Here we go again! So you guys need to let me know what you think of the story. Tell me how my chapters are and you can even add you ideas in. I may just use them. Thanks guys!
Last time:
Only a second later than the screams occurred, Dagonet half yelled, "The round room!" and they were all off at a dead sprint, hoping that everything was all right, but each knowing that for Arthur and Liliana to scream as they did, in sheer fear, that there was something dreadfully wrong.
When the group reached the round room, they saw both Arthur and Liliana on the ground, curled up and screaming as if they were being tortured and crying hard. Galahad and Bors were on the ground next to them, each trying to restrain the thrashing siblings. Bors seemed to be having a time trying to sedate Arthur, as did Galahad with Liliana.
Guinevere and Lancelot immediately ran to their respective partners, trying to figure out how to wake them from their apparent nightmare. Dagonet and Bors were still trying to keep Arthur from hurting himself, both of the strong men having trouble keeping his flailing appendages from hitting anyone else. Lancelot and Galahad were having the same struggle with Liliana as Gawain and Tristan could only stand by, helpless on how to help their brothers and sister.
"Liliana, love. C'mon love you have to wake up! I'm here. It's going to be alright. Wake!" Lancelot screamed at Liliana, willing her eyes to open.
Guinevere was having the same conversation with Arthur, "Arthur! Arthur you must awaken! Arthur please! Please, please, please love, you have to wake up."
Liliana began to mumble in her terrible state and Lancelot had to strain to make it out, "No...No...Don't leave me...kill me instead...no please...don't die..."
Lancelot looked down at her. This could not be such a nightmare that it was this hard to awaken her.
Guinevere had begun to lightly stroke Arthur's face and soothingly murmur to him, "Love, you're all right. Everyone's here. You are not alone. We are all right here. Wake up love."
Suddenly the king sat up abruptly and stared around him, eyes wide. Seeing Liliana he turned his face worriedly to Guinevere who shrugged fearfully at him. Lancelot looked to his best friend and saw him awake which caused a small weight to lift off of his chest. If Arthur was fine Liliana could be too.
Tears had begun to stream down Liliana's face harder as the knights all looked on in confusion. Lancelot, making up his mind, bent down to Liliana's ear and began murmuring softly to her all the while placing feather light kisses along her neck. "Love, it's only a dream. We're all here and we need you back. I love you. You need to wake up."
Liliana's eyes remained closed but her body began to slacken. Her hands were bleeding profusely from having them so tight that her nails dig deeply into her skin. Lancelot ran his hands over the wounds and motioned for Tristan to fetch some water.
Suddenly, Liliana abruptly sat straight up, nearly knocking heads with Lancelot who, with his trained reflexes, was able to just dodge the blow. Eyes wide with fear, she looked around at each person in the room as if seeing a ghost.
She instantly threw her arms around Lancelot's neck, all the while breathing heavily and muttering, "They're alive...they're alive..."
Arthur, meanwhile, had taken in everyone's appearance with almost confusion and relief. Guinevere had helped him to his feet and had her husband in a tight embrace, one which he greatly returned.
Liliana had calmed down enough that her breathing was semi-regular. Lancelot was still worried about her as she still kept looking around as if everything were going to disappear.
"Let's go for a walk shall we, love?" Lancelot probed Liliana. She stood in a daze and nodded as they began to make their way out of the now crowded round room. The rest of the knights stayed behind, knowing that if anyone was to find out what happened it would be Lancelot. Arthur and Guinevere seemed to have similar plans for they, too, exited the room.
Outside, Lancelot and Liliana were walking slowly around the outskirts of the forest. They sat down, leaning against the wall in silence. Liliana vacantly stared straight ahead, while Lancelot intently stared at her.
"Tell me about it," he spoke softly. She finally turned her gaze to him and sighed. She would have to tell him sometime.
"It was so real," she began. "We were in some sort of battle, though I know it was not one we had fought before. And then there was no one there. It was only me and I looked around and I saw each of you, Arthur, you, Guinevere, Galahad, Gawain, everyone. You all fell. You all died in front of me and I could do nothing to stop it. And then you said something to me," she could barely keep from beginning to cry again at this point. "You said that I killed you. That if I had never walked into your life you would be back home in Sarmatia and would be rid of this horrid place. And then you disappeared."
