First of all, I apoligize for such lateness in updating but you have to understand that I've started school again and it's been extremely stressful. Plus, I had a little bit of writer's block cause I had three papers due this week so it was hard to focus on the story.

Some of you have reviewed and spoke of the fact that I haven't just pulled some of these characters out of thin air, but that they're actually featured in many Arthurian legends! Bravo! You've done great research. Just like the producers and writers did in the movie with the featured characters, I too have taken the names of Elaine (a sister of Arthur, lover of Lancelot, and mother of Galahad) and Kay and Lamorak (some of Arthur's famous knights of the round table), and created different characters in a more modern, historical aspect. Oh, and I wanted to add that it is also rumored that Lord Alfred Tennyson's famous poems (he's one of my favorites, so look him up if you can.) The Lady of Shalott is another story of the Lady Elaine, who loved Lancelot but her love wasn't returned. See how I sort of used that too?

morigan - I have been fortunate enough to actually visted Brittany once when I was younger. Very beautiful, and as you might have seen, it really has influenced my love of the great legends and stories. Oh, I envy you so much, because I would have loved to live in France! J'espère que tout soit bien avec vous !

Anyways, enjoy this chapter and feel free to tell me what you think!

Chapter 32

Harvest Moon

The Harvest Moon was humongous in the midnight sky, rising up over the darkened Briton hills, shedding only sparse white light down upon the land. Shrouded deeply in the shadows, two great steeds raced across the grassy fields quickly nearing the dark lush forest's edge. The rhythmic beats of their hoofs matched, creating a sort of thunderous roar, surging straight for the dangerous territory.

When they finally reached the forest, Tristan was the first to dismount, jumping off his steed with incredible agility. He shoved the reins back up onto the saddle, before stalking slowly into the forest. Elaine, who watched the scout's seemingly angered movements from the top of her horse, visually gulped. She had never before seen such fire in any being's eyes ever. Tristan's jaw was tight, as he paced back and forth. Elaine could only continue to stare at him, but jumped when he suddenly stopped, his blazing eyes burning holes in her.

"Are you coming?"

Elaine gulped again as she quickly shook her head, making haste as she lowered herself from Luka. She grabbed a small sack that had been quickly tied to her saddle then turned back towards the waiting scout. His eyes followed her every movement, as he remain terrifying silent, which only unnerved her even more. As she passed by him on her way to collect her necessary herbs deep in the forest, he huffed and shook his head with a disapproving look. Elaine caught this immediately.

"Is there a problem Tristan?"

Her simple question was just the spark to ignite the fire deep within Tristan's heart.

"No. No, I've only just lost a certain belief I once had. Other than that, nothing." Tristan's face so how remained completely aloof, although his voice was heated and dripping with disgust and anger.

Elaine's eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong with you? What do you not believe anymore?"

Tristan looked into her brown eyes, making her shake in intimidation. 'Good' he thought. 'She deserves to fear me, just like everyone else. She is no different.'

"I only thought you were different from all the others."

"What other? Tristan," Elaine placed her hands on her hips, as she grew annoyed with the cryptic things her told her, "you aren't making much sense."

Tristan gritted his teeth, the animal inside wakening in anger.

"Did you enjoy it? Did you love the feeling of his hands on your skin? Do you know how many other women those hands have held?"

Elaine huffed, "What are you rambling about, Tristan? I have things to do."

"YOU KISSED HIM!"

Elaine's heart stopped in her chest, but the uncontrollable tremors of great fear began to run up her body. 'Oh, my God,'

"You...you were spying on me?" Elaine stuttered out, trying desperately to sound angry. It was no use. For she knew that he could see the way she trembled at his heated gaze.

He shook his head and huffed, "Anyone could have seen you from high upon the Wall. My lady."

Elaine's chest heaved up in down, in fear as well as in true growing anger.

"You had no right!"

"You are no different, you know that. He's had every woman at the fortress, and he'll have you, than discard you when he's through. You'll be just another notch on the post."

