Hello, here is chapter 34!
Sorry for my late update, hope you all can forgive me and that this new chapter makes up for it. :)
I also want to thank RebornRose1992 for your review, I hope you like this chapter! :) And I would also like to thank hiddenhorcrux for your kind words, I am honored that you like my story so much. :)
Enjoy!
Chapter 34
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The door to her room slammed behind her as she hurried to the great hall. This evening she had been invited, by Arthur, to join him, Guinevere and the knights for dinner. Usually they ate their dinners separately but Arthur had been quite persuasive when he had invited them all.
When she reached the corridor, which lead to her final destination, she spotted Lancelot. He was standing outside the room, eyeing each end of the corridor and when he saw her he grinned devilishly.
"I was told you would honor us with your presence tonight." He said, the teasing in his eyes and voice making him extremely attractive at that moment.
"Oh well, just for one night." She teased back and smiled as devilishly back at him.
Lancelot chuckled and closed the door after them as she was the last person to arrive. Everyone was already seated, the knights sat in their usual places as did Arthur and Guinevere sat by his side. For a moment Aurora felt a twitch of uncertainty as she contemplated on where she should seat herself. Then she felt a gentle hand on the middle of her back and she turned around to look at Lancelot, whom the hand belonged to.
"Sit next to me." He said without hesitation and she only nodded as a response.
Lancelot still held his hand on her back as he showed her to his seat and the chair next to him and Aurora smiled up at him as she sat down.
"Aurora." Arthur said greeting her and she returned his greeting with a nod.
A girl came in and poured everyone some wine and as she did so she also earned a few raised eyebrows. When she had departed Bors voiced what everyone thought.
"Have the Romans sent back slaves to you Arthur?" Hi voice was teasing but everyone knew what the knights thought of Romans way to keep slaves.
"No." Arthur responded and took a zip of his wine. "I have given some girls and boys some work here at fort, in exchange for a salary."
Aurora looked at Lancelot surprised, but he only smiled and drank some wine.
"Do you give them money?" Gawain asked.
"Money, if I can otherwise food or other things they might need." Arthur responded honestly.
"Well, we need the people." Galahad said.
"Yes, we do." Arthur nodded. "And if they want to leave they are no slaves. They can leave whenever they want."
"Aye, a fine idea." Bors finished and everyone seemed to agree.
Then they were all served dinner. The conversations were light and everyone seemed to be in a good mood, even Tristan smiled a couple of times.
"So, did you enjoy our horse ride last time we saw each other." Lancelot whispered in Aurora's ear while she had been listening to one of Bors' old stories.
His warm breath smelt of wine, as did hers she guessed, and she stopped listening at Bors the moment she felt it one her neck.
She moved in her chair a little before she answered.
"I did, thank you." She said and turned her head slowly too look at him. "Did you?"
Lancelot smiled. "Yes." Was all he said and his short answer made Aurora shake her head and smile at his response.
"Good." She answered and finished her cup of wine.
"Next time." Lancelot said and refilled her cup with wine again. "I will take you to long fields were the horses can run faster as the wind." He finished.
"Horses?" Aurora began and turned to face him a little more. "Does that mean you now have enough saddles so I can have my own horse?" She asked with some teasing in her voice.
Lancelot laughed quietly, trying not to catch to much attention from the rest.
"Perhaps, but we will still only have one horse." He responded and Aurora raised an eyebrow.
"How come?"
She looked at him intensely, while he leaned in closer to her to answer her question.
"Because I like having you close to me." Lancelot uttered with the same intense stare.
Surprised by his answer, Aurora looked away unknowing what to say in response. Felling her breath caught in her throat, she finally turned to look at Lancelot again when Arthur's loud voice echoed through the hall.
"My knights and friends." Arthur began and everyone turned their attention towards him.
Interrupted, Aurora only gave Lancelot a small smile and then they both turned and focused on Arthur, whose solemn expression made the light mood in the room disappeared immediately.
"As you all know I, with Guinevere, will try and lead and rebuild this country. And in doing so I must work with the woads as they are a part of this country." At his word Guinevere smiled reassuringly at him and he nodded in return.
Arthur looked at them all with an unsure gaze. "Friends, I cannot express my gratitude nor my admiration for you. It was truly noble of you to fight against the Saxons." Arthur said with a sad look in his eyes.
"It was a fight we choose." Lancelot said earning a small smile from Arthur.
"Yes, but still. However, you are free men; you can go wherever you want. You have no responsibility and you fought for your freedom for 15 years. If you want to return home, I would say good bye with honor my heart." Arthur finished with an unhappy look on his face; it was words he did not want to express.
The knights looked at him astonished as if the thought had never occurred to them, they remained silent.
"I will not accept you to stay, nor to rebuild a country you have no ties to with people you fought against." Arthur looked down for a moment before he continued.
