Disclaimer: I wish! But since I don't, please don't sue. Or, if you must, be prepared to get squat.
The battlefield looked nothing like the vision Laney had seen in her dream. There weren't dead and dying bodies scattered everywhere. There were a few dead Saxons because they either refused to leave before being struck by lightning or they had been killed during the knights first scrimmage. She was walking hand in hand with Lancelot as they followed Arthur and Merlin toward the fortress. She saw Tristan walking beside Dag talking quietly with the bigger man. She made a mental note to talk to him when they arrived at the tavern. She knew that's where they were going. It's where they always went after battle, to unwind and forget the killing.
Vanora was so happy that things had gone well, that she brought a mug of wine to everyone as soon as they sat down. She served Bors last, to his verbal complaints, and after putting the mug on the table, she hugged him more fiercely than ever. "Damn, Wench, you're gonna make me spill my drink!" Everyone laughed as she hit him squarely on top of his head. "You'll know the next time I worry about your sorry hide!" Then she stormed off, turning back to flash him a smile. "Making up will be fun tonight!" She heard the gruff man exclaim.
Laney looked around at her friends, her new family and smiled. How they had grown on her since she had arrived a few months before. She felt Lancelot's breath on her neck as he whispered, "Your happiness makes you radiant." She reached up and placed her hand on his cheek, holding it close to her ear. "Without your love, that wouldn't be the case. You make me happy." He made a kissing sound in her ear and put his hand on her stomach. As his hand touched her skin their son kicked and he jerked his hand back. "Did you feel that, he kicked me!" Laney laughed, "You should feel it from this side." Lancelot knelt beside her and returned his hand to her stomach. "It won't be too much longer, are you still feeling alright, no pains?" She put her hand on top of his, "Lance, everything is wonderful. No pains, no fears, no worries. I love you more than you'll ever know." The couple was so wrapped up in their conversation and each other, they didn't see that all the others were looking at them.
Lancelot was the first to realize they were being observed. Looking up, he exclaimed, "What?" Arthur started laughing, "If anyone had told me before that Lancelot would be so 'loving' instead of being cheeky, I wouldn't have believed them." His face softened, "But since I've seen it myself, it must be true." Laney saw the look Arthur was giving his friend. "Arthur, you have no idea how loving he really is." She pursed her lips to keep from laughing and saw Lancelot's face beam. Tristan had been sitting in his usual dark corner and only Lancelot noticed him getting up to leave. He got Laney's attention and motioned with his head. She leaned over and kissed him quickly. "I'll be back soon." Then she quickly went in the direction Tristan had gone.
She found him standing on the battlements, looking across the land. She stepped up beside him and sighed, "Freedom changes the way we look at things, doesn't it?" He glanced at her and then turned his attention back to the scene. "Laney, you had no idea that we were blood kin, did you?" She didn't know exactly how to answer his question. She knew that he had been trying to find a reason he could understand that she had chosen Lancelot over him. But she would not lie to him, he would know and not appreciate it. "No, I wondered why of all the people in the fort, I had this affinity with you. But I would never have guessed that our parents were related, even remotely." She looked at him, "Did you know that your mother was a Briton?"
Tristan sighed, "I never thought about it, she was just my mother and I didn't question that she was anything but Sarmatian." He suddenly turned away from the scenery outside the walls. "This doesn't change the way I feel about you," he spoke adamantly. "But after seeing the way you and Lancelot looked at each other, the way he put his hand on your stomach," as he spoke he put his hand on her stomach, "I think I can learn to live with my feelings without being so unhappy." He jerked his hand back when the baby kicked. "I saw the look on Lancelot's face when he jerked his hand back, I never thought I'd get to feel that. To feel the beginning of life instead of the end." She watched his face as he spoke and saw the awe at what he had felt. She stepped closer and threw her arms around his neck.
