Jillian awoke the next morning to a clear blue sky. She was glad that the storm had passed. Arthur and I were sitting by a tree eating breakfast when Jillian approached us. "Thank you, Jillian, for doing this," Arthur said sincerely. Jillian nodded and then reached into a bag she had been carrying with her. She pulled out a wooden box and handed it to Arthur. Arthur accepted the box and studied its lavish exterior. He immediately recognized the Gaius crest on the top, but also noticed the name "Lucia Gaius" written directly beneath it.

"They're just letters inside," Jillian said, seeming somewhat disappointed, "and I don't read Latin." Jillian then turned to see Tristan ready and waiting for her. She was to lead him to the tribe that held Lucia Gaius today. Jillian nodded to Arthur then walked over to join Tristan. Arthur and I watched as they headed into the forest.

Arthur opened the box and began perusing the letters. His face contorted into a look of concern as he flipped through the papers. "What do they say?" I asked curiously.

"They are property deeds with Senator Gaius's official seal. It looks like all that's needed would be for the property owners to sign the documents, and then they would have handed over their land to Marcellus Gaius and Marcus Octavius," Arthur said, his furrowed eyebrows reflecting his state of deep thought.

"Why wouldn't Senator Gaius send the deeds directly to the property owners?" I asked.

"He didn't send them at all," Arthur said, a revelation suddenly forming in his mind, "The seal is forged."


Tristan and Jillian kept their steps at a steady pace as they marched through the forest. Jillian had informed him that the tribe they were seeking had a village no more than a day's journey east. As they walked, Tristan was careful to leave a trail that the knights could follow in case something went wrong on this expedition. Once they reached the village, he knew he would be significantly outnumbered. If they had not returned by night fall the next day, Arthur and the rest of the knights were to come looking for them. He wanted to believe that Jillian would keep her word, but it was always best to be cautious.

They had been treading through the forest for nearly two hours now, and neither had said a word to the other. Jillian still seemed to be giving him the cold shoulder, and he could not say that he blamed her. Because of him, she was now forced to help save a woman who had enslaved her, beaten her, and would probably have her killed if given the chance. As loyal as Jillian was to her people, however, Tristan was equally loyal to Arthur and, therefore, did not regret the actions he had taken. Yet, he did sympathize with Jillian and the position he had put her in.

"Why were you crying?" he asked suddenly, hoping to make amends.

"What?" she responded, slightly stunned by his question.

"When I found you in the forest," he explained, "you were crying."

"Oh…" she said, "No reason."

Tristan did not believe that for a second, but he did not press the matter. "I cry sometimes too," he said, hoping to cheer her up.

"No you don't," she scoffed. The thought of Tristan crying almost made her laugh.

"You're right. I don't," he admitted with a slight smile. Then he added perceptively, "But perhaps if I had a brother I loved deeply who---"

"I don't want to talk about it," she interrupted, curtly. Tristan nodded in understanding, but mentally kicked himself. He had once again chosen the completely wrong topic of conversation. He wondered what she and Dagonet had talked about by the lake. Dagonet, like Tristan, was a quiet man, but he could relate to people much easier.

Tristan looked up into the sky and saw his hawk soaring down towards them. To his astonishment, the hawk flew right past him landing on Jillian's outstretched arm. She stroked the hawk under its beak as he had done a million times. Tristan had to mentally restrain his jaw from dropping.

"She likes me better, I think," Jillian said with a smirk.

"I can see that," Tristan replied with a touch of feigned bitterness. He walked over to the two of them and stroked the hawk's feathers. "Is this your way of rejecting me?" he teased the bird.

Jillian motioned the hawk back towards him. "Here," she said, offering to let him take the bird. It was his hawk, after all.

"No, no," he said jokingly, "I can tell when I'm not wanted." Jillian laughed, giving him a warm smile. Had he finally broken through her tough outer shell?

He decided to give conversation another try. "So tell me about this tribe," he said, "Is it yours?"

Jillian laughed, "No, definitely not. My tribe is much more conservative whereas this tribe, the Itis tribe, is a bit more---radical."

"I see," Tristan responded, "I didn't know there were such differences between the tribes."

"The tribes are all rather isolated and independent," she explained, "Merlin is a good leader, but he has yet to effectively unite all the separate sects. Have you heard of the Itis tribe before?"

"No," Tristan answered, shaking his head.

"You'd probably know them for their hallucinogens," Jillian said.

"They dip their arrows in them," Tristan recalled.

