15 Miles outside of Camelot

  Valentina Armstrong let out a pained sigh as she struggled to help pick up the camp, thinking about the past few days. She couldn’t believe that a ninja had borderline blackmail her into traveling with him through the forest behind her house. She knew she only half protested about going with him. She had needed the change in scenery. Nearly the month before, her 6-year relationship had ended, suddenly and she mentally broke, going back home to recover and piece herself back together.

  After the ninja, Ralph, had conceived her to with him, by claiming he was sent by her father’s mother, Lady Freya of House White Hall, to bring her to the White Hall Estate, she managed to escape him, thanks to an old friend from her explore days before she started to dating her ex. If what Ralph was true, she would wanted to meet this Lady Freya on her own terms, not someone else’s terms. She had fled through the forest until she came across the weirdest thing she had ever seen - dozens of trees grown so close together that they appeared to form a barrier of some kind. Tina had ran along the tree barrier with the ninja hot on her heels until she found a break in the barrier where she fled through, coming out in the other side. It was not long before she was caught up in a flash flood and swept away. It was thanks to Sir Tristan that she had managed to survive that one. He took her to a nearby lake where she cleaned up and discussed her location. Apparently, she had traveled to the Ancient and mythological Kingdom of Camelot. Sir Tristan was one of the Knights from the Camelot Kingdom. Once Tina had thought she had the time to relax and try to understand what was going, they were attacked and took captive by a group of creatures that Tina thought didn’t exist. The creatures in question were humanoid deer, basically. A barmaid had called them ‘Fawns’ once Tina and Tristan managed to escape and find their way to the nearby village.

  Tristan wanted to go back to Camelot when he heard news that his King was dead and Tina agreed to go with him, mainly out of curiosity to see this Camelot and the funeral ceremony for a King and the fact she didn’t want to travel alone when she was badly injured. While she held captive by those Fawns, they had whipped her for defiling their sacred lake by taking a bath in it.

  Last night, Tristan had questioned if it was alright with her, they did travel with a group of travelers they had ran into on the road to Camelot. She informed him that she didn’t have a problem with it, knowing it was safer to travel in a large number of people instead of traveling in a group of two. Once they had made camp for the night, Tristan had helped Tina take care of her shredded back. She knew it was through sheer will alone that she didn’t pass out during the day’s ride. However, once she settled her head down on her pack, laying on her side, she was out like a light. Once morning came, Tristan had woken her, looked at her back, and helped her back onto his house. They set out with the group.

  The group had stopped for lunch, pulling out leftover dried meat from the night before. Tina had nothing better to do, decided to help out where she could, trying to ignore the throbbing in her back. She should have pack some painkillers, she mused as she lifted on a pot that large enough to pass off as a witch’s cauldron. Thank god, it was empty or else, Tina would have a lot more trouble with it as she carried it over to a wagon. She spotted a little girl with blond hair tied up pigtails running towards her, carrying a cloth doll in one hand, shrieking with joy as who could her older brother - they shared the same share of blond hair - chased after her with an exasperated look on his teenage face. Tina muffled a laugh as a small smile spread across her lips, remembering how frustrating younger siblings was. She had a younger sister, Natasha, that she had left behind. She lost her smile at that thought. She also left behind her mom and grandmother, because Ralph had partly blackmailed her and partly stroking her curiosity about her father. She shook her head, clearing her head.

  “Hello, beautiful,” a man’s voice rang out from her right. She turned her head to see a man with black hair that the ends curled slightly. His blue eyes meet hers, in a flirty way. Her eyes roamed over him, noticing that his skin color was a shade of bronze. It was similar to the same shades Tina had seen on Native Americans. It was interesting since the most common skin color Tina had seen since she traveled to this…this..this country was the shades of white. “Let me help with that.” He reached out for the cauldron pot.

  Tina narrowed her eyes and twisted her upper body away from the man. She sucked in a sharp breath as her back exploded in pain. She slowly turned back and nodded, commenting in a strained voice, “Okay.” She allowed the Native American looking man take the cauldron from her and he carried it the rest of the way to a wagon. Tina turned around, intending to find Tristan.

  She knew the knight had joined the men who were able to fight to scout on the sides of the group since those Fawns could be still out there, hunting her and Tristan. They should be returning soon. She walked away, heading to where Tristan and she had stuck their stuff until the knight returned.

  “Hey, are you alright,” the man asked. She glanced over her shoulder to see the man following her.

  “Yes, I am, thank you for asking,” Tina replied in a polite tone.

  “Then how come you are in pain?” he went on.

  “I did something to my back the other day and its still bothering me,” she explained, “That is all.” She reached the spot where her bag was at and she slowly sat down, sitting more on her hip then on her rear end, lending against the back of the bag. She rested her left arm on top of her bag.

  “My name is Westley of House Panther,” the man introduced, “What is your name?”

