Story [Merlin] Etchings in Silver (Arthur, Merlin, mentions of Morgana)

Title: Etchings in Silver
Author: Jedi-Ant
Timeframe: N/A
Genre: Angst/Dark
Characters: Arthur Pendragon, Merlin, (mentions of Morgana)
Summary: The locket had been a gift; a token Arthur had given her many years earlier. Morgana had left it behind, as a cruel reminder of how things had once been. And she wasn?t coming back for it.
Status: Complete
Warning: None



ETCHINGS IN SILVER


The room was just how she?d left it: the curtains were drawn, allowing the light of the afternoon to seep into the emptiness, seeking out every inch of shadow and bathing it all in a rich, amber glow. It was so open and alive, as if every item; every strip of fabric was a living, breathing extension of her body.

For a moment, Arthur almost forgot that she was gone.

He was sitting on her bed when Merlin found him, his weight creasing the soft, lilac coverlet, putting an end to the quiet perfection the room had commanded before he?d entered her chamber.

?Sire,? Merlin started, but he got no further than that. There was nothing he could say that Arthur would choose to acknowledge, or even really hear.

The king was in a world entirely of his own creation. Not even his closest companion could reach him there.

Arthur...

His name, whispered like a benediction, falling from her lips as sumptuously graceful as a flower petal leaping from its stalk to the ground, was the last thing he?d heard her say. It was spoken in such a way that he still wasn?t sure whether she meant it as a blessing or a curse. For his own piece of mind, he would sooner believe it was the latter, but for reasons even he couldn?t fathom to explain, he?d chosen faith instead of actuality ? faith in her character, and in her sense of being.

Arthur knew he was wrong; knew it in the same way Merlin knew there was nothing he could do for his king until he wished for the assistance himself, yet it made little difference to the state of his thoughts.

He missed her, and being here, with her memory soaking into his skin, was only managing to magnify his longing.

It wasn?t something he would ever admit ? to anyone, little own to himself ? but everybody knew the extent of his feelings, just like everybody had known the extent of hers, the moment she?d bowed her head, defiantly contemptuous in her submission to his might.

She?d left the locket behind.

Arthur?s eyes caught the edge of it, glinting like a beacon in the sunlight, its silver chain wrapped conspicuously around a curled sheet of parchment. He was drawn to it, and it was for this reason alone that he didn?t move to touch it. She knew that it was something the king would not miss, even half-hidden amongst the organised clutter that remained.

The locket had been a gift; a token Arthur had given her many years earlier. It was somewhat fitting that he should find it here, now; draped delicately over the top of the polished mahogany dresser, as if she?d simply taken it off to bathe.

But she hadn?t. She?d left it behind, as a cruel reminder of how things had once been. And she wasn?t coming back for it.

Arthur closed his eyes, breathed deep and ragged. He could still see her face in his mind, clear as day, like she was standing right in front of him. He could see the whites of her eyes, shining eerily back at him; her pupils, dark and smouldering in their menace; and her lips, twisted beyond their natural elegance, thin and ugly and unforgiving.

He didn?t want to remember her like that, but the image wouldn?t leave him no matter how hard he tried to force it. It was yet another reminder that the woman he?d known, that he?d once loved, was lost to him ? really lost.

She wasn?t coming back.

Morgana wasn?t coming back.

The king bit back a hysterical laugh, instead throwing his head back in a gesture of one, and gripped at his hair as if it was a lifeline quickly fading into the nothingness of his grief.

Merlin shuffled uncomfortably from the doorway.

?Sire,? he began again, and Arthur?s head snapped back up to lev

 

Oh lovely lovely! Moving and vivid! Naturally.

 

Thank you, Jade_eyes!

Ant.

 

You know, Amber, I know zilch about ?Merlin? aside from the events of the very first episode, but somehow you manage to suck me into reading things from fandoms I know nothing about.

This is beautiful! I love the title, BTW. So elegant, so appropriate for this period fantasy. You can really feel Arthur?s pain, now that Morgana is gone? it just jumps off the page/screen here. Pain turned to desperation; classic King-In-Anguish here. Poor Arthur, always trying to correct things? even if they cause more damage in the end, which he realizes, so of course he doesn?t really do anything except to try to bury what is troubling him. Or at least that?s the feeling that I got. I have no idea what the circumstances are here, so I?m just putting things together in my mind.

Very lovely writing, Amber. I think you may have just gotten me inspired to go watch more of the show.

 

Idrelle_Miocovani: Thank you for reading, even though you don't know anything about "Merlin" I really like the title, too. I actually had the title before the story, and I sculpted the words around it. Not the way I usually do things, as you know, but it seemed to work this time.

As for the circumstances, I tried to keep it ambiguous so that the reader could envisiage whatever they wanted from the text. But I like to think that Arthur really loved Morgana, and her "betrayal" (I won't say what, ambiguous again ) is that much harder to take, because he still loves her, while at the same time, he really wants to hate her for what she's done.

You should definitely watch more of the show! It's kinda dorky and the special effects aren't so hot (that's the problem when you get such a small budget) but there's just something so endearing with the characters, and I can't help but love it.

Ant.

 

I thought you did a very good job of showing how hurt Arthur was when Morgana left. I adore the show and am looking forward to more Arthur and Morgana interactions. Loved the descriptions, too! Well done.

 

Thank you, dianethx! And thanks for taking the time to read.

Ant.

 

I was home, bored and had nothing to watch. Then I went on Hulu and found Merlin. Amazing show, and I don't even know why. The lines are modernized, which I dislike. The effects look like I could have generated them on my computer... and yet, I love it.

Great fic, Jedi-Ant!

 

Tell me about it I have no idea why I like Merlin so much - it's definitely not the best show in production, the special effects can't even really be called special effects (they remind me of that really old 'Godzilla' movie a bit ) but for some reason I'm completely hooked on the show.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Ant.

 

Lovely, just lovely. I've been an Arthur/Morgana shipper since I read Mists of Avalon when I was thirteen, and even though the TV show is cheesy, I like it too. I actually enjoy the episodic structure of it in contrast to the longer plot arcs of most American TV shows. I heard a radio interview where the actor who plays Merlin was talking about his trip to New York. At the Empire State Building he runs into this little kid who stares at him and goes, "Merlin?! Are you Merlin? Dad - Dad, it's Merlin!"

Arthur in the show always struck me as a very forthright guy - run them through first, ask questions later, if you will. Not exactly a deep thinker. That's why it's so interesting to watch him deal with Morgana's betrayal, trying to work through his feelings - not something he has a lot of practice doing. It's just like him to push Merlin away when he needs him most. Great piece. Does the Latin at the end come from anywhere in particular?

 

Hi, Lady_Tahiri, thanks for reading! Sorry it's taken me so long to get back with a reply. I agree, the show is very cheesy but for some reason I'm as addicted to it as you. It just kind of sucks you in. I think it helps that the actors are all kind of decent and seem very relatable in RL. Or maybe I'm over-thinking its appeal. I'm glad you liked Arthur's thought process here. I agree, I don't think he's used to thinking much about anything, so it's a nice change to see him trying to deal with Morgana's betrayal and actually give him some semblence of a brain, lol. The latin I found in a book somewhere. I picked it because it was very chilling, and is Morgana's way of not wishing him well, but wishing him dead.

Thanks again for reading and letting me know what you thought!

Ant.

 

I just finished watching Merlin a couple weeks ago, so now when I catch up on Merlin fics, I know what's going on This is awesome!! Very chilling, especially the last line. And I love the title!! Excellent job all around.