Standard Disclaimer applies; King Arthur and all that is related to the legends and movie are so not mine. It'd be great though. Ah well, stuff you don't recognize, like the ideas and such, yeah that's mine. Anyways onto "Blood Heritage"

(A/N: Third person part now. Although I like writing in first, third makes it easier to get into everybody's thoughts. evil laughter)

The door to the council room opened admitting Roxie. The knights, who had also cleaned up, stood up looking at the young woman in green looking rather uncomfortable. The younger knights grinned at the young woman as she edged toward the table. 'Oh my gawd! It's the fuckin' ROUND TABLE! And I thought it was just a story.' She thought to herself. Lancelot pulled the chair out next to him, encouraging her to take it, but she smiled at Dagonet as he pulled a chair out for her.

"Whaddya lookin' at?" Her brow rose at a rather disgruntled Lancelot.

"The gown suits you, my lady Roxie. The beauty of the Green Lady graces us," Galahad said politely. She shrugged and stated it was too tight and restricting, but Gawain agreed with his friend. Roxie only made a face and stuck out her tongue. She pulled her knees up to her chest slouching in her wooden chair.

"Whatever. -rolls her eyes- So, what now?" Roxie asked, but Arthur and the Bishop entered the room and they stood, except for Roxie. She waved to Arthur like a child. Arthur politely nodded to Roxie as a servant girl brought them all goblets of wine. Roxie grinned and sniffed the liquor and was about to drink it when Arthur spoke.

"Let us not forget, we are the lucky few." And they raised their drinks, Roxie followed suit finally standing too, she knew all too well the cost of lives because she too took too many.

"I thought there were more of you," the bishop said, ignoring the fact that Roxie sat at the table as well. Internally, Roxie made faces at the arrogant bishop, but kept her face blank. She didn't know what kind of power he had or her station in life for the current time being. For the time being, she would play it by ear until there was a way to get back to her life.

"There were, we've been fighting for 15 whole years." Arthur replied calmly.

"Arthur and his knights have served us with courage to maintain the honor of Rome's Empire, on this last post. With glory, Rome is most happy for your Knights; your final days as servants to Rome." The Bishop said raising his goblet, not noticing the others had not raised theirs too.

"Day, not days," Lancelot stated plainly, all eyes suspiciously on the bishop.

The bishop sat down, "The Pope has taken a personal interest and inquires about each of you and is curious to know if your knights have converted to the word of our Savior."

Roxie snorted in her drink, 'Yeah right.'

"They retain the religion of their forefathers, I have never questioned them," Arthur replied briefly looking at Roxie for the noise.

The bishop looked annoyed, then forced his cheeriness, enough for Roxie's stomach to want revolt, "Of course of course, you are all pagans. For our part, the church has deemed itself of innocence…" the bishop droned on. Roxie barely paid attention but signaled to the servant for a bit more wine. "But first, I will need to speak to Arthur… alone."

None of the men moved and Arthur claimed there were no secrets between him and his men. The bishop slammed the wooden box closed; Roxie barely remembered what was inside.

"Come, let's leave Roman business to Romans," Lancelot said getting up. Dagonet helped Roxie out of her seat as they left the room. They walked down to the tavern where Vanora was serving drinks to Roman soldiers. Bors greeted his lover with a kiss as she handed the babe in her arms to him.

Roxie waved to the woman and sat at the bar to watch the goings on of the tavern. Several inebriated soldiers tried to hit on her, but she immediately brushed them off like dirt. Instead of dealing with drunken idiots the whole night, Roxie took an empty chair next to Dagonet as she watched Gawain and Galahad throw daggers at a post. 'Medieval darts.' She thought to herself as she watched their game. Roxie felt herself relax around these knights, a little rough 'round the edges, but still she felt comfortable… unlike when she needed to plaster on a façade for the friends in her time.

"Ha!" Galahad exclaimed triumphantly breaking Roxie from her thoughts, she would have cheered, but Tristan's dagger landed dead center on the hilt with ease. "Tristan, how do you do that?"

Pointing and munching an apple, the scout simply replied, "I aim for the middle." Giggling, Roxie scanned the other patrons of the bar. Lancelot was gambling with some soldiers, 'Oops, looks like he lost.' But he pulled out his dagger and said something else.

