Chapter 15
It was nearing a week since the battle, Adena's bruises becoming more green and yellow instead of the dark purple colors it was before. Lancelot has yet to speak to Adena about the life she came from before they had picked her up on the side of the road after their mission five years ago. He has told Arthur and the others what Merlin has told him and what he thought of it.
"I see no lie in what's happened," Dagonet told the silent group. "She had given me advice before we faced the Saxons on the ice."
"She told me to take the coward way when I began to tired, or I will not live." Tristan said quietly. "I didn't understand until I begin to fight the Saxon leader."
"So she knew who was to die, yet didn't tell us directly, why?" Galahad asked confused.
Arthur sighed, gaining everyone's attention. "Perhaps it was fear; would you have believed her if Adena had said you were to die at this exact time?"
The men muttered to themselves, knowing their commander had a point. Of course there was still a nagging question in the back of everyone's mind.
"If this was the case, why couldn't she save the other's? If she knew about our death, why didn't she know about those that had died before us?" Gawain questioned suddenly.
"Because I have never seen their death," everyone turned to see Adena leaning against the door frame tiredly.
Lancelot quickly got to his feet, rushing over to his lover's side. "Teran said to take it easy, what are you doing out of bed?"
Adena glared at him, "I'm tired of being on bed rest! I want to move around and do something! I need air,"
The men chuckled as Lancelot sighed in annoyance, walking her towards the round table. "If you were that bored, why did you not tell me?"
Adena, glaring at her lover, sat on Lancelot's chair as he sat on her right. "I tried, you kept going on about the baby looking like you or not. I swear it was you who was having the baby, not me."
This brought out a laugh from the men as Lancelot flushed slightly, glaring at Adena in mock anger. However, before he can say a word, she kisses him to shut up, and looks at the group of men that had became a part of her world the moment they had befriended her.
"As far as I can tell, you all know that I am not from this time era," the men nodded, staying quiet as they wanted to know all that was going on. "Well, in my time there are stories about Arthur and his knights–each knight even has their own unique story. Now, I knew of your deaths was due to one particular story. When I woke here, I was several years before the story I knew had actually started." Adena sighed, holding back tears, "Believe me, if there was any way I could have saved the other four I would have."
"We believe you lass," Bors told her softly. "Even though the tale seems unlikely, we know that you would not lie at such length for any reason."
Adena tried to smile, but failed. "Yes, but I still miss them."
"We all do, Adena; we all do." Arthur said softly.
She let out a small breath, looking at all the men in general before her gaze stopped at Tristan. "Shouldn't you still be in bed? I know what kind of injuries you received and you shouldn't be healed this quickly."
The knights laughed as Tristan ghostly smiled, a faint (very faint) blush forming. "I always heal this quickly."
"And he hates being bed rest as well." Bors added with a gruff laugh, causing the others to laugh as well.
Adena sighs with a smile on her lips, shaking her head. Then Galahad raised a question, one that the men did want to know but would have asked much later once their talk had finally snuck in. Then again, it was a good time to ask questions so that everything could be out for them to ponder over it.
"What...happens to us? Now that the Roman's are gone and the Saxons are all dead. What of the Woads?"
"Something will happen, I don't know how long or how far into the future, but something will happen that will reunite the villagers that had stayed behind here at the wall and the Woads under one nation." Adena shifted, feeling her body start to protest once more, "You are all legends, myths. There are so many stories that some of them might be real or they can all be fictional, no one knows. So the question you had asked, what happens to you all, I don't know."
The men looked around as Lancelot took his lover's hand and squeezed for comfort and strength, knowing Adena was becoming wearier by the second. Smiling, Adena squeezed back, looking back at Arthur.
"I only have one thing to say to you: be wise in your choosing. You may never know what is beneath any beauty that may bewitch you." Arthur frowned, watching Adena slowly standing and looking at the other men. "There is going to be other knights–good knights–who will win your hearts and become your brothers once again. Continue to remember those who have past, but also rejoiced in the friends you will find."
With that said, Adena bid the men goodnight as the exhaustion had finally taken a hold of her. Lancelot carefully helped her, sharing a look with his best friend, wondering what his lover had meant. At the doors Adena stopped at the sight of Guinevere and Merlin, the woman looking at the younger woman. Guinevere stared back with a frown, her dark eyes glaring with hatred at her.
Blushing, Adena nodded, to them before looking back at Lancelot, who took it as a sign to hurry along. Guinevere looked after them until Merlin pushed her with his staff, giving his daughter a look. She gave a quiet remorse sigh, placing a smile upon her lips when she entered the room, going straight towards Arthur.
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When the couple had returned to Adena's home Lancelot was annoyed with Conner sleeping at the end of the bed on his side, making him bend his knees. Adena had chuckled at this and had instructed Lancelot to wrap his legs around hers so that he didn't hit Conner but have enough leg room. Adena slept peacefully now that she was in her own bed, in her own home, with Conner, and her lover by her side. Lancelot, however, was wide awake, having bent half the top of his body down so that he had his on top of Adena's flat stomach.
