Sarmatian Daughter - Chapter 5
Chapter 5: Day⌠Not Days
Dagonet x Original Female Character
Thea entered the fortress hall to find Dagonet already seated beside Bors. He didnât look at herânot when she stepped inside, not when Lancelot kept her hand on his arm, and not when he pulled out her chair for her to sit. She wondered how long it would be before he spoke to her again.
Arthur entered the room, and the knights rose in unison.
âWhere is the Bishop?â Thea asked.
Arthurâs dark eyes flicked to her, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. âHe will be with us presently.â
She nodded, and sure enough, just minutes later, the doors opened, revealing Jols as he stepped inside.
âHis Eminence, Bishop Naius Germanius.â
The Bishopâs valet entered first, a thin, wiry man who immediately hesitated at the sight of the room. The Bishop followed a moment later, his step faltering as his gaze landed on the massive table before him.
âA round table?â His voice dripped with disdain. âWhat sort of evil is this?â
Jols merely raised a brow, his expression carefully neutral, though Thea caught the flicker of amusement in his eyes.
âArthur says that for men to be men, they must first all be equal,â Jols stated.
The valet, clearly more outraged than his master, stiffened and hissed under his breath, âA woman is not equal to a man! Let alone to a Bishop!â
Jols said nothing, merely returning to his place by the door. He knew Theaâs worth. She was worth ten times more than the Bishop and more than many men he had met in his life.
Thea sat six seats away from Lancelot, four away from Galahad. None of the knights shifted closer to fill the empty spacesâthose belonged to their fallen brothers. The room felt hollow without them, but leaving their seats untouched was an unspoken tribute.
The Bishop finally stepped fully into the chamber, glancing at the round table with barely concealed disgust. The knights, bound by duty rather than respect, rose to acknowledge his presence.
Thea wished she could have remained seated. She had no respect for this so-called man of God.
âI was given to understand there would be more of you.â The Bishop said looking to Arthur.
A sharp pang struck Theaâs heart as she sat back down. She missed themâevery one of her fallen brothers-in-arms. She could still picture their faces clearly, but their voices were beginning to fade from memory. They had been so many once. Now, they were so few.
Arthur answered, his tone steady but firm. Thea had a feeling he would be the only one speaking tonight.
âThere were,â he said. âWe have been fighting here for fifteen years, Bishop.â
Servants moved about the room, carrying golden chalices filled with wine. A young man paused beside Thea, offering her one, and she accepted it with a nod. As the wine slid down her throat, she noted the richness of its taste. This was no common drinkâthis was the finest vintage, likely brought all the way from Rome. Of course, the Bishop would ensure he had only the proper wine.
Once the Bishop took his seat, the knights followed suit.
âOh, of course,â the Bishop said, his voice dripping with feigned admiration. âArthur and his knights have served with great courage, maintaining the honor of Romeâs empire in this, the last outpost of our glory. Rome is most indebted to you, noble knight, for your final days as servants to the empire.â
Lancelot scoffed, voicing the thought that was on all of their minds.
âDay. Not days.â
Theaâs fingers tightened slightly around her chalice. Days? Why had he said days? Something wasnât right. Where were their papers? Why was he delaying?
âThe Pope has taken a personal interest in you,â the Bishop continued smoothly. âHe inquires after each of you and is curious to know if your knights have converted to the word of Our Savior, orâŚ?â
Arthurâs gaze swept across his men, pride evident in his expression. âThey retain the religion of their forefathers. I have never questioned that.â
And it was true. Arthur had never forced his men to kneel before his God. He had never demanded that they pray with him. Unlike any Roman before him, and likely any that would come after, he had respected them.
âOf course, of course,â the Bishop murmured. His lips curled in distaste. âThey are pagans.â
The Bishopâs gaze swept over the knights, but his eyes lingered on Thea longer than the rest. She noticed Dagonetâs grip tighten around his chalice, his knuckles turning white. He had seen it too.
âFor our part,â the Bishop said, his tone laced with feigned civility, âthe Church has deemed such beliefs⌠innocent. But you, Arthurâyour path to God is through Pelagius? I saw his image in your room.â
Arthur met his gaze without hesitation. âHe took my fatherâs place for me. His teachings on free will and equality have been a great influence. I look forward to our reunion in Rome.â
Thea knew of Pelagius well. Arthur had spoken of him many times, his admiration clear. Once, he had even written to Pelagius about her. The response had come swiftly, with the philosopher expressing his desire to meet such an extraordinary warrior. The compliment alone had been enough to intrigue her. She had wanted to meet the man ever since.
