Disclaimer: nothing that you recognise belongs to me.

Ok dear readers, I promised a sequel to "Faithless" and here it is. Just like "Faithless" this will also have references to its prequel "Llynya's Song". I'll do my best to explain things without being too confusing for those that haven't read either, but some characters from both will make a reappearance for those with long memories.

The basics that will help to make things more understandable (hopefully):

Set post movie. Dagonet died in the fight upon the ice, but both Tristan and Lancelot survived the final battle. Arthur and Guinevere are recently and happily married (no Lancelot love triangle here), Britain has had its problems but the Woads, what is left of the Romans and all those inbetween are pretty much united and looking towards a peaceful future. Gawain has a son with his lover Llynya, and Tristan is loved and in love with Lucy, who is considerably younger and pregnant with his child. Galahad is involved with Kyrie, an ex prostitute from the fort. Both she and Lucy work for Vanora at the tavern.

This chapter is a bit short and throws up questions whether you've read the prequels or not. Sorry (well not really ; )

"Ow." Lucy flinched away from the pin that had pierced her hip, and gave her friend a baleful glare. "This must be what it feels like for hedgehogs when they mate."

"I'm surprised that you put that much thought into the matter," Llynya replied calmly, tucking a pin into the corner of her mouth and carefully smoothing a fold of material. The young blonde girl she was helping was perched on a stool, draped in white cotton and none to pleased about being poked and prodded. Used to Lucy's fidgety nature, Llynya ignored the change in her mood as the minutes passed, and shoved her friend none to gently back down when she made to rise.

"Not like it's worth the bother anyway," Lucy groused, sitting back down on the stool. "Forget hedgehogs, I'm just a hog. I practically cause a solar eclipse every time I turn sideways; I'll have to stand in a hole so that people can see the priest."

"You look fine, you idiot," Llynya said with a martyred sigh. It was true that three months into her pregnancy Lucy's belly had started to swell, but the weight was becoming to the young girl. Lucy had never been slender: curvy and stubborn with her unruly hair and bright eyes, she often reminded Llynya of one of the hardy ponies that grazed on the hills. "I certainly don't see Tristan complaining," she said mildly.

"Tristan's not allowed to complain - he's the one who turned me into this… . Thing." Catching sight of Llynya rolling her eyes, Lucy bit back a giggle. "Sorry, sorry, I'm being a whinging cow aren't I?"

"Whinging sow actually," her friend pointed out. "Wait for another five months and then I'll let you complain. I'll lock you in the barn and wander off for a while, but I'm sure the chickens won't mind listening to you."

Lucy smiled, twisting obediently when Llynya turned her so that she could take in the dress at the waist. Biting her lip, she looked down at the still subtle curve of her stomach and frowned. She didn't mind getting fat, still couldn't stop touching the skin that shielded the tiny life that grew inside her, but everything seemed to have happened so fast, and sometimes she was terrified that she wasn't ready, wouldn't show he same gift for motherhood that her friends shared.

Llynya seemed to read her thoughts and patted the younger girl's belly reassuringly. "You'll be fine. You've got a good man who loves you and me and Vanora to help. Save your worries for the babe and pray that it's not a girl."

" I'd like a girl," Lucy said a little affronted. "She and Taran could play together and you know, maybe it'd turn into something more than friendship when they are a bit older."

"Exactly," Llynya replied with a mock shudder. "Tristan would probably behead anyone who tried to court his daughter, Gawain would kill anyone who hurt his son, and you know how Arthur hates disruption between his knights."

Lucy nodded and pretended to consider the answer. "True. We should not upset our king." With a sigh of relief, she slid off the stool that she had been perched on and stretched voluptuously.

"Enough of that." Gently slapping her friend's arm, the older girl swiftly put the neckline of the dress back where it had rested before. "I'll be quite happy to stick enough pins in you to make this a red dress if you don't take care of my handiwork. Let me unlace you and then you can stretch all you want."

"Sorry." Dropping her head meekly, Lucy let Llynya slide the ribbons through the holes in her wedding gown, and wriggled out of it with not a little relief. It wasn't that she didn't love the dress or appreciate Llynya's skill with a needle, but the sun was shining outside, Tristan was due back from a hunting expedition that evening, and the day was altogether too beautiful to be cooped up inside when there was fruit to be picked and lovers to be welcomed. Shimmying into her worn cotton dress and sighing in relief as the soft material slid over her skin, she gave Llynya a quick hug and thank-you, before heading towards the door.

Blinking in the sunlight, Lucy relished the feel of the sun against her face and sighed with satisfaction. Not long now. Not long before Tristan would be home. Knowing that Gawain and his fellow knights kept a careful eye on their brother's woman made her feel safer, but they couldn't make her quarters less empty or shrink her bed so that it felt less like a huge cold wasteland when he was not there to share it. Lost in thought, it took a moment for her to notice the limping figure of the lurcher making its way towards her. The animal was black as night, its eyes amber lights when the sun caught them, and although Lucy took a reflexive step backwards, her fear was swiftly overtaken by pity. Bones protruding through the rough fur, head low, it was obviously half starved and exhausted.

"Dog?" Crouching down, Lucy offered her hand and let the dog sniff it, smiling when it licked her palm. "Bet you're hungry aren't you ?" The dog did not reply unsurprisingly, but it seemed to recognise the kindness in the girl's voice and settled back on its bony flanks, tongue lolling hopefully.

"Llynya, look." Lucy scrambled to her feet when she heard the footsteps behind her. "This poor dog looks lost - do you have any scraps it could have? I'd take it home but…" Her voice trailed off when she saw the expression upon her friend's face. "What?"

Llynya shook her head and looked around worriedly. Walking towards the dog with no fear at all, she rubbed its dark head and cuddled it to her. The lurcher's tail thumped onto the ground, raising a cloud of dust, and it gave a low whine, trying to lick the face of the woman who held it. Utterly confused, Lucy watched the scene, attempting to make some sense of it.

"Llynya, do you know this dog?" The dark haired girl nodded, but her next words were directed at the animal and not her friend.

"Lark, sweetheart, where is your master?"