They will fall like leaves (Frozen stars verse)
Author: Judin
Title: They will fall like leaves
Rating: G (Series rating: R)
Pairing/s: Arthur/Merlin
Character/s: Merlin, Enid, Leena
Summary: On their way to Essetir.
Warnings: Angst, issues of rape.
Word Count: 206
Prompt: #36 Mistletoe
Author's Notes: This is not a proper entry into the series, really, but I've been too busy and tired to complete a full entry. The prompt was pretty cool, though, so I thought I’d make something short for it.
For those of you familiar with the story of Merlyn and King Vortigern, you might recognise the symbolism.
You can find the rest of this series on AO3, or here at Camelot Drabble.
Lady Guinevere’s forest was succumbing to winter. Soon, there would be snow. The ground was bare and hard, as most of the leaves still clung to their branches, their grip tenuous but stubborn. As if on fire, the canopy stretched bright red in every direction, not a green or brown leaf to be seen.
But everywhere, mistletoe was encroaching on the trees, creeping across the ground and climbing, climbing to reach the heatless sun. The white berries grew in large clusters, their juicy stems twisting, their dark leaves drooping.
As the mistletoe choked trunks and ate its way across branches, it dislodged the barely-clinging leaves, making them drift to the ground. The frozen earth welcomed them, and in time, snow would cover them all.
Merlin, Enid and Leena rode in silence, while scarlet leaves fell about them like a slow rain.
“What does it mean?” Leena asked, the first words she had spoken since Merlin met her.
“You feel it to,” he said. “The magic.” Magic had always infused the world for Merlin, but in this place it thrummed with active significance.
“This is not a good thing,” Leena said, looking up at the trees, and Merlin felt in his old bones that she was right.
Title: They will fall like leaves
Rating: G (Series rating: R)
Pairing/s: Arthur/Merlin
Character/s: Merlin, Enid, Leena
Summary: On their way to Essetir.
Warnings: Angst, issues of rape.
Word Count: 206
Prompt: #36 Mistletoe
Author's Notes: This is not a proper entry into the series, really, but I've been too busy and tired to complete a full entry. The prompt was pretty cool, though, so I thought I’d make something short for it.
For those of you familiar with the story of Merlyn and King Vortigern, you might recognise the symbolism.
You can find the rest of this series on AO3, or here at Camelot Drabble.
Lady Guinevere’s forest was succumbing to winter. Soon, there would be snow. The ground was bare and hard, as most of the leaves still clung to their branches, their grip tenuous but stubborn. As if on fire, the canopy stretched bright red in every direction, not a green or brown leaf to be seen.
But everywhere, mistletoe was encroaching on the trees, creeping across the ground and climbing, climbing to reach the heatless sun. The white berries grew in large clusters, their juicy stems twisting, their dark leaves drooping.
As the mistletoe choked trunks and ate its way across branches, it dislodged the barely-clinging leaves, making them drift to the ground. The frozen earth welcomed them, and in time, snow would cover them all.
Merlin, Enid and Leena rode in silence, while scarlet leaves fell about them like a slow rain.
“What does it mean?” Leena asked, the first words she had spoken since Merlin met her.
“You feel it to,” he said. “The magic.” Magic had always infused the world for Merlin, but in this place it thrummed with active significance.
“This is not a good thing,” Leena said, looking up at the trees, and Merlin felt in his old bones that she was right.