Timeless by SheWalksWithRavens
A/N: Hello again everyone. I finally put Tristan and Isolde back in the same place for you, so now the real fun can begin. Let me say that I had a blast writing this chapter, so I hope you all enjoy it. I still haven't seen Tristan & Isolde, so no spoiling things for me. Again the reviews are located at the end of the chapter for you all, I can't believe we're almost up to 100 reviews. That's exciting, like... I might do something extra special next chapter because of it -cheshire cat grin- So please enjoy, and review!
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Arthur and Guinevere still held on to one another as they navigated the main hall, turning into the third door on their left. The kitchen was magnificent, it would have served even the best of chefs proudly. The marble counter tops, sparkling stainless steel appliances, and center Island above which hung several brand new looking pots was in short perfect.
However, what was not perfect was the fact that there was not a single member of the staff in sight. There was no chef, no housekeeper, there was no one.
"Hello?" Arthur said as he released Guinevere wandering around the room, "Hello, is anyone here?"
There was no response and Guinevere looked at the kitchen with a bit of hesitation. As the hostess of this outing, she would be required to cook if she couldn't find the staff. And though Arthur never complained about her few attempts to cook, she knew that she was no way capable of feeding nine people.
"Well, you were certain that a staff was included?" Guinevere said softly.
"I was almost positive. Well this just won't do. I'll call Jols back at the office and have him double-check everything with the realtors." Arthur muttered before wandering out of the room to go collect his mobile from his bags which were still in the hall.
Guinevere was just examining the large stove and oven when Isolde came striding into the room. Both women jumped in fright but a few moments later were laughing about their collective stupidity.
"Isolde, this weekend is going rather poorly already I'm afraid." Guinevere said with a sigh.
"Why would you say that?" Isolde replied, though from her own experiences she could agree with that statement whole-heartedly.
"When Arthur had this manor booked for us all, we thought that it included a staff. However, now we've found that there isn't one. I can't possibly cook dinner for nine people, I think my cooking would kill them all first. Its just a mess, and to top it off, there aren't any groceries in the fridge."
Isolde truly felt horrible for this woman. But then again, how rich do you have to be to not be able to cook dinner? Then a little nagging voice at the back of her mind screamed Shelby couldn't cook either and that settled that.
"It will be fine, we'll just pop down to the market. Pick up some groceries, and cook dinner. It might be a little later than we'd normally eat but I'm sure it would be fine." Isolde said slowly.
"But I don't even know where the market is!" Guinevere replied.
"Yes, but I do..."
Arthur came back into that room at that time, and smiled to himself even though it was evident to all that he was not happy about something at all.
"I got off the phone with Jols."
"And?" Guinevere prodded urging him to continue.
"They can't have anyone here until tomorrow morning. Apparently they had a mess up in their scheduling, so we must fend for ourselves tonight."
Guinevere breathed a sigh of relief, at least this arrangement was only for one night and Isolde seemed really calm about the whole situation which was affecting her own mood.
"Ok, so I'll run down to the market. There are nine of us right?"
"Yes, but you don't have to go." Arthur said quickly attempting to be a good host.
"Its fine... besides if someone doesn't go, we aren't going to eat tonight." Isolde left the room and headed up to her own bedroom.
Lancelot was in the process of changing his shirt when she walked in. Immediately her hand went over her eyes, but then it was lowered so she could take it all in.
"Sorry..." Isolde said quickly before grabbing her purse and digging through it until she found her keys.
"You know, I think you are the first woman who has felt compelled to drive away at the sight of seeing me bare-chested."
"No, I am sure I'm not the first. I am actually heading to the market though, apparently there is no food in this entire manor house. I'll be back in an hour or so." Isolde started heading out when she realized Lancelot was hot on her heels.
"Where do you think you're going?" Isolde said turning around part way down the stairs.
"Coming with you, naturally." He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Gawain and Karissa were heading down to the kitchens when they saw Lancelot and Isolde at the front door putting on their jackets.
