Standard Disclaimer: KA and the legends are soooo not mine. The craziness of the characters is the only thing I own. Bad Language, Violence and Possible Sexual Scenes Warning. Don't like it, don't read.
Chapter 5! I hope y'all weren't too mad about the little cliff hanger. I thought it sounded good and so did my wonderful beta Tracy137. HI TRACY! waves enthusiastically at screen Oi… I'm such a dork. So this is chapter 5.
Take ME Away
Fuckin' shit, I'm really gonna die…
I thought as I lay there numb. I couldn't call to anyone and the only closest person was Hamish and he's mourning his tavern; I couldn't defend myself because my good arm is outta commission besides what was I gonna do? Throw my shoe at him?
That's exactly what I did! Crab-walking away, I managed to pull off my right shoe and desperately threw it at his groin. I was aiming for his head, but it worked.
The big man dropped his sword in order to clutch his afflicted "regions" while I made my move and pulled myself off the ground, after grabbing my shoe and thrusting it unto my foot, into a mad dash out of the village gates.
Pain shot through my exhausted body, weakening me with every step I took. I shouldn't have beat my punching bag to oblivion, I shouldn't have tried to run after beating my bag to oblivion, I should never scold myself when trying to escape the rabid weapon strikes of people trying to kill me! Another Woad threw her axe at me and caught the hood of my sweater pinning me to a random wood pole. Firstly, who in their right mind sticks a pole randomly in the middle of a village! And secondly… "HELP!" I screamed as the Woad woman came closer, a dagger drawn grinning maliciously. "Somebody! Help Me!" I frantically tried to pull the axe from my hood with my uninjured hand, but it was no use. Hanging on to my left arm I squeezed my eyes shut waiting for the woman to slit my throat, but the strike never came instead I heard a sound different than the raging fires and screaming people. The would-be throat-slitter exhaled loudly and then I didn't hear her any longer. Cautiously I cracked my eyelids open to see the retreating backs of the living Woads from the burning village.
At first the shock of being left alone wore off and the pain in my body finally threw me into unconsciousness that my body slumped against the wooden pole.
I blinked to find the bright blue sky staring at me. "Am I dead?" I asked randomly to no one in particular. Wiggling my fingers on my right hand and then my left, the pain came back shooting through me. Pain… pain is good, means I'm living for now. Stiffly I sat up, and surveyed my surroundings. I was on the ground just outside the village with a thin worn blanket covering me, my hoodie was rolled into a makeshift pillow and there were bandages around my neck, arm and forehead.
Around me were the other injured people, while at least 20 yards away were the dead wrapped in dirty salvaged linen. Not many survived. Gawd I felt ill and hungry all at once… weird.
"Lady, you should not be up." Sir Gawain smiled down at me blocking my view of the dead, "How do you fare?"
"Is it strange to be ill and hungry at the same time after the rest of the world seems to have died?" I asked tentatively holding onto my afflicted arm. He chuckled good-naturedly and handed me a canteen of water that I gratefully drained.
"Whoa, whoa, slow down little one, you only just woke. We would not want for something to happen to you especially since Darren put so much work into seeing that you were healed."
"Huh?" What'd he mean putting work into my healing? "Why'd he do that?" I asked the long haired knight, but before he could answer me pain shot through my middle and then my back and arms.
"Ah!" I struggled violently against the blows, at a disadvantage being that I was on the ground. Then as instantly as the assault began, it was gone; I raised my eyes to see Charity half-restrained half-rubbing against Darren. Anger boiling in my veins, she's got some balls to be kicking an injured person. Especially if that injured person is me!
No longer concerned about my well being, I lifted myself quickly off the ground, adrenaline pumping through me. "C'mon bitch." I said with my fists raised, a death glare in my eyes. Charity stared at me, pure and unadulterated hate flaring there. Good, she started it I am gonna finish it; no one stops us until one of us is dead.
(A/N: The italics is supposed to be in English… okay back to the story)
"You're the bitch, Vicky. I can't believe what you did." She spat out vehemently in English as we circled each other.
"Lady Ria, you only just woke. And Lady Charity, you just said that you felt a chill. Please calm down." Darren tried to come between us, but we yelled at him to stay out of it.
