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"

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Bethan & Lucan

Chapter Nine – Wounded

True to her word as soon as she and her father finished scouting Bethan was back in front of Lucan on his horse, and wrapped snugly in his arms.

He laughed "If I had known you liked this so much I would have done it sooner!"

She leant her head back and rubbed it against his shoulder "there is something else you can do that I like as much!" she wiggled her eyebrows at him.

His eyes opened wide "are you sure?"

"Aye, it is now at an end for another cycle; so tonight you are all mine my husband!" She giggled.

He kissed her passionately, "and you are all mine!" He smiled.

They rode along for a while, Lucan chatting continuously to her about all sorts of things.

Tristan watched from a distance, San rode alongside watching him.

"You find it amusing!" She smiled.

"Aye, it drives her mad" he smirked at her. They looked at Bethan who was obviously trying to gently shut out Lucan's voice, her face pained.

"She is so like you, Tristan…" her voice held a quiet pride and a lot of love.

"She is, and I am always grateful for that." He nodded at his daughter.

"She is calmer these days - when they first married, I worried they had made a mistake."

"I did not."

"You did not?"

"NNay, if he had made her miserable I would have killed him..." Tristan replied matter-of-factly.

"I do not like your tone" she smiled.

Tristan merely looked at her, a mischievous glint in his eye.

She leant over and hauled herself onto his horse in front of him; he looked quizzically at her. She shrugged "It looked comfortable." Repeating what he had said to her the day before.

He wrapped his arms round her and chuckled into her hair.

She sighed and leant back "Love me…"

"You know I do…"

"Good, because I love you too."

He nuzzled her neck and she pushed back against him sighing – her hand straying to his thigh, stroking his strong muscles under the thin material that covered it. "Keep that up and I will be carrying you off into the woods to ravish you!" he growled into her ear, his voice heavy with passion.

"You started it" she groaned slightly as he nipped her earlobe.

"Fancy a quick ride in the woods?" she heard the laugh in his voice.

"You, Sir Knight are incorrigible!" She laughed stopping him exploring her further by slapping his hand, before adding "But tonight I am yours!"

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It was later in the afternoon when Bethan and Tristan returned from another scout ahead.

It did not look good, they came flying round a bend in the road; Bethan had an arrow protruding from her leg, which she wrenched out, and Tristan had an arm wound. The knights could hear her cursing from where they were - the wind was whipping around them like a gale.

"Knights! More Celts!"

Once again all the men that could be spared flew forward and met the Celts as they came up behind the two scouts.

Tristan and Bethan wheeled round and rode into the battle, their quivers already empty they withdrew their swords and fought. Bethan leapt from her horse and into the midst of the fighting.

Watching her fight was almost mesmerising, she allowed the wind to guide her…..

She fought side by side with Lancelot, trying to see where Lucan was. "He is fighting well, just over there Little Scout!" Grinned the knight, indicating the far side of the skirmish.

Bethan grinned, before the wind had her running forwards to take out a Celt that was about to attack Bors from behind. She stabbed him through the throat before removing his head.

The knight spun round and realised what had nearly happened "Thanks Little Scout!" he laughed.

She went to laugh and then her heart entered her mouth; a fierce wind whipped round her causing her to look straight up and to the left - a Celt that Gawain had just stabbed was staggering to his feet and lunging at him again.

She ran forward screaming his name "GAWAIN! GAWAIN! GAWAIN!" blind panic seizing her; not him, not her friend - not now.

He turned towards her and too late saw the Celt, he swung to the side; she saw him fall - her panic became a red rage and she tore through the Celts felling them left and right, limbs and heads flew as she cut a path to her fallen friend.

The Celt grinned at the young woman tearing towards to him, thinking she would be an easy kill.

"YOU WILL KILL NO MORE THIS DAY!" she screamed at the Celt, he was still smiling at her as his head hit the ground; she stood over Gawain and fought for him, she could see his chest was still moving - she would not let him perish.

"YOU BASTARDS!" She screamed at the Celts; the other knights heard her and saw who she was standing over. Without being able to duck and weave, for fear of leaving her fallen friend exposed, she was rapidly in danger of being over-run herself.

Tristan cut a path to her and ensured all that came before him died quickly. The other knights and Lucan also fought their way to her.

