Author's Notes: And here's the first chapter of Into Your Light. Enjoy!
Chapter I
The sun broke through the dark, grey clouds blanketing the bright blue sky above, shining down on a young girl and the great white stallion accompanying her. She closed her eyes as she took in the rays' heat, loving how it warmed her skin and lifted her spirits. Putting one hand on the top of her brow to shield her eyes, the young girl opened them, allowing herself to take in her surroundings. The island of Britain was full of beautiful, lush grass, surrounding forests at every turn with the wind whistling through the trees, and wore the scent of moist pine, wood and earth.
She was a striking girl of eighteen years in the year four hundred sixty-seven AD. She had blonde hair that hung down freely just past her shoulders and a bright, blue gaze that some say rivaled the sky above. Her skin tone was a shade of ivory, as if she had never been under the sun in her life. She had an oval-shaped face, and heart-shaped lips she was told were kissable by several boys. Despite the dirt and grime covering her hair, face, shirt, breeches and lace-up boots, some say she was as gorgeous as a goddess descended from the heavens above.
Her name was the ultimate piece that completed the picture: Iliana, which was Greek for 'ray of light', and she was of both Greek and Sarmatian blood.
On the day of her birth, the sun shined down on her as her mother, Calliope, held her in her arms following her birth. Unfortunately, it would be the first and last time Calliope would ever hold her, for an illness that made her more and more frail each year would ultimately claim her life just hours after giving birth. People said that Leoric, her father, was the most lethal Sarmatian soldier ever to join the Roman Empire's knights, and he raised her. He was of the Roxolani tribe, represented by the wolf, and those born into the Roxolani were fierce and deadly in combat, but tender and loving to the people they love and care about. He possessed a strong desire for fighting and shedding blood, enjoying the release he got from killing, and some say that he was a demon in disguise because of that strong desire.
His brothers that fought alongside him knew that there was a human being underneath the lethal veil Leoric hid behind, and the reason he was such a dangerous warrior was because of what Rome had done to him and his fellow Sarmatians for so many years.
When he finally completed his fifteen years of servitude, all Leoric wanted to do was forget all the blood he shed and the lives he had taken against his will. Traveling back home to Sarmatia, he came across a village south of the Greek city of Korkyra on the island of Corfu, where he met Calliope. Despite warnings and being aware of his infamous reputation, Calliope refused to be intimidated, nor fearful, and said that he needed someone to brave the darkness clouding his heart with him. At that declaration, Leoric fell deeply in love with her, and they were quick to marry, the both of them convinced they found their soulmate in each other.
After Calliope's passing, Leoric's world centered on Iliana, wanting to give her the future that the Romans had denied him. The two of them stayed on the island for the first eight years of Iliana's life, and she grew to love the ocean and the beach that was her mother's world. However, there was a part of Leoric that yearned to see Sarmatia again, and Iliana, curious about the world he was born and raised in, was the one to suggest they travel and live there for a while. He agreed, and the two traveled to the sea of fresh green grass that made up the lands of Sarmatia.
Some people of his tribe were still around even after all the years he had been away, and they welcomed him back with Iliana welcomed into the tribe that was part of her mixed blood.
Iliana would spend the rest of her childhood and adolescence in Sarmatia. While the grass was nothing like the ocean, seeing so much of it could be an ocean in its own right. It was like a piece of her mother's home came with her, morphing into a vast field of greenery.
Unfortunately, the tranquility didn't last forever, for everything changed in her sixteenth spring.
[Sarmatia, land of the Roxolani tribe, 465 AD]
Iliana cringed, attempting to swallow the lump that formed in her throat as Leoric coughed violently in the bucket that was on the side of the bed. He had been coughing up blood for nearly two days, and because the blood was a jet black color, the outcome was definitely not good. She had only known that he was sick; she didn't even know that he was on the verge of death with the thread he was hanging on slowly disintegrating as time went on. The result of his sickness was a wound he sustained during his time in servitude, leading to him coughing up blood on certain occasions.
When he finally finished, Leoric wiped the blood off his lips with the back of his hand before looking up at her. His pained and suffering expression was nothing like the man she knew him to be all these years, and that she didn't even know he was dying only worsened the blow to her fragile heart. Even as the tears formed behind her eyes, she tried her best not to cry as she took his hand in hers.
"Father…"
He reached for her with his free hand, wiping a tear that escaped her eye.
"Iliana, my dearest daughter. I am so sorry. I did not want you worrying so much for me, and that's why I never told you how bad my illness was. While I'm not fearful of dying, I was more afraid that you would never smile again if I told you."
Even as death was approaching him, he still put her well-being above his own.
"Forgive me, Father. I've been such a burden to you. Not only did I kill Mother, I've killed you, too."
