There were a few things more frustrating than talking to Rhys Bristol on the phone, but at the moment, Aurelia couldn't think of any. He had a habit of jumping from one thought to the next without linking them together with any coherence, and she was already a little flustered today. After two hours spent at city hall, where she and Ian had paid for their marriage license and learned that they need wait only three days before marrying, they had come to the cabin, whereupon she had lost her fiance to the little room she had found hidden away for the past several hours. He had eventually called up to her that she should probably call Rhys and ask him to come to the cabin, citing that she only needed to mention Avalon to get the man and his wife to make arrangements to come to them.

And so she had, calling her friend while she put together a very basic meal for the absent-minded professor downstairs. "Non, Rhys, I do not know what is hidden in there," she was saying for what felt like the hundredth time. "I saw a small badge shaped like a shield, I saw a sword. Ian is investigating the place now. I dare not go down there again myself. It is not for me to know."

It had taken three times of Aurelia telling Rhys her story before the ramifications of it had finally settled in. It wasn't that he was dense exactly, but now that he and Nat were parents, their lives had been turned topsy-turvy by their young daughter and they were still working on establishing some kind of routine. At first, he'd thought her call was some kind of joke, but after she'd described the shield and the sword as best she could, he had stopped doubting. He knew Dylan had had his secrets, but the man had died before he could pass any of them on, and this latest news only added more intrigue to the life of the man who had raised him. "The demon is under control?" he asked, needing to be sure of that before they went any further.

Aurelia paused, testing the inner cage she held her demonic other half within. "Yes," she assured him. "She is sleeping inside me; there has been no attempt to take control. I have not weakened myself, Rhys."

Waiting, watching, listening, until she was stronger and was ready. He had a feeling they had not seen the last of Aurelia's demon, but he knew he had made the right choice in letting her live. She was his friend, and he would not damn her so long as that other half of her could be kept under control. "It's gonna take a little for us to get there," he told her. Even if they left right that minute, it was still at least a four-hour drive, and he had yet to tell Nat the news.

"Leave in the morning," she suggested to her friend, her smile audible. "Allow yourselves time to prepare for a journey. You have your petit to consider now, as well. It will not take so very long to reach here, once you have begun, and I do not believe anything catastrophic will happen in the time between now and then."

He hesitated for a moment while he considered, but decided she was right. It would take a little while to pack, now that they had a baby to think of. The days of hopping in the car and going on long road trips without a thought were over. He was a responsible father now, but he couldn't have been happier. "Okay," he replied, a little uncertainly. "You will call if anything happens?" he asked, though he couldn't imagine what that might be.

"We will," the witch promised him, smiling once again, though she couldn't imagine what circumstance he could be thinking of that might require a phone call. "We will see you tomorrow, my friend. Be safe in your journey."

"We'll see you tomorrow," Rhys promised in return, and hung up the phone to share the news with his wife. There was something Aurelia wasn't telling him, but he wasn't sure what that was just yet, nor did it matter. They'd find out soon enough.

Well, of course she wasn't going to tell him over the phone that she was engaged to be married to the man he had chosen to watch her for any sign of demonic activity. Chuckling to herself, Aurelia set the phone down, returning to her cooking. It had been a long time since breakfast, and Ian still hadn't made an appearance. "Ian?" she called down the stairs to the basement, the trapdoor left open so she could keep one ear on him. "Come upstairs and have something to eat before you collapse from hunger."

"Coming!" he called back after a moment, obviously distracted, intent on studying something. Poking about Dylan's secret chamber, brushing the dust off this and that and looking over his notes. He had grown quiet over the last hour or so as his attention had been drawn to something he was in complete awe of. As if the shield and the sword weren't enough, he had found another treasure, one that had somehow escaped Aurelia's keen eyes.

"If you do not come up of your own accord, I will shimmer you up here whether you wish it or not," she threatened, tossing together the BLT sandwiches she had created. It was a very basic lunch, yes, but it would keep them both going until she could pry him away from his fascinated studies. She had a feeling she was going to have to extort a solemn promise from him before they retired for the night not to go exploring if he could not sleep. She did not want him to come to harm, just because he didn't want to disturb her slumber.

The sound of his feet stomping up the steep flight of stairs told her he had heard her and was on his way there, if only to appease both her and his stomach before finding his way back again. The hidden room was a treasure trove of knowledge and lore the likes of which he'd never seen before, and it clearly fascinated him. He had brought a small something with him to show her, something he thought she might find interesting, something that had very little to do with Avalon, or so he thought. The smell of bacon assailed his nostrils and caused his stomach to growl in complaint and his mouth to water in anticipation. "It's amazing," he told her as he found his way back to the kitchen. "Did Rhys know anything about it?"

And for his satisfaction, it was bacon the way Europe and Britain enjoyed it, not the American version. Smiling, Aurelia set the two plates down at the table, pausing only a moment longer to add a pair of glasses and a small jug of warmed, spiced apple juice between them. "He knew nothing of it," she told Ian as she moved to sit down. "It is as much a surprise to him as to us. He intends to come down here, but they will begin their journey tomorrow morning. I did not think it right for them to set off right away."

