Disclaimer: As Chapter One; so please, for the love of God, do not make me keep writing it out people!
WARNING: BAD LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE AND SOME SEXUAL REFERENCES (though not too graphic) SO READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL.
All reviews, and constructive criticism, gratefully received – but no flaming please; and I will try to update regularly.
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Bethan & Lucan
Chapter Two – Learning and Loving
In the end, Bethan got her way and they were wed that evening. She went from being a stressed and upset brat about the whole ordeal (Gawain's words, which she accepted albeit grudgingly), to being the blushing bride they had expected (Galahad's observation, whom she hugged). Well, as blushing as Bethan would ever get (Lancelot and her father's opinion – which she loved the most)!
Her wild hair was tamed as best they could – she would not let them remove her plaits and so it was all tied back in a long ponytail. It showed her fine bone structure and tattoos off and her huge blue eyes made her look angelic. Everyone ignored her slight black eye and swollen lip; thankfully the swelling between her eyes had been dealt with, with the help of cold compresses.
She wore a plain deep midnight blue velvet dress with ties at the back; her favourite and, in fact, the only one she possessed. Given to her by Guinevere, and only brought out for special occasions; it draped in all the right places, had long sleeves which covered the many battle scars she already had on her arms, and hung beautifully over her small hands that could still take a head with one brutal cut of her swords. She bothered not with flowers to carry saying they were too fussy, and instead had a few flowers randomly put in her hair.
All those who saw her marvelled at the transformation. Even Gilly was suddenly impressed at the change in his sparring partner.
"My Goddess! She actually looks like girl!" he exclaimed loudly, as she passed him on Baden Hill for the ceremony; causing her father to hang on to her arm as she went to take a swing at him, muttering murderously "Do not take the piss Gilly!"
This caused all the knights to roar with laughter….it would seem you could take the girl out of the warrior's clothes, but not the warrior out of the girl.
Merlin had indeed turned up the same day as she had predicted, and had added his weight to the argument in favour of immediate marriage. Tristan was agreeable seeing what all the preparations were doing to his beloved daughter; Arthur and Dagonet were also keen to see the warring over. None of them liked to see Bethan upset, or Lucan; if they wished to marry now, why not? Why wait another two weeks?
So it was agreed, the only dissenter in the camp was Sandrina. She was keen to keep her daughter it was obvious, and could not imagine her being a wife at only 16; she felt she was far too wild to settle down - had hoped she might calm with age.
But she knew her own mother had been younger than Bethan, not more that 15, when she had joined with her father. She also knew that if her life had been different, and she had met Tristan earlier, she too would have married young.
The overriding factor for San was she knew how fiercely Bethan loved Lucan; so she relented, and hugged her daughter telling her she hoped she would be as happy as she was.
Milo was NOT happy however; she had consulted her little brother as he mattered equally as much as anyone else - if not more so as, despite the age gap, they were devoted to each other.
He loved Lucan, loved him like a brother – but he loved Bethan with all his little heart. He called her Kêmtir Mader which was Sarmatian for Little Mother, and she was a second mother to him. So to let her go to another…..well, he was not keen to say the least.
However, he wanted to see her happy and so long as she gave him her solemn word that they could be together whenever he wanted, he was a little mollified – he knew Bethan had never, ever broken her word to anyone about anything.
So the wedding went ahead, and a happier couple you could not have wished to see. Of course no one was to see the storm clouds gathering in the future; no one, except Merlin.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Merlin adored his blood; oh he loved Sandrina and Amila, but he doted on Bethan with all his heart. She was stubbornly proud of her heritage and if anyone asked what she was, intrigued by the matching tattoos to her father she had demanded on her 14th birthday, she would tell them "Woad/Sarmatian"; Never Briton.
When the Shaman asked her about it she told him that she was as proud to be a Woad, as she was a Sarmatian. These days many settlers and the like were calling themselves 'Britons', but few really were. She had the blood of the great Merlin's ancestors as well as the man himself running through her veins; she had a love of the old ways, the ancient ways - so she would be a 'Woad/Sarmatian' never 'Briton/Sarmatian'.
She had spoken with such passion and pride that he felt a great love for the small person in front of him who, at that time, had only been 12.
Lately he had been having bad dreams, he knew things would conclude well for her; but there would be trying times ahead for the one the Woads called 'a' allaidhsoirbheas', which was Woad for 'The Wild Fair Wind'.
So he had gone on an anal-duccaid or 'Breath Prayer' as the other pagans liked to call it, he needed to meditate and find direction. He found the path he was to travel was to the fort and to guide the people there as Destiny's new path began to unfurl. He could see it would ultimately be for the best; but still, he had a heavy heart at what was to come.
