Out of Darkness Comes the Light - Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone you may recognize. I don't even own the title. If you think I have ripped you off, sorry. This came purely from my own imagination, such as it is. I don't even claim that my story is any good...

A/N: Here's where things are starting to get tricky. I'm at the point in the story that I'm not sure is going to go over well. There will be at least two major things happening that will be quite scary for some. And may be hard for others to believe. The first one is now.

BTW: I see Tristan as one of those incredibly intelligent people. And because of this has difficulties relating to the outside world. Therefore his thought process is a bit warped and add in the fact that he's a trained killer...

Cardeia: Yes, I'm trying to show that he's having a rough go at it. To have his world tipped upside down by a woman and then have said woman taken away. It would frustrate a saint. He hasn't broken yet, but is well on his way. And as you have pointed out, she is gravitating more into her relationship with Lancelot. They will know that it's just a comfort and friendship thing. But Tristan will not. Right now, he's seeing nothing but red.

You'll see how Cass is linked to Teagan come the next chapter as I will post it close to this one. They sort of go together. I'm not sure if I'll go into detail of her capture. If I do it will be in the form of a nightmare or such.

I'm glad that you like the Gawain/Galahad thing. They act like brothers, so I thought I would have them behave as such. And I personally think that Gawain is much smarter about things than he lets on.

Re-read the summary at the beginning and Tristan's nightmare. It will give you a better time frame.

Tristan stormed into the hall, pushing Gawain out of the way. Stopping in front of Teagan he gave her murderous eyes. "You were not going to tell me. Were you? You were going to leave and not tell me."

Teagan looked to the floor, shaking her head. "No. And yes." She tried to think when he may have discovered her secret. She only told Arthur and he promised not to say anything until she was ready.

Tristan was angry. More angry than he had been in a long time. First, he had returned to find her gone. Now he found out this. And through someone else. "Why not? Don't you think I had a right to know? You told Lancelot, but not me."

Teagan stepped forward raising her hand to place it on his arm, only to have him step away. "Not here." She said as she dropped her arm.

"We have no secrets here." Sweeping his arm around the room, he indicated all. Then he turned on Teagan, ignoring the tears forming in her eyes. "Were you pregnant before or after you left here?"

Gasps were heard all around her. Lancelot fought every urge he had to go help her. He was being held back by Arthur. He knew nothing of this. Teagan hadn't said a thing.

"No, my friend. You must let them sort this out."

"Before." She whispered.

Several of the knights tried to leave the hall, this wasn't any of their business, but Tristan stopped them. "NO! You need to hear this as well as I! Please, Teagan, tell us why you left the safety of the fort while you were carrying MY CHILD!"

Galahad gasped, feeling guilty. He had practically forced Briac on her, thinking that the baby would help to cheer her.

Teagan fell into the nearest chair. Willing herself not to cry, she took a deep breath. Looking up at Tristan, she started the story. "You were dead. I just couldn't stay here and have your memory everywhere. To look out and see your grave." She looked away to the floor. She couldn't look at the hurt in his eyes, knowing she put it there. "It was a month later that I realized that I was with child. I kept moving, I was doing well, taking jobs where I could. I was about five months along when I was captured by a band of Saxons. I was on my way back here." She peeked a glance at Gawain, who looked as though his heart was breaking. "That's when you found Aodh." She looked away again, trying to focus on a speck of dirt on the floor. Anything to not look at Tristan. "They beat me. Beat me so that I delivered him early." Her voice faltered as she tried to speak. "It was to soon. And they made me watch..." Her voice barely heard, it was so soft. She looked up at Tristan, but the tears refused to fall.

Tristan looked down at her. His eyes cold. "Made you watch what?" It wasn't so much the news of the child that had him angry. No. It was her. It had torn his soul when he had returned and found her gone. It didn't matter that she may have thought he was dead. It made him angry. She had promised to be there when he returned. And right now, he wanted to hurt her. Hurt her so badly. He visibly shook with the effort to hold himself still.

Teagan stood up, squared her shoulders and walked to the door. Turning around she looked at all the faces. Most of them showing sympathy and pity. For her or Tristan, she knew not. Taking a deep breath, she let loose the arrow. "I watched as they tore that baby. Tore his arms apart from his body. His legs. I just thank the gods that he had been born dead." She turned and slipped out of the door, grateful that no one followed her.

Silence met Tristan as he stared at her retreating form. No one said a word. No one dared.

Without looking at the others, Tristan too, left the hall, vanishing into the night.

0o0o0o

No one knew what to say. To say that is was a surprise would be an understatement.

Lancelot fought every urge he had to go and find his friend. The only trouble was, he was friends to them both. And right now, he didn't know what to say to either.

"Well, I guess now's not the time to say Van's havin' another." Bors said out of the blue. Which was met by another smack in the head. This time, From Dagonet.

Everyone else was quiet as they picked up their cupsas they too, left the hall.

0o0o0o

Arthur found her in her usual spot, the highest wall of the fort.

"Are you going to be alright?" He asked her gently.

Teagan shook her head. "No, Arthur, I'm not. But why is he so angry with me?"

"Let me tell you something about him that not many know. His father was a knight. He never survived his fifteen years. His mother did the best she could raising Tristan and eventually found love again. In a much older man. A returned Sarmatian. Tristan's mother bore two more children. A daughter, then a son. She died giving birth to Tristan's brother. Her husband, in his grief and advanced years, only lasted until the baby was four years old. This left him to care for a younger sister and a young brother. For a while it seemed as though his tribe would be passed by, that he wouldn't have to serve. When he was twenty, the soldiers came." Here Arthur paused, taking a breath and glancing at Teagan. He could see the tears start in her eyes. But they had yet to fall. He continued. "I can only imagine what it was like for Tristan to lose his mother, two fathers and then be taken away from the family he raised himself."

Teagan let out a soft sigh, her brain trying to process what it had learned. "Did he ever love a woman?" She couldn't imagine Tristan not being with women.

Arthur nodded his head, slowly. "Once. But she couldn't accept what he was. He reacted very badly to that. We nearly lost him." Tristan had melted, and was well on his way again. No one wanted a repeat.

"He'sa killer." It was no more than a whisper.

Again he nodded. "Yes. So, you see, you were the first woman to accept him for who and what he is. You don't question that. But, you are another who has left him."

Teagan's eyes flashed. "But, he died Arthur. What was I supposed to do? Sit here and mourn him?" Her anger starting to rise.

"No. But you left here and still mourned him. Didn't you?" He said calmly.

Teagan's anger deflated instantly. "Yes." She said in a very small voice.

"When he came back. He looked for you. And when you weren't here... Well, he wasn't happy. His entire family, a lover, now you and apparently there was a child. It's a lot for someone to process. And Tristan doesn't process things as others do. But now it is worse because you are here, in his sight and he can't have you."

"Oh Arthur. I had no idea. This is all my fault. I really think I need to leave. And to not come back." She wanted to run as far away as possible and not look back.

Arthur brought her close to him. "Maybe that is for the best." He hated to see her go. But he also had to look out for the best interests of his men.

0o0o0o

A/N: A little Tristan history for you. There's a hint in here somewhere. Cardeia, you've got to know who Tristan's brother is.

Now you all see why I was asking opinions on the Saxons.