Sorry for the amount of time it took for me to update. I will be starting my freshman year at college this fall, so I've been busy. I promise to keep up though.

Please, Review! I'm starting to realize that I absolutely am obessed with anything you all have to say about the story or me. I live for them, haha. Well not that extreme.

Enjoy!

Chapter 13

Another Brick in the Wall

"Elaine?"

A soft voice awoke Elaine from her delicate slumber. Her lashes fluttered gently, as her view came into focus. Gawain loomed over, his long, tangled strands hanging down above, nearly brushing her rosy cheeks. She smiled and yawned.

Gawain chuckled and slowly back away, "I see you've sleep well."

Elaine giggled, "Yes, thank God."

"Oh, no. None of that God stuff around me, now. I've only come in to help you prepare for our entrance into the Wall."

Upon hearing the word wall, Elaine shot straight out of bed, nearly colliding with the young knight, who cast his eyes away from her.

"Forgive me, I did not know I was intruding."

Elaine looked at the knight puzzled, before she looked down and realized she was still in her silk chemise from the night before. Her cheeks became flushed, as she quickly reached behind Gawain, and grabbed her blue cloak from where it lay.

"Oh, Gawain. I am sorry."

Gawain turned back around when he sensed that it was safe to, and smiled nervously. "Arthur would have my head, if he knew."

Elaine smiled slyly, "Than I guess we won't tell him than will we." She spoke in a soft, sultry voice, but Gawain saw the laughter in her eyes.

Both erupted into fits of giggles. "You're going to be the death of me, woman."

Gawain than grew serious. He looked down at Elaine. "Arthur wasn't himself yesterday. He was just taken by surprise, as were we all."

Elaine smiled faintly, "I know, Gawain. Thank you."

The knight returned her smile than moved towards the entrance of the carriage, "We arrive at the Wall shortly, be ready."

As the giant Wall began to come into view, each knight heaved a sigh of relief. They had made it back safely, yet again, with no losses whatsoever. Of course, that wasn't always the case; many times the Sarmatian knights had returned to Hadrian's Wall with dwindled numbers. So many had been lost to this foreign cause, that each was bound to. If only their forefathers knew what kind of life they had sworn their descendants to, would they have acted as they had?

"Finally, we can get some peace," Kay said as they came closer to the fortress.

"Peace?" Galahad said, looking Kay with a skeptical look, "Since when have we ever know peace in these past fourteen years. Or do you define peace as risking your life, slaying savage woads, and battling day after day?"

Tristan looked to the young man, huffed, than looked back towards Arthur, who was rearing his horse back towards the carriage. "Depends on who you're talking to, boy."

The knights chuckled. Galahad glared at the scout, trying but ultimately failing to stir some form of intimidation in the man. You simply could not intimidate Tristan.

"Only you, I suppose. Tristan lives for the fight."

"Yeah, yeah."

The sun was hot on their backs, as the rains from the previous day had all but disappeared. It was one of those rare days in Briton, where it was absolutely stifling. Tristan wiped the sweat off his brow as he let lose the hawk that had resided on his arm. The bird soared through the air, screeching as it went back towards the east. The scout followed it's trial with his eyes, turning in his saddle so he could see. His view moved back toward the direction of the carriage, and stopped when he saw Elaine's head appear out of the entrance. Her hair fell down her shoulders, as her eyes searched the skies for his hawk. Tristan simply stared at her. She frowned, and as she made to reenter the carriage, she caught Tristan's stare. She returned his gaze, and the two simply looked at each other. Soon Tristan became aware of another pair of eyes, and turned to see Kay glaring at him. His stern face seemed to warn Tristan. The scout took no heed to his frown as he turned back to the road again.

Lancelot had seen Elaine stick her head out of the carriage, but hadn't been keen enough to look in the direction to which she stared. He hadn't witnessed the intense stare between the lady and the scout. A smirk appeared upon his face.

"What is your problem?" Bors said, noticing the knight's face.

"Oh, nothing really. I've just had made a little decision concerning our fair maiden."

Lamorak shot an deadly glance at the suave knight, "And what might that be?"

"I have decided to woo the young lady. She'll need a strong man to protect her from the brutes at the wall, like yourselves."

Kay whipped around to look at Lancelot's face, and after determining that the knight wasn't joking, he said, "Lancelot, she's Arthur's sister."

Tristan knuckles grew white as he heard Lancelot's words.
"Well, it's all the more fitting."

"She isn't some lewd wench, Lancelot," Galahad said, "Isn't it obvious that she is still...well, a maiden?"

Gawain slapped his head with his hands, "Oh Gods, tell me I am not hearing this."

"Do not talk of Elaine that way," Lamorak punched Galahad, but still glared at Lancelot, "You can not do that, Lancelot."

"Ha ha. Fine, I was only joking. " But secretly, there was some truth in what he said. Tristan could sense this as he looked at the Knight's smirk.

