Note: think I've decided to turn this drabble into a 4-point POV but will see how it goes
Much hugs and thanks to dreamland 4 and Babybee61 for reviewing x
Lancelot's POV
Seeing her sat next to Hengist, her form tiny next to his vast bulk, had been a shock. He had arrived at the dark, forbidding castle as a sell-sword to use his talents to satisfy the Mercians' blood-lust and his need for cold hard coin. With his adrenalin pumping and the rules of combat fresh in his mind, the very last person he expected to see was her. A million questions had run through his mind until the Mercian leader made the introductions and it didn't take a genius to put two and two together. He thought how like her it was to sacrifice herself in place of her mistress - always thinking of others, never putting herself first.
He overcame his opponent with little trouble, even going so far as to tease out the contest a bit in order to provide a bit more of a show. In any other contest, he would have had no trouble in despatching his opponent with a swift blow from his sword. It was a far cry from when he had first gone in this direction as he realised that as chivalrous and honourable as he might be, nobody wanted a knight of humble origins. In other words, a knight not of noble birth was no knight at all.
He had balked at the thought of fighting for money but necessity had driven him on and when that necessity had presented him with the option of either killing his opponent or being killed himself, there was little contest. He remembered throwing up violently after his first paid kill, thinking he would never again reduce himself in such a way but as ever, the need to survive meant the need for money and the best way he knew to survive was with his sword. After that, he let his once-immovable principles slip and began to bury the person he had once been.
This time, though, her presence did not allow him to let her see how far he had debased himself and so he showed mercy to his opponent – though, little good it did the ill-fated man.
Her incarceration in that castle reminded him of the man he had been, the man who had had such dreams and she gave him reason to find that man again and rise towards his goal once more. He had not lied when he said he would die for her a thousand times over, he would have gladly done so a million times but when he saw her dragged into the wilderen cage with him, he could only think of how he had failed her and how he had failed himself.
With the entrance of the wilderen, their death seemed assured but he had not counted on the last-minute rescue. Arthur, the Prince. Arthur, the golden boy. Arthur, who seemingly lived a charmed life. He told himself that he wasn't jealous, that he was grateful for his unexpected arrival but there was that tiny part of him which resented the fact that where he had failed, Arthur had succeeded and spectacularly so. As if to taunt him further, the rescue had been conducted with only Arthur's servant in tow – no cavalry of knights, not even any infantry. Just two impetuous young men on a quest to rescue their friend.
The way she had pulled her hand from his when she looked at Arthur had roused his suspicion as did her reaction to Arthur's offhand remark and his embarrassed expression afterwards. His brief conversation with Merlin confirmed it.
He made up his mind then. As far as he might have fallen, he could not stand in the way of her happiness with another man who he considered to be far nobler than he could ever hope to be. He truly believed that she would be better off without him. Was it cowardice that he did not stay to say his farewell to her in person? He believed it to be so but if he had waited, he doubted he could have left her and he had no desire to see her caught in a dilemma between two men where he certainly considered himself to be at the disadvantage.
So he entrusted the sorcerer with his last heartfelt words and left. He still hoped to see her again one day, perhaps be able to spend more than just a few fleeting moments with her. Until then, he would strive to prove himself worthy of her affection.