"Leaving already?" Gawain called out.
"Going into town." Lancelot replied popping the collar on his jacket before Isolde smoothed his color back down and shook her head.
"Oh, Isolde can we come with you. I want to see the infamous place where you grew up."
So in a matter of minutes Isolde's trip alone, became a trip with Lancelot which became a trip with Lancelot, Gawain and Karissa. She opened the door and looked out and realized they'd never all fit in her mini-cooper. It was like a clown car, and Lancelot and Gawain weren't exactly dainty.
"We'll take my range rover." Gawain said clicking the button on his keys so that the doors unlocked.
"Do you mind if I drive? I can get us there a lot faster." Isolde stated simply.
It was a known fact that Isolde was an insane driver. However, no seemed to have informed Gawain of this as he tossed her the keys which she caught in one hand. She had to hop to get into the driver's seat, but that was the penalty for being short. Once everyone had clamored inside the car, Isolde hit the stereo. First there was only static, then they were attacked by Sheena Easton singing "Morning Train" at the top volume. Naturally, they all cringed and smacked at the stereo unit until it shut off.
"Gawain, I am not even going to ask why that was in your C.D. player." Lancelot said turning around to face Gawain who was now whistling and looking anywhere but at the other people in the car.
Isolde put the car in gear and then sped off down the gravel driveway, the wheels kicking up a flurry of dirt in their wake.
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Tristan pulled aside the curtains of his room and watched the range rover disappear off down the road. Not knowing what had transpired, he was very confused and set off for Dagonet's room where Lana and him were having a chat.
Tristan could not understand what was being said as they were conversing in very fast Russian, but his presence made them stop their conversation and look up at him with smiles.
"Are you ready to head down to meet Arthur?" He asked quietly.
"Yes, we just finished catching up." Lana said shooting Dagonet a look that Tristan didn't fully understand before standing and walking over to Tristan and grabbing hold of his hand.
"Dagonet was telling me some interesting stories about the Military Academy..." Lana said with a bit of amusement in her voice.
"Did he now?" Tristan replied glancing up through his shaggy hair at the tall man beside him.
"And what did Dagonet say?" Tristan continued still staring at Dagonet.
"He told her about how the psychologist on campus had thought you were too angry, and made you spend one day each week in anger-management...in the pink room with the little bunnies."
Tristan shot him a glare, but the sight of Dagonet imitating a hopping rabbit was just too funny to not laugh at. And he walked faster to get ahead of them, before they could see the grin on his face.
"Arthur, I'm famished, when are we going to eat?" Dagonet called as they entered the parlor.
A few minutes later Guin and Arthur entered the room carrying several wine glasses and a bottle of Chateau Margaux. Arthur sat down on one of the puffy arm chairs as he poured the wine which Guinevere handed out.
"It appears that we will not have our wait staff till tomorrow morning, so Isolde offered to go into town to pick up some groceries to make dinner." Arthur swirled the wine in his glass, sniffing it briefly before allowing some of the dark inky looking liquid into his mouth.
"Well that explains where she went, but where are Lancelot, Gawain and that girl of his?" Dagonet asked from his position on another arm chair across from Arthur.
"Apparently, they wanted in on the fun. They should all be back shortly." Guinevere said with a smile as she sat on the arm of Arthur's chair, rubbing his back off-handedly.
"Oh, I wish they had told me. I'd love to see the quaint little town." Lana said a bit dejected.
She didn't know why, but she got the feeling that Isolde didn't like her. Though the woman didn't really say or do anything to indicate such, she just felt such hostility emanating from her that it was impossible to not notice.
"We are all going in tomorrow morning, so you'll have your chance then." Tristan said in a whisper to her.
"Oh, I hope the light is good then. I would love to get some work in."
