When one must leave home - Lancelot

[Enide Coedwallider]

”What's wrong, what’s wrong now? Too many, too many problems; don't know where she belongs, where she belongs… She wants to go home, but nobody's home that's where she lies, broken inside with no place to go, no place to go, to dry her eyes… broken inside.”

It was a cold and rainy afternoon yet for Enide this was no longer what it used to be. In fact she lost the notion of time and space the moment she left her house in a hurry, with little belongings and enough food supplies to last for a bit, yet economizing and obviously not eating as much as she normally would. Concerning her family heirloom she only managed to take hold of the twin swords she was to inherit the moment she married, for she wanted to remember her beloved father everyday and considered it a good idea to carry them along in case anyone thought her a silly and defenceless woman.

She obviously could not wield the swords yet, she still had to learn, but you could fool anyone by the way you held the swords right? And they didn’t have to know a kitchen knife had been the closest she had ever been to a weapon of war and self-defence.

She travelled for a long time; she did not carry a sand clock with herself so she obviously lost the count of the count of the days and nights she ventured further and further away from home. But that was the whole point, to be as far away as possible and with as little rest. She didn’t want them to find her, no, they couldn’t find her, everything would be lost if they did. Though she was also growing depressive by such a long and lonesome journey, she missed her beloved parents, her sister even more.

Looking up at the sky she smiled for a moment, the first smile in days… or was it months? Dyrn, her silver falcon was flying nearby, scouting the land and guiding her yet she did not know where she was heading off to, she honestly did not know or did not care so long as it was someplace safe where she could rest.

But then what would she do? She had lost it all didn’t she? She had surely even lost her nobility, no she didn’t, but no one would believe her if she stated she was a noble… but then again that would help those wretched nobles from Powys, it was best if she hid, if she pretended to be a lost maid looking for a castle where she could serve the high Lord and his Queen, yes, that looked like the best option for her.

Feeling like she could no longer take it she slowly got off her horse, feeling great pain on her legs and arms and then she realized that her hands were hurt, a bit red, sore and with small bleeding blisters, she sighed and then sat on a damp log, it was raining cats and dogs, yet she shivered of hunger, thirst, weakness, cold, wetness… she was just so fed up of travelling like this.

“Oh father, if ever will you forgive your reckless child…” she whispered as she silently wept for she had hidden her feelings for so many years, and now, now that she had taken the abrupt decision and travelled and encountered so many dangers, now she could peacefully cry on her own, in the company of Dyrn and her tired horse. Silently wept and hope her tears take al the pain away, but they ever do.

The pain in her body grew and the hunger forced her to lean her back against the strong and rough tree feeling her spent and wretched clothes which were now more like rags, grant her no protection against the cold and moody weather. She placed her arms around her body and watched as her horse with great affection sat alongside her to grant her its warmth. She leaned close to her loyal friend and then shivered lightly, “Oh Byrn, what are we doing here? And where exactly is here?” Her horsed seemed to be as lost as Enide.

Dyrn perched on that tree and squealed silently. At least she wasn’t that alone. Slowly, ever so slowly she drifted into sleep... a deep sleep she had not had ever since she left her homeland.

[Lancelot Du Lac]

Lancelot had been out on the road for several days. He was taking a general track to the southwest from Huntingdon in Wessex on his way to southern Briton. It had been nearly a year since he had been this near Camelot. It was not until he had started out on his travel that he had heard if the growing tensions and conflict between Camelot and Gore. As a result he had minimized his time on the main road to Camelot and had determined to skirt around the edges of the fortified city through the surrounding forests. He imagined that he was still not on King Uther's list of favorite knights.

It wasn't unusual for this part of the island, this time of year to have several days of rain, and i appeared that the weather had fallen into that pattern. Moving through the forest had its own set of difficulties, problems, and threats. It was difficult country to walk through, and even more-so to ride a horse through. Then there were the unusual and sometimes fatal creatures that you had to keep your eyes peeled for. There was one positive though. On the main road there was nothing to protect you from the falling rain, but in the forest the canopy of foliage deflected much of the rain. Therefore, even though it was raining, right now anyway, he wasn't getting wet.

He had not seen any unusual creatures, or humans for that matter. Wherever he had been, he had had a sterling reputation as a knight, except perhaps in Camelot. At first, he might not be looked as imposing physically. He was taller than most, standing at a little bit over 6 feet, and was a lean but quite muscled 175 pounds, with dark features, dark fairly long hair, and dark eyes. He was wearing his colors as a knight of Huntingdon of Wessex, but his fighting attire was pretty well all covered up by his brownish-green traveling cloak. The hilts of both of his long-swords stuck up just above each shoulder from sheaths that went down his back, and his round shield he cried on his back,in the manner of the ancient Spartans. Slowly, mainly due to the brush and trees,as well as the pelting rain that made it through the canopy of foliage, slowed him down a bit in his movement through the Forest of Balor.

He was on his way south, in this painstaking path that he had laid out to see if her could offer his services to some lord or lady in the south. He had served the Earl of Huntingdon well in a short time and had received excellent references from him as he elected to move on. The only thing he thought he knew for sure was that his services would not be welcomed by King Uther of Camelot, and he would not fight for an enemy of Camelot, so he had to move on.

Lancelot had been moving through some of the densest foliage he had encountered when he suddenly broke out into a clear space. Just head he saw a fairly attractive young lady sitting on a bank next to her horse, apparently asleep. But her cheeks, they looked wet and moist, as if she had been crying recently. he wondered if she was hurt or ill. As quietly as he could he approached in silence and asked with a soft tone and a deep voice, "Excuse me, milady, but are you quite all right. Do you need some help or assistance?"

[Enide Coedwallider]

”…Her feelings she hides; her dreams she can't find… she's losing her mind; she's fallen behind; she can't find her place… she's losing her faith… she's falling from grace...”

It is strange how one minute you hold a life of grace, purity and joy and the next it turns completely and you find yourself in the middle of a marsh, in the cold, with no family left in the world… you are left to fence for yourself at only seventeen springs and what is more in a land you don’t know with no friend to comfort you. Of course one cannot predict the things that can happen but how do you open up to a stranger you don’t know? How do you step forth if you were never shown the way?

However Enide was far stronger than she deemed herself. The sudden urge to run away form home to avoid spending the rest of her life being the wife of a villain was great proof. Not just any woman would venture so and she did, for days, weeks, months even? Who knew, the thing was she had traveled for a long time, away form human comfort and in solitude and she still had not gone mad, that was a good sign wasn’t it?

Who knows how long she had been sleeping, for she had seldom stopped those hard days to make haste and ensure they would not find her, however even the strongest body needed a rest and that afternoon, that night, she found her body unable to respond to instincts and her will to be the furthest away from home ever; even if it broke her heart, which it did. She could still see the faces of her beloved parents in dreams though as time passed the image was vague, darkened and slowly disappearing. She unconsciously tightened the grasp on her family’s twin swords in a way to force herself never for forget her progenitors.

It was then when Dyrn stretched its silver wings and squealed weakly, he heard a noise, and so did Byrn, though it could be said her horse was a great judge of character and only got stressed when bad company was nearby. And so she heard her falcon warn her of approaching company but she judged it to be an animal and she was too tired to wake up, she needed so much rest now, and didn’t want to wake up to see a doe pass her by and then try to fall asleep with the cold wind hitting her back and her damp clothes rub against her broken skin. Her hands were stiff now because of horseback riding and the blisters were beginning to burn as well as stop bleeding.

