Aria walked into the cell she had shared with the boys for the past nine years. She watched as they all packed up their stuff all talking about how excited they were to leave the fort.
"There she is!" Lancelot said holding up a mug full of mead.
"Aria!" the men cheered except for Tristan who walked passed her and threw her an apple which she caught easily.
"Thanks." She said.
"Uhn…" he muttered.
"Will you be leaving tonight?" Gawain asked her.
"Uhm yes, I have a room secured here at the fort." The boys looked to her.
"You are staying here?" Bors asked.
"Why?" Galahad inquired.
"I have to." She said with a soft expression as she sat down on her bunk.
"Have to?" Lancelot asked. "But Arthur said we all could leave."
"He meant you all… For me to be able to say here I have to stay in my own corridor next to Arthur. So he can make sure I'm not uhm…" she made a strange hand movement. "You know…"
"Oh…" they all said.
"I'm no good to the roman empire if I'm with child." She said.
"Are you confined here all the time?" Bors asked.
"Oh no I just have to come here at night."
"So techniquely if you wanted you could go out and have a good time with someone." Lancelot winked. "If you know what my meaning is."
"Yes I do and I wouldn't betray Arthur by doing that… Besides in the village I come from women are to save themselves for their great loves."
"A one night love can be just as great as a forever love dear Aria." Lancelot said sauntering towards her.
"How drunk are you?" Aria asked.
"Not-." He hiccupped. "That drunk at all." he turned very suddenly bile spewing from his mouth as he did.
"Lancelot!" Galahad said making a discussed face.
"A Nasty sight that is…" Aria said shaking her head as she grabbed her few things. "I shall see you all in the morning I should think."
"Why would you think that?" Bors asked.
"Saw a general speaking to Arthur I bet you a bushel of apples it's our first mission." She smiled softly. "Good night all."
"Night Aria." The men chimed. Aria walked through the fort towards the living corridors. She had forgotten to ask where she would be staying and had become quite certain that she was lost.
"Aria Adne?" she turned seeing two guards in front of a door.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Your room is right here." One said.
"Oh… Thank you I forgot to ask where it was." She walked to them. "You can leave now if you want…"
"We can't." The one on the right said. "We are to stay here and make sure that no man enters your room…"
"Oh… I see." She said. "Well then you will be here for some time I think we should introduce ourselves, I'm Aria…"
"We are guards." They said.
"Right good evening then Guards." She said walking in the door past the two cold romans. She closed the door and watched it expecting to hear a lock but when she never did she relaxed. She held her belonging to her chest as she slowly turned and faced a large room made of stone and marble. "This is… Different." a knocked sounded and she turned. "Yes?" she asked.
"Aria it's Arthur can I come in?"
"Oh uhm…" she moved forward and opened the door. "Come in." she said stepping aside. "I thought no men are supposed to be in the room."
"I am allowed because I am your commander. How do you like the room?"
"It's quite big, very different from what I'm used to… I'm thankful for the space." He nodded.
"I just wanted to let you know and the others will to that you are expected down in the armory at dawn for fittings for armor. I have made sure adjustments have been made for your weapons and armor seeing as the ones made were for a man."
"You didn't have to do that."
"You should be comfortable."
"I can handle whatever the others can." He smiled.
"I'm aware of that." He said. "I'm very glad you are in our fellowship here…"
"You are?" She asked.
"Of course, I have to admit I fought with two others to have you put in this troupe."
"You did?"
"Yes now they didn't have the knowledge I did that you were in fact a woman but we fought none the less on who should get you. I'm very glad I won."
"Arthur why on earth would you have a woman in your company?" she asked. "Most men would run screaming at the posting."
"You are a better fighter and a better person then most in the outfit… The fact you are a woman it makes no difference you have proved yourself more than a few times… I'm afraid though that you may have to prove yourself again to the other men… Not Galahad, Bors, Tristan, Gawain, Dag or Lancelot but the others I mean."
"I know… Do they know yet about me?"
"They will tomorrow…" he said. "I will be making an announcement or you can if you wish."
"No I think it would be best if you did…" She said.
"Right… Well good night Aria…"
"Good Night Arthur." She watched him leave with a raised eyebrow. She was worried how things would be taken by the others once they found out about her secret. Still in a way she was relieved, there would be no more hiding, and no more gender paranoia.
