Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters that I can think of. Perhaps there's some towards the end. If there are, then
those are mine. Not those from the Sanctuary.

Send all output to me. :)

    Conor blinked back tears, sitting on the fresh grave of the Druid King. "He was just a boy!" he shouted to the heavens,
wiping a tear away. "Why him and not me?" he demanded. Galen's face appeared in his mind, and he remembered one thing
that he said.
    "Its your destiny, lad." Destiny. His destiny. Glas had said before that every thing happened for a purpose, though not in
those exact words. Maybe he had died for a good cause, a good purpose. Maybe for the land. And his 'symbolic' marriage
with Molly... maybe that was for a good purpose, too. It seemed like a good idea, to marry. From what Fergus had said, things
were beginning to look admirable when you were married. Married. It was a word of commitment. Narrowly like death. You
were either married, or you weren't. There wasn't much in between.
    And this was Molly. He had only talked to her a couple of times. He didn't love her. Although this wasn't going to be a
marriage for love, it still mattered a little to him. She was definitely not Claire. With Claire, he could guess at the future. He truly
loved her and was sure that there was something that he could have done with her, even if they hadn't married. There was just
something there for them, he had knew it. Never once would he guess that she would die because of him.
    Caitlin sat down beside him. "You're thinking. I can tell it. What are you thinking about?"
    He smiled at her. And there was Caitlin. With her, he knew where he stood. She respected him, and was his friend, but she
didn't love him. "Just stuff."
    She grinned. "Just stuff must be a lot." * maybe he was thinking about me *
    "Oh, and why's that?" she shrugged. "Well, if you must know, I was thinking about getting married." he said it so casually. *
That sounded right. Getting married. *
    She didn't let it show, but her heart leapt in her. * if only with me... * "With who?"
    If his grin that suddenly appeared on his face had been bigger, she could've ridden a horse through it. "Molly." * oh * her
poor heart, so bruised, fell.
    "I'm happy for you." she was lying through her teeth. Thank the Lord he didn't see it. "I guess you're going to have to tell
her." she grinned when his face wasn't so merry.
    He paled. "How will I do it?" he turned to her. "You're a woman. How would you like to be proposed to?" he nearly
begged.
    She laughed, trying to sound cool. "I'm not Molly. But, I can tell you how *I* would like to be proposed to." she grinned,
and began to instruct him. "First, you would take her hands."
    He picked her hands up, which she was surprised to find were not burning up or shaking wildly. His hands were so much
bigger than her's, and they were, to her great surprisement, smooth. "Like that?" his fingers were stroking across her knuckles,
absent mindedly.
    "Aye, like that. Then, you would look deep into her eyes..." she waited a moment, as Conor complied. That moment was so
intense to her, even though there wasn't much love there. "And then you would whisper her name, which would drive her mad
with all the love in your tone."
    "Like this?" he paused, and then held his face close to her ear, "Caitlin." she could have melted right then and there. It was
like it was real, and he was so sweet the way he said it.
    "Uh huh." she waited a moment to catch her breath. Thank the Lord again, he was too busy thinking to notice that her breath
had sped up faster than the horse he rode. "Then you would say her name again, and ask her this: you would make me the
happiest man in the world if you would honor me by marrying me."
    His brown eyes were hooked on hers and he repeated it, "Caitlin, you would make me the happiest man in the world if you
would honor me by marrying me."
    She could have cried. "And then she would say 'Aye, you'd make me the happiest woman in the world if we would marry."
she paused, "And then you would lean close, and ever so carefully, take her close, and..." she couldn't finish. Already he was
leaning as instructed, and he held her close, framing her face with his hands. He kissed her, and for a moment she pretended
that she was the one he was REALLY kissing, the keeper of his heart.
    When he finally let her go, he smiled at her, "Was that good? That right?" because her heart was in her mouth, she couldn't
speak. So, instead, she nodded. Recovering herself, she whispered, "You'd make her melt in your arms. That was the sweetest
kiss that I've ever been privileged to receive..."
    He grinned. "I had practice. Thank you, Cat. You're a great friend." that hurt. Friend. That's it. He stood up. "I'm going to
talk to Molly." she watched him leave, and wiped her wet cheek on her sleeve. * I made a fool of myself. Why do I love him,
any ways? Why is he so special to me? * She remembered all the things that made her love him. He'd always listen to her
problems, he had such passion in every thing that he'd do. She'd seen him with his shirt off, once, and it was enough to make
her loose her breath. No one had ever done that to her. And that kiss...it was no wonder Claire died for him.
    The next morning, Molly walked up to her. "Conor and I are really getting married, now. And its not just symbolic." she
blushed, and a big grin spread across her face. "I also wanted to tell you that I'm also no longer a maiden." Caitlin's eyes
widened.
    "What? You two...?"
    She couldn't finish. Nor could she really imagine Molly and Conor together. Especially after that afternoon, when he kissed
her. Molly grinned wider, similar to Conor's own grin earlier. She couldn't stand it. She was going to get up and flee, but then
Molly would see that her emotions were getting the better of her. That just wasn't Caitlin.
    "Aye, Conor and I made love, last night." Molly was nearly bragging. Caitlin couldn't believe this. She was even being so
straight forward about it.
    "I'm happy for you." she lied. Caitlin smiled, and hoped that Molly didn't know how to read false smiles. Inside her,
everything felt numb. It was over. If Conor had given her this, he would definately harbor no feelings for Caitlin. "I hate to cut
our discussion short, but I have some clothes to wash." Molly nodded, so she got up and left.
    Taking the clothes to the water fall, she never would've expected any one to be there. Before she pulled her vest off to wash
it, she saw a form move up through the water. The form came up for air, and Conor's curly head poked up. He grinned at her.
    "How are you, Cat? You seemed to have interrupted my bath." she didn't see how he could possibly be so calm, if the water
was this clear, and he was far from being dressed. She tried her hardest not to look down.
    "I'm fine." she wouldn't mention any thing. If he brought it up, he would bring it up. "But what possessed you to take a bath
on a day when you know the water will be freezing?" she couldn't help but wonder if his reason was the one she thought it was.
    "I needed something cold. I got hot last night." was all he said. She shuddered almost visibly from where he was in the water.
He got hot. Ha! She knew why. "It's not that cold. Here, c'mon in." he pulled her in with him, and when she got up, she hit him,
rather hard.
    "Ow. What'd ya do that for?" he asked, rubbing his shoulder.
    "I can't swim, for one." she said, and was surprised when he wrapped his arms around her.
    "I'll teach you." her eyes couldn't have been wider. His arms were so warm, and she was so cold...it felt so right. But, she still
couldn't forget that he had just been with Molly.
    "I thought that you didn't really love Molly? If that's true, why did you two last night while everyone else was sleeping..." she
couldn't finish. She was stuttering. She never stuttered.
    "Because it felt right. She loves me, and I think I love her."
    "You think?! You take the poor girl's virginity and you THINK you love her?"
    "We're going to marry, any ways. It's not like she was the only virgin last night." he hadn't ever told any one this. No one.
Why was he telling Caitlin, now? He was comfortable around Caitlin, even though he didn't seem to be wearing his pants. She
tried not to brush up against him, but did. It was like she brushed up against a fire. She was burning up, and to her utter
surprisement, he was, too. She was thankful for the water surrounding her, or she felt she'd burn up in Conor's arms. He drew
her slightly closer, and carefully brought her face to his. They kissed, but then Conor broke it off short. This wasn't right. He
would marry, soon. Tomorrow, even. He had given himself to his wife to be, but now he was on the edge of giving himself to
Caitlin. His best friend besides Fergus. This wasn't good. He assisted her to shore, trying not to touch her waist, and then
helped her get out of the water. Mumbling some excuse and an apology, he pulled himself out of the water, trying to stay out of
Caitlin's vision. She couldn't help her self, and watched him the whole way.
    Uncomfortable with where she looked, he turned around, only to give her the view of his other side. He quickly pulled the
clothes on, and practically ran from her. This wasn't good. Caitlin closed her eyes. "What just happened?" she demanded
herself, but couldn't give an answer. What just happened was a problem. A big problem.

