I also want to say that I own nothing except the character Aurora and her family.

Enjoy!

Chapter two

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My father...my father has fallen, Aurora thought. She had known what happened the moment she had seen Arthur's face. Her father had been on a mission north of the wall and had been ambushed by woads. They had decapitated him. The thought shot vile emotions through her body. She didn't want to feel hatred , yet she could not ignore the bitter strikes of vengeance in her mind. Her sister had cried all night when Aurora had told her the news. All night she had been by her dear sisters bed, soothing and calming her hysteric attacks of tears. She had not been able to digest all the emotions until now, and it was now that she had to face the knights and Arthur for the burial arrangements.

She walked slowly through the corridors of Baden Fort, leading to the room with the round table. She thought about her father and the memories they had shared, or perhaps the lack of them. Her father had been an Roman officer but not of great importance. Her family was rich yes, but it was all from her mother's side. Her father was originally from the southeast parts Normandy, not very far from Britain. His parents had been Gallers, a people who had actually been fighting against Rome for years and still did, she thought. Her father's family had of course hidden their identity or something like that. She believed her father's grandfather had been a traitor of some sort, aiding Rome against the Gallers. She wasn't certain though as her father had rarely ever spoken of his history.

Her mother was of noble blood, Roman blood throughout. She had fallen head over heels for her father, who was an handsome man. Her mother's father had of course not really approved but since she was the youngest of his children he didn't care and he absolutely didn't want his daughter to run away. Quite the scandal that could have been. Her mother's dowry had been enormous, and when her grandfather died, her mother, or rather her father, had inherited a lot of money. Since her mother's father didn't have any sons, his money went to the husbands of his daughters.

So her parents lived a good life in Rome's upper class until her mother died when she was ten. After that her father had often been away; sometimes in battle, sometimes on stupid quests the pope would send him on, which he of course accepted.

Aurora took a deep breath swallowing the tears. She had never approved of her father's Roman attitude. She thought it was because he wasn't a Roman and therefore he had to work extra hard to prove to everyone that he was true to Rome. But even though they had had their differences, he was blood and she had loved him in her own way.

She took the final steps to the door of the great hall where the infamous round table stood, and the room where Arthur and his knights consulted and discussed everything.

She wondered if she was suppose to knock on the door, but decided against it. She was expected after all. She took another deep breath and walked into the room.

Arthur and the knights had clearly been discussing something important and their features were a little annoyed at her presence.

"I am sorry, Arthur. I thought I was expected?" she said with a little stammering. She looked at the knights, the great Sarmation knights. They were all very charming in their own way. Not that she had ever spoken to them. She had wanted to but never thought they were very interested in talking to her. Her gaze went over them all while waiting for a reply. She was surprised to see a different look from them. As if they were really looking at her for the first time.

"My lady," Arthur answered. "You are most expected, sorry about our unwelcome behavior," he said, watching his knights with a stern look. A look which was not unnoticed by the knights.

"We simply lost track of time."

"Oh, should I return later?"

"No, it's okay. We were finished anyway," Arthur said while he seated himself.

"Okay, if you are sure," Aurora answered while she seated herself in an empty chair. There were a lot of empty chairs.

"Well then, my lady," Arthur said while looking at her with sad eyes. "I once again want to give our condolences for your loss," Arthur gestured to the knights who didn't look very sorry at all. She nodded acceptance anyway.

"Your father is to be buried in our churchyard alongside the other knights." While he said this he glanced at the knights who looked rather upset about it. Aurora wondered if they didn't want a Roman buried alongside their friends.

"I will, of course, make all the arrangements, so you and your sister can mourn in peace."

"Thank you," Aurora answered absently. She was trying to control her anger with the knights. Did they really dislike her father that much?

Arthur, however, didn't notice her upset demeanor and continued to speak. " He will be buried as a Christian and we will try to make it as much like a Roman burial as we can." When Arthur mentioned Rome, something inside Aurora snapped. "Wait!" she said, earning a couple of surprised looks from everyone.

"What's the matter? " Arthur wondered.

"I just," Aurora found herself doubting her decision but she could not go back now. "I just think that the burial you had in mind, perhaps isn't proper for my father," she said rather fast, forgetting to breath.

