Disclaimer: As chapter one; so please, for the love of God, do not make me keep writing it out people!
Barastyn is the Sarmatian God of the Earth Powers…….very fitting as a name for Tristan's horse; the horse of a scout.
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 Twenty-Eight – Games & Babies
They awoke later, entwined exactly as they had fallen asleep. Darry and Tris were standing on the bed bouncing…
"Oh dear GOD!" cried Bethan waking with a start, for the first time in her life being caught off her guard.
Van fell about laughing "Bethan, I never thought I would see the day when I could creep up on you, and you would never know it!"
The girl before her smiled ruefully as she pulled the blanket up around her "Blame him!" she pointed at Gawain, laughing lightly; who was happily bouncing the two children before him, and then hugged them.
"Me? What have I done?" he looked surprised and perplexed, which only made the two women fall about again.
"Mama being silly Papa….Mama being silly today!" Darry laughed.
Bethan hugged close to Gawain before reaching and pulling her undershirt and shirt on quickly "well, Mama happy….…."
"You better explain to them….though I doubt they will be surprised; Tris has been telling us all morning about how his Mama and Darry's Papa are going to be just their Mama and Papa now - that Darry is his sister…" Van grinned "If anyone has got the gift of foresight at this fort Bethan, it is your boy!"
"You hardly need the third eye to know these two are going to be together for good woman!" Laughed Bors from the door. Bethan was now blushing a bright red as she was trying to get dressed in the bed without anyone seeing anything they should not
"I could really do with a bath…." She muttered.
"Oh, that can be arranged…." Gawain stood up, pulling on his breeches as he went, she marvelled at his ability to dress so fluidly and quickly – no one had seen anything; he saw her looking "years of practice….a knock and then you are on a mission, you sleep with your clothes to hand so you can dress swiftly…" he smiled.
"And so you can also kick the tavern girls out of the room as fast!" roared Bors.
Gawain's face darkened dangerously, until Bethan put out a steadying hand "I know you lived no life of a monk Gawain……the same as Ysabeau did. I accept it as she did, and I know you have been with no one else since you met her." She smiled.
He looked down at her with such love written across his face that both she and Van caught their breath "You know I would never look at another now, do you not?"
"Dolt! Of course I know!" She slapped his arm playfully "Good Lord what kind of an idiot do you take me for?"
"A pretty bloody big one actually Bethan!" laughed Bors "After six months of scheming, planning and conniving and you never getting the message – we thought you two would never get together! OOOWWW!"
"Shut up, you idiot!" Van slapped his head.
"Why do you always hit my head Van?" Bors sulked.
"Because it is the only bit of you with no sense and no feeling!" she barked as she dragged him out, rolling her eyes at Gawain.
"Wait just a minute!" Bethan scolded "I have been meaning to ask about this; what plans and schemes, I mean I knew about Milo's leg - but there have been others?"
"Ummmm…….It did not work, so what is the point of discussing old issues…" muttered the older knight backing away with a rueful smile.
"You lot are never going to tell me are you?" She looked to Gawain.
"I doubt it; but they did it to start with, and I joined later because we love you and wanted you to be with me - we just had to help you understand…" he smiled, leaning down to kiss her gently and slowly.
He grinned at the way her eyelids fluttered open a while after he broke the kiss. "You should not tempt me Gawain - at this rate, we will never get up and get these little ones sorted!" She grinned.
"There is only so much furniture moving I can do my lady; though I own that making love to you has haunted my dreams at night, and my mind in the day for many a month now" he pulled her up and into his arms as she struggled to lace her breeches "just this…just holding you, kissing you" he kissed her "being with you….that would be enough; that was why I hated to tell you my feelings…in case…in case I lost you.." he closed his eyes at the remembered hurt of the last few months. The gentle touch of her lips to his made him open them again.
"I tormented you terribly Gawain, and I am so sorry; you will never know how much….all I can do is make it up to you now…." She hugged him fiercely.
"There is naught to make up now Bethan, I have and will hold you; you are all to me and I have you with me for eternity, what is a few months of pain for that prize?" he whispered in her ear.
