Disclaimer: Well, everyone, I sadly own nothing. Only Kaleigh. She's a complete figment of my imagination!

Author's Note: Look! Another chapter! And it took me less than a month to post. Yeah for me!

Review Responses:
Aoibhinn: Thank you so much for all that praise! I'm glad you really like the story, and I hope this chapter is just as good.
Fuzzy Makes Me Happy: Hello! I hope Kaleigh kicks enough ass in this chapter for you. And I hope that she stays believable, enjoy!
the sarahnater: I'm so glad that you like the chapter! I hope you like this one too!
ZELINIA: Gladiator style beating on the Romans does sound like lots of fun, but I decided to do it Kaleigh style. Hope it's still fun. Don't worry, you guys will find out at least half of the secret in a couple chapters. I'm building up the suspense and trying to develop the story better.
Makayla: Here's the latest, hope you like.
dw: Glad you liked the wolf pup and her interactions with Tristan. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Snape's Opera Rose: Sorry I took so long updating. I had some serious family problems going on and then I moved down to college and forgot my notebook with all the chapters in it. I just got it back recently.
There's not a lot of Tristan interaction in this story, but there will be lots more in the future! And believe me, you're no pervert, there are many who want to see Tristan wet and shirtless………………………………... ... Sorry, I was off in my own world there. Gosh, that was a yummy image.
Hope you like the chapter!
nikkitagg: I'm glad you liked the chapter, hope this one is just as good!

thoughts
"spoken"

Chapter 10: You Fight Like A Girl

Kaleigh strode past the tree lined path that lead to the front of the house, her focus solely on the stable building she could see peeking over the top of a screen of thick bushy trees. As she rounded the tree, she saw that the building had a large yard in front of it, empty except for the armored clad legionnaire and her large black stallion.

She watched as the man approached Valdeer, who had been tied securely to a large post protruding from the ground, with a saddle in his arms. Her eyes widened as the man kicked Valdeer in the side as the stallion shied away from the gruff, quick movements.

"What the fuck you think you're doing to my horse!" she cried as she began to close the vast distance between herself and the other two occupants of the yard. The man seemed not to have heard her as he dropped the saddle to the ground, picking up a large, ugly looking whip from the ground next to him. Kaleigh began to run as she watched him untie the reins and begin to jerk roughly on the agitated horses head. When Valdeer tried to pull away, nostrils flared red and eyes white rimmed in fear, the man raised the whip. The snap of the leather tore through Kaleigh's mind as she watched the bloody red line that marred the once glossy, now lather flecked, hide.

Kaleigh yelled in anger, and as he raised his arm to strike again, she didn't even slow down as she reached the Roman. She threw herself into his side, ignoring the pain that blossomed through her right shoulder as it collided with his armor. She reached to snatch the reins from his hands, but he held firm and tore them from her grip.

She backed a step, her eyes spitting sparks of anger and hatred, "I asked you a question Roman. What the fuck are you doing with my horse?"

The man looked at her closely and she felt the urge to shudder at the long look he cast down her tight tunic and leather clad legs. His pompous face sneered at her, revealing yellow, crooked teeth, "Your horse?" he mocked.

"Yes," she spit angrily, "and I demand you return him to immediately."

She reached for the reins again and he slapped her hand away, holding them behind his back. "How I know this is really your horse? Maybe your just saying that. After all, I found him without any saddle on. It's not like you could ride him anyways."

Valdeer attempted to pull away and the Roman whirled, backhanding the stallion across the nose. Valdeer grunted in pain and Kaleigh took a short step forward, stopping only when the Romans eyes flashed at her, his free hand ghosting toward his sword.

"Release my horse to me now." she growled, "I won't ask again."

He grinned, "What'll you give me?"