However Dyrn insisted until that being was close enough to stop them and even bated its wings. Enide groaned weakly as she tried to wake up when suddenly she heard footsteps or were those horse steps? Yet she could not fully wake up or move, not yet.

"Excuse me, milady, but are you quite all right. Do you need some help or assistance?"

A voice sounded nearby and though it seemed soft and gentle she knew well enough she had been warned against anyone approaching her in the middle of the woods. She had heard tales in her homeland and her mother had warned her of going alone on excursions and though she still disobeyed her sometimes, she knew better than to expose herself. She quickly opened her eyes and backed away from him as she took out one of her twin swords with the guild of her family heirloom and pointed it at him hesitantly as she finally focused her eyes upon him and then slowly lowered her sword, he seemed to be a knight and judging by his attire he traveled a lot, and also served great Lords, but why would he be in these woods when the great court of Camelot wasn’t even close to where she was?

She felt quite silly, having fallen on the ground and pointed a blade at him with little skill for she had never been taught on how to wield a blade, but she then slowly put it on it’s scabbard on her belt and also thought it would be best not to show it much for those were the marcs of nobility and she had to pretend she was no noble right?

Look down…

Her eyes bashfully looked up at him, feeling silly and though she knew she owed him an apology it just wasn’t in her to behave like the stereotypical lady. She sighed and then said, “I’m afraid I know not were I am, nor how far I am from home, I was looking a Castle to serve, I don’t even know how long I have been traveling…” Looking back at her right hand she could see the blisters bleeding lightly again for her past action of gripping one of the twin swords and pointing it at the young knight before her. Surely he would knot her accent was not from around here.

Enide, look down!

Those of nobility never had any problems with looking at everyone in the eye, but if she was to be a maid in order to hide form her pursuers she had to play the role. She quickly looked to the ground, feeling her numb body ache, she was finally paying the price for traveling for so long and such a distance in a few weeks, months… Clearly everything had a price, but her safety was more important than the need to rest.

[Lancelot Du Lac]

Travel ling alone often gave Sir Lancelot plenty of time to think. he thought about decisions he had made and things he had done in the past that caused him to arrive at his place in the present. He also thought a lot about where he was going to end up in the future. His life was curiously one of opposites. He had once had a family, but now they were all gone. He could have had Gwen, but he had given her up for a higher duty that he felt to a Prince and a friend.

As he broke through the trees into the little clearing he had little thought of running across another human in the dense undergrowth of the Forest of Balor, let alone a rather comely young lady. But what exactly was she? Was she a noble or was she a peasant? and whatever she was what was she doing out here in the middle of nowhere. There were many questions, and right now, at the beginning, no ready or obvious answers.

He stood there before the vision before him, watching her eyelids slowly flutter as she, apparently, tried to bring herself grudgingly out of the slumber that she currently found herself. Lancelot thought she might be on the very edge of wakefulness, where dreams,nightmares, and reality meet. he thought she might just think that he was part of her dreamworld and not a real person. obviously, he thought, someone in the middle of the Forest of Balor was more than likely someone who was trying to escape from someone. Seeing someone like Lancelot, dressed as a night, though covered in a cloak was not bound to be very reassuring.

as proof of that fear he saw her apparently clench her hands around the hilts of two small weapons. The horse stirred next to them and a bird aloft shrieked, and he thought it was only a matter of moments before the ruckus stirred her completely from her slumber. he saw from closer examination that her clothes were sopping wet and he hands, although they were undoubtedly once fine, were now heavily blistered. it was obvious that she needed warm dry clothes and some medical attention. He even heard her groan slightly.

Once more, he asked, "Excuse me, milady, but are you quite all right. Do you need some help or assistance?" She awoke with a start, backed up, and drew a sword. However, it was quite clear that she did not know how to handle the weapon that she now wielded. "Re-sheath that sword before you hurt yourself or someone else, and tell me me who you are, why you are here, and how you got yourself in the condition you find yourself, eh?"

Hmmmm ...... what was this girl's game he wondered or was she really s inept as she appeared, he wondered. "Well, my dear, you are not likely to find one to serve in the midst of the Forest of Balor. Your chances would be much higher in somewhere like Camelot, don't you think." The way her eyes met his she appeared to be someone of noble extraction. But what would a noble be doing here he wondered. It didn't make any sense ... not any at all. Did it? There was something strange about her voice, but what was it?

Suddenly, though, she looked down, almost as if she remembered it was something she had forgotten to do. Or if she had neglected to act in a way that was befitting of a peasant, rather than a noble. Indeed she was a curious individual, or simply acting in a curious way. Undoubtedly, this one would have an interesting tale to tell. perhaps it would be best to simply take her on to Camelot and have the authorities there come to a decision. "Come now, young lady, it is time for you to do some explaining, don't you think?"

[Enide Coedwallider]

”…Why does everyone feel like my enemy, don't want any part of depression or darkness, I've had enough sick and tired, bring the sun, or I'm gone… the circumstances of a world so cold…”

"Excuse me, milady, but are you quite all right. Do you need some help or assistance?"

She blushed lightly, on the paleness of her cold face as she wondered if not the fair knight thought her meekness unfounded and annoying. Surely she had made herself look pathetic in his eyes but she had not intended to do so, she was simply reacting to this situation of being all alone in the woods and had to look after herself when suddenly a man approached her and woke her up. She did not know who he was nor where he came from until she heard him speak, yet his accent did not seem to be fully English.

Did she need help? Oh yes, and a lot of help to be honest! But it was just so hard for Enide to thank someone or to ask for help, she was just so proud in that matter and always tried to be less of a bother to anyone, especially since the day she promised herself she would never accept to marry someone because her family forced her to. She wasn’t rude or conduce herself with snobbery, but she believed that only when a woman learned independence would she achieve to find her own path in life away form the stereotyped cannons and boring laws of society where women played no role at all but that of a belonging and housewife.

She simply nodded to his words, for she did not find any other way to state her great need for assistance and how she wanted her hands to mend, and how she wanted to be warm sitting by a fire and recovering her strength. She was so hungry as well; she wondered how she managed to survive for so long with so little food. She felt her weak body give in to her pitiful state and though she wanted to stand strong, to look as if she had overcome this trip and could be proud of herself to have challenged types and did something no other woman had done before, her body softened and was no longer tense. She even managed to slowly stand up and look at Byrn who by this time had gotten up and was ready to defend her should Enide need protection.

She smiled at Byrn, her loyal horse and caressing his long mane she then whispered to him some soothing words as she placed her forehead against his and then smiled and caressed his cheek. Dyrn was also much calmer now, and had Enide been healthy and strong as she used to… that is before this journey, Dryn would have flown to perch on her arm.

"Re-sheath that sword before you hurt yourself or someone else, and tell me me who you are, why you are here, and how you got yourself in the condition you find yourself, eh?"

She blushed and looked back at her horse hiding her face on the horse’s great cheek before she sighed, this young knight made her feel so foolish, like a spoiled child. She did sheathe her swords, though; for she knew this man did not represent a threat… at least she knew that now. She was still hiding her face for a moment before she still caressed her horse and not looking at him she thought she had better state some true fact about herself though perhaps not the whole truth, she still did not know him that well. She swallowed before she said, “I’m L…” no, she could not tell him she was a noble born, not yet, “Enide Coedwallider, I don’t know where here is and I was simply running away. I come from the kingdom of Gwent…”

"Well, my dear, you are not likely to find one to serve in the midst of the Forest of Balor. Your chances would be much higher in somewhere like Camelot, don't you think."

