AN: This chapter came quick for me, even though it was almost a month, but I have NO clue what to do with next one so enjoy! Thank you all so much for all the reviews. I would love to reply to everyone, but I never have the time, but I really do love them all!
Chapter Seven
This Way Trouble Comes
It had been two months since Ellia was born. Everything had been going smoothly. Ellia had even begun to sleep through the night. Arthur tried to give Tristan time off to spend more time with Ellia and his wife, but Tristan refused and went about his normal, long, work days. But every night, he was with Ellia and Liara. He found to be more rested when he stayed with them and the same for Liara and Ellia. Everything was going beautifully, for a time.
Liara tucked Ellia into a sling that hung from her shoulder, slipping Ellia's little arms close to her body while her legs curled against her body. Liara smiled and raised Ellia to place kisses over her cheeks. Orea came in a moment later with Liara's dark blue cloak.
"I mended the seam." Orea said as she wrapped the cloak around her shoulders.
"Thank you." Liara said with a smile as she settled Ellia back against her stomach in the sling. "We'll be back soon." She said to Orea.
Orea gave her a nod and apprehensive smile. She didn't agree with Liara going alone, but she had things at for the house that needed to be done.
Liara wrapped her cape tighter around her shoulders and the bundle that was Ellia as she stepped out into the cold, fall weather of the island. She knew Orea could just as easily do the shopping, but Liara wanted to take Ellia out into the world. She also wanted to feel useful after being trapped in the house for so long.
She walked slowly and took in the changing scenery. The leaves were changing and falling giving everything a golden hue. She was so happy to be able to get out of the house, but she knew she would have to stay clear of the horse stables and archery range. Tristan was wasn't sure she should leave the house.
Liara made it half way before she started to feel tired and she started slow down even more, shifting Ellia in her sling so she was closer to her mother's neck. She wrapped her arms tighter around her baby girl while the wind whistled past them. The market was in sight and Liara sighed in relief. She was met by one of the seamstresses she had contacted for more cloth.
"Hello Ida." Liara greeted with a bright smile. The tall raven haired woman took Liara's hand and held it tightly.
"I have the cloth ready for you, as well as thread, come." Ida said ushering Liara toward her building, not far away. Soon they were all shielded from the harsh fall weather.
"She is so beautiful." Ida cooed as Liara exposed Ellia's face.
"Thank you," Liara murmured proudly, stroking Ellia's wispy dark hair. Ida sighed before she disappeared through a door and came back with a basket full of soft cloth.
"I will contact you when I need more." Liara said as she handed Ida a small pouch of coins.
"I also alter clothes if you need." Ida hinted as she counted the coins from the pouch.
"That's alright, I just need cloth." Liara said politely with a small smile.
"Well, if you need any more, promise you'll come to me." Ida said with a serious look, but a teasing voice.
"Of course." Liara said with a thankful smile. The women bid farewell before Liara left to search the rest of the market for other things she would need for the day.
She wasn't even half way done and already Liara was tired. She was starting to wonder if she should have listened to Tristan and Orea instead. She found an empty table near a friendly enough tavern, not three tables away sat two of Tristan's men. They gave her a respective bow of their head and she gave them a shy smile. She used the table to move things around in her bags, as well as feed Ellia when she started to fuss.
Liara thought she had gone unnoticed by everyone besides Tristan's men, but even then she was sure they were planted there, there was never a moment Tristan didn't have someone watching over Liara and Ellia. She was in the middle of adjusting Ellia in her sling when she felt fingers lace into her hair.
She jumped and tried to turn but there was another hand on her shoulder, keeping her in place.
"I'd know that hair anywhere." A deep familiar voice grumbled lowly.
Liara's breath hitched and she clutched Ellia tighter to her chest. She didn't dare move more than a centimeter. "W-what do you want?" She stammered, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
The hand was out of her hair and a second later there was a man sitting in front of her. Captain Favian. "I was so upset, I thought you were dead." He said with teasing worry. The men around him laughed.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Liara muttered, glancing over to the table where Tristan's men had been to find it completely empty.
"Of course you do," Favian said with a grin. "I don't think you would forget the tragedy that killed the father of your child." He said with a nod down to Ellia, who was being held tightly to her mother's chest. "But does your husband know that?" He added, with a glance to the gold band on her left finger.
Liara closed her eyes tightly, willing the tears that were welling up to go away and praying silently for help. His men were laughing at Liara. Their laughter suddenly died down but Liara kept her eyes closed. She didn't want to see what they were up to.
Nels and Arwell shared a look of horror as they watched the Roman officers start to surround Liara. They both knew they would be killed if they even tried to go near Liara so they both made a quiet exit and ran for the archery fields. Tristan was in the center of the field teaching one of the youngest of his men how to spilt an arrow.
"What are you doing here?!" Tristan bellowed, shocking most of his men. He had given the two men before him specific instructions to keep a close eye on Liara when he couldn't.
"There are Romans, they surrounded her." Nels gasped, trying to take all the breath he could.
Tristan's face was wiped of all emotion as he turned to his men. "All of you," he said before he stalked toward the market.
His men scrambled to follow him as he was taking such long strides his walk was faster than the rest. He cut through the alley's, forcing his men to thin out and soon they were faced with the sight of their teacher's wife and infant daughter completely surrounded by Roman officers.
Tristan made tight fists to stop himself from taking off all of their heads and walked up behind Liara.
"Get away from her."
