Hello peeps! Admittedly I have never done a song fic before, but when I was writing a chapter for one of my stories (In Memory of the Fallen) I couldn't start it off, even though I knew what I wanted to be put in it. So, as I was listening to my music, when this song came on, I began to write.
This is set BEFORE Series 5, and AFTER the Series Finale of Four, so in the seven year gap. It has NO relation whatsoever to In Memory of the Fallen apart from the fact that it's about Gwaine and 'The Woman of His Dreams and The Girl of His Nightmares' (an OC of mine), so Gwaine will NOT be thinking about Merlin and the secrets he holds.
Be warned; this will not only be from Gwaine's Perspective, but from Hers as well. Just so you know.
This song is 'Never Forget' by Greta Salome and Jonsi. Yes, it's a bizarre name, but I heard this when it was on Eurovision Song Contest (it was Iceland's entry in 2012) and I fell in love with it.
Please, if you like the song, listen on YouTube!
Oh, and before we start;
BOLD; the song lyric
Normal; normal writing
Italic; Memories (past tense)
Normal and underlined; change of POV's (Point of Views)
Never Forget
Gwaine's POV
Gwaine clapped politely along with everyone else when the Entertainer came on, but he wasn't the slightest bit interested about the Act. It wasn't that he thought that they would be particularly bad; it was simply that he wasn't interested. Camelot's feast, he reflected, where not famed for the Entertainment. Unless of course, you counted all of the time they used Magic, or tried to kill the Royalty... Which seem to happen fairly often anyway, now that he came to think about it.
The whole court fell silent as the Entertainer stood in the middle of the space, the tables centred on him; apparently have'n finished tuning his instrument. Turning around, Gwaine saw the flash as light reflected off the smooth, polished surface of a Viol.
The Drunk gasped, and quickly signalled for a refill of his goblet as memories which he didn't want began to make themselves known to him once more as he noticed the beautiful instrument. A Servant Boy darted along, immediately refilling the Goblet before retreating back into the shadows, and Gwaine took an almighty sip.
He didn't want to remember.
He didn't want to be reminded.
But when the Viol softly began to play, a haunting melody the memories became faster and faster, coming unbidden to him.
Eira Glades.
Loch-yn-Dire.
Then the Entertainer's voice joined in with the Viol, and Gwaine began to lose himself.
The Woman from his Dreams, the Girl of his Nightmare's POV
She's singing softly in the night
Praying for the morning light
She looks out, from her vantage point on the mountain, gazing down at the small villages that dotted around the Frozen Lake. Her breath crystallises in front of her, and she is shivering with the cold, but she doesn't care.
It was better than being cooped up in there, where it had happened.
Absentmindedly, she reflects that it is a beautiful sight, seeing the ice reflect the moonlight, and the snow almost glowing eerily white. She had always preferred the night-time to the day. It was more secluded, more personal, and more private.
And she needs privacy.
Her dress is still ripped, and is soaked through, but she hardly notices. She is so close to the edge, so close that if she took a miniscule step forward, she would topple over. But she doesn't.
And she simply stands there, letting the memories flow. A tear trickles down her cheek, but she doesn't wipe it away, even though it will most likely freeze. This was the place where they had talked about, and where she had Promised to show him.
But never did.
She dreams of how they used to be
At dawn they will be free
She can still see him, walking away, whilst she watched from her position on the side, surrounded by the shadows. She knew that he would never have done that, but nobody else did. To them, he was an outsider; to them he was a threat.
And to one Man in particular.
After the crowd had died down, she ran. Ran to the top and not stopping until she got there. But the outcrop of rock was empty, and the snow that surrounded it yielded no signs of a wounded man. But she also knows that he is a Skilled Warrior, nd Clever too, and he might have covered his tracks.
So she began searching, desperately, for him.
She has to find him.
She has to.
Gwaine's POV
Gwaine sat there, in the Court, completely still, not making a sound. The whole Room was quite as the Entertainer sang his song. But none more than him.
His fingers gripped the goblet tightly, but the swig hadn't done anything. And the only thing he had left, the only thing that could stop him from reliving it, failed him.
And Gwaine surrendered to the memories.
Memories, they hold his mind
Save him from the endless night
The Woman from his Dreams, the Girl of his Nightmare's POV
Her hand is cold as she takes her soft felt glove off. But they are not tinged with blue, and her grief is sufficient enough to keep her warm... for now.
She reaches out, out into the abyss, where at the bottom Loch-yn-Dire and the Lake await. It was a big drop, enough to kill anybody if they slip and fall over.
The snow falling covers her pale hair, and encrusted her eye lashes with tiny crystals, that had yet to melt. If she was with people, she could say that they were the reason why she looked as if she was crying.
But she wasn't with anybody, and she let the tears of remorse come.
She whispers warm and tenderly
"Please come back to me"
She can see him perfectly, as if he was really there. The soft eyes that belayed a sense of humour, and a determination to succeed. The hands that was so soft, even though they had calluses from his fighting. The hair that was so smooth if she had ran her fingers through it, she was sure it would feel like the richness of silk.
And the lips that were so perfect and spoke words of promise and kindness.
And when the golden sun arises
Far across the sea
The dawn will break
As darkness fades
"Forever we'll be free"
She whispered the words that he had told her, in what felt like so long ago. She laughed bitterly; that might be true, but not for them. It might be true for the poorest of the poor, or the richest of the rich, but she was neither. She was stuck in the middle with no way out.
And so was he.
Gwaine's POV
Gwaine could feel the salt water trickling down his cheek as the Entertainer sang. Around him, he could see various other people crying, and some looking stoically onwards.
They were crying for different reasons.
