Hello, here you have chapter 33! Enjoy! :)
Thank you RebornRose1992 for your review:) I am happy that you liked the recent chapter and to answer your question, you just have to wait and see ;)
Love birello
33
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They were gathered in the great hall this cold evening. There were more chairs then people and the recent loss of Dagonet was painful for Arthur and the knights as they glimpsed at his empty chair.
It was a meeting with the knights, Merlin, Guinevere and some other woads with a high position, and then of course Arthur. It had been arranged so they could discuss the future and the alliance, if you could call it that, between the knights and the woads. Of course this was a subject which created passionate reactions from both sides. The sight of the empty chairs made the knights angry and at the very table there were sitting woads, who had been responsible for most deaths of the fallen knights. The woads returned the knights hostile accusations with there own recollection of loved ones who had died in the war and in the middle of this were Arthur, who tried to restablish some order in this heated discussion.
"The knights did not chose to be here. If they had not followed orders they would have been killed themselves." Arthur said with a loud voice defending his friends. "I, however, killed because I thought it was right. To defend my country." He added quietly, quilt shown in his eyes.
"Don't take the responsibility for this war." Lancelot said in response. "You would probably have been executed as well if you had ignored your orders." Guinevere put a comforting hand on Arthur's shoulder, seemingly agreeing with Lancelot's words.
She nodded shortly at Arthur and then she stood up, earning the focus of the rest.
"This will get us nowhere." She said, they had been in this room since sunset and it was winter in Britain, which meant they had been in this room for a long time. "We have all killed in this war. We are all equally responsible for the loss both sides have shared and we should not forget that it was Rome who started this, not the woads nor the knights. " She added." So therefore let's not waste precious time blaming each other." Guinevere continued. "What is in the past must stay there, so we can build a new future, with Arthur as our leader, or Britain will parish."
"We are not from Britain." Galahad said with some resentment in his voice. "But still the future of it is in our hands?" He gave Guinevere a skeptical look.
"You should take your responsibility!" One of the woads exclaimed and rose from his seat. "You have killed families, people of Britain, so it is very much in your hands!" His angry accusation made the rest of the knights rise from their seats as well.
"We have never killed women or children!" Bors screamed in response. "Only men and some occasional women in battle." He added.
"But those women chose to fight." Gawain broke in.
"You are killers!" One of the woads spat out., earning a harsh glance from Guinevere. "Be quiet." She said with a loud voice. "Or I will make sure you won't speak again." She continued earning a small smile from Lancelot.
"Merlin," the woad continued. "These men were not born here, yet we are to follow their command?" He asked with a doubtful voice.
"If you want me as you leader." Arthur answered instead. "Then you must accept the knights:" He finished forcefully and Merlin nodded at this.
"They fought for us against the Saxons, without them we would not have this discussion." Merlin answered his subject, who seemed to accept this.
"But." Merlin continued. "If none of you think Britain's future is important, then why did you fight with us against the Saxons?" The knights shifted in their chairs, except for Tristan who only seem to give Merlin a tired look.
"Only because we could not let innocent people be slaughtered, doesn't mean that all of Britain's future depends on us." Tristan answered without looking at anyone.
"And we fought for Arthur."Bors added and earned a somewhat stern look from Guinevere.
"And who do you think need your help now and in the future." She said making Bors face red of repressed anger as Gawain tried to calm him down.
"I have fought with Arthur for almost 15 years." Bors said in defense.
"And I am grateful for that." Arthur broke in and eased the situation.
Everyone fell silent, contemplating on what had just been said, and then Lancelot's voice echoed through the hall.
"I have something else I would like to say." Lancelot said and looked at the woads. "Lets not forget something." He began and put down the cup of wine in his hands. "That you had something of mine in your safe keeping." His words made everyone quiet and while he directed his gaze at Merlin, everybody could see the wrath in his dark eyes. Guinevere looked alarmed back and forth from Lancelot and Arthur, wondering if Arthur could save the situation once more, but nothing came.
"I understand that you must be frustrated about that." Guinevere voiced in attempt to calm the situation herself.
"Understand?" His voice grew darker. "You had Aurora hostage! We all thought she was dead!"
"We will not forget that nor forgive." Arthur started but were interrupted by Merlin.
"You should be glad we kept her alive."
"Glad?" Lancelot hissed at him. "Glad, that she was your prisoner for a year?"
"If it weren't for Merlin she would have been killed." Guinevere said defending her leader and uncle. "And she was not a prisoner, we treated her good!" She argued. .
