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'Thoughts'
"Speech"
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KING ARTHUR:
Fallen Knights Return
Chapter Twenty-Six– Schemes
"What is it?" Ilara asked, he sounded worried – which was not like Dagonet when it came to the knights.
"They are up to something, the lot of them. Watch your back – I do not know what they are scheming, but they are…." He murmured.
However, nothing happened – the afternoon wore on. The only thing was Arthur did not seem in a hurry to get chores done, every one stayed at the Tavern; laughing, joking and having fun.
Ilara's guard had long since dropped; even Dagonet, though watchful, started to think that maybe he was just being paranoid after years of practical jokes.
He looked at Arthur; he knew his commander and king would never take part in ridiculous schemes these days. He never had been one for the jokes and pranks of the other knights; but especially now he was king he had to be more serious, more the leader than ever.
The only thing he thought slightly odd was that the adults seemed to be following the lead of Bethan and Lucan. Every so often he noticed one of them would shake their head at an adult's questioning look, and so the merriment would continue. If they were up to anything, he knew those two were at the centre of it; but maybe it just that he and Ilara that were not the targets.
He looked round the others in the tavern: Arthur and Guinevere, he would do all he could to serve them faithfully, as they sat chatting amicably with Merlin; Lancelot and Amila, in love and loving every minute of it sneaking kisses and laughing; Gawain and Galahad, older now but still acting like boys and fighting over who won the latest knife throwing contest; Vanora and Bors, his brother if ever he had one and his surrogate family arguing, as usual, about naught and secretly jesting through it; Tristan and Sandrina, with Bethan, completely and utterly devoted to each other and she sat with him talking about the baby and trying to include the little girl ; the baby that was lucky to be born to that family would be very happy. He knew he would have loved her deeply if given the chance, but those feelings had been waning recently.
He was glad; since Ilara had arrived he realised that he had a chance to be happy. Of course, he would never tell her in case it ruined everything. Better to have her always as a friend, than tell her his feelings and risk losing her; and of course he had his Lucan. If he had been his own blood, he could not love the boy more.
He was content with this life, had no wish to return to Sarmatia. He did not even know if he actually had any family left there now; and even if he did, were they family anymore? Fifteen years was a long time; and San had proved that blood was not thicker than water - she had chosen Lancelot over Odell, a heart tie over a blood one. She considered them her family now - the knights.
He knew he felt the same; he looked around them - men he had known since they were boys, with families of their own, blood or adopted, and their wives and partners. All happy…finally; he felt content, his life could remain like this now and he would never ask for more.
Of course he had reckoned without a blond eight year old and her devoted friend.
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Bethan had other ideas for Dagonet. She adored him only slightly less than her father. The only other she loved as much was Gawain. He had always been there for her, next to her father he and Gawain were the ones she would run to if she needed help.
She wanted him to be happy, and she knew with the insight of a child that he would not help himself. He was fearful of the consequences; well, she – Bethan – feared nothing, and she would ensure that this situation with Ilara was rectified forthwith.
It was almost painful to see them hedge round each other; when she thought back to how brave Lucan was to declare his feelings for her and he not yet 10 at the time, she could not see why his father was so hesitant.
The sun was now beginning to set. She nodded at her mother, who nudged her father. He, Lancelot, Bors, Arthur, Gawain and Galahad sloped off muttering about chores and urgent matters.
The men got to the room "Do you honestly think this will work?" Muttered Gawain as they began to move things about.
Bors began to laugh like a drain "What!" Asked Lancelot, struggling with a big wooden chair "Why does the man have furniture befitting a bloody giant! What is it Bors?"
"We……we are….moving the furniture!" he wheezed. All the knights exchanged looks and fell about laughing; even Arthur could not stop the tears rolling down his face.
"I do not think that daughter of yours will ever know the hours of mirth and...other things that one phrase has given all of us, Tristan!" He laughed.
The scout merely nodded, though a wide grin graced his usually passive face also.
"It does not work on the tavern wenches so well though -"Do you fancy coming and moving furniture with me" does not really impress them! In fact I think one even slapped Galahad when he said something like that to her!" Said Gawain, causing a fresh outbreak of laughter as the youngest knight scowled...
They returned 20 minutes later grinning like idiots at Bethan. With only Tristan having his usual passive face; though he even he smiled at her, his brown eyes twinkling.
A few moments later Bethan, her mother, Vanora, Amila and Guinevere all left saying they too had a few things to sort out around the fort, but not to leave as they would return soon.
Bethan surveyed the room "It is almost perfect – we just need the finishing touches on the floor."