Lancelot knew what it felt like to have the one he loved disappear, and he wished that feeling on no one. All he could do was hold her tight and whisper, "I'm alive and I'm not going anywhere. Not when I have you here. As for Sarmatia, it is no longer my home. You are my home now."
Liliana just sniffed and nodded at him. Seeing that some of the fear had left her eyes, Lancelot leaned down to capture her mouth with his. Then, he began placing feather light kisses along her jaw line and finally, placed one final lingering kiss on her lips before pulling her into his lap, and holding her close to him, letting her hear and feel his steady heartbeat.
"I know she is coming," Liliana whispered. "I don't know if I could take what she has in store for me though."
Lancelot look down confused at the woman in his arms, "Who is coming?"
"Someone from my past. Someone I thought would leave me be. Someone I would rather forget about."
Seeing that she was not going to further elaborate, Lancelot just placed a kiss on her forehead, "You are capable of handling anything. You are one of the strongest people I know and you have my respect for that."
Liliana gave a half hearted nod, and Lancelot had a small smile come over his face. "Do you remember the day we meet?"
"Gods above, how could I forget? Vanora's mother nearly had my head."
FLASHBACK
Liliana stood in her room over looking the fields as Vanora's mother tried to pin her down long enough to get her into a dress. At ten years old it was hard for her to stand so still while putting on the one thing that she despised most. A dress, a Roman dress no less.
Her brother would finally be coming home after being away a long time, collecting his knights. She remembered how her brother was strongly against having the knights taken at such a young age away from their home, and argued in their behalf to the Roman generals. A great feat for someone who was just months shy of his sixteenth year. He had decided that he would accompany Rome in collecting the young boys, seeing as he was to be their commander; he decided that he needed to show his future knights that they were in this together.
Fidgeting at being restrained into the confining Roman dress, Liliana squirmed her way out of Vanora's mother's grasp upon hearing her name being called from the ground below. Looking out, she could see the head serving-man's son, Jols.
"Not today, Jols! I already told you!" she shouted down to the court yard.
The mischievous twelve year old simply stared up at her almost amazed, "You look...you look like a girl!" he accused.
Liliana glared down at him, "That's what I am, half-wit!"
"Yeah, but today you look it," came his almost confused reply.
She just stared down at him with full confidence, "Boy or girl, I can still whip you!"
Meanwhile, Arthur and his knights had arrived at the gate at Hadrian's Wall. Arthur looked distastefully at the Roman guards who seemed to be almost glaring at him. They knew that he was in the position of power. Arthur gave the commands.
He nodded to Gaius, the head man-servant, and smiled as he dismounted his mount to face his new knights who were staring up at the wall in amazement and fear.
"I see you have brought us the next generation of Sarmation Knights," Gaius commented with a smile. Arthur had always liked the old man. He had a kind word to say to everyone.
Arthur smiled back at him, "I have brought you an entire military, Gaius." But upon looking around he was confused to see that a certain person was not waiting for him like she had avowed to. "However, I do seem to be missing a sister."
Suddenly all the knights and those present's heads turned to hear and see a small girl in a Roman dress come barreling around the corner, mud splattered all over herself.
"Arthur!"
Arthur laughed as his little sister ran straight into his awaiting arms and swung her around, "Oh ho ho! Oh, look at you, just as I left, covered in filth. I'll stake your friend Jols is about here somewhere..."
Liliana gave a triumphant grin, "No, sir! I slaughtered him!"
All the young knights looked confused at his exchange, but their commander and his companion simply looked around the same corner the young girl had come from and immediately understood. Mud fight. However, they were surprised to see that a boy of around twelve, and a whole foot taller than the little girl, had come gloomily around the corner.
Arthur and Caius both looked at the mud covered Jols and began to laugh at his expense. Every inch of him was covered in mud and grim.
"Well, so you did," began Caius, amusement evident on his face. "Son, you are supposed to be watching out for this little one. Not getting her into trouble!"
Jols gave his father an incredulous look before accusingly pointing his finger in Liliana's direction, "Little one my arse! She's a demon!"
Glaring at Jols from her perch in Arthur's arms, Liliana gave a fake that she would jump out at him. Eyes growing wide, Jols took off at a run down toward the stables.
