Author's Notes: As promised, here's Chapter Twenty-Nine! Enjoy! Expect some intensity in this one!
Chapter XXIX
Iliana was sleeping soundly, huddled in her cloak and lying comfortably on the pelt, when Tristan woke up before dawn and saw her face. Her head rested atop his arm, and he tried to pry it away from her as carefully as possible. She stirred, nuzzling her cheek against the sleeve of his coat, and he leaned towards her, giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek. She breathed out a content sigh at the feel of his beard against her, making him smile against her skin.
"I have to scout. Do not fret. I'll be back in a few hours."
She nodded in her sleep, and he moved to kiss her lips before departing.
Iliana yawned as she leaned back against the tree next to her tent, taking in the early morning rays of the sunshine. Following Tristan's departure, she slept for a couple more hours before she finally woke up, and she stepped outside to get some fresh air. Her meeting with Merlin weighed heavily on her mind, and she wondered what she was going to find when they arrived at the Roman estate. She hoped some fresh air and sunshine would help ease her mind and lift her spirits, but it was only increasing her already growing tension and anxiety.
The sound of crunching grass snapped her out of her trance, and from the corner of her eye, she saw Andres taking a seat next to her. She saw a stern look in his eyes that she knew all too well throughout her younger years, and there was no dodging it.
"I want to know what happened when you went on your walk last night, Ili," he said, getting straight to the point. "I will not speak a word of it to the others. It will strictly stay between the two of us."
Iliana nodded; Andres had never let her down in the years they had known each other, nor did he ever go back on his word.
"I met Merlin last night," she announced. "He confirmed for himself that I was Leoric's daughter and he swore that no harm would befall me or the rest of us. I did what my father had done, trusting my instincts and trusting he would stay true to his word.
"I asked him what his interest in me was about, and he explained I would purge an evil lying in wait at the Roman estate and rescuing two of his own people. He told me it would take the light I possess and my father's strength and perseverance to bring justice to that said evil.
"Not long after I returned, I fainted from trying to take in all of this information, and I had a dream about Father. I admitted my concern about having to use the 'technique' when we arrived. He reassured me, admitting he didn't like me being on this mission, but he can't alter my destiny. That is my being the light that protects Arthur and the knights."
It was silent for a moment as Andres took in her words, and when Iliana stole a glance at him, she saw a hint of surprise.
"Well, I'll be damned that you actually met Merlin and lived to tell the tale without so much as receiving a scratch," he said. "Processing all of this, I believe you'll be living up to the name your father gave to you. You will be the ray of light that shines in whatever darkness Merlin spoke of, if what he says is true."
Iliana breathed out a small sigh as she nodded.
"I'm scared, though, Andres. I fear what I will find lurking in that said darkness, and it may be something I will never unsee."
"The only way your light will shine and purge the darkness lying in wait is to brave and face it, regardless of the horror that lies within," Andres assured. "Whatever is lying in wait, we will be there to support you."
"I know. Thanks," Iliana said with another nod.
"Did Tristan go out scouting?"
"Aye," Iliana replied.
"Don't worry too much about him. A Hamaxobii man is more than capable of looking after himself. You should know, having learnt from one."
His words made Iliana smile slightly. At the very least, he cheered her up, even if it was just a little and for a brief period.
"Let's hurry along and get ready to head out. The sooner we get there and collect the family, the better."
She nodded, and the two of them stood up to gather their belongings. While she didn't know what lied in wait for her, she would do whatever it took to fulfill what Merlin asked of her.
Following a quick breakfast, the men and the Sirens departed the forest, following down a dirt road that led further up north. The path weaved around the surrounding trees before ultimately forming a curve, leading towards an open stretch of a grassy plain at the base of the snow-covered mountains to the east. Smoke billowed from a couple of campfires near a setup of straw houses to the left, and there was a wooden corral made to keep the livestock from running off into the nearby forest. At the very end of the path was a brick wall surrounding a vast perimeter of the field, and behind that said wall was the Roman estate in question.
As they neared the gate leading to the said estate, the guards were quick to shut the doors, forcing everyone to a halt just a few meters before it.
"Who are you?" one of the Roman guards called from above.
"I am Arthur Castus, commander of the Sarmatian knights, sent by Bishop Germanus of Rome," Arthur replied. "Open the gate."
