I Stand Alone, no?

[Sasha]

It was a little before noon, the sun not quite highest; aside from the heat and anxiety, Sasha was feeling great overall. She had been traveling for a long time, just about two weeks if the minimum was needed. Now walking along a seemingly remote forest path, she felt something come over her heart and worries began to reach her again...

Would they recognize her? If so, would they hurt her for her crimes? What if she acted strange and she was suspected of something? Sasha couldn't take it. She sighed heavily, with a voice of distress, and spotted a thick oak tree near the path. She bounded dishearteningly to it and almost fell up against it.

Sasha would never cry, even if she was completely alone. Spirits could see her, and that was a good enough excuse. Besides, it had only made her even more upset in the past! She may seem like a drama queen here, having a slight breakdown about worries, but it wasn't just that. Returning to Camelot meant she'd have to face the fact that she had murdered her father there approximately 17 years ago. Yes, she was the murderer. How horrible could she be? The only thing that confused her was that she hadn't meant to kill him.

She shrugged the thoughts away, now was not the time to sulk and nearly cry. Maybe sleep will help me a little, she thought softly. Sasha basically struggled to find a comfortable position on her side to sleep on, and then when her muscles relaxed fully, she took in a scent of the forest and heat... there on the grass against the oak, she fell into a sensitive sleep filled with disturbing images of her past.

[Deleted]

Sir Lancelot had just returned from the shortest of visits to Camelot. Actually it had amounted to a short visit to the market, while a stable boy had cared for his horse, Sher-Fore, and given him some exercise. It had been some time since he had last visited, and nobody had recognized him. He had remembered a visit to the market now quite distant in time when he had run across Gwen. However, fortunately he thought, that had not happened this time.

Since he had not been recognized in the market, even after sampling some of the wares there, Sir Lancelot decided to wander into the lower town. 'Sir"Lancelot, though, he thought might be somewhat of a stretch. He was not a great and recognized knight like one of the Knights of Camelot. He had served the Earl of Huntingdon and the King of Wessex as a knight, but it was not a permanent posting. He was more of an itinerant or wandering knight, offering his services where he could. Of course, if he was summoned by King Theodred he would return to Wessex.

Such was the knightly code that he lived by. Just as if Prince Arthur would summon him to Camelot he would return. Despite the fact that King Uther had withdrawn his grant of knighthood, Lancelot still felt the obligation to Camelot and Prince Arthur and King Uther that the original knighthood represented. He never expected to receive the summons, though. He often did wonder, however, how Arthur and Gwen were doing, as well as Merlin.

He thought, as he walked his horse slowly down one of the pathways in the Forest of Balor, about whether the Prince and Gwen had grown close in his absence. That was the point, after all, in the manner and finality of his departure from Camelot. He had not really wanted to do it that way, since he knew that he probably would never be welcomed back to Camelot, given the things he had said to Prince Arthur' face about him and his father. Lancelot sighed deeply as he thought about how what he had said had hurt Gwen as well. "Ah well, it was all for the best," he said to himself softly.

Lancelot and his horse continued to walk slowly through the forest. He had decided not to burden Sher-Fore, so he had dismounted walking on his horse's left-side. Being alone, Lancelot had a tendency to day-dream quite a bit, and think about his past. Today, though, Lancelot shook those thoughts off, realizing that the Forest of Balor was a dangerous place, with its sometimes-enchanted creatures to be not paying attention. As he came around a large oak on the side of the path Lancelot was forced to bring his stallion to a sudden halt for fear of trampling the figure that lay before them, "Sher-Fore ..... WHOA ..... and what .... if not who do we have here ..... are you all right?," he said with a concerned tone to his voice.

[Sasha]

Sasha blinked her eyes open at the concerned voice. Even though she realized they were just dreams, they were very violent and, if you will, bloody. She was used to them, however. Sasha had had them for the past 15 years.

She pushed it away and sat up, putting her hand on her forehead to wipe away the slight sweat that had begun in her sleep. It was a nice place in the shade, but she was still sensitive to the air obviously. "Yes, I'm fine," she answered back quietly. Once the weight of sleep left her, she realized that a man her age was in front of her. Sasha was too tired to stand up, so she stayed where she was.

"Thank you for your concern," Sasha said, trying not to sound fake. When it came to meeting new people, she always had her suspicions about them. For if she, a beautiful young woman, could have a horrid past then so could someone else. Really, could anyone blame her for her fears?

