He poisoned me! I thought when I first woke up. When he touched me on the cheek….he must have put something on my skin. Some sort of poison…but what kind was it? It wasn't lethal, or I wouldn't be thinking. I opened one of my eyes and looked around. I was in a tent and it was dark out, I could hear them talking.

"How is she?" I heard Arthur asked but no one replied, "How did this happen?"

"She was poisoned some how, it wasn't lethal though….only meant to make her unconscious," Dagonet replied.

"When she went for her walk earlier," I heard Tristan say, "There was a man there. He touched her on the cheek with his fingers. Could that possibly be it?"

"Possibly…it's not impossible," Dagonet replied, "Who was the man?"

"I wasn't close enough to hear anything but she killed him," Tristan said.

"She killed him?" Bors said loudly and everyone shushed him, "Sorry."

"We need to find out more about her…whether or not she's a threat," Gawain said and I closed my eyes. I should leave; I shouldn't bring them into this mess. My parents will send more people after me killing everyone in there way. I fell back asleep and nightmares plagued my sleep.

My father stood over me with a whip in his hand. I didn't scream when it hit my back, I didn't let out a sound.

"This is the last time you will disobey me!" He yelled at me, "Next time I will not be so gracious!"

I woke up with a start and sat up quickly. I would've have died that day if my brother had not stopped my father. I remembered lying in bed for two weeks because I could not move. I had scars all over my back because of him. I fell back asleep into a deep dreamless sleep.

I remember being picked up sometime in the early morning the next day. I moaned and curled against their chest. I heard the person holding me tense but then sigh. I was so tired, but I remember looking up at his face and seeing his black curls lining his strong face. I then fell back asleep.

I woke up again and I was in a wagon. I sat up quickly and got extremely dizzy. I half fell, half laid back down on the wagon floor.

"I would not get up so quickly next time if I were," I heard a woman say, her voice soft. I turned over and lifted my head, it was Guinevere. I glared at her with all the hate I had in my heart in my gaze. She turned her head away hiding her gaze.

"You have much hate for such a young girl," She continued and I turned away from her, "Such hate. Hate that is pointed towards me?"

"At you, at your kind," I said fiercely sitting up again and then having to lie back down.

"What have I ever done to you? What evils have plagued your life to make you hate so much, child?" She asked her eyes gleaming with interest. I was silent for a minute.

"Your kind killed my brother," I said just above a whisper, "One of the two people who actually cared about me and you killed him!"

"How is this my fault?" She asked defensively.

"It is not, but I have met no other Woad to blame," I said and closed my eyes. I felt nauseas, I had a head ache and every muscle in my body was stiff. I heard the flap of the wagon open.

"How is she doing Guinevere?" Dagonet asked but Guinevere didn't answer,

"Dorinda, are you awake?" I did not answer. He soon left and I closed my eyes. The last thing I remember before falling asleep was Guinevere softly singing under her breathe in a language not my own. A language that somehow I never remember hearing before but I understood it.

In the dark you will find the light

Fight the evil, be an angel

Travel the your course

Travel your destiny

Walk the path set before you in stone

Life is not ta Crystal Stair

Which you are meant to walk upon

Dream child, dream your dreams

But remember, child, dreaming your dreams

Means they are no longer dreams

Someone lifted me out of the wagon and I curled against his chest again. I opened my eyes and looked up at the man lightly. It was Lancelot, I immediately tensed and he looked down at me. He smirked.

"Put me down," I ordered him and he stopped walking.

"You won't be able to walk, you are still too weak," He said smiling but I shook my head.

"Put me down this instant," I ordered and he put me on my legs. They felt a tad wobbly but I could stand on them, "I don't need your help." I snapped at him when his hand flew up to steady me.

"Such a change of mood," He muttered and I glared at him. I walked towards the tent he told me was mine and I went inside. Just that small walk had taken a lot from me, as soon as I lay down on the mat inside I fell asleep.

"Why does she sleep so much?" I heard Arthur ask just outside my tent.

"The poison that was given to her was very strong and it was meant to keep her tired for at least a week. Although I'm curious as to why it affected her so late, the touch should have instantly set her into a deep sleep," Dagonet replied and I heard feet padding away.

The next day, which was the third day I was sick I woke up early. No one else was awake except Tristan who was keeping watch. When I left my tent his head shot up and he stared at me through the braids in his hair.

"You shouldn't be up," He said and I grunted.

"I shouldn't have been poisoned either," I replied and he looked at me curiously from the tree he was sitting against. He did not talk to me after that, he only stared at me.

"Stop staring at me," I muttered, "Where are my bags?" He pointed to one of the wagons with his dagger. I walked over to the wagon and pulled my bags out. I fished in my bag and then pulled out two strips of dried meat and I ate them slowly. I didn't think that my stomach would appreciate a large meal after not eating for three days. I put my bags back into the wagon and turned around. Tristan had disappeared but I merely shook my head. Unlike everyone else I could hear Tristan; I could see Tristan when no one else did. I had heard him get up from his spot on the tree and walk into the forest.

"I see you are feeling better," Arthur said yawning as he exited his tent.

"A tad," I replied and he nodded rubbing his eyes. I studied him for a minute, he was unshaven and had a dark shadow about his face. He was a fairly young man but the lines under his eyes and the weariness in his gaze told me he was hardly a young man in mind and spirit.

"That is good, I would like to talk to you about this man. The man that poisoned you," Arthur said and my muscles tightened, I escaped behind a blank mask.

"I feel tired Arthur, maybe we should talk later," I said softly walking towards my tent.

"We will talk Dorinda," he said, "No matter when; we will talk about what happened." I disappeared into my tent and lay down. I could barely hear the beats of the Saxons drums. They seemed to be moving away instead of heading towards us. I shook my head, it was not my problem.

I did not fall asleep but stared at the top of my tent.

"Go away Lancelot," I said before he managed to stick his head into my tent.

"Pray tell, how did you know it was I?" He asked but I did not answer him, "We are leaving soon, I suggest you get ready."

"I suggest you stop trying Lancelot," I muttered when he walked away. I walked out of my small tent and took it down. I then folded it into a small mass of cloth and placed it in a wagon

"How do you feel today?" Dagonet asked a disapproving look in his eyes.

"Just tired that is all," I replied softly.

"You shouldn't be up," He replied shaking his head, "Climb into the wagon and rest."

"Yes sir," I muttered putting my hands on my hips. He patted my head and then walked off. My mouth fell open when he patted my head. It was something you would do to a small child, I was not a small child. You do not go around patting people's heads…it's insulting.

I climbed into the wagon and Guinevere was sitting there watching me enter.

"What are you looking at?" I snapped when her eyes didn't leave mine for a minute.

"Nothing at all, child," She replied slightly amused.

"What is so funny?" I asked glaring, her laughing died off slowly

"You wouldn't understand," She replied, I groaned and lied down on the floor of the wagon.

"Try me," I said putting my hands behind my back.

"You remind me of my kind, ruthless, emotionless, angry," She said and I sat up to stare at her.

"I'm not a Woad!" I almost screamed at her, "I know who my parents are, probably unlike you."

"Say what ever you like to make yourself feel better Dorinda," She said softly leaning against the wagon. She seemed tired and looked sickly.

"I will," I snapped closing my eyes and falling asleep.