finis coronat opus \\ open

[Tristan]

finis coronat opus
the end crowns the work

A few scant rays of sunlight still lingered across the training yard. The squires and their instructors had long since departed the grounds, but it was not deserted yet. His movements were still as fluid and precise as they had been in the long hours before. Sweat rolled lazily across his brow with each motion. Dust, only recently settled, was to be disturbed time and time again by his graceful footwork. Each part of his body operated in a fascinating harmony to a greater end. The sunlight reflected brightly off of the strange eastern blade he wielded, thought it appeared to be nothing more than an extended appendage. It would have been a strange sight to any traditional warrior found in this part of the world, yet Tristan’s blood was not made from the stuff of this region, and thus the locals would gawk. It was not, however, only the style in which Tristan wielded his arms but the sheer length in which he attended to his exercises. Hours upon hours he would spend here and if the sun faltered in its vigil than a great multitude of torches would be lit along the edges of the grounds. Soon that time would be upon him and his movements would blend with shadow and the faint light, making him appear more of the stuff of dreams than a fabrication of reality.

There was more than a single purpose at work here. Few understood Tristan’s words and even fewer his nature, but it was impossible to not notice the measures he had been undergoing since Badon Hill. None of the common soldiers would dare to proclaim outright that something had been slightly off with the Sarmatian after that epic battle; that perhaps his near death experience had altered his perceptions in some strange way, but they whispered such tidings in hushed tones all the same. These words uttered would never reach Tristan’s ears, nor would they have had much of an effect on the way he conducted himself. If he was not spending the majority of his time engaged in grueling training, he had been away wandering the countryside. Was he searching for something? Perhaps, though what it could be none knew, save he himself.

Exhaling a haggard breath, his dance of steel seemed at a pause. The coming darkness had allowed him a brief reprise and he moved to the waterskin lying in the corner of the yard. The draught he took was deep and in his excess some dribbled down his chin and onto his tunic. It was of little matter, considering his outwear was drenched with sweat. As he finished, Tristan considered if he was to light the torches how much longer he could bear this strenuous activity. Dim memories from Badon Hill surfaced only for a moment, and lighting the torches seemed a foregone conclusion. His work was not done yet.

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[Helena Castus]

Helena had been running around the castle like a chicken with her head cut off for the last two hours. The guards were tired of watching her run and everyone else seemed to have just disappeared. She was not supposed to be outside and she knew that. However nothing ever really stopped the young Princess from doing exactly what she wasn't supposed too. She ran into her room grabbing her little navy blue cloak and running out of the castle with her guards in tow. As a matter of fact that had run out about a minute after the Princess as she had a running head start. Pandra was out doing things for her mother and father so no one was around to really play with her. This was what happened with the small girl lost interest in anything.

Upon flying out the door she ran towards the practice field. She was sure her father would either be around there or helping some of his men back in town. She made sure not to be spotted by anyone that would alert her father that she was again running from her guards. Her guards however were gaining on the little girl as she ran through the city to the practice field. They knew it would be bad for them if she got to far out of their sites. As a matter of fact they knew they were doomed as it were. Many of her guards wondered why she put them through so much chaos in their eyes. Most didn't understand how to treat a four year old girl. There was a few easy ways to get her to listen yet no one seemed to want to use those methods save for maybe her parents, Pandra, and her grandfather. She stopped running and started skipping allowing her guards to get ever so much closer to her.

Helena knew very well why she had guards with her. She also knew she was not supposed to be running from them. It was however the only way she could get amusement out of most of them. She finally reached the practice field to notice that one it was getting dark which made her slow down even more and two there was one person still on the field. She took a good look as she got closer realizing it was her Uncle Tristan. She watched him from inbetween both of her guards who were panting as the young girl made her dress and cloak all smooth once more. She looked from side to side to her guards and giggled looking back at Tristan. He looked so graceful out there. Almost like a dancer. She plopped down on the ground far enough to watch but not be in the way of him. She loved watching her father's Knights practice. There was something so facinating about it. Something the young girl could not understand really. Not yet anyways. She knew her parents were both fighters so she had that in her but she was four and all she cared about was learning and soaking in everything she could and being four of course.

