A/N: If I am not mistaken, this one is the longest to date. Until...well, you'll see... ^^
Oh, and, to those who thought I didn't cover the Ice battle well, sorry, I didn't write to the movie, so used my short memory of that scene. :/
Chapter ten: Horses
As soon as Tristan was done tending to Dagonet, it was decided the weapon cart would be used as nursery for the time being. Jols rode it, between Arthur and Lancelot, riding ahead, and the rest of the Knights, walking behind, wary for any signs of still living Saxons.
Leera was walking beside Galahad, as Tristan had gone scouting on his own.
After a while, Arthur came to his Knights, his white mare following close. "We need to move faster. We don't know how far ahead the caravans is, and Saxons could have attacked them without our knowing."
Gawain nodded and soon climbed on his horse, while Bors, who lead both his and Dag's horse, stayed down. "Oi, can't move these two at the same time!"
Leera snorted. "And that's surprising."
Bors turned to her, a mischievous smile on his bold face. "I think Missy can ride it for me."
Guinevere, who had been riding the cart with Jols, chuckled. "What a wonderful idea. Do you have any reasons to think Woads would like horses, Bors?"
"Don't care, Missy. All I think of is teaching this little joker a lesson."
Leera's eyes widened as he came to stand in front of her, handing her the reins. She shook her head vigorously. "I can't ride!"
Galahad smiled and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'll teach you. That's not hard once you get to it." She shot him a knowing look. "I assure you!"
Arthur, behind them, cleared his throat. "Right, I think it better too that Dag's horse is tended to until we reach the Wall. But be quick, we can't linger long."
Galahad nodded and pulled Leera towards the stirrups.
She stubbornly shook her head again. "I don't want to ride, Gal!"
He smiled. "Your knowledge of our language grows impressive, for someone so small." He put his hands before his stomach, fingers intertwined, and after a long moment of staring, Leera gave in, putting her left foot on his.
He pushed her in the air so strongly she almost fell on the other side of the stallion, had she not grabbed its hair as a last resort.
Gawain burst into laugh. "Well, that's going to be fun."
Leera glared at the blond Knight. "In my tongue, I'd say you're a-"
Guinevere cleared her throat. "Leera, please. Try, at least."
The archer sighed and nodded. "On one condition." She stared at her outfit. The princess-to-be understood at once and nodded gravely.
The Knights stared in awe when she grabbed her tunic and took it off, shoving it onto the cart's front.
Bors whistled. "Had forgotten how ugly these were."
Leera sneered. "These are what I am. Who I am is written on me. Who are you, Bors?"
He seemed surprised at her answer, and even though she still wasn't used to the words, she started to like speaking their tongue. And that was a bad omen.
Galahad snapped her attention back at him. "Right. Now, put your feet into the stirrups." He helped her there, adjusting the straps for her size, so much smaller than Dagonet's. "And now, you take the reins, firmly, the horse has to sense you're the boss." She took it and pulled a little, even if she wasn't sure the beast liked it. "And now, kick its sides, slowly, not too strongly."
Leera hadn't understood the thing as much as she pretended to. She kicked the horse's sides, yes, but a little too strongly for its good.
The horse burst into movement so suddenly Leera had to grab its hair once again to prevent herself from falling.
Which she did, eventually, when the horse turned harshly, and she didn't follow the movement.
She received herself on the back.
Galahad and Guinevere were at her side at once.
"Ow. That hurt." Leera sat up, rubbed her sore neck and shrugged the dirt off her. "Let's try again."
Guinevere shook her head as if to curse her stubbornness, and translated to Galahad, who nodded and shoved her off the ground.
Dagonet's horse was waiting for her not twenty feet away, gauging her.
Leera walked to it and rubbed its cheek, staring into its dark eyes intently. "I swear to my gods, beast, if you shove me off your back once again, you'll end up in my bowl for diner."
The horse shook its head as if it had understood, and Leera jumped onto its back once more, placing her feet into the stirrups carefully. Then, she looked over at Galahad.
"How do I turn it?"
The young Knight smiled. "Just pull the reins and push your legs towards the direction you wish to follow. And, Leera," she looked at him gravely, "easy."
At the same moment she kicked the horse's sides, a little less strongly than previously, all the Knights climbed onto their mounts and started riding South, quicker than before, but still slower than usual, if only to make sure Leera would follow.
