Usual disclaimer applies. I own nothing, I make nothing, etc.

A/N–I don't know if I need to warn anyone, but just in case, some sensuality in this piece. Also, I normally don't post back to back but thought I should treat my wonderful reviewers and hope you like my attempt at sensually charismatic scenes!

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When Delaney did get to her chambers she found a bath drawn and ready. Complete with lavender sprinkled into the water and sprigs of lilac placed along the mantel and upon her pillow. She shook her head, how had Ellen had time for all this? She slipped out of her dirty clothes and slowly sat down into the tub, letting the hot water seep into her sore muscles. She Used a bit of the shampoo to take the dirt out of her hair. Completely submerging to get the suds out of her hair, she resurfaced and leaned her head back against the tub and sighed.

She felt hands trail down her arms into the water and jerked her eyes open, quickly leaning forward at the same time. The lost contact of those hands leaving her skin cold.

"It is only me." Came a hushed whisper next to her ear.

Delaney quickly turned around to look at him.

Lancelot had on a dark blue tunic which managed to bring out his eyes even more. His hair lay in damp curls across his forehead. He leaned over further and captured her lips tenderly in his own. While at the same time running a hand across her shoulders, kneading the muscles of her arms. A gasp escaped between their lips. Lancelot pulled away slightly and rested his head upon her forehead as his hand idly ran up and down her arms. A soft smile lit her face.

Lancelot noticed that smile. "Let me wash you." He commanded huskily.

"I already did." Was her quiet murmur.

He grinned, "Not like I can."

Delaney regarded him. There was nothing blatantly sexual about his words, but the manner in which they were uttered set her blood afire and her heart thundering. She gulped, only able to nod.

Lancelot couldn't help the chuckle that escaped, "You act as if it may be painful."

"It's not that." Delaney was trying to reign in the desire pounding in her veins. And so far was failing to do so.

Lancelot moved to the side so he could better look at her face. Concern evident in the crease between his eyes, "What is it then? What's happened?"

Delaney caressed his cheek with her hand, "Silly, knight. Don't look as if I've shunned you." She leaned forward, tipping him on the nose. "There is a slight problem of my back."

She braced herself. She knew he'd be angry only because he hadn't been there. It had gotten infected. Merlin had saved her. But the scars told the story of the infection.

Lancelot looked at her back and felt his stomach knot. He gripped the side of the tub and set his jaw. Anger flared through him like white hot fire. "How long?"

Delaney held herself stiffly, she knew he wasn't angry with her, but angry at being helpless and not here. "I was sick for a few days. I've been fine the past three. I even was out and about today with Guinevere."

Without another word, Lancelot gently took the cloth in his hand and washed the scabbing wounds. Every once in awhile he would dip the cloth into the water and start on a new area to cleanse.

Delaney closed her eyes and relaxed at his soothing touch. Never had she been so gently cared for by another man save Dagonet. She heard him get up, and rested her head against her legs. She then felt him pouring fresh hot water into the tub and she continued to keep her eyes closed and relaxing against her knees.

Lancelot felt the water cooling as he finished cleaning the last of her many wounds. They weren't oozing puss anymore but the scabs were yellow. He was thankful she hadn't looked at him since he started his gentle ministrations. She would have seen the tears running down his face and he didn't know if he could handle her seeing his vulnerable side. He got up and retrieved the last of the kettles of hot water from the hearth and poured it in. He then climbed in behind her, just wanting to hold her.

Delaney jumped as she felt him slide down behind her. Desire started rearing its unsated head. She felt him wrap his arms about her, hugging her carefully to him, his legs on either side of her. Holding her completely. She leaned her head back against his shoulder and looked up at him, a smile trembling upon her lips.

His dark eyes looked down upon hers, they glistened with tears. Tears she knew he had cried because his black eyelashes held them like fine dew drops. She reached up to caress his cheek and he clasped her hand, taking her fingers into his mouth. She gasped at the sensation. He then placed her hand upon his whisker stubbled cheek. He watched her eyes go twilight blue as he trailed his hand from her wrist across her elbow and up to her shoulder. He watched her nostrils flare when his fingers traced the column of her neck and over the shell of her ear and then rested against her cheek.

Lancelot felt as if someone had a fist around his heart. He had shed tears for fallen comrades but not for his own pain. This woman caused him to remember he was human. Something that right now, he very much wanted to be, so that he was worthy of her. He hadn't lied when he said he would take whatever she was willing to give. He had thought that he wouldn't have to give anything back. She didn't ask, yet he was offering it all. He felt a gentle kiss to his palm and inhaled sharply.

