Okay, this chapter basically just sets up for the next one. Yes, I know, a little repetitive about the wondering what's going to happen, but trust me... the answer lies in younder 14th chapter! Hope ya'll enjoy!
Stokes
lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Finn sat at the campfire, her tears now dried from the heat that radiated from the flickering flame. How could he be so hurtful? How could he have said all those things before, of love and devotedness, and turned on her so suddenly? It really was a ridiculous fight when she thought of it. She should have begged him to take her with him, then there would've been no hesitation in his belief of her love for him.
She heard giggling and the rustling of footsteps in shriveled leaves and snow and out of the corner of her eye, she saw three young ladies watching Lancelot as he stalked past them, a most sour look on his face. She bit her lip as her heart strings tugged. What if he truly did love her?
But what if it had all been a ploy? Could it have been that he had previously only wanted to bed her, and thus said all those maddeningly sweet things to make her fall in love with him? It would explain why now he so suddenly wanted to brush her from his side. But somehow, as much as she tried to convince herself that this had been his plan all along…she had seen in his eyes his feelings had been true.
Which left her to wonder what would happen when that day came.
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Lancelot bit into the stale bit of bread and ripped the mouthful from the loaf, as he stared intently at Finn. It had been a week since their argument, and he had avoided her with all the determination he could muster. He did not want to see her hurt, and hurt he did recognize in her eyes each time he retreated from the campfire. But it was best that they try and ease themselves into the idea of not being constantly together.
He knew she still harbored feelings for him, but at the same time her hot glares that she shot at him made his own anger bubble to the surface, and soon they were back at the start, glaring at one another as if their quarrel were freshly fought.
Finn was at the moment rocking a small boy on her knee, singing a low tune that only his ears and the young child were privileged enough to hear. Of course, he was straining to hear, eaves dropping some would say, but her voice was so sweet he could not help his intent ear.
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Baby sleep, Gently sleep,
Life is long and love is deep,
Time will be, sweet for thee
All the world to see.
Time to look about and know,
Though the shadows come and go,
How the breeze, stirs the trees,
How the blossoms grow.
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Her voice trailed off as the toddler's head sagged on her shoulder, and a small smile tugged her lips into that lush crooked smile he'd secretly missed so deeply. He inwardly scolded himself. When had he become such a mush filled dope? Of course, he could charm the ladies and romance any woman, but his feelings were rarely if ever true. This thought sickened him.
What if he was letting go the one thing that would most make him happy? He'd been told as a boy by his mother that for every man there is his fated woman, his mate, his match. One match? How could he be certain he was not about to leave his behind?
She stood and hoisted the boy onto her hip, carrying him to what Lancelot supposed was his wagon, and laid him down. As she began to coax the small boots from his feet, Lancelot watched her face. No longer smiling down at the sweet little boy, her face was one of deep concentration and turmoil. He supposed she was thinking of him. He was the only one to ever bring pain to her pale pretty face.
She was better without him. But was he better without her?
For the next week he would watch her in secret, never missing a movement, never missing a frown or crease of brow. He watched her so often, he felt he knew her actions before she herself made them. He drank her in, everything. He needed something to remember on those nights he would spend alone at the Wall without her.
Every move drove him to insanity and soon, he was not so sure his noble intention to leave her behind would remain intact.
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"And so, the dragon rears up and swallows the monk whole, 'cept one of his shoes left lying at the cave entrance." "That's not true Tomas…it's just a story!" "Hush your mouth, you old trout. You never let the truth get in the way of a good story!" Lancelot watched as Finn's eyes lit up and a laugh bubbled from her throat. He should have been laughing with her but instead he grimaced and drank even more deeply from the wooden goblet he clutched tightly in his hand. He watched her, his eyes never leaving her, as she watched the old couple bicker comically. She was smiling widely and the light from the open flames bathed her marble complexion in gold making her seem like a goddess. She tugged the loosely weaved shawl around her and though not an inch of bare flesh was visible, he'd never found her more desirable. Tonight might be their last together. And that thought lit a flame in the pit of his stomach that he knew he could not extinguish.
"He's watchin' you again love." Tomas said as he sipped his tea gingerly. Finn blinked and looked over to the knights who were playing bar games with the local boys, throwing knives and drinking heartily. There stood Lancelot and he did not even attempt to hide the fact that he was watching her openly. It made her face burn and she held his gaze for a few moments before she looked away. It was easy to identify the heated look in his deep eyes…the one he'd held at bay while her side healed. The one she herself had been hiding away.
"It's lovely." Gierty sighed wistfully. Then suddenly she hit Tomas in the gut, making him sputter his tea. "Why don't you ever look at me that way?" she scolded. Tomas merely raised an eyebrow.
"Probably cause you're large as a cow and whiny as a fiddle." He said under his breath. But as he looked up he realized he'd been heard and smiled charmingly. "Give us a kiss, my love." He said as he leaned forward only to be awarded a sharp smack in the mouth. "Oy, I bet your man doesn't get slapped about like this." He said motioning to Gierty who glared at him with deadly intention. Finn grimaced and played with the hem of the shawl.
