Reunion 17
Sorry it has taken me so long to update this. I took a break from writing, to read and regain my muses for this story. I know what I want to happen in this chapter, but I couldn't think up any fillers for the story, so I waited. I hope you like it.
Lancelot closed his eyes and desperately tried to reign in his flaying temper. When Alec had arrived, he had felt a pride so powerful for his Squire, that he almost hugged him. Unfortunately, Alec didn't bring good news with him. He bit his lip as he gave a silent farewell to their 'Apple Girl', Katheryne. He closed his eyes and wished with all his heart that his Emmy and children were okay.
He knew that Arthur would be enraged because their Sarmatian visitors had killed one of their subjects, but he also knew that Arthur had to keep things in perspective. This was the hard part.
He placed his arms around Arthur in an embrace of entrapment as well as comfort as he said, "Arthur, you must calm down!"
Arthur, for the first time in many years, threw off his embrace, and exclaimed, "No! We've tried to be nice and friendly towards these Sarmatians and this is the thanks we get?! I should have them all put in irons and sentenced to life in the prisons!"
"DAMNED SARMATIAN SONS OF THE DEVIL!!!!!"
Lancelot winced as Habren and the other Sarmatians gasped at Arthur's declaration. The First Knight of the Round Table knew that his friend and King was not playing, and to a certain extent he believed that the Sarmatians deserved to be thrown in the cells, but he also knew that this was the jurisdiction of Tristran and Connor.
"SNAKE-FACED SHE-WHORES!!!"
Dagonet, who was still holding on to Miskoc, looked into his son's eyes and demanded that he explain everything so Miskoc could hear it.
Alec looked around at the gathered Knights, the men that he honored above all else, and said, "Lady Emogen was walking Cadman, who has started teething, when she came upon a horrible feeling and scent. She opened the storage doors, and found Miss Katheryne there dead. She called for the guards and the other Ladies. When Sir Morton went inside to gather evidence, he found Attila's dagger lying on Katheryne's body."
Tristran, ever the calm one of the Knights, asked for even more details as Connor demanded, "Lance, take Arthur away from here so Tristran and I can work in peace and get to the bottom of this!"
"HORSE-DUNGGED SNIFFLERS!!!!"
Lancelot grimaced and said as he pulled on Arthur's dark blue cloak, "Come, Arthur, let Connor and Tristran work."
As Arthur gazed around the rest of his Knights, whilst still cursing the Sarmatians, allowed himself to be, reluctantly, lead away before he did anything that he regretted.
Gawain eyed Miskoc warily, and ordered, "You will hand over Attila until the duration of the trial is over!"
Miskoc, who was very disturbed by the accusations, bowed in obedience and said in a voice that showed his willingness to help in anyway, "It will be done."
In a single spinning motion, he turned on his heel and trotted into the Wall's chambers that had been given to him and the other Sarmatians. Since he was so focused on retrieving Attila, he was a little shocked to discover Dagonet was easily keeping pace with him.
As they reached Attila's locked room, Dagonet said as he banged on the large, heavy oak doors, "Attila! Open up in the name of King Arthur! You are hereby under arrest for the murder of Miss Katheryne!!"
As all this happened, Agrimpasa, who was trailing her no-good brothers around because she didn't want to get lost in the three-hundred plus year old Roman Fort, demanded, "What is going on?!"
Since Lancelot was busy trying to calm Arthur down, whilst fighting his own tempter, Tristran and Connor were attempting to find out what truly happened from Alec, and Gawain and Galahad were organizing the Court Chambers with Aldus' help, Bors answered, "Attila has been accused of murder. Now, Miskoc has already promised a blood oath with Lady Habren as a witness. According to Sarmatian Law, Attila and those who support him must die. Fortunately, for him, Camelot has rules and regulations about situations such as these. Attila will be given and fair trial in the Trial Chambers with Lord Connor Arbitrator Truth."
While all this was happening, Alec found himself facing Tristran's inquiry, "How was the dagger found?"
Alec answered, "Sir Morton found the dagger resting on her chest. Miss Katheryne's body revealed no knife wounds, so Sir Morton deduced that while Miss Katheryne hadn't been killed with the dagger, Attila had been in the area. This, while it acquitted him of the murder, at that time during the investigation, it does make him suspect since he was there and not in his chambers as he was supposed too."
Connor took a step forward, to draw Alec's attention onto him and away from Tristran, and asked as he wrote a few things down on parchment, "How did she die?"