"Roxie," Gawain called her back to their game, "you handle weapons well, and does that apply to your aim?"

"Oh no, I'm not being pulled into this." She protested, but the others challenged and goaded her. "Awright, awright. What's the bet?" They said if she hits the center, they owed her drinks, if not she'd owe them each a kiss. Shaking her head she smiled, Dagonet handed her his dagger, her thanks barely left her lips without looking to her target did the dagger end up dead on Tristan's own blade. "Hmm, I'm feeling a bit parched. So, pay up boys."

The knights stared at her in disbelief, not only had she hit Tristan's blade dead centre, but it was without looking. Vanora chuckled at the men's expressions as she poured another pint for a soldier. Lancelot pulled the woman into his lap and asked when she would leave Bors for him; she lightly slapped him and said her lover was watching before continuing with her work.

"I don't think so Roxie, we said the center, but never specified the post or the dagger. You lose," Galahad reasoned. Roxie glared at the blond knight, the others grinned widely.

"Ah, but if I lose, then so do you. 'Cuz I hit the centre, technically of both the hilt and the post. Galahad's blade was already in the middle, I drove both in deeper… aw no kiss for you then." Roxie argued back, internally pleased with her pirate thinking.

"Actually, Lady Roxie, both must pay up. You hit the centre, but which center was never specified," Dagonet said as he retrieved his dagger.

"Wha? Hey! Whose side are you on?" Roxie protested, Galahad and Gawain looked exceptionally happy, Tristan was indifferent and Dagonet just smirked. "-sighs- Drink, then kiss. I would like not to remember this."

Galahad ordered a pint of ale for her, and she glared at him as he handed her the mug. Roxie tried to take the mug from him, but he wouldn't let go until she leaned forward pretending she would kiss his lips, but instead turned his face and kissed his cheek pulling the mug from his hand.

"That's not a kiss!" the knight protested.

"Yeah it is; my lips were there, yours just weren't. Thanks for the drink." She replied walking off drinking the pint. Gawain, Tristan and even Dagonet each bought her a drink trying to kiss her lips, but she had outsmarted all three and only ended up kissing their cheeks.

Roxie spent her time with the knights joking and drinking. Watching them try to woo barmaid after barmaid, while she just teased them. Occasionally asking for more drinks and throwing their daggers at the post, in Roxie's case everybody else's dagger.

"Roxie, here," Another mug was pushed into her hand, "Can anyone play or is it dagger throws only." She looked up in Lancelot's dark eyes.

"Aww, porbesito (A/N: poor baby in Spanish) Lancey-pants is feeling left out. Keep your drink, I can get my own." Roxie giggled. Lancelot raised an eyebrow at the name she called him and his fellow knights laughed.

"Well, I'd take it back, but you already drank it. So you owe me a kiss." He replied as she turned the empty mug to see that it was drained.

"No… I drink a owe you," She slurred as she got up shakily.

"Lady, you are drunk, sit and give the man his kiss," Tristan said placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Hahaha, I'm not as think as you drunk I am. No kiss," Roxie laughed slurring her words and twisted from the scout's grasp and headed toward the bar. The rest of the knights laughed heartily at Lancelot who was denied again by the beauteous Roxie.

As she returned to the table a pair of strong calloused hands pulled her into a squishy lap, spilling the mug of ale.

"Woman, why do you tempt me so?" hot breath and a roughly shaven mouth grazed her neck; rough hands roamed and touched her body. She was suddenly alert as though a drop of alcohol never touched her lips.

"Lemme Go!" Roxie yelled struggling to get away from the drunken Roman, her protests covered by the noise of the tavern. Her tight dress ripped a little at the shoulders and hips as she tried to move. The man's grip tightened as his rough hands groped her body, his comrades distracted the Sarmatians; and she struggled more.

"Ah, so the woman likes it rough," he groaned against her skin, his hands squeezed her breasts painfully but briefly because she freed her arm enough to elbow him breaking his nose. The soldier howled in pain and let her go, immediately she spun around and twisted his arm behind his back as she held two fingers to killing pressure points on his neck. The Roman roared in pain, and all eyes were on Roxie and the Roman.