Was he laughing at her? Did he take her for a young fool who knew nothing of the world and was as helpless as a fallen bird? Could this be true? She turned to look at him forgetting for a moment she was pretending to be a maid, a castle maid and simply whispered, “Balor? Have I truly traveled that far East?” She was truly taken aback by such news yet she nodded to his words, perhaps she would be safe in the Castle of Camelot where the legendary Pendragon family lived though she did not like the idea of being a prisoner to someone else’s wishes and not have a life of her own she would have to cooperate for now and play the role of a maid in order to protect herself form her pursuers. Suddenly a cold breeze broke through the branches if the trees and hit her making her shiver lightly for a moment. She looked back at the tree where Dyrn was perched looking at them both alert and vigilant.

"Come now, young lady, it is time for you to do some explaining, don't you think?"

Explaining? How could he suddenly expect her to open up the secrets of her heart in such state of famine, wetness, loneliness, frustration and… she did not even know him. She turned to look at him for a moment before she quickly looked away saying, “For a knight you ask too many questions amidst a tempest, yet I fear my energy is slowly fading me now more than ever.” She placed a hand on the nearest tree feeling she would not be able to stand for much longer, “I know not your name or how is it that your diligence found me.”

[Lancelot Du Lac]

Lancelot saw that she had gone from the boldness of direct eye contact to the exact obvious .....almost refusing even to look up, let alone look him in the eyes. Even though he face was angled down, though, he could see some hints of flushed cheeks. He found that to be fairly attractive in a flirtatious sort of way, although it was obvious she needed some cleaning and tending to. He imagined, though, when, she had suddenly awoken, and seen him, that she had been quite shocked,even though wasn't holding a blade to her throat or anything similar.

Lancelot was beginning to wonder if she was capable of speech or at least English. Perhaps she was Spanish or Portuguese, or maybe even Dutch. No ..... none of those seemed to be quite right. Was it possible that she was french, the country of his birth. Actually the part of Gaul that he was from had been claimed by both French and English lords for years. It was obvious that she needed help, but how was he supposed to communicate. Communication was a two-way kind of thing, now, wasn't it? In lieu of information, what exactly was she, a noble or a slave, and where did she belong, or who did she belong to?

"Well, at last ..... that's at least an improvement," as she no longer looked at the ground and bent her head up, and she at least began to nod at the things he said. Either she was just being polite ad nodding whenever he spoke, or she understood what he was saying, and was agreeing, at least with questions of whether she wanted help. "Let me consider this," he mused. He had no idea how long she had been out here. Its possible she had been days without food. Water looked pretty plentiful. If that's the case she may be a bit too weak to respond, but he sure would have appreciated some attempt at something that sounded like speech. She still didn't speak, but she did stand up, as did her horse, almost together, and she appeared to smile at it.

Lance couldn't hear them, but he could just barely hear that she was whispering words, apparently what she intended to be soothing words for her horse, who obviously she had known for some time. It was also clear, by their interaction, a closeness which indicated a long relationship with. This was not a peasant. Peasants did not have horses like this, and be familiar like this with them.

Finally she spoke, and this time, even though it was obvious she didn't really want to, identified herself. Before she did, thankfully, she had re-sheathed her little sword ...... not that he felt threatened by the little thing in her hands ..... but it was a sign of trust. "Enide Coedwallider? ..... That's quite a mouthful. Now .... are you sure nothing goes in front of Enide, since I would not expect a peasant to have a horse unless they borrowed or acquired it by some more creative means," he said with a straight face.

"Hmmmm ....I would think you would be the first person to know how far you have traveled." Lancelot Waited there, standing by his horse, with his arms folded, and a quite serious look on his face, wondering exactly what she was going to surprise him with next. Certainly the way she was suddenly looking at him, almost with a challenging stare, was not very peasant-like.

"Well, finding a young woman in the midst of a dense forest, filled with all sorts of dangerous creatures, a knight is bound to have many questions. As long as you have told me who you are, I don't see any harm in that. I am Sir Lancelot of Huntingdon, visiting in Camelot at the moment. As far as finding you I just happened to come across you as I was traveling through the forest. Do you have enough strength to climb on your horse, while I lead you out of the forest. Or is there somewhere other than Camelot that you would prefer to travel to. If you were wondering I am not one of King Uther's Knights of Camelot. Now ..... what say you .... do you want to come with me, or are you so weak that I'll have to carry you out of the forest?"

[Enide Coedwallider]

”… How does it feel when all you're counting on is scatterbrained; every wind that you have sailed upon, a hurricane; every summer you have seen was filled with April rain it doesn't get easy, don't you know …”


He was examining her, she did not have to be a genius to find that out nor look into his eyes to know he was doing so. She did not blame him, however, for it wasn’t sane nor normal finding people in the middle of the woods, alone, wet and almost devious of all life. In fact this trip served to impress Enide on the strength she truly possessed, for no other Lady… at least not just any would stand the long journey she overtook in order to escape a most dark void of a destiny which awaited her had she followed her father’s every command, even though he was a good man and did not realize the danger of such choice. And perhaps he never would now.

She had to admit he was a patient man, Lancelot that is. Any other person would have simply walked away at Enide’s meekness and innocence as well as confusion, and in hearing her Gaelic accent even more, for the Old Faith as well as cultures were fading slowly, ever since the coming of the Romans and the now imposing Saxons who raided mercilessly.

She discreetly gazed upon him to study him a bit more closely, he was obviously taller than her, with dark hair and eyes which she had never seen before and he seemed to have been a night for some years now, though he was still young and with it came the gentle manner in his Briton nature and his good will. She wondered if he was from the land of Brittany back in France, where they commonly said sturdy and cunning knights came from who made the best in the very best. She quickly lowered her eyes however and ran a hand on her dark hair, which covered the view from her glittering eyes.

"Well, at last ..... that's at least an improvement, let me consider this,"

She raised an eyebrow at his words, what was there to consider? Had she been any harm to anyone wouldn’t someone had spread the word by now? Had she been dangerous to this knight wouldn’t she have attacked him by now? She felt her body weaken by every minute and he wished to analyze this situation? Her small figure was pale, cold and wet, as well as weak and wounded, if only she could find some healing herbs, she had forgotten to carry them as she left in haste. If only she could find a warm cave to spend the night and eat some food and sleep, but she had been looking for hours in these forsaken woods and found none, maybe it was the fact that she did not know this place for she was from far off lands.

When she spoke of having run away from her pursuers it looked like he did not hear or did not understand, whichever way looked like she was not talking to him, but she did, she tried, could it be now she was fainting or really loosing her mind now?

"Enide Coedwallider? ... That's quite a mouthful. Now... are you sure nothing goes in front of Enide, since I would not expect a peasant to have a horse unless they borrowed or acquired it by some more creative means,"

She blushed lightly feeling like a silly person and then sighed, “I do not plan to return good Sir, for I fear the worse.” She was no common woman, she did not settle for stereotypical way of life getting married, looking after children and then fading away into nothingness; she wanted to live life, to enjoy every minute of it and experience god things as long as it did not hurt anyone. Back at home she would have been humiliated to marry the ma she loathed, sleep in his bed and watch him terrorize her fraternal lands, who would like to be such a wife? She then turned to look at him and said, “Whoever I was it does not matter, I am no threat to anyone and must be what I never was, otherwise they will find me and all these sacrifices will be forfeit.”

