Chapter VII

A Fantasy in Reverse

The stunned silence that followed her voice was awkward. It held the world and its time in perfect rhythm. A horse snorts, the wind suddenly pushing up against them as if demanding an answer. Slowly she waits, her eyes flicking up into the commanders. Was he really expecting her to give an honest reply? She wanted her freedom just as much as these men wanted to go home. No soldier wanted to fight; they wanted to build a family. Just as much it seemed, as she wanted to go on. Stepping back she speaks once more, her voice harsh and afraid. Unknowing of what they would do next.

"Who are y-you?" She stammers, stepping back as she desperately tries to think. Was there an escape? Anyway to get out, out of this mess that she was in. But she was completely surrounded, horses and men pointed towards her as she waited for a reply. "I am Arthur, these are my knights." The commander speaks deeply, a spoonful of emotion mixed in with it. Arthur? She knew this man, not by appearance but by the stories. Stories that had travelled fast through Rome.

Arthur and his legendary knights. But the mention of his name only brought up more questions. Questions about Gardious' wealth, about her parents and their influence in Rome. How in the world did Gardious get Arthur and his knights to come after her? How much power did he have? Not only in this country but also in Rome? She had no idea, He was a man and she was just a woman. A woman who thought too much, and perhaps did not deserve freedom. He speaks again, his voice strange to his ears. Deep and full of an emotion she did not understand.

How could a man sound so kind, when he had seen so much war? Or where the stories nothing but a lie? "I will ask you again Milady, Are you Lady Rya?" Another snort comes from a man, but this time she turns to meet the man with a blind fury. But it is not a man who she was expecting, not some muscled bastard who has an attitude problem. It is in fact him. The man from her dreams, at the sight of him she steps back, awestricken by what she sees. It can't be, he had been a dream, a nothing. No she realized, he was a spy and she had done nothing. He says nothing to her, merely gives her a nod that she knows all to well.

"No, I am not Lady Rya. Truth be told I have no idea who you are talking about." She states it proudly turning her head back towards Arthur. "What do you want with her?" Somehow she has gotten courage, her head held high as she waits for the men to respond. She will worm her way out of this one. She has too.

"She ran away, we have been asked to retrieve her." He was too honest, far too honest. Many would have just have ignored the question. She is about to speak, but is interrupted by another. Eyes flash angrily to meet the man, his voice low and deep. Holding no charm or kindness that his commander does. "And what bad excuse do you have for the servant?"

--

The snort of the horses and gentle hoof beats against the ground caused her to close her eyes. A small snort coming from her own mouth as she eyes the men that lead her. She has suffered from defeat, her hands shaking as she clutches the reins.

She had indeed given in; Alan had been her breaking point. Their way into her life and lies. And so she had failed, not only herself but also Alan. She not him had failed. Alan was still asleep, tied up onto the packhorse. Oh how she loathed these men, men that where willing to give up her freedom to get a step closer to their own. She was going back to hell, back to a place she did not belong and could not understand.

But now it seemed that there was no escape, these men surrounded her day and night. Taking care that there was no escape. She was going back, there would be no second escape. Gardious was indeed smarter then that, he would make sure that she would not perform a stunt like this again. No she would have to face the facts, she was going back.

Night fell, the world falling down with it. Slowly the stars come to erupt in the sky followed even slower by the moon. In the distance a call of an animal meets her ears. The horse moves, ungraceful in the lack of light. But the men move on, in the stories the men did not need to sleep. Going on for days on end, killing enemies to Rome and saving damsels in distress. There where so many stories, and she was going to test if they where true.

"Are we going to stop anytime soon?" Arthur turns his head towards her, followed by the others. This is the first time that she has spoken. Her eyes meeting his with a mixture of anger and hate. "Your right, its time we stop." Is his only reply, snorting she shakes herself. Her eyes dropping back down to her horse's mane. No the stories where not true, it was all just a lie.

--

She followed suit with the men, making sure her horse was cleaned and fed before switching to her own needs. Sleep was calling her, Alan had just awoken and one of the men had helped him. It turned out that her stitches had gotten the cut infected in some parts. And for now she was grateful for the help he was getting. She found herself sitting next to a tree. Her head rested up against it, letting her eyes close as she tried to get some amount of sleep.

The smell of food and an open fire reached her nostrils as she allowed herself to rest. Footsteps enter her mind, eyes flashing open to meet the offender. Its one of the knights, not Alan like she had been hoping for. "Eat." He says offering her a plate. Nodding she grabs for it, it doesn't turn out to be much. But it is enough and so she starts to eat. Realizing the man has not yet left she looks up from her dinner, her eyes flashing for an explanation.

"Your name?" She asks, her eyes meeting his. What did he want? Was her first question, but being a knight she guessed he didn't need an explanation. He did speak though, his voice deep and gruff against his ears as she watched him. "Lancelot." Snorting on her food she smiles slightly, she had heard many stories about Lancelot. Not all good, but the thought of these stories brought back memories. Memories that she could deal with.

But this time it was his turn to speak, perhaps it had been the faint snort that had issued from her mouth that had caused him to look down at her. Or perhaps it was something else, either way he spoke. His tone as deep and gruff as before. "What?" Smiling slightly Rya turns her head towards the forest. Memories should be remembered alone, but here she was. Telling him why she knew his name.

"Stories, Rome has many about Arthur and his brave knights." The knight smiled then, his eyes twinkling in the distant firelight as he eyed her. "And are the stories true?" Turning away from the forest she eyes the man, her smile dropping away into a frown. Where the stories true? "No, they where lies. All lies."