Disclaimer: As before, please for the love of God, don't keep making me write it out people:O)
The poem that is the song San sings is my own.
All reviews, and constructive criticism, gratefully received – but no flaming please; and I will try to update regularly.
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
KING ARTHUR:
Fallen Knights Return
Chapter Seven – Almost Lost
Her last word…….his name…..
But he had to continue fighting – trying to keep his eyes off the fallen figure on the grass. His heart bled at the motionless woman on the ground next to him, but the killer in him took over and he continued to slaughter the enemy around him.
Within minutes, the worst of the fighting was over, the Woads seeing off the retreating Celts.
"HELP ME!" Shouted Tristan, as Dagonet and Lancelot flew over. Tristan let out a low whistle and his horse came to him immediately, followed by Sandrina's.
"How badly is she hurt?" Lancelot's voice was angry; and Arthur, who had also come running over could see he was torn between helping his friend, his sister as he referred to her now, and killing a few more Celts to satisfy his anger.
"She is bad, I won't lie…" said Dagonet, swiftly checking San and looking bleakly at the gathering knights. "But she is not dead yet. Still, we must get her back to the fort if we are to stand any chance of saving her. She is beyond my healing abilities – but Merlin……." He trailed off.
A Woad fighter came up "She fought bravely; as bravely as any man, Woad or knight, I've ever seen." He said "If it is her time to go – she will go a hero, and be welcomed by her ancestors…"
Lancelot gripped Tristan's arm as the knight moved toward the Woad "He means well, Tristan. Hold!" he hissed into his ear.
"She will not die…she will not. Help me get her onto my horse." The scout growled in reply.
Dagonet and Lancelot helped hand up the motionless woman to Tristan. Lancelot murmured "Take care sister, do not leave us so soon…" as her ear passed him; Dagonet gently caressed her cheek silently.
The others stood back, realising that now, as all along, these three were somehow tied to this strange woman more than they would ever know. This woman who felt she had to ride to defend them, risking her life to help the men she had come to regard as family; brothers and…lovers?
Tristan's heart and soul screamed at him to ride fast to the fort….but instinct told him the less he jostled the unconscious woman the better.
His iron will controlled his feelings; and he rode gently back to the fort, Sandrina's horse, Hunter, meekly followed him back. His hawk rising high in the night sky above him, keened loudly her own fear for this woman of the elements.
Merlin stood on the battlements; and knew, long before the weary knights rode into view, that his worst fear had been realised. Once her feelings got the better of her, she would not be bound by the elements that had tried to guide her.
He knew she was injured and only hoped he could save her.
0-0-0-0-0--0
The gates swung open, and the riders rode wearily into the main compound.
The sight of the two small children still standing defiantly and resolutely together waiting for them - it was nearly the undoing of a few.
"Dear God…" sighed Arthur, a large lump formed in his throat.
"Dagonet….father….oh father….!" Cried Lucan flying toward Dagonet's horse; the big man swept the small boy up, and buried his head in his young embrace.
As she spied Tristan, Bethan went to run forward a big smile on her face….it fell on seeing him holding a motionless figure and her mother's horse behind him, rider less.
"NAY! She is NOT dead! NAY, I'll not believe it!" Her eyes suddenly bright with angry tears she turned to Tristan. "IS she…?"
"Nay."
"NAY?"
"Nay, she is not dead Bethan. But sorely injured…."
"She saved others?"
"Aye."
"She saved you?"
"Aye."
"Then I am grateful…..you have both returned to me. I could not ask for more…." She held her head high and tried to smile.
Lancelot and Dagonet, swallowing hard at the exchange, helped get Sandrina down onto the ground.
Tristan carried her mother into her room and laid her on the bed, making swift arrangements for the children who slept there with her to be farmed out around the fort.
"Mama sleeps on the floor so the children can have the bed."
All the knights looked surprised, but then realised this was typical of Sandrina – always others before self; particularly the children.
"This once she must have the bed Bethan" replied Dagonet "You must stay at Vanora's for a while so we can make her better…"
She nodded; the other knights, as well as Tristan watched the child battle her inner demons.
Her lip trembled, but she kept her head high. The tears would not fall, for she would not let them. Her mother had fought well, and saved many….especially her Tristan, and she still lived yet. She would not cry.
Her heartfelt denial on their return, her courage now….was finally the undoing of two of the knights; Dagonet, fighting back his own tears, came to her with quiet reassurances they would do all they could…but it was Tristan who swept the child into a fierce hug.
"Whatever happens you will not be alone….I will not leave you." Was all he said, and carried the child out of the room, still clasped to his chest.
It was only once outside they heard her violent sobs and desperate pleas for him to save her. The other knights stood silently……..surprised to their core at the display of feeling from the scout.
Lancelot ground his boot into the floor, swallowing bitter tears "Why the devil did she come anyway? Why would a bloody 'bad feeling' be so important that she would rather face death than leave us!" He shouted angrily.
"Because she cares more for all of you, than her own life." Was the calm reply from the doorway. They all turned, and Merlin stood placidly watching the knights. "Let us see what damage the child has done to herself defending you, shall we?"
They carefully stripped off her armour, which was merely a padded leather jerkin that had metal studs on it….and found the claymore had bit clean through it.
"That's not bloody armour! She came to us with that to protect her!" cried Bors.
On stripping off the rest of her clothes, Merlin saw the large ugly wound running down her left side that was bleeding profusely. "It's that which concerns me" said Dagonet.
But all the knights gasped at the vivid and brutal scars criss-crossing her body….
"How could you treat a woman so?" Ask Gawain plainly shocked.
"She has worse scars than all of us!" cried Lancelot "and most of them are not from battle!"
"I am only sorry the brute is dead, so I can't do the same to him!" muttered Bors angrily.
Merlin ignored them "We will need to clean and pack the wound first to stave off infection and then stitch it after a few minutes, after the packing has done it's work and been removed. If she makes it through the next 2 days, the signs are good….otherwise….." he tailed of meaningfully, before adding "Is she injured elsewhere?"
"Is that not enough?" hissed Lancelot.
"Aye it is…but if there are other wounds it would be best to treat them too." The shaman mildly replied.
Dagonet checked her along with Merlin; she had a bad cut on the top of her right thigh which would require stitching also, and a smaller cut on the top of her right arm that would only need cleaning and dressing - but apart from that there were no more severe wounds.
"What now?" Asked Arthur, after her wounds were cleaned, packed and stitched.
"Nothing, except wait" said Merlin "that is all we can do now; but someone will have to stay with her….."
"I will" Tristan re-entered the room. "Bethan is with Vanora – I will stay." No one argued. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the scars on her body – some like small nicks, others large and ugly; before Merlin covered her.
Bors nodded "We will look after her…until….until…..San is well…" he strode from the room, swiping angrily at his face "I need a beer!"
Lucan crept in to Dagonet "She won't die?"
"I hope not, son…but best to leave her to rest. I'll come back later to check on her." Tristan, slumped in a chair, merely nodded - his eyes already fixed on the unconscious woman.
After everyone had gone, he leant over Sandrina and whispered "You will not leave me." Before letting his lips brush her forehead.
0-0-0-0-0-0
The night lengthened; fate waited and destiny's wheels changed again.
