Aria mounted her horse and rode up to the other knights who were readying to leave. None of them knew who held the package except for the one who held it. Which in this case was her. She looked down at her saddle bag with a small smile. She was glad Arthur had entrusted her with the object of their first mission.
"Safe travels to you all." Eolus said. "And Adria?"
"It's Aria…" she said as he walked to her.
"I bestow a gift to you." She looked to Arthur who nodded and she sighed.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Do not open it in front of me for I will be embarrassed but I do hope it makes up for my un wanted advances last night. I had, had a great amount of wine I'm afraid." He handed her a small package which she tucked into her saddle bag.
"So you did find that his morning I am not as angelic as I seemed while you were on wine…" She said with a smile.
"I found that out last night when you tried to stab me that you weren't an angel, but if you speak of your beauty and not of your attitude then I shall say you are still as gorgeous as any goddess…" he took her hand. "When your duty to Arthur is done, don't hesitate to come to me… I would gladly make you my wife."
"You deserve a polite roman woman to be your wife my lord." She said.
"You know what they say about polite woman."
"What's that?"
"That they are polite in bed." She looked at him for a long moment. "You know what they say about wild women such as yourself?"
"No but I'd know what a wild woman like me would do to a man like you in the bedroom…"
"Oh yeah?" he asked. She motioned for him to come closer. The men watched as she whispered something in his ear and Eolus stumbled back a horrified expression on his face.
"A pleasure… My lord." She said before she and the others rode off from the estate.
"What did you say to him?" Gawain asked.
"Oh I just told him that like a wild animal a wild woman would bite and scratch at even the most miniscule of appendages…"
"That's our girl!" Bors said with a boisterous laugh. "Just to let you all know my appendage is not small."
"Oh no?" Aria asked.
"It's like a babies arm holding an apple." They all laughed.
"That's gross." She said and it only made them laugh more. Aria reached into her saddle bag and pulled the gift that Eolus had given her.
"Will you open it?" Galahad asked.
"I was just going to dump it."
"Could be something of value." Lancelot said. "You could trade it for something."
"Guess you're right…" she said stowing it back in her bag.
"Let's hope for good weather on this ride." Arthur said as he looked up at the sky.
"No more rain." Gawain said looking up at the sky. "Please no more rain."
"I like rain." Aria said.
"We know." They said except for Tristan who was as stoic as ever as he looked around readying for Woads.
-o-
It had been a long day of riding and slowly night had begun to fall. Aria slowly rode up next Tristan who had a bow lying ready in his lap. She looked around to see the twins both looked tired as their hands rested on their stomachs which had been growling loudly for the past hour. Dag had a sword in hand as he and Bors looked around the woods around them. Galahad and Gawain had bows ready just like Tristan, as for Arthur. He was riding in front as cool as ever.
"Should have a weapon ready…" He said.
"I do…" she leaned back and he saw she had in hand one of her axes. He pulled out an apple and handed it to her. "How many green ones did you take?" she asked with a smile.
"I take nothing." He said. "Just borrow."
"Oh…" she said with a smile as she took a bite she suddenly straightened up as she swallowed the piece hole. "Did you hear that?" she asked quietly. He looked up and paid attention to the sounds. All he heard was the rustling of trees from the cold British wind.
"No…" he said. Aria rode up further and halted right next to Arthur.
"Arthur." She said softly.
"Yes?"
"Woads surround us…" he looked around alarmed but saw nothing in the trees.
"You are paranoid for reasons you know." He said.
"Arthur I'm telling you right now-."
"Relax…" he said looking to her.
"Arthur can you not hear them?" she asked. He stayed silent for a long moment looking up in thought while concentrating hard on his hearing.
"No no I don't."
"Then you are deaf." She said.
"You are a woman but I will strike you down for a sharp tongue as I would any knight." He said.
"Arthur-."
"Get back in formation Aria." He said with a glare. "You are making the others nervous." She dropped back next to Tristan and he could see her anger building.
