But be warned, the next chapter might take a while to write since it will be…well it'll be emotionally draining lets put it that way.

Pict language Sarmatian language

Reunion 5

Bors looked with a dark interest at his younger brother, and saw Tor's struggle to hide his revulsion towards his children. He snarled, but kept it well hidden. It was so well hidden, that only those who truly knew him, his brothers-true brothers-the Knights knew how mad he truly was. He also felt a burst of dark pride fill him as he finally saw his brother hide all the revulsion he had inside him for his daughters and the other children. It seemed like his brother had not learned the number one thing a true leader needed to learn-how to hide his true feelings towards any and all things he or she hated and or liked.

Bors tilted his head as Caoimhe placed her hands on her gently maturing hips and demanded a bit rudely, "Well?"

The Knights had to bit the inside of their cheeks as Dierdre mimicked the same stance, but she also added a very familiar foot tapping that reminded them all of a vexed Vanora. They turned towards the red-hared mother and saw her eyeing her twins with a pride only a mother could successfully express with only a few facial movements. They also saw their wives move to escort the little ones out quickly, if things got ugly and they all had to sternly remind themselves that this man, Tor, belonged to a tribe that killed innocent babes because they had the unfortunate luck of not being born of pure Sarmatian blood. They had to remind themselves that this man, their own brother's brother, has killed innocents in cold blood because their parents decided to have relations without taking the proper care of birth control.

Habren watched with narrow eyes as Tor stood tall and said calmly, "Lady Caoimhe, Lady Dierdre, Lord Bors, my brother and my nieces, I am sorry about my earlier words. They were said in the heat of madness that occurred because of the confusion I felt knowing that my older brother, whom I have idolized my entire life, was in fact still alive and not dead as I have thought for the last five years. Please forgive this old fool his mad words, and give me one more chance to prove my love to my brother's blood."

Tor bit the inside of his cheeks in nausea as the twin blonds beamed back at him. I can't believe that they bought that waist of words! He glanced at his older brother and felt a bolt of fear rush through his body. While Bors' face showed only polite happiness, his eyes told a completely different story. In that one occurrence, Tor knew that his brother would indeed kill him if he so much as touched his half-nieces wrong. Then in the next instant, those bloody brown eyes that belonged to his brother vanished to reveal only calming embers of love as his half-nieces turned to their father and hugged him. Tor gulped and thought with dread racing through his veins his eyes changed so quickly! If I hadn't been looking at them, I would have missed those murderous eyes of his. His control is amazing! Now I wonder, how will I know what he thinks if his emotions can be turned on and off like a Roman lies?

Arthur stepped forward and opened his mouth to say something, but Bors cut him off, "Sir Morton, please escort my brother back to his chambers. I'm sure he's starving."

Arthur turned to one of his older Knights and blinked. Bors body was as relaxed as ever, but Arthur could see the barely hidden coiled muscles of his friend's back and shoulders. Bors was mad about something, and he had a good idea about why the fist-fighter was mad too. He, like all the other Knights and their wives, could tell that Tor's apology was a false one. Only the children, with the exception of Alec, believed in the apology.

Arthur cleared his throat and nodded to the guard. He bowed, took a step forward, and said clearly in a voice that tolerated no argument, "Sir Tor, come with me, my Lord."

Tor looked like he wanted to protest, but when the guard stealthy moved to grasp his sword's hilt, Tor's argument dissolved in his throat. Arthur smirked. Dean's idea seemed to be paying off. Every Sarmatian, when they reached the inner gates to the kingdom, had to remove all their weapons or they would have been denied entrance into Camelot. Too bad Tor, you have no weapon in which to defend yourself if you put up too much of a fight. Thought Arthur to himself in a singsong voice.

When the large double doors closed behind the two men, Lancelot stepped forward and said, "Habren and Tarkan, would you like to be introduced to your nieces and nephew?"

Habren smiled at him and eagerly came to his side. Tarkan and the other men beside her followed quickly as well. Lancelot frowned, the other men seemed very familiar somehow, but he couldn't explain just why they were.