Liara opened her eyes and Favian looked angered as he looked behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see Tristan flanked by all 22 of his men. He spared a glance at her and down to Ellia before he went back to glaring at Favian.
"Get her out of here." Three men came up to her and two, who she remembered were watching her, gently held her arms and helped her up while the other gathered the things she had bought. As they passed Tristan, his hand grabbed her wrist and but he continued to stare Favian down.
"Don't leave their sight." Tristan said lowly so Favian wouldn't hear.
"I won't," She muttered. His hand dropped from her wrist and she let the men lead her home.
The men were silent the whole way, the only one who made any noise was Ellia, who started crying soon after they left Tristan. Liara almost cried herself. Her past was coming back to haunt her. She didn't even want to think about the damage Favian could cause.
Once they were in the house, one ushered her upstairs while the other two started locking doors and windows. She was guided swiftly to her bedroom and she wondered how he knew where it was. Liara plopped into her bed and tried to calm Ellia down while trying to keep her tears at bay.
"Miss?" Orea asked confused as she eyed the man as he locked up her window.
"Nels, one of Tristan's men." The man answered as if he could feel Orea's eyes on his back.
"What's going on?" Orea demanded from Liara and Nels.
"Stay here." He said before leaving the room in a rush.
"It's all my fault, I never should have stayed." Liara murmured sadly.
"So, you must be the slave's husband." Favian said trying to smirk. Tristan and his men had just been joined by Galahad, Lancelot and Bors who looked far more angered than Tristan.
"She's not a slave." Tristan answered blankly.
"In Rome she is." Favian spat.
"This isn't Rome." Tristan growled.
"I advise you to let her leave with me, don't worry, you can keep the bastard." Favian said nonchalantly.
Bors took a step toward Favian but was stopped by Lancelot. "What did you just call her?" Bors said lowly. He had rather taken to Ellia and his fingers were twitching to take the man's head off.
"Bors, this isn't your fight." Lancelot growled.
"Be gone by the morning, or you won't live to regret it." Tristan said with nothing but seriousness.
"It's not much of a threat, knight, your men are evenly matched." Favian said with a grin to his men.
"Not if they're all killed in their sleep." Tristan said with an eerily calm voice. Bors gave Favian a grin.
Tristan didn't wait for Favian's response, he turned and moved through his men and toward his home.
"Don't let any of them out of your sight," He said to the shortish man to his right. The man nodded and he and six other men broke off from the group and toward the stables. Tristan moved his head slightly to the man on his left. "Take five men and hide them in the woods of my home, put two more on the roof." The blonde nodded but kept pace with Tristan.
"Tristan, what's going on?" Lancelot asked as he stepped up to where the short man had been standing.
"I don't know." Tristan muttered before he walked faster toward his home.
Lancelot sighed and turned to Galahad. "Galahad, go tell Gawain to go to Tristan's." Galahad just nodded silently and took off for Gawain's home, his jaw still clenched from not being able to kill all the Romans. "Bors, stay away from the Romans." He said with a pointed finger to the older man.
"Take all my fun." Bors grumbled sourly. Lancelot rolled his eyes before he turned around and headed back into town. "Where are you going?" Bors asked confused.
"To tell Arthur." Lancelot grumbled.
Tristan marched his way to his home with the remainder of his men following him. He posted two men at each door while the rest came inside and checked the home to make sure there were no weak points. Tristan went upstairs and relieved the two men standing outside of Liara's door and walked in.
Liara was curled up in her bed, holding Ellia close while Orea rubbed her back, Nels had already moved through the room and slipped out the door. Orea noticed Tristan first and stood.
"You better kill that bastard Roman." Orea growled with a pointed finger as she left the room.
Liara looked up at him with unshed tears. "I'm sorry." She choked.
"Who was that?" He asked, keeping his voice empty. He knew he wouldn't be able to be gentle with her, he was too angered himself.
"He was the commander of my master's guards." Liara muttered. Tristan's jaw clenched as he was reminded that she was indeed a slave. "Captain Favian." She added in a whisper.
"Is he the father?" He almost spat.
Her eyes grew wid. "No!" she gasped. Tristan's brow rose. "I was my mistresses' favorite, she didn't want any of the guards touching me." She explained, clutching Ellia tighter.
Tristan nodded silently.
"He thought I was dead with the rest of them." She mumbled as she watched Ellia's eyes drift closed, her voice full of tears. "If Rome finds out…" She shuddered with two tears slipping down her cheek.
"They won't." He said firmly.
"Promise me something." She said looking up to him, tears threatening to fall.
"They won't take you." He repeated, anger had started to fill his voice.
"Promise me!" She cried. Ellia whimpered against her mother's chest.
Tristan became stony and watched her carefully.
"Promise me you'll take care of her." She asked gently. "She won't live the life I did. I refuse." She muttered as she gently bounced Ellia.
"I promise." Tristan muttered.
"Thank you." She said with a small smile, but it was still genuine.
"Get some rest, he will be dealt with in the morning." Tristan promised.
Before Tristan turned away Liara spoke again. "Tristan," she said softly. "Can you stay?" She asked with a tight throat. "Please?" She asked desperately.
Tristan didn't say anything, he just slipped into his spot next to her in her bed. He pulled Ellia onto his chest and Liara buried her nose into the crook of his shoulder and cried quietly. His long finger tangled into her hair as he held Liara close and wrapped his entire other arm around Ellia, keeping her close to him and Liara.
Tonight, he would forget about everything and spend the night comforting Liara, like a good husband would.
AN: Review!
