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Chapter 16

The Woad Camp

Lucilla sat in her tent. There were women running all about trying to things ready for the wedding. The one thing Lucilla dreaded was the one thing everyone was excited about. They actually believed that by Lucilla being married to Custennin would end the hardship of the Britons. They were so naïve.

Guinevere entered the tent with a long flowing sky blue dress and some flowers. "My brother bids you where this dress and I will do your hair for the wedding."

"There will be no wedding because I will not marry your brother." Lucilla was furious; she will not marry this man merely to stop a war, and where she knew very well it would never truly end. In all honestly Lucilla was fairly certain this war would never end.

"Please just allow me to dress you. I can take no more of this witless arguing. It is not my problem if you marry him or not I am merely here to make sure you get dressed. So you will put this dress on and allow these flowers into your hair. The choice of marriage will then be yours." Guinevere boldly stated.

Lucilla honestly did want to change out of her dress that was ripped ragged; and her hair needed a decent brushing. Lowering her defenses she nodded and removed her dress. She was finally able to take some water to her dirtied skin. The new dress fit her like a glove.

"I must admit this is a beautiful gown." Lucilla quietly said tying the knot in the front.

"My thanks." Guinevere smiled.

"Did you make it?"

"Aye."

"Well you have gift I must say." Lucilla returned the smile.

The Briton tied Lucilla's hair in small braids allowing some large strands to fall around her face, inlaid some delicate flowers. "You look like a British Queen."

"You are a very kind woman but my heart lies elsewhere. I will not marry your brother."

"Then you will not. He can not make you do anything beyond your own will. But what if this is your destiny?"

"This is not my destiny… my destiny is my own. No other person may choose it for me; I will find it when I am ready."

"Perhaps you are correct in saying one may choose their own destiny. So choose it." Guinevere said leaving the tent.

"Choose my destiny? Maybe my destiny does lay here in Britain, but with Custennin I think not."

She stayed in her tent for a good few hours until an older woman entered the tent and bid Lucilla to take leave with her. Exiting the tent she was followed by twelve women each holding a dove in their hands. Each were dressed in a cream colored down with their faced pointed toward the rest of the group.

They walked to a large cliff. Everyone in a type of procession they walked to the edge of the cliff. There was a man in a bird's feather cloak with the blue fhain marks all over his body making him look blue but also quite dirty. Next to him was Custennin in the same attire but his fhain marks were not as numerous. He was naked to the waste, the scars visible.

Approaching Custennin Lucilla never set her eyes on him; she looked out to the sea wishing she were drowning in it. He tried to take her hands but they were shaking so horrible she kept them at her side.

"You truly are the Beauty of Rome. I can see why they gave you that name," Custennin said as she joined him before the other Woad.

The entire camp had turned out for the wedding including some of other camps, nobles mostly. The Woad began reciting something in the British tongue, which seemed a bit like the Latin spoken at Lucilla's wedding to Marcus no longer than a year ago. The feelings were the same today than they were before. There still seemed to be no way out of this, she could say 'no' but what good would that do. Marcus was surely already in Rome.

Lucilla's thoughts overwhelmed her. She wad deep in thought until she heard that man calling her name. Looking to both British men she realized they were exchanging vows and waiting for Lucilla to make hers.

"I know not how long I have been in this flea infested village, but for the time I have been here I have seen many people. All are fighting for something, wither it is for their family or their country of birth, you all fight for something. What I fight for is to protect my family and my country of birth but also to protect you. I tell you now: by doing this you will achieve nothing. Marcus will hold no deal with you and even if Rome withdraws you will have problems with raiding barbarians. Why would you kill a rat only to find that in three months you will be infested with triple the amount of rats? I can not and will not be your wife or slave. My life is my own…." Looking to Guinevere, Lucilla continued, "My destiny is my own."

Suddenly a whiz came through the air as an arrow pierced Custennin through the heart. As he fell back over the cliff grabbing Lucilla's hand throwing her over the side of the cliff with him.

All hell broke loose on the cliff. The seven knights and a large number of Centurions were galloping through the forest firing arrows as quickly as they could string them. The knights were taking no prisoners; each had their best weapon out and were wielding them with fatal accuracy.

Guinevere with the women and children ran into the woods finding hidden footpaths back to their village or safe lands with some setting booby traps in case any Romans followed. The children were clinging to their mothers crying as they saw their fathers fall. Guinevere was running as fast as her legs would carry her through the woods. Running into the shallow water of the river she realized she had made it to safe lands. With tears in her eyes she led the people to Merlin's village.

The dirt was stained red with puddles of blood as the knights took care of the few remaining Woads that were putting up a fight. Arthur was pleased to admit there were no women and children killed in the skirmish. He had lost thirty out of his forty Centurions but none of the knights had perished. Every knight was covered in blood from head to toe. But they didn't care they were only looking for one person.

"Lucilla!" Bors shouted, his voice booming through the tree.

