The knights slowly walked into the barn with Arthur as they watched a man try to set a saddle on the new Horse Aria had captured for herself. The young man was having trouble as the horse fought him tooth and nail even lunging at him some times. The horse nearly kicked him and he jumped back.
"Bloody horse!" he raised a whip but before he could hit the horse Aria appeared out of nowhere and grabbed his hand taking the whip from his grasp before hitting him across the face.
"How do you like it?" she asked before throwing the whip down to the ground at his side.
"I was trying to help." He said standing.
"Well I didn't ask you too… Stay away from my horse." She said pointing at him as the young man slowly stood and backed away.
"You try saddling this horse then." He said.
"Fine I will…" she grabbed the saddle and slowly moved towards the horse which reared up into the air in protest. "Hey now…" she said as the horse came back down. "That's not nice…" she said with a kind expression. "Don't you remember me I'm the one who brings you tasty treats." She set the saddle up on a fence beside the horse as she brought out a carrot from behind her. The horse eyes grew wide. "You want this?" she asked and the horse kicked at the ground throwing up its hair.
"It's like the bloody thing understands her." Bors said.
"You can have the carrot, if I can put a saddle on you…" Aria said and the horse looked away with a reluctant snort. "Oh come on…" the horse turned away. "What If I brought you some fruit?" the horse stopped mid trot as it slowly turned and saw she had an apple in hand. It slowly faced her and took a step forward. "Ah ah you only get it if I can put a saddle on you…" the horse kept moving forward and she smiled as it took the apple from her hand. She then handed it the carrot before walking to the fence and put the saddle on her. "There you go… It's going to be an adjustment so give it some time…" she said as she secured the saddle. "Okay… Okay I'm going to get on…" she grabbed onto the reign and slowly mounted the horse which reared up into the air. "Easy now easy!" she said as the horse continued to rear.
"Be careful!" Arthur said.
"She'll settle she'll settle…" she said.
"Yeah or throw you off." Lancelot said.
"Aria get off the horse." Bors said worried for the girl he largely saw as a little sister.
"She'll take to it she'll take to it!" Aria yelled out as she was thrown from the horse and landed easily on a mountain of hay.
"Aria are you alright?" Arthur asked. Aria slowly emerged hay sticking out of her hair in different places. She shook them out the pieces of straw dropping to the ground. The men laughed at her annoyed look.
"Practically has smoke comin gout of her ears…" Gawain said and Galahd snorted only to jump when a dagger thrown by Aria stuck into the wall baside his head. Gawain laughed as he pointed at Galahads dropped jaw before jumping as another dagger was thrown right beside his head.
"Not so funny is it?" Galahad asked.
"Aria you alright?" Lancelot asked as he watched her slowly get up.
"I'm fine." She said walking around and facing the horse. "Now look here." She said pointing. "That wasn't very nice nor very lady like. I like putting a saddle on you as much as you like having it on okay? I like you running free and being wild but in order to ride you in missions you have to let me put a saddle on you…" she moved forward as the horse bowed its head in seemingly shame. Aria rested her head against the horses neck. "Please take to it…" the horse snorted and Aria slowly moved back. "Please?" the horse looked away and Aria moved to her side.
"You're doing it again?" Galahad asked.
"The horse will just throw you again…" Gawain said.
"No she won't… No because we have…" she grabbed onto the saddle and hoisted it onto her back before leaping up and sitting down on the saddle. Aria smiled as the horse relaxed beneath her. "Reached an understanding."
"There are no reigns." Arthur said.
"I have to make progress with her slowly… Until then I can use her mane see…" she took a hold of the horses long black hair and kicked it making it move forward and she pulled her right hand to find it moved right. "Is this okay?" she asked Arthur. "I'll eventually get reigns on her but until then…"
"This is fine…" he said. "Nicely done." She smiled. "I'm going to go on a ride anyone care to join me?"
"I will." Gawain said.
"So will I…"
"We could all use a ride, besides I want to work on some survival things for when we're out on missions…" Arthur said. "Everyone saddle up." Aria smiled as she petted her horse with a smile.