"Shut up all of you," he silenced the group, shocked to hear the scout speak up. Tristan rode up swiftly near Lancelot causing his horse to rear slightly in fear.

"Hey!"

"And you, you'd do well to think about your decision a little more wisely."

Lancelot glared at the scout, but was not able to challenge the man back. The other knights stared at the two in utter disbelief. It looked as though they would begin to fight at any moment. "Knights?"

Arthur rode up to the group, but took no notice of the behaviors of Lancelot and Tristan. "When we enter the Wall, I'm giving you all a week of leave. You have all earned it."

Tristan was the one to break the silent confrontation with the other knights, as he rode up further with Arthur. Lancelot glared after the scout, ultimately threatened by his rash behavior.

"OPEN THE GATES!"

The large wooden gears that moved the gigantic doors of the entrance into the fortress, cranked and churned. People began to file out of their homes, all anxious to witness the arrival of the knights. Villagers, old and young, ventured to the streets as the roman guards swarmed about the wall, like tiny bees near a hive.

Upon hearing the call from the guard, Vanora dropped the tray she'd been holding, and ran to the gates. Her ten children, seeing their mother's quick departure, soon followed closely behind. Number 7 actually tripped on his mother's skirts, for which she stopped and scooped the child into her arms.

"Mommy? Is Daddy home now?"

Vanora smiled back at the child in her arms as she came to the barrier between the knights quarters and the village. The knights would enter the fortress, and ride into the small courtyard, where they stood before Roman nobility, if there were any at the Wall at that time, before being dismissed. It was a customary practice of the Sarmatian Knights, started long before Bors or the others had arrived there. Vanora had grown so tired of hearing Bors complain of so many ridiculous Roman ceremonies and rituals for the simplest of things. But she had to agree with her lover. Who ever heard having all this protocol for simply coming in the door?

Vanora bent down and kissed the forehead of her babe, "Yes, sweet. Daddy's home again."

Just than, the gates burst open, and nine knights gallop valiantly through them. The villagers watched as the men rode down the streets and to their quarters; some cheered, others waved as the famed men of the Wall rode past. Counting each head as they passed, Vanora heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thank the Gods, they're all here," she prayed under her breath.

Arthur lead the men into the tiny courtyard, where inside, high upon a raised platform, stood the smiling Roman Cardinal, Commodous Aurelius. He had arrived the day after the men had left, unbeknownst to Arthur. Arthur sighed, but managed to keep a stern, passive face. The Cardinal, who lived in a large villa near the Roman occupied shores of West Briton, had a uncanny ability to simply show up at the fortress completely unexpected. The man was a rather large, slobbering creature, who always reeked of wine, rather than the common religious incenses that accompanied many of the holy men of the Roman empire. Arthur secretly despised the cardinal for his lack of conduct, especially as a officer of the Catholic church.

"Commander Artorious! It is a miracle of God, you have arrived unscathed by the blue devils," Cardinal Commodous said in a gurgle as spit shot out of his mouth. He reached forward, trying to stroke the nose of Galahad's horse, but out of instinct the beast reared back.

"Whoa, shh." Galahad soothed his horse, as he glared at the disgusting excuse for a man.

Arthur dismounted, looked back to the carriage that was arriving into the courtyard, than turned back to the cardinal and bowed. "Cardinal Aurelius, I was not informed that you would be coming to the fortress, I'll have Jols make ready your quarters for you."

The Cardinal dismissed Arthur with a wave, "No trouble, Commander. I arrived two days past, my quarters were arranged then."

"I see."

The Knights dismounted their horses, letting Jols attend to their belongings in the stables. They stood behind there commander, side by side, presenting their tired, dirty selves to the Cardinal. And the Cardinal in response, looked over the men rather quickly, than ignored them completely.

"This bastard's going to get sooner or later," Bors whispered to Dagonet.

The Cardinal heard Bors's voice, but luckily not the actual words, since he looked at the man and smiled. Or at least that is what the men thought was his sort of smile, for it was really drooling grin that showed his two large front teeth. The unfortunate not only suffered from gluttony and sloth, but he also had a bucktoothed grin.

Tristan sighed. He didn't have time for this.

That was when the Cardinal noticed the large carriage that followed the knights.

"Arthur, what have you here?" he said, pointing a chubby finger to the carriage.

Arthur nodded to Jols, and walked up to the carriage entrance. He poked his head in, speaking softly to whomever was inside, before turning back to the Cardinal. Jols too, had looked into the entrance, and returned to the outside world with a complete and utter shock upon his features. Arthur coughed, causing Jols to jump, than quickly go to work at unloading the contents of the carriage out upon the courtyard ground.

"Cardinal, may I present to you, my sister."

The Cardinal looked dumbfounded, than chuckled softly, thinking the commander was making some sort of ruse he didn't know about. That was until a small, soft white hand reached out of the carriage flaps, and was taken by Arthur's waiting one.

