I Lost! Will You Help Me? (Caitrin)

[Princess Polyxena]

It was very kind of Caitrin's guard to bring to her, her horse. Finally this man was their guard and guider. She was happy to see her horse again. She looked up to her and could see at her look that she was calm and relaxed now. With a little help of the guard she climbed up to her horse. She thank the man for his help.

Now she turned her head to Caitrin and said "I'm ready! Let's start our journey for Camelot." Her voice was a little tired and low. The guard started to show them the way. Xenia shook her cloak over her face, and grab the reins of her horse. Now they have started. Xenia was feeling a little awful. Caitrin looked tired. She really didn't want to do all these things for her. It was too much. Caitrin probably wanted to be at her bed now with her husband and their child. So they have to finish quickly.

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin rearranged her cloak as she sat on her horse, waiting for Xenia to announce that she was ready to go. The guard helped the princess onto her horse, only doing what was proper, before he returned to his own horse, ready to go. Caitrin flashed him a smile as he rode up to her side. She quickly told him that they weren’t staying in Camelot and that they would be returning later that night. She probably would have bedded down in the castle having been given the choice, but she simply couldn’t leave the twins for that long. If they needed a feed in the middle of the night then she had to be there, it wasn’t like Griff would be able to do anything about that was it?

Nodding at Xenia as she said that they could go now, she nudged her horse into a gentle trot, “Let’s get going then.” Caitrin said enthusiastically. She didn’t want the princess to feel like she was a burden, Caitrin was just tired in general. She hadn’t expected being a mother to be this hard, but she supposed she had been incredibly naive in that respect. She hadn’t been very well prepared for it, but she had done everything that she could to ensure her children were brought up well. No one had warned her of the long nights, and the early mornings, and of all the crying. But no matter what, she loved both Esmae and Arthur, and nothing would ever change that. “It will only be a short ride to Camelot, I am sure you will be able to lodge there for the night.”

[Princess Polyxena]

The night now has covered everything. It was really dangerous to travel in the night, even if a man accompanying them. Xenia was thinking now what favour could do to Caitrin for all that things! She could left her alone in the forest, but she care her, and now they traveling together to Camelot. When she was back to her sweet home, she was going to tell to her parents for all the things that she did for her. After they are going to invite Caitrin and her family to her kingdom. And after a big celebration, and a lot of gifts and........

This annoying cough now made ​​her forget all these fine thoughts. She has almost one day to take her medicine. All this journey had tired her a lot. She needed a medicine to stop this annoying cough. In the beginning was trying not to perceive her the other two. But after some minutes she couldn't stop this. She brought her cape in front of her mouth, not heard very loudly. But she grab their attention.

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin could feel the evening chill starting to surround their little party. She breathed out slowly, wrapping her cloak further around her shoulders to keep the warmth in her body. A part of her wanted to just get this over with as quickly as she could, but then she also wanted to make sure the princess was conveyed safely to her destination. Caitrin smiled across at Xenia, and then back to the guard who was riding with them who inclined her head towards her. The man was one of her uncle’s finest guards, and Caitrin felt a lot safer having him around. A few years ago she wouldn’t have heard of having a guard accompany her anywhere, but she had been through too much in the last year or so to want to travel without someone there to protect her. She had learnt the hard way what it was like to face such dangers alone.

A cough drove Caitrin from her thoughts, and her eyes darted to her guest, and she bit her lip, not sure what to make of the scene. “Are you quite well my Lady?” Caitrin asked, pulling her horse to a stop and gesturing for Xenia, and the guard to do the same. They were not long out of the estate, but if there was a problem then they could always turn back. The princess sounded as if she had quite a chesty cough, which unnerved Caitrin slightly.

[Princess Polyxena]

Xenia stopped her horse too. She felt something to hurt her neck, and felt he could not breathe for a minute. All this hursh weather, and the tiredness of the day were detrimental her health. She knew that after a long journeys needed immediately her medicine. But now, how she could know that she was going to do all this journey. This cough which was unstoppable, and very annoying.

Caitrin immediately ask for her health, and in her eyes seemed her worry about her. Xenia wanted to reassure her immediately because it wasn't something serious, although it seems. "I'm ok! It's only my allergy and it will pass with the right medicine and....." But she couldn't continue to talk because her cough came back. finally the discussion worsens her situation.

