Standard Disclaimer still applies and will always apply; 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"
I am soooooo sorry. I know everybody's been anxious about what was gonna happen and I've been swamped and going back to this was hard because I'm still in "Ria" mode for Bitter Friends. Forgive me please?
Onto Chapter…13, yeah I think.
A/N: some notes -actions during speech- "speech" 'thoughts'
Roxie walked down the hall stretching her arms after her morning training, Gawain and Bors' angry voices filtered the corridor as well as heavy pounding on someone's door.
"Lancelot! Open t'bloody door ye arse!" Bors yelled. Turning the corner, Roxie saw Bors and Gawain pounding the dark knight's door with fierce urgency enough to break it off its hinges. Suppressing the urge to laugh, Roxie covered her ears and sighed exaggeratedly; the two knights looked at her and grinned.
"You're much much too loud. Getting a man outta his bed requires the subtleties of a woman's mind. May I?" The two knights moved from out of her way as she knocked quietly on the door. "Lancelot?"
"Go away! I'm busy," came the disgruntled reply.
"Oh, but it's just so cold out here." The two knights looked at her confused, but she waved off their looks.
"I said go away!"
A cruel smile graced her lips as she called out desperately "But I'm out here all by my onesies, with a flagon of ale, naked and waiting for you to lash me to your bed and—" She counted down with her fingers for three, two, one.
"And?" The door was yanked open with a disheveled and naked dark knight, his eyes hungrily looking for what was described only to be disappointed when Gawain, Bors and Roxie burst out laughing. Gaining her bearings long enough, Roxie looked him up and down before holding her thumb and finger less than and inch apart and shaking her head pitifully. Gawain and Bors broke out into new fits of laughter, whilst Roxie hid behind the large bulk of Bors when he tried to grab her.
"Gotta be faster'n that Lancelot, you'd think for being one so small you'd at least run fast!" She yelled down the hall evading the knight and turning into her room bolting the door. Laughter could be heard ringing through the halls as she slid to the floor giggling to herself. She was lying to Lancelot, but it was fun to get him riled up like that, served him right too for making her feel jealous of some tavern wench. 'Wait… jealous?' she shook her head to clear such thoughts; it wasn't like her to think that way.
It had been two days since they returned from the journey north of the Wall to retrieve Alecto Honorius. Two days since the knights received their papers, two days since the news of a possible Saxon advance to the wall and two days since Dagonet finally woke up from his fall in the ice.
Dagonet… Roxie had yet to visit him since he woke… and proposed to her. She had yet to give the gentle knight an answer. True, she loved him; in fact she loved him very deeply. In so many ways the man was a bigger, stronger version of Connor; but she let him go and moved on. And that love wasn't what she needed; although a gentle love, it was the kind to change her, not accept her. It had taken a lot for Connor to fall in love with her and vice versa, and it seemed as though it would be the kind of love that Dagonet knew how to give.
Besides, she found herself much too young to get married. Roxie wasn't even 21 and had barely lived life. Or at least she felt that way. And on top of that she was an assassin, stuck in a different time with absolutely no idea when or if she would be going back! What could she possibly offer? Not much that was for sure.
She needed to find someone for advice, Guinevere was the least likely to help her because the Woad Princess seemed to have her own agenda regarding the future King of Britain. The next person to ask seemed to be Vanora, although Roxie and Vanora didn't really have a chance to get to know one another as long as Guin and Roxie did.
"Vanora?" Roxie ventured in the hut the red-head and Bors shared. "Are you here?"
"Aye, 'ere I am dear." Vanora appeared from another room red faced and panting, sweat matted her hair down and her clothes were somewhat disarrayed. "Didja need somefink?"
"You're not too busy are you?"
"Nay, just takin' care o' the young 'uns. Whot can I do fer ya?"
"How do you tell someone you love but don't want to marry them?" Roxie asked point blank, the creases of worry lined heavily on her youthful face. Vanora frowned a moment before answering. (This part is directly from Tracy 137 with necessary dialect changes. THANKS TRACY!)
"Jus' say tha' although ye will always love 'em as a friend and they 'ave a special place in yer 'eart ye don't love 'em enough (or in tha' way) teh marry 'em. Marriage for ye would be a lifetime commitment; not jus' a moment. Ye fink tha' both of ye deserve tah marry someone tha' moves yer 'eart and steals yer soul, and as much as ye love 'em it's not 'em." Vanora said simply, "Whot brought this on?"
Without realizing it, Roxie sat down and blurted out everything Vanora everything. From the fact that she was from another time to the feelings she's developed for Lancelot and Dagonet's marriage proposal.
"I just don't know what to do. I love him, yeah but being in love with him is a completely different story. Sad to say, but my heart fell under Lancelot's charms and I can't get it back."
"Sounds like th'story of many a lass m'dear. E'ery girl of age tha' 'as come through this fort 'as known th' charms tha' are Lancelot and 'is pleasures are countless." Vanora blushed a moment before continuing, "I see yer no diff'ent."
