Chapter 4
Adena hummed quietly to herself as she washed her clothes in the small river running through the edge of the fortress. She was far away from both the fortress and the wall, but she didn't mind much. She loved the solitude and quietness that the place gave her that morning.
With a sigh, Adena sat back on her heels and cracked her neck from side to side. She looked up at the sky to see a hawk circling above as though waiting for the opportune moment to strike its prey. Smiling softly to herself, Adena went back to washing the rest of her clothes, needing to go into the market that afternoon. Then she set her clothes on the rocks nearby to dry and took to lying back on the ground, Conner lying next to her.
It's been two and a half months since the Woad's have attacked and many of the soldiers are worried about that. It worried Adena too for she knew what was coming from the north of the wall. She worries for Arthur and his knight's lives, and for her own life. She couldn't fight; she never thought to learn how to fight with a sword for Adena always thought she'd return to her own time. Now the Saxons come and she wonders if she would even live. Live until she was old and gray.
Hearing horse hooves, Adena sits up and turned around to see Tristan, Arthur's scout, galloping towards the forest. Smiling to herself, Adena stands and begins to gather her now dry clothes, Conner lazily stretching beside her. Tristan was the quietest knight out of the group, and the one Adena wasn't able to get close to. Or he didn't try to get close to her. Of course, the young woman didn't mind as she knew his history, or at least the rumored stories the people at the fort like to spread.
Not really minding the stories or the warnings, Adena—aside Vanora—will always have his apple ready when he shows up at the tavern. Shifting the basket at her side, Adena smirks to herself. She is probably the only one that wasn't afraid of Tristan. Vanora confessed that she was a little afraid of the scout but knew he will never do anything to her.
Adena didn't mind of how he was while battling, it was who he had become; no one can't change that. If anyone, it should be the Roman's fault. Entering the fort, Adena smiles as she watches number's Seven and Eight running towards her.
"Ena! Ena!" They cried, smiling widely.
Both girls had Bors hair and eyes, but they were certainly their mother's daughters.
"Can we stay with you, please?"
Adena smiled at the two girls. "Sure, you can even help me at the market."
"Yay!"
Chuckling, Adena continued to walk towards her home to leave the basket of clothes and grab her money pouch. Conner stayed behind, wanting to just lie around as usual. Adena, number Seven and Eight had spent half the afternoon in the market as it was crowded. New shipment had arrived earlier that week and everyone was hurrying to buy what they needed before it ran out.
Adena pushed through the crowd, Vanora's children in front of her. Once they were out of the crowd and the edge of the market, Adena smiled at number's One, Two, and Four.
"Ena, what a surprise to see you here." Number Four says with a smile.
"I needed some things." Adena said quietly.
"Well, how about number Four, Seven, and Eight take your things back to your home? I heard the Roman's captured a wild horse couple of days ago." Number One say's excitedly.
"Yea, I heard they can't break him. That he's too wild." Number Two pitched in.
Adena's face lit up, but shook her head quickly. However, number Four took the clothed basket from her and handed it to number Seven.
"Go, Adena. We know how much you love horse, especially the wild ones." He said before ushering his younger sisters towards Adena's home.
Number One and Two then take hold of Adena's hands and begun to drag her towards the knight's stables.
"Wait, I thought the Roman's—" Adena started confused.
"Yes, but Arthur placed the horse into the Knight's stables so the Roman's wouldn't kill it." Number One informs her.
But before they can even enter the stables, yelling, screams, and crying could be heard from the market place. They turned around just in time to see men and women painted in blue paint, holding weapons.
"Shit! Number One, go warn the knight's, number Two go catch up to your brother and sister's. Go!" Adena yelled at them.
The children did what they were told and Adena ran inside the stables to hide and to warn anyone inside. Luckily it was empty. She was about to go hide when she was tackled to the ground. She elbowed the person and quickly stood up. The Woad man snarled at her, blood oozing down from his nose. He swung his sword at her, Adena ducking with a squeak.
