The sunrise, coming in from behind the beach, splashed light across the waves in mesmerizing patterns. Fira blinked as she sat up, the first one awake besides the two on watch. She stood and stretched her arms, walking past Elyan and Leon so she could reach the beach. She stepped carefully on the large rocks, making sure not to hurt herself. A small cut on the pad of her foot didn't sound appealing. She didn't notice the footsteps behind her as she stared out across the water, listening intently to the rhythmic waves.

“You doing alright?” Elyan asked, standing beside her and watching the ocean with her.

Fira let a small smile form, but didn't face Elyan. Her voice was happier than perhaps she meant when she finally spoke, “Yeah.” She paused and then spoke with less enthusiasm. “Yeah I'm fine.”

Elyan gave a short, quiet laugh. “Right. You know you're too much like Gwaine.”

“You take that back,” she laughed, spinning to look at the knight beside her. “I take offense.”

Elyan rolled his eyes as he watched the waves. “What I meant was, you use that word far too often.”

She looked confused. “What word?”

“Fine.” Elyan turned to her for a moment before glancing at the sea once more. “You and Gwaine. It's no secret to any of us that Gwaine has a troubled past. His drinking and light sleep is enough for that. But we never talk about it.” He paused and then turned to look at her fully. “Unlike Gwaine, with whom we have no idea what happened, we’ve been around you enough the past year to see your horrors.”

“I'm fine,” she objected. “Really.”

With a knowing look, Elyan shook his head. “You can keep using that word, but I don't think it means what you think it means. Or else you're lying.”

Fira took a deep breath and bit her lip as she turned to the water. “Listen, Elyan. I'm as fine as I can be the morning before going into battle with perhaps the most powerful sorceress in all of Britannia.” She leaned down and picked up a small stone that had been pushed between her bare feet by the waves. When she stood back up she smoothed it over in her palm. “It is my destiny to protect the Knights of the Round Table. If I die doing that today, at least I will die happy.”

Elyan placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort. “You aren't going to die. But… if you do, know that you will not be forgotten.”

Fira gave a half smile and together they made their way back to the campsite, away from the water’s edge. Leon was just rousing the others. Fira sat down and slipped on her socks and boots.

After breakfast, they began the journey to the coastal town Morholt was from. They galloped along the grass coastline, giving the horses periodic breaks. Gwaine spent the day telling the group about the one time he swam to a tiny island not far from their location with Lorie. He stressed that he had beaten her of course.

Fira appreciated the storytelling that day. It gave her an excuse not to talk. She ended up next to Mordred at the very back. He watched her carefully, studying the contemplative expression on her face. Occasionally he would steal a glance at Galahad not far in front of him. The knight seemed to be enjoying the tales that Gwaine regaled them with. Mordred, while he generally got the impression that Gwaine talked too much, was certainly glad that meant he didn't have to.

By late afternoon they saw wooden watch towers. Morholt’s face was bright, and quickly he urged the horse he rode onward. But his face fell in alarm when he realized there were no guards at the village gates between the towers.

He gave a cry and galloped into the town. His face, stricken with grief, betrayed how agonizing the ride was. For he rode in through a trail of bodies. Tor quickly sped up to him upon hearing his shout of horror. When the others finally reached the scene, they remain silent in respect. They found Morholt kneeling on the dirt, surrounded by blood and gripping a young woman’s head in his arms. Tears flowed down his cheeks freely, and his face was flushed.

Tor walked back towards then as they dismounted and surveyed the scene around them. Bodies were everywhere, bodies of townsfolk, and no mercenaries to be seen. Leon told his crew to split up and look for survivors.

“That’s his sister, Alodia.” Tor sighed and rubbed his forehead. “She was his best friend.”

Leon nodded. “It's always hard to lose a family member. Bonds of blood can be stronger than anything else.”

“Very true,” Tor agreed.

Suddenly they were ripped from their quiet conversation by Elyan’s shout. “Found one!”

