Disclaimer: I only own Isulet, Tempest and Morgan. I definitely don't own the song that goes to Enya.
Chapter 9
Everyone settled down around the fire, Morgan next to Tristan and Isulet leaning comfortably on Gawain's shoulder. Lucan was feeling a little better, so he was sitting with Dagonet. All the other knights were sitting around listening in. Marius and his group were sitting a little further away, around their own campfire. Isulet shifted a little next to Gawain, which made him look at her. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders, before signalling to Lancelot, who it was obvious, was in a lot of pain. Lancelot was still trying to work out how he had changed his saddle round, not knowing that it wasn't him who had done it in the first place. Isulet ladled a bowl of soup and gave it to Lucan, who smiled up at her. She leant down and ruffled his short blonde hair. Then she took a bowl to Gawain, who gratefully accepted it. Getting one for herself she settled back down and began to eat.
"Are you an angel?" Lucan said, walking over to sit in Isulet's lap.
"No, I'm not, unfortunately, I'm just human." Isulet smiled down.
"Can I call you Angel?" Lucan asked.
"If you want." Isulet ruffled Lucan's hair.
"Can I have some more stew please?" Lucan looked at Isulet.
"Of course." Isulet went to get up.
"I can do it." Lucan pushed Isulet back down onto Gawain, who complained.
"Be careful Lucan." Morgan warned, going forward to steady the ladle.
"Thank you Morgan." Lucan smiled up, before going and joining Dagonet.
"That hurt." Gawain complained, rubbing his side.
"Poor baby." Isulet teased.
"You should be more careful." Dagonet chastised Lucan.
"Don't worry, Lucan didn't mean anything by it. Besides Gawain's just a drama queen. It's all a ploy to get my attention." Isulet pulled away just in time to miss Gawain's hand.
"I'm sorry." Lucan looked thoroughly downcast.
"Don't worry. Gawain's a big boy." Isulet smiled.
"O.K. Can you sing us a song please Angel?" Lucan asked.
"Yes of course." Isulet smiled as she began.
May it Be
May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How far you are from home
Mornie utulie (darkness has come)
Believe and you will find a way
Mornie alantie (darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now
May it be shadows call
Will fly away
May it be your journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun
Mornie utulie (darkness has come)
Believe and you will find a way
Mornie alantie (darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now
A promise lives within you now
Lancelot looked at Isulet and Gawain sitting together. You could tell that Isulet was happy and that she was in love. Could he bear her a grudge for that? He realized he couldn't. She had been through so much, and he hadn't once seen her cry. She was strong. She deserved all the happiness she got. Looking at her he realized he had never really loved her. But now that he had got that out of his system he wanted to apologize. This would take a lot of guts to do, but he had plenty of them. But this would be one of the hardest experiences in his life.
"Isulet, can I speak to you alone?" Lancelot asked.
"Certainly." Isulet clambered up, ignoring Gawain.
"Isulet I would just like to apologize for my behaviour." Lancelot looked downcast.
"That's O.K. I noticed that something was wrong with you." Isulet smiled kindly.
"What's wrong with me?" he asked looking shocked.
"Well for one thing you haven't been propositioning me and two you look serious for once." Isulet laid a hand on Lancelot's arm.
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for trying to break you and Gawain up. I don't love you, well I do, but as a sister." Lancelot looked confused.
"That's O.K. I know with you it's the thrill of the chase. I don't hold anything against you." Isulet gave Lancelot a comforting hug, "Come on, and let's get back."
"What did he have to talk to you about?" Gawain asked as Isulet settled back down.
"Nothing much, he just wanted to apologise for being so horrible." Isulet snuggled right in next to Gawain's shoulder.
"Oh, that, well I suppose he had the decency to apologize." Gawain seemed to be happy.
"He's not that bad, you know that." Isulet turned to look at Gawain.
"I know, but you're mine." Gawain winked at Isulet.
"You're starting to get possessive; I'd stop if I were you." Isulet said, knowing full well that Gawain was joking.
"I'm tired, I'm going to sleep." Galahad announced. This was followed by ready assents and everyone fell asleep.
It was later that night when Morgan sat and watched the woods. She saw Guinevere walk off towards the woods and Arthur follow. Now she would not get to see her adoptive father. How she missed him. She had learnt all that she had from him. That was how she had been able to stay in contact with Isulet through all the years, she watched her friend grow up, and saw the woman she had become. That day when she was in the dungeon she had contacted Isulet, just to say goodbye. It had taken all of her strength to say those few words, but even in the end she had been defiant of Arthur. She didn't know what it was about Arthur that bugged her, she just knew something did. Maybe it was the fact that he had chosen to fight for the Romans, and had turned his back on his mother's people. After a while Arthur and Guinevere walked off and Morgan slipped out to see her adopted father. He looked up when they saw her, and smiled.
"I see they did not break you." Merlin said to Morgan.
"It would take more than what they did to break me, you know that." Morgan proudly tossed her head.
"You have always been proud. It may be your downfall, you should be careful." Merlin warned.
"Father I cannot come back with you as I have my friend back again." Merlin bowed his head to Morgan's wishes.
"You two will go on to do great things, but first you must learn to trust Arthur, he is a good man." Merlin ordered his daughter, "I must go now. Remember my words." And with that Merlin melted into the early morning mist.
Morgan walked back to the camp with a deep desolation in her heart. How could she learn to trust Arthur? The same way Isulet had, put her faith in him. He was a good man, and yet he made mistakes. And it's those mistakes that I hold against him, Morgan thought, yet he has done so many good things for Isulet, so maybe I should try and give him a chance. I was willing to give all the other knights a chance, so why shouldn't I give Arthur the same thing? I will give him a chance. The grey light of dawn was lighting up the landscape with a sickly pallor, making everything look stunted. Walking over to her tent she took out her sword, which had been found in a cell, along with her bow. A few seconds later there was a commotion and Isulet jumped up. Looking at the other the two raced over to see Marius holding Lucan and using him as a shield, telling Dagonet to stop fighting. Morgan skirted round the back, while Isulet ran to Dagonet's side.
"You will not try anything, otherwise I'll skewer you." Morgan threatened, holding her sword to Marius' back.
"I have the boy." Marius said again, before an arrow thumped into his chest.
Isulet rushed over to where Fulcinia was lying, her husband had hit her, and looked around. Everything was soon sorted, especially when Bors came along on his big black stallion. When he asked if anything was wrong no-one said anything, and the guards soon said they would help. Walking back to the tent Isulet began rolling her blankets into a roll, and fastened them to the back of Tempest. When she saw Gawain watching she smiled and rolled her eyes, and he came over and pulled her close.
"Busy morning?" he asked, his blue eyes dancing in the early morning light.
"Don't talk to me about it." Isulet snuggled back before pulling away and carrying on with her preparations. Tristan trotted back into camp and threw down a crossbow.
"I've killed four already." Tristan swung down off his horse.
"Good start to the day." Bors smiled.
"Armour pierces." Tristan indicated the crossbow in the snow.
"Right, let's get moving." Arthur yelled, and the preparations carried on in earnest.
Author's notes: another day, another chapter. I hope to get this finished before school, as I won't have much time for things, but never fear, I'm not giving up. You know the drill by now.