"Thought of a name yet?" Bors asked riding over to her.
"Yes." She said.
"What is it?" Gawain asked.
"Teleri…" she said. "It means from the river…"
"Good name." Dag said as he petted the strong horse beneath him.
"I thought so." She said with a smile as she looked down at her horse.
"Ready to ride?" Arthur asked riding his horse past them.
"Oh yeah." Galahad said. "Hey Aria?" he asked as they trotted the horses from the barn and out into the villages main rode.
"Yes?"
"Race me." He said.
"Oh no…" she said with a laugh. "No I don't think you want that not with Teleri here…"
"Oh come on I think my horse can fair well…"
"This isn't a time for races." Arthur said as they made it to the main gate. "Open up!" he called up to the guards before looking over his shoulder at Aria and Galahad. "It's a time to train…"
"Right sorry." Galahad said.
"Bloody hell I think its gunna rain." Gawain said looking up at the sky.
"Of course it's going to rain its Brittan." Galahad said.
"Can't wait to get off this-."
"Bloody island." They all said finishing his sentence.
"We know." Aria said. "You know that since the first day I came to this fort when I was a small child I have been hearing you moan about the weather and how terrible it is… It's worn a bit thin it has."
"Well the weather is terrible!" Gawain said and most groaned. "If it's not raining it's foggy and if it's not foggy it's raining."
"The rain is good…" Aria said. "It cleanses the soul."
"I could use some of that." Bors said. "Had another wild night with Vanora…"
"Did you now?" Aria asked.
"I tell you all you're missing out…"
"I'm not." Lancelot said.
"Oh has our Lancelot become a man?" she asked.
"Three times, two different women."
"Horse shit." Bors said looking to him.
"I walked in on him with two women at the estate." Arthur said.
"I would have become a man that night if you hadn't walked in."
"There is no fraternizing with women when we are on missions." Arthur said.
"You're no fun." Lancelot said.
"Two women?" Bors asked. "The possibilities."
"Indeed." Lancelot said. "Who else here has become a man?"
"I'm working on a bar maid she's nice girl." Galahad said.
"Working on?" Lancelot asked.
"Wooing." He said.
"Wooing?" Bors asked. "Why woo when you can… Woooooo…" he said wiggling his eyebrows and making the others laugh.
"Oh leave him be I think that's nice." Aria said with a smile which Galahad returned.
"Of course you do you're a woman." Lancelot said making her smile.
"What are you doing to woo this girl?" she asked Galahad.
"Just going every night and tipping her, treating her respectfully… She sat on my lap late last night. I do wish things were moving quicker… Aria if you were being wooed what would you want a man to do?"
"Yes I'd like to hear this." Gawain said.
"I think we all would." Arthur said.
"Thanks Arthur…" She drawled and he laughed.
"Oh come on tell us." Galahad said. "I need help here I do."
"What would you want?" Gawain asked.
"I don't know…" she said with a shrug. "Before a man could even start to woo me or have a chance of wooing me and just wooing not woooooing as Bors said." they all smiled. "But to just woo me I would have to know that the man was a good fighter, and good hearted, which you are." Galahad smiled. "So she already knows that you are noble because you are a knight… She knows you're a Knight?" he nodded.
"Yes yes she does."
"Good then she probably approves of you courting her… Now if I were being courted I would want the man to be respectful of me as a person which you are being to her so you're good there… but it wouldn't be enough… I would need something else…"
"Like?" Galahad said.
"I don't know I would need confirmation that the man courting me was actually interested in me…"
"He's already being respectful what more do you need?" Bors asked.
"I'm a woman I need a lot more." She said. "I need to know that he finds me… I don't know… Attractive…" The men started taking mental notes. "So I would hope he would tell me so in a sweet way not in a drunken foolish way…"
"How do I do that?" Galahad asked.
"Well what does this girl look like?" she inquired.
"She's a beauty, long black hair, green eyes, luscious luscious breasts."
"Okay we'll you're going to want to leave out her breasts." Aria said.
"Women don't like it when men compliment their breasts?" Gawain asked starting to take mental notes.
