Author's Notes: After a week of letting you guys recover from the intensity and angst that was the previous chapter, here's Chapter Thirty-Four! Enjoy!

Chapter XXXIV

Two hours had passed since the burial of Andres, and Iliana hadn't moved from his grave. Following the departure of the others, she sat down at the head of the grave, stretching her legs out across from her next to the mound of dirt. The sun had just about gone down behind the horizon, and the orange hue of the twilight still lingered in the bright blue sky. When she gazed at the grave of Arthur's father, she saw the commander kneeling at the foot of the grave, and Guinevere joined him.

It's obvious they're attracted to each other, she thought. In fact, they've attracted each other like a moth to a flame ever since we rescued her and Lucan from that dank dungeon. At the rate they're going, it wouldn't surprise me if they became lovers. She has a firm hand that can steer him in the right direction if he ever strays from his path, and after what I witnessed on this mission, they're made for each other.

Arthur was the only one left without a girl of his own, and now I can say he's finally found someone.

As she allowed her to look around at the many graves, Iliana wondered how many times Leoric and Andres wore the same sad expression currently plastered on her face with their fallen brothers. Placing a hand over the fresh mound of dirt, she shifted until she was leaning back against Andres's sword, staring up at the sky as she remembered what Leoric and Andres told her fourteen-year-old self.

[Sarmatia, land of the Roxolani tribe, 463 AD]

"Father, Andres, how many brothers-in-arms have you both buried during your time as knights?"

The two men looked at her with somber expressions before Leoric spoke up.

"When Andres and I were first recruited as knights, there were about sixty of us Sarmatian boys overall," he began. "Age wise, we ranged from eleven to about eighteen or nineteen at most."

"In the fifteen years we served for Rome, we buried just a little over fifty of those said brothers," Andres said. "Including your father and myself, there weren't many of us left. Five of us were remaining, and I don't think our three brothers truly lived to enjoy their freedom the way they were supposed to."

Iliana nodded, understanding what he meant.

"Most of our fallen brothers didn't make it through their adolescence, and the youngest one of us to die was thirteen," Leoric continued. "He only lasted two years after being recruited at eleven."

Iliana covered her mouth to conceal her shock. Most of these men were around her age or a little older or younger, their youth and childhood taken away from them by Rome's greed and lust for power.

"Do either of you hate being the fortunate ones to live while your fallen brothers did not?"

This question threw both men in for a loop, and after a beat, Leoric was the first to answer.

"There is a part of me that feels disgusted over living while my fallen brothers were not as lucky. However, if I hadn't lived, I wouldn't have met your mother, nor would I have had the chance to have and raise you, Ili. Every time I look at you, I'm reminded of how blessed I truly am."

"Your father may have his moments of bitterness, but I am not sorry for living through all fifteen years," Andres said. "Those of us that make it through are fortunate indeed, but we never forget what we've seen and what we've done for a cause that was never our own.

"All those deeds eventually become a part of us, and it shapes us into the people we become."

Iliana nodded again.

"I'm happy and proud to have a warrior father and a warrior tutor. I wouldn't trade this life you've given me for anything. Even though I don't believe I can become a warrior, perhaps there is a part of me that is like you, Father.

"Maybe it's just lying dormant until it's time."

Leoric sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm hoping you will never be in a combat situation, Ili, but I know the world works in ways even I can't control. I never want you feeling helpless should you ever find yourself in a dangerous situation, and that's why I've been adamant about teaching you how to fight."

"I understand, Father."

"You know I love you, right?" Leoric asked.

"Aye, and I love you too," she replied.

She didn't open her eyes out of fear of more tears threatening to fall when a lump formed in her throat. Now that she experienced it herself with Andres's death (although he was already a free man), Iliana understood the turbulence of feelings coursing through their veins. However, it wasn't one time they had to deal with this, but multiple times in fifteen years.

I hope you've arrived on the other side safely, Andres, and I hope Father is there to greet you. Forgive me for being such a burden to the both of you.

When she finally opened her eyes, she saw she was in the same white void she was in back in the forest when she fell asleep after meeting with Merlin. A shadowy outline of a figure appeared before her, and when the mist cleared, she saw Leoric standing before her.

"Father…" she said before breaking down in tears.

"We meet again, Ili. It's good to see you again," he greeted with a smile.