The tavern was in chaos, the Sarmatian knights and the soldiers were in a near violent state when they saw Roxie turn the tables on her assailant. "If I let go, you die; if I push here -another point with her thumb causing the blood squirt more- you die. You don't touch me, come near me, speak to me, or even think of me. Or else I will kill you." She threatened menacingly, her hazel eyes darkened as she gently pushed harder with her thumb causing his nose to gush and making him choke. "Well?"

The soldier barely said anything when one of his comrades rushed at Roxie, but she back kicked him in the groin and chest, sending him flying. Another grabbed her in a full-nelson, she only slipped from his grasp and scissor kicked his legs, he hit the wood floor with a sickening crack. Getting up, Roxie started to move back to the bar but the first Roman gurgled and desperately reached for her. A barmaid timidly asked if Roxie would let him die, but Roxie only looked at the man harshly and replied that death for swine like him was too good, then hit some pressure points in his chest allowing him to breathe and making the blood flow less. The soldiers that had attacked her groaned as they got up and those that caused issues with the knights helped their friends, then quickly left.

"Can I get two more drinks Vanora?" Roxie asked calmly, grimacing at the blood on her ripped and torn gown. Sighing deeply, Roxie waited for Vanora to bring the drinks and barely noticed the cloak placed gently on her shoulders. She looked up into Dagonet's kind eyes and smiled in thanks. As she and Dagonet returned to the table, Roxie handed Lancelot the drink. "No, I don't wanna talk about it. I've always been good at fighting," she stated when Galahad opened his mouth to say something.

"Actually I was going to comment that you were right," he replied.

"Wha?"

"You really weren't as drunk as we thought," Galahad joked, and the tavern atmosphere lightened once again. Roxie pulled the cloak tighter to her body trying to cover the rips that exposed her underwear and enjoying her drink.

Bors called Vanora over and handed the baby to his lover. "SHUT UP! Vanora'll sing!"

She protested, but many of called for her to sing, to sing of home, Roxie chuckled when Gawain told her not to drop the baby. Clearing her throat, Vanora rocked the babe in her arms as her voice rang over the tavern:

"Land of bear and land of eagle

Land that gave us birth and blessing

Land that pulled us ever homewards

We will go home across the mountains

We will go home

We will go home

We will go home across the mountains

We will go home, singing our song

We will go home…

Each of the knights had that glazed look in their eyes, as if remembering something far off. Roxie watched them; Galahad seemed to be mouthing the words along with Vanora. They watched Vanora sing, but saw past her to their home. Roxie noticed Arthur walking up watching what was going on-

Hear our singing

Hear our longing

We will go home across the mountains

We will go home

We will go home…"

Jols noticed Arthur and called out to him. The other knights grinned to their knight commander and friend as they walked over to him greeting Arthur. Roxie followed silently, something didn't seem right.

Galahad joked, "You're not completely Roman yet, right?"

Bors belted his war-cry, "RUUUUUUSSSSSS!"

But Roxie leaned against a fence just watching the scene unfold.

"Knights, brothers in arms," Arthur began, "Your courage has been tested beyond all limits, but I must ask you now for further trial." Arthur's voice and eyes held a sadness his friends would only recognize only if they were sober, Roxie noticed it right away and so did Tristan.

"Drink," Bors teased holding up an imaginary wine skin. All except Roxie, Tristan and Arthur laughed with Bors. And Arthur continued.

"We must leave on a final mission for Rome before our freedom can be granted -weak laughter from the knights- Above the wall, there lives a Roman family in need of rescue. They are trapped by Saxons. Our orders are to secure their safety."

Bors scoffed, "Let the Romans take care of their own."

"Above the wall is Woad territory."

Galahad raged, his voice full of alcohol and anger, "Our duty to Rome, if it ever was a duty, is done. Our pact with Rome is done."

"Every knight here has laid his life on the line for you," Bors garbled pointing at Arthur, "for you. And instead of freedom, you want blood! Our blood! You think more of Roman blood than ours!"

Arthur attempted to reason, "Bors, these are our orders. We leave at first light…" Roxie barely continued to pay attention; Bors yelled that he was a free man. Then Tristan said something which angered Galahad and Lancelot had to separate the two. Roxie was getting rather bored with the situation.

