AN: Its been a while since I got to update anything. My new job takes up too much time. But I can't complain in a job market like this. Only two more chapters before this is finished. Again, thank you all for reading and enjoying the story, I have loved writing this. :) Enjoy the newest chapter.

Chapter Fourteen

Destiny Changes

Tristan didn't share Liara's bed much after he returned. He rarely spoke to her and his time was usually spent between working and training with is men and the time he could spare for Ellia. Normally Liara would not have minded, but with her emotions running wild with her pregnancy, it didn't help her to have her husband ignoring her. She would go from a blinding rage to crying for hours because of it.

She was largely pregnant, past the point where she could pick Ellia up from the ground. Cerise was more helpful than ever and Orea had taken to teaching the younger girl. Tristan was helping Calix recover and had been giving him jobs to do around the house along with the help he provided Vanora.

It hurt Liara to see Tristan giving a boy more attention that her, but she didn't push him. She never said anything to him even though she wanted to scream and yell at him because she was scared. In her heart, she didn't know if she would ever be close to Tristan again after becoming pregnant with the child he didn't want.

The only thing that kept her sane was Lancelot's company. He had taken to coming over every day, just before supper and staying until well after sunset. He talked to her, doted on her and even massaged her feet. Liara could see in Lancelot's eyes that he was trying to make up for Tristan's blatant absence from her latest pregnancy. But she also knew there was another reason and her suspicions were confirmed a month after their return.

Liara was practically alone in the house. Orea had gone to the market. Calix was at Vanora's. Cerise was working in the garden. Ellia was asleep for her afternoon nap. And Liara hadn't seen Tristan for almost two days. She was sitting at the table, trying not to cry while the baby in her stomach flipped around and around when the door opened to show Lancelot looking slightly rushed.

"Lancelot?" Liara asked concerned.

"Where is everyone?" He asked walking in and looking around the area.

"Out," She answered giving him a side-ways glance.

Seeing the house was indeed empty, Lancelot sat in front of her at the table. "I need to ask you something." He said seriously.

He was quiet for a long minute before the suspense made Liara impatient. "Yes?" She asked.

"It is difficult." He said painfully.

"I cannot read your mind." She pointed out.

"That would be too easy." He sighed, leaning back in his chair.

Liara waited again, studying her normally well composed and self-assured friend as he seemed to panic before her eyes.

"I need your permission." He finally managed to say after his long struggle.

"What would you need my permission for?" She asked taken back.

"To ask Cerise to marry me." He answered quietly.

Liara was sure her ears had just played a trick on her. She blinked a few times and shook her head, thinking she heard wrong. "Excuse me?" She asked confused.

Lancelot took in a deep breath and looked Liara in the eye. "Can I have your permission to marry Cerise?" He repeated.

Liara was sure she would have fallen out of the chair if she wasn't so close to the table. "I don't know what shocks me more, the fact that you are asking someone permission or that you want to marry." She muttered in shock.

"This is serious." He said angrily.

Liara straightened herself and looked at him quizzically. "Why?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" He snapped.

"Why Cerise? Why now? Why?" She reiterated.

"She's beautiful and young and her soul is like mine. It has hurts that went deep and shattered her. We are in pieces separately and we could be whole together." He explained thoughtfully.

Lancelot's speech of such sincere and romantic words, made tears form in her eyes and her lip tremble, especially since he was normally so vulgar and her emotions were heightened from her pregnancy.

"Why are you crying?" Lancelot asked horrified.

"It's just very sweet." She said as she wiped away the tears from her eyes.

"Don't cry about it." He said uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry."

Lancelot looked at her expectantly, waiting for her answer. "What is your answer?" He asked impatiently.

"I won't answer that, because it's not my place to. She is her own woman. She is the one you need to ask." She said firmly.

He groaned and dropped his head into his hands. He pulled at his hair, muttering to himself.

"You can't ask her, can you?" She asked in shock.

"I don't think she likes me." He said self-consciously.

Liara looked at the broken man before her. He was troubled and difficult at times but he still deserved to be happy and so did Cerise. He would also be a good husband and father if he could put his mind to it. She decided in that moment, she would help him and Cerise be happy if she couldn't be.

"I will help you win her over, but I need you to go. Come back tomorrow." She ordered.

"Are you sure?" He asked with concern and she almost started crying again because she knew he was asking on her behalf, not Cerise's.

Liara nodded. "I am sure." She said quietly.

Lancelot nodded and left. She sighed and shook her head, wondering what she was going to do with all of the love that seemed to be going to everyone but her. Just the thought made her feel like crying again so she struggled up the stairs to her room where Ellia slept and crawled in bed with her daughter. She knew if anyone in the world loved her unconditionally, it was little girl she birthed.