A deafening crack sounded out around the forest, Elaine's palm coming straight across the scout's sculpted cheek. Tristan was silenced, but he showed no effect, staring down upon he with the same angry eyes he had only moments ago. A sharp sting warmed the side of his face where her hand had come down on so fast he hadn't had time to react. But maybe he hadn't wanted to react. Perhaps he wanted the pain. Perhaps he wanted he to stop him. She stared up at him in anger, tiny tears hanging from the bottom lids of her eyes. Tristan noticed that moment that the trembling that had softly shook her body before, now had grown with such intensity that he began to wonder whether she could remain standing before him.

"You...had no...no right," she whispered again, her voice cracking in deep battered emotion. She simply couldn't believe the words that slipped so freely from his lips. From the lips of the man she knew she loved.

Slipping into his genuine facade of the fearless scout, Tristan straighten up, and continued his impromptu interrogation of Elaine, almost as if she were a helpless prisoner.

"Answer me. Did you enjoy it?"

Elaine shook her head, a gasp escaping her lips. "Tristan, you have no right."

"Answer me."

Elaine finally straightened, "Yes."

The scouts hands clenched tight, "Yes, I imagine it would be. No different from the others he's had."

Elaine yelped in anger, "You bastard!"

Elaine pushed Tristan's chest hard, but he stood his ground. Seeing that her first attempt to make him feel the pain she felt inside herself was to no avail, she continued her assault on the scout's firm chest, pounding her small fists wherever she could. Although he was of course very able to take her blows, Tristan soon became rather annoyed and angered, quickly grabbing her wrist in his large hands, locking down on them in a vicelike grip as she struggle to get free.

"Stop," he demanded in firm tone, but she continued. "Stop this now!"

Elaine finally grew tired, slipping from his grasp and falling to the ground upon her knees before him, sobbing uncontrollably. He hate her. He loathed the very sight of her. He thought he no better than a common wench, easily thrown to the side. Elaine's heart broke into a million pieces as her head bowed low to the ground. Tristan's jaw tightened. This is how he had wanted things to go. But how exactly did he imagine things would go?

After a few moments of sadness in both of their hearts, Elaine sniffled, her sobs subsiding. She hated herself, the way she would get hysterical, the way she belittled herself by sobbing so. She straightened, trying her best to wipe her damp face.

Tristan watched as she composed herself, his anger still boiling hot inside of him. His eyes were just as fierce.

"You do not know what happened between Lancelot and I. He has been so kind to me, and I do care very deeply for him. If I chose to kiss him, than it was my choice. You, you have no say in my choices. You are just the scout. Nothing more."

Tristan knuckles turned white, as he watched her turn quickly upon her heal, striding firmly into the deep forest before them. There was no chance in hell he'd let her insult him like that. No one dared to insult him.

Tristan was upon her before she knew it, grasping her still sore elbow in his deadly hands, spinning her harshly against him. The wind was practically all knocked right out of her, as she stared once again up in fear at the scout, her hands pressed against his warm chest.

"He'll have you than you'll be pushed quickly from his bed by another. But don't worry. You'll at least have some time with your precious knight. For a time, you'll be his only whore."

Tears instantly fell down her cheeks, her heart, if it was possible, shattered again into bits. She pushed hard with a labored grunt, slipping from his grasp as she ran as fast as she could into the forest. The tears that flowed so freely from her eyes, fell behind her like rain drops against a hard wind, as she ran farther and farther into the deep, dark woods. The crisp white gown she still wore, tangle and tore in the underbrush that came up from the earth like tiny skeleton fingers, gnawing away at the fabric with a menacing intensity. She cried out in pain when she twisted her ankle a bit, cursing but still continuing to run as fast as she could. No physical pain, not even death could compare with the sorrow that hang heavy over her young heart. She would have given anything he asked of her. But he would never have anything to do with her.