"You're acting like children!" Roxie commented from the fence, "Quit it! Is this how you want your service to end? Arguing over a fucked up broken word! It's stupid!"

"Listen girl! You know nothing! Speak not of what you do not know—" Galahad reproached, but Dagonet calmly cut him off. Roxie glared at the young knight challenging him to make a move.

"She is right. The Romans have broken their word. We have the word of Arthur. That is good enough, I'll prepare," he walked away, "Bors, you coming?"

"Of course I'm coming! Can't let you go on your own, you'll all get killed! I'm just saying what you're thinking," Bors muttered as he followed Dagonet.

"And you Gawain?" Arthur asked.

Sighing, he nodded and answered, "I'm with you, Galahad as well." The youngest knight stared at his friend disbelieving what Gawain said, chuckled somberly as he poured the rest of the drink to the ground before slamming the wine jug into many pieces. Arthur and Roxie watched as the knights departed to pack, keeping to the shadows she watched as Arthur headed to the stables followed by Lancelot. Making up her mind, she found her way to her room to see that Aurora not only cleaned and tidied it, but on the bed were four sets of clothing, riding and normal shirt and breeches all boys' issue and loose, the shirts had a bit of embroidery on the sleeves but she barely noticed as she picked a shirt and breeches to wear. 'Jols must have mentioned something.' She thought as she shed the torn dress tossing it in the corner and donned the riding clothes. Then she hurried to find her way to the stables, but stopped when she heard the voices of Lancelot and Arthur.

"…Don't bury me in our sad little cemetery. Burn me and cast my ashes to a strong east wind…" Lancelot's voice rang clearly. More was said, but Roxie couldn't catch it, besides it sounded personal and she kept closer to the shadows when Lancelot stormed out of the stables.

"Arthur?" She began as she walked up to the knight commander, "Why do you trust me?" Taken aback by the question, he asked what she meant. "Oh, cut the bullshit. You barely know me a day, yet you've given me a comfy room instead of locking me up. You have people attend to me and put your trust in me, when normally a stranger like me would likely be clapped in chains and put under suspicion. You've made every effort to see that I'm okay and comfortable, when that is not something most would do. I get you're a good man, gawd; I know it so fuckin' well. So why do you trust me if you know nothing about me?"

"Would you rather I did all those things?" he asked confused.

"Well, of course not, but that's not the point. I'd rather have your trust, but trust I've earned. I'd rather I'd of proven myself loyal and worthy of respect, not silver-platter style, like you've done." She took a breath, "Let me come with you. I mean I may prove useful to you."

"My trust does not come lightly, my men were taken by you -she snorts and says yeah I know- no you don't. They've taken to you not like they would a normal women, rather they respect your skills in weaponry, yes I saw how you did with the Woads earlier today; from what I can tell, Tristan also trusts you and he is more distrusting than I." Arthur told her, "I would be pleased if you accompanied us and I will allow you to prove yourself, though you do not need to. Actually I was hoping that you would want to come, had I asked in the first place."

Roxie thanked him and turned to leave, fingering her pendant as she did so.

"You have many secrets; I don't like people to have secrets if I can help it, I hope that you will trust me too and confide in me." He said causing her to stop and look at him, her eyes sad but a slight smile graced her lips.

"Maybe, but I have secrets you're better off not knowin'." She left him to his thoughts.

'How much like Tristan she seems, her mannerisms, her features are much like his.' He thought as he finished in the stables and asked Jols to let the other knights know that Roxie was coming along on this mission as well.

The next morning before first light, Gawain knocked on Roxie's door to see if she were awake and ready or at least wake her up, but there was no answer. Knocking again, he opened the door to find an empty room with a near boiling tub of water next to the fire. "Roxie?" He entered the room, but ended up scaring the maid Aurora. "Where is she?" The maid responded that Roxie was at the training grounds doing something strange, but asked that Aurora set up a boiling tub of bath water for when she came to clean up. He thanked the maid and hurried to the training grounds.

In the middle of the fencing ring, was Roxie, moving strangely with an assortment of punches and kicks; completely unaware of the gathered audience of boys and knights-to-be.