The Woad kicked her to the floor and raised his sword. Adena was about to kick him when the Woad grunted in pain. She moved out of the way as he fell forward. Adena saw a dagger sticking from his back and quickly scrambled to a stand. She gave a small scream as someone grabbed her arms. They covered her mouth, Adena looking into the grey eyes of Lancelot, her screams dying quickly.
Taking his hand away, the womanizer started dragging her to one of the empty stalls. Lancelot suddenly pushed her to the wall, leaning his body against hers. Adena blushed furiously, wondering what the man was doing. Then a dozen or so Woad's entered the stables. Lancelot slowly moved away from the young woman—who almost whimpered at the loss—and silently crept behind the Woad's.
Adena watched the womanizer and Woad's fight, fascinated of how the knight moved; almost like a dance. Then she saw a Woad holding a bow and arrow coming up behind Lancelot, who was busy fighting the other Woad's. Not knowing what to do, Adena ran to the Woad and tackled him to the ground. The arrow flew past Lancelot and hit the leg of one of his companions.
Adena was punched off the Woad she tackled and quickly stood, ignoring the pain at the corner of her left eye. The Woad started to throw punches at Adena, who dodged them as fast as she could. Suddenly, the Woad brought out a dagger from out of nowhere and started to swing at the young woman too. He had cut her several places, but nothing too deep. Finally, Adena saw an opening. She punched the Woad in the stomach, than did an upper-cut, sending the Woad to the floor.
Adena was breathing heavily, her heart racing quickly from fear. When a hand fell on her shoulder, Adena quickly turned, throwing a punch at the person. She gasped quietly as Lancelot caught her wrist. She sighed in relief at the sight of the knight, glad to see him safe.
"Where did you learn to fight like that?" He asked confused and suspiciously.
Adena didn't know what to answer but was saved by a Woad trying to sneak up on them with a dagger. She saw him raising the dagger and pushed Lancelot aside as the Woad let the dagger go. It imbedded itself into her lower stomach. The knight also threw a dagger, killing the Woad instantly, and turned to the young woman with fear and anger. Adena felt herself falling to her knees, but Lancelot caught her, his eyes wide with confusion. She was gasping in pain, her bloody hands near the dagger, shaking both in pain and fear.
"Stupid woman, what were you thinking?" Lancelot said angrily, holding her tightly.
Suddenly, Aden'a s world went black, Lancelot's eyes widening. Cursing in his language, he picked her up and rain into the main fort to look for either Dagonet or a healer. He yelled to Jols, the knight's loyal stable master, to go tie up the unconscious Woad in the stables.
Finally, Lancelot found Luke—the oldest healer at the fort—and handed the woman over and waited outside the healing room. Fifteen minutes passed when the rest of the knight's came running down the hall with five of Bors' bastards.
"Lancelot, are you hurt?" Galahad asked surprised.
"No, it is Adena's blood." He answered, not realizing he had blood on him.
"What?" Both Bors and Dagonet yelled in concern.
"What the hell happened?" Dagonet asked.
"How'd she get hurt?" Bors asked next.
"Why didn't you protect her?" They both cried angrily.
"She was the one who pushed me away!" Lancelot said angrily, annoyed that they were scolding him as though he were a child.
"Stop this now!" Number One cried, tears in her eyes.
"What is done is done; no use of fighting." Number Four said.
Before anyone could say anything, the door opened, Luke coming out. He was wiping blood off his hands on to a bloody rag.
"She has lost a lot of blood and will not wake until morning or perhaps later in the day." He informed them, surprise to see the other knights and Arthur.
"Will she live Luke?" Arthur asked concern.
"Aye, the wound was not fatal. She just lost a lot of blood, tis all."
"Thank you Luke." Dagonet said before entering the room.
Bors and his children went in seconds afterwards; the other knight's leaving to their rooms.
—Middle of the Night—
A dark figure quickly walked within the shadows, coming to a halt in front of a single door. They opened the door quietly and quickly, before slipping in. Dagonet was asleep at the corner, snoring a bit loudly, his legs on top of the table. The figure walked quietly over to the bed that held the still unconscious Adena, moving to the right side, away from the light of the fire place.
