Caeli's POV

Dwyn and I entered the stables and found our horses in the last stalls. Ashen stuck his head out and I rubbed his nose.

"That ass must know great horses when he sees them." I said.

"Yes." Dwyn agreed as she went and got her horse's things and I followed suit, noting that Arthur was right, Dwyn was in no shape to ride. My muscles were sore, yes, but she could hardly saddle her horse. I knew she would never let me help her, and I was too wise to ask.

As we saddled our horses, I was surprised when Dwyn said, "You were blushing earlier…who is he?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I replied, knowing very well that I was blushing yet again. She raised an eyebrow at me. "Fine…his name is Tristan…he was talking to Arthur before he and you talked."

"See, that was not difficult, was it?" Dwyn was smirking.

I glared at her in response.

After we had saddled our horses and placed the saddlebags on their backs, we mounted them, Dwyn with some trouble, we rode out of the stables and toward the caravan.

When we reached that caravan, we dismounted and to my surprise, Gawain and another rather arrogant looking knight came walking up to Dwyn and I. The arrogant knight took Dwyn aside, leaving me alone with Gawain and feeling no comfort in the fact, for reasons I could not explain.

He gave me a small bow, which took me aback. I nodded to him in return.

"My lady, you can't be planning on riding." He said more of a statement than question.

"I am." I said simply.

"But surely you have not recovered?" He continued and searched my eyes for truth.

"I have." I was feeling more and more uncomfortable as he went on staring into my eyes.

He was silent for a moment, and then asked, "What is your name?"

"Caelia." I replied, unsure why I'd given him the formal version of my name, when naught but an hour ago, I'd simply replied 'Caeli' to Tristan.

"And you, sir?" I asked, though I knew the answer.

"Gawain." He said, smiling brightly.

After another uneasy silence of him just staring at me, Dwyn returned, looking a mixture of bewildered and perturbed. Gawain again bowed and left. 'God help me.' I thought uneasily.

Dwyn's POV

The black-haired man took my arm and led me away from the caravan, so that we were out of earshot, but not out of sight. He stopped and turned to face me, just staring like a maniac into my eyes. He just looked at me, for such a long time that I began to feel uncomfortable.

Finally, I got a little irritated, and cleared my throat. "Yes?"

He seemed to come out of a trance and smirked at me, as though he thought himself irresistible. "I wanted to introduce myself, Lady Dwynowyn. I am Lancelot, second in command, and your humble servant." He finally let go of my arm and bowed slightly.

Taking the chance, I hastily put my arms behind my back and took a step back toward the caravan.

Still a little agitated, I asked, "You had to drag me away from everyone else to say that?"

He stood straight again and sauntered toward me. "I also wanted to tell you that you are the most beautiful creature I've ever laid eyes on."

I was backing away from him with each word he said without even knowing it. "Thank you, Sir Lancelot…"

He began walking toward me again, and I felt utterly intruded upon as he reached out a hand and touched my cheek.

I flinched and turned my back on him, stumbling slightly. "We'd best get back…" I walked as quickly as I could back to where Maldwyn stood waiting. I let out a breath as he continued past me, eyeing me with each step.

I shivered beneath my cloak, though not from the cold. No man's gaze had ever made me feel so violated.

I looked over at Caeli, who had sortave the same look on her face as she watched the blonde knight's retreating figure.

She met my eyes. "What was that about? And who was he?"

"Lancelot. And I don't wish to talk about it. What about you? What is his name?" I nodded at the man's back.

"Gawain. And I don't wish to talk about that.

"All right then."

I mounted my horse again, wincing slightly, and prepared to leave.

Caeli's POV

I, too, mounted my horse and noted Dwyn's trouble in this task. The caravan then finally started moving and we followed, both happy to be away from Lancelot and Gawain.

In the early afternoon, Arthur came riding back and fell in line on Dwyn's right, I slowed Ashen's walk t let them talk. A few moments later, Gawain trotted up on my left and I could feel his eyes on me. I tried not to let it bother me to little avail.

"My Lady-" He started.

"Please don't call me that." I said, before I could stop myself.

"I pray you'll pardon me, Lady Caelia."

"Just Caeli, please." I said, a hint of annoyance in my voice.

"Very well."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him smiling brightly. 'Oh God.' I thought.

"What did you and the Queen do to get locked up like that?" He asked.

I told him what had happened in as few words as possible, and then asked, "What brought you and the others there?" More or less just to be nice.