"It's good for causing mass hysteria on a battle field. Like I said, they're a bit radical. I personally think it's a bit cowardly, though---trying to incapacitate your enemies with drugs---sorcery. I mean, it's effective to be sure, but there are more honorable ways to face an opponent. Sometimes how you fight is more important than whether you win or lose," she said. Then, as though catching herself in a mistake she added, "I'm sorry. I'm talking too much."

"Don't apologize. What you said makes a lot of sense," Tristan assured her.

"So, tell me about your homeland---Sarmatia. Do you miss it?" Jillian asked, changing the subject.

"I don't really remember it," Tristan answered, "I left when I was very young."

"Do you think you will ever go back?" she asked.

"Maybe," he responded, averting his eyes from her. Jillian could tell that Sarmatia was not a subject Tristan wanted to discuss. She chastised herself mentally for bringing it up.

Once again there was silence between them as they journeyed through the forest. Jillian had never realized that silence could be loud, but she noted that the silence between them now was deafening. Yet, it was also a fragile silence that they both feared to shatter with the sound of their voice. Finally, Jillian spoke, "I'm sorry that I hit you over the head---and that I lied about Lady Gaius."

"Your intentions were good," Tristan replied simply, "Maybe we should be thanking you."

"Do you love her?" Jillian asked suddenly. She could not believe she had worked up the nerve to ask that question.

"What?" Tristan responded, stupefied, "Lucia Gaius?"

"Yes, I mean, you're going through great pains to rescue her, and she obviously feels something for you, what, with all the care she provided for you at the estate when you were injured," Jillian reasoned.

"Yeah, and then she tried to have me killed," Tristan recollected.

"She did?" asked Jillian, "Why?"

"It's not important," Tristan replied, shrugging off her question, "Regardless, I could never care for someone like Lucia Gaius."

"Why not?" Jillian questioned.

"Her lies, deceit, manipulation," Tristan listed. He wondered why Jillian was so interested.

"I deceived and manipulated you," Jillian pointed out. Realizing what she had just said, she quickly corrected herself, "I mean, I'm not saying that you care about me. I just mean that everyone lies and manipulates sometimes." Her face was now flushed red with embarrassment.

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "You were in an impossible situation, torn between loyalties," Tristan reasoned, "People like Lucia Gaius manipulate to serve themselves alone."

Jillian nodded. She was glad that she was not in the same category as Lucia Gaius in his eyes. She wanted him to respect her; and, though she would not admit it to herself, she did want him to care for her.

"So what of you and Dagonet?" Tristan asked suddenly.

His voice and question startled her. "What about me and Dagonet?" she responded.

Tristan shrugged. "You seemed close last night," he said.

'Was he jealous?' she thought to herself, 'No, that's impossible.' She answered, "Well, we are just friends. He knows a lot about healing." Tristan nodded.


The sun was setting when they reached the Itis tribe's settlement. Two woads approached them and began speaking to Jillian in their native tongue. They gestured angrily in Tristan's direction, which concerned him. "What's going on?" he asked.

"They are angry that I brought you here," Jillian explained somewhat nervously, "Don't worry, though. I've arranged to talk to their leader. Wait here. I shouldn't be long."

Tristan watched as Jillian followed the two woads into one of the larger huts. He scanned his perimeter, staying alert to his surroundings. To his left, he noticed a group of woads congregating. They kept looking over at him as they spoke to one another. After a few moments, they marched over towards him. Tristan instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword. The woads formed a circle around him, significantly outnumbering him. He drew his sword, but they charged, overpowering him and relieving him of his weapons.

The woads held him by the arms and carried him into a smaller hut that was being guarded by two tall, bulky men. They shoved Tristan inside where he found Lucia Gaius herself sitting bound on the floor. Her hands were tied behind her to a stake that rose from the ground. The woads pushed Tristan to the floor and tied his hands behind him to the same stake. He and Lucia sat back to back. The woads brushed the dirt off from their hands and exited the hut.

Tristan sighed, wracking his brain for a means of escape. He should have seen this coming. How could he have been naïve enough not to assume the woads would show him hostility? Yet, he had trusted in Jillian's ability to negotiate with them. Perhaps she still could arrange some kind of bargain. 'What if she doesn't?' he asked himself, 'Had she known they would take him hostage? Had she turned against him? Gone back on her word?' If that was the case, then his only chance was for Arthur and the knights to follow the trail he had left to the tribe's village.

The sound of Lucia's voice from behind startled him. "I thought I had you killed," she said bitterly.

'Nice to see you too,' Tristan thought.