The Knights and the two Woad women watched as a Saxon Archer stepped forward and raised his bow into the air. He released the arrow. The group watched as it sailed through the air only to fall in the middle of the two groups and skid another ten feet. A black-hared man said something to the leader and he retorted angrily. Then shouts filled the air as the Saxons started to grow closer.
Arthur spoke up, "Well, I think they are waiting for an invitation, Bors." He glanced to the second Knight and added, "Tristran."
Guinevere protested, "They are far to out of range!"
Emogen rolled her eyes. Her cousin was such a smart mouthed idiot at times. First of all, these are Sarmatian Bows! They are known for their amazing reach. Second of all, she didn't think that Arthur would have them waist arrows if they couldn't make it to the Saxons. She watched as the two loaded their bows with three arrows each. They raised them into the air and fired. Six Sarmatian arrows flew through the air and found homes in six now very dead Saxon warriors. She smiled to herself. She glanced to her cousin. She was glaring at Arthur whom had a decidedly superior look in his face.
Arthur raised his bow and commanded, "Aim for the Wings of the ranks, make them cluster!"
All nine loaded their bows and took aim. After Arthur released his, eight others quickly followed. Eight more Saxons fell dead. Again and again they fired at the Saxons. The Saxons were falling and the leader was yelling at them to remain in ranks. All the while, Emogen was very aware of how the ice was cracking yet not breaking. The threat was very real here, and yet at the same time it was abstract. Again, and again some more, they shot at the Saxons. Arthur bent down to retrieve more arrows then he shouted, "It's not breaking! Prepare for combat!"
Immediately, the Knights reached for their weapon of choice and she and Guinevere loaded their bows once more. Then from the corner of her eye, she saw Dagonet drop his sword and pull his axe up instead. She furrowed her brow. What was he doing? He can't… All thought stopped, when the Knight rushed out of the line yelling a battle cry. Arthur yelled for cover and she and Guinevere quickly released their arrows. Two Archers fell by their hand yet still more came forth. The others had released their arrows and brought down even more, but arrows from the Saxons still flew at Dagonet. Then she remembered the body shield. She dropped her bow and spun to Lancelot. He saw her reached behind him for something and run away.
"EMOGEN!" he and Guinevere yelled.
She couldn't believe how heavy the Roman shield was! But, she had to reach Dagonet! He would surely be killed if he didn't have protection! And she owed him! He helped her when he didn't need to back there in Marius' estate. Plus, in a few more hours, he will finally be free! He can't die now! She skidded in front of him and lifted the shield. Immediately three bangs sounded in her ears. That was three arrows meant for the large giant. She glanced behind her and paled slightly. Dagonet already had an arrow sticking out of his left side. It was bleeding freely now, but he kept on smashing the ice. Finally the ice started to break. Everyone lost his or her balance. Emogen felt the shield tilting away from her, but she bit her lip and held on. Dagonet would not die! He wouldn't! Not if she could prevent it. She wanted to know what was happening beyond the shield because she heard many screams, but was not willing to put herself or Dagonet in any more danger.
Distantly, she heard someone yelling her name, "EMOGEN!"
Then the ice around them cracked open. Dagonet, weak with blood loss, fell into a hole made by the ice. She gasped and dropped her shield. She winced as she felt an arrow graze her stomach. She reached into the frozen water, and grabbed what she could of the gentle Healer. She managed to grab his cloak and shirt and pulled with all her strength. It wasn't enough though. Just as she was about to be pulled in with him, another hand covered hers and a second hand grabbed even more of the Knight and together they pulled him up. She glanced up and saw it was Arthur. He was staring at her with gratitude and awe. Even though there were still arrows flying about them, she blushed.
The two of them started to drag the Knight away from the cracking water, and another Knight, Bors, arrived with another shield to protect them. Together, they managed to bring the Knight to the edge of the lake and silently they watched as the Saxons fell to their frozen graves. Well, all but Emogen did. She hated seeing death, and she had to stop the bleeding.
"Could someone help me please!" she cried out as she broke the arrow's feathered tail off, and tried to staunch the flow of blood.
The Knights shook themselves out of their amazement and Lancelot knelt beside her and said, "That was the most stupid, most idiot thing I have ever seen…thank you. Because of you, Dag will live."
Then he kissed her cheek and proceeded to help her push the arrow through and place healing herbs and bandaged around him. She felt proud of herself. She only blushed once when they were removing all his wet clothes and putting him in dry ones. Quickly, they put him on Bors' horse and wrapped all their spare blankets around him.
Arthur placed his hand on her shoulder and asked, "Do you know how to ride?"
"Yes, I do."