"All this because I decided to leave and not bring you with me? Fuck that." I stood ready to fight, the adrenaline pumped through me and the pain in my body completely forgotten. "Let's go bitch, we end it now."
"You left me?" Charity screeched in surprise. Okay I guess it wasn't 'cause I left. Then what the hell is this fight about? "How dare you!"
Crossing my arms over my chest my brow rose. "You didn't notice… oh no of course you didn't, probably too busy with fucking every gawd damned man in sight. This fight is pointless, I'm going." I started to walk away, the adrenaline rush subsiding.
"I'm not done with you!" She screamed and ran into me knocking me to the ground. Then Charity pulled my hair and roughly scratched my face opening the barely healed scratches from the night before. I brought my right fist to her 'perfect' nose, her blood dripped down her chin. She stumbled back into Gawain's arms and screamed running at me again. This time I was ready.
Picking herself from the ground she grabbed a fallen tree limb and swung it at me hitting my left arm. I cried out, my anger turned to rage and side stepped another swing.
"Fuckin' WHORE!" I punched my fists into her chest and made a spinning back kick to her jaw. She was down again, for now. Her lip bloody and a bruise started to form. A foreign sadistic pleasure crept through me, "Get up." She didn't move, I repeated the command and shakily she tried but couldn't.
"Lady that is enough," Darren rushed forward to help her.
Furiously I crouched down and grabbed a handful of hair to look me in the face. "I will go home and I don't give a flying fuck what happens to you when the time comes. Now, you will tell me why the fuckin' hell you attacked me last night and today or else not even the gods themselves will be able to protect you."
"You put rotten eggs and honey in my piggy bag making it all sticky, you horrible fucking cunt!" She spat at me. That was it? She assaults me because of a stupid bag? I released her hair, stunned over what she said.
"That was it? You did all that over your fucking pig backpack! I never thought anybody could be so fucking materialistic and petty. I'm gone." I stated in Latin so everyone would know Charity's personality. "There are more important things in life than what money can buy Charity." I walked off as Darren and Gawain rushed to attend Charity's new wounds. I could hear her coo and twitter about how mean I was, all I could do was sigh.
Sitting on a boulder that once supported the village gate, I stare blankly at the remains of the charred village, it seems as though nothing was left untouched. As the adrenaline rush from earlier completely faded I felt the force of my injuries, including the new ones. Gingerly I touch the tender broken skin and wince; the slash in my arm is bleeding again, the same went for the cut in my neck and bruises on the rest of my body.
"You should have someone look at that, Lady." Arthur said beside me, I was zoning out so badly I hadn't noticed the knight commander.
"It's just a few scratches, I'll be fine." I replied smiling… oh, who was I kidding, everything hurt BADLY!
"Lady, I insist," He gently pressed a hand to my shoulder and I couldn't stop the cry of pain that escaped my lips. Arthur looked at me pointedly and I held up my hands in defeat.
"Awight, awight, I'm goin', sweet angry jeezus." I muttered as I went to look for Dagonet. I passed by the covered dead and wondered how many died, there were a great many and some smaller figures meant that there were kids that died last night too. I rubbed the tears forming in my eyes, I may not have lived in this village very long, but I still knew these people.
"Lady, would you allow me to attend you?" I turned to the voice to see another knight, dark straight hair, light brown eyes, about 5'9"… what was his name? "Lamorak, milady."
"Wha—?"
"I am Lamorak, lady. You looked as though you did not know my name," he said with a characteristic bad boy smirk.
"Uh-huh… are you expecting me to say something like 'help me, help me, I am but a woman in need of saving and protection'?" I asked. His grin grew wider, "Ugh, you disgust me."
He grew a little irritable, but pushed on insisting to treat my arm.
"Rrriiigghhhttt, isn't there someone else? Y'know more in desperate need than me, I mean it's just a couple of scratches," I really wanted him to go away. I needed to think and having this guy's thick as molasses charming presence wasn't doing anything to help my bad mood.
"All have been attended to; you were too until the bout with Lady Charity."
"Maybe later, eh?"
"Lady, once all the injured have been attended and the village repaired we knights must take our leave." He told me seriously. I felt my lips press into a thin line and finally agreed. Problem was that I needed to remove my shirt because the gash on my arm started from the back of my shoulder to the inside of my elbow.