"That reminds me... I was wondering, well Arthur and I were wondering if you would be the photographer for our wedding. Since we are trying to keep it small, we hoped that it would only be friends and family coming. And you are such a wonderful photographer, it would be horrid not to have you." Guinevere gave her puppy dog eyes.
"Of course. The pictures are going to be so spectacular that you won't have to worry about a thing."
Guinevere squeaked with pleasure and hugged Lana, while Tristan, Dagonet and Arthur all shook their heads. Lana and Guinevere had met on several occasions before. They weren't exactly what you would call the best of friends, but they were on good enough terms after being with their respective beaus for so long. Guinevere was very excited when she met Isolde and especially Karissa. Karissa seemed like such a sweet girl, and she could see that she made Gawain very happy. Isolde was a bit different than she expected her to be from the stories circulating about her at the office. She had pictured her to be a vixen man-eater, but instead, much to her own relief, she found the total opposite.
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"Isolde for the love of god woman, slow down before you hit something!" Gawain shouted from the back seat, as he cringed in fear for the safety of his car.
"Oh calm down, we're here anyway." Isolde slowed the car and pulled into a space at the side of the road outside the local market.
"Thank god." Lancelot said as he finally released his grasp on the door allowing color to flood back into his hands.
Isolde hopped out of the car and had the keys immediately wrenched out of her hands by Karissa.
"Sweetie, I love you but never again will we give you a vehicle with off-road capabilities." Karissa said giving her a look.
Isolde smirked and pushed open the door to the market, grabbing a basket on her way in as she looked about before heading to the fresh produce aisle. She was followed by Karissa who helped her pick out some tomatoes, while Gawain and Lancelot began to toss an orange back in forth in the aisle.
Isolde saw this and intercepted the orange before smacking Lancelot rather hard on the arm and putting the orange back with the others. Gawain started laughing at Lancelot, when he got a smack on the arm from Karissa which stopped his chuckling.
"So what exactly are we making, oh masterful chef?" Lancelot said looking at her ingredients which for the moment only consisted of tomatoes and basil.
"I actually don't know, but I'm Italian, so my first impulse is to buy tomatoes and basil." Isolde said with a shrug.
"We should make chicken parmigiana." Karissa said with a wistful look on her face.
"Well isn't Lana a vegetarian? So I don't think she'll be eating that." Gawain said after a moment.
"So then I'll make eggplant..." Isolde said trailing off as she remembered something her grandmother used to make.
"Obi-wan want to share the rest of us your great knowledge." Lancelot continued when Isolde showed a range of emotions on her face indicating deep thought.
"Well, I was just thinking... I could do eggplant, stuff it with pesto, wrap that in filo dough. And serve it with creamy long-grain rice... and fresh asparagus."
"Can you really make all that?" Gawain said in disbelief, practically drooling at the sound of it.
"No." Isolde and Karissa replied.
"But we can try." Isolde added with a grin.
They set about getting the rest of the ingredients, and not having the energy to make proper desert picked up a cheesecake on the way out. Isolde reached into her purse to pull out her bank card, cringing at the thought of she was going to have hardly any money left at the end of the month between Karissa's dress, this shopping trip and the cost of gas from constantly driving up to Cumbria. Before she got the card out of her wallet, Lancelot was already handing his to the cashier.
"Company card." He said with a smile as he signed the receipt.
They each took a bag and headed out to the car, situating the bags in the trunk space. Isolde had to lean over to push the bags to the back and when she did she found that Lancelot had goosed her. Appalled that he would pinch her in the bum in the middle of the street, she started to chase him around the car screaming 'I'm going to kill you', but he hopped inside and hit the power locks. People out on the street were staring at them, and whispering to themselves before hurrying away, and in one case crossing to the other side of the street to avoid them.
Gawain and Karissa shook their heads before Gawain clicked the locks open with his keys, and pulled Lancelot from the driver's seat. Glad that his Range Rover was once again in safe hands, they headed back to the manor.