Tristan's eyes searched everywhere they could look. He looked hard until he remembered the instant his arrow pierced the Woad he fell over the lip he was holding Lucilla's hand…. He ran to the edge of cliff and there she was.

"Tristan!" Lucilla shouted, tears choking her voice. Her light blue gown was torn but a piece was stuck on a rock but the corpse of Custennin was holding the dress. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Her hands were gripping the rock but quickly slipping. She was about ten feet below the top. "Tristan: don't let me fall."

Tristan lay on his stomach throwing his bow to the side. The other knights filed in behind him. His hand allowed him only to reach a few feet down and he could see Lucilla's hand was not going to hold much longer.

Thinking quickly Gawain grabbed the reins from his horse ripping them off the bridle, then did the same to Galahad's horse and Bors's horse. Handing the leather rope to Tristan he said, "Try this, Tris."

Tristan quickly grabbed the leather thanking Gawain through his eyes only. Tossing the leather to Lucilla Tristan shouted down: "Grab a hold." Grabbing the leather she fell a bit further as all her weight was transferred to the rope.

"Tristan!" Lucilla cried as the weight of dead Custennin pulled her lower.

"Hold on!" All the knights seemed to shout.

"Bors," Arthur motioned for the knight to come closer. "Fire an arrow so it pierces her dress where it is stuck on the rock. That way we can get the Woad off of her and Tristan can pull her up."

"Arthur, I'm not as good of a shot as Tristan." Bors was nervous, he had never made a shot like that before and he didn't want to miss and hit Lucilla.

"True, but Tristan won't let go of the rope and we need to free her leg. You're out next best shot." Bors easily conceded and picked up Tristan's bow and took an arrow off the ground. He hadn't time to get the weapons from his horse, if he needed another arrow then he would. He was hoping he could make it in one shot.

"Lancelot, Galahad," The two knights approached as Arthur called. "Mount up and make a ten mile search for Bedwyr and Cai. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for traps."

The two knights bid as they were told but seemed disappointed to be leaving before they knew Lucilla was safe. But they still respected Arthur and galloped together into the forest with their eyes aware.

Gawain held his hand below the rock ready to try and grab Lucilla when she got closer to the top. Dagonet stood behind Tristan ready to help pull him and Lucilla to the edge. Arthur stood next to Bors as he strung the arrow.

"What are you doing!" Lucilla shouted in her panicked voice.

"Hold still." Arthur shouted back down to her. The next few moments seemed like an eternity until the arrow was let loose and the dress was ripped from the rock. Lucilla let out a quick shout when she began to swing away from the rock. "Hold on!" Arthur encouraged to both Lucilla and Tristan.

"I can't believe I made that shot." Bors whispered to himself. Arthur gave him a tap on the shoulder in congratulations.

Slowly Tristan without help was able to pull Lucilla back onto the side of the cliff. He held her in his arms for a moment each looking into each other's eyes happy to see the other still alive.

"Are you all right?" Arthur quickly asked as Tristan released Lucilla's hands.

Nodding her head Lucilla seemed too stunned to speak. She was about to say something as a frothing white horse emerged from the wood. The man on the horse was a face she feared she would never see in her life again. His shoulder length dirty blond hair and olive face peered at her with concerned eyes, the eyes only he could have.

"Cassius!" Lucilla said her voice like a child.

"Lucilla!" Cassius shouted as he jumped off his horse and came running towards her. "I feared I had lost you." He said as he gathered her up into a bear hug. Holding each other close, Cassius gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I came as soon as I got the letter." Peering into Lucilla's eyes he asked, "are you sure you're all right?"

"I'll be all right." Lucilla said not trying to sound distressed.

"Come let us get you back to the safety of the wall." Taking off his cloak he wrapped it around Lucilla who was in her tattered gown. He mounted the white steed then helped Lucilla onto the animal. "Come along."

The Centurions that escorted Caesar and the Senator's daughter back through the woods, not even giving Lucilla enough time to thank the knight. Her eyes met Tristan's as Cassius turned his mount around and cantered back into the forest.

It took them three days to reach the safety of the Wall and Lucilla had never been so happy to see that wall. During their journey Cassius would not allow Lucilla out of his sight and Lucilla dare not walk over to Tristan with the Emperor of Rome right behind her. Cassius explained in detail what had happened with Marcus. Lucilla was in shock to hear that her husband was dead. Especially that Cassius already made the arrangements for a small funeral in Rome. Lucilla had no obligation to attend Cassius had told her as well. On their last night in camp Lucilla forced herself to see Arthur and explain what had happened to his knights.

The knights were gathered around a small campfire, most were silent. Lancelot and Galahad had obviously come back with sour news. Bedwyr and Cai were no where to be seen, it could mean only one of two things. The Woads had moved them away from the village or they were already dead. Lucilla was about to tell them their worst fears. They all took a deep breath in as she arrived at the camp fire.

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