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December 2008
Topic Started: May 28 2010, 01:27 PM (2,119 Views)
golden_trillium

Admin
Author: Elessars Girl
Date: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:50 am

Derfel


Lancelot
 
I have my own duty to attend to - and it does not include watching over ungrateful and surprise guests. I leave you to Arthur when he returns, lady. Perhaps Cadarn here will take pity on you and send his woman to assist you. A fine and pleasant day to you, Lady Isabella Araceli. Welcome most humbly to my home."


Derfel was trying his best to fade into the brickwork at his
back while the First Knight traded elegant insults with the
lady. But at hearing his name snapped from Lancelot’s mouth,
his blue eyes ticked to the back of the dark knight’s curly
head.

And then Lancelot brushed past Derfel without so much as a
backwards glance at their most auspicious guest. The younger
knight should probably say something polite here…but nothing
would come at all. Derfel was not accustomed to such well-born
women as she and felt completely out of place in her
presence….

…..but remembering his manners, Derfel gave a respectful if
not hurried bow to Lady Aracelli before turning to follow on
Lancelot’s heels. And it was all that Derfel – long legged as
he was – could do to keep up with Lancelot as the Sarmatian
walked ever so smartly down the coridore towards the exit to
the building.

Lancelot
 
"Derfel! I'll send someone to see to her. A page, or
something. Come on - let's get to our real duty before I
decide to use her luggage as a practice dummy for this
sword."


Lancelot drew his weapon and Derfel had to wonder if the First
Knight was truly bent on taking out his irritability on the
lady’s fine looking luggage. He gave Lancelot plenty of space
while joining the dark knight outside the housing quarters.

“I reckon I should thank the gods the your not poking me with
that thing, aye?” Derfel attempted a little humor as the two
men headed towards the bath house where with luck Neeve had
the Woad woman by now as had been instructed by Arthur himself
– or so Lancelot had said. The dark knight was no friend to
Derfel, but the younger knight did readily see the exhaustion,
impatience and worry?? that seemed to fill every crevice of
Lancelot’s angular and dark expression. Therefore he felt it
not the time to test the other man’s patience – or rather lack
of.

The two men walked on in silence (with the exception of
Lancelot snatching up a page to attend the lady's needs for
now) once Lancelot had re-sheathed his weapon and luckily not
sparring with the opulent pieces of luggage as the lady’s men
carried it by them on their way into the housing building. And
as they rounded the final corner that would lead them to the
large structure containing the Roman baths in the Keep, Derfel
recognized both Neeve and presumably her charge entering the
bath house. Evening was coming fast upon them, thus the young
sandy blonde knight could not make out too many details of the
Woad woman he was meant to guard…but she appeared petite and
docile form this distance. And at least he and Lancelot would
not have to remain together longer to go in search of them
either. Thank the gods for that too.

The two women disappeared inside the large stone structure and
the two men followed not too far behind. Once inside, Lancelot
bade Derfel farewell with his usual candor expecting the
younger knight to follow Arthur’s orders and not ‘fuck up’
under the First Knight’s watch and all that….Derfel accepted
his duty with a tight-lipped nod and left Lancelot to the side
of the baths partitioned off for the men while the Saxon
begrudgingly stepped towards the sound of Neeve’s voice on the
‘female’ side of the expansive baths. He knew that he should
not enter there…but orders were orders, right??

As Derfel approached the partition he heard Neeve’s
distinctive voice followed by another…

Neeria
 
"When can I take off these things?"


The knight bent to peer around the partition and immediately
caught sight of the woman’s bare legs as she was in the
process of lifting off the tunic she wore. Derfel instantly
averted his blue eyes downward – a flush most likely filling
his stubbled cheeks – and making to clear his throat to
hopefully catch Neeve’s attention.

“Uh….Neeve?” Derfel called out with trepidation and being
certain to keep his gaze downcast. His boots remained firmly
fixed on the flagstones at the edge of the partition –
unwilling to step fully into the womens side of the baths.









SUNSET (EVENING)







Arthur

Arthur had turned back to meet Merlin’s stern expression at
the Woad leader’s acceptance of the Roman’s words as well.
Arthur had expected as much and knew that he must be content
with this arrangement – even though it was not the outcome the
Commander had prayed for. Arthur had wanted peace. He had
wanted to hear Merlin consent to the terms of their original
truce for the remainder of the harsh winter. But now, Arthur
was faced with finding ways to both restock their depleted
food stores and making critical repairs to the buildings
inside the fortress while at the same time having to
strengthen his defenses against further attacks. Surely Merlin
would not risk the additional needless slaughter of his
warriors while the ground was still frozen - while white snow
and bare trees made a stealthy approach to the high stony
walls of Badon Keep impossible. Or would he be so bold?

