Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character names, save my own original creations. I do not wish to be compensated for this work, nor do I wish to infringe on any copyrights held by any stakeholders of the movie King Arthur. This work is an original creation, based on the legend of King Arthur and his knights.
Scribe Notes:
All: Ahhh! Another post. Been so long since I could just have a good sit and write on Cerys that I was worried I would lose sight of her and the rest of her world. These two chapters, I hope, do not delay the wedding, but add to it, for you.
On to comments:
plzkthx101: Thank you for your kind words.I am sorry it has taken me so long to get updates out. This thing called life sure can get hectic, eh? I hope you enjoy!
annalon: Hey! Ok, I recognize you now (grin). So glad you are still reviewing. It warms me when I know I am able to make you smile and resonate ideas with you in your head. More to come before the big ceremony, but hey... these were fun and I hope they are a good "delay".
Calliann: you know I had to put that goat in somewhere. It's just to precious to think about not doing so. And the joke being turned on the men, in a fun fashion, I could NOT resist. Yes, I wanted to give the typical response to wedding preparations for Lancelot. Most men I know just throw up their hands "why do we need a china pattern?" "so the flowers are pink instead of 'salmon'... why are you crying?"That really wouldn't be me, I can't stand the frivolity either... I think if I ever tie the knot, I will elope.
I hope these two chapters meet your criteria as well, they were a bit more emotional to write. Once you have read them you may understand this next thought more, but in a way I am hugging all my characters, telling them they are important to me, and have impacted my lifemuchly (wink). I am sad it is coming to an end as well, but also jubilant that I have been able to see it through to the end!
Elsfire: So glad I was able to make you laugh, for that is important to do, every day. I hope these next two chapters are as much fun for you!
Ailis-70: YAY! Laughter! More I say, MORE! I wondered if you would see any similarities to your days with the Marines. Lord knows I have buddies from the armed forces here,and their stories were an influence on some of the memories I dredged for that chapter. Men are silly things sometimes...I am really glad you liked these two chapters. They were light and fun to write. The next two are a bit sappier. I'm starting to say goodbye to my virtual family of Cerys and her knights, and this was maybe the start of it... I'm attached and I know it.
I am a half hour drive from a Hershey plant here. Every year at Christmas we drive to Smith's Falls and spend a load of cash at the "Chocolate Shoppe" and I do up old mason jars with chocolate almonds etc for the mail man and snow plow driver... anyone really... I love chocolate, I think I may need it to live. So a chocolate shower... ohhhhh...
Corn husk for dry skin, hadn't thought of that... but I might try that! Loofa is way to expensive, and we have tons of corn out this way... (wink)
lilstrummrgrl527: Pissed as newts is really fun to say. But do newts get pissed? I have no idea... I know you want to get to the wedding, and I hope that these chapters don't frustrate, but bring depth to this momentus occasion! They were necessary to do, I hope you like them. I was afraid of heights for a long time. And I think Guin was yelling since she didn't get any sleep, not that he sent her. That would be too funny, her sleep-deprived temper going all out on a very surprised and slowly backing away Lancelot. Hee hee...
Sokorra Lewis: Hee hee.. Bors is one of those men that would take a joke too far, or repeat it ten million times until everyone around him knew it by heart. he would laugh every time. It's an endearing trait, since my father does that. Here are the next two for you!
gwenn0: I know these chapters wil fulfil some of the requests you had in your review, but they were written before you reviewed, believe it or not. So I hope that you enjoy, and so very happy that you laughed with the last two. I loved writing them, they were light, fun and spirited.
Dory will be used again, not sure how yet, but you will recognize her when you see her.
Melosine: You aren't the only one that thinks Tristan and Wynn would elope. He would not put up with fussing, I am sure. I wonder, I should talk with Wynn and see what she thinks. She might just want a wedding, you know. And of course this is a bigger affair since Cerys is the cousin of the King.
Ahh the sequel idea. Not sure if I want to tackle that yet. I want to focus on Dust Devils after this. But the thoughts have always been there... Brinn getting married to someone... Dory and Galahad having a brood, Lancelot being a father... so many possibilities in there.
Hessa: Yay! I always get in the back of my mind that I am not really being accurate, but, in a way, its secondary to the emotion. But... Thank you for letting me know that indeed it is believable. I actually went and bought a wonderful book the other day all about the Roman army, and learned that the long swords the Roman Equestrian ranks used was called a 'Spatha'. Someday I just might take some courses on ancient history, for fun... Thanks very much for reading and reviewing. I'm sorry I have not gotten a chance to get back to yours. It's flagged in my inbox, honest!
Chapter 65: Companions In Celebration
Lancelot pulled at his vambrace and cursed. Arthur looked up from where he was tieing on his cloak across the shoulder-plates of his own armour.
"Here, let me do that."
