Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Tamura
Chapter 8
They set out as quickly as they could on the treacherous roads and with so many wagons slowing them down. Tamura rode a close to the wagon as she could, watching over Dagonet, and the boy, name Lucan. He was cute, and blonde. She still wondered, as she had that first day they took Arthur riding as a boy, what their kids would look like. The boy was feverish, and had a broken arm. Dagonet was doing his best to keep him comfortable as he set the arm. Tamura watched over them as best she could while keeping her eyes on the road. She could tell Arthur was taken with the woman, Guinevere. Moments before, he had hopped into the wagon and she had heard her quiet cries as he reset her fingers into proper position.
As they made camp, Dagonet passed Lucan to her, so that he could stretch his legs and put out their bedrolls. Lucan snuggled into her chest, and she felt a spark of warmth she hadn't felt since Arthur was a boy. Dagonet set about making dinner for them. She watched the guards' mill about before they settled around a small fire with the Roman, Marius. They kept glancing her way, especially after Dagonet joined her. She knew they were planning something, and nodded toward them to point it out silently.
It was near dawn when they struck. Dagonet reacted immediately fighting them off, pulling his boot knife to slash at them. Tamura cradled Lucan close to her chest with one hand, holding her own knife with the other. Marius snuck up with a guard and tried to grab the boy, but a slash from her knife at both them made them step back for a second. Guinevere shot and arrow straight in to Marius' heart. This made everyone pause, except Dagonet, who grabbed his sword to keep defending his family. They rest of the knights soon grouped around them. Arthur laid an ultimatum at the guards' feet to help or die. They chose to help. Dagonet stepped out of his fighting stance to comfort Lucan, and press a kiss to Tamura's lips. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that she could defend herself, but there was no way they would get close enough to find out while Dagonet was still breathing.
Tristan rode up a few minutes later, to show Arthur a crossbow. He pointed out that they were armor piercing. They could hear the drums as well, getting closer once more. It was time to move again. They quickly packed up and started their way south once again.
When they reached the frozen river, it became apparent that they weren't going to be able to out run the Saxon army. They paused and started to gather their weapons, Lucan was placed in the wagon with Alecto's mother. She would look after him until the knights caught up again. Ganis was put in charge of the guards and leading the men and women to safety. Guinevere chose to stay and fight with them.
They took up positions spaced evenly across the ice, waiting for the Saxon army to approach, 9 against 200. The Saxons approached and stopped when they saw the knights waiting for them. One of the Saxons fired an arrow to test the distance. It came up far short.
"I believe they are waiting for an invitation. Bors, Tristan." Arthur said over the wind.
"They're far out of range." Guinevere commented. Arthur just looked askance at her. Tristan and Bors fired their arrows, each one finding its mark, proving her wrong. The Saxon commander, knowing that they would be hit any way, ordered the army forward. Arthur commanded the knights to fire at will. Each knight fired, pushing the ranks in, trying to compact them enough into one area, so that the ice would break. But the ice, while cracking, still held firm. Dagonet saw this and dropped his bow. Tamura, reading his intentions, grabbed a Roman shield she had commandeered and raced forward with him. She crouched in front of him as he chopped at the ice. She blocked arrows, as Arthur, Guinevere and the other knights showered the enemy with their own arrows to protect them. When the ice began to crack under her feet, she nodded to Dagonet for one last strike of the axe. The ice cracked louder than before, and they both jumped back, Tamura running backwards, to keep on guard.
When they reached the safety of the other knights, they started to back up, ice cracking under their feet. That Saxons were far less lucky, many of them falling into the freezing water, and beneath the tipping ice. The river water surged up separating the two groups. The knights gathered their horses and trotted to reach the wagons. With the army blocked off on that end, they were in less of a hurry to reach the fort.
Arthur rode at the head of the column. He seemed pensive. Tamura noticed that he shrugged off Lancelot. This meant that she would be the only one who could get him to talk. She pointed to Arthur, and Dagonet nodded. She cantered to catch up with him. He smiled softly at her.
"What's bothering you?" She asked.
"I was worried for you and Dagonet just now, more so than I think I have ever been. I would hate to lose the two of you more, if only because you both took me in after my mother died and looked after me, as though I was yours. Maybe not as a son, but as a brother. I have never forgotten that. You both did a risky thing today, but I also knew that you would both be ok, because you were together. " Arthur answered.
"Risk is part of our profession. There is nothing we can do about it. We live or we die. Dagonet and I have both made peace with this. As have you. What else is bothering you?"
"Last night when we were camped, I saw Guinevere walking along the woods edge. I followed her. Merlin was waiting there. He wants me to lead his people against the Saxons. I feel like I have some obligation, as this is the only place that I have ever known as home, and my mother was one of them. Technically they are my people as well."
"Will you lead them then?"
"Yes." Tamura nodded and thought about it for a moment.
"I will stand with you, as I always have, Arthur. Dagonet may take some convincing, but he will understand, and will agree. I cannot speak for the rest of the knights. That is their choice, and they have so longed for freedom. I have long known that we would never leave this land, that we had nothing to return to. I have also known that you would never leave the land that gave birth to you, especially once you saw the truth of the Romans. I do not question your belief in your god, only your belief in your commanders."
"You have always known me the best, and understood me the best. I will not convince you to leave with the others. As you said its your choice to stay. I can only say thank you."
"You are always welcome. I will inform Dagonet."
"Wait. What will happen to Lucan?"
"I will settle him with Vanora, until the battle is over. Then Dagonet and I will take care of him. We have always wanted children. I can only think that this rough life has left me unable to bear him children of our own. So if we only have Lucan, then so be it."
"Very well. I wish you luck though."
"Thank you Arthur." Tamura turned back to Dagonet. She would tell him when they were alone. The others would need to make their choice on their own. She would only want to speak to him about it.
They reached the fort in late afternoon. The people stopped outside the gates to the knights' hall as the knights trotted inside with the wagon carrying Alecto. Lucan saw them trot passed and quickly jumped out of the wagon and raced into the courtyard. Guinevere yelled after him, and the Roman guards tried to stop him. Gawain quickly drew his sword and held it to the guard's neck. Lucan jumped into Tamura's arms, one hand reaching out to Dagonet. The guard backed down and away. Guinevere had followed him and approached Arthur. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into him. The Bishop looked disgusted but that quickly changed as Alecto descended from the wagon.
Horton passed out the discharge papers to the knights. They quickly left the presence of the soldiers, knowing that they were no longer needed or welcome. Arthur joined them, completely jaded by the Bishop about the place he had looked forward to seeing since childhood.
The silently took care of the horses. Jols and Ganis had left to settle the people that had come south with them, putting them in quarters and making sure they had food and water for themselves and their animals.
Lucan pointed to the area to bathe, and some fresh clothes. They each took turns cleaning up before they joined Bors, Vanora, and their family for a meal. Once they were finished, they said their good nights, and headed to their quarters. Someone had placed a cot in their rooms for Lucan. They settled him in and curled up together. Tamura knew sleep would not come easily for either of them.