"That room has been waiting a long time to be found. I should think it won't hurt anything for it to wait one day more," he said as he leaned in to brush a soft kiss against her cheek, like a man returning home from work for the night, though it was only afternoon. He held something in his hand, something he thought might interest her, but he had not shown it to her yet.

"Make way! Make way for the High King!"

The crowd, torn between persecuting the unknown and paying respect to a king they clearly loved, edged away from the two strangers encased in magic, turning to bow as mounted men began to ride by. They each bore swords and shields, richly garbed, yet none so richly garbed as the fair haired man who rode at their head. He barely seemed to notice the disturbance as he rode, lost in animated conversation with the man who rode at his side, until a female voice called to him from among the riders behind.

"Arthur."

The king - King Arthur - turned to look back at the woman who had called to him, following her gaze to where Aurelia and Ian stood within their magical shield, glared at on all sides by the people who distrusted them. He let out a merry laugh.

"Visitors to Avalon!" the king declared. "Welcome they are, indeed. Morgaine, send word to the Lady Viviane that we are bringing her guests with us." He gestured for his companions to approach the pair of modern day travelers, clearly intending them no harm.

The good professor had just managed to calm his stomach down and find his legs when he heard the distinct sound of horses approaching. As if it wasn't enough to find themselves being accused of being demons, he was now found himself facing another eye-popping wonder. Arthur" Avalon' Morgaine" Viviane" They were names out of legend and myth. Tales so old no one could be certain any longer where history ended and fantasy began. Names he knew well from years of scholarly study and before that, youthful fascination. While he knew Avalon was real, to find himself face to face with the very people he had sought all his life to understand was enough to shock even the most stout of hearts. He was no newcomer to magic, and yet, faced with this, Ian felt his knees buckle beneath him as he turned his gaze to the retinue before them.

Only Aurelia's ruthless grip on him kept Ian on his feet. Her whole body was tense as she watched those armed men approaching them, the shield she held in place flickering as she unconsciously reinforced it. She did not know where they were, what was happening, and she was not about to invite someone armed within arm's reach of her.

The first man reached out an open palm, daring to touch the pulsing, transparent shield that stood between him and the strangers. "My lord, my lady," he said, his tone courteous. "You will come to no harm with us. The Lady has been expecting you, I am told. My name is Bedivere - my companion here is Gawain. It would be an honor to escort you both to Avalon."

Aurelia glanced at Ian, dark eyes fretful with concern and uncertainty. What should she do"

"Bedivere," Ian repeated. "Gawain, of course." He chuckled, his laughter tittering a little as if he was a madman or on the verge of a breakdown. "I must be dreaming. Tell me I'm dreaming." It was unclear who he was blubbering to, though it seemed he must be talking to Aurelia. He clung to her, not trusting his own legs to hold him upright, given the circumstances, but at least he had not embarrassed himself by passing out.

"This is no dream," Aurelia told him, her voice tight with strain and stress. She could see the people around them beginning to regain their courage now that the king was riding on, her eyes taking in the details - the women garbed in rough wool kirtles, their heads covered with linen or wool hoods; the men, in the same rough wool, but tunics and breeches. The astrolabe had brought them through time, somehow, that much she could tell. Quite what was making Ian laugh like an idiot was beyond her. "Ian," she lowered her voice for his ears alone. "Answer the man with sense, or they may yet agree with this crowd that we are demons to be burned."

Ian drew a hand across his face to wipe away the tears that had gathered in his eyes, not quite realizing that to these strangers he might appear to be nothing more than a madman. Indeed, he felt a little like he was losing his mind, just as he had when he'd crossed over into Avalon once before, but Aurelia was right there with him, reminding him that this was indeed real. "Oh, that would be rich, wouldn't it' We're Connecticut Yankees in King Arthur's Court." Thankfully, he had the sense enough to mutter this quietly for Aurelia's ears alone.

He did his best to gather his nerves and straighten to his full height, though his legs were still wobbling nervously. Just how should one address Arthurian Knights" Knights of the Round Table. Certainly, not with Monty Python jokes. "Apologies, my lords. I am feeling somewhat ill. We would very much appreciate your kindness and hospitality," he said, trying to affect a small bow, though his stomach was still queasy. "My name is Ian Evans and this is my..." He paused a moment as if at odds as to how to introduce Aurelia. "My betrothed, the Lady Aurelia." "They appeared out of nowhere, like the demons the priests talk about!" a voice yelled from the crowd, silenced by the sharp look Gawain threw in that direction.

"Have you grown so ignorant that you cannot see when the magic of Avalon is at work?" he demanded of the people still milling around them. "These people are honored by the Lady's touch. You should honor them."

As Gawain stared down the recalcitrant crowd, Bedivere offered an apologetic smile to Ian and Aurelia. "If you could, perhaps, lower this remarkable barrier," he suggested, touching the shield once again, "we will escort you both to shores of Avalon. My lady Morgaine is to speak with the Lady herself; she assures us that you are expected."