Arthur picked at the knot Lancelot had managed to make in the laces for his vambrace and untied it. He snugged up the crossed laces, bringing the vambrace close around Lancelot's forearm. As he did, Lancelot flexed his hand out.
"That's good, thanks."
The men continued dressing in silence, and the door opened, Tristan sliding in and closing it behind him.
"Arthur." Tristan said, nodding.
"Tristan."
Lancelot turned and looked at Tristan. He was dressed in his own armour, and his sword was strapped to his back, the handle poking out over his right shoulder. The only left-handed swordsman of the bunch, save himself who used both hands. So funny that he would think of that now.
Tristan pulled at the collar of his cuirass and made a face.
"I know." Lancelot agreed. "It's hot out, and we are in metal boxes."
Tristan scoffed and went for a cup of water near Arthur's wash table. He stood, the cup in his hand, and fidgeted more with his cuirass.
"I tried to get in to see Cerys a few moments ago."
Arthur smiled and chuckled. "And you were not so politely told to bugger off weren't you?"
Tristan nodded.
"I tried earlier. Your woman pushed me out the door!" Arthur said, pointing at Tristan.
Tristan's eyebrows shot up and he smiled. "Really?"
Lancelot sat down on a chair and buckled on a greave. "It's that russet hair of hers, I tell you. Is she really as feisty in be..."
Lancelot was cut off by the cup flying towards his head. He grinned and ducked, and it careened off of his armour, landing with a soft thud into a wall hanging behind him.
"You missed."
Tristan grunted and bared his teeth, then chuckled.
As Lancelot leant over in the chair to retrieve it, the door opened again, this time with Bors and Perceval, also in their armour, both pulling at their cuirasses the same way Tristan had been. The coolness of the room was a haven, and Lancelot was glad for it right then.
"Could use a cup of ale I tell you." Bors grumbled as he stood inside the door. Perceval brushed past him and into the room, straight for the water basin. Lancelot handed him the cup, and he filled it, guzzling it back.
"It's bloody damned hot out there." He said finally, once he had wiped his chin with his hand.
Bors was so pink in the face, Perceval handed the cup to him. "Drink, you old fart, before you keel over."
Bors grunted and wandered over to the table. He dribbled what was left into the cup. The ewer was empty, and he gave a hard look to Perceval and handed it to him.
"More. Now."
Perceval left, ewer in hand, armour creaking as he hit the doorframe on the way out, hobnails gritting across the stone floor. All of them were in their boots, and every time someone shifted, it grated on the floor. Arthur was grimacing. His floor would have to be repolished after this. Guinevere would be livid.
It was all wearing on Lancelot's patience. Five hulking men in armour in a room meant for two. It was a tad small for this type of gathering.
But he was glad to have his friends with him, if for nothing else than to have company as he held onto the frayed ends of his nerves. Arthur sat behind his desk and leaned back in his chair, a calm set of eyes to Lancelot. They shared a look and Arthur smiled.
Now Lancelot knew why Arthur had been throwing up into his chamber pot beforehand. Lancelot had thought it was the ale the night before. Now he knew different. If he'd been able to keep food down, he too would be retching right now. For once, he was glad his stomach was empty.
"Tried to get in to visit with Cerys." Bors said as he leaned on the wall beside Tristan. "Guinevere stepped on my foot when I tried to see in the door."
It was Arthur's turn to raise his eyebrows and smile. "Really?"
"Did she hurt you?" Tristan asked as he glanced down at Bors' feet.
Bors shifted uncomfortably and shook his head, his face morose. The men laughed.
"So protective of her they are." Lancelot mused, as he stood and stretched. He wondered if she got the gift he had sent over with one of the bath women earlier in the day. No indication from them or the cloistered women had been sent, so he hoped she had.
The leathers on his armour creaked, and he picked up his blades from the ground. Why they were all going to a wedding fully armed he never understood, but ceremony was ceremony, and Arthur insisted on it. Something about a bridge of swords... no... that was in that book Cerys was reading about Greek people... Maybe it was Cerys needing to hold a sword... Really, he had no clue.
He was just going to show up, do as he was told and get through it as quickly as possible.
He was getting married.
It had hit him earlier that afternoon when he had been dressing in Arthur's room and Arthur was humming as he himself was donning his armour. Arthur had told him it was going to be one of the most wonderful moments in his life, that he was going to begin the next step... As Arthur had blathered on, Lancelot gave a silent hope that he was able to get through it without suffocating.
Today he was marrying his Cerys. His best friend, one of the constants that had made this land home for him over the years. His family was here, his friends, his brothers... and now, the woman who would carry on his blood, with their sons and daughters.
His thoughts turned to his birthplace as he paced the room. He wondered if he should embark a trip with her to there. From the reports, the Mongol hordes had decimated the Sarmatian tribes, and they were all but assimilated easterly as they escaped, with the Celts. There would be no family to meet now.
