Title: Conversation
Disclaimer: Arggh, forgot this. Not mine!!
Summary: Arthur and Lancelot talking.
A/N : This is my first fic ever. Just some character exploration. Hope
it's not too bad.
'Daydreaming on your watch?'
Arthur shifted his head, hand unconsciously moving to Excalibur. It was
only Lancelot. Lancelot strode over to the tree Arthur was leaning
against and sat beside him making himself comfortable.
'Your master Gallus wanted you to know that you'll be getting two
watches tonight,' said Lancelot spitting out 'master' with distaste. A
pause. 'I don't think he likes you very much,' a teasing lilt to his words.
'Life would be easier when Commander Amandus returns to full health,'
agreed Arthur, not quite keeping his annoyance at the ill news out of
his voice. He wiped the annoyance off his face as he's wont to do and
turned his attention back to the plains beyond. The sun was setting and
no man tires of the glorious sight. 'The majesty of God' thought Arthur.
'What are you thinking?' It was not the first time Lancelot had asked
Arthur that question. A desire to understand Arthur could not be
quenched despite never liking what he found. "You're a crazy masochist."
Lancelot gave no one an easy time, not even himself.
'God,' the word slipped out before Arthur could catch it. "You are an
idiot!" Arthur too gave himself a hard time, the hardest in fact. He
steeled himself awaiting the outburst.
"Masochist!" Lancelot jeered at himself. 'You spent far too much time on
things you can't see, on foolish ideas and if you're not careful you'd
end dead,' sneered Lancelot while glaring at thin air. It was well his
genes weren't that adventurous, the wildlife of Britain were spared a
terrible scorching. 'You'd like to have seen your beloved Rome at least
once before you go find your God, wouldn't you?'
'If that be God's will,' answered Arthur with particular emphasis on
'God'. His face was expressionless and yet there was the unmistakable
sign of tension in the shoulders and the eyes blazed at Lancelot willing
Lancelot to look at him.
Lancelot turned his furious gaze upon Arthur upon hearing the answer.
Their eyes locked, each trying to burn their way into the other's mind
striving to understand, marking and branding the other with their
thoughts and frustrations. Fury turned to pleas for peace, understanding
and friendship. A decision was made. They broke their gazes.
Arthur turned his gaze back to the rolling plains, the fire gone and in
its place a hint of regret. Night is approaching. 'Why do my beliefs
bother you so much?' he asked softly.
Lancelot was in turmoil. The truth was, he did not know why Arthur's
beliefs bothered him so. He hated Arthur's idealistic temperament seeing
his ideas as nothing more than childish naivety that 3 years on the
battlefield should have weaned out. The delight and the hope Arthur
spots while talking about God and Rome rouses something primal in
Lancelot. A green tinge of hate which he could find no cause. 'Why do
you love a city that you've never seen?' Evasion tactic 101, answer a
question with a question.
That did not fool Arthur at all. However, as is always the case with
Lancelot, Arthur found himself searching for the answer. He poured
through his memories, both good and bad, his thoughts, the lessons
Pelagius gave him pondering, searching for answers.
'How do you know Rome will be what you want it to be? How can you place
your trust and duty on a place where you've not been to?' Lancelot
pressed his advantage sensing that his diversion's working.
Arthur looked at Lancelot eventually, face solemn.
'This place, Britain is no home of mine. There's nothing for me here
Lancelot. Only the memory of the death of my parents and a hatred that
would consume me,' his voice shook as he said this. 'Rome is my home, my
dream and I trust in the words, in the teachings of Pelagius. There is a
great man who would set things right. He and others will build the Rome
that I admire and I would do what I can for that dream.'
On no other occasion in the short time they've known each other did
Arthur bare his thoughts so openly to Lancelot. Lancelot was overwhelmed
with the trust Arthur showed him by that act. "Rome will disappoint him
dearly," he thought. A thought he could not bring himself to say this
day. He merely nodded.
PS Thanks for the review.