"I would not let him strike you." He said.
"I would not let him strike me." She said quietly. "You really can't hear them?" He shook his head and she sighed.
"Mark my words we'll be surrounded in no time…" they didn't ride eight more steps when the sound of a horn let out and fiery arrows flew through the side.
"Ride!" Arthur shouted as he raced forward. "We must get out of range!"
"No no Aria there aren't any woads surrounding us." She muttered as she raced forward.
"Aria in the middle!" He yelled.
"That will draw far too much attention Arthur!" she yelled over the sound of the horses.
"Do it Aria don't fight me!" He shouted. She gave a yell of protest as she put her horse in the middle. They heard another horn sound. Hundreds of arrows fired and at least thirty hit Arias horse sending it down to the ground.
"Aria!" Gawain yelled in horror as they all watched her fly off her horse and roll across the ground.
"Go back go back!" Arthur shouted only to see Tristan had turned his horse around.
Aria slowly got to her feet her body racked with pain. She was very thankful in that moment she had learned how to fly off a horse and roll right into it from Dag. She grabbed her shield off her horse and raised it over her head as tons of arrows rained down on her. She shouted as she grabbed the package from her saddle bag before reaching her hand way up into the air. Tristan raced by his hand latching onto hers and hoisting her up onto his horse before he turned with the other riders and continued course. Aria slowly climbed around front and sat in his lap as she held her shield in place protecting them both from the arrows that seemed to all be aimed at her.
"Must go faster!" she yelled seeing a small army of wads racing out on horseback.
"We'll go across the river like we did before!" Arthur called changing course. Aria secured the package into his saddle bag. She watched as one of the Woad riders moved far ahead of his army. She pulled back and looked at Tristan.
"I'll be hitching my own ride now."
"Alright." He said with a stoic nod.
"Thanks for the save." She clapped him on his back before securing the shield to his back and moving around his body so she was sitting her back against his. Her hands gripping onto the saddle as her teeth chattered from the movement of the horse. She smiled at the woad and waved before winking. "Come on lovely let's see what you have!?" She called and he let out a battle cry.
"What are you doing!?" Galahad called.
"Come on…" she said as she watched the woad race closer and closer. "Come on…" She waited until he was five feet ahead of her and she pulled out her axes and jumped from the horse.
"Aria!" Arthur shouted in horror but stared as she jumped onto the horse and cut the throat of the Woad who hadn't stood a chance. She turned and got down onto the horse and gripped onto it's mane seeing that there was no Saddle and no reigns. She laughed as the horse kicked forward catching up to the other riders in no time. The horse was by far the fastest she had ever ridden and she bent down close.
"I'll treat you right if you do the same for me…" she whispered and the horse seemed to neigh in response. She smiled as the horse moved faster past the other men and out of range of the arrows.
"I see the river!" she said.
"Lead the way!" Arthur shouted. The horse moved past his easily and raced through a tree line. The men followed her and they found relief from the arrows as they entered the forest. She had expected the horse to fight her on going into the steadily rising river but instead it jumped right in and swam easily against the current.
"Yes!" she said with a laugh as they made it to the shore. She turned to see the other horses fighting hard against the current. She looked down at the one she sat on and tilted her head. "You're not the average horse are you?" it shook its head and she stared wondering if it had actually understood her.
"Do we have it still?" Arthur asked seeing she was riding a horse with no saddle and had no package in her lap. She glared at him for a long moment. "Aria do we still have the package?" he asked.
"Yes." She said.
"Well where is it?" he asked.
"I don't think I'll tell you, seeing as you don't know how to conceal something in the proper safe way." She said and the men stared as Arthur got off his horse and grabbed onto her foot pulling her off the horse. She slammed down into the ground and smiled as she leapt up onto her feet easily. He went to step forward but she pulled out her sword and pointed it at his throat.
"Try it." she said with a smile. "I dare you…"
"You raise your sword to me? I who have your best interest?"