She lowered her head as the tears flowed; the pain hitting her like a dagger that was slowly being turned after plunging deep into her heart. In response, Leoric placed his free hand under her chin and tilted her head up so that she had to look at him.
"Sweetheart, you are the greatest gift that your mother gave to me before she died, and what happened to her is not your fault. When she held you, she was never happier than in that moment, and she only wished that she could have gotten to see you grow up. At the very least, I can tell her you've blossomed into a beautiful woman.
"As for my illness, there was nothing that could have been done. It was just a matter of when it would hit the point of no return. None of this is your fault, and if any good had come out of it, it was you and your mother."
She nodded as he squeezed her hand tightly.
"Will you travel to Britain and seek Arthur Castus at Hadrian's Wall?"
"Aye. I will go to Britain. I promise," she replied.
He pulled her hand up and slipped something on her wrist. When she looked, Iliana saw it was a handmade Sarmatian bracelet with a charm of a wolf's head dangling from it. This design was the one he had chosen for his signature crest when he first came to Britain.
"Take this. This will show Arthur of your connection to me, and that way, I will always be with you. You don't know how much I love you, sweetheart, and how much I've always loved you."
He cringed as he felt the pain and the illness worsen, and Iliana pressed her brow against his, squeezing his hand tightly.
"It seems like my time has come, and I'll get to see your mother again."
This only made the tears flow harder, but Iliana took a deep breath as she said the words that she knew he wanted to hear before he took his last breath.
"I love you, Father. I love you so much."
He lifted his forehead and planted a gentle kiss on her own, a gesture he always did to show her how much he loved her. The knowledge that this would be the last time made the last of the fragile thread of her emotions snap.
"I love you too, Iliana. No matter where I go, you will always be the ray of light that shines the way through the darkness in my heart, and while you may not see it now, you will be a ray of light for someone down the line."
He died shortly after speaking those words, and per his wishes, Iliana cremated him and scattered his ashes to the Sarmatian field with his fellow villagers as witnesses. She would spend another year and a half in Sarmatia under the care of Andres, his comrade and her teacher, and after putting it off for as long as possible, Iliana finally traveled to Britain. She fulfilled the first half of her father's last wish by arriving safely on the island, and now, all she needed to do was make it to Hadrian's Wall and seek Arthur.
The stallion snapped her out of her thoughts when he came to a sudden halt, letting out a snort as he turned his head to look at her. Tilting her head to the side, she leaned forward so that she could pat his neck, and he leaned into her touch.
"No need to concern yourself, Arion. I'm okay. I just took a stroll down memory lane."
She spoke to him in her mother's Greek tongue he adored, and when he let out a small whinny, Iliana rested her cheek on his mane. After relishing in the moment, she straightened up and kicked her heel into his flank, sending him trotting forward again.
They trekked into a stretch of trees that delved deeper into the forest, coming across a vast pond that was surrounded by berry bushes and apple trees. It was the first sight of water since they first arrived in Britain, and considering they had been traveling for quite some time, they could use a moment to rest. In fact, she found it surprising that her journey had been so smooth. She received warnings of the native Woads and their ability to ambush and be stealthy, so she expected at least one or two encounters from the rebels painted in blue.
She clicked her tongue, which was Arion's cue to lie down, and she swung her leg over his neck. She pulled him by the reins towards the pond, and when he lowered his head to the water to take a drink, Iliana took the time to stroke his neck as she let herself relax.
"We'll relax here for a bit and then we'll continue onwards, love. We should make it to our destination by the late afternoon if things continue running smoothly."
His ears perked upwards, and he whinnied in approval, causing her to smile in response.
After giving him a few more strokes on his neck, Iliana crouched down by the edge of the pond and scooped some water in both hands, bringing it to her lips. The water was refreshing, and it brought some life back to her dry tongue and throat. She filled her empty water skin, and she was prepared to have her fill of the berries and apples this area of the forest offered.
She pulled out the knife that was tucked in her boot, and she stripped a bush of its luscious berries and pull a couple apples from a nearby tree. She used a cloth to keep everything together, and after securing her knife, she offered one apple to Arion. The stallion sniffed the fruit before gobbling it up happily, letting out another content whinny as he pressed his face into her chest. As she stared into his gigantic eyes, Iliana felt her heart melt at his affectionate gesture and expression.
"How is it I got so fortunate to have you at my side?" she asked, stroking his cheeks with both hands.
Just as she was about to enjoy the moment for a little longer, she saw his ears perk and his head shoot up, looking around the area sharply. His sudden change in demeanor surprised her, but she felt her body tense and her heart stop beating for just a moment as the hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up.
There was someone nearby.
Her eyes narrowed as she glanced to her right, sensing a presence coming up behind her. Although Arion didn't tense up beneath her touch, showing curiosity rather than danger, Iliana didn't want to take any chances of being ambushed.