They sat down, placing a cold hand to Adena's warm cheek. They moved some hairs from her face, the person shaking their head in disappointment and worry. Conner was lying next to Adena, his head on her lap. He didn't even look up or move when the person came in, so used to this person sneaking about.
"Return to me, little one; do not leave me." A male's voice whispered in the darkness.
Dagonet stirred in his sleep, slowly opening his eyes. He looked about the room to see no one and closed his eyes once more to continue sleeping. The figure walked out from the dark corner and quickly walked out of the room with no more incidents from the giant knight.
Adena sighed in her sleep, turning her head to the left. She mouthed a name, a name she did not know within her mind but from within her heart. It was just a shame that she wouldn't know of this once she wakes. However long that will take.
—Morning, two days later—
Adena blinks open her eyes, looking about the odd room she knew not to be hers. With a groan, she sits up on her forearms, looking around the quiet room to see that she was alone. That is until Conner started barking and jumped on to the bed, wagging his tail. The door suddenly opens, Arthur stopping in surprise at the sight before him. He suddenly smiled, walking in fully, closing the door behind him.
"It is good to see you are awake after two days, my lady."
Adena frowned, sitting up and leaning back against the headboard, Conner lying at her feet. She turned her confused look to the half-Roman, who placed a tray with a plate of bread, cheese, and grapes. The young woman started to eat slowly, wondering what has happened to her home while she was unconscious for two days.
"Do not worry of your home, my lady. Vanora and her oldest daughters have been taking care of it." Arthur said as though reading Adena's mind. "Conner has not left your side since the Woad's attacked, but has been eating the little food Dagonet or Vanora brings when visiting."
Adena looked up at Arthur and nodded, looking back down at the plate. Despite that things were well Adena couldn't help but feel as though there was something missing. And what it was that was missing, the young woman didn't know and hated not knowing.
"Lancelot has also not been himself," Adena raises an eyebrow at Arthur, who hides his smile. "Blaming himself for what happened to you."
Adena shook her head, picking her food once more.
Arthur regarded the young woman, always wanting to know what it was that she was thinking. Yes, she sometimes spoke, but it was always very little; almost like his scout except he spoke more than the woman. When he first saw her with fear in her eyes, there was something in her bright green eyes that captured Arthur; an almost haunted, sadness look. He couldn't explain it, but something told him to keep a close eye on her; and not because she was a stranger.
However she was no longer a stranger once Gareth and Galahad had somehow gotten her name from her; something that took nearly three to four months. She had started to open up, but very little. Even now anyone hardly knew who she was, but many have assured him that this woman was no threat to anyone. And Arthur had somehow already known that.
Sighing quietly, he looked back to the woman to see her finishing up her breakfast. He watched her closely, taking in her appearance. Her once dark brown hair was now lighter for she was always out in the sun, falling now down to her waist as it used to be just below her shoulders. Her skin was still tan, and she was skinner than when he first met her.
Adena used to do things differently and very odd from the way people used to do things. For example, she used to wear breeches, turning heads wherever she went. However the look suited her well, for some odd reason–as though she had lived her life wearing nothing but breeches. But she soon started to wear dresses, and the knight's have wondered why while others were glad things were coming to normal once again.
Arthur stood from the chair he was sitting and took the plate from the woman, who nodded her head in thanks. He smiled down at her, sensing nothing but kindness and hidden strength from the woman. He remembered his best friend telling him of the way she fought; an odd way, but very good all the while. Perhaps she is not as helpless as everyone thought her to be.
"Rest some more, Adena; I will tell Luke you are awake so he may come and check up on you."
With a smile, he walked away, Adena lying back down to rest a bit. Something told her that from this day on nothing will ever be the same. For something dark and dangerous was fast approaching.
A/N: Sorry for taking so long, my computer got a virus and a friend was trying to work on it. Now I'm back and can update! Please review and let me know what you think!