Author Note: Ok, I have to admit I'm very much hooked on the Olympics at the moment, and I find myself watching sports I'd never dream of watching in a million years! Which is probably why I haven't updated as much as I probably could have done over the weekend, for which I apologise. Still...here's a nice little cliffhanger for you to enjoy, mwahahaha.
Oh, and on a side note...would anybody be interested in reading an Olympics style Merlin story? Perhaps with the characters in the modern day? Or maybe even back in Camelot's time, they had an Olympic tournament...who'd be interested? Just so I get a rough idea before I start writing it. No point me wasting time on it, if there's going to be no interest in it, after all.
Let me know, because I can see the potential for the story already...but is it something you Merlin fans want to read?
...
If anyone asked Dante after the meeting what it was about, Dante would have liked to say that she paid close attention to what was said, and could repeat everything back, word for word. But this would simply not be the truth.
She had paid attention at first - enough to get the general gist that Saxon invaders had crossed the seas and were storming their way across the country, through every kingdom that stood in their way, but after Lot and Odin got into a row over who's kingdom was more at risk of invasion, and then Annis and Lot had a row over his treatment of everyone, and then Mark demanded that Sir Tristan be delivered to his chambers for what he called 'retribution' (considering Tristan was his nephew who had also stolen his wife Isolde)...well, things started to get out of hand then, and whilst it was amusing to watch the Royals bicker and argue like a group of children, Dante really lost all interest in the political side of things.
All she could think about was Gwaine, and how she could be doing better things with her time right now, than standing here watching a group of stuck up royals argue over things that weren't even relevant, considering the reason they had all gathered in the first place.
Beside her, Merlin let out a heavy sigh. She glanced at him and grinned. "You look how I feel."
"Bored stiff?" he offered, and she nodded. Then she leaned her head back against the wall behind her and closed her eyes, wondering if she'd be able to catch a few minutes of uninterrupted sleep before anyone even noticed and woke her again.
How long she actually managed to stay like this for, she wasn't entirely sure, but after what felt like only a few seconds, there was the sound of a door being thrown open and a voice suddenly rang out through the room. "Outriders have crossed the border!"
There was what felt like a lifetime of silence then, but in reality it could only have been a fraction of a second, if that.
"What?" Arthur demanded into the silence, and then there was movement, the sound of several chairs scraping back simultaneously as the other Royals jumped to their feet, and several voices calling out simultaneously, demanding to know what was going on. Dante's eyes snapped open again in time to see all hell break loose within the small room.
"Sound the alarms!" Arthur ordered to no-one in particular. Several of the servants jumped to do his bidding immediately. Merlin hurried to Arthur's side as he began to issue other orders, for the women, children and elderly to be brought into the citadel, and for the armies to be assembled.
Kahlee took her gently by the arm, finally catching her attention. "Milady, we should go back to your quarters. We'll be safe there."
"No, " Dante argued. "Arthur will need every able bodied fighter - regardless of gender."
"But look what happened last time you fought alongside Arthur! Please, Milady...stay safe this time? Besides, you'll be needed here!"
"Kahlee, I...I can't..." Dante started, torn and uncertain as she watched Arthur and the other Kings hurry off to assemble their men and don their armour. The Queens, Princess Mithian and the other ladies of the court had gathered in a corner, babbling animatedly about something or other, but making no move to follow the men. Dante was a woman...she shouldn't be fighting, and yet deep down, she so desperately wanted to. Almost as if she needed to prove to herself that she COULD still fight.
It was comparable to falling from a horse. if you didn't get straight back up and into the saddle again, you lost your nerve, and would most likely never go near another horse for the rest of your life. That was how Dante was feeling now. If she didn't pick up her swords and use them again, she'd live in fear of them for the rest of her life. Maybe to others, this wasn't such a bad thing...but to Dante...growing up in a man's world, her whole life had included swords and weaponry in some form or another. She couldn't lose her nerve now. She just couldn't!
"Lady Dante, please!" Kahlee begged, not understanding. "Stay! Guinevere will need your help and guidance, now more than ever."
"She's got Annis and Mithian, she doesn't need me!" Dante called over her shoulder as she headed for the door, having finally made up her mind. Kahlee ran to catch up, in time to hear Dante speak again. "My father once taught me that those who have the ability to act, have the responsibility to act."
"You don't have the ability!" Kahlee protested, knowing full well by now that her protests were falling on deaf ears. But she still had to try.
