Title: Animal I've Become
Author: Night of the Land
Category: Shakespeare's Hamlet
Rating: T
Disclaimer: not mine
Summary: So what if you can see the darkest side of me?
A/N: I love everything Shakespeare, and this is a result of once more reading good ole Will whilst trying to write a fan fiction. Alas, here is the out come a Shakespeare fan fiction. Bon sang. The world is going to come to an end.
I can't escape this hell
So many times I've tried
But I'm still caged inside
Somebody get me through this nightmare
I can't control myself
His eyes slid shut as he slid down the wall, head cradled in his hands. What the hell had he done? What had he done? This act was being to fail him, this playing that he had been doing since his father died was beginning to take its toll on his mind and emotions. He hated it. A silent sob escaped him as a slight gasp, echoing in the large silent hall. What the hell would he do now? His father was dead now, Polonius was dead, and the King was searching for him.
Raking his hands across his face, he looked up through bleary eyes and noticed his shaking hand. Damn when had he become so weak? When had his pretend madness start to take hold for real? Gasping in emotional agony as he heard his name being called through the castle he buried his head back in his hands, drawing his knees tighter to his chest, wrapping his arms around his long lean legs, hand fisting in the back of his hair.
So what if you can see the darkest side of me
No one will ever change this animal I have become
Help me believe it's not the real me
Somebody help me tame this animal!
This animal, this animal
Gentle hands grasped his, and he looked up startled into dark eyes that mirrored his own agony. Dark skin seemed almost pale and drawn in worry and Horatio clasped his lord's hands in his own as he knelt beside him.
"Good Horatio." Hamlet gasped, pain clear in his voice pulling on hand from his friend's to clutch at his shirt, to stare at the pain filled eyes of his best friend since birth.
Horatio made no movement, simply knelt there, dark eyes fixed on his lord's face, before Hamlet let out a shuddering gasp of pain and collapsed back onto himself. His heartfelt sobs wrenched Horatio's heart and he wrapped his friend into a tight embrace, closing his own eyes, taking his own shuddering breath.
I can't escape myself
So many times I've lied
But there's still rage inside
Somebody get me through this nightmare
I can't control myself
"Come, now, my lord, the king calls." Horatio whispered to his friend, pulling back from his embrace, taking Hamlet's face in his hands, staring him in the face.
"What? For England with me? No good will become of it, to my death I shall march, ere I go to the Isle, with my good friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern." Hamlet replied his contempt clear in his voice as he took Horatio's hands in his own, pulling them from his face.
"Nay, my lord, not to death, the King calls for you. Why would thou march to thy death?" Horatio asked, his eyes clouded over in confusion, mind churning away at the facts.
"Oi, good Horatio, do you not know? The death of the King's advisor. Lord Polonius slain by my own hand." Hamlet told him, a spark of madness alight in his eye as he made to stand a cold chuckle running through his body, his lips twisted in cold malice.
So what if you can see the darkest side of me
No one will ever change this animal I have become
Help me believe it's not the real me
Somebody help me tame this animal I have become
Horatio stared at his prince for a moment, heart thudding in his chest at the sight of the madness that seemed to take the broken young man he had seen mere moments before. This was not the real Hamlet, this person who was now raving mad, trying to escape Horatio's firm hold on him.
"My lord Hamlet! Calm yourself please, my lord, this is not you, my lord, this madness, it's not inside, it's out! My lord Hamlet!" Horatio called, tightening his grip on the now struggling prince.
Dark eyes that now held at least some recognition locked with his own eyes and he felt the prince sag in his arms, head down spirit broken.
"Oh, good Horatio, Help me believe it's not the real me, help me tame this animal I have become." Hamlet whispered to his long time friend.
"My lord?" Horatio whispered to him, before Hamlet gasped out a bitter laugh.
"Not much time now, my good Horatio, for you see I must continue my play of life, for my directions were clear, my revenge must be swift when the time comes and my act must be perfect, for there is nothing else meant for me to do on this earth." He replied, before he pulled away from Horatio's embrace and fled the room, calling out to the voices that called to him.
"What noise, who calls on Hamlet? O, here they come!"
Somebody help me through this nightmare
I can't control myself
Somebody wake me from this nightmare
I can't escape this hell
So what if you can see the darkest side of me
No one will ever change this animal I have become
Horatio knew that this was going to end badly, Laertes was by far the better fence and this was for keeps, especially with the King watching and wanting his Nephew dead. With his heart pounding in his chest, he watched his lord and friend wield the weapon of his choice, the foil held neatly in his hand, free arm held tight behind him, face tight behind this fencing mask.
It wasn't long before the Queen fell dead, her lips still wet with the poisoned wine, and the spectators froze in sheer terror as Laertes turned to the King, the wine held out as he spoke, his voice cold and calculating, and with a shrug, Claudius drank the wine. Not moments later Laertes himself fell to the floor, breathe coming harshly as he to succumb to the poison coursing through his body.
Horatio started in horror as Hamlet began to sway slight on his feet, and as he began to fall, Horatio sped forward and caught the Prince in his arms, lowering him to the ground. The Crown Prince's eyes began to dull, and he gasped in pain, clutching at the front of this friend's shirt.
"Help me believe it's not the real me." He whispered to his friend, fighting to keep his eyes open.
"Tis true, my lord, the real you." Horatio replied, brushing the sweat soaked hair from the paling face, and Hamlet smiled slightly.
"I am dead, Horatio…." His voice trailed off, eyes glazing slightly as he spoke, "O, I die, good Horatio- the rest is silence." He whispered finally, before he fell silent, the coldness of his life being replaced with the coldness of his death.
Somebody help me tame this animal I have become
Help me believe it's not the real me
Somebody help me tame this animal!
This animal I have become