"No!" she said with a laugh. "No they want you to be interested in what's beneath those breasts…"
"Which is?" Gawain asked.
"The heart." She said like it was obvious.
"Oooh…" they all said except for Tristan who just stared forward an apple held lazily in hand.
"So what should I say to her?" Galahad said.
"Well the next time she sits onto your lap push a strand of her hair away from her eyes and tuck it behind her ear while looking deep into her gaze… Then you say to her in the most earnest tone you can muster… You are by far the most beautiful woman I have ever set eyes on…"
"That will work?" Galahad asked.
"No she's going to laugh at you because she is shy about her looks, that is if she's a good woman…"
"Right…" he said listening intently.
"So when she laughs shake your head with stern look and honest eyes and you tell her that no one could rival her long raven hair, her deep emerald eyes, or her lips like that of an angel…"
"Oh that's good." Lancelot said memorizing it.
"So that's what I say and then she'll fall for me?" Galahad said.
"Yes… You must kiss her then though."
"This is what you would want?" Gawain asked.
"Not sure it's never happened but it does sound very romantic and I as any woman likes romance…"
"That's way too much work!" Lancelot said. "He wants to woooooo this girl not woo the girl."
"No I want to woo the girl she's very pretty I think I could take her as a wife."
"You're seventeen Galahad what's the rush?" Lancelot inquired.
"Oh the fact I might die any day now… Besides this woman she's like an angel."
"Awe that's sweet…" she said. "But you shouldn't take her as a wife."
"No?" he asked.
"No it would be unfair to her… I mean every time you would go out on a mission she'd be distraught worrying for your safety and god forbid something happened and you didn't make it back to her…"
"That's true…" He said.
"I like the sound of this girl." Lancelot said. "Which watering hole does she work at?"
"Oh no you stay away from her." Aria said before Galahad could. "This girl is all his and you'll back off or face the blade of my sword."
"Thanks Aria." Galahad said while Lancelot laughed.
"Any time…" she said before riding forward. "So Arthur how far are we riding?" she asked.
"Not far, not into woad territory."
"Good…" she said with a smile. "What will we be doing?"
"Camping and relaxing…"
"How long will we be gone?" she asked.
"Just the day. Or maybe two, depends." He said. "We shall settle over here in the wooded area…" they nodded and followed him as he and his horse led the way. When they moved past the thick tree line they headed to a clearing of the forest filled with boulders and surrounded by trees.
"Poleagues used to bring me here for lessons." Arthur said. "Now it will be for our lessons."
"I like it." Aria said un mounting her horse. She went to walk away but Teleri moved forward and butted her head against her back. Aria turned and looked at the horse before smiling.
"Almost forgot…" she walked over and took off the horse's saddle. "There you go." She said as she set it on a small boulder.
"How do you do that so fast?" Gawain asked.
"Do what?" she asked turning.
"Un saddle and saddle your horses." Galahad said.
"You are very quick at it." Arthur commented.
"Just gifted I guess." She said as she patted the horse.
"So Arthur what's on the agenda first?" Gawain inquired.
"Anything you want take this time to relax."
"Why did you say we were going to work on survival stuff?" Lancelot asked. "If we were just going to relax I mean."
"Because roman ears surround us always at the fort…" Arthur said.
"Ah sneaky sneaky." Lancelot said shaking a finger at him.
"Hey Aria?" Galahad asked.
"Yes?"
"I bet I can climb up one of these trees faster than you…"
"Why are you always challenging her to things?" Gawain asked.
"Sibling rivalry." He said with a simple shrug.
"You think you can climb faster then I?" she asked.
"I do…"
"Fine…" she said. "You're on."
"Yeah? When do we start?" he asked as the others sat down to watch.
"Not sure…" she looked up. "Is that he horn of the woads I hear?"
"What?" Galahad looked up quickly and Aria ran for the nearest tree as the others laughed.
"You cheated!" he yelled as he ran towards one himself.
"I know I'm sorry!" she said as she jumped up onto the tree and began to scale it rather easily.
"She's putting him to bloody shame." Lancelot said.
