“Are you sure it’s all right to be here, Talin?” Annalia whispered in awe as she leaned on her lover’s arm while they entered the Rainbow Room, one of the highest class restaurants in New York. “Only the crème de la crème come here!” she squeaked out as her eyes widened when she looked around.

Laughing softly as he rubbed her arm, Talin wrapped his arm around her waist. “Yes we can be here. Indeed…only the high class can afford to be here,” he murmured as he smiled at her while they waited for the maître d’ to take them to their reserved seating.

“Oh my god! That’s…oh that’s Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie! And then there’s Liv Tyler and Royston Langdon! Oh my…I feel faint with knowing that I am having dinner surrounded by celebrities!” Annalia squealed out excitedly as she held onto his arm while looking up at him breathlessly. “How did you get us in here?” she asked, but never got her answer as the maître d’ returned and showed them to a private booth near the edge of the dance floor. She purred as she saw the dancing and smiled up at him as he chuckled in amusement at her.

“Do you like to dance?” he inquired lovingly as he helped her to sit down, pushing her into the table carefully before sitting down across from her.

“I love to dance. And I think I shall enjoy it even more with you,” she replied with a wink before licking her lips and giggling when he grinned slowly in response.

“Then we shall dance as much as you wish, my Annalia,” Talin answered in a near growl and his eyes darkened slightly. With Annalia, he was finding himself falling more and more under her spell. While at first, there had been attraction as well as obligation to his fate. But now…there was much more. He found himself trying to protect her as well as treat her to different experiences. But he kept secret just how he was able to go to places such as the Rainbow Room and have theatre tickets for world class operas. He didn’t need her life becoming more complicated with the news media and paparazzi.

Cooing as she laced their fingers together, Annalia grinned at his slight loss of control. They had made love that first night back together and, while they enjoyed being in each other’s company, they had yet to make love again. But the nights that they had gone out and been together or the days when they met for lunch and went out afterwards had been just as fulfilling. She was so happy that they had a real relationship and that there was love there, but it was even more wonderful that it wasn’t just from destiny’s hand. But she had also taken to seeing what she could do to provoke him either in intelligent conversation…or in passionate desire. She enjoyed it when he would kiss her crazy after a long bout of teasing. She always felt safe with him, but still it was thrilling to see his eyes darken with desire of the things she did to taunt him.

A sharply dressed server came to their table and took their order, which Talin gave and nearly made Annalia choke at how expensive it was going to be. She looked at him anxiously after the attendant had left, aghast at how easily he ordered things that would have her paying for weeks on end. Just how did he have the money for this she wondered again as she watched him sip a sweet red wine. “Are you sure we can even be here?” she hissed out and frowned as he chuckled at her question.

“Yes, my Annalia. We can be here. Besides…our child could do for some pampering and you can benefit from it, yes?” Talin offered lightly and grinned as she blushed and glanced away. He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a lingering kiss to her soft hand, smiling as she watched him intently. He stood up fluidly and helped her to stand. “Come…let us dance, my Annalia,” he purred out softly while smirking as she cocked an eyebrow at him before following him to the dance floor where several other couples were dancing already.

They pressed together and swayed to the music as it enclosed them within its soothing timbres. Annalia smiled up at him as he whispered softly to her, asking about things in her life. Annalia asked about his own life after answering his questions. She was surprised to learn that he was in fact a few hundred years old. He had taken up his position as the last Merlin many years in the past, right around the time that Avalon had separated completely from the present dimension. The world as they had known it had been in an upheaval from the holy wars that were ripping through Europe from a madman’s quest to rule through religion. He had then watched over history, returning to Avalon from time to time to rejuvenate and be with his people. She felt her heart break at the loneliness and the acceptance of that loneliness that underlined his tones and held him closer in unconscious response. She knew then and there that her own loneliness was being answered and assuaged just as she did for him. His joy around her was as genuine as hers around him.