But he wanted to show her the grass plains of the Steppes so much. Show her the wonders of the winds, the sky, so large and vast. And perhaps find his sister, his mother. His father, he was sure would have died in battle by now.
Lancelot pulled more on his leather arming doublet. He was fully dressed as if he was going into battle himself! The lot of them were going to creak, jingle and bang their way up to the hill, all of them dressed this way.
A noisy bunch in more than just revelry. Lancelot was glad that at least he wasn't wearing his helmet. It was much too hot for a Spring Equinox to be wearing a steel bucket on his head unless he needed it to protect his brains. Couldn't hear a blessed thing with it on anyways.
A knock on the door turned all their heads and brought Lancelot back from his wandering thoughts.
"Come." Arthur said loudly.
Brinn stuck his head in the door, and smiled when he saw the men assembled.
"Jols and Ganis have the bower in place, and lit the torches. It's time you men made it up towards the circle. Gawain and Galahad are already there."
Lancelot finished strapping his blades on. As the men filed out of the room, Perceval returned with the ewer of water. Bors grabbed it from his hand and drank straight from it, giving it back to him once empty, half of it splashed down his front. He stomped past the men grumbling, his face only slightly less red. Perceval shrugged and put the ewer down by the door and turned to follow up the hill towards the stone circle.
Tristan fell into step beside Lancelot, their blades swinging with their shoulders as they walked. They fell behind the others a bit, but did not talk. Lancelot was playing with the iron ring he was to give to Cerys, in his hand, his gaze falling on the door to their rooms as they passed. He stopped.
He just wanted to see her, reassure himself somehow that she was still going to do this.
He had no idea why he was worried. He knew Cerys loved him, he knew that they were happy. But... what if she decided she didn't want to marry a knight? What if she decided she'd much rather just be lovers like Bors and Lorina had done for so long? What if... He sighed and hung his head.
He was being ridiculous again. Gareth, so much in his mind lately, would have told him to stop being such a moody bastard and get on with it. Truly, most of the men would probably say that.
Tristan put a hand on his shoulder and patted absently. "Come on."
"Tristan..."
"You worry too much." Tristan replied, walking forward from him. "Never doubt that she loves you."
With that, Lancelot strode to catch up to Tristan, and they continued their way towards the hill.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Cerys was biting her lip as she was sewn into her dress, standing on a small round of wood to keep her up off the floor. Wynn was on a larger footstool above her, braiding her hair.
"Does it have to be so tight?" She gasped as Lorina pulled again.
"It's form fitting." Lorina said. "It's supposed to be."
Cerys grumbled that she wouldn't be able to dance very well in it, and the women laughed. It lightened her mood. She smiled and watched the sun hit the bronze disc above her bed. The tree relief shone out from it and she felt her heart swell.
She was marrying her Lancelot today. For so long now, she never thought she would live through the preparations to see it, and was so very glad when Arthur and Guinevere had finally allowed her to let Rhia perform the ceremony. Often she thought that weddings were not for the bride or her husband to be. They were for everyone else.
She looked at her bed. Dory was carefully binding reeds, some hollyhocks, corn husks and Morning Glories to the ends, Nimli helping her with the cords. Dory had her tongue stuck out of her mouth at an odd angle, concentrating on getting the reeds placed just so. Sprinkled throughout were crocus blooms and some fresh pine boughs.
"Its lovely, Dory." Cerys said as Dory stood up from the footboard.
Dory blushed and smiled hesitantly. "I do love decorating marriage beds, but someday I hope I won't be able to."
The women all chattered on about beds they had decorated in the past. Cerys and Guinevere remembered Arthur's bed being very lavish with flowers, since it was summer and Cerys was able to adorn it with heather and lavender, some bracken, even some daisies and meadowsweet. She had even found a late blooming patch of bluebells. Arthur had apparently sneezed a few times when they entered the room. Both women giggled at the memory.
Cerys had been the only one then to decorate Guinevere's bed, and now it was Dory and Nimli's turn to decorate Cerys'. If Dory were to marry Galahad, or Nimli marry Perceval, Wynn would do the honour there. It was said that a virgin must decorate the bed in order to bless it properly. The women all chimed in with giggles as Guinevere remarked on the fact that they really weren't following tradition to the letter on that particular custom.
"I would not want it any other way." Cerys said softly, and the women stopped everything for a moment and all thought in it. Cerys sniffled, breaking the silence.
"Napkin." Guinevere said as Lorina handed it up to Cerys. "She's leaking again."
Cerys snorted and wiped at her eyes. She had no idea why she was so emotional today. Even when Lancelot had whispered that he loved her that morning she had teared up. What in the world was she going to do when they arrived on the hill?
