Lancelot was walking to the tavern in a daze. He held his cup of wine in his hand. He couldn't actually fathom the fact that as of tonight him and his brothers would be free. He gave a flirtatious glance to some of the village women passing by.
We will be free. I can return to Sarmatia, maybe see my family once more. Arthur… Well of course Arthur will return to Rome.
He laughed as he approached the tavern and heard the familiar shout of Bors' voice. Evidently most of the other knights had already arrived at the tavern.
Galahad was in a similar state of shock. He smiled warmly at any man, woman or child that he passed.
I can finally go home. I can finally stop the constant fighting and killing… and losing. Maybe I'll even meet a nice Sarmatian woman to marry.
He was interrupted from his happy thoughts by a figure hurtling through the Fort. He didn't even get a chance to move as they crashed into him and kept running. He heard a shout.
"Bloody thief." Galahad approached an agitated looking Roman guard.
"What happened?" He tried to keep from smirking. Serves the brute right. One thing he knew he wouldn't miss about the fort was the constant company of the Roman Pigs.
"They stole from me." Galahad sighed and flagged on the soldier. He sighed. The pickpockets were usually inexperienced peasants that got caught immediately. The other pickpockets were the skilled ones that normally never got caught or could out run the Romans. He shrugged his shoulders as he walked to the tavern.
Arthur grimaced. After his confrontation with his knights and Lancelot he had a primitive urge to kill the Bishop. He knew that the chance of making it through this mission with all of his knights remaining alive weren't good. He sighed.
"Please God, get them through this. I don't care of what happens to me, but let my knights find their freedom and their happiness." He let out a long breath. A pair of dark eyes was watching him intently from the hay.
Galahad sat beside Gawain and all the other knights, minus Tristan and Dagonet, who had gone to prepare for the mission. Bors let out a drunken roar.
"And another thing. Those Roman bastards can't even send their own to look after their own. I have half a mind to kill the next Roman that comes near me." Galahad nodded.
"Who are they do deny our freedom. We've saved the stupid asses more than our duty requires." He slurred drunkenly. Gawain patted him on the back, while giving a flirtatious smile to a pretty tavern girl. Lancelot sighed. He seemed to be thinking about something.
"Well maybe the Bishop's assistant might meet with an unfortunate accident' Pity we can't bring a Saxon to let loose on the dear old Romans here." They all started to laugh.
"We better prepare. Galahad, don't do anything impulsive."
The knights say in the rain after riding hard.
"When I'm free I think I'll stay here. Vanora wants to get married and give the children all names." Bors made a face. Tristan gave a flicker of laughter.
"Women. I thought the children all had names." Bors shrugged.
"Nah, just Gilly. Got to hard to remember so we just gave them all numbers. Number three's a nice one, good fighter."
"That's because he's mine. Funny, Bors I didn't know you could count." All the knights started to laugh as Bors lurched towards Lancelot. Dagonet smiled. Gawain started to laugh.
"Oh Lancelot, don't worry. Vanora's not the only woman to refuse you." Lancelot stared in shock.
"I don't know what you're talking about. No woman can resist my charms." Dagonet laughed.
"I'm sure women have refuse our Lance here, but what woman are you talking about in particular?" Gawain looked to Galahad, who looked to Tristan, who looked at his knife. Arthur started to chuckle.
The knights were sitting in the tavern. They had been particularly drunk that time and all the knights were there. Tristan had even consumed a little more alcohol than was good for him. He had been in the middle of one of his famous knife throwing contests with Gawain. He had just landed it in the middle.
"Tristran," Gawain slurred, "How do you do that?" Tristan staggered back and looked at his handiwork. His knife tip was imbedded in the center of Gawain's handle. He shrugged, obviously at a loss.
"I aim for the middle." Gawain glared for about thirty seconds before starting to laugh. All the others started to laugh. They stared as figure dropped behind Galahad and crawled under the bench.
"Look, This is our bench. You aren't supposed to be hiding underneath it." Bors' said loudly. He stood up suddenly and dropped his jug of ale, letting out a large crash. The person under the bench didn't even flinch. Lancelot was about to look under the bench when two Roman soldiers marched over and reached under the bench, dragging out a figure in a ragged cloak. They started to shake the person. The knights immediately stood, while Galahad fumbled for his sword.