She had a number of wounds but would not give in and retreat "I will cut you down where you stand, you will not kill him!" she cried in defiance at their enemy; her body screaming in pain and fatigue, but she would not yield.

"That is the Little Scout I love!" Yelled Bors, grinning at her – though the concern for Gawain was evident in his eyes.

They fought with her and finally the fighting eased, she was wounded but would not give in to the pain. She dropped to Gawain's side along with Galahad "Gawain? Gawain; please be alright!"

She was rewarded with a groan "Bethan? Bethan…" His bloodied hand gripped her arm.

"Gawain, stay with me……stay with me Gawain!" Bors felt a chill, remembering the same words he had pleaded with Dagonet out on the ice "Do not you die on me, I wll bloody kill you!" she pleaded with her best friend, trying to joke away the terror in her heart.

Lucan saw the tears in her eyes as he knelt beside her "I will fetch my father…"

She turned as close to him as possible, as Gawain would not let loose her arm; she put one arm round his neck and hugged him "thank you, Lucan…thank you."

He rushed to fetch Dagonet. She now looked at the men gathering around them, a dark scowl on her face "Kill them - leave not one alive; cleave every head!" She hissed, her eyes blazing and gone from blue to black, hatred shining out from them.

Arthur closed his eyes to the rage radiating from the young woman in front of him. He fought the feeling, but he had to agree with her this one time as he looked at his fallen friend and brother "Kill them."

The men left; within minutes not one Celt survived.

Dagonet had been thorough, but had shown his fear at the severity of the wound when Lucan brought him forward. "It is not good my Little Scout…" he mumbled to Bethan.

"Could Merlin help? Not that I do not have faith in your healing Dag, you have helped me many times…"

"My healing is nothing compared to Merlin's; and aye, I think he could do more than I…." but his eyes remained uncertain.

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"Leave him! Galahad and I can manage" Bethan barked as some men came forward to lift Gawain onto his horse. She awkwardly mounted Charity, and the knights handed him up to her; he had not let loose her arm.

"Bethan?" Blood flowed freely from his side, and she tried to stem the fear that welled in her; her small hand trying to stem the flow of the life that ebbed from him.

"It will be alright Gawain, you will not die – I will not allow it!" She said defiantly as she rode slowly back to the caravan, oblivious to all except her friend.

Galahad rode silently by her side; finally fear for his brother prompted him to speak "Bethan? You will not let him die will you?" He spoke softly, his eyes full of sadness.

"I will not Galahad; I will do whatever I have to to save him, you have my solemn word. No matter what, he will live - he is the best friend I have ever had, and I could not be without him. He is the best part of me, he is my conscience and I will not lose him to death. Death can be beaten; my parents have proved that, my friend. He has Ysabeau and he has me and you, he has much to live for." Her voice was defiant, her face passive – but her eyes were anguished. "I must call Merlin; he said he would meet us in 2 days, he has gone to bid farewell to those of his tribe not travelling with us."

"How will you call him?"

"The only way I know" she looked at Faith, who was riding on her shoulder "Ready to help a friend?" She asked softly, the hawk keened and flapped its wings rising into the air. "Fetch Merlin Faith, fetch Merlin….he is needed, and quickly." The bird rose higher and flew "Be happy Faith….be free." She whispered as she still sent her friend with the same farewell.

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They arrived fairly quickly back at the caravan. Ysabeau saw Gawain resting in her friend's arms and flew to them. She could see that Bethan was hurt too"will he live?" she asked Bethan, knowing the young woman would not lie to her.

A defiant pair of blue/black eyes met hers "He will; I will not let him leave you…us..." she indicated Galahad too.

Gawain still clung to her arm, Ysabeau kissed her hand "I know you will do all you can."

"Please Ysabeau, he is my friend, I would do all for him as he would for me; please do not thank me." She pleaded with her friend, awkward at being thanked for doing no more than she should.

The older woman nodded "alright Bethan, alright…."

Galahad and Tristan helped him down, having to prise his fingers from her arm, and then carried him to one of the wagons. They laid him gently on the floor of the wagon. Bethan chewed her bottom lip; they had to stop the bleeding if they were to save him.

