"Sofi!" he said, kissing her hair and inhaling the scent of little girl.

His heart swelled within his breast until he thought it might burst. He developed a fondness for the children almost at once when first he met them. The many weeks together in hiding only increased his affections. But it was not until he watched them riding away from him that he realized just how much they meant to him.

As the days and nights passed in their absence, he wished to hear Sofi laugh or to see Robin's triumphant smile during one of their chess games. He longed to hear the happy chatter that surrounded them in their hiding home. Instead, he heard only the sounds of Drew's soft snoring and the normal night sounds of the wood.

He thought it was Gwyn that made his lonely heart beat with new life, but when his eyes caught sight of little Sofi running to greet him...and her joyous smile only for him...well, he learned differently. Little Sofi had him wrapped around her tiny little fingers. His heart thumped and he ran to catch the little nymph that had stolen his heart away.

"My little Sofi! I have missed you so!"

"I missed you, Papa!" Sofi said as he moved her to his hip. "I told Mama not to be sad. I told her you would come back and that everything would be alright."

"You are a very smart little girl." Erec grinned and touched her nose.

Sofi giggled and wiggled down. It was just as well, for he no sooner stood upright again then Robin launched himself. Erec caught the boy up in a hug and felt his eyes mist over. Robin was holding him so tightly.

"I missed you, Papa." Erec said stepping back and swiping at his face.

"I missed you too." Erec knew that Robin held an equal share of his affections. It mattered not to him that he did not father these two children. They were his to raise...and he loved them...very much. At last, he understood what it meant when he caught his father looking at him just so. Swallowing past a lump in his throat, he looked with a father's love upon Robin.

"I think you have grown since I saw you last." Erec ruffled the boy's hair.

"I am near as tall as Mama now." Robin said proudly standing as tall as he could.

"And so, you are." Erec smiled at Robin before lifting his eyes.

Gwyn was coming toward him, walking demurely with the grace of a lady. Erec smiled, feeling his world complete with his family restored to him. His smile grew when she lifted her skirt and ran to him. He caught her up and twirled her around just as he had done for Sofi.

He heard Sofi and Robin laughing at them. He chuckled as he set Gwyn to her feet but the laughter died in his throat as she gazed up at him and he saw all of his love reflecting back at him from that dear face. Draw like a moth to the flame, he bent and kissed her without reservation.

He was home.

Breaking the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers. "I have missed you wife."

"And I you, husband." Gwyn did not even try to wipe the tears that fell from her eyes.

---

They were very long in the courtyard as the people crowded near, each wishing to see with his or her own eyes that Lord Erec was returned. Even then, it was difficult to believe. Finally, when Erec noticed Gwyn was tiring, he nodded to Drew.

In a moment Drew, John and the others made a wall around Erec and his family and moved them safely through the courtyard and into the castle. Once inside, Gil and Dermot took the lead clearing the way. Gwyn and Erec walked hand in hand. John followed next holding a child with each hand. Drew and Thomas followed behind, keeping people at arm's length.

They took their place at the dais where Brecken and Alexandi were able to make their proper greetings.

"Good People of Brecken. We have been given a miracle this day. Lord Erec has come back to us, whole and well. I am certain that he shall tell the tale of the time from his fall in the ambush until this day. But for now, let us eat and drink and be merry. The morrow will be soon enough for the Bard's tale."

Lord Brecken raised his glass and there arose such a cheer that Gwyn thought surely the roof would come tumbling down around their ears.

---

Though the Baron said they would explain on the morrow, but it was not an hour more before every man, woman, and child from Brecken and the villages near by crowded into the great hall and filled the halls around. There were so many faces as Erec looked around from his seat on the dais, that he was quite certain that only the guards remained out of doors.

They looked expectantly, waiting to hear the tale of their Champion's resurrection. Erec cleared his throat and stood. The thunder of voices became a mumble as silence was called.

"I know you are wanting to hear a tale of daring and bravery." Erec began as the people sat looking at him with something akin to worshipfulness.

It was hero worship. He wished they would not feel so beholding, for he had not saved them yet. Their destruction would be his death, but neither could he bear their disappointment when they learned of his deceit. He sighed and felt Gwyn's hand upon the small of his back. As if she were pouring her strength into him, he felt renewed hope.

"It is true. I was the first to fall in the ambush on that fateful day. I took an arrow here." His hand rested over his heart. He felt the press against the sensitive scar under all the layers. "By God's good grace, I was spared. I awoke next on the field under a corpse. I was not long awake and when I woke next, I was floating above the ground with open sky above me."

He chuckled at the gasps and shock traveling through the audience.

"I was not dead as I first thought, for the pain that I felt was far too real for that. I was being carried upon a cot carried by four men mounted on horses. When I woke next it was in darkness. I was still on a cot, but I could not see sky or stars. It was dark save for the embers of a small fire. The pain was still very real, as was this man standing vigil at my side."

Erec gestured to his right and all eyes shifted their reverence to Drew. Erec smiled as Drew squirmed in his seat and nodded awkwardly to the crowd. Erec remained silent, enjoying his friend's discomfiture. And he would have done so longer were it not for Gwyn's elbow jammed hard in his ribs. With a chuckle and a wink, he cleared his throat.

"He and three others stayed with me. They kept my survival a secret and nursed me back to health. I was long recovering, for in truth, I was very nearly dead from the wound and my other injuries. If not for these men, I surely would have died."

