Chapter Four

The girls were standing in the middle of a dark stuffy room. Arthur had commanded Jols to have them cleaned and dressed properly before bringing them to the fortress hall. They were all dripping wet, and had thin blankets covering there naked bodies. The four of them stood at the foot of four small beds, looking down at the gowns that lay before them.

"Well…I've never had a problem wearing a dress before, but wearing a loin cloth is a whole 'nother different issue." Hope said. She was looking that at her dress, which was white trimmed in gold. Sighing she dropped the blanket and pulled the dress over her head. Bending down she picked up the blanket and preceded to towel dry her hair.

"You should be grateful that they are even giving us clothes. These clothes look so exquisite, and expensive." Miracle spoke as she pulled a light blue dress that was trimmed in a darker blue on. She had already towel dried her hair to where it spiked up slightly.

"Ah, once again the sun tries to lighten the darken land." Faith mumbled. She was glaring down at her dress, very displeased. It was black and trimmed in silver. She wasn't displeased with the colors; she just didn't like long dresses. Scratching her chin, she decided she would slit the sides of the skirt open.

"You and your silly riddles, I swear one day they will get us killed! And when they do! Ill be laughing at you!" Destiny cried out. She was running around in a circle with the dress covering her head. Finally after a full ten seconds, she had it on and was looking very pleased with herself. "I got it on! Now I reward myself with an Oreo!" She rushed to her duffel bag and rummaged around the inside for a bit before looking up with a very hurt look on her face. "My Oreos ran away!" She screamed.

Hope looked over to Destiny to see what all the commotion was about. "Des, don't you know all those Oreos go straight to your ass!"

"Why wouldn't she? Her ass is almost bigger then J-Lo's" Faith snorted from the other side of the room.

Destiny glared over at Faith. "I do not have a big ass! I'll have you know my arse is very small." She said pouting.

Faith grinned and looked her over. Destiny was wearing a tight fitting maroon dress that was trimmed in gold. "Just thought you might like to know that that dress makes your ass look huge!" Faith shouted as she dodged a hairbrush that was thrown in her direction.

"In the name of Athena! Leave my ass alone!" Destiny shouted as she sat down and tried to tame her frizzy hair. Faith picked up the hairbrush that was thrown at her and brushed her long silky black hair before putting it up in a tight bun. She never liked having her hair down.

As the girls continued to groom themselves, a knock at the door disturbed them.

"Milady's, Arthur has requested your presence!" Jols shouted through the thin wood door.


The knights were sitting around the table, drinking and laughing. All except for Tristan, who was too busy polishing a bright red apple.

"The ladies are very strange ones. There clothing is not of our land, and Lady Miracle has the most astonishing hair color!" Arthur exclaimed to Lancelot. The two were discussing the strange four girls when Jols entered.

"Arthur, the ladies are cleaned and properly dressed. They wait in the hall." Jols said calmly.

"Send them in." Arthur replied. Jols nodded his head and left, returning a few minutes later with four girls that the knights barely recognized. Lancelot found himself staring at the bronze colored one, thinking how beautiful she looked in the white gown.

"Maladies, you look beautiful." Arthur commented while looking each of the girls over slowly.

"Thank you Milord." Miracle said with a bow. Destiny and Hope both did the same while Faith stared at Arthur with a look like 'Do I look like I'm gonna bow to you?'

"Now that you are here, I would like to know who you all are and why you are here." Arthur said. Miracle nodded her head and took a seat at the table, followed by Destiny who sat next to her, and Faith who sat next to Tristan. Crossing her arms and leaning back, Faith propped her feet up on the table, revealing that she had black combat boots on under her dress. Hope smirked and sat in Lancelot's lap. Lancelot looked up at her, slightly surprised, before wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Of course you already know that my name is Miracle Star. The girl next to me with the curly brown hair is Destiny Delaever, but we all call her Des." Miracle began. "The girl in his lap." Miracle pointed to Lancelot. "Is Hope Derised, we all call her by her given name though." Miracle smiled and stuck her tongue out at Hope.

"And what of the one sitting next to me?" Tristan asked. Faith looked sideways at him and smirked.

"Curiosity killed the cat ya know." Faith said glaring at him.

"Then let this curiosity kill the cat and not me." Tristan replied.

"Smartass…"Faith mumbled.

"That's Faith Dedicednu. She's the…timid one of our group. She only speaks when needed, and half the time it's in riddles or some weird saying. We call her Fai most of the time." Miracle said as she glared over at Faith, whose dress had slid down her legs revealing her bare thighs.