He guards gave her a stern look trying to coax the young girl up but she shot them a dirty look. "Shush...I'll tell daddy on you." She went back to watching Tristan. Tristan stopped his movements giving her just enough time to run up to him and tug on his tunic to get him to pay attention to her. It was getting darker and she was not fond of the dark least not just yet anyways. "Uncle Tristan..." She sounded out his name as it was one of those names that had her sounding it out every time so she was correct. She was still learning most of her letters. "Why you out so late?" She gave him a big smile and waited to see what he would say to her. He was the most silent of her father's Knights and Pandra's favorite. The young girl did know what happened to him on Badon Hill but not the the extent that Tristan probably still remembered. She had not been born until after the fighting anyways.

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[Tristan]

He had noticed the presence of Helena and her pair of bumbling guards moments before their arrival, though the intensity of his work did not allow him to acknowledge them. Tristan was used to an audience during this time, so he continued as he had until thirst had distracted him. Just as he had set out to gather the torches, he felt the sharp pull on the edge of his tunic. Naturally the sweet voice of a young girl followed and Tristan obviously knew to whom it belonged.

He carefully slid his dao into his sheath, later he would labor in honing the blade to perfection. Tristan obsessed over the care and quality of his weapons, as he had spent time prior to training oiling his bow and examining his arrows. There was always butcher’s work to be done in this world and lately Tristan had been the best at doing so; spending many moons ranging beyond the great wall to return with tidings of the Saxons as well as their blood.

He turned slowly, crouching down to Helena’s level. He rested his forearms on his knees as he folded his hands together. “I would ask you the same thing. Is your father aware of your absence?” His dark eyes shot a quick look at the pair that had been assigned to her. Not every man in Britain could be held to the unrealistic standards that he and his fellow knights were. Nonetheless, Tristan wagered that Helena had much to do with her current walkabout from the castle.

Dodging her question by asking his own was the easiest way to avoid having to discuss matters in which Helena should not be privy to, not at this age anyways. Tristan would not confide in a little girl, let alone anyone at this time of the darkness that brooded in him, though he could put a wonderful show on display in its stead. None questioned Tristan’s stoic appearance and few sought to.

[Helena Castus]

Helena was sure that her Uncle Tristan knew she was there. After all he hardly ever missed anything that came into his presence. She was sure that he wasn't happy with her guards either. They should have found a way to keep the young Princess in the castle but that wasn't going to happen if they didn't learn how to first play with the Princess and let their sterness of attidude loosen just a little. That was all the young Princess asked for. As she grew older she figured that she wouldn't want to play as much but she was four and that was all she wanted too do. All the thinking about the future that she did revolved around what she wasn't going to wear the next day and what she was going to avoid to do. It was just how the days went for the young Princess. If she got bored enough she would run from her guards to give herself a little more amusement. This wouldn't happen if Pandra was around to keep an eye on her. However Pandra was out doing things for her father.

Helena watched Tristan sheath his dao carefully so as not to ruin it in any fashion. The young Princess watched in amazement. It didn't matter to her that her Uncle Tristan would scold her like her father would for being out. She just couldn't stay inside the castle with her guards who were not entertaining her and her mother and father off doing other things. Someone needed to occupy Helena and her guards were failing. Tristan however was not. She was hanging on his every movement. He finally crouched down to her level and she looked at him with wide eyes and a smile. That smile faded with Tristan asked if her father knew of her absence. Why was everyone trying to keep her in the castle. As long as she didn't run up the the hill or beyond the walls wasn't she okay? She couldn't stay locked up in the castle forever. A pout began to form on her face but it disappeared just a quickly and an annoyed look took its place.

Her guards were behind her not getting any closer to Tristan as they did not understand him but knew he would not harm Helena. Helena took a deep breath before answering Tristan's question disregarding the fact that he had not answered her. "No Daddy doesn't know cause Daddy's not in the castle. I don't know what Mommy's doing. Its lonely in there." It dawned on her moments later that now the sky was completely dark. There was not much light left around them either. She bit her lower lip trying to stay brave in the dark. She didn't like the dark and she disliked the darkness of the castle more. She could still remember the night she'd woken up in the corner of a room on the second floor of the castle. She shook her head and took a step closer to Tristan. "The dark is scary." She ventured to say as she inched even closer to Tristan.

