Jillian carried her healing supplies back to the store room. She had spent the past three days tending to the injured Roman soldiers, and she was exhausted. Most of them had only minor cuts and sprains. The Sarmatian knight was the last of her patients. 'And he has the audacity to criticize her fighting skills,' Jillian thought to herself bitterly, 'yet he can't even defend himself from getting stabbed in the side with a spear.' Still, to her surprise, he had been kind to her, or he had tried to be, at least. Why?

Jillian entered the store room and set down her supplies on the table. She supposed that after the Sarmatian recovered, she would be forced to work out in the fields with the other captured woads. She did not care. Her thoughts drifted to Einar, to his death. She had not even seen his fall, but perhaps she should be grateful for that. She remembered seeing the Sarmatian's---Tristan's---face. He had looked right at her just before he had been hit with the spear. She remembered feeling a tinge of satisfaction as she watched him fall from his horse.

After he had hit the ground, she had turned away, though. That was when she saw Einar's lifeless body lying on the ground no more than ten feet from her. At that moment, she swore she felt her heart sink to the pit of her stomach. She ran to Einar's side and shook him as if to wake him. Her stomach wrenched when she saw that his eyes open; open and still. Jillian closed his eyelids with her fingers and cried out with grief.

It was then that she felt two pairs of hands grip her arms from behind and pull her to her feet. She struggled for them to release her, but she could only feel the dirt move beneath her feet as they dragged her away Einar's body. She felt herself suddenly being lifted up and turned to see the outline of a wagon through the tears that flooded her eyes.

The voice of the elderly head house servant catapulted Jillian back into the present. "Her ladyship wishes you to fetch water and bring it to her quarters," the head servant said, "You will do this everyday at this time." Jillian nodded.

Jillian carried two buckets filled with water down the hall to Lucia Gaius's room. She stopped at the entrance when she heard two voices from within and wondered if she should intrude.

"I received word from Marcus Octavius," Marcellus disclosed to Lucia, "He wants us to meet with him at his estate."

"I shall send word to Arthur Castus at the wall to meet us here and escort us to the estate," Lucia said. Marcellus cleared his throat, and Lucia turned to see Jillian standing awkwardly in the doorway. Lucia frowned. "Well come in," she ordered, "poor the water into that basin over there." Jillian carried the buckets over to a large basin in the corner of the room and dumped the water into it.

"And how is our Sarmatian knight today?" Marcellus asked, mockingly.

"He should be up and walking tomorrow," Jillian answered with her head slightly bowed, not looking him in the eyes. Lucia strode over to the basin and dampened a cloth that she used to wash her neck and face.

"Sister, I think I will send the Sarmatian back with Arthur and the others," Marcellus declared, "He's been a bit of a disappointment, really, and I have no further use for him."

"Whatever you say, brother," Lucia answered indifferently. She then turned to Jillian. "You may go," she said. Jillian gave a slight nod, and exited the room.

The sun was beginning to set when Jillian entered Tristan's room with fresh bandages. She walked over to his bed and found him lying asleep on his back. She stood staring at him for a moment, unsure of how to wake him. Just as she was about to reach out and touch him on the shoulder, he spoke. "You're back," he said opening his eyes. Jillian nodded. Tristan sat up, this time by himself, and Jillian began unwrapping the old bandage. There was no conversation between them this time. Once she had removed the old bandaging, Jillian inspected Tristan's stitches, which were still intact. She could sense him watching her, and it made her feel uncomfortable. She grabbed the new bandaging and wrapped it around his torso as she had done before, tying it into a tight knot when she had finished.

Tristan and Jillian turned their heads towards the door as they heard Lucia's voice and footsteps coming down the hall. Tristan lied back down in his bed. "Tell her I'm asleep," he said.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"Please," Tristan whispered.

Jillian gave a half smile. "Coward," she teased, shaking her head. Tristan rolled his eyes.

Jillian and Lucia met at the entrance of Tristan's room. "He's sleeping," Jillian whispered. Lucia peered in at Tristan lying motionlessly in his bed. She sighed and continued on her way. Jillian reached in and closed the door behind her, leaving Tristan in his solitary state.

The next day, Jillian once again took two empty buckets out into the courtyard to fill with water. Now that Tristan no longer required her constant healing attention, she was to spend the mornings working in the fields and the afternoons serving in the villa. She was pumping water into one of the buckets when she noticed a hawk fly down and perch itself on a nearby ledge. Jillian looked at the hawk curiously, and it seemed to scrutinize her in return. Jillian searched inside her apron for a piece of bread she had saved from that morning. She knew hawks preferred meat, but the bread was the best she could do. Jillian broke off some crumbs into her hand and held it out to the hawk. The hawk hopped over closer to Jillian and pecked at the crumbs in her hand. Jillian smiled.

Without warning, the hawk abruptly spread its wings and flew past Jillian, perching itself on Tristan's outstretched arm. Jillian, startled at his presence and the hawk's sudden movement, took an involuntarily step back. Tristan walked towards her carrying the hawk on his arm. "She likes you," Tristan said to Jillian, stroking the hawk under its beak.