Arthur laughed at his sisters antics before turning around and motioning her attention to the group of young riders before them. They all had looks of amazement on their faces directed at the young girl.
"I had hoped to present a lady," Arthur said setting her back down on the ground, "but I suppose you will have to do."
Liliana simply gave him a large grin and turned to face the future knights. "Knights, my sister Liliana."
Once again Liliana gave her largest smile and nodded at them. Half of her smile was for pride as for most of the knights wore looks of amusement on their faces. Her smile grew larger at seeing a curly haired rider giving her a kind smile.
The knights began to dismount as Liliana climbed up onto her brother's horse without any help, even though the beast towered over her. A burlier knight looked toward the energy filled girl and asked, "Is she always like this?"
Arthur stared up at his sister with a smile at her vivaciousness, "Regrettably, yes. Now come, you shall want to eat and drink after our long journey."
As the group started walking toward the stable, Liliana commanded Arthur to let her ride his horse to the stable when suddenly a fiery haired girl came running down toward them. She looked to be about three years older than Liliana.
She stared at the knights in front of her and raised an eyebrow at the burly knight whose jaw had dropped open. Seeing Liliana astride the horse she yelled, "Liliana if you don't get back 'ere this instant mother says she'll find you and lock you in yer room for a fortnight!"
Liliana gave a slight gasp and her eyes widened at the prospect, and not waiting for Arthur to help her down from the large steed, Liliana jumped off and began to run in the direction that Vanora came in.
"Until later, brother!" she yelled over her shoulder as she sprinted down the street.
Vanora rolled her eyes and mumbled to Arthur, "Ever since you left that is the only threat that's worked fer 'er."
Arthur just shrugged his shoulders as Vanora turned and ran after her friend.
Arthur once again began leading his horse toward the barn when Lancelot, a young knight that Arthur had liked from the beginning came up beside him and walked with him.
"She seems lively," he stated with a smile.
Arthur simply nodded and smiled back at Lancelot, "That indeed she is."
"I do not know whether to pity the man she ends up with or be jealous of him."
Arthur chuckled and nodded again. "Either way she will keep him on his toes," he agreed and Lancelot nodded his head.
END FLASHBACK
Liliana remembered speaking to her brother after the knights arrived and found out what the curly haired knight had said about her. At the time she was strongly not in favor of getting married, stating that she didn't need a man to take care of her.
"So do you pity yourself for ending up with me?"
Lancelot looked down at her and shook his head, "Never. But I must say you do keep me on my toes."
Liliana gave him another smile and rested her head in Lancelot's shoulder. Sighing, she looked up at Lancelot who already had an curious look upon his face, "Would you mind horribly if I could be left alone for a bit?"
Lancelot looked at her with a reproving look now taking over his handsome features. "I do mind actually," he began and at seeing Liliana's exasperated look corrected himself, "but I will. Be careful love."
Liliana watched his retreating form and sighed as she was left alone with her thoughts. A light layer of snow had left the world covered in a light powdery substance. She had become slightly chilled and damp and wrapped her cloak around herself tighter and breathed in the frigid air.
Unexpectedly, three children came running toward where she was sitting, each child throwing snow at each other in an impromptu war. Smiling, she recognized these three from Bors and Vanora's group of bastards. From where she could see, it was number Seven and One who were against Gilly.
Still smiling, Liliana made a small ball of packed snow and began sneaking up on Seven and One's "fort". Looking above where they had crouched under a tree, Liliana noticed that quite a bit of snow had acclimated on the branch above them. Taking aim, Liliana threw the ball as hard as she could and grimed impishly when it hit her target, and a large mass of snow came falling down upon the two unsuspecting siblings.
Grinning wickedly at their confused faces, Liliana snuck back around the grove of trees to stand beside an equally confused Gilly. Smiling up at her, they both watched with satisfaction as Seven and One continued to look around for the culprit. They turned around when they heard the sound of muffled giggles coming from where they had last seen Gilly.
To their surprise they were meet with not only Gilly, but Liliana as well. Mock glaring at her, Seven shouted, "Liliana was that you?"
Not able to contain herself any longer, Liliana let out the giggles that were trying to escape from her. Nodding at the accusation, she wiped away a tear that had escaped in her fun.
"I'm sorry," she tired saying before more bouts of giggles took over her. "You were just ganging up on the poor boy."