Lancelot snorted at her and stood up. "So I have heard" He said and raised his arms in defeat. "Excuse me, this dicussion is not for me."
"Lancelot." Arthur said after the dark knight as he left the room.
"Maybe we should do this another night?" Bors said and attempted to leave the room as well.
Arthur only nodded and sighed as the rest of the knights followed in Bors' example. "Come one Gawian." Galahad said and tapped the other knight on his shoulder as he left the room.
"Lancelot!" Bors high voice was heard yelling from the corridor before the door was closed by Tristan.
The woads left after saying their good bye and then Guinevere and Arthur were the last in the room.
"Lancelot will come around." Guinevere said and tried to sooth her betrothed.
Arthur sighed and hid his face in his hands. "We will see." He murmured silently.
With a hesitant voice Guinevere continued. "Maybe we could ask Aurora to speak with him?"
Arthur gave the woman a skeptic look. "I have had that thought as well, but I don't know." He continued shaking his head. "I don't know how things are between them at the moment."
"No, but this whole argument was about her. I think she would be able to calm him down."
Arthur nodded his head. "Well, if anyone can it would be her, this was after all about her. Maybe if she can tell him how you treated her." He concluded. "I will speak with her tomorrow." Arthur sighed.
Guinevere nodded pleased and then put a comforting hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Now how can I remove that worry in your eyes?"
Aurora was on the market trying to humor herself this winter day. She stopped when she saw a small group listening to a man sing improper songs and she stayed for a while listening to him before she continued.
When she walked by the black smith she spotted Bors and Gawian who were sharpening their weapons. They waved at her and she headed towards them.
"Out and about this cold day?" Gawain said smiling while he studied his new sword.
"Yes, I needed some fresh air."
"This one needs to be sharper." Gawain said to the black smith who took back the sword and began again.
"How are things?" Bors said making his presence known in this conversation and Aurora smiled as she responded.
"Well, it is cold but I manage." She answered. "And you?"
Bors shot Gawain an odd look. "This and that." He said. "We are all adjusting to the new situation"
"Working with the woads." Gawain broke in, making Aurora nod in realization.
"That must be hard for you." She uttered thinking of the knights who had fallen.
"Last night we had a meeting but it didn't end that well." Gawian continued and Aurora eyed him. "Actually Lancelot left the meting quite upset." He finished with some caution in his eyes.
"Really?" Aurora murmured, her thoughts beginning to spin in her head.
Bors nodded. "It involved you."
Aurora clenched her jaw and nodded sternly. "I see." Was her only reply.
She felt Gawian and Bors look at her awaiting more questions.
"Involving my stay with woads I imagine?" They nodded as a response and Aurora sighed.
"Do you know where he is now?" She asked with concern in her voice.
"I think he is in the stables." Gawain said with an uncertain look, eyeing Bors if he knew something else, but he only shrugged his shoulders.
"I will go and see. And, thank you." Aurora said and smiled at them gratefully. "For telling me."
They nodded in return and then turned their concentration back to the black smith.
She opened the door to the stables and peeked inside the dark room. He was taking care of his horse, a sight which made her smile tenderly and she walked towards him silently.
"Imagine finding you in here?" She said with some irony in her voice and Lancelot turned at her surprised.
"Likewise." He said with grin when he had composed himself. He gave the horse a final stroke and then joined her, eyeing her for a moment.
"What brings you to me this day?" Lancelot said and picked up a saddle from the floor. "Did you hear about the meeting last night?"
Her gaze remained on him as he hanged the saddle where it belonged.
"Yes." She answered and watched him as he stopped a distance away from her.
"You want to tell me?" She asked silently and waited for him to say something.
"About the meeting, no. However," He said with a hesitant voice. "I have something I would like to ask you."
Aurora nodded in acceptance awaiting his question.
Lancelot cleared his throat and looked down. "How can you be so calm?" His voice was quiet, almost a whisper, but she could hear the anger hiding beneath his aloof surface. "Have you no resentment towards them? At all?" He added and looked up to met her gaze.
Now it was Aurora's turn to clear her throat and she took a large breath to calm her nerves.
"I don't have the strength to be mad anymore." She answered knowing perfectly well how Lancelot was referring to.
"Well, I do!" Lancelot exclaimed, his anger visible in his face. "Aurora, they had you captive for a year, they killed your father! Yet, you are friends with them?"
The accusation in his voice did not go unnoticed and she responded with the same fire.