Lancelot watched Emogen bring the twins forward and whisper something into their ears. Since he was so close, he could hear every word that had been said in Pict, "Now, I want the both of you to introduce yourselves using the Sarmatian language."

Lancelot had to smile as the Pict language rolled off his wife's tongue. When they had married, one of her conditions a month into their marriage was for him to learn the language of her foremothers. In fact, he remembered with a small grimace, all of the Knights had to learn as their wives all threaten to make them sleep in their Sitting Chambers for as long as they protested to not learning the language. Coincidentally, the Knights of the Round Table, that did not have the aforementioned education-meaning all of them EXCEPT Arthur bloody man had to know it since his mother was Pict!, and quickly took up arms against the said enemy-Pict language-and barbarically overpowered it and gained a bloodless victory in a very short amount of time. Especially Bors, since he already had one threat hanging above his head at the time (see first story All Because of One to find out what that threat was).

His twin daughter nodded seriously at their mother, turned to his siblings, and Erlina stepped forward, curtsied politely as manners demanded and said sweetly in perfect Sarmatian, "Hello, my name is Lady Erlina ' The Sun Princess' Lyon of the House of Lyon, daughter of Lord Lancelot Shieldguard Lyon of the House of Lyon and Lady Emogen Serenity Just-Lyon of the Houses Justice and Lyon and older sister of Lady Enid 'The Moon Emerald' Lyon and Lord Cadman Lyon, heir to the House of Lyon. It is nice to meet you Princess Habren of the Lion Tribe, also for your friends beside you and Prince Tarkan of the Lion Tribe. I welcome you to our Kingdom of Camelot.

Habren, Tarkan, Melean, and Pappy were shocked to hear pure Sarmatian come from the barely five-year-old lips. Since they believed that their brother would not have taught his children their birthrights as Sarmatians, it stunned them to their very cores. Plus, to come from such a young child, the manner of speech amazed them like no other. They could only nod as the one on the left stepped forward and added with the same level of maturely but with a bit more perkiness, "Yes, welcome to Camelot! My name is Enid 'The Moon Emerald' Lyon of the House of Lyon, daughter of Lord Lancelot Shieldguard Lyon of the House of Lyon and Lady Emogen Serenity Just-Lyon of the Houses Justice and Lyon, and younger sister of Lady Erlina 'The Sun Princess' Lyon of the House of Lyon and older sister to Lord Cadman Lyon, heir to the House of Lyon."

Lancelot smiled down at them with the love of a proud father and said to his still shell-shocked siblings, "Well, what do you think? Do they pass your tests? We have taught them Briton, Latin, Pict, and Sarmatian because we want them to have every advantage in this life. Just like father did the same for me, before I was sent to Briton."

Habren looked at her brother and nodded with a pleased smile. She bent down on her knees and said back in Sarmatian, "You're level of understanding for our language is amazing for children so young. I am most please to meet you both, my nieces. You are both very beautiful. You take after your mother and your father equally."

She looked up at her brother and added in Sarmatian as she assumed Emogen wouldn't understand, "Mother will not be please since she wanted you to marry Agrimpasa, but she'll love your children. Your wife will have to prove her worth, you do know this right?"

Lancelot bit the inside of his cheek and his wife placed a hand on his arm and replied back in Sarmatian calmly, "I know of your Tribe's Laws. And when no, if we travel to Sarmatia, I will prove myself; and more to the tribe. But, since we are here and not there, please do not assume that I am ignorant of my own husband's language. As he has learned the language of my foremothers, I have learned the language of his ancestors."

This is a twist! I didn't expect Lancelot to teach his wife our language. Gods, I didn't even expect him to teach it to his children! This will definitely be interesting! Tarkan blinked and chuckled as he said, "Well Lancelot, you've sure got a good life here. I can sort of understand why you didn't return home. But, mother will skin me alive if I don't, at least, bring you home for a visit! You won't let her do that to me, would you?"

