Chapter 2


The sun had risen, warming the vast land. As Lancelot made his way through the courtyard he took little notice to the life going on around him. It all seemed so insignificant to him. Had it been any other day he would have taken notice to the set of eyes that were closely observing his every move.

He moved slowly, still lost in a deep thought of confusion, pain, and sorrow. His head pounded due to the lack of sleep that he so desperately needed. If only he could go back to his youth, a time when he welcomed adventure and the thrill at the thought of an approaching battle. He may not have been free, but at least he had received some happiness in his rather empty life. Yes, he may have friendship now, but what he truly wanted in his heart was a home, love, and peacefulness; Something Arthur and his fellow knights could never give to him.

Lancelot took a seat on the bench. He needed to rid his mind of these troubling thoughts. A bar maiden made her rounds, bringing mugs of ale to the Roman soldiers. As she brought a mug to him she saw the look on his face and asked softly, "Something troubling you Lancelot?"

It was a lure, he knew, and as he looked up at her, it was confirmed by the hungry stare within her eyes. Any other day he would have put on a charming smile and answered back with flirtation and cool arrogance. But instead he remained silent, giving her an annoyed look and ignoring her until she walked away. He was not acting like himself, he knew.

It wasn't long until he was overcome with the uneasy feeling of being watched. He withdrew his mug and scanned the courtyard ----- no one. He drew his eyes up to the fortress. His eyes stopped on a window where a curtain was swaying mysteriously. Some one, indeed, had been watching him. With some hesitation, he went back to his mug.

He didn't recognize his own thirst until he met the bottom of his mug. Lancelot set is down on the table almost irritably and looked over his left shoulder. He observed the courtyard----no knights. The atmosphere was so different. The joyous, light-hearted tone was gone and was replaced by the eerie and unsettling silence. He took a deep breath and wondered if he should retreat to his room. It was early but he had no place to be, no one to see. So, really he had no reason to stay.

He retreated to his room; this was not a common experience for him. He almost always has a luscious young maiden in his company upon returning to his chamber. This time however, he didn't seem to care about the change. Somehow, he had lost the thrill that he used to gain so easily through the desire that a woman's eyes would show for him.

Now he saw that it was just that, desire…lust…nothing more. It was all just empty pleasure. In the end it went no where. He would once again be left alone, only to repeat the same act night after night.

He stood in the dim, musty room, staring out the only window, hardly big enough for a small child to fit through.

Lancelot was lost in a daze of thought when suddenly he was brought back to the present moment by a sharp urgent knock on the thick wooden door.

He hesitated. Who knew to find him there? It was still early and he would not be expected to return for some time yet, unless they had seen him return.

His curiosity got the better of him. He quickly strode the short length of the room to the door, wondering if the person was even still there. Pulling open the door, he found himself staring into a pair of deep brown eyes.


A/N: KnightMaiden & Anya509: Thank you for the lovely reviews and you shall both soon see who the pairing is...and to everyone else please submit those reviews!