Disclaimer: I only own Isulet, Morgan and Tempest. I don't ever own any of the song I feature, unless otherwise stated.
Chapter 10
Isulet sat and looked at the landscape with little enthusiasm. It had all been painted white by the snow, and the only colour was the odd cluster of evergreens that grew here and there. They had left Marius behind, after digging him a shallow grave; they covered him with rocks and left him to his fate. Alecto had expressed no emotion at the loss of his father, indeed it made Isulet wonder if Alecto had ever loved the man he called father. She had cried many tears when her father had left for his final battle; she had seen his death beforehand. Those days she couldn't control her visions, they came to her at will. It was always a struggle to keep the visions away for every waking moment; talking and doing things were her distraction. But like now, when everyone was lost in their own thoughts Isulet found it hard to keep her demons at bay. Her so called "powers" as Arthur like to call them had been with her ever since she had first gone into the graveyard where her father's friends that were dead were buried. She had entered quietly, and had left really quickly, she was only three and she didn't understand. She had been found wandering in the woods, without any recollection of her being there. When she told her mother of the things she saw she was never allowed to leave or go anywhere without someone else. This helped to form her bond with Morgan when the two met from behind their mother's skirts. They had become fast friends, and had loved each other ever since.
"Are you O.K?" Gawain asked, swinging around to look at Isulet.
"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" Isulet enquired, looking back with her head on one side.
"You just looked so lost in thought." Gawain held out a hand, "Are you really alright?" he asked, this time scrutinizing her face.
"How do you know?" Isulet snapped fear and anger burning suddenly in her ice blue eyes.
"I just guessed. You haven't been right since before we reached the villa." Gawain explained his fear.
"There's been a feeling of dread that the bishop brought with him. It's been growing ever since, my visions have been harder to ward off. I can't help them, I'm scared. They've never been this bad since, since before my father died." Isulet began to cry softly, making Tempest snort with worry. Gawain pulled her across easily, sliding her down onto his lap.
"Don't worry, nothing's going to happen." He murmured into her hair, rocking her.
"I know; it's silly of me to worry." Isulet wiped her tears.
"I don't think it's right for you to say that, but you don't need to be afraid, we're all here beside you." He said letting Isulet pull back to look at him.
"I... Thank you." Was all Isulet finally managed.
"That's better, now no more tears?" Gawain asked.
"No more tears for a while." Isulet agreed, smiling and leaning in to accept a quick kiss, nothing more than a quick meeting of the lips.
"Now then, I feel a lot better." Isulet swung herself across expertly onto Tempest.
"How do you do it?" Gawain asked.
"Easy, skills." Isulet explained, giving Gawain a smile.
Morgan looked up at her friend. She was happy, that was good. But there was something on her mind, something telling. If only for the days when they were younger, then Isulet would tell her all about the battle, and who died. But Morgan knew there was a battle coming, and she found she didn't want to know who lived or died. She had already formed some pretty strong bonds with the knights, and had left her mark on many. If I feel like this, how must Isulet feel? She had known the knights a lot longer than me, and she has her gift. She had it since she first entered the place where death stayed, hovering around with his skeletal face and his long scythe. Looking up at Tristan Morgan felt the unknown warmth bloom in her again. Morgan shivered when Tristan locked her gaze with his, though it wasn't from cold. Tristan reined in his horse, waiting for the wagon to catch up.
"Would you like to continue our ride from last time?" he offered his hand again.
"Yes, it was cut rather short last time." Morgan took the offered hand and the boost it gave her left her hand feeling warm long after Tristan had let go. She slipped her arms around his waist and put her head on his shoulder so she could see.
"What's his name?" Morgan asked indicating the Harris Hawk on Tristan's wrist.
"He doesn't have one, he's my friend." Tristan said, taking out a piece of meat to give to the hawk.
"He's beautiful." Morgan breathed.
"Just as another person on this horse." Tristan smiled.
"Now Tristan, don't tease." Morgan playfully tapped him on the head.
