Chapter Two: Constancy

It had been a long since Tristan first rode off. Merlin lived in the outskirts of the Wall, near enough for a more than an hour's ride. Guinevere was getting even more worried as the night deepened and the sunrise approached. Her cousin's fever was increasing with intensity, throwing her into the depths of worrying. She was not one to be so agitated, but the fact that Alyanne was still calling out the name of her cousin, Bragdon, was not helping in the least.

Arthur was sitting by her, holding her free hand as a sign of his support. For the past few months, Guinevere had come to the conclusion that there was no man better for her than Arthur. He was her match in ever way. He made up for all her short coming as she did with him. When she needed a calm head, he was there as the voice of reason. When she needed the support that she clearly was in dire need of at that very moment, he was there to hold her hand and assure her that she was not alone.

Lancelot stood close by, leaning himself on the wall. Guinevere didn't know why, but her former attraction to this man melted like snow in the spring's coming, as did his passion for her. They no longer felt that trawl for each other. They had misunderstood all the signs that were throwing themselves at them. They finally understood that it was not love, nor was it lust that lay between them. It was almost like kinship All they had now was, not awkwardness as people in their situations normally find themselves in, but a bond stronger than friendship, but less than marriage.. There was a need to protect one another, and there was also a strange pattern of empathy for the feelings of the other.

Galahad and Gawain, bless their souls, were sleeping on the chairs by the window. The two friends were determined to know what had happened to the poor woman, but their bodies had had too much ale and too little rest to grant their requests. Sleep soon found them and easily as Vanora had found Bors and beckoned him to come to bed. The poor old man was as tired as a horse, though he was too pig headed to admit it. Thank the Gods he had a sensible woman to keep him on his toes.

With only three awake, and one on the threshold of death, the mood did not improve at the slightest.

"Guinevere?" Asked Lancelot from his spot on the wall.

"'Yes?" she weakly turned to him; she appreciated the fact that he was trying to distract her from her grief, and from the pangs of sleep.

"I know that there are women warriors among the Woads, but I had no idea that they rose to the ranks of commander as well." He said, slightly drawling, but those who knew him best could tell that he was interested in the topic that he had just raised.

"I must say Love that I have pondered on that as well." Arthur admitted.

Guinevere only smiled and dipped the cloth once more in the warm water. "When her father died, the Northern forces were left leaderless. They lost great numbers and were getting weaker by the moment. We could not afford to lose the Lake for it was what stood between the Saxons and the other Woad settlements. They were clamoring for someone to unite them once more. Alyanne was forced into the threshold of leadership by the Elders. She was reluctant, but then again, she didn't really have much say in the matter." She told the story. Merlin favored Alyanne for the position, and so did the other Elders. She did not want it, but Alyanne felt as if she owed it to her father's memory to continue on his legacy.

"No one contested?"

"Oh Arthur, who would contest the will of the Elders? Besides, Alyanne was known to have a talent for war. No, more than a talent. She had a gift. The gods had blessed her with the skill to win battles. No one could contest when she took charge. They knew that she was the one to lead them into safety and victory." She spoke the last part solemnly, looking at Alyanne's worry ridden face, filled with troubles and burdens. . "But it has been long since then when she last brandished a sword."

"Why?" This time it was Lancelot's curiosity that was tickled by the Queen's statement. He looked at the face of Alyanne and did not see a killer at all, only a woman consumed in darkness.

"Unfortunately, death has always been her constant companion. No one else has kept her company for as long as it has." Guinevere let out a faint, bitter laugh. "He was the only one who understood her. He could talk to her, share her burden. Bragdon was the only person that she would not cast away when he expressed his concerns for her. She always wore a mask of happiness and authority. He was the only person who saw the tears underneath. Bragdon was her match in every way… just like you and I." She told Arthur, giving a tender squeeze to his hand. "It was such a blow to her when he was killed. To this day, I still don't know how it happened. She would not tell anyone of anything that transpired. All I remember is that she didn't even shed a tear when we scattered his ashes. She just looked blankly at me and told me that I was to command the men from then on. From that day on, she never picked up her sword. Now you can understand my amazement when she called them 'her men' again." She told them. She was quite shocked at the revelation. She had not imagined that she would ever take up the sword again. It was wonderful, but all to surprising at the same time. "I don't even know why she hung it up in the first place." She gave a half hearted smile. She had always loved watching Alyanne move in a battle. It was mesmerizing. "I would have thought that it would fuel her more in her hate for the Saxons."