"It sucks out loud, Vanora." Roxie let out a groan of frustration, "God, why couldn't it have been anybody else? Why him?"
"Because tha' is whot makes Lancelot, Lancelot." Vanora sat down next to the assassin and gripped the young girl's shoulders.
"Alright, fine I can live with that…" the lie clear on Roxie's face, but Vanora ignored it, "but what do I do about Dagonet?"
"Be 'onest, 'e deserves tha' much." Vanora hugged Roxie in support.
"Thanks Vanora. I'll be sad when you go with Bors. I may not be around, but I'll still miss you."
"Likewise dearie." Vanora gave Roxie a quick hug before a loud crash came from the kitchen, "Now I better go, afore the lil 'uns destroy the 'ouse."
(First POV)
My talk with Vanora helped me clear my thoughts and sort my heart. It even made me realize something I had been denying and suppressing for so long, I was in love. And it wasn't just the fact I was in love, but I was in love with the most womanizing player of all time… Lancelot Du Lac. The man, according to romanticized legends, whom made Guinevere give up everything with Arthur just for his affections. The same man, according to other legends, whom seduced another young knight's mother! Ew.
I had fallen, and fallen hard. Was this what Connor meant? That I had already let him go… at least unconsciously? But if that, then what or who loves me more than Connor did or could? Surely not Lancelot.
I made my way to my room with slow deliberate steps not wanting to deal with anyone, but not necessarily be on my own. I must have had this strange pensive look on my face, but I didn't really care. There was someone I really had to talk to, but I wasn't so sure how.
Mid-step through my door I just realized what I was thinking and it wasn't me. Firstly I needed to be thinking about more important things… for example the bloody fucking SAXONS! My emotions can wait. With renewed resolve I slammed my door shut to prepare for the upcoming battle. The knights may be leaving by the end of this week, they may be abandoning everything, but it did not mean I was not going to give the Saxons their just rewards.
"Hello pet," a familiar voice drawled. My lips curled into a smirk as I cleaned the blades of my weapons.
"G." I acknowledged my guardian curtly.
"Don't you look radiant? You have a glow on your face that…."
"Stuff it. I have to prepare." I interrupt him as I bustled around my room looking for my weapons and get my mind battle ready. This was not some simple assignment where I had to off a guy because I was paid to; this was kill or be killed… this was more real than anything I have ever faced in my life.
"I don't understand you poppet, you act like the world will end or something. You do know that I wouldn't ever let you die, right? And another thing, I don't even get a thank you for bending some rules for Connor to cross over? Talk about ungrateful."
"G. Shut up. I'm going up against something I haven't the foggiest idea how to get the fuck out of. The knights leave at the end of the week, Arthur is sure as hell gonna stay because he's so gaddamned noble and the stories wouldn't go right if he left and I have just realized that I'm in love with a womanizing sunnuvabitch who only sees me as a piece of meat and a quick roll in the sack.
So if you don't mind, I need to be alone to work all this shit out."
"Ouch darlin' you sure can sting can't you."
"Are you going to go?"
"Yes, dear girl. But I wanted to drop this off with you. For courage for what must be done. And perhaps to change things in your favor." 'He' said and with a wave of 'his' hand, my guardian left me standing alone in my room with only my thoughts for company. I took the time to look at what 'he' left me, some of the most insignificant items that mean the world to me.
Shaking my head I finished with my things and lay down to rest and ponder what I would do, that was really the easy part, I would stay on the island and I would fight. Merlin's power over me or rather the promise of freedom from all that broke me in the past kept me.
The end of the week had come; Dagonet was able to move around with very little pain and in fact could use his weapons again despite the protests of the healers. I still could not bring myself to face him. Vanora told me to tell him the truth, but why is the truth so hard? Because I didn't want to hurt him. The rest of the knights were preparing for the journey back to Sarmatia, and Arthur to Rome.
"Roxie, care to take a ride?" Dagonet came up to me with my mare's reins in his massive hands. I grinned at the gentle giant and allowed him to help me up. We rode outside of the fort for a bit and felt free. I could feel him watching me, but I desperately tried to avoid his gaze. Soon it was early evening and Dag suggested we return to the fort for a drink.
We enjoyed the companionship of the other knights, joking drinking, contests, and everything else we normally did at the tavern. That was until Jols called us to the ramparts of the fort. Below us were hundreds of campfires in the night. The Saxons have come, Arthur would stay here and fight with Guinevere of that I am sure.
"Make way! Make way!" I heard Arthur's voice and turned to see him and Guinevere look a bit disheveled as they ran up the steps. I saw the looks on their faces and I was right. "Knights, my journey with you must end here. May God go with you." He turned and started down the steps as Lancelot and Guinevere look at one another briefly, a twang of jealousy hits me. Damn.
I watched the two argue while the other knights start back to their rooms. Guinevere stands next to me and sighs deeply.
"He's gonna fight y'know. He'll fight for you and this country, that's who he is. I suggest that tonight you give him reason to not regret his actions tomorrow." I stated looking at my friend in the eyes.