  “Valentina of House Armstrong,” Tina replied, wondering what this Westley wanted. She blinked at him before she stated, “Just come out and say what you want.”

  It was Westley’s turn to blink before he gave her a smile, “I was wondering if you wanted something to help with the pain.”

  Tina cocked her head to the side, before she gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut. She weighed the pros and cons of his offer. She didn’t know how much longer she could deal with the pain. She had been lucky so far that the wounds hadn’t become infected, according to Tristan. If she accepted this Westley’s offer, it could be something illegal - well, illegal to the United States, not to Camelot - and it would help. However, if she didn’t, she would be in pain for majority of the day until she passed out. That could be dangerous. What if they were attacked and Tristan needed her to dismount in a hurry? What if they spent another night in the wildness? She took a sigh as she summoned her spiritual energy. She mentally winced as she noticed it was running low. She had been using a lot of her spiritual energy over the past couple days to help her function like a normal, uninjured person, and dull the pain. She wouldn’t be able to for much longer, not when she needed to ease herself back into using the spiritual energy again. She knew it was similar to using a muscle - if not is use constantly, you lose it.

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  “What do you have?” Tina asked, deciding to take a risk.

  Westley smiled and listed off a series of what sounded to be herbs. Tina blinked. He went on, “You have no clue what they do.”

  “Nope,” She confessed. He chuckled, slightly, and started what the herbs did. Tina nodded as she listened Westley, adding her own input as she tried to keep the knowledge straight in her head, but the pain made it hard for her to focus on the small herbology lesson.

  The little girl with blond hair in pigtails ran by with her older brother still chasing after her. Tina looked on with amusement and sadness. She had wanted a little girl with her ex and a little boy. A tear rolled down her cheek as she watched as the older brother finally caught to the pigtail girl and swung her up over his shoulder before he strolled over to the family wagon. The little girl laughed the entire time.

  A warm hand cupped the side of Tina’s side. She blinked, tearing her gaze away from the small family to Westley. His thumb brushed her cheek, wiping away the stray tear. He gave her a smile, “You shouldn’t worry that much, love. One day, you will have everything you wanted - children running around, a loving husband who is your soul mate, a purpose in life, and true happiness. It is coming, sweetheart, just be patience and heal your broken heart.”

  Tina gapped before she said in a low voice, “How —?”

  “It’s written in your aura, love,” Westley explained, “You recently experience a great lost that sent you on this path. There will several paths open to you, each will lead you to what you desire. However, there will be bumps in the road that you will have to over come.”

  “Are you…” Tina licked her lips, trying to remember that phrase to described the people like him. Her Great Aunt warned Tina about these people, claiming that they offer false hope and empty promises. “Aura Reader?” she question.

  “Yes, I am,” Westley confessed with a hint of fear in his blue eyes, “And I guess you have heard of my kind?”

  “My Great Aunt warned me about you - aura readers,” Tina explained, “I am aware of the spiritual world, in case you were wondering.”

  “You have been using your powers,” he stated. She nodded. “That explains why your spiritual powers have been weakening over the last day,” he commented,

  “It’s been a while since I have used them like this,” she said, shifting into a crossed-legged sitting position, “and I don’t know how much longer I will be able to.” Her elbows rested on her legs as she lend forward. Pain rippled through her back as she tried to stretch it. Her breath caught in her throat. Tears welled up in her eyes. She slowly arched back, straightening her back. She panted as she waited for the pain to pass.

  “How come?” Westley questioned.

  “My,” she searched for the word and tried to ignore the ache that came with it, “former lover didn’t like me using my spiritual powers.” She, in a way, did tell the truth. Her ex didn’t know that she was spiritual aware, let alone she was able to her spiritual powers. She fought her energy when it rose to the surface. “So, I didn’t use my spirit energy.”

  “You do realize spirit energy is like a muscle, you use or you lose it,” he said in a disbelief tone.

  She nodded, saying, “I know.” She went on, “I just need to get back in the practice of using my spirit energy again. That is all.” He nodded in agreement. Tina saw out of the corner of her eye that the group of warriors returned from scouting around the camp site. Tristan was among them.

  Tristan jerked his head side to side. His neck gave a loud cracking sound and he relaxed. His neck felt better. His eyes roam around the traveling group. They were in the process of cleaning and getting ready for the last stretch of their trip to Camelot Castle and the town below the castle. He spotted Tina deep in conversation with one of the members of a performing troupe that traveled to Camelot before her expression changed into one of awe and hope. If he remembered correctly, that man’s name began with a W.

  Tristan, once he made sure Tina was asleep the night before, talked with several members of the traveling party including the performing troupe. The performing troupe had a gig on the North side of Camelot within the next few days, but the manager of the troupe said the organization who hired them may hold off on their performance until after the funeral ceremony as a way to cheer up the patrons who visited the establishment. Tristan couldn’t help agreeing with that logic.