"Best interest?" she asked her sword lowering. "Like hell you do!"
"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked as the other riders un mounted their horses.
"You know what it means." She said.
"No I don't."
"I tell you there are waods do you listen?" she asked. "No. I tell you that I shouldn't be put right in the middle because it would send the message that I'm carrying something important did you listen? No. No you didn't. Instead you nearly got me killed."
"I was doing what I thought was right!"
"No you were doing what you wanted to do."
"No I was doing what was right-."
"No you weren't!" she shouted. "What was right was what I was saying but you wouldn't listen!"
"I took what you said into consideration should I have listened yes, but I made a judgment call… I'm sorry that you got thrown."
"I don't care about that." She said her eyes narrowing.
"What do you care about then?" he asked.
"That you treated me as though I was a woman!" she yelled making him jump back out of instinct. She took a calming breath her fist clenching, in that moment she had wanted nothing more than to cut every entrail from his body. "You refused to listen to me because I am a woman…" she said more calmly. "Didn't you?"
"Yes… Yes I guess I did…"
"As long as you're aware of it." she said with a smile before mounting her horse. "I would like to remind you Arthur that I am Knight first a woman last… Everything else is the middle some where there." She kicked her horse and raced off.
"Who has the package?" Arthur asked as he mounted his horse. No one said anything but followed Aria and Arthur instantly knew he had made a grave mistake. After a whole day of riding they stopped for shelter from the cold night and to rest the horses. As he tethered his own Tristan walked to him and handed the package. "Thanks." He said. Tristan didn't say anything just walked by Aria and threw her an apple which she easily caught.
"Fine horse you have there." Bors said seeing the way it towered over the other horses.
"She's pretty amazing…"
"She?" Lancelot asked before looking. "Who would have thought…"
"Females they surprise you every day." She said with a smile as she walked over and sat down. Arthur walked over and looked over his Knights. "I feel a speech coming on."
"I want to say I'm sorry to you knights…"
"I think you should be saying sorry to one knight…" Lancelot said trying to give him a hint.
"I was going to say that." Arthur said. "Look Aria, I'm sorry… I treated you like a feeble minded and bodied woman, which was wrong and not right… But keep in mind you are a rarity I've never dealt with a warrior such as you…"
"All the men sitting here have learned to treat me as an equal… You're going to have to do the same Arthur… And you're well on your way to doing it… I know you would never tug a woman off such a tall horse like that…"
"Very true." He said with a smile.
"So you're making progress…" she said. "But next time I say something you have to listen I know that's hard for a man raised by Romans but you're going to have to… If it helps think of me as a mother… When I'm telling you something or warning you of something it's only because I care for your safety…" he nodded thinking about it.
"That makes a lot of sense…" he said.
"A woman who make sense who would have thought." Bors said and Aria threw one of her daggers which stuck into the tree next to him just an inch away. "Kidding…" he said as everyone laughed and she winked at him good heartedly.
"So are we square?" Arthur asked.
"One condition…" she said.
"What's that?"
"I keep the horse."
"Deal… Only if you can get it to take to a saddle."
"Deal." She said with an excited smile.
"So is anyone going to talk about Aria jumping onto the back of that horse?" Lucan asked.
"That was wicked how'd you do that?" Jameson inquired.
"I honestly have no idea." She said making them laugh. "I'll tell you one thing though I won't be doing it again."
-o-
They arrived back at the fort the next morning and rode into the barn. Arthur smiled as he got off his horse the package in hand. He looked around at the knights with a proud look.
"This mission proved our skills and showed no weakness's." He said. "Go rest for tonight we feast in victory." Everyone cheered and clapped each other on their back except for Aria who smiled and led her horse to its new home.
"Here you go honey…" she said leading it to hay.
"You'll have to name it." Dag said.
"I'm still thinking of names…" she said with a smile.
"I wish to put my horse next to yours so that maybe mine will become as strong."