Again, Aurelia paused, looking to Ian. She needed to know that these men could be trusted before she would allow anyone close.

The Lady, Ian thought. Viviane. The Lady of the Lake. He felt his knees getting weak again but fought against it. Were they really so close to Avalon' Could it be true? He looked to Aurelia, barely able to contain his excitement, before turning back to the Knights. He could see her fear, afraid they'd somehow recognize the demon that lived inside her. "I need your assurance that no harm will come to us."

Bedivere seemed to understand that it was not Ian who needed that reassurance, but the woman who stood with him. He laid his hand against his heart. "I swear, by Camelot, Avalon, and the powers that guide us, no harm will come to you."

Aurelia swallowed, sensing that this was no ordinary oath, and certainly not one to be taken lightly. Keeping the astrolabe tight in her grasp, she slid her other hand into Ian's, not intending on releasing him any time soon, and absorbed the shield back into herself.

Bedivere smiled encouragingly, gesturing for them to precede him through the milling crowd to where two horses remained - his, and Gawain's. "Please, you look in need of the peace a ride may bring you," he said gently.

Gawain glanced down at the joined hands. "My horse is comfortable when carrying two," he added on to Bedivere's offer, hoping this would make the pair relax a little.

Ian turned his head toward where Gawain had indicated, his heart thumping with excitement. "I must be dreaming," he murmured again, not quite loud enough for the two knights to hear him, though Aurelia would have no trouble catching his words.

Oh, she heard him all right. "Then don't wake up and leave me here," she murmured back to him, her expression nonchalant but for the glimmer of fear in her eyes. All this was very much beyond her - she had grasped that they were somehow in the past, in a time of myth and legend, when the great King Arthur ruled Britain. The Dark Ages, this period was known as. But why they were here, and how they were supposed to get back ....she could not even begin to guess.

Ian was too much in a state of shock and wonder to worry much about going home just yet. He suspected the astrolabe was to blame for their journey here, but he hadn't had much time to sort it all out yet. It seemed they were expected, and if that was the case, then someone would presumably know how to return them to their own time. He frowned at Aurelia, realizing how little she knew of this place and time. She didn't share in his knowledge, and he had been sworn to secrecy, unable to tell her what he knew of Avalon before they'd been drawn here. "Don't worry," he told her quietly, giving her hand another squeeze. "I won't let any harm come to you."

"I cannot help but worry," she reminded him softly, as their small group rejoined the larger on the shore of the misty lake. "Where Christianity is young and strong, they burn witches in this time."

"Yes, and we are going to see one of the most powerful of them all," he reminded her. Witch, he thought was just another word for sorceress. It was only a matter of perspective and whether the magic was used for good or for evil, at least, in his opinion. So long as they were among the knights, he thought they would be safe. Of course, they could turn on them at any moment, but he had a feeling they'd been brought here for a purpose, and he was curious to see what that purpose was.

The look she cast him was curious, wanting to believe him but not quite able to. Yet she had no opportunity to question him about his certainty, as the king himself approached them. Arthur was tall and broad-shouldered, still young at this time in his reign. Clearly the cares that would overtake his spirit in the years ahead had yet to even begin. The smiling king bowed to Aurelia, reaching out to clasp hands with Ian, and half-turned, gesturing toward the dark-haired woman who had walked with him. "My lord, my lady ....may I present my sister, the Lady Morgaine," he told them. "She is a priestess of Avalon, and will escort you the rest of the way."

Ian's heart suddenly jumped into his throat. He was being addressed by none other than King Arthur. Not someone in a costume pretending to be him, but the real thing. Filled with a mixture of awe, excitement, and trepidation, he found himself speechless once again, unable to form words without babbling like an idiot. Legend said that Arthur had been a tall man, almost a giant, and he did not disappoint, but Ian found him far less intimidating a figure than he might have expected. He respectfully inclined his head to both Arthur and Morgaine as he looked from one to the other. So, that part of the legend had it right - she was his sister. Before they left, he was going to have to find out everything he could about this place and the people who lived here. He still wasn't sure what the Lady of the Lake wanted with them, but he wasn't about to argue. They were about to get a personal tour of Avalon. It was taking all his self-control to contain his excitement.

"It is an honor to meet you both," he told them.

Just Ian's reaction was enough to tell Aurelia that this was someone important enough to show a certain amount of obeisance to. She bowed - since curtseying in jeans would have looked ridiculous - still refusing to release Ian's hand. "Majest"," she said softly to Arthur, turning her eyes to Morgaine, who was watching her with an unsettling amount of knowledge in her gaze. "Mademoiselle."

Arthur seemed absolutely delighted with his mysterious company, however short a time he was going to have them for. "Your lady is a Gaul, Lord Ian?" he asked with clear excitement. "I have never crossed the sea myself, but I hear it is a beautiful land. You are welcome, lady."

Morgaine laughed softly, the sound similar to Arthur's rather pleasing chuckle, evidently very fond of her younger half-brother. "Lord Ian, the guardians of the Isle have been summoned. When they arrive, we will travel by boat to Avalon, and you are to be met and seen to by Elaine of Corbenic, the Lady's chosen successor."