Their discussions were broken when Tristan burst through the doors, waking up Galahad and Gawain from their sweet slumber. All were instantly on their feet when Merlin entered the room; his face grimaced upon seeing his daughter in law on the bed.

Guinevere stood and embraced her father, welcoming him in their native tongue.

"She is with fever Father. It is high and keeps rising. I have tried drawing it from her head but it does not seem to work. She won't cool down." She said worriedly. Guinevere had done everything in her power to draw the fever from her head but nothing worked. She felt almost helpless at this point.

"Don't worry child." Merlin stroked her hair and calmed her down. "We will lift her from this dark cloud." He smiled, reassuring Guinevere that nothing would go wrong, they would not lose her. His face contorted when he got wind of what Alyanne had been saying. "She asks for him?" He said to his daughter, hoping that he had heard wrong.

"Aye she does, but he will never come to her father." A tear dropped from her eyes.

"Don't worry child. All will turn out well." He soothed her. He turned to the Knights and his brow furrowed. "All of you must leave now. Except for you Guinevere, you will stay and help me." He spoke to them.

"But…"

"No Galahad…my father is right. You must all leave." She nodded, leading them out of the room.

"Don't be worried Love. She will pull though." Arthur kissed his wife's forehead before leaving and closing the door of the rooms.

"Sometimes that old man just infuriates me! What right does he have in casting us away while we were watching only for the Lady's welfare!?" Galahad raged. He was, by far, a very temperamental young man and being thrown out of a room, for any reason did not take lightly to him.

"Slow down Pup." Gawain spoke to his brother. "There is no used sulking. Merlin is probably right. We were crowding the room. And you can not deny that we were asleep most of the time and were of no use." He gave a small chuckle.

"But we could help!"

"Would we help?"

"You twist my words!"

"But they are your words."

Galahad, being the stubborn mule that he was, took no heed to Gawain's words and went on speaking as if he had been insulted.

Tristan and Lancelot were in a sense the most calm of the bunch. Arthur was calm in the situation of Alyanne, but as far as Guinevere was concerned, he was all in knots as to her wellbeing. The two knights just sat down on near by chairs and the three went about their business. Galahad sulking, Gawain trying to make him stop and Arthur pacing. Quite a trio those three made.

"So, how was the ride?" Lancelot tried to spark a conversation with his tight lipped brother in arms. He was never one to be amused in silence.

"Good. The night air was refreshing." He replied, once again calling to his hawk that landed on his arm.

Lancelot spent much time with the recluse scout nowadays. They found themselves in each other's company more and more ever since the marriage of Arthur and Guinevere. It seemed like Tristan was the only logical being for Lancelot to talk to anymore, being that he ruled out Bors a long time ago. Though they spent much of their time in contemplation and silence, Lancelot prided himself in the fact that he could get more words out of Tristan than men normally could.

"Good then." He responded. It seemed like he would always find himself thinking on what next to say. Tristan's replies were absolutely challenging to and thus required a great amount of thinking before the next statement could be said. It was natural in the company of this scout. "What do you think is happening in there?" He asked again motioning to the doors of the quarters.

Tristan shrugged. Well, that was the end of the conversation. There was no use in staying awake now. He lowered himself on the chair and put his arms across his chest. Lancelot closed his eyes and sleep found him soon enough as he sat.

-o-

Lancelot felt himself being shaken to the pangs of consciousness. Why did he have to wake up now? He was still quite tired and was indeed content in the idleness and peace of slumber. It was not pleasant. He was not pleasant. Everyone knew not to wake Lancelot when he was in his sleep. It would mean death to bother him.

It was a woman scent. He was well acquainted with the scent of a woman. There was always something delicate and overly alluring to their boquet that could enthrall any man. Had he bedded another woman and forgotten yet again? But what about the previous night's events? The mysterious woman who had fainted in Arthur's court? Was she just a dream? Was it a dream that he carried her to the King's chambers and lay awake to watch Guinevere try to figure out a way to cure her? The light pierced through the darkness of his closed eyes. Slowly and gently, he opened them, getting adjusted to the light of the room. He was in the King's quarters, on a chair in the corner of the room. Lancelot was adjacent to a bed that had within it a woman that he knew he had seen before. She had raven hair and piercing gray eyes. She was the woman from last night. Alyanne.