-o-
"Do you trust him?" Galahad asked as he laid out his things on his new bed.
"Arthur?" Gawain asked doing the same.
"Yes." He slowly turned and sat on the bed that was a good ten feet away from his adopted brother.
"I'm not sure yet… I mean he knows we are fair fighters but we only know that he is loyal to us… We don't know if he can protect us if need be… In a battle situation I mean." Galahad sat down and faced Gawain.
"At least we weren't forced into a barred carriage like the others to be whisked away to their posts their generals riding ahead on their horses…" Galahad mused.
"There is no denying that Arthur is a rare sort of General."
"What did you think of the table?"
"I liked it; it was almost like we were all equal." Gawain said.
"It's too bad about Aria though… I mean we got her a room here at this boarding house and everything…"
"Luckily Tristan took her place…"
"That's terrible though no sex for fifteen years." Galahad said shuddering.
"Like you know what sex is."
"Like you do!?"
"Bors is going to tell me about it… He's with a bar wench now…"
"Really?" Galahad asked and Gawain nodded.
-o-
Tristan looked around the small room as he heard his two comrades in the next one over yell about sex and Bors. He shook his head as he looked to the bed. It didn't look comfortable; then again he had never once slept on a bed in his life.
"Not about to start…" He grumbled as she laid a saddle down in the corner and kicked his feet up on it and lay back against the stone wall.
Those guards I saw posted in front of what is to be Aria's room better behave themselves… if they don't she'll slice their manhood off… he pulled an apple from his coat and went to take a bite when he heard a sqwak. He looked down at his side and saw a small Hawk sitting at his side.
"Hello there…" He took a bite and chewed it for a moment before taking it out of his mouth and holding it for the bird who instantly gobbled it up. "Hungry one… I'll fetch you worms… Stay put." He ordered with a point that the Hawk seemed to understand.
-o-
Lancelot sat in the cell a cup in hand. He had long thrown up the intoxication that had clouded his mind just hours before. As he stared down at his empty cup he had an eerie feeling come over him. Something deep down, something that scared him worse than his darkest of nightmares yelled at him an ominous message.
You will die…
He closed his eyes and shook his head. he had had the thought many times during his training to being a Knight. But he had always had a group of men and one lady amongst him to distract him from his thoughts. He heard a noise and looked up to see Arthur walking in.
"Lancelot?" he asked.
"Arthur." He said standing quickly.
"Where are the others?"
"They found other places to stay."
"You have not?"
"This place is as good as any…" He said looking around. "It's been my home for some time now."
"Hardly a home… I won't have you stay here tonight… Let me offer my quarters to you."
"Oh no I couldn't."
"Sure you can it has many rooms, one of which I had walled up and given to Aria I could do the same for you, even if it's only temporary."
"Oh no I-."
"You can and you will, if it helps it's… I guess an order. You can catch your death in a spot like this…"
"Well then if it's an order…" Lancelot smiled. "Thank you for your hospitality."
"Of course, just ask a guard they'll lead you to the room, I just came down to see if I could tell everyone that tomorrow at dawn they are to report to the Armory."
"I can tell them if you wish I know where they are and I'd welcome the walk around the area."
"If you wish, I may be up still when you come back I hardly sleep, don't let it keep you from resting though."
"Alright, Good night Arthur."
"Good Night Lancelot…" he went to leave but stopped at the door and turned to look at him. "Are you alright?"
"Yes… Yes I'm fine."
"Alright I bid you goodbye then." Lancelot watched him leave before picking up his sword and heading out of the cell for the last time.
-o-
Dag lay in bed a thin cloth over his head as he listened to Bors go at it with a bar wench in the bunk above his. He was starting to regret his decision on taking the offer of rooming with Bors for the next 10 to 15 years. Especially if he had to listen to what he was listening to for so long.
"Borris borris!"
"It's Bors!"
"Bors Bors!"
"Veala!"
"It's Venora!" the woman moaned.
"Venora!"
"By the gods make it stop…" Dag muttered.
"Oh!" the two above him moaned. "Oh! Oh! Ooooooh!" Dag let out a small sigh as he heard silence fill the room.