Merlin
 
“My people still have dead to bury honorably, so they
will escort you back to where you met them and then you
may be on your way. Guinevere may ride with you if she
so chooses - for this little time,”


“Of course,” Arthur answered with dignity and acceptance
despite the burning sting of failure in his belly. His wounded
side twinged enough to double the Roman’s internal misery –
but his expression and posture showed none of these
weaknesses. He gave Casti’s muscular neck a firm rub and then
slid his calloused hand to the rim of the saddle ignoring
Guinevere’s residence there for a moment. The Woad had
remained seated as if she did indeed intend to accompany
Arthur a little while longer…so be it. Perhaps the Commander
could learn something useful from Merlin’s daughter after all.

“Safe journey to you this night,” Arthur offered with
diplomacy; green eyes unreadable and chiseled expression every
inch the warlord as he turned away from Merlin’s assessing
gaze. The evening was chill and gray with a heavy lid of
clouds overhead – darkness would envelop them soon. And Arthur
wished to get his men safely back to the fortress before the
moon made itself known fat and full high above them.

The Commander ticked his intense gaze to his Optio and briefly
nodded his silent affirmation that they would begin the ride
back to the Keep shortly. Arthur then allowed his eyes to flow
back over his men – all silently waiting for whatever was to
come next. The Commander’s green eyes reflected his calm
reassurances for each man and then he returned his full
attentions to his mount.

Arthur gripped at the front of the saddle – not caring how
intimate in proximity his hand might be with Guinevere’s bare
skin – and swung himself up into the saddle behind Merlin’s
daughter. He grasped at the reigns above where Guinevere held
them in order to re-take control over the massive white
warhorse…not the she ever truly had control of Casti. His free
hand came ‘round to once again press to Guinevere’s abdomen
and with it came Arthur’s warm crimson cloak for her shelter.

“Comfortable?” Arthur quietly murmured into Guinevere’s ear.
And then he steered Casti around in indication that he was
ready to follow the Woad escort back along the path in which
they had come.
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golden_trillium

Admin
Author: golden_trillium
Date: Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:51 pm
Merlin, Tristan, and Quintus


Arthur
 
”Of course. Safe journey to you this night.”


“And to you, Artorius…go with my hope that you will someday
remember your true people.” Merlin retired a step, to allow
Arthur to mount and turn his horse without any interference,
and as he did so he raised his gaze from the Commander’s
impassive face to the bare tree limbs above him, now outlined
by the sinking sun as it peeked momentarily from behind the
cloud cover at the horizon. A last blaze of light, fading
quickly…and a veil of more than earthly darkness seemed to
draw down between the Roman and himself. A separation, a
distance…they might be right next to each other, they might
have been allies at times, they might even share the same
blood, but the gap between them was a gulf now, ever widening
as the shadows lengthened and Arthur swung himself up onto his
horse behind Guinevere, turning his back, for now, on the Woad
leader and all that he stood for. No peace. Only more
struggle. Another ray of red, dying sunlight pierced the
clouds, and for just an instant, gilded Guinevere’s chestnut
hair, just visible to Merlin over Arthur’s shoulder. A sign…

Merlin took another step back, schooling his face out of
thoughtfulness to neutral farewell once more. He raised one
hand solemnly in parting and gazed after the party as they
turned horses and began to move away down the path, his people
walking at their sides, their footfalls and harness noises and
low voices beginning to fade into the shadows. He saw Arthur
bend his head to speak to Guinevere, their shapes atop the
white horse blending as one under the Roman’s cloak…caught and
held the nervous regard of a helmeted Centurion at the middle
of the group…and Tristan. Merlin saw the Sarmatian scout turn
his head, outlined by wan sunset light, his messy, braided
hair flitting across his face, before being cleared back by
the motion of his head. Sharp, keen eyes met the Woad leader’s
suspiciously for an instant…then the scout, too, turned away,
to take in the rest of the scene and their location, if Merlin
was any judge. Well, let him- their borders were well guarded,
and the true location of their village a secret.