(A/N: Roxie's point of view, for a short period only)

I woke early that morning, and asked Aurora to set up a tub of hot bathwater for when I finished my morning exercises. I've spent my entire life training to be the best at martial arts, several degrees of black belt status in Jiu Jitsu, Aikido, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Karate, and an assortment of weapons training. I'm an assassin, it's what I do and just because I've been sent back here for gawd knows why, does not mean I intend to become lazy in my morning exercises. I planned to earn Arthur's trust as well as everybody else's if I plan to survive.

Pulling on the oversized shirt I warm up a bit in my room before stretching out my limbs so I don't become stiff from the cool mist that settled on the fort. I gotta remember to give Dagonet his cloak back; it was nice of him to lend it to me last night. I put my sleeveless shirt on and a pair of loose breeches, most of the boys wore them; it's fine, though, I wore boys' clothes at home too, but I think I'll have to mention that I don't need there to be embroidered flowers on the clothes I'm issued. It's really embarrassing to be the only one with fancy lacy stuff on my sleeves.

I'm greeted by early morning mist and dew when I walked down to the training field. Shaking my limbs I begin the drills I learned in my martial arts instruction, starting slowly then quickening the pace as my punches and kicks become blurs in the misty morning. Closing my eyes I'm working on combinations, imagining strike points and pressure points. I pace myself until it's time to slow down with my breathing exercises of pushing the air, like in Tai Chi; my mind absorbed in meditation and I don't notice my audience.

(A/N: Third Person POV)

Gawain watched her as she flipped and rolled on the ground, she used one of the posts to do back flips across the ring landing in splits striking an imaginary foe. It was almost time to go, so he shooed the audience of young boys then entered the ring to get her attention. He was but three feet away, when he noticed her eyes were closed and a punch was headed his way; barely had he time to duck the hit when she feinted and roundhouse kicked him into the fence pole. Her eyes shot open as if waking from a trance, realizing what she'd done, Roxie ran over to Gawain.

"OMIGAWD! Are you alright, Gawain? What were you doing?"

He hissed as she tried to help him up, "Ow, really that was painful. What was I doing? What were you doing? With all those twirly things and jumps."

"I was training and meditating. For hand to hand combat, so I'm not defenseless without a weapon in my hand. I do that to stay in top condition. If you'd like I can teach you a bit. I'm so sorry are you alright?" She offered her shoulder to lean on, "I could try carrying you, y'know."

"Oh, no. Being knocked down by a woman is bad, getting caught off guard is worse, but allowing myself to be carried is unjustly wrong. As for that hand-to-hand combat, mm-mm" He leaned on the petite and strange young woman.

"Okay, okay. Jeez, point taken. I'll take you the healer's. And we'll see if you're still okay for the ride today yeah?"

The two hobbled with much difficulty to the healer woman's. Every step was painful for the blond knight, not only was he physically in pain but so was his ego; and it didn't help that Roxie kept making him laugh with her stories and jokes causing more pain to his gut.

"Enough, ha ha, Roxie my stomach can not take the pain," Gawain jokingly scolded the charismatic young woman.

"Aw quit being such a baby, you wuss," she replied, "How can a knight of the legendary Round Table complain like a pansy? Suck it up!"

"Wuss? Pansy? Suck it up? What words are these?"

"Words that signify your wimpiness and how weak you're bein', jeez you girly-man," she commented, her icy words laced with laughter. He threatened to hit her, but she simply replied, "Do that and you'll hafta find your way to the healer's, cuz I'll just push you down those steps." Gawain smiled and conceded.

Finally they reached the healing woman, who struggled to hold in a fit of giggles from seeing the big hulking knight supported by the strange petite girl, but her resolve was short lived and the healer burst out laughing as she admitted the two into her workshop. As the healer applied a special balm to his injuries, she stated that he had no broken bones just soreness and bruises.

"That's lucky," Roxie stated, remembering that she'd done the same to another man back home and cracked his skull open, "If there's nothing else, I'm gonna go back to my room where a hot tub calls my name. This'll probably be the last proper bath I get for a while. See yuh!" Roxie opened the door and waved.

"That is really a strange girl." The healer stated putting more balm on Gawain's purple colored bruise on his back.