"Naw… not gonna happen, I would rather let this fester and rot before removing my shirt for you." I tried to cross my arms, but the movement caused some serious pain. So instead I glared at him my best death stare. Lamorak, like basically all the knights, had the reputation of being a serious 'bed warmer' of the barmaids and any other women single or not.
"Which would probably happen if you do not let someone attend to it Lady," Dagonet's gentle voice stated behind me nearly causing me to jump.
Turning my upper body the best I could without moving my inflicted neck, I faced Dagonet, well Dagonet's stomach. Stupid boulder. "So be it."
"Would you feel comfortable if I should nurse your wound, my lady?" Dagonet asked tentatively, I think he expects me to explode or something. LOL. Well I guess there is some validity in that idea.
"Depends, are you gonna try to touch me inappropriately?" I asked him inwardly hiding my grin, which I may add is no easy task. The knight looks at me incredulously and I raised a brow before he replied that he would never do that to a woman. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. I trust you enough, so will you please make the ow go away?"
Dagonet was unnaturally careful with my wounds and had me in a sling to prevent any kind of aggravation. I had to down some kind of medicine before being allowed to wander the remains of the village. We lost many people, Stephan, his father and mother, the village baker, Geraint (a boy who professed his love to Charity and was left hanging, literally), Arianna and two other girls I didn't know, the man who sold shotty pottery, even the old hermit who taught me Latin, and so many others lay under dirty linens waiting to be buried.
"Ria!" I turned to see Milo and Darrus running/limping towards me. I was so relieved to see them; a large smile broke on my face and tears spilled from my eyes. "Hey, hey now. What's this, don't cry Ria."
"I'm not crying, I-I think something just got in my eye okay." I wiped away the tears to hug them tightly with my one good arm. Thank God, they are okay. Darrus had a large cut under his right eye and his forehead was bandaged like mine. Milo was leaning heavily on a makeshift crutch and had his right forearm wrapped and heavily bandaged.
"If you say so, Ria." Darrus said placed his arm around my shoulders comfortably while Milo tried to get his arm around my waist. "Have you seen Lenora yet?"
"No, why? Something wrong?"
The two shared a look. "So you really don't know?"
"Know what? Why're you two being so cryptic?" I pulled away from them and placed my good hand on my hip trying to be intimidating.
The boys led me through the burnt remains of the village gate to where the tavern once stood. Sitting pitifully in front of the charred ruins was Lenora, blankly staring ahead into space. In her hands she held Hamish's rusted dagger. Immediately I knew what happened, Hamish was dead, the tavern was gone and Lenora has lost everything. I knelt down to the dazed woman and wrapped my good arm around her comfortingly, but she did not do anything. Lenora didn't even seem to register that my presence. Confused, I waved a hand in front of her face and called her name, but still nothing. I even lifted her hand only to have it fall back into her lap; this was seriously not good, Lenora was lost to us forever.
"It must be the shock, Lady Ria," Gareth seemed to suddenly appear next to me. "She will be fine in time."
"How do you know?" I demanded harshly, he nervously replied that he didn't and that as far as he knew this type of thing always happened to loss victims, "God Gareth, she's fucking catatonic! And you lot are gonna just up and leave? Just like I thought, chivalry, honor and all that is just bullshit you knights cook up to lure women into your beds to satisfy your cocks. You're all fucked up assholes!" I got up and stormed off to be alone ignoring the questioning stares that seemed to follow me where ever I went.
Two weeks passed quickly, during that time a good portion of the village saw many repairs. My arm healed enough for me to help around, but none of the serious work. I was told to leave it to the men, needless to say that some light "accidents" occurred. Nothing too serious, just enough to have the healers mended smashed thumbs and animal bites for the duration of time.
Anyway, there was a massive funeral for the dead. Several pyres were created for families and the like; it was beautifully sad. The mourners wailed and sang loudly, but I couldn't understand their words.
As for Lenora, I was right, the emotional trauma and perhaps some physical trauma left her catatonic and no one knew what to do. Not even me, and I wanted to become a doctor after I earned my degree. Unfortunately, at the end of the two weeks, she completely wasted away from internal injuries and inadequate food. We had a funeral for her as well and I had tears.