How she knew this was not immediately clear, but Aurelia suddenly noticed the identical medals hanging at the siblings' throats. Silvered metal bearing a curved symbol she was unfamiliar with ....was that, too, a sign of Avalon"

As if it wasn't obvious from Aurelia's accent, Ian chuckled at Arthur's comment. "She is from Belgica, Majesty," he replied, remembering his historical geography. As for himself, though his accent was far more modern than that of Arthur or Morgaine, it was much closer to theirs than was Aurelia's. Ian glanced to Aurelia a moment with a fond smile on his face as he spoke of her and Arthur welcomed her. He looked then to Morgaine, arching a curious brow at her mention of Elaine, the mother of Galahad. Rhys had mentioned that the Lady of Avalon was named Elaine, but Rhys was no Arthurian scholar and the name likely meant little to him. Could this be the same Elaine" "May I ask how it is that we are expected?"

Morgaine's smile was the mysterious, ageless smile of every woman who had trained in Avalon. "The Lady Sees what she needs to See," she explained gently. "She has been expecting you for some time. The mysteries of Avalon are not easily explained, I am afraid."

"No, I suppose not," he replied with a small frown. Why they were expected here and now and even welcomed when he had been denied entry once before was beyond him. It seemed there was a lot more going on here than met the eye. "Well, then, we are at your service," he told them both, offering another small bow.

"All will be made clear to you in time, my friend," Arthur assured him, glancing to the lake as his companions began to call out. A boat was visible, cutting through the water, appearing from the mists near silently, propelled by two women at the oars. "And here we must part," the king said, and he seemed reluctant to do so. "Should you pass through Glastonbury upon your return, come to Camelot. I should very much like to know the expected lore-master and his companion." He bowed to them, turning to the man who had to be Lancelot, his hands outheld to appease the father of the boy Morgaine would be bringing back with her.

The priestess herself smiled once more, gesturing for Ian and Aurelia to walk with her to the water's edge. Avalon awaited.

He frowned a little at her question, having worried about the same thing, but he could not believe they would have welcomed them here if they meant them harm. "I don't know, but..." He paused a moment, almost afraid to suggest what he had been contemplating over the last day or so. "Perhaps they could help you. They seem to know who we are. I doubt they'd welcome us if they meant either of us harm."

"There is such power here," she whispered, stepping close to him as they trailed after Elaine. "Greater than any I have ever felt before. I am afraid." It took a lot for her to admit to such a feeling aloud, always so calm, so confident, so sure of herself. But here, in a time and place she knew almost nothing about, in the presence of a power she felt was greater than any she would ever encounter again ....Aurelia needed to know that she was safe.

Ian came to a halt, even as Elaine continued on. If it was the Temple she was taking them to, it wouldn't be hard to find on their own, and he needed to take a moment to reassure the woman who'd been dragged into this along with him without her knowledge or approval. "Do you trust me, Aurelia?" he asked, point-blank, as he turned to her and tipped her chin up to face him.

She was shaking as he turned to her, raising her chin to meet his gaze, aware that Elaine had paused a little distance from them, giving them the time they seemed to need. "Of course I trust you," Aurelia promised Ian. "But there is a part of me that has no place here, and a power that could destroy me for my mother's sins. I cannot help being frightened."

"I promise you....I swear to you, I will not allow any harm to come to you while you are here with me. Has it occurred to you that they did not only know of me, but of you, as well" They have been expecting us, Aurelia. I'm not sure how or why, but I do not think you need fear danger here, not from those of Avalon. If anything, they might be able to help you."

She tried to absorb what he was telling her, to understand it and let it calm her fear, but it was difficult to ignore the power that washed over her with every breath she took. Harder still to ignore the demon inside her - a demon who had awoken at the first touch of that power, clamoring now within her cage to know what that power was and how she could control it. Swallowing, Aurelia nodded, gripping Ian's hand tighter as she looked down. "Very well, mon c"ur."

"You still have the pendant, yes?" he asked, though what he was really asking was whether or not she thought it was still working. As for himself, he could not feel any power, magical or otherwise, and he knew it was there, accepting it as easily as he accepted the air that he breathed, though that, too, could not be seen.

She nodded, touching the tigers eye that rested at her throat, and dared to confess the real truth to him. In a voice that was barely more than a breath, she leaned close to share her very great fear with him. "She is awake."

His eyes widened, obviously startled by that news, however calmly she had relayed it. "Then we will put her to rest again. Together," he replied, just as calmly and resolutely. "I do not believe evil can come to this place," he told her, though he was afraid for her now that he knew the demon was awake inside her. What would they do if they knew it, if they sensed it' Power of this kind would know it, would feel it. "Aurelia, what if they were able to free you of....of your burden?" he asked, keeping his voice low, though he knew Elaine must be waiting for them.

"You know I would give up everything to be free of her," she whispered to him. "But it is not their burden. I would never forgive myself if I allowed them to try, and simply unleashed her upon such a sacred place. I would rather die, Ian."