After ten minutes, she understood she much preferred being onto Tristan's mare, if only because when she rode with him, she was onto the beast's bare back, and could tell when she would move, when on a saddle, she had no way to foresee.
But the stallion was following its companions, and had apparently decided to leave her be.
She let it.
But someone had decided otherwise.
After Tristan had come back from his scouting and had most certainly told Arthur the road was wide open to the Wall, he had turned his mare towards where Leera was riding, and had started showing off.
Which meant, he had been riding backwards, turning his horse using the only strength of his thighs, etcetera.
And Leera found it either childish and infuriating.
So she decided to poke him.
With her dagger.
Once she felt the tender flesh on his arm under the blade, and the dark orbs locking to it, Leera decidedly felt mischievous. She smirked widely, and tutted for good form.
Tristan would have retaliated. Hadn't it been for Leera's kin.
Four Woads suddenly appeared in front of the company, sending the horses to whine, and the Knights to growl.
Only Arthur and Guinevere didn't look surprised by their sudden appearance.
Arthur pushed his mare towards the leader – who, to her stun, was Taun – and exchanged a few words with him, before turning to Leera.
"They're here for you."
Tristan's gaze burnt the back of her neck, but she ignored it when she jumped off Dagonet's stallion, grabbed her bow and quiver, and walked to her fellow Woads without a look over her shoulder.
Taun bowed his head to her. "Leera. You seem well."
"Taun."
He nodded and turned around, stalking through the woods, Leera and the three others high on tracks.
They soon reached a small clearing, where none other than Merlin and a few guards were waiting, all sat around a fire.
Merlin lifted his blue face to Leera when she stood before him.
"Ah, archer. Glad to see you well."
She bowed her head. "Merlin. To what do I owe the pleasure?" She squeezed her bow's wood, clearly stating she wasn't at all pleased.
The old wizard lowered his gaze. "Your mission is done. Arthur is more than halfway back to the Wall, and-"
"And your daughter is perfectly able to protect him, that's what you mean."
"Aye, that is what I meant. We have no more need of your services, Leera."
She heard Taun breathing heavily, and smirked to the thought that they all seemed tense in her presence. That was too good.
"I will not leave Arthur's side until he is safe from any Saxons threat. You are aware they are marching on the Wall." He nodded gravely. "And you intend to fight at his side." He nodded again. "Then you still need me. Guinevere might have her qualities, especially for someone like Arthur, but she doesn't have most of the Knights' trust. I do."
Merlin sighed. "Aye, my daughter has made me keen to the fact that you grew on some of them. The giant one, who is taking care of your cousin – my heart rejoiced at the thought of one of us spared – as well as the youngest, and the scout. Yes, I am aware you have the scout's trust."
"I do not. Tristan is probably the one you should worry about the most." She smirked at the thought of the silent Knight sneaking behind Merlin and cutting his throat open with his curved sword. Yes, that would be a sight she'd appreciate. "But he does his fellows. If they trust me, he'll tolerate my presence."
Then, Taun snorted behind her, making her very much aware of her rising temper.
Leera grabbed her dagger and pushed the feelings aside, moving just like Tristan would have, sneaking behind the other Woad and tracing a blood-red line on his cheek. She then planted her eyes into Merlin's. "Let me stay with them, organize the archers' lines. I will join my kin when all is settled. They are our people too, Merlin." And then she sighed. "And I will not leave my cousin unprotected."
Merlin got up and rubbed his hair, thoughtful for a short moment before he faintly nodded. "Alright. Stay with them. But do not forget whose kind you are, Leera."
She sneered. "Oh, that, I do not, Merlin." She nearly spat the name, before turning on her heels and hurrying back through the woods, barely aware of the couple of Woads following her.
She didn't find the Knights where she had left them. Of course they wouldn't have waited for her.
Well, none but one.
Pretending another scouting trip, Tristan had rode back to where she was now standing, her bow firmly held high, an arrow notched.
They stared at each other for a while, trying desperately to understand whether or not the other was a threat.
She withdrew before he did.
Climbing behind him on his mare, Leera wrapped her arms carefully around his waist, more aware than ever of his slight and muscular figure. She discreetly breathed him in, and wondered if she hadn't chosen this path for a whole other reason than Lucan.