Note: Just wanted to update again before the site is down tomorrow night. I hope to have time tomorrow to add another one or two. Hope you all still enjoy.
Disclaimer: Nope, not my knights, nor my legend. Damn it all!
Before the first rays of the sun filtered over the horizon, both Laney and Lancelot were up and headed out the door. As they lay in each others arms, Lancelot had told her what was discussed as far as the parts the knights and the Woads would play during the battle. He also told her that both Arthur and Merlin thought she would do better on the hill where Merlin would be. "That way you can see the whole battlefield. Merlin tried to get Arthur to join him, but you know Arthur, he will ride with us." As he spoke he gently pushed her hair away from her face with his fingers. "I love you, my beautiful wife, with all my heart, soul and body." She heard the love that emanated from his words. "And I love you, my sexy husband, with all my heart, soul and body." The kiss they shared told the truth of their words.
Laney met Merlin and they walked to the crest of the hill. She saw Lancelot and the rest of the knights. They were dressed in their battle armor and sat high in the saddle of the fierce looking horses. They were an impressive sight, even for someone like her, who knew they were much more than just knights. She saw Guinnevere standing in the tree line with members of her tribe. Laney hadn't realized there were so many. She had only seen a handful until today. She waited for the events to play out as intended.
Merlin had talked to her of her abilities. "Delaney, you have the ability to call upon the forces governed by all the gods and goddesses for without the spirit of love, the others are worthless. Without love, even the god of war would not have any wars to be god over. Without love of land, possessions, families, and tribes, there would be nothing to war over." She listened carefully hoping to learn something that would help her. "Whatever element of this earth you need to help you will do so. Be it the air we breathe, or the soil we walk upon. All will do your bidding. All you have to do is command and it will be so." He turned to leave her and said, "When this battle is over, ask me more about your father. I have much to tell." Before she could say anything, he had walked into the trees and was out of sight.
Lancelot sat on his warhorse to Arthur's right. He watched to his left and saw Laney standing in front of the sun as it appeared over the horizon. "Gods she is beautiful." He spoke aloud but did not intend to do so. The other knights looked and saw why he had spoken with such awe. All they could see was her form surrounded by the bright light of the rising sun. If any had looked to the far right, they would have seen the look on Tristan's face. The look of loving, longing, and pain for being unable to do so except in his heart. The heart that felt so full sometimes he thought it would explode if he weren't allowed to share it.
He closed his eyes and listened for her emotions. She was exhilarated! He was so glad that she was not frightened, but he could sense that she was ready. She knew what she would do when the time came. He just hoped they all lived as long as it took, for she would blame herself if any of them perished. When he finally let go of her emotions, he looked back to find her gone. He searched for her for a few minutes, then turned his attention to the army below them and to his friend and former commander.
"Knights, the gift of freedom is yours by right. But the homes we seek resides, not in some distant land. It's in us and in our actions on this day! If this is our destiny, then so be it. But let history remember, that as free men we chose to make it so!" The knights joined him in giving the war cry that had led them in many battles before this one. They rode hard toward the field where the Saxons had entered the fortress. There would be no hand to hand combat in this scrimmage, the knights and the Woad archers would take care of the Saxon infantrymen. Each time the knights made a pass on their huge war horses, the Woads would fire rounds of arrows from the other side to disorient the enemy.
Laney watched Lancelot ride back and forth among the Saxons. There was little danger to any of the knights as long as they kept to their horses. Should any fall, they would die almost immediately. She considered their skill as riders and knew they would be safe. As she watched, the Saxon soldiers were cut down either by sword or arrow. All but one, who escaped back to his leader when the gate was opened. He did not live long before being struck down by another Saxon. Arthur led the knights back to the knoll they had waited on before the battle began. The final battle had been set into motion.