The knights were going to leave the next day, they had stayed longer than they needed to, but I think that the villagers were grateful. The village itself was somewhat livable again, but I have no intention of staying. I still don't know where I'll go, but anywhere from here is my best bet.
Being that this was the last night of the knights stay, a small sort of celebration was held. The village still had food and drink, just less mouths to feed. I sat on the boulder on the outskirts of the village gate watching the attempts of merry-making. After my last experience at running away, I decided against leaving at night, so I planned to stay until after the knights left at least then I'll know if I'm going in circles.
Footsteps on dirt, leaves and debris drew me from my reverie to see Lancelot, Arthur's second-in-command.
"Good evening lady." He grinned, Lancelot seemed a bit tipsy and since he had never spoken or even looked my way, it was unnerving now.
I pointed back to the village where Charity was flirting. "Do you need directions? Your bedwarmer is that way." I stated in English, not knowing how to say it in Latin. Lancelot regarded me for a moment and continued toward me, my blank expression quickly turned into one of distaste. "Go away, please."
Well at least this time he understood me. "Lady, I only wished to inquire why you do not join the festivities."
"I don't know… could it be that not but two days ago, we gave another to the grim reaper's funeral pyre? Or the fact, that two weeks ago, more than half of the village was slain by Woads? I can't enjoy myself knowing that they could have too." I retorted through clenched teeth. The knight seemed to sober a bit as he turned my words in his head.
"We cannot change what has happened. Yes, they have died, when they should not have. But, why should that stop you from living?"
"Maybe because I am living where I don't belong. All I want is to go home and live the life I've known since birth, not someplace I've been thrust into for reasons I don't know." I wanted to slap myself. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID! I talk too much, I should've just told him to leave me the fuckin' hell alone. "You going to leave me alone yet?"
"One more question lady and then I will take my leave."
"Shoot." I nodded, taking some pleasure that he was confused.
"Will you be here on the morrow when we leave?"
"Only if I don't get locked in another broom closet," I replied off-handedly, "That means no promises."
"Well then, good night Lady. I leave you to your solitude."
I waved him off as he seemed to saunter/stagger back to the village.
Slowly the merriment died down and I was still watching on that hard boulder with my thoughts for company.
I sat there enjoying my seclusion after Lancelot left. The thoughts going through my head were following the sway of his hips when he walked off. Those leather pants he wore completely suited him; I mean some guys could wear leather pants and look absolutely ridiculous. But when he shakes in those pants of his, it was like 'OH MY SEX GAWD!'
I believe the term was liquid sex in leather pants. Then again, many of the other knights were incredibly handsome as well, was there some kind of qualification or something? I bet that they are all like 'You can't be a knight unless you're a hottie...' well maybe not in so many words. But then again, I do remember one of them mentioning something about being ripped from their home, again not in so many words. I remembered what Dr. Henderson had said about how Rome was on the whole 'conquer or kill' path during these times and that they did enlist people to fight for them.
I guess it was then I realized how human these men were. Well, I mean yeah they were human beings, but I noticed how everyone seemed to make them into gods or something other than human.
Then again it could just be me that sees how idolized the knights were, and it's true what they say, "It's lonely at the top."
"That boulder is not so above the world, Lady." I looked up to see Tristan in front of me.
"Oh... um hi?" I nervously picked at the sling that held my left arm.
"If you feel that you are so high, then perhaps you should come down." It took me a moment to register what he was talking about and then it hit me, I had said that last part out loud! Gaad, I'm such an idiot!
"I-I wasn't expect… I didn't think anybody was here." I try to regain composure. But like tact, I have very little of it. He held out his hand to help me down, not that I really needed it anyway. Okay maybe I did… a little, my left arm is constricted to my body by the stupid sling.
"Do you plan on running again?"
I just stared at him, what right did he have to govern my actions? It's not like he's my boyfriend, or anything, besides he'd probably be a bad boyfriend… wait why am I thinking boyfriend? Great now Garbage's song Bad Boyfriend will be stuck in my head. In my head I could just picture the music video starring me and the knight next to me. It was a raunchy and stupid thought, but all the more amusing because he was so… so… serious!