This time Kaleigh didn't hide the shiver at the lust filled look that flashed through the mans eyes, "I will give you nothing. You're only going to make this go harder on yourself in the end." she warned. Her hand twitched for her dagger, to feel the security of the hard, cool steel beneath her hand. Once she finished dealing with this scum she made a vow to permanently attach the blasted thing to her side.

"Gaius." A third voice cut across the area, and Kaleigh risked a glance toward the source. Another man, also dressed in the typical Roman chest plate and pleated 'skirt', was striding across the yard to them. She saw the grim set to his mouth and a shaft of sun fell, making his black head of hair glow and his piercing green eyes sharp. He stopped feet from her, but his look was only for the dark haired, greying Roman that still held Valdeer's reins. "Release her horse to her."

Kaleigh was slightly taken back that this man was speaking on her behalf but she still kept him in sight as she returned her glare to the one called Gaius.

Gaius chuckled, "Only havin' a bit of fun Spurius." he grinned lecherously before snapping his gaze to Spurius, "Mind your own business."

"It's not fun when you're the only one laughing." Spurius said evenly, as if he were explaining to a small child. "Now, give the lady back her horse. Now."

Gaius obviously heard the warning in Spurius' words and after one final glance at Kaleigh tossed her the reins of the quivering stallion.

"I'll take my other belongings as well." she demanded angrily.

Gaius shrugged, "Don't know what you're talkin' 'bout."

She narrowed her eyes and would have slugged the smug grin off his face if a quiet hand had not rested on her arm. She flashed her eyes up to Spurius angrily and the young Roman looked at her sincerely, "He speaks truth. I found your belongings. I'll bring them to you if you wait here."

Kaleigh nodded shortly, and turned her attention from the retreating form. She turned her full attention to Valdeer, who was still quivering and whuffing in pain, but kept her senses attuned to the still present Gaius' position. She ran a gentle hand down the quivering neck muscles. Her voice went a far way to calm the black, who's wide eyes continued to watch Gaius. She moved her hand to the top of his nose, noting with disgust the slight trickle of blood that ran down from where the skin had been rubbed raw from Gaius' yanking.

She gritted her teeth. Here, in the Roman villa was not the place to get her revenge for Laelia and Valdeer, but she would have it before the trip was done.

"Don't know why he had to stop all our fun." Gaius' voice echoed across the arena. Kaleigh did her best to ignore him but she knew that he was staring at her and it tore her to not be able to cut that dirty smile off his face, "Sarmatians are lucky bastards, having woman like you willing to travel here just for another roll in the hay."

Kaleigh whirled, expecting him to be just as close as he was and slapped him, hard, "Never come near me or mine again, or I will kill you." She turned to lead Valdeer into the stables when Gaius chuckled, stopping her midstep.

"You've got spunk." she sensed him move closer and Valdeer backed a step nervously, "I like that in my wenches. Maybe the Sarmatians'll just have to share this time."

Fire flashed through her eyes as Gaius' hand grasped her butt and squeezed. She had planned on hitting him, but now, she'd hurt him. She whirled, bringing her right fist up to hit him. He'd anticipated it however and grabbed her fist in a vice like grip. She raised her left fist and he grabbed that as well.

He sneered at her, "Looks like I have you now."

She returned the sneer, "Not quite." She brought her knee up hard between his legs. He released her as he doubled over in pain and she took the opportunity to bring her elbow down on his back, sending him sprawling. She rubbed her knee gingerly, They even have armor there? She thought incredulously as she backed toward Valdeer. She motioned the stallion off with her hand, "Go my friend. This could get ugly." she murmured as she smirked at the fallen Roman, who spit dirt out of his mouth, one hand clamped protectively over his manhood.

"Cassius. Brutus." Two Roman guards emerged from the stable and looked at the sight of Gaius in the dirt curiously.

"What's the problem?" the shorter one asked as the taller one moved forward, helping Gaius back to his feet.

"I'll tell you what the problem is Brutus," growled Gaius as he eyed Kaleigh. He moved towards his friends and Kaleigh countered his movements, keeping a calm, expectant eye on the three, "That bitch of a wench attacked me for no reason."