Wind stirred Merlin’s hair then, blowing out from behind him,
rushing in a gust off towards the Romans and their escort,
then running away ahead of them down the path- like the
Magician’s own presence going before him, accompanying the
Romans on their journey while his feet remained rooted on the
ground. Merlin could feel his spirit flying on the wind’s
breath, and as it blew he seemed to see Arthur and his riders,
the very path and the trees of the forest, fall away beneath
him, as he soared up to the very sky itself. Clouds shredded
and thinned out, stars popped into glittering existence around
him…and then the brief vision was over, and he was taking a
deep breath and opening eyes he did not realize had had
closed, to see the last of Arthur’s riders disappearing around
the curve of the path ahead of him, swallowed up by the wintry
forest. Only the chill ripple of the stream over its stones
was left. Only that, and his determination to keep fighting-
and scheming.

“Come- we return. The others will join us when they have done
what must be done,” the Woad leader said shortly to his
remaining followers, both in and out of sight- and then he
turned and made his way into the forest, back by the small
path he had taken to get there- his feet finding the way
unerringly even in the dark.








Linnesse

The light at the windows of the infirmary workroom was growing
dim, slanting towards evening ever more quickly as time went
on. The days in winter were so vanishingly short…as Linnesse
lit a couple of lamps to see by she found herself longing for
spring, for warmth and flowers and light, aching for it with
an actual physical tightness in her throat. To see the sun
again, to be warm…and she hadn’t been free, free to walk
around and go outside whenever she wanted to, during the
spring since before she had married Rufus! To be able to
just…go outside the walls, and see all the melt and the little
flowers poking up, to smell the dirt…Linnesse took a great,
deep breath, filling her lungs with the nonexistent scent, and
instead got a noseful of various mixed medicinal smells.- not
altogether unpleasant, but a dried, indoor, cooped-up smell,
not a living smell. A winter smell. And it was dark now, the
window shedding no more than a slightly lighter gray square on
the floor, the corners of the room cloaked in shadow, the
lamps little overlapping islands of yellow. And there was a
chill in the room, too- Linnesse rubbed her hands together and
blew on them in the light of the largest of the lamps.

Lancelot’s poultice was done, sitting on the corner of the
work table ready for him or for anyone he should send to get
it. The smell of the herbs she had included in it still hung
prominently in the air, and the door of the workroom was open,
letting sight and sound of the infirmary’s large main room
into the smaller one. All that was behind the first row of
shelves to Linnesse, though, and she could see the activity
there only between the jars and bottles and packets that lined
the shelves. For all intents and purposes she was alone in the
workroom- alone with her thoughts, though with the comforting
bustle of the bigger room not far off.

Sighing tiredly, Linnesse pulled out a chair and sat
carelessly down in it, propping her elbows on the work table
and her chin in her hands. She didn’t feel sleepy, exactly,
but it was good to get off her feet- it had been a rather long
day. It seemed ages ago that she had arrived and been called
to Ione’s room to attend her- and then there had been Drake,
trying to shuffle Cassidy and Fleur off, and she had gotten
Linnette to walk them instead- and then- well, Ione’s child.
Such as it was. And later she had taken Ione home, and then
gone to meet Derfel and found Lancelot too, with his black
eye…and now Derfel was guarding some prisoner. Linnesse hoped
he was at least having an easy time of it- that whoever it was
wasn’t being too difficult.

She thought about spring again. At this time of year, the
Villa Rosarum’s garden would be dormant, the trees bare and
the flowers and bushes cold, lying, perhaps, under a carpet of
snow. But soon- in a few weeks- the little stems would be
poking up, the snow would be receding to the deep-shadowed
corners, and finally disappearing altogether. She used to
watch the piles shrink from her bedroom window, even when she
could not see the garden properly, because her window did not
face that way…and she could not just walk to another on the
other side of the house, not under Rufus’s rule…because at any
time he might come into her room and…a sudden sick feeling
swamped over Linnesse at the sudden memory, the set,
displeased face and fist balled at his side, and she grimaced,
bending her head slightly down and rubbing at her face with
her hands, trying to scrub the image away. Curse it…she needed
to be busy again. Or at least not alone. Linnesse stood up
with another agitated breath and grabbed quickly for the
poultice, taking it with her out into the big room, where she
set it on a side table and then made her way over to the
newly-arrived meal cart with quick steps that aimed to leave
no room for anything else in her head but the mechanics of
work. She’d help with the food- that was always needed, and it
was something to do. It was too early to hope to find Derfel
or even Linnette free yet- but later. Later she’d seek out
their company, but for now, work was best.
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