"Oh, Tristan, I do love you, and we're really family! I'm so proud to call you my family." She hugged him tighter and felt him slowly put his arms around her and squeeze. "I love you too, and we're more than family, we're friends. Come on, let's get back to the tavern. Lancelot will be wondering where you got off to." He gave her one final squeeze as she kissed his cheek. As they turned to walk away from the wall, she put her hands through the crook of his arm and held on. He reached over with the other hand and patted hers. They headed back to the fortress, both oblivious to the man dressed in peasant clothes standing underneath the walkway. If Laney had seen him she would have recognized one of Marius' hired soldiers. As soon as they were out of sight, he headed to one of the rooms off the stables.
As Laney and Tristan walked back they met Gawain coming through the courtyard. "Hey, where you two been? Arthur wants to make an announcement, but he won't until everyone is there." Laney looked at Tristan and he shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, lead the way," she laughed. "We don't want to keep them waiting." They took off after Gawain, walking a little faster just to keep up. When the rounded the corner into the open tavern, Tristan released her hand, but she did not remove hers from his arm. She saw him look down at her hands as they walked. She squeezed lightly and saw him half-smile. That would have to be enough, it was more than she had seen since she met him.
Laney looked for Lancelot and saw that he was standing at the bar talking to one of the bar maids. She had begun to smile, ready to tease him about waiting until she was out of sight to go back to his old ways, when she saw it was the one who poured that drink on her. She removed her hands from Tristan's arm and headed toward the bar. She wasn't jealous of Lancelot, she knew he would be faithful. But she'd be damned if that woman was going to make a play for him as soon as her back was turned and think she had gotten away with it.
Tristan felt her pull her hands away and looked to see where she was going. He briefly closed his eyes and felt her anger rush over him. "Gawain," he called. "Lancelot's about to be in real trouble." He watched Gawain follow his gaze and saw the look that crossed his face. "Think he's gonna need backup?" he called back. Tristan watched the way Laney held herself as she walked. He could feel her anger reach the boiling point. "Might," was all he called back to Gawain. He didn't think she would call lightning down or anything, but he sure didn't want to be on the receiving end of what he felt coming from her.
"Lancelot, there you are." She called out sweetly when she was almost to the bar. Lancelot looked up and saw it was her. "Laney, did you get everything straightened out?" He didn't seem to mind that she was there, so she turned her attention to the woman holding the tray next to him. "I don't think I caught your name the last time we met. Who are you?" she asked the woman. The woman gave her a smug look, "My name's Keira." She all but crowed. Laney walked up to the bar, faced Lancelot, turning her back on the other woman. She knew it wouldn't set well that she had dismissed her so easily, but she didn't think she would do anything in front of Lancelot, so she didn't even glance behind her.
"Yes, I did. I see you've been busy since I left." She raised an eyebrow as she spoke. She saw him shrug and changed the subject. "Has Arthur made his announcement?" "No, he was waiting on Tristan, and you. Shall we go find out what it's all about?" He asked her. "Yes, let's do. But you go ahead. I need to get some water." He hesitated for only a moment, then looking at 'Keira' he shrugged and left the bar. As soon as he was a few feet away, Laney turned to the other woman. "If you ever make a play for my husband when my back is turned, I will make you regret it." She smiled before she continued, "I think you've probably heard about some of the things I did today. Don't think I won't do them if I feel threatened in any way. Understood?" She turned to the man behind the bar, "I'd like a cup of water, if you don't mind." She said to him. Then looking back to Keira, she arched an eyebrow.
She saw the woman's eyes blaze for a moment, then she nodded and headed toward a table with the drinks on her tray. Laney took a sip of her water and turned toward the table where all the knights were sitting. The look of relief on Lancelot's face almost made her smile, but she was determined not to let him know there had been a problem. "Hello, Arthur, I hear you have something to tell us?" Her voice was light and pleasant, but when she saw Tristan's half-hidden smile she knew that he had felt her anger. She sat in the chair next to Lancelot and gave Tristan a look that dared him to say anything. He held up his hand, as if in surrender and turned his back on her. She watched Arthur stand up and clear his throat, oblivious to what had just transpired.
