Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable characters in this story. The King Arthur legends belong to themselves, and the characters as they are portrayed here were conceived by the moviemakers of Touchstone Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. I'm not making any profit from this work of fiction, I'm just having a good time and hopefully providing some entertainment for others. I promise to return all canon characters when I'm through with them. Original characters contained in this fiction are the creations of either myself or my roommate AJ and we'd like to be consulted before they are used elsewhere.

Author's Note: This story is set in an ALTERNATE UNIVERSE! That means that some of the faces, features, and facts presented in the movie are not quite the same.

Dedications: To my tireless and energetic beta reader, Ithil-valon. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your unswerving support, and for convincing me I really didn't want to give this movie a miss! To AJ, whose tireless support and endless brainstorming helped me write this. I literally couldn't have done this without you!

And to all my loyal reviewers: I hope you enjoy this story as much as you enjoy my others! Let me know what you think! Flames, though, will be used to heat the house with.

Chapter Two

Tristan woke, a little disoriented. Where was he? A slight movement of his head reminded him. He had been carried here from the battlefield, barely alive.

He was parched. Had someone stayed by his side? He was too weak to turn his head any further to check. Gods above, how had he survived?

Arianna looked over at Tristan and noticed that he was awake. "Ah I see you've come back to the land of the living, Tristan." She picked up a mug from a nearby table and helped him to drink from it. "Can you speak? I will retrieve Arthur if you have need of him."

Tristan managed a weak whisper. "Not yet." He could barely hold his eyes open. "Weak. How bad?"

Arianna adjusted the pillows behind his back so that he could sit up and be fed some broth. "You have a hole in your calf from an arrow and large gash in your left arm that will take some time to heal. Lots of minor bruising and cuts. Your armor stopped most of the damage from the chest wound, but it is serious enough. But since you are awake you are alive and that counts for a lot I hope." She washed his face off with a cool cloth before offering him a spoon full of broth. "This should help you rebuild your strength." She smiled at him her eyes twinkling. "By the way you should look over to your right." She motioned toward the eagle that had returned during the night and had made a large amount of noise until she had been reunited with her master.

Tristan gave a weak smile. He had set her free, yet she had come back to him. "Oxus," he whispered.

He ate the broth obediently, desperately trying to keep his eyes open until she decided he had taken enough. He was so tired!

Arianna frowned as she noticed he couldn't stay awake. "I think you've eaten enough. Perhaps it's time for you to rest some more. You're still weak from blood loss. You're lucky to be alive. I heard that a boy found you out on the battlefield. If he hadn't we would be attending to your funeral." She smiled at him gently as she placed a cool cloth on his forehead.

Tristan had no strength to nod; he was a man of few words, a movement of his head usually sufficed. This weakness of his was fast becoming an irritant. Other sensations began to make themselves felt, though; her hands were gentle and she wasn't all that hard to look at, either. "My thanks, my lady," he said softly.

She smiled at him and tisked. "You're welcome, although you have done most of the work in healing. All I've done is make certain you had the chance to return." She ducked her head and blushed as she noticed his eyes had warmed slightly. "Would you care to see your friends? I'm certain they are very anxious to make certain that you are among the living. Just know I won't let them give you any ale until I know that it won't go straight to your head."

Tristan gave up. Of course, his friends would want to see him. He managed a tiny nod. "Yes," he whispered. He noticed her blush and smiled to himself. Perhaps... perhaps, once he was healed, he could find if that warmth extended to... other areas.