Reunited

By Donna and Abs

It was dawn of the next day by the time the fae managed to make their way back to Camelot and the nearby Scottish Village. The sisters parted ways just outside the castle wall, some to return to the beds of their lusty Highland warriors, others to the comfort of Camelot itself. Faline walked in through the gate, Navarre's hawk sitting on her shoulder, causing the guard there to raise his eyebrows. The day before, Captain Navarre had made life miserable for all those around him as he had searched frantically for the missing bird, and now, the fae stable girl walked in with it! 

Mouse saw it too.  He had been sitting in a secluded space (so Navarre would not yell at him) and he noticed the girl returning.  Not that he was *waiting* for her, or anything! He didn't know who he was gladder to see, Faline or the hawk. For a moment, he was torn. Should he go welcome the girl back? Or should he run straight to Navarre's quarters to tell him the good news. While he was thinking, Goliath caught wind of the girl, and bugled a loud welcome home.  

Of course Faline heard it, and came toward them smiling.  Mouse got up and stammered a hello.  "Did you have fun?" he asked, trying to sound casual. 

"Yes," she said with a happy smile. "It is always good to see all my sisters." She nodded to the hawk on her shoulder. "Someone followed me to the glen though." 

Mouse looked down. "He was looking for her all yesterday," he said. 

"I was afraid of that," she said. "I brought her back as soon as I could. If he is awake, perhaps you could tell him the news. " 

Mouse's eyes opened wide. "M-me?  W-wake him?" 

"Wake who?" growled a familiar voice. Mouse did his best to pull a vanishing act right there on the spot, but didn't quite pull it off.  Even Goliath put his head back into the stall! Captain Navarre came out of the shadow, a fierce scowl on his face. 

Faline stood her ground though, her golden eyes flashing back at the Captain. Part of her wanted to lash out at him, like any frightened cat would, but another part wanted to run to him and throw her arms around him. So, the two desires warring with each other, she did nothing. "I found your hawk. She followed me to the Summer Celebration." 

"Why was she there?" he barked, as if it were her fault the bird left him alone.  He put his hand out and waited for it to come to him. 

The hawk hesitated, turning to the fae, as if to get her permission first. "Go," she said quietly, and the bird flew to Navarre's outstretched hand. 

He looked curiously at the hawk, and then the fae.  What was going on here?  His Isabeau never needed to look to another for permission to come to him!  Something was different. Navarre then did something he had never been able to do before. He looked Faline right in the eyes. Always before, it had been too painful to do so, but now, as with the hawk, something was different. As his eyes locked with hers, the flashing anger in her eyes softened, and for a moment, he could have sworn it was Isabeau standing there, not Faline. 

"Mouse," he said without looking at the young man, "Take the hawk and feed her . . . and leave us alone."  He never took his eyes from Faline's.  "We must have words together." 

"Yes," Faline said softly, stepping closer to him while reaching out her small hand to his. "We must.” 

He sensed it in her touch.  How could she be Isabeau now?  And yet, she was still Faline!  He was confused! She must explain! 

Faline said nothing yet, leading him away from the now bustling stables as the lads and Jeannette came to feed and do the early morning cleaning. She took him to a small, private garden behind the Stable Master's small house that was her special place. "Sit," she said, motioning to a bench. 

His jaw jutted out a little at being ordered to do something, but he did as she asked anyway. 

But any problem he had with that quickly vanished when, for a moment, Isabeau was allowed control. She reached out and gently stroked his rugged face. "Oh, my beloved Etienne," she whispered, her eyes misting with emotion. "How I have longed to do this simple act for so long now." 

"Isabeau . . ." He blinked back tears.  "How is this possible?" 

He reached out, pulling her down onto his lap, embracing her tightly to his chest. He could feel her body trembling in his arms as she sobbed quietly. "I... I was trapped in the hawk. Each day, it seemed that there was less of me, and more of it. I was desperate. Somehow, I managed to get the hawk to follow Faline, hoping that her kind could somehow help me. They did. With Faline's permission, they transferred what was left of my spirit into her body.” 

"But she is there, as well?" 

"Yes, she is allowing us to have this moment together. Just me and you. But after this, it will be both of us that you will be talking to... and loving," she said hopefully, looking up into his eyes. 

"And she is all right with this?" he asked suspiciously.  He had a right to be cautious - he was about to open his heart completely! 

"She was frightened. Very frightened. But she still did this. Because of her courage in the face of the unknown, I now live again as a woman. Otherwise, I would have gradually faded away, till there was nothing left of me at all." 

