This chapter will focus more on Habren's reactions to the Kingdom of Camelot as a whole. This is the first of many when the Sarmatians will question their beliefs and what they thought to be true.
Reunion 4
Habren couldn't help but genuinely smile at the older man. Miskoc's admittance to his tribe's folly was exactly the response she had been hoping for the entire time.
When the council met many years ago to discuss why Rome hadn't returned their sons, they had been incensed to discover that Rome had wiped their hands clean of Briton and all the other outlaying lands. The Sarmatian people were enraged because for centuries it had been the blood of the Sons of Sarmatia that protected Rome's interest on the frigid island. To them, that was the biggest slap in the face. For more than two hundred years, their sons, their loved ones, their people had been persecuted and enslaved to protect that cold piece of rock, and when the times were hard, Rome was turning their backs on them. Their very hearts and souls had been protecting that piece of rock for generations, and Rome just left it to the Saxons to destroy!
Later, when their anger had cooled off, an air of excitement had overrun the whole countryside. Their sons were to come home! Fifteen years had come and gone, and their sons, their princes, would finally come home to their families they left behind. All of them had waited with belated breath for more then four months. As the fourth month waned, fear started to set in. She remembered her father and mother talking in hushed tones over the course of three months about why their sons had not returned. Her father said it was because they were still young men newly freed. He tried to explain to his wife, Ama, what they felt like. He had told her that it felt like a huge weight had been lifted from your heart and soul. That it was like a blackness that had settled on their souls at the beginning, had finally given way to the light of freedom. To finally be free from fifteen years of endless bloodshed was an exhilarating feeling. Habren remembered her father chuckling and ended, Lancelot and the other survivors are probably out traveling around the plains of whatever country they are in. They are finally free to make their own choices and they are taking complete control of their lives by seeing all they can before they are forced to marry when they return. I don't blame them…I did the same-remember?
Habren smiled. Her mother had remembered. In fact, her mother had, had to wait an additional five months for Babai to return to Sarmatia. After that, the excitement and fear dwindled as the people of Sarmatia realized that their sons were coming home, slowly traveling home for sure, but home was their true destination.
Habren bit her lip as she remembered the fear and anger that blanketed the people of the eleven tribes a year after the established fifteen had finished. For sixteen years, not one son had returned to them. She remembered the emergency council meetings that had followed. The tribes were beside themselves with fear and rage. Surely, of the fifty sons that had been sent to Briton for Rome, at least some had survived! Her father had been the chosen one to talk to the Roman's still stationed near their lands. When Babai returned, his news wasn't what they expected.
Babai had told the council, that Rome no longer controlled the island of Briton. In fact, the last missive that the Romans had pertaining to Briton dealt with information about Saxons moving steadily through the northern portion of the island. With that piece of information, the council put together the true story-in their eyes at least. Rome's enemies were so many, that the Empire couldn't safely protect the outlaying lands such as Briton, Gaul, Spaniard, and the Northern part of Africa and still adequately protect Rome herself. With their enemies encircling the Empire, Rome had to remove itself from all the outlaying posts and leave it to 'God', as it were. Their sons must have been forced by their ROMAN commander to stay and protect the helpless villagers of Briton. That was why their sons had not returned.
When two more years rolled by, the Elders were beside themselves with worry. Without the eldest sons of the tribes, their royal bloodlines would deteriorate! So it was decided that a group of Sarmatians would travel to Briton to find out just what had happened to their sons.
She had been adamant about going too. She had to wheedle her father, but she won in the end. Just as they were about to leave, the Huns attacked them. Their plans to go to Briton had to be placed on hold as they fought and recovered from the attacks. And still, their numbers dwindled. They had to wait one more year before they could leave because of the funeral ceremonies and an unlucky bout of weather.
Habren shook her head and tried to shake those thoughts out of her mind. The council apparently was wrong. Their sons weren't forced to stay-they CHOSE to.
