Disclaimer: I only own my characters.

Chapter 15

Isulet awoke a while later, sleepily opening her eyes. Cerridwen murmured in her sleep and Isulet smiled down at the little child. She was looking a lot warmer, that was for sure. Isulet slipped out from under the covers, carefully tucking them back around Cerridwen. Then she slipped outside to sit on the edge of the wagon. Isulet silently watched Gawain as he rode ahead. She saw some snowflakes in his hair, and wanted to brush them out, but she wasn't close enough. In the end she sat back and sighed furiously. That alerted someone to her prescence. Immediately she smiled when Arthur came up, an automatic reaction. But he ignored her smile and looked straight at her.

"What's wrong Isulet?" He asked.

"Nothing, I'm fine." Isulet replied dreamily

"Isulet." Arthur warned.

"I'm fine." Isulet intoned back, her voice as heavy as a rock.

"Please don't start." Arthur asked.

"Who said I was starting anything?" Isulet asked in shock.

"No-one was I was just asking you not to start." Arthur trotted to the head of the column.

Isulet stared after her brother in shock, confusion clouding her blue eyes. Why had her brother just said that to her? Really she didn't know her brother, never had done since he had dragged her out of the fire. He had become distant and unnerving, doing what he thought was right. Gone was the young boy who had confided in his sister, in his place was a man who had too many worries. She knew when she discovered she had lost two years of her life that she had been lied to by her brother. Was he even her brother? These thoughts all came crashing into her head. And Isulet wanted some answers. But they would have to wait till they got to the wall. But then she decided she wanted the answers now. But then she decided she had waited this long in ignorance, why not be willing to wait a few more hours?

"Isulet?" Gawain broke in on her thoughts.

"Pardon?" She asked.

"I was asking if you would like to have a ride." Gawain asked again.

"I would." Isulet nodded.

"I'll just go snag Tempest then." Gawain rode off, coming back a few minutes later.

"Thanks." Isulet said, easily swinging herself into the saddle.

Isulet soon adjusted herself to the motion of Tempest as opposed to the motion of the wagon. It felt good to have the cooling wind on her face, and the wind ruffling her hair, sending the ribbons streaming out behind it. Tempest also seemed to be a little calmer, and he seemed a lot happier. For a while she could forget everything and just enjoy the ride, a gentle breeze blowing on her face. But soon enough the knights and convoy arrived at the top of the hill. She sighed in frustration. Now would be the time when she got some answers. Maybe she wouldn't like them, but she would still have them. And then she could get on with her life, then she could be happy and forget about everything. Well maybe not forget, but be happy at least. And Isulet knew she needed to push her brother hard on this subject. Then perhaps they could get back to the way they were.

"Isulet?" Arthur asked, concern written on his face.

"Arthur, I have to talk to you later." Isulet breathed in, relieved that she had asked the question.

"Why, is something wrong?" Arthur asked, looking concerned.

"No, I just want to talk to you." Isulet smiled charmingly.

"And when she smiles like that we definitely know something's wrong." Lancelot smiled.

"Well, I don't know." Morgan said looking thoughtful.

"And when she looks like that, we know she's planning something." Isulet smiled.

"And then we all get to find out if you become a willing party." Bors added.

Isulet smiled at the way the knights were bantering. It was as if they had forgotten all about Dagonet dying. But no, no one has forgotten the body that was riding his horse. Rather they were seeking relief in laughter, too soon would be the time for tears. Too soon would be the time also when painful confessions would have to be made. But all this was forgotten in the moment, with the sun finally shining, if somewhat half-heartedly. It felt good to be home, felt good to be alive. For a time you could reflect on the goodness of life, of engagements and freedom. But there was another side to life, the side where grimness and death were daily occurrences. At this point though, all was light. Nothing was going to spoil that moment, nothing at that point in time anyway.

Soon enough the gates were opened, and the victorious knights rode through. There was no one around to cheer the knights, no one to mark their passing. No one until they reached the villa. Then there were flowers placed in the horses' path as they rode home. Bors' bastards were running through the streets after their father's horse. But there was no happiness in this scene for the knights. Now was the time when the dead were mourned, when the gates were closed. Most of the wagons stopped soon after the convoy had entered and only the carriage bearing Alecto and his mother was following the knights as they rode. When the knights reached the courtyard they were greeted by the bishop.