They all entered laughing hysterically, while attempting to not drop the food they just bought. Everyone who was in the salon found themselves now following them into the kitchen as they set the ingredients out on the island. While Isolde set about scrubbing herself up so she could cook properly.
"So what are we having?" Lana said with a smile as she looked at the sheer mass of food they bought.
"Don't worry, we wouldn't let her sacrifice a chicken on your behalf." Gawain said clapping Lana on the shoulder with a bit more force than she was expecting, and she found herself sway into Tristan who steadied her.
"Ok, if you don't know how to cook anything get out of my kitchen." Isolde said firmly as she pulled a rather sharp looking knife from the butcher's block.
"Gentleman I think that's our cue." Lancelot said as Gawain, Arthur and Dagonet followed him from the room.
Isolde was about to start giving out directions when she noticed Tristan was still standing there staring at her with such a fixed gaze, she felt goose bumps.
"Come to cook with the girls, Tristan? I mean I know your hair is in a dire need of a cut but I didn't think that qualified you as a woman?" Guinevere said with a joking smile.
"She said if you don't know how to cook get out of the kitchen. I can be of some use I think." Tristan said shortly before washing his hands in the sink.
"Right... Guin can you heat the oven to 200 C, Karissa can you start on making the rice, Lana if you could cook the asparagus spears that are on the other side of Karissa, and Tristan I am trusting you with a knife... filet the eggplant."
"Aye, aye captain." Karissa said with a mock salute before heading off to boil some water.
Isolde began making the pesto stuffing for the egg-plant, and looked up for a moment to see Tristan fileting the eggplant perfectly and quickly. She smiled at him when he looked up and locked eyes with her, before she finished off the pesto and went to help Guinevere who was trying in vain to make the cream sauce for the rice.
"Isolde, you know what we are missing?" Karissa said once the rice was safely boiling.
"Please tell me that we didn't forget something at the grocery store." Isolde said in a moment of panic.
"No... We need music." Karissa said prodding Isolde with the end of a wooden spoon.
"Music... that is something I can handle." Guinevere said with a smile as she reached for a rather large looking device that resembled a game-boy but was in fact an all in one control remote for the house.
"Listen baby! Ain't no mountain high,Ain't no valley low, Ain't no river wide enough baby."
Everyone smiled as Marvin Gaye came out of the speakers which were hidden somewhere in the room. Immediately Karissa began singing into her wooden spoon to Guinevere who joined in with her. Isolde started singing also while dancing from place as she made sure everything was getting done. Lana also started singing, which left Tristan standing alone not joining into the craziness.
He was going to keep his dignity for as long as he could, there was no way he was going to be caught singing that song. Lana wandered over to him and put her fingers on his cheeks forcing his firm scowl into a smile. He shrugged her off and went back to cutting up the egg plant.
Guinevere and Lana then started dancing around him, Guin taking his hands so that he couldn't cut the eggplant anymore and forcing his arms into a sort of dance while he stood as still as a post. Karissa started singing especially to him and Tristan attempted to break free. When he did he received a splat of pesto sauce on his cheek.
"Oops." Isolde said before cracking up laughing with the rest of the girls.
Hearing the laughter and the music coming from the room, the rest of the 'manly men' as they dubbed themselves came to see what was going on. Tristan turned to look at them sauce still dripping down his cheek, and a lovely splatter across his previously pristine white dress shirt and the rest all began laughing at them, including Arthur who was doing a horrible job of hiding his laughter.
"Who is responsible for this one?" Gawain asked a huge grin spreading on his face.
Isolde was on the receiving end of many pointed fingers and she did her best innocent grin and shrugged.
"Brilliant!" Lancelot shouted as he picked her up into a bone crushing hug.
"Lancelot, if you don't keep that girl of yours in check, she's going to get herself in a lot of trouble." Tristan said in a dark voice as he wiped the sauce from his face.
Isolde noted the venom in his voice when he said 'girl of yours' it was almost as if it hurt him to say it.In retort she stuck her tongue out at him and went back to preparing the meal with the rest of the girls while Tristan went upstairs to go get changed.
