A/N: Eh, quicker? Thanks for the reviews! Oh, and I don't own anything…at all. Really, this laptop is my mothers.

A/N v.2: Oh, I went through and made things flow a little better. And so far...only 24 hits and NO reviews. I am saddened...

Chapter Ten: Festival, Part 1

The Midsummer Festival had not been celebrated Hadrian's for two years. So, when presented with the challenge of making the newly reformed city's festival the best, the people of the wall rose to the occasion.

Torches lined the main street to the top of the Hill, a lighted path to the festivities. At the center of that great mound, an enormous pit of fire burned, fed with large logs carried by more than five men. It illuminated the surroundings like the sun, which would help when the harvesting began. The bonfire burned away the humidity surrounding it, though did not help with the heat. It served as a warning to evil spirits, warding them off on this holy night.

Horse blankets littered the field, and long tables had been set up with every kind of food imaginable. People came, took what they liked, and sat to eat and enjoy the coming night. Music flittered around the people and the fire, coming from either home made instruments or, for those who were fortunate enough, ancient ones. Male and female Woads alike stood to dance, shouting like banshees into the sunset.

The predominantly pagan holiday was ignored, prayed upon, or warily attended by the Christians at the wall. However, the Woads and any others who took peace in the gods of nature felt giddy anticipation as the night arrived. Men and women painted blue, and wearing little else, walked through the streets before the festival began, laughing and dancing.

One girl, however, was shyly silent and bug-eyed at the people, skirting away from touching them and clinging to the man she walked with.

Lucan raised his eyebrows, smiling in amusement at Catherine, who had grabbed onto his arm.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently.

Catherine started and nodded, "Oh, yes, of course. I'm fine."

With her free hand, she hugged her stomach self-consciously; looking down at the white linen that she felt barely covered her body. It reached her toes, of course, where boots covered her feet. But Lucan told her she would probably be going barefoot by the end of the night, and she cringed at the thought. He had dictated her shoes to her as he had dictated the white linen. She had wished to put one of her gray work gowns over the skirt but he forbade it, insisting it would be much too hot and uncomfortable. She opted for putting as much as she could on, but only ended up with the thickest bodice she could find, made of sturdy wool. There was too much air about her legs, though, she thought.

Lucan had taken one look at her and laughed, "You look like a Christian, still." He had said. She hadn't known whether to take this as a compliment or not.

Lucan had chosen his lightest pair of breeches and a white tunic, and already he was itching to take it off. His eyes lingered on the Woads, envious of their free forms and bare skin.

"I thought you said you didn't have religion." Catherine commented, trying to get her mind off of her clothing.

"I did. When will you Christians understand? This isn't about religion; it's about fun and rejoicing for what we have. Tonight is just special, whether it's magical or not. Plants may be more potent, who knows? It doesn't matter." said Lucan, pulling Catherine out onto the main road, almost able to see the bonfire lighted ahead.

The sun was just setting and the orange colors of the sky made the small inferno blur, as if it continued into the heavens. Lucan sighed, thinking this was his favorite time of year.

The girl was silent and Lucan looked down to see what had bothered her. But Catherine simply looked up at the sky, biting her lip in contemplation.

"How about you try to think of it as a practical, beautiful night to gather herbs and medicines?" he teased.

She looked from the sky to him and shrugged, "Sure…"

"Don't worry, you can go to church to repent tomorrow."

She glared and he simply laughed, pulling her along further.

"Arthur, come, it will be good to take your mind off these problems." Guinevere prodded gently, wrapping her arms around her husband's shoulders.

The King shrugged her off, shaking his head, "No, I need to get these messages out at sunrise or before and they won't get done by themselves." He said distractedly.

Guinevere's hand lingered on his shoulder and she sighed.

"You go on." He said, looking up over his shoulder at her, smiling gently.

She nodded her head, "I'll only be gone a candle mark."

He smiled and nodded, turning back to his work.

Lucan chuckled lightly at the hand puppets as they walked by, watching the two lash out at each other with swords made of cloth. The Woads had set up a make-shift theatre for the night, and he could also see several stands where the Woads had set up their wares to be sold and Lucan's fingers lingered on one near the theater that sold puppets. The festival had always made him revert back to being a child again. He blushed and smiled bashfully when he caught Catherine giving him an appraising look.

Catherine was more interested in the glittering jewelry pieces and wooden carvings. She picked up the carved image of a bear, smiling as she turned it around.

"Would you like it?" Lucan asked from behind her.

Catherine turned quickly, still holding the bear, right into Lucan's chest. She laughed and shook her head, "Oh no. It would be a waste of money."

She smiled and put it down, walking away. Lucan watched her walk off, pausing, before following after her.

When Catherine rose from the blanket, some time later when the two were both fed and watered, Lucan reached up, pulling her back down on the blanket.

"Wait!" Lucan said, feeling Catherine almsot fall on top of him.

"What? I want to go with everyone else." She said, sounding slightly annoyed, though she was still in good spirits..

"You have to watch everyone go in, just once and then we can go." He said, standing next to her.

Catherine raised an eyebrow in question, about to ask just what they were going to watch when Lucan pointed over her shoulders. Catherine turned and her eyes widened at the light she saw. Hundreds of torches, like little fire bugs, scampered into the forest. From the top of the hill, the little lights were still visible even in the dense thicket, lighting up the wood. The voices of the many people buzzed like bees and Catherine sighed in contentment but was soon giddy to run after them.

"Come on, can we go now?" she asked, looking down at Lucan like child as she stood up.

He laughed and nodded, reaching down to take off his shoes. She slipped off her shoes as well and Lucan laughed when he looked back and caught her at it.

"What? It'll be more comfortable." She said, wrinkling her nose.

Lucan only shook his head and stood, slipping off his tunic.

When Catherine looked up her eyes widened before flickering away to the forest. Well, she thought, you could certainly see he was a soldier. Catherine looked back at the well formed chest for just a second and felt her face flush as Lucan looked down at her.

"Ready?" he asked, tying his hair back in a thin piece of leather. Catherine hadn't thought of bringing something to hold her hair with and suddenly felt even more self-conscious about the state of her appearance.

She nodded her head, unable to speak for a moment. She cleared her throat and forced a smile, "Yeah. Yes. Let's go."

Lucan smiled, looking more like a little boy then ever and grabbed her hand, puling her along at first. It wasn't long before Catherine had pulled ahead,

A/N: Enter Guinevere and sexual tension! Only one review!? AH! Oh well.