Author's Notes: And to wrap up this week, here's Chapter Fifteen! Enjoy!
Chapter XV
When Iliana and Andres returned to the village, she followed him inside the house he came out of when she first arrived. He instructed her to wait a moment, and she watched as he opened a door leading to a room in the back of the house.
"Okay. My pupil is here. Come on out so you can introduce yourselves and get acquainted."
Iliana felt her heart pound, and she prayed to both God and Leoric that this would all eventually work out as four young girls that were approximately the same age as her made their appearance and stood in a straight, horizontal line before her.
"I welcome you all to Britain. My name is Iliana, but you can call me Ili for short. It's a pleasure to meet you all."
She could see a smile forming on each of their faces.
"A pretty face with a warrior's spirit and determination. Greek and Sarmatian blood mix very well, and I like the result."
Iliana tilted her head to the side in curiosity as she studied the girl who complimented her. She had long, wavy, auburn curls identical to Vanora's hair, hazel eyes, and a fair skin tone. Besides the compliment, Iliana didn't miss the playful tone in her voice and the playful look in her eyes. Almost immediately, she thought of Lancelot looking at her.
"And you seem to have a way with words and compliments, besides being playful and teasing. What is your name, dear?"
"Sophia. Soph or Sophie works too," the girl replied. "While I am playful most times, I don't experiment with my twin blades when I swing them at my enemies."
Oh yes. She would definitely make a good match for Lancelot, and Iliana kept that thought in the back of her mind. As much of a flirtatious cad as he was, he deserved a good woman, and one that could bounce his flirtatious ways right back at him.
"Okay. I've broken the ice and introduced myself. Your turn," Sophia announced, looking between the three remaining girls and nodding.
"Okay. I'll go next," replied the girl that was to Sophia's right (Iliana's left). She had long, ebony black hair that fell just past the middle of her back, and eyes of a gorgeous, emerald green. Her complexion was slightly paler than Sophia's, but it complimented her look and made her face stand out.
"My name is Estrella. When I'm not fighting enemies, sparring or off somewhere lost in my thoughts, I'm dancing my heart out or gazing at the horizon."
Based on the look of longing in her eyes, Iliana saw a girl that was lost in the depths of her mind; a reflection of how she had been before. While she still was to an extent thanks to still being unsure of the future, she wanted this girl to see what was in front of her now rather than have her wallow in whatever was bothering her. She thought of her being paired with Gawain thanks to his ability to speak reason and helping Galahad step up when need be, and while they looked like opposites in appearance, they seemed to fit each other perfectly.
"Pleasure to meet you, Estrella. I know how to belly dance, and if you ever feel like dancing, let me know," she said.
"I definitely will keep that in mind," Estrella said with a smile.
"My turn!"
She turned towards the direction of the bubbly voice, belonging to the girl on the far right. She had shoulder length hair of a crimson red color that could have passed off as freshly spilled blood with her bangs off to the left side of her face, brown eyes, and a porcelain complexion.
"I'm Catalina, or just Cat. I may be cute with my sweet, innocent smile, but I also like flashing that same smile when I gut my enemies alive. Goes to show as a reminder that appearances can be deceiving. It just all depends on who you are."
There were definitely secrets hiding behind Catalina's gaze as Iliana studied her. She could see a combination of pain, guilt and sadness locked up in the depths of her heart, and she wondered what it was to have triggered such agony to plague an innocence that was there and yet wasn't at the same time. She saw this girl as a perfect match for Galahad. He was also the one man lost in his own thoughts and sadness, and she felt that he could have a woman that he could lean on when needed, and the right one as opposed to the wenches he occasionally slept with.
"Guess I'm next."
The last girl who had yet to speak stood in between Sophia and Catalina. She had long, brown hair that fell just past her shoulder blades, eyes of a slate grey color and a rosy pale complexion.
"I go by the name Dimitra. Let's just say that I have matters of my own to atone for, and we'll leave it at that. There really isn't much to know about me past that."
But Iliana saw a lot more underneath: hidden scars that matted her heart thanks to a past trauma. Two words to describe Dimitra in a nutshell: silent and stoic, and she pictured Dagonet standing beside her. They complemented each other perfectly, like two pieces to a puzzle, and Dagonet possessed enough patience to wait for her to open up when the time came.
"Excellent that you girls are comfortable with each other, at the very least," Andres announced. "There is something I want you to know. While you think you may have revealed enough information without giving too much away, I am convinced Ili has deciphered a lot more beneath not just the words the four of you used, but also your expressions and behavior. As her teacher, I taught her how to scout and how to observe based on the behavior of those around her.