Atilla was mad. No, more than mad, he was drowning in rage. How DARE this man, this SUPPORTER of Dagonet, talk back to him, the HIGH TRIBAL LEADER OF THE HORSE TRIBE! I shouldn't have brought him here with me. I knew it was folly to bring Miskoc, but he IS nearly my equal in strength and power-politically. I thought that by bringing him here, I could persuade him to my side of things, now I see that, that is folly. He will forever be by Dagonet's side.
"Our people's beliefs aren't wrong! WE are in the right! WE are the strong ones! WE WILL bring Sarmatian back to its former glory!" snarled the older man as many of the Sarmatians started to murmur to themselves about the current state of events.
Habren smiled as she heard some of the mutterings If the Knights, the princes of our people, can mate and sire those not of pureblood, maybe there is some strength in those not of Sarmatia…Could Miskoc be right?… Are we just deluding ourselves?… Have we truly fallen so far that we are being likened to the ROMANS of all people?
Then she frowned as the mutterings from those who believed and supported Atilla were heard Atilla is right! Our people are strong!… Our sons MUST be returned no matter what it takes!… These half-breed mongrels must be taken care of. They can't be brought back to Sarmatia!… They'll sully the bloodlines of our purest families!
Habren frowned. It was true. Some of the families of Sarmatia would kill off their own heirs because they feared they weren't of pureblood. She had seen such acts herself many years ago as a teenager. Luckily, her tribe was above such barbaric tendencies. But, she thought with a bit of desperation if we continue as we are, we'll die out! Our bloodlines are being crossed to many times to be healthy! Gods above! I mean Ilona of the Panther Tribe married Burdin of the Cheetah Tribe-they are second cousins! She gave birth to a son who looks EXACTLY like how Tristran looked like as a child according to Ilona. That's just not right! Plus, as mean as it sounds, I think he's not all right up there in his head. He's a bit slow when it comes to thinking for himself and he's nearing ten now! I'm so glad that Ilona forbad Burdin from touching her after that! Maybe while we're here, we can further our campaign along and hopefully change many of my people's beliefs.
Before the group could truly get into a fight, the doors opened and a loud clanging was heard. Startled, the Sarmatian spun around and came face-to-face with a man dressed in black leather boots, nice leg-hugging cotton black breaches, a black belt, a white wrap shirt with a black vest with the shield of Camelot over his heart, and a metal staff in his hand. He was different from Sir Randolph. This man was somehow more confident in his abilities.
Habren stepped forward and asked serenely, "Can we help you, my lord?"
Habren wanted to startle the messenger by complimenting him; she was horribly mistaken. Sir Morton, one of the palace guards, was even more stoic than Lord Tristran himself and that was saying something. Too bad Habren didn't know that.
Sir Morton stared at her for a brief moment then turned him eyes to the gathered group of Sarmatians. Habren was a little unnerved. His stare felt like a judge's, and she felt like she had just passed some sort of test in which she had no clue as to what the test was comprised of. She breathed a bit easier when he said blandly, "You, and those you trust to keep their mouths closed, are to be escorted to the Hall of Justice where King Arthur and his court will entertain you. You are to bring Lord Tor, as well. Follow me."
Habren bit her lip and said quickly, "Tarkan, Pappy, Melean, Agravine, Garen, Tanais, Tor, Miskoc, and Agrimpasa shall come with me. The others will stay here."
She met Ilona's stare evenly and with her eyes told the Panther Princess to watch out for any grievances. Ilona nodded gravely. Habren smiled. That was one of the reasons she and Ilona got along; they could hold entire conversations with their eyes. Plus, Ilona also knew, that she'd get to see her brother, Tristran, later on when things had calmed down some.
Sir Morton didn't comment but turned on his heel and walked away. Habren knew he expected them to follow, so she quickly walked out after him.
While this was going on, Arthur said in finality, "So, tomorrow morning, after breakfast, we will inform the Sarmatians that the Knights they seek are resting at Hadrian's Wall. We'll escort them there and let them do what they will from there on?"
Dagonet said as the large double doors opened, "That will do, for now."