  Now, Tristan eyed the man with distrust. He knew many of the performers had a lover in each town they visited. Sometime, they never really settled down. Sometimes, they did with a lover the last town they visited or decided to stay in town for the rest of their lives. Apparently, this performer was trying to sweet talk Tina. He read her body language. She was interested in the conversation, but she didn’t give any signs that usually came with having more of an interested in a man.

  He walked over to them and cut in, “I’m back, Lady Tina, how are you feeling?”

  She looked directly up at him. Her eyes were pained fill, but a glint of curiosity was there. She spoke, “My back is killing me. I’m trying to not to move as much.”

  “She helped put away a cauldron for a family,” the performer explained. He stood up, speaking to Tina, “Please, let me know if you want one of the herbs.”

  “Will do,” Tina said. The performer walked away. She watched him with a guard expression.

  “Do you need help standing,” Tristan asked, watching the exchange. He hoped she didn’t think that performer would do anything for her benefit, it would be his alone and he would leave her, not caring if he got her pregnant or not.

  Tina looked at him and shifted. She winced as she did. She nodded. She held up her arms. Tristan stepped in front of her and grabbed her hands. She sucked in a breath before Tristan pulled her to her feet. She hissed as she stood up. Her hands tightened on his. He steadied her, waiting for her to move. She laid her head on his chest with a whimper. He noticed a faint light emitting from her back. He blinked. The light disappeared. He frowned. She moved away from him.

  “So, I’m riding with you, again,” Tina started in half-confirming, half-questioning tone. Tristan nodded. He turned and walked to his horse. She followed him over to the horse. He twisted to face her and grabbed her waist. Tina bent her knees and jumped. Tristan lifted her onto the back of the horse, allowing her to seat sideways. He waited until she was comfortable and went to gather the rest of their bags and weapons. It didn’t take him long to return.

  Tristan tossed the bags on either side of the horse’s ramp and tossed Tina’s sword belt around the horn of the saddle, her rapier, bow, and quiver hang by Tina’s right leg. He knew they would be within ease reach for Tina, in case she needed them. He went back and grabbed the blanket rolls he bought in the last village. He slid the rolls under the straps holding their bags to the horse. He shifted and rose his left leg. He placed his foot in the stirrup, grabbing up to grab the horn by Tina’s right hip and the back of the saddle. He jumped, lifting himself straight up into the saddle, throwing his other leg over the saddle. His right foot found the stirrup for the saddle and slid into it. He settled down in the saddle. Tina grabbed his thigh, tightly, breathing deeply, her eyes squeezed shut as a wave of pain went through her.

  “I’m sorry for causing you pain, Lady Tina,” He said. She grunted and she lend against him. He felt a twinge of guilt fly through his blood. He should have done more to get her out of that Fawn village as soon as he had heard what those no-good deer abominations had said what they were going to do her. “We will be at Camelot soon. I will cover the price of your stay until you are healed.” She gave no indication she had heard him as her shoulders relaxed.

  A wagon rolled up, coming to a stop beside him. He glanced over and saw the driver of the wagon was a farmer and his wife. The driver asked, “Sir Knight, do you want your lady to ride in the back of my wagon?”

  Tristan opened his mouth to protest that Tina was not ‘his’ lady, but he gave it another thought. He knew his status as a Knight of Camelot and his personal reputation as being the most violent knight that Camelot had to offer would offer Tina protection for the time being. He glanced down at Tina. She didn’t say anything. He frowned as he studied her face. She had passed out.

  He let out a sigh. He turned to the wagon driver and asked, “I think it would be for my lady.”

  The wagon driver nodded and turned to a young man behind the wagon, holding onto the reins of a pack mule. He called, “Drew, tie up Mary and help me get this knight’s lady down from the horse,” before he jumped down from the wagon bench and walked over to Tristan’s horse.

  “Yes, da,” Drew replied as he did what he was ordered to do before he joined his father beside Tristan’s horse. Together, they managed to lower Tina down from the horse as gently as they could and carried her over to the wagon bed. Tristan dismounted and climbed into the wagon bed before he helped move Tina into the bed of the wagon.

  Tina didn’t make a sound or move as they positioned her onto her side. Tristan grabbed one of the blanket rolls from the ramp of the horse. He placed it under Tina’s head. He hopped out of the bed wagon bed. The woman still didn’t move.

  The pain must have been bad enough for her to pass out. He sighed. He wished that Tina had told him that she was in pain. He was worried the previous night when he noticed she had passed out when she laid down. She must have been moving through the pain, staying awake, through sheer force of will.

  Tristan nodded at the couple and their son before the wagon started to move. He stayed beside the wagon throughout the day. Tina didn’t move while they covered the last remaining stretch of road before Camelot.

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