The wound heals but it never does. That's cause you're at war with love
23rd May 2019
"Stand" Sarrum ordered. Another assembly, yet after lunch as per usual rather than in the morning like the emergency one was.
"You may sit" Nimeuh sighed as she stood upon the podium on the stage. "Good afternoon everybody. As I am sure you all know, tomorrow everybody shall have the day off school as it is the funeral of Mr Pendragon and Mrs Smith, at St Mary's church in Camelot. Those in sixth form and above can go as they wish, while those in first to fifth years will meet at the school as we follow the hearse to the church" Nimeuh explained. "There is no dress code, yet dress appropriately. It was Mr and Mrs Pendragon's wishes for you all to dress colourfully".
"I can't believe the funeral's tomorrow" Morgause remarked.
"I know" Merlin remarked with a sigh. "It's crazy. I can't believe it".
"How are the preparations coming along?".
"As well as can be" Merlin shrugged. "We've sorted out the playlist. The clothes, colourful as Gwen and Arthur wanted. The flowers will be picked up tomorrow. Last chance to see them at the chapel of rest if you want".
"As many of you know, both Mr Pendragon and Mrs Smith would always keep their doors open and help pupils as much as they could with their problem, and would always take time to listen and help their pupils through" Nimeuh continued.
"Yeah I'll go after work" Morgause shrugged. "How's Teeny?".
"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Merlin retorted. "She's your sister".
"And you live with her" Morgause retaliated. "I'm grieving too".
"Well, sorry to pop your bubble" Merlin hissed. "But you're not the only one grieving. We're grieving too, Morgana had it worse as I'm sure you know, or maybe not because lately you've been a crap sister".
"We have lost two much loved members of the community, who will will never forget, or what they have to us. Stand please" Nimeuh sighed as the students murmured lightly and stood up. Merlin merely glared at Morgause and then she followed him back to his room.
"Cant believe that I'll have to be in this lovely dingy soon" Morgause remarked. They had decided to move many things around the school—English block would be moving to maths, maths to near science and humanities and sixth form studies would share the old English block.
"There's nothing wrong with this place" Merlin snapped.
"What's gotten into you?".
"What gotten into me?!" Merlin retorted. "What's gotten into you?".
"Nothing!" Morgause insisted. "Why? There is nothing wrong!".
"Are you sure?" Merlin asked.
"How the fuck is Arthur dead?" Morgause sighed. "Just how? I mean I was almost ready to quit smoking now this happens. I don't know how to be there for myself, let alone Morgana".
"It's tough" Merlin agreed. "But that doesn't mean you should cut people off. I mean what if you had gotten into a crash? Or something happened?".
"I'm sorry" Morgause sighed. "I should've been there but I wasn't. Not much that can happen now it's in the past. How is Morgana? Dealing okay with the pregnancy lost?".
"Actually she had surgery to get it removed. Maybe you should ask her yourself instead of me being the fucking messenger". Merlin turned on his heel and walked out slamming the door behind him even though it was his room. He went to the room opposite—Will's.
"Wassup mate?" Will asked as he continued to play candy crush.
"Morgause is an annoying bitch" Merlin sighed as he rubbed his temples.
"No, I'm not" Morgause insisted as she walked into the room. "There's no timeline for grief and I just want to get this funeral over with and continue with my life. Okay, Merlin?".
"Okay" Merlin agreed. "Yet still. You shouldn't isolate yourself. Just try, please".
"Will, leave" Morgause ordered. "Merlin and I need to talk".
"Well what is it then?" Merlin challenged.
"We all grieve differently there's no denying. I can't handle anymore sad talk or death talk, okay? Just because I don't want to talk about death and miscarriages it doesn't mean I'm not fucking there, understand?".
"Okay. That's understandable" Merlin said quietly. "I didn't know".
"Well of course you wouldn't" Morgause snapped. "So stop being all high and mighty and assuming you know everything. Because, you don't".
"You haven't heard from Morgause have you?" Morgana asked with a frown.
"She's been off lately" Merlin shrugged. "We all have. My mum and dad will be staying at my flat tonight, I might go see them after we pick up the flowers?".
"Of course" Morgana nodded. "You don't mind dropping me back do you?".
"Do you ever drive?" Merlin chuckled as he picked Amhar up from the floor.
"I do" Morgana insisted. "I just prefer not to".
"Hm. Are you sure you're okay?".
"Perfectly fine. Why?" Morgana frowned.