Iliana took a moment to gaze at her surroundings the second she halted Arion. The land itself was very lush, and based on what she saw of the estate, she assumed it was just as opulent. The people that worked the lands, however, spoke a different story. They were skinny and frail, with helpless looks in their eyes as they studied her and the group with awe and curiosity.
She exchanged looks between the men and the girls, pausing when she saw Sophia trying to fight back the tears forming in her hazel eyes. When she looked, Iliana saw a little girl of about nine years, and she realized the little girl reminded Sophia of Rena, the sister she lost to the Saxons. She directed Arion towards her and Belen, reaching out to give her wrist a gentle squeeze.
"Don't worry. We won't linger longer than necessary," she whispered, pressing her temple against Sophia's.
"Something just doesn't feel right, Ili," Sophia whispered back. "This place is screaming the feeling of multiple shades of grey, and I'm sure you're feeling it, too."
"Aye. I am," Iliana confirmed with a nod. "I don't like the way these villagers look. It's like they haven't eaten for weeks."
"Whatever it is, this place feels anything but pure," Sophia said.
The sound of the gate opening cut the conversation short, and the two best friends looked to see the Roman patriarch, Marius Honorius, emerge from behind the gate with four guards accompanying him. At the sight of him, Arion whinnied and stomped his front hooves, startling Iliana and forcing her to turn her focus on him.
"Shh. It's okay, love," she cooed in Greek, leaning forward to stroke his neck. The second her palm made contact, she felt an immense amount of tension, and when she looked up at Marius, the hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up.
"What is it?" Sophia asked.
"Be mindful of the patriarch," Iliana replied. "I just felt an excruciating chill tear through the base of my spine."
Estrella, Catalina, and Dimitra reconvened with them as Arthur and the knights gathered near the gate. From atop the gate, Iliana saw a boy close to her age, or at the very least, a year or two behind her, staring right at her. If she had to guess, this boy was Alecto, and the woman standing next to him was probably his mother.
"Everything we have is here, in the land given to us by the Pope of Rome."
Marius's comment broke the staring contest as Iliana averted her gaze back to the patriarch.
"Well, you're about to give it to the Saxons," Lancelot announced.
"They're invading from the north," Arthur added.
"Then Rome will send an army," Marius commented, his haughtiness angering Iliana.
"They have - us. We leave as soon as you're packed," Arthur announced.
Iliana breathed out a small sigh of relief; the sooner they left this place, the better, especially since the eeriness surrounding it didn't feel right.
"I refuse to leave," Marius said firmly, giving looks at each of the men.
At the tension that took place, Iliana tightened her grip on Arion's reins to where her knuckles turned pale. It tempted her to dismount Arion, draw her sword and stick the blade through the gut of this arrogant bastard. She exchanged annoyed looks with Gawain and Galahad, who were just as livid as she was.
"Go back to work! All of you!" Marius shouted.
Iliana's blood boiled even more as the guards began shoving the villagers towards the fields, some of which were shoved to the ground. If it were up to her, Marius and his guards would have been dead where they stood. She kept her mouth shut and her growing anger in check as Arthur dismounted his horse and approached Marius to speak to him more privately.
"I really hope Arthur is threatening to take the bastard by force," Estrella commented, not masking the fury in her tone.
"I would if it meant the men earned their freedom," Catalina said.
Dimitra didn't say a word, but the tension flowing off her person spoke the message loud and clear.
Iliana watched as the villagers returned to their usual duties, but at the sight of an elderly man chained to some kind of wooden contraption, her heart fell into the deepest pit of her stomach. She stole a glance at Marius, really feeling her blood boil, and the men noticed the distressed look she had on her face. She didn't say a word as she directed Arion to lie down, and once she was off of him, she drew her sword and made her way towards the old man. Arthur drew his sword and followed her, and when two of the guards attempted to follow them, Sophia and Dimitra drew their swords and directed Belen and Nico in front of them.
"If you value keeping your heads, then I suggest you remain where you stand," Sophia hissed, pointing the tip of her sword at them.
Just as they were about to draw their swords, Bors and Dagonet rode up to them with their swords drawn. At the glaring looks from the two Sarmatians, the guards backed down and walked away. Sophia and Dimitra nodded their thanks, and the two men nodded back at them.
