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"

Camlann- OMG! You are the best! Your positive feedback motivated me to keep writing. Actually I was worried nobody'd notice if I posted, but you did. Yay! Virtual Cookies for you!

Verteri Lunum – Yay! I get a happy dance.

(A/N: 3rd POV, the switching thing gets a little addicting, oh the power!)

After a few hours, Roxie woke Dagonet for his watch, and then went to her pack for her bedroll. Sleeping on a blanket on the forest floor in the middle of nowhere was not her idea of fun, but she couldn't do anything about it. Settling down, she covered herself from the cold; but she still couldn't sleep. She wondered about how much fun it would be to throw rocks at the bishop's lackey. But right now her concentration was shot and Dagonet's intentness on her sleeping couldn't be avoided, so Roxie lay there with her eyes closed.

The snores of the others kept her awake as that dream had from the night before. Resigning to a sleepless night, she opted to train her body or at least move around, she knew that pacing sometimes helped her. Getting up, she told Dagonet she needed some time to think and that there was a secluded spring some yards from camp. He smiled and told her to be careful.

"I will, Dagonet" She grinned, then kissed the top of his shaved head, "honestly, you guys worry too much 'bout lil' ol me. It's not healthy." Dagonet chuckled as she sauntered off, carrying her weapons and a few blankets. She hadn't noticed the rectangular object that fell from her grasp. Dagonet was about to call her attention to it but the little leather object was opened to a very realistic drawing of Roxie and another man... Galahad! No, it wasn't his comrade; it looked much like the young knight but was not. Dagonet looked in the direction that Roxie had went, then began to look at the other drawings, most were of Roxie except her hair was always different and she never looked at the direction the artist that did the drawings like everyone else did. He stoked the fire as he watched over his friends' sleeping snoring forms; he would ask Roxie about the object later.

There was no real reason for Roxie to go to the spring, it was just something to do, and she wasn't even willing to bathe considering the company she kept. Pacing around a bit made her sleepy, she could barely practice the use of her hook-blade let alone her naginata. Sheathing her hook-blades at her back she tried to clear a decent spot on the ground. Again she tried to settle on the ground for a comfortable sleeping spot, finding none, Roxie took to the trees. She kicked off her chucks and climbed a thick branch, wrapped a thick blanket around herself and her naginata across her chest. 'Ah, much much better.' She sighed contentedly to herself as she closed her eyes.

After Dagonet's watch was over, he woke Bors then went to search for the girl. She had not returned for a while. He saw her strange shoes on the ground, but no sign of her anywhere. "Roxie?" he called softly. No answer, again he called a little louder this time. He did not like the silence that followed, fearing for her, he rushed back to the camp. "Roxie is missing!" He exclaimed waking the rest up. The bishop's assistant looks at the rest of the knight irritably and is about to say something along the lines of 'who gives a shit about that evil woman' but Jols gives him an evil look and all words are forgotten.

The knights hurriedly grabbed their weapons and made for the place where she was supposed to be. In the dim moonlight they tried to search for her, calling her name. Roxie lazily opened one eye when she heard them calling, exhaling deeply she swung herself down from the concealing foliage.

"What?" She called from her tree; startled the knights looked up to see her hanging by her knees from a thick branch. Even Tristan was slightly taken aback. "I was sleeping... jeez." Dagonet roughly pulled her down from the branch and held her in a tight hug. "Ugh... Okay... need air..." She squeaked.

When he finally let go, she asked why they were calling her, Bors explained that Dagonet noticed she hadn't come back and was concerned.

"Why did you not answer him, if you were right above him?" Gawain asked sleepily, she rolled her eyes and replied that she was enjoying her rest and that if they were done with the panic attack she'd like to get back to it.

"Oh no, we are not letting you wander off again little one," Lancelot said putting his arms around her shoulders and leading her back to the camp.

"Back off or I'll cut it off, Lancelot." She threatened through a yawn; her eyes half-closed from exhaustion, with a hook blade pressed to his lower regions, the rest of the knights chuckled as Lancelot held up his hands in mock innocence. Yawning again she picked up her shoes and fallen blankets then followed the rest back to the fire.

Roxie watched them settle around the dying fire and looked for a comfortable place to sleep; Lancelot leered and offered a place next to him. She scoffed and climbed another tree; Lancelot looked around to see his comrades hiding smirks then settled into his bedroll, Galahad watched the young woman climb up into the thick foliage with ease, the back of her shirt lifted briefly and he saw a black tribal phoenix clutching a red sun tattoo the size of his hand on her lower back half hidden by her breeches. It was familiar somehow, but he didn't know from where. He was about to ask her about it when Gawain told him to shut up and go to sleep.