"She's lighter it's easier for her to pull herself up." Arthur said.
"I never thought of that…" Bors said as he watched Aria jump off the thick trunk and grab onto a branch. She flipped up onto it and crouched while looking on as Galahad dropped ten feet to the ground. She laughed as she tilted her head.
"Do you yield?" she asked.
"Never!" he said trying to climb up again only to slip and fall to the ground.
"Can I make a suggestion?" she asked.
"No!" he said before falling off again.
"This is a bloody shame." Lancelot said.
"Think you can do better?" Galahad asked standing.
"Yes yes I can…" He said standing and shrugging off his cloak.
"Let's see it then." He said. Lancelot walked over to the tree and Aria watched as he quickly began to scale it.
"You better make it to the top before I do!" Lancelot called.
"Bloody hell…" she said seeing how fast he was climbing. She looked up at the branches and grabbed onto one and disappearing into the leaf filled tree.
"Where is she?" Arthur asked highly interested in the competition. Lancelot reached the main branches when a loud snap sounded. The men stood as they watched Aria begin to fall from the tree. With a loud yell she grabbed her ax and slammed it into the wood halting her fall.
"Aria are you alright?" Arthur asked. She looked at the men and then to Lancelot before laughing.
"That was amazing!" she said. "You have to try that!"
"Really?" Lancelot asked before jumping off a branch and pulling his own ax he slammed it into the tree and laughed as his fall was halted. He smiled at the way his heart was racing.
"Well?" Gawain asked.
"It's wicked!" Lancelot said. Aria smiled as she climbed down seeing the twins already scaling a tree.
"Is it really that much fun?" Gawain asked.
"It makes your heart beat really fast." She said before walking to Arthur. "I think I'll go fetch water for the camp…"
"Good idea." He said. "There is a creek just a small walk away."
"Which way?" she asked as she took two buckets in hand after securing her bow and arrows on her back.
"East…"
"I'll be back in a little while I might get some hunting done for dinner." He nodded as he watched her headed off. When Arthur looked away Tristan slowly stood and grabbed his bow and arrows. The walk didn't take that long at all and he saw her slowly bending towards a thin creek and fill up her first bucket. As he stepped out into the open a branch crunched loudly under his step.
"Hello Tristan." She said not eve having to look to know who it was. He slowly walked over and knelt beside her.
"Came to help with the water…" he said.
"Very good… You know I think maybe when we camp out on missions we should be closer to a river for the horses sakes…" he nodded. "Oh I forgot to give you this, this morning…" she reached behind her and pulled out something leather which was rolled tightly in a bundle. She held it out for him with a smile. "Go ahead it's for you and Glider…" he took it and slowly unrolled to see it was a cuff. "Teach him to land on this instead and to hook his tongs into the leather loops on the side, that way you can carry him around and such with ease."
"Thank you…" he said quietly putting it on.
"I thought about an actual bird glove but I thought it might interfere with your swordsmanship…"
"It might have…"
"So what do you think we should hunt for dinner? Bird, squirrel, or fish?" Tristan looked around. "I see no fish here…" He said.
"I see no birds… Squirrel it is… First let's take back the water for everyone…" she went to reach for the buckets but Tristan grabbed them instead. "Thank you…" he only nodded and began walking away. She watched him for a long moment before following. When they got back to the campsite the men groaned.
"No food?" Galahad said.
"No we thought we might bring back the water for you all first… I'm going now to get the food…" Aria said.
"Soo hungry…" Lucan whined.
"We should all go…" Arthur said and the men groaned more. "Oh come on it could be a good time."
"I hate hunting…"
"No you just like eating Galahad." Gawain said with a laugh. Everyone stood and gathered their bow and arrows.
"Squirrel meat to feed us all we'll have to get a lot." Bors said as they headed into the thick forest.
"Should be easy they're all around…" Aria said as she pulled back and arrow and struck one off a tree where it fell to the ground. Dag walked over and strung it before throwing it over his shoulder. "Thank you for not having me carry the cute little dead animals." She said and he nodded.