"I know what the woads have done to you all. The empty chairs in this room is evidence of the lives taken from us, forgive me." Arthur added to Guinevere, as his harsh words of her people left his mouth. "But Rome sent you here, not the woads; they should not be blamed for all the blood which has been spilt."
Arthur stopped and cleared his throat before he continued. "You are free men. It is your decision whether or not you want to stay; yet, I will not lie because there is nothing more I would want than to fight by your side until my last days. But if you chose to stay." Arthur continued. "Then you must accept the presence of the woads, in the village and sometimes at this table."
Arthur gave the knights a final nod before he seated himself beside Guinevere again, who also bore a serious expression.
At his final words Aurora glanced at Lancelot who looked at her as well. The amusement in his eyes, which she had seen mere moments ago, were gone and replaced with confusion and sadness.
"Go home?" Galahad said more to himself but the rest of the knights looked at him. Tension filled the room, the knight's uncertain thoughts showing in their faces.
"Well, I will stay." Tristan said determined after a while and the rest of the knights gave him a surprised look.
"You decided easily." Galahad said with some annoyance.
"Well." Tristan said and shrugged his shoulders. "I am a killer, or knight if you prefer that, I can be of use here." He shook his head slightly. "My place is with Arthur"
Bors looked at Tristan for a while before he nodded as well. "As is mine" He said and finished his drink. "To much job traveling the distance with Vanora and 11 children anyway. "He murmured. "Even if I was planning to leave a few of them behind." He added and grinned at his own joke.
"Gawain?" Arthur asked and the attention went to the long haired man. He starred at the table for a while before he nodded. "I will stay to, like I said, I have been in this life longer than the other."
Gawain said and nodded. "My place is here as well."
"I must think about it." Galahad's voice was heard and the knight gave Arthur a sad look when he uttered the words
"I am sorry but." Arthur stopped him with his hand in the air. "There is no need. I understand Galahad." Arthur said and earned a grateful nod from the knight
Then they all looked at Lancelot. His brown eyes were starring down his cup, ignoring the rising tension in the room.
"Lancelot?" Arthur said with a low voice.
At this he looked up and found Aurora's gaze. She tried to give him a smile of comfort and a short nod in support.
In her heart she knew what he would say. As much as he loved Arthur Lancelot's biggest dream had been to return home, it was that which he spoken of during their late nights together.
She sighed and closed her eyes. The moment Arthur had said he would not blame them if they returned home, she knew. She knew then that there was only one reply Lancelot could give.
When she opened her eyes she looked at Lancelot, as did everyone else. He had still said nothing; he remained silent and held the little woddenfigure around his neck.
"Lancelot, you are needed here." Guinevere said impatient and earned a glance from him. "Is there something special you will return to in Sarmatia?"
Aurora looked at Guinevere as she spoke the words and something stirred in her mind. Behind her eyelids she could see a distant memory of joy, and the words spoken at that moment.
"The baby is hardly bigger then my thumb" Aurora said laughing.
"Don't listen to you mother, she is a little bitter sometimes" he continued. "But when you come out from that gorgeous belly, I will soon be free and then I will take you mother and you with me to Sarmatia."
Aurora smiled and relaxed, felling Lancelot hot breath on her stomach, his words soothing and hopeful.
"You don't know how beautiful Sarmatia is my baby. There are fields of grass, the horizon always untouchable, the sky bluer then the ocean. The weather neither to warm yet it is not to cold."
Lancelot reached for Aurora's lips.
"I love you"
She opened her eyes, the light memory disappearing. "Yes."Aurora said, answering Guinevere's question for Lancelot. Everyone shifted their attention to her, wondering what she could possibly say.
"Fields of grass..." Aurora said, lowering her voice to a mere whisper, as if her words were only meant for Lancelot. "..as far as the eye can see."
She uttered the last words with a small smile on her lips. Lancelot had never looked away from her, and as she spoke the surprises in Lancelot's eyes disappeared and instead it was replaced with tenderness.
While still holding the woddenfigure in his hands, Lancelot suddenly gave it a small squeeze and then he let it go.
With his eyes still locked with Aurora's, Lancelot gave Arthur his reply.
"I will stay." He said determined. At his words Aurora almost let out a small gasp but was able to contain herself. Still the surprise overtook her features.
"Are you sure?" Arthur asked with doubt in his voice and Lancelot nodded.
"Well then." Guinevere said. "It is decided."
Arthur nodded with a new light in his eyes. "It may be." "But you free men who can leave whenever you chose." Arthur said and raised his cup. "To the future."
"And freedom." Guinevere added as she raised her cup.
"Freedom." They all said as they all raised their cups.
Aurora left the great hall and closed the door gently behind her back. She was tired and the events of the evening had been many and not very light subjects. She had only walked a few meters when she saw a dark shadow before her. Startled she looked up and found a smiling Lancelot before her.