The announcer stood tall and announced, "Announcing! Lady Fulucina Lady Hors, of the House of Hors, Head Chef and Royal Caretaker of Camelot! Along with Lady Imogene Hors, daughter of Lord Dagonet Monies Hors and Lady Fulucina Lady Hors of the House of Hors!"
Dagonet couldn't help but grin as his wife and daughter entered the Hall of Justice. As the ex-roman woman sat beside her husband, Dagonet gently took his three-month-old daughter from his wife's arms and asked, "Where are Alec and Lucus?"
Fulucina smiled at her giant-like husband and answered, "They are coming with the others from training practice."
She turned to Lancelot and added with a grin, "Caoimhe and Dierdre are a bit angry at you Lance, they wanted to train today and what with you sending them to the commons…"
Lancelot grimaced but replied, "I'll make it up to them when they arrive. I'm sure Sir Randolph is just now getting our visitors to their chambers. We still have at least an hour in which to spend practicing. Are they dressed in their Pict training gear?"
Before Fulucina could answer, two young female voices were heard chirping together, "You bet we are uncle!"
The First Knight looked up and smiled. The children of Camelot were all there-including Alec, Gilly, and the other older children.
Lancelot laughed a bit and said as he stood up and pulled out his two swords, "You two aren't that mad at me I take it?"
As the oldest twins of the castle pulled out their own swords, the eldest, Caoimhe, grinned and said, "Nah, we knew why we weren't goin' ta practice today, but we still changed anyways just in case."
Arthur stood up and said with a smile, "Let's make this interesting, how about you three go at it on the Round Table. It can be good balance training for you girls."
Lancelot grinned and easily hopped up onto the table. The Ladies of Camelot quickly maneuvered their children to the walls, and sat them down to watch the training exercise. As amazing as it sounded, every child sat down and watched with wide eyes as the twins daughters of Lord Bors and Lady Vanora, battled it out with Lord Lancelot.
Lancelot grinned roguishly at the two and they giggled. Then their faces blanked out, and Lancelot knew they were ready. As he swung as them with his swords, he made a metal note to himself, I need to have them start training with Tristran. They need to know how to black their faces without looking like they are.
Bors watched with a great swell of paternal pride as his daughters battled their 'funny' uncle, Lancelot. For only having seven to eight years of training, his daughters were quickly mastering all the skills Lancelot and Galahad could teach them. He grinned as his daughter, Dierdre, unlocked swords with Lancelot and ran in the opposite direction on the table. He chuckled as Lancelot blinked and grinned. He knew that Lancelot also felt pride for his daughters as they started to fight the First Knight with a cunning that was absent form their fights until now.
Lancelot couldn't help the grin that escaped his control as Dierdre came at him from the right. He found himself having to use his swords individually against the twins on equal grounds, and found it exhilarating because his attention was split between the two fights.
Arthur chuckled as the three fighters danced across the Round Table. The twins were a bit shaky on the Table, but they were still able to fight effectively. The only thing Lancelot had going in his favor was the fact that he wasn't taking the fight seriously and he DID have nearly twenty years of experience on the twins.
The Knights smiled at the three-Galahad most of all. These two were some of the better fighters from the younger groups. Galahad wished the palace painter, Bevan, was here to capture the scene on canvass. The scene of Dierdre on the far right of the Round Table fighting Lancelot, who was in the middle, and Caoimhe on the far left also fighting Lancelot at the same time was awing. Galahad chuckled and thought Lucky for Lance he's Ambidexious!
The fight lasted another thirty minutes, before Arthur called it to end. Bors laughed and helped his daughters down all the while cheering, "Well done! Well done!"
As Lancelot reached his family, his own twins, Erlina and Enid, latched onto his legs and looked up at his with wide adoring green eyes. He groaned. He knew exactly what that meant-his twins REALLY wanted something and he was not going to like what it is. He smiled wryly and glanced at his wife. Her own twinkling emerald green orbs stared back at him as she shifted their son in her arms. They certainly learned from her well on how to get what they want from me.
"Daddy! Daddy! When can we start learnin' to fight?"
He groaned and said as he picked them up, "Soon my loves, soon enough. You still have a bit more growing up to do."
