[sunday reveries] Khaled Hosseini quote
NOTE: Merle is pendragons_man and mine to abuse as needed. Arthur is son_of_avalon and Gwen is itsnotmydestiny, both used with love and a dash of permission.
“Has she woken?”
“No, nor did she speak rationally when I found her. She was in the grips of her memories, she looked on my new face and knew me. Her soul saw into mine.”
“What can we do?”
“Sadly, sire, we can do nothing until she rouses.”
“…Lance.”
It took him a moment to answer, to tear his eyes from her still, pale face and find the gaze of his king. He wasn’t sure what Arthur saw, but the other man was suddenly beside him, a hand on his shoulder while Merle flanked him on the other.
“You court disaster, Sir Knight.”
“I’m no knight here.” His own voice didn’t sound as if it belonged to him anymore, it was too cold and too quiet. It was the storm that shook windows and shattered the peaceful night with a clatter of noise that promised destruction, even death to any that dared brave it.
“You forget yourself, my boy. I have seen what you will do.”
“Then ya clearly got eyes.” He bit off. Reaching out, he touched Gwen’s sleeping cheek with his fingertips and felt the coolness of her skin knot his gut with ties of ice.
“You will prey on one who is weaker than you? No knight I have known would dare harm a woman.”
“And like I said, I am no knight here.” He shot back. He was still quiet, still cold, but even he could feel the bloodlust curling in his gut, the black rage that demanded satisfaction that the Devil couldn’t give him. And the only ray of true light he’d ever known, the only moment of completion he had ever felt couldn’t save him now.
“My king has made it so.” He went on, his gaze moving to Arthur. “Ya told me I didn’t need your permission, I didn’t need to fear the desires of my own heart when it came to your sister…you said that I was free to love her.”
He paused, turning back to Gwen. Still seated on the edge of her bed, he touched her face again and swallowed the bile that rose in his throat.
“Take a good look at what freedom brings.” He spat. Reaching for her hand, he took it between his. “Master, and Majesty, take a good hard look at what freedom brings, because I am no knight when I love her…I’m only a man. A man that will break his word.”
He looked at Merle.
“A man who will betray his king.”
He looked at Arthur.
“A man that will let his ancestors burn for one woman’s life.”
He looked at her again, and her pale moon’s face was all he could see. He knew who had done this, he knew that Merle regretted telling him. He thought too highly of Lance’s self control.
“A knight would never hurt a woman…but should this man meet Morgana Le Fay eye to eye? On my word of honor…the she devil will die by my hand.”
Leaning over, he gently kissed Gwenyth’s cheek. Her skin was warmer now…he imagined that through her, the flames of Hell were calling him.
He was ready to go.
“For you.” He whispered in her ear, hoping she could hear him. “For you…a thousand times over.”
“Has she woken?”
“No, nor did she speak rationally when I found her. She was in the grips of her memories, she looked on my new face and knew me. Her soul saw into mine.”
“What can we do?”
“Sadly, sire, we can do nothing until she rouses.”
“…Lance.”
It took him a moment to answer, to tear his eyes from her still, pale face and find the gaze of his king. He wasn’t sure what Arthur saw, but the other man was suddenly beside him, a hand on his shoulder while Merle flanked him on the other.
“You court disaster, Sir Knight.”
“I’m no knight here.” His own voice didn’t sound as if it belonged to him anymore, it was too cold and too quiet. It was the storm that shook windows and shattered the peaceful night with a clatter of noise that promised destruction, even death to any that dared brave it.
“You forget yourself, my boy. I have seen what you will do.”
“Then ya clearly got eyes.” He bit off. Reaching out, he touched Gwen’s sleeping cheek with his fingertips and felt the coolness of her skin knot his gut with ties of ice.
“You will prey on one who is weaker than you? No knight I have known would dare harm a woman.”
“And like I said, I am no knight here.” He shot back. He was still quiet, still cold, but even he could feel the bloodlust curling in his gut, the black rage that demanded satisfaction that the Devil couldn’t give him. And the only ray of true light he’d ever known, the only moment of completion he had ever felt couldn’t save him now.
“My king has made it so.” He went on, his gaze moving to Arthur. “Ya told me I didn’t need your permission, I didn’t need to fear the desires of my own heart when it came to your sister…you said that I was free to love her.”
He paused, turning back to Gwen. Still seated on the edge of her bed, he touched her face again and swallowed the bile that rose in his throat.
“Take a good look at what freedom brings.” He spat. Reaching for her hand, he took it between his. “Master, and Majesty, take a good hard look at what freedom brings, because I am no knight when I love her…I’m only a man. A man that will break his word.”
He looked at Merle.
“A man who will betray his king.”
He looked at Arthur.
“A man that will let his ancestors burn for one woman’s life.”
He looked at her again, and her pale moon’s face was all he could see. He knew who had done this, he knew that Merle regretted telling him. He thought too highly of Lance’s self control.
“A knight would never hurt a woman…but should this man meet Morgana Le Fay eye to eye? On my word of honor…the she devil will die by my hand.”
Leaning over, he gently kissed Gwenyth’s cheek. Her skin was warmer now…he imagined that through her, the flames of Hell were calling him.
He was ready to go.
“For you.” He whispered in her ear, hoping she could hear him. “For you…a thousand times over.”