(3 Years Later)

Gawain's P.O.V

We'd been on this godforsaken island for three years now and I resented it deeply. The weather was terrible and our lodgings weren't exactly the best either. We had lost five of our number already and made our first kills. They still weighed heavy on us, as the first kill is always the worst but as time went on it got easier to bear.

I was strolling towards the stables when I heard a high-pitched giggle. I halted at the corner of a building and peered round. I couldn't help chuckling as I saw my young cousin, Zala, running about on her chunky little legs trying to catch a butterfly that was hovering round her head. She was what kept us sane these days. I was certain of it. All the knights adored her and she always made us smile or laugh even in our darkest of moods.

The memory of Arthur saving her from a certain life of slavery was one that always made me grateful. He was a brilliant commander even though there was still some resentment because he's Roman and around the same age as ourselves. He treated us fairly and kindly though and we all got along great. If there was one thing that kept us together though, it would have to be Zala. She was like our little light we had to come back too after battle and the light that made us smile in the dark. She didn't even know how much she meant to us though she started to catch on.

I walked out from behind the corner and smiled broadly at her little high voice as it called my name.

"Gawain! Gawain! Come and play! Look at the little butterfly! I was playing with it but it's gone away now. I called her Lucia." She smiled at me and my fondness for her just kept on growing. I bent down and grabbed her, lifting her up and pinning her to my side as she wriggled and squealed. I spun round with her and she started laughing, making me chuckle as she tried desperately to free herself.

"OI! Get that child back to the kitchens or get her doing some work. She's not here to have fun!" I stopped spinning and Zala stopped laughing immediately. I gently lowered her to the ground but she clung to my hand as though she wouldn't let go again. The soldier marched forward and before I could pull Zala behind me his hand had shot out and grabbed her other wrist. She yelped and tried to clutch at me but the soldier pulled her and her hand let go of mine.

"Gawain don't let him take me! I don't want to go!" She was trembling which increased my fury and I marched forward pulling out my dagger.

"Let her go now! She serves my section and me, not you, so she can stay with me if she wants. Now put her down." The soldier spun round holding Zala under his arm and my anger grew as I saw small tears running down her face.

"The girl works for you so she should be doing work not running about. Put that away before I go and get…"

"What's going on?" I had never been so glad to hear Arthur's voice. My head turned as he came into view and as usual his keen mind assessed the situation immediately and a deep frown of anger covered his face.

"I would strongly advise you to put the girl down soldier and leave. She is not under your charge so you cannot say what she should do. Now let her go" He was glaring at the soldier now and I was shaking with anger. He looked hesitant but grunted and dropped her in a heap before stalking off. I immediately ran to her with Arthur right behind me and I gathered her in my arms. She cried a little on my shoulder and I hugged her tighter.

"Oh Zala, you just come to us if anyone does anything like that again do you hear." Zala nodded against my shoulder and I relaxed slightly. Just as she drew back from me a bugle blast sounded over the field and Arthur and I jumped to our feet. Zala gave a frightened jump and clutched my hand as the cry of "Woads!" rang through the air.

"Zala get down to the kitchens and stay there! I'll be back soon but you need to hide. GO!" I cried as Arthur drew his sword and dashed off, calling all our knights to arms. Zala trembled slightly and looked ready to protest but then I heard a battle cry and knew there was no time to argue. I had to go help in the fighting.

"Zala please just go! There's no time! GO!" I ran off then, yanking my hand from her grip and cursing myself for it but knowing it had to be done. I stumbled to a halt and saw with a shock that the woads were breaking through the door and into the fort. I immediately ran forward noticing Lancelot, Arthur, Tristan and Galahad already fighting. Bors and Dagonet weren't far behind me and as I slashed my sword into someone's throat I noticed all the rest of our group running into the fray.

I had been fighting for what seemed like an age when I heard the sound that made my heart leap to my throat in fear. I whirled round only to cry out in shock. Zala was struggling furiously to get away from two tall, hideous woads. One of them held a dagger and the other was trying to hold her down. She screamed again and I didn't think twice. I leapt forward with a battle cry and charged at the two and out the corner of my eye I noticed Lancelot turning to see what I was doing, a look of shock and anger on his face.

"Get your filthy hands off my cousin!" I shouted before ramming my shoulder into the one with the dagger. We fell in a heap, swords and daggers forgotten in the struggle as I fought to punch every bit of body I could reach. I heard a scuffling behind me and as I twisted, I saw Lancelot had rushed over and pulled the other woad off Zala before he could harm her. I twisted again and found myself pinned under the blue body. I struggled to reach my dagger under his weight but he had his dagger now and I froze.

It was like slow motion. The dagger was coming closer and closer to my neck. I couldn't struggle, my limbs felt like lead and I knew I was going to die. I shut my eyes and prepared for the pain…but it never came.

There was a squelching noise, a small gasp, the body on me went limp and I opened my eyes. Zala's face was hovering overhead, white as snow, her lips trembling, and as my eyes travelled down I saw the dagger hilt clasped tightly in her hand. I was shocked but seeing her start to sway I pushed the body off me and sat up, pulling her to my chest as she trembled from the shock of the killing.

Lancelot was staring at her wide-eyed. The same thought, I'm sure, was running through his head as it was mine. Our little Zala, seven years old and still so young, had managed to kill. The first was always the worst and great pity for her welled up in me. It would be worse for someone so young. She probably barely registered what she was doing at the time as how could a seven year old begin to grasp what was going on.

"Gawain…he was…hurting you… is he…d…dead? He hurt me too." Anger flashed through me as I saw the deep scratch on her arm and I hugged her closer. Lancelot knelt down next to us with concern and rage visible on his face.

"Is she ok?" he asked slowly taking a quick look at her arm. She winced but done little more and pride began to bloom in my chest. I heard hurried footsteps and Bors, Dagonet, Galahad, Tristan and Arthur ran into view. They skidded to a halt next to us and looked over Zala anxiously.

"Is she ok?" asked Galahad as five pairs of eyes checked her over for injuries. "Dagonet can you take a look at that?" I asked, pointing to the cut of her arm. Dagonet moved forward and gently lifted her arm. She winced again but I held her tighter.

"She'll be fine, it's only a scratch. She'll live." He added with a smile. I breathed a sigh of relief then pointed to the body lying o the ground.

"She did that. She killed him." There was a collective gasp round the group and all eyes rested on Zala appraisingly but she looked up confused and said in a trembling voice.

"I just did…what you all do…with your daggers. You stick them in people…then they… well…go floppy." Everyone had to laugh at this, which made Zala pout, not seeing the funny side but we couldn't stop. She was safe and well and as I looked up at Arthur, I noticed a glint in his eye that meant he was planning something. He was looking directly at Zala and I saw a ghost of the plan in his eyes. I was momentarily stunned but as I remembered her fighting and struggling against the two woads, I knew that it would be a perfect opportunity for her. My pride for my cousin grew tenfold and I hugged her tightly, thankful she was safe with us.