However, she wanted to study her mystery visitor and make a final decision based on her observation.
She pulled slightly on the reins, directing Arion towards the opposite direction of where she sensed their mystery tracker. They walked a distance of forty meters into another stretch of the forest, and she positioned him to stand behind a thick brush that concealed him fairly well.
"You'll be safe here, love. I'm going to go back and see who our mystery friend is. If I need you, I'll whistle, okay?"
The stallion snorted his confirmation, and he pressed his face into her chest once more. With a smile, Iliana stroked his cheeks and nuzzled his face with her cheek before she grabbed her bow and quiver of arrows from their holster on his saddle. Slewing both over her shoulder, she gave Arion one last look and a nod before trekking back towards the pond. She crouched down in the cover of some bushes once she was close, hearing someone whistling, following a shrill cry from the skies above. Leaning on the trunk of a nearby tree, Iliana reached out to part the leaves and brush of the bushes for a closer look at her mystery visitor.
What she saw wasn't what she was expecting. It wasn't the Woads or even raiders from the neighboring lands.
It was a lone man.
He wore a specific leather armor that she knew wasn't Roman from the multiple metal rings adorning it. Strapped to his back was a sword, and his bow and quiver were slung over his shoulder. Perched atop his left arm was a beautiful brown hawk, and standing by him drinking from the pond was a dapple grey mare with an ebony mane. His wild, messy bangs partially hid his eyes, and despite not being able to see them, Iliana knew he was scanning the surrounding area, trying to locate her.
She gulped as she felt her heart skip a couple of beats in her chest; something about him screamed danger, but it was the danger that drew one in, and she barely swallowed the lump that formed in the depths of her throat as she felt her heart pounding wildly.
She held her breath when the hawk turned its head in her direction, and she found herself frozen in place when it tilted its head to the side and looked right at her. When it let out a cry and flapped its wings, the man turned towards the brush, and she felt as if his stare was piercing right through the leaves to reach her. Mentally willing herself to move, Iliana pushed the leaves back to conceal herself, and as she placed her hands on the ground, she felt a rock on her palm. She got a firm grip on the smooth stone, and with a deep breath, she turned and threw the rock.
The second it landed and made some noise far enough away from her was when she saw the man stand up and head towards it, giving her the chance to fall back. The second she put some distance between her and the pond was when she took off back to where she left Arion. She moved quickly, jumping over the roots of the trees and using their branches to hoist herself up, giving her a little extra speed. If there was one thing she took pride in the most, it was her ability to run.
Once she was within range, she let out a sharp whistle, and she saw Arion emerge from the brush she left him in. He was quick to lie down when he saw her running towards him, and once she mounted him, he was up and ready to go.
Just as she pulled on the reins and directed him to turn around, she gasped and felt her heart stop beating entirely when she found herself face-to-face with the strange, mysterious man. His hawk perched on a branch up above, and when its cry reached her ears, her breath hitched as she tightened her grip on the reins, unable to move under his intense gaze.
Although she was tense, Iliana willed herself to keep calm as he slowly approached her and Arion.
Tristan had ridden on into the nearby forest south of the Wall per Arthur's orders, scouting for Woads that dared to venture this way. Now that Rome proclaimed their intention to leave Britain, they were only getting bolder in their attacks against all Roman soldiers. More ambushes meant more moments away from the fort and the Wall, and he could only wonder what that would mean for him and his fellow brothers as they neared the completion of their servitude.
Tristan trained in the art of scouting as one of Sarmatia's Hamaxobii tribe. Some say his eyes were as sharp as that of a hawk, catching an enemy lurking in the darkness and seeing past the masks people around him put up. His hawk companion, Talia, served as his second set of eyes, watching from the skies above and catching what he couldn't see. Ever since he befriended her, she never strayed too far from him, and if there was someone or something hiding nearby, she would find it.
He pulled on the reins of his dapple grey mare, Siria, slowing her to a halt when he caught hoof tracks in the dirt path of the road. She snorted and shook her head, and he leaned forward to stroke her neck. Inspecting after he calmed her down, he saw the tracks were much larger than Siria's hooves, showing that the horse in question was a stallion. That eliminated the Woads and the traveling raiders; they usually preferred traveling on foot for convenience. Now, the only question that remained was whether the horse had a rider.
He heard Talia let out a cry up above as she swooped down to land on her usual perch that was his left wrist. She snagged a piece of food he held between his thumb and index finger, gobbling it down. He smiled as he gave her a friendly knock under her chin and a scratch on her chest.
"You saw the stallion, didn't you?"
Talia let out another cry as she ruffled her wings, confirming his suspicions. Now, all he had to do was find the animal.