"Liar." she growled.

The taller guard playfully elbowed the shorter one, "Come on then, let's teach the wench a lesson."

She took in that the shorter one was Brutus, which meant the taller one must be Cassius. Good, she thought, I always did like knowing the names of men who's asses I kick. "Don't call me a wench."

The three Romans fanned out and Kaleigh backed, maneuvering herself into a more open area of the yard. She stopped and the four of them studied each other, each waiting for someone else to make the first move.

Brutus was the first. Kaleigh was disappointed at the sloppiness of his actions and easily ducked his swing. As his momentum carried him past, she stuck out her foot, sending him sliding face first in the dirt. She immediately faced the others again. They came at her simultaneously and moments before they reached her she dropped to the ground. She swung her leg in a sweeping kick and Gaius knocked into Cassius. They both tumbled to the ground and Kaleigh smirked as they groaned, quickly flipping to her feet.

Brutus had risen to his feet. He spit dirt from his mouth and approached her more carefully this time. His movement was precise and Kaleigh twisted her body to avoid the punch. His other hand came up and she raised her arm, blocking his blow. She sent a spinning kick to his head but as he fell he grabbed her tunic, pulling her down as well. She chopped down on his hand and he released her, a strip of her tunic ripping. As they lay on the ground struggling to get the upper hand he kicked out with his foot.

Kaleigh was forced to roll away and as she rose to her feet Gaius appeared in front of her. She blocked his punch and went to throw one of her own when a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. She turned quickly to see Cassius had grabbed her, and sent a kick at Gaius, sending him back several feet. She raised her free arm to punch Cassius but a second set of hands grabbed that wrist. Brutus sneered at her as he and Cassius pinned her hands to her sides. She tried to twist away but the two men were to strong. Her brain acknowledged that several more Romans had arrived in the yard as she watched Gaius slowly come towards her.

His laughter was more of a cackle as he spoke, "Now what are you going to do?"

She opened her mouth to tell him exactly what she would like to do but his fist shot out, landing square in her stomach. She hunched over as far as Cassius and Brutus would let her, gasping for breath, her eyes watering as her lungs fought to re-inflate after the hard blow.

"What's going on?" Kaleigh managed to lift her head and saw Spurius standing on the outskirts by the other Romans, her bags at his feet where he had dropped them in surprise. "Let her go."

"Leave if you don't want to watch." Gaius said with a shrug.

Spurius frowned and moved towards the four of them. His face filled with surprise when one of the watching Romans suddenly punched him in the stomach. Kaleigh watched Spurius punch the guard back only to have another throw a wild punch his way.

What are they doing, Kaleigh thought, he is one of them. "Stop, " she called, "don't--" her words broke off as Gaius' fist flew into her face. Her head fell forward and the hair that had come loose from her braid surrounded her face. She blinked rapidly to clear the blackness from her vision. Her tongue ran around the inside of her mouth and she could taste the copper of her own blood. She spit out a mouthful, "First blood." she murmured.

"What?" demanded Gaius as he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her head up. His hand dropped from her at the cool, pleased look on her face.

"My turn."

She swung her legs in front of her, seeming to run up Gaius' body, sending one last kick to the Romans face, knocking him down. She continued to flip around, using her momentum to propel her over Brutus' and Cassius' heads and wrench their hands from her arms. As soon as her feet touched ground she let her knees take the shock of the landing. She immediately shifted her weight, sending a whirling kick to Cassius' head and then, dropping to her hands, she brought her legs up and wrapped them around Brutus' neck. She snapped her body and he went flying. She flipped to her feet and saw two Romans that had previously been watching approach her, mean looks plastered on their faces. She was also aware that Gaius and Cassius had risen and were coming at her from behind and to the left. She shifted on her feet to prepare to take on the four.

