A Married Woman

Chapter Three

Lancelot had never spent a night so on edge, both hadn't slept and had just kept moving through the forest to try and cover as much ground away from the Woad's as possible, on the other hand this did mean they were moving further and further away from the others, but Lancelot had decided to take that risk rather than wait around to be found as they had no idea if they'd be found by the other Knights or in fact by the Woads who would kill them in minutes. A few times on the journey Norah had suddenly been forced against a tree, a hand over her mouth, Lancelot's body pushed right up against her own as the Woads moved through the forest, looking for them. But when the sun rose and they found their way onto open grassland which they knew would be safer as they would be able to see an attack but with the sun rise, Norah's fear melted away and Lancelot saw the feisty, strong woman stride back into the picture, the brick wall being pulled up over her fear.

They found themselves walking across a field, long grass tickling their skin; they hadn't spoken for a while, letting the silence be filled with birdsong and the rush of the wind. Lancelot was happily feeling the sun on his flesh, something very rare in Briton when Norah said something that made him laugh

"You need to give me one of your swords."

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to say no," he looked at her with a smile and she raised an eyebrow

"Why? I can fight, you gave me one before."

"Yes, but you were in danger and I had to let you go in order to protect you." Norah stopped dead in her tracks

"Excuseme?" Lancelot rolled his eyes, turning to look at her,

"My Lady, if you are worried about being attacked, we are on open ground, we'll see an attack and I will defend you,"

"Defend me?" She laughed "Ohyou're one of those men." She continued on her walk, walking slowly past a frowning Lancelot

"One of those men?" He questioned, this time it being him who stayed still,

"Yes," she said clasping her hands behind her back "You know…save the damsel in distress, look manly in order to…well…make up for something,"

"I do notlike what you are implying." He said bluntly "And I can assure you madam that you are sorely mistaken."

"Am I?" she said smiling as she heard him following her,

"Oh yes." He smirked and she looked over her shoulder at him,

"You are rather confident in that aspect I assume." Lancelot grinned

"I'm well practiced."

"Ah? Well then you are the other kind."

"And what is that?"

"A man in denial that he is making up for something." She heard him laugh and turned around, watching him as she walked backwards,

"How old are you?" He suddenly asked and she blinked,

"Nineteen." She watched him frown,

"How old were you when you married?" she turned back around, crossing her arms over her chest, "You don't like to answer questions about your marriage do you?"

"Trust me," she said looking at the sky "It isn't what I understand as 'marriage'."

"No? What is it then?"

"An agreement." She said bluntly, stopping and turning to face the knight, "I do not love my husband and he does not love me, although he likes to pretend, it is false. My marriage, like many wealthy couples, is a lie. My husband wanted a young wife. He saw what he wanted and took it."

"You are rather cold about the subject," he said surprised

"Why should I feel anything but indifference? I am rich. I do not need to see the man that I detest and I am an independent woman." Lancelot looked at her for a long time

"But you are not happy are you?"

"Happiness is rare when you are married."

"Now that isn't true. You just have to marry the right man." They looked at each other across the grass for sometime, the cool wind blowing across the landscape.

"Ah, and have you or have you not bedded many women in your time?" He smiled at that and turned his head to the side

"You do not know me Lady." He paused crossing his arms "Don't presume you can judge me."

"I can judge whom I please…although I have been finding some difficulty in seeing your real character," she took a step towards him, her bright eyes fixed on his own dark pair and he too kept her gaze "I cannot tell whether you are a good man." She paused taking a step around him, her eyes trailing over him "You are a Knight…you must be noble… brave…" she paused and he exhaled gently, his eyes going to the ground "But there is something about you that is different from the others." He turned his head so that he could see her as she came back around "You are darker…something about you is different. I just do not know what it is. Whenever I come up with a new answer it seems to be wrong every time."

"That is simple." He paused as she raised her chin, looking back into his eyes "The error isn't in the answer…it is in the question. What makes a man good? What makes a Knight good? We are brave because we have to be, none of us wanted this fate. We have killed men, our hands are stained with blood…blood that will never wash off because we know, deep down in our hearts, among the many bad we've slaughtered, there were men who did not deserve to die by our swords. Men just like us." He stopped, looking at her unreadable expression. "Does that answer your question?"

"…A part of it, yes…" she took a step towards him, a lot closer than ever consciously than before, her fingers tracing the gold on his chest plate, he looked down at her, frowning a little at her close proximity "But you have not told me of the darkness that lays in your heart…there is something that lies within you that none of the others hold." She paused; catching his eye and hearing his breath catch in his throat.

"My Lady…" Her title came like a whisper from him and she realised just how close they were. Her eyes flicked down to his lips, perfect as they were, and she was frozen for a moment, feeling an impulse she hadn't before. She wanted to kiss him, feel him…let him run his hands down her body in the summer haze. She could feel his heart beat underneath his amour, it was quicker than usual. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek and slowly she looked up. He was looking at her intensely, waiting to see what she did. She realised he would never kiss her first, she was a married woman, an important one at that and if he touched her without her permission she could have his head removed from his shoulders before he even tried to defend himself.

Suddenly he looked up, frowning violently and looking in the direction that they were heading, she blinked, hearing the sudden sound of hoof beats and she swallowed, turning around to face the enemy that was going to come up and over the hill within seconds. Both were tense, unable to draw a breath. This could be the help they needed or something much worse. Lancelot swallowed, slowly taking a step in front of Norah, drawing both of his swords, ready for a fight.

The red and gold banners filled both with relief and Lancelot closed his eyes, thanking the God's for sparing him from death once again. He slid the swords back onto his back and began waving at the train of people. He heard the shout of their commander and the train of horses began galloping towards them at high speed across the landscape.

