The snow was beginning to get to Tristan, the queasiness in his stomach was bothering him.Picking up his pace a bit, he huddled his armor closer to him and tooka deep breath. Letting it out lazily, he kept his eyes open and ears astute. Glancing up to the sky, he stopped short and stood still. i When was the last time I looked at the stars? I study and watch other people constantly, yet I don't notice the things that always watch me, like these stars. /i

"It's not often one catches a scouter off guard."

Tristan instinctively reeled around and drew out his bow and arrow, all in one quick and smooth motion. Aimed and ready to release, Tristan gasped a little before lowering his weapon. "My lady Guinevere, " he looked down at the soil, as if bowing, "I was not aware you were out here."

Guinevere stepped closer to Tristan, never taking his eyes off of him. Smirking coyly, she giggled a bit. "Yes you did. You're a scouter, it's your job to know where everybody is at any given time. You knew I was out here with you. Why did you ignore me?"

Silent for a moment, he answered her, "I was curious to know why you were following me, I decided to let you come forward first." Tristan was walking toward Guinevere and stopped a few feet away. The snow was beggining to fall lighter, yet the wind sped up and blew both heads of hair a bit wild. "Where were you hiding?"

"Why did you want me to come forward first?"

"You didn't answer my question-"

"Nor did you mine."

Tristan crossed his arms over his chest and exhaled slowly. They stood there and watched each other for long moments, soaking up each other's presence.

"Let's be honest Tristan." Guinevere began to walk toward him again and when she reached him, she placed her warm hands on his icy cheek and held it there, warming it. For a brief moment Tristan leaned into the warm and soft hand, but then just as quickly pulled away. Looking straight into Guinevere's eyes, he slowly began to take a few steps back and finally turned around to finish his scouting.

"Why am I so repulsive to you?!" Guinevere yelled to him through the wind, forcing him to stop in his tracks. "Of all the knights, it is i you /i who always remains cold. It has been three years since Badon Hill and still you cannot befriend me! What it is about me that you find so disgusting?!"

Taking a moment to consider her words, Tristan once again looked up to the stars and admired their simplicity and beauty. i Simplicity. Whatever happened to simplicity? /i Turning his head so his cheek faced Guinevere, he quietly said, "You are not repulsive."

Finally turning around completely, he gazed upon Guinevere and saw the single tear roll down her pale flawless skin.

"Then why do you avoid me? Why do you never come to our gatherings at the castle? Arhur says it's just your behaviour, but it's more than that. When I look into your eyes, I see nothing. Why must you block me out, I only want to be your friend!"

Keeping calm all throughout Guinevere's outburst, Tristan took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I don't need a friend. Why do you want to befriend me?"

"Because! Because I-" the single tear was now a river of them and Guinevere had trouble catching her breath. "Becuase I care for you. I care for you more than I should or want to, but I cannot help myself. I'm drawn to you and I wish so hard that I wasn't."

"I don't need you to care. I don't want you to care either."

"Then why do you follow me whenever I go horseback riding?! Why do send your hawk to keep an eye out on me whenever I go hunting?! Why is it that I always feel your eye on me every minute of the day?! Why?! Tell me!"

"You want to know why?!" Tristan finally erupted and released his long overdue anger. "You really want to know why?" He walked closer to her and stopped only inches from her face.

Staring straight back to his eyes, Guinevere stood her ground and did not back down. "Yes, I want to know."

Regaining his composure after his breif outburst, he was breathing heavier and heavier. "I follow you because I cannot stand to have you out of my sight, even for a second. When I send my hawk, it is to tell me of any dangers lurking in the forests that would put even a hairsbreath of a scratch on your beautiful skin. I watch you because I must see your radiant face every day or I would die; I need to see you smile because it's the only thing that makes me warm. And when I see your tears," he stopped briefly to gently wipe away one of Guinevere's falling tear, "I feel like my whole heart is breaking and my life is useless because I couldn't make you smile and stop you from crying. And yet when I see you happy with Arthur, it only reminds me of the love and life that I cannot ever have. So you see, I don't want your friendship for it will only be a stab in my heart which beats only for you."

Guinevere stod there, soaking in every word that Tristan just told her. Speechless and crying, she reached out to touch his cheek again and this time, when Tristan tried to pull away, she kept her grip on him. Gently but firmly grabbing her wrist, he pried it away from him, took her hand, and gently kissed it. A kiss so soft that Guinevere thought she might have imagined it had Tristan not said: "Even your warrior hands are soft at my lips."

"Tristan-"

"No." Dropping her hand he backed away slowly, with sadness brimming in his eyes. "Don't say anything, there is nothing to say." He turned his back and continued his duty as scouter, walking away from Guinevere.

Touching her hand that was just kissed, she stared at it for long moments and then... ran.

"Tristan!" She yelled after him and ran to catch up with him.

At hearing his name, Tristan turned to see Guinevere running towards him. Forgetting all his senses and warnings, he ran to catch up with her.

Catching her in his arms, their lips immediately locked and held. Tristan let his guard down to experience this one moment of heaven and taste a peice of the forbidden nectar. He took a bite and swallowed it whole, never wanting to let this woman go he held tighter and kissed more fervently. Taking and taking and only wanting more he searched only deeper within her mouth.

Guinevere openly and gladly offered all that she had to give and more, forgetting her husband and her responsibilities, she kissed and yearned for all that Tristan could give. Realizing that this was the most pure and genuine kiss she had ever recieved from anyone, she began to cry and only grab Tristan closer to her body. Reaching up to run her fingers through his madded hair, she took more and more and welcomed whatever Tristan was willing to give.

When Tristan finally pulled away he wondered how long they had been kissing? i Seconds? Hours? Eternity? /i

"Tristan, I want to be with you. I don't care about anything or anyone else, you say your beats for me, but my heart, life, and soul is only meant for you."

Breaking their gaze, Tristan looked at the stars again, for comfort and help. Turning back to her, he gently grabbed her face and smiled. "I love you. I always have and I always will, nothing, come hell or death, will ever stop me from loving you. But I can't go there with you, you have Arthur and he loves you too-"

"I don't-" She desperately tried to stop him.

"No. Listen, if I could live this life all over again, I would never leave you for a second. But I can't go there with you, I can't have you all to myself."

"Yes, yes you can." She barely whispered, the tears falling down even harder."

"Don't cry, my lady Guinevere. I would rather suffer a thousand deaths before I see you unhappy."

"But I will be forever unhappy without you."

"No, you love Arthur. I know you do, it is your fate to be with Arthur and unite Britain. But you won't be without me nor will I ever be without you, every night when I dream you will be there with me and only me."

"And when I dream, I will also have you only to myself."

"Then, my lady Guinevere, until we dream together." He gave her a deep bow, turned around, and walked back into the welcoming darkness of the forest, leaving Guinevere alone in the snow.

TBC