"Alecto, against all the odds Satan could muster, Alecto." The bishop laughed, embracing Alecto, who backed off.

"Bishop Germanus, friend of my father." Arthur intoned stonily, before walking off.

"Knight's your dispensation papers." The bishop opened the box.

Isulet walked off at that point. Morgan was standing around Tristan, managing to look bored. Cerridwen was running around with Bors' bastards, who didn't even know her. But none of this interested Isulet, who was resolutely walking after Arthur. She followed him to his rooms, and arrived a few seconds after him. Picking up her courage she knocked on the heavy oak door and waited for her brother's answer. When she received no answer she knocked again, harder this time. When she didn't get an answer again she knocked for a third time. This time the knock echoed around the hall. When she still didn't get an answer she walked straight in. She saw her brother standing over a scrubbed oak table, pouring over some map. Isulet went and stood in front of the table, tapping her booted foot on the flagstone floor. After a while Arthur looked up at his sister, and smiled, though the smile seemed more like a reaction than anything else.

"Isulet." Her brother inclined his head as a mark of respect.

"I came to rescue you from these old maps and talk to you." Isulet injected a joke into the conversation.

"I'm sure my little sister will be much more interesting than old maps." Arthur joked back.

"I should hope so." Isulet smiled.

"Shall we?" Arthur asked, indicating a seat.

Isulet sat down and waited for a few minutes. Arthur left and returned a few minutes later with some wine. Isulet accepted the drink, sipping it. It took her back to summer days and ripe fruit. She remembered berry picking, working hard, and eating half of the berries you picked. Those were the days, she mused happily. Thinking of her childhood days she realised how much she missed them. You spent half your childhood wishing you were an adult, and you spent half of the rest of your life wishing you were a child again. How much she wished she could travel back in time and unravel her life, plaiting it back together in a way that suited her. But she couldn't do that, and she couldn't forget about her past, however much she would wish to.

"Isulet?" Arthur asked.

"Yes?" She asked, coming back down to earth.

"You wanted to talk to me." Arthur prompted.

"You're right; I did want to talk to you." Isulet fixed him in her gaze.

"Well?" Arthur asked after a long time.

"When were you planning to tell me I lost two years of my life?" Isulet asked.

"You remembered them then." Arthur said his voice deadpan.

"Yes I did, and I was wondering why?" Isulet asked.

"We… I felt that you would be happier not knowing." Arthur finally finished.

"I can understand, but still it's my life, and not to know, to have to find out yourself is worse." Isulet spoke, her voice quiet.

"I'm sorry Isulet, I seem to have to make a lot of decisions regarding you, and I'm afraid I made a mess of lot of them." Arthur seemed to be upset.

"You weren't to know how most of the decisions were going to turn out did you." Isulet challenged.

"No, but I could have guessed." Arthur rubbed a hand over his eyes.

"No you couldn't, stop talking like that." Isulet told her brother off.

"I'm sorry, I've tried to be a good brother, but I've failed miserably." Arthur spoke.

"Don't worry about it, now I have to go see if I can salvage my appearance somewhat." Isulet made her brother smile with that comment.

Isulet walked out of her brother's rooms feeling happier than she had for days. Her and her brother were at last on the way to being how they were before, though they still had a long way to go. But perhaps things could never be as they were between them, the two had had to grow away from each other as the years went by, necessity demanded it. But perhaps they hadn't needed to grow so far away, but they had. They had started to piece things together, and maybe it would take years, but the two would make it. We have the time to do it, but do we have the determination to do it, Isulet asked herself, already knowing the answer. She was willing to do whatever it took.