"My name is Sasha," she told him, trying to sound friendlier. He didn't seem as bad as her conscience was telling her. "And yours?"

[Deleted]

This was not the most common place to run across another human being, Lancelot thought to himself. In fact, this was often where he would come when he wanted to be alone, with only his thoughts and his horse for company. He certainly had to be watchful as well, but generally not for other people for him to stumble over. Added to the unusualness of the find, this female appeared to be propped against the tree ..... sleeping .... of all things, and in the heat of the day. The way that she was jerking it appeared that she might be having a dream or a nightmare .... or maybe she was ill and having convulsions he wondered silently to himself.

He noticed the light sheen of perspiration on her forehead, knowing that it was warm, but not that warm, and he continued to be concerned for her well-being, just as he considered it his knightly duty to be interested in the plight of all whose path he ran across. He noted that she was not quite awake, so he asked, a little bit louder this time, "are you quite all right, milady?" Finally, she answered in the positive, and Lancelot was able to respond with a slight smile. "That is a good thing .... for a moment I thought that we had trampled you, and that would have not been a good thing to happen to a pretty lady out here in midst of the Forest .... now would it?"

Lancelot noted that she was not in any hurry to get up off the ground, so he he still had some concerns about her state of health, and why she was on the ground in the first place, and secondly ..... why was she here in the Balor? Finally, though, his thoughts were interrupted by some comments and a question. "You are quite welcome milady. But what on Earth are you doing out here in the middle of this wood. I'm afraid that since I have run across you, it is my duty and responsibility to see you safe at least to the next step in your journey. ... Sasha? That does not seem to be a common name, at least not for these parts. .... Me? Well, there are some that call me Sir Lancelot, and some that call me simply Lancelot ..... Lancelot Du Lac. And where might you be heading milady ..... Sasha?"

[Sasha]

Well, this seemed like it would go somewhere. Sasha felt a much needed surge of energy and she stood up. She dipped her head in greeting, and then answered his question. "I am a nomad, actually. But, however, my next stop is Camelot. Are you familiar with them?"

Should she tell him some of the story? No. If they ever met again, probably not. If he became a friend of hers... maybe. Sasha head him comment about her name, that it was uncommon for these parts of Albion. "Well," she shrugged her shoulders, her light blonde hair falling onto her back. "It's a foreign name, I don't know why I was named it. But I know that Sasha means 'Noble in Battle' so that's good enough for me."

She laughed a little at her joke. "I'm not in a hurry, as you can probably tell, so would you care to answer some of my questions?" Sasha queried Lancelot.

[Deleted]

It appeared to Lancelot the more awake that this woman appeared to be, the more communicative she became, and active, he noticed, as she stood up. He returned her nod of greeting, in respect, as he was yet unaware of what rank, if any she possesses. "A nomad you say. Well .... as unlikely as it may seem .... that is descriptive of me as well. Despite that status, however, I do have some knowledge, though not as much as some, of the fair city of Camelot."

He wondered, given her stated status as a nomad, exactly what here business in or with Camelot was. Had she ever been there before? Did she have family or some other person or persons that she was seeking out? There were so many possible questions. Of all the possible things for her to say, or question, she decided to respond about her name. So .... she knew what her name meant, but not enough to know where it came from. Apparently she had been told some things and not others. This told him that either her parents had withheld things from her, whoever they were, or that she had been separated from them at an early age. Again, he thought, more questions than answers. "I see," he responded, "that is quite interesting. It would seem to be a name of 'noble' origins, perhaps?," he asked with a question in his voice. He wondered if she would perhaps offer more information, or if that was the limit of her knowledge.

He was glad to hear and see her laugh, at least a little. It was an indication, at least, that perhaps she was growing comfortable with his presence, even with the fact that he had nearly run her over. So .... she wasn't in a hurry. It seemed, then, that she was not expected by someone at her destination, or that her journey was one that was an emergency. "Yes .... well .... I expect it would depend on the nature of your questions. But, as I am not in a hurry, either, I expect that I would be more than willing to answer what questions I can, as long as you agree to allow me to escort you to the next stop in your journey. I do not think it wise to stay where we are. The Forest of Balor can be an unsafe place to linger long, milady."

[Sasha]

"Well, the name originates from Prussia, and yes, it's only meant for a noble, at least what my mother told me," Sasha told him.
When she heard him say that the forest was a dangerous place to hang around, she flinched. "Really?" She was surprised she didn't sense anything here, usually she'd receive a bad feeling in her stomach. Oh well, at least someone was willing to escort her... because truthfully, Sasha didn't know if she had passed Camelot yet. It had been 15 years since she had walked these grounds, after all!

