Only one scene with Emmy and Lancelot, but I get to make fun of Gawain a bit, a little serious topic, and I mess with Dagonet for a tiny bit!
The Sun and Moon of House Lyon 5
Lancelot and Arthur were walking side by side on the Battlement Wall that protected the outer rim of Kameland City-Proper of Camelot. The two friends were making a walk through of the finished battlements and outer kingdom defenses. Gawain, Dean, and Seamus were behind them a few feet-just enough to be out of hearing range when the two talked softly, but still close enough to come if they had questions about the defenses themselves.
Lancelot smirked as he cast a glance over his shoulder at Gawain.
Arthur saw his gaze, snorted, and said dryly, "Must you antagonize him, so?"
Lancelot grinned brightly at his best friend and said, "Of course I do! Alma tossed him on his arse for coddling her! Plus, he KNOWS she can take care of herself. She's one of our Kingdoms Ladies of Medicine for Gods sake! In any case, he just looks so pathetic it's funny!"
Arthur's lips tipped up as he said with a small laugh in his voice, "It was rather funny, wasn't it?"
Lancelot chuckled as he said, "Funny, it was hilarious!"
And it was, Lancelot remember the incident rather well since it occurred only two days before.
Summer had officially came upon Camelot a week ago, and Lancelot, Knight Commander and King Protectorate of Camelot, was sitting in the castle's newly completed Library looking for his favorite book-which happened to be a biography Arthur introduced him to many years ago titled Alexander the Great: His Life. Not many people knew he liked books let alone that he knew how to read. It was a skill his father taught him, when he was old enough, because his father wanted him to have any advantage he could when the time came for him to be taken by Rome. His father was a smart man.
For when they were traveling, the Romans tried to have the future Knights sign their lives over to Roman for fifty years.
(Lancelot, when he had seen the parchment, immediately took command and made himself the first person in line.
He looked the parchment over and told the Romans calmly, "No, I and these Knights will not sign this."
The Roman legionary snorted and said harshly, "Like you can read it barbarian! How do you know it doesn't list all the places in Briton that we will send you to?"
Lancelot stared him in the eye, glanced back to his fellow Knights, saw their confusion, picked the parchment back up, and read loudly and clearly, "Those listed here, do so pledge by their life and blood, to promise their servitude to the Empire for fifty years (not including the fifteen they are bound too)."
He looked up, saw the shock on the Romans, the fear and anger in his fellow Sarmatians, and said, "I know how to read, write, and speak Latin, Legion. My father made sure I could just in case something like this happened."
The Legion glared at him and demanded, "How did your father know how to read and write Latin, the holy language of Rome?"
Thirteen-year-old Lancelot, son of Babai and Ama, shrugged and said, "He learned from his commander. I don't know who since my father never talks about him- hurts to much."
The Roman had grumbled, "Must have been that blasted Castus…")
Lancelot shook the memory away, and again looked in the area the Book Keeper, a Briton Lady named Halfryta or the Peaceful Home, told him the book was shelved. He shook his head; it wasn't there.
Just as he was about to turn around, he heard two very familiar voices. One as a voice he has known since his young adulthood-Gawain and the other he had recently became familiar with-Alma. It sounded like they were fighting about something. He frowned. Those two have fought before- true, but this one sounded quite bad. He edged closer to the two, and listened in. It never occurred to him that it was wrong to listen in; he was concerned.
"Alma, please!" pleaded Gawain as he held his one month pregnant wife's hand.
Lancelot shivered as Alma's normally cheerful brown eyes, glared fiercely at her husband. He had a passing thought that must be how my eyes look when I'm angry. Talk about scary. No wonder people tend to stay far away from me when I'm in a mood.
"Gawain, for the last time! I'm pregnant! I'm not an invalid! I don't need you to be at my beck and call all day long! I don't even have morning sickness yet! Go away!"
Lancelot smirked. Oh is Gawain in for it. He and Emogen and Arthur and Cordelia had already gone through this stage of pregnant life, and he thought Gawain was smart enough to listen to his and Arthur's mistake. He was wrong. Gawain was digging himself a very deep hole that would be nearly impossible to pull out from. He couldn't wait to see the fireworks!
"But Alma, you are carrying the babe we created together in your womb! I just don't want anything to happen to it!"
Alma's glare soften for a moment before it grew hard again and she said, "Gawain, I love you, but if you don't stop following me everywhere I go, I'm going to strangle you! Besides, don't you have some work to do with Seamus and Dean?"
Gawain waved her protest aside and said, "They can handle it. All we had planned for today was to do some drills to see how fast their reaction time is to a possible attack."
Alma said dourly, "And you aren't needed? Are you Master of War or not! GO!"