Suddenly, from the right, a mass of dark leather barreled into the two Romans in front of her. She had just enough time to recognize the dark, curly locks of her brother before her complete attention was drawn back to her adversaries.

Brutus lay on the ground where she had flipped him groaning slightly. His moans only seemed to make Gaius and Cassius angrier.

"Bitch." Gaius hissed.

"You do realize you started all of this." she pointed out with a smirk.

She blocked the next punch sent her way and reacted a second to slow when a third presence appeared behind her. A rock hard fist slammed into her back and she fell forward. Her reflexes were quick and she rolled back up into a standing position. Before she could regain her balance she was forced to duck a punch and block a kick as Gaius and Cassius came at her together. She blocked several more blows before having her legs kicked out from under her. As a boot came towards her head she rolled. Once on her back she fanned her legs above her in a kick, knocking her new assailant to his back. She brought her leg down hard on his chest, rolled atop him, sending a hard punch to his face. His head snapped to the side and she quickly flipped to her feet again.

Cassius was closest to her and she feinted to the left. When he went to block it she immediately brought her right fist up. Blood and saliva spattered from his mouth and nose as he flew through the air. Without even a moment hesitation, she threw a roundhouse kick at Gaius. He raised his arms to block it and used his weight advantage to throw her to the ground. She raised her leg to kick and he blocked that as well, but it gave her enough time to gain her feet once again. She swung at him and kicked. He dodged the fist but her kick knocked his knee to the side at an awkward angle. As her three adversaries struggled to rise Kaleigh allowed herself to take in the rest of the fight, a grim smile across her lips, speaking of how much she was enjoying the combat.

Over to her left, Lancelot was fighting off two Romans and a third lay near them unconscious. Spurius was also fighting two Romans but it was obvious he didn't have much experience in this sort of hand to hand combat. But, he was holding his own. Several more Romans had arrived in the yard, watching their comrades, some even passing money back and forth as they made wagers.

Hope they didn't bet on their friends. She felt good, she'd been spoiling for a fight.

Two more Romans were rushing towards her. Geez, where do they come from. She thought in wonder. She waited for them to get to her, breathing deeply to catch her breath, trying to calm her adrenaline and conserve her strength.

The first guard to reach her was careless and with a simple punch he fell to the ground. The next guard was a good fighter. For every move Kaleigh made against him he blocked and countered with one of his own. He had just succeeded in knocking her to one knee and Kaleigh waited patiently for him to come into range, exaggerating the look of exhaustion on her face, trying to hide the look of pleasure in her eye.

Come on. Just one step.

He took it. She coiled her muscles, leapt into the air and sent a spinning kick at him. Knowing he would block it, she twisted and slammed her fist into his neck, crushing his windpipe. She landed and rolled, stopping in a crouched position, facing her brothers direction. What she saw made her blood run cold.

A young Roman guard had drawn a sword, he was the only one to do so thus far. What enraged Kaleigh was that he was sneaking up behind her brother who was still engaging the two other Romans.

She glanced around and saw the foolish guard from earlier within reach. His dagger was shining brilliantly from his sheath as if saying, 'Here, use me.'.

The guard with the sword was almost within striking distance of her brother, "Lancelot!" she yelled and rolled away from another Roman who raced to attack her, removing the dagger from the sheath as she rolled by the unconscious guard. When she up righted herself she let the knife fly.

Lancelot turned to see a young guard behind him, his sword poised to strike. The Romans eyes were wide and he was looking down at his chest where a dagger protruded. Lancelot turned as the guard fell, seeing his sister and they both gave a brief nod before turning back to the fight. They simultaneously began inching their way towards each other and when Spurius saw what they were doing, he did the same.

Kaleigh could feel her breath was becoming labored, she could feel sweat break out on her forehead, causing tendrils of hair to stick to her face. Her movements were beginning to get sluggish and she knew it was only a matter of time before she slipped up. She noted with satisfaction that the Romans she fought were also showing signs of fatigue. However, the dagger piercing their friend had seemed to give them a second wind.