Bors settled against another tree after poking the fire back to life. He looked around at his friends, his brothers in arms, at the hidden form of the young woman who plopped into their life not but three days ago. Bitter feelings arose in him, how he hated the Romans and their broken promises; but for now there was nothing he could do other than stay alive and ensure his friends stayed alive as well.

Roxie shifted from unpleasant dreams, memories more or less. Every one of them involved someone she loved dying, from her family taken by flame or the lies she was told or being alone left for dead or Connor by the sword. Painful memory after painful memory plagued her waking her several times in the night; moisture from burning tears attacked her eyes. 'Damn… I thought I'd steeled myself against all this. Why'd the dreams have to come now?' Roxie thought after waking for the fifth time that night. She realized that she hadn't dreamed for nearly two years, only suffered nightmares… all were true. Again, she shifted only this time Roxie nearly fell from the branch. "GAH!" She screamed desperately clinging to the branch like a sloth, her naginata fell to the ground, blade down right next to Gawain's head.

Her screaming woke the sleeping knights and they looked up at her jovially trying not to laugh. Gawain was slower to wake, but the sight of the sharp blade next to his head made him accidentally roll on top of Galahad, who just woke up. Both men started yelling something about feeling violated as the rest chuckled or in Roxie's case laugh hysterically and fall on top of Tristan.

"Oof!" Tristan grunted as the girl landed on him, Roxie groaned painfully as Dagonet helped both of them up. Apologizing, the dark-haired girl pulled her weapon from the ground and proceeded to climb another tree.

"Hey Big Cat, maybe you should stay on the ground. It's much warmer, or it could be," Lancelot grinned as he lay on the forest floor once again. She rolled her eyes 'Even half-awake he's a perv!' she was about to reply but Dagonet cut her off.

"Perhaps it is best Roxie, you did fall from that tree," he smiled gently to her. She looked skeptically from him to the faces of the other knights; all shared some amount of concern… well maybe except for Galahad, who was fighting to stay awake, and Lancelot, whose face was hidden by the blankets he wrapped around himself.

"Only if someone can keep him -points to Lancelot- from sneaking into my bedroll or him sneaking me into his, alls peachy," she replied sleepily, this was already a long night. Nodding it was agreed that Bors and Dagonet would sleep on either side of the girl being that they seemed the most protective of her. "-Yawns- yeah, fine, whatevah, g'nite." She fell to sleep as her head touched the makeshift pillow. She curled closer to Bors comforted by his paternal warmth.

A brief smile touched Arthur's lips as he saw the innocence in her sleeping face, an innocence he himself had never known.

It was near daybreak when the others rose, but they left Roxie to her sleep while they discussed their plans. Dagonet had told them that Roxie was slightly whimpering in her sleep and that she needed her rest. 'Something must have happened in her life to affect her so,' he thought.

In the darkness of her mind, Roxie saw death and blood. She heard screams of pain and torture unimaginable. There were two options ahead of her one to death and the other…"The north road." She said suddenly in a gasp sitting up, the knights, Jols and Horton looked at her curiously, she had just interrupted Arthur mid-plan. "Take the north road to the Roman home."

"Roxie, we are headed on the western route. Do not presume command of my men." Arthur said sternly, running both hands through her hair and holding her head Roxie took in deep gasping breaths.

"I-I'm sorry," she blinked twice before looking at the knight commander her voice had a sort of ethereal sense as she spoke, "th-the west road leads to death… the preservation of life is through the north road. The Saxons will take the west from the land they've conquered."

"What insanity do you speak in, woman? The north cuts through open plains!" Lancelot exclaimed, her eyes shifted to him but did not see him. She closed her fluttering eyelids as though something was flashing before them too quick to take in.

Suddenly she stood up, took Arthur by the hand and led him away, "Come with me." The knights just sat there utterly bewildered by what just happened. Something definitely weird was going on with their new friend and they were not so sure they wanted to find out. No one seemed to notice that Tristan had slipped away after their commander and the girl as the rest packed their camp away.

Once out of earshot, Roxie face Arthur. She looked flushed and tired, but the girl held his steady gaze, "Look, I know I sound absolutely mental and you're probably right. I mean -pushes hair away from face- I probably am better off in a padded room somewhere in a strait-jacket and a guy named Bruno around to keep me from harming myself. 'Cause this kind of this sounds totally crazy…" She babbled about something along the lines of genetic mental illness that was lost on Arthur.