"Alright, I agree to let you escort me," Sasha smiled at "Sir" Lancelot. She had to admit, it was a pretty good name for a Knight. All he had to do was prove himself in battle, or at least from what her mother had explained about Knights. "My journey will be completely finished at the gate of Camelot." She went on, and then realiing she had forgotten to thank him she added, "Thank you, sir."

Journey? To her, that sounded a little dramatic. Maybe because she was still a little bit asleep.

[Deleted]

Ah, from the continent then .... Germanic in origin, he thought to himself. "So, is your family a noble one then, and if so, are they from the continent or more local? My family is originally from Gaul, even though I was raised on the northern edge of this kingdom." She seemed to be a pleasant and agreeable young woman, Lancelot thought, but she was definitely an enigma. "Yes .... the Forest of Balor can be a dangerous place. There is much magic that is said to be at play here. However, perhaps I over-exaggerate the danger that may exist. I'm afraid that those of us that have chosen the knightly path tend to be ever-vigilant toward potential dangers .... perhaps needlessly so," he responded with slight smile.

"As you wish, milady .... to the gates of Camelot it will be. I will allow you to set the pace. Did you ride a horse or did you travel your entire way on foot. If so, I must insist that you ride on Sher-Fore here, while i walk. Now .... as we begin ..... I must apologize for my discourtesy. You said that there were some questions that you had for me. What were they, milady? Oh ..... you are quite welcome .... it is the pleasure of I knight to serve, or so I have heard," he said, smiling, wondering just what she needed to know.

[Sasha]

"My father was a Knight, but my mother was a commoner," the light blonde haired woman answered Lancelot. "I never got why, if I'm a hybrid of Roman, British, and slightly germanic, I would have a name like it."

When he said he would let her ride on his horse, she didn't exactly know to say. Or do. Was she supposed to wait for him to lift her up? No, because that would make her look pathetic like a prideful and unable woman. Like her father had taught her, she lifted her foot up to the strap and, though she hadn't done it in a long time, mounted Sher-Fore. Side-saddle. This made her uneasy, as she'd only done this once before. "Ah... please, sir, stand behind me. I hate to admit it, but I've never ridden side saddle." She asked him, almost embarrassed.

She would ask questions when they started moving.

[Deleted]

He listened to her relate some facts about her family and background. "Was he a Knight of Camelot then? If he was that is indeed a position of honor. There is nothing dishonourable in being of common parentage either. It is often of sturdier stock. In my case I really know little for sure of my family's origins, other than the country of our origin,and the stories that we were of French noble stock. Outside of that little was ever said or related to me."

Their discussion of their family lineage stirred memories within Lancelot of conversations he had once had with Merlin, and at other times with Gwen, about goals and dreams he had for the future. It seemed like such along time ago. He thought that the day and night that he had spent as a Knight of Camelot had been the happiest time of his life. He had ascended to the only position that he had ever wanted, and then it had been, quite unceremoniously taken from him. He should have known, though, that it wouldn't last.

He didn't have a long time to think of his past, though, as she seemed to accept his offer of a riding to Camelot instead of walking. However, she didn't seem to e too sure about the process of getting on the horse. Sher-Fore was well-behaved, but it seemed that he could sense her nervousness as well. Lancelot was not sure if he should offer his help or not, if she did not request it. Being a noble, she might be too proud to accept it. But, on the other hand being the daughter of a commoner she might not be so opposed to getting some assistance. In the end, he decided that the wisest course was simply to wait and see what she wanted, and to stand next to his stallion to catch her if she started to slip.

After she had finally alighted into the saddle she said, almost pleading, that she needed some help. "I'm sure you will be fine, milady, but even so, I will stand here close-by in the unlikely event that you start to take a spill. Rest assured I will do what I can to make sure that you come to no injury." He saw the flushed looked on her face and figured that she was somewhat embarrassed at her difficulties. "There is nothing to be ashamed of, even some of the best riders I have known have had their difficulties the first time out," he said, trying to give a comforting smile. "The only ones who truly fail are those who never try." he had a feeling that it would be some time before they got around to her questions.

[Sasha]

"He was a Knight," Sasha answered him. "He told me stories of how he had left Rome and the path to become emperor for my mother. I really don't know much about them, but I do know that he was a hybrid of Roman and British. If you're interested, his birth name was Petronius but he changed it to Peter when he left."