Kaleigh continued to fight, blocking blow after blow, flipping and rolling out of reach and sending a hit of her own when the opportunity presented itself. She was almost to her brother and Spurius when her foot caught on probably the only rock in the entire courtyard. As she strained to regain her balance, a body knocked into her sending her sprawling at Lancelot's feet. Her brother helped her scramble to her feet and the three of them stood, breathing heavily, watching the Romans encircle them. Several more guards had drawn swords and they sneered at their prey. Spurius tried to put on a brave front, but their situation was beginning to look hopeless.

Lancelot merely looked cockily at the Romans, daring them to make a move. He knew all they needed was to buy time until the rest of the knights came looking for them. Then they could all kick some Roman ass. Oh, and of course later he had to kill his sister, for he knew that somehow she was responsible for all of this.

Cockiness must have run in the family because Kaleigh was currently sneering at Cassius whose face was covered in blood that flowed from his now crooked nose.

"You know you should probably have that looked at." she goaded. While she talked her eyes quickly scanned the Romans surrounding them. She saw all of the Romans that she had fought, except one. Now where had Gaius run off to.

Lancelot glanced at his sister with brotherly pride. She was right when she said she could fight. And he had to admit she was good. In fact, if the expression on her face said anything, she was enjoying herself immensely. Of course, goading an armed adversary who clearly outnumbered you was probably not the best idea. Course he had done the same thing a time or two, but then, the men he had taunted hadn't just gotten their butts kicked by a girl who they outnumbered. He'd have to have a talk with her later. He felt more than saw her tense her entire body and when he looked towards her he let out a low growl.

The cold prick of steel against her throat had all of Kaleighs' muscles instantly at attention. At her brothers growl she turned her head slightly to see just who had made the mistake of attacking her from behind. So that's where Gaius had gotten to.

Gaius had silently drawn his dagger as the other Romans circled the wench, Spurius and Sarmatian knight. He had crept up silently behind her as she spoke to Cassius. When he placed the sharp metal against her smooth throat he was pleased with the instant stiffening of her muscles. He heard the knight growl at him in anger but ignored it. She turned her face towards him slightly, the look in her eyes one of curiosity not fear. When her eyes rested on his face they began to dance in joy. He frowned at the grim grin on her face, "Not in control now, are you?" he hissed in delight at having the upper hand.

Kaleigh glanced down slightly at the knife and then back up at Gaius. She knew her eyes danced with laughter, angering the Roman further, "And what do you plan to do now? Kill me?" she asked patronizingly, "The knights won't be very happy with you. Don't you think you have enough enemies in the Saxons now? Do you truly wish for Sarmatian ones as well?"

Gaius laughed clearly thinking her bluffing, "And why would the knights care about what happens to a wench?"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously, the playful glint extinguished immediately, "I told you before, I'm not a wench. But if you're so curious kill me, and find out." Gaius' eyes narrowed at her threat and her face twitched slightly as he added pressure to the blade, digging it in slightly.

Suddenly, a dagger flew across her vision and Gaius gave a howl of pain as it embedded itself in his shoulder. At his yell, all hell broke loose.

Kaleigh winced as Gaius drew back his arm, slicing the blade into her throat, drawing a thin line of blood. She brought her elbow up, knocking his arm away while simultaneously reaching out with her other hand and twisting the blade from his fingers. She tossed the dagger to Spurius and drew Gaius' sword from his sheath, tossing it to her brother. She pulled the dagger from Gaius' shoulder, recognizing the smooth, worn hilt as one of Tristan's. All of this had taken place in seconds, which was how long it took the Romans to react, draw their swords and rush forward.

