Original: "Knight of the Forest." Slash
The progression of these themes has to be some of the most random writing I've ever done. This is 14. White. It has nothing to do with any of the previous themes. I think I wrote it while watching Merlin. Which mostly explains everything.
Summary: Everyone knows the Great White Beast is a mindless knight-killer, but Bedivere isn't sure there isn't more to it than that.
Bedivere knew he was probably going to die. He’d reconciled himself with that truth the moment he had set out for the ancient glen on what everyone had agreed was a stupid and reckless endeavor. In the grand scheme, he figured, he probably wouldn’t be missed too much.
The Great White Beast had last been seen in this area, so he found a decent boulder and perched there, willing to bide his time on this foolish mission. If the stories were to be believed, the beast would not take long before appearing, displaying an uncanny sense given the stories supposedly happened all over this forest.
In less than half an hour, there was the unmistakable sound of something very large heading in his direction. He had a single instant of almost blind panic before he brought himself swiftly under control. He’d prepared himself for the possibility that everything here might end in his death. Now was the time to have faith in his plan.
When the Great White Beast finally stepped into the glen, Bedivere realized it was at once a wholly inadequate description and the only one that one’s brain could articulate. The beast towered over him at least twice his height and was about as long as two horses, without the tail that was half as long again. The sunlight filtering in through the trees glinted off what Bedivere strongly suspected were scales, even if none of the stories had mentioned them, and they shone a brilliant pearlescent white.
It prowled into the clearing on six legs, tail lashing languidly and a mouthful of very sharp teeth showing as it growled deep in its throat. Bedivere watched as it paced a few steps, seeming content to remain on the opposite side of the glen for the moment. Very cautiously and slowly, Bedivere slid down the boulder, hands held in front of him to show that his hands were empty. “Hello,” he greeted, feeling only a little silly after all that buildup. “I have no intention of harming you, if you are concerned about that.”
The beast didn’t come any closer, which Bedivere took as a good sign for the moment. The growling had stopped, and the beast crouched slightly, a wary eye fixed on him.
Bedivere cleared his throat uncertainly. “So, uh…I suppose I should have planned for what I would do if you didn’t kill me on sight. I know that I was telling everyone that you might only attack when provoked, but my plan ended at proving that one way or another.” He fell silent, head cocked speculatively.
“This does seem to be a failing on your part.”
Bedivere yelped, nearly falling off the boulder as the voice came from behind him. He scrambled off less than gracefully, reaching for a sword that he only remembered he’d left behind as he whipped around to face the voice.
The man standing there was anything but what he was expecting from someone traveling through this forest. He was lean and well-muscled, but he wouldn’t come higher than Bedivere’s shoulder and he was pretty enough to garner the ire and envy of every lady at court. He’d also barely spared a glance to the beast behind Bedivere, despite the fact that he didn’t seem to be carrying any weapon of his own.
“Uh…” Bedivere’s mind had gone completely blank, and he only distantly realized he had turned his back on the beast. “Hello. I am Sir Bedivere,” he managed finally, his mouth running without any input from his brain. “And you are?”
The man smirked at him. “Impressed that you managed to face Cadewyn. Not a whole lot of people can say they’ve done the same and none of them did it unarmed. You’re quite a knight.” He crossed his arms and leaned against a tree, something like amusement in his voice.
“Not really,” Bedivere smiled crookedly and a little bitterly. “And, uh, Cadewyn?” He glanced over his shoulder at the beast that had settled to the ground, watching the two men through half-lidded eyes.
When he turned back, the man was smiling fondly at the beast. “He and I have been constant companions for many years. You are the first ever not to move directly to attack him on sight. So far as I’m concerned, that affords you a rank higher than any other knight it has been my misfortune to encounter.” He turned his attention back to look at Bedivere shrewdly. “There is a fair amount of faith required to do that.” He paused, head cocked. “And a certain willingness to possibly leave everything behind forever. Quite a knight, indeed.”
Bedivere shifted uncertainly, brow wrinkled. Not even in his wildest imaginings of how this venture might go had it been anything like this.
The man was regarding him with the same half-lidded look as the beast. “I don’t suppose you would be interested in remaining here? Cadewyn has been a fine friend these years, but company in this forest is scarce. And a knight such as you should be somewhere you are properly appropriated.”
Bedivere blinked slowly for several long moments. When he finally broke the silence, all he said was, “I don’t even know what your name.”