"Knights, Laney," he called to get their attention. "Guinnevere and I are planning to wed in two weeks and I am to be made King of Britain. We will be building a new castle a few miles from here where all will live in peace and harmony. My knights will be peacekeepers instead of warriors. We would like all of you to make the move with us. What do you say?" He looked around the room, finally letting his gaze rest on Lancelot. Lancelot smiled and stood to congratulate him, "Arthur, that's wonderful news. You told me once you were weary of battle. Now that I am to be a father, I find that I too am weary. Laney and I would love to join you." After he had spoken the others all followed suit. When Bors spoke he was looking at Dagonet, "See, I told you we'd have full run of the place." He stood and raised his mug, "Rrrrooouuuussseee!" He gave the battle cry and the others stood, raised their mugs, and joined him. Arthur included.
The men sitting at another table toward the inside corner of the open courtyard listened with great interest in what was being said at the other table. They had witnessed the scene at the bar and knew that this woman was not fond of the new wife of Arthur's first knight. When she brought the next round of drinks over one of them asked her, "So, I see you lost your bid for the knight to the other woman." She gave a grunt, "We'll see about that. Before long she won't be able to keep him in her bed and he'll look elsewhere for satisfaction. I'll still be around. He never turned me down before." The man nodded, "Sounds like a good plan, but what if I could guarantee that she wasn't around here for a while? Would that make your plan go easier?"
She looked from him to the knight's table. Laney had moved onto Lancelot's lap and was whispering in his ear. The sight made her want to be physically ill. She had spent too many nights pleasing the man, trying to win his heart, to give him up to that woman so easily. It didn't matter if she was carrying his child. There were plenty of bastards running around this fort, some of them had to belong to the one called Lancelot. She'd make sure he was so enthralled with her that he wouldn't have time to think about anything else. Looking back at the man, she asked, "Where would she go?" He could tell she was curious how he could make such a promise. "She'd go back where she came from. But you'll have to help. Can you get the knight drunk enough to take him to your bed, whether he wants to or not?"
She looked back and saw the object of the question give his new wife a kiss. The way he held her made Keira see red. "Yes, I think I can. But not tonight. It is their wedding night after all." She looked back to the man. "See me in a day or two and I'll have a plan." Then she put her hand on his arm, "You have to promise me that she won't be hurt. He would never forgive me if she were." "Of course not, do I look the type of man who would cause harm to a woman? I just thought she treated you rather bad, that's all." She flashed him a smile, and accepted the extra coin he passed to her. "Here, buy yourself a new dress. One that will get his attention." Then he stood up and left the tavern, followed by his friends.
Keira watched them leave the tavern, she had a frown on her face. Something about the man made her nervous. She looked back at the knight's table. Lancelot and his wife were preparing to leave. She noticed the slight swell of the stomach on the woman and how Lancelot was treating her like she would break. She suddenly felt guilty for what she had been thinking. Tristan, ever watchful, had watched the group of men sitting at the small, half-hidden table talk to the barmaid. She kept looking at Lancelot and Laney with a sour expression. He had decided that when the men left, he would find out what they had been whispering about so animatedly. He reached out and grabbed her by the elbow and she jumped. "Oh, Tristan, you startled me. Would you like another drink?"
"Keira, what did those men have to say to you?" She dropped her head, "Oh, nothing. They just wanted to know what all the excitement was all about. Why?" She saw him tilt his head and stare at her through the hair that had fallen over his eyes. She remembered how Lancelot had looked as they left the tavern. As much as she loved the man, she wouldn't be part of something so horrible. "No, wait, that's not true. He asked me if I'd like Lancelot's wife to be gone. He said he'd take her back where she came from and I'd have a chance with him." She hung her head in shame. "I'd never have agreed to anything if she hadn't threatened me earlier. She just made me so damned mad! But I made sure she wouldn't be hurt. I don't want anyone to be hurt." He grabbed her by the arm again and headed over toward the table. Arthur was just getting up to leave when they arrived.
