Hearts of Camelot
7th Required Featured Character: Uther Pendragon
Ratings/Warnings: K+
Word Count: 397 words
Summary: Uther's thoughts about Morgana's reveal, and also when he jumps in front of Arthur to fight the Gleeman. Set in 4x03; The Wicked Day
Uther loved both Arthur and Morgana, his own son and daughter, more than words could express. He may not always display his love, but he always felt it.
It was inexplicable to him, to have either of them get harmed and he always strived to protect them, especially from certain dangerous truths about their upbringing.
Looking out the wide open window of his castle once more, Uther couldn't imagine to describe the pain he felt inside him, the empty gaping hole in his heart where Morgana had resided. I should have seen how much she was slipping away from me, seen past her smiles and reassurances that everything was alright. How could I not have seen her suffer?
Hearing Arthur shout in distress and seeing his eyes struggle to stay in focus, Uther turned around widening his own eyes in shock. He saw the man who'd been present in Arthur's birthday celebration, this coward who couldn't even give Arthur a fair fight about to strike him down.
How dare you…!
Uther got out of his chair and unsheathed his sword at a speed that surprised even him. A purpose that Uther hadn't felt ever since Morgana was lost to him fuelled him, and he rushed in front of Arthur, meeting his sword with the Gleeman's with a loud clang.
"It will take more than a coward like you to kill my son."
He looked up into the Gleeman's eyes with a unwavering hatred and anger. I would never let my son, my Arthur, die at the anniversary of his birth.
He released all the anger he felt into fighting the Gleeman, years of sword training kicking in.
Uther spoke the words that truly expressed what Arthur meant to him, he loved him more than anything, more than even his kingdom. Morgana meant the world to him too, which was why her betrayal and this feeling like he failed her, felt like it was crushing his soul.
"I always loved you."
Uther barely got the words out; the agonizing pain in his stomach from the Gleeman's stab wound was unbearable.
Uther was glad that he got to say what he didn't express very often, before Arthur's worried tear-stained face started to seem to swim in front of him, and he slowly began to lose consciousness in Arthur's arms.
But not before he had one last thought:
Arthur…