Disclaimer: The movie King Arthur does not belong to me, if it did, I wouldn't own this crappy Gateway.
Author's Note: As a shipper I LOVE Arthur/Lancelot, but I don't think I could really pull it off. This is my more or less attempt, I'm not sure yet. Just do me a favor and take a gander, please, only constructed criticism. I don't mind: "I really liked it" or "Wow that sucked", but I mean, please, nothing less than that. Nothing like: "omg! That was soo awsom! Lanclote is sooo hott! OK g2g l8z!" that just borders on ignorance and I don't really think my work is good if ignorant people like it. Okay, now the fic.
Author's Note 2: SORRY! Last one! Okay, also, this isn't so much AU, I don't like AU because it usually involves male pregnancy, I'm just using the idea of reincarnation, which is in the movie. However, if this is going the AU route (which I've never read because it usually involves male pregnancy), please let me know and it shall be rectified. Thank you. Okay, now really the fic.
Chapter One: Awakening
Lancelot opened his eyes slowly, the sky was unbelievably bright…but then again he usually felt this way in the morning. He let his eyes roll around, trying to absorb his surroundings. What was today? Was it late? Didn't Arthur need him awake early this morning!
With the final though he sat jolt up right, jumping up he realized he was on a floor in skins, and two men were chuckling. He swung around insanely, to face Tristan and Dagonet seated in front of the fire.
"What are you two doing sitting around!" He cried. "We have work to do!"
"Do we?" Dagonet asked, taking a bite from whatever meat he was eating, it looked like salted pork. Tristan give him a sideways look, took a gulp of wine, and offered out his goblet.
"Sit down Lancelot." He sighed solemnly.
"Why?"
"Do you really not know where we are?"
"No! I mean…it looks like home but it feels-" and just as he said that a small chill went up his spine. Home. Since when was that out post ever home?
"Please…just sit and eat with us a while." Dagonet sighed. But Lancelot was still wary, he sat slowly, took a piece of meat and chewed, watching his comrades not watch him back.
"You're dead Lancelot." Tristan sighed. It came too suddenly. This was preposterous!
"You're drunk." He chuckled. But the look of worry on Tristan and Dagonet's faces didn't waver.
"Think, what is the last thing that you remember?" Tristan asked.
"Waiting for the bishop to arrive." He spat without thinking.
"Anything after that?" Dagonet pressed. Lancelot paused for a moment.
"The woods…the Woads were all around us.."
"Mm-hmm."
Lancelot averted his eyes to the fire, things were surfacing a little easier now.
"The house of Marius, and the girl. The Woad girl and young boy…Arthur wouldn't leave them…but then again Arthur wouldn't." He chuckled. "The Saxons followed us on to the ice and Guinevere was a superb archer. But we couldn't have held them back, not by ourselves so Dagonet-" And his eyes rose to his comrade, to lifted his drink and smiled. Lancelot jumped backward. "YOU'RE DEAD! YOU'RE DEAD! YOU CAN'T BE HERE IF YOU'RE DEAD!" He screamed.
"Lancelot sit down-"
"NO! NO! This isn't real! This is a dream! This is a bad dream because…because I think I could have saved you. If I'd stopped worrying about that stupid girl-"
"It's not your fault-" Dagonet reassured as he reached for his friend, but Lancelot slapped his hand away.
"YOU'RE DEAD! I WANT TO WAKE UP! LET ME GO! I WANT TO LEAVE THIS PLACE I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE ANYMORE!"
"LANCELOT! YOU'RE NOT DREAMING! THINK! WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU REMEMBER!" Tristan screamed into his face as he grabbed hold of his shoulders. Lancelot's eyes danced around the room like mad.
Arthur discharged him, they were leaving, but went back. They couldn't leave him to fight alone, how could he fight alone! The Woads were there, and the battle…the battle was the fiercest he ever fought. And the Saxon…he had Guinevere. He didn't remember being so much worried about her, as he was what Arthur would feel should harm come to her, so he ran. He ran to her like she were his love. He stole a horse…and fought, did he save her? Yes, her eyes burned into the back of his mind…and the arrow. The arrow he shot through his breast plate.
Lancelot raised a shaking hand to his chest, the wound was almost fresh, no blood, just an open wound. He snapped away quickly and backed against the wall. He felt like there was a bone in his throat, tears were welling fast in his eyes.
"I'm not dead…I'm not dead….who will protect Arthur? WE CAN'T BE DEAD!"
"WE ARE DEAD!" Dagonet screamed. "NOW GET A GRIP!"
"Where are we!"
"We are in Purgatory."
"WHAT! Why do you speak of these places! Since when has Arthur's god been our own!"
"This has nothing to do with Arthur's god or our gods." Tristan sighed. "It's just a name. There are thousands for this place. This is, from what we understand, where we wait."
"Wait? For what?"
"To return."
"Return? To the world?"
"Yes. But don't get your hopes up. You wont be Lancelot, I wont be Tristan, he wont be Dagonet. You'll be lucky if you remember who you are now when you return. But you get a choice. You can move on, or you can go back-"
"Then let's go back! I could never forget you-"
"There's a price for going back Lancelot." Dagonet interrupted.
"Price? What price?"
"We've killed many. Hundreds, thousands-"
"We were knights! We were forced!"
"It doesn't matter. Only one of us can go back."
Okay, there's the first chapter. I stopped here because it's getting rather long, and I know I made Lancelot panicky. But that's only because, well, how'd you like it if you woke up in Purgatory? Reviews and flames are all welcome. Thanks for reading.