Okay, I just couldn't bare to have you all wonder what was going to happen, so I wrote this one quickly!
Enjoy! I loved writing this chapter.
Chapter 20
The Storm
Arthur stood proudly upon the high platform outside the main quarters of Hadrian's Wall. A sleek, large Roman carriage was just arriving through the gates and was making its way towards the courtyard where he and his Knights stood waiting. Each man stood beside him, slightly annoyed by the fact that they were made, yet again, to go through the various ceremonies ordained by Roman custom.
"I gotta piss," Bors murmured to Galahad.
The flap to the carriage entrance was thrown back, and out step a small, lanky man with a small pitch black beard, and little to no hair upon his head. The man looked over the knights, his nose pointed high in the air as he did, before he went and stood before Arthur.
"Presenting the honorable, Lord Marcus Octavius."
Just than, a tall, skinny gray haired man stepped out of the carriage, a silly smile plastered over his face. He looked over the men awkwardly, before he walked forward with his arms outstretched.
"Arthur, dear Arthur. It has been to long," Marcus stood before Dagonet, before embracing the giant of a man. Dagonet's face contorted in confusion as he silently begged the others for help.
"He's blind, that makes thing go more smoothly doesn't it?" Bors chuckled.
"It's part of the plan, and he's only nearsighted," Lancelot whispered, smirking to himself.
"Lord Octavius," Arthur strode over to the man, pulling him gently away from Dagonet, "It is good to see you once again."
Marcus Octavius, looked back and forth between the two men, blushing a little, before turning his full attention to the Roman Commander.
"Arthur, it is good to see you as well."
"Cardinal Commodous just left yesterday and he said he was saddened that he wouldn't be able to meet with you. His quarters have been prepared and are now ready to become yours for the remainder of your stay with us."
Marcus nodded, waving his hand at Arthur's words, "Yes, yes. It has been long journey, and I need rest."
"Jols will lead you to your chambers, my lord."
"Yes, very well, it is getting late," Marcus fumbled with words, but quickly turned back towards Arthur and the men, "But first, I must see the Healer."
"Of course," Arthur said, turning to look at the young maiden off to his right. The young woman jumped at his silent order, rushing quickly over to his side and bowing immediately to him and than to Marcus.
Marcus looked down upon the girl, who wore a pale blue gown that covered her whole body, and a hood pulled over her head. "Who is this?" Marcus said annoyed, pointing his finger towards the cloaked woman.
"This is Enid, a handmaiden who's charged with caring for the Healer," Arthur said, unaffected. "Enid, what is the condition of the Healer?"
The nervous girl bowed once again before speaking, "The Healer is ill, my lord. I have spent all day preparing for the journey to Rome though. The Healer will be ready."
"Can Lord Octavius see the Healer?"
"Oh, no my lord. The Healer is gravely ill, and I fear his majesty...uh..his highness...my lord will be vulnerable to disease."
Marcus's face was filled with horror, "No, not tonight then. But I wish for one of your men," he said pointing his long, bony finger at the Knights, "to guard the Healer, and this...handmaiden all night. We do not want to risk having them escape."
"Escape my lord! Oh no, my lord! I would never run away, I swear. And the Healer is to ill to move, at least I think so, my lord. I didn't actually look to closely, my lord, but I don't think..."
"Silence, fool!"
Marcus raised his hand up to slap the young girl, but Arthur quickly pushed her to him.
"Forgive Enid, my lord. Sometimes her mouth runs away from her," Arthur looked down into the deep brown eyes of the woman, "Enid, go back to the Healer's cell and see what you can do to ail his sickness."
Enid bowed, saying "Yes, my lord," before rushing off. Lamorak slipped away, following the handmaiden closely behind.
"Tristan."
The scout walked over to Arthur on his commander's bid, looking emotionlessly at the poor excuse for a man that Marcus was.
"My scout, Tristan, will keep watch over the Healer tonight. Perhaps you may visit the cell in the morning."
"Come now Arthur," Lancelot said, "Excuse me, Lord Octavius, but that Enid is nothing but a little twit, believe me I know," he said with a wink, which Marcus nervously chuckled at. "I do not think it would be too much trouble to just peer into the cell. I'll take you myself."
Marcus gave the knight a fake forced smile, which was returned by another forced smile from Lancelot.
"Very well. I'll just look. Have your scout posted at the cell as soon as I leave."
"Yes, my lord."
"Here we are, my lord."
Lancelot guided the skinny Roman into the prison barracks of the Wall. Rows of small cells lined up straight down the walls, some housed prisoners and some were vacant. Lancelot lead Marcus down to the very end, to a cell that was slightly larger than the others, with metal bars slightly thicker.
Marcus peered into the cell, holding a piece of clean linen to his nose as he did. Inside, the handmaiden, Enid, was bent over a figure cloaked from head to foot in a thick red robe. The Healer, as Marcus presumed the lump on the floor was, was turned facing the opposing wall. He had seen enough.
"Yes, well that will do very well for now."
Lancelot nodded, smirking as he did. "Of course my lord."
Marcus looked up to see the strange looking scout of Arthur enter the barracks and wandered over to a stool near its entrance. He sat there, with two fresh green apples, one he cut into with a blade, and the other simply rested on his knee.
"Shall we my lord?"
Marcus nodded to Lancelot, and made his way quickly outside, trembling under the terrifying look he was receiving from the scout. Lancelot smirked at the cowardly man, then turned to look into the cell. Enid stood staring at him, her hand resting on the fallen figure on the ground. Before he followed Marcus out the door, Lancelot slyly winked at the maiden with his famous smirk.