She was his light, his shining joy and he would choose her over any other as his successor. But that was all to the future, as well as a killer he would see she would be trained as a healer; it may not help her now, but there would come a time…….
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
The ceremony over, it was time for the festivities. There had not been much time to prepare a huge feast, but all brought something with them and soon there was food and drink enough for all.
She danced like a demon for most of the night; most of all with her new husband, but also the children from their group, even Bors', and including Gilly. But she ensured she saved dances for all her knights - especially her favourites, Gawain and Tristan.
"So, daughter?" her father smiled.
"So, father?" she reached up and pushed the hair out of his eyes. Blue ones regarded deep brown ones, both full of the love only a father and daughter as close as these two could understand.
"You are married and will be happy."
"That sounded almost like an order Papa!" she grinned, reverting to the pet name that she used now as well as Milo.
"Nay…not at all, just if you are not I will gut him like a fish; as much as I like him." was the mild reply.
She hooted with laughter "oh, papa! I love you so much!" she hugged him tight and for a moment, the merest moment, the other knights swore he held a tear in his eye. "I will do my best to make you a grandfather many times over before you are 40!" she grinned.
"On the Gods you will not!" he smiled "enjoy being married, have fun - the children will come believe me; but marriage is to be enjoyed if you know what I mean…." He cleared his throat as they changed sides in the dance again "I….."
"Papa, Mama already gave me 'the talk' - do not fret so!"
He was almost visibly relieved and the other knights groaned, they had been hoping to enjoy his discomfiture at giving 'the talk'…..
"Right, well…." he smiled - a faster song started and she reluctantly let the man go who had been more than a mere father to her, but her best friend and confidante too.
Tears stung her eyes as Gawain grabbed her round the waist for his turn, after him would be Galahad "What is it?" he asked a little concerned.
"He is a good man, is he not Gawain?" her voice proud despite the hitch in it, as they watched his retreating figure go to her mother.
"Aye, little scout, he is the very best of men." He hugged her "under all that blood thirsty temper you have a very soft heart do you not?" he asked with a grin, as he wiped the tears from her cheek with the pad of his thumb.
"Aye, and if you ever tell anyone I will kill you!" she laughed "for none have ever noticed that except you!"
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
All too soon it was time for them to leave; she led Lucan out the back way having spoken to her father and Gawain.
"Why do we not leave after saying our thanks and bidding all a good night?" he asked.
"You do not know the knights as I do Lucan; especially Bors and Lancelot! It will be safer for us this way my lovely husband, for we do not want to be disturbed tonight of all nights, surely?" She grinned innocently at him.
Realisation dawned on him and he grabbed her to him, pushing her against the wall behind her and kissing her soundly "nay, my love, we do not…….." she gave herself up to his kisses.
His lips locked with hers, their tongues exploring each other's mouths; his hands began to wander over her sides and up to her neck, pulling the dress down to expose her shoulder, he began to kiss her skin in little circles; his hands moving to the back and undoing the ties. She groaned as he nipped her earlobe, wound her hands in his hair pulling his face back to hers and kissing him deeply.
"We should not being doing this here…" she gasped, trying to regain her reeling senses.
"Come then…." He swept her into his arms and strode to her old room which they would now share.
He kicked the door open and then knocked it closed with his shoulder before laying her on her bed. "Your father thought it better here…." He grinned.
"He is right, I would hate to see what they have done to your parent's home; but I doubt our Dagonet will be best pleased!" she returned the smile.
He pushed her gently down onto the pillows, once again locking his mouth to hers for a few moments, before trailing his lips down to the shoulder of the dress. He pulled it down exposing her shoulders once more, but this time he kept pulling and suddenly it was off and she was only in her undergarments. She pulled his shirt over his head and ran her lips over his chest, causing him to groan her name.
Extremely quickly they were completely naked; for a few minutes they lay there unsure of what to do next, they had never gone this far before. But soon nature and their passion for each other took its course and by the end of the night they were really husband and wife; and had gone from being unsure novices to gaining an understanding of their need for each other, and their now deepening love.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
The next morning Bethan woke at dawn as usual. She went to rise only to find Lucan's heavy arm trapping her, she rolled over and watched him sleep. Her eyes alight with love just at the sight of him; she reached out to brush his unruly locks from his face.
Last night had been a revelation; it had hurt to start with but quickly the waves of pleasure had built; she had been as shocked as he at the intensity of their feelings.
