One Thing - Epilogue


op: Sorry. But wait, there's more. Remember, those that are dead, don't always stay dead.

dtmitchell1974: Still have that chapter waiting for you. Just need your addy. Mine's listed in my profile.

Cardeia: Your idea on expanding the battle scene? I purposely didn't describe it. Yes, I wanted to show Teagan blocking out everything. My point was to have her nearly shut down. She swore she would never give her love to a knight. She did. And he up and got killed on her. And we've all seen the scenes, with all the gore. And we've all read it's varying descriptions. I didn't feel the need to go there. And I've done the expanding scene on a future chapter. It's dark and very sad. It gave me nightmares. I'm leaving it out of the main body, but may post it as another thing entirely. Not sure.


Epilogue.

It was raining when Teagan visited the grave for the last time.

Now, as before, there were no tears.

She hadn't been there since they buried Tristan and cremated Lancelot. It had been a month and she hadn't been back.

Everyone noticed that Teagan was no longer herself. She wouldn't talk about it nor would she grieve. Finally, she decided that she couldn't stay at the fort any longer. It no longer held any joy for her.

0o0o0o

"You don't have to leave, you know." Gawain hugged her tight. Since losing both her dark knights, she had turned to him. She had given up her bed, spending her nights with him.

She smiled into his chest. "You still have my things. I won't be away forever."

He softly kissed the top of her head, gently rubbing his cheek in her hair. Releasing her, his heart broke as he saw the sadness in her face, her eyes.

"Please come back to us." He whispered as she made her way to the knights cemetery. He joined the others on the high wall to watch her. None could form words as they watched Teagan make her way in the rain. In her hands she carried the sword that Tristan had given her, all those months before.

0o0o0o

Teagan stood by Tristan's grave for hours. The rain soaking her through. Though she shivered with the cold, she did not move.

If asked, she couldn't tell anyone what she had been thinking while she stood there. In fact, she thought about nothing. Nothing but the anger she felt at his death. Anger at herself for not joining them sooner. If she had, maybe she could have saved him. And Lancelot. They were finally free and this is what happened to these great men.

In her mind their deaths were pointless, meaningless.

Teagan's hands became fists at her side. She was angry. Angry because she had given herself over to the one person she swore she would not. A knight.

Silently, she pushed the sword Tristan had given her into the soft earth, next to his larger one. The two blades stood, side by side, glistening with the rain.

She gave the graves one last look as she mounted Aodh. Swinging her horse away from the fort, she headed away. She didn't know where and she didn't care where.

Oh, Teagan would return. Just not any time soon.


To all my lovely reviewers: dtmitchell, June Birdie, Lianna, ElvenStar5, lucillaq, KnightGuardian, Neveah101, MistakenLove, bloodredcherry, Winged Seraph, dellis, Priestess of the Myrmidon, op. Marianna: I hope I don't forget anyone. Thank you all so very much for your reviews. They were a joy to read. You all make this all so very worth it. It's nice to wake up at 4am and see these in my inbox!

Cardeia: You have been absolutely wonderful, reviewing this entire thing. My only wish is that you will continue to do so. Your words have been both a comfort and thought provoking. You have given me so many different ideas on how to further my character and the characters we love so much. You have made my words so much better because of your views. You see the things I pen in a different light than I would have. And because of this, have made them better. My characters have become so much more because of it. For this, I thank you so very much.