A dark, ominously quiet night set in, covering Hadrian's Wall in pitch darkness. Very few people were about, and Arthur, Lord Marcus, and the Sarmatian Knights, beside Tristan, had all went to bed. A tall, brown haired drunk with a bottle of ale clutched tightly in his hand, wandered the streets near the courtyard which still held the carriage of Lord Octavius, but the guards just chuckled.
Just than, a scream rang out across the night air. Soon, torches began to spark up as people flew out of the living quarters. Arthur, Dagonet, Lamorak, Lancelot and Bors, were soon joined by Lord Octavius just outside the gates of courtyard. Marcus screamed as he saw his precious carriage bursting into flames. Arthur held Excalibur at his side.
"What has happened, Arthur?" Marcus screeched as his attendant helped him stay on his feet.
"I do not know."
"AHHHHHH. HELP!"
"SHIT, ARHTUR LOOK!" Bors yelled, pointing towards a bearded young man with an arrow in his back. The man's face was hidden by a cloak, as he stumbled across the courtyard and fell at Arthur's feet. Marcus screeched at the sight as the man reached up and grasped at his leg, before falling down dead.
"HELP!"
Arthur ran over to another man, with long blonde hair, clutching at his side where a dagger was embedded.
"What has happened?"
"I...I was walking home...and ...I was...attacked...ARGH!"
Arthur placed his hand on the man's shoulder, "Who has done this?"
"The...the..."
Marcus and the other knights soon joined Arthur.
"The...the Healer has...escaped...killed...the ...Enid."
Suddenly the man fell over dead, just as the other one had. Marcus screeched again, raising the skirts of his night robes so the would not be touched by the dead man.
"OH DEAR LORD! ARTHUR, THE HEALER IS LOOSE?"
Arthur looked around desperately, searching for a reason for the attack, and a way to stop it.
"Come, we will go to the barrack, and find Tristan."
The men raced, and in Marcus's case, pranced, towards the barracks. Just than, a hooded figure raced by, pushing Arthur down as it made for the open gates that lead outside the fortress. Arthur fell to the ground with a loud thump, and his men raced over to help him.
Marcus screeched, "The Healer, oh god! Do not let the Healer escape!"
Suddenly, Tristan raced by on his gray horse, nearly trampling Marcus as he went by, who had to jump out of the way. He held a bow in his hand, as his horse galloped towards the gate, and he notched an arrow as quick as lightening. The screeching off a hawk in the night sky rang out, and as if on cue, the cloaked Healer stopped just outside the gates, facing the oncoming scout. Tristan let loose the arrow, which soared through the air. The men watched as the Healer swooped his arm across his chest, just before the arrow struck him. The Healer fell backwards to the ground with a thud, dead on impact.
Arthur moved over to the trembling Marcus, how lay on the ground with his hands over his head.
"Is...Is...it over?"
"Yes, my lord, but I'm afraid Tristan had to kill in order to stop the Healer."
Marcus looked over to see Tristan dismount and wandered slowly over to the fallen body of the Healer.
"Come, Lord Octavius," Arthur said, helping the man to stand, "I'll escort you to your chambers myself."
Marcus nodded, "I think I will be leaving tomorrow as planned."
Arthur nodded back, "As you wish, my lord. I regret that you could not receive what you had come here for."
Marcus scrunched up his nose in disgust at the dead Healer, before turning towards the chambers, "It is a blessing, I suppose, that a savage beast like that did not step foot in Rome."
Arthur emerged silently from the living quarters sometime later and made his way into the courtyard. Once there, he looked about before saying, "Alright, it's over now."
Suddenly, the two dead men that lay in the courtyard, jumped up, dusting the dirt of their clothes.
"You sure took a long time," Gawain grumbled, as he pulled the dagger from his side where it was embedded in a pillow within his shirt.
"Yeah," Galahad said, wiping the blood red wine from his lips, "It gets cold out here fast, especially when your dead."
Arthur smiled at the men, chuckling softly.
"How was the fire show?" Kay said, as he threw the empty bottle of ale over his shoulder.
"Good, but I didn't remember telling you to let the entire carriage burn to the ground," Arthur said, as a smiling Bors, Lancelot, Lamorak, and Dagonet joined them.
"Yeah, well I don't like the bastard."
"Who does?" Dagonet said, resting his hands on his hips.
"Did it work?"
The knights turned to see Elaine and Tristan walk up from the gates.
"Yes, Elaine it did," Lancelot smirked, "Or should I say Enid? Or maybe The Healer?"
"Hey, I was the Healer for a bit too, remember?" Lamorak spoke up.
Galahad chuckled, "Yeah, the ill, fallen lump in the cell Healer."
Arthur looked proudly over towards Tristan, "Well done."
Tristan just nodded, before he looked down at Elaine beside him. She looked right back and smiled. Elaine quickly held up a fresh green apple, with one of Tristan's large arrows pierces through the middle.
"Good thing we've practiced that before, huh?" Tristan whispered.
Elaine laughed, before she plucked the arrow from the apple, taking a large bite and chewing slowly. The men all laughed and began to make their way to bed.
This chapter was so much fun to write, and I love how this entire scheme was concocted by Tristan! Yes, there is certainly more than meets the eyes when it comes to the scout! He's brillant! And I loved how the knights had their own parts to play!