Jeslyn emitted a small cry and raced to Lancelot dropping to her knees at the bed's edge. She grabbed his hand and started laying kisses upon it. Arthur moved to the door quickly and bellowed for Dagonet. Then he turned and looked at his best friend with unshed tears.

"It does not appear you've been taking care of yourself my love." His dark eyes pierced her.

"I was so scared."

"I'm much too stubborn to go off and leave you to raise our children alone. Especially after all we've been through." Lancelot sat up in bed, and motioned for her to join him. She crawled on top of the sheets and he pulled her to him. He held her closely as she began to weep on his bare chest.

Dagonet entered the room at a run. "So the man decides to stop being so lazy!" he grinned as he saw his friend awake. "And arms already full of woman, it figures!"

Lancelot returned the man's grin. "It's far too difficult to pass this woman up my friend."

"Perhaps now she will rest and eat properly." Dagonet said with a slight frown.

"I guarantee it." He placed a kiss to Jes's forehead. "In fact, I myself am hungry. Would someone be kind enough to bring us something to eat?"

Dagonet was pleased and left the room to see about a meal. Arthur was still smiling dazedly. "I will go and tell the others you've woken."

"You were sleeping for so long…" she whispered.

He'd never seen her so fragile. Her body felt like skin and bones in his arms, and it was easy to see where she'd lost weight. "How will our child grow strong if you are not eating?"

"I just couldn't. Every time I put food into my mouth I got sick. I was so scared you wouldn't come back to me." She cuddled in closer.

"Enough of that, I am here with you. Now we focus on making you healthy."

"How are you feeling?" she asked tensely.

"I feel as if my body is tired. Not my mind, just my limbs. No soreness, no pain, just weak."

"You've been lying there for a month."

"A month! Are you telling me that no one was able to persuade you to leave during that month?" he asked scowling.

"I wouldn't. I didn't care what they threatened. I spent time with the twins, they come in here every day, and then Vanora takes them out to play with her brood."

"What are their names?"

"Finn and Gaia." She told him tracing circles on his exposed chest. "They're so funny. They come over to you and insist on being placed next to you. They kiss your cheeks. Rosemerta is so happy we want to care for them. She misses her son and his wife very much."

"She will always have a place with us." He murmured content to lie holding her. Lancelot placed his hand on her belly. "And our child is well, but won't stay that way if you continue to disregard your health."

"I'm sorry. I know these things, hell, I'm a nurse. I just couldn't move. I just kept praying wake up, wake up. If I left, what if you woke up and I wasn't here? I just wanted to be here." She sighed and the tension began to leave her.

"It's all over now Love, we move forward now."

"The first thing we're doing when you feel strong enough is see Dagonet and Larissa wed. Then Tonia and Tristan, Carly and Gawain, and Danni and Galahad." She had a pleased look on her face. Lancelot was awake, her friends were happy and getting married, she was a mother of twins, and she had a baby on the way. There wasn't anything else she could ask for. "Now you're awake, life is pretty much perfect."

"They waited?"

"Well of course they did. You're their friend. They love you and were worried for you." She told him as the door to the room opened and Dagonet entered with Larissa and a tray full of food.

"Well finally!" the little redhead gave Lancelot a mock glare. "Maybe you'll be able to talk sense into your frustrating and highly pigheaded girlfriend."

"Girl-friend?"

"It's a term used to describe people who are together in a romantic sense." Jes explained. "I'm sorry Larissa, really I am. I'll be better now."

Larissa gave a sniff. "Well, you'd better be. We don't want Aunty Larissa's niece or nephew not getting a good start on life."

Dagonet set the tray on the bed, and Lancelot dug in with a voracious appetite. Larissa smiled as she saw him feeding Jes. Sometimes it would seem as if the blonde would protest, and he'd look at her with those eyes. Then she'd open her mouth and take the food from him meekly. After the food was gone, and they'd had pleasant conversation with Larissa and Dagonet, the beaming couple left the room.

"You did not eat as much as I would have liked." Lancelot frowned.

"I'll eat more later. I promise." She kissed his cheek.

"Come, I wish to go outside and breathe the fresh air." He told her and slowly got to his feet. She hovered making sure he was steady once standing. They walked slowly out into the large courtyard area and found the other knights and their ladies were already waiting.

"Well, you look as pale as a baby's ass!" Bors shouted good-naturedly.

"And I'm still ten times better looking at you." Lancelot quipped. Gawain and Galahad laughed heartily. "Where is Peledorn?"

