A.K.Anomynous: Thank you for the review. Here's another couple.

Alatarial Elf: Please do! Just remember, not everyone will think as you do and I love you for thinking that way!

LANCELOTTRISTANBABY: When I first got this idea I had planned on it being a Tristan/Delaney story, but then I read the story "Beyond The Call of Duty" and I couldn't help myself. It just had to be Lancelot!

je suis une pizza: I think if you keep reading you'll understand more about what I'm trying to get across. But I'm sorry you don't like the character, since in a way she would be me… oh, well.

Nope, Don't own the knights! Or the legend! Damn!

Here you go…

Laney and Tristan slowly made their way back to the meadow at the edge of the forest. She didn't know how, but sometime during their silent vigil at the stream, there had been a bonding that went beyond her knowledge of human physiology. She would know if he faced danger. She would know when he was happy or sad. She could feel in her heart whether or not he was well. There was a connection between them that spoke when words were not possible. This knowledge made her feel safe for he would always be there to catch her if she fell, as would she if he fell.

She moved closer to him and put her hand on his arm. He looked up and smiled. "Do you hear my emotions as well?" She asked. They had stopped the forward movement of their horses and sat there looking into each other's eyes. "No, but I will know if you are safe without having to see. I will know when you are in danger. Other than that, your feelings are still your own." He placed his hand over hers on his arm, "What has happened I know not. But it does not make me fear, it brings me peace." He lifted his hand and moved forward, she watched him go a few steps then she followed.

When they arrived at the clearing, he headed toward the fortress gates. When she did not follow, he stopped and turned to see why. "I think I will go to the bath house. Please tell Lancelot where I am and that I will only be a short while. I will find him when I return." He nodded and they went in separate ways from the forest. Laney dismounted when she arrived at the entrance of the bath house. She had not brought any more clothes, but she really just wanted to sit in the warm water and relax. She had not done anything except take a ride since her bath that morning, so the bath was more for her psyche than her body.

After disrobing, she stepped into the water and felt the warmth seep into her. She sat at the shallow end where the steps were so she could lean back and enjoy without having to worry about holding her head out of the water. The bonding with Tristan was foremost on her mind and she wondered how it had happened. She had read stories of twin siblings having this kind of bond. One would know when something was wrong with the other. But never between two people without the benefit of a blood bond already. She wondered why of all the people she had met, it was with Tristan that the bond had been made. Why had it not been Lancelot, the man she loved with all her being? She decided to ask Merlin the next time she had the chance. He was a man, not a wizard as he had been portrayed in stories, but there was something about him that made her think he would know the answer.

She slowly stood up and made to leave the water. She knew that Merlin would be close by. He had told her so when she last spoke with him. She had only been in the water a short time and knew that she would have time to seek Merlin's knowledge before anyone would worry. It was only mid-morning and no one would worry unless she stayed out until later in the afternoon. She quickly dressed and headed toward her horse. When she entered the woods a few minutes later she felt an eeriness that she had not felt before. She looked around and seeing nothing different, she slowly made her way in the direction she thought was correct. She had only been riding a few steps when she decided to leave her horse and walk.

She dismounted and tied her horse the same way she had seen Tristan tie her before. She took a few steps and saw the blue man step from the trees. "Delaney, you wish to see Merlin?" he asked. She nodded and he offered her his hand to steady her on the trail. They walked in silence until they came to a clearing. In the center of the clearing sat Merlin, surrounded by three other men. They were talking animatedly. When Merlin saw her, he raised his hand to stop the discussion. He stood and walked toward her. "Delaney, you have need of my counsel?" he asked as she took the hand he offered.

She bowed her head acknowledging his position in their society. He closed his hand over hers and led her to a small round stone beside him. She sat and waited until he nodded for her to speak. "Merlin, something happened today that I need to understand. Can you help me if I describe it to you?" "I will try, child. But you must understand that I am merely a man who interprets the signs around me." She nodded her understanding and then proceeded to tell him of the tingling when Tristan and she touched. The way she now thought she was connected to the other man. He sat there, listening, never interrupting until she had finished. Then all he said was, "Have you not figured out your place here?"