"I wish the circumstances were better during this meeting," Iliana choked out through her tears. "Andres will join you soon if he hasn't already. He died protecting us from the Saxons, and he had to be valiant in his last moments alive, ensuring the men's freedom and my safety."

She looked down at her feet, unable to face him out of shame for letting him down. In response, Leoric reached out to her, placing his hand under her chin and tilting it upwards so he could see her face.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Ili," he said reassuringly. "I have guided Andres to where I am at now, and I can say he fulfilled the promise he made to me long ago. The rest is up to you now, my child."

"I confess, Father. I cannot leave Britain to rot away under the Saxons' thumb," Iliana explained. "I want to fight them in Andres's honor and aid my sirens in avenging the suffering they caused them. I don't want to run from the person I'm destined to become anymore. I can't, and I can't leave Arthur to die without at least one person to support him."

"I am so sorry to have to go against what you originally wanted for me. Please forgive me."

She saw nothing but love in his eyes as they stared at each other.

"Like I told you before, I can't alter your destiny, but you can alter how your story is going to end. Your actions and what you ultimately want will decide that for you.

"I know you don't want to run anymore, and I can see that. I won't stop you from following what your heart truly wants, my darling daughter."

The tears flowed at his words, providing her a sense of relief she hadn't felt for quite some time. He knew there were some things that he could not steer her from, especially if the fates had something else in mind.

"Will I see you again?" Iliana asked.

"You will. For now, I think it's time you return. I believe someone is looking for you," Leoric replied.

Before she could say anything else, she heard the call of her name.

"Ili?"

She let out a small groan before slowly opening her eyes, greeted by Tristan's brown gaze as he stood over her.

"Were you looking for me?" she asked.

"Aye. I didn't see you come back into town, and it is getting late," he replied, gesturing to the sky.

"Sorry about that. Guess I lingered here longer than I originally expected."

He extended his hand out to her, and when she took it, he pulled her up to her feet. Placing a hand on her lower back, Tristan led her towards town. They walked across the grass of the field, through the streets of town, and past the tavern, which was full of bustle like it usually was. When she stole a glance at the tavern, there was no sign of the men or the Sirens.

"The men have already retired with their ladies," Tristan explained. "I stayed back and waited for you, but when you didn't return, I went looking for you."

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."

"You can make it up to me when we're alone together," Tristan announced.

At that, Iliana realized they were heading to his quarters due to how busy it was at the tavern. She wasn't complaining; the last thing she wanted to deal with was the chaos and cheers of the drunken patrons.

Once they got inside Tristan's room, Iliana kicked off her sandals as Tristan shut and locked the door, ensuring nobody would disturb them. The second her sandals were off, he seized her by the shoulder and pushed her back against the door. The lustful look in his eyes was clear, but before she could react or say anything, his lips were on hers in a hard, heated kiss. His tongue breached the cavern of her mouth, dancing against her own and almost rendering her breathless. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders tightly, pulling him as close to her as physically possible as she returned his kiss with just as much need. Her knees threatened to buckle beneath her as his scent and taste invaded whatever sense of reason she had left.

His hands found her hips, reaching under her knees to lift her legs up to his waist. He found the hem of her dress and pushed the fabric upward, exposing her thighs to his calloused touch. Iliana pulled away from his lips when she desperately needed to breathe, but she found herself incapable of breathing properly when his lips found her neck, smothering her throat with attention from his lips and the feel of his beard against her skin. One hand found the back of his head, tangling in his wild hair and holding him close as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

It was clear she wanted him, but losing Andres made her tense up and hesitate against him. She feared her grief would affect the moment overall, and at that thought, she tried to pry herself from him. Tristan, sensing her hesitation, pressed her firmly against the door as he included sucking her skin in between kisses.

"Tristan…"

She attempted to say his name with a hint of command behind it to get his attention, but it turned into more of a breathy moan, further fueling his kissing assault on her neck. When she let out a loud moan in response to him suckling on a particular spot they both knew would be the trigger, she almost surrendered. However, she kept a hold on her control, relishing in the attention for a little longer before gripping his tunic to keep that said control.

"Tristan."

This call had the command she originally wanted, and he paused in his kissing assault, breathing heavily against her neck.

"Ili, I love you, and I want you. Right now."

She breathed out a sigh as she breathed in his intoxicating scent, squeezing her legs tightly around his waist.