"Sure thing I'll put him away for you." She said taking his horse.
"Thank you." Dag said before walking off as stoic as ever. Aria tilted her head a funny thought coming to mind.
He's far more stoic then Tristan… How did I never notice that before?
"Can I fetch some water for your horse?" she turned to look at a young man with curly red hair and bright blue eyes.
"Oh yes thank you…" he smiled at her.
"I'm Roden…" he said putting his hand out.
"Aria…" they shook hands.
"So you're the female knight that everyone has been talking about…"
"Everyone?" she asked.
"It's all around; the men are going crazy…"
"Wonderful…" she drawled.
"Most women would be happy…"
"I'm not most women…" she said. "She's wild so be careful…" she said patting the horse before walking away. "Be back in a bit." She said.
"Alright." He said.
"I was speaking to the horse…" she said and the boy blushed.
"Oh…"
"Come celebrate early with us Aria." Bors said.
"I might in a bit I was going to walk around and learn the village around us…"
"We'll be at the main watering hole, see you soon." Lancelot said. She nodded with a smile as she headed off. As she moved she noticed some one moved with her, she turned slightly and smiled.
"Have an apple for me?" she asked, and Tristan threw her one as he took a bite of his own. "I do love this fruit thing we have going on…" she said as she looked around. "There isn't much to this place is there, just tons of barns, housing, and wine stands… Then again I guess that's all you really need." He nodded.
"I have something to show you."
"Yeah?" she asked and he only nodded. He walked ahead of her leading the way through the main square of the village. They got to near the edge where a large housing area was set up. They slowly walked in and he led her down muddy hallways to a bedroom door. He slowly opened it and moved in. he nodded at her to come in and she obliged.
If Arthur finds out I was in one of the fellow knights bedroom… Would he be angry? It's not like we would do anything… Tristan closed the door and Aria looked around. It was a simple room with a bed, which she knew Tristan would never use. There was a dresser which she also knew he would never use. Then there was something odd a Hawk sitting up on a window sill. Tristan walked over and petted it.
"Who is this?" she asked with a smile.
"My friend." He said as the bird leapt up onto his arm. "He's my look out… Tells me when people come in and out with no permission…"
"Really?" she asked. "What's his name?"
"Haven't chosen one yet…"
"You should give him one if he's your friend." She said sitting down on the bed as he walked over the bird still sitting perched in his hand.
"Can't think of one…" he said somewhat troubled. "You think of one…"
"Me?" she asked and he nodded as he looked over the bird with a ghost of a smile.
"Maybe…" she looked up in thought. "Glider…" he looked at her.
"This is good…" he said with an approving nod before looking to the bird. "Glider?" the bird squawked at him and he smiled. "He likes it." Aria looked at the expression for a long moment. She had known Tristan for a long time, and saw many sides to him that the other knights didn't, but never once had she seen a true happy joyous smile.
"You have a nice smile…" she said making him look to her. "You should use it more…" he looked down at the bird his smile slipping but his eyes showing his good mood. "Can I pet him?" she asked. He nodded and moved onto the bed next to her so the bird sat next to her. She moved forward and petted Glider, the bird squawked making her jump. She laughed softly startled from the birds sudden noise and Tristan smiled down at the bird.
"Good boy."
"Don't say good boy he startled me." She said and for a split second she thought Tristan would laugh but instead he smiled as softly as anyone could and the bird flew off out the window. "Oh no…" she said.
"He's going for food he always comes back for me…" he said before getting up and shrugging off his cloak.
"So do you like it here?" he asked and Tristan nodded as he pulled his weapons off. Aria walked over and looked down at his sword. "Gawain said you took the room next to he and Galahad?" Tristan looked up and nodded once more.
"You and Gawain speak often…" he muttered, remembering hearing what they had been talking about just a night ago.
"Not really." She said paying no mind. "Do you mind if I shrug off my cloak?"