"Are they only cute when they're dead?" Gawain asked. "Because you never have any issue shooting them…"
"That's because they're so far away and I can't see how precious their little faces are…"
"You still eat them though…" Jameson said.
"Yes I do feel very bad after doing so though…" she said making them all laugh. Aria went to shoot another when she spotted something far off. Tristan was walking by her when she rested her hand on his shoulder. He looked to her and she pointed. He peered through the thick trees for a long moment before he spotted something splendorous. He raised his bow and pulled back his arrow before releasing it. After a few moments he saw the wild Elk in the far distance drop out of sight. "Did you hit it?" she asked, and he nodded. "Well done!" she clapped him on the back with bright smile. "Boys!" she called turning making them stop and turn. "Tristan here as just killed himself a most splendorous elk."
"Well done!" Bors said.
"Let's go get the carcass!" Galahad said.
"Which direction?" Arthur asked excited for the meal they would have.
"Few minutes that way." Aria said. "You boys go get it and I'll get the pit dug for the fire."
"We'll be back shortly." Arthur said as he and the others headed off including Tristan who wanted to see his kill.
"How'd you spot it so far away?" Lucan asked him.
"Aria spotted it…" He answered his bow still at the ready.
"Good eyes why didn't she just shoot it?" Galahad said.
"The bow she carried was not suitable for a shot such as this one." Dag answered for Tristan who nodded.
"What will we do with all the squirrels?" Gawain asked.
"I say we eat them too." Bors said.
"Agreed." Arthur stated.
"This was a good idea Arthur." Jameson said.
"There it is!" Lucan said spotting it. They walked over with a smile.
"We'll clean the meat here to make it easier to carry…" Arthur said as they reached the huge Elk.
"That's a lot of meat!" Bors said clapping Tristan on the back.
-o-
Aria smiled as she looked up at the sky which was a glowing purple and orange thanks to the setting sun. Even though the colors of the sky was warm the temperature around her was cold. She couldn't wait to finish stacking the wood in the hole she had dug to light the fire. The flames in which they needed to cook the meat would have to be a wild one.
That was a good shot for Tristan I bet he's proud… she thought as she stacked the wood. A loud snap sounded ahead of her and she looked up to gaze into the darkening forest. She waited a few minutes her hand reaching for one of her discarded weapons. When no other sound of movement was heard she relaxed and lit the fire as she did she heard a loud roar and jumped an ax in hand. Her eyes were wide, she had never heard a sound such as the one that had graced her ears moments before.
"Hello?" she called, her eyes widened as she saw something emerge from the forest with a fierce gaze. "By the gods…" she said softly.
-o-
Tristan turned towards the direction of the camp. He had a feeling, a strange feeling. It was like a cold chill running down his spine. He shook his head figuring it was the weather and the hunger.
"Look at all this meat." Galahad said rubbing his hands together. Tristan turned again he thought he had heard something, almost like a yell.
"What is it?" Bors asked seeing him go rigid. They all looked at Tristan and went silent. This time they heard it a shrill scream.
"Aria…" Tristan said before he took off. Everyone left the meat behind and began to follow their swords drawn.
"Aria!" Arthur yelled as they saw the light from the camp appear in the thick trees. As they neared they could hear yelling and the sound of horses going wild.
"Aria!" Lancelot bellowed pulling his other sword. They broke through the tree line to watch a massive bear slam its paw into Aria sending her flying into a boulder where she fell to the ground still and bloody.
"No!" Tristan yelled as he pulled his bow and fired an arrow that hit the bear straight through the eye. It let out one last roar before falling to the ground so hard and so heavy it shook the earth. Arthur rushed to Aria and slid to the ground next to her.
"Aria?" he asked pulling her into his arms. She was covered in scratches and gashes, the others couldn't miss the puddles of her blood splashed across the camp sight. "Aria come on!" he shook her and her eyes slowly opened. "Aria?" he asked just before her eyes closed. Tristan rushed over and took her body into his arms before running over to her horse knowing it was the fastest.
"Where are you going?" Gawain asked. Tristan said nothing as he jumped up onto the horse Aria cradled to his chest before kicking the animal hard and rushing off.