"Thank you…" Dag said quietly as he rolled his eyes.
"You're welcome!" the two above him chimed.
-o-
"What do you think we are to be doing at the Armory?" Gawain asked.
"No idea, Lancelot just told us to be here at Dawn." Bors said.
"It's to be fitted for our armor." Aria said walking down a stair case they had just passed.
"Aria good morning. Sleep well?" Galahad asked.
"Not a wink." She said with a smile. "How was your first night away from the cell?"
"I think I can speak for Bors when I say he had a fair night." Gawain said.
"Oh Bors…" she said. "Are you a man?"
"I am…" he said his head held high.
"Fantastic, was it a bar wench?"
"It was."
"Very nice." She said. "Where's Lancelot?"
"No idea, but he knows where we are to be right now…" Galahad said. "He came and told us last night."
"I see…" She said.
"So your quarters are next to Arthurs?" Bors asked.
"They are." She said
"Making friends?" He asked.
"He's nice." She said with a shrug.
"He means in a sex way Aria." Gawain said glaring at Bors.
"No!" she said. "He's been far to kind for me to pull anything on him."
"It's not you were worried on pulling anything." Bors said. "If you know what I'm saying."
"I didn't understand a word of that, how could she?" Gawain asked.
"My meaning is we should worry for her safety." Bors said.
"I can worry for my own safety thank you very much…" She muttered.
"Always stubborn." The men stated together except for Tristan who walked by her and threw her an apple which she caught easily.
"Breakfast." He grumbled.
"Thank you." She said shining it on her peasant shirt. They walked into the armory and froze. There were only a few of the other knights, far fewer than there should have been. "You don't think we have deserters on our hands do you?" She asked Tristan quietly.
"Cowards." Tristan said as he took a bite of his own apple.
"Maybe they didn't leave the ranks…" Dag said. "They could be late."
"Hello Hello." Everyone stood at attention as Arthur walked in Lancelot following behind him. "You may have noticed we are missing a few people…" he said. "I regret to inform you all that our fellow knights that are not here are now being buried. I was told early this morning that they were killed after a brawl in one of the watering holes here… I have my own religion that I know many of you don't share… And that is fine I would never question the religions of your homelands, all I ask is that however you honor the dead in your thoughts you do it for the men who died last night." They all nodded. "Well it isn't good to dwell we do have a mission to prepare for, but first you all need to be armored and you need to choose the weapons you will carry for the years to come as knights." Aria cleared her throat and Arthur nodded. "I almost forgot we have a woman amongst our ranks, try not to gawk and respect her for she has earned it in her training alongside you… Aria…" She moved forward and turned to face them all.
"Aria?" many of the other men asked as they looked at her with wide eyes.
"Morning…" she said and the group she had lived with for many years smiled.
"Honestly you guys couldn't tell?" Lancelot asked. "She's all woman." He let a low whistle escape his lips as he looked her over.
"Don't make me have Tristan slaughter you." Aria said and Lancelot looked to Tristan who was eyeing him his hand over his sword. "He'll do it for me too."
"I would." He said taking another bite of apple.
"She'll get us killed!" someone shouted making them look to a man stepping forward.
"How dare you?" she asked. "I've saved your arse more than a few times Cannes." She said.
"That was before I knew you were a woman!"
"How is me being a woman make me any different then you as a warrior?" she asked.
"You haven't paid your dues." He said.
"Like hell I haven't." she said reaching for her sword.
"No…" Arthur said his hand resting on hers halting her blade. "You all are knights you shouldn't fight amongst each other not when you'll have to be watching out for one another…"
"He just saved your life…" Aria said her eyes narrowed on Cannes.
"Saved my life I'd kill you in an instant!"
"I'd like to see you try that…" Bors said as he and the others surrounded her.
"I can handle this fight myself…" she said.
"Always stubborn." The men said around her, and instantly she felt her anger flare.
"There is no need for this." Arthur said moving in front of the two groups who faced off against one another. "Aria has proven herself more than enough times."
"Battles are no place for a woman!" one of the other men by the name of Stonvic said.
"She stays." Arthur said pulling rank. "If you don't like it I'll have you moved to a different outfit."
"Have us moved… we won't fight alongside her."