Enid pouted and Lancelot watched as her green eyes grew large and watery. He chuckled silently to himself as her puppy dog eyes grew to large proportions.
He grinned down at her and said, "That's not going to work, my emerald! You must wait until you are seven at least before your mother and I will start to train you. You are still to tiny my love."
Erlina twirled her fingers through his curly hair and added in a tiny pout, "But that's…that's…ah…"
She had to stop and count on her fingers for a second. Lancelot and Emogen smiled proudly at her. Erlina was one of the most intelligent girls in the castle. They were so proud of her.
She blinked and continued happily but still pouted, "That's two years more ta wait daddy!"
Lancelot threw his head back and laughed as he said, "Yes, that's right, my princess! Good job!"
Erlina beamed happily at him and he felt another swell of love and pride rush through him. These were his children-his own flesh and blood. He had helped to create these three wonderful creatures. He didn't care how much his past pushed him; he will never ever leave them to live without him in their lives. Not only would it harm them in many ways, but also it would kill him to not see them everyday of their lives.
Before anyone could say anything else, the large doors to the Round Table opened with a loud bang and the announcer, Sir Morton, said loudly, "Announcing, the Sarmatians!"
Very quickly, the Knights and their wives took their seats at the Round Table, and their children took their places by the wall behind Arthur, Cordelia, Lancelot, and Emogen.
Cordelia stood up and said gently, "Welcome Sons and Daughters of Sarmatia to the Hall of Justice and behold the Round Table."
Habren looked up at the queen's gentle command and gasped. She couldn't believe what her eyes were telling her. She quickly glanced around her and saw that the others were as shocked as she was. They had been expecting a rectangular table with King Arthur and Queen Cordelia at the head of it with the others seated lower than they at other tables in the room. What they saw was amazing. A Round Table reminisce of the Council Circle of Sarmatia stared back at the Sarmatian visitors. Standing at their seats, the court of King Arthur was a site to see and an imitating one.
Habren looked around the room as well. The three walls she could see were covered with tapestries, paintings, windows, and weapons. The walls were tall and vaulted at the top with dark oak beams supporting the ceilings weight. The wall to her left had five windows with iron bars crisscrossed across it making the setting sun splinter off creating dancing shadows around the floor, which was covered in an elegant rug made with silks and cottons. In between the windows at the top were paintings depicting four Knights astride four wonderful warhorses. The Knight to the far left was the lion-like blond, Lord Gawain. The one in the center to the left was her brother Lancelot. The next one was King Arthur himself. The last Knight was the youngest of the all, Lord Galahad. Under each picture weapons were mounted. The weapons were the Knights most favored weapons of choice. Under Gawain was a doubled bladed axe. Under Lancelot were two identical swords crossed in the middle. Under Arthur's was a sword that looked exactly like his legendary Excalibur, and under Galahad's was a Sarmatian doubled bladed sword. Framing all of that were two tapestries. The one on the far left depicted Sarmatia's rolling green Steppes and the one on the far right depicted Briton's equally green, if not greener, rolling hills.
The back wall, the one she was facing, had three tall windows, also barred off for design and protection, and many shields. In the very center of the wall, surrounded by every other shield, was a dark blue and golden shield. The upper left portion of the shield was dark blue, the upper right part of the shield was gold, the bottom left side of the shield was gold, and the bottom right hand side of the shield was dark blue. In the center of the shield was a beautiful white castle with a steel colored sword, Excalibur, mounted in front of the castle. It was also the largest shield hanging from the wall.
The next shield, off to the right of the royal shield, was just a bit smaller and painted green and silver. She had a hint that this shield belonged to her brother's family. Just like with the royal shield, it was cut into four parts with the upper left side painted emerald green, the upper right side painted silver, the lower left side painted silver, and the lower right side painted emerald green. In the centers of the four parts was a golden lion's head, to show allegiance to Arthur-she supposed. Behind the roaring lion that had its claws out were two crossed swords-his Twin Demons.