"I have armour, I have a sword - actually I have two - and I have the knowledge of how to use them. THAT gives me the ability. Therefore I have the responsibility to use those things to my advantage - in this instance helping Arthur to drive out the invaders."
"No matter what I say, you're still going aren't you."
"Absolutely."
Kahlee groaned, then jogged up beside Dante, quickening her pace to match her Mistress'. "Well then wait up. You'll need help with your armour."
...
The leather vest that Dante had worn in Ealdor had been ruined beyond all repair and under orders from Gaius, Merlin had burned it as soon as the knights had returned her to Camelot in the sorry state that she'd been in at the time.
The chainmail shirt had not been quite so unsalvageable, however, and with a few new links of metal to repair the gash across the chest, and a polish to clean it of the blood and rust that had accumulated since the last time she'd worn it, it now look good as new again. This was what she donned now, along with the engraved belt and buckle, the silver gauntlets and the gloves - effectively hiding Gwaine's ring (and her undying love for him) from the world. The engraved knife that had adorned the boot of her right foot had been lost in Ealdor, so she was forced to replace it - for now at least - with a cheap, nasty, simple blade stolen from the armoury. Still, if she was going to battle, anything was better than nothing.
She debated whether to acquire a helmet, in order to disguise herself, although it was unlikely that Arthur would be able to ignore her feminine curves, even in chainmail. He'd know it was her, with or without a helmet. But even so, a helmet would provide some small measure of protection in battle, so in the end she sent Kahlee to 'borrow' a helm and scarlet cloak from the knights barracks.
Some half hour later, when night had truly set in, she was about as ready as she'd ever be for the oncoming battle, and after finding Vixen in her stall and quickly making her ready, Dante rode out to stand beside the other mounted riders in the small section of Camelot's mounted cavalry.
Hidden within their ranks, she didn't feel quite so exposed. The darkness of the night and the borrowed cloak helped to hide her body and her feminine curves, the light wind puffed it out a little so that she looked more stocky and 'manly', and the helmet covered her face. Overall, Dante was surprised to discover that she could quite easily pass for a knight - aided greatly by the blue glow of the moonlight that distorted everything around her. Though whether this was a good thing or not, she couldn't decide. Still, as long as her disguise held up, Arthur may actually let her fight in this battle. She glanced down to where she'd carefully placed her short swords, sliding them between the leather straps on either side of the saddle, then she looked up again as Arthur strode from the Citadel, scarlet cloak billowing out behind him, helmet under one arm, armour gleaming in the moonlight.
Behind him came the other Kings - Lot in his leather armour and snake adorned tunic, a huge battle axe draped across one shoulder.
Bayard in his familiar blue tunic and chainmail, decorated long sword at his belt.
Mark of Cornwall in a rich emerald green tunic with shining gold armour and a spear and shield (the shield bearing his sigil - two golden spears crossed on a green background).
And Odin, dressed in black and gold decorated plate armour, a black cape fastened round his neck with two golden clasps in the shapes of fists. He was also carrying a shield, but had a very vicious looking maul in his other hand, rather than a sword or spear.
And then behind them came Annis, Mithian and Guinevere, each wearing the respective crowns of their kingdoms and dressed in their finest gowns as well as cloaks to keep them warm against the night wind that had picked up not long ago. Annis was wearing her wolf fur cloak, Mithian had a thick sheepskin cloak and Guinevere was wrapped in another of Arthur's scarlet cloaks.
Behind Gwen was Kahlee, hood raised to hide her face, playing the part of her mistress to keep up the deception until it was too late for anyone to protest. She had not liked the idea of deceiving Arthur or Gwen, but Dante had promised to take full responsibility, if she was caught, and had even given Kahlee a hefty bonus of gold coins that would easily see her struggling family through the next three winters, and then some.
Dante nodded ever so slightly to her, and Kahlee raised a hand ever so slightly in return - their own secret code, much like the one that Gwaine and Dante had developed as children.
Arthur and the other Kings swung into the saddles of their respective mounts, and then with shouts from the commanding officers, the entire army began to move out. The courtyard held merely Camelot's army, but once outside the lower town, the other armies - that had been waiting in their respective camps, occupying several of the fields around the city - began to filter and join and the grand army slowly swelled and doubled, then tripled in size. By the time they were out of sight of the city walls, the army was ten times larger than it had been to begin with, and Dante was with the mixed cavalry, up near the head of the army. She was just three rows behind Gwaine and the other Round Table Knights, and five horses behind Arthur himself.
