Hey guys. Sorry for the wait. This has been a really bad few weeks- the end of school, exams, break ups, fights, bigger fights, deaths even. AN all around catastrophe. I think I'm going to discontinue this story. Life just sucks too much right now to be at all inspired, and I feel like I'm wasting you readers' time by taking it any further.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my own characters. Anything/anyone you do not recognize belongs to me. I may use lines and/or quotes from other sources, which are not my own, later on in the story. I'm not quite sure though-so I'm being un-specific. Those (if I do choose to use them) also do not in anyway belong to me.
Choices
Chapter 9: Balor
"Stop here." Lena ordered as the came upon a small cliff that dropped sharply into an icy valley.
"Nothing's here." Lancelot pointed out.
"Nothing you can see." Lena stated knowingly as she jumped from the large horse. Lancelot followed as she perched herself on the edge of the cliff. He watched uncertainly as she let out a set of three whistles. Nothing happened. Lena whistled again.
"Lena, what exactly are-" Lancelot was silenced by the hand she placed over his mouth. He struggled momentarily, but stopped upon hearing a return whistle. Lena copied it, and soon he could hear footsteps growing near. A blue Woad boy approached them cautiously, keeping a strung bow pointed at the pair.
"Who are you?" He asked rudely while taking in their foreign attire.
"Take me to your captain." Lena ignored his question. They had no time for formalities. "I have business with Balor."
The boy didn't drop his arrow. "Tell me who you are or I'll have to shoot you." He answered stupidly. Lena sighed. She had no time for a teenage guard who fancied himself wise.
"Lady Lena of the Woads, and this is my companion Sir Lancelot. You will take us to Balor immediately. We haven't time for this." She stated calmly.
The frustrating boy laughed. "You expect me to think you're Lady Lena?" He gave her a once over. "The Seer has been missing for months-and wouldn't be wearing Roman garb. Nor would she be companion to a knight from Hadrian's Wall." He stated insolently, recognizing Lancelot's name. "You might be stupid enough to try and trick me, but I am not daft enough to fall for it." Pompous little twit.
"Fine, Boy." Lena marched up to him, ignoring the arrow pointed directly at her. "I am Lady Lena." She let herself sound indignant as she pulled her shoulder out from the dress Fulcinia had leant her. Pointing to a prominent tattoo on her upper arm, she gave the Woad boy a frightening smile. To Lancelot it was just one of her blue swirls, but apparently it held more significance than that. The boy dropped his bow and fell to his knees, a look of terror now adorning his young face.
"Forgive me." He pleaded. Lena cocked an eyebrow. "I'd no idea!" He had called the Seer stupid! He had insulted the Seer!
"Yes well I thought I had cleared things up when I TOLD you who I was." Lena gave him a harsh look. He let out a whimper. Ah, the poor boy was terrified of the punishment he thought he'd receive for speaking so rudely to Lena. She gave a sympathetic sigh. "Come on, up with you. We haven't any time for groveling." The boy stood quickly, keeping his eyes downcast. "No harm done-just get us to Balor as fast as you can and we'll call it even, how about that?" She asked. The boy nodded, relieved.
He led them through the trees quickly. They had traveled a good ways on foot before Lena could make out the familiar Woad village. Lancelot was close behind her, leading his horse over the narrow path. Once they reached the actual settlement the boy ran ahead to inform his commander of the Seer's arrival. Someone tied up Lancelot's horse for him and the pair marched to the main building, where Lena knew she could find Balor. Entering, she saw only strangers scurrying about.
"Balor!" Lena called out. She needed to find him. They needed to get back to Arthur. "Balor!" She was getting frustrated as her eyes scanned the room desperately trying to locate her old friend. They had wasted enough time with the guard boy, things were going too slowly! Where the hell was Balor?
Suddenly a pair of arms enveloped her from behind. She struggled before hearing a familiar voice. "The gods have brought you back to us!" Lena was spun around to face Balor, who was smiling enthusiastically. He hugged her again, laughing. Lena smiled in return, taking in the sight of him. He'd grown taller since the last time she had seen him. His shoulders were wider; his flaxen hair was longer and wilder. His blue eyes danced with the same mirth she had seen in him before, as a child. "How good it is to know you are safe!" He cried happily.