"Now see here, you can't do that." The soldiers stopped.
"What's it to you, this person stole a silver and gold piece from me." For some reason Galahad took pity on the person. He could see a pair of thin hands clenched into two fists.
"That's impossible, they've been with us the whole time." He glanced at the knights, who sighed and nodded in agreement.
"And why was it that they were under there?" Lancelot shrugged.
"Surely even you can't deny us our drunken pleasure with the tavern girls." The soldiers glared and started to walk away.
"Fine, but if they come near me or any other soldier I'll kill them." The knights shrugged and sat down while the figure slowly rubbed pale hands over their neck. They turned to walk away.
"Oh come now, surely we get a thanks or at least a glimpse of your face?" Gawain joked. The figure turned to look at them. It was a she. She had just removed her hood and looked at them. She didn't say anything. The men stared.
She had large dark gray eyes and a pert nose dusted with pale freckles. Her hair was fair, a pale blonde colorand hung in waves, tendrils curled around her face. She was very beautiful. There was a little dirt along her temples. She looked at them and turned to leave.
"Oh wait just a minute love. Aren't you going to thank me properly for saving your life." She glared at him. A tendril fell into her eyes; she didn't bother to brush it back.
"Thank you." She turned once more.
"Do you know I don't think she knows who you are, Lance." The girl started to laugh.
"I know of knights of the round table. I know of the silent pillar, Sir Dagonet. The loud bear, Sir Bors. The longhaired, Sir Gawain. The boyish, Sir Galahad," She turned to look at Tristan she paused for a moment and tilted her head. "The deadly Scout, Sir Tristan. The noble commander, Arturius and the man who always has a full bed, Sir Lancelot." They started to laugh.
"I hope that's not all that you've hold about us, Lady." She looked at Arthur in surprise.
"I'm not a lady, sire. Someday you will be more than a knight. Rome will be gone, but you will be here." She turned to leave. Lancelot had been quite drunk.
"Not even a kiss to thank me for my efforts. I'm sure you'll like it." In a flash she had moved and was sitting on his laps. She had twined a dark curl around her finger. Her Irish accent was now prominent, as she spoke in a whisper.
"Thank you, Sir Lancelot. Thank you very much." She slapped along the top of his head. In an instant she was out of the tavern. All the knights had started laughing at Lancelot, who still appeared quite shell-shocked.
The knights looked at Lancelot and shook their heads.
"Well I believe that she resisted you." Laughed Dagonet. Lancelot shrugged.
"I didn't realize until the next morning that the wench took all my money." Dagonet laughed.
"She was skillful. When she was under the bench she took my coins as well as Galahad's and Bors." Said Gawain. They all laughed. Dagonet, who hadn't been there that night, raised an eyebrow.
"How is it that Tristan and Arthur are the only ones she didn't steal from?" Arthur shrugged and Tristan just smirked. Lancelot sighed and shook his head.
"I hate it when you do that. I'd hit you-" Tristan smirked again.
"But then I'd kill you." Lancelot nodded, defeated. Galahad laughed. The knights' shrugged. Lancelot looked thoughtful. Arthur watched as his men continued to sit around the fire. Tristan went off to scout ahead and the other knights were sleeping. Arthur sighed.
I can't let anything happen to them. If the bishop denies them their freedom, I'll kill him.
They spilled onto Marius' estate after having made it through the Woad forest. Arthur caught sight of a villager chained in the center of the green. After a brief dialogue with the man, Ganis he drew his sword.
"Listen to me, all of you. This Marius is not a man of god. All of you were born free from your first breath. Somebody help this man." He walked away. He looked to a small hut where there were stones. Tristan road in.
"They come from the South trying to cut off our escape. They will be here before nightfall."
"The only way out is south?"
"No, East, it means crossing through mountains, but that's the path we must take. What is it," He followed his commander's gaze to the hut, "We have no time." Arthur didn't listen.
"Dagonet." Dagonet dismounted from his horse and drew his ax. He began to hack at the stone until it crumbled to reveal a door. He kicked it until it splintered and gave way to a spiral stone staircase.
A/N Sorry, I know that this chapter was really bad. I have exams going on, so I'm a little distracted. Okay, so now there is another female mentioned... Anyway please read and REVIEW! I will take suggestions, praise, criticism. Thanks so much!