Inspired by the following chess scene from the movie Penelope:
"The game will be over, your Queen'll be dead."
"My King's still pretty... active. You know?"
" Once the Queen is dead, the King is useless."
" What's that about?"
" I don't know. Maybe he's too depressed to fight. He really loved her, you know."
Seriously…I heard this and my first thought was "OMG Arthur and Gwen!"…I'm a little obsessed.
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or the characters.
The king was sitting on his throne as his kingdom burned around him.
"You have to fight, Arthur. You should be out there with your men. Your kingdom needs you," she urged.
"No," he murmured. "No, you need me. It's you that I need to be with."
"It's too late for that now, isn't it," her words were not mocking. They were soft, regretful.
He felt her presence next him and the gentle grip of her hand on his shoulder. "They need you."
Arthur said nothing for a moment. He knew that she was right, he did. He knew that his place was out there with his men, with his people. But… "I need you."
"No harm can come to me now, Arthur."
He closed his eyes for a moment and he could picture her curls glistening as she tossed her head back in laughter. Before all of this. No, no harm could come to her now. He stood as Merlin entered the room. "Gwain's still holding the upper part of the city and Lancelot and Leon have got their men in place." Merlin swallowed nervously, "Shall I have someone fetch your armor?"
Arthur looked at him, eyes hollow. "Come on Merlin." The empty room echoed as the door shut behind them.
Merlin followed him down the corridor. "You do realize Camelot is crumbling as we speak, your men need you."
Your men need you. Your kingdom needs you. He needed her.
He turned on him. "Gwen's dead Merlin, do you get that? She's gone." His voice had risen and guards averted their gaze.
Merlin knew. Arthur might not have realized it, but he wasn't the only one who had wept when she had fallen. "She died fighting alongside the rest of us and you're going to throw that away? You're going to sit here while the city that she loved, that she died for, burns to the ground?"
The king looked away. "I loved her, you know."
"I know." Merlin sighed, "I know."
"No harm can come to her now."
Merlin watched as Arthur closed his eyes and he couldn't help but think-without the Queen the battle was lost.