They lay the wet mud, straw and sawdust all over the floor until it was filthy and sodden. Sandrina sighed and smiled at her daughter "we will have to clean this tomorrow Bethan; I hope it is worth the effort!"
"It only has a bed!" said Amila surveying the room.
"That is enough furniture for them to move around" Said Bethan with a wide innocent look.
When the women had controlled their laughter, Guinevere asked "Are you sure it will work?"
"I am as sure as I can be; now let us get the players in this little game…" grinned Bethan.
They returned to the tavern and approached Ilara, "Can you come with us for a moment Ilara?" Asked Sandrina.
"Why? Is all well?"
"Nay, there is something wrong at your room and we do not want to bother Dag." Said Bethan.
"What is it?"
The women sighed; Ilara was not making this easy for them.
"Umm, well it seems that someone has made a real mess of it…" Amila offered.
"Ah I see….let us go, it is probably the children playing a prank – would you help me?"
The other women and the little girl exchanged looks "Aye" said Guinevere, smiling "of course we will help you; we will most assuredly help you Ilara."
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When they reached the room and made sure Ilara got inside, Amila stood in front of the door.
"Oh, Goddess! This is more than a childish prank - why would someone do this and where is the furniture!" Ilara was shocked.
"I do not know; it really is worse than we thought!" cried Bethan, in mock horror. "I will run and get the others!" She flew out; and the other women made sure that Ilara was kept busy commenting on the mess in the room. She was terrified where they would all sleep.
"Surely the bed is big enough for three? San and Tristan regularly have had Bethan in their bed, have you not?" Guinevere struggled to keep a straight face, at the look of terror on Ilara's.
"Aye," said San, "Particularly when I was ill; she used to sleep between us."
The gentle teasing went on like this as Bethan flew back to the Tavern.
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"Well?" asked Lucan as she raced into view, skidding to a halt outside and trying to look nonchalant.
She merely grinned and hugged him. He buried her head into his shoulder and kissed her hair.
Bethan released herself "Round Two Lucan; come on!"
She went into the tavern looking worried "Dagonet? Where is Dagonet?" she asked pretending not to see him. She went to Lancelot who was sat next to her father "Have you seen Dagonet, Lancelot? It is Ilara…."
Lancelot leant down "You are certainly ladling on the honey, are you not little scout?" he grinned.
"I have to be convincing, do I not?" she whispered back. Both men near her had to struggle to suppress a laugh – the large knight did not stand a chance against the scheming of their little scout!
"Ilara? What about her?" Dagonet was on his feet.
"She has had a fall, we have managed to get her back to the room…..but…." tears filled her eyes "She has hurt her leg! Oh, Dagonet….it is bleeding and I…I am frightened for her…" a single tear slid down her cheek, as wide blue eyes stared up at her victim.
All the other knights looked on amazed "I pity Lucan" Lancelot whispered to the others in awe "she will have him twisted round her little finger for eternity."
Dagonet took off; "Now" said Arthur, "we await the signal and then it is our turn."
"I hope this works" said Galahad.
"Seeing our little scout in action, I cannot see it not working!" Laughed Gawain.
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Bethan was ahead of Dagonet and arrived at the room just in time to give the signal "NOW!" She yelled, just as Dagonet skidded into the room.
All the women flew out, slamming and locking the door behind them.
"What the?" exclaimed Dagonet.
"What is the matter Dagonet?" asked a startled Ilara.
"Your leg…" he panted "it was injured, bleeding!"
"Nay, I am quite well."
At that moment the truth dawned, with a growl he turned to the door but it was bolted. As he managed to peer out of the window he saw a laughing Lancelot and Bors bracing it with two large planks of wood.
As he went to put his elbow through the window, a huge shutter appeared and he could hear it being hammered into place.
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE GODDESS ARE YOU DOING!" he yelled.
"You are not coming out until you two have done what you have to do!" cried Lancelot with glee.
"WAIT UNTIL ARTHUR HEARS ABOUT THIS, LANCELOT!"
"Actually" the other knight crowed "he is…."
"Here…" Arthur's voice was the other side of the door.
"ARTH…ARTHUR!"
"We are doing this for your own good my friend! You are in there until you and Ilara admit to yourselves and each other how you feel!"
Dagonet was not about to give up, and a horrified Ilara came to his aid. They banged, rattled and shouted for what felt like hours.
The knights stood guard outside; anytime anyone stopped, they would move them on. People being confronted with their king and his knights standing guard over a door behind which was a huge din from something trying to escape, and issuing horrible threats to the welfare of these same knights and king, they could only look on in wonder before passing by.
Eventually, Dagonet gave up and slumped on the floor, only to leap immediately to his feet "The floor is wet, why is the floor wet!"