Balor took in Lena as well. It had been so long since they last met. Too long. The Woad was thinner, and frailer looking than he remembered. She was wearing Roman clothing, but looked clean enough. Her hair was darker and longer, and her eyes held a certain lack luster quality that pained him. He hadn't ever seen her look this...burdened
Lancelot was distinctly uncomfortable. He didn't belong here. The Woads were giving him such scrutinizing looks. They could tell he was a knight-and seemed none too happy about it. He didn't particularly like being surrounded by Woads, but had the sense to keep his distaste hidden. The knight stood an awkward distance from Balor and Lena, watching. Why did they have to hug? Lancelot cleared his throat in a very unsubtle manner, gaining Lena's attention.
Remembering her mission, Lena finally began to speak. "Ahem, Balor, this is Lancelot. We've come here to speak with you." She saw how apprehensively the men evaluated each other. "We are here to discuss the coming of Saxon troops." Balor didn't respond. He and Lancelot were too busy staring each other down. "Balor, this is an urgent matter..." Why was he not listening? "Balor?"
"You bring a knight to my village?" He asked accusatively, finally looking at her. "A knight?"
"HE is not your enemy, and that is not your concern this day." She answered sternly. She would not let this become something. They needed to be quick, and she would not let Balor's prejudices deter them. Lena stepped back, standing beside Lancelot. She might have been mad at him, but Lena was making a point. "Now, we need to gather all of your-" Balor cut her off. Lena sighed. She had really hoped he wouldn't make things difficult.
"I will discuss this with you once this murderer has left my village." He stared directly at Lancelot, though his words were meant for Lena.
Well, Lena could be difficult too. "He is no more murderer than you, and he is my companion. Lancelot is welcome here, in my uncle's village by my command. And you will respect that." Lena didn't like using her authority, but she did have authority over him. She would use it if she had to. "The knights are not our enemy. Only Rome and the Saxons. And the Saxons are creating quite a problem, if you haven't noticed." Lena held his gaze. "Now will you help me, or will I have to gather your men on my own?"
Balor was silent for a moment before calling out to a male Woad. "Coeus!" A young Woad approached, and bowed to both Balor and Lena. "Enough. I want you to rally all the fighters. Make sure all the elderly and children start on their way into hiding. Once the warriors are gathered they shall wait for my directions, understood?" Coeus nodded. "Go!" Balor commanded. "I suppose you'll want more than just that?" He asked Lena as he motioned for her and Lancelot to follow him into another room.
"Yes." She answered, starting to follow. She looked back to see Lancelot hadn't moved, ran back, grabbed his arm, and dragged him after her. "We need a cavalry of 30, more if you can manage." Balor gave her an incredulous look.
"30?" He asked. "No. I cannot spare that many. We are severely lacking in troops as it is." At Lena's look of confusion he elaborated. "Over the last two months Merlin has been summoning the best of my warriors. I suppose you don't know because you've been missing, but The Wizard has been planning this for quite some time. Most of the able fighters have already left this village. And we will need a portion of the warriors left here to protect those in hiding. Most, however, will be sent down the coast. The biggest cavalry I could supply you with is," he paused, counting in his head the Woads he knew he could bring. "8. Including myself."
"That will have to do then." Lena answered, slightly disheartened. "They will follow us back to the caravan lead by Arthur. The Saxons are about to battle our Knights on the ice. Without help they stand almost no chance." Lena explained.
"Castus? You want my fighters to protect him?" Balor was still uncomfortable helping the knights who had killed his kind for years. "What shall I tell them? Risk your lives for the man who has shed the blood of our people for the last 15 years?" Lancelot was liking this Woad less and less.
"You will tell them to fight, by order of Merlin, to protect the only man who can lead us to our freedom." Lena answered. Balor nodded begrudgingly. "Now, you tell the cavalry not to wear their war paint or gear. I don't want them to look like Woads."
"What? Why?" Lena's mind was working too quickly for Balor to stay on pace.
"We can't have the Saxons realize that they are at war with the Woads. As of now they are simply on a rampage against Britain. Roman Britain. And, well, Arthur too, but that is only because he is in their way. The less they know the better. So keep the men in tunics and whatever armor you've collected over the years. We'll want them to look more or less like Knights. I hope it should not be too difficult to clothe 8 Woads."
"Right." Balor nodded, taking in his orders. "I'll get the cavalry armed and ready; you and…the Knight should start to ride back to Castus. Where are we to meet you?"