The Bishop offered Arthur a tight-lipped smile. âRome awaits your arrival with great anticipation. You are a hero. In Rome, you will live out your days in honor and wealth. Alas⌠alas, we are all but players in an ever-changing world.â He sighed dramatically before continuing. âBarbarians from every corner are nearly at Romeâs door. Because of this, Rome and the Holy Father have decided to remove ourselves from indefensible outposts such as Britain. What will become of this land is no longer our concern. I suppose the Saxons will claim it soon enough.â
At his words, a gilded box was placed beside him. The knights stood out of obligationâall but Thea and Lancelot.
âSaxons?â Arthurâs voice was sharp, cutting through the heavy silence. Thea felt the same unease coil in her stomach. The Saxons were ruthless, leaving only death in their wake.
âYes,â the Bishop confirmed. âIn the north, a massive Saxon incursion has begun.â
Lancelot scoffed, his lip curling. âThe Saxons only claim what they kill.â
âAnd they do kill everything,â Gawain added darkly.
âThey believe themselves to be the perfect race, the perfect warriors,â Thea said, her voice steady despite the weight of her words. âTo them, anything else is an abomination.â
The Bishop shot her a scowl, but she refused to shrink beneath his gaze. She would not hold her tongueânot now, not ever.
âSo you would just leave the land to the Woads?â Galahadâs voice was sharp, his frustration clear. âI risked my life for nothing?â
No one answered him. The silence in the room was heavier than the walls that surrounded them.
The Bishop cleared his throat and continued as if the young knight had not spoken. âGentlemen,â he said smoothly purposefully leaving out Thea, âyour discharge papers, with safe conduct throughout the Roman Empire.â
He lifted the gilded box slightly, its weight shifting in his hands. Theaâs eyes flickered from the scrolls within it to Dagonetâs face. He was staring at the box, his expression unreadable, but his eyesâhis hungry, desperate eyesâtold her everything. He wanted those papers, that promise of freedom.
But he would not look at her.
Before she could dwell on it, the Bishopâs voice cut through her thoughts once more.
âBut first, I must have a word with your commander,â he announced, pausing for effect. âIn private.â
A cold certainty settled in Theaâs chest. Something is wrong.
Arthurâs jaw tightened. âWe have no secrets.â
The Bishopâs face twitched in irritation. When he had said private, he had meant private. First a round table, and now this blatant defiance? His lips pressed into a thin line as he slammed the wooden box shut with more force than necessary.
Lancelot was the first to break the tension. Rising with a lazy grace, he lifted his golden chalice in a mocking salute. âCome,â he drawled, tilting the cup toward Arthur before draining the last of his wine. âLetâs leave Roman business to Romans.â With a flourish, he set the chalice down and strode from the hall.
Bors remained in his seat, glaring openly at the Bishop, his fingers twitching as if itching to make a fist. Dagonet, ever perceptive, clapped a hand on his friendâs shoulder and gave a firm shove. âLet it go, Bors.â
Bors huffed but stood, muttering curses under his breath as he stalked out.
Thea felt a warm hand press lightly against her backâLancelot, guiding her toward the door. She let him, but not before casting one last glance at Dagonet.
He still hadnât looked at her.
âWhat a pompous ass,â Galahad spat the moment they were out of earshot of the fortress hall. His disgust was palpable, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
âI knew something was wrong the moment we came upon his caravan,â Thea murmured, her voice quieter but no less certain. The memory still sat uneasily in her gut.
âOur seer is right again,â came a low voice from the front of the group. Tristan, ever the observer, barely turned his head as he spoke.
Thea scoffed. âI am no seer, Tristan.â
He glanced at her briefly, a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips. âCould have fooled me.â And with that, he fell silent once more.
Galahad let out a frustrated breath, running a hand through his hair. âWhy must we wait? We should just take our papers and leave.â
âItâs Roman ways,â Lancelot said, shaking his head. âThey never make anything easy, especially when they hold the power.â
Bors grunted, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the weight of the conversation. âEnough talk,â he said gruffly. âI feel like drinking till I canât piss straight.â He clapped Dagonet on the back and started leading the way.
âVanora will be working,â he added, his tone lighter now, laced with the warmth only she could bring out in him. âLetâs get there before all those Roman bastards drink all my damn ale.â
Lancelot chuckled, looping an arm around Theaâs shoulders as they followed. âA noble cause indeed.â
Thea smiled faintly, but her mind was still turning over the events of the evening. Something was comingâshe could feel it.