So when the Entertainer came to what Gwaine knew was the chorus, his Heart and his Soul sang with the Musician. It was as if he sang and believed in it hard enough, somehow, wherever she was, and whoever she was with, she would be able to hear.
Never forget
What I did, what I said
When I gave you all
My heart and soul
Morning will come
And I know we'll be one
'Cause I still believe
That you'll remember me
But believe wasn't the right word, Gwaine reflected sorrowfully. He didn't believe that she would remember him, he hoped. Because if she forgot, then there would be nothing left. There would be nothing left of the Bond they had momentarily shared, there would be nothing left of the feelings that had been left unshared.
And the future that he had once dreamed of would finally disappear...
Forever.
The Woman from his Dreams, the Girl of his Nightmare's POV
She shuffled a little, coming ever closer to the impending edge. The rock was smooth and slippery, and vaguely she was surprised that she had managed to keep her balance for so long. She wondered that if she did slip, if she fell over the brink, if anyone would miss her.
Her family didn't care for her, though she still cared for them.
Her friends had left her, and didn't understand.
And there was him, always waiting, forever watching in the shadows.
She mourns beneath her moonlit sky
Remembering when they said goodbye
"Thank you," she whispered, her hand lightly caressing his cheek. "Come, you must see my parents and my family. They would like to see you."
She went to withdraw her hand, but with the same fast movements that he had shown the night before, he clasped the hand within his own and held in against him.
"I need to say-"
The front door became open with a bang, and some guards were standing there, silhouetted in the light. They stood, frozen in their position, and she could sense that he was wondering what was wrong.
And in the back of her mind, the voice which she suppressed, she knew why.
"Don't touch her, filth," the Guards snarled as they stormed over and forcibly separated them. "Trying to worm your way into a good citizen of our community after what occurred last night? You're despicable."
"I think you've got your facts wrong, mate," Gwaine said, protesting. "I was the Saviour, not the other way round."
But it was the wrong thing to say, and immediately the Second Guard swung his fist, and the meaty hand connected with Gwaine's face, causing a sickening crack and blood.
"Lying won't get you anywhere," the Guard sneered as they started to drag him.
"Please!" She shouted, running in-between them. "He's not lying, he really is innocent!"
"Get out of my way, girl," and the Guards pushed her away, so that she fell against one of the wooden chair and smashing against the cold stone floor. Lights flashed in her vision, and she struggled to feel her limbs.
"No!" Gwaine shouted, but his voice was getting further away. "Leave her alone!"
It was the last thing he said to her.
Gwaine's POV
The tears were falling faster now, almost blurring his vision. But still he didn't make a sound, even though he could feel the sobs building inside of him. The Hall was now so quiet, you could hear everybody breathing.
But Gwaine didn't breath.
He didn't want to live.
Where's the one he used to know
It seems so long ago
The Viol began to play as the Entertainer's voice took a break. It was the same melody that had been playing when he had entered. It was the same melody that echoed in his head as he laid down to rest.
It was the same melody that haunted him.
And when the golden sun arises
Far across the sea
The dawn will break
As darkness fades
"Forever we'll be free"
He breathed, remembering the words he had spoken to her so long ago. But he had lied then, didn't he? Unconsciously of course, but still, he had lied.
Exactly like the Guard and the Villagers had said.
He had lied...
To Her.
The Woman from his Dreams, the Girl of his Nightmare's POV
"Never forget
What I did, what I said
When I gave you all
My heart and soul
Morning will come
And I know we'll be one
'Cause I still believe"
Her voice faltered as she softly sang the song. Their song. It was the song that had been playing when they had met and it was the song that had been sang softly when he left. It was the same song that was stuck in her head, with no way out, for what felt like so long now.
But she had to believe, she had to. Otherwise she would have nothing left. Bo hope, no happiness, no joy, no love.
Nothing.
So when she sang again, her voice was stronger, and it surprised even her.
That you'll remember me
Oh
Never forget
What I did, what I said
When I gave you all
My heart and soul
Morning will come
And I know we'll be one
'Cause I still believe
That you'll remember me
Gwaine's POV
The Entertainer was quieter now, the climax of the song over. The Viol was still playing the haunting melody, but softer, like a cool breath of icy wind. Like snow melting in your hair. Like the touch of her soft fingers.
And as the Entertainer sang the last two lines, Gwaine joined in, meaning every word.
Oh, I still believe
That you'll remember me
Because when he had looked up, he could see her. Just for a moment, like an after image, but still, he could see her.
The beautifully pale blond hair, the soft grey eyes, the smoothness of her figure.
He could see her, perfectly.
And as he sang, he swore, that he could hear another voice.
That of a female's.
He swore that he could hear her.
And he smiled.
The Woman from his Dreams, the Girl of his Nightmare's POV
She sang the last lines, tears completely blurring her vision now. Surprisingly so, they had not frozen, and she noted the fact, but she didn't care. She was so close now, so close to the end of the song.
And as she sang the last two lines, she fancied that she saw him again.
Just for a moment, but long enough to see him.
He was singing, just like her.
He was singing the song, with tears on his face and a sad smile pinned to his lips.
Oh, I still believe
That you'll remember me
.
.
.
A few things before I go.
I looked up Medieval Instruments (go Wikipedia) and I found a Viol, which is basically the prototype of a Violin, which evolved from it as techniques improved.
For the people who are reading In Memory of the Fallen, I will update soon, I promise. Unfortunately, I also have a Chemistry GCSE Exam of Friday, so I will spend much of my free time revising, but I nearly have the story pinned down.
And please, review.
P.S. If you're curious about 'The Woman of his Dreams, and the Girl of his Nightmares' I'm afraid that you will have to read In Memory of the Fallen to understand properly... (Hint Hint!)
But, this was mainly for fun, and for letting my creative juices flow, so if you don't read it, then I understand!