"Lady Healer, for once I agree."

As Roxie closed the door she ran straight into Dagonet's chest, "Oof! -looks up- Oh, hi Dagonet! What's up? -he looks up- No, I mean did you need sumthin'?"

He told her that he'd seen her and Gawain heading this way and was just concerned. In a brief explanation, she told him what happened bringing the silent knight near tears in laughter. The healer woman opened the door to scold the two about their noise level and from inside Gawain yelled at Roxie for telling Dagonet. Giggling, Roxie pulled Dagonet away saying she had to return his cloak.

"Lady Roxie, your room is the other way." Dagonet pointed.

"Huh? It is? This place is too confusing." She complained then followed him through the labyrinth fort. Opening the door, Roxie saw her room the way she left it, the tub in the corner steaming, and her bag for the trip nearly set up, everything tidy. She retrieved his cloak and handed it back to Dagonet, "Thanks again Dagonet. It would've been really embarrassing if my dress came apart and I didn't have anythin' to cover with. You're a really good friend."

He simply nodded and closed the door behind him as Roxie turned to her packing. The trip north should take a week, a week and a half at most. Aurora had left four large bags on the bed for Roxie to use, but being trained the way she was Roxie managed to fit all she need into one medium bag. Sighing contentedly, Roxie opened the door to find Aurora there holding another large basin of steaming water.

"Milady," Aurora curtsied and entered. Roxie smiled at the woman and proceeded to undress behind the screen so she could bathe. After scrubbing the dirt from her exercises and rinsing herself clean of the soap, Roxie allowed herself a moment to soak in the steaming water. Aurora told her it was nearly time to meet with the others down in the stables and Roxie dried and started to dress. "Milady Roxie, is this all you're bringing? -indicates to the bag on the bed, Roxie nods- Surely you are in need of more! A woman has many needs; one bag will not be enough. What of dresses and combs? Scents and ribbons…"

"Aurora! Aurora! - the maid stops talking- I'm going on a mission, missions don't require pretty. They require stealth and light packing, none of that junk," Roxie interrupted as she pulled on her black bra and leather breeches that reached her ankles. Silently like a good servant, Aurora started to brush and attempted to plait Roxie's hair. "What are you doing! -sees the ribbons- OH No! I said no ribbons! -Aurora tries to fix Roxie's hair again, Roxie slaps the maid's hands away- Quit!"

Roxie dodged the maid and flung the door open, running down the hall, her converse shoes slapping the stones as Aurora desperately tried to follow holding a shirt and ribbons calling after the red and black haired girl. "But My Lady, Wait!" and "Damnit Aurora! None of the shit!" could be heard resonating through the halls.

Somewhere else in the fort, Lancelot was just getting up, he had a slight headache from the night drinking and the morning light was not helping. In the halls he heard a commotion, it sounded like someone was running and yelling. He opened his door to roar at whoever was causing the noise to see Roxie in a skimpy black top and breeches wearing the strange shoes she wore when they first met her.

"Lancelot!" Roxie called to him, she rushed passed him pulling him into the room with her. "I'm not here okay -she shushed him- No, just hide me!" she was barely aware that he was not wearing any clothes as she jumped into his cot arranging the furs over her to look like another one of his female conquests, groggily Lancelot slipped into the thin cot with her. No sooner had he done that, a knock at the door was heard.

"Sir Knight Lancelot, forgive me for disturbing you but have you seen milady mistress Roxie? She ran from me this morning and now I cannot find her." Aurora cautiously opened the door and poked her head in. Roxie covered more of her head with the furs, as Lancelot told the maid that he hadn't. Soon the patter of the maid's shoes faded and Roxie pushed the furs off her, exhaling deeply she thanked Lancelot for his help and moved to get up from the bed. But a strong yet gentle arm circled her waist.

"I've been trying everything to get you into my bed, now I have you," he whispered seductively in her ear. His warm breath tickled her bare skin and his other hand stroked her neck. Lancelot placed a breathy kiss on the skin below her ear as he pulled her back to the bed. He sat on her, his face mere inches away. Her arms were captive under his weight.

"Lancelot, get off now," Roxie's voice in a growl, 'sure he was handsome, he was a regular Adonis, muscular and sexy and… wait none of those thoughts now!'

