Karma drove the moped until it began to sputter. She let it coast to a stop and began to look around at the countryside surrounding her. The piece of crap had managed to get her out into the middle of nowhere and trees surrounded the road on both sides. Good. It had served its purpose. She swung her long leg over the side of the bike and let it fall over onto its side. She didn't even try to stop it. The engine had been overheating for the last half hour anyhow, and she figured that even if she hadn't run out of gas it still wouldn't have continued on for much longer. Karma took one more look at the road which seemed deserted on both sides and began to walk into the trees.

She felt like she'd walked for a long time, but she kept going. The only sound in the trees were birds singing and she gave a short laugh as she thought how ironic it was that the last sounds she would hear on this earth were the sounds of happy birdsong. There was a thick mist surrounding her and she thought that was odd considering it was midday and the sun should have burned the mist away. Finally she decided she'd gone far enough and she took a seat on the ground at the base of a tree. Karma looked at the scene before her and slowly nodded. Even if she messed this up no one would find her in time. She reached her hand into the inner pocket of her black leather biker jacket and palmed the smooth, cold metal of the pistol. Pulling it out she stared at it for several moments. The silver shone dully, and the black of the handle was rough on her palm. Karma flipped open the cylinder of the revolver and made sure all six bullets were in; then she flipped it closed.

Was this the right thing to do? She didn't know anymore. All she knew was that she was alone, and she couldn't handle the pain any longer. She couldn't handle dealing with all she'd had pushed onto her. She couldn't deal with the slicing agony of more and more falling on her until she felt swallowed by the misery. Tears streaked down her weary face as she lifted the gun to the soft of her throat right beneath her jaw. The birds were now silenced, and the only sound was her quiet weeping and the soft click as she pulled the trigger.

&

Arthur walked with the two knights who had journeyed long and far to come to Camelot. Sir Haven and Sir Creed seemed to be fine men. They were definitely strong warriors. Haven was tall and muscular with flashing gray eyes. Laughter seemed to come easily to the man and he had an easy way about him that Arthur felt would come in handy when diplomacy was needed. Creed, the second man, was shorter and even more muscled than Haven. He had black hair that fell to his shoulders, a black goatee, and dark blue eyes. Something haunted rode the man, and it didn't take long for Arthur to find out that the man's wife had been murdered by Saxons. He'd taken his son and left his homelands to forget. Arthur had given both men his approval to make his lands their new home.

The men made their way to the group of children who were seated in a circle while a dark haired woman spoke to them. A younger woman who looked very similar to the first approached the men; it was easy to see the familial features between the two. "Hey Arthur!" the girl smiled with dimples in her rosy cheeks.

Her phrasing surprised the men and Arthur chuckled to see the look on his new knights faces. "Good day Bri. May I introduce you to two of our newest men? Sir Haven and Sir Creed. Good knights, this is the Lady Brianna."

She snorted and waved him off. "You can call me Bri. It's a real pleasure to meet you both."

"But…" Haven tried. "She did not address your highness properly." He finished in a whisper.

Arthur laughed outright. "We do not necessarily stand on formality here gentlemen. And the place where Bri comes from…it is not exactly formal either."

Creed raised on eyebrow. "Indeed?"

"As you'll be making your homes here, perhaps we can share this tale with you after we sup this evening?" Arthur offered. "However, I wish you to keep in mind it is an extraordinary tale."

"Father!" A small boy of perhaps eight had stood and run over to Sir Creed. "Father, Lady Kass is going to teach us how to read and write! Oh please Father, say I can learn?"

Creed's head shot up to look at Arthur. At Arthur's small nod, Creed turned his eyes back to the boy who was almost a miniature version of the knight. "Of course." he murmured.

"Come on Gideon, it's story time." Bri told the boy and they returned to the group.

"I am definitely interested in learning this extraordinary tale." Creed told his new king as he watched his son sit back down.

Arthur smiled. "For now perhaps you'd like to join us on a patrol? There is a certain part of the woods we take more time on than others."

&

Nothing had happened. Her eyes flew open at the realization. She'd pulled the trigger and nothing happened. Karma took a deep breath and pulled it again. And again. And again. Nothing, just the faint clicking sound to prove she had indeed pulled the trigger. A sob ripped from her throat shaking her body with its torture. "No, no, no, no, no…" she cried.

She pointed the gun to the tree a distance away and pulled the trigger, and again nothing happened. "Why?" She screamed. "Please?" The words squeezed from her mouth savagely, but she got no answer. Now great, racking sobs hit her and again she tried to pull the trigger at the base of her jaw. Her suffering was so great she didn't notice the approach of the men on horses.

Bors, Arthur, Haven, and Creed and watched as the woman placed something metal beneath her chin. Her cries told them she was tormented by dark demons, but they knew not what the metal was she held. It was Arthur who dismounted and strode to the girl. The metal had dropped from her hand, but it was as if she didn't even realize it. "My lady?" he spoke gently with his hands in front of him as he crouched near her.

Karma looked at the strangely dressed man. "Why?' she questioned. "Please, why won't it work…I need it to work."

Arthur looked at the girl in front of him. She would be a tall girl if she was standing, and had an abundance of long brown hair. Her skin was a deep honeyed hue, and large brown eyes stared at him as tears dripped down her lovely face and over her full, grimacing lips. "I do not know of what you speak, but perhaps you should accompany us to the village. We can help you there?"

"I just want to die." she told him in a little voice.

Arthur then realized that whatever the strange metal contraption was that she'd held was the girl had obviously meant for it to end her existence. "My lady, death is not something we can reverse once he takes us into his cold arms. Do not ask for it any earlier than it will naturally come for you."

Karma looked at the man once more and then at the three men still sitting horseback. Something was wrong here and she didn't understand what it was. These men carried weapons on them, but not modern weapons. "Take me to your village." she finally acquiesced.