"Thank you, Lancelot," she said quietly to him. It was comforting to know that she wouldn't fall; Sasha had been through enough, right?

It was about time she started the questions, even though they hadn't started moving yet. "There are only a few questions, not many," Sasha informed him, and then began, "Has anything changed in Camelot since I was gone?"

[Deleted]

Lancelot took her answer to mean that indeed he had been a Knight of Camelot. And if he he was mistaken in his assumption then he had served with distinction as a knight elsewhere. "That, I think, is often the case .... which love to serve and to follow ..... the corridors of power or of the heart. It would seem that he was able to follow both the knightly course and that of his heart, and do it well, as your presence proves. However, there are those of us who chose a knightly ambition at the expense of matters of the heart, and risked hurting others in the process."

As he spoke of these matters Lancelot's thoughts seemed to be pre-occupied,and temporarily distant, but Sasha's horseback difficulties quickly brought him back to the present,as he kept a close eye on her so that she didn't take a nasty spill off the horse. She thanked him for his efforts and he responded with a smile and a short comment ..... "You are welcome my lady. It is a happy duty for me to meet. Besides,we will not be traveling long to reach your destination."

As they walked slowly down the path, and were obviously searching for things to talk about, Sasha drifted back towards the questions that she had referred to earlier. "You are free to ask as many questions as you desire milady ..... Sasha, I just can not guarantee that the answers will meet your approval. Has anything changed? Well, that would be dependent on how long you have been gone, now wouldn't it? My direct experience with Camelot is only over the last year or so, but I can tell you that King Uther Pendragon is still the monarch. I doubt, though, whether, I would be on his list of most favored persons," he smiled somewhat grimly.

[Sasha]

"After all this time?" Sasha raised a brow in surprise, which was her version of when a woman widened her eyes. She was sort of not answering one of his questions, so she added, "I've been gone 15 years. Personally I believe a lot has changed, and when I get to Camelot, I guess I'll find out."

Hearing his last comment about him probably not being Uther's most favoured person, she couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "He's still an old grump, yes?" Sasha chuckled with an amused tone. "I cannot explain to you why, but it always amused me as a child."

If the King hadn't changed himsef since their last meeting, then at least she'd recognize him in childhood memories. "Generally, you know the important things that happened in Camelot, right? Like things I should know?" Sasha inquired Lancelot.

[Deleted]

"Yes .... Uther Pendragon is still king. I believe it has been said that he has been king for slightly more than twenty years. Fifteen years you say you have been gone. Well, I expect that there are many who you knew who are no longer living, and of course many younger ones that have replaced them on the landscape. However, there is that old saying .... the more things change the more they stay the same .... and that, from what I understand, surely applies to King Uther," he said somewhat ruefully.

After his comment about Uther, he heard her respond to it with a sudden and unexpected, on his part, laugh. First, he raised his eyebrows, somewhat quizzically, before smiling in response to her comment. He wiped the smile from his face quickly, though, realizing that it was not proper for him to make fun of a high noble, a person that he had sworn he would serve, at least in the short time he had been a Knight of Camelot. "Some might say such a thing, but I'm not sure that I am qualified to judge a king in such a manner, being not even an English noble myself. I'm afraid that my experiences with King Uther have never been what I would call, very amusing," he related without going into much or any detail. If this noble woman would ask, he would of course, answer to the best of his ability. However,if she did not ask he would not offer it.

Fortunately, she soon had more questions to offer. He considered what she said and asked carefully before responding. "Well, some things I will know and some I won't, I expect, since I wasn't there. The best person to ask I would expect, would be the Pendragons, either Uther, or his son Arthur. Arthur leads the Knights of Camelot for King Uther and Camelot. Did you know Arthur .... or as I should say .... Crown Prince Arthur? I served him for a very short time as a Knight of Camelot. We were friends once .... now .... I don't know."

"Now Gaius, the Court Physician, would be a good person to ask about events over the last 15 years if you didn't want to consult King Uther. I'm afraid King Uther is still absorbed in eliminating all magic from his realm, whether that be good or bad. Oh .... if you left 15 years ago you would not know of the death of Uther's closest comrade, Garlois Le Fay. His daughter, Morgana, became Uther's ward. As far as I could ever tell he considered to be almost the same as a daughter." Lancelot stopped, wondering if he had tried to impart too much information.