"No," his grin widened, the gorgeous knight began to lazily stroke the soft skin of her sides noticing the scars that she had there and the tautness of her abs. His strokes lit a fire in the pit of her stomach, it wasn't too uncomfortable, but it wasn't something she wanted… at least not like this.

"I said GET OFF!" she yelled as she wrapped her legs around his arms and torso forcing him down as she sat on his stomach. (A/N: much like Sandra Bullock did in Miss Congeniality when she wrestled with Benjamin Bratt)

Lancelot chuckled as he looked up at the short haired girl in a black bra above him. "If you wanted to be on top, you only had to ask." Roxie scowled at his smugness, but the expression quickly faded when she realized the handsome man under her was totally and utterly nude. He guffawed at her wide-eyed expression.

"OMIGAWD! You're SICK!" Roxie screeched punching him in his face knocking him out cold. She scrambled desperately out of his room. "Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew, ew…" She muttered desperately trying to shake the feeling of being remotely violated off her skin and clothes.

Galahad was walking the halls with his pack down to the stables when he heard Roxie's desperate running and yelling. 'What is that girl doing yelling at this hour!'

"My Lady! I have found you!" Aurora called.

"No, no, wrong lady!" Roxie called back not looking where she was headed and slammed straight into the unaware Galahad.

"Wha- OOF!"

"…ow…" Galahad and Roxie were sprawled on the hall floor each cradling injuries they sustained. Aurora finally caught up with her mistress and rushed to help her, although out of breath, the maid made no evidence of it.

"My lady, are you injured? – Roxie shakes head no – You are not fully dressed, you could catch cold! My lady, please allow me to attend to you… - Author walks up to the scene clearly amused and holding back laughter – Sir Knight!" She curtsies then tries to help the groaning Roxie on the floor. Arthur asked what happened and Aurora briefly describes the escapades that took place. Chuckling Author told Roxie that her punishment was to abide by Aurora and wear the pretty things until the end of the day as well as help pack everything in the supplies wagon Jols was leading.

"You can't be serious! How the fuck am I going to do anything in a dress! 'Specially one that she chooses – points at Aurora – there's no way that's happenin'! You might as well strip me of weapons!" Roxie exclaimed.

"You will wear the clothes or will not come at all." Roxie stared at the knight commander in utter shock and disgust, and then pulled on the shirt Aurora held out for her before storming off with Aurora in tow.

"Gaad I haven't hurt like that since that concert in Sunnyvale for Slipknot in the mosh pit." Roxie complained as Aurora brushed and styled the younger woman's black and red hair. Roxie tried to convince the maid to not force the dress, but was denied and forced into the most form fitting, elegant Roman gown available. Roxie looked disdainfully at the woman in the mirror, her bangs were pinned away from her face and ribbons were tied delicately in her hair. The gown she wore was a deep purple, low along the cleavage and tight around her hips and waist. "OH…MY…GOD. Aurora! I look like a fuckin' whore –slaps away pots of crèmes and colors- wh-what are you doing? This is enough!" Roxie struggled with Aurora, the maid was secretly jealous of the young woman for her youth, her beauty, her strength and the fact that the stranger not only had the attention of the handsome knights, but was also coming along with them on a mission. What she wouldn't give for such an opportunity, so Aurora secretly thought to sabotage the girl, and if making her look like a trollop would work, then so be it. For many years Aurora lived on the fort, dodging men's beds only to get attention from the Sarmatian knights, those handsome knights that had every woman at their feet, but this woman, this girl only a day was she here and the knights are taken in an instant. It was not fair! Aurora was applying another layer of lip paint since Roxie scrubbed it off, when Jols knocked on the door.

"Jols! Help Me!" Roxie pleaded the manservant as he entered. He was taken aback by the scene, Roxie strapped into a chair with masses of make up applied to her face in a rather elegant purple gown.

"Aurora, please release Lady Roxie, it is time to leave. I will take you bags now, Roxie. – Roxie handed the one bag she needed- just the one? Well, would you please follow me, Aurora, if you would please tidy up?" Jols led the disgruntled Roxie out of the room, before they reached the stable yard, Jols handed Roxie a rag saying that Aurora may have overdone it with the paint.