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[Tristan]

He continued to crouch in front of Helena, responding to her comments in a rather plain tone. “Yes but even a dark castle with guards is safer for a little girl than wandering here in the streets. You never know who could be out here.” Tristan referred to foreign spies and those with such little fortune that ransoming the king’s daughter seemed a fantastic plan to attain wealth. Few would try such a thing, especially natives of Hadrian when Arthur’s knights were but a shout away.

Tristan now acknowledged the fact that his training for the evening seemed to be at its end. No torches would be lit tonight and his vigil into the wee hours of the morning would cease. Sleep would do him well, as he had been exerting himself with such severity over the past few weeks. He gave a brief nod to the guards and it was understood that he would be personally escorting Helena back to the castle. A knight’s work was never done it seemed, though he imagined that walking the princess back to her quarters would be much more work than he was accustomed to for such a task.

He rose to his feet, and gently grabbed her hand. Tristan wondered how the girl was dealing with his stench at the moment. Numerous hours of training had left him covered in sweat and though this brief reprise and the chill night dried him, the scent of his effort most definitely still lingered. He would need a quick bath before he finally rested for the night, though that seemed far off.

Stepping forwards he began on the path back towards the castle, hoping that Helena would acquiesce and come with him as well. Tristan’s thoughts drifted slightly; there was a part of him that wanted to range for a week or so. The tranquility he sought was most often gifted to him in those long periods of isolation. He would ask Arthur for a period of leave from his duties here to act as a scout concerning the recent efforts of the Saxons. But of course, pressing matters at hand first.

[Helena Castus]

Helena finally stopped inching closer to Tristan. The young Princess was scared of the dark like most children her age. She just didn't know what could happen in the dark but she was also curious about it. She could sleep in a dark room which was what she did but she preferred it when it was bright and sunny outside so she could see completely what was there. She was just afraid of the unknown like she was supposed to be. She took a deep breath and stood there proud of herself for being so brave at the moment. She knew that her uncle Tristan was probably not to happy with her but then again she didn't much care as he was not like most and didn't yell at her. He was firm with what he said but it never seemed as if he ever raised his voice to anyone. That was what she liked about him. It was also why she respected him so much and gave him no problems if he asked her to do something.

"But Uncle Tristan...safe or not its no fun when no one wants to play or do something interesting." All the Knights knew that the young child had a very short attention span. They also knew well that he guards never seemed to keep her entertained either. "I just wanted someone to tell me a story or play with me." The requests were innocent enough yet no one seemed to want to obey those requests. "Auntie Pandra isn't in the castle either or she would have told me a story." Helena knew that Tristan was close with Pandra in a way. It had something to do with when the two of them first met when Pandra was a little girl. She knew however that she worried others when she was not in the castle or obeying like she should.

The thoughts of being kidnapped never entered the four year old's mind. It was not a concept that she could understand. She knew Auntie Pandra had been taken away from her family but the bad people but she didn't really think that something like that could ever happen to her. She wasn't worried about such things. The things that worried her were when everyone around her was tense and when mommy and daddy were angry with her. There were few other things that worried her. She was a child after all and the world was still so new to her. She couldn't wait to grow up and be like her mother and father but she did enjoy being just a child.

Seconds later her hand was being gently grabbed by Tristan's. She placed her fingers in between his holding onto his hand. She took a breath and noticed a rather stinky odder. She let out a soft giggle as she realized it was probably her Uncle Tristan. She really didn't mind the stink of training so to speak. She'd still run up and kiss her daddy before he had bathed and after a long training session. She was completely find with the way Tristan smelled at the moment. He took a step forward and she followed with her own. She wasn't going to give him a hard time for taking her back to the castle. She respected him to much to do such a thing. She knew also that her Uncle Tristan could tell her stories or help her find someone that would. She followed along with his walking, his one step to about three of her own as his stride was bigger then hers. She started to make a game out of matching his stride.

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