[Caitrin de Archer]

The riders were quickly halted as the Princess appeared to be in some distress. The guard who was conveying them looked from his mistress to her guest, almost clueless. He knew what to do if they were set upon by bandits, or if a horse became lame, but he had no idea about matters of medicine. Caitrin was more knowledgeable about such things, but she was quite shocked at how sudden the princess was taken by whatever ailment she was going through. Nervously, Caitrin bit her lip and drew her horse alongside Xenia’s, but not too close as she wished to give the girl some room to breathe, and retch if it came to that of course.

Talk of an allergy scared Caitrin somewhat. Allergies were dangerous things when left untreated. Nervously she looked over Xenia, wondering what had triggered this attack. They had medicine back at the estate, but there was no point in going back home if they were better suited to find something in Camelot to help Xenia. Caitrin had not yet dismounted, but she wondered if Xenia would be more comfortable if she sat on the roadside for a while, away from the horses, “What allergy?” Caitrin forced herself to ask with a dry mouth; hoping it was nothing serious. She tried to catch Xenia’s eye, as the woman was still having difficulty breathing, “What medicine do you need?” She asked a little more seriously, hoping that this could be fixed, and as smoothly as possible.

[Princess Polyxena]

Polyxena could feel a swooning feeling in her chest. She wasn't feeling alright and she needed her medicine. Of course they were in the forest miles away from any houses, but she was feeling like she couldn't breath. She wanted some fresh water, and began looking left and right in search of a fresh spring. Her horse started to whine, as it could feel how upset she was. Xenia decided to get down from her horse, and maybe she might feel better. But firstly she wanted to answer to Caitrin's questions.

Turning towards her, she started to explain her allergy. "When I travel a lot and don't get my medicine, I catch a cough. And because of this, I always take my medicine before I start my journey. But today...." Xenia paused as she coughed again. After a few seconds, she continued, with a deep breath, "If I remember correctly the medicine contains acacia leaves, bit of mountain oregano, fresh mallow and something..." Once again she was consumed with coughing "and... saffron, Ι think!" She finished, now totally exhausted. She finally got away from her horse, sat on a rock and asked, "Is there any natural spring somewhere near?"

[Caitrin de Archer]

The guard, Thomas, had now drawn up his horse alongside Caitrin’s, and looked attentively over the scene whilst still keeping an eye on the road to make sure that they weren’t set upon. As Xenia began to try to steady her breathing, Caitrin turned to the guard, and gave him a sort of reassuring smile, “We can’t stay here my Lady, the roads are too dangerous at night. Either we go back to the estate or we press on to Camelot.” The decision would hardly be an easy one, but Caitrin knew it would have to be made. There was no way she was travelling to or from Camelot in the dark with only one guard for them both. She looked back to Xenia, and nodded as the girl began to explain her medicine, how often she took it and what it contained. They were all ingredients that Caitrin was familiar with.

A fresh spring? Caitrin couldn’t recall ever seeing one this far out of her Uncle’s lands. Looking round to Thomas, he offered her no answer either other than a shake of his head. That was hardly reassuring. “There is no spring, but we have fresh water back at the estate.” She reared her horse forwards, and then changed the direction so she was facing back home, “And there will be fresh water in Camelot. We can prepare your medicine at either location, but it is your choice to which we travel to.” She said lightly with a smile. Caitrin didn’t mind whether the princess wanted to go back to the estate, or travel onto Camelot but they were going to have to make a decision quickly if this journey was to run its course. She didn’t want to cause the Princess any discomfort either, so speed was of the upmost importance.

[Princess Polyxena]

So it was up to her to decide if they were going to ride back to Caitrin's estate, or to the castle of Camelot. It was a really difficult decision to make. If Xenia decided to go back to Caitrin's estate, she might be undesirable there, as she had little children and a husband and it was really late. So she was going to be a big problem in the house. On the other hand if they were going to ride to Camelot, King Arthur was going to accept her with a big pleasure. An old friend is always welcome. But she had to make her decision now, because the darkness was everywhere and the forest was really dangerous.

The cold air made her to tighten her cape over her and cough again. So she had made her decision. She was sad she couldn't drink some fresh water, because she was knew that it was going to do really good to her. She tried not to think of her cough, which kept coming all the time and was very tiring and really pesky. She got some courage and strength and tried to stand up from the rock. She made it, although she dazed a bit.

She got on to her horse with great difficulty, looked to Caitrin and smiled sweetly. "I think that it will be better to ride to Camelot. I think that it will be better for both of us."