"Yeah, you're telling me. And I can't do anything in this gown, but it's my punishment for causing trouble this morning. By the way Jols, did you get a chance to find someone to work on those weapon designs I showed you?"

"Actually, I have Roxie, they are being completed as we speak, normally it would take many days for original weapons to be made, but the one you had were quite simple. I shall have them to you when I meet up with you for camp."

Roxie smiled sweetly and hugged the man shocking him, she'd ask for a naginata and a pair of short blades that were 2/3 the length of her arm that curved around her knuckles like hooks, these were her choice weapons and getting something of folded steel was difficult in any era; except Japan.

She smiled a morning greeting to the knights. They in turn, although anxious, grinned widely at her choice of clothing.

"Wow, the sunrise has a nice color this morning, eh Lancelot?" Roxie joked when she saw the shiner she gave him. He must have seen the healer because it was only bruised different colors rather than swell and distort the knight's vision getting her into more trouble with Arthur. Lancelot glared at the smiling woman, but then sighed before preparing his horse. Galahad was prancing his mount around the stable as some of the others sharpened their weapons.

Roxie felt naked without a weapon, any weapon even a tin tea cup could be one 'hmm death by tea cup, now there was an interesting and comical thought.' Even while in school, Roxie had a butterfly knife safely concealed against her leg as well as a flat palm knife at the small of her back, but the bastard Bob probably had her searched since she didn't find either sheath on her body. She only had the Assassin's pendant, but that wasn't useful for regular armed combat, just the usual get in and out.

Roxie slid into the shadows, the tension in the air was suffocating and thick enough you'd need a sledge hammer to break. She recognized this feeling; she'd had it every time before a job when she first started as an assassin. Over the years she learned to suppress it, but for once it was okay to share it with others.

"Scared?" a voice asked. Roxie jumped to fighting position to see Tristan's indifferent tattooed face lurking in the shadows.

"Oy! Tristan, be wary of that one, if you thought armed she was skilled, it applies to unarmed as well –clutches stomach- I know first hand. It looks like Lancelot knows as well," Gawain commented.

"Hey, I apologized Gawain! Ain't my fault you got to close – points to Lancelot – and you didn't listen." Roxie replied, slinking back to the shadows.

The rest chuckled, but stopped as soon as the bishop walked into the stables. He told them uncomfortably that his secretary, Horton, would be coming with them, earning scowls, grunts and growls from the knights. 'Just like cavemen.' She thought bitterly then settled her black cloak on her shoulders as she headed towards Galahad. Arthur told her the night before that although they would go with speed; she would have to ride with one of the other knights every so often until she could ride on her own. Her mount would be led by someone else, a gentle war horse for her. She allowed Galahad to help her onto his saddle, a leg on each side; she was secretly grateful that the cloak was long and covered her entire body.

"What evil is this? A woman on this mission?" The bishop protested. Roxie looked down at the old man. "She is a young child; it is not the will of God that she accompanies you. Would you risk the life of a mere child?" The bishop babbled on about how he could instruct Roxie about God and how much better it would be…

"Oh shove it up your ass! If God didn't want me to go, She would have stopped my free will. But She didn't. I'm still here and I'm still going, so fuck off!" Roxie interrupted. The bishop was startled that a child, a girl child would speak to him in such a manner, so he turned to the only retort he could think of.

"You… you blasphemer! How dare you challenge the will of God! Calling God a woman –"

"Blah, blah, blah, blah. Are you done yet? 'Cuz we've got a job to do and these guys' discharge papers are long overdue waiting in your fat grubby hands. So shut up and get outta the way." She said as Galahad started leading his mount out of the stables following the rest of the knights out of the fort. Roxie looked over Galahad's shoulder to see Bishop Germanius standing there, smiling evilly she flipped him the swirly bird, making him yell incoherently (A/N: a swirly bird is basically the middle finger making circles)

Okay, I've only gotten like 2 reviews, although I totally luv my two reviewers it'd be great to have more. So, here's my rule, I'll post the next two chapters if I get 6 reviews, if not... then it'll be a while before I post. I hate ultimatums, but that's how it goes. I need to know who reads this story. June Birdie