"How did they get you all?" Aria asked after a long while of silence. She had been messing around with the chain she had been hanging for near two hours, and had grown tired of the clinking.

"The last thing I remember before waking up here?" Lucan asked. "A big fist hitting my face."

"Same here…" Jameson said.

"Bors and I had wine spiked." Lancelot said.

"Gawain and I were brought in with Arthur he told us not to fight and we listened." Galahad said.

"Something you should have done." Dag said. She had never been one to easily bruise but her cheek had a good shine on it and her lip and right eyebrow had been split.

"I'm fine." She said.

"You put up a good fight." Bors said.

"I would have won…" she muttered. "Just got bloody tired… Am tired now actually… Bastard broke my god damn rib… I think he split one of the sew jobs the doc put in on my side as well…"

"You have blood dripping down your leg." Lucan said staring at the puddle beneath her foot.

"Then yes it was split…" she muttered. "No wonder I'm feeling sick." She spit more blood to the ground before leaning her head back. "Arthur has been gone for two hours…" She muttered. "What if they've killed him already?"

"They've probably sent him on his way to get ransom…" Gawain said.

"Which we know the Romans won't pay from when you and Tristan had been taken." Lancelot said.

"Trapped, we were trapped." She said as she started pulling at the chain. "Not taken."

"You're never going to pull the chain from the wall." Jameson said. "You mine as well stop."

"I can get it… It's already loose… Kind of."

"The noise is setting my teeth on edge." Lancelot said. "We're captured Aria. Give in."

"Not in my nature…" she muttered. The door suddenly opened and she froze halting her struggle as a woad slowly walked in.

"Where is our commander?" Dag asked. The woad said nothing as he closed and locked the door from the inside his eyes firmly set on Aria.

"Hello Lovely."

"Hello Ugly…" she muttered.

"What's your name woman?" He asked still stalking towards her, and the men didn't like the look in his eyes. She stayed silent her eyes narrowed her jaw set firmly in place. "I asked you a question."

"And I'm not answering…" he pulled out a sword and placed it to Tristan's neck. "Aria…" She said instantly, surprising the knights. "My name is Aria…" she said quietly and he smiled looking to her.

"Aria…" he dropped the sword from her friend's neck. "Beautiful name…" he walked right up to her. "For a beautiful girl…" he rested a hand on her cheek. "Such soft skin for a warrior woman…" Her jaw clenched and he smiled. "I see you're uncomfortable with compliments."

"I'm uncomfortable with your breath actually…" The men smiled before watching the woad slap her across the face. She laughed and the knights looked at her wide eyed.

"What's so funny?" The woad asked.

"I've been hit harder by children." She laughed her head resting against the wall her eyes dancing with glee.

"I would hold your tongue when talking to me woman… Less you want me to cut it out…" he placed the blade of his sword against her cheek. "You smell sweet…" he said quietly placing his cheek against hers. "Like a spring rain…" he sheathed his sword and placed his hand against her neck. "If you smell sweet… I wonder if you'd taste sweet…" he pulled away his lips nearing hers, he cried out as her knee came up and caught him right between the legs. He fell back to the ground as the male knights laughed and Aria smiled.

"You'll never know." She said with a small wicked smile.

"That is something you are very wrong about!" he rushed towards her and Tristan picked his foot up kicking the woad in the stomach and dropping him.

"Stay the hell away from her." Tristan said with a deadly glare as the woad leapt to his feet and slammed the butt of his sword across his face.

"Tristan!" She yelled seeing blood spill from his mouth. The woad rushed up to her and unlocked her from her chains. He slammed her down to the ground before she could fight he placed a blade up to her neck and tilted her head back. "Laugh now I dare you too…" he said and her jaw clenched. "No nothing? No smile? No quick come back?" he looked to the male knights. "Seems I found something that shuts your dear lass up." He looked down to Aria who was glaring at him.

"Get off of her!" Tristan bellowed.

"Oh oh oh… If looks could kill I'd be dead ten times over." The woad said ignoring Tristan but staring at Arias narrowed eyes.

