REVIEW RESPONSES (These include all reviews of both chapter 8 and 9:

Tracy137: Thanks! I'm glad you could picture every scene. I was worried that it would get very confusing with the whole Marius from beyond the grave thing. And though I'm quite sure my story isn't "brilliant" I'm very very flattered—thank you.

irishfire: I felt like Lena and Lancelot needed a bit of tension, you know, to keep things from getting too boring. And pertaining to the whole Marius thing, I'm very sorry if it got too foggy to understand. Lena is not imagining it (she hasn't gone completely mad or anything). Because of the sight, however, she is the only one who can see Marius. Marius did come to her because she killed him-but also because he wouldn't have been able to reach any of the others. She doesn't receive visions from everyone she kills. This is the only time it has ever happened, which is partially why it scared the hell out of her. Really very sorry if that didn't make sense the first time. Does it even make sense this time? Sorry! Tell me if you need more clarification, I'm happy to give it. And thank you so much for your review of chapter 9. It made me feel a lot better, and I really needed it. Thanks so much.

Raz 42492: Thanks, and well, I've updated (twice! eek!).

LANCELOTTRISTANBABY: Nice pen name! And I'm trying to hurry with the updates, really, I am.

Meraculas: Thanks!

just2spooky: Thank you, and I hope youlike where I have taken it.

Evenstar-mor2004: Thanks for your review. It was very nice. And "lancey poo" will have a lot more competition in the future (hah).

Kissed-luck: Here's an update!

Neveah101: Actually, your review really did make a difference. I was feeling like all hell the other day and I thought about what you said and I started writing just to vent. Next thing you know, I've got a new chapter. I was really sure I was going to throw this whole fic away, but you kind of made me think twice about it.( sorry if that sounds really creepy and/or corny…I didn't mean for it to.)

Reese: I'm sorry if you don't like my story, but there are better, more productive ways to tell me that than spouting off pointless, crude, juvenile insults. If you think this story is as awful as you've made it sound, then feel free not to read it. Honestly, I appreciate reviews that criticize my work because they help my writing grow. I can handle someone telling me what I should work on or what needs help, but I refuse to take into consideration a review so full of catty name calling that it is rendered completely meaningless. Though your review made it clear that you don't like this story, you didn't name anything specifically wrong with, or offer any advice. Furthermore, I'm appalled that you would have the gall to start insulting my beta (who is very nice, and has only been involved with the grammar and, on rare occasions, sentence arrangements of this story—which, by the way, makes it ludicrous for you, in any way, to blame her for detracting anything from the story ) for absolutely no reason. You have no idea what kind of people we are, and have no right to say such offensive and untrue things just because…I don't know….you're going insane over not liking my story. Please take your rude, immature behavior elsewhere….cause, sweetheart, nobody here wants any of that.

NOTE: I know that I said I was throwing this story away, and I just about had…but some very encouraging reviews, not to mention a sudden spark of inspiration, changed my mind. Sorry to pull something like this on you guys…but I hope you'll all just be happy with the new chapter. Thanks to everyone!

NOTE2: ICE CHAPTER! Haha…finally…

Choices

Chapter 10 (Double digits! Oh boy….): A Vision of Life (can you say corn-tastic?)

They had arrived in time. Lancelot and Lena had traveled back in a large semicircle as to avoid crossing the lake, but they'd over estimated and ended up having to cut their way backwards through half of the caravan. By the time they were just breaking through the end a familiar voice caught Lena's ear.

"Lena! Lena!" It was Etta. Lancelot stopped his horse. "Lena, what's going on?" She looked frantic. "The Knights have all lined up at the lake's edge, their going to fight the Saxons!" At the looks she received from both Lancelot and Lena, Etta realized they intended to fight as well. "It's madness!"

Lancelot noticed for the first time that the woman was carrying a sword. "What are you doing with that?" He gestured towards the weapon.

Etta looked almost confused for a moment before looking down and suddenly remembering the giant weapon in her grip. "Oh! Galahad gave it to me. He said I might need it."

"Well wasn't that thoughtful." Lancelot muttered. Lena elbowed him in response.

"Use it if you have to, Etta." Lena nodded curtly. "Stay with your children." She gave a small smile in farewell before Lancelot kicked the horse and they were off.

"Lena, its total madness!" Etta called out hopelessly. It was of no use.

By the time the pair had reached the lake, Balor and his crew were just arriving as well. As the Saxon drums grew louder, Lena decided quick introductions were in order.

"Balor!" She motioned for the man to come over. "This is Artorius Castus. Be nice." Lena turned to address the entire congregation. "Woads, these are the Knights. Knights, these are our Woads." Obvious animosity hung in the air. "We focus on the Saxons today, and we all listen to Arthur." She directed the last part to her own kind, though it was currently difficult to distinguish between the two, as the Woads were now in typical Roman armor.

As she finished, the Saxons reached the opposite edge of the lake and began to file in.