"Make yourself comfortable…" he said quietly. As she removed the heavy clothing Tristan turned. She had long cleared off the dirt from her fall from the horse but the bruises were still evident. She folded up the cloak and placed it on the bed before taking Tristan's and doing the same. He tilted his head as he watched her hands slowly and near elegantly fold the cloth.
"You talked to him at the estate." Tristan said.
"Who?" she asked looking to him as she leaned against the dresser where his cloak now sat.
"Gawain…"
"Did I?" she asked looking up in thought. "Oh yes I did, while he sharpened our axes…"
"You spoke of…" he looked down and brushed his foot against the stone ground. "Things…"
"Suppose we did…" she said with a smile. "That's normally what happens when you engage in conversation with someone… We are speaking of things now."
"Spoke of different things… Of how he thinks of you." He said his dark eyes slowly meeting hers.
"Thinks of me?" she asked.
"I overheard him speaking of how you look to him."
"Oh that? He was joking." She laughed and he could see it was genuine.
"You do not believe him?"
"Well it was a joke…"
"I think he wasn't joking…"
"No?" she asked. "Because he was laughing."
"Gawain laughs around pretty girls…" Tristan averted his eyes instantly wondering if she would take offense.
"Well if his description of me is in genuine interest nothing will come of it…"
"No?" he asked looking to her.
"No." she laughed. "He said not even he was worthy of a woman like me."
"He's right…" she looked at him for a long moment. Tristan looked to the ground brushing his foot against the soot as he did. "No man is…"
"You're being very kind…" She said quietly.
"I speak the truth…" he said just as quietly.
"Then you are kinder then I thought before…" he looked to her to see she had casted her gaze to the ground.
"Do you have interest in Gawain?"
"No…" she said quickly her eyes going to his before averting away. "Not my type I suppose…"
"What is type?"
"I can't really think about that."
"Why not?"
"You are speaking an awful lot today…" she said looking to him as her jaw clenched.
"Making conversation…"
"I appreciate it I do, but not the subject… I unlike you and the others are not permitted to have someone in my life so speaking of such things is hard for me…" He slowly nodded.
"What would you like to speak of?"
"Well the fact that your hand has been bleeding for the past few minutes." He looked down to see blood was dripping off his hand and making a small puddle on the ground by his foot. Aria smiled as she walked over and took his hand in hers. He looked to her instantly as she turned it over in hers. "The tongs of the hawk have cut you… If you are to handle him you'll have to protect your hand…" she pulled a piece of cloth from her hair that had held it in a messy bun. Tristan watched as her wild blonde hair fell all around her in a near tempting way. She secured the cloth and patted his hand. "There you are…"
"Thank you…"
"Thank you…" he looked to her.
"For what?" he asked.
"For pulling me up from the ground when those arrows were raining down on me…" she said. "I could have been killed…"
"How did you know to reach up your hand?" he asked. "How did you know I'd be there to pull you up?"
"My mother told me when I was a little girl that in times of great trouble you raise your hand to the sky and someone would always be there to lend a helping hand…" She smiled. "Also I just knew you wouldn't leave me there to die." Tristan looked down to see he now held her hand in his. He moved his other hand forward and removed the iron cuff that protected her wrist. Aria took a small breath as she watched his thumb slowly graze a perfect spiral scar that wound its way around her forearm.
"From the day you stopped the roman from taking his whip to me…" he said. "You are scarred because of me…"
"I don't think of it as a scar…" she said and he looked to her. "No… I rather think of it as a symbol."
"Of what?" he asked.
"I don't know loyalty friendship girly things like that." He chuckled and Aria smiled.
"A smile and a chuckle what progress we're making today…" he smiled his thumb still moving over the scar. Aria averted her eyes as she noticed how close they were standing to each other. "I should go…" she said taking a small step back. "I have to get my armor fixed before the next mission. I'll check into a glove for you to use with Glider…"
"You don't have to."
"I don't mind, I'll see you tonight?" she asked grabbing her cloak.