"My Lady?" he asked, trying to figure out why she was in Arthur's room with the woman lying on the bed in front of him? What had happened that night? The questions in his mind seemed to give him a headache. He scratched his head in confusion and rubbed his eyes of their drossiness. "You gave us quite a scare last night."

"I assure you that I am well my Lord. I am certain that you exaggerate." She said, lifting the covers and rising herself to the sitting position, failing miserably.

Lancelot immediately stood up and helped her before she fell of, allowing her to grasp his hand and steadying her. "My Lady, perhaps it is best if you did not push yourself so quickly." He said, trying to get her to lie back down.

"You know nothing of my limits my Lord and thus you should not try and tell me when I have pushed them." Alyanne said, using his arm to steady herself and standing up on her own legs, neglecting to let go. She was trembling, and it was noticeable that she could not carry her weight just yet.

"If you ask me my Lady, by the looks of it, your limits have well been pushed." He said to her, getting a little annoyed by her persistence in the matter when she was clearly not able to stand by herself. She was still grasping his arm after all. "Please call me Lancelot."

"It is fortunate then sir that I did not ask you for such an opinion." She looked at him, purposely neglecting to use his name. Lancelot conceded that being restrained did not bode well with the Lady. He swore that frustration and irritation flooded her every being. But then, he saw her eyes. They bore nothing of exasperation or hostility that her choice of words seemed to hint. How could there be such eyes with nothing, absolutely nothing in them? It was as if she was hallow in some ways, but he quickly shook his head of the matter and turned away before she could notice him staring.

In her struggles, she quickly collapsed back on the bed. Lancelot smirked. He was always right, especially when it came to women. She was just being stubborn. "I told you." He said, as he put the covers back on her. Normally, he would rather be entering the covers along with such a woman, but it was neither the time nor the place for such deeds…or thoughts. He simply kept them to himself and continued trying to gently restrain the ailing woman back to the bed, for her own good as well as his.

Alyanne chose to ignore his comments and was surprised when the doors were opened to allow Arthur and his wife to come in.

"I see you are wake." She smiled and went to her side, opposite that of Lancelot. "As are you Lancelot." She turned to him.

"Pity, you did seem ever so peaceful as you slept." Arthur jeered at him.

"Am I to assume that the King of Britain enjoys watching me slumber?" he smirked Arthur's way. "Honestly, I have no idea what you are talking about." He once again scratched his head. He would have vengeance on Arthur later. As of now, he wanted answers.

Arthur chose not to dignify his earlier comment with a retort and simply replied to the latter. "Well, you fell asleep whilst talking to Tristan and were too heavy to be carried all the way back to your room, so we let you rest in here instead." Arthur answered, taking Guinevere's side and once more (as it had become a habit to him in his few months of marriage) put his hand on her shoulder, to which she raised a hand to caress his.

"Am I to believe that none of the great Sarmatian Knights were able to carry my lean, yet muscular frame down a few halls?" He raised a skeptical eye. He knew Arthur to be a horrible liar for the jest in his eyes gleamed like that of a young boy's.

"He misleads you my good sir." Guinevere laughed as she tended to her cousin. "The noble men of Sarmatia were all but too anxious to retire to bed and too lazy carry you to your room. That, as well as the fact that neither of them wanted to suffer your wrath by waking you up." This was the answer that Lancelot knew to be the truth and thus it satisfied his swimming head.

"The truth always comes out old friend. And what better vessel for such virtue as your wife." Lancelot laughed further, now being completely shaken from the grasps of sleep.

"If I didn't know better, I would say that you were flirting with me." Guinevere raised an eyebrow to the cad.

"Well, let's pretend you bask in ignorance shall we?" He winked in jest. He knew well that Arthur was used to his behavior and that he was as no threat to their marriage as Lancelot valued friendship even more. Arthur was his brother and Guinevere was now his sister. To appeal to her in that way would be no less than incestuous.

"I thank you for your hospitality cousin. I may perhaps have taken too much by invading your quarters." Alyanne spoke softly. Lancelot did not know if the tone of her voice was due to her weakness or just innate in her nature.

"It was no matter Alyanne. You are kin after all." Arthur smiled. The man was too giving for his own good, people would often think.

"At any rate, I am indebted to you, all of you." She spoke sincerely, and yet her eyes remained as empty as they always were. "Now that we know what befell of the good knight during the course of the evening's toll, may I inquire as to what ill fate I suffered so that my concerns may be laid to rest?"