"The reason I wanted you to meet her was because I felt you all could have someone to look up to and be able to lead you as a group and as individuals."
"To add to Andres's explanation, I have picked up just enough information about every one of you as individuals," Iliana announced. "I don't believe in pressuring anyone who has experienced trauma, but the Saxons have put you and the other refugees through a lot."
She could feel her pride swelling at the shock that formed on all four of their faces.
"When you're ready to talk, look where the sun shines brightly. That's where I'll be."
With that announcement, she turned on her heel and left.
"I will also take my leave and do my routine checkup of the other refugees. I'll leave you girls to it," Andres announced before he left, leaving the four Greek girls to think things over.
Iliana's walking took her to the stables, the barn near the shores of the ocean. She took a deep whiff of the air, the salty scent of the ocean flooding her nostrils. The fresh grass and pine trees combined to give the village a unique scent with the ocean, and for a moment, it was as if Greece, Sarmatia and Britain had all come together in this coastal village. Perhaps she could find the balance she was looking for and come to an understanding of the person she had become by referencing the lands pertaining to her heritage and the land they assigned her father to.
When she walked into the stables, she smiled at the sight of Arion in a stall getting acquainted with four other horses (two on either side of him). When she whistled, his head and ears perked up, and he whinnied in excitement at the sight of her. She smiled as she walked towards him, and he stuck out his nose so that she could pet him.
"Hi there, handsome. I see you've gotten comfortable already, and you made some new friends, too."
When he let out another excited whinny, it added to her growing smile.
"You know, you're not the only one with the ability to read others."
The feminine voice echoed throughout the perimeter of the barn, and when Iliana turned around, she saw Sophia leaning against the doorway.
"Mind if I join you?"
Her smile widening, Iliana gestured with her head to come to her. With a nod, Sophia made her way towards her, stopping before Arion and giving him a pat on the neck.
"You have a beautiful steed. What's his name?"
"Arion," Iliana replied.
"Greek for 'brave'. Suits a great, majestic stallion like this one."
When Arion snorted in approval, Sophia smiled as she stroked his neck. Iliana watched them interact before being startled by the nose of another horse, and she looked to see a stallion of a beautiful, sandy brown with a smaller frame than Arion trying to get her attention. She smiled as she stroked his cheeks, and he whinnied in approval of the attention.
"Looks like you've made a couple of new friends, Belen," Sophia said, turning to look at the horse.
"Belen. Greek for 'arrow'. Is he yours, Sophie?" Iliana asked.
"He is. He's seen me through the worst of it all. Let me introduce you to the other horses that belong to the girls."
She pointed to a stallion of a beige color with an ebony mane standing in the stall next to Belen.
"That's Nico. He's Dimitra's horse."
"Nico. Greek for 'people's victory'. Beautiful name for a beautiful horse."
The stallion was aloof, and once again, Iliana thought of Dagonet as she held her hand out to him. He stuck his nose out to sniff her palm, and then he gave her a nudge and a whinny that she assumed was acknowledgment.
"That's his way of saying he trusts you," Sophia explained. "It's a start. He rarely warms up to anyone outside of Dimitra. He's still warming up to Cat, Estrella, and me.
"Goes to show that there is something about you that stands out."
Iliana chuckled as she patted Nico's nose, and she then followed Sophia a couple of stalls down where they were face-to-face with two mares. One was a beautiful shade of ebony and the other was a shade of pale white.
"And these two horses are Ebony and Ivory. They're Estrella and Cat's horses, respectively."
The two mares were quick to open up to her, and Iliana had to alternate between them to ensure they got an equal amount of attention from her.
"You all have beautiful horses, and their names suit them perfectly."
"Thank you. We did our best when we fled and went to Ireland."
When Iliana glanced at Sophia from the corner of her eye, she noticed a serious look in Sophia's hazel gaze.
"I can tell that you're suffering from the pain of a self-inflicted guilt. I'm ready to listen whenever you're ready to talk."
It was silent for a moment as Iliana finished giving Ebony and Ivory some attention before going back to Arion.
"My mother was fighting an illness while she was pregnant with me, and died just hours after giving birth to me. My father, the legendary Leoric, raised me. Despite his infamous reputation during his time as a knight, he was a kind and sweet man underneath his bloodthirsty facade. However, as I was growing up, he was slowly dying from an illness that was a nasty side effect from a battle wound he sustained.
