Thank you so much to everyone who left reviews. For Wings as Eagles, I put Akira at about 13 when she left Sarmatia, so she'd be about 28 now. Tristan, Arthur and Lancelot, maybe 29-30ish, Dagonet and Bors, 33-34? Gawain would be about 31 and Galahad 26. If anyone sees any gaping holes in that, let me know and I'll alter my mentality slightly. And I'm sooooooo glad you lot like Akira. Cheers!
Chapter 9
Akira slipped back into the camp sometime later that evening. They had stopped for the night in a slightly protected clearing. She made her way over to Arthur, running over her report in her mind. Tristan was still out there, he'd said to tell Arthur he'd return the next morning, but he'd sent Akira back to inform Arthur of the Saxon's position.
Arthur looked up as she approached. "Well?" He asked.
"They've made camp about twenty leagues north. They'll start moving again as soon as it's light tomorrow. They sent out scout parties, but Tristan and I took care of those."
"Where is Tristan?"
"He said to tell you that he'd stay out for the night. They might do something unexpected."
"Very well. And you?"
"I'll stay here for the night. I'm not as used to lack of sleep as the rest of you." She raised an eyebrow slightly. "If that's alright with you, commander?"
He grinned. "Go get some sleep, Kira." Akira smiled at the expression of trust evidentin the use of her nickname. She bowed.
"Yes, sir."
She moved over to one of the wagons. Fulcinia, Marius' wife, came over to her and smiled.
"I've just bathed Guinevere, my lady. The water is still warm, so if you wish..."
Akira smiled gratefully. "That would be wonderful, thank you." She followed the Roman woman over to one of the tents. Lancelot watched her enter and quickly looked away. Guinevere was one thing, but Akira... No, he valued his life.
Akira woke suddenly next morning, jerked out of sleep by a shout from Marius. She grabbed her sword and got out of the wagon, to find Marius holding a knife to the boy Lucan's throat. Dagonet was struggling against two of the mercenary guards. Akira's eyes narrowed, pulling a knife out of her waistband and throwing it into the nearest guards heart, just as an arrow flew through the air and hit Marius in the stomach. Guinevere strode into the clearing, nocking an arrow. She was followed by Arthur and Lancelot. Lancelot smirked.
"You hand seems to be better."
Arthur raised Excalibur to point at the faces of the remaining guard who had attacked Dagonet.
"You have a choice." He said grimly. "You help, or you die."
The guard dropped his sword almost immediately, and shouted for the rest of the guards to do the same.
Tristan rode into the clearing.
"How many did you kill?" Bors yelled at him.
"Four."
"Not a bad start to the day." Bors grinned.
The scout turned to Arthur and dropped a crossbow at his feet. "Armor piercing. They're close, we have no time."
Arthur nodded. "You ride ahead. Kira, go with him."
Akira turned and grabbed the rest of her weapons from her pack, pushing knives into various sheaths about her person, and looping a silk cord into her belt. She strapped her sword to her back and attached her bow and quiver to her saddle.
"Let's go." She pulled herself up onto her horse and followed Tristan out of the clearing. The guards seemed surprised at a woman under arms, but they chose not to pass comment.
Arthur started giving orders, and everyone jumped into action. The villagers picked up their few belongings and started out of the clearing, while Jols gave directions for loading the wagons. Alecto stared at the dead body of his father for a moment, then turned on his heel and climbed into one of the wagons, his mother close behind him.
The rest of the knights mounted their horses and followed the two scouts on the road south. Arthur waited to see the wagons started, then fell in beside the wagon that Guinevere was riding in. Guinevere watched him for a second, before he grew uncomfortable under her stare, and moved ahead to talk to Alecto.
"I'm sorry for your loss."
"He wasn't a good father."
"Perhaps not, but it is hard to lose one so close."
"You too lost your father?"
"Yes, but a man in Rome, called Pelagius, a man teaching that all men are free and equal, has taken his place in some measure."
The Roman boy's face saddened. "He's dead. Bishop Germanius and the Pope had him excommunicated and killed. A public execution. The Rome you speak of...doesn't exist."
Arthur pulled away, his face creased with horror and pain.
There we go, another chapter, and so much quicker than the last one. I know, I completely changed the conversation between Arthur and Alecto, but I couldn't remember the film that well. Sorry for the shortness, and I promise I will have the battle on the ice in the next chapter, which might take some time. Please feel free to e-mail my teachers with all complaints.
Carline