Yay! Yet another chapter! Same warnings as before for cursing violence et cetera et cetera (which translated from latin mean an on an on). Another cool saying is Pfefferminz-Automaten Türklinke which means peppermint vending machine doorhandle in german! I hope you enjoyed random phrases in random languages and that you will enjoy the following installment of this story. Reviews make me happy, and love you all!

Chapter Eight – Hang Mans A'comin Down from the Gallows

As much as you might think being transported back in time to some medieval world filled with charming princes and knights is fun. You are wrong. It is boring as hell. At least when you have a broken ankle and no one will let you go anywhere. In the future I would have crutches, and a proper plaster cast. Even if I couldn't go anywhere I would have my phone, and facebook, and random mindless games like robot unicorn attack. Something, anything to keep me busy would have made me happy, and yet they didn't even have Rubik's cubes.

Day after day, I stared at the wooden ceiling which was actually Merlin's bed room floor. I figured this out when I was woken up all most every night by him falling out of bed and muttering things into the floor. Gaius never seemed to notice, he just kept snoring away on his cot on the other side of the room. I would talk to Merlin, when he was there. Though most of the time he was off running errands for either Arthur or Gaius. Once he was completely off the map for a few days, he had gone off on some urgent matter with Arthur. Gaius was good company we would have long conversations about medicine and other things. A few times he even talked about magic quite seriously, I would say he was nuts, but then again in this timer period a lot of people did believe in magic. However a lot of the time Gaius would be gone too, doing his court physician duties.

Clarisse only showed up every once in a while when she did she would talk excitedly about court life, and gossip about nobles and such she had heard from the other ladies. She also talked a lot about her new friend the Lady Morgana. Who was nice, and pretty, and funny, and on and on and on. Sometimes I wanted to scream at her. I was her friend, why was she off with some fancy noble lady, when she could be talking to me. On the other hand, it wasn't her fault that she wanted to have fun, and that I wasn't allowed to go anywhere fun. I had to be a good little girl, and lie in a cot all alone for hours and hours on end.

One morning I woke up slowly blinking away the sleep, and squinting to bring the figure in front of me into focus. Merlin leaned over me a big grin over his face, and a bowl of something that smelled delicious in his hand.

"Good morning sunshine." He grinned helping me sit up, I scowled at him. I never have been a good riser.

"Morning." I grunted taking the stew from him, and accepting a hunk of bread that he held out as well. I dug in starving, also not a great contributor to my mood. Last night both Gaius and Merlin had gotten back late. I had already fallen asleep, and consequentially got no dinner. The food was good, most of it was. While I wasn't sure how those in the outlying villages or even in the poorer parts of the city fared, the food in the castle was great. The food was fresh and seeing as no chemicals had been discovered I assumed organic.

"So what are you doing today?" I asked, in the week I had been living in the same rooms as him I had found I was getting a bit more comfortable talking to him. Just him though a man with a bad case of the chicken pox's had walked in, and I found myself blubbering to find words again.

"The usual." He sighed.

"Getting beat to death with a mace and then having to clean it?" I grinned ripping a piece of bread off and dunking it in my stew.

"Yeah pretty much." He grinned, grabbing the bread from my hand and plopping it into his mouth.

"Hey!" I protested, he laughed and gave me a smile.

"Don't want you getting chubby while you can't walk around." He teased standing up; I shot him a glare and chucked a piece of bread at his face. He ducked and ran out of the room leaving me to finish my stew, and then sit in my cot all alone. Gaius had left Camelot shortly; he was going to some of the outer villages to get a rare herb he needed for something or other. I finished my breakfast slowly, thinking about things. Mostly of Clarisse, who hadn't come to see me for a couple days. Merlin said he had seen her around, and that she was well. She went out on rides with Morgana, and eating with the king and Arthur.

I didn't even have anyone to confide in, to tell how I was feeling. As far as everyone was concerned she was my mistress, I her maid. There was nothing for me to be jealous about; her cavorting around with nobility was something that should be normal. I shouldn't feel completely abandoned in a strange place. Well I wasn't completely alone, I did have Gaius and Merlin, who did do their best to keep me company whenever they could.