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The dining room was done in gorgeous wood paneling with a chandelier hanging from the center of the room over the 18th century wood table and matching chairs. It was probably designed for a stately Lord at the time who held important dinners right where they all now sat. Unfortunately, they were hardly as proper as that English Lord, and even worse when the alcohol kept on flowing.
"A toast to our fabulous chefs, whom without we would starve to death." Arthur said raising his glass.
Cheers were said all around, and everyone set into eating their food. Isolde was smiling to herself proud that she could still remember some things her Grandmother taught her. Sure, it wasn't as fantastic as Granny Rosa's cooking but it was still rather mouth-watering in her opinion.
"Will you marry me so I can eat like this all the time?" Gawain said to Isolde before getting smacked upside the head by Karissa.
"No, she's already marrying me because I'm more attractive than you are, it's a genetics thing, you can't help it." Lancelot said before playfully punching Gawain in the arm.
"Yes, unfortunately though, all that imbreeding must have impaired him mentally... it's a genetics thing... you can't help it." Dagonet said with an overly pitying tone before patting Lancelot on the shoulder.
Everyone was laughing hysterically now, and more liquor was dispensed among the crowd.
"Tomorrow morning, we need to be up bright and early. So don't go drinking yourself into a bunch of hangovers." Arthur stated as he noticed that Lancelot, Dagonet and Gawain were all on their fourth glass of wine.
They all chuckled and continued on eating. Lancelot's hand kept ending up in Isolde's lap and she kept smacking him for it, and he would grin cheekily, and wink at Tristan. After little things like this kept happening, Isolde began to realize what Lancelot was doing and she loved him for it.
"Alright, everyone give me your plates." Isolde said after the majority seemed to have stopped eating.
"Isolde, you cooked us dinner, you are doing the dishes too!" Guinevere stated.
"It's alright, I've got it." Karissa said with a smile as she began to collect the dishes.
Gawain helped her with those she didn't have room for and followed her into the kitchen. Tristan and Lana rose from the table, her giving him a kiss and a lustful look before dragging him upstairs. Isolde took her wine glass in to the kitchen when she saw this, and walked in on them instead kissing each other rather sweetly. Not wanting to be a gooseberry, she left her glass and headed out into the hallway.
It appeared that most people had already headed to their rooms for the night, so Isolde went up to hers and Lancelot's. She heard the shower running, and found now was the perfect opportunity to change without him staring. She wasn't an overtly modest girl, but having Lancelot oggle her before bed would put ideas in his head she didn't want him to have.She slipped on a pair of flannel pajama pants and a white tank top before crawling into the bed and attempting to find a way to fall asleep without thinking about Tristan and Lana.
It was all too much for her and her eyes were moist with tears underneath their lids, though she was not going to let herself cry over him. She found a modicum of comfort when Lancelot got into the bed and instead of doing something cheeky, just spooned with her, holding her in his arms until she fell asleep where instead of being tormented in reality, she was tormented by her dreams.
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"What do you mean?" Isolde said with tears falling down her cheeks as she sat up in his bed.
"I have to go, Isolde. We were only to be stationed here for a brief period of time, we have to return to the wall. I am bound to Rome, you've known that since the day you met me, what choice do I have?" He spat back.
"You could leave Tristan, we could go to Ireland. They wouldn't find us there..." Isolde pleaded.
"I cannot go with you." Tristan said firmly, his own eyes betraying his true sadness in the matter.
Isolde pulled her shift over her as she rose from the bed. She continued getting dressed hastily and was about to run out of the room when he pulled her back to him and kissed her. Isolde pushed him off.
"Tristan, have I not sacrificed for you? You know that I would be killed if they found out that I dishonored my husband as I have by being with you. Yet I did it anyway, for you. And you cannot even do this for me. I must go now, for my husband is waiting for me. Goodbye, Tristan, I hope you will stay safe at your new post."
