The couple ran toward the battlements seeing that some of the knights were in front of them and some were behind. Laney noted that Arthur was just ahead of them with Guinnevere on his heels. By the state of their dress, they had dressed hastily. She knew the two of them had been seen discussing things a lot, but she had not known that they were lovers. She watched them run up the stairs. She was glad Arthur had finally found someone worthy to fill his lonely nights. Looking at Lancelot, she saw that he too had seen the state of dress of his friend. She grabbed him by the arm and he looked back at her. "Are you alright? Pain?" He asked without slowing down. "No, I'm just not used to all this running. Go, I'll catch up." He nodded and took off faster.
When she reached the top she saw the looks on all the faces. Lancelot looked at her and shook his head. She looked over the side and saw hundreds of small fires burning. It looked like the whole Saxon army had arrived at their front door. 'Damn,' she thought, 'I thought I'd turned them back at the lake.' She turned around and sat down heavily on the stone walkway. Lancelot stepped over and took the hand still holding onto the wall. "Laney, what is it?" She looked at Tristan and saw him looking down at the stones beneath his feet and tears welled up. "Lance, this was my dream." Her voice was so soft he almost didn't understand her. Then realizing she was talking about the dream that had upset her so much, he knelt beside her. "It will be alright. You know how to call on your power now. You didn't back then, remember?"
She looked up and saw the others looking at her. "But there are so many! How can I stop so many?" She felt inadequate when faced with such a large force. The group of Saxons at the lake had only been a few hundred, there were thousands out there now and no icy lake to drop them in. Arthur walked over to her, "Laney, we have faith in your abilities. Let's move this to the Round Table so we can plan." He paused, "Knights, are you with me?" He knew they hadn't voted yet and any or all of them could pack up and walk away. He wouldn't blame them much, this was not their land, but he knew it was their home. Would they stay and fight for what was theirs? Or, would they cut the losses and head back home? It was up to each man, he was their leader, once, but now they were free to choose their own destiny.
Laney saw the knights look at each other, then slowly headed toward the main hall that housed the Round Table. She thought they would all stay for they all loved Arthur and respected him. They were forced to fight for Rome, but they were not forced to respect their leader. He had earned that. She stood up with help from Lancelot and they started following the others. Once they were at the bottom of the steps that led to the battlement, Lancelot stopped and looked at her. "Laney, I was going to discuss this with you tonight, but you made me forget all about it when I got to our room." He gave a little laugh, then continued, "I guess now I'll just have to come right out and ask." He cupped her chin in his hand, "Shall I stay, and fight?"
She searched his eyes for a hint of what he wanted the answer to be. She would stay if he wished it, even if he didn't wish it, but she would not make him stay for her sake. She saw in his eyes that he wanted to stay and stand beside Arthur. "Yes, we will stay." She finally answered. He opened his mouth to protest and she placed her fingers over his lips. "Lance, you know this is why I was brought here. Why I traveled so far back in time." She moved her fingers and he took her hand in his. He looked at her hand for a moment, then took her in his arms. "If I say no, you will just go behind my back, won't you?" He didn't wait for her answer, he already knew it. "At least if I say yes, I'll be able to cover your back if the need arises. We will stay." He then released her and they headed toward the hall, walking hand in hand.
When they arrived, they found the others already assembled. Laney noted that Guinnevere was sitting to the right of Arthur, where Lancelot usually sat. She steered him to Arthur's left and saw the confusion on his face. Arthur also noticed the confusion and stood to speak, "Guinnevere is here to represent the Woads. They will be joining us in this battle, for this is their home as well." Then he turned to Laney, "Do you think it will come down to a battle?" She knew he was asking if she could do something similar here to what she had done at the lake.
She slowly stood up and faced him, "Arthur, you saw the numbers. I don't think I have that kind of power. At least I'm sure if I do, I haven't learned enough about how to control it that well." She hesitated, "Yes, I think it will come to battle. All I think I can do is cover small fractions of it as I feel the need." She sat down and looked at the other knights. Some were looking at Arthur, others at each other, only Tristan was looking at her. She saw him stand, "I for one will stay, and fight. There is no death more glorious than one in battle for something worth fighting for. I think the fight for freedom is the greatest end we could hope for." He then sat down and stared at the top of the table as she had seen him do on other occasions.
The others sat for so long Laney was afraid they were going to decide to leave. Then one by one they announced their attentions. They would all stay, even Gallahad didn't argue against it. Finally, Lancelot turned to Arthur, "Laney and I will stay. All I ask is that we be married now, tonight. I will not die and leave my child to be born a bastard." Laney looked up in surprise. She had not realized it was so important that they be married before the birth of their child. When he sat back down, Arthur stood, "I think that can be arranged. Guinnevere, will Merlin perform the ceremony?" She nodded, "Yes, I think he will. But we must hurry, I'm sorry, Lancelot, but we have many things to prepare before the battle."
They stood and Arthur told them to meet back in the hall in twenty minutes. After the ceremony they would plan the war that would decide the fate of all that dwelled in the fort. Just as they were about to leave, the Bishop came striding in. "Arthur, I will be leaving at daybreak and taking the Roman soldiers with me. Will you accompany me so you can reap the rewards of your service to Rome?" When he caught the mood of the group standing around the table, his face blanched. "No, Bishop, I will not. My service to Rome is ended as is my allegiance. I will stay and fight with the Britons. Rome can go to hell, for it is not of my God, as my friend once told me." He nodded to Lancelot and turned to leave the room. All the knights followed him, giving the Bishop looks that would have curdled fresh milk.