"Gilly that's no fair! You have a knight and it's Liliana!" shouted an angry Seven.
"Fine then!" shouted One enraged that Liliana wasn't taking his side, "You are now the enemy!"
And with that said, Liliana and Gilly were suddenly dodging incoming snow that was coming from Seven and One's fort.
"Run!" shouted Gilly as two more of his siblings, from the looks of it Four and Five had joined in the fray against him.
Laughing harder, Liliana and Gilly began their fastest while trying to dodge even more snow than before.
"Gilly, what in the name of all that good did you do to your siblings?" Liliana shouted.
As they were running, he gave her an impish grin, "It was nufin' real bad. I just beat them all fightin' and now they are all after me!"
With laughter as her only answer, they still ran as hard as they could until they came to a grove of trees that had them trapped in their place from the onslaught of children running after them.
Trying to be overly gallant, Liliana hoisted Gilly up into a tree, "I must keep you safe milord. It is my duty as a knight!"
Playing along, Gilly straightened his shoulders and pointed at his oncoming siblings, "Oh brave knight, slaughter those who wish to see me perish!"
"I shall defend you with my life, oh great King!"
Upon turning back around, she could tell that she was a goner. All four children had snow in their hands and impious looks on their faces.
Suddenly, they all charged at once at her, taking her down to the ground where they all proceeded to tickle and wrestle with her and shove snow in each other's faces.
And then Liliana noticed Gilly in the fray with his siblings, "Gilly I thought you were on my side!"
He just gave her a grin, "Well, I changed my mind."
Laughing some more they continued with their snow war until Liliana could tell that everyone was getting cold. Suggesting that they head back to the tavern so they could warm themselves up, Liliana and the rest of the snow warriors made a cold trudge back to the fort.
Liliana didn't realize how could she was until they had reached the tavern and she was having trouble keeping on her own two feet because she was shaking so hard.
Turning the corner, they all came in the view of the tavern where all the knights plus Arthur, Guinevere, and Vanora were gathered. They were all too into the conversation to see the group walking toward them.
However, Lancelot seemed to sense Liliana's presence and glanced behind him just in time for him to see one of Bors' children slip on a patch of ice and take not only himself, but his three other siblings and Liliana down with him.
He jumped up to see if Liliana was alright and his sudden movement caused everyone else to glance in the direction that drew his attention. All their curious stares turned to ones of laughter as they noticed the predicament of the children and their fellow knight.
Liliana and the children were laughing at the clumsiness of number Seven, and trying to help each other up but most of the time falling over again out of laughter. Liliana tried to push herself up, but it only resulted in her muscles giving out and her falling to the ground again.
Gritting her teeth, she attempted to get her shaking limbs under control however she noticed exhaustion in her muscles that had her using more of an effort that was usually necessary. Seeing her unable to get up, Lancelot stood and with purposeful strides, reached her side in an instant.
"Love, are you all right?" he whispered to her. By this time, all present in the tavern had stood to their feet in concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she stated between her chattering teeth, sounding like she was trying to convince herself more than anyone. She tried once again putting her arms under herself and it was then that Lancelot noticed that she was shaking. Brushing her hair out of her face, he could now see her lightly tinged blue lips and red nose.
Slightly angry at her for not taking better care of herself and slightly angry at himself for leaving her alone, Lancelot spat out, "No you're not," and swept her up into his arms.
Walking quickly, he brushed past everyone at a near run and yelling over his shoulder to Vanora to bring warm water and furs to his chambers immediately.
Striding into his chambers, Lancelot gingerly set her down and began to strip off her wet cloak and dress. Wrapping what furs he had in his room, he silently began to rub her arms and legs underneath the fur, hoping the friction would cause her limbs to warm up.
Liliana noticed his tight jawed expression and that his eyes had turned a few shades darker in anger. Anger directed toward her.
"Lancelot?" she questioned tentatively, barely able to get the words out through her shaking teeth. "Lancelot would you please look at me? I didn't mean to get so cold, it was an accident."
His ignored her and his jaw seemed to tighten even more. Liliana shrugged out of his touch, and Lancelot was about to yell at her when suddenly there was a commotion behind him and he turned to see Vanora, Guinevere, Arthur, and Tristan walk into the room carrying various furs, pitchers, and clothes.