How close she was to being discovered, and yet she didn't care. She was feeling a sudden buzz of adrenaline, and an excitement that - for the moment - cancelled out the fear of the coming battle. Vixen appeared to sense her rider's excitement and picked up her feet, trotting beautifully beside the other horses. One of Bayard's men rode to her left, and nodded at her once, in approval. Odin's man to her right also nodded and said "beautiful creature."
"Isn't she just," Dante replied, doing her best to mimic a deep voice that she hoped would pass for a man's. If Odin's knight suspected anything, he never let on, but she made a mental note from that point on, not to speak unless she absolutely had to.
...
When they reached the hill before the plains where the Saxons were supposedly camped for the night, Arthur called a halt to his army and sent a few scouts ahead to survey the situation. Whilst they waited in silence for the scouts to return, Arthur rode amongst the men, offering quiet words of encouragement or praise. As he approached Dante, she kept her helmeted head angled away from him, on the pretence of studying the stars above. The wind had died down now, however, and whilst the cloak still draped over her shoulders and hid her body, there was no denying that she was slim and small compared to the knights around her, even in the moonlight.
"Dante," Arthur spoke lightly, almost casually, as he rode up in front her. "You can take off that helmet now."
At first she pretended not to know what he was talking about and just ignored him, looking around her under the pretence of wondering who he was talking to.
"Dante," he said more forcefully this time, looking straight at her, and she could see the look on his face clearly in the moonlight. She sighed, knowing that now was not the time to mess around.
Reluctantly she reached up and pulled the helmet from her head, allowing her sweaty brown hair to tumble about her shoulders. Several quiet gasps erupted from those around her, and finally a wave of hushed whispers carried all the way through the rest of the army, so that within ten minutes of her revealing herself, every single man in the assembled army knew that there was a lady amongst them. And not just any lady, either. Camelot's First Lady...second only in power to the ruling monarchs. From somewhere up ahead, Gwaine was standing and turning in his saddle, giving her an incredulous look. She chose to ignore him in case she lost her nerve, and turned back to Arthur instead.
"You knew me?" She asked curiously. "And still you let me ride?"
"You'd have come whether I let you or not," Arthur shrugged. "So I thought I'd save myself the trouble of the argument and let you come this far. But I'm afraid THIS is where your journey ends. I cannot let you come any further."
"But Arthur - "
"No buts, Dante. Be grateful I let you come this far."
"Arthur please, let me stay. Let me fight!"
"Don't make me have you escorted home in chains, Dante, because that is what I'll do, if that's what it takes. Now, you have five minutes to turn your horse round and ride home again, or I will have Percival and Leon literally drag you back, instead. The choice is yours."
With that threat hanging in the air, he rode off back to join the other kings at the front. Dante groaned and thumped the pommel of her saddle with a clenched fist, causing Vixen to snort and stamp one foot. Dante reached down and patted her neck soothingly, then glanced to the army all around her. Every single man was looking in her direction, some craning their necks and standing in their saddles to get a better look.
She seriously felt like sitting here amongst them stubbornly and making Arthur keep to his promise about having Leon and Percival drag her home. But then she knew that Arthur WOULD keep to his promise. His word was his bond and if he said he'd have her returned to Camelot in chains, he would have her returned in chains. And that would just be humiliating.
If she rode now, she saved face, and Arthur knew it.
"Well played, Arthur...well played," she grumbled as she turned Vixen and started off out of the line of knights she'd been standing with. With one last glance back towards Arthur, who nodded once - a simple gesture that resonated so many meanings - she dug her heels into Vixen's sides a little harder than she'd meant to, and galloped off back down the centre of the army, men staring at her in awe as she thundered past, mahogany hair and scarlet cape billowing out behind her.
...
At the head of the army, Arthur watched Dante go curiously. She'd given in too easily for his liking.
All his instincts were telling him that she was up to something.
So he summoned Merlin forward on his plucky little one-eyed pony.
"Follow her," he told his faithful servant. "Make sure she gets back to Camelot safely."
"But what about you?" Merlin asked, reluctant to leave his master's side.
"What about me, Merlin? I'm a big boy now, I don't need you to hold my hand," Arthur snapped, suddenly embarrassed as the other kings let out chuckles of amusement.