She wadded some material and pressed it to the wound, she turned to Galahad "Press this down hard and keep the pressure on it. It will slow the bleeding, at least until Merlin arrives." Galahad did as he was bid.

Dagonet entered the wagon along with his eldest son. "I have to stay with him Lucan…" she said, begging him to understand.

"I do not doubt it; you cannot let him perish Bethan. He has been a good friend to me as well as you." Lucan hugged her "I will pitch our tent next to the wagon, you only have to call and I will be here…."

"Thank you, thank you…." She flung her arms round his neck; marvelling at the change in him. Just a few short days ago, he would have been insanely jealous and demanding she leave it to the other knights to watch over him.

"Do not thank me, I know what he means and not just to you; but to your family, me, Galahad and Ysabeau - who is also your friend." He smiled, hugging her tightly. He looked over her shoulder at the fallen knight; he looked bad, and the young man could only hope that he survived. Bethan would be inconsolable without him.

He leant down to the knight as Bethan quickly went to speak to the other knights "Gawain do not you dare die on us; Bethan would never recover, you are her best friend in all the world. She loves you only slightly less than me and her father. Please, you must survive…."

The other man groaned "Bethan?"

"I will fetch her; she is with the other knights and Ysabeau…."

"Ysabeau…..you will look after her…."

Bethan put her finger to his lips as she returned "we will all take care of her….until you recover…" her tone brooked no argument.

Galahad looked at Lucan "If anyone can save him, Merlin can…."

"I hope I can justify your faith in me young knight" smiled the Shaman as he entered the wagon.

"Where is Faith?" asked Bethan, concerned for her feathered best friend. "She found you even more quickly than I thought."

"She is outside with your father; I was already on my way, I felt you would have need of me…."

The young woman impetuously hugged the old man "You are a marvel to me Merlin!"

Tristan popped his head in the wagon; she smiled gratefully at him. He nodded and touched her arm; he looked at where Gawain had once again gripped it tightly. She was wounded too – Dagonet had stitched his arm wound, but Bethan still had all hers to be seen to – and he knew where Gawain was gripping her arm she must be in pain, yet she did not flinch; her eyes only showed concern and worry for her friend, even as her face and voice remained calm and passive…..reassuring him he would recover.

She locked eyes with Tristan, he was never more proud of her than he was at that moment; but he also wanted her to be dealt with before she got sick as well. She nodded at him, understanding, he dipped his head…..and left.

She turned to Merlin, "Papa wants me to get my wounds tended…" she smiled "Can you help? I do not wish to leave him…" she motioned Gawain.

Merlin nodded. He could see she was in pain, and she was still bleeding from some of the wounds; no one had noticed aside from her father because she was covered in the blood of their enemies and her best friend….

He looked at the young woman in front of him, and then began to work on her friend "I am proud of you Bethan, you fight well, you kill effectively; but I want to teach you to be a healer. Gawain has had to wait for help; if I had already taught you, you would have been able to aid him quickly."

"Will he die?"

"I am not sure; but faster help would have been better for him…" Merlin knew her reluctance to learn to heal.

She sighed "Very well; if it helps Gawain."

"You will watch whilst I tend his wounds. You are a quick study Bethan and I know you will learn quickly. You can then tend him as I see to you and the other wounded, there are many - too many for Dagonet to deal with alone. Thankfully not many deaths this time" He paused "I was told of your 'dream' for those that had lost loved ones in the last battle. I assume it will be passed on to those who have lost today." He paused again "You have a big heart…"

She nodded absently and he realised all her concentration was focused on Gawain. "You will not leave Ysabeau, Gawain; I promised her you would not die…..I gave my solemn word to Galahad. You will not make me break my word for the first time…You will not leave me…" quiet desperation filled her voice "I cannot lose my conscience….." she bent her head onto the shoulder of her injured friend.

"Bethan? It hurts…." He grimaced, as Merlin cleaned and dressed his wounds, stitching where necessary.

"I know; but what is it my mother says Gawain? Pain is a good thing; if you are in pain, you are not dead."

The knight smiled. "Bethan….Ysabeau?"

"I will fetch her for you…." She came back moments later with her friend. Ysabeau kissed Gawain gently, trying to bury her fear as she did so.

"Is it very bad?" she asked Merlin.

