A/N: Hey everyone! Just a heads up -- I'm currently starting to write a TristanOC fic entitled "The Way of the Warrior" (yes, I have yielded to the temptation to write a Tristan fic!), so forgive me if updates are even slower than usual! My attention is totally divided between both stories, and I'm trying to just brainstorm and not use the same ideas for both, so yeah. (Although you will find some similarities!) I will try to update as quickly as possible, though! But thank you all for reading and reviewing and utterly enjoying all my hard work! And I will give you more details about how I'm doing with the TristanOC fic soon! I hope you all check that out, too! .smiles. Oh, and if you have any comments about what you'd like to see in a TristanOC fic, don't hesitate to let me know!

makedamnsure: Ah! I'm sorry it didn't work! I would've loved to have read what you thought of the chapter! .frowns. Thanks so much for trying many times, though!

Raging Raven: Oh yeah, Lourdes is definitely starting to show the skills she has obtained over the years and from the Woadian training that she received from Aiden. Oh, Aiden. .sniff. But alright. Blue team you are! Lancelot is cute...but don't you think Galahad without the beard is just as cute! C'monnn! haha

magical ex-auror hobbit.: Hey, you're reviewing...what more can I ask for! .smiles. My heart did flutter when I was writing this scene. If I was there with them, I would've definitely pushed Galahad and been like, "God, GO FOR IT ALREADY, YOU NINNY!" Well, at least he's sort of showing how he truly feels for her, right? The boy just needs a little more pushing and prodding. .wink.

Yes, I can't believe I killed Aiden. I was starting to get attached to him, too! .frowns. I will miss him, but I think his death will have a greater impact on Lourdes than his...life? That's sort of mean, but it's true. All part of her character development!

This chapter will reveal her fate! muahaha. Ugh, if I had Hugh's heart, I would NEVER have the will to die! hahaha I'd stay with him forever and ever...sighs.

Awww, you're so sweet. I'm really proud of myself for writing something that you like! haha But alright, you're still on the green team. I think you're the only one rooting for Galahad now! haha Uh oh. But I know what you mean about Lancelot. Why do good girls like bad boys? But we'll see what happens with Isabella and Galahad later on! .winks.

I love you! Enjoy!

Withered Lover: I will join you for the moment of silence for Aiden. .frowns. Hey, I created empathy in you! SCORE! haha I love it when people get emotionally connected to my stories. It brings a tear to my eye. In all honesty, Haldir's death was my inspiration for this. I loved that elf to death, and when he died, I was very, VERY angry. Very.

Anyhoo...damn, I can't even imagine how much it hurts to have an arrow stuck to your body. .shivers.

Wow, you got swayed to Lancey's team! Ahhh! I think only magical ex-auror hobbit is on Galahad's team now! Why do women like the womanizers! WHY! People can change, but old habits die hard...remember that! muahahah

But thank you for reviewing even though you're tired from work. I'm tired from work everytime I write this story, but at least you still enjoy it! haha Take care!

Lilith Abromth: haha Aww...I guess Lancelot does deserve a break. We'll see if he gets it sooner or later... But you have good reasonings. I think Galahad's age totally shows with his decision to move on and give up on Lourdes. Maybe he'll grow up soon? Thanks for reviewing!

anisharoxmistry: Ugh, could I kill Lourdes? This chapter reveals it all! hehe. Wow. Another on Lancey's team! Ok, ok...Galahad shaved off his beard when Lourdes came back, remember! He has NO beard as of now! lol .nudge nudge. Isn't he cute without a beard! Am I swaying you yet? haha But true. That engagement to Isabella is totally his roadblock. Thanks for reviewing, and good luck with your story!

t t t

CHAPTER 25

The army of Shinodians pressed on forward, not at all being deterred by their defences. There were still at least 150 strong, still attacking with full force, relentlessly bombarding the defenders. Arthur gripped the edge of the wall in near panic, examining what was happening below and around him. At the sight, he cursed to himself, realizing that they were running out of ammunition and that the numbers of Sarmatian and Woadian combatants were diminishing by the minute. Looking out into the distance once more, he caught a faint glimpse of a group of horsemen, coming towards them in full gallop, the thundering hooves of their horses shaking the ground below. Eyes widened, he was about to cry out for them all to fall back. But he immediately caught himself as he saw that the coming horsemen had began attacking the Shinodians at the rear of the group.

