Winged Seraph: I know the feeling! They're all wonderful! But even though Tristan is my absolute favorite knight, this will eventually be a LancelotOC. (I'm holding Tristan out for myself, ha ha) Glad you like it though.
LancelotTristanBaby: Actually, that's what it started out to be, but somehow after it started, I decided to swap to Lancelot. Hope you keep reading!
Tracy137: They don't fall too far, well, most of them anyway. If you don't like something, let me know… maybe I'll change it (and maybe I won't), but I like to hear about it anyway.
Alatarial Elf: Oh yeah, plenty of angst. And love. And suspense. Keep reading (please!)
Laney woke slowly relishing in the rested set of her mind. She stretched and opened her eyes. The images she saw confused her for a moment. She saw darkness past the small circle of light flickering around her. There were lumps scattered about and the memory of what had happened came back to her. She sat upright in one fluid motion looking wildly around her. She saw the back of someone sitting looking into the darkness. Every so often he would turn his head slightly and seem to be listening to the sounds around him. When he turned back toward her she saw it was Tristan.
Letting out the breath she had been holding she stood up and wrapped the cloak about her body. She moved slowly toward where he was sitting and although she knew he had heard her coming, he never looked back at her until she had stepped up directly beside him. "You said you were going to find something to eat. Any luck?" It was then that he looked up to her and nodded his head. "Is there any left or did I sleep through dinner?" He walked toward the fire and she followed him silently. Bending down he took some meat off a spit over the fire and handed it to her. She wasn't sure what it was but she was sure she didn't want to ask. It smelled good or she was so hungry she thought it did. She took a bite and looked up to see him watching her eat.
She moved over and sat down on the rock she had claimed earlier. She motioned for him to join her and waited for his response. He only hesitated for a moment, then he sat down with his back partially turned toward her. She felt the position held a meaning. 'Okay, I'm here but you'll not get close', came to mind.
"Exactly where are we right now?" she asked.
He looked back over his shoulder and replied, "You really don't know?" The question-as-an-answer made her look up and hold his questioning gaze. After a few moments she found her voice, "No, you all spoke of a 'fort' like it was home, but when I look around I see nothing but the bath house and I don't remember anything about a fort near Bath. Where is this fort?"
Tristan kept her gaze as she spoke. She saw him trying to read her as he watched her. "I don't know where Bath is unless it is the name of our bath house. The fort is over that little hill. It is only a few minutes by horse, an hour by foot." She realized they were sleeping out here when their home was within walking distance. "Were you afraid to take me there for fear I might be a danger to the people?" Her question caught him by surprise. She heard the intake of breath as he was trying to decide whether or not to tell her the truth.
"Never mind, your face just answered my question." She gave a sad sigh and the she stood up to face him so he would have to move to avoid the face on confrontation. "I can assure you and the others that I am probably the least dangerous person you will ever encounter. But I guess I'll have to wait until you figure that out for yourselves." She then turned and moved around to the other side of the fire. She spread out the cloak and lay back down hoping to get some more sleep. It was doubtful since she really just felt like crying. She thought she would be happier here than at her other home. But she felt just as alone here as she had there. It would probably have been different if she had been born here instead of being dropped here like a small child to make it on her own. She felt the hot wetness of tears slipping silently down her cheek. She tried to quietly stop their flow when she felt him walk up to where she was lying.
He stooped down to help her somehow. She quickly sat up and wiped her face with the heel of her hands. "Don't you dare feel sorry for me!" she commanded. "I just miss what I don't remember about my life, there is nothing to feel sorry for!" He saw the determination in her face and felt the courage her words had taken. Leaning over he gently put his hand under her chin and held it firmly. He wanted her to look into his eyes as he spoke and was going to hold her to ensure she didn't turn away.
"I do not feel sorrow for you. What I feel is confusing to me. Sometimes I think it merely lust, but then I hear your words and feel your sadness. That is when all I want to do is pull you close and wipe that sadness from your heart." He removed his hand and wiped the last tear from her eyelash as it prepared to roll down her cheek. The gesture was so gentle and compassionate it almost brought on more tears. Instead she smiled up at him. When he gave her a smile back she was pleased. When he smiled she felt it went all the way to his soul and she saw a glimpse of that soul through his eyes.
He waited until she had lay back down before he moved to stand up. When she felt him move, she reached out and took his hand in hers. "Don't go yet. Let me fall back asleep first. I don't want to be alone again." He heeded her plea and made to sit down cross-legged on the ground. She kept hold of his hand and he found himself watching her breath until he knew she slept by the regular rhythm of her body. He gently pulled his hand from hers and stood up. This woman was going to be trouble, he could feel it deep in his bones. But for some reason he didn't care. Before he succumbed to his desire to lay with her and hold her close to him, he moved away and took up his position watching the camp. That's where Gallahad found him when he woke for his turn keeping watch.
Keeping watch over the camp was extremely tedious this close to the fort. It had been years since the Woads had tried to attack and they usually stayed far enough away that they were rarely seen. Gallahad looked around at the other knights and remembered how they had all been affected by this strange woman's appearance. He had been enthralled by her creamy complexion as much as the rest, but he had shaken it off. Maybe he saw the way she looked at Tristan and knew that she didn't see him the same way. Whatever the reason, he hoped the others realized it too. He could feel the tension when one thought there was another near her.
He looked over to where she was sleeping and noticed Tristan was close enough to hear her call if she wished. Looking closer at the scout, he saw that he was watching him in return. When he turned his face away from the other man, he knew Tristan would return his gaze to her. Suddenly he thought Tristan must have been bewitched in some way. No other explanation would explain the odd behavior of the man. He shivered slightly unnerved by the thought that she had some power she could use on them. Realizing what he was thinking was stupid, he shook his head and looked away. The rest of his watch was spent purposely not looking in that direction and pretending he was not doing so.