"No, you're right. We can't." she agreed. "They'll check our rooms and the men's rooms as soon as they realize you're gone. As much as I'd love to destroy Germanius it would cause too many problems for Arthur at this point."
Vesna leaned against the wall. "So where do we go?"
Rhiannon stood at the window peering out and keeping watch. "The only place available…the woods."
"With the Woad?" Kali's eyes widened.
Dawn was coming and with it a cry rose up from the battlements. Lilith sighed. She had to find out what was happening. "Aradia, Rhiannon; I want you to take Lucan and hide in the woods. We'll join you as soon as possible. Stay low, and try to avoid the Woads."
Lilith and the others made their way from Lancelot's rooms and headed for the Wall. Arthur was already at the top by the time they approached. The wind blew through their hair as they, along with the knights, stared down at the thousands of Saxons amassing below them. It was an awe inspiring sight; knowing that this had happened and Arthur had defeated them before.
"You cannot mean to stay here and fight this war Arthur." Lancelot said. The frustration was evident in his voice.
Arthur looked at his fellow knights, met Guinevere's eyes, and then met Lilith's even stare. He turned and walked down the stairs. Lancelot, his hands clenched at his side, raced after him. "Do not do this. Only certain death awaits you here. Arthur, I beg you. For our friendship's sake, I beg you."
"Be my friend now and do not dissuade me! Seize the freedom you have earned and live it for the both of us. I cannot follow you, Lancelot. I now know that all the blood I have shed, all the lives I have taken have led me to this moment." Arthur spoke fiercely holding Lancelot by the shoulders. Then he turned and strode away once more.
Guinevere had a satisfied smirk on her face and she walked down the steps and past Lancelot. Lilith walked down the stairs and Hecate walked with her. She stopped next to an anguished Lancelot. "Your friend will not die in this battle Lancelot." she assured him. "And tonight we make tomorrow a bit easier."
"What mean you?" he said facing her fully. For some reason her words both reassured and frightened him.
Lilith met his dark gaze with her azure one. She looked like she was about to speak when a cry went up from the guarded tower. Someone had checked on the women and found them missing. Germanius and twenty guards approached them rapidly.
"Galahad, fetch Arthur." Lancelot murmured. "Go, quickly!"
A sneer marred Germanius' face, and the rage was easily seen in his stance. "Where are the witches devil woman?" he practically screamed.
"I don't know any witches Bishop." she stated calmly.
"I do not know how you liberated them, but they are to be returned for judgment immediately." he spewed. "If they are not then my men will take you into custody in their stead."
A light entered Lilith's eyes. "You'll be leaving the Wall tomorrow Bishop, are you sure you don't want your men there as protection in case you're attacked." His eyes narrowed. "Having them try to take us into custody will lose you several good fighting men."
"Your arrogance is overrated. You four women against twenty Roman soldiers will not last long. And then I will give you to them as reward before you are executed for heresy."
Vesna and Kali made their way down the stairs to stand beside their sisters in arms. The knights stood off to the side watching the proceedings. Arthur came pushing his way through the gathering crowd. "What is happening here?" he snapped.
"These women have committed crimes against the church Artorius. They have freed prisoners and must be punished accordingly."
"Do you have proof of this?" Arthur asked with a cold gaze.
"I need no proof." the Bishop answered just as coldly. "Are you going to help take them into custody?"
"I will not." Arthur said. "I am no longer a servant of Rome. I stay and fight the Saxons for Britons on the morrow. And my knights will not unless they wish to, for they are free men." He stepped back, and looked to Lilith. She could see the concern in his eyes though he tried to hide it.
She almost laughed. He was concerned about the four women against twenty men. She wished she could tell him the odds had been worse in the past. Lilith wished she could tell him all of the benefits to becoming a Child of Time. She shook her head slightly at the men with a grin on her face.
"Do you come peacefully?" The fury practically oozed from the Bishop now.
"Tell you what," Vesna said drawing her spike punching daggers. "Things are certainly much more exciting here than back home."
"A lot more blood shed, and idiots to kill." Kali agreed pulling her scimitars.
