AN: There is a little bit of angst in this chapter, on both sides. I hope that you enjoy it and thanks for sticking with this story!

Chapter 8: …And On

The knights returned to the wall disheartened. Another one of their company had fallen to the Woads. This time, it was Bedivere- the oldest and wisest of all the knights. He was often who they went to settle petty disputes and it felt like a cloud had descended on the company with his loss. Bedivere's death was especially hard for Galahad, who was from the same tribe as Bedivere and had often looked to Bedivere as a father or older brother. After arriving, most of the company went directly to the tavern after tending to their horses. The need for a strong drink burned in them all.

Gawain watched as Galahad drank drink after drink, seemingly not even tasting the ale that he drank. Absently, he wondered if that was how he appeared to the other knights after Gareth's death just over seven months ago. He went to go sit with the younger knight thinking it would be unlikely that Galahad would meet someone like Valeria to help him out of his torpor.

"Galahad, care for some company?" Gawain asked sitting down and not waiting for an answer.

"Guess so." Galahad grunted in reply and then proceeded to completely drain the last of the cups of ale in front of him. "You gonna drink that?" He asked Gawain pointing at the cup that Gawain was holding.

"Yes." Gawain said and proceeded to drink the remaining ale in one gulp. Galahad couldn't help but grin at that move.

"You prat." He said playfully. The ale that he had drunk before had begun to kick in.

"Don't worry, pup. There's more ale to be had." Gawain gestured to one of the serving girls to bring over more ale.

"Don't call me pup." Galahad muttered and Gawain looked over a bit concerned at the true irritation that was in Galahad's tone.

"Come now, don't be like that." Gawain said leaning back in his chair. He sat forward when he noticed the dark look that passed over Galahad's features. "What's really wrong, Galahad?"

"Bedivere is the one who first called me pup." Galahad replied, looking down at the cup in his hands.

"Ah." Gawain said in understanding.

"How did you deal with it when it was Gareth?" Galahad asked in a low voice, not looking up. At first Gawain tensed a little bit, but soon relaxed as a serving girl came and refilled their cups.

"Lots of things helped." Gawain said after a moment of silence. Galahad gestured for Gawain to continue. Gawain sighed. "Well, for the first couple of days, ale was a great comforter."

Galahad raised his glass to Gawain before taking a drink.

"But that only lasted for so long. Then someone reminded me that remembering the good times we shared together was the best way to remember my brother." Gawain took his own drink as Galahad put down his cup at last. He looked at Gawain curiously.

"Who told you that? Bedivere?" He asked with a forlorn look on his face. Gawain chuckled a bit darkly.

"No. It was Valeria." Gawain replied. At Galahad's blank look, Gawain sighed and continued. "I had told her that when her brother was killed in a Woad attack several years ago."

"Valeria? Your Roman girl?" Galahad asked. Gawain grunted in reply and Galahad gave a sloppy grin. "Did fucking a Roman make it better too?" Galahad asked laughing but stopped when he realized that Gawain was giving him a dark, dark look. "Sorry." Galahad muttered.

"Look, any other time and I would wipe the floor with you for speaking that way about her, but I'll let it slide this time." Gawain said taking another long drink.

"It's been six months Gawain. Did you really care for her that much?" Galahad asked curiously. Gawain merely nodded in response and changed the subject.

"Do you remember the time that Lancelot got caught with his pants down with the baker's wife?" Gawain started and Galahad laughed.

"Yes, and then Bedivere somehow convinced the baker that Lancelot was- what was it again?" Galahad asked.

"That Lancelot thought she was a seamstress and was there to get his trousers mended." They both made eye contact before bursting out in laughter again.

"What about that time Bedivere convinced Kay that if he drank a glass of Vanora's special brew he'd go blind?" Galahad said with a snort, taking a sip of said brew. Gawain grimaced.

"That was horrible! We had to deal with Kay sober for weeks-"

"Yeah, until Bors got so sick of it, he eventually sat on Kay and poured the brew down his throat." Galahad said through his laughter. Soon the two of them were trading stories and laughing the night away in memory of their friends who had gone on before them.