Lancelot sniggered at Gawain amazed face. The First Knight could read his lion-like friend easily and could tell that Gawain was having a hard time accepting the fact that his wife didn't need his help during this gentle portion of her life.
"What are we looking at?" whispered a warm voice and breath on his neck. Lancelot bit his lip and jumped in shock. He cursed, as he tasted blood on his lip. He hadn't heard anyone come up behind him at all! The only people who could do that were Tristran and Arthur!
He spun around and found Arthur's laughing green eyes staring into his own.
He pouted, crossed his arms at the same time, and complained, "Don't DO that. You know I hate that!"
Then he grinned and replied, "Gawain's going to be sleeping in his and Alma's Sitting Room for a while…"
Arthur raised an eyebrow and leaned over his friend's shoulder to watch his Knight and his wife of one month.
The red-hared, brown-eyed healer took a deep breath and said slowly like she was trying to reign in her temper, "Gawain, if you do not leave at once, I'LL BLOODY CASTRATE YOU AND LEAVE YOU STARING AT IT IN THE SUN UNTIL YOU AND IT ARE ROSTING PIECES OF MEAT! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"
Gawain paled drastically, and Arthur and Lancelot burst out laughing as the lion-like warrior of Arthur, the senior Master of War of Camelot, himself, ran out of the Library like Cerberus, the three headed dog, was chasing after him to drag his immortal soul to the underworld.
Lancelot shook his head to clear away the memory and said, "Okay, back to business. The wall is thick enough for three men to walk abreast in full battle armor easily and it is fifty feet tall. We have four hundred men and women watching the wall, gates, and the forest in intervals of eight-hour shifts. What I want to see is the army arming themselves as quickly as possible. What about you Arthur?"
Arthur nodded and said, "Yes, that would be good. Master of War, Lord Gawain! Would you and the other Masters of War, Lord Dean and Lord Seamus come here?"
The lion-like Lord and his two lieutenants approached their superiors quickly and Gawain asked, "What is it Your Majesty?"
Arthur looked at Lancelot for a split second. Lancelot nodded unobserved, so Arthur continued, "Knight Commander Lord Lancelot and I would like to see how our soldiers react to an attack on our people. Can you procure this for us?"
Gawain winced slightly at that. Lancelot had to bite the inside of his mouth to prevent himself from laughing since he knew Gawain was remembering his wife's ultimatum. Arthur, Lancelot saw, was doing the same as him. The best part was-Gawain didn't know that they knew!
Just as quickly though, Gawain regained his bland warrior look and said evenly, "Yes, Your Majesty. Masters Seamus, Dean, and I had thought of this not to long ago and have created a plan just for this. If you'll let me pass, I'll give the signal of attack. Since the men do not know of this test, they will think it is a real attack and act accordingly."
Arthur nodded impressed and allowed Gawain to walk past them. Lancelot had to hand it to his friend, Gawain. He had certainly taken this job seriously and had thought of everything that he and Arthur wanted for their defenses.
Then the group heard a loud GONG!
Surprised Arthur and Lancelot jumped a bit in shock.
Dean leaned forward and said evenly, "That is the attack bell. It serves to alert the army of an attack and a warning for the people to get to the safety of the castle. Now, the men should be arming themselves up right now and the gates should be closing."
He stopped and turned to the east.
Seamus came up beside his friend and said as he pointed down, "There, the gates are closing."
Lancelot and Arthur hurried to the edge of the Wall and looked down. Sure enough, the guards on the outside of the wall, were readying themselves for battle as the Briton warriors inside the outside barracks roared out and formed three rows of fighters in front of the gates and two rows of fighters in between the gates. Each soldier had a sword, a dagger, and every other soldier had a heavy shield strapped to his or her backs ready for immediate use. Coincidentally, more men than women were wielding the shields.
Lancelot raised an eyebrow and turned to look behind him. The courtyard was quickly emptying of venders and civilian people as the rest of the army, only two hundred, filled it. He nodded impressed.
He looked at Arthur. His friend and King was nodding in contentment. He and Arthur shared a proud look and turned back to Gawain.
They smiled at their friend and Arthur said, "That is impressive Gawain. You should be proud of them. You, Dean, Seamus, and Galahad have worked very hard to get these soldier were they are today in such a short amount of time. I'm sure that they will protect our city honorably."
Gawain, Dean, and Seamus swelled in pride and Gawain answered, "We thank you My Lord. I shall pass your praising words to Lord Galahad as well. He'll be happy to hear them, I'm sure."
Lancelot nodded and said, "Yes, these men and women have our thanks and awe. They will be great defenders and an honor to command."