Gawain began snickering, and Bors answered. "The boy's gone and become smitten with Vella, Rosemerta's maid."

"They're very sweet together." Carly giggled.

"That is good. He needed a woman of his own." Lancelot was nodding. "Is he staying then?"

"Arthur wanted to wait until you awakened before we decided. It should be something we all agree on since we are the original Knights, well, all that are left as it is." Galahad spoke.

"He is a good man. A strong fighter. I believe he would be an asset." Lancelot said seriously. He couldn't hold the kiss that Peledorn had shared with Jes against the man. It wasn't as if it wasn't partially Lancelot's fault it had happened anyway.

"It's glad I am to see you awake!" Vanora rushed out the door and hugged Lancelot to her tightly. "Don't you be going off and doing that anymore! You scared the children, and the men!"

"Hmph! I wasn't scared!" Bors growled.

"Neither was I," Gawain smiled. "He only got struck in the chest, we all know Lancelot has no heart so what real harm could it do?" Gawain teased. Jes smacked him on the arm just as Carly was smacking him on the leg. "You see the abuse I take!"

Though she was smiling Jeslyn was exhausted, Lancelot could see this. "I believe it's time for me to head back inside to my chambers. I'm still quite tired." Danni looked about to say something, but he inclined his head to Jes every so slightly.

"Yes, it is good for you to rest." Dagonet nodded.

"Would it be possible for someone to bring Finn and Gaia in?" Jes asked.

"I'll go get them." Tonia offered. As soon as she stood Tristan stood as well and they went off hand in hand.

Jeslyn and Lancelot headed back to his chambers and she made sure he was in bed, sitting up comfortably. She knew his strength would return quickly. He'd been in much too good of shape not to bounce back. Still, she worried. The door to the room opened and Tonia and Tristan entered with the twins.

Lancelot felt himself staring into two of the brightest pairs of ice blue eyes he'd ever seen. As soon as they saw Jeslyn they started reaching for her. As soon as they saw Lancelot they started bouncing up and down excitedly. Tonia and Tristan set the children down, and left the new family alone.

The boy, Finn, was babbling excitedly to Jeslyn, and every once in awhile Lancelot was able to pick up a recognizable word. Gaia stood leaning on the edge of the bed staring at him. She lifted her arms in the air when she knew he was watching. "Up." She demanded. He obliged and set her next to him on the bed. The child's soft brown curls framed her pixie face, and her sweet cherub lips were upturned in an impish grin. "Da." She announced and smacked his chest with her small hand. Lancelot felt something welling up inside of him. Finn had looked over when his sister spoke. "Da." He repeated.

Jes sat on the edge of the bed and didn't speak as Lancelot tried to control his churning emotions. Here was a man who mere months ago had thought he would never have a family; a man whose entire life had taken a one hundred and eighty degree turn upon meeting her. She understood because it was similar to how she felt, but she knew that it felt so right to hold these children.

"They sleep in the room attached to this one. For now." She said softly as the children started playing together quietly. "Now that you're awake I can move back to my chambers and they can come with me."

Lancelot frowned at her. "What makes you think you'll be moving back to those chambers? These are your chambers now Jeslyn. Your place is here with me. Our place is together. Whether that's here in the Keep, or it's fighting side by side, our place is together." He caught her face between both of his hands. "It took me far too long to realize that, and I'm not wasting another moment on foolish pride."

Lancelot heard music. It was lovely and it brought him out of his sleep. The sight in front of him made his mouth dry. His lovely Jeslyn sat submerged in a large steaming tub. Her hair was bundled on top of her head with small pieces escaping. The art on her back was spectacular and followed the sweet curve of her spine. She was washing, and singing to herself quietly. She stood, and he watched the water stream down her pale body. It was literally a breathtaking sight. She turned and found him watching her and blushed as she wrapped the towel around herself. "Would you like to bathe? The water's still hot."

He nodded once and stood. He undressed quickly and got into the water. Jeslyn sank to her knees on the side of the tub and began to wash him. "You don't have to do that." He muttered and she rubbed the soap into lather on his chest.

"I want to." She smiled. Jeslyn took her time bathing him and washing his hair. Then she took her time drying him off. She still wore the piece of fabric around her body that she'd used as a towel, and she pushed him back until his knees hit the bed. Jes pushed him to his back gently. She sat on the bed near him and ran her fingers lightly over his chest and abdomen. "I missed you so much." She whispered. "I just want to kiss you, touch you; I want to taste you." Jes slid down the bed and took him into her mouth.