The ceremony that Merlin performed for Laney and Lancelot was simple, but beautiful to her. When they had sipped from the golden cup that Tristan had produced from somewhere, Merlin had declared that they were one as intended by Fate. Lancelot had kissed her gently and placed his hand on her swollen stomach. "Now, my son will have a father to claim when he is grown." Tears immediately sprang into Laney's eyes. "Lance, you sound as if you will not survive. Why?" She held his arm to keep from sinking to the stone floor. "Did you not see my death, long ago? Your 'dreams' have not been wrong so far, I don't see why they would be now. But don't grieve, I have loved you enough for a lifetime in the months that we've been together. I fight to ensure my son is free to do the same."
His words gave her the strength she knew she would need to pull off anything she needed to do. She smiled at him, "Lancelot, my husband, if you married me thinking death would get you out of your promise to love me forever, you were wrong. I will not let you die in this battle." Then she turned to the others, "I will not let any of you die. And don't worry that I will do something foolish like get myself killed, for I will not let my son die either." She walked out of the room leaving them all standing with their mouths hanging open. Lancelot looked at Arthur, then shook his head, "I told you we needed to talk some sense into her, but you wouldn't listen."
He was smiling and the others wondered that he could smile after her speech. But they knew she could do things without being on the battlefield, so they weren't worried for her at all. They gathered once more around the Round Table, this time with Merlin and Guinnevere. Laney did not appear, but none of them expected her to. They knew she would be in her room, preparing for her part in the battle that awaited them the following day.
Laney went to her room and lay down on the bed. She closed her eyes, not to sleep, but to rest and think. She thought about her mother and how she had watched the man she loved, Laney's father, die. She didn't understand how she could have done that if she had the power she now could wield. She prayed to every God she had ever heard of that she would find the strength to keep Lancelot alive, all of them alive. So far she had only called on the power twice. Both times were short lived and she didn't know how long she could hold it before she would lose it and be unable to call it back. Besides, didn't she pass out each time she lost it? She placed her hand on her stomach, and silently called on her son to give her more strength. She did not want him to grow up without his father, as she had.
She fell asleep, still unsure how much she could do to prevent death for the people she needed to protect. In her dreams she saw the familiar mist rise in her room. 'Daughter, why do you doubt yourself?' She looked around, but couldn't see her mother. 'Mother, where are you? I can't see through all this mist!' Suddenly her mother appeared, sitting on the edge of her bed as she had so many nights when she was small. 'Laney, dear, there is no need to fret so. You can and will do what is required.' Laney sat up in the bed and lay her head in her mother's lap. 'But you couldn't save my father. How can I save your grandson's father? I am not as strong as you were, am I?'
Her mother gently caressed her hair down as she always had. "Laney, what you are facing is much different than what I faced so many years ago. You face men, made of flesh and blood. I faced spirits, demons, that could not be dealt with in the same way. I could have saved your father if I had been willing to sacrifice the life of my unborn child. If I were totally truthful with you, I wanted to, but your father would not let me. He pushed me away and told me he would not want to live if his life were spared and yours was not.'
Laney raised her head and looked into her mother's eyes. She saw the pain her decision had caused her for the first time. 'I don't think I could have chosen. You were very brave, even if you don't think so.' She lay her head back down and whispered, 'Thank you. You have given me the courage to do what I must. But first I need to know something.' She took a deep breath, 'If I hold the power for too long, will it cause harm to my son?'
'No child, the power you call to you will only give your child strength. He can withstand any power you can hold and possibly more some day. Once, I was wholly spirit. You have always been half spirit and half mortal. Your son is only one quarter spirit, but I feel the strength in his spirit.' Then she slowly pushed Laney off her lap to stand beside the bed. 'One thing I must tell you, do not wield the power for any individual skirmish you see, broaden your sight and wield the power for all the battles. Stop them all at once and the enemy will leave this island in fear. When you release the power, hold on to a small thread and you will not be so weak afterwards. Once you feel normal, then let that thread go. Now I must leave you, the gods will only let me stay for short periods. If I try to stay longer they will not let me come the next time you need guidance.'
She moved from the bed and Laney jumped up, 'Mother, can you not stay and comfort me some more?' 'No, Laney, I must go, but hold this in your heart, I am proud of you and I loved you just as I did your father, and then more. That love is all that brings me to you when you have need.' Then Laney saw the mist lift from her room and knew her mother had gone. She opened her eyes and saw that she was still lying in her bed. It had been a dream. She looked around the room and knew though it had been only a dream, the dream had been real. She quickly got up and dressed in the only clothes she had that would fit since her stomach had grown. She wanted to hide her swollen belly in case the Saxons got sight of her. She wanted to protect hers and Lancelot's unborn son.
When she was dressed, she went and stood at the open window. She could see the stars overhead and the moon was shining down on the fort, casting a glow on the stones of the walls. She heard the door open and close and knew that the plans were now complete. He walked up to her and put his arms around her, gently rubbing her stomach. "Will you lie down with me? I need to rest before the battle begins. I want to hold you and know that you are safe until I wake up." She took his hands in hers and gently kissed each palm. "Yes, I too want to rest knowing that for these few hours you are not in danger and that I can find peace in your embrace."
She released his hands and turned to face him. "I love you more than you'll ever really know. All I can hope is that my love and your unborn son will give you strength in battle. When you fight, think of us, and know that our love is like a bubble surrounding you." He kissed her and said, "You seem calmer now than when you left the hall. What brought this on?" She smiled at him and he saw the gleam in her eyes. "I talked with my mother. I know what I have to do and I know that I can do it. All will go well tomorrow." Then she led him to the bed and pulled him down to lay beside her. He wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled into the cocoon he provided with his arms.