"But what if you get hurt?" Merlin protested, not picking up on his hint.
"This is war Merlin. People are going to get hurt. People are going to die. Having you by my side is not going to change that. Besides..."
He steered his horse away from the others out of earshot. Merlin followed, having to lean in close as Arthur lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Dante gave in too easily when I sent her away. She's up to something and I don't trust her not to try and sneak into the back of the army when I'm not looking. If anything happens to her now, I will never forgive myself." He glanced back to the Round Table Knights. "My men would never forgive me either. You've seen the way they treat her - she's like a sister to them. Go with her and make sure she gets back to Camelot unharmed - for their sake, if not mine."
Seeing that Merlin was about to protest again, Arthur held up a gloved finger to silence him, before deciding to elaborate further. "Merlin, what I'm about to tell you, nobody else knows just yet, and it needs to stay that way to avoid a panic, is that understood?"
Merlin nodded, suddenly both curious and alarmed by Arthur's tone. "What is it?"
"Well..." Arthur looked around to make sure they were well out of earshot of everyone else. "Saxon riders have been spotted further inside Camelot already. They have a firmer hold over our kingdom that anyone truly knows. I've just sent Dante back through these lands...alone. Can you now see where I'm going with this?"
"Oh," Was all Merlin could say. But Arthur could see that he'd made his point. He reached over and clapped Merlin on the shoulder with one gloved hand.
"Don't worry about me, Merlin. I've got a whole army to protect me. Dante has no-one."
"I'd best get going then," Merlin nodded, resisting the urge to rub his now throbbing shoulder. Arthur really didn't know his own strength sometimes! As the warlock turned his horse on the spot, he glanced back at Arthur.
"Good luck out there."
"You too, Merlin."
The two friends shared the briefest of smiles, each knowing full well that this could potentially be the last time they ever saw one another. Then, simultaneously, they dug their heels into the sides of their respective mounts and galloped off in opposite directions to fulfil their respective duties in the oncoming battle.
...
Merlin waited until he was far enough from the back of the army before he used a spell to highlight the First Lady's path. After all, tracking her in the dark would be near impossible otherwise.
A trail of glittering blue mist hung in the air, highlighting the trail and confirming Merlin's guess that Dante was wearing the enchanted sapphire somewhere about her person. He was extremely grateful for this as his spell would have failed otherwise, and he'd have been left to track her in the dark. Finding a needle in a haystack would have been a piece of cake compared to THAT.
Now, however, he simply had to follow the glittering trail and it would lead him right to her.
He was surprised to see that Dante was in fact heading back for Camelot after all, and at no point did she even waver from the path. Hearing the first shouts and crashing noises from far off in the distance as the sun began to emerge on the horizon, Merlin knew that Arthur was putting part one of his plan into action.
Part one consisted of lining his army up within full view of the Saxons, stretching them along the full length of the hill and then encouraging them to shout and bash their shields. If all went to plan, the army would appear twice the size it actually was, and if it actually worked, the Saxons would be so intimidated by the army that they would retreat and flee without a single drop of blood ever being spilt.
If it didn't work, and the Saxons stubbornly remained, then part two would be to send an envoy to demand terms from the Saxon leader. If he could not be reasoned with, then Arthur would have no choice but to move on to part three - deploying the army and effectively starting a war with the invaders.
Merlin hoped it would never come to that, but these invaders were unknown to them. Would they choose to fight? Or would they choose to flee home again?
The shouts and crashes of weapons on shields grew louder with each passing second, and Merlin debated whether or not to turn back now and help Arthur, when all of a sudden the trail took an unexpected turn and he reined his horse to a halt.
"Wait a minute, that's not right," he muttered. "Camelot's not that way. Where's she going?"
The sounds behind him intensified, and now Merlin was torn. Arthur had given him a sworn duty to ensure that Dante returned safely to Camelot. He needed to follow her and see what she was up to, and where she was going. But Arthur was in grave danger, facing what now seemed to be an inevitable battle that, in all honesty, Merlin did not think that he could win. And what if Merlin returned too late and failed to protect the King? It was his destiny to protect Arthur, but how could he do that if he was too late?
It was in fact Dante who made his mind up for him. A twig snapping not too far ahead, followed by the sounds of footsteps told Merlin that she wasn't that far in front of him now. He'd somehow miraculously caught up.