"Such strange names…Strange clothing…and strange hair. Tell me Milady Star, where to you come from?" Arthur asked.

Miracle grew silent and she turned and looked to her older sister Des for an answer. Destiny looked at her confused for a second, before shrugging her shoulders with a look like 'Hey, you're the peacemaker!'

"We hail from Gondor, The castle of the lands across the seas." Faith calmly said.

"You're from across the great sea, what business do you have here?" Faith didn't recognize that voice that spoke to her, so looking up across the table, she realized it was the silent man known as Dagonet.

"Aha! The tall big man speaks….I was beginning to think you were a mute!" Destiny shouted.

"Our business here is our own. All we ask for is food and shelter." Faith said. She glanced at Tristan out of the corner of her eye and saw that even though his bangs covered his eyes, she could still see him eyeing her thighs. 'What is he looking at?' She thought to herself 'I'm not the one with an amazing body like Hopes.' And it was true. Faith was actually the chubby one of the group. She had thick thighs, big hips, pudgy stomach, and huge breast. A lot of men who liked there women with meat, found her attractive. But most of the time, she was the one sitting back and watching her three sisters get all the attention.

The subject of where the girls had come from and why they were there was quickly forgotten as servants served goblets of ale. Lancelot was occupying himself by sucking on Hope's neck, while Arthur stared at them with a very disapproving look on his face.

Miracle and Destiny had moved and were sitting on the opposite sides of Gawain and Galahad. Gawain stared a Destiny, eyeing her body. Destiny was rather small and scrawny. She had very small hips, and small breast. After watching her, Gawain had come to the conclusion that she had a fat ass. Which was ok with him, he liked, no he loved, women with big asses.

The doors to the fortress hall swung open and the bishop's aide waltzed in. "His Eminence, Bishop Germanius." The man said. The Bishop entered and the knights rise to meet him. The Bishop stopped and stared at the round table astonished.

"A round table?" The bishop's aide began. "What sort of evil is this?"

"Arthur says for men to be men, they must all first be equal." Jols said as he walked into the room.

"I was given to understand that there would be more of you." The Bishop said as he glanced over the table.

"There were. We have been fighting here for fifteen years Bishop." Arthur replied.

"Of course." The Bishop spoke as he lifted a goblet from a silver platter. "Arthur and his knights have served with courage to maintain the honor of Rome's empire on this last outpost of our glory. Rome is most indebted. To you, noble knights, your final days as servants to the Empire."

"Day. Not days." Lancelot said looking up from his cup. The bishop smiled and the knights sat back down, Hope sitting right back in Lancelot's lap.

"The Pope's taken a personal interest in you. He inquires after each of you, and is curious to know if your knights have converted toward our Savior, or-" The bishop began to speak but was interrupted by Arthur.

"They retain the religions of there forefathers. I've never questioned that." Arthur said.

"Oh-of course, of course. They are pagans." The bishop said and the knights shifted uneasily in there seats. "For our part, the church has deemed such beliefs innocence. But you, Arthur. Your path to God is through Pelagius? I saw his image in your room."

"He took my father's place for me. His teachings on free will and equality have been of great influence. I look forward to our reunion in Rome." Arthur replied smiling.

"Ah- Rome awaits your arrival with great anticipation! You are a hero.
In Rome, you will live out your days in honor. And wealth." The bishop exclaimed and Lancelot looked away, disgusted.

"Alas." The bishop began sighing. "Alas we are all but players in an ever-changing world. Barbarians from every corner are almost at Rome's door." The bishop's aide placed a box with the knights discharge papers at the bishop's side.

"Because of this, Rome, and the Holy Father, has decided to remove ourselves from indefensible outposts, such as Britain." The bishops said as the knights stood in protest.

"What will become of Britain is not our concern anymore.
I suppose the Saxons will claim it soon." The bishop said as he opened the box.

"Saxons?" Arthur asked.

"Yes. In the north, a massive Saxon incursion has begun." The bishop replied.

"Saxons only claim what they kill." Lancelot said.

"And only kill everything." Gawain said grimly.

"So you'll just... leave the land to the Woad's. I risked my life for nothing." Galahad shouted. The bishop smiled strenuously.

"Gentlemen, your discharge papers with safe conduct throughout the Roman Empire. But first, I must have a word with your commander." The bishop said as he sat down, the knights still standing and watching. "In private."

"We have no secrets." Arthur said looking around the table.

A loud bang sounded through the room and Lancelot spoke. "Come. Let's leave Roman business to Romans." Taking a sip from his goblet, he grabbed Hope's hand turned to leave the room.