"Who said I was joking?" Tristan turned to face Morgan the smile gone from his face.
"But that would mean that I'm beautiful." Morgan blushed.
"Who says there's anything wrong in that logic?" Galahad trotted up to Morgan.
"Who asked you?" Tristan growled. There was an almost palpable tension between the two.
"Galahad! I want to talk to you!" Isulet yelled, sensing the problem situation.
"Good timing girl." Tristan muttered, throwing a dark look at Galahad's retreating form.
"Yes, Isulet, avoid a fight at all costs." Morgan muttered.
"Hey, she's known us a lot longer than you, she knows how we work." Tristan stuck up for his friend.
"Does she know how you work?" Morgan asked, putting her head back on Tristan's shoulder.
"She knows me the best. I tend not to talk much to anyone else." Tristan said, turning his head slightly.
"I take it you're not the sharing type?" Morgan smiled sweetly.
"I don't particularly like sharing things." Tristan smiled back, watching the road out of the corner of his eye.
"So you're possessive?" Morgan guessed.
"Let's just say I don't like other people taking my things." Tristan smiled dangerously.
"Has hell frozen over? Tristan's actually having a conversation longer than a few sentences." Bors pretended to be shocked.
"You'll be frozen in a minute if you don't shut up." Morgan growled.
"Now Morgan, Bors doesn't mean anything by it, let it go." Isulet trotted up to stop the argument which she was sure was coming.
"Sorry Bors." Morgan admitted she was wrong and let her head fall forward.
"And so you well should be Morgan." Guinevere spoke up from the wagon.
"Did I ask for your input?" Morgan turned her cat like green eyes on the other woman.
"No but your manners are appalling," Guinevere retorted, "Just as you are."
"If I am that bad just think how you must look. All mirrors must smash in your presence." Morgan snapped back.
"Break it up." Arthur trotted round, "I should have known you'd be at the root of the problem Morgan."
"Artorius! How dare you talk to Morgan like that?" Isulet snapped.
"I dare because I lead these people." Arthur snapped at his sister.
"And yet still you blame Morgan! She hasn't been around us as long!" Isulet snapped her ice blue eyes blazed with anger.
"I have nothing more to say to you Isulet." Arthur finished.
"But I have something more to say to you." Isulet blocked Arthur's escape with Tempest.
"Isulet move out of the way." Arthur gently commanded.
"Not until you listen to me." Isulet seemed to relax, though her eyes still burnt with anger.
"Okay." Arthur finally gave in when he realized it was the only way.
"Ever since you were little you've blamed Morgan for everything that happened to you, though sometimes it was blatantly your fault. And now you pick a fight with her when it wasn't her who started it. I think you need to understand that Morgan is my friend, and I will stand by her no matter what." Isulet let Arthur pass, before she bent over Tempest in a defeated pose.
"Isulet, what's wrong?" Gawain asked.
"I just stood up to my brother for the first time in my entire life. I can't believe I just did that." Isulet's shoulders shook.
"Are you sure you're O.K?" Gawain asked again.
"Yes I'm fine." Isulet said, sitting up, nothing wrong with her, "I think I just had a right go at my only living relative, and he didn't take it all that well."
"Well, worse things have happened at sea, as the saying goes." Gawain smiled.
"I guess I'm going to have some big apologizing to do." Isulet admitted.
"Well, that's not going to be too hard to do now is it?" Tristan asked, trotting forward with Morgan still on his back.
"I suppose I have had to apologize to my brother before, but not about something this big. I just don't think I can do it." Isulet looked upset.
"Of course you can do it; we're going to be right here beside you." Morgan smiled, making Isulet feel a little better.
"Arthur, I would like to speak with you." Isulet spurred Tempest so she could catch up with her brother.
"Cooled down from our little temper tantrum have we?" Arthur asked, his voice cutting, cold.
"I have something to say to you, and I would like to talk to you like an adult, but since you insist on behaving in this childish manner." Isulet was working hard on keeping her anger under wraps.