Perhaps if he could stop her from doing whatever she was doing now, and get her to go back to Camelot quickly, then he could return to the battle and still be in time to save Arthur, if necessary.
Wasting no further time, he clicked his tongue softly and turned his horse to follow the designated path. Then he broke into a trot, not caring if Dante heard him now. He was just desperate to reach her quickly.
...
Tethering Vixen in her usual place outside Morgana's hovel, Dante removed the scarlet cloak, just as the heavens decided to open above them. Feeling nothing but sympathy for the poor mare as her mane already dripped with rainwater, Dante flung the cloak up and over the horse's back and neck, protecting her from the worst of the weather. Then giving Vixen an affectionate kiss on the muzzle and a quick pat on the neck, Dante ran for the relative cover of the hovel, disappearing inside just as Merlin arrived. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, and had to stick around, just to make sure that he wasn't mistaken. Hanging back under the cover of a thick bush, he watched and waited, his fears for Arthur momentarily forgotten.
Meanwhile, inside the hovel, Dante dumped her helmet on the table and shook the rainwater from her eyes. "I'm sorry for the intrusion, Mistress," she said with her usual bow, dropping briefly to one knee before being given the signal to rise again.
"What news?" Morgana asked drowsily as she sat herself up in her bed and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She was not angry with Dante for disturbing her, as she would normally have been, because something in Dante's tone, and the distant sounds of shouting told her that something had happened.
"Saxons have crossed the borders into Camelot, so Arthur and a few of the other Kings have ridden to meet them," Dante told her now, confirming her suspicions.
"Other kings?" This part surprised the witch. She'd known that Arthur would be the first to act, of course, but she hadn't expected others to join him so soon. Was the situation really that bad?
"Four kings have ridden out with him to battle - Bayard of Mercia, Mark of Cornwall, Odin of Bernicia and our very own Git Face - "
She was interrupted briefly by Morgana's surprised laugh. "Git Face? I assume you mean Lot?"
"Of course."
"I like it. That should be his new name from now on. But forgive me, I have interrupted you. Please continue."
"Thank you, Milady. They have ridden out with Arthur and combined their armies with his, whilst Annis of Caerleon and Mithian of Nemeth have chosen to remain at Camelot, but have also added their own armies to Arthur's numbers. He has a total of at least twenty thousand strong now...but the Saxons still outnumber them at least three to one."
"The Knights of Camelot are the best in the Five Kingdoms. They can easily hold their own against such odds...but the rest?" Morgana mused, rising from her bed and taking the cloak draped across the end. Wrapping it about her shoulders, she moved over to a small chest in the very corner of the room and began to dig about within. "Annis has a mighty army, and Lot's rabble are commendable in a fight...but I still do not like the odds of success against an unknown foe such as the Saxons. I need to see Arthur."
"To see him? Or kill him?"
"Now is not the time for personal revenge, Lady Dante. These Saxons pose a threat to us all, and as much as it pains me to say it...Arthur is probably about the only person I know who stands even half a chance against them. But he'll need all the help he can get."
"He won't just let you casually walk into his camp. Regardless of your motives," Dante pointed out. "And besides, he's surrounded by twenty thousand men who probably hate you just as much as he does."
"Yes, thank you for pointing that out," Morgana retorted sarcastically. "I'm well aware that I'm not exactly going to be winning any popularity contests in the near future. Which is why I shall go in disguise. Just as you did, from the looks of things."
"It didn't work. I got found out."
"Yes, but Arthur still spoke to you, did he not? I just need enough time to get to Arthur, then it matters not whether I'm in disguise. One way or another, he WILL listen to what I have to say."
"And if he chooses not to accept your help?"
"Then that is his loss."
Morgana pulled out a sleek chainmail shirt from the very bottom of the chest. It was red with rust and age, and flakes of metal drifted to the floor as she held it up to examine it. With a quick spell, however, it was transformed back into a shining, silver shirt once more. As were the gauntlets, and thick scale belt that followed.
"Did you have a cloak?" Morgana asked as she laid her old armour on the table and picked up Dante's helm to examine.
"It's outside," Dante replied. "I'm afraid it's quite wet."
"No matter," Morgana shrugged. "Fetch it for me whilst I change, please."
"As you wish," Dante replied, bowing her head slightly as she turned for the door, surprised that Morgana had tagged 'please' onto the end of her demand. That was most unusual. Perhaps she was simply preparing herself for the manners she would have to unleash upon Arthur, if he was to listen to her proposition.
