Isulet's trail Chapter 4, a king arthur fanfic

Disclaimer: I only own Isulet and Tempest. I don't own the song Evening Falls and Cursum Perficio either, that honour goes to Enya. Oh the possibilities if I owned more.

Chapter 4

The group travelled on in an uneasy silence. After a while they entered a forest, where the branches intertwined above their heads. On the ground was a rough pathway, muddy from all the rain and churned from the horses' feet. Then the rain started. It came down by the ton, leaving nothing dry. Soon enough everything apart from the things in the saddle bags was soaking. The knights' moods were even greyer than the clouds. They hated the rain, as it made them wet and uncomfortable. Even the horses were becoming uneasy. The bushes either side of the path seemed to be watching and listening to the scant conversation which was held. The light hardly filtered down, even though there were no leaves on the trees. But what little light that did filter down made everyone even more depressed. After a while Isulet got thoroughly bored of the mood and began to sing.

Cursum Perficio

Verbum Sapienti (co plus cupiunt)

Verbum Sapienti: co plus cupiunt

Quo Plus Habent

Verbum Sapienti: co plus cupiunt

Quo Plus Habent

Post nubile, Phoebus

Quo plus Habent, co plus cupiunt

Post nubile, Phoebus

Iternum

"What a cheerful song." Tristan dryly observed.

"Well it describes how I'm feeling perfectly."

"Please no more of your wit Isulet." Lancelot asked, earning himself a glare.

"I think she has a lovely voice." Galahad added.

"Thank you." Isulet smiled.

"I think we should stop here for tonight." Arthur pointed to a clearing.

The clearing was small and had a scant covering of branches to protect the group. Everyone dismounted and sat in a group, with a small gap down in the centre. The horses were on the outside, as the knights were using them as wind breaks. The group just sat looking at the ground, rain trickling down their faces. Looking next to her Isulet caught Gawain's eye and smiled. He looked thoroughly bedraggled. His long blonde hair was hanging limply on his shoulders. Water was running down his face. Taking out her plait Isulet squeezed some of the water out of it.

"It's no use doing that you know." Gawain said.

"I know." Isulet answered.

"It's a shame we can't have a fire." Galahad bemoaned.

"Well, if you haven't noticed it, the weather isn't exactly being very kind on that front." Dagonet smiled.

"I know." Galahad said.

"I hate this weather." Lancelot moaned.

"Yeah so do I, if it's not raining it's snowing, and if it's not snowing it's foggy." Gawain said.

"And that's just in summer." Tristan added.

"Now boys, it's not that bad and you know it." Isulet admonished them. After a few minutes everyone looked up.

"I do believe it's stopped raining." Galahad held his hand up.

"Yes, I do believe it has." Isulet said, her fingers undoing her hair and letting it free.

"Can we have a fire now?" Galahad asked.

"Yes, if you can find any dry wood." Arthur sighed. A few minutes later there was a small fire and the group were sitting around it.

"Can you sing us a song?" Gawain asked, turning to face Isulet.

"Yes, Dagonet?" Isulet asked, turning to Dagonet, who took out a small flute.

"What you singing?" Dagonet asked. Isulet just smiled and started to sing, leaving Dagonet to pick up the tune.

Evening Falls

When the evening falls and the daylight is fading,

From within me calls - could it be I am sleeping?

For a moment I stray, then it holds completely.

Close to home- I cannot say.

Close to home feeling so far away.

As I walk the room there before me a shadow

From another world, where no other can follow.

Carry me to my own, to where I can cross over...

Close to home- I cannot say

Close to home feeling so far away.

Forever searching never right, I am lost

In oceans of night.

Forever hoping I can find memories.

Those memories I left behind.

Even though I leave will I go on believing.

That this time is real - am I lost in this feeling?

Like a child passing through,

never knowing the reason.

I am home – I know the way.

I am home – feeling oh, so far away.

