Thanks to the following for reviewing:
Alatarial Elf: Thanks. Wish I could help, but…
Babaksmiles: Well, since Lancelot is suspicious by nature… but not to worry, he shakes it off. Tristan will always be there for her, you'll find out soon enough just why. Wedding was perfect (Renaissance Festival wedding…) and honeymoon was absolutely perfect, didn't want to return home, but since he had to work… thanks for asking.
LANCELOTTRISTANBABY: Of course no one dies! I love them all and just couldn't do it.
Cardeia: Thanks. I tried to follow some suggestions and found myself so worried over that I couldn't write. When I write I see the scenes in my head. That helps a lot. Merlin will make sense soon.
Disclaimer: Don't own anyone, not even myself. That belongs to my 'knight'!
The group rode up to the edge of the woods and Laney held up her hand for them to stop. "Wait, Vennen should come to meet us." They sat there listening to the sounds around them until finally, a blue warrior walked out of the shadows. "Delaney," he nodded to her. "Hello, Vennen, we need to speak with Merlin." She told him. He looked at the three men with her. When he recognized Lancelot and Tristan he nodded to them. Then he looked a while longer at Arthur. Laney was afraid he wasn't going to let Arthur pass, "Vennen, this is Arthur, Commander of the Knights."
"I know who he is. What does he want with Merlin?" Vennen said with some degree of distrust in his voice. "We need to speak to Merlin regarding something to do with me. I will vouch for him if you think that is necessary." She waited for him to decide what to do. He was looking at Laney and she never lowered her eyes. He nodded once and said. "Please leave your horses and weapons here." He waited for them to dismount and tie their horses before moving toward the interior of the woods. Lancelot had started to protest but a quick signal from Arthur said it was alright, so they left their weapons attached to the saddles as they followed the blue man deeper into the woods.
No one spoke as they walked, either out of respect for the woods, or because they were listening for any sign of an ambush. Laney was sure it was the last. Both sides still held a great deal of mistrust regarding the other, but they were willing to give the benefit of the doubt because she said it should be. For a moment she marveled that they were willing to listen to her, and then she realized it was because she was to play an important part in their lives and they just wanted to find out what it was. But then, so did she.
They came upon the clearing where she usually met Merlin and found it empty. She gave Vennen a questioning look. "Merlin is in counsel with the other tribe leaders. He will be here shortly; I sent word that you have come." She nodded and walked over to the stone she usually sat on when meeting with Merlin and sat down. Arthur raised his eyebrows in question and she stood back up and motioned them all over to the fire pit. "Please, just sit and we'll wait. He should be here soon." She tried to reassure them. Arthur sat on the ground next to Laney with Lancelot taking the other side of her. Tristan looked around for a moment, then sat down across from her. She could tell they all had questions on their minds, but none of them spoke. She sat there for a few minutes, then to break the silence which was hanging heavy in the air, she asked, "Arthur, when Merlin gets here do you want me to tell him what's going on or would you like to speak to him first?"
"I think we should let Merlin decide how this meeting is to progress. I want to watch him for a while before I say anything." He gave her a half-smile in apology. She nodded, "I understand. But I can promise you that he will not hold back anything if I ask him not to. He told me not to tell you anything and will probably not be pleased that I have gone against his wishes. But, once he knows that I did…" She let her words trail off as Merlin came into the clearing.
He was wearing what she had seen him in the first time she saw him. He had on the usual Woad garb that blended into the trees and underbrush. Over that he was wearing an animal pelt as a cape and was carrying the staff he usually had with him. When he stepped into the clearing, he stopped and looked at Laney. "I see you did not heed my warning. Am I to understand that this meeting is called by the Knights and not by you?" His tone held contempt, hidden, but not completely.
Laney quickly stood up when he appeared, Arthur and the other knights followed her lead and also stood up to greet the leader of their enemy. "Merlin," she bowed in greeting. "Yes, the knights know what you have told me. They were kind enough to take me in and I found it hard to lie to them. But I am the one who called this meeting." She cocked her head to one side and continued, "I think it best if we are all honest with each other. How else can I know what my place here can be if I am constantly wondering if what I hear is the truth?"
