Far Longer Then Forever

[Alistair]

Alistair knew what that meant; for the man's own words were troublesome to him. He was about to reach up to take her arm; forcing her to stop walking. He was about to turn her to face him; and even use her name rather then her title to ask her to tell him the words the bastard of a prince said to her. He wanted to know; and he wanted to seek out the prince and give him a reason to come at him. End it there on one of them stupid noble duels were he would kill him; and suddenly it was legal because he was a knight. Stupid reason for murder to be legal but if it meant he could kill the man with hundreds watching he would take it.

Yet his princess pointed out something; and before he could move everything happened at once. Bloody fucking hell. He wasn't sure if Asher would recognize him with the beard; longer hair; and knights armor but the bastard had rather looked at him as if trying to place him. He waited until the men were out of sight before taking her upper arm in his hand; to half push and half pull her quickly to her chambers. "No; I do not." His tone was clipped; and covering something; "Nor do you." Nor would she ever. "If you ever see him again you scream loud enough to bring every knight running for miles; and you run."

By this point; they were nearing her room and he dropped his hand to her back; rather then her arm and pushed her along; so she could not try to back out and talk to him more. At her door he opened it; and pushed her in. "Sleep well; Princess." He said more for the guards; then pulled the door shut. To the men, "If she is not here when I return; I will kill you."

He didn't care if that was rude; he had to move quickly.

[Did you expect him to react well to that? Let me know if you need me to edit; and feel free to time jump it to their next meeting or the trip home when he can explain.]

[isadora]

He was hiding something, it became quite obvious when he began dragging her along through the corridors, and she frowned, her brow furrowed in confusion as they hurried towards her chambers. When he spoke, it only confused her more, and made her certain that he wasn't telling the truth about not knowing the man. "Why? Who is he?" She pressed for information, she wouldn't argue if Alistair wanted him to stay away from the man, but she wanted to know why she had to. Why she had to fear. But something about him had Alistair spooked, and her questions went unanswered as they came into earshot of the guards by her door.

The next thing she knew, she was stumbling into her room, with Alistair bidding her a good night before he shut her in. She moved to the door to pull it open and go after him, demand some answers, but as she put her hand on the handle, she heard what he said to the guards, and it gave her pause. She knew he meant it, he wouldn't say it otherwise, but usually, he was content to let his threats go unspoken. The fact that he'd felt the need to verbalize his warning told her that there was something in particular he was worried about, and it was probably that man he'd seen.

She bit her lip...she still wanted to go after him. To tell him not to do anything stupid. But when did he ever listen to her? Tentatively, she let her hand slip from the handle. Maybe she should send some knights with him, where ever he was going, before she dismissed that thought. He wouldn't accept their help. He'd rather let them stay here and protect her than have them follow him around while he went to do...whatever it was he was going to do. She closed her eyes tight, silently praying that he wasn't going to do something stupid, and that if he was, that he would be protected.

Hours later, she still couldn't get to sleep. The room was dark, but she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and chewing on her lip as she imagined all the many, various ways Alistair could have been maimed, dismembered or otherwise damaged in the time he'd been gone. She also kept going over the many and various reasons why she should stay here instead of going after him, which would be idiotic, she reminded herself. Sending knights after him was also probably a bad idea, since she didn't know who the man was or what involvement he had with Alistair; what if they caught him doing something illegal? Even with her willingness to either forgive or overlook his crimes, she didn't quite believe all his criminal activities were behind him, not completely. He still associated with Vaughn, after all.

She rolled onto her side, staring sightlessly out the window; the shut and bolted window. It was a requirement of any room she slept in these days. She reminded herself that he probably wouldn't come back to her room tonight, even if he was alive and well; it was a bad idea here in Camelot. But it was a bad idea in Gwent, too, and he did it there too. Bad ideas were their favorite pastime. She tried not to worry, but no matter what reasons she used to try and convince herself, she couldn't untie the knot in her belly that seemed insistent that something bad was going to happen tonight.

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((Yes, I actually thought he'd flag Asher down and invite him in for tea! If you don't want him to come to her room, you can go ahead and time jump ahead.))

[Alistair]

Alistair's clothing was covered in soot from the fire they'd set to the house; and dirt from the ground. His ribs were hurting and he wasn't sure the damage to the rest of his body; between the fight with Vaughn; and the fight with Asher's men or the final showdown with Asher himself. Vaughn had asked for allot in return for helping him; and Alistair had only agreed because he planned to kill the man.

Just walking hurt enough to make him want to crawl into bed; and not wake up for a year. Walking to her room he looked at guards outside her room. How the bloody hell did he get in? Climbing a window was not going to happen. Was there another way? Fuck it. He was not going to sneak around; she said they would be getting married soon; and he was not going to keep pretending.

