Disclaimer is in Chapter 1

Tamura

Chapter 4

Spring came slowly to the British countryside surrounding the fort. But when it did come, so did the rain. It rained for days on end, and the recruits were often covered in mud from dawn until they could wash before bed. Tamura hadn't minded the snow or the cold for that matter, but the dismal, constant rain irritated her, thus making her temper shorter. She hated being soaked through the moment she stepped out the door. She hated the constant slogging through the mud. She fervently hoped that it would come to and end before she became part fish.

Dagonet took no notice of the rain. He didn't care. Seeing Tamura's irritation and her temper quicken was always amusing to him. He liked the feeling of the cool rain on his heated skin when they sparred and practiced and the smell of it. On the days when it was simply to wet to do anything, he spent time with Tamura and with Bors, who had taken a liking to a tavern girl named Vanora. He kept an eye on Lancelot though. Since that day he and Tamura had taken Arthur for a ride, Lancelot had been distant and unusually quiet. The younger man had taken to spending time with Gawain and Galahad and had virtually stopped associating with Tamura altogether. Dagonet knew she had noticed as well. The look of hurt in her dark eyes when Lancelot would completely ignore her was easily seen. They all knew why. They all had felt something similar for their lone female knight at some point. It was impossible not to. Every thing about her screamed that she could be the perfect mate to any of them. Bors had been the first to let it go, mostly because he found Vanora more appealing and the feeling was mutual. He knew Galahad was really too young to know the feelings of his heart. Tristan was silent and unexpressive as ever, but he's seen Dagonet's claim as one to not be crossed. Gawain was too good-natured to bother. That left Lancelot, obviously in love with Tamura, who was resentful over his attachment to her. In the deepest part of his heart, he felt a smugness that he'd never felt before.

After the long stretch of rain, the sun finally appeared and seemed to be staying for a few days at least. The knights took advantage of it and drilled them even harder. After a week of such drills, they gave the recruits another break with a free day. Tamura was eager for a ride and as soon as she was awake drug Dagonet out of bed. He was half awake as he saddle Storane. She eagerly saddle Arsalion and Valeria. As soon as she was finished, she sent him off to gather some lunch for them while she went to collect Arthur. Her eager thoughts gave her pause. She loved Arthur. He was like a little brother or a son to her. She smiled softly as she approached his house. She tied the horses to the tether post and knocked on the door. His mother answer and immediately gave her a warm smile.

"My lady, may I take Arthur for a ride today?"

"Of course. Let me get him." The lady turned around to find a half-awake Arthur standing behind her. "Get dressed. You're going with Tamura today." He came awake instantly and gave an excited yip as he dashed back down the hall to his room. "Thank you, Tamura. You always take such good care of him when you're out. I know he is safe with you, and Dagonet."

"I think of Arthur much like a little brother. I will always look after him. Both of us will." The lady studied her carefully for a moment. The silence stretched uneasily.

"Promise me something, Tamura?"

"Of course, my lady."

"You will take care of him if something happens to me?"

"Always, as though he were my own."

"Thank you. I feel an ill wind and it worries me. I know that if he is away with you and Dagonet he will be safe." Just then Arthur appeared at her side, dressed and eager to begin their ride.

"Come on little man, today is going to be so much fun." Tamura stated as she swung him up onto his horse.

Dagonet met them at the gate and they cantered out into the grassy hills to enjoy their day. The morning passed easily enough. It was so wonderful for them to be out with only the feel of the horses stride to entrance them. When they stopped for lunch, Tamura lay back on a blanket and watched the white fluffy clouds pass by as Arthur sparred with Dagonet. She heard them stop a while later and heard the soft murmurings of Dagonet. She sat up but didn't see them. She frowned slightly and stood to see where they'd disappeared. Suddenly a warm weight attached itself to her back, tackling her. She broke her fall easily and rolled away. As she came up laughing, she could hear the quiet rumble of Dagonet's laugh contrasting easily with Arthur's higher voice. She smiled at them sitting on the blanket. Dagonet knew that smirk meant she was planning something. Tamura darted forward and snatched Arthur off the blanket, tickling him mercilessly. The boy was breathless with laughter when he called for mercy. She dropped him lightly on his feet and flopped down on the blanket perpendicular to Dagonet so she could rest her head on his stomach. Arthur watched them curiously for a moment before doing the same to Tamura.

