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Chapter 7

A Labyrinth of Lies

It would have been a lot easier to find her way back to her chambers if some of the corridors were not all identical. As it was each hallway looked the same, there were no paintings, no sculptures to differentiate the halls. Lucilla walked up an angled flight of stairs hoping to find her chamber, but it was no use. She was completely lost with no idea where to go or even how to get back to the tavern.

Approaching a solid oak door with intricate engravings she opened it slightly and peered in. She was able to see a few lanterns lit in the corners of the room but it appeared to be empty. Her few small steps into the hall echoed loudly around her. Taking a few more small steps she found herself in the great hall of Artorious.

The room looked small with an enormous round table as the center object. There were large shields hanging along in vivid colors and designs. But these shields were different from the Roman shields, these held scars of battles. A large shield with a black crow swimming in a sea of blue had clearly been broken in half and put back together with extreme care. In the center of the large table a bear rug was prominently displayed.

Lucilla was fascinated. Could it really be? The great Round Table I've heard so much of in Rome? It really existed… Lucilla couldn't help but smile. To her it was as if she was walking into a legend of old her father used to speak of. Walking around the table she saw that in each seat a name was engraved. Bedwyr… Cai… Ector… Percival…. These were people who risked their lives for a Rome they had never been too. But their sense of duty was so honorable they fought for a place they would never see.

Looking around each seat was exactly the same as the one next to it. She couldn't tell which seat was Commander Arthur or his knights. What a way to think… every man being equal? It was an uncommon thought in any Roman's mind. Yet to Lucilla she was shocked she had not seen something like this before. A concept so simple, of equality for all men, had not yet been adopted in Rome.

Suddenly Lucilla heard a creak as if the door was opening or closing. Quickly looking around she didn't see anyone, happy to see that no one was watching her, Lucilla continued to gawk at the table. She ran her hands against the deep carvings as if actually feeling the courage and honor each knight held. But deep in the shadows near one of the corners Lucilla saw a pair of boots. Her heart began to race, not really knowing what to do she simply turned to the shadows.

"I don't know who you are but I must request you… you come out of the shadows." Lucilla kept her voice strong but her hands were shaking. Should she scream? There must be a guard walking around the fortress somewhere.

A small laugh echoed in hall and out walked Tristan. His dark hair partly covered his face. There were some dark lines under his eyes on his cheeks; Lucilla quickly realized they were tattoos. He had taken off his armor and was in a dark brown shirt and his riding breeches. Yet among the dirt of his hands held a bright red apple, it was half eaten.

"You know it's impolite to watch someone without their knowledge." Lucilla kept her voice stern but inside was laughing.

On the other hand Tristan chuckled out loud. "How was I to know if you were like Marcus or not." Tristan's voice seemed angered that Marcus was not with Lucilla.

"I take it you don't approve of Marcus?" Lucilla truly wanted to know Tristan's view of Marcus.

"It's not that I don't approve of the man, but I don't think that the wall and he are not proper matches. He seems like a man who would rather shout orders from atop a horse than actually be in the depths of the battle. Out here there is no room for men who are not dedicated. It could mean that one of us will end up dead." Tristan said.

"He is dedicated, perhaps not in actual war but he knows what he's doing. I ask you to give him so time. Let him learn, I'm sure when you arrived you were not accepted immediately. Please give Marcus a chance." Pleaded the senator's daughter.

"I can try and give him a change, but does he really know what he's doing?" The simplicity of the statement made Lucilla wonder what Tristan was really after.

"In Rome… Marcus is a great man." Lucilla seemed to be trying to convince herself more than Tristan.

"We're not in Rome my lady. We're the farthest from Rome one could be without leaving the Empire."

"Sir Tristan… I am still a Lady of Rome. I must believe that what Marcus does is for the best. I hope you understand that. I bring no hate with me; in fact I find this place fascinating."

To this Tristan just smiled. "You find Britain fascinating even when the natives tried to kill you?"

Lucilla wasn't sure how to respond. "They're doing what's right by them. I can't argue with that. Just like you're doing what's right by which happens to be killing them. How did people act when Caesar drove into Germania? They hated him but then he changed their lives, making it better. Perhaps all we need to do is make the life of these people better than it is."

"You just want to make things better? Think that will be easy? Rome has been here for more than three hundred years, and Woads keep fighting that won't end."

"We need to try Sir Tristan. If not, then what are we doing here? What kind of people are we if we do not try and make the world better?"

"The world isn't that good." Tristan bluntly spoke.

"That's a very pessimistic view. The world is always worth saving." Lucilla's voice sent a shiver down Tristan's spine. Was he really attracted to a Roman? Pah! He thought, of course not!

"You know the wall is not a safe place for you to be walking around alone, especially since you don't know you way around. The worst thing you could do is end up in an unsafe place. Who knows what kind of enemies you would meet." Tristan acted as if he was trying to frighten Lucilla, but she just smiled in return.

"I'm sure you or your knights would be so kind as to protect me." Lucilla's voice became playful.