Walking past them; they asked what the hell happened to him and he ignored them; "You can leave." Let them think he was either reporting to her about the happenings to comprising the hell out of her. The room was dark and Alistair walked toward the fire for enough light to take off his boots. Instead of being able to bend over and remove his boots, he just sat down and leaned back; letting out a old druid curse as the pain in his whole body shifted.

[My memory is a bit rusty on the details of that night but . . . .eh]

[isadora]

She heard the muffled sounds of the guards addressing someone outside her room, louder than their usual whispered chatter to keep one another awake on duty. And she recognized Alistair's voice responding to them, deep but quiet enough so she couldn't quite make out the words. She sat up, immediate relief flooding through her, and she closed her eyes and murmured words of thanks under her breath. That was before the anger set in. What was he doing coming to her room in the middle of the night? She hadn't explicitly told him not to, but shouldn't that be common sense?

She curled her legs under her, waiting for him to come to her before she got mad at him, but he didn't come to the bed. Instead, he went to the dying fire and took a seat before the hearth, and her confusion turned to panic when she heard the pained expletive that came from his mouth. Without a further second of hesitation, she climbed out of bed and hurried to the fireside. "Alistair?" She uttered as she approached, her eyes widening as she saw the state of his clothing and assessing the state of him.

"What happened? Are you all right?" Her voice rose with increasing anxiety, and she knelt before him to get a better look at him, to make sure he was still more or less intact. With both hands she reached up to cup his face, making him look down into her eyes so that she could make sure he was okay. At least he was alive.

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[Alistair]

The chair wasn't as comfortable as he had been hoping; but it didn't hurt as bad as when her hands touched his face. Alistair had enough control not to flinch away from her touch; but only by inches. Vaughn's fist had made one side rather tender; leaving even her softest touch there painful. Still; he had almost died tonight; and had it not been for Vaughn he would not have lived to see the child she carried.

He tired to lean forward; but the pain in his ribs made him shift back. In comprise--or in a new plan--he pulled her up closer to him; letting his lips cover her own. It wasn't the answers he was looking for; but it would have to do until he could try to remember the night enough to tell her about it.

After the kiss he rested his head back on the chair; closing his eyes. Breathing steady but not moving other wise. He didn't speak; nor open his eyes to look at her. For the moment; he was fighting down the pain that filled him after even such an simple action of kissing her.

]

[isadora]

His lips tasted of ash and blood when he kissed her, and after he leaned back to rest, she sat back, her expression one of horror. Where had he been? How had he been hurt like this? Looking at him, she could feel tears welling up in her eyes unbidden, and she tried to blink them away. She didn't usually cry over things like this...then again, it wasn't so often that Alistair returned to her looking like he was on death's doorstep these days.

"I was so worried about you," she murmured, her tears filling over and rolling down her cheeks. What had been so important he'd rushed off and gotten himself beaten black and bloody over? "Who was that man? Did he do this to you?" He didn't even seem to have the strength to speak, which worried Isadora the most. Sure, he was alive now, but how could she tell that he wasn't about to die? "We have to take you to the physician."

She wiped the tears from her cheeks and stood up, taking his hands but not daring to pull in case she would hurt him worse. Camelot's physician was famous for his skill and talent, and while she knew that Alistair wouldn't want to see him, she was worried about how hurt he was, and what damage there was that she couldn't see. "Please?"

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[Alistair]

"He was no one that you need worry over; any longer." He was not going to let her take him to some damned sawbones who would start trying to heal him with leeches rather then just let him sleep the damn pain off. "No physician," He hold her; not about to move from this chair. Opening his eyes; Alistair noticed that she was crying. Bloody hell; the woman was going to kill him faster then Asher.

Deciding to comprise he gave in a little; "Light some candles, bring them closer. You can do it." What she planned to do; he didn't know; but he rather her hands on him then someone else. She'd asked twice now about Asher but he wasn't sure the words were one he wanted her to hear. Perhaps while she helped clean off some of the ash and blood; he would try to explain that his past wasn't one like she had known. He'd met her and was gentle; bitter but not violent. Asher and Vaughn were more proof of his history.

[isadora]

Isadora knew how he would react to the idea of seeing a healer, but she rolled her tear-filled eyes nonetheless. And he wouldn't answer her questions either, which was just typical. "I'm no healer," she argued, sure, she could take care of him in emergencies, but when there was a real physician around they could turn to, she'd eagerly use their expertise over her limited knowledge. She knew how to make herbal teas and bandage injuries, and she'd picked up on what she'd seen others do, but she didn't know how to tell if he was going to die or not! If he'd need surgery, even! And she certainly couldn't perform it if he did.