"Fine I'll have the papers drawn up then." Cannes, stonvic and two others walked out of the Armory. There were only three other men left. "What of you?" Arthur asked.
"Aria saved me from the sword of a roman soldier when I was just a boy, I trust her in battle."
"Thank you Ivan…" she said and he nodded with a smile and a blush.
"You two?" Arthur asked looking to two semi identical twin brothers.
"We had an inkling she was a girl." The taller one by the name of Jameson said.
"We didn't want to say nothing, didn't want to seem completely bonkers you know?" The one by the name of Lucan said.
"How did you two know?" Lancelot asked.
"Saw her binding one day we did." They said in unison.
"Actually a few days." Lucan tapped his brother on the chest who laughed.
"I should punch you both." She said and they just smiled cheekily. She looked to Arthur. "I'm sorry some of your knights left."
"Don't worry about it." He said. "The crew is stronger without them… We have no weak links in this chain." He patted her on the shoulder. "Everyone line up Aria follow me, you'll be fitted in a separate room for privacy…"
"Can I come?" Lancelot asked earning him a smack to the back of the head by Dag.
"Dagenet!" He yelled turning and punching him in the stomach.
"Dog pile!" Bors yelled tackling Lancelot to the ground as Galahad and Gawain joined the ranks. The twins walked up to Tristan who was just watching on as he ate an apple.
"Have any extra?" Jameson asked.
"Gave it to Aria."
"Damn." They said.
-o-
Aria slowly looked herself over in a wavy mirror. She couldn't get a clear picture of herself but she had an idea. Arthur had given her Armor suitable for the warrior she was and she was thankful. She looked herself over with a proud expression. She was wearing tight leather pants that laced up the front and back, she knew it was purely for the sake of detail but the extra workings made her legs warm which would be good for the cold elements she knew she would face.
One top of that she wore a bright silver light weight chain link shirt that was woven like the peasant shirts she wore often but was close to her body. On top of it was a leather vest with designs native to her homeland. She slowly pulled on a leather jacket that had metal caps at the shoulders and a corset detail in the back. It would give her proper covering for attacks with swords something she was also very thankful for. She grabbed a hold of a black velvet cloak and slowly made her way out of the room she had been using as a fitting room.
She smiled softly as her eyes lay amongst the group around her. They all looked very proud as they looked themselves over in their new garb. Each fitted their personality to a tee but still would be able to protect them in battle. Lancelot turned and looked at her before looking away before slowly gazing back at her in awe.
"Don't do it." she said pointing as she walked further in the room.
"WOOP WOOP!" He said giving a hoot as he looked her over making the others turn.
"Does it suit you?" Arthur asked her.
"Yes I thank you for it, but my armor armor is having to be specialty made and won't be ready for some time." She said.
"I was afraid of that." He said. "You'll just have to watch out especially."
"I don't need much covering." She said.
"You look…" Lancelot sauntered over. "Nice…" he took her hand and kissed the back.
"Can I have Tristan kill him yet?" she asked Arthur.
"Sorry I can't have him killing my roommate just yet." Arthur said.
"Nice garb." she said looking over a cross between roman and English Armor.
"Not my choice." He said with a shrug. "I have orders as well." She nodded as she walked away to a weapons table. It seemed that most everyone had chosen what they were going to use in battle. She chose a bow and arrow like all the others but then her eyes rested on a case of knives. She took them holding them under one arm. Her eyes scanned the table before she grabbed two swords and two small axes. She walked over to the group who were all figuring out where their weapons would lie on their bodies.
"Think you have enough there?" Bors asked.
"I'm good at most weapons. I thought I should carry a variety." She said.
"Same here I couldn't decide." Gawain said.
"I think you'll probably stick to axes." She said. "You're quite skilled at them."
"Awe you're a peach." He said in a babying tone which only made her laugh softly.
"Bastard." She said.
"No my parents were wed." he said pointing with a cheeky grin which made her shake her head.
"So what's our mission or can you not tell us?" Aria asked Arthur who was securing his weapons as well.
"We are to transport a package from one village to the next…"
"Must be some package…" Bors said haltering two forearm blades at his side.