Because the fire burning still in the fireplace in front of the bed, it was warm and so Lancelot was able to push the fur covering down to Adena's knees. The knight's left hand was stroking up and down Adena's right thigh, kissing her flat stomach once in a while. She slowly started to wake, moving only her head to the side to look down at her tender lover. Giving a small sigh, Adena placed a hand on her lover's curly hair, making him turn his head to look back at her.
"I did not mean to wake you," Lancelot whispered, kissing just above her bellybutton.
"Tis all right my knight, though what ails you that you cannot sleep, hmm?"
Lancelot grinned impishly, pushing himself up and loom over the woman. "That we have yet to make love since you've woken."
Adena hummed, shifting to take off the tunic she had taken from Lancelot to sleep in. "Yes, we haven't made love in two weeks, have we?" she whispered, letting him pull off the breeches.
Even after all this time, Adena could still not sleep naked; unless Lancelot has made love to her–just like he was about to do that night.
"It has been two weeks," Lancelot leaned down and kissed her collar bone. "I guess I would have to make that up to you."
Giving off a small chuckle, Adena took hold of his head and brought him up to kiss him hungrily.
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–Outside–
Guinevere paced in the garden hidden within the fort (something that no one really knew how to get back there), her father, Merlin, standing as still as a statue, looking up at the cloudy sky. He can both see and feel his daughter's anger; she had wanted him to do something about the mysterious girl that has changed the course of history and legend.
"How was it that that woman was able to return, father? All of what was to pass is now gone!" Guinevere turned sharply to her father with a sneer on her lovely face. "She had taken my knight away from me! I know you want me to be queen of this island and reunite our people, but I do not love Arthur!"
Merlin calmly looks down at his daughter, glaring at her. "Whether you love him or not, you will marry him and you will become queen of this island, do you understand me?"
Guinevere was breathing heavily, glaring with hatred at her father. "Yes father, but I will have my knight whether you like it or not!"
Malia, a servant woman no older then twenty-seven years old, gasped softly, placing a hand to her mouth. The father and daughter turned at the sound, only for them to be relieved to see a couple of night birds flew out from a nearby bush. Malia was breathing deeply, quietly, as she made her way towards the servant entrance in the darkness. Once she had the door closed quietly, the woman ran down the corridor, wondering who she can go to.
Before Malia knew it, she had burst into the room holding the Round table, startling Arthur who had looked up from watching the fire in the middle. He frowned at the woman who had served him since she was not but a child after he had saved her from death, looking both pale and frightened. Malia had looked back into the hallway and closed the doors before making her way to a confused Arthur.
"I had heard both Merlin and Guinevere speaking out in the garden." Malia took deep breaths, Arthur waiting, wondering. "She does not love you, my lord; her father is making you marry her so that she can be queen!"
Arthur frowned, looking down at the table as Malia rushed over to him and kneels on the floor, taking hold of his hand. He looked down at the scared and concerned woman, Arthur knowing that he had no reason to doubt this woman who has been loyal to him for so long.
"She had only promised to her father of becoming your wife and queen for it was his desire; however she vowed to get her knight." Malia swallowed the coward and instead summoned courage within her small frame. "I believe, my lord, when she spoke in hatred of a woman that has stolen her knight; a woman who should have not returned."
Arthur frowned, knowing exactly who that woman who should have not returned was. He looked down at his hand Malia was clutching tightly, her long fingers delicate and elegant despite all the maid services she has done.
'Be wise in your choosing. You may never know what is beneath any beauty that may bewitch you.'
The voice of Adena warns him once more as though she were there. He looks up to stare into blue eyes, before looking over her features ever so slowly. To her high cheek bones upon her ivory skin, to her small nose, and small pink lips. Arthur, going over his feelings for the woman kneeling before him and for Guinevere, had made a decision. Slowly he stood, helping Malia to her feet. She looked at him with both growing concern and fear of what might come.
Arthur then smiled, brining up a hand to her cheek and leaning forward to kiss her. "I do not know why it had taken me so long to realize my feelings for you; it is as though a friend knew that which was to come. Perhaps even knew what Guinevere and her father were up to."
Malia blushed, praying that this time, this moment, was not a dream. "What of Guinevere? Are you not bound to marry her?"
"Nay," Arthur shook his head, pecking her lips. "I never said the words of marriage to her or her father."
With a sigh, Malia rose on her tiptoes and kissed the man she has been serving for the past nineteen years. All of her dreams had come true–being with the man she loved and having him love her in return. She only prayed that neither Guinevere nor her father would try to take them apart.
A/N: Okay, so there might be a few more chapters after all (you all can thank my hands; I didn't plan on making Merlin evil along with her daughter! LOL). What are the father and daughter up to? Well, you're guy's guess is as good as mine, LOL, we'll see soon enough what my hands come up with soon. Please review and let me know what you think!