Two songs later, they returned to their table and received their dinners. Between bites and sips of the rich wine, they laughed and chatted on other things that had happened in their lives. After a while, they sat with just their drinks and smiled at the other as they spoke on their various interests and hobbies. They danced a couple more times, sassily going through the tango and a samba before deciding that it was time to head for home. After Talin had paid for the check, they went out, laughing.

But their peaceful night was disturbed as, while walking towards Talin’s car, four men and two women in dark long coats appeared from an alley. Talin saw the group and stopped before placing himself between Annalia and the group protectively as they faced the group. “What can I do for you this evening, gentlemen and ladies?” Talin asked quietly as he watched them guardedly.

“We warned ye thrice now, chosen of the forgotten few. No more warnings shall be given to ye,” the large man on the far right stated softly as he leveled a finger at them.

Raising a hand in warning, Talin’s eyes narrowed at them. “You shall not harm her or our child. Be gone from here, servants of the Shadow,” he informed them quietly, as time seemed to slow around the gathered and a threatening wind blew up around them, swirling debris and dust into the air.

“Ye shall not stop us, Taliesin of the Celts. We know of ye and yer interference,” the second woman in the center snarled back in disgust as her own hand came up. Dark lightening crackled in the air and caused Annalia to whimper in fear as she pressed closer towards Talin.

“Then you also know that I have been granted the power to see that the prophesy comes to pass,” Talin replied quietly, though his voice was barely heard over the rising whine of the wind that surrounded them. His hand rose up as his eyes flashed. “Be gone, servants of the Shadow! This night is not yours!” His voice rang with authority and the strange group all cried out in pain as light flared up, blinding Annalia briefly.

When the light cleared, the six servants were gone and everything looked to be as it had been as if there hadn’t been a confrontation. Confused and more than a little frightened, Annalia looked up at her lover, shivering. Seeing her shiver, Talin wrapped his jacket around her shoulders and held her close while running his fingers through her hair soothingly as he pressed his lips to her head. “It is all right now, my Annalia. You are safe. They shall not return this night,” he murmured as he rubbed her back.

“Who were those guys, Talin?” Annalia whimpered after a bit as she looked up at him. She frowned as he glanced away, worried now as they started walking once more.

“They are servants of Seo Sceadu…the Shadow. Humans who have chosen to serve with the Shadow for purposes of supremacy over others, or greed for material or other such base needs, or just for their own evil reasons. They were sent out to stop the birth of Arthur Pendragon, for with his birth and the possibility of being raised in a loving family, his power will be as it should have been in the past.” Talin’s voice was heavy with sorrow and the burdens he bore, which caused Annalia to stop and hold him close.

“And this evil is what we are dealing with?” Annalia whispered as she rubbed his back, soothing him in turn. She nuzzled close as he held her tightly, seeking to reassure them both that they were still together and nothing had happened to either of them.

Nodding as he rested his cheek against her head, Talin gazed sadly at the ground. They stood silently together and ignored the world that continued on around them as they remained where they were. After a few minutes, Talin nuzzled her neck. “Do not ever worry, my Annalia. I will always protect you against anything that threatens you.” His arms tightened around her protectively, heartening her with the security and warmth he gave to her willingly.

“And I will be there for you, my Talin, no matter how much you must go through. We’ll get through this together…as it was meant to be,” Annalia replied resolutely as she looked up at him while cupping his cheek.

Smiling gently at her as he leaned into her touch, Talin blinked back the sudden moisture in his eyes. All his life he had longed for this…for someone to say that they would be there for him no matter what. He leaned his head in and brushed his lips over hers before they pressed together in a defiant show of possession and need. They went to her home immediately, intent on cementing their vows to each other in a meeting of their bodies as well as their souls.

Later, they lay silently together in the aftermath entwined around the other. They considered how life had brought them together by whims of destiny and now have found a safe haven for their hearts and souls. Without a word, Annalia and Talin, who were the God and Goddess to each other, gave solemn vows to always protect the other through anything that came their way. And in those vows their child took the form of their love and dedication, ensuring the power of those vows.