    Molly sat embroidering on the veil that she would wear. This time, she would wear clothes. Smiling, she remembered
Conor's reaction to that first wedding. She remembered last night, and wrapped her arms around herself. Last night had been
bliss. She remembered the way Conor had felt on her when he wrapped his arms around her. She could imagine it so well, it
felt like he really was there. She turned her head, expecting him to be there, and he was. He smiled, and asked her, "Are you all
right, Molly?" she loved the way he said her name. She absolutely loved it. It sent chills up her spine.
    "Aye. I'm doing wonderful with you." she smiled up at him. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and asked her another
question.
    "Why do you love me?"
    There were many different reasons why she loved Conor. Many different ones. She didn't know which ones to tell him. "I
love the way your hair looks after you go riding, I love your Roar, I love your gentle attitude, your gentle hands, your love of
children...speaking of which, I've been thinking. What will we name our first child?"
    That just about shocked him past the limits. That never dawned on him. He would get married. And when he was married,
he would be able to do what he had done last night as much as he wanted. And because he did what he did, he was going to
have to live with the fact that he might actually get her pregnant. And then, he might have his own child. HIS child. He wasn't at
all ready to be a father. This was starting to confuse him. And scare him. She looked up at him.
    "What's wrong?" she asked him, noticing that he didn't look very comfortable at all. Unlike when he was with Caitlin. She
had noticed that they could talk about anything. He never stopped when he was talking to her.
    "It's just that...never mind. We will name our first child...I dunno. I never really thought about that." he admitted.
    "Well, we could name it Liam if it is a boy, and we could name it Aerin, if it's a girl." she offered. He grinned.
    "Those are good names."
    Fergus walked in. "Molly, I was lookin for you last night. Where we you? And speaking of which, where were you, too,
Conor? You both seemed to disappear. Please tell me it was just a coincidence." he looked at their position, and looked away
quickly. Conor's arms were still around Molly. They grinned at each other, and Conor removed his arms, sitting down beside
her. He took her hands.
    "Are you going to tell him?" he asked. Molly took one look at his grin and laughed. It spread from ear to ear, like another
grin she had seen on his face before.
    "Da, Conor and I are going to get married." she announced.
    Fergus looked sharply at Conor. "What? Conor, what are you doing to my little girl? You two...just shouldn't be together."
he stared at them. They looked so happy. "What about Claire?" he asked, bringing it up.
    Molly raised her eyes to him. "Claire? What about Claire?" she stood up, and glared at Conor.
    "Yeah, tell her, lad. Tell her about Claire." Fergus encouraged. Conor couldn't believe this. He knew that Fergus was
protective, but he was ruining everything, here!
    Molly turned around, and fled. "What?? Fergus, what? Wait, Molly!" he ran after her.
    Molly found herself talking to Caitlin. She felt so comfortable around her, and maybe she could clear this up. Caitlin sure
knew a lot about Conor. She'd know about Claire. "Caitlin, I need your help. It's about Conor." she looked upset, to Caitlin.
This made her hopeful inside. Maybe he put off the wedding...she nodded. "Well, Da said something about Claire." Caitlin
couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. She could tell Molly a lie, or she could tell the truth. But, if she lied, she would
eventually have to put up with Conor. She felt stuck, but she knew it would be better to tell the truth.
    "Well, Molly, Claire is his old girlfriend. She and he were very close, and then when her father was trying to kill him, she
jumped in front of the blade. She's dead, now. She's no threat to you, unless when you are making love, he calls her name. He
would've last night if he ever was going to."
    Molly was relieved. "Oh. He only called my name, last night, even though he started to call out some name that started with a
C. I didn't really notice it. But if she's dead..." she smiled. "Thank you, Caitlin. You are a good friend." Caitlin felt extremely
guilty. But what if it was her name that Conor had started to call out? If only she knew...