The villagers gathered around Iliana and Arthur as the two leaders made their way towards the elderly man.
"Who is this man?" Iliana asked.
"He's our village elder, my lady," replied the villager she saw talking to Arthur - Ganis is what she thought he called himself.
"What is this punishment for?" she asked, trying her damnedest not to be sickened by the slash marks she saw on the man's back. When she got silence in response, she gave Ganis and the villagers a look.
"Answer her!" Arthur growled.
"He defied our master, Marius," Ganis replied. "Most of the food we grow is sent out by sea to be sold. He asked that we keep a little more for ourselves, that's all. My arse has been snappin' at the grass, I'm so hungry!"
The scorn in his voice was clear, and it was exactly how Iliana felt at this point in time.
"You're from Rome," Ganis stated to Arthur. "Is it true that Marius is a spokesman for God, and that it's a sin to defy him?"
Iliana could barely contain the rage threatening to spill out of her at the knowledge of Marius using God as leverage for such a cruel act. The elder wanted to better the lives of his villagers, but Marius punished him for it out of selfishness. The stories Leoric and Andres told her of Rome's greed and malice were coming back to her, and to see it for herself with her own two eyes was appalling in more ways than one.
She looked at Arthur, who had the same livid look she probably had, and when she nodded at him, he nodded back and turned back to Ganis and the villagers.
"I'll tell you now," he said, pointing Excalibur forward. "Marius is not of God. And you, all of you, were free from your first breath!"
That bastard is anything but a representative of God, Iliana thought as Arthur cut the chains, freeing the man from confinement.
"Help this man," she announced. When nobody moved quickly, she breathed out an irritated sigh. "Help him!"
From the corner of her eye, she saw Alecto looking directly at her as three of the villagers tended to the elder. There was intrigue in his brown eyes and possibly a hint of admiration, making her wonder if he was becoming attracted to her.
If another hadn't ensnared my heart, you could have been a considerable candidate for my affections, she thought.
"Now hear me," Arthur called, bringing her back to reality as she averted her gaze from Alecto. "A vast and terrible army is coming this way. They will show no mercy, spare no one. Those of you who are able should gather your things and begin to move south towards Hadrian's Wall. Those unable shall come with us. You," he turned to Ganis. "serve me now. Get these people ready."
Breathing out a sigh of relief at Arthur's decision, Iliana looked at the girls, and with a nod, they dismounted their horses and began assisting the villagers. She stole another look at Alecto, and then she turned towards the road they came from.
Tristan, I hope you're safe, wherever you are. God, Father, please bring him back to me safe and unharmed.
An hour later, the villagers were all set and ready to go. They riddled the path with wagons and carts, with Marius's carriage leading the line. A light snowfall came down, followed by the hint of a cold front. As the villagers gathered on the road, Iliana mounted Arion and directed him towards Arthur at the gate.
"How are you faring?" he asked.
"Ask me when we finally depart," she replied truthfully. "This place has been giving me nothing but the creeps since we arrived."
Arthur nodded in understanding, and he was about to say something when Sophia approached them atop Belen.
"We should be good to go. Just waiting for Tristan," she announced.
As if on cue, they heard galloping from the direction they came from, and at the sight of Tristan and Siria, Iliana breathed out a relieved huff as her tense form went lax. Unfortunately, it was short-lived at the concerned expression on his face as he rode up to them, almost out of breath.
The first thing he did was give Iliana a kiss on the cheek before turning his attention to Arthur.
"They have flanked us to the east. They're coming from the south, trying to cut off our escape. They'll be here before nightfall."
"How many?" Arthur asked.
"An entire army," Tristan replied.
Iliana was sure she stopped breathing for a moment. Was it possible they would succeed in this mission and come out of it alive? She internally shook her head to ward off the thought; this wasn't the time to be thinking negatively, especially when she was the person to always believe in eventually pulling through.
"And he's talking an army of thousands, Arthur," Sophia chimed in. "They're all about the numbers."
"Is the only way out to the south?" Arthur asked.
Tristan shook his head. "East. There is a trail heading east, across the mountains."
Iliana's heart hit the bottom of her stomach with a loud splat.