Tristan changed his tone to join Lucilla's playful tone. "Do you really need protection? I saw how you handled the Woad. Not most women would take their hair piece out and strike a man. It takes a different kind of woman to do that."

Lucilla took a step closer. "I've been dealing with Romans for quite some time. I know to protect my interests." Lucilla looked Tristan in the eyes, "beside I'm not like most women."

"Course not…you're a senator's daughter." Tristan seemed to be ridiculing her.

"You mock me? Why? Are you jealous that I have lived in Rome?" Lucilla began to go on the offensive.

"Am I jealous of someone living in Londinium?"

"Do you compare Rome to Londinium? That is comparing beauty to filth!"

"Oh, pardon me," Cai had entered the room and by the look on his face was shocked to see Lucilla and Tristan. Both quickly turned their heads to the red haired knight. "I didn't mean to intrude."

"You're not," Lucilla was quick to answer. "I was just trying to find my way back to my chambers and I happen to get turned around. Tristan was kind enough to show me the Hall. It's a magnificent place." Turning towards Tristan Lucilla nodded, "thank you for your insight. Good night Sir Cai… Sir Tristan. I expect I shall see you in the morning."

Lucilla walked out of the hall and was happy to get away from the tension that had been steadily mounting. Tristan's words were like taking a dagger into her gut.

Could he really compare the filth ridden city of Londinium to the beauty of Rome? He had never even seen Rome! What did this Sarmatian knight know of Rome! Lucilla was furious at the knight. Even with her interlude with the knight Lucilla was still lost.

Realizing she was no closer to chamber than before she began to get a bit worried that she would never find her way around the fortress. "Are you lost?" Came a deep voice of a man behind her.

Turning around Lucilla found herself looking at a tall man, the size of Arthur. His thick beard covered half of his face but his eyes were soft. He was dressed down in a pair of black leggings and a dark blue jerkin. He repeated his question.

"Oh a little yes." Lucilla smiled but was unsure of who this man was.

The man must have realized that Lucilla was unsure of who he was, "I'm Bedwyr, one of the knights."

"Thank you, I thought you looked familiar. I saw you earlier in the courtyard."

"Yes you did. You're trying to get back to your room?"

"Is it that obvious?" Lucilla let out a small chuckle a bit embarrassed that she couldn't find her way around.

"You happen to be on the other side of barracks of where you want to be. Don't worry it took me a while to get used to it."

The knight Bedwyr seemed kind but at the same time vicious. Lucilla was sure the man standing in front of her was a vicious fighter, a fact which scared Lucilla.

"Follow me, I can take you back."

They began walking through the winding halls. "So… you are a knight?" Lucilla didn't like the idea of walking in total silence.

"I am," responded the knight.

"And do you like being so?"

"Arthur is my commander, and my friend. But I take no joy in the killing of others as some of my counterparts do." Bedwyr spoke as if he was disgusted by the fact of killing, a way of life Lucilla assumed was typical.

"So like today… you kill but you take no pride in it? Isn't that odd? Not taking pride in something?" Lucilla was quite confused.

"Would you take pride in it, my lady? Taking another man's life?"

"Thankfully I don't have to. When you say your counterparts take pleasure in the killing of Woads, to whom do you refer?" Lucilla wondered if there really were those who took pleasure in killing.

"You truly want to know?" Bedwyr chuckled. Lucilla only nodded. "Tristan, Cai, Bors and even a bit of Gawain; they all enjoy it. The others on the other hand merely do it because we must." Turning towards a large door Bedwyr opened it for the senator's daughter. "We've reached your chamber my lady."

Turning towards the darkened room Lucilla gazed back out at the knight, he seemed a bit depressed. "I am sorry that you must go through this. If there is anyway I could help in perhaps taking your mind off the gravity of the situation, please let me know." Shooting Bedwyr a Roman smile Lucilla closed the door and walked toward the open window.

It had been quite a day for the young Roman. She stood near the open window and looked down to the courtyard where just a few hours ago she entered the 3 century old fortress. Had it only been a few hours? It seemed as if it had been days ago. Below the window she could see a few of the knights enjoying the night with a few barmaids. Lucilla chuckled at the thought: they fight all day and play all night. And looking a bit closer to the entrance of her barracks she saw Marcus.

He was cuddling up to a tall brunette barmaid. Marcus held the barmaid's chin in his hand as he caressed her cheek. He had never touched Lucilla that way, was she jealous of the wretched barmaid? Kissing the brunette's neck Lucilla turned away having the wretched taste of bile coming up her throat. Lucilla rubbed her arms to take away the goose bumps that had formed.

She walked into the bathroom and took out the pin that had been holding her hair up. She was still disappointed that she had lost her sea horse pin, it had been a gift from a dear friend on her wedding day. Would she ever see Rome again? Unlikely and now she would have to live knowing the Marcus was happier in the arms of barmaid than his own wife. As much as Lucilla knew that going into the marriage she never expected that she would have to see it with her own eyes. It made her sick. Lucilla heaved into the bowl near the mirror.