"Try twelve…" the blade nicked her neck and she gave a small gasp.

"What was that?" he asked. "I didn't hear you…" she stayed silent as his hand went to her hair. "Such long locks… Such blonde hair… Like the sun…" he set his cheek against hers. "Are you all warm like the sun?" his hand slowly moved over her body and she struggled under him.

"Get off me…" she said through clenched teeth.

"Or what?" he asked pulling back. "You'll glare at me to death? I have the blade I have the power and you are just regressed to what you always should have been…" he put his ear to her mouth. "A helpless little girl…" she reached for his sword and he grabbed her hand pulling it aside and twisting it. "Ah ah…" he said with a smile. "Wrong sword you reached for." He laughed as he took the dagger he held to her throat and slammed it down into her palm. Aria screamed in pain as her hand was pinned to the ground. He pulled another dagger and placed it to her neck.

"Aria!" the men yelled.

"Try and reach for my sword again little one and I'll do it to your other hand…" she glared into him her teeth grinding trying to keep from crying out in pain. He looked to the knights chained on the wall. "Enjoy the show, because I'm going to tear your girl apart…" He gasped before looking down and seeing his sword pointed to his throat.

"Get the fuck off me…" she said with a shaking voice. He slowly stood his hands raised in defense his dagger still held tightly in his grasp. Aria pulled her hand up and she didn't make a sound as it slid up the blade to the hilt where she could finally pull it from the ground. She waved her hand out the blade flying from her palm where it hit the ground. Her eyes narrowed on the woad who had dared to climb on top of her. "On your knees…" she said with a deadly voice. When the woad didn't move she sliced the sword across his legs, he cried out as he dropped to his knees.

"Please…" he said softly. "Please I have a wife and children…"

"They're better off without you." He threw the dagger he had in hand which she deflected with the sword before she moved forward quickly chopping his head from his body in one fluid motion. She slowly turned looking down at the beheaded corpse before bending down and taking the keys from his body. She walked over to Dag and un did his shackles. He pulled his hand away before taking the keys and undoing everyone else shackles.

"Are you alright?" Gawain asked walking to Aria who was looking down at her injured hand.

"I'm fine." She said walking away. "Dag here." She threw him the sword. "You'll move out in front…"

"Right…"

"Any idea where our weapons were taken?" She asked everyone.

"Yes I saw where they put them on our way in." Lucan said as Dag unlocked the door.

"We get our weapons and then we split up into two groups… Group A Gawain Bors Dag Lancelot and Jameson will go rescue Arthur, Group B comes with me to fetch the horses for our escape."

"Right." They said nodding in agreement.

"Aria…" Tristan pulled her injured hands in his but found she jerked away from his touch. "You need to tend to that." He said gently.

"After… Let's go." She said and they moved out of the dungeon like room. They were quick in their movements and their kills. Dag hadn't had to use the sword yet because Gawain Bors and Aria were quick in snapping the necks of anyone they came in contact with.

"There…" Lucan said pointing to a table where a bunch of weapons were stacked. Aria was quick in getting everything in place before walking to a window looking out and giving a low whistle.

"What are you doing?" Jameson asked.

"Calling Teleri…" she said turning. "Meet us outside the building in five minutes." She said to Group A. "Be safe." They nodded before running off. "Come on." She said to her group as she pulled a sword and rushed off blood dripping from her hand as they did. When they made it to a massive stair well they all jumped over the side behind a line of woad guards. They made quick in slitting their throats just as Teleri trotted into the square. "Did you find the other horses?" she asked mounting her. The horse began to trot off and the others followed her past two large barns before making it to a third.

"There they are." Lucan said with a smile as he spotted their animals.

"Get the horses and get them to the opening for the others, I'm going to the square to finish the mission. I'll meet you at the opening of the village." Before anyone could protest she was riding off.

The others led the horses back through the dark to the open court yard. They could hear yells and shouts coming from inside and knew their fellow knights were in danger. Tristan was the first to leap off his horse and rushed up the stair well before the others followed suit. They hoped the horses would stay for them but knew there was a small chance they wouldn't. Still they ran off to help their comrades because that's what a knight did.