The nap was interrupted by Cerise checking on them. Ellia didn't stir, but the door opening woke Liara. She opened her eyes, hoping for Tristan and seeing Cerise. She hid the disappointment from her eyes by blinking and very slowly sat up.

"I didn't mean to wake you." Cerise whispered.

"It's alright," Liara whispered back with a smile.

Getting out of the bed, Liara creeped out of the room with Cerise and went down stairs. They sat at the table together, with clothes that needed mending and they sat in silence.

Liara watched Cerise for a moment. She was fully focused on her task and looked calm while she worked. Liara could easily see Cerise as a mother and wife and she knew she would be content in that life, much like she was with Tristan and Ellia.

"Cerise, have you thought about taking a husband?" Liara asked innocently.

The younger girl blushed. "I don't think anyone would have me." She mumbled.

"I think you are wrong." Liara said surely.

Liara could see her words affected Cerise enough to make her still completely. She looked back down to the clothes in her hand and went back to stitching them so Cerise didn't see the smirk on her face.

"Lancelot is coming for dinner tomorrow and I want to make him something special for helping me, could you help?" Liara asked hopefully, still looking at the cloth.

"Of course," Cerise said with a nod, shaking herself out of the daze Liara had thrown her in.

"Wonderful." Liara smiled.

Orea came and helped them for an hour and then they all went to bed. Tristan was nowhere to be seen and Liara went back to her bed, where Ellia was still asleep and changed into her night gown and laid with her daughter.

She fell asleep easily and slept soundly for some time before she was woken by Ellia crawling over her. Liara pried her eyes open and looked into the deep brown eyes of her daughter through the dark.

"It's not morning yet, my sweet." Liara whispered.

Ellia just started making her baby noises and bounced around the bed.

Liara sighed and began to try and get out of bed so she could take Ellia down to the kitchen to eat. Not long after she managed to sit up her door opened and Tristan walked in, causing Ellia to squeal loudly.

Tristan shushed her and walked up to the bed, holding his arms out to her. Ellia stood uneasily and held her little arms up. Tristan swooped her up and was about to leave.

"Wait," Liara said quietly.

Tristan froze in his spot, but didn't look back at her. Liara felt like throwing something at his head for not at least looking at her in the eye.

"Lancelot wants to marry Cerise." She told him, feeling anger coursing through her veins.

"I know," He said lowly.

"Do you have any objections?" She asked with a huff of annoyance.

"No," He answered crossly and left the room.

Liara cursed him silently and went back to her empty bed where tears flowed freely from her eyes and she spent the rest of the night suffering alone.

The next morning Liara had already planned everything for dinner. She went to town alone and found Lancelot, explaining the plan to him. He didn't feel completely confident about it, but she was able to convince him. When she went back to her home Ellia was still with Tristan and Cerise had left to go with her brother to Vanora's, leaving her alone with Orea. Liara explained her plan to the older woman and left her smiling. Orea was more than glad to help Cerise on her way to happiness.

Cerise arrived back two hours before dinner and they all started preparing Lancelot's favorite, meat and potatoes. Tristan came and left Ellia with them before he was gone again. They all assumed he wouldn't come back for dinner since he was leaving so late and for once Liara was glad. She knew Lancelot would be more nervous with another knight around while he tried to propose.

Lancelot arrived just as the meal was finished. Orea and Cerise already had the table set and the only thing that needed to be done was to dish out the food. Calix was eating at Vanora's and Tristan hadn't showed up like Liara had predicted leaving only Orea, Cerise, Ellia and Liara at the dinner table with Lancelot.

The meal was quiet, but comfortably so, at least for Cerise. Ellia became ornery and Orea took her to bed. Liara saw the perfect opportunity and started clearing the table of the dishes. Cerise helped and when they started to wash the dishes, Lancelot came into the kitchen.

"Cerise, can I speak to you alone?" He asked softly.

Cerise looked confused but nodded and dried her hands with a rag and left the kitchen with Lancelot.

Liara had a smirk on her lips as she watched the two of them leave.

The two were gone for some time. Orea had finished putting Ellia to bed and joined Liara in cleaning the house. When the kitchen and dining room were clean Orea and Liara had sat down at the table and waited for Cerise to return. When it had been almost an hour since she left, Cerise walked through the front door, with a bright blush burning on her cheeks and a smile stuck to her face.

"You were gone for a good while." Orea said smirking.

"I'm sorry I didn't help." Cerise said quickly.

"That's fine, did you enjoy your time with Lancelot?" Liara asked with a grin.

Cerise bit her lip and nodded, blushing even more, before she ran up the stairs. Orea and Liara shared a look as they stood and went to their respective bed rooms, knowing Lancelot's success.

AN: Review!