Tris held his arms up "Huggle us too Papa!" Gawain swung the boy into his arms and Bethan lifted Darry.
"Make Mama yours, Papa…will you? Make us yours forever?" one green and one blue eye regarded dark green ones. Gawain knew what the boy was asking… and he smiled. "I will, I promise…."
Tris bounced in his arms….grinning…
"What are you two up to?" Bethan asked suspiciously…
"Naught…you are just being paranoid!" Gawain grinned.
"Nay Gawain, as I understand it from Arthur it is only paranoia when they are not out to get you!" she grinned back, and dodged him as he came at her.
"Now about that bath!" he grabbed at her again. "I know of a nice horse trough….." she side-stepped him once more.
They ran outside, Tris and Darry giggling and in hot pursuit as well, as the other knights ventured out - she ran to the tavern and clutched at Vanora "quick hide me – he is going to dunk me in the bloody trough!" Van grinned, she had not seen this Bethan for many a year.
"Where is he?" She could hear nothing.
"QUICK! Van!" Bethan cried laughing, the older woman shoved her under the counter and stood nonchalantly waiting; if Bethan could hear him, then he was coming…
She looked at Bors "not a word; not a sound….and NOT a look!" she warned.
He grinned "Would I!" she rolled her eyes and laughed.
A moment later Gawain shot into the tavern, followed by Darry and Tris who went to Van for a cuddle "Where is she!"
Van shrugged, all the time keeping her eyes on Bors. Gawain looked at the two; they were definitely up to something…Bors' eyes were fixed on his drink and he was trying not to laugh, and Van was acting too nonchalant.
"She is here, is she not?" he looked at Bors who stared at his drink like his very life depended on it - which in a way it did…
Gawain stared around the room; his eyes alighting on the counter - he ran round the other side to find….it empty. Van grinned "Moves like lightening, does she not!"
He kissed her cheek and swung her round before running past Bors, merely stopping to plant a kiss on his head. The older knight laughed and batted the younger one away, "Get off me you daft bugger! Go find your woman, for the sake of the Goddess do not bloody let her escape now!"
"Van….can you run her a bath?" Gawain looked beseechingly at her "She thinks I am going to toss her in the trough….as if I would!"
"Go on…it will be ready!" she laughed.
Darry and Tris looked up at her "Papa and Mama very happy….." Tris said with a grin.
"Aye my darlings they are…very…." Van smiled.
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Gawain skidded to a halt by the stables "Is she here!" he called to Jols, who shook his head laughing.
"Nay Gawain…..if I was you I would enlist some help, she can hear you coming; she is going to be one step ahead until you give up…" he grinned.
"I will not, I know she will stay in the fort; she will not cheat like that!" grinned the knight. He dodged back outside.
Bethan came out of her hiding place "Thanks Jols, you could have given me away…" she smiled.
"This is the happiest I have seen the two of you in years; takes me back to the old days when you two used to go riding and racing" He smiled at the memories. "You have grown up a lot since then…"
"Had to… but it is nice to let my hair down again!" she ran off laughing.
"Be young, be foolish…but most of all - be happy Bethan!" he called out after her.
She laughed "Alright Jols…I will try to remember, but I doubt I could be aught else with Gawain! He makes my heart sing!"
"daft buggers….I do not know why it has took 'em so long!" he muttered with a grin as he went back inside "Well, my beauties - what do you think? I reckon they will be together for good!" all the horses stamped and whinnied as if agreeing…Jols laughed.
She dodged round the side of the stables and took the stairs to the battlements two at a time…….and came face to face with Gawain who was trotting along the top. She turned, intending to run back down; but slipped and fell – she braced herself for the impact; but instead felt a strong arm grab her own, and she was pulled into an embrace before being swept into his arms.
"Alright….alright….pax, pax! I will take my punishment; take me!" she laughed, wrapping her arms round his neck…
"I fully intend to…later tonight!" he whispered into her ear, before blowing gently. He felt her go limp. "Ah….I should remember that for later too!" he chuckled.
