Note: Thanks for the reviews! Sorry it took me so long to update. I was gone and then the power around my neck of the woods has been cutting out for the past few days, supossedly because of all the fires in my area. Well I hope you like it and that it all makes sense. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

"It is dark, cold, and wet. The darkness brings thoughts of happier times, sadder times, times I wish to forget. Times I know I can never have again…"

Excerpt from Alexandrea's Journal

Cold, wet. I gasp. Darkness. It takes me a few minutes to remember what happened. I look around me. There is not much to see. I remember the creature and wait for its attack, but it never comes. Slowly, I stand up and begin to look for a way out. I look for the creature. It is nothere. Confused and dazed, I examine my surroundings. I am in ahole, not the ravine but some sort ofhollownear it.It is very small;I hardly have to move tofind its boundaries. Ilook for some sign of the creature.There is nothing. Hadthe creature justbeen my imagination?My left arm aches and my face stings from small cuts I received from my fall. I will wonder about it later.I rip a piece of my gown and start nursing my cuts the best I can. With each touch a sharp pain follows and I grit my teeth.

Once again, I curse myself for getting myself lost. No longer can I hear my name being called. They have left, left me to die. No, they will be back. At least I know the commander, Arthur, will. If he's anything like Father, he'll search for me until a body is recovered. He has an unfinished task; it is his duty to finish it. I hope it's not Lancelot who finds me. I can see the look on his face; the smug look telling me how he knew he was right about me all along. I cannot bear his satisfaction in my foolishness, like I could not bear Max's satisfaction in Conn's absence from the harvest dance.

Father and I arrive on time. Mother chose to stay behind for she is not feeling well, but I know she does not like social gatherings of any kind and that is why she feigns illness. I wear a simple dress, a midnight-blue with silver trim. Father says dark blues and silvers are my colors and so I wear them. I wear Conn's bracelet with Grandfather's necklace. My hair is braided and wound around my head into a bun. In my hair I have a white flower. I wear no face paint tonight; I did not wish to spoil such a night with the uncomfortable mask of paint.

Father looks handsome in his daily clothes. The farmers greet us merrily and continue on with their celebrations. I have Max's scarf tied around my waist, not very fashionable, but I had promised him I would wear it and so I must. Father leaves me with Coriel, my old nurse, and went to where the men were gathering. Coriel beams at me. "You look lovely, my child."

I smile under her praise. As a child, her praise meant more to me then Mother's, even now, it means much to me. I look around the field. "Where's Conn?" I ask.

Coriel raises her eye brows and shrugs, "I don't know. I'm sure he'll be here. There is a certain lass he wishes to dance with."

My heart falls. A lass? I look towards the area where the single women gather and wonder which one Conn desires. "Which one?" I ask.

Coriel smiles, "It's none of my business to know which lass holds my son's heart. We will know when he sees fit."

I stare at her. She knows which one, Conn tells his mother everything. "I know you know."

"I didn't say I didn't know, I said it's not my business and so I have no right to tell other people about it. Conn's a grown man and can make his own decisions, tell his own news, and keep track of his own business."

I sigh. There is not chance of getting a name out of her. She is a very stubborn woman; I learned that a very long time ago. I scan the crowd once more for Conn, but instead of him I find Max. He smiles and comes towards me. I want to hide but etiquette won't allow it for I made a promise and I have to keep it. I dance the first three dances with Max. He grins at me and talks about nothing in particular. I try to look interested in what he is saying, but most of my attention is on looking for Conn. He has not arrived yet.

The third dance ends and I curtsy expecting it to be my last dance, but Max asks for yet another one, and since I can think of no polite way to refuse him, I accept. I put on my court smile and pretend to be thoroughly enjoying myself. How I wish Conn was here. When my fifth dance with make ends, I decline from a sixth, saying I am tired. He accepts it and finds another partner, although I swear he is watching me.

A bit upset, I slip away from the dance to a small cluster of trees not far from it. Where is Conn? I do not know why I care, but it hurts. I lean up against a tree and sigh. A part of me wishes to go back to see who the lass is that Conn had his heart on dancing with, but I could not bring myself to do it. To see Conn with another woman would be too much. I know Conn will have to marry; I am not ready for him to yet. He's my Conn. Mine.