"Arthur?" Tristan ran to his side, eyeing him questioningly, then darting his eyes back to what was transpiring below them.

"I do not know who they are!" Through the deafening noise, Arthur screamed in reply, reloading his arrow as he turned to Tristan and those around him. "But cover them!"

The horsemen now came into full view, slashing at every Shinodian in their path as they quickly surrounded the attackers. As they galloped through the mass of the dead and dying, they set their sights upon the group of Shinodians who continued to shove the battering ram onto the castle entrance. Taking them completely by surprise, the riders came towards the Shinodians at full gallop, who hacked at and pierced their swords into the bodies of the Shinodian warriors, showing no mercy nor remorse. Their pain-filled screams and agonizing cries filled the air, and one by one, the besiegers fell. In only a few moments, the battering ram crashed with a loud thud onto the ground, the noise's conclusion being followed by a resounding cry from the observing defenders upon the ramparts.

Seeing that the battle was now lost, the remaining Shinodians retreated at the roaring command of their leader. With no apparent fear, the masked Shinodian continued to sit upon his steed as he glared at Arthur and those on the ramparts, seething with contempt. Arrows flew around him at all sides, but he kept his place and sat steadily, his horse not even fearing the threat of death. With rage coursing through his veins, he held up his sword and roared one last time before riding away with what was left of his army.

Hands and bows flew into the air at this sight, as those who were lucky enough to remain alive cheered in victory and in thanks. They all peered above the edge of the wall, looking curiously down at the riders who had helped them so graciously in battle. The group of riders, approximately 100 of them, rode behind their leader, who trotted his horse close to the curtain wall as he sheathed his bloody sword in his scabbard.

"Sir Arthur!" his booming voice called out as he looked up at the fatigued knight, who peered down at him in curiosity. "I am glad that we were of some assistance to you."

At this point, Arthur's eyes grew wide in bewilderment as he recognized the voice. "Lord Theodore?"

Lord Theodore only laughed mirthfully in answer before clicking his tongue. The horse turned in an about-face and he galloped away, his band of riders following him close behind. Riding in the direction of the retreating Shinodians, they disappeared into the distance as quickly as they came.

Arthur finally recovered from what had happened and turned to his side. Immediately, he saw Galahad shakily lowering his bow as his chest rose and fell in anger. No doubt, the knight had been ready to fire at Theodore the moment the Lord had revealed his identity.

As the cheering began to die down, they all heard Lancelot's screaming voice. All turned to the sound of his cries, looking for the distressed knight. Arthur, Guinevere and the rest of the knights ran towards his voice, fearing the worst. Zigzagging through the celebrating warriors and the dead bodies that now lined the rampart floors, they finally caught a glimpse of the knight. Their countenances turned to shock as they gazed at the scene before them.

Merlin was on his knees, his head bowed silently above Aiden's lifeless body, his staff casted onto the ground. Lancelot was sitting on the ground beside him with Lourdes wrapped in his arms, his face covered in blood, sweat and tears.

Galahad immediately dropped his weapons and ran to his side, knees skidding to a stop on the stone floor as he placed his trembling hands on Lourdes' face. He looked down to see that her armour had been removed, exposing her bloody torso. A broken, bloodied arrow laid beside her. He glanced at Lancelot, realizing that the knight had already taken out the arrow from her body. With misty eyes, Galahad met Lancelot's gaze, the two sharing a moment of silence.

In desperation and sorrow, Galahad traced Lourdes' delicate face as he shook his head. When his hand rested on her neck, he gasped before screaming, "She's alive! Someone, get a healer!"

Gawain did not even think twice before he ran down the rampart steps, rushing inside the inner keep. Dagonet then strided towards Lourdes' side, examining the wound. Arthur made his way to Merlin's side, placing a comforting hand on the old Woad's shoulder. Merlin did not make a sound, yet kept his head bowed, hands resting on Aiden's chest. Frowning, Arthur closed his eyes and breathed out shakily. As he opened his eyes, he examined the carnage around him, seeing so many dead, and even more injured. He felt Guinevere take his hand in hers, and he squeezed tightly.