"I want you too, but is this really appropriate when I've suffered a loss? I fear I won't enjoy it and be able to please you like I usually do."

He felt her tremble in his hold, showing the said fear coursing through her veins. In response, Tristan tugged some skin on her neck between his lips, emitting a low moan from her.

"I refuse to let you mope around in such a desolate state any longer, Ili, much less allow the light that's still lingering in you to go out," he purred against her neck. "Just feel my love for you. That's why I'm doing this."

His words touched the depths of her heart, giving her a clearer understanding of his actions. He would not stand around seeing the sadness and emptiness that filled her eyes, and if making love to her meant she felt something, he had no objections to doing so.

She pulled away from his neck so she could look at him, touching his face with both hands. He rubbed circles into her hip bones, taking in the feel of her skin against his palms. Seeing the love and admiration in his eyes, Iliana reached for the fabric of her dress bunched up at her waist and pulled it over her head, tossing it aside. Tristan groaned in approval at the sight of her beautiful body, and he kissed her hard with renewed vigor. Iliana mewled into his mouth as her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him as close to her as physically possible as her tongue entwined with his.

She locked her ankles at the small of his back as he pulled her away from the door and carried her towards his bed. Laying her down, Tristan pulled away from her lips to look at her, taking in the blush adorning her cheeks, her young, supple breasts, her pert, rosy pink nipples, and the slender body he grew addicted to in such a short span of time. His hands made quick work of his tunic, and his boots and breeches followed soon after. Iliana's breath hitched at the sight of him exposed to her, his arousal expressing what he was feeling, and after hovering over her, he crawled on top of her. He relished the taste of her lips in another kiss before his hands and lips descended downwards to claim her body.

Iliana writhed beneath him, clawing the sheet beneath her as he caressed and kissed every inch of her skin. The feel of his calloused fingertips and hungry mouth ravaging her bare form was more than enough to make her come undone, each touch and kiss making her gasp and push herself into him. He drawled, taking his time to ensure he didn't miss a single part of her, allowing himself occasional glances at her euphoric expression with each sound she made. She arched her back slightly and tilted her head back, her eyes fluttering shut as they rolled back from the pleasure.

He slowly ascended upwards from her stomach, his lips and tongue teasing the valley between her breasts and then giving both swells an equal amount of attention. While his lips ravaged one and a pert nipple, his hand kneaded her other breast, teasingly twisting her other nipple between his fingers. Her hands moved to tangle in his hair, holding him against her chest as he alternated between kissing and sucking her breasts and nipples in sync with his kneading. His free hand stroked her leg, holding and squeezing her thigh to add to the pleasure.

"Tristan, please…"

Her whimper made the last thread of control within him snap, and with a growl, his hands moved up to find hers. Their fingers intertwined as he positioned his hardened bulge between her legs, ready to slam himself into her.

"Is this what you want?" he asked, slowly lowering his hips toward hers.

"Yes," she replied with a moan when the tip of him brushed her entrance.

With another kiss to her lips, Tristan slammed his hips against hers, groaning when her core engulfed the full, hardened length of him. Iliana gasped loudly, squeezing her legs tightly around him and wrapping them around his waist to bring him closer to her. He rolled his hips slightly, waiting for her reaction, and when she nodded at him, he moved hard, pinning her to the bed.

He buried his face into her neck, latching onto her throat with his lips as he moved, tugging on her skin as he sucked her neck hard in sync with his thrusts. She arched her back even more; her hardened nipples pressing into his bare, muscular chest as her moans and the sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room.

Unable to move, Iliana simply clenched her fingers tightly around Tristan's hands. Nothing else crossed her mind other than the pleasure he was giving her and how good he felt inside of her at this very moment. Their bodies quivered from the euphoria as they broke out in sweat, making them glow beneath the cover of the moon shining through the open window. Meeting him stroke for stroke, she kept going until she felt him tense up. He was nearing his release, and she was almost there herself.

Without warning, Iliana rolled them over, switching their positions so that he was lying beneath her. He groaned in approval when she rolled her hips against him, making him roll his eyes back at the pleasure. She pulled their joined hands up towards her, letting go when she brought them to her breasts. He cupped the swells in his palms, kneading them gently and teasingly twisting her nipples between his fingers. His hands then descended downwards, caressing her sides and stomach before ultimately resting at her waist. Looking down at him, Iliana rolled her hips before resting her hands on his chest, and when he squeezed her waist, Iliana nodded and moved.