Erec looked to first to Drew, and then one by one to the face of the others.

"And this man," Erec gestured to John who had the good grace to blush as he stood and bowed to the recognition offered. "Sir John took charge of my wife and children. He secreted them away and guarded them until he saw it safe to bring them to Brecken."

"I am ever in your debt." Erec said sincerely, locking eyes with John.

John nodded and Erec knew the man understood the depths of his gratitude. Just as Erec knew the love and loyalty John held for Gwyn.

"When at last I recovered my strength, I sent three of my men out to seek information about the kingdom and to meet me here. As soon as I was able, I rode for Brecken. But we rode under the cover of darkness and kept to the wood. We did not know our enemies and did not wish to meet with another ambush. At last, we neared Brecken Loch, but a storm was upon us."

Erec looked around and saw that it was as Gwyn said it would be. The people remembered the storm...and they remembered the storm that ushered out Hugh the Great.

"I have not seen a storm the like since the night Hugh I passed from this world. It was a frightful thing and Sir Drew and I were afraid we may not live through the night. But the storm did pass and in the morn, the sunrise on Brecken Moor was something to behold! I have never seen anything so beautiful..." Erec looked to his right at Gwyn and smiled tenderly, "Almost."

Whistles and cheers rose, and a chant began softly at first, but grew louder until it was a unanimous shout accompanied by stomps, claps, and thumps on the tables.

KISS HER.

KISS HER.

KISS HER.

Erec looked at Gwyn who blushed the most adorable shade of crimson and he could not resist. Turning, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly. At first, she was stiff with her embarrassment but in a moment they both forgot where they were and became lost in the kiss.

Until Drew thumped him hard upon the back.

Erec came back to himself and blushed himself, a thing he had not done since his youth, and looked sheepishly at Gwyn, offering apology. She looked up at him and winked. He blinked, uncertain until he caught her smile. The little imp was blushing but she was not the least bit remorseful. He laughed then and taking her hand in his, raised their hands high.

The room erupted in joyful cheers and Erec felt their love and respect wash over him like a physical touch. It made him shiver. He dropped his hand and felt Gwyn squeeze his fingers. Looing over he saw her support and love as she gave him a nod.

"I thank you for your generous affection but I do not wish to mislead you. Our enemy is great. Like a cat that has cornered a mouse, he toys with us, waiting just over the pass for just the right moment to pounce upon us.

"Do not give up hope. We are not that mouse. We are trained soldiers and we are armed. We will fight and we will use the terrain to our advantage. The pass is narrow and it will limit his ability to advance. I will not speak falsehood. We do not have an easy victory before us. But by all that is holy, I pray that we will be victorious.

"We shall not flinch and whimper like a child at the shadows in his room. We will stand and defend our king. We will keep Brecken from falling to enemy hands and we shall preserve our kingdom whole!"

The people raised their hands in fists and cheered, charged with hope. Erec felt Gwyn's arm slip around his waist and put an arm over her shoulder, pulling her to his side. Looking down he met her eyes.

He tried to convey his gratitude. To tell her how very much her unwavering support of him meant...

She gave him one of her special smiles and he dropped a kiss to her crown.

---

It was a long night and Erec could not have left the dais even should he have wished it. The hall was so completely packed that there was hardly room for a child to pass, let alone a man of his size. Aside, had he stepped from the dais, well wishing men and women would have pressed him to death in their wish to be near their champion.

The hero smiled at the irony. He must cowardly wait out their exuberance from the safety of his elevated seat. Unfortunately, Gwyn did not have his fortitude and she began to nod off. With a jerk, her chin snapped up and as she jerked away, her wine splashed all over John, who stood tirelessly behind.

"I am so sorry!" Gwyn mumbled, trying to stand. She was so tired that she nearly fell out of her chair as she became tangled in her skirts and the cloth of the table covering. John caught her arm and Erec caught her waist.

"John." Erec called over the noise, "She needs her bed."

Thinking John would take her, Erec was startled when John put his fingers to his lips and let out a shrill whistle that could be heard over the din all the way to the farthest corners of the hall. Startled, the crowd became quiet as they waited for what would follow.

As they had done in the courtyard and in the halls earlier, his men took care. Thomas and Drew moved to clear the steps and a small place at the foot of the Dias. Dermot and Gil followed and soon there was a small clearing at the foot of the steps. John started to lift Gwyn, but Erec did so first. Cradling her against his chest, he waited for John to move around him.

Taking Erec's elbow, John guided his friend down the steps to the clearing while the men held the crowd away. Closing a ring around Erec and Gwyn, the men moved through the hall and once there, they went two in front, two in back to keep the way open. John moved a few steps ahead of Erec, alert and ever at the ready.

Erec was never in a position to require such assistance before this time. Always he had the people's adoration but it was always from afar, as he was astride Zeus or behind the king or away at war hearing the reports. It was humbling to be so close to the people he fought for.

Before he had time to ponder any further on the matter, they reached his chambers. It was the very chamber he shared with Gwyn before he left. Crossing to the bed, he set her gently upon it but before he could do much else, he was summoned away by a servant at the door.

A door, Erec noted with pride, that was effectively blocked by John and Thomas. Drew leaned against the wall opposite and shrugged when Erec arched a brow. The young man in the hall could not be much older than Robin.

"What message do you have for me?" Erec asked, stepping into the hall.