Ilara looked down "It is muddy and covered with sawdust too… you cannot sit there, you will catch your death".
They looked round the room and found it completely empty of all furniture save the bed. Dagonet rubbed his hand over his eyes in frustration – what he would do to them when he escaped, and the one that dreamt this up!
He rattled the door again "WHO THOUGHT OF THIS!" he roared.
"Bethan! Bethan with help from Lucan, and they did it all in a few hours! She will make a good knight and scout some day –will she not!" Laughed Arthur.
"BETHAN? It was Bethan's idea?" He could not believe that the little maid would do this, and aided by his own son!
"She wants you two together, and so does Lucan!"
Dagonet sat on the floor again, before Ilara could stop him, only to leap to his feet cursing.
"Come, sit on the bed…" Ilara grinned.
"Why are you smiling?"
"The fact you keep trying to sit on the floor, when you obviously cannot; and I think it is sweet that they all want to help you…" she said softly "It shows they care".
"I will not have them take advantage of you."
"I do not think it is any of them they want to."
He blushed "Well, that is not going to happen…" he said gruffly.
Her face fell "I see; should I try and tell them that you do not think of me like that? That we are merely friends - if I…." she tried to keep her voice level, thought he could tell she was hurt.
In two strides Dagonet was before her "Please do not be upset Ilara. I just do not wish them to make fun of you…"
"But they are not. Can you imagine the amount of planning Bethan and Lucan put into this? How much your friends, your king, must think of you to spend a whole day arranging all this?"
He was silent. She sighed "I will explain; I do not want them to put you in an awkward position - I will explain we are friends only."
He hovered, in agonies of indecision, and then as she went to tap on the door he reached out and put a restraining hand on her arm.
"Do not; not yet at least. I do not think we have had any time to ourselves since you arrived; we always seem to have children around us. I would like to talk to you…" he smiled, a warm smile that lit his eyes and made them glow "about how you like….things….here…."
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Outside the knights had their ears pressed to the wood shutter by the windows and the door; the only one who did not was Tristan. He stood to one side rolling his eyes at his brothers "I think he will tell us what happens, knights" he smile sardonically as Galahad shushed him.
The women stood around laughing at them.
"What!" exclaimed Lancelot "We are just trying to make sure they are doing what they have been locked in to do."
"But you will not hear them!" Sandrina rolled her eyes "When I told you I was with child, you lot did not have any idea what was going on in our room; and that was without all this extra wood!" She shared a warm glance with Tristan; she marvelled at how he still made her blood race with just a look.
He walked over "Come San, it is time we took the children home and to bed……….and for us." he added in her ear, before kissing it. They left with Lucan and Bethan complaining about missing aught.
"You will miss naught, I assure you" Tristan told them "we will know all or naught on the morrow." They settled them down; Sandrina went through the ritual of what to dream.
As they left the children's room and entered their own, Sandrina sighed "what is it?" asked Tristan concerned "Do you feel well?"
She caressed his face "I feel well enough; it is just I was thinking back to when I first came here all the children I looked after, now I am down to one and one by proxy on occasion."
He kissed her soundly "and another to come; but do you honestly expect me to believe that you want a brood like Bors and Vanora's!"
She smiled "nay, possibly not though she copes better than I ever would!"
They shut the door on the night, arms around each other…..
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Back at the room Guinevere and Amila were becoming fed up with waiting; Guinevere was tired, and Amila wanted to do more with Lancelot than stand at a lump of wood trying to hear what was being said inside a locked room.
Guinevere called Arthur "I am tired my love, I need to rest!" He walked over, kissing her soundly "and you promised me we could move some furniture this night!" she grinned suggestively.
"I leave you knights!" Arthur called "I do not think we need to guard them, but if any wish to stay and listen……" he laughed as he left.
Amila had been watching Lancelot intently as the interaction between Guinevere and Arthur took place. She was surprised to see the pained expression he usually wore at such times was absent; it had been since Arthur had announced that Guinevere was with child.
Lancelot saw her staring at him, and wandered over "What?"
"What?"
"What are you staring at?"
"I know not - there is no label attached to tell me…" she replied full of innocence.
"Wench!" he smiled; then, pulling her into his arms, murmured "kiss me….."
She kissed him passionately "I love you Lancelot – I love you so much!"
He grinned against her lips "What brought that on?"
"I can tell you, can I not?"
"I am not complaining; I am just surprised, that is all. Especially after this" he indicated his eye.
She reached up and kissed it, then trailed her lips down his jaw. With a groan, he swung her up into his arms "What you do to me, Amila – what you do to me."