"That means crossing behind Saxon lines."
"We have no other options here, Ili," Sophia said.
Iliana nodded, noticing Tristan looking around and then looking confused.
"Arthur, who are all these people?"
"They're coming with us," Arthur replied.
At the breath Tristan let out, Iliana knew what he was going to say.
"Then we'll never make it."
Just as Iliana was about to reach for his arm, the sound of drums echoed off the mountaintops. She didn't miss Sophia's livid expression as she tightened her grip on Belen's reins, and she reached out to grip her wrist.
"I know what you're thinking, but this is not the time, Soph. Get a grip on your emotions. I need you here with me if we're to have even the slightest chance of getting out of here alive."
The auburn-haired girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The second she let it out and opened her eyes, Iliana felt her go lax.
"There you go. You'll get your chance to behead a few of those Saxon bastards, but we have this escort to do first."
"I know. Thanks for reminding me," Sophia said with a nod.
"Come on, get back to work!"
"Back to work!"
The sudden shout of two Roman soldiers as they ordered around two monks bricking up what looked like a wall caught Iliana's attention. Looking at it more thoroughly, it appeared to be more of a building that was not connected to the gate. She directed Arion around Sophia and Arthur to get a closer look, catching everyone's attention.
"Ili?" Sophia called.
She ignored her, feeling a strong sense of dread, but also the desire to find out what was in that building. She still had yet to fulfill what Merlin asked of her, and she had a feeling it pertained to what lurked behind the walls of that building. Considering the escort was being held up thanks to these people, she wanted to present them with a reminder.
Drawing her sword, Iliana directed Arion to lie down so that she could dismount him, and she made her way towards the building. Arthur followed suit with Excalibur withdrawn, and when the two soldiers tried to get in Iliana's way, she raised her sword and pointed the tip at them.
"Move out of my way," she hissed. This was an order, not a request, and she would not hesitate to cut them down if they didn't comply.
"I said move out of my way," she repeated.
When they only backed up slightly, she was more than ready to swing her sword. She soon heard galloping coming from behind her, signaling the knights and the Sirens were coming to back her up.
"Move out of my fucking way!" she snapped, catching everyone off guard. "If I have to keep repeating myself, you're dead where you stand!"
That seemed to do it, for the soldiers finally backed away. Once she was in the clear, she turned towards the two monks, who were blocking the walled entryway.
"What in the hell is this?" she questioned.
"You cannot go in there," one monk replied. "No one goes in there. This place is forbidden."
"I'll be the one to decide that. Out of my way. Now," she hissed, directing them aside with her sword.
"What are you doing?! Stop this!" Marius demanded, trying to intervene. Bors stopped him by directing his horse in front of him as Iliana took a moment to study the blocked entryway with Arthur beside her.
"Arthur, Ili, we have no time," Lancelot stated.
His words appeared to have fallen on deaf ears as Iliana looked at the wall. The sense of dread she was feeling continued to grow, but her gut instinct was telling her to break this barrier down and investigate. Arthur didn't say a word as he watched her; since she took the lead on this, he wanted her to make the call.
"Do neither of you not hear the drums?" Galahad asked.
When there was still no answer, Lancelot spoke up again.
"Ili-"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" she snapped.
Her yell and sudden change in demeanor took everyone by surprise. Tristan's shock was apparent as he looked at her with concern. He had never seen her act like that, nor hear her use such vulgar language, save for when she confronted the Bishop. Something was bothering her, and it had to do with the building before them.
"Arthur, I sense something in there. We have to see what it is," she said, turning to look at him.
Nodding to her, Arthur turned around, gesturing towards the bricks. "Dagonet."
Iliana backed up to give the tall knight room to maneuver, and she glanced over her shoulder at the girls.
"Soph, Dimitra, stand by."
The two girls nodded and dismounted their horses, standing near Arthur as they watched Dagonet take down the bricks blocking the entryway with his axe. When he cleared the debris, Iliana saw what appeared to be a door. When Dagonet kicked it, it didn't budge.
"Key," Arthur ordered, looking at the soldiers.
"It is locked. From the inside," one of them replied.
Arthur nodded to Dagonet, and the tall, stoic healer gave the door another kick. When it still didn't budge, Iliana gestured to Dimitra, and the brunette nodded.