    Conor found Caitlin shortly after Molly left. "Have you seen Molly?" he asked. She nodded. His face looked just a little less
stressed. His forehead was all wrinkled from frowning and his eye brows lowering in stress. He was extremely upset, she could
see. So maybe he did really love Molly? He sat down beside her, and to her utter surprisement, began to cry.
    "I really messed things up, this time." she brought his head to her shoulder, and held him close while he sobbed. He must
have been having such a bad time trying to decide. "If you could only see her face, when she's saying that she loves me. She
really does. And here I am, not sure, and all confused. She really loves me. I can't truthfully say the same. I'm confused, Cat."
    She stroked his curls back, like she would a babe. "I think you love her. Here you are, worrying about it, and you were all
upset over that little fight. Like you would loose her. What else did you two talk about?" she asked. At first, she was afraid of
the answer, but she wanted Conor to be happy. For him to be happy, she would have to help him.
    "Children. If you were having my children like she is, what would you name them?"
    She smiled, and then answered him truthfully. She had thought about that answer for a long time. "Liam and Aerin." she
admitted.
    He stared at her from where she held him. "That's what Molly said." he was amazed. Molly and Caitlin were so different, yet
they were the same. He knew that he had to get married before he would all ready cheat on her. When he married, things
wouldn't be the same. He couldn't have the thoughts about Caitlin that seemed to fill his mind lately if he was busy thinking the
same about Molly. He just couldn't help it, he kept picturing Caitlin with him in the water, beside him instructing him how to
propose, and then he remembered last night, and he couldn't help but imagine he there. In his arms, smiling up at him like Molly
had. Last night Molly had been so beautiful, and so sweet. But now she was different.
   "Caitlin, will you help me get ready for my wedding? Please? I know Molly will want you to help her, but she'd understand if I
said I was nervous..." she nodded.

