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tamingthemuseTitle: Forgiving
Fandom: Original (based on the Arthurian Legends)
Prompt: Prompt 336 - Stranded
Warnings: Reincarnation theme.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: The Arthurian Legends are in the public domain. I make no reference to any copyrighted work. So all is mine.
Beta: None, so any mistakes you see are mine.
Summary: "You were only a baby, weren't you," started Galahad.
It was mid-morning, the sun was shining bright in the sky but the beach still appeared grey and damp from the past night. Mordred stopped at the edge of the waves and stood silently for a moment. Galahad sat next to him, folding his legs under his body to keep them warm.
"I've told this story so many times," began Mordred as he watched the waves rolled upon the sand. "I don't want to tell it anymore."
"I never heard it," replied Galahad gently, his eyes fixed on Mordred's face.
"You can read it in many books, ask it of all the knights."
"I want to hear it from you."
"Why," asked Mordred in a whisper. He knew very well why Galahad wanted to hear it from him but he wasn't sure he was ready to let go of the words. If he were to tell the story to Galahad he would lose the words. He knew the other man would take them from him to let him heal. It wasn't that Mordred didn't want to be better, but what would be left of him if he let go of that story, of his origin. Who would he be without the story?
Galahad didn't reply. He took Mordred's hand in his and gently pulled him down, forcing him to sit beside him. Mordred noticed that the sand was still wet in spite of the sun shining high in the sky.
"You were only a baby, weren't you," started Galahad.
"Yes, I was..." whispered Mordred, his voice trapped in his throat.
They remained silent during long minutes. The waves kept coming and going endlessly, waiting as patiently and tiredlessly as Galahad.
"I was only a baby. I couldn't do any harm but Arthur decided otherwise. He listened to an old fool and hated me even before I could breathe." Mordred paused. "He sent me out there, in the sea." He gestured to the water with his head, his hand gripping the one of Galahad as tight as he could. "He left me drifting with all of the other May babies. We were all meant to die... all because of me," his voice broke on that last word. "All because of me," he repeated softly, tears welling up in his eyes. "I survived," he added. "And proved Merlin right."
"No you didn't," replied Galahad. "You were left stranded at the shore. On your own."
Mordred kept on looking at the sea, silently.
"You did as good as you could but you fell into Morgause's trap. It wasn't your fault." Galahad gave a gentle squeeze to Mordred's hand. "You were left stranded on the shore," he repeated. "And you fought as hard as you could. You were brave, but no one could understand you."
Galahad freed his hand from Mordred's to turn the other man's face to him. He kept his palms on Mordred's cheeks, forcing him to look into his eyes. "I do. I forgive you. I always did."
A tear fell from Mordred's eyes, disappearing in Galahad's embrace.
Fandom: Original (based on the Arthurian Legends)
Prompt: Prompt 336 - Stranded
Warnings: Reincarnation theme.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: The Arthurian Legends are in the public domain. I make no reference to any copyrighted work. So all is mine.
Beta: None, so any mistakes you see are mine.
Summary: "You were only a baby, weren't you," started Galahad.
It was mid-morning, the sun was shining bright in the sky but the beach still appeared grey and damp from the past night. Mordred stopped at the edge of the waves and stood silently for a moment. Galahad sat next to him, folding his legs under his body to keep them warm.
"I've told this story so many times," began Mordred as he watched the waves rolled upon the sand. "I don't want to tell it anymore."
"I never heard it," replied Galahad gently, his eyes fixed on Mordred's face.
"You can read it in many books, ask it of all the knights."
"I want to hear it from you."
"Why," asked Mordred in a whisper. He knew very well why Galahad wanted to hear it from him but he wasn't sure he was ready to let go of the words. If he were to tell the story to Galahad he would lose the words. He knew the other man would take them from him to let him heal. It wasn't that Mordred didn't want to be better, but what would be left of him if he let go of that story, of his origin. Who would he be without the story?
Galahad didn't reply. He took Mordred's hand in his and gently pulled him down, forcing him to sit beside him. Mordred noticed that the sand was still wet in spite of the sun shining high in the sky.
"You were only a baby, weren't you," started Galahad.
"Yes, I was..." whispered Mordred, his voice trapped in his throat.
They remained silent during long minutes. The waves kept coming and going endlessly, waiting as patiently and tiredlessly as Galahad.
"I was only a baby. I couldn't do any harm but Arthur decided otherwise. He listened to an old fool and hated me even before I could breathe." Mordred paused. "He sent me out there, in the sea." He gestured to the water with his head, his hand gripping the one of Galahad as tight as he could. "He left me drifting with all of the other May babies. We were all meant to die... all because of me," his voice broke on that last word. "All because of me," he repeated softly, tears welling up in his eyes. "I survived," he added. "And proved Merlin right."
"No you didn't," replied Galahad. "You were left stranded at the shore. On your own."
Mordred kept on looking at the sea, silently.
"You did as good as you could but you fell into Morgause's trap. It wasn't your fault." Galahad gave a gentle squeeze to Mordred's hand. "You were left stranded on the shore," he repeated. "And you fought as hard as you could. You were brave, but no one could understand you."
Galahad freed his hand from Mordred's to turn the other man's face to him. He kept his palms on Mordred's cheeks, forcing him to look into his eyes. "I do. I forgive you. I always did."
A tear fell from Mordred's eyes, disappearing in Galahad's embrace.
