Note: Thanks for the reviews! Sorry it took so long, I was fighting a bout of writer's block. Read, review or what ever you do. Thanks again.

Not Happily Ever After

Kida finally got Liam to let her go off on her own. He had reverted back to his over protective brother stage. Relieved to be free of him she went to find Tristan, for there were some things they had to discuss. She found him a mile ahead of the main party.

"Hi," she said as she pulled her horse beside him.

He nodded at her. He was still mad at her.

"Tristan, we need to talk."

"What about? Last time we tried to talk you made it pretty clear that you had no need of me."

Kida sighed, she had said that but the events that had happened over the last few days made her see things differently. "I did but there are things that need to be made right between us."

Tristan stopped and looked at her. "Like what?"

"Well," Kida stopped. She did not know how to say it but she regretted saying what she said before.

"Well?"

"It's just I can't stand this awkwardness between us. I want us to be friends." She wanted to be more then friends but she was not about to admit that to him after all the trouble she went through to get him to leave her alone.

"Fine, friends," Tristan said sharply.

"Tristan…"

"Excuse me but I have to go and scout ahead to see exactly where we're at." Tristan kicked his mount and disappeared around the bend in the road. Kida sighed, she had lost him. She pulled back and rejoined the rest of the group where Guinevere found her.

"So you have returned from the dead," she started. "My father send anything for me?"

"No, he just sent me on my way."

"Are you well," she asked after a few moments of silence.

"What do you mean?" Kida asked innocently, trying to hide her confusing thoughts about Tristan.

"You don't look well."

"It's nothing," Kida lied.

Guinevere eyed her knowingly. "It is your knight."

Kida looked at her, shocked. "How did you know?"

"Oh, so you're not going to deny it this time." Guinevere laughed. "Women can tell such things about each other."

"Really?"

"That and I noticed how he looked at you since you came back. You scare him away again?"

"No, I just wanted to fix things between us but he seems mad at me."

"Broken hearts heal fast. He will soon forget you and move on."

Kida looked away. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"Wasn't that what you wanted?" Guinevere asked.

"Yes, I thought it was. But I don't want it that way now."

"What changed your mind?"

"I don't know. I'm so confused." Kida shook her head. She hated the confused feeling she got lately. She was so sure of what she wanted. No men, no attachments, nothing, and yet now she want them all. It made no sense to her and she had no idea where her change of heart came from. "Vanora will help me. I thank you for you ear Guinevere." With that she rode away to think some more.

Tristan could not believe Kida survived. How he wished to hold her but he held himself back. She made it clear to him that she had no romantic interest in him whatsoever. How he tried to push her out of his mind, but no matter how hard he tried she always managed to dominate his thoughts.

"Tristan!" a voice called. He halted and turned around. Liam rode towards him.

"Liam, what is it?"

"Tristan, we have to talk."

"About what?"

"Kida."

"I have no desire to talk about her."

"What passed between you two this morning?" Liam asked concerned. Guinevere had told him there was some trouble between his sister and Tristan and he was determined to resolve it.

"Nothing."

"Tristan, I am not completely stupid. Something happened, I want to know what."

"She just said she wanted to be friends. I agreed with her."

Liam stared at him. "Is that all?"

"I rode off after that."

"I thought you loved her."

"I do…did, but she made it clear that she did not want me and I am not going to press it further."

"Why now?" Liam asked. "You have pursued her for the last few years and now you decide to stop."

"I realized that I was chasing a dream."

Liam pressed him for more but Tristan would not say another word. "Are you really that dumb?"

"I'm not dumb; I just realized a few things."

"Really, well she's feeling the same about you."

"What?" Tristan asked confused.

"Kida, since she found us again she has been changed. I don't know how but I think if you asked her again all those things you've asked her before, she would not reject you."

"I'm done with her."

"Really, how come you haven't been able to look at anything else but her?"

"I have not…" Tristan proclaimed.

"I see the looks you steel at her. You feel the same, and now is your chance. She is ready."

Tristan did not argue. Something in what Liam said made his heart jump. If it was true what Liam said about Kida, he might actually have a chance with her. "Do you think she would?"

"She just might if you two weren't so pigheaded."

Tristan smiled.

"Well?" Liam asked. "What's holding you back?"

"Lorna," Tristan sighed.

Lorna sat with Guinevere. "I am so happy."

"That's good."

"Tristan is so nice."

"Tristan?" Guinevere asked.

"Yes, he came to me."

Guinevere stopped. "When did this happen?"

"At night since the knight disappeared, but he has not been around as much since he came back, I don't understand but I'm sure he will come back with time."

Guinevere groaned. "He came to you?"

"Well, no. I went to him one night, he just seemed so sad and I comforted him." Lorna smiled.

"No, this can't be," Guinevere whispered. "You didn't."

"Yes, and I have you to thank."

"You listened to me?"

"Yes."

Guinevere paled and shook her head. She could not deny the fact that she told Lorna to go to the knight, but she had not expected her to do it. If she did she would have expected Lorna to tell her, but no she chose now to tell. Her mind raced to Kida. If what she had been told was correct, this long battling romance between Kida and Tristan was finally coming to a happy ending, if they would tell each other how they felt and then this happened. Right away she regretted ever playing matchmaker. "Did he tell you anything to tell you that it was more then a spur of the moment thing?"

"He said he was once in love with a woman who rejected him. He said he loved her for a long time but she died, and that he was glad to have me here to comfort him for he still loved her but he had to move on. Why?"

"I would not expect him to remain yours," Guinevere warned.

"What do you mean? You said I had a chance."

"He told you of a woman he loved who died. Well she is not dead and I have a feeling they will be finally end up together. I just thought I would warn you. I don't want your feelings to get hurt."

"Hurt? How can you tell me this now? I love him! I LOVE him!"

"Lorna, calm down it is not the end of the world. You will find another man to love."

"No I won't! I love Tristan and he will be mine!"

Arthur rode alone. They were just two days away from the fort. It was almost over and all of his knights were alive. His prayers had been answered. Guinevere found him contemplating their good fortune.

"Arthur, we have a problem."

"What is it?"

"Tristan and Kida."

Arthur shook his head. "They are a problem."

"I know, but I think it's a different problem."

"The love lives of my knights are none of my business. I have been drawn into this in the past and do not wish to be pulled in again."

"But, they could finally be together."

"Good for them, it's about time."

"No, you don't understand. There is someone that would prevent it."

"And where is this sudden interest in Kida's love life come from?" Arthur mused.

"I may have destroyed what chance they had to be happy together. Lorna, I told her to go for Tristan and Tristan went for her after Kida died. But now Kida's alive and Lorna's in love. I don't know what your Tristan will do but some one will end up heartbroken."

"It is none of our business," Arthur stated. "They will resolve their own dilemma with time. All we can do is watch and try hard not to meddle. Why do you take this so personally?"

"Lorna needs someone. Tristan has been good to her. Tristan seems to like her well enough according to Lorna. But then Kida has gone through so much to finally realize that she loves him and he returns the feelings but..."

"Guinevere, I understand but if we meddle we will only mess it up more. Calm down, you are repeating yourself. If it's God's will, one of these women will have their man."

"I feel guilty."

"I know. How can I help you clear your conscious?"

"You can't. I can."