[Sasha]

Of course, Lancelot was right. As a child, Sasha hadn't really understood what Uther was doing. So in some level she found it amusing. Now, Sasha was very supportive of his hate of magic, but also very skeptical that he was dealing with it the right way. Was drowning really neccesary? Why not just a normal execution if need be? As Lancelot stated he had no right to judge, she realized she lacked that right.

Sasha had been silent the whole time he was answering her, because she didn't talk much when something was being explained to her. "I knew Arthur," she answered him, memories flooding back again. "Was a good friend to me, at least then. I don't know if he'd recognize me now."

Hearing Lancelot go on, she heard two familiar names. "Garlois is dead?" Sasha said with surprise. Truly, Garlois meant nothing to her, but it was just the thought that people from her childhood were dead. Lancelot had warned her of that, so she shouldn't have been so surprised. "I'm glad to hear Gaius is still here. My father talked highly of him."

[Deleted]

So, she had been gone for fifteen years. Why had she been gone so long. She had spoken of her parents, so why was she traveling alone, with no family at all to accompany and protect her? What was her real goal at Camelot and was she looking for someone in particular? Again, there were so many questions and so few answers, and Lancelot doubted whether he had the right to ask them. "You have missed much of the history of Camelot, and the Pendragons, then milady, over the last decade-and-a-half," he stated as a given fact.

He noticed, unlike some nobles that he had conversed with in the past, that she did not interrupt. She was patient and respectful enough to let the other person say their piece. It was definitely a virtue to be proud of, he thought to himself, as he listened to her response, when he had finished. So .... she had known Arthur .....Prince Arthur ..... and apparently had known him well. "Well .... milady .... given the the way that you look now I can't help but think that he would have a good memory of you .... and recognize you readily. If your beauty .... if I may be allowed .... was as obvious then as it is now .... and he was your friend then, he will recognize you in short order."

"My experience is that he has great loyalty to both family and friends, and that it would take a severe insult to change that. On that fact, sadly, I have great experience ..... experience that was unfortunately self-inflicted." Lancelot took several moments to look at his recent past with some regret before hearing her next words. "Yes .... yes he is .... or at least that's what I was told when Morgana's situation was explained to me shortly after I arrived the first time. Gaius? Yes .... he is a good man. He treated my wound when arrived in Camelot, and he was always kind and respectful. However, he was not all that supportive of my quest to become a Knight of Camelot. Not like Merlin and Gwen were at any rate."

[Sasha]

"I have no self opinion so I can't really say what I think I looked like then," Sasha slightly smiled at him, more of a content emotion.

Again, she listened to Lancelot's words. "My father always said that when one is not supported for their desires they go farther than the others ever did," Sasha gave him a encouraging look. "This sounds weird to you, I'm sure, but it always helped me." Remembering her own situation, she added with a smile, "How do you think I survived this long out here?"

The nomad Sasha let three moments pass, and then continued to an even more needed question. "For the future, do you know of the names, or looks, of the creatures that you warned me about before?" She inquired.

[Deleted]

It was obvious to Lancelot that Sasha was overly modest when it came to her appearance. He also had the hunch that she was doubting the ability of others who had known her well to recognize her. "Oh .... milady .... you would be unusual I think if you had no self-image of what you looked like back then. the only question, I think, is how much your appearance has changed from a young child, and how well others recognize you as a result."

He noticed once again that she gave him a full opportunity to explain himself. And when he was finished she offered what seemed to be quite a curious quote from her father. "That is an interesting view, Sasha. It would seem that he is saying t hat when you have to rely on yourself and your own abilities you sometimes rise faster and do better than if you rely on the support of others too frequently. At least in my case I would agree, but I had little choice in the matter. My entire family and village was taken from me, and all I had truly had was my dream to become a knight. My circumstances forced me to focus on my goal, and little else."

Lancelot considered what she said very carefully before responding, "your words seem to indicate that your solitary travel is not something that you chose, but was forced upon you. Is that true, milady? Was a great loss forced on you as it was on me, and is that the reason for your journey,now? Well, then, how exactly did you survive?"

Sasha's questions were not complete yet, as they walked, but Lancelot did his best to continue to answer her inquiries. "Oh, there are a variety of creatures that have been described to me that inhabit these dark woods. The only one, though, that I have confronted, face-to-face, is the Gryffon. I defended a young man named Merlin from it and was injured, and later I was forced to confront it, and kill it,in defense of Prince Arthur and some of his knights. As such, and as I have indicated, such creatures make the Forest of Balor as an area to be wary of."