The man smirked as he approached Bedivere. “I am Maddock. Welcome to our forest.”
Summary: Everyone knows the Great White Beast is a mindless knight-killer, but Bedivere isn't sure there isn't more to it than that.
Bedivere knew he was probably going to die. He’d reconciled himself with that truth the moment he had set out for the ancient glen on what everyone had agreed was a stupid and reckless endeavor. In the grand scheme, he figured, he probably wouldn’t be missed too much.
The Great White Beast had last been seen in this area, so he found a decent boulder and perched there, willing to bide his time on this foolish mission. If the stories were to be believed, the beast would not take long before appearing, displaying an uncanny sense given the stories supposedly happened all over this forest.
In less than half an hour, there was the unmistakable sound of something very large heading in his direction. He had a single instant of almost blind panic before he brought himself swiftly under control. He’d prepared himself for the possibility that everything here might end in his death. Now was the time to have faith in his plan.
When the Great White Beast finally stepped into the glen, Bedivere realized it was at once a wholly inadequate description and the only one that one’s brain could articulate. The beast towered over him at least twice his height and was about as long as two horses, without the tail that was half as long again. The sunlight filtering in through the trees glinted off what Bedivere strongly suspected were scales, even if none of the stories had mentioned them, and they shone a brilliant pearlescent white.
It prowled into the clearing on six legs, tail lashing languidly and a mouthful of very sharp teeth showing as it growled deep in its throat. Bedivere watched as it paced a few steps, seeming content to remain on the opposite side of the glen for the moment. Very cautiously and slowly, Bedivere slid down the boulder, hands held in front of him to show that his hands were empty. “Hello,” he greeted, feeling only a little silly after all that buildup. “I have no intention of harming you, if you are concerned about that.”
The beast didn’t come any closer, which Bedivere took as a good sign for the moment. The growling had stopped, and the beast crouched slightly, a wary eye fixed on him.
Bedivere cleared his throat uncertainly. “So, uh…I suppose I should have planned for what I would do if you didn’t kill me on sight. I know that I was telling everyone that you might only attack when provoked, but my plan ended at proving that one way or another.” He fell silent, head cocked speculatively.
“This does seem to be a failing on your part.”
Bedivere yelped, nearly falling off the boulder as the voice came from behind him. He scrambled off less than gracefully, reaching for a sword that he only remembered he’d left behind as he whipped around to face the voice.
The man standing there was anything but what he was expecting from someone traveling through this forest. He was lean and well-muscled, but he wouldn’t come higher than Bedivere’s shoulder and he was pretty enough to garner the ire and envy of every lady at court. He’d also barely spared a glance to the beast behind Bedivere, despite the fact that he didn’t seem to be carrying any weapon of his own.
“Uh…” Bedivere’s mind had gone completely blank, and he only distantly realized he had turned his back on the beast. “Hello. I am Sir Bedivere,” he managed finally, his mouth running without any input from his brain. “And you are?”
The man smirked at him. “Impressed that you managed to face Cadewyn. Not a whole lot of people can say they’ve done the same and none of them did it unarmed. You’re quite a knight.” He crossed his arms and leaned against a tree, something like amusement in his voice.
“Not really,” Bedivere smiled crookedly and a little bitterly. “And, uh, Cadewyn?” He glanced over his shoulder at the beast that had settled to the ground, watching the two men through half-lidded eyes.
When he turned back, the man was smiling fondly at the beast. “He and I have been constant companions for many years. You are the first ever not to move directly to attack him on sight. So far as I’m concerned, that affords you a rank higher than any other knight it has been my misfortune to encounter.” He turned his attention back to look at Bedivere shrewdly. “There is a fair amount of faith required to do that.” He paused, head cocked. “And a certain willingness to possibly leave everything behind forever. Quite a knight, indeed.”
Bedivere shifted uncertainly, brow wrinkled. Not even in his wildest imaginings of how this venture might go had it been anything like this.
The man was regarding him with the same half-lidded look as the beast. “I don’t suppose you would be interested in remaining here? Cadewyn has been a fine friend these years, but company in this forest is scarce. And a knight such as you should be somewhere you are properly appropriated.”
Bedivere blinked slowly for several long moments. When he finally broke the silence, all he said was, “I don’t even know what your name.”
The man smirked as he approached Bedivere. “I am Maddock. Welcome to our forest.”