Chapter 6: Second Chance

Author's Note: I do not own King Arthur. If I did I could find a way to go to Rome this summer without becoming broke. Also, now that all my really busy days are behind me I intend to update the story more often. This is written from the point of view of Gawain and Galahad.

Gawain ran over to where Galya had fallen and looked for signs of life. He saw that she was breathing and picked her up and carried her to the healers. He looked over and saw that Galahad and Dagonet were getting Tristan to the healers as well. He sighed in relief when he saw that Tristan was moving a little and was alive. Now Galya had to pull through because the gods she trusted in so much had given them a second chance. He laid her down on one of the beds and Dagonet put Tristan in the bed next to her. They were both in really bad shape and they all feared the worst. When the healers came in they pushed all of them out and began to work on healing the wounds of the two people lying in front of them.

Hours later they were told that fever had taken hold of Galya and Tristan was doing alright. Gawain, Galahad, and the rest of the Knights walked in to be with them. Gawain and Galahad took one look at their sister and remembered that there was still so much that needed to be said. Galahad knelt beside his sister and held her hand, "Galya, I can't let you go without knowing that I'm sorry about this morning. I was trying to protect you but that did not give me the right to but in like that. But right now that doesn't matter. Right now you need to fight and come back to us because I don't know what I would do without you big sis. You raised me. You took care of me. You nursed me when I was sick. I thought I would never see you again and then you came back into my life. So you can't leave now. We have so much to catch up on and you need to live so you can make Tristan part of this family."

Gawain came over and put his hand on his little brother's shoulder and stared down at his sister, "Galya you come back to us. You can't leave now. There is so much yet to come for us now that we have been reunited. We get to see you married and have children. We get to see you happy which you deserve so much because you gave up everything for us."

They stood watching over her for what seemed like days but it was only hours. Later Vanora came in and tried to get them to eat. She told them that Galya would have their heads if they didn't. They laughed knowing that it was true and took the food from Vanora, thanked her and began to eat. That night they slept by their sister's side.

One Week Later

Galya's fever had broken but she had yet to wake up. Tristan woke up three days ago and was already up asking for something to do. He couldn't be in the room with Galya. He would never show it but the thought that it was his fault that she was in this state was nagging at him. She was after all trying to save him when all of this happened. As much as he loved her right now he needed to go out and be useful. When she woke up he would talk to her.

Gawain and Galahad took turns watching over Galya as she lay unconscious. They worried that even with her fever broken that she may never wake. Every time they saw her eyes move from behind her lids they hoped that she would open her eyes. Another part of them was wondering what she was seeing.

Two Weeks Later

Tristan had been sent on patrol and Gawain went with him. So Galahad sat with Galya. She had woken up once but only for a few minutes and she was babbling incoherently. He prayed that she would wake up again and all this would be behind them but her injuries were taking her further from them. He looked down and sighed again. She still looked so fragile. He remembered that she was always the one that was strong and took care of them. It didn't seem fair that their roles were reversed because Galahad didn't know what to do.

Later that night Tristan and Gawain came back from patrol and walked into the room. Tristan looked down at Galya and then over at Galahad, "Can you give me so time alone with her?"

Galahad looked up in shock, "Yeah sure." He said getting up and walking out of the room.

Tristan sat by the side of the bed and waited for Galahad to exit the room before taking Galya's hand, "Galya, you need to come back to us. I think I'm actually going mad without you here. You need to open your eyes and look at me. Come on. OPEN YOUR EYES," He yelled getting all the frustration out with it, "I'm sorry, my love. I just want you here and not in whatever land you've been seeing in your mind. Come back here with me."

Three Weeks Later

Galya's eyes fluttered. Then they did it again and then at last she opened them. When she did though she found that she was alone. No one was with her. She knew that she had heard their voices. She knew she had. She tried calling out into the darkness. Her cry came out low, it cracked and she winced, it hurt. She wondered how long she had been gone for and then wondered if everyone had given up on her. She very slowly sat up in bed and waited for the dizzy feeling to go away before swinging her legs over the side and standing up.

She very slowly made her way to the door and felt like she had walked miles. She steadied herself against the door and opened it. When she looked out into the hall she saw Dagonet and Gawain sleeping outside the door. She wondered why they weren't in the room with her but let the thought go. She knelt beside Gawain and tried to wake him up, "Gawain, wake up please. Please."

Gawain woke with a start and grabbed the hand that was on his shoulder. When he looked up and saw it was Galya he smiled, "You're awake," He said, "but you shouldn't be out of bed."

Galya shrugged, "No one was in the room when I woke up. I thought for a second you had all left me for dead in there," she said looking down at Gawain, "but then I remembered I heard your voices. I heard you."

Gawain looked at her shocked and then proceeded to get up, "You need to get back in bed," He said trying to guide her back into the room, "Now. I'll go get Galahad and Tristan."

Galya nodded and with help got back into bed and watched Gawain leave to get her brother and her betrothed. Then fear struck her. What if Tristan thought her weak because it took her so long to recover? What if he didn't want to marry her anymore because of it? But she had heard him say that he was going mad without her with him. He did love her. She shouldn't have the fear that he would leave her but she did and it got stronger as she heard footsteps approach her door.

She lay back on the pillow and listened to the door open. She looked at the three men standing before her and all of her fear disappeared. She was happy to see all of them. She was now upset with herself for not getting back sooner but where she was, was home. Everyone was there. Gareth welcomed her to the house of her ancestors. She was so happy to see him. He was handsome and had grown up to look just like their father. Then she saw her father and her mother. They welcomed her with open arms. As she was welcomed by the rest of her family she remembered that she still had things to do in life and fought to get back.

She looked at Tristan and smiled as he moved to be by her side. He took her in his arms and held her close. No words needed to be said. He just held her. Then Galahad moved to sit by the bed, "Where did you go that took you away for so long?"

She looked over at Galahad and smiled, "I was with Gareth, Mama, Papa, and our whole family. They were so welcoming and I missed them so much that I wanted to stay there with them but then I remembered that I had people that loved me here and that they would wait for me there. They would be there for me when it was my time to go to our ancestors." She said curling up more into Tristan's arms.

"You saw Gareth?" Gawain asked.

"I did. He looks so much like Papa. He told me not to hold onto him. He said that I should say goodbye and move on and that he would be there when it was time for me to pass from this world."

They all looked at her in wonder. So they really did pass into another world when they died. She had seen it and was telling them about it. They couldn't deny it anymore.

"Did Papa say anything to you?" Galahad asked.

Galya nodded, "He's proud of the both of you. He told me that you have brought honor to our family." She said smiling.

This made Gawain and Galahad very proud of themselves. They had done well in the eyes of their ancestors and would be welcomed when they died.

Then she turned to Tristan, "I want to marry you as soon as I can get out of this bed. I don't want to waste any more time. I don't want to be without you again."

He just kissed the top of her head as his answer and gave a look to Gawain and Galahad that told them that he would like a minute alone with Galya. When they left he pulled her closer, "I never want to experience that again. I thought that you would never come back to me. I was ready to leave you for dead. I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

"Of course I'll forgive you. You don't worry about that." She said rubbing her fingers against his arm.

"I'll marry you as soon as we can."