"Hold until I give the command." Arthur yelled. The 17 warriors had already organized into a long chain, and each person had a bow at hand.

Lena could hear as Lancelot spoke to her cousin beside her. "You look frightened." He sighed. Lena scoffed. "That's a large number of lonely men out there." The knight stated.

Guinevere arched an eyebrow as the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. "Don't worry, I won't let them rape you." Lena laughed at Lancelot's expression.

"Don't be so rude, cousin." Lena started. "Maybe he likes that sort of thing." Lena strung her bow. "There are people like that, you know." Guinevere laughed as well, but Lancelot simply ignored the statement and looked to Arthur.

One of the Saxons fired an arrow, but it landed only halfway across the ice, and then skidded to a halt several yards from the feet of the knights.

"I believe they're waiting for an invitation." Arthur stated. "Bors, Tristan."

"We're far out of range!" Guinevere protested in confusion. Arthur simply smiled as the two men launched their arrows, which promptly pierced several Saxons. Guinevere looked impressed.

The Saxons began to come further out onto the ice, trying to get within shooting range of their opponents.

"Aim for the wings of the ranks." Arthur commanded as all began to fire. "Make them cluster."

The Woads and Knights continued to kill Saxon after Saxon as they made their way across the frozen lake. The ice gave several screeches, but failed to actually crack. The Saxon leader seemed to suddenly realize what Arthur was trying to do, and started screaming at his men. "Hold the ranks!" He shouted ferociously. "Hold the ranks! Hold the ranks! I'd kill you myself!" They were getting closer, and still the ice refused to break.

"It's not going to crack. Fall back. Fall back!" Arthur commanded, setting down his bow and drawing Excalibur. "Prepare for combat." There were too many Saxons. They were doomed in hand to hand combat. Everyone began to draw their blades, but suddenly Dagonet grabbed his axe, let out a war cry, and raced forward. "DAG!" Bors screamed out.

"Cover him!" Ordered Arthur. Everyone redrew their bow and resumed the massacre of Saxon troops.
Lena could hear the bald leader's shouts. "Archers! Move! Move!" She dislodged an arrow then reloaded as quickly as she could and shot a Saxon with his bow aimed at Dagonet, who was currently hacking at the ice in an attempt to break it open.
"Move! Move!" The leader screamed as the ice began to crack.
"The ice is breaking!" Someone shouted stupidly. The Knights and Saxons continued to furiously launch arrows at one another as Dagonet continued to slam his axe into the ice.
"Kill him!" The little bald man cried. Lena aimed an arrow at him, but narrowly missed, managing only to scrape his arm a bit.

The Knights and Woads were doing a good job of covering Dagonet as he continued to assault the frozen water. "Dag!" Bors cried again, sick with worry.

The ice gave one reverberating screech, and suddenly Saxons everywhere were going under.

The piece of ice Dagonet was standing on teetered dangerously. He was now trapped between water and Saxons. "He's going to fall in!" Lena yelled to Arthur. She looked to the other knights. No one was moving. "Idiots!" She called before dropping her bow and running forward. Guinevere caught her suddenly.

"You barely know him, Lena!" She pleaded. "You don't have to save him!" Lena shook her head and pulled away. "You will DIE!"

Lena furrowed her brow and gave Guinevere a scrutinizing stare. "I will not let your selfish fears stop what is right." Guinevere stood dumbstruck as her cousin raced forward.

"Cover her!" Guinevere screamed, picking her bow back up, and beginning to fire with a new determination.

Lena ran without hesitation toward Dagonet, who now stood in an exhausted daze with his axe at his side. "Dagonet!" She yelled, skidding to a halt in front of the water that separated them. Shouts could be heard from Bors and Arthur, who were now running towards the pair. "Dagonet!" The man had a blank look on his face and wasn't responding. He fell forward into the water suddenly, and as he went down Lena spotted two arrows protruding from his back. Lena reached into the freezing water and grappled for him hopelessly. Arthur and Bors were getting closer; she heard their footsteps behind her. The footsteps were drowned out, however, when an unforgiving moan was heard beneath her. Lena tried to scramble backwards, away from the creaking ice, but before she knew it, she too was drowning in the freezing lake of dead Saxons.

The shock was paralyzing, but when she felt something tugging at her leg, Lena was fearfully snapped back into life. She kicked frantically, trying to get away from whatever it was, but quickly realized that it was the partially alive Dagonet holding on to her foot. Lena reached down and grabbed his hand, then began to struggle upwards. She could still make out the hole they had fallen through, and she knew they had to reach it quickly. The ice was crashing around on the surface, and soon they would be trapped for good. The heavy Roman dress was weighing her down, not to mention Dagonet-who could barely kick, let alone help swim. Lena felt his hand slacken in her grip as he tried to pull away. She realized with dismay that he was trying to save her. He didn't want to drag her down.