    Early the next morning, while she was sleeping, Conor came into her cave. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty." he called.
    "Wha? Conor? It's not dawn yet." she whispered. "Go back to sleep." he came in.
    "Like the night tunic." she bolted up, and he chuckled. "You've seen me when I was not my best, and you saw me
undressed, and you're worried that I see you in your night tunic?" she laughed.
    "Gee. It's not the same."
    "Aye, it is. But it's not like I'm going to stay here and watch while you get dressed...unless you want me to." there was that
grin again.
    She didn't know whether to scream- he acted like he wanted to watch- or to push him out the door. She settled for throwing
a pillow at him. "Turn around." she instructed.
    She yanked the tunic over her head and put on a dress. This was special for him. So, she would dress nicely for him. And for
Molly. "All right."
    He turned around. "You look...beautiful." he truly meant it. She wondered if the astonishment at wearing a dress or
something else was causing him tostare. He grabbed her hand, and led her to the waterfall. The sun was just coming up. She
stopped to watch it, shivering at the slight breeze that blew by. She felt so vulnerable in the dress.
    He wrapped his arms around her, and held her close while the sun rose. After a moment, he whispered, "Caitlin, this
marriage is just symbolic. I also want to tell you that...I...well, I love you."
    She didn't want to spoil the moment. She turned around, and was amazed at all the love in his eyes. He framed her face with
his hands. "I love you, too." she whispered it just before he kissed her. The moments it lasted seemed to last forever. It was
unenduringly sweet, and it sent her to the moon, to the stars, and to the heaven above. It was real. What she had been waiting
for her whole life. Her prince from the fairy tales had come.
    He smiled tenderly at her, afterwards. "When the marriage is over, you would make me the happiest man in the world if you
would honor me by marrying me." he whispered.
    "Aye. I will." she stroked his curls back. "Right now, we have to do something about this hair." she grinned.
    "You aren't going to put egg and spit in it, are you?" he asked, warily.
    "Egg and spit?" she laughed. "And why would I do that?"
    "Never mind."
    She pulled a little bundle from behind the rocks. She pulled out first a comb. She ran it through his hair, slowing down on the
tangles. "Your hair has a mind of its own."
    He laughed, and pulled the comb away. "Now I get to comb yours."
    He started to, and she was going to ask why he would do that, but stopped. It felt so good, for him to do it for her. His
touch on her hair after was so gentle, she hated to stop him. "And you have to smell good. I like your smell, but you can't get
married to someone like Molly if you smell like horses and leather." she pulled out a thick cake of soap, and showed it to him.
"It smells like lavender. She'll like lavender. I was going to save it for my own wedding, but that doesn't seem like a good
enough time. That's far away. This is going to be special, so we must let you use the special soap." he laughed. "Now, off with
your tunic."
    Grinning like a fool, he did just that. She held her breath when she saw it. She had forgotten the impact of Conor topless on
her. He chuckled when he saw her. He pulled her close before she could pull a rag out. She ran her hands across his chest,
admiring how firm the muscles were. They weren't huge, but they were there. Giggling, she tickled his ribs. He squirmed, and
grabbed her hands.
    "Cat!" she grinned, and picked up the rag. Bending down, she wet it and rubbed some soap onto it. She started scrubbing
first his chest, and then his back. There were little marks where Molly had dug her nails into his back. She kissed them all, and
he tried to refrain from returning some of the kisses. She splashed some water on him to wash the soap away. She dried his
body off as good as she could with a blanket she had in the bundle. Not able to help herself, she brought her hands up to his
hair and the little ear ring in his left ear. He put his hands around her waist, and gently pulled her loose. "The wedding is soon."
he kept his arm around her waist and walked with her to the grove. He quickly slid the arm back and joined the priest up at the
front of where a small group of people were gathering. Most were novices that Molly knew.
    "Good day to you." he told the man who he knew would marry him.
    "And what kind of marriage is this going to be, Prince?" he asked him.
    "A year." and then Molly came down to him. His eyes were on her the whole time she came. She was beautiful, but he still
thought that Caitlin looked better in a dress. Molly wore all white, most of the dress was feathery and almost transparent. She
had the veil on, and it made her look almost like one of Caitlin's angels. She looked so happy, and so serene.
    The priest clasped his hands in front of her, and she bowed her head. "Blessed be, Daughter."
    He repeated it for Conor. "Blessed be, Son." Molly looked at him, worried. He reassured her with a smile.
    "Today, I want to sanction the marriage of you, Molly, and Conor. First, Molly, do you consent to the symbolic one year of
marriage with Conor?"
    She smiled. "With all my heart." she gazed at Conor, all the love in her eyes.
    "And you, Conor, do you consent to the customary and symbolic one year of marriage with Molly?" Conor wasn't sure what
to say.
    He could say a million things. Half of him wanted to be smart and just go with the flow. The other half wanted to refuse
profoundly, and run to Caitlin, carry her off, and sail away with her. He wished he had the nerve. He could imagine Glas again,
telling him that it was his destiny. There it was again. His destiny. He smiled at Molly reassuringly who looked like she was
holding her breath until he agreed to it. "Aye." that was all he would say. Molly smiled broader, her chest slowly going
downward, as she released air.
    "Then by the Power of Bridget, I sanction this marriage." Conor leaned over, and as customary, he kissed her right cheek.
Molly looked slightly disappointed. Conor didn't think that he could kiss Molly correctly again since he had been kissed by the
Goddess. Caitlin was grinning at them, and Conor saw Fergus in the little audience. He walked over to him. He clapped Conor
on the back, "I'm glad to have you as a son in law." he grinned at Conor, and whispered to him so that Molly couldn't hear,
"And you get to use this symbolic marriage to symbolize with her for a year. I would be careful. If you quarrel and want to get
out of the marriage and she has a child, you might have to stay with her."
    Conor was getting afraid of that. He already was planning the first few days after the marriage ended. He even had the first
moment planned. Caitlin came up to them, and kissed Molly's cheeks. "You're going to be like my sister, now." she grinned at
Conor, and stood on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "Congratulations, Conor." he grinned right back. She was better at acting
like they hadn't just declared their love to each other than he was. She just pretended they were best buddies like normal. But
when everyone concentrated on getting the festival food, she sneaked a glance at him and all the love he could imagine was
finding home in her eyes.
    Molly sat with her novice friends. They kept giggling and glancing up at him, so it made him uncomfortable. If she was talking
about last night he would have to blush himself some where else. You don't tell your friends every detail about that. It's just not
right. Caitlin, seeing his discomfort, sat down beside him.
    She was giggling. "I hope you don't plan to do what they are saying you ought to do."
    He stared in their general direction. "What do they want me to do this time?"
    "Just kidnap Molly then try to seduce her." she commented, and Conor stared at her.
    Really? I'm NOT doing that." he protested. She grinned, and he crossed his arms. "It's not funny, Cat."
    "Yes it is." he started tickling her ribs. She widened her eyes, giggling harder. "Stop!" she pulled his hands away. "You're
married, now. Don't forget that."
    Grinning, he shook his head. "I'm supposed to flirt with every other woman here. It's my job to make her jealous." he put a
finger under her chin, directing her head to Molly. Sure enough, the novices were giggling as well, and Molly was practically
turning green with envy.
    That was enough to make Caitlin collapse in giggles. Tully walked over, and picked Caitlin up so he could sit beside her.
"Conor, I'm gonna save you from tonight, and I'm gonna kidnap your bride for you, as a gag. I'll come get you tomorrow, when
I want you to 'find' her." Conor nodded, and Tully looked at Caitlin, who was on the brink of tears she was laughing so hard.
"I'm not gonna ask." he left.
    Conor started laughing with her.
    Fergus joined them shortly after, too. "You two haven't sampled the ale yet, which is excellent, I might add. And yet you
both seem to be laughing and carrying on like you were drunk. I think some one gave you a laughing spell."
    They exchanged looks, and laughed harder. "All right, I won't ask." he left, too. Caitlin grasped on to Conor to keep from
falling again. He whispered in her ear, "Meet me tonight."
    She nodded.