Merlin looked at her for a moment, then he looked to Arthur, "There is wisdom in what you say. I don't know how these events will affect what is to come, but it cannot be changed now. We will just have to wait and see." As he talked he walked over to the circle marked off around the fire pit. The weather was not cool enough to require one, but for some reason he didn't tell, he had Vennen light one. Then sending the man away, he spread his 'cloak' out and sat down on it. He placed his staff beside him and motioned for the others to join him. When everyone was seated once more, he motioned for Laney to begin, "What troubles you, daughter?"
Laney felt Arthur stiffen at his words. Placing her hand on his arm, she quickly spoke, "Merlin, I have been having dreams, some while asleep and some while awake. These dreams disturb me…" Lancelot interrupted without waiting for her to finish her sentence. "Disturb you! Laney, you were terrified! It took a slap from Tristan to stop your hysterical screaming." He then looked at Merlin, "I don't know how much you have to do with all of this, but if you are causing her pain, I will stop you." His tone was icy and his threat was not lost on the Woad leader.
Laney saw the look that passed between the two men and decided she'd better intervene before something caused trouble. "Lance, please, Merlin has done nothing to cause this. I know in my heart that what he has told me is the truth." She turned back to Merlin and asked, "What are these visions I see?" He waited until he could see that Lancelot had heeded her words. "Laney, I don't know what it is that you saw. Describe it for me and I will seek guidance."
She hesitated, she didn't want to tell him in front of the others. Not so much Arthur, she had not seen anything that would lead her to believe he would suffer the same fate as the others. Merlin did not speak again, so she knew she would have to tell him. "I have not told anyone what my dream was last night. It was too painful to even think about, much less speak about." She hesitated, "but, if I must tell you, then I ask that none of you interrupt me until I am finished." She looked at Lancelot, "and don't try to comfort me when I cry, I will not be able to keep from it." She saw Lancelot hesitate before nodding.
Taking a deep breath, she spoke softly, "I saw people that I care for, one more than my own life, apparently at the threshold of death." She couldn't stop the tears that came unbidden into her eyes. She had been looking at Lancelot the whole time she was speaking. Then angrily wiping the tears from her face, she continued, "I saw a battle, a big battle, there were people lying dead or dying all over the field in the fort. Then I saw you lying with the glazed look of one who is dying." She spoke directly to Lancelot and he slowly hung his head. She turned to look at Merlin and he had his eyes closed.
"Merlin," she said softly to get his attention. When he looked up, she was looking intently at him. "Was what I dreamed real? Can I stop it?" He could tell by her last question that she believed what she had seen was real. "Delaney, dreams are the gods way of giving us a warning. But not all dreams are a warning." She was tired of all these riddles. "Damn it, Merlin, I think you know that the dream was real! Can I stop it?" Her voice had risen in anger, but he did not let on that he had heard it.
"Your passion will decide what you can and cannot prevent, if you can prevent anything at all. I think that by being here you will be able to make a difference, but maybe not in the way you wish." Tristan had not shown any emotion since the meeting had started. Lancelot had kept his head down since Laney had told her dream to them. Arthur had listened in silence, watching the wizard through veiled eyes. He had many questions to ask, but if the answers were like the ones he gave Laney, he knew he would get no satisfaction from them.
"Merlin, Laney is suffering. Can you not help her?" he finally interjected the question during a brief moment when neither he nor Laney was speaking. Merlin looked at Arthur. "Artorius, does your Christian beliefs allow for such as you have seen and heard since Delaney entered our world?" He saw the doubt in Arthur's eyes. "I thought not." He paused, "How can you ask me to do something that you have no belief in? The contradiction should give you the answer you seek." Arthur waited for more, when none came, he spoke in his 'commander' tone. "Merlin, your riddles are helping no one. It should be enough that she is able to bring us together without bloodshed for us to believe she holds a special place here." He looked to the man for some kind of acknowledgement before continuing, "She seeks counsel, I cannot help her, but I believe that you can."
Merlin waited for him to calm down a little, "Artorius, our fight has never been with you or your knights. Our fight is with the Roman Empire. We will not give up our lands, our homes, without a fight." His statement held no anger, almost no emotion at all. Arthur made to stand up. He usually paced when he was thinking or working out a problem. Sitting still made it hard for him to think. He looked at the hand Laney had placed on his leg. Then he looked up to find her eyes looking back pleadingly. Sighing, he relaxed and remained seated. When she knew he would not get up, she removed her hand and turned back to Merlin. She saw that he had seen the exchange between her and Arthur and for whatever reason, was pleased that she could change his actions so easily.