"Yes…"
"Till then." She said with a nod and a smile before walking out. Tristan stared at the spot she had just been standing before looking down at the cloth that had come from her hair. He slowly raised it to his nose and smiled as a soft scent reached him. He looked down at his other hand to see he still held her cuff. He quickly ran to his door and looked down to the hallway to see she was already gone.
-o-
That night he walked into the hall to see all the other knights. Aria was laughing as she patted Gawain on the back who seemed to be choking on a gulp of wine. He walked to her other side which had a seat open.
"There you are Tristan…" Lancelot said sitting down. "We were afraid you would miss the festivities.
"You left this…" Tristan said ignoring Lancelot as he handed Aria her abandoned cuff as he sat down.
"Oh I was looking for that." She said with a smile as she put it on. No one paid any mind to it but Arthur who wondered how Tristan had gotten his hands on one of Aria's cuffs.
"So Arthur any idea when our next mission will be?" Lucan asked.
"Excited for more arrows to be shot at us?" Aria asked with a smile.
"It's rather exciting don't you think?" Lucan asked.
"I guess." She said with a shrug.
"You're going to tell me that when you jumped from Tristan's horse to that other horse and took it as your own your heart wasn't just racing from the excitement of it?" Lucan asked.
"I guess it was." She said and everyone smiled.
"Quite a site it was to behold." Arthur said raising a glass to her. "Because of your quick thinking we made it out alright, to Aria."
"To Aria." They all chimed raising their glasses to her.
"Awe you guys are pears…" She said making them smile as she took a sip of wine.
"We have a great feast coming in and I also called for music we shall celebrate till the wee hours of the morning." Arthur said and they all clapped.
-o-
Aria laughed as she watched Gawain dance around with Galahad who was laughing like a fool. He then let him go and rushed over to Aria taking her hands in his.
"Oh no!" she said.
"Come on dance with me!" he said as the music raged on.
"I don't dance."
"Come on lass." He pulled her onto her feet and they hoped around the room easily as the others cheered. Tristan watched Gawain wrap his arm around her waist bringing her close as they jigged around the table. She was laughing hysterically her hair flying all around her.
"I'm cutting in!" Lancelot said taking her from Gawain who clapped as he watched the knight dance with the knightess. Aria laughed as she was past from knight to knight the music stopped just as she was handed over to Tristan who she smiled at brightly.
"I don't dance." He said as another tune sounded.
"Neither do I." she said with a smile as she threw an apple up between them and he caught it easily before holding out one for her. She smiled at him as she took it in hand before walking away and taking a bite. Lancelot looked from Tristan to Aria and back to Tristan.
They seem closer… he thought with a raised eyebrow. Aria walked over and sat down next to Arthur who was looking on the festivities with a smile.
"I find myself owing you an apology." She said.
"Me?" he asked looking to her.
"I pointed my sword at you, it wasn't very lady like."
"I had it coming." He said. "I am very sorry I did not listen to you… There is a stigma I fear that will take some time to get over… I find the great need to want to protect you, because you are a woman."
"I don't mind being protected Arthur these guys here minus Lucan and Jameson have been protecting me for years…" he looked to her as she looked at the knights with a smile. "Then again I have protected them as well… These knights are my family, they are my brothers and now so are you." She said looking to him and Arthur smiled. "Arthur, you are their brother now, you have to protect your family Arthur but you also have to treat them equally…"
"I will…" he said with a smile.
"You're a good man and I'm very thankful you chose us to be your knights… I think with you commanding us, we just might make it out of this alive."
"I hope I can serve you and the others well."
"I hope we can do the same Arthur… Now I think I'll sneak out…" She whispered. "Cover for me."
"Will do." Aria stood and slowly made it to the door, she turned and smiled at all the men who were laughing and dancing about in a drunken stupor, her eyes then settled on Tristan who was looking at her with a stoic expression but a ghost of a smile. She nodded at him before walking out and heading to her bedroom for some much needed sleep.