Well, my friends, every beginning has an end, and this is the end of Arria's story. I thank you all for your kind reveiws, and hope you enjoy the last chapter to this tale of long ago. I hope you review this last chap, its personally one of my faves, cuz it ultimately shows the growth of Arria from a lady of Rome to a knight of Arthur's Britain. Yes, I know women warriors were rare, but hey, its fun to empower the female species. We deserve estrogen power! Night.

Chapter 25

The battle of Harrow's Field was a heavy blow to our forces, but indeed did not defeat us as the Saxons predicted. All of our wounds healed in the coming months, as the Saxons tried little to make their way north to us. The warriors of Erin returned home, bearing the promise to tell of Arthur's wish to make peace with their island. Sorcha, as she told me, stayed with Avery.

There was much to be done over the next few months. Soldiers returned to their families and homelands, and new jobs were given to many refugees to help finish the fort. It was becoming so huge in size many began to call it a castle. Bors returned with his children, his wife, and many of his servants.

Arthur would not leave his room for several days, and it soon seemed as if Lancelot's prediction would come true. Unfortunately for Arthur, his companions would have no more of his sulking, and let him know of his need to come out of solitude.

After this episode he put up a front for us all, leading with the necessary ideas and enforcing orders on what needed to be done. But there was no spirit behind his words. No comfort in his eyes nor passion for justice. It was as if his zest for equality died along with his beloved.

Some things never change. One day as I was on my way to look at the new recruits for the King's Riders, I saw Avery giddily running away as Gabriel pursued, hotheaded, no doubt unnerved by some boyish prank. Gawain and Bors still knew how to make a mess after a few drinks, and Lancelot always tried his best to cunningly charm his way into my bed. Too bad for him I never gave him his ultimate fantasy. I still have morals.

"Does it bother you that I am the only one to resist such bullshit that comes from your mouth and hands?" I asked once when his fingers ventured farther down my chest than they should have.

He groaned his frustration and sighed. "Sometimes I wonder why it is that I chose such a stubborn lass."

I rolled over and rubbed my fingers along his bare chest. "Simple. I am your match. And I stop your ego from blowing up like a fat hog."

"You toy with my emotions, dear girl. You are the devil."

I kissed him on the lips and chuckled. "For that I am sorry. I suppose you have been rather patient with me."

He let his eyes shift across the features of my face, and his hand gently slid down my cheek. "Arria, you know I would go from the ends of the earth for you. I would wait for eternity to have you, if you made me." I smiled, but could not help but wonder why he had suddenly become so serious. He sat up and sighed, no longer showing off that devilish grin. "We lead the lives that legends are made of, and I have no doubt in my mind that our tale will end while we are young. We are warriors, this is the way of it. Yes, we have our differences. You are Christian, I am pagan. But one thing is for certain, and it is my love for you. So…if you will permit me, let me take you as my bride."

I did not give a moment's hesitation. I wrapped my arms around his back, my lips connecting with his, my mind giddy with delight. As our lips parted our foreheads touched, his breathing heavily awaiting my answer. "Its about time, sir knight" I whispered.

"So I take it that's a yes?" he whispered back, his arms tightly wrapped around me. I could tell he was overly exuberant with my reaction. He tucked a loose hair behind my ear, and cleverly kissed my neck.

"Yes."

News traveled fast among the men, and it seemed by noon I was being congratulated left and right by people I did not know.

"You're a dead man now, Lancelot," Bors attempted to whisper as he clasped hands with his comrade. "Once they sink their claws in ye, you'll never escape."

"I'll be sure to tell Vanora your loving words for her," I stated, his look of sheer terror priceless.

"Lancelot you dog!" Gawain exclaimed as he cornered us in the hall. "Mind you, this lass is like a sister to me, and if I hear any rumors of your betrayal.."

"Then you shall be the first to find his corpse" I finished, kissing my friend on the cheek. He guffawed loudly and whisked Lancelot away to the village bar for a celebration.

I declined to go with them, and instead made my way through the maze of hallways, finally arriving at my destination. Knocking loudly, I entered when no one answered and found him sitting at his desk, furiously writing away on a piece of parchment, his face impenetrable.

"Usually its not polite to barge in when no one answers the door" he gruffly stated, his right hand still rigorously taking notes. The lines on his face had grown deep. Indeed he had aged several years in only a few months time.

"Perhaps you should have thought of locking it," I said, not caring that I was being pert to my king.

He stopped writing and instead tapped his quill nonchalantly as his furrow deepened. "I do not wish to be disturbed, I have documents to record and battles to plan."

"Forgive me, Sire. But I promised a friend I would not let you fall- whether it be from a battle wound or your own emotional demons."

He slowly turned around to face me, his right hand dropping the quill unto the desk. "I am fine."

I raised my eyebrow and crossed my arms. "Honestly, Arthur, you're a horrible liar." He gruffed a response and got up, filling his cup with a strong ale.

"What do you want, Arria? To tell me everything will be alright? Tell me to let go of my pain and move on?"

I now placed my hands on my hips in frustration. "I want you to be the man you were born to be and save your people!"