"He's not my man." She said quietly, her face now gloomy. Gierty and Tomas stared empathetically at the young girl.
"Surely a lady like yourself has been proposed to..?" Gierty said as she cast a sideways glance at the knight who continued to watch her adoringly. Finn let out a laugh under her breath before she tossed her hair over her shoulder. She hadn't told anyone of Alden's proposal, as he'd left the day he'd asked, and she wasn't sure of her answer.
"Not by the man I want…" she trailed off, as she felt her stomach lurch. Lancelot was leaving tomorrow. And still he'd said nothing about her leaving with them.
"You know lass," Tomas said, drawing her gaze up to him, "sometimes a man needs a bit of helping. They can't all be as romantically intelligent as me." Gierty snorted at that, and didn't do a thing to try and contain her fit of giggles. "What are you laughin' at woman?" "Yes you really were charming." She said in between chuckles. "You saw me, wanted me and ten years later you got me." "The bloody cheek of it." Tomas grumbled.
"Yes, indeed, he certainly was an idiot when it came to romancing me." Gierty chuckled. He growled before pouncing on her and the two started giggling and laughing. Finn smiled before standing and leaving them to their business. She had much to think about and somehow she thought that Tomas and Gierty would be too distracting.
She wandered into the woods, no longer afraid of the darkness there. She was home and the darkness here was familiar and safe. In her mind at least. She trailed her hand along the trees as she passed them, kicking the snow with her boots, and looked up at the large full moon. The wind blew softly so that the few leaves left on the trees fluttered and floated to the ground, tossing in the breeze. She'd always been in love with the woods and its romantic atmosphere.
She came to the wagon which was abandoned for the night as the traveling party had furious fun with the local Sarmatians. She touched one of the holes left by an armor piercing. It seemed like forever since that day. It had been three weeks, but still, she could remember it as if it were a few hours before.
She really should have hid in safety in the wagon. But when she'd seen Lancelot in danger, there was no real choice between her safety and his life.
She sighed and gripped the siding of the wagon as she hoisted herself up, unaware of a silhouetted figure coming out of the pitch blackness. She gently tugged the ribbon from her hair so that it fell down onto her shoulders lightly. She sighed as she pushed back the blankets and began to pull at the bindings of her dress. When it fell away, she let it drop down to her feet and kicked it into a corner. She stood naked except for the light brown slip that hung just to mid-thigh.
The figure loomed at the edge of the wagon and watched her, her back turned to him. She sat down and pulled the blankets up to her and lay back against the pelts on the floor
Stokes
lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Finn sat at the campfire, her tears now dried from the heat that radiated from the flickering flame. How could he be so hurtful? How could he have said all those things before, of love and devotedness, and turned on her so suddenly? It really was a ridiculous fight when she thought of it. She should have begged him to take her with him, then there would've been no hesitation in his belief of her love for him.
She heard giggling and the rustling of footsteps in shriveled leaves and snow and out of the corner of her eye, she saw three young ladies watching Lancelot as he stalked past them, a most sour look on his face. She bit her lip as her heart strings tugged. What if he truly did love her?
But what if it had all been a ploy? Could it have been that he had previously only wanted to bed her, and thus said all those maddeningly sweet things to make her fall in love with him? It would explain why now he so suddenly wanted to brush her from his side. But somehow, as much as she tried to convince herself that this had been his plan all along…she had seen in his eyes his feelings had been true.
Which left her to wonder what would happen when that day came.
lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Lancelot bit into the stale bit of bread and ripped the mouthful from the loaf, as he stared intently at Finn. It had been a week since their argument, and he had avoided her with all the determination he could muster. He did not want to see her hurt, and hurt he did recognize in her eyes each time he retreated from the campfire. But it was best that they try and ease themselves into the idea of not being constantly together.
He knew she still harbored feelings for him, but at the same time her hot glares that she shot at him made his own anger bubble to the surface, and soon they were back at the start, glaring at one another as if their quarrel were freshly fought.
Finn was at the moment rocking a small boy on her knee, singing a low tune that only his ears and the young child were privileged enough to hear. Of course, he was straining to hear, eaves dropping some would say, but her voice was so sweet he could not help his intent ear.
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Baby sleep, Gently sleep,
Life is long and love is deep,
Time will be, sweet for thee
All the world to see.
Time to look about and know,
Though the shadows come and go,
How the breeze, stirs the trees,
How the blossoms grow.
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Her voice trailed off as the toddler's head sagged on her shoulder, and a small smile tugged her lips into that lush crooked smile he'd secretly missed so deeply. He inwardly scolded himself. When had he become such a mush filled dope? Of course, he could charm the ladies and romance any woman, but his feelings were rarely if ever true. This thought sickened him.
What if he was letting go the one thing that would most make him happy? He'd been told as a boy by his mother that for every man there is his fated woman, his mate, his match. One match? How could he be certain he was not about to leave his behind?