He thrusted upwards in response to her movement, hitting the spot deep within her core that he knew would make her moan every time. He watched her for a moment, relishing the sight of her expression as the pleasure shot through her veins. She rode him for a few minutes before leaning towards him, locking her lips with his in a heavy, lust-filled kiss. He moaned into her mouth, sitting up for better access as his hands moved up her back, stroking her shoulders and shoulder blades.

Their tongues moved in a sensual dance that had them both under each other's spell before he pulled away from her to bury his face in her chest. Iliana tilted her head back, her fingers tangling in his hair as his lips and tongue lavished her breasts and nipples. When she felt her muscles clench around his length, she gripped his hair as she achieved her release, letting out a groan of approval as she finally let go. Tristan followed suit not long after, his release warming her core as he groaned against her chest. He then fell back on the bed, taking her with him as he relaxed on his back. She separated herself from him, curling up against his side as he pulled the sheet up to cover them.

When she looked up at him, Iliana smiled as she wrapped her leg around his. Despite her satisfaction, she still had a desire for more and could have started another round if it weren't for her fatigue. Her exhaustion from the mission, Andres's burial, and their romp overpowered her.

"Sleep, Ili. We have all the time in the world now," Tristan said reassuringly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Nodding, Iliana leaned forward, giving him a brief kiss on the lips before going to sleep, resting her cheek atop his bare chest. He wrapped an arm around her, keeping her close before sleep took a hold of him.

Nightfall came about when Iliana woke up. If she had to guess, she slept for about three hours at most, considering night had already fallen when she glanced at the sky from out the nearby window. At the feel of Tristan's fingers combing through her hair, she propped her chin up on her arm so she could look at him. He had a loving look in his brown eyes as he looked back at her, but she didn't miss how they were a shade darker than normal.

"The night has just started, Ili, and I intend to fulfill my promise of making love to you the entire night," he announced in a husky whisper.

She smiled a half-hearted smile, trying not to let the sadness of Andres's death affect the mood.

"You know, Andres made a choice to die for the sake of all of us, especially you, Ili. At the very least, he died satisfied. He protected the men that succeeded him, you, the daughter of his longtime friend and comrade, and the four girls he took under his wing, whom you've taken in and nurtured to become the Sirens you command.

"You have a lot more to give. He knew that, and so did your father."

There was no arguing his point when he hit the nail directly on the head.

"At the heavy price of a man that was like family to me, you and the men are free now, Tristan," she announced. "Now we can finally be together."

She bit the inside of her cheek to mask the bitterness of the facade behind those words. In all honesty, she intended to fulfill what she told her father in her dream. She was going to stay and battle the Saxons, and avenge both the death of Andres and her Sirens' suffering.

"Sophie was right," she said with a chuckle as she imagined the auburn-haired girl saying, "I told you so."

Tristan raised a brow at her, and after a beat of silence, Iliana spoke up.

"On the evening Arthur announced your upcoming freedom, Sophie told me the love we would make when you were finally free would be the sweetest it's ever been. She was right."

"And it will only get sweeter with time," Tristan said. "We will make love every night from here on out."

He took her hand in his, their fingers intertwining and causing her to smile. She knew, without a doubt, that he was the best thing that ever happened to her since her father's death. Their relationship helped to melt the thick layer of ice surrounding both their hearts, and if staying behind to fight the Saxons meant protecting him and his newly gained freedom, then she would have no regrets come morning.

She leaned forward to kiss him, moving her body against him that stated her intent of wanting to make love again. Growling against her lips, Tristan rolled over so that he was lying beneath her, proceeding to smother her neck with his lips as his length hardened once again. She gasped when she felt the tip of him brush her entrance, but no sooner did she place her hand on his hip to urge him forward were they interrupted by a loud pounding on the door, followed by the sound of Gawain's voice.

"Tristan, come to the Wall now."

There was no mistaking that serious tone in his comrades' voice, and after sighing heavily against Iliana's neck, pulled himself away to look at her. She had a concerned look in her eyes, and her other hand gripped his forearm to steady her trembling.

"Get dressed. We need to get going," he announced.

End Notes: Next chapter will begin the final battle and the climax of the movie! Check back!