As the two turned to leave, Arthur turned back and said cheekily, "Oh Gawain, perhaps you should talk to Alma about your sleeping habits. You're looking a bit worn out."
Gawain groaned, "You know!"
Lancelot started to laugh as said, "Are you nuts! I don't think there is a person in all Kameland City-Proper who doesn't! Alma definitely has a set of lungs on her!"
Before Gawain could retort, a runner or a messenger, arrived and exclaimed, "My King! Lord Lancelot! Hurry back to the castle! Queen Cordelia and Lady Emogen are on a rampage looking for you!"
Both men paled to a sickly white and Gawain said smugly, "Perhaps you'd best be at a bit of a run, yes?"
They glared at the Master of War, but took his advice seriously.
Both turned on their heels and ran after the messenger.
As they entered the castle, Arthur veered off to the right and down a hallway lit with torches and had statues of dragons and carvings of the Pendragon Shield on the very walls themselves. As his friend went right, Lancelot headed left. His wife turned out to have a very large array of emotions. If he were lucky, he'd catch his wife on a high note.
He wasn't.
"LANCELOT SHIELDGUARD OF THE HOUSE OF LYON! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!"
Lancelot had to duck as his wife threw a rather large chair in his direction. For a brief, extremely brief, moment he marveled at the fact his petite wife of four almost five months could throw something so heavy so far. He was thrown from his thoughts as a hairbrush just grazed by his temple and jolted him back to awareness.
Very calmly, for if he was calm enough, he found he could get to his wife and calm her as well, he walked up to her and asked, "What is wrong My Maiden?"
Lancelot saw his wife's emerald green eyes well up with tears and she wailed, "I'm FAT!"
He blinked stupidly at her for a minute and said without thinking, "Yes, you are. You're pregnant."
Just my luck! He thought as he tried to quite his screaming wife she only heard the FIRST part and not the rest!
"EMMY! Please! You are NOT FAT! You are beautiful and gorgeous! I love you just as you are and I'd want to change nothing. Please, calm down. This isn't good for our son!"
As he mentioned their son, Emogen immediately calmed down and sagged in his muscled arms. Lancelot sighed in relief and held her close. He nuzzled her neck and placed butterfly kisses along the angle of her neck and shoulders. She moaned in approval.
He smiled and asked slowly because he was afraid to set her off again, "What's bothering you, My Maiden. Please tell me. The messenger was frantic with fright."
Emogen flushed profusely and said softly, "IsawhowmuchIwaseatingandcomparedittotheothersand realizedthatI'mapigandI'mfat!"
Lancelot blinked at her slowly as he tried to understand the long slew of words that all sounded the same because of her accent and mumbling.
"Ah, not to be an idiot or anything love, but could you repeat that please?"
Lancelot watched her blush deepen, take a deep breath, and said again, "I saw how much I was eating and compared it to the others and realized that I'm pig and I'm fat!"
Lancelot smiled largely and pulled her in for a deep warm kiss that left them both breathless.
As he gazed into her gorgeous emerald eyes and caressed her black curls, he said softly and lovingly, "No my maiden, you are not a pig nor are you fat. You are overflowing with life that is the combined life force of you and our son. Do not worry about how much you are eating, luv. You are after all eating for two."
He watched Emogen pout, cross her arms, and said, "Then how come Delia is still much smaller than I am?"
Lancelot chuckled and said, "You are the Healer, not I. You tell me why."
Emogen shook her head and said, "I cannot. I shouldn't be gaining so much weight from this babe. But, I shall carry it happily for our son and your heir."
Lancelot kissed her brow and said softly as their door opened and Dagonet walked in, "That's it my Maiden. Now, I'm guessing Dag is here to take you on your walk?"
Emogen smiled at her unofficial adopted brother, kissed him, her husband, once more, and said as she placed her hand in the giants elbow, "Yes, we are going to walk by the new garden that was finished not to long ago. I should be back in an hour or so."
Lancelot mock glared at his giant friend and said, "You better watch out for my wife or you'll be sorry!"
Dagonet smirked and asked, "And what shall you do to me if I fail?"
Lancelot smirked evilly and replied, "Simple, I'll go to Cina-Lady and tell her. I'll then get her to agree to not sleep with you for as long as Vanora holds sex from Bors." (Reference to first story-All Because of One)
Lancelot burst out laughing as Dagonet's brown eyes widened comically and he chocked out, "Ne'er fear, I'll let no harm come to my sister, brother."
Dagonet's eyes widened again, but this it was because the giant Knight realized he had been pranked.
"Oh, I'll get you back Lancelot-just you wait." Promised the large gentle Knight as he escorted his sister and Lancelot's wife out of the chambers.