Laney watched as the Saxons stormed into the fortress. Even with the losses suffered first, on the ice and then, in the last scrimmage, there were still several thousand men running as fast as they could so heavily armed. As the last ran through the open gate, the people of the fort closed them to keep any from escaping. When the gate closed, Laney closed her eyes and called, "Goddess, grant me the power to defeat this unholy army. There is no love in them, except the love of killing and death. I ask that all the elements be made available should I have the need. In the name of love, I beseech thee."
The familiar feeling of ice crept through her veins, the feeling of power grew until she felt the need to release it before she was frozen. She turned to face the knights and saw Arthur waiting for her sign that she was ready. She raised her hands over her head and waited for the Woads to do their part. When the field below was as Arthur wanted it, he motioned for Guinnevere to fire the flaming arrows. He had told Laney, "Although I have faith in your abilities, I wish to be prepared for the alternative. Do you understand what I'm saying?" She nodded and he and Merlin had devised a way to divide the Saxons to give them a better chance of defeating them.
She saw Arthur give Guinnevere the signal and arrows carrying fire flew toward the ditch filled with black pitch. Flames shot up as the pitch caught and spread the length of the ditch. Laney made a motion with her right hand as if she were catching air in her hand. She motioned to toss it toward the fire and the flames leapt three times higher than before. The fire seemed to have a life of its own. The Woads, led by Guinnevere ran toward the Saxons with their weapons held high, war cries echoing throughout the field. Laney passed her hand in front of her in a waving motion and the land began to ripple beneath the feet of the enemy. They could not stand, thus they could not fight. The Woads cut them down with ease. Some of them were injured slightly, but none had to die. As the last Saxon fell, she turned her attention back to Arthur.
The knights watched in disbelief at the scene before them. They had not been surprised when the fire had burned higher and hotter than normal. Laney had caused ice to break, so why not fire to burn fiercer than it would normally? When the ground began to move as a snake, they were amazed that the slight woman could have that kind of control over the earth. Lancelot gazed in wonder that a creature with so much power could love him and carry his child. It was then that he saw what he truly had in his wife. What Tristan had always seen, whether he had believed it possible or not.
Tristan closed his eyes for a moment and listened to the sounds around him. He could feel the power in Laney and knew that this was Laney as she was meant to be seen: beautiful, powerful, as one with the elements and the people who loved them. He felt the thread that bound them pulling him toward her. Quickly, he opened his eyes and focused on the battlefield below. He vowed to himself that Merlin would explain his connection to her after this battle, if either of them lived through it. 'Have care, Love, many will perish unless you hold true.'
His silent plea did not go unnoticed by either Laney or Merlin. Laney nodded and knew he had seen. Merlin was astonished at the connection between them. He had not realized their blood was so close, but then he was the only one who remembered that Tristan's mother had been a Briton. When this battle was over, he vowed to tell the two of their kinship. If they survived this battle. It would all depend on the strength and belief in her abilities. He hoped she had enough time to accept the truths he had told her and embrace who and what she was.
The leader of the Saxons had spotted the knights sitting on the knoll. He gave a war cry and began running toward their position, his soldiers following him in formation. The knights rode at full tilt toward the approaching enemy, but slowed when they saw the darkness cover the field. The sky overhead suddenly turned black as night as large clouds covered the sun. Lightning began to crackle across the sky leaving trails in the eyes that witnessed it. The lightning began to streak toward the ground directly in front of the Saxons. The leader motioned for the shields men to move forward to protect him. The shields never stood a chance against the power of the lightning. Then Laney spoke to the enemy and the wind carried it across the battlefield. "Hear me enemies of Britain! This land will never again live under foreign rule. Leave this island or perish."
As she finished speaking the lightning began to move toward the Saxons, striking faster than before. The soldiers began to run away from the sight before them in small groups. Everyone on the field had heard the words carried by the wind and were afraid. The leader grew angrier as each bolt hit the ground and finally raised his battleaxe into the air and ran toward the knights. Before he had taken more than two steps a bright white bolt of lightning hit the ground where he stepped and he disappeared from sight, burned to a cinder in seconds.