"And if she could be trapped or destroyed?" he countered, though he was unsure if such a thing was possible. If not here and now, then perhaps in the Avalon of their own time.

"If it was possible, if they were sure," Aurelia said softly, "then I would gladly allow them to do it. But, mon c?ur, they may kill me simply for being what I am, something unknown in this world. Superstition holds greater power in this time."

"I will not allow them to do that. They would have to kill me before I would let them harm you, and I don't think they will do that. Let's try not to worry until we know more," he told her, though he wondered if he should just be plain and ask them for their help. He understood her fears and thought them well-founded, but in this place, where magic was abundant, and women held great prominence and power, he hoped they would be more inclined to help her than harm her. If nothing else, he would ask them to send them back to their own time so that they could put the demon to rest.

Quiet now, reassured that he would at least fight such a decision if it was made, Aurelia nodded once again, drawing in a slow breath to calm herself. She glanced to where Elaine waited patiently for them, feeling guilty for keeping such an obviously important woman waiting. "We should continue on."

"I swear, Aurelia. I won't let anyone hurt you. Ever," he repeated. Though he wasn't entirely sure he could keep that promise, he would everything in his power to keep her safe, no matter what happened here or elsewhere. "I love you," he reminded her with a soft smile and kissed her right then and there in full view of Elaine and whoever else might be watching.

His gentle reminder of the feelings they had only be truthful about a day before made her smile, her body relaxing as he kissed her. No matter the cacophony inside her mind as the demon howled and clawed at her confinement, Ian had the power to calm Aurelia's spirit in a way no one had before. "J'adore," she murmured to him as his lips left hers. A little way from them, Elaine tactfully cleared her throat.

He smiled down at her, oblivious of the conflict that was going on inside her but believing in her with all his heart and soul. He flushed a little when Elaine cleared her throat to remind them she was there, his heart soaring to hear Aurelia tell him she loved him in her native language. "I think we're being summoned," he told her quietly, touching a second kiss to her lips before drawing her with him to fall in behind Elaine.

Elaine was smiling as she rejoined her, careful not to comment on the open affection shared by the Lady's visitors. It was only a matter of moments before she drew them to a small cottage, barely more than three rooms. "Please, make yourselves comfortable," she told them. "Food and clothing have been provided, and you are welcome to explore the isle. When the Lady is ready for you, I will find you."

"I can't really explain why I've been dreaming of this place," he started as he moved to do as she'd asked. Though she had told him not to tell her anything for fear the demon would hear everything that was said and use it against them, he thought there were some things it would do no harm for her to know. "Ever since I was a boy, I was always fascinated by the stories of King Arthur and his Knights. I used to fancy myself a knight when I was a boy. Sir Ian of Oxford. Silly, isn't it?" he asked, as he took up a rather large and sharp knife and set about cutting up the bread.

"All children dream of being a hero in some way," Aurelia smiled as she moved to sit at the table, taking up a second knife to cut slices from the cheese. It was a simple meal, but well prepared. She did not doubt it was standard fare for everyone on this island. "You loved the tales. Why would you not wish to be a part of them?"

"Yes, well....Most people grow out of such things when they become adults, but I never did." He shrugged before continuing. "I mean, I don't prance around the yard with a wooden sword anymore pretending to slay dragons, but I found a way to earn a living studying the stories and the history behind them." Much to his father's chagrin, but she knew all this already.

"And now you are in them," she pointed out. "You may never be written into the stories, but you have met King Arthur, and a few of his knights. And soon you will meet the true Lady of the Lake. I cannot blame you for your excitement, Ian. I feel it is justified." She smiled once again, passing one of the trenchers to him, now laden with cheese and bread, and took up her spoon - polished wood, once again - to begin eating.

"Meeting him is hardly getting to know him, Aurelia. I have so many questions! I long to have a conversation with the man, but..." There was that frown again that told her something else was bothering him, something he wasn't sure he could or should speak of just yet, if at all. "There is tragedy in all their futures, Aurelia. They just don't know it yet."

"Yet without that tragedy, would they have been remembered?" she asked him pointedly. "Would their story have lived for so many centuries, if they had lived well and happily' Would King Arthur be the man you grew up with, or would he be merely a footnote in a history book" It is often the tragedy that people recall. It makes a good story, and without a good story, there is no reason to remember the detail of a life for all the ages to come."

"I don't know. I can't answer that, but I do know that no matter how much I'd like to warn them, I can't. Everything we say and do in this place will become part of history and will affect the future in some way. It boggles the mind to think of it, but whether we were drawn here for some purpose or not, we have to be careful not to do anything to change what has already happened as far as our own history is concerned."

"Then you must watch your own tongue, and mine," she warned him. "I do not know the details of their future, nor do I wish to know at this time. But still I could affect them, without knowing how."

"Yes, well..." He picked up the wooden spoon to scoop up a bit of the stew, which looked and smelled far more appealing that he would have expected. "It is a heavy burden to bear," he remarked, with his eyes on the stew. "Knowing what is to come and being unable to change it."

