Chapter 23
"I am sorry Lancelot." Lancelot felt Bors' hand on his shoulder. He sat by the round table with a bottle of wine in his hand.
"You shouldn't drink so much" Tristan said out of the blue and took a bite of an apple.
"I can drink how much I want." Lancelot answered and took another zip of the wine. Silence followed. Everyone's hope were beginning to fade, including Lancelot's. They had spent nearly fifteen years in this country, they knew its dangers, its original inhabitants.
"The woads would not have let her lived." Lancelot mumbled and continued to stare at the table. He sighed and raised his gaze to Arthur, his devastated state visual in his eyes. "They would kill her for being roman." Lancelot concluded and no one could disagree.
"There is still hope!" Galahad said and stood up. "We can not give up! She is till out there needing our help!" His desperate voice echoed between the walls.
Lancelot looked up, an irritated expression on his face. "Stop it Galahad!"
Galahad turned his attention towards him. "Look at you, you drunk! If it wasn't for you she would still-" Galahad was interrupted by the smash of bottle breaking. Lancelot had thrown the bottle of wine he had drunk of in the wall.
"Shut up!" Lancelot warned with a sign of threat in his eyes.
"They should know." Galahad said and walked slowly towards Lancelot.
Lancelot gave him an angry gaze but then he slowly lowered his head. "Fine" He said and started to walk away.
"You coward! You make her run away and when she is abducted you don't even care!" Galahad screamed.
"Shut up!" Lancelot yelled back and turned towards him. "You want to know what I feel? I feel hatred, hatred towards myself. What happened was not my intent, it was a mistake. A mistake I regret every second. Even worse is that my wife is missing. She is probably dead, my wife is dead, my child is dead and Percival is dead as well." Lancelot gave Galahad a sharp gaze. "You call me coward Galahad but you don't know, you don't know." Lancelot slowly sat down burying hid head in his hands.
Seeing this Galahad softened his gaze and walked towards him with the intent to comfort him. "I am sorry I just know she isn't dead Lancelot."
Lancelot nodded his head. "I can't hope Galahad. I don't dare hope because I fear hope will not be enough this time." Finally Galahad could see Lancelot's pain. He could hear it in his voice, see it in his eyes and he knew that he had misjudged him. The bond between the knights should never be allowed to alter again.
"Wake up!" Aurora felt something smash into her body and opened her eyes. Guinevere stood above her with a smile on her face. It was the first time Aurora had seen her smile, she thought.
"What is this?" She wondered and saw a sword lying on her.
"A sword" Guinevere answered.
"Yes but-"
"Merlin has instructed me to learn you how to fight." She continued and took Aurora's blanket. Aurora felt the cold creep up on her and she felt goosebumps form.
"But I can't fight." Aurora exhaled and stood up, still weary from her sleep.
"That is why I am suppose to learn you. I brought you some cloths as well." Guinevere said and pointed at the cloths beside her. "Now hurry and get dressed, I will be waiting outside."
Guinevere had trained her for hours now and Aurora thought she was about to die.
"I can't go on." She said with heavy breaths.
Guinevere looked at her with a sly smile looking absolutely perfect. "You can rest for a moment."
"How kind of you." Aurora said in both an sarcastic and extremely thankful tone. " By the way, you haven't told me why you want me to learn to fight."Aurora sat down on the ground and tried to sooth her aching muscles.
"Merlin wanted this not I " Guinevere emphasized.
"Okey"Aurora rolled her eyes. "Why does Merlin want me to know the skills of fighting?"
Guinevere strapped her sword around her waist and gave her an odd look. "He says it will come in handy out here, in the wilderness" She answered. "Besides, you might be of use to us if you can fight." She added.
"What? Fight against Rome? Against Arthur?" Aurora almost laughed at this ridiculous suggestion.
"Not necessarily." Guinevere gave her a thoughtful smile.
"I am very loyal." Aurora continued.
"I bet." Guinevere said and raised her eyebrows.
Aurora didn't continue the discussion. She wondered what Merlin wanted from her, why did he want her to fight?
"Guinevere?" Aurora stood up and turned Guinevere's focus of the bow she was cleaning to her.
"Yes?" She answered.