Arthur turned to the others, trying to steady his voice. "Take care of the wounded as best you can," he commanded, then said with a firm jaw, "and gather all the dead."

t t t

Merlin, Guinevere and the knights took turns watching over the convalescing Lourdes. She had slept through two entire days, thankfully not suffering from a fever. Her situation was dire a few hours after she was injured, but because of the quick actions of the knights and the healers, they had managed to stop the bleeding and effectively treat the wound. The arrow had pierced through her left shoulderblade, though not with great force, thanks to her armour, and it only embedded itself on her back, not piercing through her. Dagonet had diagnosed that she would be better in a couple of weeks, thankful that the wound not as deep as he had previously expected.

Lourdes gave out a shaky groan. Finally regaining consciousness for the first time, the first thing that she felt was a stabbing pain on her shoulder, which then coursed throughout her entire torso. She gritted her teeth, controlling the pain as best as she could. The room was pitch black, save for the dim flickering of a candle beside her. Turning her eyes to her side, she saw Galahad resting his head on the bed beside her, breathing in and out deeply, his fingers entwined in hers. She wondered at this before she tried to sit up. Her pain-filled cry wakened the young knight, startling him.

"Lourdes!" he exclaimed, quickly orienting himself with what was happening with tired eyes. He took her forearms in his hands, pushing her down lightly. "Lie down!"

She did not have the energy to even protest, and sure enough, she fell back down onto the bed. She exhaled, feeling her parched throat.

"Water..." she croaked out slowly, "please...Galahad."

Immediately, Galahad reached for the cup on the table beside her, placing it to her mouth as he held her head up. She weakly drank, coughing a little as she did so, before resting her head back down onto the bed. She tried to steady her breathing, wishing that the numbing sensation would finally take over her.

Galahad watched her closely, the memory of the time that he had been in her position and she had been in his taking over his thoughts. She cared for him that night even after he had taken his rage and frustrations out on her, had touched him so tenderly and meekly when they moved closer to one another and had almost given in to his subtle advances. Though he remembered that that was the night that she had left, the night that she had changed his life and triggered all that was happening with him now. And yet, a part of him longed so much to relive that time gain, to have more experiences like that with her.

He did feel this way, but how did she feel for him? Did she mean what she said a few nights ago?

Whatever she felt about him, he could not deny the utter worry and concern that he felt, especially heightened during the past couple of days when Lourdes was in deep slumber. Galahad had stayed by her bedside, even throughout the night, waiting and hoping for her to finally wake. He felt as though he was responsible for her current state, even for Aiden's death, for he had let Lourdes stay upon the ramparts, to fight alongside them.

Another decision that he regretted.

Lourdes' eyes connected with Galahad's as she watched him look down upon her with his soft, green eyes. She wondered what he was thinking, how he was feeling. So much concern was evident upon his handsome face that she even longed to touch him. Though, in the end, she argued with herself against this idea. At this point, she also wondered where their relationship stood at the moment - that is, if there was still a relationship between them.

Galahad was the first to break the gaze, clearing his throat lightly.

"You must be famished." the young knight stood, placing the wooden cup back onto the table. He looked back at her. "I shall return shortly. Stay here."

At this statement, Lourdes only raised her eyebrow and gave him a tired look.

"Right." Galahad winced and said to himself, nodding once before he exited the room.

She was about to laugh at his quirk when she recollected why she was in this position in the first place. Then, all humour left her. She tried to remember what had exactly happened, but her mind drew a blank until...

Aiden, her mind utterly screamed.

Gasping for breath, she felt her heart constrict. The Shinodians. The battle. Aiden's death.

Aiden is dead, she screamed to herself, closing her eyes as silent tears streamed down her face.

So may emotions coursed through her veins all at once - pain, anger, regret, hatred and guilt. She felt as though her heart was about to burst, and a part of her wished that it did, then bringing her to Aiden's fate. All she knew throughout these months was pain, anguish and heartache, never experiencing lengthened happiness. She knew she could only take so much before she would die herself.

Hearing the creaking of the door as it opened and closed, she used her right arm to wipe away the tears from her face. Galahad returned to her side, holding a wooden plate filled with bread and fruits beside her. When she did not motion to reach out for the food, Galahad exhaled. Gingerly, he held a piece of bread to her mouth, but she turned away, refusing quietly.

Sighing, Galahad lowered his arm slightly, frowning. "Lourdes, you have not eaten for nearly three days. You need your nourishment."