[Sasha]

"Well, he'd probably recognize me from my eyes, that's the one thing tht hasn't changed about me," she answered Lancelot. "What I mean by no self image is that my childhood is sort of... blocked out in my head."

"I'm sorry," Sasha looked at him sympathetically when he told her about his own experiences. At least he knew what great loss truly was, and that he had shared her pain. "I know what loss feels like," she winced as a memory of when her mother told her of her father's murder. "Trust me on that."

Sasha took in his question about how she had survived the wilderness from Camelot and far beyond, and then took a few silent moments to prepare herself the explanation. "Well, that's only partly true. I was forced, yes. But it wasn't by a loss. I haven't gotten a chance to tell anyone this, and probably won't for a long time." Then, she began the real explaining. "Ever since my father's death, my mother has been acting a little strange. Well... not a little. She changed completely, and abused me physically and verbally. I never understood it completely until the day I left, so I had always tried to prove myself to her over and over again but she only saw my weaknesses. And finally, I must ask you never to repeat what I'm about to say to anyone. Not even your closest friend, whoever that may be. I'm trusting you because you're being so nice to me. When I began to set off out of my own personal force, my mother was furious and gave me this strange sentence, 'Water will destroy you!'. I ignore it mostly, but until I find out where she got that strange impression I want it to remain only yours and my knowledge. Understand?" She had said this all very calm, only showing the slightest hint of seriousness in her green eyes toward the end. "It wasn't hard surviving thanks to my father's words, I relied on him back there. I was forced to eat little, and when I actually did get to eat it was either taking an animal's freshly killed prey. I'm not much of a scavenger. So here I am, long story short."

"I'm familiar with the gryffin!" Sasha said friendlily back as semi-good memories came to mind. "I fought a gryffin at twelve. Of course I didn't win, and I ended up getting seriously injured. I still have the scar, but I'm glad it's hidden from view. It is a mark of bravery, though. And experience."

[Deleted]

Lancelot nodded in agreement, looking into her eyes, "yes ... yes .... I could see that he would find it difficult to forget those eyes." Then, suddenly he forced him to break his concentration, realizing that he had some knightly duties to perform. Suddenly, something that she had said struck him as strange. "Your childhood ....its memory ....is blocked out you say?"

Lancelot went on several minutes relating his family's sad history, and that he was its only surviving member, as far as he knew. Not having any family or friends that he had to worry about, meant that he could throw himself fully into any conflict he ran across. When he was finished with his story, she quite dutifully expressed her sadness at his experiences. "That's quite alright. Your attitude is quite an understanding one as well..... thank you. I will take your word that you are well experienced with the idea of loss, milady," he said bowing his head slightly in her direction.

As she started to explain her past experiences it became clear to Lancelot that she had had her own unique journey to arrive at this pint in space and time. She hadn't been forced by a loss, but she had been forced on her journey by something else ..... but what.? She was going to tell him ....but why did she trust him with her story .... that she would not trust others? Lancelot was a bit confused, but would honor her request, as a knight, to keep her information between them. "Whatever you have to tell me, I will honor the confidence that you have shown me. besides, I have no close friends, other than my black stallion, Sher-Fore here," he smiled. "Go on with your tale, milady, Sasha." Lancelot listened quite attentively, as she started and got into her story. So .... her father had died, and it sounded like her mother had tried to dominate and control her. It wasn't unheard of, that was for sure. Lancelot knew that often the remaining parent was never satisfied, and the child often tried to prove their worth to the parent. Eventually there was a breaking point, and here,by all appearances, her mother had at least warned her, and perhaps had even cursed her .... with water. he saw the intensity in her green eyes as she told the rest of the story, and how she had survived on very little food, recently,toward the end of her journey. "Well, for one thing, hen we get you to Camelot we will make sure you are properly fed."

Once she had finished with her story she had moved on to another topic .... this time one that he had raised. He laughed at her re-telling. "Well, one thing is for sure, most twelve-year-olds would not get to re-tell their story, for the Gryffin would have snuffed out their life. You were quite fortunate to survive, just as I was. The only difference is that I was a full-grown warrior when I confronted it. It took much courage for me to face it, just as I expect it required from you, milady. Yes .... I would say it was quite an experience for you. I would also guess that some might have other words to describe it than bravery," he said as he navigated through the brush that lined the pathway as they moved toward the edge of the forest.