The group, minus Morholt, converged together at Elyan’s position. He sat clutching another young woman, her side bleeding profusely. Fira pushed the knights away and knelt down next to her immediately.

“Get me the medicine bag!” Fira barked orders as Gareth took off his cloak and handed it to her for bandages. She turned to the woman and spoke with a smile. “I'm Fira. I'm a physician's assistant. I'm here to help.”

The woman gave a tiny nod, but Fira could see blood was already pooling in her mouth. Slowly she spoke, sputtering blood. “The Green Knight! The Emerald Lady!”

The knights exchanged worried looks as Galahad sprinted back from the horses with the bag of supplies. Fira took it and dug around for a needle and thread.

But the woman was too far gone. She was dead before Fira had found the medical instruments. Fira shook her head. She stood back, hands covered in blood. Galahad grabbed her in a hug as she tried to wipe the blood off her skin. Fira barely registered Galahad running a hand through her hair and cradling her against his chest. If she hadn't been worried enough that morning and the night before, seeing the woman bleed out in her arms certainly sealed her fears.

“There was nothing you could've done,” Leon said quietly as he walked past them.

Gareth covered the woman with his blood stained cloak after shutting her eyes. Together the group moved towards where Morholt was still kneeling with his dead sister. The knights’ hearts went out to the former knight of Somerset.

“We need to end this,” Gwaine growled low, his voice laced with fury like arsenic.

“You can see Adney from the ports,” Tor said quietly. “It isn't far.”

“We can't just leave them,” Morholt objected from the ground, face wet with tears. “They deserve a proper burial.”

Leon nodded. He looked from the Somerseton knights to Gwaine. “Can you sail?”

“Yeah,” Gwaine nodded. “I know the basics. Enough to keep us afloat.”

“The two of you stay,” Leon told Tor and Morholt. “Take care of your countrymen. This is our fight, not yours.”

Tor nodded at Leon in appreciation. He held out his arm and Leon gripped it in farewell. They shared a look of mutual respect.

“Come on.” Leon turned to the others. “Let's go.”

Gwaine, Elyan, Percival, Galahad, Mordred, Gaheris and Gareth followed Leon through the corpse-riddled town. Tor pointed them towards the docks. Fira followed more slowly, dreading what they would find.

And they found it. There in the shallows stood many ships, and one of those was a fishing boat big enough for the group. A little snug, perhaps, but it fit. And as she looked at the ocean, looming not particularly far from sea, lay an island.

“The Isle of Adney,” Percival said quietly.

Gwaine smirked and strutted down to the dock. “Come on. As long as I don't kill you with my sailing, we’ll all be fine!”

With varying degrees of eyerolls and huffs, the company followed Gwaine into the boat. He asked if anyone else was familiar with boats. There was a quiet pause.

“I know how to row,” Elyan finally muttered. “That's about it.”

“Good.” Gwaine nodded, handing Elyan two oars. “Sit in the back and row with me. I'll be in the front.”

They piled in. The sun was going down as they set out across the waves. Gaheris kept his crossbow out just in case. Fira was on high alert with a spell in her mind, and Galahad was straining his senses.

It was slow going, and tough until they got past the breaking waves. From there it went smoothly, and the sun had completely disappeared as they reached the Isle’s edge. Fira hadn't heard any whispers as of yet, but she knew it was only a matter of time.

Gwaine leapt out as they hit the shore and dragged the boat in the last few feet. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she knew she was there. Somehow the presence felt familiar. The Emerald Lady was nearby.

“You ready?” Leon asked Fira quietly as she stood against the rocky cliff behind the boat.

She nodded in trepidation. “Yes, I think so. I have to be.”

Galahad and Gwaine both looked up at the same time. Galahad, drawn to the sky by his magic sense, and Gwaine by the sound of the enemy.

“Wyvern,” Gwaine muttered darkly. “Why does it always have to be wyvern?”