Delaney smiled mischievously, "Turn about is fair play." She had noticed how serious he suddenly was and didn't know what else to do. When she saw the teasing glint come back into his eyes she was at once excited and nervous. She chuckled as she rubbed her cheek against the fabric of his shirt, "Did you decide your clothes were dirty?"

Lancelot watched her through half lidded eyes as he slowly descended upon her lips. He tugged her lower lip between his and flicked it with his tongue. Then he stroked the column of her throat with his hand while the other clasped hers atop her knee, squeezing it as the kiss deepened. He would never tire of her kisses. They reminded him of the warm sun and fireflies. In moments her mouth was open neath his exploring his just as thoroughly as he was hers. He didn't know if the moan of desire had come from her or himself. He pulled away, mindful of his body becoming quite aware as to how long it had been since he'd been this close to a woman.

"You were just too tempting for me to take the time to disrobe."

Delaney felt his mouth leave hers and moaned. She felt the stirrings of his arousal behind her and felt her skin heat against the cooling water, causing her nipples to throb. Next thing she knew he had pulled her head back against his bicep and was nibbling upon her pulse. A strangled whimper escaped. He intensified the suckling of her neck and she squeezed his hand. "I don't believe how I could be that tempting but..." She took a moment to relearn to breathe. "But keep that up and I think I could believe I was somewhat desirable."

Lancelot felt the insistent squeeze upon his hand. He continued kissing from her throat to her ear and back again. Eliciting all manner of sounds from her. The hand that had been resting upon her knee he began to slide beneath the water and down to her ankle where he gently caressed the skin of her leg and then trailed his fingers up to her knee and then to the arm and over the shoulder. From the shoulder he caressed the collar bone. He then pulled her into him, hugging her fiercely as he buried his head into her hair.

Delaney was caught off guard. She reached up and ran her fingers soothingly through his damp curls, enjoying being held. Feeling safe in his embrace. She sighed.

"I missed you, Lady Delaney." Lancelot's muffled voice commented as if it were torn from him.

Delaney smirked and the term 'lady'. "And I you Sir Lanc-O-lot." She finished with a chuckle. He answered with one of his own.

"What am I to do with you?" He finally had raised his head to look into her eyes.

"I thought you were going to bathe me," was the coy reply.

Lancelot laughed. "Bathe you in kisses I think."

Delaney grinned shyly at him, "I don't know if that would be such a good idea."

He wiggled his eyebrows mischievously, "I made you think something that made you blush, I think it's an excellent idea."

"There's that cocksureness." Delaney commented dryly, still a brilliant crimson.

"You blush clear down–well until your skin meets the water. I wonder how much further that lovely shade goes."

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" She chimed indignantly.

"Immensely."

"Why I ought to–"

"Kiss me." It was a cross between a plead and suggestion. She leaned in, placing a tender kiss upon his mouth. Inhaling sharply at the jolt of electricity that seemed to course through her. She felt Lancelot shift and the next thing she knew she was straddling him her naked breasts pressed against the tunic. He was ever mindful of her back and ran his hands from her hair and down her arms and up again.

Delaney braced one hand upon his shoulder while the other one held the base of his neck. She shouldn't be doing this, she thought. She pulled away, catching her breathe smiling to see Lancelot's chest heaving just as much. "Oh my."

He chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "I love your exclamations. The woman who could sit and tell a story for three hours and yet kisses bring you back to phrases that are monosyllabic."

"I guess you bring out my more basal instincts."

"Basal, I like the sound of that. Goes with Primal, animalistic–" He kept leaning forward as he spoke, "Feral," he almost growled as he claimed her mouth once more. Once again picking her up gently and rotating her, where once again she was facing forward. As much as he loved having her breasts brush against his chest and her straddling him. He didn't know if he could be gentlemanly and keep himself under control. Her body kept arching into what was soon becoming a fully aroused erection. He seriously doubted she intended for it to happen and he didn't really want to have sex with her just yet. He wanted something more, something he couldn't put his finger on. He started caressing her shoulder and let his fingers trail on down her side.

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He gave her a boyish grin, "I have never felt this way, Laney. Ever. Even I am man enough to say I've had my pick of women here."

"Sometimes more than once." Delaney quipped in an effort to lighten the mood.

Lancelot chuckled as he playfully splashed water against her. She shivered, "Okay, this water is definitely cold." She moved to get out and Lancelot stood with her.

"Let me get out first. Then I'll help you out, Ellen gave me a salve to put on your back."

"Ellen, where was Dag?"

"Attached to Ellen's arm."

"So she knew that–"

"They know nothing more than I came to see you. What secrets you share with your lady friends are your choice."