"You know what they say," Hecate smiled widely and pulled out her double bladed axe. . "All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy."
"I'm just wondering when we're gonna stop playing and actually have to start working." Lilith rejoined.
Germanius, tired of the women's bantering, motioned his guards and they advanced. The village people, some screaming, ran from the area. Lilith drew her two sai and spun them in her hands out of habit.
"Any of you that don't want to die should leave now." She told the guards politely. "Once this starts we aren't holding back."
With a cry the guards rushed them. Arthur watched feeling helpless as the twenty men surrounded the four women. It was with a loud clash that the weapons met. Lilith dropped down into a leg sweep and one of the Romans fell to the ground. She slashed down with both sharpened sai slicing the man's neck, then she tumbled out of the way of another man's sword. Hecate brought her axe around and into the belly of another guard who crumpled where he stood. She pulled it out with a sucking noise and flung it right into another Roman's chest. Vesna slammed both daggers into the side of a Roman's neck and he was practically decapitated. The redhead swung around pulling the body with her and used it as a shield against another guards sword. She lifted her leg and kicked the dead body into the other man while removing her daggers. This was the first time that Arthur and his men were able to watch the women fight. They'd fought with them in the battle against the Woads on the first day, but hadn't really been able to watch. Kali faced two guards and there were two behind her. With a yell she raced forward and slid between the two men in front of her. As she slid her sharp scimitars cut into the legs of the men and they dropped to their knees screaming. She stood quickly, and running back leapt onto the back of one of the downed soldiers, jettisoned off of him and ran her scimitars through the air and into the bellies of the two men who'd been behind her. They'd never seen anything like it. She'd moved so quickly and effortlessly.
One of the guards had his arms around Lilith with her back to his chest. Another man was approaching to help the guard. Lilith lifted her legs and wrapped them around the neck of the approaching man, and then slammed her head into the nose of the man holding her. He dropped her as the blood spurted from his face. The second man was gasping trying to remove her legs as she dangled to the ground. She pushed her hands out into a handstand position and continued to squeeze the life out of him.
"If I had to die that would definitely be a good way to go." Tristan murmured to the others. Several weak chuckles met his words.
Hecate stood facing two guards. They shifted nervously from foot to foot. She pushed one foot forward slightly, and they stepped backwards. "And they will come to Hecate and she will provide them death, and in this death there will be peace. They will serve the Goddess well and call the moon their own." She spoke the words in her sweet clear voice. The men looked at each other and charged the woman. Her axe slammed into the chest of the first man to reach her and she tilted back almost into a full backbend to avoid the sword of the second. Her axe was out of the first man's chest and into the second man's back as he passed her by. Both men fell to the ground.
The battle done only four of the guards remained alive, and they were severely wounded. The four women stood side by side covered only in the blood of the Roman soldiers. Lilith stared directly at Germanius. "Impossible." he wheezed.
"Obviously not." she answered. "And now dear Bishop, you have twenty less guards to see you home safely. Unless you'd like to send more guards after my friends and I?" He said nothing, just shook his head. "I thought not." Lilith took several steps forward until she stood directly in front of Germanius. "This is the last warning you get Germanius. Stay away from me, and mine. If you do not then the next time it comes to this I will not leave it at the soldiers who die that day."
"I am a man of God!" he said breathlessly.
"Not my God." she said. "Now clean up your dead. These were fine men, and their deaths are on your head this day." She turned to Hecate. "Go to the others tell them to return. This isn't going to be a problem any longer is it?" Lilith looked back at Germanius once to see him pale considerably and scurry away.
Vanora walked up to Lilith. "I have never seen anything like that." the woman said. "Gave me goose bumps." Vanora smiled widely at Lilith. "Would you and your friends like to bathe?"
"Yes, please." Lilith walked after her and stopped between Lancelot and Arthur. She met Arthur's eyes and saw admiration. "Tonight we flit among the Saxons."
"What purpose does that serve?" Lancelot asked with a gasp.