OOOOoooooOOOOO

Valeria sighed as she got out of the bed and went to pick a dress for the day. She didn't think that it would do any good though. Her stomach had finally gotten too big to hide in her clothes. She had pretended to be sick for the past couple of days with Elspeth's help, but she didn't think that could last for the rest of her pregnancy. Elspeth had urged her to go to her mother, and now Valeria thought she would do just that.

"Valeria?" Elspeth said coming quietly into the room. The sickness that Valeria experienced seemed to have left after a month or so, but lately, Valeria didn't have as much energy as she usually did and Elspeth was careful not be too loud when coming into the room.

"I'm up Elspeth." Valeria replied and fastened the last clasp on her gown. She sighed and turned to her maid. "There's no use hiding it now, I've gotten too big."

"Aye." Elspeth said. "What are you going to do?"

"I will do as you suggested last week…I'll go to my mother. Surely she will have some solution that we have not yet thought of." Valeria bit her lip, not wanting to think of the other possibility, that her mother would kick her out or kill her. Valeria tasted blood and stopped biting her lip.

"Well, let's head over." Elspeth said at last getting out Valeria's cloak. "Put this on." She said.

"What for? I won't need that in the hallways." Valeria asked bemused. Elspeth rolled her eyes.

"Yes you will, we don't want anyone to see you in the hall and tell Fulvonius about your- ahem- situation." Elspeth said. Valeria rolled her eyes right back and walked out the door without answering. Elspeth groaned and followed.

OOOoooOOO

Junilla sat in the library looking over the ornate prayer book that she had brought from Rome. Her first husband had commissioned it for her as a wedding present and she treasured her little book of hours more than any other possession. She knew that something was troubling Valeria and after having lost her son so violently, she felt like her daughter was now drifting away.

Fulvonius had wanted to send Valeria off last year to be married, but Junilla had begged him not to. For once, he had relented and let her have her way, but now Junilla thought that maybe Fulvonius had been right. A knock at the door interrupted her from her thoughts.

"Mom?" Valeria asked hesitantly and Junilla's eyes widened in shock. Valeria was obviously with child.

"Elspeth, leave us at once. Valeria- what have you done?" She whispered and felt her heart shatter as Valeria looked down at the floor. "Who is the father?" Junilla asked and was unsurprised when her daughter would not answer her. She decided not to press the matter.

"I didn't know where else to come." Valeria said, hesitantly entering the room and sitting on the chair across from her mother.

"I'm glad that you have finally come to me with what was bothering you." Junilla said.

"You knew?"

"I knew that something was bothering you. But I did not guess this. At least, I did not allow myself to think this." Junilla said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry that I disappointed you." Valeria said hanging her head.

"There is no way to end this pregnancy? It looks like you are very far along, daughter." Junilla said with a frown.

"I don't want to end the pregnancy, I want to keep the baby." Valeria admitted. Junilla put her head in her hands. "I do love the father." Valeria said.

"Hmmm…" Junilla said noncommittally. She was glad to know that her daughter did know who the father was and seemed to have feelings for him. Suddenly a plan began to form in her head, a plan that would allow Valeria some measure of happiness.

"Mom?" Valeria asked after a while. "What do you think we should do?"

"I think, that you should go back to Rome." Junilla said at last.

"Rome? But what good would that do?" Valeria asked surprised. Junilla smiled.

"You would have the baby here and then we would send you back to Rome, saying that you were widowed. No one would have to know the truth." Junilla explained.

"But what would happen in Rome? Wouldn't they know that I'd never been married?" Valeria asked, her head spinning at this new plan. Junilla waved her hand in dismissal.

"Why would they? We send you back to live with your grandmother; your father's mother. We can always tell her that the letter with news of your marriage must have been lost. Such things happen." Junilla said in a firm voice.

"Live in Rome?" Valeria asked in a strained voice. On the one hand, she had wanted to go back to Rome, but it negated any hope that she still harbored that she would see Gawain again, that he would learn about his impending fatherhood, and that they could have a life together.

"Yes, you know that she wouldn't ask too many questions- she'd be so happy to see you again and to have a great-grandchild…you know that she would love the baby." Junilla said but before Valeria could answer, the door swung open with a crash.