The knights turned to see Arthur help Elaine down from the carriage. When she appeared out of the carriage, a silence surrounded the entire courtyard, and the streets outside, where Vanora and her children and the other villagers peeked from behind the iron fence. Elaine was clean from head to toe, and dress in a amazing rose colored gown. It had a full skirt, with small train running behind, with large billowing sleeves and a slightly plunging neckline. Her pendant was absent, but her dark, wavy tresses where pulled slightly back; half up and half down, her hair was held in place by shiny strands of pearls, beautifully contrasting her raven black hair. Everyone stood in awe of her mysterious beauty, as she step off the carriage steps. Gawain feared that he would have to drag his cousin's jaw off the ground.

"Lamorak," he whispered, "Close your mouth."

Lamorak quickly shut his mouth, looking around to see if anyone else had seen his foolish expression.

"This is Elaine Flavia Castus."

Unsure of certain Roman customs, Elaine curtsied to the Cardinal. Her hands visibly shook, so she looked to the knights, rather than the cardinal. Lancelot smirked at her, giving her a wink, which made her smile. His eyes told her not to be nervous.

Tristan thought his heart had stopped when Elaine emerged from the wagon, like a goddess in one of the tales his mother had told him long ago. She was so beautiful that it was almost painful for him to look at her. But than he saw the exchange between her and Lancelot, and his heart burned. He had to get out again, for he felt the need to kill something. Perhaps some game, or if he was lucky , a Woad. If he didn't, he was sure he would strike against Lancelot. Why was he so angry?

"Sister, Arthur? I did not know that you had a sister."

"She has been away for some very long years, but has returned to be with me."

The Cardinal stepped down from the platform, but not until his attendant laid a rug down upon the dirt. The knights sneered at this arrogant gesture. The cardinal walked over to Elaine, looked her up and down, than took her hand in his, leaving a slobbering kiss on her hand. Elaine couldn't help but make a disgusted face, which Bors laughed hard at.

Arthur came to her rescue though quickly moving Elaine towards the large building. "The lady has journeyed very far, and I fear she needs rest. Jols, show Elaine to her room."

"My room?" Elaine spoke quietly, searching her brother's eyes.

"Yes," he said quietly to her alone, "It has been ready for you for fourteen years, although it's has had some changes as of late, to serve a lovely young woman such as you."

Elaine gave him a teary smile, before following Jols into the grand building. Her heart warmed, for her brother had not said girl, but woman. Did he now see her as she was?

"My lady?"

Elaine turned to the man, Jols, as they walked down the spacious hallways of the quarters, "Yes, Jols."

Jols smiled heartily when she said his name. His question on whether she was anything like Arthur was quickly answered when she treated him as an equal.

"My lady, I hope you forgive me for being so bold when I say, that I have never seen my Lord happier than he was today as he rode up."

Elaine smiled graciously, taking Jols hand. "Thank you."

As they went through one great passageway, Jols informed Elaine that this was the corridor that held the Knights quarters.

"Lancelot's is the first on the right, than Kay, Gawain and Galahad. And on the left is Lamorak, than Dagonet, Bors, although he spends most of his time at the small house that he and his lover own, and lastly is Tristan's."

Elaine nodded, thinking to her self that it seemed the perfect spot for the secluded scout to stay. It was at the very end of the corridor, hidden in the shadows of the corner.

"And right around the corner, is the corridor that holds Arthur and your chambers."

Elaine turned to look down an even larger passageway than the knights. It's ceiling ran high , and large lanterns illuminated the whole hall with great light.

"The whole corridor, for only two chamber rooms?" Elaine said, completely astonished.

Jols looked puzzled, "Why yes, how else would they be, milady?"

"Oh, I don't know."

They went down the long hall until they reached a large oak door, etched with tiny leaves around it's frame.

"This is your chamber."

Jols reached in front of Elaine, and unlatched the door. As it open, Elaine nearly fell over with faint. The rooms were gorgeous. The ceilings were low, but the room was spacious and cozy. There was a large living area with a chaise lounge and three large bookcases, all next to a large fireplace. Next there was a bedroom, with a large canopy bed in the middle, followed by a washroom with a copper tub, and another room for a reason Elaine couldn't quite figure out. Each room was furnished in a light, feminine style with not to much Roman influence at all.

"This is mine?"

"Yes, my lady. Your things will be arriving here shortly."

As Jols closed the door behind him, Elaine could only stare at her newfound room with doubt. Sure she had lived in the great wooden lodges of the Celts, which were as big as a Roman palace. But they were so different than this. She had a small, but beautiful chamber in Shalott. The lodges of Gaelan were built to be in nature, rather than just a blemish on it's beauty. Elaine often giggled at the fact that tree limbs actually stuck into her windows. But this. The walls where so thick, and dark. Could she live here? She feared that her soul would become restless soon. For she was not one for thick walls, and heavy doors.