Isulet finished the song and leaned back, her eyes closed in a moment of silent reflection. The song was perfect, as night was closing in around them on soft wings, taking the blue of the sky and leaving the world with the inky blackness of the night sky. Oh mother, how I wish you were here, Isulet thought, letting a rare tear slip out of her eye to leave a track on her delicate skin. I've lost so much, how can I go on? The voice inside her wailed, but another voice answered, you have gained so much, and you must go on. People have need of you, and you have a purpose. What purpose? Isulet cried out, but no-one answered her. Perhaps the person that lived inside her gave her help, as her mother had said. When there's no-one around, look to yourself for strength, were the words, weren't they? Mother help me Isulet cried, then felt a warm presence brush against her cheek. Mother, Isulet murmured to herself, before she fell into oblivion.

A few hours later Isulet woke up and shivered. She looked up to see the fire had burned down. Looking down she found she had been stripped to her shirt, the driest of her garments. Looking around her she saw her cloak hanging out on a tree branch. The other knights were laid out sleeping, except for Dagonet, who was keeping watch. Keeping the blanket wrapped around her she went and sat down next to Dagonet, looking at the sky, which was starting to lighten up. She began looking appraisingly at Dagonet. He was taller than most men, and had short, clipped ash blonde hair. He had blue eyes, over which one ran a hair line scar. His armour was a padded leather jerkin, with large metal spikes. He looked over and smiled as Isulet shifted around on the ground.

"Mind if I join you?" Isulet asked. Dagonet shook his head.

"How long was I out?" Isulet asked, looking sideways at Dagonet.

"I don't know, but a long time, almost all night." Dagonet just carried on looking at the sky.

"That long, I don't know what happened." Isulet seemed uncomfortable.

"One minute you were singing, the next you were fast asleep on Gawain's shoulder."

"I think I must have been tired, I was out for a long time." Isulet rubbed a delicate hand over her eyes.

"Yes, Isulet is there something you're not telling anyone?" Dagonet asked.

"No, why would I be?" Isulet asked, trying to avoid Dagonet's gaze.

"Yes there is, you were never truly relaxed yesterday, you were like a cat on hot bricks." Dagonet managed to catch Isulet's gaze, making her look away.

"Well, maybe there is something wrong, but I don't want to talk about it." Isulet finally admitted.

"Is it to do with your powers?" Dagonet asked. Isulet stiffened. All of the knights had found out about her powers, or gift, but she rarely liked to talk about it.

"Yes it is." Isulet said.

"Can you talk about it?" Dagonet asked, looking at Isulet who shook her head.

"No, I can't tell anyone. No-one would understand." Isulet quickly dismissed her fears.

"Yes you can, but if you don't want to I won't I won't be the one to push you. But you should talk to someone about it." Isulet sucked in air through her teeth, as Dagonet said this.

"It's not just that." Isulet seemed to be embarrassed.

"Well then, what?" Dagonet asked.

"I'd rather not talk about it." Isulet was blushing.

"I think you need to talk about it." Dagonet seemed adamant.

"Well, alright." Isulet seemed hesitant, "What if there was a woman, who'd fallen in love, only she didn't want to tell her brother about it, what would you say she do?" Isulet managed to calm herself.

"Who's the lucky man?" Dagonet asked.

"What?" Isulet was startled out of her thoughts.

"I said..." Dagonet began.

"I heard what you said, but, how did you guess." Isulet seemed on edge.

"Well, it was that, or you had some life threatening disease." Dagonet joked.

"Be serious." Isulet said, looking slightly angry.

"Alright, you've been day dreaming after someone." Dagonet seemed to get back to the point.

"Right, I suppose that's a good excuse. Either that or you've been stalking me. But seriously? I can't tell you." Isulet had started blushing again.

"Well, I think you can, you just don't want to." Dagonet looked across.

"I think we should be on our way." Isulet said standing and pulling her blanket into a bundle.

"Isulet, you can talk to me you know." Dagonet smiled at the younger woman.

"I know, and thank you for talking to me." Isulet gave Dagonet a hug, before going to wake up the other knights.

"What time is it?" Lancelot murmured sleepily.

"Hmmmm, let's see, I don't know, but you've got to get up." Isulet said standing over Lancelot, her hands on her hips.

"Just five more minutes." Lancelot turned over.

"Lancelot. Get up now!" Isulet ordered.

"No!" Lancelot was just as adamant.

