Chapter 22
The brown eyed woad looked at Aurora in suspicion. Aurora walked slowly into the tent after being left by Darin. Uncertain to what she was suppose to do she finally, after some hesitation, sat down opposite the girl.
"Hello" Aurora mumbled in an attempt to reach out. "I am Aurora." She continued.
"Yes, Darin told me." The woman answered and looked at her sternly. "You are the roman." As so many others did in this part of the world, she said the word roman as if it was the offspring of the devil.
"Well, that I cannot deny." Aurora raised her eyebrows and looked down.
The woad took no notice and continued. "It seems you are going to stay her for a while. Since Merlin spared you." The woad emphasized the word spared.
"About that-" Aurora stopped when she saw the woman's angry gaze. "On second thought, it was nothing." she shock her head and locked down.
"I am Guinevere." For the first time Aurora faced the woman, Guinevere, and held eye contact.
"Now we have introduced ourselves" Guinevere changed her posture and leaned closer to Aurora. "So lets be frank" Guinevere continued. "Why were you caught? It is not normal for roman women, especially if the rumors are right and you are noble?" Guinevere looked at her for a confirmation of her statement. Aurora would however not confirm anything of that sort. She thought if the woads were absolutely sure that she was of noble blood, that they would dispose of her.
"Any way." Guinevere continue when she did not receive an answer from Aurora. "It is not normal for any roman woman to be alone and certainly not so far north as you were." She eyed her curiously.
Aurora smiled at Guinevere's sudden curiosity in her. "I was escaping something if you must know."
"What were you escaping?" Guinevere wondered. "Your servants?" she smiled sarcastically.
Aurora gave her a bitter smile.
"No. You know not all romans are spoiled and selfish."
"Really." Guinevere smiled at her sweetly. "Well I have never meet one who wasn't."
"That is because you are determined to see what you have been learned to see. Plus I imagine you only meet roman soldiers. Bare in mind that they are trained mentally to hate everything which is not from Rome."
"So it's not their fault." Guinevere looked at her bitterly.
"No! I have meet brave men who have not been fighting for Rome but for many other reasons. Some soldiers are forced to fight for Rome you know and those who disobey are hunted down like animals."
Guinever inspected her for a moment until her eyes suddenly widen. "You are speaking of the sarmation knights, are you not?"
Aurora looked away and refused to answer the question.
"You know them!" Guinevere suddenly stood up and walked to Aurora's side.
"What if I did?" Aurora defended herself and tried to back away a little from Guinevere.
Guinever nodded and spoke to herself.. "Of course you know them. You know Arthur and everyone knows he adores them. I just thought-" She turned to look at Aurora again.
"What did you think?"
"Nothing, I just. I was just surprised of how you spoke of them. With love almost."
"They are brave men."Aurora felt her heartbeats in her chest. She thought of Lancelot, of his voice his smile. She wondered if he was worried about her. She wondered if the knights were trying to save her. Her thoughts were interrupted by Guinevere's harsh words.
Guinevre snorted. "Killers you might say."
"So are you."Aurora spat out in the defense of the knights.
Guinevere snapped her head.
"We are fighting for our lives, for our country and our freedom. It quite different I can assure you." The anger evident in her voice
"So are the knights!" Aurora started to become infuriated as well.
"So it is true then? They are forced to be here?"
"What?" Aurora was taken aback at her sudden change. "Yes they are."She answered confused.
Gunivere nodded deep in thought.
"Rumors have circulated that they did not fight for Rome but, no one have been able to confirm it."
"Well, now I can." Aurora answered sternly.
Suddenly Darin and Mara came in to the tent.
"I hope you two are nice to each other." Darin said and smiled at them.
"Sure cousin. We are introducing ourselves." Guinevere flashed him a big smile, which he returned.
"Are you starting to feel at home?" Mara asked Aurora.
"Emm" Aurora wasn't sure of what to say.
"I am sure it is not her usual standard." Aurora heard Guinevere's snide comment and ignored it.
"It is fine, I can assure you." Aurora answered.
"Actually," she continued, "I am quite use to living in poor conditions." She said and eyed the tent. "My father was an officer after all."
The woads snapped their heads in her direction.
"Guinevere?" Mara said and looked at the woman and shook her head.