"And what of you? Will you fight with us, come morning?"
I pause for a bit. "I have a score to settle." She nods once and descends the stairs following Arthur. Lancelot looks up at me and I bite my lip, even from this distance I can see the torment in his eyes. I promised Arthur my allegiance, where he goes I will follow. Maybe it's because he was a person whom I wanted to follow as a kid, I'm not sure but the heart I thought I didn't have was torn. The man I love or the promises I made.
I left a piece of myself with all of the knights, the gifts that G left for me, the Swiss army knife I used on my first theft to Bors, I know he's gonna make use of it somehow. Connor's bracelet to Galahad, for the woman he loves, it will become an heirloom I'm sure of it. My black choker to Gawain, he wore it on his wrist and promised never to take it off. The Celtic design ring to Tristan, maybe he'll give it to his Lady Love, another family heirloom that I probably would get back in the next few hundred centuries. Another silver bracelet to Arthur, I left it with Jols and explicit instructions; since he was "preoccupied". Finally I came to Dagonet's room. With a deep breath I knocked on the wooden door and entered to find him lounging on the bed. His form lazy, but he sat up as soon as I walked in.
"Dagonet…" I started. I had this whole speech worked in my head, an elaborate and eloquent way to tell him that I could not marry him but one look at his face had me faltering horribly. His face was blank, waiting for me to continue.
Swallowing, I tried to steel myself. The one time I wished I was cold-hearted once again, and I could not do it.
"Roxie, you have come to deny me. Have you not?" He asked. I closed my eyes from the pain in his eyes.
"I love you, Dagonet… no let me finish. I love you," I sat on the bed next to him and took his hands in mine. "But I'm not in love with you. I would be fooling myself and lying to you if I said that I was. I would never forgive myself to hurt you like that…I will always love you as my friend and you will always be special in my heart." I took that moment to breathe slowly and let Dagonet digest my words.
"Marriage is not only a big step, but a lifetime commitment I'm not ready to make with anyone. Dagonet, my strong and gentle knight, you deserve to marry someone that moves your heart and steals your soul, and as much as I love you it's not you that does that to me." I held his face in my small hands and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, "Promise me, that when you return home in a few days that you will not forget me even when you find your soul mate and have lots of little Dagonets running around. Promise me that no matter what, you'll try to stay happy, that you'll never forget our friendship and keep Bors in line. Okay?"
I gave him my plain silver band to remember me and walked out of his room, my heart clenching in my chest as I slowly approached Lancelot's room. My fingers played with the assassin's pendant around my neck. I planned to give him this because this was what tied me to everything else.
"You wanna know something Lancelot? You're an ass hole, a complete and total jerk loser and for reasons I don't understand, I am in LOVE with you. But sure, why bother right? I'm just some poor sap that fell through time and under your fucking charms! Lancelot, you don't think about nobody but yourself. But I'm the crazy one." I yelled at him, the tears of frustration, brimmed at the corners of my eyes. I was fuming, he was being an ass and I internally berated myself for letting him get me so worked up. The BASTARD! I wanted to hit him, make him feel everything I did my emotional turmoil that I thought I was over.
He just stared at me confused, his bare torso shone with a layer of sweat in the flickering candlelight. I was breathing heavily, damn him. Damn him for making me feel this way, damn him for who he is, damn him! Regaining composure I took off the pendant and placed it on the bedside table next to the candle.
"Tomorrow, I ride with Arthur against the Saxons. I gave him my loyalty and I'm not gonna change my mind. I want to say 'Don't forget me' in hopes that you won't and leave this with you, but I know you will. So I really don't know why I'm even bothering with it. But know this, if you asked I would have come with you." I started towards the door, but an iron grip stayed me from another step.
A/N: it was either finish this chapter or create another interlude, guess which won? Thank you to all that read and reviewed. Especially to those that reviewed, I can't thank you enough.
KnightMaiden: Sorry to disappoint, but she didn't say yes. I hope I was able to embody her reasons and everything enough.
hunting4max: It's not necessarily a plot twist, it's more of what he sees and feels. The interludes are just basically getting into how they see her. Also, they're fillers when I can't think, but even then those take a while. She's a stranger in their world, but she does okay. I hope that my Dag/Roxie plot line was alright for you. And thanks for thinking I'm brill, but I think I'd just stick for being good enough.
Ailis-70: To my awesome beta. Thanks for helping me out. This was the first I posted on here, but not the first I wrote. The first was Eleni
Yes, Galahad's POV. Well, I definitely have to agree with you. It feels like more of an infatuation than anything because he's young and those two were around each other a lot in the beginning. And it's true, the views of the many do help make up the whole.
Captain Annie: Yup, all the knight are somewhat gravitating toward Roxie, she has this kind of personality that they find endearing and in some cases true love. Only despite everything that went into her training, she's a little dense when it comes to feelings because she wasn't raised with a family or at least one that really loves her.