"I imagine that this Lady they spoke of must feel the same burden," Aurelia murmured gently, taking a mouthful of her stew. It was more gamey than she was used to, the meat richer than she had expected, and she was glad she hadn't filled both bowls deeply as she ate. Accustomed to the more processed foods of their own time, she and Ian might have difficulty adjusting to what they could expect to live on here.

He jerked his head up at her remark, as if that thought had never occurred to him. "I suppose that depends on what she sees and how clear her sight," he said. The Lady's purpose, after all, wasn't to protect Arthur from treachery. What was it then" To protect Avalon and the magic that resided there. It was the only answer.

"Do you not think that Arthur and Avalon are tied together?" she said curiously. "Bedivere called him the Champion of Avalon. Surely his fate is tied to this isle somehow."

"The Champion," Ian mused quietly. Just as Rhys was Champion and Natalya was Priestess. Arthur and Morgaine were their forebears, as presumably Viviane was to Elaine. "I suppose it is," he agreed, though he still wasn't quite sure what it was the Lady of the Lake had seen, as far as their own fates were concerned. It was giving him a headache to think on it.

Aurelia reached across the table, gently touching his hand. "You cannot foresee everything, Ian," she told him fondly. "Some things must simply be accepted on faith. And faith, I think, holds great power here. "

She was right, of course, as she always was. He lifted his head to glance across the table at her, as she touched his hand. "I wish I could tell you more." Maybe, someday, when the bloody demon no longer held sway over her, but not today. "I can't tell you how much I'd give for fish and chips right now," he told her with a smirk as he scooped up more of the stew. It wasn't inedible, but it would take some getting used to.

She laughed softly, shaking her head. "I do not think there is a place in the world where I may shimmer to in this time and satisfy that particular craving of yours, mon c"ur," she teased him fondly. "It is a little rich, is it not?"

"A little, but it could be worse," he replied with a smile. He found himself enjoying the quiet of the moment here with her, despite the stew. At least, the bread was fresh and the cheese was flavorful.

They ate in silence for a while, the simple food doing a good deal to restore their strength after their unpleasant arrival from their own time. "Do you feel recovered after our unexpected journey, Ian?" Aurelia asked as she pushed her bowl and trencher away, too full to continue eating. "I know you are not so accustomed to traveling by magic as I."

"I'm fine, Aurelia," he assured her, setting his spoon to rest in the trencher. The stew wasn't the kind of meal he was accustomed to, yet it had served its purpose in filling his stomach and providing some much needed protein. He had to admit he was feeling much better now that the dizziness had passed. "Is it always like that' I don't recall feeling ill after shimmering."

"Non," she assured him. "With shimmering, we pass through another plane of existence - we open a door, follow a passageway, step through another door back into the world we left. But spells ....they fundamentally change the way the world is. They snap you from a world in which you are in one place, to a world in which you are in another. It is a very violent form of travel."

She glanced down her back, fumbling for those laces, and chuckled softly. "I think perhaps you are right," she agreed with a smile. "I am presentable without them tied, though. Are you changing your clothes, or do you intend to simply watch me?"

"At present, I am enjoying the view, my lady," he replied with a teasing smirk before turning back to his own pile of clothing. He shrugged the tweed off his back and and set it on the bed, before starting to work on the buttons of his shirt.

She rolled her eyes at him, checking once again that the pendant still hung at her neck. Her eyes fell on a beautiful bone comb laid on what seemed to be a dresser nearby, and she couldn't help smiling with relief, setting to work on removing the tangles from her long hair as she watched Ian changing his own clothes.

What he found waiting for him was a tunic of sorts that reached his knees and a pair of trousers, both in a deep green with gold trim that would offset the green of his eyes. There was a belt that fastened around his middle, from which he could carry a pouch, if he so chose, or a dagger or sword. There was a pair of knee-high boots, as well, and more buckles and laces and buttons than he cared to count before it was all in place. His hair was shorter than what was in style for the period, but it was windblown and curly enough that few would question the style.

As Ian changed into the clothing that had been left for him, Aurelia watched, admiring him silently while her hands worked to part her hair into two braids and twist them together at the nape of her neck. She had found a few pins with the comb, enough to tame her hair into something approximating the correct style for the time they had been dropped into. "You look very handsome, mon c"ur."

"Mmm," he mumbled as he made a final adjustment to his belt. "I feel rather silly," he admitted with a frown. He was unaccustomed to receiving compliments from women, even from who had agreed to be his wife.

"You look wonderful," she assured him, moving to gently adjust his belt, sliding a pouch onto it. She intended to put the astrolabe in there as soon as she remembered. Rising onto her toes, she kissed the corner of his mouth. "Would you lace me, please?"

"And you look lovely," he said, returning the compliment, but not because he had to - because he meant it. He watched while she adjusted his belt and slid the pouch into place. He intended to carry his phone there, forgetting about the astrolabe for a moment. "Yes, of course," he replied, as she drew him away from his thoughts with a kiss to his lips.

Smiling, she turned her back to him, glancing over her shoulder with an encouraging look in her eyes. Despite the strange circumstances, and the present fear of what might be done to her, she found she was actually enjoying herself.

