A/N The usual disclaimers, don't own, don't sue.
Lozcollie- Hope you're still enjoying yourself.
Nickle- I hope you like this update as well.
Tristan Lover- Here's your update!
Knightmaiden- All suggestions and ideas are appreciated.
Cardeia- I love your reviews. I am glad you are enjoying this. And I'm sure
Bors is on a first name basis with Bacchus!
Ailis-70- Oh wonderful beta of mine. You know how I like to change up things To keep you on your toes!
Laney lay in bed, clad in nothing but her shift. She had dozed for awhile, now she laid there tossing and turning. Finally giving up she climbed from the bed and put on the skirt and blouse once again. She then put on the cloak which Lancelot had gallantly placed over her shoulders on their walk back to their rooms. She closed the door behind her, heading for one of the stairways that lead to the second level of the wall. She needed to think and she always found that staring at the stars always helped.
She leaned against the top of the stone, gently caressing her fingers along the lines of mortar. Replaying the series of events that lead her here. The bruises on her wrists were raw. She was thankful no one had pried. She ran her hand through her tangled hair as she watched the stars.
"You should be sleeping."
Laney turned and couldn't help the smirk, "Tristan, one of these days I'm going to get you back for sneaking up on me."
"If you would but listen I wouldn't."
Delaney smiled and turned back to watch the stars. Tristan stood next to her, bracing himself on the wall watching her. "You're troubled."
Delaney snorted. "Brilliant deduction."
"He won't hurt you."
"Who, Lancelot? That's the least of my worries."
"Why?"
"What if I hurt him?"
"You won't." He answered pointedly.
"And how do you know that?"
"You aren't the type."
"Type for what?"
"You wouldn't want to inflict pain."
She cackled at this, "You think you know me that well?"
In a swift motion he grabbed her wrist and held it up between them. The angry circular mark in full view of them both. "If you harmed who did this to you, you had a right."
Delaney quickly jerked away and looked at the stars giving Tristan her profile. Watching him from the corner of her eyes. She ran her hands across the stones of the wall, finding solace in their solidness.
"He was with another woman." Tristan asked as he carved a chunk of apple off with his knife.
"Yes."
"He was your husband?" He still wasn't looking at her, he was paying attention to the apple and his knife. Letting her have her privacy.
"Yes."
"He hurt you?" Tristan turned and looked directly at her. He felt a kinship with this woman. She understood what it meant to be around people and not have to fill the silence with heedless noise.
"Yes." She bit her lip, trembling with emotion.
"You feel guilty for hurting him?"
"No."
"You feel guilty for not feeling guilty?"
"Yes."
"How did you get here?" He asked nonchalantly as he ate yet another piece of the apple.
She looked over at him then back at the stars, then with a heavy sigh she turned her back to the wall, arms crossed and began softly,
"I remember coming home. He was there. Mind you, he isn't supposed to be, we have been separated for 5 years because I did walk in on him with another woman. Anyway, he was in my house. I didn't know it, I had come home from teaching and was going through my mail when he grabbed me from behind. He put these plastic strips around my wrists and was dragging me to the bedroom." She shook herself. "Anyway, I fought him. I drug my feet and he kicked me. I struggled and he hit me. Somehow I off balanced him enough that he tripped. That was my opportunity. I wrapped my wrists around him and choked him. I don't know if I killed him, when he stopped moving I pulled against the plastic as hard as I could and the plastic broke."
She paused, swallowing the bile in her throat. Tristan remained silent, letting her tell her story.
"I grabbed my keys and purse and got in the car and drove. Taking I-70 out of town. I was driving in the rain and I swerved to miss something in the road and the car tumbled through a guardrail and down the embankment. The airbag released and then I blacked out. Next thing I know I wake up in a mud puddle in this time." Her body was shaking when she finished. He regarded her cooly.
Tristan stared at the woman in front of him. The stars shed enough light that he could tell she was holding back unshed tears. He may not have understood everything she said, but he knew the emotions. "You worry Lancelot will be like him." He tossed the apple core over the side of the wall and re sheathed his knife. He then braced his hands behind him against the wall, awaiting her answer.
She inhaled sharply, "Yes." How could he know that?
"Lancelot would never do this." He gestured toward her wrist. "He likes his women. Since the battles have stopped, he isn't as much of a lecher."
"Ha!"
"He didn't take anyone to his bed this night."
"No, he walked me to my rooms."
"My point." He smirked, "Come, my watch is over." She followed him down the stairs then they walked together to her room. He paused at her door, "Do not worry. You will see."