"Come on; show me how tough you really are." Isulet said, not getting an answer. Finally she gave up and walked over to where Arthur was.

"Arthur, time to get up." Isulet chirped.

"No." Arthur rolled over exactly like Lancelot had.

"Artorius!" Isulet said. She never said that unless she meant business.

"I'm up, I'm up." Arthur moaned, scrambling out.

"Good, now if you can get Lancelot up I'll get the others up." Isulet walked over to Bors.

"You're perky this morning." Arthur dryly remarked, shaking Lancelot.

"Come on Bors." Isulet walked over to another knight leaving Bors to shake himself. Soon enough all the knight's were awake.

"Gods, she's perky. Has coffee been invented?" Lancelot groaned.

"No, you have another couple of thousand years to wait. But don't worry, it'll soon pass." Isulet smiled.

"How perky can some one be this early in the morning?" Galahad asked, looking over at Isulet.

"Obviously very." Lancelot groaned.

Soon enough all the knights were up and had a breakfast of oatcakes. Then they packed up and set off. The morning was dark and dingy, despite what the sky had promised earlier. Some of the knights, Lancelot in particular, said that Isulet had no idea of time, which just earned them glares. Isulet was just watching everything around her, unsure of something. There seemed to be thing watching and waiting for them. The very bushes seemed to be alive, listening to the sparse conversation that the knights allowed themselves. A couple of years ago I would never have been here, Isulet thought. It's amazing some of the crazy schemes my brother thinks up. Gawain was thinking of the exactly same thing. And then he started to remember.

Flashback

Arthur sits in the dining room back at the villa. His knights are all around him. This is an important meeting. They've just arrived back with Isulet from her husband's villa. They are here to talk about what to do with Isulet, when she has recovered.

"I don't want to leave her here alone." Arthur began.

"She won't be alone." Lancelot argued.

"Yes, but what if Decimus comes? The guards may let him in." Arthur argued.

"The guards won't let him in, not if we tell them not to." Galahad said.

"Decimus is a very important man, he'll find a way to get in." Gawain spoke up.

"So, what to do with her? We can hardly take her with us." Lancelot cried out in exasperation.

"That's exactly what we can do." Arthur said.

"What, you mean take her with us?" Bors asked, his face showing his confusion.

"Yes, she's a good healer, and our father taught us both how to fight." Arthur said, considering the matter closed.

"But what if something happens to her, will we be held responsible?" Lancelot shouted.

"I'll be held responsible for her actions, any other objections, no? Well, that's settled, Isulet will be coming with us on our next mission." And with that Arthur left the room, closely followed by his knights.

End of flashback

"Are you O.K?" Isulet asked Gawain.

"Yes, I'm fine, just reminiscing." He answered, catching her eye.

"What about, if I may be so bold as to ask?" Isulet teased.

"You." Gawain answered, trying to silence her.

Isulet never got to say what she was about to say, as they came to some crossroads. Arthur chose the right path, and all the knights followed. Isulet had a bad feeling about the right path, and the path that led from it, like something was waiting for them. Mind you she had the same feelings about all of the paths, including the one they had come from. When they had started a little way up the path, in single file, there was a whirring sound, as if people were firing arrows. Then the path was blocked by rope with thorns embedded to block the way. Isulet managed to turn Tempest, who was trying to shy, and galloped straight back the other way. When they came to the crossroads Isulet just carried straight on ahead, she couldn't manage to calm Tempest down enough to turn him. But she had to stop him when they got a way up the path the same thing happened as had happened last time. Tempest thudded to a halt, and Isulet managed to turn him around and follow the other knights. They took the path that lead straight on this time; it would be pointless going back. This time though the unknown assailants fired the rope in front of Arthur, and behind Isulet, which made Tempest rear. Isulet finally managed to calm down Tempest, who stood head down. Ahead Isulet could see a Briton standing by the ropes, bow at the ready; he just stood there, waiting for some kind of signal. After a while a horn sounded in the distance and the man disappeared, along with the feeling of being watched.

Author's notes: Thanks to everyone who gave me reviews. Tell me what you think of me using Enya's songs. Please give me criticisms if you think I could need it. Thank you if you want to review. If not, don't panic, I won't hurt you.