Disclaimer: Is this really necessary? Oh well, Syeira is of my creation and really nothing else, except the plot.

I feel so guilty right now. A month and a half without an update and this one was almost fully written about the same time as Chapter 7…Thanks for the amazing reviews though. I really appreciate it!This chapter is short but I had to end it where I did. I promise a whole Tristan scene in the next chapter, and maybe a littleLancelot and Syeira one…not positive on the latter though. Enjoy!

Chapter 8: Union

Arthur and Guinevere's wedding was serene. Carried out on a cliff top, overlooking the sea with everyone dressed in his or her best.

Syeira thought all the knights looked so handsome cleaned up and not just dressed in dirt and leather. They were proud of their commander, of their friend and showed their respect. She was very fond of Arthur. He was noble, kind, courageous and honest. He would make a remarkable leader and king.

Vanora had graciously given Syeira a simple, but beautiful woad blue dress for the occasion. The autonomous Sarmatian woman was reluctant at first to take such a thing but Vanora finally convinced her that after having all her children there would be no possibility for her to fit into it again.

Ecstatic that she had something lovely to wear, Syeira spent countless days before the ceremony working on silver embroidered details, with Vanora's permission, from her homeland into the deep coloured dress. Sarmatian women were as skilled with a needle as they were with swords.

Galahad admired her needlework so much he asked her to add his tribe's emblem on the back of his favourite black tunic. It was a task that was to bring many late nights, but it was for a friend so she decided sleep would be an after thought. The look on Galahad's face would be reward enough.

Every man, woman and child around Hadrian's Wall attended the ceremony. Woad archers were lined up on the cliff. Arthur and Guinevere stood together with Merlin performing the service.

The Woad Warrior Princess looked magnificent in her gown. The light material billowed and flowed with the wind. She looked so happy and full of pride. She glowed on the cliff top.

Syeira wished the couple to have a long, happy life together. Despite being the aggressive, reckless warrior she was, the Sarmatian lass wanted to be contently and blissfully married one day. She wanted to live the rest of her life raising her children with a man she loved with all of her heart.

Tristan would say that she should have been wed long ago. Nearing the midpoint of her twenty-fifth summer she was almost too old to find a desirable husband. Most men wanted their wives to be young, fragile, and obedient. In other words, not Syeira. It didn't discourage her though. She was going to find her one and only someday. Dare she say it, her knight in shining armour? Syeira wasn't superficial, she'd settle for slightly tarnished armour too.

The real focus, to her, was Tristan needed to find a wife. Syeira had doubts though. He had the looks, which ran in the family of course, Syeira had always been proud of that. But he was too quiet and kept to himself too much. He seemed cold to those who didn't know him. Well cold to anyone besides Syeira. It would have made her father so proud if his son indeed had his own son to raise and pass on the family traditions.

Without realizing it, Syeira had hooked her arm into the person's standing beside her. Lancelot looked down at her with his deep, dark, playful eyes and smiled. It was his best friend's wedding, he should have been happy for Arthur but Syeira saw that his smile didn't reach his eyes. She followed his gaze back to the ceremony. His eyes pined for the gowned woman on the cliff.

Her insides twisted a bit. Lancelot could not be feeling what she suspected. It was his best's friends wife! Almost wife, but in a few seconds she would be his wife. Guinevere was off limits. He was about to start playing a very dangerous game if he was infatuated with the Queen of Britain, a game with no winners where everyone got hurt.

She held his arm a bit tighter. Tristan caught this movement and glared daggers at his sister and his brother in arms while keeping the rest of his face neutral. Syeira caught her agitated sibling's eye and swiftly hit him in the arm.

'Grow up Tristan. Honestly, it's a wedding. Be happy.' She thought.

As if he could read her thoughts he flashed his sister a small sarcastic smile.

'Happy indeed, you can be such anass...'

Syeira focused her attention back to the ceremony but couldn't help smiling a bit. Merlin was walking through a row of torch-bearing Woads and stopped in front of Arthur and Guinevere. He held the large, golden goblet in his hands out to Guinevere. She raised it to her lips and took a sip.

'This has got to be one of the most peculiar unions I have ever witnessed. A goblet?'

Guinevere passed the goblet to Arthur. His face was serious as he drank. The cup was passed back to Merlin.

"Arthur. Guinivere. Our people are one, as you are."

The couple on the cliff kissed and everyone cheered for them.

Bors was standing on the other side of Tristan along with Vanora and all his bastards. He tenderly held up his youngest and looked at him thoughtfully.

"Now I'm really going to have to marry your mother." Syeira bit her lip to contain a chuckle. Under his rough exterior, Bors really was softhearted with his children.

Vanora reached over and took the baby.

"Who said I'd have you?" She said with a devious glint in her eye.

Syeira couldn't hold back a small snort of laughter. Even Tristan had to hide the beginnings of a smirk at the corners of his mouth.

Merlin held a torch to the sky.

"King Arthur! Everyone hail Arthur!"

The Woad leader kneeled to his newly crowned king. The crowd followed suit with smiles on their faces. Arthur began to speak and everyone looked up to listen to the King.

"Let every man, woman, child bear witness that from this day, all Britons will be united in one common cause." Great words from an equally great, valiant man.

Arthur thrust Excalibur into the sky. Everyone began chanting, "ARTHUR! ARTHUR! ARTHUR!" While thrusting their fists into the air.

"ARTORIOUS!" Bors yelled as he saluted Arthur with his sword.

Gawain, Galahad and Tristan raised their swords as well. Lancelot removed his arm from Syeira's and unsheathed his blade and raised it like his brothers. He made sure to give Syeira a quick wink before exchanging glances with his commander.

Arthur looked at his best friend and smiled. Guinivere latched her arm to Excalibur. The King and Queen held the distinguished blade together. They signalled to the Woads standing at the edge of the cliff and they filled the sky with flamed arrows.

The half-Roman, half-Briton Artorious Castus had been proclaimed king. It marked a new beginning for Britain, for Arthur, the knights and Syeira.

A/N: Wasn't that exciting, I know but the fun stuff is yet to come as well as some (I think) much needed drama. Review Kindly.