Perhaps I can get him home by gaiting him into going home…

Lancelot smirked at him in understanding and said, "Not even for you would I leave my children, my wife, my friends, and brother for a trip to Sarmatia. Either I go and they come with me, or I stay here and you can drag mother's protesting body all the way here. Sorry Tarkan, but that's not going to work like it did when we were kids."

He saw his brother act like it was no big deal, what with a snap of his fingers and a comical shake of his head, but he knew that his little brother was serious. Tarkan wanted him home! No, his MOTHER wanted him home. With that in mind, he gulped at turned to the others to see how they were doing. All the while, he kept a firm eye on his family-both past and present. He eyed the unknown men once more and sighed in frustration WHO ARE YOU!

Agrimpasa, Garen, Agravine, and Tanais eagerly walked over to the brothers, Gawain and Galahad, but stopped abruptly when Galahad stepped forward and said shortly, "If anyone of you even dares to hurt our children's feelings, you'll wish for death-that I vow. Do you understand me?"

Agrimpasa stared at her fraternal twin in shock. Her older brothers were staring at her with a particular hatred, and she had no idea as to why they were mad at her. She frowned and thought in a bit of a panic it's not like they know of my plans for Lancelot!

Agrimpasa smiled sweetly at her brothers and said, "Galahad, Gawain, I'm surprised at you; you two who know me best! I'd never hurt a child! I love children!"

Galahad raised and eyebrow and said in a snort, "Yeah, right, Agrimpasa, twenty years may have passed but you are definitely the same. Just don't hurt my family."

Garen smiled at the warning and said, "Well said Galahad, it is well deserved too."

He turned to the brothers and said sincerely, "It's good to see you again cousins. Mother and Aunt Malana have been in tears nearly all the time since you decided to not come home. But, I can see that you found yourself two very beautiful ladies and have created a wonderful family. So, are you going to introduce me to them all, or will I have to do it myself?"

Gawain smiled at his cousin then frowned.

"Ah, Garen…about Gareth…"

Garen saw Galahad wince, so he said gently, "I understand. My big brother is dead, isn't he? I thought so. I mean, when we found out that the Lords of Camelot were the Sarmatian Knights, and when I didn't see him, or someone who looked like him, I had an inkling that he was dead. I mean I hoped it wasn't true, but it was a long shot hope anyways."

The group was silent as Agravine and Tanais bowed their heads in honor of the dead prince and other fallen Knights of Sarmatia.

Galahad had to bit his lip when Enys stepped forward with their eleven month old daughter and said gently, in a voice used when she was explaining to a patient just what was wrong with them, "Would you four like to meet our children now?"

Tanais smiled at the woman dressed in the same colors as his old childhood friend, light blue and bronze, and said, "We'd be honored!"

Galahad smiled. Perhaps, this won't be as hard as I first thought. So far, the tribesmen of his tribe had been friendly and fair to them; maybe we have nothing to worry about after all.

As his wife, the Senior Lady of Medicine, brought their children forward, Agrimpasa stepped closer to him and said into his ear low enough that only they heard, "Mother is going to kill you and Gawain! She wanted you two to marry Hippolyta of the Snake Tribe and Antiope of the Cheetah Tribe. She'll accept your children, but your wives will be scorned and cast away. That is, unless she is good enough to defeat the best female warrior of our tribe-me."

Galahad glared at his twin and said back, "My wife, is a great warrior. She'll best you easily sister. But, who said that I'm going back to Sarmatia? I don't remember saying anything of the sort. Do you remember me saying anything about leaving Briton and heading to Sarmatia, brother?"

Gawain looked at his younger siblings and answered, "Nay, I do not recall you saying so.

Then in an attempt to change the subject, he asked casually, " So, Agrimpasa, do we have anymore siblings?"

Agrimpasa straighten her back and answered in Briton, "Yes, we do. Mother birthed two more girls. Their names are Athena and Areia. They are now ten and six and ten and three."

She shut her mouth and then asked brightly, "So, just who are these children of yours!"