"Then you can ride Dagonet's horse, Arrowhead. I'm sure he'd be honored if you did so."
She nodded and quickly mounted the white horse that had a brown spot right between his eyes that looked like and arrowhead. So that's how he got his name-cute. She thought with a smile and joined Lancelot near the front of the line.
Lancelot said, "We'll have to ride fast. We need to get Dagonet to the Wall, and we need to rejoin the caravan."
She turned to him and said, "Then what are we waiting for?"
With grins all around, the group of nine galloped away from the battle site full of glee and a bit of worry. Dagonet's life was still in danger. When they met back up with the caravan, they found the group just inside the Wall. The Knights shared a grin-they were FREE!
As the dismounted, Bors cried out, "Jols! Get the Healer in the Infirmary NOW!"
The Knights' squire, Jols, jumped to obey as he ran by the Bishop. Bors followed him on his horse.
The Bishop grimaced and quickly put on a happy smile.
"Ah, Knights! You have returned victorious! Against all odds Satan could send…Alecto let me look at you!"
Emogen watched from the safety of behind Dagonet's horse as the young Roman man backed away from the Bishop and into his mother's embrace.
The Bishop looked around in embarrassment before he straightened up and announced, "Knights, you are free! Come give me the papers!"
He waved to a Roman legion that opened the box to them. Lancelot reached forward and grabbed all seven and passed them around. She bowed her head slightly in worry and sympathy. Bors had just returned and he had tears falling from his eyes. When Lancelot reached him he held the papers to him. Bors didn't seem to see him.
"Bors…"
When the only father of the Knights still refused to see him, he placed both on Bors chest and said louder, "Bors!"
That got him eye contact.
Lancelot said more gently, "For Dagonet."
Bors took the papers and said as he glared at the Bishop, "He doesn't need this, he's a free man…he's nearly dead!" Then he stormed away. Lancelot sighed and bowed his head. Tristran, she noticed, had taken the box that held their discharge papers and turning it this way and that like a collector would. She smiled. So, the scout has a bit of a lifting finger does he? A hand on her shoulder cleared her thoughts. She looked up and found herself staring into Lancelot's beautiful brown eyes.
"Come, let's get you warmed up. You are in nothing but a dress and you've been soaked with frozen water and we need to clean and bandage that cut. We don't need you, too, to become ill."
She nodded and allowed him to lead her to wherever he wished. The people of the fort were staring at her oddly, but she didn't understand why. She wasn't dressed up as a Woad, so that wasn't it. She sighed. She'd ask one of the Knights later.
When they reached wherever Lancelot wanted to take her, he turned to her and said a bit sheepishly, "This is my chambers. I don't know where else to take you as the visitors chambers are so close to the Roman Legionaries and I doubt you'd like to be close to them."
Emogen smiled gently at him and said, "This is fine Lancelot. Just tell me, where will I find a change of clothes?"
Lancelot waved her inside and said from the door, "I'll have Vanora, Bors' lover and mother to all his li'l bastards, by the way don't tell him I admit that, give you one of her old dresses she can't wear anymore. I'll be right back. You stay here and look around."
When he was gone, she went to the door and looked out. Gawain and Galahad were two and three doors down from Lancelot's and they were arguing again.
"Gawain! Galahad! My I ask you a question?" she asked brightly as she stepped out of the doorway.
The two Knights spun around and their eyes widened. They hadn't been paying to much attention to her before because they were worried about Dagonet and still reeling form their newfound freedom, but now that they were focused, really focused, on her, they were spellbound. That dress, last night, was awing. Now, that it was wet and sticking to her body, they felt like bowing before her and renaming her Aphrodite. Which caused both of them to smirk because Lancelot would gut them stem to stern and back again. Also, it wasn't like she LOOKED like a true goddess for she wasn't big breasted or exotic of face. She was quite small in the chest, but she, herself, was petite, so she was perfectly proportioned. Also, her face was rather plain to look at besides her exotic green eyes. Those green eyes of hers had captured all seven last night-Lancelot most of all. She was truly a Lady of Peace since her eyes have yet to lose their serene glaze that put them all at ease around her.
Gawain shook himself and said, "But of course Lady Emogen, what is your question?"
"Well, as we were walking here, all the village people were staring at me. I was wondering why?"
Galahad snorted and replied, "That's easy! You were with Lancelot and you are not one of the Bar Wenches that chase after him."
Gawain added, "Point of fact, he was chasing after you despite the fact he was leading you around."
Emogen nodded to herself and said as she headed back inside, "Thank you boys! You've been most helpful!"