The Shaman merely nodded "He will be well cared for." He indicated Bethan. "You saw what I did Bethan?"

"Aye…." She nodded resolutely "aye, I can do it again….how often?"

"Every 2 hours night and day…Watch his stitches too; make sure he does not pull them."

"Do you want to stay Ysabeau?"

"Aye…..aye, Bethan…thank you."

"Do not thank me…" the two women shared a weary smile.

So for the next four days the two women watched Gawain fight for his life.

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It was touch and go, and a few times she thought they would lose him. But she resolutely kept insisting that he fight, and that he not give in to death. "My parents fought Gawain - so must you!"

Ysabeau marvelled at her obstinate nature, she would not give in; would not let him give in. She had been told by the other knights how the young woman had stood over her fallen friend and fought for him, cursing the Celts even as she cut them down. How she had demanded retribution at the end and Arthur had agreed.

She worried that one day Bethan's warrior instinct would cause her death; but knew if it did, she would be happy to die that way. Like the knights she adored, death held no fear for her; she accepted her mortality every time she went onto a battlefield. Ysabeau on the other hand was petrified of death; she had no idea what lay ahead down that path and the mere thought terrified her.

Ysabeau listened to her regaling Gawain with stories of past exploits until her voice was hoarse, this from a girl who usually said little to anyone outside her group. She was a 'fight first – talk later' type.

"Why waste words on talking when you can just knock them out. It is a much more effective way of making a point" she had stated once, when asked why she fought before she spoke with the likes of Gilly. So, too, was her belief that the only good enemy was a dead one; cut their heads off and they are definitely dead, no worries of fighting the same enemy again.

She had a very black and white way of looking at the world; Ysabeau both admired and feared her zest for life. Although she was much calmer now since her marriage to Lucan; that urge to ride full tilt at life and care naught for the consequences was still there - merely hidden, not extinguished.

All she had done was learnt her father's rigid control of her emotions – well, most of the time. Her arguments with Arthur were becoming almost a legend in their own right; but it did not mean that the passions were not there.

Tristan was a passionate man; his love and devotion to Sandrina and his family proved that – but to most he appeared devoid of feeling.

Bethan on the other hand marvelled at Ysabeau's calm and easy-going nature. She had always assumed that the fearless young knight would finally end up with someone similar to herself and Amila; hot-headed and hot tempered. But Ysabeau was the exact opposite; she was calm, responsible, funny and kind. Bethan adored her, and was glad that Gawain had finally found a decent girl to love.

On the third day, just before dawn, the situation finally reached crisis. His fever had spiked and Bethan had run out of options. She flew to Merlin; "His fever will kill him, and there is naught else I can do…" she kept her voice calm in front of the other knights, but they could well see the blind terror in her eyes.

"The tie that binds' may work…" was all Merlin said "it is all that is left." Bethan ran back to the wagon.

"Ysabeau, you have to do 'The Tie That Binds'…." She told her friend.

The other woman's eyes widened "I….I cannot!"

"But you must!" Bethan pleaded, her eyes shocked "Merlin says it is all that could work!" her voice was rising now "Ysabeau, you must do this if we hope to save him!"

"I cannot Bethan; if he dies, he will kill me too…..I am too frightened!" she put her face in her hands and sobbed.

The knights, who had come running at the raised voices, heard the entire exchange. They peered in and saw anger and then pity cross Bethan's face.

She patted Ysabeau awkwardly on the shoulder and sighed "alright, alright, do not cry…I will do it. He is my best friend in all the world, I would not be without him…" she sighed. "I only hope Lucan understands…."

"He does…." A soft voice caressed her as a hand touched her shoulder.

She spun round and hugged him tightly; no words were needed.

She tore some of his bandage off and tied it to his wrist and hers "With this cloth I bind your soul, both to this earth and mine. If you die and leave me, you will take my soul with thine." She intoned quietly, her voice full of emotion.

Gawain…listen to me, I have done the 'tie that binds'. Remember that? Remember how Papa did that to Mama and Lancelot did the same with Amila? You are stuck with your Little Scout for all eternity now my friend…" she held his hand once more, which gripped hers tightly.

"If you die now, you willl take my soul with you, and what of Ysabeau and Lucan then? So you cannot die."