"You fainted Alyanne and were consumed by high fever." Guinevere stated incredulously. "Do you not recall?"

"No, I fear that I do not. Perhaps I rode too hard the past days." She conceded, having shards of the happenings returning to her. "I only hope that my men will pace themselves as not to end up in the same condition." She half-heartedly tried to joke no matter how grave the situation was. But due to her current disposition, such efforts were in vain.

"I am sure that they will be fine." Guinevere smiled.

"Thirty strong you say?"

"Aye Lancelot. It used to be of greater numbers but we lost them as soon as I assimilated command." Guinevere said regretfully. "Forgive me cousin for letting you down."

"No forgiveness is needed. It was inevitable that we would lose some of them. It is war after all. The only thing worth asking for absolution here is that I was not there to protect you when the Romans attacked."

"Don't be ridiculous Alyanne. It was never your fault. What happened was meant to happen. After all, I believe it all turned out for the best." Guinevere smiled, giving Arthur's hand a light squeeze.

"I had heard that the new king had taken a wife, but I did not hear that the wife was you." She slightly smiled, making the effort though her frail state. "I am very pleased that you have found happiness." She spoke in the Woad tongue.

"Aye. I only wish that…" she spoke in the same language, unable to finish the sentence when she got the look from Alyanne that she did not want to hear what Guinevere was about to say.

"It can never be as it was." She replied. Alyanne closed her eyes for a moment and opened them slowly once again. "So when will I be able to get out of this bed? The dark haired one will not allow me to." She shot a glance at Lancelot, who she was certain did not understand a word she had just said.

"Oh be nice to him." Laughed Guinevere. "I am sorry you two, it has just been too a long time since I have spoken to anyone in my own tongue. It is refreshing." She smiled. "And you can not leave Alyanne, not until you are well enough to hold a sword." She smiled, ignoring her spirit-sister's comment on the dark Knight. "Merlin's orders."

Arthur laughed when Guinevere suddenly switched to the language he could understand. He could tell that she missed her people and greatly appreciated the fact that she had given them up for him. He was happy that her cousin had come for at least she would not yearn for the company of the Woads as intensely as before. "Perhaps you could teach me one day, so I can converse with you Love." He kissed her atop her head. "And yes my Lady, you will not be able to leave this bed until we can be certain that you are well enough, though not necessarily in grasping a weapon. Although if we hold it on those considerations, I am certain that you will be up and running in no time. From what Guinevere tells me, you are a force to be reckoned with if given a blade."

Lancelot noticed the way her eyes grew darker at the mention of a sword, especially in the thought of wielding a weapon. He had never seen this in anybody before. He had grown up with cold blooded killers who delighted at the thought of a war. Somehow, for a warrior, this woman did not seem to be amused at its utterance. He cleared his throat and attracted the attention of the couple.

"Perhaps it would be best if the Lady rested for now. After all, the feast is in the coming fortnight. The Saxons may be planning an invasion, but hell will freeze over before the Romans are deprived of their parties. No offense Arthur."

"None taken." Arthur smiled at Lancelot's obvious contempt for their Roman allies. Why would he even take offence in it? Arthur stopped being a Roman when he stepped on the earth of Badon Hill.

"It would be a pity for her to miss such festivities." He winked at the weakened woman. She in turn made no reaction, not of glee or offense. She just looked at him. It was unnerving. It was as if she was as cold as ice.

"Ah yes! How could we forget! Alyanne it will be just like when we were little, only we won't be dancing naked under the full moon!" Guinevere laughed.

"Are you certain that it cannot be arranged?' Lancelot raised his eyebrow and gave a mischievous grin. This earned him a laugh from Arthur and a slap on the arm from Guinevere. It was a happy moment, put to a halt by the sudden knock from the doors of the room.

"It looks like rest is far away." Guinevere smiled at her cousin. "Come in." The door opened and the ominous and foreboding form of Merlin entered, staff at hand and looking as grave as ever. He looked at his daughter with his purposeful eyes and silently conveyed all that was in his mind. Guinevere's laughing expression changed to that of urgency. "Perhaps we better take our leave now." She bowed her father's way and ushered the two Knights away. Arthur came instantly, but there was a bit of hesitation on Lancelot's part. He did not trust the old sorcerer till that day. He stared him down for a moment before condoning to exiting the room.

