Promises

The night was a cool one, winter was soon to set upon them and the young Knight could care very little about it. Galahad lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling of his room as shadows and light from the fire place danced across it. He lay thinking of a great many things. Some of them about how he had come so far in his life as a simple Samaritan boy to Knight of the round table whose name had become legend in the fifteen years of his service.

He thought and remembered how he came to meet those all he called Brothers. Such as Gawain, who had saved his life on their very first mission on defending travelers from Woad attacks. A Woad had pulled him from his horse and made to dispatch his life with the Axe he held high over his head, but only to be tackled to the ground by Gawain who had launched himself from his horse and onto the Waod warrior and took his life. Since then he followed Galahad closely and became his protector in ways. Brother in Bors and Dagonet, who taught and pushed him in the ways of close combat. A friend in his Commander Arthur who taught him tactics and the ways of strategy. Lancelot, who showed him to master a sword and how to treat and respect the ally he had in the horse he rode into battle. Finally, Tristan who taught him to scout and track and to be a master of a Bow.

All good men that he had come to be close to over the many years at Hadrians wall, all he would gladly give his life to defend and protect. Though those thoughts were pleasant and kind, three thoughts this night were the most pressing on his mind in the most recent of days.

The first, the coming arrival of the Bishop that would seal his fate as a free man or to crush his hopes and dreams of home. The second, that very freedom that had been taken from him as a young boy. He could rarely remember anything about home. He had the faint recollection of a mother and that was all he had. He brown hair, the smell and softness of her curls gave him comfort through the years. That is, until a new form of comfort in the form of strong arms that, which were at the moment, wrapping around him, came into his life and claimed his world. Not that he didn’t give it willingly.

And that brought him to thought three, Tristan. His tall and dark and handsome lover. When they were free and they no longer had reason to be there, would the older knight feel differently towards Galahad? Were kisses stolen in the shadows and their nightly rendezvous to end there once their discharge papers were in hand? Was it all just to have a warm body in his bed to Tristan? Or naïve and youths illusioned fancy and fleeting thoughts of love? Again those warm arms made themselves known by squeezing Galahad followed closely by a kiss to his neck and shoulder that brought him from his thoughts.

“What troubles you so?” Tristan asked as one hand began to wander over Galahads skin.

“Just simply….lost in thought.” He said as he continued to watch the flickering lights on the ceiling.

“Tell me…lighten your thoughts and let me carry them for you.” He said between kisses and touches. Galahad sighed as he rolled onto his side to face Tristan. One hand reached out to wrap around Tristans waste while the other took the hand that traveled over his skin and entwined their fingers, “I was merely thinking…..when we are free…what will you do?” He asked with out looking up to Tristan. “Will you go and roam freely? Travel to the ends of the earth and live off the land like you do? Or will you do like Gawain and go to our homeland, find a wife, settle down and have many sons?” He asked and silently wished that his question would remain unanswered. Or rather that he didn’t know if he could remain strong if the answer were to be the ladder of the two.

Tristan though hadn’t given it much thought till the remaining weeks before the end of their service to Rome. If asked he still could not say with any level of certainty what he would do. But then come the young man who he had taken under his wing and helped train in the skill of the boy and tracking. This….young knight……this man he once thought and called a boy, a sheep amongst the wolves……now the strong, lion hearted soul before him had his heart. Forever would he only be Galahads, as Galahad was his. Tristan looked to their entwined fingers and brought them to his lips, kissing Galahads fingers. “I would do all that I have ever wanted to do with my freedom that I could. Roam the wild for a while before going home again. Though I would settle eventually.” He said and spared a glance at Galahad whose face was saddened slightly, a tiny sad and understanding smile gently gracing his sweet face. He smiled sweetly at Galahad as he brought the smaller knight close to his chest. “And all with you beside me.” He said softly. “If you would have me.”

Galahads smile grew big and bright, “I would have you always. You mean more to me then freedom.”

Which was true, Tristan meant more too him then anything in the world. More then freedom, more then gold or any offer of land that he would ever see. I would serve a thousand years if it meant forever at your side.” He said and before he could stop the flowing of emotions that surged the words forward, he said. “I love you Tristan.”

But where he thought Tristan would object, he smiled and rolled them till he was posed over Galahad. “And I love you. My sweet Galahad.” Words still fresh upon his lips; he dived in and kissed his lover deeply as to drive the words deep into Galahads mind, to erase any and all doubts. “Never doubt that all that I am, is for you and you alone Galahad. Never doubt that you are mine.” He said between passionate kisses and Galahad teared up and his arms wrapped tightly around Tristan again.

“Never shall I doubt again.” He said before meeting Tristans lips with his own and pulling Tristan down to him, wanting to feel Tristans weight on him and his warmth against his skin.

The rest of the night was spent in the embrace of the other. Warm touches and passionate kisses were mixed with moans and sighs and whispers of love and promise. Once their love making is done, Tristan holds his lover close and softly speaks over the crackling of the fire. “I have dreamed of a house on the sea. Open air, the world beyond just one step from my door.”

“It sounds wonderful…..”Galahad said as he looked off in thought. Imagining him and Tristan living along the edge of the sea, growing old together there and far from the reach of Rome.

Tristan smiled warmly and roled over to look down at his lover, his long mess of loose hair and braids falling over his shoulders cast a gentle shadow over his face. “Than that shall be our home. A home on the sea of our Country.” Tristan said with a smile. “I will build you a home that is worthy of you.”

“Now I am no maiden Tristan. I shall help.” Galahad said with a smirk. Tristan only chuckled and kissed the crown of Galahads head. “Sleep my love. Soon, our papers will be hand and we will begin our life anew.”

“Yes….but…you must promise me one thing before I close my eyes.” Galahad said and looked up to him. “And I will make the same.”

“And what is it that we shall be promising?”

“That if between now and the day we are free, you will stay safe, not be reckless and, if the fated day should come and I am about to die, that you will not risk yourself for me.”

Tristan stared down at Galahad in disbelief. “Why would you ask that?”

“Because….I could not live with myself should you be hurt defending me.”

“That wouldn’t be your fault. I would be the one who acted and I have done so and will many more times if I have to. To make sure that you lived.” He said. “Because knowing that you lived another day, I would die happily.” Tristan said as stroked Galahads face. “Please do not ask this of me.”

“I am afraid I must.” He said. “Please. Just promise me this one thing.”

Tristan swallowed hard and knew that Galahad was having a hard time with his own words. With a sigh he nodded and pressed his forehead to Galahads. “I promise.” He said and brought his lover closer then before. “Don’t do anything reckless.”

“You as well.” Galahad mumbled before sleep claimed him and truly, that was all that he could ask of his lover. Tristan closely followed his lover into sleep, dreaming of days to come with the younger man forever by his side.