"Arthur must have gotten word back to the fort," Lancelot said looking at Norah who was watching the riders advancing on them.

"He must have." She said bluntly, he frowned a little looking at her. She was standing rigid, her jaw tightened, her expression dark and foreboding.

"What is it?" he asked, she swallowed, her anger vanishing as she diverted her eyes to the ground and Lancelot turned just as the train of men slowed, stopping meters from them. A man, the commander of the company climbed off of his horse, he was well built, tall and muscular, he wore Roman uniform which didn't suit his rough appearance.

"Who are you?" he asked looking directly at Lancelot who raised an eyebrow at being addressed in such a rude manner by one of the Romans, Samaritan Knights were usually treated with respect even by the Romans…mostly because the Roman soldiers knew they wouldn't win in a fight against them but still, respect was usual.

"Lancelot." He returned "I'm under the Roman commander Artorius Castus."

"I know," the man said with a sly smile "Samaritan Knights…hard to trust seeing as they like us just as much as we like them."

"Indeed." Lancelot said with a glare "If you don't mind me asking who you are?" The man laughed, he was in his late twenties, perhaps early thirties, his eyes were dark and he smiled, suddenly turning his attention to Norah.

"She hasn't said?" he questioned and it suddenly dawned on Lancelot who was standing in front of him and he felt sympathy immediately for Norah. "Once again my love, you astound me with no attempt to hide your contempt for me."

"Philip." She said his name, her eyes crashing into his and he smiled, something sinister and dark behind it. Philip dwarfed Norah in size, she was tiny compared to him and if he so pleased he could snap her like a twig.

"Come," he said expending a hand out to her, she had her arms crossed and didn't move, instead remaining a meter behind Lancelot who was watching the exchange "Norah I have no time for this. NOW." He said the loudly, clearly used to giving orders.

"I'm not going to the wall, it's a prison-" She began but he rolled his eyes, suddenly striding towards her, she tried to get away from him but he was too quick for her, grabbing her and lifting her over his shoulder "PUT ME DOWN!" she shrieked, hitting him in the back with her fists but she didn't seem to be even hurting him a little.

"I'll give you some advice Lancelot," He said walking back towards Lancelot who was looking at Philip "When you get yourself a wife, keep them in order or you'll end up with this, a woman too independent for her own good."

"I SAID PUT ME DOWN!"

"Never my love," He said walking back towards the horse before dropping her and taking hold of her wrists. She glared up at him, seething with rage at being picked up like a child.

"How dare you-!"

"Be quiet and get on the horse. I do not have time for this." He said suddenly blunt, she tried to pull her wrists from his hands but it was no use, he was too strong for her. "Eleanorah. I said now."

"Stop treating me like a child!"

"Then stop acting like one." He paused, waiting for her to get onto the horse but she didn't move "If I have to tie you too the back and drag you I will and you know me…don't think I won't." she looked up at him, her jaw locking again.

"Fine." She hissed and he let go of her wrists and she glared at him one last time before climbing up onto the horse. He climbed up behind her, Lancelot didn't miss the way Philips hands slid across her hips and too the reins. She seemed to shudder a little.

"There's a horse to bring you back to the wall, your leader arrived an hour or so ago."

"Thank you Commander," Philip nodded, his horse suddenly restless,

"Norah my love, aren't you going to thank your rescuer?" Norah had seemingly given up trying to escape her husband and his requests and settled for an expression which truly made her look her age. She exhaled loudly, turning her flashing gaze down to Lancelot, quite clearly less than happy about the situation, her jaw set and arms crossed tightly.

"Thank you Sir, I am forever in your debt." She said in a clipped tone which seemed to make Philip's smile broader.

"That's better." Philip said with a laugh before urging his horse forwards with a shout and digging his heels into the horse's ribs. Lancelot walked up too the horse they'd left him, carefully taking the reins and running a gentle hand down it's mane.

He wasn't quite sure how to take what had just happened and what perplexed him further was that he was unsure of exactly how he felt about it. Something about Norah didn't sit well with him, something about her was different from other women but as he thought about it, perhaps it was not because she was different but more along the lines that she was unattainable.

He could desire her all he wanted…she'd never be his.

And it was this thought that stayed with him as he rode back to the fort and was reunited with his fellow Knights. It was this thought that began imprinting itself in his mind, twisted and curling in and out like unwelcome fog.

If there was one thing you had to understand about Lancelot, it was that he would get exactly what he wanted when it came to women. He knew how to take it and usually, usually women fell at his feet. All kinds, from common whores to rich Ladies, he'd had his pick of the lot. Among his brothers he had a reputation, many of them were wary of letting him anywhere near their women because he'd stolen them in the past and many of them had woken up in a cold bed only to find that what was once theirs was now his. He was handsome, charming and witty…a deadly combination. He was also a celebrated warrior and Arthur's second in command. Altogether this made him attractive in every single way…but then sometimes, sometimes he'd meet his match.

It was a rare occurrence that Lancelot met a woman who had brains and beauty but when he did, he'd realised from his failed attempts, only one thing. That they did not like him. He was pretty to look at, yes, he could say perfect words, yes, but would he throw them aside when he got bored within a week? Yes. And these women, these perfect specimens were always out of his reach.

He didn't mind, not really, intelligent, beautiful women were difficult. Whereas beautiful unintelligent women were easy to fool into bed and they all seemed rather shallow anyway, once you were done they moved onto another Knight from another barrack.

Usually when he was rebuffed he'd just move along, find another woman to set his sights on but this was the issue, Norah hadn't rejected him…she just wasn't allowed to even think of him in that way.

This was extremely dangerous territory. Marriage worked like an unsigned contract between men. You never touch another mans wife. Even if the woman in question wants you, the code is almost law and if you over stepped the mark you could lose your head.