She glared at him stubbornly, then dropped his hands with a frustrated sigh and went to gather some candles. Damn stupid man. "If you die I'm marrying a nobleman and letting him raise your son." She threatened angrily, she knew that would test his patience, and she didn't care if he was already in pain. She'd never forgive him if he died, but not as much as she'd never forgive herself for letting him die.

Once she had the candles so that she'd have enough light to see, she knelt before him again, and started removing his armor. She tried to be gentle...for the most part. But it was somewhat difficult when she was still angry at him for forcing her to do this instead of letting a trained professional look after him. "Tell me what happened." She made it clear she wasn't asking this time, if she had to play doctor, he was going to at least tell her how he'd been so hurt....or suffer the consequences.

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[Alistair]

"If you die I'm marrying a nobleman and letting him raise your son." She walked away then; and that might have been the only thing that kept his hand from going around her neck. Many things could be said to him in anger; and he'd ignore or react too with less hostility then that. It was his weakness; and she damn well knew it. After his family had died within ear shot of him; he'd wanted nothing more. She would through this at him now?

It took him a few moments for his head to stop spinning and for him to realize that she'd come back and was demanding something. He didn't care how bad his body ached in that moment. Reaching over he took her upper arm and pushed her back; not enough to make her fall; but to get her away from him before he did something that would harm her. Pushing to a stand; Alistair didn't even look at her. His hands were shaking in the anger that her words had summoned.

The hell she would! The bloody hell he'd let her! He didn't care if he was dead in her words; he only heard her threaten to give his child another father! Not knowing what to say; for words never came smoothly for him; Alistair started walking away from her. Slowly; for it hurt like hell; but away from her non the less.

[isadora]

Isadora looked up sharply when he grabbed her arm to push her back, her brow furrowing in confusion and frustration as he got up and hobbled away. It took her a minute to determine what she had done to make him so angry that he would suffer the obviosu pain it took him to rise and attempt to storm off. But she was still angry enough that she didn't really care. She had said it in a moment of anger and hadn't really thought about it...but it was true."What do you think would happen if you died?" She demanded, angry that he'd put his life in danger, and for what? Something he wouldn't even tell her about.

"Maybe you should think about that next time before you rush off to get yourself killed." She bit out, in no mood to entertain his temper tantrum. She had spent the whole evening worrying that he might be dead, and now he came back and while he was too injured to even tell her what happened, he was in good enough condition to be angry with her? She didn't care if she'd meant to make him angry. She had every right to be mad with him! She felt tears of anger welling up in her eyes, and she turned away from him to face the fireplace, folding her arms over her chest. What was wrong with her? She never cried this easily!

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[Alistair]

"What do you think would happen if you died?" That's she show some bloody loyalty! Or at least made it sound a bit harder to do! "Maybe you should think about that next time before you rush off to get yourself killed." He wanted to shake her! He didn't even care that she was crying!

Maybe he cared; that she was crying; but he was damn well if he'd coddle her while she was using words like he used his daggers! "You wish me to think before I act, Princess?" He used her title rather then her name; because she was damn well acting like a high princess right now. "Every moment; every action; every bloody breath I have done centered around you since the day I first took you out of this damn fortress."

In either protection of her; or her name; or because she'd asked it; or because she needed him to be what he'd fucking become! "Had I not done what I have done tonight; you'd be alone in Camelot outed as the Druid's whore and caring his bastard." He doubted that the Pendraon heir would be able to just over look the actions. He'd have to do something and her rules would demand it. The ones she's asked him to live by!

If she was so damn mad at him; then he would leave her to her anger tonight. He wanted no more of her words. Turning he walked toward to the door; planning to find the bed offered to him and attempt to sleep past the pain in his body and now the pain in his head.

[isadora]

And now he was blaming her for everything. He had changed his whole life for her, it was true, but he had done it of his own accord. It had been her idea for him to pose as a knight, but he had agreed to it. He had done everything he needed to in order to make it work, of his own free will. She hadn't forced this life on him! "You chose this. All of it." She pointed out; maybe not explicitly, but he had chosen this life when he chose her.

And even when he explained, he barely did at all. If he had not done what? Of course, trying to get an explanation out of him was like pulling teeth. "Which was what? I'm so sick of riddles and one-word answers! You're the one who says there should be no secrets between us, but you won't tell me anything!" Not even how he'd been hurt or why. He said he was doing it to protect her, but to protect her from what? She hated that he wouldn't tell her.

And then he was walking towards the door. Bloody typical. She wanted to storm off, too, but there wasn't anywhere for her to storm off to, not when they were so far from home. She took a step forward. "And now you're just leaving again? Fine, go then, but don't-" her words were halted by a sudden dizzy spell, losing focus, she reached out a hand to steady herself on the chair he'd just vacated and concentrated on not falling over as her head swam.

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