Sighing I set my empty bowl on the table next to my cot, and flopped back onto my bed. I was really getting sick of this cot, and the brown wooden ceiling, and the tall dusty book shelves, and colorful concoctions that bubbled and oozed. It was all very interesting, really, but I had been staring at it all for a week. There was so much out there, a whole new time, and world that I could see. Where riding a horse was the main mode of transport, and chivalrous knights battled for a lady's affections. Though if anyone fought over me I would probably faint; not because I was scared or excited, but because my mind would go into overdrive trying to say the right words to get them to stop, and then get them out of my mouth. I doubted anyone would fight over me; I was nothing but a lowly serving girl. Clarisse, Clarisse was mysterious, and beautiful. A noble lady from a war torn country far away, I was just the maid of the noble lady from a war torn country far away.

It had been about a week since Gaius had reset my ankle, at which point he had said I needed to stay completely off of it for a week. So why couldn't I go anywhere? It couldn't hurt just to go on a quick stroll around the castle. I was going to need something to help me walk though; I looked around the room searching for anything that could serve as some sort of cane or crutch. My eyes landed on a tall walking staff, probably something Gaius used when walking through the woods or something. Seeing as he wasn't here, I doubted he would miss it for a little bit while I went exploring.

First I was going to need to get dressed; I was in a simple white shift. Which in 2012 would have been pretty elegant evening attire, had it been made of a slight finer material. In four hundred something, it was pretty much underwear. Before I could try to get to the staff I needed to get to the dresser type thing where Gaius had stored my clothing, and placed my tall boots next to. Cautiously I sat back up, and swung one leg and then the other over the edge of the cot, resting them on the cold stone floor. Grabbing the table for support, I slowly brought myself to my feet. Immediately I grew light headed, and my vision faded into black before slowly returning. What did I expect? I had only gotten up to take a bath a couple times, and that was it.

Slowly and carefully, I made my way over to the dresser, and opened up my drawer. Inside carefully folded were my riding pants shirt hoodie and bra. As well as two more era suitable dresses, both were gifts from Clarisse. They weren't as fine as the pretty things the other nobles made sure her wardrobe was stocked with but I liked them better. No matter who she was hanging out with, she was still my best friend and knew my taste in clothing. Both were soft wool with laces going up the front of the bodice, one in shades of green, and the other deep purple with cream accents. I also now had a blue traveling cloak and pair of soft leather ankle high boots. Though my ankle couldn't quite fit into either pair of boots I owned, so I would have to go bare foot.

I managed to get into the purple dress, and hobble all the way to the walking stick. I held it with two hands, and put most of my weight on it before awkwardly moving forward with a cross between a shuffle and a hop. Not exactly elegant, but it would have to do. I got out the door and down the hall before I needed to stop for a second. Barely having moved in a week doesn't exactly make it easy when you do.

It was only supposed to be a short walk, around a few corridors or maybe into a courtyard if I could find one. But of course, I got lost. I passed a lot of guards I could ask, but I was too shy. If only they had had female guards things would have been a lot easier. I just tried not to look at them as they smirked at me while I shuffled down the hall. If only I could find Merlin, who would probably be with Arthur… of course there's always the question of where exactly is Arthur. Well he had said there would probably be training today which would mean he would be outside. Finally with a goal of some sort I slowly wandered about until I found a corridor with windows overlooking the forest, it was a start. I followed the hallway and went down a stair case took a turn and found myself on a walk way over the square we had entered through earlier.

I paused and looked down a large amount of people had gathered below me excitedly gathering around a tall wooden something. I paused and rested my arms on the window cill. I found Arthur pretty quickly he stood with his father on a balcony. Merlin wasn't with him, but Clarisse and a woman with long black hair who I assumed was the Lady Morgana were there. I could feel jealousy rising from the pits of my stomach at lady Morgana who was standing up there in her pretty dress's talking with my best friend; and annoyance for Clarisse who had separated me from her with class. I knew she didn't mean to, she didn't know what it meant to be noble and servant here. It wasn't her fault, but I was upset that she was so okay about it.

I continued to people watch, solemn guards and gnarled old women. Men who loitered in the shade of the walls looked as if they had nothing better to do. They all clumped together in anticipation of something though I wasn't sure what. I figured it out soon enough though as the guards hung long loops of rope, nooses. Then they came out six of the bandits, I looked at each of their faces. A cold feeling like ice spread through me as my gaze landed on one. I recognized him immediately; he was the one who had tried to steal River. The one I had given over to Arthur. What if I had let him go, just told him to run. He wouldn't be here about to face the gallows. I thought I had been sparring him, that if I didn't kill him then maybe he would just get jail time. It seemed Clarisse was not the only one who didn't have a perfect understanding of medieval society. What if he had a wife, and children? What if the only reason he stole was to feed them? The man would die today, and no matter what he had done to deserve it; his death would still hang over me for years, it was my fault.