"Greetings my Child." Merlin turned to Alyanne, softening his glance upon the sight of her. Alyanne was among those favored in Merlin's eyes. It had been that way since she was born into the world. Merlin had been the one who looked after her when she became orphaned and he was also the one who educated her into all that she knew. If there was something close to a parent that she had, it was him.

"Merlin. I am ever under your debt for this kindness. I apologize if I burdened you in anyway." She bowed as a sign of reverence. She had a great respect for the man, as did her father and those of her family. She, herself was no kin to Merlin, but he cared for her as if she was one of his daughters. She only became related to him by her marriage to one of his nephews, a bond which had long been severed by death, yet still honored as they day it was forged.

"It was no burden I assure you." He smiled at her as he took a seat near her. Merlin was glad to see that the girl had awoken from her long sleep. It had been long since he had seen the child, and wished it had been under better circumstances that they had reunited and not the occurrences of last night.

"Still, my heart felt thanks." She pushed. It was genuine gratitude. From what she had seen in Guinevere's expression, she had fallen into a grave illness. It was certainly a feat to have pulled her through such a sickness.

"Do you know what ailed you child?" He asked with intent eyes, focused and poised in reading her expression. Merlin was always one for reading people, not by their words but by their initial reactions to the things he says. She had often seen him do this in her childhood and had been subjected to such scrutiny during those times as well.

"All I know is that I was under high fever. That was all that Guinevere told me." She hung her head low. She hated being such a burden to the people she loved. Guinevere had a husband now, a family of sorts. She did not need an invalid to take care of. She also didn't need extra worries on her head. No one deserved that right after their wedding.

"For that is all that she knows."

"Then there is more?" She was not surprised to hear it. No one would be so worried over a fever. It had to be something graver than that. Everything, every instinct within her was telling her that.

"There is always more to what one knows." Merlin said earnestly, though he did look as if he did not want to divulge anything further. But she would not have it. As much reverence as she had for this old man, he had no right within him to keep the true nature of her illness from her.

"Please enlighten me."

"Child, there is a darkness that hovers over you in your wake and it seems to consume you in your sleep." He spoke with much trepidation and caution. He had said the very same words two summers past. Alyanne reacted in the exact same way as well. Emotionlessly.

"Tell me no further for I know of which you speak."

"No. Though you are aware of it Alyanne, it is my fear that you fail to understand. What has transpired can never be changed. You must not dwell on the past for it is likely to devour you if you are to continue on this path." His death was hard on her, but it was hard for them all. Merlin could understand her grieving heart. Alyanne had lost so much in her young years, more than most people in a life time. But still she stood. But in the recent years, he found his conviction slowly feigning away as she fell deeper and deeper into the sorrow of which she had made for herself.

"I know that Merlin. You assume I do not think on those very words, but I do. In almost all of my waking hours, I do. It is just that…just that…you have no idea what plagues me." She spoke in defiance. How could anyone know how she felt? No one knew. No one knew, for they all did not go through all that she had experienced. No one else has lost everything they have ever loved and lived to tell the tale. How could they understand?

"Aye. In that you are right. I don't know what haunts you Alyanne, but I do know what it is doing to you."

"Leave me in my misery Merlin for it has served me a faithful companion up till now." She bade him leave. It was not like her to be so disrespectful to the man who cared for her in her darkest hours, to the man who acted as her father when the man who once held that title passed into the land of shadow. But that girl was gone. Alyanne was gone.

"Have you really given up hope?"

"I gave up hope a long time ago."

"And yet you fight. You resurrect yourself from the ashes and wield your sword once more." Merlin had unwavering faith in the girl. Even as a child, he could see all that Alyanne was capable of. She had a dormant strength within her, needing to be awakened by the proper stimulant. When her parents died, she unleashed that potential, exceeding the expectations of both naysayer and adherent. But unfortunately, death, the stimulant which propelled her to greatness, was also the thing that killed her little by little. "You may think that you are none but a lost cause my child, but there is still life within you. You are not beyond saving."

"I am not so certain." Her eyes growing softer and darker as she spoke. Why did Merlin have such faith in her? After all that she had done, turning her back on her men, leaving Guinevere to the hands of the Romans, so many horrible things. And yet, he remained unwavering in his faith.

"Stay the course. All will reveal itself in time."

On to the next chapter! Even though the next one is already posted, please review this one as well.