"It's too bad we can't just honeymoon here," he found himself saying. What was a honeymoon, after all, but a time for a newly-married couple to get away from the world for a while and enjoy the first days of their marriage in the company of the one they loved" He wasn't quite sure how tightly to lace her and so, he erred on the side of comfort, making sure there was no way the gown would fall loose from her, but not pulling the laces so tight they she couldn't breathe.

Aurelia couldn't help chuckling at that. "Are you proposing that we ask someone here and now to marry us, mon c"ur"" she asked with a warm smile, turning back to him once again. "It would not be legal in our own time, and yet ....I cannot help but agree, in my heart. Perhaps, if my problem can be solved while we are here, the Lady in our time would allow it."

"Yes, I believe I am," he replied, as if he was surprised to realize it himself. Why not there, after all" What better place to be wed than on the sacred island of Avalon in the presence of King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake" It was magical, not to mention horribly romantic. "If you'll still have me, that is," he teased as she turned back to face him. "It's nothing but a formality back home. Legal mumbo-jumbo. But here, in this sacred place, with the Goddess to witness..." Good God, if he wasn't careful they were going to make a pagan of him.

She smiled up at him, her fingers gentle against his cheek. "Perhaps," she said, not making a promise either way. It was a beautiful dream, if nothing else. "We should learn first what our purpose here is, mon c"ur."

"No," he argued, catching her fingers and bringing them to his lips for a soft kiss. "We are welcome to explore, and that is what we should do first," he countered with a soft smile. Now that they had something in their stomachs and had changed into the proper apparel, he was feeling more relaxed and content here than he had when they'd first arrived. So long as the demon did not rear her ugly head.

It seemed that this was one discussion Aurelia was not going to win. Ian had made up his mind, and though she might have wished to have had friends to witness and stand in as family, she couldn't deny him anything. "Then we should explore, my love," she agreed softly.

He hadn't made up his mind, really. In fact, the thought had only just occurred to him on a whim, but he couldn't help be lured by it, by the romance of it. Who back home could claim to have been married in Avalon' Besides Rhys and Natalya, that is. "As you wish, my lady," he replied with a small courtly bow, before offering her his arm.

Laughing, she curtseyed to him with a sweep of her skirts, curling her arm through his with tender warmth. As they passed through the main room, however, she paused, releasing him to pick up the astrolabe from the table. "We should keep this with us, Ian."

He had already slipped his cellphone, as well as his other personal items, into the pouch for safekeeping. He couldn't chance someone here stumbling across the thing or they might think him a demon, to have such an object in his possession. It would take some explaining if he wanted to convince anyone to let him take their picture. He pondered the astrolabe a moment, before taking it carefully in his hands and attaching it to his belt with a little difficulty.

With Aurelia's help, they got the precious piece secured safely, and a few moments later, dared to venture from the little guest cottage Elaine had shown them to. Avalon stretched before them, dressed in autumn colors, more beautiful than any dream. "Which way should we go?"

"Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning," he replied with a smile, which was no answer at all really. He blinked in new-found wonder as they stepped outside the cottage, all of Avalon stretching out in front of them, Glastonbury Tor rising above it all. There was no place quite like it in their own world, not even in his own beloved England. "It's quite lovely, isn't it?"

"It is a magical place, mon c"ur," she agreed softly, in awe herself of the power and majesty of the island. She found it hard to believe that it occupied a place in the center of a lake not so very far from a town, and yet there was none of the ugliness here that had been shown to them in that town. It was truly astonishing.

He surrendered to her, letting her draw him away from the lake without protest, his heart too sore to watch that farewell any longer. He cleared his throat as she sat him on the bench and drew his hands to her lips. "Sorry," he found himself apologizing. His father would have chastised him sourly for such an emotional display.

Her fingertips touched his lips, stilling that apology as quickly as he spoke it. "Do not ever be sorry for having a heart and the strength to feel," she told him firmly. "But do not lose yourself to the pain. There is much light in your life, Ian. Do not forget it, when the darkness comes."

"You are a good part of that light, Aurelia," he told her, green eyes bright with unshed tears. "He's a good lad," he continued, glancing back toward the lake where mother and son were saying their farewells. "He will make her proud one day," he added, though he did not say why. He had told her too much already, and it was Elaine who really needed to know this, not Aurelia.

"I am sure she knows that," Aurelia assured him. "They are close, yes, but he cannot live his life here. There is some great destiny ahead of that child - a journey he must undertake that will bring him home, many years from now."

He arched a brow at her, wondering if she'd seen something he hadn't or if she was only speaking from what little he'd told her. "How do you know this?" he asked curiously, wiping at the tears that had gathered in his eyes.

"Small things," she said quietly. "The way you speak of him, the care given to him by others not of his blood. When I first saw him, I saw not a child, but a man, armed and in armor, stepping from a boat to the shore, and kneeling before his mother. A small premonition, perhaps. They run in my family, though it is not a power I have ever developed myself."