"Pack up he's taking her back to the fort for aid, I have to go with for she's my knight." Arthur said.
"Go ahead." Dag said already gathering things.
"We're taking that bear…" Lancelot said glaring at the dead animal.
"Damn right…" Gawain said tying a rope around its back legs.
"I've never even seen one before…" Lucan said.
"Being attacked be such a rare creature… What are the chances of that… like one in ten tens?" Bors said not being able to count farther than ten.
"It's going to take all our horses to drag this massive thing…" Galahad said bringing them over.
"Let's hurry we need to get to Aria…" Gawain said.
-o-
Tristan looked down at Aria as the horse raced towards the fort. Her breathing was labored and she had made no other sound other than pain in the past twenty minutes. Her hand slowly clutched onto his cloak as if to hold onto him.
"I won't fail you…" he said looking up. "I won't fail you…Faster Teleri…" The horse reared before running at such a fast pace that the scenery around them blurred. "Come on… Come on… OPEN UP!" he bellowed as he neared the outer gates. "OPEN THE GATES! I HAVE A HURT KNIGHT OPEN THE GATES!" to his amazement they slowly opened and he was able to rush through without stopping. When he got to the fort he jumped off the horse Aria still held in his arms. He rushed through the stone stair wells and got to the doctors door. He pulled back his foot and kicked it open.
"What is the meaning-." The doctor stood and froze.
"Help her." Tristan said rushing over to him. When the man didn't move he held Aria out to him. "Help her!" he bellowed making the old man jump.
"Yes right…" he led him over to the bed and Tristan slowly set Aria down who made a pained noise.
"Help her…" Tristan said breathing quickly.
"I will try my best… But you must wait outside..." Tristan reluctantly backed up as the old man nudged him from the room.
"Save her…" Tristan said his eyes pleading. "You must save her."
"I will try…" the door closed and Tristan backed up into the wall feeling a strange emotion come over him. Something he had not once felt before in his life. He slowly slid down the wall to the ground as he started at the thick wood door. "Should not have left her…" he shook his head. "Should not have left her…" for the next hour people came to and from the room all with wide eyes as they looked to the knight sitting defeated on the ground. Tristan slowly stood as he watched Arthur rush in with the others.
"I'm sorry it took so long I had to double back to help the knights drag back the bear…" Arthur said.
"How is she?" Gawain asked. Before Tristan could answer they heard a loud pained noise come from the room. Tristan went to rush into the room but Arthur moved forward and held him back.
"No you can't…" Tristan struggled. "You cannot he needs the space to work." Arthur said and slowly Tristan looked to him.
"This is your fault…" he pushed him against the wall.
"Tristan..." Bors moved forward and stopped him.
"We shouldn't have let her go off alone…" Gawain said moving forward.
"It is all our fault…" Dag said.
"We all vowed to take care of one another…" Galahad added looking to the door.
"We failed at that with her…" Lancelot said. "When she has never failed at that with us…"
"This is my fault knights, the burden of the guilt lies with me." Arthur said. "I was to remind her not to be alone… But we were so close to this fort I thought it would be alright…"
"For her to be attacked by a bear no one could have seen that coming." Jamous said.
"This is all just a terrible incident…" his twin added. They looked at the two for a long moment before Galahad shook his head.
"I had snuck away to the lake here once when we were children…" Galahad said. "I went alone, and I started to drown… I didn't perish because she was there to pull me up from the water…" he looked to Lucan. "There are no accidents when you have others around to protect you… She said that that to me that night… She was right." The door slowly opened and Tristan moved forward as the doctor came out wiping blood from his hands.
"How is she?" Arthur asked.
"She is resting…"
"Will she live?" Lancelot asked.
"I'm not sure…" he said being honest. "I know she is aware of what is going on around her from some noises she has made… But still she does not open her eyes… She hit her head very hard and who knows the damage which has been done to her mind… She may recover she may die tonight… Or she may be one of those few who stays asleep until they starve… I cannot say for sure…"
"You said you'd save her." Tristan said.
"I said I'd try…"