Chapter 12

Arthur looked to the sky, the sun was starting to sink in the west, "I think it is time we get moving, we only have two maybe three hours of light left!"

Nailah nodded in agreement, she called to Badru to let the caravan know they would be setting out on their journey once more.

The knights mounted their steeds, Galahad stealing a passionate kiss from Nailah behind his mare, before pulling himself into the saddle.

They rode for another while before weeting the scouts, who lead the way to their camp at the base of a huge mountian. It was a wooded area, which turned out to be a good thing, for just after they set up camp, it began to rain.

"Does it never stop raining on this cursed island?" Badru complained as he joined Nailah in her tent, followed by Grigg.

Tristan couldn't resist easedropping on their conversation, even though they spoke in their native Egyptian. He could tell that the general and second in command where giving the young scout an earfull. He chuckled to himself as he quickly joined the rest of the knights under the canopy of a huge fir tree before he was caught lurking outside the tent.

"And what seems to be so amusing, Tristan?" Lancelot questioned, raising an eyebrow at the scout.

Tristan shook his head, "Nothing!" He replied, wiping the huge grin off of his face and replacing it with his usual scowl.

"Admiring his own handy work, I'd say!" Bors replied nodding in the direction of Nailah's tent as Grigg and Badru emerged.

Seeing the uneasy look on Griggs face as he walked away, brought the grin back to Tristans face.

"Huh," Bors grunted, "That's what I thought!"

"What? The boy was whining like a child, a real soldier would not act in such a way, no matter how boring, dangerous or stupid his assignment maybe!" Tristan retorted, "I can't help that I enjoy it when they get punished for stupidity!"

"Hows that stew coming Guinevere?" Arthur asked, changing the subject.

"Quite well, we should be eating very soon!" She replied.

"Mmm, smells good! I haven't had a good pot of stew since Vanora left Hadren's Wall!" Bors replied, licking his lips.

"Galahad, why don't you invite the General to join us?" Guinevere replied, "There's plenty to go around!"

"Yes, that is a wonderful idea!" Arthur replied.

Galahad nodded as he stood from the stump, pulled the hood of his cloak over his head and headed towards Nailah's tent. Clearing his throat as he approached the entrance, he called, "Nailah?"

"Come in Galahad!" She replied, "Good evening!" She smiled as he poked his head through the opening of the tent.

"Good evening milady!" He smiled back, "I was wondering if you would like to join us for dinner?"

"I would love to!" She replied, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him lightly, nipping at his bottom lip.

"I think we just might have to skip dinner and jump straight to desert!" Galahad replied with a hopeful grin as he tucked a strand of her jet black hair behind her ear.

"That does sound like an idea!" She grinned back, "But I am absolutely famished!"

"Well now, we can't have that, can we?" He grabbed her cloak off the ground, tossing it around her shoulders. Kissing her one last time, he pulled her hood up and lead her out into the light rain.

"Ah, General, it is so nice of you to join us!" Arthur smiled as the couple approached.

"Good evening knights, I thank you for the invitation!" She replied, sitting next to Galahad.

Guinevere scooped up bowlfuls of stew and handed them to the men.

"I hope the weather brightens up soon!" Bors replied, taking a mouthful of stew. "I hate rain!"

"Seems like it's always either raining or foggy on this damned island!" Lancelot replied.

"Now, it's not that bad!" Guinevere replied, handing a bowl to Nailah.

"Thank you!" Nailah replied, "I sort of like the rain. We do not get much rain in Egypt, but when we do, it's a welcomed blessing. The desert is very hot during the day and trees are very few, except for those close to the Nile!"

"Anywhere is better then this place!" Lancelot replied, "Sarmatia maybe cold, but there's less rain and no worries about damn Saxon's!"

"My land is not so terrible. Look around you at all of this beauty! I will miss it while we are in Rome!" Guinevere replied solomnly.

"Yes, as will I!" Nailah replied, "Maybe I wil come back to Briton one day."

"I don't plan on ever returning to this place!" Lancelot replied, "Fifteen years was long enough!"

"Aye, I agree!" Bors replied, just as Tristan rejoined the group, Saira perched on his shoulder.

"Good evening Tristan!" Nailah replied, "I wanted to let you know that I spoke with Grigg and he will no longer be a problem. He has been reassigned to civillian watch for the remainder of the journey!"

Tristan nodded and grunted a reply as he sat across the fire.

Galahad slipped an arm around Nailah's waist, pulling her closer to him as she gave a slight shiver. "Please, tell me of your homelands!" She replied, resting her head on Galahad's chest.

"Home? I do not remember much of home, but what I do remember is the oceans of grass, stretching from horizon to horizon! There was no fear, everyone lived free!" Lancelot replied, his eyes glazed over in thought.

"I remember fishing on the Vistula river with Gawain. How as boys we would play along the shores for hours!" Galahad replied, eyes fixed on the fire, "We had planned to build our homes on thos shores when we returned!"

Everyone was quiet for a moment, knowing how difficult it was for the young knight to talk about his fallen brother.

"Who is Gawain?" Nailah asked quietly.

Galahad swallowed hard and sighed deeply before answering, "My brother. He was a few years older then me, but he was my best friend!"

"Was?"

"He was killed in our last battle with the Saxon's. We where defending Hadren's Wall just hours after recieving our discharge papers from Rome." He replied, "He was a brave amn, a good man!"

"I'm sorry for your loss!" Nailah gripped his hand. He gave her a small sad smile.

"He would have liked you, you know!"