"It's just you haven't driven much".
"Not allowed to" Morgana shrugged. "Anaesthetic".
"The doctor said you only had to wait 24 hours then you could drive".
"I know" Morgana snapped. "I just prefer not to. When possible".
"Is this about the crash?".
"Why would it be about the crash?" Morgana snapped. "I'm fine, Amhar's fine, Arthur and Gwen are dead. My baby, dead".
"So this is about the crash" Merlin muttered. "Well let's go get the flowers. Do you want to come get them?".
"I'd rather stay home with Amhar. Not like we can walk from Monmouth to Camelot" Morgana snorted.
"So this is about the crash" Merlin decided.
"No" Morgana shrugged. "Amhar's teething".
Amhar flashed a gummy-toothy smile at Morgana at hearing his name. At eight months old he had his two bottom teeth fully grown in and his top two teeth were starting to grow. "Mama".
"Blame it on the baby then" Merlin shook his head. "Whatever you say".
"Okay I'll come" Morgana sighed. "I want to be involved. Seeing as we can't see them at the chapel of rest". They weren't allowed to see Arthur and Gwen due to the bad state that they were in after the crash. The crash on its own was bad enough yet once the car went up in flames it would be terrible for anyone to look at.
They drove went to the florist and collected the flowers before returning so Morgana could put Amhar to bed and Merlin could meet his parents. Gaius was there too.
"Arthur and Gwen, gone" Gaius remarked. "I can hardly believe it. I've barely seen them since Christmas".
"They were busy with the baby" Merlin shrugged. "He had all those complications when he was born".
"Terrible" Hunith agreed. "Didn't even get to meet the famous Arthur".
"Busy life" Merlin shrugged. "Well, not anymore. The funeral's tomorrow".
"We do have enough tea and coffee right?" Morgana checked. She never liked to be unprepared.
"We're going back to the school for the wake ... remember? Funeral starts at 9 o'clock, service ends at 10, then it's time for the burial and we head to school for lunch and nibbles and then some of us back to the house".
"That sounds exhausting" Morgana sighed.
"Very" Merlin agreed. "Rather jam packed. You'll be on baby duty so can easily escape".
"Thanks" Morgana sarcastically replied. "Alright, I'm heading off to bed. Night".
"Good night" Merlin replied.
Morgana sighed again as she tossed in bed. She knew that she was a shit sleeper as of late and there was no denying that. "Fuck sake".
"Are you still awake?" Merlin asked.
"No I'm muttering in my sleep" Morgana retorted. "Yes I'm still fucking awake. Fuck sake".
"Come on" Merlin sighed as he turned the light on.
"Do you mind?" Morgana spluttered as she shielded her eyes from the light. "Bit bright here".
"I'm making hot chocolate" Merlin said. "You coming? Oh and I picked up a newspaper in case this would happen".
"How thoughtful" Morgana sneered as they made their way to the kitchen and sat down at the table with hot chocolate.
"There's no peanuts" Merlin said as he set it down on the table. "Any other allergies?".
"Raw onions" Morgana replied as she flipped through the newspaper. "Jeesh I'm behind the times. Smeghan Spatkle had a kid. Named him Archie. Rather well, un-regal".
"And they're calling his first dog Jughead?" Merlin asked as he sipped at his hot chocolate.
"Shame I'm not the queen" Morgana pouted. "I'd have been much better than good ol' Liz. Nah well she's great but I'm sorry, Meghan and Harry aren't a good couple".
"I swear she's been pregnant for six years" Merlin snorted. "The never ending pregnancy".
"You'd of thought she was the first ever royal to be pregnant" Morgana agreed. "Not like the queen hasn't had four".
"Didn't you hear about the Meghan Markle moon bump?".
"The what!" Morgana spluttered. The idiot always chose the wrong time to talk.
"Moonbump. Basically it's a fake bump people use in movies and tv shows to fake a pregnancy. Apparently they had a surrogate but Meghan pretended to be pregnant using one of those things. Explains how her bump changed size every day and why she kept holding onto it".
"That's brilliant" Morgana laughed. "Absolutely brilliant! Arthur said about how he didn't think she was really pregnant. Oh my God that's hilarious".
"I know" Merlin agreed. "Oh what's happened to the world?".
"Beginning a new decade in sixth months" Morgana shrugged.
Merlin yawned. "All this Markle and Harry talk is making me tired".
"I agree" Morgana agreed with a yawn. "Well let's get back to bed".