Her mother had given her 'the talk' and so she had had a rough idea of what to expect, but nothing had really prepared her. He had cried out her name and she his, she knew then that no matter how they might fight, they loved each other deep down in their hearts. They were meant to be together; they had spent the rest of the night learning about each other.
She leant forward and kissed his lips with a feather light touch; he never moved, so she kissed him a little harder…..one eye opened, she could almost see him grin into the pillow "what?"
She stroked his face "I love you Lucan; I love you so much you will never know."
"Come here…." He rolled onto his back and she snuggled up to him "I love you too Bethan, with all my heart, body and soul. You know what else?" he blushed slightly "I am glad I waited for you. I am glad I did not do like the other lads and go with one of the tavern girls.
It would not have meant aught anyway; I learned with you last night. Naught you already knew like the fighting; or I did like the time I showed you how to make a new blade - we learnt together." He hugged her tightly to him "For once I felt we were on the same foot, and whatever happens now we are together and equal."
Something in the way he spoke made sense to her "You have never felt my equal have you?" she asked quietly, suddenly realising the truth about why he was so possessive.
He shook his head "Nay. You were always the better scout, fighter, rider; the knights accepted you as one of their own. You were always better than me at everything and I was jealous sometimes. Still am truth be told; I see you with the knights, and realise I will never truly be one of them. Not like you, and that hurts. They would always choose you over me, every time.
It is not just because of your father either; my father is a knight too……but they love you, they adore you. I was always worried that one of them, or someone like them, would take you away from me. I could not have borne that. I will never leave you, never……." He closed his eyes, until she stroked his face knowing he was still thinking of what to say.
"But I realise now that that is something outside of us, out there" he gestured to the door "in here we are just Bethan and Lucan. We are not the smithy's assistant and his warrior bride, the joke of the fort; no one can believe how I 'snared' you. How you, the allaidhsoirbheas, could allow yourself to be caught by someone as placid and boring as me. But away from all that, we are us and we love each other and that is what counts."
She rolled on top of him, looking into his eyes with such love and protection that his breath caught "If I have ever done anything to make you feel bad Luc, I am sorry to the bottom of my heart." She kissed him before continuing "But if anyone ever implies we are a joke because you work for Thurston whilst I train; that I should not be with you, then I will personally cut them down where 'ere they stand." Her face was passive, but she had a voice that could cut steel.
"You 'snared' me by loving me all these long years, by being the best friend I have ever had outside of my knights, by being my rock. I was 'caught' by your love, your kindness and gentle nature. Aye, we are opposites and I do not doubt we will be like Lancelot and Amila and fight like cat and dog, but like them we love each other dearly. You are the foil to me Luc, you temper me. I am too hot headed most of the time, I boil and cool quickly. You do not.
I love you Luc, I really do; I do not regret this for one moment - never have I been more sure of anything than I am of my love for you."
He understood more of her at that moment than he had since they were children; more about her and why she loved him. She loved and relied on the very things about him that he had worried she would see as weaknesses and would drive her away. All he had to do was stop being so possessive and they would be happy.
"You have never done anything to hurt me intentionally Bethan, which was the problem. You were just better than me; and I had to accept it, but it was hard sometimes."
His eyes were full and he kissed her then, teasing her bottom lip as only he could, something they had learnt long since - when kisses were what bound them together.
She began to giggle "what is it?" he asked, blinking back the emotion and smiling at her.
"Do you remember our first kiss? You were 12 and I was 10. You were not even sure you did it right, and I said that I thought you had but that I would not want to do it too often. How wrong was I!"
He laughed then, a deep heartfelt laugh; she looked pleased "What?" he said again.
"You only laugh like that with me, do you not? I have only just realised."
"You are the only one who makes me happy enough, or says anything funny enough, to laugh like that!" He pulled her up to him and kissed her again.
She cradled his face in her hands; he closed his eyes to kiss her once more.
"Do not do that, look at me" He opened them again, and she locked her large blue eyes with his deep green ones "Whatever destiny throws at us in this life Luc, always, always remember this: I love you, I love you - I love you with all of my heart. You will never have cause to doubt that love; wherever I am and whatever I do you are in here" she pointed to her chest "and you always will be."
"I know – I will remember; and Bethan? I will not tie you down, I promise. You will always be free for I know now you will return to me, as Faith returns to you" She smiled then, a smile he had never seen before, that touched his very soul.
She caressed his face and grazed his chin with her mouth, nuzzling his chest she worked her way back to his lips. They murmured words of love to each other and slowly began to make love once more….
Deep down, deep down in his soul; Lucan knew he had finally won her totally, and only by setting her free. She was his now; he had her love, he had no need to lock her away - for she would always come home to him and him alone.