Kaleigh found herself facing two Romans with swords and dodged them as best she could. She managed to tackle one of them to the ground by diving into his legs while he recovered from over compensating a swing. She kicked the sword from his hands and he knocked the dagger from hers. She drew her nails across his face and kneed him in the groin. She scrambled to her feet, seeing Tristan engaging several Romans from the corner of her eye. She noted that, though he had the opportunity, he was refraining from killing them. That was all she had time to notice as she faced off against the second armed Roman that had attacked her.

The Roman, noting that the woman in front of him no longer had a sword, swung at her.

Kaleigh jumped back, arching her body so the sword wouldn't hit her. She was forced to do this twice more before she flipped back several feet, landing in a crouch. She watched in delight as he ran at her. She rolled away at just the right moment and he sailed past her. She sent a sweep kick from her crouched position. Knocking the Roman to his back she brought her leg down on his unarmored chest and he gasped as the wind was knocked out of him.

She flipped back to her feet and came quite literally face to face with Cassius. She could smell the acrid stench of his sweat and blood and saw the red rimmed rage in his eyes. She saw a glint and jumped back as he brought his sword down on where she had been. He kept swinging the blade wildly at her, yelling incoherent things. Kaleigh ducked his blade and tried to get back as the insane man continued to swing wildly at her.

"Halt." the voice that called the order was small and weak and only one or two Romans paid any heed to it.

"Halt!" Arthurs' voice carried the command this time and everyone froze at the word, even Kaleigh.

To late she realized that Cassius was to focused on doing her harm to have even heard the command. His eyes were only for her as he brought his blade down again. Even as she jumped back, Kaleigh knew she had reacted to slowly. The blade cut into the side of her right thigh and she cried out at the pain. As she tried to jump back from another blow her leg gave out beneath her. She crumpled to the ground, barely missing the sword decapitating her. Cassius grinned madly as she fell and swung again. Kaleigh used her good leg and arms to roll away from the strike, gasping at the pain that blossomed up and down her right leg.

As Cassius brought his sword down again she knew she couldn't avoid it. Time seemed to almost stop as the blade came closer and closer to her. She glared up defiantly, determined not to shrink back from the blow that would be her death. She could hear the blood raging in her ears and a voice calling out that sounded greatly like her brother. The sword came closer, gleaming in the light, her blood that already marred it looked a dark maroon, dripping, seeming to weep in sympathy as it came closer.

Her life flashed in front of her, brief flashes of scenes from her life. A night before Lancelot had been taken, as her family sat around the campfire, laughing at a tale that Lancelot told of his adventures in the fields that day. The day her brother had been taken, the Romans red cloaks blowing in the wind, a red river of destruction, telling of the life that waited for all those who were taken. Her mother, laughing at Severn days before she died in birth, a hand wrapped protectively over her bulging stomach, her other hand fondly stroking Kaleigh's hair as she contentedly rested her head against her mothers knee. Standing over a fresh grave, one large, one barely two feet square. Her father teaching her to swing a sword, Severn her opponent, trying to keep a straight face as she blundered yet another move. The birth of Valdeer, the first foal that she had bred herself. Being thrown from a grey colt as she attempted to ride it for the first time. Standing atop a hill, looking proudly down on the herd that she had played a role in creating. Standing over four graves, two freshly dug, the others worn with age, vowing to seek her vengeance. Standing on a bloody battlefield after a fierce battle, listening to the screams of the wounded, pulling her sword from the body of a dead enemy. Her friends and her in a Roman villa, surrounded by enemies, swords drawn, ready to fight their way to their freedom. A boat ride, Percival green in the face looking at her before sticking his head back over the side, ridding his stomach of the rest of its contents. Her first sight of Britain, green forests that stretched along the coast.

She knew that she had lived her life well, if not as long as she had wanted to. She closed her eyes in resignation as the time sped back to normal.

Author's Note: HEHE, A cliffhanger. What, oh what, is going to happen now? Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up sometime this week, but I'm not saying for sure because I'm not going to jinx myself. Leave a review, let me know what you think!