    Tully did as planned. Right before Conor was expected to go to bed with her, Molly wasn't any where to be found. Conor
grabbed Caitlin's hand, and they ran off, Conor calling out, "Molly!" Caitlin, just to make an image out of it, called out her
name, too. They stopped running when they got to the woods. In the cover of the woods, he led her to a little nook under the
rocks. The night was just covering the land, and he laid her carefully down, laying down beside her.
    "Look at all the stars." he pointed to stars, and told her the name of a few. Turning his head, he stared at her face. So
beautiful by the light of the stars. He traced a line down her cheek, and down her neck. "I can't offer you much, Caitlin. I want
to give you the sun, moon, and stars, but I don't seem to be able to give you any thing, right now." he made a show of looking
at his hands. "But I love you, and that's all that matters." propping himself up, he leaned over, and kissed the spot where her
neck met her chin. She smiled sweetly, and stroked his curly head, moving the bangs out of the way.
    "I love you, too, Conor." she started to get up to kiss him, then changed her mind. She pulled him close, and they kissed.
The kiss left her breathless. She smiled up at him. Nothing could be more natural, than laying here with her beloved. She put her
face close to his ear, and whispered, "Conor..."
    There were a million things he wanted to do, right now. Nothing seemed to be right. This was the Goddess he was with. She
meant that much to him. So, he would have to love her like he would love the Goddess. When she kissed his ear, he didn't
know what to do. His mind was telling him to get out of this before something he would regret later happened, but his mind and
body shouted, "Make love to her!" He would be obedient to them.
    Ever so delicately, he trailed a line of kisses down her chin, her neck, her chest... he had to stop when he met her dress. She
had her eyes closed, then opened them quickly to see what had stopped him. A groan escaped her lips, and she shook her
head. He understood it as "Avoid it, keep going." he'd get around to doing that, later. His hands unbound her hair, and it
tumbled out of the bindings. Stroking it, he moved to her ear, where ever so gently, he bit down on it. Thinking he might have
hurt her, he kissed it. She moaned, and her hands slid under his shirt. She ran her hands up his back, and back down. She
grasped his shoulders for a moment, and pulled herself to him.
    He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and held her close. They kissed again, and this time it encouraged Conor to do
more. He laid Caitlin back, and kissed on her neck while he unlaced the laces of the gown. Moving the fabric out of the way,
the kisses strayed to her breast. He heard the moan again, and lifted his head for her to finish pulling his shirt off. "I love you."
they whispered, and another kiss followed. Her hands dug into his curls and she smiled up at him as he helped her out of her
dress. Looking down at the body of the Goddess, it was getting hard to keep himself from crying out. She was so beautiful.
And his pants annoyingly didn't seem to want to fit tonight.
    He voiced this and she grinned, helping him out of his pants. They kissed, and not able to help himself, Conor took her.
    It was unlike any thing he had ever done. He had done this before, yes, but this felt *good*. He heard her gasp, and he
whispered, "Did I hurt you?" she shook her head and pulled him closer. He pulled slightly out, and she groaned, tilting her hips
to get him closer. He came back, then repeated the action. Again. And again. And again. They cried out together, the ecstasy
peaking. Her nails bit into his back, but he didn't care, rather welcomed the pain for every nerve in his body was stimulated.
Pain was overwhelmed by the passion that flowed through his veins and hers alike. They were one, in the forest. The whole
earth seemed to welcome the lovers, and the feeling like that of the Roar accompanied the passion in his blood. It was
overpowered. He showered kisses on her, and chanted under his breath, "Caitlin...oh...Caitlin...." she matched them with all her
"Conor..." at one point, she almost screamed out his name. She pulled his head close at that point, and the kiss was practically
bruising. Sated, she stroked his sweaty curls while he rested against her shoulder. He carefully turned her over, and she fell
asleep, her head against his chest. She slept to the steady beat of his heart, which was slowing down to allow him rest. His lids
dropped as well, and he fell asleep.
    Caitlin woke shortly before sunrise. The sun was just peeking out of the hills, and it would get brighter soon. She nudged
Conor, and he sleepily looked at her. "Aye?" he asked, stroking her cheek. All night he had dreamed of her. But now a guilty
feeling set in. He had spent the wedding night with another woman than his bride. But, oh, what a night that had been! He
sighed, and let her sit up. She silently pulled her gown loosely over her head, and tenderly, he laced a few of the laces for her.
She helped him fasten his pant belt. Her hands lingered there for a moment, and she smiled, then turned away. He grabbed her
hand, and caught her eyes.
    "I just wanted to let you know that I love you." he whispered to her, putting her hand over his heart. She smiled and he left,
to bathe. She left to her own hut. With that scent of lavender on her skin, she didn't want to wash again.