Guinevere directed everyone as to where they should place their items before shooing them all out of the room.
"I'm not leaving," Lancelot protested roughly, his voice showing determinedness and still holding on angry tone.
Guinevere raised an eyebrow at him, "Oh I do believe you are."
He looked toward where Vanora was now wrapping more blankets around Liliana who, when he caught her gaze, simply turned from him.
He was about to protest when Arthur placed a hand on his friend's back. Lancelot turned to object to Arthur when he noticed the expression on his face. They were all worried about her but she needed to be taken care of.
Shrugging off his friends hand, he turned to storm out of the room where crashing sounds could be heard from farther down the hall. Guinevere sent her husband a sympathetic glance before she motioned her head in the direction Lancelot and gone to. Nodding, Arthur cast his sister a worried look before taking after his friend.
"He'll calm down," Tristan told her before talking off in the direction Arthur went to, all the knights would be needed if they were going to calm down their irate friend.
Shutting the door, Guinevere turned around to Vanora and Liliana who was getting fed broth by her friend. Liliana looked up with sad eyes to Guinevere and asked, "He is extremely mad at me isn't he?"
Guinevere gave her friend a sad smile, "More than likely he is mad at himself, he will calm down soon."
"You know ole Lance, he'll calm down soon," Vanora assured her.
Liliana gave both women a small, sad thankful smile," Vanora, how are your children, they aren't as bad as I am, are they?"
She shook her head with a laugh, "Nah, they are fine. Bors is takin' care o' em now. A quick change of clothes and some warm broth and they will be back to normal, or as close as they can get to it."
Liliana gave a weak smile as she let herself be tended to, too tired to protest.
Later that night, Liliana was still resting in Lancelot's chambers, unable to sleep for fear of nightmares. Dagonet had come in earlier and told her that her current state was mostly because of exhaustion and her body couldn't take the cold. When she had asked about Lancelot, he simply gave her a small smile and said, "He is calmer now, little flower. He was simply worried about you."
Staring up at the ceiling of the room, she heard someone quietly open the door and slip into the chamber. Her eyes were accustomed to the dark and could see Lancelot taking of his boots and readying himself for bed.
He turned and was startled to see Liliana slightly sitting up in bed and staring back at him.
"You should sleep," he whispered to her.
Tearing her gaze from his perfect face, she looked down and gave a half smile, "I am scared to sleep and I wanted to talk to you."
Sighing, Lancelot walked over to the bed and helped Liliana scoot herself over so that he could lay next to her. They sat their in silence for a while before Liliana broke it by whispering quietly, "I'm sorry."
He sighed and shook his head, "If anyone should be sorry it would be me. I am sorry I acted so angry earlier, but you have to understand something. Seeing you weak, seeing you struggle, it hurts me to see that because I know that you are strong, and seeing you reduced to that, you cannot imagine what it felt like to me. I can't lose you."
"I love you," she whispered.
Turning his head to gaze at her, Lancelot gave her a heart melting smile before putting his arms around her and bringing her to rest on his chest, "I love you more than you will ever know."
Smiling to herself she whispered back, "I think I have a pretty good idea."
Leaning down to kiss her hair, he began to stroke her back, "Sleep now. You need your strength."
She shook her head fervently, "I don't want to. I can't. I don't want to have the dreams."
"No matter what Liliana, I will always be with you. You need not fear of the dreams. I couldn't leave you, even death itself could not stop me."
Turning her head upwards, she gave him a gentle kiss before they settled down farther into bed, arms wrapped around each other as she used his chest for a pillow. She could hear his strong heartbeat and that was enough to convince her that he was there with her. Sighing, she let herself relax as she let her exhaustion catch up with her. She was safe in Lancelot's arms, nothing could harm her there.
All right guys! There is the next chapter! I really hope you guys like it. The flashback has a bit of Ever After script and I thought it would play well into the story.
I need reviews you guys! Reviews are a great motivation for me and are greatly appreciated.
All right guys, I have a question for you. In my story line it can either have this little twist or it can be fine without it…so I was wondering if you guys wanted me to just throw it in there…and the twist is…drum roll
Should I throw in another character that would threaten Liliana and Lancelot's relationship? More or less like throwing a wrench into the works. So let me know! I won't update again unless I get 7 more reviews. I know you can do it!