So as I sit here in the cold with the kind of weird foggy orange glow from the street lamp outside my window, eating ice cream of course, I finished Hero. Here you have it, the final chapter. It didn't quite come as smoothly as I originally intended, but I still like it. It's kind of short, I apologize, but I wanted to get this finished so I could work on Myth, which will be the next story following this one. Ok, enjoy!
Chapter 6 – A Hero's Face
And the world keeps spinning round
My world's upside down
And I wouldn't change a thing
I've got nothing else to lose
I lost it all when I found you
And I wouldn't change a thing
No, you and I wouldn't change a thing
- Spin: Lifehouse
The morning after next, they rode home. Victoria had not seen Arthur since the day of the battle. She watched from above the village as they disappeared into the forest. When they were gone, she sighed, walking back down to the house, returning to her life.
Sunlight shined down on them, the storm had broken away. The pace was slow, it was deemed best for all of them. Hadrian's limp had lessened, especially as the day grew warmer and Arthur felt more comfortable riding him. Lancelot was at his side, Dagonet close behind. After the past few days, he had no intention of letting either of them out of his sight. It seemed that the other knights had the same idea. Everyone was relieved to see the grey image of the fort on the hill before them.
In the next few days, Lancelot found Arthur…elusive. He was unusually quiet; distant. In truth, Lancelot didn't blame him. But after a few days time when there appeared to be no change, his worry increased. He still didn't know the entire story, only bits and pieces he had gathered, which may or may not be true.
Quietly, Lancelot entered Arthur's room. His leg still bothered him some, there was a limp in his walk, but not nearly as bad as it was. The room was dark, only lit by the small fire in the fireplace and what light there was from the window and the sky which had clouded over nearly the moment they came back. Arthur stood there, his hands clasped behind his back, looking outside, up at the clouds. His tunic was laying on the bed. Lancelot noted the bandage still covering his side, the wound that he…he had inflicted. But the bandage which had been wrapped around his upper arm where Marcus had stabbed him was gone. The new wound crossed over the scar that was already there.
Lancelot stepped closer, he knew that Arthur knew he was there, he didn't need to say anything. He stood at his side a long time before either of them spoke.
"Victoria…" Arthur said softly, breaking the silence; his own voice sounding strange in the dark air, "She said I was not to blame." He paused. "She called me a hero. I don't understand, her husband..her son…"
Hesitating at first, Lancelot knew that this would be the moment when he would be able to ask the question burning in his mind since Marcus had first stood up to him. "Arthur…what happened?"
Arthur opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out at first. He cast his grey eyes down at the floor and took a deep breath. "It was a year before I received this command. The Woads had attacked, they had been given information by one of the farmers. Marcus' father. I was ordered to take him back to the fort to stand trial but he attacked me before we left and..I killed him," Arthur explained slowly. "I didn't mean to, I hadn't meant for any of this to happen. This scar.." he trailed off lightly touched the healed skin next to the new wound. "Marcus saw it happen. When I saw him standing there staring at me…" Arthur lifted his face up again, his eyes closed, "Lancelot, all I could picture was my father. He died in battle, but..I was around the same age and now I had done the same that had been done to me, to someone else. God knows I was sorry for it, I've asked for forgiveness thousands of times."
"He attacked you, Arthur, you were defending yourself."
"I know that!" He sighed. "I know that…It doesn't make it any easier."
Lancelot slowly placed one arm across Arthur's broad shoulders and looked at him with gentle brown eyes. "And Victoria calls you a hero. You are a hero. That's just it, even a hero isn't perfect. We all carry darkness inside of us, shadows of these things. A price must be paid for greatness, and this is it. But I know you, you're strong. Remember it, Arthur, but do not let it dominate your thoughts," the younger knight said, gently squeezing his friend's good shoulder.
A smile breaking through onto his face, Arthur touched his forehead to Lancelot's, an action that they often shared in moments like these, unashamed of their closeness. "A hero cannot stand alone, he has to have someone there to support him because he is only human."
"Oh, so now I'm finally appreciated," Lancelot replied sarcastically, returning the smile.
Arthur laughed, his dark mood broken. "No, you've been appreciated for a long time," he said wrapping his arms around Lancelot's shoulders and pulling him into his embrace. The darkness seemed to wash away and in the window, the clouds melted off, revealing the sunlight which cast on the floor about them.
finis