"Arthur, this woman would like to tell you something." He pushed her closer to Arthur but kept his grip on her arm. Gallahad looked up just as Tristan pushed her, "Hey, what're you doing? You can't treat a woman like that!" He stood up as if to challenge the scout. Arthur stopped him with a look, "What is this about Tristan? Gallahad is right, you can't treat a lady like that." Tristan tightened his grip on her arm, "Alright, there were some men sitting at the table over there. They offered to take Lancelot's wife away so I would…" she hesitated and he squeezed her arm harder. "…have a chance to win Lancelot back." Tristan slung her arm away from him in disgust. "Arthur, I don't know who those men were, they kept their faces turned away from where I was sitting. We need to warn Lancelot."
Arthur nodded, "Gawain, fetch Lancelot, but don't leave Laney alone. Either bring her back with him or stay until he returns." Then he turned to the woman standing before him, silently weeping with her head hung low. "What was the plan for this abduction?" She kept crying and Tristan grabbed her arm again. He didn't squeeze hard, just got her attention. She raised her head and looked at Arthur. "There wasn't one. I'm supposed to make one and let them know tomorrow. All I know is that I'm to get Lancelot drunk and take him to my bed." As she was talking, Bors was getting angry. "So, what yer saying is, take Lancelot to you bed and let Laney find him. She'd run off all hurt and upset and them men would grab her. That's pretty low, even for you."
Arthur looked around at the men, they were all giving the woman looks of disgust. But none more than Tristan. "What is your name, woman?" He hadn't meant for the disgust he felt to creep into his voice, but considering what she had been willing to do, he couldn't help it. When she heard his tone, her head had snapped back up, "Keira." Was all she said. "Well, Keira, you will meet these men tomorrow and tell them your plan. But you won't tell them that we also know the plan. If you do, I will be tempted to let Laney deal with you herself. I think her storms are rather impressive, don't you Bors?" The woman's eyes got bigger as Bors described what had happened on the battlefield. Then he looked at her, "I daresay, you were hiding somewhere when all this happened so you didn't get to see it. I will tell you, I'm just glad she ain't got nothing to be mad at me about."
The woman swooned and almost fell out, Arthur caught her by the arm and sat her in the first available chair. "When this is over, I'd suggest you find another village to make your home. The one thing I won't abide in the people who live here is disloyalty to the people who saved all your lives. And that includes the woman you are trying to cause harm." As he finished talking, Lancelot walked up with Laney and Gawain right behind him. "What's the emergency that caused Gawain to interrupt my wedding night?" He demanded.
Arthur told them what Keira had told the others. About half way through, Laney had sat down hard in a chair and just stared at the woman with her mouth hanging open. Arthur had physically had to restrain Lancelot when he found out her 'plan'. "You would be willing to take my life away from me and stupid enough to think I would turn to you?" His voice was icy in his disgust. When she didn't answer or even raise her head to look at him, he turned to Arthur. "You can fill me in on the details in the morning. Right now, I need to take Laney back to bed. She doesn't look well, and I'm sure I wouldn't either if I thought someone would do this horrible act to bed my mate." Then he looked at Keira and practically hissed, "When this is over I never want to see your face again." He walked over and picked Laney up and carried her out of the tavern. On a signal from Arthur, Tristan followed.
Arthur watched them leave and worried. He had never seen so much malice on the face of his friend. But when he glanced back at Guinnevere, he realized he would have responded in the same manner. "Knights, let's get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." He looked over to find Ganis standing at the edge of the group. "Ganis, take Keira and find her a secure place to sleep tonight. Make sure she doesn't see or speak to anyone until tomorrow and make sure no one sees you when you leave here." He motioned to Dagonet and he went to ensure Arthur's orders were carried out without a hitch.