"I had only known he was sick. I didn't even know he was approaching death's door until my sixteenth summer, when he collapsed and couldn't move. He slowly deteriorated until he ultimately succumbed. I feel I shouldn't even be here because I killed the two people that gave me life, loved and nurtured me. While I was a blessing to them, I also feel like a curse for their deaths."
Sophia looked as if she had just seen a bloodbath in those words.
"Okay. If there is one thing that I sure as hell don't believe, it's that you are a curse, Ili. When you left us to think over your offer, we saw the sun shining down on you, and that's how we came to an understanding that we could trust you and there was more to you than what we saw.
"Your name means 'ray of light', and that's exactly what you are. You were the ray of light for your mother in that moment that she got to hold you before she died, and you helped break through the darkness clouding your father's heart from his servitude to Rome. I don't think you realize that you're a lot more special than you give yourself credit for."
"Perhaps," Iliana said with a shrug. "A man reminded me of that last night."
Now this intrigued the auburn-haired girl as her bewildered expression changed to one of curiosity.
"Ooh. Is it one of Sir Arthur's knights that we've heard so many tales of?"
"Aye," Iliana replied with a nod.
"He has to be handsome to capture the attention of a gorgeous girl like yourself, Ili," Sophia said, giving her a wink, which made her smile and giggle. "I bet the rest of the men are just as handsome as he is."
"I'll let you and the girls be the judges of that when you finally meet them," Iliana announced, to which Sophia nodded. "So, I've told you my story. Whenever you're ready to tell yours, I'm all ears."
It was silent in the barn for what felt like an eternity, save for the occasional snorting and whinnying of the horses. Iliana was patient as she went to give Arion her usual affection, and after several beats of silence, she heard Sophia speak up.
"I had a family up north in one of the many Greek settlements," she began. "It comprised my mother, father and a nine-year-old sister, Rena, who was my entire world. Both her future and mine appeared to be set until the Saxons touched down with their invasion. They burned everything, and they killed everyone. My father hid me, but he didn't have time to hide Rena when a group of them broke into the house."
There was another pause, followed by the hiccup of a cry, but Iliana waited, stroking Arion's neck.
"They slaughtered them as if they were animals, and even though I shut my eyes to what they were doing, I heard Rena screaming and pleading for her life as they tortured her to death."
Iliana felt her body tremble out of fear and anger. She could hear the screams of that little girl as the Saxons killed her.
"I waited until they left before I came out, and I broke down before the bodies of my family. I was angry, upset, and hurt, and I wanted those bastards to pay for what they had done. Unfortunately, I had my survival to worry about, and I found my way to Ireland, befriending Sir Andres and meeting Estrella, Cat and Dimitra.
"You are right about one thing. We have a bond of being traumatized by the Saxons and wanting to destroy every one of those bastards. Unfortunately, there's only so much that four scorned Greek women can do against an army comprising thousands."
Iliana nodded, a part of her surprised she hit her target upon the Saxons doing wrong to Sophia and the girls. She was going to have to inquire about the stories of the others once she got the chance.
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, Sophie. The Saxons will pay for the damage they've done and the hurt they've caused."
Sophia nodded, and Iliana saw hope reflected in her eyes.
"The sun is about to set. Why don't we head to the beach and watch it from there?"
Iliana's eyes lit up at the suggestion.
"I would love to."
Iliana was sitting on a vast rock about twenty meters out into the water next to Sophia. The waves hit the edges as the tide came in and crashed down on the shoreline. The sun had just set behind the horizon, the star itself casting off a bright, orange-red hue of twilight in the sky. While Sophia still had the sorrow and anger in her hazel gaze, Iliana saw that it had softened up slightly. Her opening up about what happened to her seemed to have lifted even a little of the burden weighing on her shoulders, and she hoped that would continue to be the case with the rest of the girls.
The sound of footsteps that came from the direction of the shoreline soon broke the silence the two of them basked in. When they looked, they saw Dimitra had come out from wherever she had been and joined them.
"I see you joined us. Come sit down," Sophia offered.
The adolescent brunette didn't speak, but she made her way around the rock and sat down on the other side of Iliana. Despite her silence, Iliana could hear her loud and clear.
"Silence speaks the loudest message, Dimitra," Sophia said, with a hint of teasing in her voice.
Iliana didn't miss the look Dimitra gave Sophia, but her face soon softened before nodding.
"It's like I told you back at the house. When you're ready to talk, I'm ready to listen," Iliana announced.
They watched the sunset, and when the sun was about halfway down, Dimitra's voice broke the silence they were basking in.
