"We're taking her to see the king." Gwaine and Leon glanced at Mordred through the bars momentarily before opening the cell door next to his. Kara's. Even as he could hear his blood pulse in his ears, his love took his hand through the wrought iron and pressed her warm lips to his fingers. His hand slipped from hers, fingers kissing one last time. She said nothing as she was being led away, defiant even without words. Just before Kara disappeared around the corner, their eyes locked. She was so beautiful, so full of life. Her almond-shaped blue eyes were half-closed in resignation, offering comfort as they looked into his own. He could hear her as she stepped in time with his former comrades behind the hard stone wall. He knew, inside, that he would not see her again. Never look into her vibrant eyes or see her smile tenderly.

Mordred fell back against the cold, unyielding wall and slid ungracefully to the stone floor. The chain-mail armor he once donned proudly was hooking on the wall's rough surface, links catching on the rock. He could feel the anger and sadness bubble under his skin and the air vibrate with what was to come. His jaw was clenched tight and he shook. He thought of Merlin. Surely he lied to him. What had he ever done to make Merlin hate him so much? All his fault. It really was all Merlin's fault. He had been betrayed, and now his love would die. By the goddess above, he swore to himself, I'll kill him—

His vengeful thoughts were interrupted as a soft voice brushed his mind. Mordred, it said in Kara's voice. She was comforting him even as she was being led to her death. A wave of anger and sadness surged through him and he silently conveyed everything he felt to her, hoping that among his storm of revenge there would be an "I love you" somewhere inside.

Kara responded almost immediately and a warm, tingling feeling overtook Mordred's senses, feeling just like a hug. He could almost smell her, as if she were right in the cell with him, her head buried in the crook of his neck—but she wasn't. He knew that now, as the drums outside beat with his panicking heart, counting down the moments, the seconds, before Kara would die.

The drums seemed to pound with Mordred's pulse, faster and faster, and he could hear three individual people—the only movement in the square outside, save the drums—stepping in time with each other. He didn't need to look outside to know who they were. He didn't want to look outside, either; he would not watch her die while feeling unimaginably helpless.

The already labored breathing hitched in his throat and sped up when he heard the drums stop and Arthur—no, he was not his friend, not anymore—the Pendragon start speaking. The surname he spat mentally like the worst of curses. The words Mordred blocked out, though they were likely Kara's death sentence, as he reached for her. Her mind found his and before he knew it he was sniffling pathetically, eyes hard and trying to burn a hole in the wrought iron door in front of him.

I love you, she reminded Mordred as the Pendragon's voice dragged to a stop. I love you, she said, three times in succession, with every stair she climbed to reach the gallows waiting for her. I love you, her voice whispered to him, even as the noose slipped around her neck. The drums started again and it occurred that they had seconds left together. I lo— and then the cruel moment came as their connection tore like a fraying rope, and Kara was ripped away from him and into the void.

Mordred's mind searched out for hers with mad desperation, the sheer loss taking him by surprise and sending his magic screaming for destruction. The cell door flew from its hinges and skittered across the stone floor, sparks flying before vanishing into nothing. Morgana was right, he thought savagely, her brother is but a scourge on this land. And I will rend him limb from limb for taking away the one thing I love most. He found the strength to stand, and, with new purpose, trekked from the castle, not taking a moment to reflect on just how right he'd be.

—

Ahh. My first actually finished Merlin fanfic! I'd say that all reviewers would be given cake, but...the cake is a lie.