She kissed him very softly, gently mouthing his bottom lip whilst wrapping her fingers in his hair. He groaned into her mouth "It seems I should remember that!" she smirked.
His eyes glittered as she stared into them, then he hoisted her over his shoulder "Now Gawain….now…be nice!" She giggled, trying to hang onto the back of his shirt.
"Oh, I intend to be…very nice - sod waiting until later! Van, look after the little 'uns for a bit….I have a bed to move!" he called as they passed the tavern.
"Making up for lost time, eh!" Grinned Lancelot as they passed him and Amila.
"Too bloody right; I have a lot of lost time to make up…at least six months!"
"Excuse me? Does anyone care what I think?" Bethan called as he strode to their room.
"Nay, not really!" Gawain grinned.
Amila looked at Lancelot and smiled contentedly "They are going to be very happy."
"Oh aye, I think so. I think they will be as happy as you and I; though I think their connection is probably deeper than ours, more on a par with San and Tristan." he smiled "I am just glad they finally got together, I was beginning to think it would never happen!"
Bors walked over "You know it does the old heart good to see them like that; you would not think he is to be 35 in a bit would you, it is like he is 20 again!" he put his arm round Vanora "And you my little woman, make my heart sing too!" he hugged her and planted a huge kiss on her lips. She slapped him playfully, but he could see her eyes dancing.
"You soft old bugger!" she laughed and then sobered "But I love you too, more than you will ever know…" the look in her eyes at that moment caught Bors by surprise and he hauled her to him, crushing her into a tight embrace.
"Even after all these years Van, you still make my heart race you know that?" he whispered.
"As you do mine…." She smiled against his lips.
"Let us go and make another little bastard by moving the bed around too!" he laughed.
"With 12 I think we have enough; but I am happy to keep practicing!" Van grinned.
"Later…" he gestured to a smirking Lancelot, before sweeping his wife into his arms and moving swiftly back to their rooms.
"Sad I am too far along for that at the moment?" Amila asked gesturing at the two couples.
Lancelot smiled lovingly at her and patted her extended stomach "Nay, my love – this more than makes up for any furniture moving I may be missing out on for a while…" he hugged her gently to him.
"But to borrow Bethan's phrase; you make my heart sing, and my soul calm Amila. You are all to me, you and the children - I never thought to love and have a family. I felt I had killed too many other people's sons to have one of my own, to have any family of my own. But you changed all that, and I thank all the Gods for it…." He kissed her deeply "I love you so much….my sun and moon rises and sets with you."
"I feel the same….." Amila replied with swimming eyes. They walked slowly on to see San, Tristan and the recovering Milo.
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Back at their room Gawain was slowly divesting Bethan of her clothing, all the while blowing gently in her ear and kissing her neck. He could feel her almost turning to putty in his hands, and smiled.
He had known, had hoped, their love-making would be good; but he had had no idea it would be this wonderful. It was almost as if they became one in more ways than the obvious one. He could not explain it, did not want to, all he knew was he nearly came undone at these moments with her.
Bethan was having similar thoughts – she never thought she would feel like this with another man after Lucan. She had hoped, but had not expected…..she was wrong. Their love making was almost her undoing; she thought she would tip into an abyss at those moments, with only him and his touch keeping her anchored to this world.
Later they were once again lying in a tangle of limbs, softly kissing and murmuring their love once more; when he suddenly stood and hoisted her into his arms. She looked at him startled "You are not going to toss me in there now, surely?" she asked in horror.
"Nay, dolt! Look!" he indicated a tub in the far corner of the room "I asked Van earlier to prepare it, though in truth I do not know how hot the water will be now; we were overlong shifting that bed…." He smiled ruefully against her lips "but I cannot be blamed for finding you, and your wondrous body, too much to resist…." He kissed her neck.
She squirmed giggling "Gawain! If you continue we will only be going straight back to bed, and we have children to tend! But I own that I too find your body in all it's perfection" she stroked a hand across his chest and down his side, making him shudder "a great temptation….certainly our bed has suddenly become much more welcoming!"