There was a pond, berry bushes, and apple trees surrounding the opening he came across. He dismounted Siria as she lowered her head, proceeding to take a drink and quench her throat. He gave her a stroke on her neck while scanning the surrounding area, noting Talia's own observant scan from the corner of his eye. When his gaze caught sight of the grass next to the dirt path, Tristan noticed that something had trampled it, and he saw not only hoof tracks but also footprints next to them.
Talia turned to a particular spot lined with bushes and brush, flapping her wings as she let out a cry. Tristan also turned in that direction, feeling a pair of eyes watching him from behind the brush. Just as he was about to step closer, the sound of a thump that came from his right startled him, and he saw a rock rolling right out of the brush. He was about to investigate when Talia let out another cry, and he heard grass crunching underneath someone's feet.
Whoever the visitor was, they were trying to make as much distance from him as possible. He raised his arm up, giving her a boost, and Talia took off into the air. After watching her go, Tristan approached Siria, mounted her, and with a kick to her flank, directed her to where Talia took off and where he heard the crunching sound of the grass.
He could hear footsteps just up ahead as they ran from him; he wasn't too far from them. Siria galloped into a clearing located a little deeper into the forest, and when he finally caught up to his mystery visitor, he almost couldn't believe what he saw.
The person in question was a young, adolescent girl, and she was atop a beautiful, great white stallion. He dismounted Siria just as Talia cried out yet again, and despite her keeping a straight face, he saw the fear and reluctance in her bright blue gaze. Her blonde hair billowed in the breeze, and she had what he considered a gorgeous face and complexion. Her shirt, breeches, and boots complimented her figure, and despite the dirt and grime on her person, her ivory skin tone was without a flaw. As he studied her from head to toe, Tristan couldn't find any visible markings showing that she was a Woad. She must have been traveling for quite some time, and if that was the case, where was she heading to?
The grip she had on the reins tightened as he approached her slowly and carefully. He glanced between her and the stallion, noting that he wasn't as tense as she was, but proceeded with caution in case the horse reacted negatively. He saw she wanted to run, but his eyes kept her in place. There was something in that gaze that rivaled the bright blue sky, and a part of him couldn't help but feel drawn to them.
"You have nothing to fear. I will not hurt you," he said in a soft tone that he reserved for Siria and Talia.
He could tell that she was still hesitant, but she leaned forward and patted the stallion's neck twice. In response, the horse stuck his nose out towards him, and Tristan brought his hand out. After a moment of sniffing, the stallion nudged his palm gently and allowed him to stroke his cheek. He saw the girl relax, her tight grip on the reins loosening up slightly.
"Are you traveling alone?"
It was silent for a moment before she spoke up.
"Aye."
She had a soft, melodic tone in her voice that was soothing to the ears, making him yearn to hear more of it.
"It's dangerous for a woman to be traveling alone in these parts."
"I am aware of the dangers of traveling alone, but I am more than capable of looking after myself.
"However, I appreciate the concern for my safety."
"Where are you heading?" he asked, curious to find out.
There was another pause before she spoke up.
"Hadrian's Wall. I seek Arthur Castus."
His eyes lit up, to which he was sure she saw.
"I can escort you to the Wall and take you to him. Arthur is my commander."
Now it was her turn to be surprised as she tilted her head to the side.
"Are you sure it won't be too much trouble?"
"I wouldn't hear the end of it from him if he knew I let a woman traveling alone be on her way without some form of protection, especially with the native Woads getting bolder in their assaults," he replied.
After another beat of silence and a brief staring contest, the girl nodded.
"Okay."
He then mounted Siria and prepared to start the journey back to the Wall where Arthur the men were waiting for him.
"I have yet to learn your name, my lord."
Now that she mentioned it, they hadn't introduced themselves to each other yet. He turned to look at her, finding himself captivated by her eyes once again.
"Tristan."
She nodded.
"Tristan. I'll do well to remember that."
"What is your name?"
She took a deep breath as the sunlight broke through the cover of the trees to shine down on her.
"My name is Iliana."
End Notes: I did some research into the Sarmatian tribes, discovering the Roxolani and the Hamaxobii being genuine tribes based on the information I managed to find and a map I acquired. The animals the tribes represent in this story are concepts I created. I attempted to stay as historically accurate as I possibly could with whatever sources I was able to find during my research, especially considering there's not much information to really go by. If something does seem out of place, know it wasn't entirely intentional.
Any speech Iliana says that is italicized is her speaking in the Greek tongue.
As for Iliana's appearance, I based her looks off of Polish actress and dancer Izabella Miko from her younger years, focusing on her looks when she starred in the movie, Coyote Ugly, which was released four years prior to King Arthur. I suggest looking her up, for she is gorgeous. Let me know what you guys think, and check back sometime next week!