Lilith pulled her gaze away from Arthur and gave Lancelot a half grin. "Not only will the dead batter their morale, but less men tomorrow means a shorter battle."
The women bathed and prepared. The men could not change their minds and finally gave up and adjourned to the Round Table. Borrowing the paint of the Woads provided to them by Guinevere who seemed slightly friendlier since their chat the night before, they marked their skin so as to blend better with the shadows. They left their coats in their chambers, and pulled on their black stocking masks which hid pale skin and pale hair alike.
Each of the women knew their orders, and Lilith sent them on their way with special hand signals. They melted into the shadows and moved as if they were ghosts. There were both individual tents, and tents set up as barracks for the Saxon army. Most of the camp was sleeping except for guards placed sporadically. Silently each woman took out a guard near a tent using the silence of the garrote. The men died quickly, and they lowered them to the ground silently.
Vesna rolled under the edge of one of the large tents. All occupants were sleeping, and the space was completely darkened. Slithering across the floor she reached the center of the tent and placed a grenade spike. One of the men moved in his sleep and she stilled. When she was sure he was fast asleep she crept back to the edge and rolled out. Another guard was approaching. Vesna blended into the shadows and as the man passed she struck, slicing the man's neck and vocal chords with her dagger. Her work done she went to the edge of the woods to await the others.
Hecate watched as the head of the Saxon army stared at maps in his tent. She was silent and still; not moving an inch to give away her position. So far nothing had disturbed the man who mumbled to himself constantly. He seemed exhausted, and his mannerisms were cold and detached. Hecate waited for the signal to come saying she could rejoin the others.
Kali snuck into the small tent which slept six of the Saxon leaders. It didn't take her long to slit each man's throats . The last man got out a whimper which drew attention from the guard outside. Kali waited on the side of the tent flap and as soon as he entered her garrote was around his neck and her knee in his back. He dropped to the ground with only a slight rustling.
Rhiannon slid gracefully into the center of the large tent moving from shadow to shadow. There were men in the corner still awake, but they were drunk and playing some game of dice. So silent was she that they didn't even look up from their game. She placed her grenade in the center and swiftly left the tent. She wanted to plant one more grenade before joining the others.
Aradia kept watch in a tree at the edge of the camp. Her bow was out and steady as she watched for any alarm to come saying one of the women had been discovered. Her trained eyes made out the figures of her friends as they moved stealthily. Aradia followed the moving men making sure none came close to the others.
Lilith slipped into the tent. From the size and style she knew that someone important was housed inside. There were only three men. She dispatched the first two easily, and made her way to the third. This one she recognized. He was on the ice. He was the man leading the Saxons who'd been chasing after them. While he wasn't the leader or king of all of the Saxons, obviously he was quite important. His loss would either damage the Saxons mentality, or it would enrage them. Help or harm, she couldn't be sure, but she did know that the day on the ice he'd remained calm and collected. Lilith didn't hesitate before slicing the man's throat. He never woke. She didn't tarry, but made her way out of the tent, and sprinted stealthily out of the Saxon encampment.
The women met at their designated area and only nodded. They had almost reached the Wall when they were surrounded by the Woads. As Vesna was about to draw her weapons Lilith reached out and stopped her. All of the women stayed empty handed. An older man moved forward into their line of sight eliciting gasps from all of them. The women dropped to their knees. In front of them stood a man who could have been the twin of their mentor; Balthazar Vrond. He wore the blue paint of the Woads, and his clothing was the same as those people. His hair was long and not pulled back, but the face and tattoos were the same.
Frustration and some surprise showed on his face. "You are the women helping Arthur?" he asked.
"Yes." Lilith answered in a whisper.
"You are startled by me?"
"You…you look like someone we knew." she answered.
He nodded once. "Your coming here has changed everything. The man Dagonet was supposed to die, yet now lives. The man who would kill Lancelot is now dead. Once my daughter would have married Arthur, and now that is not a certainty." A frown marred his face. "Arthur will still be king, but now it is not fate that says Guinevere will be queen."
"We didn't mean to change anything. We hoped to find you so you could send us home." Rhiannon spoke as she saw Lilith speechless.