Tanais nodded and Agravine added, "They can't be all of those children grouped together near that beautiful wall. I mean, your wives are so young!"

Gawain saw Alma roll her eyes and he answered with a smile, "No, only two are mine and two are Galahad's. The ones in dark yellow (tan) and black are mine and Alma's children and the ones in light blue and bronze are Galahad and Enys'."

Agravine stepped forward, took one of Alma's hands gently since she was holding a baby, and placed a gentle kiss upon it and said, "You are a truly lucky woman to be blessed with such beautiful daughters, My Lady."

Gawain frowned at his action but saw his wife's, Alma's, smile and relaxed as she reply, "Thank you, I have no complaints."

Tanais gasped and exclaimed, "You can speak Sarmatian?"

Tanais felt a tugging on his pant leggings. He looked down and saw a beautiful pair of hazel eyes staring back at him. Her red hair was shining brightly as she said, "Mummy, and Daddy aren't the only ones who know how to talk in Sarmatian! My name is Lady Briana 'Pixie' Wolfe of the House of Wolfe, daughter of Lord Gawain Axelord Wolfe of the House of Wolfe and Lady Alma Peaceful Terra-Wolfe of the Houses of Terra and Wolfe, older sister of Lady Belaya 'Avil' (bird in Roman) Wolfe of the House of Wolfe and I'm the oldest of all the heirs of Wolfe!"

Before Gawain and Galahad's old friends and family could utter a word, a little boy with blond curly hair and green eyes jumped forward and exclaimed, "You aren't exactly the eldest! We were born within minutes of one another Bri!"

He blinked and turned to them and said in a sheepish voice and charming bow, "Ah, I'm Lord Briac 'The Esteemed One' Wolfe of the House of Wolfe, son and heir of Lord Galahad Weaponsguild Wolfe of the House of Wolfe and Lady Enys Tranquil Plethora-Wolfe of the Houses Plethora and Wolfe, and older brother of Lady Aithne 'Pyra' Wolfe of the House of Wolfe."

The tiny red-hared daughter of his friend, Gawain, stuck out her tongue, pulled down her eye-lid, and said in a vinegary sweet voice, "A few minutes is still older! I was born two minutes before you were! That means I'M the eldest heir of House Wolfe!

Agravine, Garen, and Tanais laughed heartily as the two children argued in perfectly accented Sarmatian.

Agrimpasa smiled wryly and said in a slightly less challenging tone, "Well, maybe mother WON'T kill the two of you after all. Especially when she see how well they can speak our language. But, do they know our customs and stories?"

Galahad saw Enys rolled her eyes and retorted, "Well, I don't know…I distinctly remember Galahad and Lancelot telling my favorite tale about how the Sarmatian women are said to be descended from the God of War, Ares, and a nymph named Harmonia. Children, which tale is your favorite?"

Galahad saw his niece, Briana; exclaim happily in Briton, "I LOVE the story about Hercules and the Golden girdle he captured from the Amazon Queen Hippolyta!"

Briac rolled his eyes and said, "Yuck! I like the story of how Kings Babai and Beucan fought to the very end against the Huns, but in the end they still lost their lives! Now, that's a story!"

Agrimpasa harrumphed and said grudgingly, "I guess they do know about their birthrights. Mother just might let you stay married after all."

She ignored her brother's glares and turned her attention onto the object of her desire-Lancelot. He was staring at her! She smiled sexily, or so she thought, at him and couldn't believe her eyes when he simply rolled his eyes at her and turned his attention onto Prince Dagonet of the Horse Tribe instead.

Miskoc smiled as he shook hands with his oldest friend and said joyfully, "Dagonet, my friend! It gladdens my heart to see you alive and well! Tell me, who is your lovely wife and these strapping lads here?"

Dagonet smiled at his friend and said as he took his daughter from his wife, "This is my wife, Lady Fulucina Lady of the Houses of Beran-Hors, cousin in name only to Lord Bors Chiefton Beran of the House Beran. These are my sons, Alec 'The Heir' Hors, my heir and my youngest son, Lucus 'The Page' Hors. Both of my sons are training to become Knights of the Round Table. In fact, Alec is to undergo his 'Trails' in three weeks. He's been training steadily more and more each day with Lancelot because of this. I couldn't be more prouder of them both."

