Sudden Surprises (Lancelot)

[Princess Isotta of Iwernia]

This was not a situation in which Isotta had ever desired to find herself. She was just coming back from a morning ride, for Christ's sake, who could have forseen danger in something so simple? But nevertheless, the princess of Iwernia had to stifle the urge to kick her horse into a run as the bandits rode up on either side.

"A moment, my lady," one of them jeered. "You're going the wrong way!"

"I certainly am not," Isotta snapped, reining Ellidyr in. "And I'll thank you to get out of my way." In response, the bandits broke out into a chorus of laughter, closing in on her. There were one, two....five of them total. Five bandits, one princess. This wasn't going to end well. Isotta didn't even have her bow with her, she hadn't thought to bring it.

The man closest to her drew a well-worn knife from inside his vest.

Sounds up the trail suddenly caused all parties to look up in surprise. Without a thought, Isotta cried out for help, hoping someone would hear her.

[Lancelot Du Lac]

Lancelot liked to get out of the city of Camelot as often as he could, especially away from the enclosing wall of the castle. He reckoned that he had spent so much of his life out in the open air, either in the forests or on the open road, like he was now. The walls of the castle just seemed to be so confining. Often it just reached the point that had to get away.

So, here he was on the Kingsway, some distance outside of Camelot. He had just opened up his black stallion, Sher-Fore, to give him a chance to get up to his highest speed. He had just slowed him down to a slower trot, as saw a group of people on horseback just ahead. There was something that struck him as odd about this group. It seemed to him that one was arguing, a female, it seemed to him.

He counted the number of figures around her ..... one ..... two ..... three ....... four ...... five ...... he counted. They all seemed to be male he thought. They did not seem to be treating her with much respect he thought. However, the good thing, he thought, was that they were so concerned with each other that they didn't notice him. Fortunately, he thought, he had brought his bow with him, and he dismounted, sending his horse down the road, and he headed into the brush moving quickly toward the group.

In recent days he had heard reports of bandits in this area that had a history of simply melting into the woods. There was no doubt in his mind,. looking at their body language and the voices that he heard,without knowing who she was,that they were bandits. As he quickly took position adjacent to them, he saw them see his horse approach. He saw the bandit nearest her pull a knife on her, as they were interrupted by his horse. Knowing that their attention would be focused on the horse, he delivered his first arrow to the center of the knife-bearer's chest and quickly re-loaded his bow, as he saw out a new target, as he was looking to even the odds, before he engaged them in hand-to-hand combat. He heard her cry for help, but didn't allow it to affect his concentration and focus.