"Ride as quickly as you can to the frozen lake that branches from the Io River. Be sure you go unnoticed." Balor gave a brusque node of assent, and began to walk away. "Balor!" Lena called out before jogging over to where he stopped. "Be safe." She smiled a little at his exasperated expression. "And thank you, old friend. This means more than you know." She hesitated for a second before throwing her arms around his neck and hugging the Woad tightly. Balor hugged back, lifting her off the ground slightly.
He laid a soft kiss on the top of her head. "For you, Lena, anything." And then he walked away.
Lena and Lancelot had quickly found their horse and begun to ride. Lancelot, who was in a worse mood after being stared at by Woads, staring at Woads, and staring at two specific Woads hug...several times, was generally displeased at the moment. He was also still, though in denial about it, ashamed for treating Lena as he had. The pair had been riding in silence for a while now, and Lancelot could bare it no longer. And so, because of this rather unhappy state he found himself in, Lancelot did the only thing his mood and mind would allow. He began to complain.
"Eight Woads. Eight!" He let out a grumble. "We rode all this way for eight Woads! I hope you realize what a complete and total waste of time this was. Now we're-" Lena, who had already had enough, carelessly interrupted the Knight.
"Firstly, we have not ridden very far at all. The caravan is moving slowly enough that we can make good time without wearing ourselves out." She could hear Lancelot sighing in annoyance behind her, but Lena continued nonetheless. "And it was by no means a waste. We've nearly doubled the amount of people fighting on our side. Which might not be saying much, but take it from someone who knows; you cannot disregard the potential contribution one person can make simply because they are only one. One person, let alone eight, can make all the difference." Lancelot stayed silent. It wasn't fair that she was right. "Fate is fickle, Lancelot. The presence and choices of one person are enough to make more change than you could imagine." She laughed a little. "I know what I'm talking about." Lena felt him shift in the saddle behind her.
"Uh, yes." He began hesitantly. "About that. I, well you see, I wanted to," He cleared his throat. "to tell you that, well that, I very well might, uh, I , well you see, it's just that I don't mean-"
"I'm not angry anymore, Lancelot. I don't know why really, but I'm just not." Lena turned a bit so that she could see his face. "I understand that, well, you had every right to be confused. And upset too, I suppose. I'm sorry as well, for overreacting. Apology accepted."
Lancelot gave a sigh of relief. That had been easy enough. "You could have just let me squirm, you know." He smirked a little.
"Yes. But as much fun as that would have been, you did pull me from a dungeon of rotting corpses. And the way I see it, I owe it to you." Lena smiled as she heard Lancelot chuckle behind her.
"Well in that case, just to be sure, friends?" He asked amiably.
Lena nodded. "Friends." Though it was a relief to end her argument with the knight, Lena couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed at the resolution. "Friends" most certainly did not speak to how she felt. But Lena brushed it off. Now was not the time for such things. And she was simply glad to know that at least one of the knights was still a friend. "The others will know by now. Arthur intended to explain the sight." Lancelot noticed the change in her voice. "I suppose things will change a bit." She gave a grim chuckle. "They always do."
Lancelot didn't know how to respond. "I'm sure they will treat you no differently."
"Just as you didn't?" Lena shook her head. "I would be foolish to expect anything less."
Lancelot remained quiet behind her as he realized something. He could apologize to Lena a thousand times over, and she would forgive him sincerely, but his actions would never be forgotten. This wasn't an isolated incident for her, that much was clear. Life had taught Lena what to expect of others, and Lancelot had proven it right.
Okay, so I'm really sorry but no review responses this time because I really can't comprehend actually taking the effort to do something like that. Just to Fijimermaid: I tried to e-mail this to you, but I never got anything back. So I decided to put it up before my finals started, because I knew I'd never get around to it later. Sorry you didn't get a chance to look at it. Maybe you didn't get the e-mail? Don't worry about it though, just work on it when you get the time if you could. Sorry, I don't know why but I feel like that sounded really rude of me. Anyways, thanks as always.
NOTE: So I'm pretty sure that this will be the last chapter. At least for a while. Maybe I'll come back to it when my life gets a little more put together. Things have just been so hectic and difficult and….blah. I don't want to give you guys a summary of my problems so let's just leave it at that. Thanks to everyone who ever read or reviewed. It means a lot to me.
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