    Conor rested his head against the back of the stone wall. He splashed the water on to his face, and rubbed hard. He twisted
the ring on his finger around, sighing. "Look at the mess you've gotten yourself into." he told himself. "And here you are,
married..."
    "Aye, married." he heard Molly's voice. In surprise, he raised his head, and saw her there. "Good morning, Conor." she slid
out of her dress, and to his utter horror, joined him in the pool. He had never had any one take a bath with him. Not once. And
she was a woman...
    "Morning." he returned. She smiled at him.
    "Our first real morning together." she sounded so happy. Yet he hadn't done any thing with her that night. He thought she
would be disappointed. Obviously, she took her good luck for the night they had together earlier. All of a sudden, she threw
her arms around him, and rested her head against his head. "I love you, Conor."
    He kissed the top of her head, and she smiled brighter up at him.
    Conor found the same thing happen about a month later. She put his hand on her stomach. "Here grows our babe."
    "You mean we...you're...pregnant?"
    Her face lit up like the sun. She grinned, "Aye. You'll have a child. An heir."
    A dizzy feeling swamped his head. He was supposed to have a symbolic, one year relationship that meant nothing more than
a union between the Druid folk and the common folk. Now, it was turning life long. He blinked.
    "I'm a, I'm gonna be a..." he stuttered dumbly, then finished it, "father?" NO! I'M TOO YOUNG TO BE A FATHER! This
wasn't true. Just a dream. I'm not ready for this. The gods know. They wouldn't burden me with a child that wasn't supposed to
be conceived, would they?
    Obviously. "And we'll have a wonderful family. Imagine that. I'll have a family. I'll be a mother." she was delighted, and
hugged Conor close to her. She obviously didn't mind the fact that they both lacked clothing. This was a bath. You don't hug
people in baths, do you?
    He was wrong again. And he was so wrong to think that he was completely over her. To his utter anger, if he was wearing
pants, they wouldn't really fit right now. This naked, womanly form up against his own naked self? No, please not again.
Hormones will not get a hold of me. Uh uh.
    Thank the gods, he wasn't wrong again. He pulled himself out of the pool, and wrapped a blanket-towel around himself.
"Wow." that was just about all he could say. He was too dazed.
    She grinned at him, pulling herself out. "What do you think comes of lovemaking?" she asked, giggling like a little lass.
    "But we only...that one night..." he blurted out.
    "Aye, and this is what came of it."
    Blinking, he yanked pants over his legs, and laced up only lace on the tunic, shaking his head to where all the blond tendrils
flew from matted to his head to being their normal, slightly wet, but ever unmanagable curls. This was ritual. He had done it
since childhood. He was recently a child! He couldn't have a child of his own! He shoved clothes at her. "Are you going to get
dressed?" he asked, and she came up to him, grinning like a fool.
    "Don't you like me like this?" she was flirting outrageously. He had just gotten out of a bath and just pulled on the pants.
C'mon, a guy's gotta have SOME time between women trying to seduce him!
    "My body certainly does, and it's pretty uncomfortable."
    She blushed. "Oh." she draped the dress back on. He strode away, and she almost ran to catch up with his stride.
    "Where are you going?"
    "Does it matter?"
    "I'm just wondering."
    "I have to talk to Cat." she was getting tired of this. Caitlin had his conscience, even though they were married.
    "I should be able to help you." she grabbed his hand, and he stopped.
    "It's not the same. I need to talk to someone else about you being....y'know." he couldn't say it again. It couldn't be true.
NEVER.
    "Oh." she let him go to Caitlin.

    He found her sitting by the fire, hugging herself. At least someone looked happy, for he was sure in a predicament. "Hello,
Cat." he called. She looked up at him, and grinned. He could tell she wanted to talk to him.
    "Hello, Conor. You look like someone just told you that you were going to die, soon, from the look on your face." she put
her hand up to it, and while giggling tried to smooth down his brows, which were still arched in surprisement.
    "Something close to that." he sat down beside her, and she worriedly turned her face to him.
    "What's wrong?" she asked.
    "Molly just told me that she's pregnant." he admitted, and her own face was surprised.
    "Her, too?" she blurted, then bit her lip. "Oops," she whispered.
    He stared at her. "What? What do you mean, her too?" he took her hands. "Are you... carrying...too?" she nodded meekly,
and started to mumble some apology, but he stopped her. "Don't apologize, Cat, this is great! A child!" he was ready for this
one. A baby. Wow. Caitlin's baby. This was one of the best things that had happened to him in a long time. He pulled her
close, hugging her. He kissed her stoutly, and she widened her eyes. "Conor, there's people watching..." she whispered.
    "Who cares." he took her hand, and announced, "My best friend just announced to me that she's gonna have a baby! And,
my wife is bearing, too!" he proclaimed. Caitlin widened her eyes. "Conor! Why'd you tell everyone? This is...why...what'd you
do that for? Now everyone knows!"
    People were already coming to swamp around them. She heard mixed comments, such as, "She's going to bear?" and
"Who's the father?" The worst, though, was, "The whore. Probably one of her Roman men." tears streamed down her face.