"I care for nothing right now." she replied quietly, turning her face away from him. She tried to suppress the coming tears, but to no avail.

In silent understanding, the young knight nodded once. Galahad did not want to press her, especially at her current state. When she did not turn back to him, he stood, setting the place of food down on the table near her. Without a word, he began to walk towards the door. As he reached for the latch, he heard her ask quietly,

"What of Aiden?"

The knight swallowed, shifting his head towards her slightly. "His...his body is being prepared." He cleared his throat, turning back towards the door. "The funerals will be in the morrow."

When Lourdes did not respond, Galahad left the room, quietly closing the door behind him. As his footsteps sounded down the hall, Lourdes burst out in tears once more, crying herself to sleep.

t t t

And I can't stand the pain

And I can't make it go away

No I can't stand the pain

How could this happen to me

I made my mistakes

I've got no where to run

The night goes on

As I'm fading away

I'm sick of this life

I just wanna scream

How could this happen to me

So I try to hold onto a time when nothing mattered

And I can't explain what happened

And I can't erase the things that I've done

No I can't

- "Untitled" by Simple Plan

t t t

Funeral pyres were placed in long rows beside a rolling cliff overlooking a wide lake, a few hundred yards away from Arthur's castle. Gathered villagers wailed in sorrow as torches were lit, each carried by one of Arthur's knights and the men who fought in the battle. Bowing her head in sorrow, Lourdes closed her eyes, gripping Merlin's hand as they stood beside Aiden's wrapped body. As village men placed stacks of hay onto the bodies of the dead, the knights and the other men walked beside them, sadness in their eyes and faces, as they readied the torches in their hands.

"Today," Arthur began, walking towards the centre of those that gathered, "we remember the loss of all those that gave their lives for us." Answered only by distant sobs and wailings, and he continued, "Let us always keep their memories alive in our hearts."

With a nod from him, the knights and the others dropped the torches into the pits, the hay catching flame instantly. Lourdes shut her eyes once more and turned away, unable to watch Aiden's body burn, seeking comfort in Merlin's embrace. The old Woad held onto her, rubbing her back lightly, as he finally began to sob.

An eerie silence loomed over the group, with only the burning fire sounding in their quiet mourning. So overcome by grief and still feeling weak from her injury, Lourdes fell to her knees. She did not make a noise. Only the rushing tears from her eyes exhibited the utter depression and loss that she felt. Her heart was dying, and she could feel it.

No, it wasn't dying.

She felt as though she had died with Aiden.

Lancelot, Galahad and the knights glanced at her with sorrow-filled eyes, pursing their lips to keep themselves from tearing at the scene. Guinevere and Vanora walked briskly to Lourdes' side, wrapping comforting arms around her as they hushed her gently.

"We are here for ye, lass." Vanora said to her soothingly, patting her head softly. "All of us."

It was then that Lourdes removed her hood, no longer caring what others thought of her. If these Sarmatians were out for Shinodian blood and desired to kill her, then so be it. She even welcomed it.

At least they would put an end to her misery.

Some of the villagers spotted her, flashes of surprise, and even fear, resonating in their faces. They looked around at each other, not quite sure of how to react. But when they saw the utter grief and agony that she exhibited, they sympathized with her and her suffering, no longer paying attention to what she was, but to who she was.

After a few minutes, Lourdes looked up to see the village men gathering the ashes of the fallen. She watched silently as they placed the ashes in small sacs, tying the ends loosely. One man bowed to her respectfully, carefully handing her Aiden's ashes. With trembling hands, she took the sac, walking, with Merlin by her side, to the edge of the cliff. Guinevere and Vanora followed closely behind, and the knights gazed after them, heads bowed slightly.

Exhaling, Lourdes closed her eyes, memories of Aiden flashing through her mind. He had taught her so much - not only about the art of war, but about life itself. How many times had he taken the blame for something that she had done, taking the wrath of Merlin? How many times had he listened to her pour her heart out when the pains of love and the circumstances of her life were too much to bear? And how many times had he sacrificed his well-being for her? Without him, it would have been her body being burnt into ashes at this moment.

Closing her eyes momentarily, she let the tears cascade down her face as she untied the sac. "Thank you, Aiden." she whispered almost inaudibly, taking a handful of his ashes and casting it to a strong West wind. "You are home now."