"What is it?" Aurora wondered eyeing the three woads. She swallowed nervously.
"Was his name Lestos?" Darin pierced her with his gaze when he asked her.
"Ehm"
"So it was." Guinevere mumbled.
"Guinevere you know we can't tell anyone!" Darin said and took her hands in his.
"They will harm her."
"Harm?" Aurora squirmed.
Guinevere looked down for a moment and then answered Aurora's question.
"Lestos was very hated among us."
"He killed not only soldiers but women and children as well." Mara said and put a hand on Aurora's shoulder.
"I am sorry." She said, Aurora only nodded.
"I didn't know he was that awful."
"Well, i've seen worse" Darin cut in.
"Is my life in danger?" Aurora felt fear rush through her body.
"Perhaps if it is known." Guinevere looked at her.
"They can't know. It is not Aurora's fault." Darin tried to persuade Guinevere.
"Merlin would kill me. He wanted to kill me before!" Aurora stated.
"No, before was just a manipulation." Guinevere mumbled. "Merlin would never harm you."
Aurora turned to look at the young woman. She looked old in a way even if she was young. As if she had been through more than a normal person in her age. Guinevere was playing with a knife, her brows furrowed while she thought.
"What would happen if it is known who my father was?" She watched the three woads while waiting for an answer.
"Merlin would not agree to harm you but some people have lost too much and seek vengeance. The life of an roman officer's daughter would suffice." Mara answered.
"Ah," Aurora said with a tremble.
"Guinevere!" Darin said turned the woman so she faced him. "You know that no one can find out about this. At least not now. Not until they know her." He almost pleaded, his eyes searching the deeps in Guinevere's.
Aurora was surprised that this was the same man who had hit her unconscious last night.
Finally Guinevere nodded.
"Fine, it will stay between us."
Darin sighed and relaxed his posture.
Aurora was a little uncomfortable in this situation. She wanted so badly to dislike these people. She was their prisoner after all. But with what she had seen, she could not hate them. She couldn't even try.
"I most go and see Merlin" Guinevere said and stood up but Darin caught her arm. She gave him an angry gaze and removed his grip from her arm.
"Don't worry. I won't tell him." She gave him a stern nod and walked outside.
"I should go to." Mara said and disappeared as well.
"Well this is interesting." Darin gave her smile and sat down.
Aurora looked at him suspiciously.
"So why were you on your own?"
"For heavens sake! I was just on a ride nothing peculiar." This made Darins laugh.
"So Guinevere had already had time to interrogate you."
"Yes." She answered and rolled her eyes.
"Well what did you answer?"
"None of your buisness."
"Ohh, fisty!" He said and flashed her a smile.
"Fine I can tell you!" She said and put her chin in the air.
"Yes please." Darin leaned forward.
"I was escaping."
"What?"
"What?"
"Escaping. What did you escape from?"
"My husband."
Darin smile faded and Aurora noticed how his features became tense.
"Did he hurt you?"
"Yes." Aurora answered not thinking of what she said.
"That bastard!" Darind yelled and scared Aurora.
"Well at least he did not knock me unconscious!" She said with anger in her voice. She still felt the need to defend Lancelot.
Darin calmed down and sat down again.
"I am sorry."
"Fine." Aurora nodded her head.
"What did he do?"
Aurora changed her posture. Uncomfortable by the situation.
"He-" She began and looked up and saw Darin's concentrated gaze on her features.
"He just, we had an misunderstanding. That's all." She looked down. She could not bare to face Darin's honest face. But she couldn't tell him the truth.
"What am I gone do while I stay her. I need to get home."
Darin sighed and stirred the fire.
"You can leave when spring comes. Now the roads are closed."
"So I have been told." She said with annoyed tone.
"There is more but I should not tell you."
"What is it?" Aurora's felt her heart beat a few extra times.
"Merlin wants to gather information form you."
"What, he thinks I am going to tell him information about Arthur?"
"Among things."
"He is a fool. I would rather die then betray my friends. "
Darin smiled and stood up. "I am only telling what I know. Like they say, don't shoot the messenger."
Aurora watched as he walked to the "door".
"I need to go now. Take care." He said and nodded to her, kindness in his eyes.
"Take care."