"Merlin, if you cannot help me, then I must look elsewhere for the answers. I think I know what I must do, I just wanted confirmation or some sign from you that I was right." The resolved tone of her voice let him know she was progressing in her abilities, even if she didn't want to believe it. "Delaney, only you can decide what you must or must not do. As I told you, look inside yourself, read your own emotions and you will not err in your decisions." He then looked to Lancelot, speaking directly to him for the first time. "Knight of Sarmatia, you are blessed in her love. You must not try to stop her when she says it is time to fulfill her destiny. Your actions not only decide your fate, they decide hers and your sons as well. Only she can face this evil and defeat it. It matters not whether you are there. But if you prevent what she must do your son will be born in darkness, without love, without hope. Is that much different from the life you have lived?" He glanced at Tristan but did not speak to him. He stood and gathered his cloak about his shoulders. The meeting was over as far as he was concerned.
Laney stood and looked at Merlin. "I don't think I will need your counsel any longer. My counsel comes from a higher place and you will know when the time is come for me to do as I must." She looked at Arthur and then back to Merlin. "I ask that you both consider a truce until the time that I no longer need to worry about my duty. I'm afraid that the trouble between your two peoples are minor compared to what you will face. Do I have your word?" Neither man spoke, finally Merlin nodded once at Arthur. Arthur hesitated, then nodded in return. Then he added, "We will not back away if attacked, but we will not attack. That is all I can promise." Merlin nodded his agreement, then added, "We do not agree not to fight the Roman yoke being put on our necks. If Artorius is forced to step in, then so be it." He then turned around and headed back the way he had come. It wasn't exactly what she asked for, but it was a start.
She knew that Merlin would continue the attacks on Roman caravans as they traveled through Britain. She also knew that Arthur would do his duty and fight to protect those caravans. But she was pleased that the two peoples could now walk safely through the woods and fields around the fort without fear of attack. She doubted anyone would test the truce. But maybe Lancelot would lighten up and let her travel outside the gates without someone as a guard. She felt Lancelot's embrace before she saw it was him. The look he gave her made a chill run up her spine. His eyes held a sadness that she didn't think she would be able to dispel, but she would make him understand as best she could.
"Lancelot, don't fear for me or our son. I will do nothing foolish or in haste, but you heard Merlin. I must be the one to defeat the evil that is spreading across this island. If you say you will try to stop me, then I must go with Merlin. I cannot let our son be born into the world Merlin described." As she spoke she had grabbed his tunic and held on with both hands. He gently took her hands and held them between his. "Laney, I can't think what having a son could mean, I've never held hope that I deserved a son, but I can know what it would mean to lose you. What you ask, I will try, but I'm afraid I will fail unless you help me to understand when the time comes. Will you promise that you will try to make me understand why I can't protect you as I feel is my right and duty as your husband?"
His pleading tone tore at her heart. But before she could answer, Arthur walked up to them and spoke, "We must get back to the fort. The others need to know what has transpired here before someone sees a Woad and attacks without my command." Lancelot wasn't going to be deterred though, "You go ahead, Arthur, I am not leaving this place until Laney answers my question." He never took his eyes from hers as he spoke, but Arthur knew the tone. He would not budge until she spoke to him. "We'll wait with the horses. Don't be long."
"Lance, you will know everything I know when the time comes. But do not think I've broken this promise should something happen when you are not near. As long as we are side by side I will keep no secrets from you, that promise I can and do happily make to you." He seemed to be searching her soul for the truth in her words. Finally, he took her in his arms, "Nothing more can a man ask from his wife, than honesty. I will not stop you even if I have to make the others stop me. I love you with all my being. Never forget that." He leaned down and kissed her gently before picking her up. He headed toward the edge of the forest with her in his arms. "You may become tired before we reach the horses, I can walk." She whispered into his ear.
Laney reached up and moved the curl that had fallen onto his forehead. "Let's go home then. I am not a patient woman." She leaned down and they kissed gently, then Lancelot let her legs drop. He held her tightly for a moment longer, then released her so they could walk toward Arthur and Tristan. Taking her hand, he led the way, only slowing when she had to step over fallen limbs or heavy brush. When they reached Arthur they mounted their horses and rode back toward home.