At least one mystery was now solved though, she thought wryly as she stepped out into the driving rain. She now knew where Morgana's illusive armour had vanished to.
Walking over to Vixen, she stroked the mare's muzzle again, and Vixen nudged her, trying to bury her head away from the rain.
"I'm sorry, girl," Dante sighed, pulling the cloak off her and sending a shower of droplets flying in all directions. "But the Lady has commanded. And what the Lady wants, the Lady gets."
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" An incredulous voice snapped behind her, and gasping aloud, Dante drew the closest sword from the saddle, spinning on the spot and raising it, ready to attack if she needed to.
She didn't need to.
"Merlin? What the hell are you doing here?"
"I believe I asked you first," he glared, emerging from the bush he'd been hiding in. Then, before she could answer, he glanced at Morgana's hut, then back to the First Lady. "You're with Morgana, aren't you! All this time, you've been conspiring with her and playing us all for fools!"
"Merlin wait, you don't understand," Dante started quickly, trying to think of some way to talk herself out of this one.
"Don't I?" He challenged. "I know a traitor when I see one!"
And suddenly she felt her own anger rising. Who the hell did he think he was, talking to her that way? She was Camelot's First Lady! He was nothing but a servant - and a foolish one at that.
"No, you don't," she said icily, advancing towards him a few steps. And to her surprise, he backed off a little, raising one hand in front of him. "Let me tell you how it is," she said, taking advantage of this as she continued to advance on him, pointing with one hand in the direction of the far off army, still shouting and beating out their war cries like the distant sounds of thunder.
"You hear that?" she asked, though it was a rhetorical question, because everyone could hear it. "That is the sound of Arthur and his men fighting for our very freedom! Fighting for OUR lives, to keep US from harm. You've seen the Saxon Horde. You can't deny that Arthur's outnumbered at least three to one. What chance does he stand against such odds?"
He doesn't, Merlin thought. But he refused to voice this aloud, because saying it aloud only made it true.
"That still doesn't explain why you're here," he countered instead.
"I'm here because Morgana can help us," Dante revealed finally. "When I heard you following me, I feared you were a Saxon, or a bandit, or some other unsavoury person. So I came to the forest to try and seek shelter. What I found instead was Morgana. And she's agreed to help us turn the tide of this war in our favour."
"She can't be trusted!" Merlin protested.
"She was once a beloved member of Camelot!" Dante challenged angrily. "Yet you all turned your backs on her when she needed you the most! Is it any wonder she hates you all?"
"I...she...It's not our fault!" Merlin stammered. "She made her own decisions. She chose to side with Arthur's enemies..."
"Because YOU made her! Imagine you had magic, Merlin! What would you do if you'd been in her position?"
"I would use my magic for good, the way it was meant to be used," he countered readily, as if he'd rehearsed that particular argument over and over.
"And what if that's all Morgana had wanted to do? What if, all she'd been looking for was a friend? Someone to help and to guide her?"
"She had friends," Merlin suddenly went on the defensive. Dante was wrong. Morgana had brought this all on herself.
"She did...and then one of them poisoned her!" She looked pointedly at him then, and he knew that Morgana had probably told her everything. After all, he wasn't believing for one second that this was the first time Morgana and Dante had ever met. It seemed like Kilgharra had been right all along. Dante WAS a traitor.
"If that's what you do to your friends, Merlin, I'd hate to see what you do to your enemies!"
"You have no idea what I can do," he replied calmly, giving her an equally icy stare that actually sent a shiver down her spine. Or perhaps it was the rain that was making her cold.
Or maybe the sudden silence that had fallen.
Had he gone deaf?
No, when he shifted one foot, he could hear the ground moving beneath his feet. And the rain was still pounding down around them. Vixen was snorting and stamping one hoof.
Dante had frozen as well, equally as confused by the sudden lack of noise. "They've stopped," she breathed finally, and Merlin realised that this was the source of his confusion. The war cries had stopped, and everything had fallen silent.
"Do you think..." he started hopefully, glancing back at her.
But she didn't reply. She was staring at something over his shoulder. Feeling a sudden icy chill run down his spine that had nothing to do with the rain, he turned very slowly to look behind him, and gulped.
"Do not move," the Saxon rider spoke in a very heavy accent, adjusting the huge war axe over his shoulder as his huge black mount snorted and pawed the ground, tossing it's head up and down. "You come with us now."