"Perfection? You obviously are blind to the many scars I have!" he smiled.
"Blind, nay – merely admiring them; they make you so….distinguished!" she purred; running her fingers over the particularly deep scar on his side, the one she had tied herself to him for. He growled and buried his head in her neck, nibbling gently. He almost turned back to the bed…..
"Stop that woman!" he groaned as he kissed her deeply "You drive me near to madness with desire as it is!"
She ignored him and continued her ministrations pleased to see the reaction she was having on him…..until he dropped her unceremoniously into the tub. "As you say my lady….we have children to attend to!" he laughed.
She coughed and spluttered and looked at the mess of soapy water on the floor. He turned to walk away and slipped, falling into the tub with her…..their laughter could be heard outside.
Milo stood outside the door with his father and smiled. He let out a deep sigh…
"What?"
"Naught, I am just happy for them; it has been a very long time coming Papa…"
"Aye, it has; but better late than never." Tristan smirked.
"Do not…..do not die too soon Papa, will you?" Milo suddenly hugged Tristan tightly round the waist.
The knight hunkered down "What brought that on?"
Brown eyes regarded brown eyes, one set concerned and the other worried.
"What Befan said; about some of us dying….I worry….." They had discussed Tristan and the others witnessing Bethan's abilities only a short while before. He pulled his father to sit down on the edge of a wagon.
"She also said it would not be for a long while; so do not fret so boy. Your mother and I, the other knights and your sister we all look out for each other and not just ourselves. Remember how Bethan put herself at risk to stand guard over Gawain so the Celts could not finish him, or how Gawain has saved her many times it would appear?" Milo nodded "Well then, we will live as long as destiny decrees…." He hugged the boy.
"I just want you to be around for when I become a knight; I want to fight with you Papa, you and Befan" he hugged his father tightly back. "I am glad she is not leaving…."
"So am I; but I would not have stopped her, she has to live her own life. But I truly doubt she would ever leave her knights; they are all the world to her, have been since the day she came to the fort." He smiled at the memory of the serious little girl with the huge blue eyes.
"Three in particular mean muchly to her; Gawain, you and Dag…." Milo grinned.
"Aye, but she loves them all dearly; I cannot explain it."
"We took her to our hearts from that first day." Dagonet walked up "She and San, I think it was because they were so tough. Naught bothered Bethan; if she was hurt, no matter how bad, she would just get on with it.
She came to the tavern one day and said she had had enough practicing for a bit. That was unlike her; apart from lessons of reading and writing with Arthur of an evening, whenever he could spare the time, she would usually be found practicing. Hours and hours a day…."
He smiled "they loved her for that, even Arthur respected the time she put in… she would play with the other children, especially Bors' lot, but she would always go back to her practicing – even if she had to do it on her own. Jols tells stories of how she would be in the practice yard at sunrise whether we were there or not.
Anyway, this one afternoon I noticed she was favouring her left hand more and her right wrist was swollen. As she is right handed I immediately assumed something was wrong; I was right. When I finally persuaded her to let me look, it was broken. It had been like that for four hours, and yet she had continued practicing until it got too painful. She let me set it and never flinched once….
I asked her why she had not just stopped when she had done it; she said that on the battlefield the enemy would not allow you to stop for an injury. I remember the look on Arthur's face, total respect, and Bors said "Spoken like a true knight."
She looked at him very seriously, bear in my mind though she was only about 8, and she said "Aye, that is good then; for that is what I wish to be…because of him" and she pointed at your father "Tristan is a good man and an excellent fighter, I wish to be just like him" and in that moment I saw your father was lost to her!" Dag grinned as he finished the story.
"Nay….I was lost long before that" Tristan smiled "Their first day at the fort in fact. She had come over to make friends with Lancelot and Dag's horses; then she noticed me stood next to her and her face lit up as she said "You have a hawk as a friend! You are indeed fortunate – they are very choosy about who they share their friendship with. My name is Bethan." He smiled remembering the small girl with long blond hair and plaits.