She stood and hoisted the boy onto her hip, carrying him to what Lancelot supposed was his wagon, and laid him down. As she began to coax the small boots from his feet, Lancelot watched her face. No longer smiling down at the sweet little boy, her face was one of deep concentration and turmoil. He supposed she was thinking of him. He was the only one to ever bring pain to her pale pretty face.
She was better without him. But was he better without her?
For the next week he would watch her in secret, never missing a movement, never missing a frown or crease of brow. He watched her so often, he felt he knew her actions before she herself made them. He drank her in, everything. He needed something to remember on those nights he would spend alone at the Wall without her.
Every move drove him to insanity and soon, he was not so sure his noble intention to leave her behind would remain intact.
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"And so, the dragon rears up and swallows the monk whole, 'cept one of his shoes left lying at the cave entrance." "That's not true Tomas…it's just a story!" "Hush your mouth, you old trout. You never let the truth get in the way of a good story!" Lancelot watched as Finn's eyes lit up and a laugh bubbled from her throat. He should have been laughing with her but instead he grimaced and drank even more deeply from the wooden goblet he clutched tightly in his hand. He watched her, his eyes never leaving her, as she watched the old couple bicker comically. She was smiling widely and the light from the open flames bathed her marble complexion in gold making her seem like a goddess. She tugged the loosely weaved shawl around her and though not an inch of bare flesh was visible, he'd never found her more desirable. Tonight might be their last together. And that thought lit a flame in the pit of his stomach that he knew he could not extinguish.
"He's watchin' you again love." Tomas said as he sipped his tea gingerly. Finn blinked and looked over to the knights who were playing bar games with the local boys, throwing knives and drinking heartily. There stood Lancelot and he did not even attempt to hide the fact that he was watching her openly. It made her face burn and she held his gaze for a few moments before she looked away. It was easy to identify the heated look in his deep eyes…the one he'd held at bay while her side healed. The one she herself had been hiding away.
"It's lovely." Gierty sighed wistfully. Then suddenly she hit Tomas in the gut, making him sputter his tea. "Why don't you ever look at me that way?" she scolded. Tomas merely raised an eyebrow.
"Probably cause you're large as a cow and whiny as a fiddle." He said under his breath. But as he looked up he realized he'd been heard and smiled charmingly. "Give us a kiss, my love." He said as he leaned forward only to be awarded a sharp smack in the mouth. "Oy, I bet your man doesn't get slapped about like this." He said motioning to Gierty who glared at him with deadly intention. Finn grimaced and played with the hem of the shawl.
"He's not my man." She said quietly, her face now gloomy. Gierty and Tomas stared empathetically at the young girl.
"Surely a lady like yourself has been proposed to..?" Gierty said as she cast a sideways glance at the knight who continued to watch her adoringly. Finn let out a laugh under her breath before she tossed her hair over her shoulder. She hadn't told anyone of Alden's proposal, as he'd left the day he'd asked, and she wasn't sure of her answer.
"Not by the man I want…" she trailed off, as she felt her stomach lurch. Lancelot was leaving tomorrow. And still he'd said nothing about her leaving with them.
"You know lass," Tomas said, drawing her gaze up to him, "sometimes a man needs a bit of helping. They can't all be as romantically intelligent as me." Gierty snorted at that, and didn't do a thing to try and contain her fit of giggles. "What are you laughin' at woman?" "Yes you really were charming." She said in between chuckles. "You saw me, wanted me and ten years later you got me." "The bloody cheek of it." Tomas grumbled.
"Yes, indeed, he certainly was an idiot when it came to romancing me." Gierty chuckled. He growled before pouncing on her and the two started giggling and laughing. Finn smiled before standing and leaving them to their business. She had much to think about and somehow she thought that Tomas and Gierty would be too distracting.
She wandered into the woods, no longer afraid of the darkness there. She was home and the darkness here was familiar and safe. In her mind at least. She trailed her hand along the trees as she passed them, kicking the snow with her boots, and looked up at the large full moon. The wind blew softly so that the few leaves left on the trees fluttered and floated to the ground, tossing in the breeze. She'd always been in love with the woods and its romantic atmosphere.
She came to the wagon which was abandoned for the night as the traveling party had furious fun with the local Sarmatians. She touched one of the holes left by an armor piercing. It seemed like forever since that day. It had been three weeks, but still, she could remember it as if it were a few hours before.
She really should have hid in safety in the wagon. But when she'd seen Lancelot in danger, there was no real choice between her safety and his life.
She sighed and gripped the siding of the wagon as she hoisted herself up, unaware of a silhouetted figure coming out of the pitch blackness. She gently tugged the ribbon from her hair so that it fell down onto her shoulders lightly. She sighed as she pushed back the blankets and began to pull at the bindings of her dress. When it fell away, she let it drop down to her feet and kicked it into a corner. She stood naked except for the light brown slip that hung just to mid-thigh.
The figure loomed at the edge of the wagon and watched her, her back turned to him. She sat down and pulled the blankets up to her and lay back against the pelts on the floor