If he closed his eyes, he could almost see the scene himself behind his closed lids. He found himself smiling, unable to withhold his thoughts, despite the demon's ability to hear him. "One day, he will become the greatest of Arthur's Knights. Perhaps even greater than the King." Arguably, of course.

"One day," she nodded, smiling to see him so pleased with what he knew the future held. Her hand curled into his once again as she laid her head on his shoulder. It seemed he had forgotten his sudden quest to find someone to marry them in the wonder of Avalon itself, and she could not truly blame him for it. Though she knew little of the myth, this was a special slice of reality she knew she would never forget.

He had nothing to say to that, but only savored the moment, turning as quiet as her, content to merely hold her hand while she rested her head against his shoulder. There was peace here in this place, and he wondered if that was what had drawn him to it in the first place all those years ago.

"What would be the fate of a child conceived in Avalon?" Aurelia mused, almost under her breath. With such power concentrated here, she found it hard to believe that a child conceived here would not have some great ability or purpose in the world outside the borders of the isle.

"A child?" he echoed, turning his head to arch a brow at her while she rested her own head against his shoulder. His heart thumped a little harder in his chest for a moment, as her question both startled and excited him. "I-I don't know," he replied. "I suspect he - or she - would be....gifted in some way. Special."

"I am simply curious," she smiled up at him, lifting her head from his shoulder as she squeezed his hand. "My mind is filled with thoughts of your children, Ian. I cannot help it."

"Perhaps we should be married sooner rather than later then," he said, mirroring her smile as he bent his head to kiss her, as soft and gentle as a caress. They had already decided to be wed; it was only a matter of time, though here time was of little consequence. They could theoretically spend years here and not lose a second of time back home. He wasn't quite sure how it all worked though.

He caught her smile with his kiss, the softness in her seeming to grow even softer as she leaned into his tender affections. And for the second time that day, a discreet little cough interrupted them. Aurelia looked up to find Elaine standing a little way from them, deliberately looking everywhere but at the two lovers.

For a moment longer, Ian found himself not only distracted by Aurelia's kiss, but enthralled by it to the exclusion of everyone and everything around him, even Elaine. It wasn't until Aurelia looked up that he forced his gaze away from her, turning to see what it was that had gained his beloved's attention. Upon seeing Elaine standing not far from there and obviously trying not to intrude, he felt his face flush hotly again. She had caught them sharing a private moment for the second time that day, and he wondered what she must think of them, especially given the fact that she had no such love of her own. He frowned at the thought of that, unsure if she yet knew of Lancelot's betrayal, though it was certainly not his place to share that with her. "Apologies, Lady, er....Elaine. We, uh..." What' Did their kisses even need any explanation"

Elaine shook her head, offering him a reassuring smile. There was little indication in her face or posture of the heartbreak she must be feeling at the departure of her son. "You should never apologize for a love shared," she told them both. "Forgive me, but the Lady has requested your presence, Lord Ian. My Lady Aurelia, I am afraid that she has not asked for you this time."

Aurelia's answering smile was not surprised. She had not truly expected to be invited into the presence of someone so powerful as this Lady seemed to be.

"Already?" he asked, more than a little surprised. He furrowed his brows when he further learned that Aurelia was not to be invited along to his first meeting with the Lady of the Lake - the Lady of Avalon. It worried him a little, and yet, it made sense, too. If the Lady had such power that she could sense the demon inside Aurelia, then she would not want to chance her knowing too much. "It's all right," he said as he turned to her in hopes of reassuring her. "I'll be back before long," he promised, one way or another.

Aurelia nodded. Despite her fear, she did not think any harm would come to her without some prior warning from these people, peaceful as they were. "I know," she assured him in return, gently touching his cheek. "You must talk with her. I will find some way to pass the time without you."

Elaine smiled once again, gesturing for Ian to come with her. "She is waiting for you, Lord Ian."

Ian sensed that, despite being guests here, perhaps even honored guests, this was not a request. You did not refuse an invitation from the Lady of Avalon, and in truth, the very thought of it filled him with excitement. Yet he worried for Aurelia, though he judged she would be safe without him for a time. He leaned in to brush a kiss against her cheek and give a reassuring squeeze to her hand. "Remember, I love you," he whispered for her ears alone.

"J'adore, mon c"ur," she whispered in answer, gently releasing him with a small smile. "I will see you soon."

He smiled at the declaration of love, patting her hand fondly before he rose to his feet. For a moment, he contemplated leaving the astrolabe in her possession, but thought better of it. Instead, he unfastened his belt just long enough to remove the pouch and hand it to her before re-buckling it around his waist, the astrolabe still in place. For some reason, he did not think it proper to bring such modern contrivances with him for such a meeting with the Lady. "Keep these for me," he said. "I'll see you soon."

Elaine watched as the woman took the pouch from her betrothed, settling it on her lap with an encouraging smile. But the Lady could not be kept waiting for long. With another gentle gesture, she drew Ian from his beloved's side, guiding his steps toward the Temple itself. Now was the time when he would learn the true purpose of his arrival in this distant past.

((Betcha didn't see that coming, didja? :grin: Many thanks to my writing partner for being generally awesome!))