"Are you going to marry Tamura, Dagonet?" He asked suddenly. She felt his soft chuckle rumble next to her ears before he answered.

"I had thought about asking her, but I don't think she's ready for that."

"Tamura, is he right?"

"Yes, Arthur. I'm not ready to get married. There's too much going on right now. Maybe when we're done with training, if Dagonet still feels the same, I'll marry him then."

"Do you love each other?"

"I love him very much, Arthur."

"And I her."

"That's good." He said it with a yawn. Tamura poke his side and he yelped.

"Lets get you home. I think we've tired you out enough for one day."

They rode back to the fort quietly. Arthur started to nod off, so Tamura halted his horse and pulled him over to ride with her. Dagonet took up leading Valeria. Arthur curled himself into her arms and mumbled something. She leaned down to hear what he was saying.

"What did you say, Arthur?"

"I sai…m'I love you too."

"And I love you Arthur." As the reached his house, his mother was standing uneasily by the gate, looking toward the trees.

"Are you well, my lady?" Dagonet asked as they dismounted.

"Yes. Thank you for bringing my son home. Would you mind keeping him with you for a while longer? I have an errand to run and I do not think it wise to take him with me, or leave him here." She asked.

"That's fine. He can have dinner with us and we'll bring him back afterwards." Tamura answered, Arthur still in her arms, now adjust so that he had his arms around her neck and legs around her waist. She hefted him up a little. He was entirely too big to be carried as he was, but she didn't want to put him down. Dagonet saw her struggle and lifted him easily in the same manner. The lady nodded her thanks so they headed for the stables to take care of the horses. Arthur seemed to be waking then so they put him to work taking care of his horse.

They ate with the rest of the recruits. The other boys easily accepted Arthur into their presence. They didn't seem to mind that he would become their commander. For now he was just a young man spending time with other boys. The meal was a jovial affair. Even Lancelot seemed to easy out of his recent silence and talk with Arthur. The young boy seemed to be able to coax the older boy out of his slump with ease. Tamura thought it was good for both of them. The sounds of screaming and the sounds of weapons broke up what was turning into a pleasant evening. They all rushed toward the noise. As recruits, they were always armed with swords and knives. They had been training, but they hadn't put the skills they were learning to practical use at that point.

As they rounded the last corner where the noise was coming from, they saw the knights embattled with the native people of Britain. They were painted blue and they all suddenly understood why they were called demons. Tamura set Arthur in the doorway of the stable with one of her knives. She told him to stab at any blue painted person who came near him. She knew in the back of her mind that he would lose his innocence that night. She joined the fight and lost track of everything but the next person coming at her.

Arthur watched as the recruits and the knights pushed the Woads back again and again. He suddenly thought of his mother and ducked out of the stable doorway and into the shadows. He kept to the dark areas and went toward his house. As he reached the last shadowy area between him and his house, a Woad appeared. Both were startled by the sudden appearance of the other, but Arthur acted instinctively and stabbed with the knife Tamura had given him. He didn't pull it out of look back as he started to run. A wagon was on fire and it blocked his way to his house. He saw his mother appear in the doorway, trying to escape when the wagon rolled into the house. He screamed for her and had the sudden thought of his father's sword. He ran to the graveyard and grasped the handle of his father's sword. It was stuck deep in the earth.

"Father, let loose your sword." He grunted in effort as it suddenly slid free. He raced back to his house. His thoughts returning to his mother and how he would free her from the house and then protect her until the fighting stopped. But when he arrived the house was ablaze and his mother was trapped inside. He couldn't get to her. The fighting was still going on around him but he didn't see it or care as he collapsed to his knees, tears staining his cheeks. He felt the fear he experienced over the Woads turn to hatred in an instant. They had killed one of their own and he would never forget that.

Tamura found him when it had finally cleared. She'd been so worried when he wasn't where she'd left him and had hurriedly dashed toward his house, hoping that he was there and that he and his mother were fine. She saw the house burning and Arthur kneeling before it, his father's sword across his lap. She knew she had been right when the stray thought had passed across her mind. The slumped form of Arthur, half in shadow, half in cruel firelight, was one that had lost whatever youthful innocence he had once retained.