Going up from there, was a shield cut into four pieces that were painted a dark yellow (tan) and bronze. In the center of the shield was a golden wolf with its claws out ready for war and it mouth wide open in a silent roar. Behind the wolf was a double bladed axe.
The next shield was very similar to the last one. Except where the last shield was dark yellow (tan) and bronze, this one was a light blue and bronze. Like the last one, this shield also had a golden wolf engraved in the center with it claws our ready for war and it's mouth open in a silent roar.
The fifth shield she looked at was exactly above the royal families shield. It was cut into four pieces and painted a dark purple, nearly black color, and bronze. In the center of the shield was a golden panther with its claws extended and it's sharp eyes piercing ahead of it. Behind the panther was a Sarmatian bow and arrow.
The next one was painted in a slightly different way. It was still cut into four pieces, but the upper left hand side of the shield was split again in half with the left side painted black and the right side painted white, the upper right hand side of the shield was painted bronze and the lower left hand side of the shield was painted bronze too. Lastly, the lower right hand side of the shield was again cut in half and the right side was painted white and the left side was painted black. In the center of the shield was a golden man with his arms crossed. Habren looked closer and saw the man had on his arms two-forearm knives.
Next, the shield opposite the dark yellow (tan) and bronze one was a shield painted red and bronze. To prove his loyalty to Arthur, she supposed, emblazoned in the center of the shield was a golden horse. Behind the horse was a pair of crossed arrows.
Habren noticed that the other shields were slightly smaller than her brother's but not by much. In fact, if she hadn't been looking for the slight difference, even she wouldn't have seen the size differences!
Then there was the shield opposite her brother's. It was colored bronze and tans with a group of golden men in the center all carrying Arrows.
The next shield, under the others was bronze and dark green. In the center of this shield were a golden large sword, golden axe, and a golden arrowhead. The three weapons were piled one on top of the other. It is a rather interesting piece.
Lastly, opposite that one, just under her brother's and the King's shield was a shield cut into four pieces. The upper left hand side was painted a burnt orange; the upper right hand side was painted bronze, and the lower left side was painted bronze too. The lower right side was painted burnt orange as well. In the center of the shield was a golden set of balances. On the left balance was a square with bars down it. On the right side was a feather floating freely above the balance.
Habren smiled. These shields told a lot about the court of King Arthur.
Lastly, the other wall on the right; it was nearly identical to the one on the left. The windows were in the same places and in between each window was a painting of a Knight upon his warhorse and underneath him was his weapon of choice. To the far right was Tristran and underneath him was his bow and arrow. Next was Dagonet upon his own dark brown Sarmatian warhorse, and under him was his large battle double bladed axe. To the center left was Bors on his warhorse, and under him were two replicas of his forearm knives. Lastly, was a man, who looked rather comely, and he was sitting on an older horse, but Habren could still see a few more years left in the old gray eyes-under this comely knight, was a long sword. The tapestries that framed the pictures and weapons were very beautiful too. On the far right was a glorious scene of Sarmatian horses running across the fields of Sarmatia. The other one was of Briton during the wintertime with children running and playing in the snow.
On a hunch, she turned slightly and saw even more paintings, but she didn't have the luxury to study them like she had with the others.
Lancelot stepped forward and said steadily, "Before we do anything, or let you come near our children, Sir Tor MUST apologize to his nieces."
Habren blinked and looked around. She was shocked to see nearly thirty children mulling about. She looked at the gathered Knights and blinked. There were ten Knights in the room, but only seven women. Habren shook her head in awe. One of these women must have had the Gods themselves impregnating her! Logically, there is no way that thirty children can come from seven couples…right?
But she pulled herself together and said serenely, "Yes, of course, Lord Tor, if you would be so kind as to offer apologizes to your beautiful, warrior, nieces."
She had to grin at that. It looked like girls had the option to learn how to fight here too if they liked. She didn't like it, but she was starting to get an idea as to why her brother and his friends didn't return to Sarmatia all those years ago.
The groups of Sarmatians watched as Lord Bors escorted two blonds forward, and watched as Tor gulped back his revulsion and step forward as well.