When the last man of the Saxon army ran through the now open gate, the lightning began to lessen, finally stopping with a loud clap of thunder. Laney smiled and lowered her arms to her sides. The war was over! As she began to release the power one thread at a time she felt the warmth travel from her head downwards to her feet. Finally it was held by one single thread and the dizzy weakness she had felt the other two times did not come. She stood on the hillside and watched her husband ride toward her at a gallop. By the time he had jumped from his horse and landed at her side, she was able to release the last thread and throw herself into his open arms.
She had done it! She had fulfilled her fate and the man she loved was holding her tightly to his chest. When his lips released hers she opened her eyes and saw the other knights riding toward them. None had died that day, none had been required to sacrifice all for the cause of freedom. She smiled at them as they stopped beside the couple. "Arthur, it is done. I no longer have a duty to my destiny. My will is my own, as is each of yours." Arthur stepped down from his horse and stepped in front of Laney. Bowing low, he said, "Delaney, the day you entered the meadow at the bath house, your will was your own. You did not fight this day for destiny, you fought for freedom. Freedom to live our lives as we wish, one and all." He bowed once again and she saw the other knights follow suit. For the first time in her life, she felt pride at what she had accomplished.
She looked beside the knights and saw Merlin walking in her direction. She bowed her head in greeting and saw Arthur and Merlin greet as equals, both Britons, neither thinking them on opposite sides any more. Lancelot had released her from the hug when Arthur had walked up, but he still kept an arm around her waist, holding her close.
When he was standing in front of the couple, he turned and called Tristan to the front. "The time has come to tell you all that I know." He was speaking to Laney and the knight he'd called forward. Arthur spoke up, "How is there more? Has Laney not done all that is required of her?" Merlin held up his hand, then in a clear voice that seemed to carry on a breeze as Laney's had, "There are gaps in the story that Delaney knew was there. I promised to tell her all once the threat of changing the outcome of her destiny was past. That time has come." His voice changed and only Laney and Tristan could hear. "Come to me and we will walk to a quieter place. It will be your choice what and how much you tell your friends." He moved to leave the hilltop and Laney stopped him.
"Merlin, for my part you can tell everyone now. It will save me the effort of having to repeat it later." She looked at Tristan and saw him nod his agreement. Merlin was watching as Tristan gave his answer and releasing a sigh, began to speak, "As you all know Laney's heritage, I see no reason to repeat it except to say that Delaney's father was a Briton. He was also brother to Tristan's mother." Laney saw the disbelief on Tristan's face, so she spoke to Merlin. "How can that be when Tristan is Sarmatian and I am not?"
Merlin explained, "Tristan's father was Sarmatian. He was a knight for the Roman Empire, serving his fifteen year conscription on this island. He took as his wife a Briton and they returned to his homeland to raise a family. She lived the life of a Sarmatian woman and neither saw any reason to speak of her heritage." Merlin saw realization dawn on the knight's face. He was blood related to Delaney. Laney also saw his eyes when he realized the truth to what Merlin said. She smiled and moved to stand beside her newly found cousin. "Now we know why Fate did not let us become lovers. We are family." She hugged him and after a moment he returned the gesture.
When they released the embrace, Tristan turned to Merlin, "This does not explain the connection between us. The ability I have of knowing what she is feeling whenever I want, as she can with me must come from her mother, a spirit." Merlin had started to speak as soon as the first statement had been spoken. "No, knight, the blood of ones that are close to the elements is strong. When the mind is open, we find that we can feel many things that are out of the reach of others whose minds are not open. The things you and she feel about each other, is possible because of your blood tie and both your abilities to hear what nature is saying." Tristan spoke as he moved to stand once again with his brothers. "If I had known this in the beginning maybe I wouldn't have fallen so hopelessly in love with her." All but Merlin thought he had only mumbled as he walked, no one else had heard the words.
"You know that is not truth. The bond would have drawn you to her whether you knew or not. You would have felt a loss more deeply than you feel your unrequited love." Even Laney did not know of the exchange between the two men.