"Is that the problem? That I befriended them when I lived them?" She asked with some disbelief in her eyes.
"I just want to understand!" He said throwing the cloth in his hands on the floor. Aurora looked down not knowing what she would say.
"I need to know how you think!" Lancelot continued and then awaited for her to respond.
After a moment she sighed with some resignation and said with a soft voice. "Then we will start from the beginning." Aurora began to pace a little, it helped her to concentrate and think about what she would say.
"The reason." She began and stopped. "Why I don't speak of my father or is angry is because he was a soldier fighting a war. He could have been killed in any battle." She felt Lancelot's dark eyes follow her as she pulled a strand of hair from her face.
"You know that I was angry at the woads. I was angry because you fought against them, because even though I hardly liked my father he was blood and they killed him. But Arthur has lost his mother, Guinevere has lost her father, I have lost mine. So who has the right to be angriest?" Aurora finished with a tiresome voice.
Lancelot watched her, they way only he could. His head slightly bent downwards, his gaze going from her and floor as he listened to her words.
"And regarding my stay with the woads." Aurora continued and walked slowly towards him, coming to a halt in front of him. "They all wanted to kill me but Merlin spared me. You know the reason why, but if it weren't him I would be dead." Sighing she turned her gaze on the floor briefly before she went on. "The truth is that them sparing my life speak more in their favor then their disadvantage."
At he words Lancelot gave her a thoughtful look and she reached out for his hand and took it in hers.
"Also, somewhere deep in my mind." She said and looked at him with affection. It was the first time she had openly showed her feelings for him since their "talk".
"I wonder what had happened if I had never befriended Darin. Would he have known who you were on the battlefield? Would he have shot that Saxons in time to save you or, forgive me for saying this, would he even have bothered trying save your life?" Her voice choked over the words but she took a large breath to compose herself.
"So you see, as much as I felt resentment to Merlin when he didn't allow me to return I can't help thinking that if they had never taken me hostage, then maybe you would not be alive this day." She confessed and stared into his eyes. "And then I would have been one of those women who had never seen her loved one return. And that Lancelot, that look, I have seen in the eyes of all women, on both sides of this war." Her voice was serious as she spoke her thoughts and her words seemed to have an impact on Lancelot.
He nodded slowly when she had finished. "When you say it like that." He whispered and Aurora smiled at his defeated response. "Then I can see some sense in your words."
"But." He said and grasped her hands tighter. "Promise me they treated you good." It was not as much a question but a demand, one she thankfully could answer easily.
"They did." She responded with an honest smile. "Not everyone liked my presence there, but Guinevere and Darin were good to me, we became friends."
"Good." Lancelot murmured and clenched his jaw. "It is good to know that."
"Well, maybe you can sit through the whole meeting next time." Aurora said trying to lighten the mood and released his hands.
"Perhaps." He uttered and studied her under his gaze.
"I hope you can some to terms what has happened, at least what happened to me." She avoided his gaze and concentrated on her hands as she fiddled with them. "It helped. Thank you." He confessed silently. "Good." Aurora looked up at him and gave him a short smile. When he didn't say anything more Aurora motioned to leave. "I should return." However, Lancelot words stopped her a few meters from the stable door.
"Would you care to join me for a ride?" Lancelot said out of the blue, making Aurora turn around with a surprised lock on her face.
"Now?"
Lancelot smiled, his thoughtful exterior exchanged for a teasing glint in his eye. "Now." He said and went to fetch a saddle. Aurora looked at him astonished.
"I thought you had already been out." Aurora eyed him as he put a saddle on his horse.
"Not with you:" She raised her eyebrows at his remark. "No." Was her only reply.
He came towards her with his horse, his face suddenly serious. "I think it is time for me to know more of what you have done the last year." He nodded and gazed at the floor. "I want to hear it." He continued. "If you want to tell me?" Lancelot asked with a small grin as he sat up on his horse.
All Aurora could do was smile at his question and nod. "I would like that."
"Come on then." He said and held out a hand to her, making Aurora laugh.
"Don't I get my own horse?"
"Most horses are gone, Roman property." Lancelot said in explanation.
"Really?" Aurora looked around in the stable seeing quite a few horses to spare.
"My mistake, I meant all the saddles were gone." His mischievous grin made her laugh and she took his hand and he gently helped her up behind him.
"Liar." She whispered in his ear before the horse galloped away.
Lancelot were taking a stroll on the wall as he saw the brown haired woman on the graveyard outside the fort.