"Marius' son is one of the pope's students, and we were sent to bring him to safety…" He then went on to tell me how this Roman bishop had given them this mission on the last day the knights were to serve Rome, after that, he talked about what he wanted to do once he was free again…marry.

Near the end of Gawain's ramblings, Tristan rode up on my other side with a hawk on his arm. I had never been so happy to see someone in my life! Just being near someone who was not talking about themselves was a relief!

Once Gawain had finally stopped talking, I asked, "Who are the other knights?"

"Well." He said smiling. "You've met Arthur, he's our leader. There, to your right is-"

"Tristan." I finished.

"Oh, you've met." He said, a little taken aback and downhearted at the same time.

I nodded, a smile faintly pulling at the edges of my mouth.

"And the dark haired one there." He pointed out Lancelot. "Is Arthur's second, Lancelot. That is Bors." He pointed to a rather large knight that was bald. "And I don't see Dagonet, and that's Galahad."

"So few…" I commented.

"We've been fighting here for 15 years." Gawain reminded me.

I nodded, happy for the silence that fell after he said this.

Dwyn's POV

Caeli backed Ashen up, leaving me alone with Arthur, my heart began to beat faster, despite my fatigue and weakness moments earlier, my every sense was now alert. I could even smell him as the wind blew into my face. The aroma was…unidentifiable, although it made me recall something I couldn't quite place…that scent, what was it?

"Howa re you holding up?" He asked, the care in his voice making me melt inside.

I smiled at him. "All right, I suppose. It feels good to relax and ride."

"I imagine so."

I looked over at him again, the awkward silence emanating between us like heat from a new fire.

Finally, I smiled at him, just a smile, but the first genuine one I'd smiled in…well, perhaps my whole life.

He looked at me, seeming deep in thought, then smiled back, making me heart skip a beat. This power he had over me, I'd never felt so…powerless. He had taken over me, even then, leaving me hanging on the next moment he would look at me or speak to me.

We rode on in silence, but he stayed by my side, though he was needed elsewhere, I was sure.

Around an hour later, I found I could hardly keep my eyes open. The short time I'd slept simply hadn't been enough, although my legs felt better from the renewed use.

I tried to lay my head down to rest my chin on my chest, but found that it didn't work well. Alas, it was my only choice. I fell asleep like that.

Arthur's POV

I looked over to see Dwyn asleep, her head on her chest. Uncomfortable, I knew, as I'd done it many a time. She needed the rest, and I didn't dare take her to the wagon for fear of her wrath when she woke up.

Not knowing what else to do, I brought my horse closer to her palomino, who kept moving of its own accord, a good steed. Finally, their sides nearly touching, I reached out and took her reigns, wrapping them around my saddle horn.

Carefully, I took her head and guided it to my shoulder, the top of her head flitting neatly into the crook of my neck. She smelled of roses, and I closed my eyes, then opened them and tenderly brushed a strand of her hair from her eyes, tucking it behind her ear.

Looking back up, I met my best friend, Lancelot's eyes; he was turned in his saddle, staring at me intently. He had never looked at me with such contempt. For a moment, his eyes flickered to Dwyn's sleeping face, and my face warmed immediately, my forehead growing hot and the vein in my left temple throbbing. Why was I so jealous? Dwyn was an…attractive woman, any man would want to look at her.

But I didn't want any other man to look at her.

Finally, he turned and galloped his horse to the front of the caravan, I relaxed inside, and rode on, Dwyn's gently breathing a peaceful feeling at my side, comforting me, warming me.

Caeli's POV

I watched as Arthur gently placed Dwyn's head on his shoulder as she slept. I smiled, knowing that she would be embarrassed when she awoke, embarrassed, yet happy.

As another hour passed, I too started to feel sleep overcoming me. Before I fell asleep (with my chin resting on my chest), I prayed I would not wake in the manner Dwyn was going to.

Third Person

Moments after Caeli had fallen asleep, Gawain pulled his horse to a stop and was about to dismount, when Tristan said, "Don't' more her."

"What?" Gawain asked, surprised that Tristan had said anything and that he had known what he was doing.

"Don't move her." Tristan repeated.

"Surely she will fall if I don't."

"She won't. Her balance is fine and her horse moves on its own. She'll be all right."

"Fine." Gawain said, annoyance slipping into his voice.

After that, they rode on in silence, each deep in thought.