The instant she disappeared completely into the shadows of the wood, a curse slipped from Tristan's lips. He sighed, and actual buried his head in his palm, frowning in sorrow. He was such a fool. For he knew he'd lost her forever now. She had awakened in him the life and spirit that had diminished the day he saw his dead parents lying unceremoniously upon the floor of their tent, their dead eyes staring with a horrible gaze towards the heaven. Elaine had made him feel again. Which wasn't something he welcomed whole heartily, but something he could manipulate if he must. But she was gone. And he was nothing but a fool.

The snap of a breaking twig nearby, immediately alerted the scout, and he whipped his head up just in time to see with his skilled eyes a blue body dash away. Than another one passed quickly, silently in the wood to his right. Than another he sensed ran away behind him. Than another. And another. They were everywhere. Tristan's heart race as he thought of Elaine. He gritted his teeth and grabbed the bow that rest behind his back with his quiver. He'd kill them all.

Elaine burst through a rather small clearing in the forest, falling down upon the soft, grassy earth with a gasp as she tried to control her tears as well as her heavy breathing. But a snapping twig in the forest in front of her quickly alerted the fierce fighter within her, as she whipped her head up swiftly and silently to see a blue bodied man rush back into the brush. She'd kill them all. But the realization of being completely and utterly unarmed, as well as unaware of her surroundings, came crashing down upon her with a great force.

"Tristan," she whispered, turning and standing to limp back into the direction she'd come from.

As she made her way back, Elaine sensed another blue demon rushes past her, practically brushing against her shoulder as they went by. She gasped and swatted her fists out into the air. They were everywhere. Elaine's heart raced with fear as she moved as fast as she was able towards the scout.

"TRISTAN! TRISTAN?"

"ELAINE!"

Tristan had already shot and killed three of the menacing devils, but still he hadn't come upon Elaine. Fear course through his heart, despite his apparent deadly features and movements in the pitch dark forest. If they found her first, if they got to her first, they'd...No they wouldn't get to her first. He would.

"ELAINE!"

"TRISTAN!"

"ELAINE!"

Elaine spun desperately around, gasping as her eyes darted across the forest, noticing more and more blue body rushing back and forth like racing bees to a hive. She panicked, continuing to spin around to find an escape. Something told her that the end was near. Where was he? Oh, God if something happened to him...

Suddenly a firm hand grabbed Elaine by the shoulder, spinning her around. She screamed, until she saw that it was Tristan standing before her. She sighed a great relief, tears of joy slipping down her cheek. It was than that she first say the fear in his eyes. The two stared at each other for a moment, before falling into each others arms, grasping and pulling at the other to make sure they were actually there. Tristan ran his glorious hands up and down her body, sending shivers up her spine. Thinking she was trembling in pain, Tristan pulled back to stared into her eyes. They simply looked into each other's eyes. Than, Tristan slipped his hands around to cup her smooth face, tilting her lips up towards him. Both of their hearts beat with such urgency, such passion that neither could stand the tension. Tristan swiftly lowered his anxious lips to her waiting ones, crushing into her with a firm but delicate kiss. An instant spark made both jump slightly as they made contact, slowly exploring each other in their deep kiss. Elaine gasped against his mouth, making Tristan groan against hers in return before he dared to smooth his tongue over her closed lips, awaiting her permission. Elaine's heart beat hard with nervousness, but she slowly opened her mouth to him, delighting in the sensations he sent through her body as he explore he sweet mouth. She moaned and pushed his head closer to her to deep their kiss, which awakened the animal deep inside Tristan. A fierce, passionate creature emerged, crushing her lovely form to his frame, moving his hands over her body with a slowly, torturing stride.

Slowly, the kiss ended, and the two drew away from each other, but remained in their passionate embrace. As their chests heaved up and down, Tristan searched Elaine's eyes for some sort of answer, any response. Had he done wrong?

A beautiful and reassuring smile crept across her mouth, as she moved her hand to caress his bearded cheek. He sighed, pressing against her palm.

"I was beginning to fear you would never to that," she whispered.

He huffed in his usual tone, "It's come up in my mind from time to time."

Elaine smiled again, before she reached up pulling him down into her lips again. He breathed out before meeting her lips again. He could get used to this physical contact thing.