Navarre pulled her close and kissed her deeply.  Right now she was all his Isabeau, but soon she would also be Faline, and he wasn't sure what he thought of that, yet. 

After a moment, he noticed a change. The woman in his lap shifted positions, cuddling even closer to him, if that was possible. The kiss became even more intense. When they finally stopped for air, she rubbed the side of her face against his, and ever so faintly, a soft purr could be heard. He knew now that Faline was back. She was different from Isabeau, and that took him a moment to adjust to, but it was certainly not a bad thing.  He had been wondering what she thought of him, and now she was showing him!  Certainly he had been attracted to *her* - she looked just like his true love!  But he had not known her opinion of him! 

As those thoughts raced through his mind, he continued to hold her tightly to him, her warm body melded against his, causing a response that surprised him with its intensity. Looking up at him, with her lovely golden eyes flashing both love and mischief at the same time, she leaned in and bit his chin. "I want you," she purred. "We both want you. Now!” 

"Yes," he whispered, lowering her onto her back onto the thick, sweet smelling grass.  The place was secluded and peaceful. No one would disturb them. 

He was only vaguely aware of her hands busily undoing his pants, or the fact that his own hands were equally busy removing her clothing at the same time.  As his mouth devoured hers, she wrapped her legs around his hips and he plunged deep inside of her with one swift thrust, making their bodies one. The fact that he was the first to take the girl this way did not escape him, but it was too late to slow down now. He would have to make up for that abrupt way of taking her at another time. Their lovemaking was very intense since all three involved in it desperately needed it to be so.  Afterwards, they lay together on the cool grass, clinging to each other as if their lives depended on it. 

*** 

Meanwhile, Colonel and Count Alexei Vronsky arrived at the stables for his usual morning ride.  He never missed a day, rain or shine! 

Usually, Faline was the one that prepared his horse for him, but with her being gone, Jeanette had taken over the task. He saw this and at first was uneasy.  He had been attracted to Jeanette, even when he had thought she was a he, but even knowing she was all female did not stop him from fighting the attraction.  She looked too much like Anna. 

But she wasn't Anna. She was the daughter of the much-respected Stable Master, who was an excellent horseman himself. She was a hard worker, and had inherited her father's way with horses.  And she was different from the handmaidens in the castle itself. Jeanette never tried to pull any of the feminine wiles on him, or any other man.  This made him wonder.  It had been such a disaster, with him and Anna that he wondered if this really was a place of second chances.  The face he loved, without the complications involved. Complications like his lover already having a husband! 

Not that he had lacked female attention. Some of the castle servants were willing enough. And of course he had tried with one or two of the fae.  But he kept thinking of Jeanette.  She was perfect for him. It would have been nice if she was of higher station, but with that came certain problems with winning the girl. She didn’t seem interested in having any man court her.  

An idea came into his head as he entered the stables. She was there, holding his mount for him, as she had the previous morning. What if she was to accompany him? He knew that she was the one that schooled most of the younger horses. Coming over to his mount, he said, hopefully casually, "When do you take the bay out for his run?" 

"He is saddled and waiting for me to take him out after you leave, Sir," she said with a nod of her head. "He's a good colt. A bit headstrong and a bit too full of himself though." 

"Why not ride with me?" he asked. 

She looked surprised but pleased. "Yes Sir!" she said. "That is a good idea. I'll go fetch him right now." She handed him the reins to his horse and took off to go get hers. 

Vronsky felt good.  He walked his stallion out of the stable and mounted up, waiting for her to join him. She let her horse out, and with easy grace, swung up onto him. The girl was wearing man's britches, with a loose fitting overshirt with a leather belt, and she was obviously used to riding astride. The colt immediately started to dance and act up as soon as she settled down into the saddle, but she steadied him with her light touch, calming him down and making him stand quietly before allowing him to move off.

He was impressed.  An avid horseman, Vronsky could see the qualities of horsemanship - and horse*woman*ship - in others.

They went out into the meadows surrounding the castle, and opened up the horses for a good run. When they returned to a walk, the two of them walked side by side, talking easily with each other. She was an intelligent girl, he found out, surprisingly well educated for a woman. And she knew horses, that was for sure! 

And though there was some remnants of his feeling for Anna, especially when he looked at her and remembered them making love, he was not deluded in any way into thinking she *was* Anna.  By the time they had returned to the stables, Vronsky was now determined to get to know her even better. It might take awhile, but he had a feeling it would be worth it.