She was sure she was going to sob. She couldn't stop herself.
:Lorina and Guinevere had moved onto hemming the bottom of Cerys' dress. Guinevere with pins out her mouth, Lorina with a small needle and the finest thread Cerys had ever seen. Wynn had brought it with her from her village, and said she got it from a trader, who had apparently brought it from Byzantium.
Cerys was going to have to ask Arthur where Byzantium was.
"Thank you for this thread Wynn." Lorina said as she bit off a knot. "It's making this job so much easier."
Wynn nodded and continued winding Cerys' hair up into a curling knot. She had braided it tightly, and she was now making a circular pattern at the back of her head with it. Strands were peeking out form the knot, and falling around her face.
"You will knock him sideways, Cerys." She remarked as she poked another slim stick into the hair to hold it.
"I hope to keep him upright long enough to marry him. Then I can knock him sideways." Cerys replied, wiggling her eyebrows.
The women laughed again.
"Never thought I would see the day that the mighty Lancelot could be a one woman's man." Guinevere remarked as she stood.
More giggles and agreement from the women.
Cerys turned to Nimli and they shared a look, the blonde girl smiling at Guinevere's comment. It wasn't that long ago that Nimli had approached Cerys in the kitchens, twisting a rag nervously in her hands. She had looked very upset and Cerys was worried something had happened with her and Perceval.
It was then that Nimli had told her that she had been one of Lancelot's many bed mates a year or so past. Cerys wasn't really concerned by it, since she had already known. But Nimli seemed worried it would affect their friendship somehow, and had been loathe to talk about it for quite some time.
Cerys was still getting used to having such close women friends. And to have Nimli so worried about losing her friendship, it had touched Cerys. Reassurances had been swift, and Nimli was much relieved.
Then they gossiped about him mercilessly, and Cerys learned a few things.
Like the kitchens. He had enjoyed that. She smiled and blushed remembering that she had brought him there after his fight with Gawain, and how... excited he had been at the prospect. She had thanked Nimli the next day. Such fun to be learning new ways to please him, woman to woman. She was, after all, still very new at pleasing a man, and was want to make sure she was everything that Lancelot could ever imagine.
It was also very much fun from her end as well.
She could not wait until they were back in this room by themselves. Nimli had mentioned something about honey...
Cerys spontaneously held her hands out to Nimli, and Nimli came over and grasped them. Then Cerys looked around her at all the women assembled with her and she felt the tears pricking her eyes again.
"No matter what our future here holds, you are my friends, and I treasure everything you have done." Cerys said through sniffles. The women at that point all began sniffling, and formed a circle of hugs around Cerys.
"You have always been our friend Cerys." Lorina said. "But if you make me cry again..."
Cerys giggled then sobered. The past half-year had been such a whirlwind! She looked to each face, remembering a moment with them, treasured conversations in the baths, the kitchens. She remembered Guinevere brushing her hair and Lorina dabbing at her cheeks in her rooms, Nimli and their long talks out in the gardens...Dory's kindness and shyness around her, her caring nature for Galahad. Her unfailing ability to bring grace to any activity.
She last settled on Wynn. In such a short time she had come to admire and treasure to this woman. She was kind, and so good with Dafydd. And she could handle Tristan's moods so well it was miraculous the change in her friend. She smiled warmly and broke one hand away to grasp Wynn's.
"Wynn, you are freshest to us here, but I want you to know that you have made Tristan happy. He is brother in my heart, and such you are my sister in the same way."
Wynn blinked and pushed away a tear. She squeezed Cerys' hand back silently.
"All of you are. And now you are here for me yet again when I am a complete sobbing mess." Cerys added.
Laughter replaced sniffles and they stood a moment longer, entwined with one another. Friends together to celebrate life and love.
Cerys was ready to do this. She had given her heart to Lancelot, and now, it was officially to be his in mind and body. Guinevere gave her a nod and winked, understanding what she was thinking as they stood together, and she smiled. As they broke to continue to prepare, Guinevere put an arm around her waist, leaning her head on her shoulders.
"Such a long time ago that these men came into your life. And its taken you all this time to choose one!" She jested.
Cerys giggled and hugged her back, silently thinking on that.
No, it had not taken all this time to choose one, just to see the choice her heart had made for her, years before.
And the past year for her to really and truly listen to it.
Dear Reader:
Pass the tissues please... --HONK--
Ok.. better. These chapters were quite emotional for me to write, and this is the start of it. Its different atmospheres, the gathering of the "sides" before a wedding. Having been gathered at hte grooms residence and also with te bride, I was able to grasp bits from both. I hope it was believable!
I also tried to weave in some humour to keep it fun. Humour and laughter are always an element when peopel come together for a happy occasion.
Now onto the next, which will require more tissues, as it did for me while writing.
Cardeia