Delaney shut the door and laid in bed, not bothering to take anything off but her boots. She smiled softly. With a contented sigh she rolled over and fell asleep. She felt a gentle touch to her hand. Then a slight nudge to her shoulder. She wearily opened her eyes to find Guinevere sitting next to her. Instantly she was awake. Sitting up quickly, she scrubbed her eyes and smiled, "Guinevere, what are you doing here? I mean morning."
Guinevere smiled at the groggy woman. "Don't fash yourself, Laney. It's mid day. I was just making sure you were alright."
"It's afternoon? Oh Good Lord!" Delaney scooted to the edge of the bed.
"I'm sure you needed the rest." She reached behind her and produced a tray full of fresh fruit and two bread rolls. There was also a mug of something. "Here, since you missed breakfast I'm sure you're hungry."
"Thank you." Laney tentatively took the mug and grinned when she saw it was water.
"May I ask you a question?" Guinevere asked politely.
Laney paused as she bit into an apple and stared at the woman. The intense brown eyes were almost black. She set the apple back upon the plate and folded her hands in her lap. "Go ahead." She stated quietly, bracing herself for whatever the question may be.
"What did you do in the future?"
"I taught history."
"Did you know of Arthur?"
"Yes."
"So people of your time know of my husband?"
"Kind of."
"How do you mean?"
"For the most part we thought he was a myth. But recently, we have found that there was once a man named Arthur Castus. We think our myths are based on your Arthur."
"What kind of myths?"
"Oh my, do you have all afternoon for me to explain?"
"Yes."
"Tell you what, let me go and get dressed and refresh myself and then I'll tell you of the myths of King Arthur."
Guinevere grinned, her eyes dancing. "Wonderful! Oh and brought you this!" She produced a dark blue roman style dress. "I think this will match your eyes!" She gushed.
Laney groaned, "You know, as beautiful as it is, I would much prefer pants!"
"Oh you'll be beautiful, you'll see!" Guinevere laid it upon the bed and then left the room.
Laney smirked at the dress. "I'm a jeans and T-shirt girl and wearing dresses. This has got to have something to do with Karma, I pissed off the goddess of dresses or something!" She muttered as she slipped off the other clothes and put on the dress Guinevere brought her. The dress was almost silky to the touch. She turned in a circle looking over her shoulder to make sure it wasn't asque. It was snug around her hips and breasts but not tight. She had to forgo the shift because it showed through the cut outs at the shoulders. She almost felt naked, yet strangely sensual. She smirked, sensual HA, not with the bruises she had. At least she was no longer sore, for that she was thankful. She was just brushing out her hair when there was a knock at her door.
"Come in" She called thinking it was Guinevere. Instead, as she turned to face the door still brushing out her hair she met with a gaping Gawain.
"My Lady!" He exclaimed.
Delaney stood straight and looked at him, self consciously smoothing out the dress, "Is something wrong?" Peering up at him through lowered lashes.
"Not at all." He smiled at her.
"Then why are you looking at me like that?" Delaney almost started looking around her to make sure she hadn't spilt food onto the dress somehow.
"Oh he's going to piss himself" Gawain gasped as he walked in a wide circle about her.
"Who's going to?" Delaney asked in great confusion, moving weight from one foot to the other in a nervous stance.
"Lancelot."
"Excuse me?" She asked as she looked at the knight. Why would Lancelot care what she wore? He didn't fancy her.
Gawain stopped his circling. "You are beautiful Delaney. Very beautiful."
"Yeah right. I look like a punching bag."
He caught her by the shoulders and forced her to look into his eyes, "No worse than the rest of us. But this... you need to wear dresses more often!"
"Not if I get this kind of reaction I'm not." Delaney wanted to suddenly have herself covered in her baggy jeans and non descript teal shirt.
"Precisely because you get this kind of reaction." He stopped gawking and smiled, "Guess we aren't going to have riding lessons today."
"Riding-- You wanted to start today?" She asked incredously.
"I did tell you once we got back to the wall. However, I like this much better. May I have the honor of escorting the Lady?" He held his arm out to her.
"Would you please stop doing that? It's Laney. I'm the same Laney that just spent two days on a camp out with you."
"Ah but you clean up so pretty." He said with a wink.
Laney slugged his arm and he laughed deeply. "Come, where are we off to?"
"I am supposed to talk to Guinevere."
"About?" He raised an eyebrow.
"She wanted to know about the myths of Arthur."
"You're going to tell a story?" His eyes sparkled.
"Yes, basically." She was once again smoothing her hands over the dress a bit self consciously.
"Then let us go to the tavern."