She was a beautiful lady as well, and that would have brought discord among the songs of the noble of the kingdom of Powys. She disliked the idea of being either the reason for a land to divide or even worse, to be ill-used by the sons of a Lord who looked for ways to humiliate the people form her kingdom, a peaceful realm of beauty and splendour. Of course now she looked more pitiful and wretched than beautiful, but she longed for a bath, food and sleep by now. “But one must earn trust mustn’t we?” She said feeling her weak body fail her yet she pushed herself to the limit by saying, “I trusted you, fair knight, do trust me.”

"Hmmmm ....I would think you would be the first person to know how far you have traveled."

He was now serious, this young man was surprising, he had such a mood swing she wondered if any of this was real for she had certainly never met anyone like him before, not that she could think of. However she said, “It felt like months, fair knight and though I do not blame you for not knowing where my small homeland is, I dare say you will be familiar with it when I state it is one of the few Gaelic realms in this island.”

"Well, finding a young woman in the midst of a dense forest, filled with all sorts of dangerous creatures, a knight is bound to have many questions. As long as you have told me who you are, I don't see any harm in that. I am Sir Lancelot of Huntingdon, visiting in Camelot at the moment. As far as finding you I just happened to come across you as I was traveling through the forest. Do you have enough strength to climb on your horse, while I lead you out of the forest. Or is there somewhere other than Camelot that you would prefer to travel to. If you were wondering I am not one of King Uther's Knights of Camelot. Now... What say you... Do you want to come with me, or are you so weak that I'll have to carry you out of the forest?"

Once he spoke his name she was truly amazed, she had heard the tales of brave Lancelot but she never dreamed of meeting him in person. She looked into his eyes a bit impressed and said, “Sir Lancelot? Lancelot Du Lac?” The world sure was small. “I have heard nothing but the highest praise on your chivalrous deeds.” She took a deep breath to ignore her physical state and focus on his words but then said, ”I’m afraid I would need some healing herbs or a warm place to stay the night, I cannot travel any further.”

Even if she wanted to she was as weak as a kitten lost in the woods. She was helpless, but who wouldn’t be when she went on such a long journey all on her own for such a long time? Byrn got close to her for her to attempt to get on her horse but she slowly felt she was loosing it. She disliked being a burden, and so she tried to get on her horse but then the tiredness also seemed to take hold of her and she closed her eyes feeling her body fail her. At least she now knew this fair knight was honourable Lancelot.

[Lancelot Du Lac]

She was definitely a puzzle and an enigma. he thought to himself, as he perused her and her situation. Enide, though, it was a beautiful and lyrical name, much as the person who carried it. She was definitely weakened, and he could tell she had suffered greatly physically, but the underlying beauty was still there. What or who could she have been running from to get marooned here in the middle of the dangerous Forest of Balor, he wondered. Was she just a lost soul, or was she a witch, capable of enchanting him. He knew of his experiences with Merlin that magic was a real thing, just as there were good and evil practitioners of the art. Was she one of those folk. And if she was, what might happen to him?

Lancelot, though, was in no great rush to find out. He was under no particular time schedule. Time to Enide, though, did seem to be an enemy, as she seemed to be growing weaker and weaker. As he thought about her, more and more, it became clear to him that she was not only not from Camelot, but not from any part of the West Country either, that he was familiar with. Her accent made that quite clear.

He noticed, though, even in her weakened condition, that it was not only he that was doing the perusing, but she was analyzing him as well, just not as openly. It seemed to him, as he saw and felt her eyes pass over him, that she was doing a physical inventory of the young man, in years, who stood before her, and seemed to have her at his advantage. It seemed, though, that she became aware that he was watching her closely, especially her eyes, and she reached back and pulled several strands or locks of hair forward, which had the effect of blocking much of the view of her face from his direct gaze.

Even with most of her face being covered, though, at his words that indicated that he was considering both her situation and what he should do next, he could see her eyebrows arch up in a quizzical manner. It was as if she was wondering or questioning his thought process. Did she think his course of action should be obvious, or was she afraid of what he was likely to do next? She was obviously growing weaker by the minute, and his consideration basically revolved around a couple of issues. First, as a knight, he was honor-bound to help this weakened person, especially as she was a woman, and a visitor to these lands. Second he had to be careful that she didn't have an agenda that he needed to protect himself from.

When he made his comment about her noble status and the way and/or means that she had acquired her horse, he noticed that he got at least a small reaction, and this time not merely a facial reaction, but a verbal one as well. So...... she did not plan to return whence she had come, and why exactly was that, he wondered. And what was that slight blush about? Hmmmm ...... by her saying that it did not matter what she was before ...... was like a tacit admission of her noble status, no matter what she said from here on to hide it, he reasoned. "I am afraid that the level of threat that you pose is up to me, and at least indirectly is related to those who pursue you, for their threat to you will be a threat to me, just by our present association. However, as an apparent noble, and I as an honourable knight, will do what I can to protect your person. Of what sacrifices do you speak?"

He further considered her words, as she now spoke of trust. "Trust, milady works both ways, between us, both in how it is given and how it is earned. As an honourable knight, you have my trust, but what must I do to earn yours? All that you must do to earn mine is to show that all that you have told me is not a well-fabricated un-truth. What do you say to that?", he inquired, knowing that this one's beauty as well as apparent nobility had probably gotten her most of what she wanted in the past. "It is not clear, milady, how much exactly that you do trust me."

He could tell by her facial reactions that he had surprised her at various times by the questions that he had asked, and the responses that he had given. However, even though many of these exchanges did not make sense to her, for him, it was all about gaining as much information that was pertinent, about her and her situation. "Gaelic, then, so that explains the accent, as well as much about your fight," he reasoned. "I expect, as with most females in flight, that the pursuant is a man, who rightfully or wrongfully is claiming you as his own. Such matters do not concern me, as my responsibility will be to protect your person against all that threaten you."

Once he had finished his short speech and request he immediately saw a change in her ace, as soon as he identified himself by name. It was obvious that she recognized the name immediately,and that in itself, puzzled him. "Yes .... yes ...... I was known as a Du Lac, though for years I have simply gone as Lancelot, and now Sir Lancelot. What ..... what is the significance of that name to you, as you are from a place so far removed from this one?" It was now his turn to blush, which he did deeply. "I do not regard most of my deeds as being that significant or chivalrous. I have merely acted as honour and duty command,milady, as I do now." He saw her rapidly weakening state, as she attempted to communicate with him. Obviously she did not feel well enough to travel all of the way to Camelot.

"Very well, milady, there are some caves just through the brush, that I m sure are uninhabited and dry. I shall build a fire there, and we can sup on what food that i have brought on the journey." Seeing her grow faint, as she tried to mount her horse, he caught her before she fell to the ground, and began to carry her, leading the 2 horses to the caves beyond the brushes of thicket, that he knew quite well.

[Enide Coedwallider]

”… Fortune smiles on you; you're not watching, dig that hole deeper… Fortune smiles on you… you're not watching, create your own fate …”

What were memories? What did it mean o remember something? There was no way you could be selective with the things that marked your life, especially when it came to dark events, events that you wished had never happened or your eyes had never beheld. All that, however, helps shape your personality and life, but that did not mean they would not hurt or they would all be pleasant experiences. Sometimes they were necessary, though not often, to help you learn and prevent some flaws, but in Enide’s case some things were truly not necessarily and too painful to be true.

It reminded her that she was no longer in her father’s household, riding in the sunset and enjoying her mother’s company. It recapped in her mind that she was no longer in friendly terms with her family nor could come back whenever she wanted until she had respectable means of claiming her right as hair of her father and bring him honor and glory. And if she was ever planning to go back it had to be with strong allies that could defeat her enemy and bring peace of her realm once again, making sure they would pay for all the evil they miscarried during their powerful and influencing years.