When she was gone Tristan punched one of the wood beams in his room, splinters embedding themselves in his knuckles as they began to bleed. But he kept staring at the door hoping she would come back once more...she didn't.
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Here are the responses to your reviews. So long as you keep reviewing, I will keep responding no matter how long it takes me to do so! It's only fair. Now here we go...
Dferveiro- I never claimed to not be a tease. But yes, I like to leave hints here and there just to get everyone excited about the next chapter. Though I think I could tell you someone blows their nose, and you'd all leap for joy.
TreetopScout- Isolde's friends are actually kind of based on the relationship I have with my friends. But I'm glad you relate to it as well, I think all friendships are kind of crazy in the best way possible to some degree. But the knights aren't dirty and bloody here...they are nice and lemony fresh. I made them shower. It was for the good of all parties involved.
June Birdie- Yeah, Lana is gonna get the short end of the stick. I wasn't really considering a Lana/Lance pairing but maybe... we'll see what happens.
MedievalWarriorPrincess- Its ok, I forgive you for not reviewing. :) Yeah, Tristan is extremely jealous. But to quote "Anger Management" there are two kinds of people in this world. The customer who is yelling at the cashier over the tiniest mess up in price, and the cashier who sits there and takes it day after day until finally they shoot up the entire place. Now, I'm not saying Tristan is going to shoot some people. But it won't be pretty. Yeah, (note how I keep starting sentences with Yeah) I wanted to keep the personalities of our knights as close as I could to the way they were in the movie, while blending them into the modern world. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Addicted2LancelotAndTristan- I know I fail at life for still not having seen the movie, but what can I do? Glad to know you liked the chapters.
LancelotTristanBaby- I don't think "very exciting weekend" begins to cover what I have in store for everyone. You got a glimpse of that in this chapter, but I assure you the next one is equally as funny.
KnightMaiden- I hope you are getting a better idea of how Lancelot is going to play cupid now that you've seen a glimpse of it. Lana and Tristan have been together for three years, they won't break up overnight. And I've already sowed the seeds for a falling out between them, it just needs a couple more things to send them over the edge. And don't worry its coming soon.
BrownEyedGirl1- Can I just say that your review made me crack up laughing when I read it? I just pictured someone shaking my shoulders, slapping me and then screaming "For the love of god woman update faster!" It was too much, I think the caffeine might have made it funnier than it actually was. Ah well.
Firbereth- Yes, Tristan did deserve it. But as you can see, the Tristan punishing has only just begun. The poor poor Scout. And the fact that you check your email twice a day to see if I've updated is really sweet, I try to update every few days, sometimes its faster or longer it depends on how busy I am.
Jenni- Yeah, Lancelot is our matchmaker, a bit unconventional but he gets the job done. I had debated whether or not I wanted to wait longer for Isolde to talk to Lancelot, but I figured that I'd squash whatever they had right off and get to working on Tristan, I think you understand why.
Lady Marek- I'd not be able to sleep if he was in the next room. Anyway, you are the 2nd person who has said I should put Lancelot with Lana. I don't know about the idea right now, but he's not pursuing Isolde either, so I guess you have a happy medium there.
Lithium Addict- Lancelot is the bad boy that we all love, and occasionally want to smack, but mostly love. I'm glad you enjoy how I word things, sometimes I am not sure if I get my point across but then you review and I'm like phew got the job done. The character interactions in this chapter, and the next are probably some of the funniest in the story thus far. And yes, her boss knows what the sword is... But that is an explanation for another chapter down the line.
Wanderer of the Roads- Isolde is kind of guarded with her emotions, so when she spills them, its kind of quick and fast, aka a virgin boy. I tried to show how hard it was for her to express grief at the beginning of the chapter, so her expressing what she feels for Tristan to Lancelot was a big step in her character development, or a moment of desperation, take it for what you will. That was a horrible analogy, I do apologize.