At Miskoc's confused look he elaborated, "You see, my son, Lucus, is Gawain's Page and is improving day-by-day."

Miskoc nodded, bent slightly, and said in a deep voice, "So, you're training to become a Knight, lad?"

Dagonet watched as his youngest son nodded and said proudly, "Yep! I'm already way ahead of the other Pages and Uncle Galahad says I'll be able to graduate to a squire soon too!"

Miskoc laughed heartily and said, "Good job lad!"

He turned back to the giant-like Knight and said, "You have two strong lads there, Dagonet. I'm glad you have had a good life here. Now, who is this little lady?"

Dagonet beamed at his sleeping daughter and said in a soft voice full of awe and love, "This is my daughter, Imogene (in likeness of her mother). She's three-months-old."

Miskoc smiled gently and said, "She's a pretty little thing Dagonet. You must be very proud."

Dagonet looked over his old friend's shoulder and saw Lancelot looking at them in question. He tipped his head slightly and Lancelot smiled back at him.

When he turned his attention back to his old friend, he frowned. Miskoc looked like he had bad news to tell him, but didn't know how to tell him.

"Just tell me Miskoc what you're trying so hard not to."

Miskoc sighed and thought it's not fair. Even now, after twenty years, he can still read me better than anyone alive.

"My friend, Atilla will attempt to harm your children- All of them-not just yours, but ALL of them. He's just to set in his ways and in his beliefs. He won't allow himself to change his ways of thinking. Some of the Horse Tribe families have changed their ways of thinking, but more than half remain the stubborn fools that they are. You must be on guard when Atilla is nearby, my friend. If he thought he could get away with it, he'd murder one of them out in the open to show what he really thinks of them."

Dagonet heard Fulucina's gasp of fear, turned to her, and said as he handed his tiny daughter, Imogene-named after his 'little sister' Emogen, to her, "Go to Arthur and tell him what Miskoc has told us. Even though we have planned for these actions to occur, to actually have them confirmed is another thing all together."

His wife of nearly five years nodded and rushed to their friend and King's side. Dagonet watched for a minute more and felt satisfaction and relief flood his system. Arthur's entire aura seemed to change as his wife quickly retold their king the news. Arthur would know what to do-he always did.

As Fulucina told him was Atilla was hoping to achieve, Arthur made an obscure hand sign that had Lancelot at his side in an instant.

"What is it Arthur?"

"Lance, I want you to gather the Sarmatians, we'll introduce the children as a whole and then send them the hell away and back to their chambers. We have things to discuss."

He saw Lancelot raise an eyebrow and he quickly whispered what Fulucina told him into his ear. Lancelot's entire body tensed, but he nodded and cleared his throat, "Attention! Children! Come here! Stand in line like you've been taught, now!"

Arthur watched with pride as all twenty-eight children from the oldest, Alec, to the youngest, Imogene, appeared before him.

He nodded and said with a smile, "Turn to our Sarmatian friends and introduce yourselves-the short version. We don't have the time for the long ones."

Alec stepped forward and said, "I am Alec Hors, heir to Lord Dagonet Monies Hors, Head of Finance."

Lucus, who was standing beside him with Imogene in his arms, stepped forward and said, "I am Lucus Hors, and the second son of Lord Dagonet Monies Hors and this is our little sister, Lady Imogene Hors."

The three returned to the line and Gilly stepped up for his turn, "I am Gilly Beran, heir to Lord Bors Chiefton Beran, Governor of Kameland City-Proper of Camelot."

Child number two of the older Knight stepped up and announced with great pride, "I'm Brent Beran and I'm the second son of Lord Bors, Governor of Kameland City-Proper of Camelot."

The twins stepped forward and said together, "We are Ladies Caoimhe and Dierdre Beran, twin daughters of Lord Bors!"