"Darin mentioned something about Merlin wanting me to tell him things." Aurora said a little hesitant. She didn't want Darin to get in trouble.
"Oh he did." Was Guinevere's reply.
"Can you not please tell me more?" Aurora pleaded. "I miss my home, my friends, my-" Aurora stopped not wanting to share any more details about her. "Can you not tell me more and give me some peace?"
Guinevere sighed and looked at her. Her long brown her was braided and her brown eyes watchful.
"I don't know that much." She answered and continued to clean her bow.
"We both know that is a lie!" Aurora accused. "You are well informed." She continued, Guinevere's angry gaze scrutinizing her. "I am not a fool, I have noticed that you posses a high position amongst your people." Aurora starred back at her.
"You are very perceptive." Guinevere responded.
"When you have been a part of the roman social life nothing can escape you." Aurora said and remembered the noble women of Rome whom let nothing escape their big nets.
She was interrupted by her thoughts when she noticed Guinevere walking towards her looking first at her and then around them. It took a moment before she spoke again.
"We should head back. Practice has ended." Guinevere said and collected the swords.
Aurora sighed angrily and clenched her jaw.
When they were heading back Guinevere suddenly took Aurora by her arm and drew her towards the forest.
"That actually hurts." Aurora complained.
"Shut up!" Guinevere said and looked around them. "So, I think we are alone."
"We weren't before?" Aurora wondered making Guinevere smile.
"You are never alone dear roman. You are being watched as a hawks prey."
"Charming." Aurora said and watched their surroundings.
"You wondered what Merlin wanted with you?"
"Yes!" Aurora snapped her attention towards her new friend.
"I will tell you what I know."
"Why?" Aurora asked in suspicion.
"Because I to have been away from home and because I like you." Guinevere answered. "And so does my cousin." Guinevere added with a smile.
Aurora didn't respond but waited for Guinevere to tell her what she knew.
"Fine. Merlin fears that the future may be as bright as we all hope."
"You speak in riddles." Aurora stated and sighed annoyed.
"I am not finished." Guinevere gave her a stern look. "Merlin is contemplating of turning Arthur to our side."
"What?" Aurora said with a raised voice. "This is folly. Arthur is a roman, through an through! He would never give up what he has been fighting for for fourteen years." Aurora said and wandered in a circle.
"He is not a roman!" Guinevere yelled but hushed herself.
"What are you saying?"
Guinvere sighed and walked up to Aurora.
"Has you beloved friend not told you that he is half britain?"
Aurora shook her head. "It must have been his mother." She couldn't believe this. Why hadn't he told her?
"Your facial expression shows betrayal." Guinevere spoke. "It really was a surprise for you?" Aurora could hear a tone of sympathy in her voice.
"It was." Aurora confessed. "I wonder if he kept it out of embarrassment."
"Well thank you." Guinevere snorted.
Aurora rolled her eyes at the woads response.
"Was it his mother?" Aurora finally asked.
"Yes, she was of our kind." Aurora nodded. "So you want Arthur to fight for you knowing this?" Aurora gave Guinevere a sceptic smile. "He is just going to change his allegiance now is he?"
"No one said he would. But Merlin has his sources and something makes him hope that Arthur will help us."
"Help? Is the future so dark?" Aurora features become worried.
"Nothing is certain in life." Guinevere answered ad walked past her. "We must head back now."
Aurora nodded and followed Guinevere.
"How did you know this?" Aurora stopped making Guinevere turn around.
"Know what?" She wondered.
"The information. Why did Merlin confide in you?" Aurora looked at Guinevere in suspicion.
"Is he your father?" Aurora asked making Guinevere laugh.
"Certainly not." Guinevere said with a smile. "He is my uncle." Guinevere confessed. "Darin is his son."
"Darin?" Aurora could not hide her surprised expression.
Guinevere nodded. "The one and only and you have caught his attention." Guinevere smiled and hooked her arm with Aurora's. "Beware my roman friend. This adventure may end as you being the next queen"
Well, this was my 23 chapter. I can't believe that I have been able to come so long. I for sure thought I would be unable to finish this story because I would get bored. But to see the response I have recieved keeps me motivated. Of course I would like more reviews:P But I am a lazy reviewer as well, so I suppose I can't complain. I hope you all will continue to follow this story. Love.