Reaching her rooms Isulet shrugged out of her heavy armour and took the ribbons out of her hair. Then she combed her hair, gently teasing the knots out. When she had done that she walked through into the room where a bath was. Stepping out of her clothes she stepped into the bath, revelling in the smells that radiated from the bathwater. Taking soap she washed her body and hair, until she was sure she was thoroughly clean. Then she stepped out of the bath and walked through to her dressing room. She chose a dress that she was comfortable in, one which was not in the Roman style. It was a deep blue. This one had a slash that followed across the neck, showing off her perfect shoulders and neck. Next came her dragon necklace and Gawain's ring on a ribbon around her neck. Then she began the arduous task of brushing out her hair again. When she finished she sighed in contentment and leant back in her chair.

Standing up she decided to take a walk. And she was determined to take a walk with her old friend. Navigating her way expertly around the villa she found her way to a set of unused rooms. Ducking her head and walking down a few steps she saw Morgan sitting by Cerridwen in a pale blue dress much like the one Guinevere had been wearing. Smiling Isulet knelt down next to the girl and smiled when she opened her eyes. Tilting her head to one side the girl smiled friendly at her mother and her friend.

"How are you feeling, chick?" Isulet asked.

"Fine, thank you." Cerridwen answered politely.

"Well do you mind if I borrow your mother, we have a lot to catch up on?" Isulet pleaded.

"Okay, as long as you come back soon mummy." The girl muttered sleepily.

"I will sweetheart, now you get some rest." Morgan placed a kiss on her girl's head before following her friend.

Isulet led her friend out of the villa. The courtyard was empty now. Slipping down a small alley the two women entered a lush garden that bordered on some woods. There was a small pond which glimmered in the late twilight sun. Roses climbed up arbours, almost covering them. Along the ground were violets and other flowers which all contributed to the heady smell. Sitting down on a stone bench Isulet turned to her friend. Morgan seemed to love the garden, taking in all the sights and smells. Sighing happily she sank down on the bench next to her friend.

"So, how have the years treated you then?" Isulet asked.

"Very well, actually. I have a child I could die for, and I've found my old friend, what more could I want from life?" Morgan asked.

"I don't know, like maybe a romance?" Isulet teased.

"What, who said anything about a romance?" Morgan demanded.

"Not me, I was just teasing." Isulet giggled.

""I couldn't, it would feel all wrong, not after Fiacre." Morgan looked sad.

"Fiacre?" Isulet asked confused.

"Cerridwen's father." Morgan explained.

"I thought you were planning on never getting married?" Isulet asked.

"Well, I didn't. It's just, when I got back, to Merlin I mean, I had no plans to. I became his apprentice, and everything was fine. And then I met Fiacre, he was everything I would want in a man, kind sweet and gentle. So we got married and I had Cerridwen. And then he was killed in front of me." Morgan finished bitterly.

"And you killed the man who killed him." Isulet summarized.

"He deserved it." Morgan spat.

"In more ways than you could ever imagine." Isulet replied dreamily.

"Gods, he wasn't your husband was he?" Morgan asked, concern filtering through her voice.

"The one and only." Isulet spat bitterly.

"Well he deserved death." Morgan agreed.

"I'm so glad you're back." The two embraced warmly.

Pulling back Isulet wiped a few tears from her eyes. The years hadn't been kind to either of them. In the end it was all down to Decimus. He had killed Morgan's husband in cold blood, and he was six feet under for it. But he was still a ghost to his widow; the scars on her were all too real. He was a nightmare, a ghost that haunted waking and sleeping moments. But there had been lots of little rays of sunshine, and the ghost was about to be shed, rather like a snake shed its skin.

"We should go back in." Morgan stood up.

"Not yet, the sunset is lovely from here." Isulet pulled her friend back down.

"I suppose we could stay a little while." Morgan replied dreamily.

Isulet smiled and the two sat in companionable silence. Soon enough the sun began to sink below the horizon, painting the sky red and gold. Peaceful now the two got up and walked slowly down to the pond, sitting beside it so they could get a better view. When the sun had all but set Isulet stood up. Turning around, to where the sky was now a deep inky blue black she began to walk back to the villa, her brother, the knights, and her fiancée.

Author's note: Well, after all this time, another chapter. I am so happy. I wonder how long this one has taken me. No matter, here it is anyway.