"Roxie… Roxie… How do you know about the western road? How do you know about the Saxons?" He finally managed to cut in.

"What? Oh. Right… -blinks- I-I can't explain it." His gaze narrowed, she looked away biting her lip.

"Roxie," his tone more stern and she then looks him in the eyes, a difficult task since he's much taller than her.

"I saw it. It was like a flash," Roxie started, "I saw you all die at the hands of Saxons before any of you could draw a sword. I saw myself, beaten and raped countless times before they strung me up by my insides… Listen to me Artorius Castus, if you take the north route no harm will befall you by Woad or Saxon."

"I do not believe you."

"Fine, don't believe what I saw. But I only ask you to trust me, you said I had your trust are you going back on your word? Is Roman honor and chivalry just a fucked up load of bullshit that you feed to children and not act on? Or is it real?" She challenged. In the gloom of the trees, Tristan saw his commander turn her venomous words over in his mind. The scout wondered what the girl's game was and what his commander would do. After some time, Arthur finally agreed to her idea. There was truth to her words, he did trust Roxie, and she hadn't given him any reason not to. She was a determined little snip that was for sure. Tristan continued to observe the conversation from the gloom, although their words were more hushed, silently he moved closer to hear well.

"Good. Once we come to the upcoming village, I will get ready to head west while you—"

"What? We are going north, not splitting our forces," Arthur interrupted.

"Yeah… I know. You and the knights are headed north. I will go west to detain the Saxons long enough for you to get the Roman family away. Then in two days, all of us, you, me, the knights and the family will go south as one big happy fucking group. That a clear 'nuff?"

"Detain? How? One girl…"

"Ewww! You actually think I'm gonna sleep with the lot? Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!" Tristan held down a chuckle, the young woman exaggeratedly shuddered as though something disgusting were on her. "No… I'm gonna take down the Saxon leader." Her voice was calm as she spoke those words.

Arthur nearly grinned with amusement, until he saw she was dead serious. Sighing she turned around and lifted the back of her shirt to reveal the tattoo. The commander's eyes widened with shock and made a near audible gasp. Tristan itched to see what was so interesting, but forced down the urge.

"I am the Black Phoenix of the Red Sun Guild, one of the elite assassins in the entire world." She said simply turning back to face Arthur.

"You're an assassin!" Both men nearly started with this new bit of information, but what was Roxie's motive, what was she after? Arthur nearly drew his sword, but Roxie gently and firmly stopped him, her eyes danced with amusement.

"Um… didn't I just say that? Yeah, I'm an assassin; no I'm not for anyone in particular in case you were wondering. But I will ask that you keep my secret. Anyone around me who knows the truth would be in danger, I couldn't bear to put anyone else through what I have and I will tell the rest in my own time. Although, now that I think about it… Tristan? I know you're there." She called suddenly to the scout, "If you won't come out, then just listen. You have to keep my secret too. You're good at that, and I trust both of you enough to let you know… So should we head back now?" Roxie smiled at the knight commander and headed back to the camp followed by a rather stiff Arthur. (A/N: as if he could be any more than he already was! Ha ha) Tristan was there as though nothing unusual transpired and Roxie let a small smile grace her lips before helping in putting everything else back into the supply wagon.

The village that they stopped at was quite prosperous. They had told Horton that he would be riding along with Jols because of their need for speed. Roxie smiled sympathetically to the squire; the assistant was bloody annoying and many times during the ride over to the village Roxie fought every urge to dunk him in sweet and sour sauce, toss 50 pounds of bird seed on him and let him loose in the bird house at the zoo. She giggled at the thought of Horton running around like a chicken.

They split up once they had rooms at the local inn/tavern, Roxie to the finest dressmaker and the knights to the bar.

At the tavern the knights acted as jovially as possible, along the way the plan had been explained to them with the exception that Roxie is an assassin and it was agreed that Galahad would accompany the girl in a covert mission to get information about the enemy. Galahad was chosen for the following reasons:

1. He was more convincing as a visiting "celibate" priest

2. He was one of their better riders, since Roxie was so bad at it

3. And they forced him to do it.

Some hours later Roxie entered the tavern, the hood of her black cloak shadowed her face as she looked over the tavern for her friends. Bors spotted her first and called her name waving for her to come over. Many pairs of eyes followed her graceful movements as she sauntered over to their table, Roxie grinned at her friends as they gave deadly looks to the owners of those eyes.