    Molly was horrified. The way her husband had reacted was horrifying. He acted as if this child that Caitlin was supposedly
bearing was his own! He was close to her, and she was his best friend, but best friends don't father your children. They don't
seduce your friend's husbands, either. She shook her head, and wiped away a careless tear. The whole village had seen the
scene, and the whole village had seen Caitlin run away with Conor in close pursuit. This was just not fair. Her husband paid
more attention to her, this former slave, than he did to his own wife! She stared at the back of her hand, which held a tear that
had dropped, unnoticed, off her chin.
    She turned around, to see a group of her former friends. Since she was married, they deemed her not 'one of them' for some
reason unknown to even them. "You're going to bear the Prince a child?" one asked, giggling.
    "Aye, I am." she tried to smile, but they noticed the tears.
    "Why are you crying?" her former best friend asked.
    "I'm happy." she lied. She couldn't tell them. They gossiped too much.
    "I see you have been pleasing him, for him to bless you with a child." the same girl who had asked the first question asked
again. She was just that- a girl. An untried, maiden girl.
    "I don't care to talk about that." she shrugged, and was about to walk away, when they stopped her.
    "C'mon, Molly! Be a friend, and tell us how wonderful the handsome blond prince performs!" one begged. She stopped
short.
    "It is wonderful. That's all I'm gonna tell you. I'm busy, laundry day. If you care to help do his clothes, I use lavender soap."
she turned, and headed to their hut to get the clothes. He slept with her at night, but that's all he seemed to want to do- sleep.
The stream of girls wanted to follow in, and see what Molly had transferred the once bachelor pad into. She wouldn't let them.
This was her and Conor's home. It was also a mess. She hadn't cleaned earlier. They couldn't see it like this. She disappeared
ahead of them, not welcoming them in.
    Sighing, she gathered his breecs into her arms, and picked up a handful of tunics. Also on her list of things to wash, she found
her gowns, and dug a nice undertunic out of the trunk to get washed. The big cake of lavender soap topped the big pile of
clothing that she carried to the waterfall.

    It just so happened that she walked to the waterfall and appeared around the bend just in time to see Caitlin push Conor in
to the pool. "Next time, think harder about what you say concerning me or your child!" she stormed off, half crying.
    Your child? Well, she supposed that Caitlin had meant Molly and Conor's child.
    "You're all wet!" she called to him. He looked up at her, and made a little half grin.
    "Aye. D'you care to join me?" he was about to reach up and pull her in, when she jumped back.
    "No!" she giggled, and sheltered her face while he shook water out of his hair, spraying droplets every where around him.
    He got out of the pool, and sat, dangling his long legs in to the water. Leaning back, he laid down, facing the sun. "I'm a big
mess. Why do you put up with me?" he closed his eyes, and she sat beside him.
    "Well, for one, I love you." she smiled, and then kissed his lips softly. "You're also a great kisser." she whispered. The kiss
was promptly returned.
    They heard giggling behind them, and Conor groaned. "Your fan club." he shook his head, and rolled his eyes skyward. She
stood up, and faced her friends.
    "He's a great kisser." one of the friends said, trying to keep her face straight. She couldn't, and burst into a giggling fit.
    Molly sighed, and let them help with the washing. They fought over Conor's clothes, and an amused Conor walked away.
He was chuckling. About gone, he turned around. "Please, let my clothes be in whole pieces when I get back." his eyes met
Molly's for a moment, and she grinned, instructing the quarrelling ladies on how to properly wash her beloved prince's clothes.

