawain seemed to notice my embarrassment, for he moved my hand away.

"I will be done shortly, and don't worry, you were so covered in blood out there no one saw anything." He reassured me.

"I guess I wont be riding a horse for quite some time." I said trying to lighten the mood.

"Taryn this never should have happened, you should have been riding up with me." He said as he put the last stitch in. "There we are finished." He said patting my hip. "Now we just pray it does not get infected."

"Gawain you can not protect me from everything, there is no way you could have stopped the arrow, so don't pretend like you could have." I said sitting up to look at him.

"You had to kill again." He said bluntly ignoring my comment.

"Yes, and I have no regrets, they deserved to die, and I would do it again if I had to." I said raising my chin a little higher.

"Good, that is the attitude you must have here." He said with a small smile. "My little Taryn is starting to grow up!"

"Gawain, I am almost seventeen, do you all expect me to stay the same. I will not always be Little Taryn. I am a near grown woman who wants to experience life to its fullest, not be coddled, by my father, or his friends!" I said with a sudden passion.

"Ah I see you are starting to gain back your energy." He said laughing at my little outburst.

"Yes, and I am starting to remember why I was mad at you in the first place." I said with a frown.

"Can't we forget about that night?" He said with a sigh.

"No Gawain, you made me feel stupid, unwanted, and ashamed. I can not easily forget that night." I said angry with him for even suggesting it.

"Taryn I wish I had never agreed to what Tristan suggested." He said softly.

"Really?" I said raising my eyes to meet his.

"Yes, but what is done is done Taryn can't you see I can't go back on my word?"

"No Gawain! I can't see it. I know you, when you want something you get it. If you wanted to be with me you would be, and that is all there is to it. So stop using my father as an excuse!" I said my voice getting loud enough to draw the attention of our fellow travelers.

"Taryn, are you okay?" Phillip called from outside of the wagon.

"I am fine, my leg is just bothering me a bit." I called back and then turned to glare up at Gawain.

"So what is it going to be Gawain?" I demanded.

"I think I need to stretch my legs." He said standing and slipping out the back of the wagon leaving me alone.

I could not stop the tears. I had confronted him like an adult. I did not back down or away, but he did. He left without answering anything. His answer was obvious though. I meant nothing to him. I lay there and cried and let the swaying of the wagon, and the sheer exhaustion lull me to sleep.

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When I awoke it was dark, and the wagons were stopped. I sat up at the same moment a head poked through the opening of the wagon. "Gawain" I called into the darkness.

"No it is me Phillip." He said climbing into the wagon next to me.

"Oh Phillip I am sorry, how are you doing, has there been any sign of more rogues?" I questioned.

"No Taryn, it is safe. Is your leg better?"

"Yes thanks to Gawain, it is still painful though."

"Taryn are you fighting with him again?" Phillip asked.

"Phillip, I don't know, I don't want to fight with him." I said.

"Then you should tell him that."

"Phillip, I can't its just too complicated."

"No its not." He said standing to leave. "Do it now." He said stepping from the wagon.

"Phillip wait…" I said to his disappearing back.

I wanted to talk to him, but I did not know what to say without becoming angry. Actually that is all I did to him, was become angry and demanding. No wonder he had left me in such a hurry earlier. All I had done is make the situation worse, and now instead of having Gawain, or Phillips company, I was sitting in the dark cold wagon alone.

"Taryn" his voice called interrupting my thoughts.

"Yes" I called back.

"Phillip said you wanted to talk to me." He said from the back of the wagon.

Darn Phillip, when did he become such a meddler in my affairs. "Um could you come up here, so I can see you." I said, for it was very dark in the wagon.

He moved up and sat down beside me. "Gawain" I began, not knowing quite what to say.

"Wait Taryn, can I say something first?" He said thankfully interrupting my unprepared speech.

"Yes please do." I said very relieved.

"Taryn, I meant it when I said I wish I had never made a promise to Tristan. You are right though. I do what I want, when I want to do it. And that night I did want to be with you and kiss you and hold you, but it scared me. Because Taryn I do care for you. More than I have ever cared for a woman in my life, but I still don't understand all my feelings. I don't want to rush into something neither of us is prepared for. Do you understand this?" He said pausing to look at me.

"Yes." I whispered into the darkness.

"Taryn, I promise you I will not let anyone influence my relationship with you, but you are young, and inexperienced, and I don't want you to do something you may later regret. Do you even know how you feel about me Taryn?" He said turning the conversation to me.

"Gawain, I care about you a great deal, I am confused though at times. You are right though, I see that now, I am not prepared to handle this relationship at the extremes I was pushing it to." I said understanding and feeling what he was feeling.

"Taryn how could you doubt I care for you?" he asked cupping my chin with his hand.

"I don't know Gawain." I said leaning my head to his chest. "Maybe because I am just a silly, immature little girl" I said with a sigh.

"Taryn you are not that at all, you are growing to be a smart, and brave young woman. I will just have to make sure you have no doubts." He said wrapping his arms around me and softly kissing my head.

"I will look forward to it." I murmured snuggling myself close to him, thankful I would not be spending the night alone.

AN Hey all able to squeak one more out before I hit the rode. Hope you all like it. Thanks for all your great reviews. Sorry, I don't have time to reply to each one. Let me know what you think of this one.