"Galahad, come with me," She said simply. Shrugging, Galahad followed his friend, but instead of going outside she led him up the twisting stairs into a room. Waiting next to the fireplace was a steaming bath.

Panicking, Galahad looked wide-eyed from the girl to the tub and back again, she pointed to the tub. "Wh-what do you want me to do?" Then a grin spread to his face, "Is this something you're into, because I'm sure I can accommodate your fantasies."

"Ew. No." She cringed; well it was just an act because he was attractive but they had a mission to fulfill, "You need to look the part of a sex-deprived priest, not a warrior. Bath now, okay?" She turned away from his bewildered face holding in all urges to roll over laughing.

'No sex! No warmth of a female body at my bed! What cruel and unusual punishment was this?' He thought forlornly. Galahad noticed Roxie turn from him facing the door, head down and hand over her mouth. He circled her to see that her eyes were shut tightly and a smile at the corner of her lips. The young knight moved her hand away as he lifted her chin to face him, her hood fell and he saw the gentle layer of make up on her face and the ribbons that adorned her black hair. Apparently she covered the red parts with something.

"What're you doin'?" She instigated. He leaned closer, a mischievous smirk on his face before he spun her against the wall and his form. Galahad dipped his head closer to her lips, his eyes closed… but her hand pushed against his face pushing him away. "I don't think so. One, just 'cuz you're the sex-deprived priest does NOT mean I'm gonna warm your bed on this mission. I don't care how desperate you'll be, it ain't gonna happen, not now or evah. And two, you'll smudge my make up. So get your ass in that tub, shave and put these on." She handed him some clothes and headed for the door. But being the persistent little git he was, Galahad pressed himself to her back with his hands on her hips.

"Are you sure that you do not want to spend our last night before celibacy together," he whispered in her ear, gently stroking her body through the fabric. Shockwaves of feeling went through her body. 'I bet he learned that from Lancelot.' Sighing she slipped a dagger from the sheath under her skirts.

"What have I said about personal space?" Roxie drawled after spinning around holding the dagger to his lower regions. "Back off or I'll cut it off." She left the room for him to bathe as she headed back down to the bar after replacing the dagger.

"Everything alright?" Arthur asked quietly as she sat down next to him pulling her hood over her head.

"Yeah… for now, just a little anxious," She whispered, "I usually do these jobs on my own y'know? I mean…"

"You are concerned about Galahad," Tristan finished for her. Roxie nodded watching the other knights woo passing barmaids. Gawain currently had a pretty young blond warming his lap and Lancelot was gambling and losing pitifully. Dagonet and Bors were engaged in deep conversation about Bors giving names to his children while Arthur and Tristan were quietly discussing battle tactics or something of the sort. Roxie quietly watched them as she sipped her fruit juice; her mind went over possible situations of what could go wrong.

An hour and twenty minutes and four glasses of juice later, Roxie was still waiting for Galahad to come down from his bath. 'Gaad! What is takin' him so long! I don't even take this long and I'm the girl!'

"Roxie, what are you still doing here? Shouldn't you and Galahad have left already?" a rather intoxicated Lancelot plopped down in front of her. Apparently he and the men he gambled with came to some agreement that involved copious amounts of mead.

"Yeah… y'know I think I've been stood up." She replied sarcastically.

"Should we go up there?" Gawain asked in between kissing the bar wench, Roxie snorted in her juice as the barmaid protested moving from the knight's lap.

"I don't think your lap ornament would like to be tossed aside just so you can help me, Gawain. Dag? Could you go with me? I really don't like the looks I'm getting from the other customers." Dagonet nodded and helped her from her seat, none of them barely noticed the flash of gauzy material under her heavy cloak save for Tristan and Lancelot. As she passed by, Lancelot pulled her into his lap.

"All dressed up for me? Roxie you shouldn't have," He joked as her cloak was pulled aside revealing a rather alluring gown. It was bright and form fitting, the bodice was like a deep red halter top with a keyhole to show off the curves of her breasts, the skirt was an array of bright and gauzy colored scarves as were the arm bands on her biceps. Roxie was sucking at her teeth uncomfortably as they stared at her.

"Shut it…." She growled irritably after smacking Lancelot roughly on the back of his head because he would not let her go.

"Why are you wearing that?" Gawain asked Roxie, his lap ornament left him to serve drinks to a higher paying customer.

"I gotta see what the hell is taking Galahad so fuckin' long," She said brushing off the question and leaving with Dagonet. She obviously didn't like the attention to her new fashion choice.

Giggling, splashing and a tiny bit of moaning could be heard from the room when Roxie and Dagonet walked up. The two looked at each other, letting out a sigh of exasperation Roxie kicked the door in.