    Caitlin found nothing amusing. She rocked herself by her fire in her hut, and used the fire as a focus point for staring. While
she stared, she imagined many things. She imagined what the child might look like, and where she would go to raise him or her.
She couldn't stay here, even though she loved Conor. There was just no way possible. A lot of the people here were beginning
to think awful things of her. Simply awful things. She wouldn't remember all the other people who were sympathetic, and liked
her. Who cared. There were more that did care than those who were critical. The majority of the people making fun of her had
been people who couldn't bear, themselves.
    Conor dropped a hand on her shoulder, and startled, she turned around. "Why did you come here?" she asked him, hurt.
    "I came to apologize." he got down on his knees, beside her, and made a little face. It was a baby face, and he was acting
just like that- a baby. But, it was hard not to laugh.
    "See, I made you laugh! You can't be that mad, can you?" her face was at once cleared. "Oh well." he brought his hand to
her chin, and turned her face to him. "I'm really sorry." he said. She took one look at him, and smiled. He looked pathetic. "It
was a mistake. You just got me excited, and I acted on impulse. At least I didn't shame you by saying that I was the father."
    "I wouldn't have been ashamed." she whispered. "I love you."
    "And I you." He leaned over, and kissed her.
    Molly walked in, "Caitlin, can you help me set these out to dry...oh!"
    Molly's lip quivered. Caitlin jerked backwards, almost falling into the water, had Conor's arms not reached out to catch her.
Conor himself just bit his lip, clamping his eyes shut. Make this just be a dream. Please let it be a dream. He wished it so hard.
It didn't seem to want to happen. Things just seemed to want to get worse. Molly slapped him.
    Conor wanted to hit her, but he just wouldn't do that. What would people think if she went back with something bloody?
They'd immediately pin point it to him. Molly reeled on her heel, and slapped Caitlin, as well. This was going too far, Conor
figured. She absolutely could NOT slap Cat. He turned her around, and not caring what people would think, hit her squarely on
the jaw.
    "Don't ever do that again!" he told her, but all against his control, as she crumpled to her knees, he caught her in his arms.
Molly struggled against him, and fought her way free, after managing to scratch his arm. She raised her fist and was about to
land it in Caitlin's face, but Caitlin beat her to the punch, hitting her squarely in her belly. Molly doubled over in pain, clutching
her stomach tightly. Tears streamed down her face, and Conor knelt beside her.
    She collapsed in to his arms, and he picked her up. Even though she now probably hated him and he didn't like her at all, she
was still his wife and still his responsibility. "If I loose his child because of you," she shrieked out between sobs and gasps, "I'll
curse you forever, you wench!"
    Caitlin clamped her eyes shut, but followed Conor out to their hut. He laid Molly out on the bed, and Caitlin tried not to
wince at the two imprints in the bed, a hollow where she knew Conor slept at night, and the similar, smaller one, where Molly
now was. She glanced back at Molly, and gasped when a crimson spot met her vision. Molly covered her face with her hands,
and loud sobs met Conor's ears. "I'm loosing the baby." she cried out.
    Conor turned away for a moment, biting his lip. He had done this. He turned back around, and held her hand. "I'm so sorry,
Molly, but be brave." Caitlin sat beside Molly, and put a hand to her head.
    "I'm sorry." she whispered.
    Molly stared at her. "You're sorry? You have a lot to be sorry for. You stole away my husband, you bear his child where I
can't, and you made me loose his son."
    Caitlin shook her head. "It's all your destiny and mine, Molly."

    Fergus was horrified when he heard what had happened. "My daughter lost her child? How did that happen?" he demanded.
Conor shrugged.
    "There was a little fight between Molly and one of her friends, and she hit Molly in the stomach." he told the man. This was
his father in law. Conor just couldn't bear that fact. He sighed, and turned away. "She's agreed to get our marriage annulled." he
half mumbled.
    "What? Did I just hear that you're getting a divorce? Why ever in the world? You two looked so happy together."
    Conor sighed. "She found about my love for Cat." he admitted it to Fergus. Fergus should know the truth even if others
didn't.
    "You love Caitlin?" he didn't know what to say for a moment, then grinned, "Ah, so you're the father of Caitlin's child."
    Conor was instantly relieved at the grin. He had secretly thought that he would kill him. "You aren't mad?"
    "No, lad, I'm happy for you. My daughter never should've married you." Fergus told him.

    About a month later, the sanctuary celebrated Caitlin and Conor's wedding. Less than a year later, they celebrated the birth
of Conor's children. Two, in fact. Liam and Lavender. ;-)

*********************************************************

    Then..."Conor! Please! Wake up!" someone was shaking him.
    "Wha?" he opened his eyes. Fergus was shaking him. Fergus was the one who had slapped him.
    "You're going to get married, today, lad." Fergus reminded him.
    "Married?" he was confused.
    "Don't you remember?" Fergus shook his head. "Wake up, lad!"
    "Married to who?" Conor was shocked. Please don't let his dream happen.
    "Married to who? Conor, don't you remember? Molly, of course." Fergus stared at him.
    "I can't." he blurted out.
    "And why not?" Fergus demanded.
    "Because...I'll tell you later. First, I have to talk to Caitlin." he was up in an instant, and he threw clothes on. This he had to
do, before he went any further.
    He found Caitlin out at Glas's grave.
    "You've been thinkin. I can tell it. What were you thinkin about?" she asked him. Just like in the dream. And it wouldn't end
the same way.
    "About you." he admitted. If it was like in the dream, things would be all right. She loves me.
    Surprised, "Really?"
    "Aye." he sat beside her. "I love you."
    For a moment, she didn't know what to think. But, she knew that she loved him. "And I you." He took her hands, stroking
the knuckles idly. "Caitlin," he whispered. He stared into her eyes for a moment, which seemed like a lifetime, and smiled.
"Caitlin, you would make me the happiest man in the world if I could marry you." he leaned close, and they kissed.
    "Aye, that would make me the happiest woman in the world." she replied, and he stroked her cheeks, his hands still framing
her face.
    Their destiny seemed fixed, for exactly one month after they married, Caitlin announced to him, like in his dream, that they
would have a child.
    "How did you know?" she asked him one day, and he grinned, "I had a dream."

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