"I was surprised as much at her knowledge, as at the gentle way she spoke and carried herself….as if aware that to be quick and noisy would disturb the animals "You are correct." I told her, finding myself chatting in a way I had not for an over long time "She became my friend long ago, and I am glad to have her back. I am Tristan."
"She is gladder to have you back" Bethan said giving my hawk a very long look; then she looked around her "He is your horse?" she pointed to Barastyrn.
I told her he was and then she said "that is nice…." I was puzzled and asked what was, and she said that my animals missed me and were glad of my return. She said it showed I was a good man, with a good soul." His eyes deepened as he remembered that first conversation with the little girl he now regarded as his own blood. Dag too smiled in remembrance of the child she had been.
"I think not." I told her a little amused at the heartfelt way she spoke. "I do." She had said "You cannot lie to animals – there is no duplicity about them, only instinct. If an animal likes you, it is because they trust you. They do not trust lightly; therefore you cannot be as bad as you think you are."
I was impressed with her knowledge of animals; I knew that San had most likely taught her, but all the same it was impressive at her age. But still I wanted to make her see what I was, so I told about my life "I killed men for 15 years as a knight of Rome; now I would kill for my friend and my King, Arthur. That does not make me a 'good man' Bethan, does it?" I'd said.
"Did you kill for glory or fame and fortune?" she asked me; I told her nay. Then she asked me if I deliberately inflicted suffering for my enjoyment when I killed; again I said nay….
The she asked me if I killed innocents, like women and children? Did I burn villages? So I said nay again. Her reply was my undoing….
"Then you are no bad man Tristan." she said very calmly, but emphatically "I like you a much as they…." she nodded at Faith and Barastyrn "and I would be proud to call you friend."
I felt a small hand creep into mine as I looked down. She had the same serious blue eyes as before, but only now she was smiling. I could not help myself, for the first time in I could not remember how long, I smiled back….and from that moment on I loved her as my own." He lost the faraway look in his eyes as he came back to the present. "I am sure if you asked all the knights they could tell you similar stories of your sister Milo - but I think it is just her; her loyalty and her warrior spirit that we all love in our different ways…."
Dag nodded "I think she is one of a kind. She speaks of there never being another Arthur or Merlin, or even any of us again; but there will never be another Bethan either, and her story should be as much remembered as ours I think."
He grinned "I should get back, Ilara will think I have left her!" He patted Tristan on the back "You are a lucky man with both your children, Brother…" he gave Milo a grin, who beamed back at him "but then I suppose we all are; but there again we need to thank Bethan, for does she not rule them all with a rod of iron when they are bad and a fur glove when they are good!"
"Aye Brother – Aye that we do; and Brother?"
Dag turned "What?"
"It is good to have one, that is all….." Tristan flashed a small smile and Dag grinned.
"Aye it is that….Brother…." With that the large knight walked away.
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Later that night Lancelot burst into the room and woke Bethan so suddenly she fell out of bed "For God's sake Lancelot this had better be bloody good!" she grumbled, struggling to light a candle and pull on some clothes. She turned to an equally startled Gawain "You are definitely going to have to teach me how to get into my clothes as quickly as you get me out of them!"
"Amila's waters have broken!" Lancelot gasped.
She stopped dead, her face passive but her eyes fearful as she asked "Is there any blood?"
"Nay…no blood…" the other knight said softly, his panic briefly quieted by the fear in the girl's eyes. Both his and Gawain's heart went out to her; she was still haunted by Ysabeau's death to some extent.
"Then I have a baby to help deliver! Is Van there?"
"Aye…." Lancelot went to follow.
"Stay here….I will call you when we are done…." Her tone, though light and merry, brooked no argument.
Lancelot sad down with a smiling Gawain "What are you grinning like an idiot at?"
"You; has Amila really put that much fear into you that would obey your sister as meekly as Darry here would?"
"Oh shut up Gawain!" Lancelot sulked.