I hear something move behind me. It is someone. I turn as I hear, "Alexa…"

"Alexandrea!" I hear. I look up. It's still dark and I cannot see a thing. "Alexandrea!" the voice comes again, this time stronger. "Alexandrea!" My heart jumps. They are here. They didn't desert me.

"Over here!" I cry.

There is silence. Where are they? "Alexa!"

It is close, very close. "Over here!" I hear footsteps.

"Alexa?" I look up.

"Conn?" I whisper.

"Alexa?" the voice calls.

It takes me a moment to remember the voice. "Gawain?"

"Alexa, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just a few scratches."

"Stay where you are, I'm coming down."

"No, there's not enough room for the both of us. Throw me down a rope and pull me up."

Within minutes a rope slides into view. I grasp it and call, "I've got it." Slowly I am hoisted up out of the hole. To my dismay, the first face I see is not Gawain's or Arthur's, though I would have preferred it to be, it is Lancelot's, and as predicted he wears his character defining smirk.

"Are you unhurt, milady?" Arthur asks.

"I am fine, just a few scratches and bruises."

By the look on their faces, they probably see more then just a few scratches. Gawain and Galahad hover around me as if I am going to collapse as we make our way towards the horses. "The horse? Is he alright?" I ask, remembering that it was Galahad's steed I lost myself on.

"Yes, we found him a few miles East of here," Galahad says.

"I'm sorry if I caused any harm to him."

"That's alright. He's fine."

"That's good to hear." I stumble and Gawain reaches out to catch me. He grabs my left arm and I let out a little cry.

"Oh, forgive me, did I hurt you?" he asks.

"No," I gasp as I right myself. "I must have hurt it when I fell."

They balance me, being very careful so not to cause me more pain. They sit me down on a rock. "She'll have to ride with one of us," Arthur says.

"Oh, no, that won't be necessary. I am quite well; it's just a little bruise." I pull up my sleeve to show them; unfortunately it is proof against my claim. There is a large black bruise, the size of my forearm. "Well, a large bruise." Arthur gently takes my arm and squeezes it. I winch and try my best not to yelp.

"Um…More then a bruise. Perhaps a broken harm," he concludes.

"Don't be silly. It's not broken, sprained maybe," I suggest hopefully, for a broken arm is the last thing I need. With one they will never let me out of the carriage and will watch me even more closely then they already do.

"What ever it may be, you are in no condition to ride alone."

I relent, "Very well." I sit and wait for him to name the knight I will ride with. I hope it is Gawain or Galahad, maybe even Arthur himself.

"Lancelot, she rides with you."

Lancelot looks at me. "Great," I whisper.

Gawain helps me onto Lancelot's horse, seeming my arm will not hold me long enough to mount. Lancelot climbs up behind me and we set off back towards camp. I can just hear his thoughts. None of which I wish to repeat. As we ride I notice that the sun is rising. It is very beautiful. I ignore Lancelot and watch the sun rise and light the world around me.

"Alexa," Conn whispers. I turn around.

"Conn! Where have you been?" I ask, angry at him.

"Alexa."

"Conn, why didn't you come and ask me to dance? Where were you? Your mother said that you would be there for there was a certain lady you wished to dance with."

"I was there."

"I had to suffer five dances with Max before I escaped to here."

"I saw you."

I stop. "If you were there, why didn't you save me?"

He looks away. Something is wrong.

"What is it?"

"Max."

"Did he get the lady you wished to dance with tonight?"

"Yes."

"Who is she?" I ask. He says nothing. "Is it Silvia? She's nice, but too dull for you. If it is her, she's not worth heartache."

"No, it's not Silvia."

"Is it Mary? Mary may be pretty but that's all she is."

"No." He looks away from me.

"Why won't you tell me?" I ask.

"I thought you would have guessed," he mumbles.

"Guessed? Guessed what?" What is he talking about?

"The bracelet." He holds my hand.

"What?"

"I said, 'How are you doing'?" Lancelot asks. I blink, the sun rose quickly.

"Um…Fine. Just fine." He says nothing else; I am much relieved for I did not feel like talking to him at the moment. I hold up my right wrist.

"Where did you get that?" Gawain asks from his side position.

"Oh, it was a gift from someone I knew a long time ago." I run my finger over the design. I know it by heart.

"What does the design mean?" Gawain asks, trying to make conversation.

"Some one once said that it was a promise, a pledge, a symbol of love."

"Love?" Lancelot smirks.

"Yes, love."