Till then… she had to survive and gather those objectives…

”Fortune and happiness will be your friends once you marry him, you will be the richest couple in the realms and you will also be envied by everyone, the eyes of the world will be upon you both.”

“On ‘him’ more like it, and who said I would take him for a husband?”

“Bite your tongue child! Least should a lady or maid hear such word sin the mouth of a Lady and take them for teachings of wisdom when they truly aren’t.”

Enide smirked as the maids combed her long strains of hair and then said turning to look at her mother, as she stood up, her hair done and shining with the candlelight, she approached her mother and said, “I would take such words for wisdom. I do not boast mother, but marriage to a complete stranger is the last thing I have in mind, especially when said person is a tyrant.”

There was a sudden knock on the door and two maids entered the room and could not speak for they had been running for a long time. Finally one of them managed to say, “They… are… here…” Enide’s eyes moved toward her mother’s before a scream was heard and great turmoil seemed to fill the castle.

She did not know that day would make her whole life, nor that it would also mean the end of something and the beginning of another things much more beautiful than the life before… but it came with a high price, and she was yet to discover such.

Breathe…

"I am afraid that the level of threat that you pose is up to me, and at least indirectly is related to those who pursue you, for their threat to you will be a threat to me, just by our present association. However, as an apparent noble, and I as an honourable knight, will do what I can to protect your person. Of what sacrifices do you speak?"

She sighed, he was right; perhaps it was the tiredness, the hunger and the misery she was in what made her so irritating? However she, personally, did not wish to cause anyone harm so how could that affect him? Unless he thought her a witch, however it would be silly to think so in her mind she knew well enough he still did not know her that well and as such was in his every right to mistrust her until proven otherwise. She then said, “An honourable knight indeed, Sir knight, though I’m afraid the lack of rest and the long journey will make it impossible for me to grant you any more information you might bequest.”

When he inquired about her sacrifices she sad a bit saddened by the realization however with the conviction that if she had the option of reliving that scene she would do the exact same thing, “Leaving one’s homeland, family, title, comfort and cheerfulness for a journey you have never undertaken, in lands you ignore and with the danger of always being caught by your pursuers or any new dark being, is a sacrifice few people I know would have made.” Surely Lancelot knew what she meant, or was it he still thought she was a liar and an evil witch who had ventured into the wild in order to hunt him down?

"Trust, milady works both ways, between us, both in how it is given and how it is earned. As an honourable knight, you have my trust, but what must I do to earn yours? All that you must do to earn mine is to show that all that you have told me is not a well-fabricated un-truth. What do you say to that? It is not clear, milady, how much exactly that you do trust me."

“Words can be words indeed, fair knight, however if you look around you… you will find me a wretched person in a place I know not, far away from home and in fear of the worst, I love my father and perhaps that will be proof enough to the fact that I am telling you the truth, though as much as I love him I cannot live the life they wish me to, my heart dictates another path I am yet to find.” She then added shyly, “The twin swords you saw earlier, though as you probably would have guessed by now, I poorly wield, were my father’s heirloom, I brought them for protection as well as to have something that reminds me of him… I fear I might not see him or my mother again, or my home.”

"Gaelic, then, so that explains the accent, as well as much about your fight, I expect, as with most females in flight, that the pursuant is a man, who rightfully or wrongfully is claiming you as his own. Such matters do not concern me, as my responsibility will be to protect your person against all that threaten you."

She was grateful, she really was, but how do you say ‘thank you’ when you simply do not know how to? Not that her parents never showed her how to be cordial and grateful, they did, several times even, but it simply wasn’t in her to say that stereotypical word to be grateful. Even though she found it annoying how she fitted into the stereotypical situation of the damsel in distress where it all deal with marriage, she knew he was right, in a way, and it upset her to find her life in such a small path, the path she had chosen was twisted and small and she feared she might not make it, would Lancelot help her? Would he be the one hand to show her the way in this dark alley?

"Yes .... Yes... I was known as a Du Lac, though for years I have simply gone as Lancelot, and now Sir Lancelot. What... What is the significance of that name to you, as you are from a place so far removed from this one? I do not regard most of my deeds as being that significant or chivalrous. I have merely acted as honour and duty command, milady, as I do now."

She smiled, was he really blushing at her words? That was sweet and at the same time pleasing for he then realized she also had the ability of hitting a nerve there and make him realize he is only human as well as she was. He was now curious to know what his name meant in her lands and what she had heard of hi but she decided to keep that a secret, to make him thirsty to know what was told of him so far away from her homeland. “Significance? Oh not much, simply the fact that you are the model for all knights and gentlemen back home.” She smiled and looked into his eyes wondering how he would react to that though it was true.

This fair knight took her to a cave, yet the battle had just begun. She was extremely weak and had just passed out; she could feel her body shake lightly yet at the same time the comfort of Lancelot’s body warmth seemed to already render her coldness some heat. She trusted his words, he would help, he would protect her against her enemies and she only wondered if she would ever manage to repay him in some way.

[Lancelot Du Lac]

He had grown to the realization that she had come to the end of her rope and endurance. The reason that he had found her here was that she had stopped moving, and in fact could probably have gone no further without falling off her horse. With the closeness that the horse stuck by her it was obvious that they had been close companions for some time. The horse had been hers ... he was sure of it ..... it lent more toward ownership than theft at any rate, further solidifying the case for nobility on her side. But, he thought, momentarily, would the horse allow him to assist her, or would he defend her thinking that Lancelot was attacking her. The quickness of her collapse did not offer much time for such considerations.

Thankfully, he found that the horse did not fight him, his presence, or his actions. He caught her long before she reached the ground, and in one motion had her securely in his arms. He was relieved that her horse was not upset. but merely tried to stay as close to her as she could be. He did not find her to be a heavy burden in the least, an knew that he could have carried her a great distance if he had needed to. This was one time that he was grateful that most of his weapons and shield were carried on and over his back. So there was little to interfere with him safely carrying her. He did wonder, though, what manner of men were chasing her, and what she thought she would gain by fleeing them

He noticed, as they waled, that she seemed to be mumbling something, as if she was re-living some moment in the past, or even dreaming of something in her future. He could not tell which, but it did seem that it was not a pleasant memory dream, at least by the way that her body tensed up as the dream or memory progressed. It sounded much like something she was trying to escape from. He hoped that she had run far enough away for them to give up their chase, but he was pledged now to defend her if they were insistent on taking her against her will. For the moment, he would serve as her protector if she wished.

Before she had collapsed she had responded to his questions the best that she could. However, given the fact that she was not very large, she didn't have the reserves of energy to go long periods without food, and he could easily tell that her fatigue was weighing on her. She sighed, perhaps in resignation to the points that he had already made about her condition, before she continued. In a way, he was surprised that she responded in a positive way about his honourability. She agreed now,in concert with the physical body, that her fatigue basically made her unable to respond further until she had regained some strength. In away, it appeared she was surrendering to her physical condition, even before she collapsed.

After a few moments of collecting herself,she was able to respond about the sacrifices. It was much as he had expected that she would say. It was a listing of the losses that she had endured, the good and secure things she had given up, and the fears of being taken by those that she was most afeared of. He thought that the reasons for their pursuit should be saved for a time that she would feel that she could deal with them in detail. "I understand what little I need to, for now. The rest can wait for a better time, milady."