"I asked what it was but they would not say." Arthur said. "Romans like their secrets I'm afraid…" They all nodded in agreement. "Let's use this time for something productive tell me about yourselves." They all laughed. "What?"
"We're not really into the sharing thing." Bors said.
"I think it's a good idea. We're all going to be fighting along one another we should know more about one another then just our ratings in combat and such." Aria said.
"You are saying this?" Gawain asked while the others laughed.
"Someone who has kept secrets most her life?" Lancelot mused.
"Well now I don't have to keep secrets do I?"
"Christ she's now a woman who likes to talk." Bors said.
"Watch it…" She said with a good hearted look as she pointed a knife at him.
"I like a woman who talks…" Arthur said.
"A roman who likes women who speak?" She asked making him smile.
"I was not raised very Roman."
"Thank the gods for that." Gawain said.
"So tell me, what village did you hail from?" Arthur asked.
"Galenhawg…" she said with a small smile.
"Near the black sea?" Lancelot asked.
"Not far." She said.
"A far way to travel." Arthur said. "What was your village like?"
"Well I was very small when I was taken but I remember it smelled of horses, My mother and uncle raised them."
"What about your father?"
"He was a knight like I am now." She said making the men look to her. "He died on his final mission while my mum was pregnant with me, his brother who was also a knight returned and took my father's place in the home."
"And in her heart?" Arthur inquired.
"That's right." She said. "When I came here she was with child. Most likely a daughter since no sons have been born in the village sense the knights who were taken before I…"
"Why were there no other Girls taken from your village?" Arthur inquired.
"Because all their mothers grew out their long hair so it was clear what gender they were, also they were older so easier to tell as well…"
"Why did your mother not grow out your hair?" Gawain asked.
"Oh well she said I looked a lot like my father with short hair it was nice for her to have the reminder… I didn't so much mind it kept it out of the way when I worked with the horses."
"If you look like your father then he must have been a delicate sort." Lancelot said.
"He was a knight none the less." Arthur said before she could.
"What of you Arthur?" she asked after a long moment. "Was you're father a warrior?"
"He was he died in battle when I was very young."
"Who helped raise your with your mum?" Bors asked.
"A great man by the name of Polageus… He eventually took my mothers place as well."
"Oh you lost your mother… I'm sorry." She said.
"Thank you but I've come to terms." He said.
"I too lost my mother." Bors said.
"I didn't know that." Gawain said.
"She drowned with a few other of the woman in my village when washing clothes in the creek nearby. How did your mother pass Arthur?" He looked down at his sword.
"Woads…"
"Is that why you decided to have your fate be that of leading knights?" Galahad asked.
"No my family for generations have manned the wall…" Arthur said.
"Noble." Lancelot said, and Aria didn't know if it was completely genuine.
"Arthur?" they all turned to see a young man in romans clothing.
"Joel what is it?" He asked standing.
"Word came the package you are to get it's in danger of being taken by Woads."
"Knights I wish we could continue our chat, but it's time to ride, get situated and get a horse." Arthur said. Aria stood and started to place her weapons on her body. She attached a line of daggers holstered on two leather straps around her thighs then sheathed her swords on her back in an ex just like Lancelot. She then holstered her axes on each hip, and finally she put on metal cuffs around each wrist for extra protection. As she walked to the line of horses she threw on her cloak.
"Which horse will you choose?" She asked Lancelot who was beside her.
"All are good." He said.
"All are good?" she inquired.
"My father once told me that great horses were once great knights, and that we should trust all of them because of it… So in my book that makes all these horses just fine."
"Makes sense." They both moved forward and chose a worse. "Hey their boy…" she moved her hand down his long slender black neck. "You are perfect…"
"Do you need help getting on?" Lucan asked. With one hand she pulled herself onto the horse and threw her leg over. "Guess not." She only smiled before riding to the group who had mounted.
"Our first run nervous?" Bors asked in general.
"I'm kind of excited." Jameson said.
"All those years of training and we're going to be able to put our skills to the ultimate test." Lucan said.
"We can be excited but we should keep level heads." Aria said.
"Well stated." Arthur said with a nod. "Knights are you ready?"
"We are." They said.
"ROSSSSSSS!" Bors yelled with his fist up in the air making the others smile.
"We ride." With a kick they all took off.