"You gave me a fright!" She said with a low voice. Lancelot only chuckled and walked so he stood in front of her.
"I apologize." She shot him an evil eye but she wore a smile on her lips.
"What were you talking about with Arthur and Guinevere?" Lancelot wondered and Aurora felt her cheeks go little red.
"Nothing special." She lied and started walking to her room.
She could feel Lancelot observing her but he didn't ask anything more but only joined her in her walk.
When they reached her door, Aurora was no longer able to contain herself, and she gave Lancelot a confused look.
"Why did you say you would stay?" She asked in confusion and slight frustration.
"It has been you dream to go home ever since you got here." Aurora continued and Lancelot looked at her and nodded at her last words.
"It has." He only said and continued to look at her. Aurora sighed at his reply and shook her head a little.
"Then why"? She whispered, her eyes searching in his for an answer.
"Because of what I said to you earlier." Lancelot answered and took a few steps towards her so he stood in front of her. He looked down at her for a moment and Aurora tilted her head so she could return his gaze.
"What was that?" She whispered.
"Because I like having you close to me." Lancelot answered plainly, still keeping his eyes locked with hers, as his answer left her astonished.
"Enough to give up your home?" Aurora asked after a moment, with some disbelief in her voice.
"Enough to give up my home." Lancelot repeated.
Silence fell upon Aurora as she tried to adjust to his words and the meaning to them.
"I." Aurora began.
"I understand that this seems sudden." Lancelot said and interrupted her. "But," He continued and gently stroked her cheek. "Ever since our horseride, the other day, your face...Well, you have been in mind constantly."
Aurora remained silent and watched him carefully. "I am sorry if this troubles you." Lancelot said when he saw the hesitance in her eyes.
"It doesn't." She confessed. "But it is hard to grasp." Aurora continued and sighed.
Lancelot nodded. "I will let you get some sleep then." He said. "I just wanted you to know."
She gave him a small smile. "It is good to hear those words, Lancelot." She said and with some hesitation she placed a kiss on his cheek.
"Good night Lancelot." She said and he smiled in return.
"Good night Aurora." Lancelot replied and then left her to her own thoughts.
Aurora sighed as she watched him walk away. After a moment she entered her room and gently closed the door behind her.
She stood there for a while, leaning against the door, thinking about what had just happened.
Thinking about everything. Thinking about how she had just lied.
In a sort of haze she walked over to her desk and searched for the thing which had changed everything. A small letter bearing the words of tragedy.
Feeling despair in her heart she fiddled with the paper in her hands, she didn't have to read it, she already had read it countless times.
She closed her eyes.
Earlier after dinner.
"So Aurora, both Guinevere and I was wondering what your plans are." Arthur asked her. "Of course we both want you to stay but I know that you have ties in Rome and I don't know how things are with Lancelot."
Aurora looked at Arthur. "Nor do I actually." Aurora answered truthfully.
Arthur nodded. "What are your plans Aurora?" Guinevere asked, still as impatient as ever.
Aurora sighed and looked down for a moment. "Actually." She began with some hesitation. "Something awful has happened."
Arthur looked at her with concern in his eyes.
"I received a letter, from my sister." Aurora started. "She was happy, of course, to know that the rumors of my demise had been false, but unfortunately she bore grave news herself. Her husband Cleo has died, she didn't say how, but it doesn't matter."
"I am very sorry Aurora." Arthur said. "He seemed like amiable young man."
"Thank you." Aurora whispered. "This tragedy has left her alone with a child and she asked me to help her."
"With money?" Guinevere asked.
"No." Aurora shook her head. "With my presence." She stated. "I cannot lie and say that I don't feel inclined to go and help her, I want to help her, she is my sister." Aurora confessed.
"I understand you of course." Arthur said. "But you do understand what might happen if you leave." Arthur continued. "I don't want to lie to you Aurora."
"I understand Arthur." Aurora nodded.
"Rome might have deserted Britain but when the news of our victory over the Saxons reaches them, they might change their minds."
Aurora gave Arthur a sad nod.
"Do you think they will start a war?" Guinevere asked.
"I don't know, it might that they are to weak, but truth be told they still control the seaboards across the sea. To get ship back to Britain might be difficult. And the viscous tribes of the north, the Saxons for example, are too unreliable to enter their territory to go by boat to Britain." Arthur sighed and gave Aurora a sad look.
"If you leave Aurora you might not be able to come back."
She opened her eyes and felt Arthur words echo through her head.
So she had lied to Lancelot. His words did trouble her, words she had longed to hear were now bittersweet to her ears.
If he loved her, how could she leave him?
That night she should have fallen asleep to Lancelot's sweet words, but instead it was Arthur's voice which haunted her in the wake of the night.
"If you leave, you might not be able to come back."
Chapter 34! Like it? :)