"So this is the thanks that I get for all that I've done for you, you ungrateful whore!" Fulvonius bellowed as he raged into the room.

"Fulvonius!" Junilla cried shocked as she stood up from her chair.

"This is your fault too, woman! If we had sent the little slut away when I had wanted to, if we had married her off when we had a chance! But now…" He trailed off and both women quailed a bit at the look in his eyes.

"We'll send her to Rome-" Junilla started.

"No. I will not send her to Rome with some flimsy story that you try to sell to your former mother-in-law." Fulvonius said in a cold, calm voice. In some ways that was even worse than his yells. They both braced themselves for what was coming next.

"I-I-I'll just go to my room." Valeria stuttered and stood up to leave.

"You stay where you are!" Fulvonius said and Valeria froze. She shrank back as Fulvonius advanced on her. "I'll just have to beat the bastard out of you, you slut!" And with that he reached back and slapped her hard.

"No!" Junilla shouted and moved to step between her husband and daughter. Fulvonius shoved her to the floor and then moved back towards Valeria. Junilla grabbed his leg, causing him to fall. "Run! Valeria! Run!" Junilla cried and Valeria ran from the room.

"You dirty whore!" Fulvonius said and turned his beating on Junilla instead.

Valeria ran down the hallway sobbing, not stopping until she got to her room. Elspeth jumped up at seeing Valeria's state, but is stopped from saying anything as Valeria closed and bolted the door in a panic.

"What happened? Is that a bruise on your face? Your mother didn't seem like she was going to hit you!" Elspeth exclaimed in shock.

"Fulvonius!" Valeria managed to gasp out loud, before a pounding was heard at the door.

"You get out here this instant, you slut!" They heard Fulvonius shout from the other side of the door. Valeria shuddered and slid to the ground with her back to the door. He banged on the door for a bit longer before stopping. "Fine! Stay in there! You stay in there, but you'll get no food! I'll starve you out! And once you're out I'll finish what I started, you whore!"

Valeria couldn't help but cry as she heard his steps fade down the hallway. It seemed all hope was fading. She couldn't last in here for long without food. And then, where would she go if she did manage to get by Fulvonius? Rome? How could she get that far without money or safe passage? Everything seemed hopeless.

OOOOooooOOOO

Junilla pulled herself off the floor after Fulvonius fled to try to catch up with Valeria. She knew she had little time before she herself would be back under his thumb. She had to get things set in motion. Trotting down the hallway, she searched for Gaius. Of all the servants that they had in Briton, she knew that Gaius would remain loyal to her and Valeria. She made it out to the courtyard and saw Gaius looking at the Bath's wood pile to ensure that there was enough to last the next week for the hot baths.

"Gaius!" Junilla called and he turned abruptly at the panic in her voice.

"My lady?" He asked curiously and then his brow darkened as he saw the bruises on her arms and face. He opened his mouth to protest her treatment, but Junilla waved a hand to quiet him.

"Peace, Gaius. I must speak to you about Valeria. She is in trouble." That caught his attention and Junilla carried on quickly. "We must send her to Hadrian's Wall at once."

"The wall?" Gaius asked confused. "But-"

"Valeria is with child and we must get her away to Rome. Fulvonius is furious. We can send her to the Wall- to Arthur- and he will arrange for her safe travel to Rome." Junilla said in a rush.

"But to get to the wall, it is a hazardous journey, my lady." Gaius said hesitantly. Junilla took his hand in her own.

"I would not ask this of you if Valeria's very life were not at stake. We must get her away- within the next few days. I will find a way to send word to Valeria and tell you more as soon as I can. Will you do this one last service for us?"

"I will." Gaius said without any more hesitation in his voice.

Junilla nodded and walked back to the stairs. She would get word to Valeria tonight somehow and then they would send her away. She inwardly cried at losing her daughter in such a way, but it was the only way. If Fulvonius had his way, Valeria would be dead- or as good as dead. And she could not allow that. Junilla knew that Arthur was an honorable man, he would do all in his power to do what was best for them all.

AN: Please review!