He turned briefly to the others "I leave you knights; we plan to rearrange our own furniture for quite some time this night!" Bors, Galahad and Gawain roared as he left with a laughing Amila.
"You do not love her any longer do you?" she asked as he kicked open the door to their room.
"I do not love who? Oh….actually, you know, I do not…" he realised she was right "Nay, I do not love her anymore. I do love you though; I love you more than my own life."
They lay on the bed….
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Bors and Vanora left shortly after to put their own brood to bed. Leaving only Galahad and Gawain outside.
"Should we go to?" asked Galahad.
"I am not moving…" Gawain sat resolutely down on the floor, folding his arms.
"Why?"
"This is Dagonet we are talking about! As soon as he thinks we are all gone he will be trying to get out. I like Dag; I want to make sure he gets Ilara before someone else does."
"Do you think anyone else would?"
"They might; she is nice and people really take to her…."
Galahad disappeared, but came back minutes later with two thick horse blankets, throwing one at his friend, he settled down on the other side of the door. Gawain raised an eyebrow.
"Well, he is my brother too!"
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The couple inside the room were oblivious to the comings and goings outside.
They had been deep in conversation for some time; Ilara telling him all about her family and the life she had lost after the Romans had left her for dead.
Dagonet told her all about himself; how he came to have Lucan, and how he quite literally came back from the dead.
Neither noticed that as they talked they moved closer together; Dag was the first to realise that all he had to do was lean forward about an inch and he could easily kiss her.
He sat looking at her as she spoke in her quiet voice, and realised he had not heard a thing she had said for the last five minutes.
Ilara had also noticed "I am sorry, I am boring you….." she blushed "I do not talk this much as a rule."
"Neither do I" he smiled, "I think that is why I get on with Bors so well – he does all the talking for me!"
She returned it as she felt his warm breath on her face, and realised that if she just leant forward about an inch she could easily kiss him.
He was still speaking and she realised she had not heard "I am boring you now." he smiled.
They both leant forward and met each other halfway - their kiss was tender at first, but quickly deepened.
Dagonet drew back, "I am sorry, I should not have done that" he took a deep steadying breath "I will sleep on the floor, it must be drying out by now…"
"Why?"
"What?"
"Why sleep on the floor when there is a perfectly good bed to share. I promise I will behave myself!" she laughed lightly, that gravely sound he had come to love.
"You might, but I cannot make the same vow." he groaned as he realised something"I just said that out loud, did I not?"
She nodded with a smile. "It is nice to know I can still effect a handsome man like that."
"Me, handsome? Your eyesight must be failing!" he laughed.
"To me you are Dagonet" she said so softly, he barely heard her. "You are handsome, kind and loving. I think Sandrina was a fool not to see what she missed out on."
He blushed "that is all in the past now. She is happy, and I am happy for her."
"What of your happiness? Who makes you happy?" she sounded bitter.
"Lucan….and you; you make me happy" the words were out before he could stop them "But do not be mad – I am happy and you cannot blame her; the heart knows its own, and the soul knows its mate.
She and Tristan are soul mates, I knew that from the very beginning – some invisible force pulled them together and they have proven that not even death can separate them. Though I would like to have a love like that as well." He sighed.
She leant forward once more and kissed him on the cheek "Maybe you have….right under your nose."
"You could have your pick of men Ilara – why would you want a battered and worn oaf like me?"
"Because I love you Dagonet – I think I did the first moment I met you. But the more I got to know you, the more I loved you. I know you do not feel the same way about me, so I am happy to just be your friend so I can be near you, and Lucan." She had her head down and her eyes on the floor.
Gently her head was raised "What have I said about looking down?" and then he kissed her. Her arms went round his neck, his round her waist – pulling her to him.
The kiss deepened slowly, but as their passions raised they quickly realised there was no turning back. Friends had now become lovers………
The bed was near the wall, and outside Gawain and Galahad woke to the thumping of it; both exchanged knowing looks "Finally!" said Galahad.
"About bloody time!" said Gawain; they both stood stiffly and made their way to their own rooms, confident the occupants would be making no more breaks for freedom until morning.
All they said to the queries of their fellow conspirators next day was "they managed to find an awful lot of ways of moving that bed around!"
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When a dishevelled Dagonet and Ilara were finally released from their 'prison' the following morning, they were greeted by huge smiles as Dagonet said "This is Ilara, my partner! I should kill each and every one of you….but in truth I want to hug you all!"
A cheer went up - it had worked! Bethan and Lucan merely grinned and hugged each other "Told you it would work, did I not?" she muttered to Gawain.
"Aye, little scout – aye, you did!"
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And so the wheels of Destiny turn on. What next does she have in store for the knights; her path shortens as it now approaches its end…..