Larissa stood in front of their bed staring into the looking glass. "Do you think I'm fat?" she asked frowning at her reflection.

Dagonet sat on the bed in nothing but breeches. The woman was going to kill him. The past few weeks she'd been insatiable wanting a tumble every time he turned around. He'd just loved her thoroughly, and now she sat staring at her belly. "I think you are as beautiful today as the day I met you." He said in his quiet voice. "No one could compare to you."

She snorted in disbelief. "Please all of my friends are prettier." Finally, Larissa turned from the mirror with a smile. "Not that they'd ever admit it! In fact Jezzy and Danni would be mad at me for saying it."

"I will admit I am not pleased at hearing you speak this way." He frowned. Dagonet moved forward and wrapped his arms around her slightly expanding waist. "You are the most beautiful, precious woman that I have ever come across."

"I'm going to look like a beached whale soon." She said cuddling in closer to the big man.

"I don't know what that is, but just think, your friends will look the same." He was placing soft kisses on her belly now. "A symbol of our love resides in you now."

Gawain and Galahad strode out the entry to the tavern laughing hysterically at something Bors had said. "Gawain, what's Carly doing on that horse?"

Gawain looked quickly, and indeed his little spitfire was atop a horse and laughing! "Carly!" he bellowed and started striding towards her.

"Oh shit." She muttered. She started clearing her throat hoping to warn Danni, but she wasn't sure the other girl would hear. They'd just gotten back from an invigorating ride.

He and Galahad had almost reached her and kept waving her hand behind her back. "Carly what is it you think you're doing?" he asked in an extremely calm voice.

"Riding?" she blinked at him innocently.

"Should you be, do you think?"

"Sure, it's not like I'm an invalid Gawain." She sneered slightly.

"And what, pray tell, would you have done had the horse thrown you, or you'd fallen off?" his voice was still calm.

Her eyes widened slightly. "Honestly Gawain, I never thought of it. I wasn't out there jumping fences or anything!"

Danni chose that moment to ride up to them, her cheeks flushed with the ride. Galahad's face was practically turning purple. "Daniela?" he asked tightly.

"Oh hey Babe. We went out for a ride. Just couldn't sit still at all."

"Yeah, it seems they aren't pleased we were out for a jaunt." Carly said sourly.

Danni raised her eyebrows at the men. "Excuse me. We're not little children who need to be told what to do and when to do it. We're in good health and wanted to get some air."

"Yeah!" Carly piped in. "So if you have a problem with that, you can take a hike!"

"But.." Gawain started.

"I'm not sure about Carly, but I certainly don't want to marry a man who thinks he can order me about." Danni sat straighter in her saddle.

"We didn't say that." Galahad was frowning heavily.

"You might want to think about what you were saying." Danni offered.

"Perhaps we would just feel better, as fathers, if we were to accompany you when you rode?" Gawain looked at Carly tenderly.

"That way if something were to happen to either of you, we would be there to help." Galahad finished.

"I think we can live with that." Carly said, her face relaxing.

Tonia perused the vegetables carefully. She was craving apples, and couldn't figure out why. She liked them, but they'd never been her favorite by any means.

"Aren't they lovely?"

Tonia turned to see an attractive brunette man standing next to her. "Quite."

"They remind me of the apples grown where I grew up right outside of Rome."

Tonia motioned the merchant she'd like five and paid the man after he'd wrapped her purchase. "Enjoy your day." She told the man speaking to her, and turned to leave.

"I'm new here." He said abruptly and turned with her to walk. "Perhaps you can tell me where to find King Arthur?"

"You'll find Arthur that way." She said pointing to the direction of the battlements.

"Thank you Lady." He smiled at her, and she could see his interest shining in his pale eyes. "Perhaps I will see you again?"

Tonia was about to speak with she felt a presence and knew Tristan had joined them. She gave him a swift smile. "Hello Dearheart. I was just showing Sir..?"

"Jacob."

"Sir Jacob where he could find Arthur."

Tristan spared Tonia a slight smile. "Did you get the apples you've been wanting?"

"Yes, and I got you one too."

"If you didn't already own it I'd say you were trying to steal my heart." He bantered then turned to Jacob. "I will take you to Arthur."

With one final smile to both men Tonia turned and left them. Tristan started walking towards the steps leading to the top of the battlements, and Jacob hurried to catch up. "Is she your Lady then?" he asked Tristan breathlessly.

"Tonia is her own woman, however she is to be my wife." He answered quietly.

"Then you are truly a blessed man."

Tristan stopped for a moment and considered the man's words. "Yes. Yes, I am."