"Is she yours?" Jillian asked.

Tristan nodded. "Go ahead," Tristan offered, moving his arm and the hawk in Jillian's direction. Jillian reached out her hand and stroked the hawk under its chin as she had seen Tristan do. "I told you you'd be up and walking today," Jillian said, giving him a small smile. Tristan nodded again, "Would you like to hold her?"

Jillian turned and looked at the two buckets that sat on the ground still empty. "I should get back to work," she said; then added, "I'll come by your room later with fresh bandages." Tristan nodded and went on his way.

When Jillian reached Lucia's room with the water, she found another servant already in the room. Lucia handed the servant a wooden box and ordered, "Take this directly to Master Gaius's study. He should be there to receive it."

"Yes, my lady," the servant answered, bowing her head. Jillian entered the room and poured the water into the large basin as she had done the day before. Jillian looked over at Lucia who sat brushing her dark, silky hair. Jillian wondered if there was anything between Lucia and Tristan. Lucia obviously cared for him. She had ordered Jillian to remain by his side until he regained consciousness. That proved she had been worried by his injured state. Jillian shook the thoughts from her mind. Why should she care about any of that anyway? Jillian emptied the last of the water into the basin and left the room.

Tristan sat by the window in his quarters sharpening his sword. The sun was setting, and a cool breeze blew through the open window. He was still sore, but he was grateful to be out of bed and moving around. Tristan looked up to see Lucia entering the room unannounced. She stood next to where he sat, leaning her back against the wall and staring at him. Tristan ignored her, turning his attention back to his sword.

"Arthur and the rest of the knights will be arriving tomorrow to escort us to the estate of Marcus Octavius," she said, "We will no longer be requiring your services." Tristan nodded, revealing no emotion about what she had just said.

"I'm here to ask of you a small favor," she admitted, moving closer to him, "If anyone were to ask, I need you to confirm our story that our attack on the woads was provoked. Not that it was unprovoked or that executing the first strike against pagans is anything to be ashamed of, but surely you can see the confusion and the headache that a contradicting story could cause. I ask only that you not interfere in our estate's business." She looked at him, waiting for him to speak, but he said nothing. Again, she moved closer to him. "Your loyalty will, of course, not go unrewarded," she said suggestively and leaned further into him. Tristan had had enough. He stood up and put his sword to her neck, backing her against the wall. "My loyalty," he responded, "is to Arthur."

Lucia spoke forcefully, but Tristan could see the fear in her eyes. "You forget I am the daughter of a Roman senator," she said, "You will regret this."

Lucia winced as he pushed the blade harder against the skin on her neck. "I have many regrets," he said, "This is not one of them."

Lucia's eyes suddenly focused on something behind Tristan. Tristan turned to see Jillian standing wide-eyed in the doorway, holding the fresh bandages she had promised. Tristan released Lucia, relaxing his sword at his side. Jillian did not know what to do, so she set the bandages down on the table and fled the room. Tristan followed after her.

"Jillian!" he called. She was walking quickly down the hall, and Tristan's side ached trying to catch up with her. He finally caught a hold on one of her arms and turned her to face him. She looked up at him with uncertainty, and he could tell that she was shaken. Suddenly he realized he did not know what he wanted to say to her. Why had he even followed her?

Jillian tugged her arm free from his grasp and shrunk away from him. "I won't tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about," she assured him.

"I wasn't worried," Tristan answered.

"Alright," she said skeptically.

"I understand, you know," he said suddenly, surprising even himself, "I am like you, serving Rome against my will." What was he saying? Why was he saying this? He supposed he simply wanted her to know that he wasn't like the Romans. He was different.

Her reply, however, was unexpected. Her eyes flared with anger, and she said, "You are forced to fight for Rome. I am forced to tend to and heal you, a man whose duty it is to kill my people. No, Tristan, you are not like me."

With that, Jillian stormed off, leaving Tristan stunned, standing in the middle of the hall. There had been the intensity he remembered. Tristan heard laughter from behind him. He turned to see Lucia standing outside his room cackling and finding great amusement in what she had just witnessed. Tristan watched as Lucia walked down the hallway past him with a triumphant smile on her face.

Jillian turned a corner and slowed her pace. She could not understand that Sarmatian knight. One minute he would show her kindness and the next he would insult or provoke her. Jillian noticed the door to one of the rooms open and a light from within. She walked by the room and noticed the wooden box of Lucia's she had seen earlier sitting on top of the desk. 'This must be Marcellus's study,' she thought to herself. There was no one around, so she slipped into the study and walked over to the desk.

The top of the box had a carving that Jillian assumed was the Gaius's family crest. The key had been inserted into the lock on the side and turned. All she needed to do was lift the lid. Jillian reached out her hand to the box when she suddenly heard a voice from behind her, "What do you think you're doing?" Jillian turned to see Lucia Gaius standing in the doorway glaring at her.