Caeli's POV

Night had fallen here at the outpost, and everyone was in a slightly better mood, except Dwyn, Bors, and Arthur (who none of us had seen since after Dagonet's funeral). We all sat at the tavern where Bors' – lover, I suppose would be the best way to describe Venora, worked.

Bors sat at the bar, Venora near him with a baby in her arms. He had finally stopped drinking. Dwyn sat at a small table near the bar, a half drunken cup of mead before her. Galahad, Gawain, and Lancelot all sat at a table near the edge of the tavern area. Tristan and I sat at a table near Dwyn's, his arms wrapped around me and my head resting on his shoulder.

"So." Tristan asked. "Where are we going after all of this?"

"We?" I asked hopefully, looking up at him.

Tristan nodded, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Well." I said, smiling as well. "Before this happened, I had planned to follow Dwyn. She's the only family I have."

"You still can." Tristan said, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. "I'll follow you."

"You don't wish to return to your home?"

"I have no reason to."

My smile grew brighter as I laid my head on Tristan's shoulder again. He pulled me close and kissed the top of my head.

Shot moments passed before we heard ominous drumbeats. We all jumped to our feet and raced to the wall with Jols on our heels.

I stood next to Dwyn with Tristan on my other side. My eyes went wide and I heard Dwyn take in a quick breath. Before the wall were the Saxons, thousands. Their campfires spread as far as the eye could see in the dark night.

"Saxons." Galahad stated.

"Jols, get Arthur." Lancelot said from somewhere near the end of our line.

Bors sat down to wait, looking worried, Lancelot stood with his arms crossed near the stairs, Galahad and Gawain remained looking out at the Saxons, Dwyn began to pace, and I took Tristan's hand as we all waited for Arthur.

Moment later, he came running up the stairs, we all looked up and Dwyn stopped her pacing. We all awaited Arthur's words.

Dwyn's POV

Arthur turned and somehow managed to seem like he was looking each and every one of us in the eye.

"Knights. My journey with you must end here."

He met my eyes and I stared back, I knew he wasn't leaving for Rome, that wasn't what he meant…he was staying.

My heart bubbled over and I could almost feel my eyes light up.

Arthur turned to go down the steps, and I started to go after him, but Lancelot swooped past me first. I decided to let him go, I'd somehow managed to drive a wedge between them, and they needed to talk more than Arthur and I did.

I walked over to where Caeli stood with Tristan.

"What are you going to do?" I asked her.

"I'm following Tristan." She said, a little reluctantly, as though afraid I would not approve, as if I could keep her from going. I smiled at her reassuringly, trying to show I wasn't angry. "And you?" She asked me.

"I want to stay and fight with Arthur-"

"He'll never allow it." Tristan said, the first words he'd ever spoken to me.

I looked down, knowing her was most likely right.

"He'll make you leave with us." Caeli said.

I looked at her, but didn't say anything. We both knew I would never back down that easily.

Later that night, I set out to find Arthur. The fort was huge, and especially during battle preparation, he could be anywhere. After ten minutes of asking and searching, I finally found him in the weapons room. He sat with his chin on his hands, looking deep in thought.

I walked over to stand in front of him.

He looked up at me, and I could see pain in his eyes, though there was something there that hadn't been before. Peace, reason. He finally knew why he was doing what he was doing.

It seemed like forever that we stared at one another, until, finally, he reached up and took my hands in his. He leaned forward and put his head into my stomach, letting go of my hands and placing his on my hips.

I kneeled down slowly, his hands sliding up all the way to my shoulders. I placed my forehead on his, closing my eyes and letting out a breath.

"I want to stay with you and fight." I said, our foreheads still touching.

I heard him exhale, and caught that scent again, his scent. I knew I'd smelled it, though I still couldn't place it for my life.

"No, Dwyn." He said.

"But, Arthur, I-"

"I know you can take care of yourself, and you're an amazing fighter. You've beaten me, hands down…"

I smiled slightly, then put my arms around him. "I can't leave you."

"You can. And you will, I'll find you hen all this is over. I promise."

I sat there, I wasn't going to promise anything.

I already knew, even then, that I would be coming back, no matter if I had to ride 1,000 miles breakneck speed both ways.