Lancelot walked out with nothing but a smile. He was happy, but the world he left behind mourned.
Showing what happened as they leave the Isle.
Through the Veil
Coping
Merlin watched as Lancelot walked through the veil, he shouted at Lancelot, but Lancelot did not listen. Instead he opened his arms wide, embracing what was about to happen. Embracing his death.
Merlin watched as the veil closed, his eyes disbelieving as slowly he turned, to find the place opposite him, where the Cailleach had been, was now empty. A tear ran down Merlin's cheek as he realised his friend, the only knight who had known his secret, had sacrificed himself.
Arthur watched as Merlin walked past him to where Lancelot's sword and cloak lay. Arthur watched as Merlin fell to his knees. Arthur watched as Merlin shook, and while he wanted nothing more than to comfort Merlin, Arthur had heard what the Cailleach had said. Arthur couldn't move…
Merlin had been called Emrys. Though Arthur knew little of Emrys, he knew Emrys was supposed to be the most powerful warlock alive. Merlin was clumsy; surely a warlock would hold himself proudly.
The Cailleach must have gotten it wrong, because, intelligent though Arthur could sometimes be, he was still a complete and utter clotpole, unable to do a good days work.
Merlin was still bent over Lancelot's cloak and sword, shaking, Arthur guessed, from tears. Arthur turned his head carefully, so as not to draw attention to himself, and looked over to Gwaine, whose eyes were wide with fear, and disbelief.
Arthur shifted slightly, then, acting as though he was just coming round from being knocked out, he grumbled and looked around as if in a daze. He noticed Elyan and Percival with Merlin, Leon, he noted, was just outside the door as he could see a shadow there.
Merlin looked round when he saw the movement, and his eyes locked on Arthur. Arthur looked back, straight into Merlin's eyes. They were red, bloodshot.
Arthur realised with slight pain, that he had seen this look in Merlin only twice before. Once when the Dragonlord Balinor had passed, and the same some months before, but Arthur was still unaware of the reason.
Arthur tilted his head, pretending not to know what happened. He searched the area before rising slowly, and unsteadily he walked towards Merlin and the knights.
Merlin moved to one side as Arthur walked towards him, and though he knew what had happened, his heart still sunk from the loss of a good friend and knight. Merlin stood and walked over to Gwaine. Merlin had to make sure the knights were okay, and then he would grieve for his friend.
Gwaine was awake, Merlin knew it. So instead of checking him over for injuries Merlin picked him up, saying without words that they needed to move, and thankfully Gwaine understood. He steadied himself on Merlin's shoulder before he too stumbled unsteadily towards the knights. They looked up at him, and then gradually rose they made to move out. Arthur picked up Lancelot's cloak and sword and casting a small glance at Merlin, he too left for the boat.
Merlin watched them all leave, the tears that stained his cheeks sliding progressively down until they fell, landing with a silent splash on the dusty ground, turning it into small piles of mud. He started to make his way out from the room, the alter behind him glowing now as the sun head reached its full and would now start falling again.
At the doorway he stopped, and as Lancelot had done before he'd stepped through the veil, he looked back. But instead of a last smile, Merlin's face remained passive, his thoughts for his friend never leaving him.
Finally, as the chatter from the knights flowed through his ears, Merlin smiled, a sad, lonely smile, but he smiled, for his friend. He turned again and walked out of the alter room, wanting to leave the Isle behind him forever.
The knights watched Merlin as he walked the few steps to the boat, where he then sat in silence, listening to the knights. He was sure he heard his name, and there was a small spout of laughter afterwards, but Merlin didn't hear it.
Merlin stayed silent as they got off the boat, moving towards their horses. The knights making small talk, but Merlin barely listened. He caught the odd sob from the knight's throats, and he knew they were upset too. Gwaine wasn't even cracking jokes; the two of them had been close, so Merlin wasn't surprised at Gwaine's silence.
The ride back was quiet, the small talk having stopped not far into the ride, and all the knights were ridding hard, hoping to make it back before nightfall. Merlin was lagging at the back of the group, a few horse paces behind the other riders. Kilgharrah had said Lancelot was the Bravest and Noblest of all the knights, and Merlin now understood why. Lancelot had been meant to sacrifice himself today. He had been meant to die. But that did little to ease the pain in Merlin's heart.
Arthur looked back towards Merlin, he horse knowing the way back from where they were now. They had been riding hard and Arthur could tell Merlin was upset and tired. He slowed his horse to ride alongside Merlin for a bit. Whoever Merlin was, he was still Arthur's friend, and right now, Merlin needed his friends. Arthur placed a hand on Merlin's shoulder, noting the sorrow in his friends' eyes as he looked up from the show of friendship. Arthur offered him a small smile and continued to ride next to Merlin, at the back of the group.
The sun was at its lowest, the last of the light slowly starting to fade as word rang through the city the Prince and his knights were back. They all lined the streets, even as the glow from the sun on the castle was lost, and light was almost completely gone, and the knights rode through the gates to much cheering. But their heads stayed down, only their eyes betraying their inner feelings. The peoples cheering slowly stopped as they rode through the kingdom, the lone white mare riderless, and in the servants' arms, a cloak and a sword.
Even as they reached the castle, their heads still bowed, the light died to darkness. They left their horses, Merlin taking Arthur's to the stables while the others were dealt with by the stable hands. The knights waited for Merlin to return, each of them resting a gentle hand on his arm, and Gwaine embracing him. Gwen running down the castle stairs into Arthurs arms, and she sobbed into his tunic. The knights and Merlin walked up the castle steps, taking a glance back to see in the shadow from the fires Arthur holding Gwen up, and they slowly joined hands, Arthur walking Gwen back to her house before he returned to his chambers and finally to his bed.
Then, with a heavy heart, Merlin finally retired to his chambers, giving Gaius a small smile as he went straight to his room, and slept, his mind spinning, knowing tomorrow would be the remembrance for his closest friend.
AN- I have an idea for a second chapter, but I wasn't sure if it needed another one, so review and tell me what you think :) I could post it as a sequel instead :)
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