"And what secrets will you share with your male friends?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"That I found a way I enjoy taking a bath." He stepped from the tub, his erection clearly visible against his leather trews. He caught Delaney staring. "We can't, Laney. You received pleasure, and that is all I intended." He saw her lick her lips and wonder if she even realized she had. "Your back will not take the love making I plan."

Delaney looked at him, her face void of any emotion, "Love making?"

"You know, when a man and woman come together to pleasure each other?"

"Lancelot don't say love making unless you mean it. Call it what it is, sex."

Lancelot felt the anger rise in him. He stopped himself. Tristan had told him briefly what Delaney had told him when they first came to the fort. He had asked Tristan once when they were the only two awake if he knew why Delaney would have had such a scar on her back. Tristan had shrugged, said she had never told him of that, but she told him of how her husband had beat her and demoralized her. Lancelot had dwelled on that. This woman had been through hell in his time alone, yet it seemed as if it must have been hell for her in her time as well. He clasped her hand and pulled her into him, surrounding her in a gentle bear hug, ever mindful of her back. "Laney, I don't say things I don't mean. Even when I'm charming women, I'm telling them what I like about them. You don't understand because you were ill treated by a man who claimed he loved you. I didn't make love to the women who I paid to warm my bed. I will make love to you."

"I didn't mean to upset you–"

Lancelot smiled as he quieted her with a kiss, "You upset me yes. But only because I'm having to relearn how to talk with a woman. Not that is bad thing."

Delaney shivered as he wrapped the cloth about her shoulders and pulled her close into a passionate kiss once again. She felt his leg press between hers and a strangled moan echoed about the room as her sensitive core brushed against his leather clad leg.

"You are a little hell cat aren't you? You want more?"

"I think I could get addicted to your touch." Delaney said with a half smile.

Lancelot through back his head and laughed heartily. "Oh woman! You do wonders for my ego!"

"You do wonders for mine."

Lancelot tucked stray strands of wet hair behind her ear. "You're beautiful."

"You're just saying that because you've been surrounded by the likes of Bors the last few days. I'm sure Galahad was starting to look enticing."

Lancelot laughed, "Not quite, the beard doesn't do anything for me."

Delaney had to laugh. "As much as I have missed your company, I would like to get dressed. It's a bit chilly outside of the tub as well."

Lancelot grinned at her, "I can think of something to warm you up." He leaned in once again, but this time he didn't kiss her lips, he nuzzled her earlobe smiling as she clung to his chest. He let the linen fall and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. He kissed his way to the throbbing pulse of her neck and felt her whole body convulse against him when he licked it delicately. He moaned as he pulled away enough to look into her dark sapphire blue eyes. "I missed you, Laney." She nodded at him and smiled shyly.

Delaney couldn't form any coherent thought. Her body was smoldering with need. She knew one thing, Lancelot. She could feel his arousal against her stomach. She smoothed her hands over his taut shoulders and tangled her finger tips into the luxuriously soft curls that were still slightly damp. She heard herself whimper with need and the next thing she knew she was pressed against the tapestry covered wall; Lancelot's hands behind her so as not to have her back smashed into the wall. His body was completely formed against hers. Where her curves were soft and yielding his powerful form sought solace. She felt the large muscles of his thighs and the biceps of his arms holding him in check. She thought she heard the banging of her heart in her ears when suddenly the warmth of his lips left her clavicle and she stood gasping. Her mind was the first to register that the banging was not her heart, but the door. Lancelot hurriedly answered the door, opening it just enough for the person to talk to him, but not see anything else in the room. Delaney quickly fumbled around for a dress to wear. Guinevere had had one made, it was a dark royal purple almost twilight blue color. Instead of being Roman cut, it had a scoop style neck that barely touched the shoulders. The sleeves hung to her elbows. The skirt was a simple A line cut that hung to the floor. It had been trimmed in gold thread with a gold tie sash. Lancelot had closed the door and had come back to the chamber where her room was. Delaney was just finishing brushing her hair when she turned and caught Lancelot's gaze. He didn't say anything but the predatory look in his eyes told her everything. "You like?" She asked.

"Yes." Was the sharp hiss as he quickly, hungrily staked his claim to her lips. They parted breathlessly. "That was Ganis, Arthur is awaiting us."

"Us?"

"Seems Vanora came up with a quick celebration in honor of our safe return. You and I seem to be the last one's to show."

"Oh!"

"You're beautiful when you blush. When they get a look at you in that dress, they won't mind that I took my time escorting you." He placed her hand upon his arm and winked.

"Are you going to make a new fashion statement as well so they know exactly what we have been up to?" She raised an eyebrow as she appraised him.

Lancelot looked down at his sopping clothes and grinned, "I'll tell them that you drenched me in your beauty."

"I don't think so."

"How about I quickly go change?" He said with a wink.

"I like that idea much better."