"WHO THE HELL DO YEH THINK YEH'RE?" A half-naked bald man neither knew wrapped in the arms of a heavy set bar wench exclaimed.

"OH GAWD! MY EYES!" Roxie screeched backing away and covering her gold shadowed eyes. Dagonet quickly apologized as he closed the door.

"What's with all the noise?" Galahad's voice asked behind Roxie. She looked up to see him in a drying linen, wet and with the slender arms of a pretty brunette serving wench draped around his neck.

"ACK! IT BURNS!" She shrieked backing into Dagonet, who was grinning at the young woman in front of him. "Like the fires of Hades, my eyes burn! Oh Galahad, you are a man of the gods! Have you forsaken your religion and taken this poor woman with you down this path of evil!" The serving girl's eyes widened as she quickly detached her arms from the knight. "Girl go, before you are corrupted beyond all good faith."

The girl wrapped her thin body in her gown and sped off passing the knights who came at the sound of Roxie's yelling. They snorted with laughter at the scene before them, a very irate and serious Roxie having a stare down with a half-naked Galahad while Dagonet was failing at keeping a straight face.

"What was that for?" Galahad asked the girl. The knights around her were practically rolling with laughter, well except Tristan who was quietly chuckling. Clenching her jaw she pushed Galahad back into the room and kicked the door closed muffling the amusement of their friends.

"We have a job to do and you're gettin' you're fuckin' jollies!" She hissed dangerously at him, "This is so gawd damn unacceptable! Galahad, fuck women all you want on your own time. I don't give a shit, but when you're working with me, we do things my way. Am I clear?"

She pushed him into the tub and removed her cloak as Galahad sputtered from the suddenness. Roxie pulled a dagger from his things and he started.

"Take a chill pill, jeez. You need to look like a priest, that means no beard," and she handed him the dagger.

Five minutes later, the two emerge from the room. Peals of laughter erupted from Gawain, Dagonet, Lancelot and Bors when they saw Galahad and his distained baby-face.

"Oi, he really looks the pup, don't he?" Bors said ruffling the young knight's hair. Other comments about Galahad's youthful appearance and how he wouldn't be bedding any women with the way he looked were made.

"Yeah, yeah, he looks absolutely adorable and cute…" Roxie muttered as Arthur signaled her over and handed her a bag.

"Are you sure, you want to do this?" the commander asked, his voice full of concern for the young woman next to him.

"Yeah… I'm pretty damn sure." She replied an arrogant grin spread on her face. But he was not convinced, firstly this charming and charismatic young woman was one of the most dangerous assassins in the world and secondly Roxie would be riding into the heart of the enemy to end the life of the Saxon king. For the short time that they knew her, this woman wormed her way into their hearts, in different ways; but they were all protective of her and Arthur couldn't bear it if any harm came to her. Along the way she entertained them greatly.

Roxie's fake grin fell, and her gaze fell on Tristan who was chuckling at the teasing of Galahad. Patting Arthur's cheek gently, she took a deep breath and whispered to him. "I've lived this long because I'm good at what I do. I-I don't like it, in fact I hate it with every fiber of my being; but there's no way to get out."

Tristan noticed the change in Roxie's demeanor, more anxious, more something… fear? Roxie only mentioned once that she feared few things; death was not one of them. She caught his gaze and smiled sweetly. "Are you well?" He asked her. She simply nodded and told him that she and Galahad needed to get going.

"Guys… we hafta go." Roxie said next to Bors. She was just about to drag Galahad away when Bors swept her into a loving hug. "Okay, okay. Enough… air!" She squeaked. When Bors let her go, Gawain hugged her tightly as well and brushed his lips against her cheek, Dagonet nearly refused to let her go and Lancelot literally had to pull the woman away from the gentle giant.

"Come back to us, little sun." Tristan whispered next to her, he gently tapped the small of her back where her tattoo was hidden. 'Wow, Tristan has emotions!' Roxie thought as Arthur tightly hugged her and kissed her brow.

"I promise." Roxie whispered taking one final look at the tavern before stiffly galloping after Galahad and his horse. Without a further thought, the two faded into the darkness. Unaware to all was that unfriendly eyes followed their departure.

A/N: This was soooo long! I can't believe how long this took. But I'm not so sure how much I really like this chapter, it feels rushed. What do you think my faithful reviewers? I really wanted to get this one outta the way so I could get to the cool action in the next one. Although I'm pretty sure that I might revise it.

Anyways REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!