Lena refused to let go however. Dagonet might have thought himself as good as dead, but Lena knew better. From the moment she had touched his hand, she'd begun to see things. She didn't understand why she could receive sights and remain conscious and moving at the same time, perhaps it was simply her will to survive that allowed it. She didn't know, and at the moment, she didn't much care. But what she knew was that Dagonet's future was not the blackness of death like that of Marius, fated to die. No, Lena saw a house and a wife and children. Lena saw Sarmatia and freedom. Lena saw life. And as long as she did, she would not let go of his hand. So she swam upwards, using all the strength in her body, and finally, desperately, her free hand reached the ice and air above. Giving one hard kick she managed to stick her face out of the water and breath. "HELP!" She screamed, and the retreating figures of Arthur and others she could not recognize began to run back.

Suddenly she was being pulled from the freezing water. Whoever was pulling her seemed surprised by the amount of weight, and pulled harder on her arm, almost ripping her from Dagonet. But Lena continued to grasp his hand, and soon the both of them were laid out on the ice. Arthur wrapped her in his cloak, and Bors began to wail over Dagonet.

"Stay with me! Dagonet! Stay with me!"

"Get him to a wagon!" Lena choked out.

"There's no use." Arthur started shakily as he picked Lena up. "He's dead."

Lena struggled in his arms. "I'll tell you when there's no use! Get him to a bloody wagon!" She could barely breathe, let alone speak. The last thing she saw was the look of surprise that adorned Arthur's face. Then she let the blackness take her.

Guinevere sat next to Arthur by the fire. As the Saxons were no longer chasing them, Arthur had decided it was best for all to make camp for the night. The Woads had made their own fire, but Guinevere wanted to stay with Arthur, no matter how awkward it was.

Lena and Dagonet were both under the care of Fulcinia and Etta. Lena, they said, was simply ill from the cold; she had no arrow wounds. Hypothermia had begun to set in for both of the patients, but as Lena had been in the water for a shorter amount of time, her likelihood of it being fatal was much less than Dagonet. Etta and Fulcinia gave her a good chance of recovering shortly. The fate of Dagonet, however, was much less certain. The man had sustained several serious wounds, and been exposed to the water for a very long time. In all honesty, according to Etta, he would not make it through the night.

His brothers in arms and Guinevere all sat silently and somberly around the fire. Etta and Fulcinia had insisted on a no visitor's policy, as their patients were much too sick. So Guinevere was kept outside to worry with everyone else, as she took solace in Arthur's presence.

"It was foolish of her." Galahad spoke, keeping his eyes on the fire before him. "She should be dead along with him."

"Dagonet may yet survive." Arthur reminded the youngest of the knights. Gawain scoffed miserably.

"Don't give him false hope, Arthur." Gawain said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Dag's a dead man. The girl was better saving herself."

Guinevere laughed cryptically. "She couldn't do that." It came out quiet, but the men were all listening. "All she sees are people dying. Everyday, over and over. She doesn't even dream at night." She flashed her eyes to Arthur. He had already explained the sight to the rest of the men. "She just watches people she doesn't know die. And she can't help it, can't prevent any of it." Guinevere looked down again. "Can you imagine that? Spending years watching people die before their death, knowing that they are waiting somewhere, where someone could stop them from suffering. Lena thinks she's letting them die. Any time she can stop it she goes half mad. You should see her in battle. Anytime anyone needs help she's there. Like today." Guinevere shook her head solemnly. "She'd gladly throw herself into a frozen lake to save a man she barely knows, just to make up for all the deaths she thinks she could have stopped."

"It's reckless." Guinevere looked up in surprise at Tristan's words. She could tell he still didn't trust her.

"Yes." She nodded. "But you'd be surprised how many Seers have been like that. They all think the same way."

"Doesn't she realize how important it must be for her to stay alive….you know, for the Woads?" Galahad seemed uncomfortable asking the question.

"The sight doesn't die with a seer…it passes." Guinevere twiddled her fingers nervously. "Besides, she hasn't much time left."

"What?" This time is was Lancelot, who for the most part had been pretending not to listen to the conversation.

"Most Seers die young." She stated bluntly. "Few live past 25, unless they receive the sight later in their life—that was what happened to my grandmother." She sighed unhappily. "Lena has been a Seer for nearly 15 years, and she is already very weak. Our doctors give her no more than a year to live." Her voice wavered. "After this ordeal…I would say that amount of time has been substantially lowered. I suppose, the way she sees it, saving Dagonet was more important than saving herself for another few months."

The men all remained silent and Arthur discreetly took Guinevere's hand in his. She gave a feeble smile in thanks for the gesture.

Lancelot felt dizzy as he stared into the fire, replaying Guinevere's words in his mind.

"Our doctors give her no more than a year to live."

"substantially lowered"

"Several months."

"Seers die young."

Okay, well that was actually short for once (a miracle, huh?) and I hope you all enjoyed. I'll try to have the next one up soon.

MAD PROPS (hah…I love saying that…) to "FALLEN KNIGHTS", a KA fan site where anyone can find the script.