Dagonet patted Bors on the shoulder and said "Let it go, Bors." He then too left, followed by Miracle, Gawain, Galahad, and Destiny dragging Faith out of the room.

Once the doors were closed, the knights headed towards the tavern, Hope and Miracle in tow with them. Destiny and Faith lingered behind, unnoticed by all the knights accept for Tristan.

Faith squatted down in front of the door, her scar covered knees sticking out through the slits in her dress. "Tell me again why were listening in on there conversation Des."

Destiny smirked at her and leaned against the door beside her. "Because maybe there was something that really happened, that wasn't in the movie." Destiny stated. "Speaking of movies! Were from Gondor! You stupid Lord of the Rings fan!"

From the shadows Tristan watched them closely. 'Movie?' He thought to himself. 'What is tis movie they speak of?' He stared at the girls intently, and saw that there were scars on there arms and shoulders. The scars were a light pink against Destiny's almond colored skin, and they were light purple on Faith's snowy white pale skin. They were light scars, but they could be seen if one paid enough attention.

"Gah!" Destiny shouted in frustration. "I can't hear a damn thing….stupid Arthur and his quiet squeaky mouse voice." Destiny growled and kicked the door, and started hopping up and down holding her foot.

Faith looked up at her, an eyebrow raised. "You definitely need to find your Oreos…Without those bloody cookies; it's like you on your damn period!" Faith shouted as she stood up and flattened out her dress. She paused, her hands on her bare thigh. She felt as though someone was watching her, watching her from the shadows. She turned and stared into the darkness which hid Tristan.

Tristan's breath hitched in his throat. She had spotted him, known he was there. No one has ever found him, unless he wanted to be found. He saw her eyes, searching the darkness for any sign of life. He watched her hand slip under her dress, and return with a shining silver dagger.

At first Tristan was sure that if he didn't step out from the shadows, the woman known as Faith, or Fai, would kill him. But to his surprise she turned and handed the dagger to Destiny.

"Here. Keep this with you. I have a feeling your going to need it." Faith said as Destiny took the dagger and slipped it under skirt, into a sheath that was strapped to her thigh.

Tristan watched the two of them walk around the corner. Sighing, he stepped out from the shadows and went to walk over to the door, when he felt cold steel pressing against his neck. On reflex he unsheathed his dagger from his chest and pressed it against the side of the person standing behind him.

"Meow…" A voice purred into his ear, the feel of hot breath against his neck made him shiver slightly. The dagger lowered from his neck, and Tristan turned to see who it was behind him.

He turned to meet the cold gray blue eyes of Faith. "How did you do that?" he asked her. She smirked and sheathed her dagger before beginning to walk off.

"For me to know…and you to find out." She called to him over her shoulder before turning the corner. Leaving a very confused Tristan behind.


Faith exited the warmth of the building and was enveloped in a sudden coldness. Outside, Destiny, Hope, and Miracle were waiting for her. Miracle was whispering to Hope about something while Destiny looked around her in a paranoid state.

"Fai, it's about time you joined us." Destiny shouted at her through clenched teeth.

"Keep it down Des!" Hope said as she huddled with Miracle for warmth. Destiny growled before walking over and standing next to Faith.

"So what's the plan?" Destiny asked looking up at the older girl.

"The plan…" Faith sighed "I'm going to go ahead of you guys, see if I can get to Marius estate before the knights. I'll try and get the villagers to go ahead and begin heading back. That way we can save Arthur some time."

"What about the dungeons?" Miracle asked.

"The dungeons…I will not mess with them, It was Arthur's faith to meet Guinevere and realize the roman's weren't all that loyal to god, I will not change that." Faith answered.

"What will you have us do while you go off and play hero?" Destiny snarled.

"You will travel with the knights of course. I will wait for you at Marius's estate. If I'm not there, go on without me." Faith replied. Miracles head snapped up and she stared at Faith with big blue eyes.

"What do you mean if your not there? Of course you'll be there, don't joke around like something will happen to you!" Miracle hissed.

"Miracle I cannot defeat every enemy that comes at me. I am only human, I am not a super being like you make me out to be in the non existing world in your head that consist of nothing but flowers and unicorns." Faith growled. "You will do what I say! If I'm not there, you will leave and not look back! Those are your orders, and you will obey them."

Sighing in frustration, Faith pushed past Hope and Miracle and headed towards the rooms they were to share. She grabbed Hope's duffel bag, thinking it was hers, before she headed towards the stables to leave.


Ok so is it getting better?or worse? Let me know!

jessipurr