Alec straightened to his full height, and answered, "Sir Morton, with Lady Enys' help has deduced that Miss Katheryne died by having her neck completely crushed. She, Miss Katheryne, most likely didn't put up to much of a struggle because her neck was crushed from behind. Her neck revealed a perfect hand size and shape as well as a fingerprint bruise."
Tristran ended with a nod, "So, Sir Morton's conclusion is that Attila murdered Miss Katheryne by crushing her neck. He tried to hide the crime by hiding Miss Katheryne's body. He would have gotten away with it too, had it not been for the fact that his dagger was accidentally left there-most likely unknowingly-correct?"
Alec met both Tristan and Connor's even, serious stares, and answered confidentially, "Yes."
As the Sarmatians paled, Gawain couldn't help but feel a deep satisfying smirk form on his lips. Miskoc's Blood Oath promise bled through the ranks-meaning that all of them were bound to the blood oath.
Agrimpasa felt her face drain of all blood. If she was found out to be a supporter of Attila's, she'd be killed!
This can't happen! I'm Princess Agrimpasa of the Wolf Tribe, betrothed of the High Prince Lancelot of the Lion Tribe! Without me, the two lines will die out! I must find someway to make sure that Tor, Artur, and Attila don't identify me!
Galahad as the Trial Chambers started to look like a real courtroom, glanced back towards the guarded group of shocked pale Sarmatians.
They looked scared.
They looked like they regretted coming to Briton.
Interesting, my dear, sweet, innocent little sister looks the worst of them all…I should point that out later on…
Bors, who was in command of those watching over the Sarmatians, raised his head, stared at the two of the guards, and ordered, "Bring forth Tor and Artur in irons!"
As the previously ignored, amazingly silent Habren made to protest, Bors interrupted rudely as Miskoc and Dagonet arrived with Attila heavily chained in between them, "They are to be questioned because them might know something we want to know."
The sun was just starting to peak across the emerald plains, when Ina, sex-slave of Vicerius Romulus, tiredly crested the last hill in between her and her goal-Kameland City-Proper.
In exhaustion, she stumbled through the gates, which were guarded by two well-armed Knights, and fell to her knees in front of a white marble water fountain.
She crawled up to the fountain gratefully and thrust her hands into the crystal, clear blue water within.
As she greedily drank her fill, as a young, friendly voice said with an accompanying white face cloth, "Are you okay?"
Ina replied thankfully, "Yes, I am now. Thank you."
Ina's helper, a young girl of twelve or thirteen, with waist length curly blond hair and snapping blue eyes, smiled, shrugged, and replied, "Your welcome! Welcome to Camelot I am Caoimhe, daughter of Bors and Vanora. Who are you and what is your business here in our fair city?"
"I am Ina and I am looking for the Healer Selina."
Caoimhe smiled, offered Ina her hand, and said as Ina grasped her offered limb, "I'll take you. It isn't far, actually."
As they walked into a smooth, mostly white building full of sweet smelling herbs, Caoimhe called out, "Selina! You have a patient!"
Ina waited with belated breath, not believing that her journey was over. Nothing in her life had ever been easy, and she was a little wary of what life threw at her next. After a minute or two had passed, an older woman with curly blond hair and glittering blue eyes appeared. She was muttering to herself and vigorously whipping away all the blood from her hands.
Ina watched with a small smile as her young escort lunged at the other woman while squealing happily, "Enys!!!"
Perhaps they are family?
Ina watched the older woman catch Caoimhe with a laugh.
As they turned to her, the blonde-haired person said, "Caoimhe, it's good to see you too! Now, you head on home! Your mother is asking for you!"
She then turned to her and asked with a friendly smile, "What's your name?"
Ina gulped and replied as Caoimhe waved good-bye cheerfully, "I'm Ina and a young man named Alec bid me to see the Healer Selina as I was kicked rather harshly in the stomach a day ago. I'm pregnant, you see."
Enys frowned thoughtfully and answered, "Well, Selina isn't here right now, but I can help you. I am the Senior Healer of Kameland and Camelot. I am Enys Tranquil Wolfe of the House of Wolfe."
Ina burst into tears as she burst and explained her entire woe-filled life, "I was born to Lord Trajan Sectarian and a Gaul woman, who was his sex-slave. When I was eight, I was sold to Romulus' family when I was eight. Master Vicerius kept me on as a house-maid until I reached fifteen summers. Then he claimed me as his sex-slave. I lived as such until I found out I was pregnant. That was two months ago. When Remus, Master Vicerius' eldest son, found out about my child, he tried to kill me himself since his father dismissed me with a warning that if I did not leave his lands he'd have me and the bastard child killed."
She burst into more tears and cried out, "I'm scared! What if the child is hurt or worse…dead?!"