"Aurora?" He whispered to himself and felt his curiosity stir in his body. He thought of their last encounter and a small smile played on his lips and with that he decided to go to her.
When he got closer he still had her back towards him and when he was just a few meters behind he called out to her.
"What are you doing here?" He said with concern in his voice, but when the woman turned it was not Aurora, it was Guinevere.
Lancelot stopped in front of her. "Oh, I thought you were.."
"Aurora?" Guinevere finished with a small smile while taking a hold of her dress as she turned to face him.
"Yes." Lancelot answered truthfully.
"Sorry to disappoint you." Guinevere said studying him.
"Is there something which saddens you?" Lancelot asked and walked to her side as he saw tears in her eye.
"Just...memories." Guinevere said, looking away from him to avoid any more questions.
"Walk back with me?" She asked instead and smiled gently at him. "Or do you still want to leave me behind?" Guinevere continued, referring to their conversation after Arthur had saved her.
Lancelot raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I stayed and fought for you." He responded walking beside her, through the graveyard.
"For me?" She asked with some teasing in voice.
"For Arthur and the people." Lancelot answered back with a smile.
"It was very noble of you."
Lancelot snorted. "Perhaps." Guinevere shot him a questioning look.
"You still believe that you are not a hero?" She said and stopped. "Even after saving my life?"
Lancelot stopped as well and sighed at her remark. "I am no hero."
Guinevere eyed him for a moment. "Both Arthur and I would disagree." She started to walk again and Lancelot shot her a suspicious look.
"You think I am a hero? Have you forgotten that I fought against you for 15 years?"
Guinevere shook her head. "No, but when both Aurora and Arthur tells me you had no choice, then I must conclude that nothing of this was your fault. And." She added and gave Lancelot a long look. "You helped us in the end and saved my life."
"Well, you can decide for yourself." Came Lancelot's reply.
"I can." She answered. "So, have you forgiven us yet from holding Aurora captive?" Guinevere said emphasizing the word captive with some irony.
"Forgiven is to take it to far, But Aurora have made see some things from a different light." Lancelot said sternly.
"Good." Guinevere whispered more to herself.
"She told me about her stay with you." Lancelot continued. "Apparently you tried to learn Aurora how to fight." His eyes shined with amusement and Guinevere smiled in return.
"Yes, I tried." She added with a raised eyebrow.
"I will train with her sometime." Lancelot said and nodded at his own thought. "To see what you learned her."
"A good idea." Guinevere answered and then they fell silent.
As they walked in silence Lancelot eyed Guinevere from time to time, not knowing what he was to make of her.
"Do I intrigue you knight?" Guinevere asked when they were almost back at the gates.
"These looks you give me." She continued. "What am I to believe?" Her amusement had left her eyes and her voice became serious.
"There is nothing to believe." Lancelot answered with an indifferent voice.
"You want to know what I think?"
"What is that?" Lancelot said with a grin.
"I think we are very much alike, as I have said before, but that was before I knew the truth."
"The truth?" Lancelot asked bewildered.
"That you were married to Aurora."
"Did this change you opinion of our similarity?" Lancelot asked confused by her answer.
"On the contrary, it only made me believe we are more alike then ever." Guinevere answered cryptic. "You see we are both wild savages, as the romans would say, in love with two people who both are from a culture we can't understand. Two savages in love with romans." She concluded.
Lancelot smirked with some annoyance at her remark. "So you are in love with Arthur now?"
His question made Guinevere upset and her smile faded of her lips. "Did you have any doubts?"
Lancelot swallowed and leaned closer to her. "Not at all." He said with some sarcasm and walked away from her slowly.
"I want to tell you Lancelot that I have a very high regard of Arthur." She defended herself with as she ran up beside him.
"Good." Was his only reply.
Guinevere snorted at him and fell silent for while. "So will you start family with Aurora now, have sons or are you still not deserving of them?"
Lancelot flinched at her question and stopped once more.
"I don't know our future." Lancelot said with sincerity.
Guinevere nodded. "Well, I hope for the best for you two." She said and earned a skeptical look from Lancelot.
"Do you?" At this he turned his back on her and left her to stare annoyed at his back.
So this was chapter 33 guys, hope you liked it and thought it was interesting! ;)
Chapter 34 is almost completed, so hopefully I will update next weekend already and after that chapter, it will be one or two more before this story ends!...
Also, it has also been midsummerseve here in Sweden, a big tradition for us so therefore from me to you all;
GLAD MIDSOMMAR! :)
birello