(Bad Boyfriend by Garbage)
I've got a fever
Come check it and see
There's something burning and rolling in me
We may not last but we'll have fun till it ends
C'mon baby be my bad boyfriend
I wanna hear you call out my name
I wanna see you burn up in flames
Keep you on ice so I can show all my friends
C'mon baby be my bad boyfriend
So ripe so sweet come suck it and see
But watch out Daddy I sting like a bee
I know some tricks I swear will give you the bends
C'mon baby be my bad boyfriend
My fever's rising you ran into luck
Say what sugar
You wanna get what?
I'm wanna give you one hundred and ten
C'mon baby be my bad boyfriend
It's wild the way you tease me
It's wild the way you free me
It's wild the way you reach me
Wrapped me up in your wire from the start
You've got the women waiting in line
I'm not asking you to make up your mind
But I can make you happy at least now and then
I've got something special for my bad boyfriend
If you can't love me honey go on just pretend
I've saved something special for the very end
If you can't love me honey go on just pretend
C'mon baby be my bad boyfriend…
Ack! Now that image is in my head! It is beyond disturbing.
Besides, the idea of Tristan dancing and grinding with some punk-rock chick was awkward and hilarious, I found myself giggling incessantly. Tristan looked at me curiously and cocked his head to the side. He reminded me of a bird… I hate birds. When I was eight, my best friend's parrot decided my ear was a good place to latch to, now I have a small moon-shaped scar on the cartilage of my ear. Anyways, I really hate birds.
"What amuses you so?"
"You, what else?" I replied in English, shivers of giddiness swept through my body, I really did enjoy messing with their heads. Does that make me sadistic? Probably, but then again they make themselves such easy targets. I didn't bother to repeat myself in Latin, instead I remained silent and staring at the inky sky.
Tristan took my silence as a cue to take his leave… silly men, always making assumptions. "I never said you could leave." I said to his back. He stopped.
"I never asked for your permission," He looked over his shoulder at me. The dim light of the fires from the village cast a warm glow on his face that made him look so sensual, so wild… if I was like Charity, I'm sure I would've jumped his bones by now.
"You didn't ask to sit with me either." I retorted with a grin on my face. "But I know a way you can make it up to me." He turned to face me; the glow of the firelight illuminated his back. "I don't wanna be here, but I can't leave without getting lost… take me away?"
As the words left my lips, Tristan's face was but a hairs breath from me, his eyes smoldering and his hard body pressed to my own against the boulder, "Do you know what you ask?"
A/N: Exhales loudly oy… that was a lot of work. Anyway thanks to all who read and especially to my wonderful reviewers.
Daydream1: I'm sorry. Really I am and I hope that this was a good chapter that you liked it enough. I had to because I didn't want the chapters to get so insanely long that it gets boring. At least that's how I feel. I know, isn't Gareth the awesome-est? And I hope that the reason why Charity attacked Ria makes her out to be petty and materialistic enough. Thanks for reviewing.
LANCELOTTRISTANBABY: Thank you. Tristan's reaction will probably be later, I'm not sure yet nor have I decided. But I promise to make it as interesting as possible.
Adena27: Well, Ria hasn't become resigned to the time period, she has adjusted but her resolve to go home is still strong. That was partially the reason for running, to find someone to send her home. And Charity loves a good lay, it's really how she is; she doesn't really have enough respect for herself to appreciate the stuff outside of sex. This is also why she doesn't seem to blame Ria like she normally would because she's preoccupied with men. Oh and "Gaad" is just one of the ways I pronounce and stretch out God whenever I get frustrated. Either gawd or gaad. Thank you so much!
Evenstar-mor2004: I swear and curse a lot, it's sadly part of my vocabulary and sometimes pounding the keyboard typing those words is the only way to relieve stress. Yes, Charity is a ho, a very big ho. And I hope the sticky piggy question was answered well enough. I didn't think anybody would notice it. Also the Tristan question will be answered… eventually. Thanks for the review!
KnightMaiden: Are you sure? I hope you liked this chapter.
Shevaun: Sorry, but it's summer and my brain is melting so I had no choice but to do something about it.
The Wild Woman: I hope this was a good enough update. I really like your story too. Thanks