She would not give up her attempt to address the questions that he had posed. She did this even though he could see how it was draining her of her energy. "You are as far from a wretched person as I have ever seen, fair lady. As hard as these conditions are, i do not doubt that your words are true, especially those that speak of your love of family and country. Your swords .... ah yes .... well .... I think they are much more usable as remembrances than as articles of defense," he smiled broadly for the fits time, his teeth a bright contrast to his ruddy complexion. and dark hair and eyes.

He sensed there was something that she wanted to say, but it would not come out of her lips. He could see it in her eyes, and that it was on the tip of her tongue, but he knew that if it was important, she would find a way to say it. But finally she gave up on whatever topic it was, and moved to his origins. As soon as she began talking of his person, and his reputation, he found his cheeks burning, and his eyes cast down at the ground. He made a point that all of his actions had been from duty, both now and in the past and that he did not know that any of his actions had that much glory in them. "A model? How could that be? There are many greater knights than I. I am not even a proper Knight of Camelot." He noted that her eyes were now looking directly into his, and he could not maintain the gaze nd felt the warmth in his cheeks once more, and as she turned to her horse,she fainted, and he caught her.

It was a short distance to the cave, and fortunately there was a pile of dry kindling and some wood,probably from a former inhabitant, as there was a pallet of straw. he laid her down upon it,and through his cloak over her. He built the fire quickly, and in a short time it was roaring. A cool breeze from inside the cave blew out, taking the smoke with it. He saw her stirring and took it as a good sign. "You can take of you wet clothes, while being enclosed within my cloak,and set them near the fire so that they can dry quickly. I will stand outside the cave entrance if you desire to that alone and in peace."

[Enide Coedwallider]

”… Chance doesn’t exist but the path of life is not totally so predestined and time and chronology show us how all should be in the ways of existence… to find out why we are here ...”

Dyrn watched closely as the horses alongside Lancelot and Enide left toward the cave and only when he was sure he knew where they looked for sanctuary, it opened up it silver wings and then perched upon the tree closest to the cave, vigilant and aware of every single word spoken, or movement. He never attacked unless he knew Enide was in great danger but he was also a good element of surprise for the enemy could not expect a young maiden to travel alongside a falcon.

Byrn followed as the most loyal of horses, once aware of how Enide spoke to the man with no fear or resentment there was no harm, however he wished to be as close to Enide as possible, even if that meant to move close to this young night he still did not know that well. However there was an aura about him that assured Byrn Enide would be fine, in fact in better company than her meekness and helplessness if any great peril followed her… Which it does anyway...

Enide felt as if she weighted no more than a light feather fallen form the sky the moment Lancelot pick her up. She was truly impressed for though she knew men, knights particularly, were rather strong, and she had never been carried before and so it was impressive how easily Lancelot could carry her towards their destination. She had been a failure when looking for shelters but the fair knight seemed to find a place to spend the night and find shelter from the rain in but seconds. That also impressed her. Truth be told there were many things about life she did not know, this stubborn trip of hers seemed to be opening her eyes to new things, and the chivalrous life of Sir Lancelot Du Lac was one of them. She honestly never expected to meet such a knight, especially after the stories she had been told as well as those in her town. Scops were really fast and agile when it came to traveling and then coming up with songs of lore and magical heroes of old times.

Even though she was grateful, nevertheless, she felt as if she endangered Lancelot when accepting his services. Did he now repent on ever offering them to her? Surely he had other places to go to and other people who needed him far more than she did, maybe she should have married that man and not put this brave knight in so much danger.

He was so patient as well, she was grateful, he did not mind her collapse, nor the fact that she could speak little for the time being and only hoped the next day she would be well and healthy and perhaps leave for Camelot to let Lancelot do as he was planning to do before he encountered her. She did not was him to be enslaved to his oath, though she really enjoyed his company and found him amiable, she did not like to abuse of such gentle heart and felt she had to let him know that.

"I understand what little I need to, for now. The rest can wait for a better time, milady."

She smiled as he spoke, he was such a gentleman, surely had she met someone more rigid they would not have stopped until they sucked the whole truth out of her and perhaps by then she would have collapsed with great need of food and medications and then it would be too late, it would simply be too much for her to bare and she had already stood those annoying men for long back at home, their annoying insinuations and childish demands, truly Enide had never been a person to take whatever she wanted, she was a more simple person, but not just any noble was alike her, in fact, few were. Surely even Lancelot thought by now she was a spoiled child, thought, truth be told… she wasn’t.

"You are as far from a wretched person as I have ever seen, fair lady. As hard as these conditions are, i do not doubt that your words are true, especially those that speak of your love of family and country. Your swords .... ah yes .... well .... I think they are much more usable as remembrances than as articles of defense,"

She watched him smile genuinely for the first time and it rendered her heart warmth and joy and his words were so kind it made her smile as well though she truly wasn’t that good with compliments or being grateful. Hopefully her smile would speak for what she tried to communicate yet could not bring herself to say. She then added, “truly, I found no other weapons in such a haste…” she then chuckled silently and added, “perhaps a mace would have been better?” She was joking of course, and though she knew little of Lancelot surely he would not mind, for she felt certain familiarity when talking to him, and it somehow slowly allowed her to behave as herself, not to mind much about whether she should simply be a silent maiden, which she wasn’t anyway, she had her own opinions and thought she always had to speak them out loud.

His smile was truly charming, who would have thought that a Briton knights could possess such a gift, surely he took the heart away of many maids as he encountered on his journeys and duties. She had heard of that as well though she did not blame the ladies, she also thought that unless a person also showed some interest in you it was only too forceful to be so obvious and be among a pack of girls who would certainly never drag a man’s attention for being bold, spoiled and cheeky.

"A model? How could that be? There are many greater knights than I. I am not even a proper Knight of Camelot."

She smiled and said, “Fair Lancelot, you are too hard with yourself yet it is not in the men of great lore that our eyes look to, but those who strive to be better everyday, those who are truly great and yet few look upon because they are too busy with the extravagant radiance of popular heroes who did but one great did, not entirely on their own, and earned everyone’s admiration. My people never follow such stereotypes, besides you traveled far just to be in the court of Camelot, that is admirable enough in my e… my people’s eyes.” She quickly looked at the ground as she realized she was about to be too open and then smiled to herself when she noticed how much the young knight blushed at her words. It was pleasing in a way to know she had such a power though she would never use it to hurt him but to make him feel as what he was: a great knight. She smiled; he even blushed when looking into her silver eyes.

"You can take of you wet clothes, while being enclosed within my cloak, and set them near the fire so that they can dry quickly. I will stand outside the cave entrance if you desire to that alone and in peace."

She smiled and said, “If your do not mind, I would prefer that for it would render me time since I am too weak to possess the usual abilities.” She knew she was much to tired and needed some rest but her damp clothes would certainly not help her at all and so she slowly removed her wet clothes and then she set them near the fire so they could get dried, in examining them she realized they were more like rags than clothes and blushed at how silly she must have looked on them now.

She laid back on the hay with Lancelot’s cloak on her and began to feel warmth returning to her body, she smiled and solely turned to look at the man as he stood by the cave, she was so grateful. She then closed her eyes for a moment and smiled lying her head on the soft hay.

[Lancelot Du Lac]

As they passed through the brush and toward the entrance to the cave Lancelot could not but help notice the slow rustling of wings above. it was definitely a bird in flight, but not quite in flight. It did not appear to be flying to a place with speed, but only hovering overhead. Was it associated with her he wondered. Much as he expected, the horses both settled near the cave, at the overhang, protected from the weather, but not blocking the cave entrance. It was as if both horses were sentries. Could the bird be watching over them too. He shook his head, as he entered the cave with he relaxed form.