She sat back "There is naught else I can do…" she sighed and hung her head; Lucan hugged her tightly, watching as Gawain would not let loose her hand. He could only pray that the knight did not die………for he would not only lose a good friend now, he would lose his the light of his life.

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It was a day later before the fever finally began to abate and Gawain return to the land of the living. Bethan had not left his side the entire time; her wounds, though now tended, throbbed and she ached all over.

"Little Scout?" he whispered.

"Gawain?" She beamed at him, her smile lighting her face like a beacon and he could not help but return the smile weakly. "How are you feeling?" she whispered.

"Like a herd of horses ran over me…..you?"

"The same….." They grinned.

"You smell…." He wrinkled his nose.

She gasped her outrage, but leant down and kissed his cheek "I will let that go, purely because I am so glad you are come back to us!

But I would point out I have not washed for 4 days because a sick friend would not let loose my hand; I have even had to prise you lose to use the latrines!" she looked pointedly at where he was still clutching her injured arm. "Do you wish me to fetch Ysabeau?"

"Aye…is she well?"

"Would I let her be aught else?"

"You are a good friend…." He tugged her arm.

"Not as much as you are to me; I still do not deserve your friendship Gawain, but am glad for it all the same" she gripped his arm back, and once again kissed his cheek.

She was so stiff she actually fell out of the wagon, but was caught by Lucan. She flung her arms round his neck and for the first time sobbed "he is awake….he is awake!"

Ysabeau heard her shouting and rushed over, her eyes alight "he is awake and asking for you!" Bethan told her; before nearly having the life squeezed out of her.

"Thank you Bethan…thank you!" She avoided the gaze of the knights and Lucan; she knew they were disappointed that she could not help Gawain - Galahad particularly had barely spoken to her since that awful moment when she had refused to do 'the tie that binds'.

He watched the woman retreat to the wagon; he would ensure his brother knew who had really saved his life – Bethan had made excuses, so had Alisia, but at the end of the day the outcome was the same; if it had not been for Bethan, Gawain would have perished…..

"Galahad is it not good news!" Bethan hobbled over to him; the fatigue and pain evident in her – but her face was shining. He hugged her so tightly she gasped. "What is it? What is wrong?"

"Naught, only I am glad you are no coward!" he exclaimed hotly.

"Oh Galahad – let it go." She stepped back "Look, I was angry – but then, think on this; we are trained to kill and to die. Ysabeau is not; some do fear death, and she is one of those. She is my friend and the lover of my best friend, your brother! Forgive her; he is safe, I would not let aught harm befall him…"

Galahad forced a smile and nodded. Bethan turned to Lucan; but Lancelot saw the look that passed over the other knight's face as she turned away.

"What will you do?" he whispered.

"Only one thing; I will ensure he knows who truly saved him…." Lancelot nodded, as did the other knights. What Ysabeau had done had not sat well with any of them; even Dagonet had been shocked – his Ilara, as gentle as she was, would not have let him down so.

"Are you come back to me?" asked Lucan with a smile, wrapping his arms round her.

She snuggled against him "if you want me…."

"Would I never!" he grinned "You are my heart and soul Bethan…."

"Never do this to me Lucan, for I do not think I could stand it."

"I will never do this to you if I can help it. But one thing I learnt in battle Bethan is you cannot have eyes everywhere."

"I doubt we will have more trouble; I think we wiped them out this time." She smiled her satisfaction; the dead and icy glare that came to her eyes, turning the blue to black so quickly, chilled him to his core. He would never want to be on the receiving end of that sort of rage; this would not end here.

The Celts had made a dangerous enemy of her; for she would brook no mercy for any one of those wretches that ended up at the end of her swords. Her abilities were well-known and he wondered if she would be able to harness the raw power she had to use against them...

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Merlin watched them all; he sighed, the other girl's cowardice surprised him as he knew how much she loved the knight. She had forced Bethan's hand; but he was proud of the way his little Woad had matured recently. She had forgiven her friend - he looked at the knights; it was a shame they would not.

Still, it was only fair the young knight knew who it was who had saved his life. Either way there would be no dissuading his friend and brother from telling him. Gawain would be grateful to his Little Scout; he would be there to guide her and she him. Their friendship would be their salvation….