(Untitled)

[still_golden]

Jennifer's head and heart are full of memories as she and Matt return to the city from Aideen's grave. You bring your own history to this hour, everything you have lived. You bring Kevin here within you, and you bring Rakoth, who you survived Matt had told her. It need not be now as it has been before!

And Leila's words, in the Temple. Grant him

Comments

[most_generous]

The ship that will go to Caer Sidi (Cader Sedat, in the tongue used in Fionavar) is called Prydwen. Thus the story repeats, life after life, world after world. As Arthur pushes open the door to his room, he is thinking of those other lives.

(Thrice enough to fill Prydwen, we went into it;
Except seven, none returned from Caer Sidi.)

[still_golden]

She turns and sees the door open, and has just time to take a breath before he's in the room with her, and she has to say something, anything, the right thing--

"Oh, my love," she starts, voice breaking. "I need you to forgive me for so much. I am afraid--"

[most_generous]

In this life, this Guinevere is here, fair and suffering, and she needs Arthur. She has sought him out in his chambers (as, he remembers, the other one never did.)

Before Guinevere can finish the sentence, Arthur has knelt before her, buried his head in the folds of her gown. "My very dear. My golden Guinevere. Of course, love, of course, I am here..."

[still_golden]

"Arthur--"

It's all she can manage -- touch is suddenly much, much more important, a pleasure after only enduring it for months. Her hands are holding him close, running through his hair, lifting his face so that she can look at him and kiss him.

She's shaking, so much that she feels sure she would fall if he weren't there.