As he bustled around the cave, lying her down, assembling the kindling, and getting out his flint, he saw her horse was peering into the cave, intently interested in what he was doing. He noted how both horses were apparently attached to the both of them. Once he had the fire going, he walked over to the entrance, reached into his pockets, and withdrew 2 small apples, one for the each of them, and offered one to each. neither seemed to show much hesitation toward the proffered gift, and he smiled slightly.

As he had carried her he could smell her scent, even from her wet and soggy clothing. he could easily see how men would pursue her to possess her. She was quite desirable to behold, he thought as he had carried. she was light to carry, and no burden at all. He did indeed feel that it was his duty to defend and protect, especially as she was in this most vulnerable of states. he wondered how aware she was of her surroundings and his actions as he carried her to her destination. Fortunately he knew these woods well, plus the fact that just before he had emerged from the Forest, he had passed by the caves and had seen the one that would be the most suitable for a comfortable stay. he had listen to her tell of the stories that had been told about his young life, and was truly amazed. he wondered what the substance of those stories were and how much they had stretched the truth. he hoped that she would be more forthcoming when she had rested.

She had not been able to say much after she had fainted, and therefore, he had not expected any thanks for what he had done. She was, by all indications, a noble, and he was not. It was not unusual that no thanks or gratitude would be given from a member of one class to another. As such, Sir Lancelot just looked at himself as a creature of duty, and not worthy enough, as a non-noble to expect much more.

He knew what his place was as a non-noble, and what might appear to some as virtuous behavior, was simply he understanding his role in life, and where his responsibilities were. He assumed this was one reason why she might not express any gratitude, since he, as a Knight, would be expected to act in a certain way, and to defend a noble female, and protect, as best was within his ability. He thought it was possible that she might feel that he had gone above and beyond what was required, but he did have a high standard for which he strove.

He had noticed how she smiled at him when he had been speaking to her. he, so far, had no rational explanation for such behavior on her part, at least not yet. He knew that his first responsibility was to get her to a place of safety as quickly as possible, as well as a place that she could be cared for adequately.

He could not admit to it, of course, but even as he spoke to her, her smile melted his heart, even as he thought himself unworthy of her. He, of course, could have done more than simply listen, to have put maximum pressure on her, to extract out every last piece of information from her, but did not. That was not his way. He did not think that would have been a very honourable way to act, especially for a Knight. He, in the end, respected hr person too much for that.

He knew now that he was smiling openly, and that it was easy enough for her to see. He was amazed that her reaction to, though, was so positive, almost as if she had been waitng to see a real part of him revealed to her. "They were not a bad choice, I would say. Its just that weapons that you might have had actual training with would have been better. However, I can see your choice of items that had such a direct link with your father ... the choice was more ..... personal." He then saw her next comment as the joke that it was meant to be and smiled broadly once more. "A mace ...... hmmmm ..... I think you would have had a greater chance to injure yourself, rather than others." He felt that she was showing more of her true self, something that her normal noble exterior was designed to hide, and he felt honored, in a strange way.

He blushed once more at the attention that her comments focused upon. "It is but a common thing to try and be and do better everyday, milady. It is not a great thing. It is merely expect that I do honor to those I serve." He noticed her verbal slip. He wondered, now, exactly what she thought of him, and which part of her compliments were what the people felt, and which part were her own. He knew now, though, later, hearing such words, he found it difficult to look into her piercing eyes without having his cheeks burn and tingle.

As she agreed to his proposal about her clothes, he nodded in deference to her, backed away, spun, and moved to the doorway of the cave, where he spent some moments caressing the noses of the horses who were stationed there. He awaited to signal that she was ready for him to return. He turned, and saw from a distance, her smile, and the fact that finally she seemed to be relaxing in peace, which was something which warmed his heart, but did his best to keep from the noble lady it was his duty to keep safe. She was meant for better men ..... for a proper noble .... not for him.

[Enide Coedwallider]

”… I grew up by the sea; I played under the sun... Come to me come into my dreams, this is my light of life …”

She noticed with a smile how he fed both horses an apple, Byrn had eaten so few in the last days surely her horse was as weak as her or perhaps even more and it saddened her but if she had not ridden him she would not have gotten far and she would have been caught by that spiteful Lord and his son in no time for she also wasn’t a fast runner and surely she would trip or something to make things worse. She was just so helpless, but well it was too late to change of personality besides she knew that even if she did not possess a strong body, she had a strong mind and knew things that few women did and as well did things that none of them would ever consider doing, one of them was running away form home through the woods and fight to survive.

Most women would have surely ended up going back to the road and looked for shelter in the home of a Lord or a farmer, even. But Enide knew quite well that they were expecting her to do so, for all women were predictable, according to them. Enide wasn’t, and even Lancelot had to know that by now. It did not matter much, she preferred it this way, and it was better to die at peace than to die of old age bitter and tortured all those years by Lord Anwar’s greed and loathing heart.

The day her beloved sister Canaid died, a new path opened up for Enide, though full of pain and loss, she followed it and found it more fulfilling that the life she had been brought up to live before that. It wasn’t easy, at first her parents opposed and wished to have her married before she reached fourteen springs, but somehow her love towards them was stronger and she opened up her soul to them so that they could see the world with her eyes. Though they agreed for a time, those were the happiest years of her life though perhaps now a new page would be written for her life and she would be even happier.

Her eyes looked upon fair Sir Lancelot as he fed the horses then, she was truly amazed by the fact that, though he was still much young, he still had wedded no woman. She could find no reason why any woman would not have him for a husband; Enide never believed that even social class should matter for that. In fact she knew most women were always fond of the name Lancelot back at her homeland. Looking at him now she could understand why ladies sighed at the name ‘Sir Lancelot’ and even day dreamed. His dark hair was intriguing and the fight of it shaking as the cold wind blew upon it was like watching the most powerful eagle beats its wings and fly away to confront a strong wind. He was tall and strapping, his dark eyes had an inner fire of their own, which also reflected his inner personality, he could be the worst of enemies enraged and passionate, but he could also be the most gentle of lovers and kind to those in need.

Surely any woman would fall for him straight away, just by looking at him riding in the middle of the woods with his shield upon his back just like the old civilizations used to carry it. However he was still single and though long years he worked with the dream of being a knight of Camelot, now he wandered the land looking for adventures and people who might need his help. She felt lucky though, she could have been all alone that day and, died, most likely, when one of the persons she had heard the most of back at Gwent, rescued her from her fatal end. How could she bring herself to thank him for being her rescuer? Surely by now he must think her cold and unnerving, and her parents, they would shake their heads at her in disapproval, but how… how could she show feelings she had never known before? Perhaps now it was time to learn them.

She smiled, the moment she was strong enough to move she would look for some pieces of wood and perhaps make something for him, after all she had brought her tools and always enjoyed making things with her hands and wooden crafts was one of the ones she cherished the most. And that would also show him she was thankful? Yes, it had to work… it would work. But at one stage she would have to thank him, but how? She wanted to feel it, to say it but at the same time show him she meant every word.

She noticed so suddenly that he blushed just by watching her smile or look at him, could it be something she had said? Or was it she had hit another nerve there? Or… did he eventually have a crush on her? Honestly she did not deserve someone like Sir Lancelot. Of all the people in the world she never expected to bump into him, least of all cause such impression on him even when she was all wet and dirty form the long trip. He had such a pure heart it seemed, but how could he lay eyes upon a feeble woman such as herself?