Bors' fifth child stepped up and said, "I'm Ennis Beran and I'm twelve years old!"

The next child of Bors had blond hair and brown eyes. He bowed politely and said, "I am Devin Beran."

The seventh child just leaned over in a perfect bow and said loudly, "I'm Drostan Beran, son of Lord Bors!"

Then a pretty red hared girl with hazel eyes stepped forward, curtsied prettily, and said softly, "I'm Marada Beran and the first of all the heirs of Camelot to be named in honor of our Sarmatian blood."

Another little girl, about seven or eight years old, stepped up, curtsied, and said sweetly, "I'm Lada Beran!"

The next girl had blond hair and green eyes. She simply smiled, tipped her head gently, and said, "I'm Maeotis Beran of the House of Beran."

Arthur smiled as the youngest children of Bors and Vanora's lot stepped up and said cheerfully through two missing front teeth, "I'm-f Donso-f Beran-th!"

His smile grew bigger as Caoimhe moved from her place in line, picked up her little sister, and said carefully, "This is Devitsa Beran and she's three years old."

She placed her littlest sister back on the ground and watched her plop back down on her padded read end. She then picked up her youngest brother that could stand, and said as she knelt down and picked him up, "And this is Sokir Beran."

Vanora appeared from the shadows with another baby and said softly because he was sleeping, "This is our youngest, Tsar Beran of the House of Beran."

The gathered Sarmatians were shocked! They couldn't believe that this woman, this Briton woman, had birthed the Bear tribe so many heirs! And what was worse, in Habren's mind, was that Atilla and the others wanted to ride the world of them all!

Lancelot nudged his twins and they hopped into place and said together, echoing Bors' twins in all actions that they could, "We are Ladies Erlina and Enid Lyon of the House of Lyon!"

Erlina and Enid sat down and held their hands up to Emmy. Emogen gently passed their son to their daughters and together they watched the twins add together, "And this is out younger brother, Lord Cadman of the House of Lyon! He's father's heir! When he grows up he'll become King Protectorate and Knight Commander just like our daddy!"

Then Briana stepped forward, curtsied in her pretty golden dress and said sweetly, "I am Briana Wolfe, eldest heir of House Wolfe and that little bundle in my mother's arms is my little sister, Lady Belaya of House Wolfe!"

Briac grumbled, shuffled to the front, and said sourly, "I'm Lord Briac Wolfe of the House of Wolfe. Over there in me mum's arm is my little sister, Lady Aithne Wolfe of the House of Wolfe."

Then he vanished back behind the other children and his son took the stage.

"I'm Prince Mordwen Pendragon of the House of Camelot, heir to the thrown of Briton and the one my mother's arm is my little sister, Princess Morgana of Camelot and Briton!"

Cordelia smiled and held their daughter up for the Sarmatians to see. Habren had to admit it; the Princess was very beautiful.

Cordelia said gently, "That was a good job, my son, now come here and hold your sister."

The young prince nodded and rushed to his mother's side. Just like Erlina and Enid before him, he plopped down on the ground and reached for his younger sibling.

Lastly Tristran pushed his own son forward. The Sarmatians saw a boy with black hair and gray eyes and then he spoke, "I'm Lord Dunham Palðer, son of Lord Tristan Sentinel Palðer of the House of Palðer, and I'm the heir to the Head of Intelligence. My little sister is the one in light lavender and her name is Lady Amage Palðer."

With this done, Arthur nodded to his wife, who nodded back and said loudly, "Come Ladies! Come children! Let's go to our commons! I'm sure you are all tired and or hungry for some excellent food!"

All of the children cheered as they were ushered out of the Hall of Justice by their mothers. When they were completely gone from sight and hearing, Arthur rounded on the Sarmatians and said heatedly, "I want you all to be gone from this Kingdom by tomorrow! My Knights and I will escort you to Hadrian's Wall where the others have been buried. If I even think that some of our children are in danger, your lives are forfeit here-do you understand me?"