"Me behaving in a childish manner...?" Arthur began, but Isulet cut him off.
"I know what you're going to say, but I would like you to hear me out. I am sorry that I shouted at you, but I am not sorry for the fact that I stood up for my friend." Isulet smiled at Arthur.
"Is this a peace offering?" he asked, looking suspiciously at his sister.
"Yes this is." Isulet looked straight back at her brother.
"Well, I forgive you, and I'm sorry for automatically blaming Morgan." Arthur looked sheepish.
"I forgive you as well. I couldn't bear for there to be bad blood between us. Besides, I think it was six of one and half a dozen of the other with Morgan and Guinevere. They just don't like each other I guess." Isulet shrugged in a non-committal way.
"Yes, well I count my lucky stars you don't hate anyone that badly." Arthur looked sideways at his sister, who was smiling.
"Oh I did, but only for a few seconds, you see the person I was mad at is my closet living relative." Isulet looked at Arthur's expression.
"Remind me not to cross you then." Arthur smiled back at his sister, who was on her way back to Morgan and Tristan.
"I have to go tell Arthur about something." Tristan trotted on, after letting Morgan down.
When Isulet looked around her she realized the group were entering a valley. The walls to either side were granite, though it was hard to tell as the walls had an ice crust that gave the rocks a ghostly white appearance. Snow had fallen down the sheer rock face in places, giving the impression of ramps, which would give out underneath you should you try to climb them. The rest of the rock supported the snow, but still there was a fringe of snow peeking over from the ledge above. This fell to the earth in swirls, stirring up the settled snow. Looking up ahead Isulet could see where the snow ended. But it couldn't have just ended. Then Isulet understood. The snow wouldn't settle there because it was ice. A feeling of dread came to haunt her, and her dream forced itself to the front of her mind despite her best efforts at forgetting it.
"I want everyone out of the wagons, and tell them to spread out." Isulet heard Arthur say to Tristan, which sent new waves of dread shivering through her.
"Oh joy of joys, we get to play at ice skating." Morgan hopped out of the wagon and scuffed the snow with the end of her boot.
Isulet swung herself to the ground, landing on her toes. Throwing the reins over Tempest's head made a suitable lead rope. Leading Tempest forward she gingerly put one foot on the ice. It took her weight so she walked on, still being careful of the ice. It felt strong enough with ice, but you never could tell. Tempest pulled against his reins, wanting to go back, he sensed something was wrong. But Isulet pulled him forward, using soothing words and encouraging him all the way. Tempest followed, but only very reluctantly. When the group were halfway across the ice the Saxon drums started, this time accompanied by a more ominous sound. The ice was beginning to crack, which made the horses nervous and to send them skittering. Tempest began to yank at the reins more forcefully than he had before, his ears laid back against his head. Isulet tentatively reached out a hand and touched his neck. She used that to help her till she was close enough, then she began to stroke.
"Come on boy, calm now, there, shh." Isulet encouraged Tempest, who calmed down at the sound of Isulet's voice.
"Keep that horse under control." Arthur commanded Isulet, who looked at him anger blazing in his eyes.
"We can't outrun them." Morgan stepped closer to Tempest, ready to give help if needed.
"We have to fight then." Arthur looked around at all the knights.
"I never did like looking over my shoulder." Tristan said as his agreement.
"Bors?" Arthur asked.
"They're so close my arse is hurting." Bors said.
"At least I won't have any qualms about killing them." Isulet smiled.
"Finally we get a look at the bastards." Gawain looked at Isulet.
"Take the horses." Arthur commanded and men came forward to take them, "We have eight men." Arthur began.
"Nine, you need an extra bow." Guinevere stepped down.
"You can count me in." Morgan stepped up, smiling at Guinevere's look.
Author's notes: Well another chapter up. Wow this is getting to be a rather long story. No way is anyone going to stop me writing this until it's finished. Anyways all for now.