"What?" She suddenly heard from the knight she knew as Lancelot. "Is not the ground were our friends lie, the knights who fought to make sure you are safe, good enough for your Roman father!"

"Lancelot!" Arthur yelled, giving him a look which said he had just gone too far.

Aurora was shocked by Lancelot's outburst. She didn't mean it like that. And the way he had said Roman - like there was nothing in the world he hated more, like he was speaking of a demon - took her by surprise. She was silent for a few moments, gathering her thoughts and concentrating on what she wanted to say.

"What did you mean?" Arthur asked in a much more gentle tone. She looked at him.

"I think you misunderstood me, all of you." She said and turned her stern look at Lancelot who merely looked back, indifferent.

"What I meant was that I...I didn't mean to offend anyone and I am absolutely certain that my father would be most honored that his final place is to be among such brave men." She yet again turned her gaze to Lancelot and this time she could see he was a little gentler in his gaze but still suspicious.

"I don't know if you know this but my father was descendent of the Gallers and it has always been the tradition to burn our lost ones and give them to whatever wind will carry them." As she talked she earned a lot of surprised looks, but she continued without being disturbed.

"I think he would have appreciated it if we would uphold the old traditions."

"Of course my lady," Arthur said. "We will do what you want and uphold the traditions of your father's people."

Aurora took a few breaths before uttering a thank you. A servant came up to her and asked if she wanted some wine, she accepted most thankfully. She sat there and sipped at her wine, thinking about whether she had made the best decision. She put the mug back on the table and watched the details on it, not really listening to Arthur working out the particulars of her father's funeral. She did, however, catch his last words, because they gave her a dreadful feeling.

"...and we will of course make sure that you and your sister will have a safe journey back to Rome.."

Back to Rome, she thought, back to Rome?

"NO!" she suddenly shouted and stood from her seat and knocked her cup over at the same time, making the red wine flow down on the floor like blood.

"No," she said again giving Arthur a scared look. "Please, I...I..Don't send me back," she finally said, once again earning surprised looks from the knights.

"You don't want to return to Rome my lady?" Arthur asked

"Why the heavens not? " the knight Galahad asked, earning a kick from Gawain for his forwardness.

"I don't know."

" You. Don't. Know?" Lancelot said, once again quite spiteful.

"Yes, or well no, or I just don't want to go back. It's not my home...anymore" she added. She didn't want to explain herself to Arthur later on.

"It's not my home anymore Arthur. I don't have any family there and I don't think I would fit in there anymore. Not that I ever did," she added to herself, just low enough for no one to hear, or so she thought. But Lancelot had heard her last words and wondered what she had meant by them.

"My lady, you have nothing to fear," Arthur said. "You will be most welcomed in Rome."

"Yes, perhaps, but if you don't mind, is there no possibility for me to stay here?"

"My lady, if you are sure, you are most welcomed to stay. But only if you are sure?"Arthur enquired. He seemed a little shaken that she didn't want to return to Rome. She knew how much he longed for it.

"I am," she said without hesitation looking into Arthur's eyes. "I promise."

Arthur looked into her eyes searching for something, but he didn't seem to find it.

"Well then, you are most welcome to stay."

"Thank you," Aurora said

"And what about your sister?" Arthur wondered.

"She will do as she pleases. If she wants to stay too, I will be most happy."

"And if she decides to go?" Lancelot said, looking into her eyes. Aurora noticed then how handsome he really was. In a sort of hero-type way. He looked like a true knight. Not that he couldn't do more to act like a knight more often.

"Then my heart will lose a piece of itself, but the road she wants to go down is for her own free will to choose." Aurora answered looking at Lancelot. Actually she couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him. He was enchanting in a way. She wondered why she hadn't noticed this before, while she tore her eyes away from him.

"Well then," she said, "I guess I should return to my sister and tell her the news."

"Yes," Arthur agreed. "And don't worry, I will take care of everything."

"Thank you," she said, and looked at Arthur before she respectfully bowed to him before once again stealing a look at Lancelot. Then she left the room.

SOOOO...is it interesting yet?