"Here, Dag. Let me offer my help."
With a quick rotation of her shoulders and legs, Dimitra nodded to her lover, and with a silent count, the two kicked in unison, and the door finally swung open. Taking a deep breath, Iliana stepped forward towards the now opened entrance, grabbing a nearby lit torch. The stench of death hit her hard, and in combination with how pitch black it was, made her hesitate. Arthur placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze, and with a look over her shoulder at him, Iliana nodded and began her descent. Sophia was right behind her, and Lancelot dismounted his horse, drawing one of his swords as he, Arthur, Dimitra, and Dagonet followed them.
"You, you… go," Gawain ordered, grabbing the two monks. "Move!" he shouted, pushing them forward and into the building as the others drew their weapons in warning. The message was obvious: one false move, and you were dead where you stood.
Iliana led the way, carefully descending the flight of stairs before her with her sword drawn and the torch she held out. Each step she took was like descending into Hell, and she begged to wonder if she was going to come out of it alive. One thing was for sure: she would not be the same when she returned to the surface.
Her breath hitched at the sound of someone chanting, and it sounded like a prayer being offered in the Roman tongue. She couldn't make out what it was, but she assumed it was a prayer to sanctify this place and absolve it from any sins brought here. When she got to the heart of the building, the monk chanting the prayer appeared from behind a wall, a bewildered look on his face at the sight of her and her companions.
"Who are these defilers of the Lord's temple?" he asked angrily.
"Get out of the way," Iliana commanded, pointing her sword at him, and he was quick to step aside. Once she stepped in through the archway, the stench of death hit her nostrils hard, and when she crouched down to peek through a cell, she was ready to scream. Inside was the dead, tortured body of a Woad, and when her body froze in its place, Lancelot pulled her back up before turning to Arthur.
"The work of your God. Is this how he answers your prayers?" he asked with disgust and anger. "Look at her. She's horrified out of her mind."
"This is not God's work, Lancelot," Iliana replied once she found her voice. "This is the work of sick, sadistic people that claim to be Christian."
The silent glare Arthur gave his best friend backed up her words, and he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder once he stepped in.
"See if there's any still alive," he announced.
With that order, everyone split up, checking every nook and cranny of this wretched place to see if there was any sign of life lingering amongst the dead. At the very least, Iliana wanted to find the two Woads Merlin spoke of, and if they were here, they would have to be locked up in a cell somewhere.
"How dare you set foot in this holy place?" one monk hissed as he grabbed Sophia and tried to pull her away from the cell.
"Get your filthy paws off of me!" she snapped, unable to draw her sword. When she couldn't shake him off, Lancelot thrusted his sword into the monk's abdomen, forcing him to let go as he fell to the floor, dead.
"There was a man of God," the other monk said in shock.
"He is not a man of God, and neither are you two filthy pigs!" Sophia hissed, pointing a warning finger at him and the remaining monk.
"Agreed. Now it makes sense why the Woads have gotten more daring in their attacks," Iliana said. "The Romans have been taking them prisoner, and none of us knew it was going on."
"Can these bastards get any more twisted?" Sophia asked.
"I'd rather not know the answer to that," Iliana replied.
Arthur then looked up at her, giving her a grateful look that expressed his thanks, and Iliana nodded, giving him a small smile.
"Stop what you are doing!"
Marius's shouting broke the moment, and Arthur was quick to stand up.
"What is this madness?!" he snapped.
"They are all pagans here!"
"So are we," Galahad said bluntly.
"They refuse to do the task God has set for them! They must die as an example!" Marius ranted.
"You mean they refuse to be your serfs!" Arthur snapped.
At that declaration, Iliana realized she was staring at the evil only she could purge, and that was in the bastard of a Roman that called himself a Christian through his twisted, corrupted ways of torture. Her grip around the handle of her sword tightened, the last thread of her self-control threatening to snap.
"You are a Roman! You understand! And you are a Christian!" Marius exclaimed before turning to his wife.
"You! You kept her alive!"
With that, he backhanded her, but he had little time to react when he saw the blade of a sword being thrusted straight into his abdomen.
End Notes: Dun-dun-DUN! Sorry to have to end it like this, but you'll have to check back next week!