"I told you, I'm in the middle of-"

"Your barricading yourself from the world to ignore the fact that she is no longer in it."

He smashed his glass on the floor. "I CANNOT FACE IT WITHOUT HER! THERE! You have heard the fears of an aging man who is not a god and cannot save his people from death."

"No one can be saved from death, my Lord," I whispered, still not daring to go near him while his fist was clenched. "All we have is the time given to us. The people need to build off your strength. Your tale does not end here, Arthur. There is something I must tell you, something she did not want you to know…"

He stared at me, perplexed by my words, willing me to go on as his lower lip quivered. "Guinevere…she….you know she could not bare children.."

He clenched his teeth together and turned away, his own arms folding at his sides. "Yes."

"She forbid the healers and myself to tell you the rest of it. Arthur, she was dying. Perhaps you already know this- she was looking sick for some time before the battle. She didn't want you to know, because she knew you'd do this."

He could only sit on the edge of his bed, his left hand holding up his forehead. He didn't speak for a few moments, just simply stared into the abyss. "I thought she was distraught for the loss of Merlin. I didn't know- I was such a fool-"

I placed my hand on his shoulder, and he remembered now that I was in the room. "She died on her terms, like the stubborn queen she is. Please Arthur, she does not wish you to cower away from your destiny. The vision you once had can still come true."

"The Saxons have taken-"

"We will fight them again another day, as will our children and their children. Their will always be an enemy to slay, and evil to battle. All we can do is hold on to our ideals of freedom and equality."

He rubbed his eyes with his hands, sighing repeatedly. "I did right when I appointed you to Captain of my Riders. Your father would be proud."

"As would Pelagius."

We sat their for a few moments, both of us reminiscing in our minds the early days of his kingship. He absentmindedly ran his fingers through his hair, every few seconds smiling as he stared off, probably thinking of one of her pert comments.

"I heard Lancelot found his true love once more. I am happy for you." It took a lot for those words to come from his mouth, and I nodded my thanks.

"It was Guinevere who yelled at me to stop being an ass and forego my pride."

He chuckled. "Sounds like something my wife would say."

"Arthur, I must ask you something else. But perhaps now is not the time."

"Just ask. My commands have meant nothing to you in the past."

"Well, obviously you must have been feeling pressure from many Lords lately to produce an heir, to ensure stability in the future."

"I will tell you this once Arria, and you can repeat it to anyone who wants to know. I will never take another woman into my bed. My heart belongs to Guinevere alone."

I nodded. "I thought as much. In that case- permit me to make a suggestion, because dark times are upon us, and who knows when we all will fall. Perhaps, you will consider an alternative."

"Go on, Captain."

"Adopt an heir. Not just any boy, my Lord, but one your wife cared for."

It took him a moment, but he eventually smiled. "You speak of Lucan."

"No one can deny Guinevere showed much affection for the boy. And I've heard in the short time he was with Dagonet he thought of him as a father. Perhaps, in time, you could be such a father to him."

"The nobles will not take well to a boy not of my blood."

"Better a boy who grew up with the King than dispute among the lords for their own lazy sons to ascend the throne."

He scrunched his nose in thought, and then turned back to me. "Advisor as well as warrior. You never cease to amaze me, Captain."

I shrugged my shoulders and turned to leave. "I will always be behind you, my Lord."

Epilogue

I barely remember the ceremony that occurred a few days later. All I could think about was our wedding night, where I found to my delight that Lancelot was just as good as the rumors portrayed him to be, if not better.

Indeed, all his sexual frustrations were laid to rest the moment Arthur deemed us man and wife.

"Ready for another go?" I asked one night after four rounds of pure pleasure. He was sweating and exhaling loudly, his body desperate for rest. "Woman, you have got to be the most exhausting girl I have ever had."

"Told you I was worth it," I playfully stated, grinning wide. He shook his head and competitively pulled my body towards him.

"Indeed" he stated, caressing my chest with his lips.

Over the years the Saxons attempted many times to break north of Harrow's Field and conquer more land, but our spirits would not be crushed. We held them off, generation after generation, until slowly but surely the Saxons took control of Briton. But in Arthur's time, despite the Saxon incursions, prosperity flourished. A freedom most commoners had never experienced occurred. The finished castle was renamed Camelot after the old fort, and the honor and bravery Arthur's knights displayed was made legend.

Five years after Badon I was made Knight, the first female ever to do so. Aedan took over as Captain of the King's Riders, ensuring equality for all and suffering at the hands of lords for none. Vanora had three more children, nine of which joined their father as knights of the Round.

I will not say how my comrades died, because I would rather explain how they lived…as heroes. Lancelot and I went into great depths to explain to our children what we fought for and where they come from, for the key to the future is through the actions of the past. As I grew older and could no longer carry a sword at my side, I took to scripting and documentation. Perhaps some of you will assume I made this whole thing up to appeal to the entertainment of the public. Perhaps I did. The point is not whether Arthur and his knights truly did everything the stories say. The point, dear sons of Adam and daughters of Eve, is that Arthur and his knights of the Round stood for something greater than themselves. And they passed it on to you.