I stared at him until he stepped up to the noose, and then I turned. I couldn't watch them die. It appeared everyone else could though, because after the thump of the floor falling out from under them there was a loud cheer. My chest tightened and my breath came in quick short gasps. I had to get away; I needed to get away that was my only thought as I hobbled quickly down the walk. River I needed to see River, to ride to just get out of the city for a little bit, at least until the bodies were gone. I remembered where the stables were, out in the courtyard just past the gallows where six bodies swung back and forth in the breeze.

I tried to hurry across the yard, my eyes firmly set on the ground. I refused to look at the gallows, at the man I had inadvertently killed. Of course, because I wasn't looking where I was going I ended up running into someone. Luckily that someone was Merlin, unluckily it was Merlin.

"Ally, what are you doing out of bed. You shouldn't be walking around yet."

"It's been a week; Gaius said I should be able to walk around by now."

"Yeah but not this far, and definitely not on your own."

"I just need to see River." He looked over at the gallows.

"You saw that didn't you?" I just nodded "All right I'll come with –" I cut him off.

"Alone."

"Do you know your way back to Gaius's room." I looked down out the ground.

"No…"

"Well I'll be around here find me when you're ready to go back."

"I will." I nodded and hurried off the stables, hoping he wouldn't be too close when I rode out of the city. I found River in his stall, hey boy." I greeted him gently patting his face. "You want to go for a ride?" he nickered his reply, and I grabbed his bridle. I would ride bareback, I didn't want to take the time to put on my saddle, and I wasn't sure if my ankle would agree to stirrups just yet. The stable boys had kept him well groomed and fed; I made a mental note to thank them when I got back. Using a couple bales of hay as mounting block I swung up onto his back, and trotted out of the stable into the courtyard. Of course Merlin had to be only a little ways away.

"Ally!" he called as I urged River into a canter, people diving out of the way as I rode through the crowd. I ignored him and the bodies and rode out of the gate, and into the main city. Since most of the people had been hanging around and talking after the execution the streets were pretty clear so I didn't have to dodge too much. Once I was out of the city I had a big open field in front of me. Without a second thought I indulged in what I had been dying to do for a week. I let him gallop. Even though he was nowhere near as bad as Byrd with a week off he was more energetic than normal, he shot off and I gripped tightly to his sides with my legs. Galloping in a saddle is one thing, but bareback is something else completely. I can feel every muscle bunch and coil beneath me before springing out, and coming back. I move my hips along with his movements and lean forward gripping mane as we fly.

Riding in general has always been my major stress reliever. Going for a gallop is leaving everything behind, every little trouble and worry can't keep up its just the wind, the horse, and me. The hanged men, and their Ladyships Clarisse and Morgana, the fact that I was in God damned Camelot. It all disappeared as we galloped farther and farther faster and faster. We must have made it about three quarters of a mile from the city by the time I pulled up River; gripping even harder with my thighs to keep from bouncing off, though the abrupt stop did jostle my ankle making me wince.

As we came to a stop I heard hoof beats behind me, and spun River around to see Merlin canter up to me. He was breathing a bit heavily so was his horse. He took a moment to catch his breath before saying.

"What the hell was that?" he said between breaths.

"I wanted to go for a gallop."

"I could see that, but you could have fallen, and broken your ankle again. You aren't supposed to be walking, forget galloping off without a saddle." He scolded, he looked worried. Then I felt guilty for making him worried.

"It's more fun without a saddle." I muttered.

"Why'd you do it?"

"Because I wanted to?" I lied, that was kind of it I always wanted to gallop.

"It was the hanging wasn't it." My breath caught am I that easy to read?

"I killed him."

"No you didn't."

"I caught him trying to steal my horse, I turned him in. I could have told him to run, and he would still be alive."

"Ally he wasn't a good man."

"Does that make a difference?" I yelled my words hanging in the air, "I don't care who he was or what he was like, he was a person." I gave a quick kick to River's sides and galloped again, wheeling around to get farther from the castle. I had to run, I felt guilty. Maybe it was just my guilt complex. It wasn't my fault that I didn't know how harsh punishments were here, but still I let River fly through the fields, as if the hangman were coming from the gallows with a noose that had my name on it.