"They were not a bad choice, I would say. It’s just that weapons that you might have had actual training with would have been better. However, I can see your choice of items that had such a direct link with your father ... the choice was more... personal."

She smiled at him and nodded, “when you are in a hurry you cannot think of something perhaps smaller or more worthy of such remembrance than a couple of rusty swords, but they have been in the family for generations, I can still recall my father telling me one day I would hang them by the wall in my own house.” She sighed and then added, “However I never saw such day as my goal in life, I suppose I should not think, but I cannot help it.” She smiled to herself.

"A mace ...... hmmmm ..... I think you would have had a greater chance to injure yourself, rather than others."

She chuckled and then said, “Good knight do you honestly think I would not know how to use a mace? Unlike you who can wield any weapon and stand your ground, us simpler people would simply drop weapons on people’s feet and run away.” She winked at him and added to the joke and then noticed he smiled once again, genuinely, and she was glad there was no longer tension between them.

"It is but a common thing to try and be and do better everyday, milady. It is not a great thing. It is merely expect that I do honor to those I serve."

“And you do, I assure you.”

It was such a blessing to be away form nobles at this point, she was sick and tired of the nobility and knowing that she had left her house in a horrid situation she was beginning to doubt her lineage existed anymore or even considered the possibility that her father had disowned her by now. Being in the company of young nobles meant they would try to court you from the start and force you to marry them so they could extent their lands and own more land and power, however, in the company of Lancelot she felt no threat, they could talk for a time and seldom would realize of the connection they seemed to share.

[Lancelot Du Lac]

As Lance had been feeding the horses he noticed that she was either still passed out or fast asleep. It gave him some time to think. First he wondered exactly what the life that she had had was like and the life and situation that she was running away from. Next he wondered what was the manner of men that she was trying to escape from. Such information would be useful if he had to face them down in a fight of some kind. Had her family given her support against them he doubted it. If they had he expected that she would have stood and fought. She was that kind, he thought. That explained why she ran …. Because she elt alone. But why wouldn’t they have supported her? It was all very perplexing, he thought.

She was definitely a different kind of woman than most he had run across in his time, Lancelot considered. The evidence so far, even in her weakened condition, an independent sort, a survivor. Tha’s what he was. The closest female that e could picture was Lady Morgana. Gwen was not exactly that sort, but he had found himself more attracted to her than any of the others, by far. If this one had been just looking for a desperate escape, she would have stuck to the lodging-houses, out on the main road. Instead she had opted for the deepest part of the worst forest. She must have loathed her pursuers, even to the point of death.

Perhaps that was why he empathized with her and others like her, whether they be noble or not did not matter. It was their situation that mattered to him. His mind went back to his old village, the one in northwestern Britain. He had been born western Brittany of course, with even some relatives on the Channel Islands, but his parents had emigrated to Briton, when he was quite young. They had decided that he learn a trade, and his parents had decided he had an affinity for word and woodworking, so he had been apprenticed to a carpenter in a nearby town. One day, he returned, and found the Northern Raiders just leaving, with nothing surviving, not the buildings or the people. He had sworn on that day never to be caught in a situation where he couldn’t defend himself, and he began to train himself in swordcraft. Although he could stay with his apprentice master, it was obvious that he would have to learn to fend for himself.

He was not aware of it yet, but her eyes had now opened and she was watching him as he fed the horses their apples. Seeing that they were, for the moment satisfied, he leaned back against the side of the cave entrance, and took a small block of wood out of his pocket. He followed that by taking one of his hunting knives out of his pocket and began, whittling, expertly on the wood. At first, he worked quickly, taking good-sized chunks out of the wood. In a short time, however, his pace had slowed, as we worked more carefully and methodically on the simple, but detailed figure that began to emerge from the wood. As he got into his work, he was quite alone to himself, almost in his own little world. He was not interrupted until one, and then both of the horses, began nudging him in his pockets, for they knew there were more apples to be found there. Chuckling to himself, he said, “Very well ….. yes ….. I get the message ….. here ya go …… but no more. We have to save some for later.” He looked up and seeing her looking upon him, blushed once more, “Feeling better now, are we.?”

He wondered, though, he dared not speak it, about what she thought about him and what he had done. She had said that she had heard stories about him ..... probably gross exaggerations of the truth he expected. They made small talk over choice of weapons and other matters, but she had not talked about how she felt. Her being a noble, though, he didn't it, and he continued to work on the wood as it began to take on the shape and appearance of a stallion.

[Enide Coedwallider]

”… Fumbling her confidence and wondering why the world has passed her by; hoping that she's bent for more than arguments and failed attempts to fly… fly …”

Enide was intrigued by this young knight, not only for the stories she had heard about him and how they cherished the name ‘Lancelot Du Lac’ back at home, but meeting him and talking to him he seemed to be even far more than people thought. However the young maiden’s heart was intrigued and thirsty to know more about him. She wanted to know what his homeland looked like, if he had always fought with such honour for the things he wanted in life and what kind of things could have guided him toward his path to the life of a chevalier.

However little did she know how similar her life would turn out to be if considered Lancelot’s. Though she was a woman, first of all, and had run away form home. She would find she had nothing else in life now apart from her horse Byrn, that could remind her of the warmth felt in the company of your beloved ones. She did not know that her kindred had been profaned and destroyed the night she left home, had she known what the men intended she would have stayed and fought though, no, she would have been taken hostage, she forgot she did not know how to wield a sword…

However she was no person to give up easily. She knew she would have made use of every ounce of intelligence and tactics in her mind to win the battle, but how did you fight an enemy who had all the odds in his favour? The Lords of Poway were far more dangerous than anyone could realize and though they did not fight openly, underwater they did terrible things, and what Enide’s family experienced was living proof of such a dark fate. She even wondered why no one ever opposed Poway. Well perhaps he killed those who opposed him or worse, but if tyranny was there, surely other lands could unite against him, what held them back? Was it the expansion of the Saxons? Or was it the new rules of Camelot? Enide knew not.

Both were so alike, and at the same time different. Both seemed now to share a common past: loss. And with the loss came the realization that they could wield no weapons, but Lancelot overcame such difficulty whereas Enide did not know hw far she would manage to go without knowing how to wield a weapon, even her silly twin sword she now carried with her. She sighed, she would have to learn for she knew those men would not give up, she defied them by opposing to their wishes and running away and now, even if they managed to raid her house and possessions they would not give up until they humiliated her and made her pay. Those men were always blinded by rage and vengeance.

She came back form her troubled mind only to be more amazed even, what was it Sir Lancelot was doing with that piece of wood? Could it be possible he had the same hobby as her? Even though her mother never approved it, Enide loved crating things and crafting with wood was one of the things she loved and enjoyed the most. She smiled and thought she considered telling him about her abilities with wood as well she thought it would be best to keep it silent until she could make him a figurine. Then perhaps he would know she held dear such activity as well. She chuckled at the sight of both horses demanding him more food and then leaned her head on her hand watching him laugh and talk to the horses as he fed them one more apple and then he once again resumed his work, which seemed to transform into a beautiful horse figure.

“Feeling better now, are we.?”

She smiled and said, “Indeed, though it would not have been that way if you had not found me in the forest.” She felt her cheeks flush again but she tried to ignore that, was that actually the warm feeling of thanking someone? Of knowing you were not alone? Of knowing that underneath appearances someone cared for you?