Bors handed a bloodied Arthur over to Tristan who quickly dragged him from the fight and down the stairs. He placed him a top his horse before climbing on and rising off. He knew if Arthur were to die, the romans would hold him and the others responsible.

"We can't… can't leave them…" Arthur said half his face bloodied and swollen.

"Hold onto the saddle." Was all Tristan said as he rode off Arthurs horse following him as he did. As they passed the square Tristan looked to see Aria firing an arrow at a rope that held the head of the roman girl. It cut the rope and the head dropped into Arias arms just as she rode underneath it. Just as he and Arthur reached the opening of the Village so did Aria. Arthur quickly slid down from the horse and slowly got onto his.

"Arthur your face…" Aria said softly seeing it battered and bruised.

"I'm fine…" he said even though blood dripped down from his swollen mouth. "Where are the others?"

"They are coming I can see them." Aria said. Just as the group neared them Arthur kicked his horse and ran off Tristan and Aria following suit knowing the others would soon be right on their tails. "I got the head of the girl it's all I had time for." She said to Arthur.

"It will do." He said. "The family should be thankful for at least that."

"Where are we going to go, Badon fort is three days from here… Our presence would have spread across this territory."

"We'll lay low for a week…" Arthur said. "I saw a grouping of caves with good covering we should be safe there…"

"The ones by the creek?"

"Yes." He said.

"I will ride ahead set up camp." She said.

"Good if we do not arrive in a day or so you go on ahead without us."

"No I won't." she said before moving forward. "Go Teleri." The horse kicked with thunderous legs and she sped forward to disappear into the night.

-o-

Aria slowly dismounted, her head was killing her and her body ached worse than it had with the bear attack. Her hand had grown so bloodied and slick she hadn't be able to hold onto the main of Teleri with it, in fear it would get entangled. She quickly walked to the caves as Teleri went to the river for a much needed drink. She gathered wood and lit a fire needing the warmth to survive the cold winter's night. After doing so she went to Teleri and pulled the head of the roman girl from her saddle bag.

"I'm sorry…" she said quietly as she buried the head in the snow so the stink wouldn't rise. As she worked on the task at hand her mind wondered back to the dungeon and the woad who had pinned her to the ground. She had been in the position before and had hoped to never be again. So when the woad had slammed her to the ground placed the blade against her throat she had been stricken with a fear she had not felt in many years.

Stop thinking about it… he didn't touch you in the way that was truly bad… just in the way that was uncomfortable… Not like the one before him did…

Her eyes closed for a minute before she took a shaky breath and looked down at her bleeding hand.

I need to fix that…

She walked to the creek and washed her hands the ice cold water instantly clotting the blood in her hand. She left it in there for many minutes ignoring the pain that spread through her hand from the cold. When she pulled her hand back she found it bleeding a lot less than it had. She stared down at her reflection for a long moment and stared at her face which was caked in dirt and blood.

"Laugh now I dare you too…" he said and her jaw clenched. "No nothing? No smile? No quick come back?" he looked to the male knights. "Seems I found something that shuts your dear lass up... Oh oh oh… If looks could kill I'd be dead ten times over."

In that moment as the woads words echoed over and over in her head she moved her hands down into the water and started to wash her arms neck face and hair. She ignored the cold that instantly seeped into her. At that moment she felt the great need to be clean. The need to be rid of any trace of the woads touch. After she was done she walked to the cave she had lit up with a fire and sat down against Teleri who had lain down as she always did at night. She rested against the horse her knees drawn to her chest. As her eyes slowly fluttered closed for some much needed sleep. She heard a noise and pulled her sword, her eyes rested on Tristan who was standing at the entrance of the cave.

"Aria?" he asked.

"Where are the others?" she asked stowing the blade away.

"Far back, Arthur told me to ride ahead and make sure you made it here…" she only nodded.

"I didn't hunt, I couldn't handle a bow with my hand so if you're hungry you're on your own."

"I could hunt for us." He said.