Laney thought for a moment, then shook her head. He sighed and spoke, "You are part of this land. Half spirit, half creature. Your mother was not a woman as you remember her. She came to the land to become a mortal when she fell in love with your father. Your mother was also not of your time. She took you there to protect you from forces that would have harmed you when you were born." She looked at him in disbelief. Had he gone mad since the last time she had talked to him? What he was saying was something that sounded like some kind of fairy tale.

Merlin saw the disbelief on her face. Shaking his head, he told her, "Forget what you know of the mortal world. What you have been taught. Look into your heart and you will know the truth. Your mother could take you from our world, but she could not take our world from you. But you must listen to your heart without remembrance of what you have been taught for the truth to present itself." She stood up and started pacing around the fire before her. "Did you not wonder at the reactions of the men you meet? How they were attracted to you without any encouragement on your part? You are 'love' as the human mind and heart can perceive it. Without you, the world would be lost in darkness, hopelessness, and despair. That is why the gods granted your mother's wish to remove you from this place. They, in their wisdom, saw that the world would not survive without you, so allowed her to keep you safe, and when it was time to return you to your rightful place, they did so."

Laney walked back to her rock and sat down heavily. "Merlin, does that mean that the love Lancelot feels for me is not true?" she asked anxiously. He immediately began shaking his head. "No, child, although you are the spirit of love in human form, you have no power to influence anyone else's emotions, you only have the ability to know the emotions of others. This is the story of how you came to be. Your father was a good man, with compassion for others including the creatures that walked the earth and the earth itself. Your mother was the spirit of all that was good on this earth and saw the goodness in him. She watched him and in doing so, fell in love with him. She was granted the chance to become human for a short time so she could learn more about who he was. When he saw her, he too fell in love and they consummated that love against all the dictates of both worlds. You were born of a human father and a spirit mother. Your mother took human form because of her feelings for your father." His voice became saddened as he finished. "He was struck down in battle with dark forces because he chose to protect her when she was in the weakened human form. You are the spirit of that love. The forces did not know of your conception until she had arranged for your safe passage to another time where belief in such matters is almost non-existent. Without belief, your spirit half does not exist. You are but a shell, always seeking that which you possess, but being unable to find it. Only when you came back to your rightful place did you find it."

He waited for his words to become reality to her. He was surprised that she had seen enough to question him so early in her time here. He had expected to have to coax her into realizing her position of power here in time to defeat the forces that were already invading the shores of Britain. Especially since she had become so involved with the knights at the fort. Her spirit had regained its strength more quickly than he had anticipated.

She spoke quietly, "What you say explains much to me, but it also adds more questions. If, as you say, I am the spirit of love, then why is there so much hate and suspicion in the world around me?" He listened to the question behind her spoken question, then slowly answered her. "Delaney, you must influence the people around you to see the difference in humanity. There are a few who remember how it was before, but mostly humans have been under the influence of the forces that killed your father. They have never seen the spirit of love. When the time comes, you will accomplish much. Love will once again rule the world we live in. The evil in men's hearts will be overcome by the compassion you teach them to feel and the world will be at peace as intended."

Suddenly agitated, she stood up and faced the man sitting at her side, "Merlin, this is too much for me to handle. I still don't see how I can make a difference. I'm human. Not some spirit as you would have me believe." He could see that she was fighting what her heart told her. "You have the best of both worlds, Delaney, do not underestimate yourself. You were born to incorporate the feelings of love and compassion into human nature. Unlike your mother, you can feel what you represent. You are human, yes, you will live and die as a human. But you have the added advantage of your spirit mother's influence. You will be able to tell what people have in their hearts without hearing them speak it. All you have to do is listen to your own heart." She looked at him with disbelief and finally, she bowed her head and moved to leave. She needed to get away and be by herself. How she wished her mother could be here to talk to. Why didn't she tell her the truth?

Merlin saw the panic in her eyes and her movements. "Delaney, search your heart but guard your secret. Evil forces are still upon the earth. You could still be in danger. Tell no one what you have learned for it could also put them in danger as it did your father." She heard his words and she would heed them, even if they were lies and he was using her to some end she didn't know. But she did not acknowledge them. She just left the clearing and headed back to her horse. She needed to be with Lancelot. She needed to feel his arms around her and feel the safety she would find there. In her haste she did not see the man standing in a thicket at the edge of the path. If she had, she would have been frightened for him, for he had heard all Merlin had said. Her secret was no longer secret. The one thing she wished to prevent was now out of her hands. His life was in danger.