"I barely escaped being raped by a group of Saxons when they came to invade the village I lived in," she explained. "I saw it all. Bloodshed, dismemberment, mutilation, assault and rape. I seized my chance to escape, but I got caught. They had a sadistic look in their eyes as they leered at me, but the second those bastards lowered their guard, I snapped.
"My determination to escape, my small size compared to them, and my quick action enabled me to steal a sword from one of them and swing it. Their blood sprayed all over me as I slaughtered them, and as shaky as I had been, I knew it was because I was trying to preserve my life. I eventually found my way to Ireland with some other people from my village that escaped, and you know the rest."
The brunette tried her hardest not to tear up, and Iliana reached out to her to give her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. It was then that Dimitra choked and cried.
"This goes to show that you can feel emotion, Dimitra," Sophia pointed out. "Regardless of what you believe about yourself, there is nothing wrong with being vulnerable, and that's what you're going to work on with Ili."
"I can see why Andres spoke so highly of you when he talked about you," Dimitra commented. "You possess a rare gift that few people have, and yet, I also see sadness of your own that you're wallowing in. What is that all about?"
Breathing out a shaky sigh, Iliana told the story that she told Sophia just a moment ago back in the stables, and as if history were repeating itself, Dimitra had a bewildered look on her face.
"You do not deserve such a crippling guilt for something that wasn't even your fault to begin with," she stated, not hesitant to express the shock she was feeling. "Your parents wanted what was best for you, in addition for you to be happy. Your father wanted to see you smile, and that was what kept him going for as long as he had before he died.
"At the very least, he could face your mother on the other side with absolutely no regrets. You were his last connection to the woman who helped him realize the light, and she passed that ability down to you so that you could shine for someone who needs it."
"And it seems she already has," Sophia pointed out. "She shined for one of Sir Arthur's knights before she left Hadrian's Wall and came here."
Dimitra gave Iliana a look that clearly stated her interest, and Iliana couldn't help but chuckle as she looked at her feet for a moment.
"You only deserve the best, Ili," Dimitra commented. "Even in that darkness you wander in, you deserve a man that not only loves you unconditionally but also hears and understands you, even when you don't say a single word. By that dreamy look I caught in your eyes, I can tell he's all that and more, and I bet the same goes for the rest of the knights, too."
Iliana couldn't help the small smile that formed on her lips.
"If you weren't here, the knights wouldn't have had the chance to meet you, and that would have been the case with us, too," Dimitra stated.
At that, Iliana nodded, knowing that the silent, stoic brunette was right.
A gentle breeze picked up from the direction of the nearby forest and the hillside that overlooked the village.
"Estrella and Cat always liked the greenery and forest," Sophia said. "I have a feeling we'll find them there since that hill has a marvellous view of the village and the horizon."
"They'll stay out there for most of the night if we don't get them. So, let's go," Dimitra announced.
As they made their way up to the top of the hill, Iliana made out Catalina's crimson hair as she sat at the very top of the hill in the fresh grass. Someone else was next to her with their knees up, and she assumed it was Estrella. As they got close, she saw Catalina's brown eyes light up at the sight of them.
"I thought you were going to look for us eventually," she announced as they sat down in the grass with them. Iliana sat between Estrella and Catalina, Dimitra sat in the back, and Sophia sat down next to Catalina.
"How did the sunset look from up here?" Dimitra asked.
"Gorgeous," Catalina replied in awe. "The twilight bathes the land with a view of the village."
"How did it look from the beach?" Estrella asked from her position on the ground.
"Beautiful," Iliana replied. "The view of the ocean as you listen to the waves crashing down really feels like you're in a dream that you never want to wake up from."
She allowed a look towards Estrella, her eyes locking with her emerald gaze, taking notice of the storm that she saw raging in her soul.
"I know you're wanting to hear our story too," Estrella said. "I guess I just needed a moment to get myself together before I spoke."
"Like I told Sophie and Dimitra, when you're ready, so am I," Iliana announced as she lay down on the grass herself, resting her hands behind her head for additional support.
There was a moment of silence, and when Sophia nudged Catalina in the arm, she nodded and was the one to start the tale.
"Estrella and I lived in the same village, and she and I think of each other as the sisters we never had," she said. "When the Saxons attacked, a group of them took me, her and a few other women for their twisted pleasure. We watched as they raped a couple of them, and when they turned to me, I knew I was going to be next."
She then turned to Estrella, and after they exchanged a look, Estrella nodded.