"Aye it is then!" the younger knight laughed.
"How can you be so bloody calm at a time like this?"
"Tis not my wife having the baby!" Gawain slapped Lancelot on the back, both men started laughing.
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Bethan flew into Lancelot and Amila's room, Van came over "It is moving very quickly….."
"Is all well?" The older woman could tell she was worried.
"Aye Bethan, aye; do not fret so - you are always like this in the beginning with a birthing now. Did the poor girl's death leave such a scar on you?" she soothed.
"Aye Van, it did; for she was my friend." Bethan spoke sadly; then she brought herself to rights "Come, let us get this done so I can be away to my man!" She walked over Amila "How fares my blood?"
"I fare well sister and glad I am to hear you call Gawain such…" she smiled between contractions. Bethan gave her a puzzled look "to call him your man…." She smiled "I never thought to hear it spoken from your lips…."
Bethan leant and kissed her sweaty forehead, her eyes alight with love and merriment "Aye but that he is now, and will be for eternity. Still, this is not helping you…."
"It is; it is helping me through until I need to push…." She gripped Bethan's hand "Where is Lance?"
"Back at ours – I told him to stay, and he did!" she pealed with laughter "How much violence have you threatened him with over the last 6 months!"
"Not much…why?" Amila smiled.
"Well, I cannot believe my brother would just do as he was told, unless he lived in fear of your wrath!" They all laughed again…..then another contraction came.
"It is time to start the hard work of bringing new life into the world…." Van smiled as they set to work to help Amila.
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An hour later Amila was done and all was well; Bethan begged to be the one to fetch Lancelot - this was something she did not want to miss….
She found him stretched out on her bed with Darry and Tris. He and Gawain were both asleep; Lancelot had Darry on his chest and Gawain had Tris on his…
"So sweet!" said Ilara. Bethan had been under strict instructions by the rest of the wives to wake them if necessary, and by default their husbands, to tell them. On hearing the news of the delivery there was a mad scramble to see Lancelot.
She woke them gently and the other women took the children. Tris looked at his mother and grinned; he held up his fingers, and those that had been told gasped "How could he know?" asked Arthur in wonder.
"The same way Merlin will know even though he is not here…." Bethan grinned at her leader and friend.
Lancelot took off with Bethan in hot pursuit; Galahad whispered into Gawain's ear, who burst out laughing "Bloody hell – rather him than me!"
"I know, it do not bear thinking about, does it!" smirked Bors.
Lancelot burst into the room to see Amila holding a baby, then Van turned holding another……..Bethan stepped past him and bent into a crib, and held up another.
When he came round a little later, he was a bit groggy…. "is she alright? Amila, I mean…...is the baby alright?" He tried to sit up "I had the strangest dream….."
Then he saw his wife with three infants on her lap….
"I am sorry brother, that was rotten of us….but we could not resist…." Bethan beamed at him.
"Three?" Lancelot managed to speak; though his voice was little more than a croaky squeak.
"Triplets! Is it not wonderful?" Beamed Ilara.
"Three?" was the weak reply.
"I know, twin boys and another girl…." Bethan said, trying not to laugh at the shock on his face.
"Three?"
"I think he is in shock…" Bethan grimaced with laughter in her eyes at the other knights.
"Should I slap him? That always works for shock…" Bors offered, a little too eagerly Bethan thought
"Nay, leave him; come husband, come meet your children!" Laughed Amila; herself only just controlling her laughter.
Lancelot went and sat obediently next to her, he looked at her in confusion… "three?" No one could resist anymore; all assembled burst out laughing.
Gawain wrapped his arms around Bethan's waist "NEVER do this to me I beg of you….." he whispered urgently into her ear smiling "One would be more than sufficient at a time!"
She laughed and twisted in his embrace to kiss him "I will try to remember! Though in truth I do not have as much control over the situation as you give me credit for, my knight!" Gawain kissed her deeply.
Bors turned "Oh, for the sake of the Goddess – someone direct them back to their bloody room!" but he was laughing as the younger couple broke apart with a grin.