They called back their welcomes and she closed the door with a sigh. So, the villagers were staring at her because Lancelot was acting very out of character around her. He wasn't acting like normal-however that was? She sat down on his bed and gasped as she fell deeply into it. She looked at it in amazement. It was made of expensive goose feathers and the sheets were a soft cotton texture she had never felt before. The fur blankets on top were warm and heavy. Perfect for the cold nights of Briton now. She shook her head. She had thought that the Romans didn't care for their conscripts. Apparently, she was wrong. Then she heard a knock at her door.
"Ah, come in?" she said in question as the door opened to reveal a red-hared pretty woman with a babe in her arm, a child in her hand, two more dancing around her, and a dress or two over her shoulder.
"Ah! So you're the lass that has caught our dear Lance in your spell! You are a pretty thing indeed. I'm Vanora, Bors' lover, and these are our bastards Seven, Eight, Nine and Eleven. I have three dresses for you that I think will fit you. If they don't, we can always fix them up a bit."
Emogen blinked and said, "Ah, thank you Lady Vanora. I appreciate the dresses. If you don't mind me asking, why are the children named for numbers?"
Vanora waved her off and said, "I'm no Lady lass, just call me Vanora. Also, Bors, the idiot he is, won't ask me to marry him so the children have no names-just numbers. Now, lets get you dressed!"
Number Eight tugged at her mother's dress and asked, "May we play on Uncl' Lance's bed Mummy?"
Vanora rolled her eyes and said, "Just don't ruin the stitching!"
The children cheered as Vanora handed her a green dress and said, "Go on, put in on!"
Eager to get out of the wet Roman dress, Emogen quickly pulled on the emerald green cotton dress. It fit her almost perfectly. It hugged her in the hips and caressed her flat stomach. It also blanketed her chest in soft cotton that Woad's have never known of. The only problem was that Vanora was three inches taller than she was, so the dress was a little long on her.
Vanora giggled like a young girl again and said, "Lass, if this is all the trouble we're going to have, we've been fated to become the best of friends, yes?"
Emogen couldn't help it. Vanora's face was all a glow with happiness and cheer she had to agree. With a few quick stitches, the three dresses were altered to fit her petite height and she was once again dressed in the emerald green dress. She placed a hand over her wound. She had been lucky. The cut was tiny and not deep. It had barely bled and scabbed over quickly so her new dress had not been stained.
"Now, let's go see to Dagonet. I heard from Bors and the others that he still lives thanks to you. I thank you for that. He's Bors' cousin you know? They've been the best of friends since they were babes. It would have created a wound deep within my Bors if Dagonet had died. He is very well liked here."
"I'm glad I could help. He treated me very nicely while I was being healed. And, do you need some help? I could carry one of them if you'd like?"
Vanora burst out laughing and said, "Oh thank ye! I so need the help!"
She plopped Eleven in her arms and grabbed Seven and Eight in her hands even with Nine still in her embrace.
"Now, to the Infirmary! Lance should be there too."
She smiled in reply and followed the woman to yet another new place behind the Wall. She marveled at everything she saw. It was so different from her Woad heritage. Plus, she and Guinevere were probably the only Woads to see behind the Wall and live to tell about it so far! Vanora giggled at her wide-eyed expression. She knew that life behind the Wall could be an awe-inspiring sight at first. After a time, you get used to it, but those first few weeks, are nothing short of amazing.
"AH! Here we are! Let's see if Cousin Dag is awake shall we?"
Her three children cheered as Emogen chuckled and pushed the door open. She smiled when the three rushed to the bed and cried out happily, "Cosin, Daggy!"
The gentle Knight laughed happily as he hugged the three and then he looked up.
His smiled grew even warmer as he said, "Ah, my heroine has come! Thank you for helping me Lady Emogen. You didn't have to, so thank you."
Lancelot came up behind her as she said, " 'Tis my pleasure. I couldn't let you die after all you did to help me! Let's just call it even, okay?"
The Knight shook his head but agreed slightly. If he couldn't thank her properly, he'd watch over her like an older brother until he felt like he had repaid her for saving his life.
Lancelot chuckled and said teasingly, "You know, Dag's gonna be your shadow until he's satisfied."
She shrugged and looked up at him. His eyes were a glow with happiness and light. She smiled. He was free now. He had lived to see the end of his captivity. Plus, all his brothers had survived to see their freedom. He deserved to be this free and openhearted.
He was staring at her as she turned to face him fully. She tilted her head at him in question. He shook his head and held out his arm.
When she accepted it, he said over his shoulder, "When you're feeling better Dagonet, come find us in the Tavern where you can be the big brother to her there!"
Dagonet's laughter was all they heard as they closed the door separating the sick from the outside world.