"The second I knew they were going to rape Cat next, I offered myself in her place," she explained. "When one of them tried to grope her, I got angry and fought, shielding her from them with my body, and they took me. They took turns as they raped me, and I willed myself to not cry, plead or express any kind of fear. Cat and the other girls that they didn't touch soon followed my example, and all we had to do was wait it out until they got bored with me.
"Their leader then came upon the scene after the third man raped me, and he belittled them for coupling with women that were not of Saxon blood. When one of them tried to show their entitlement to us, he killed him. A fight then broke out between the leader and this group of defiant men that were his soldiers, and that gave us the opportunity to escape.
"I felt like a dead weight thanks to what they did to me, but I would not let them cause my death, and it got me up to this point."
Iliana felt as though someone had stabbed a knife into her heart and then twisted it after plunging the blade. Estrella sacrificed her virtue to protect not only Catalina, but the other girls the Saxons had taken and intended to rape. It was one of the most noble moves that anyone could ever make, and if she was in Estrella's shoes, she would have made that same decision with no regrets.
However, there was a question that she needed to ask, and it would not be easy.
"I know you want to ask me something. Go ahead," Estrella said, a hint of encouragement in her voice and in her eyes.
"Were you…impregnated?"
The hesitation was clear in her voice, but Estrella had a grateful look in her eyes that she asked her question, despite how difficult it was to do so.
"Thankfully, I wasn't, and it shocked me I didn't get pregnant. Three Saxon men did rape me. The chances of one of them impregnating me were extremely high."
"God was on the side of you girls that day," Iliana commented, causing Estrella to chuckle.
"When they raped me, I prayed internally to God, and I guess he heard me when we got the chance to escape.
"However, what the Saxons did to me in combination with the greediness of the Roman Empire has triggered doubts of the possibility that there are still good men in the world."
"Arthur and his knights are a few of the sole exceptions to that," Iliana said. "They're nothing like the Saxons, and after hearing all of your stories, they would have fought to avenge and defend your honor without having to think about it."
"I may have just met you, but I will take you on your word, Ili. We'll see if these knights can prove me wrong," Estrella announced.
"I'm betting Ili is right, and maybe you'll fall in love with one of them in the process," Catalina said, which made Estrella chuckle. "So, what's your story, Ili?"
For the third time in a single day, Iliana spoke of her parents' passing and the guilt she felt about their deaths. Like Sophia and Dimitra, Estrella and Catalina were in disbelief.
"Ili, I don't think you even realize how lucky you truly are," Catalina stated. "You grew up away from barbarians like the Saxons, and you're not burdened with trauma like the rest of us."
"Cat's right," Estrella chimed in. "If anything, I have no reason to blame myself for what happened to me when it wasn't my fault to begin with. I took the plunge to protect Cat and the other girls. Let that unnecessary guilt go so you can find the happiness your parents wanted you to have, or it will eat you alive. I know, because I speak from experience."
Looking between each of the girls, Iliana felt she developed a better understanding of each of them. Remembering how Sophia mentioned fighting with twin blades, she wondered about the combat abilities of the others.
"Considering Sophie mentioned she can fight with twin blades during her introduction and Dimitra has mentioned her ability to swing a sword, do the two of you know how to fight?"
Catalina and Estrella nodded.
"Then I would like the honor and privilege of sparring and training with you all," Iliana announced. "I sense the anger in all of you for what the Saxons have done, and I want you to channel that anger should fate be so cruel as to steer us their way.
"I admit I feel a bit out of shape with my own abilities and I want to get back into it myself. So, this will benefit the best of both worlds."
She watched as they exchanged looks with each other, and then they looked at her and nodded in unison.
"How about we start first thing tomorrow morning?" Sophia suggested. "Since all we're doing is playing the waiting game until the rest of the refugees arrive, we can make the most of that time."
"Sounds good to me," Iliana said with a nod.
Off in the distance and standing behind a nearby tree, Andres was listening in on their conversation, a small smile forming on his lips. Things were progressing smoothly, but he didn't expect that it would be this smooth.
I was right about introducing Ili to these girls. She will guide them in the right direction, and if they ever cross paths with the Saxons, they'll be more than ready to fight them. Now, let's hope I'm right about her playing matchmaker with Arthur's knights.
End Notes: Ooh. An introduction of some new characters and new friends for Ili! Something to keep her mind occupied while she's away from Tristan! I will be going back to posting two chapters next weekend so that I'm back on my intended pace for this story. I hope you guys are enjoying it so far, and check back next weekend!