He was shaking his head. "I do not have this type of power. There are many things I can do, but this is not one of them. I do not know how to get you home. After a time, there will be no way. You will become part of this land; part of this time. After a time, this will be your future. I do not know if this time has already come and passed." Merlin saw the lost look on Lilith's face and he moved to her. He put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to meet his gaze. He spoke softly. "Everything happens as it should. Even if that means things change. Your coming means good men do not die. Now go back to the Roman Keep. You must remove the Woad paint. If you are not accustomed to it, then it can make you very sick."
Lilith's eyes widened slightly. "Did she know that before she gave it to us?"
He sighed. "Yes, my daughter would know this. I will deal with it if you trust me to. She will have to learn that just desiring something will not make it so."
"I will trust you." Lilith told him honestly. The Woads parted and the women made their way back to the Keep. Reaching their chambers they scrubbed their bodies. Lilith dressed quickly in the cotton leggings and linen tunic and headed for the chambers in which Arthur was currently residing. As she approached she heard sobbing.
"Do you not want me?" Guinevere cried.
"I am sorry Guinevere, but I cannot do this. You must leave now. We battle tomorrow." Arthur replied softly.
Lilith hid in the shadows as the door flung open and Guinevere ran out. She raced down the hallway and out into the courtyard. Lilith stepped forward before Arthur could shut the doors. He watched her as she entered. She leaned against the now closed doors and looked at him.
"I take it your mission was a success?" he asked in a formal tone.
"I believe so. We set off the detonators in a few hours. That will shake things up a bit." She watched as Arthur ran his hand warily through his hair. "Why didn't you let her stay with you?"
"We will have a long battle tomorrow." he explained weakly.
Lilith leaned her head back against the door. "I know you find the girl attractive. Why didn't you let her stay with you Arthur?"
"Because no matter how attractive, I do not want her." he answered finally looking up at her.
Her heart wrenched in her chest. They had changed this, she and her friends, if they hadn't come then Arthur and Guinevere would have lain together and married after this battle. Now he looked confused. "I'm sorry." she spoke very softly. "I'm sorry I've made things so confusing." Lilith walked over to where he sat. "I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow Arthur. I don't know if I'll die, or if any of us will die. I can only promise that you won't. I can't be with you tonight and stay detached tomorrow."
"If you die tomorrow then we'll never have been together."
"I know. But I still can't. Up until now it was never a problem. I had my job. I knew my mission. I knew all of my goals. Now I no longer have that. All I have is the battle tomorrow."
"At least tell me what you're feeling." he said meeting and holding her gaze.
"I don't even know the words to explain it." she frowned slightly. "You excite me, and frighten me."
"Yes. It is the same for me."
Lilith closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened them he stood directly in front of her. Arthur reached down and buried his hand into her hair. Gently he pulled her closer and lowered his lips onto hers. It was as if he was starving and she was a three course meal. His lips devoured hers and she found herself entwining her fingers into his dark locks. When she finally pulled away she was breathless. She breathed deeply and turned from him. Lilith made her way to the door, but before she could leave he spoke.
"After the battle tomorrow we will talk of this Lilith." he promised.
She looked back once and nodded. Then she left and didn't look back again.
Kali stood on the battlements fresh from her bath. The thrill of the mission and encounter with the Woads still raced through her veins and she looked forward to the coming battle. The scout was behind her but he didn't know that she knew he was there. He was very good, but after years of having to be observant she'd been able to recognize him by his scent. "You can come closer. I do not bite."
"You're one of the few people who are able to detect me." he murmured with some surprise. "Are you nervous waiting for your war tomorrow?"
Kali grinned slightly. "No. I am not nervous. I am meant for battle. That is my home, and where I belong."
"You do not fear death?"
Kali looked into his dark eyes with hers. "I do not fear death, for I am death. For every life I've saved I have taken one in turn. Tomorrow I will fight and I will send many Saxons to the other side. And I will enjoy it." She made the statement so simply that he didn't doubt her. "Tomorrow your Arthur will ride to glory and legend."