"I'm not very hungry but thanks for the offer." He slowly sat down and watched as Aria covered her whole body with her cloak.

"I not hungry as well… Where is the head of the girl?"

"In the snow, to keep the stench away."

"That was good idea." He said and she only nodded. Silence fell upon them and Tristan couldn't help but keep glancing over at Aria who seemed haunted as her eyes looked at the Fire. He had seen the expression only once before. It had been when they were children. When everyone else had gone to sleep in their cell Aria had stayed awake staring at a tiny flame that danced on a tiny bon fire. For the next week she had done the same thing every night. To his knowledge she hadn't slept once during that time, and he never did find out what was wrong with her. "Something troubles you…"

"I'm worried about the others." She said quietly.

"Something else." She looked at him for a moment before looking back to the flames. "Is it because of that last woad, the one who pinned you down?"

"I killed him why would I be thinking about that?"

"You tell me you're the one thinking about it." she looked at him for a long moment.

"I've heard you and the others talking to Arthur about James." He looked down.

"Poor James…" He said out of instinct.

"Not poor James…" he looked to her quickly hearing the anger in her voice to see she was staring at the fire. "He got what he deserved." Her jaw clenched. "I was in the barn one night un doing my binds so I could wash…" she said quietly and he looked her over. "I heard a noise and turned to see James… He was smiling at me but not in the kind way but in the way that woad tonight had… That sort of sick smile…" he nodded. "He had figured me out. Learned that I wasn't a boy but a girl… He said he was going to tell. That he was going to tell on all of us… He figured on his own that you all must have known about me because we lived in such close quarters." She said looking to him and he nodded. "I pleaded with him…" she looked back to the fire.

"I begged him not tell on us..." she said softly. "In my naïve way I said I'd do anything and that same sick smile came across his features… He slammed me up against the wall and then down onto the ground, before I could do anything he had a blade to my throat…" her jaw clenched as she took a shaky breath. "He was young, and for that I was thankful because he had no idea what he was doing… Still he touched me in the way that woad did earlier, and then some…" Tristan's jaw clenched as he saw a flash of pain come over her gaze. "I felt helpless with James… Something I hadn't felt since I had been taken from my mother… When he was done he said that I was to meet him that next night and he would consummate our new relationship… He gave that same sick smile and he left me there… I put my shirt back on and bound myself as tightly as I ever did…" She took a deep breath as her knees pulled to her chest.

"I think I was really trying to become a boy at that moment…" Aria admitted before sighing. "Anyways that night I realized I never wanted to be helpless again and I knew I didn't want to go back to that barn and have him do whatever he planned to do so… When combat training came I took my chance… At first I was just going to slit his throat, nice and quick… Then I realized I wanted to make him pay for making me feel helpless… So… I did what I did to him… I cut his fingers off because he had touched me with them…" her voice shook. "I took his nose because he had rubbed it against my cheek… I took his ears because he had listened to me ask him to stop… Then I slit his throat so he could never threaten me ever again…" She slowly looked to Tristan. "Is it still Poor James now that you know?" he watched a tear slowly fell down her cheek and she quickly brushed it away.

"Why did you never tell any of us? Why did you never tell me?" She was silent for a long moment.

"I was ashamed…" she said quietly. "I had been scared and weak, and I was ashamed."

"You had a dagger held to your throat." He said looking to her.

"I did tonight as well, but I still got out of it didn't I, even with my hand pinned to the ground with a blade…"

"You are older now you were young then… You didn't know what you know now."

"Yes I did…" she said. "Yes I did… I was just too frightened to say or do anything…" She looked back to the fire, and there Tristan could see the pain once more. "It's been out in the open for weeks that I'm woman yet every morning I still go through the painful task of binding..." she smiled sadly. "I wonder why I do that…" Tristan bowed his head for a moment before slowly moving his arm and putting it around her body. To his surprise she didn't punch him, or pull a blade. She instead slowly rested her head against his shoulder her eyes watching the fire slowly dance its haunting ball.

"I'll never let another man rest his hands on you…" he said quietly. "I promise Aria…" she slowly nodded moving a little closer to him.