Fanmix/Fic: First There Is Winter
Title:First, There Is Winter
Rating: R
Warnings: Angst, Reincarnation Fic, Character death.
Summary: Arthur's final battle. Written/mixed for restlessme for merlin_santa. Why yes, I am scraping the deadline. Hush. And why yes, this is a weird hybrid of fanmix, songfic and fic. Also, hush.
First, There Is Winter Soundtrack
Parallel Hearts - FictionJunction
[Translation]
We've seen
The power to change the future
In our dreams
I can hear your cries within the noise
I laughed at it and it only dispose all of my weaknesses
Only you can know where you were heading
While chasing a different skies
The weight of his new crown heavy on his head, Arthur sat down on his throne. It was a slightly different angle to his old one, the prince's throne, he noticed with a chill. It was almost the same, but the difference was what mattered. The court applauded for him, and he smiled at them. He gripped the arms of the hard, proud chair and swore to do well by them. As if sneaking into his thoughts, his look slanted to his right. Morgana was not here now, of course, and Arthur missed her. He missed her as much as he hated her. And then... And then, Merlin stepped forward, blocking Arthur's view from Morgana's former seat.
Merlin laid his hand on that throne, and it changed. Arthur could hear the court gasp as Merlin stripped away the old identity of that throne and replaced it with his own. A simple dragon carved itself onto the back, and two small wooden owls seemingly perched on the top. He looked at Arthur, and Arthur nodded at him. As Merlin sat down, Arthur exhaled collectively with his court. And it felt right.
Miserabile Visu (Ex Malo Bonum) - Anberlin
What disasters may come, whatever it may be
At the end of the age, it will land you and me
Tragedy may bring, whatever may fall
At the end of the world, you'll still belong
Arthur ignored Morgana as she taunted him, screamed at him from a distance he couldn't even judge. The entire court was ashen as their once beloved Lady smiled at them with not an ounce of happiness or love, speaking to them from the mirrored glass currently in the middle of the hall. "Break it, Merlin," Arthur said disgustedly in a low voice. Merlin flung out a hand, and the mirror shattered into shards, the sharp brittle sound of glass falling echoing around the room like Morgana's departing laugh. Arthur didn't know if what Morgana predicted was true, or something she had made up, or something that her twisted mind thought was true, but he didn't intend to let her words rule his life, or his kingdom.
New Day's Dawn - HYDE
Say, what's your choice
The die is cast
No going back now
What's your choice
The die is cast
Fake a 'God bless you'
New day's dawn - let's start the game
Worship the winner
So come on - let's start the game
Your turn awaits you
He had never forgotten. It had been years ago now, and Camelot had flourished in the years of Arthur's reign. But Arthur had never forgotten Morgana's prophecy, and neither had Merlin. And slowly, they had mentally prepared for it. Arthur looked out over his kingdom and wondered where his sister was. He wondered how the years had been for her. He wondered how many of the snatches of rumour they had heard about her were true. But he didn't wonder if she would really kill him if it came down to it. Because he knew that she would.
And when Arthur stood, staring out of the window for too long, Merlin would come and draw him to bed.
This Fire - Franz Ferdinand
This fire is out of control
I'm going to burn this city
Burn this city
If this fire is out of control
Then I
I'm out of control
And I burn
They saw more and more fires as they marched through Camelot. Arthur watched Merlin as he set his jaw, refusing to cry as they helped the people as best as they could, pointing them towards the nearest strongholds, doling out what diminishing supplies they had. It was a good thing that Arthur had warned his lords, gathering all the most capable magic users for the last few years to boost their harvests. Winter was coming on, and everyone knew it would be the worst time for a battle. It was out of their control though.
Raising a hand, Arthur signalled to set camp for the night. He would continue to command what little he had left under his control though, and he would do it to the best of his ability. He watched the men settle, and only then let Merlin drape a blanket over him and smooth the frown off his face.
Out of control - Hoobastank
Where should I go?
What should I do?
I don't understand what you want from me
Cause I don't know
If I can trust you
I don't understand what you want from me
Merlin caught Leon's attention, and sharply signalled for him to take over command. Arthur started as Leon apparently usurped his place, and protested as Merlin led his horse away. "Merlin! I have to lead the army!" Arthur reached for his reigns, but Merlin cut him off with a dark glare.
"Arthur. Dismount. Now." Merlin stopped both of their horses and refused to let Arthur carry on.
Frustrated, Arthur flung himself off his horse. "Well?"
Merlin sighed, and dismounted himself, walking up to Arthur and pulling him into a crushing hug. "You're riding in a daze. You barely eat or sleep. You're making yourself even more vulnerable to illness and stress."
A bitter laugh hacked its way out of Arthur's throat. "What about you? You're even skinnier than I am."
Merlin stroked a hand across Arthur's cheek, feeling the uneven stubble. "I'm not indispensible like you are," he said gently, without reproach. He buried himself in Arthur's arms, Arthur's scent. "And if you stop giving me so much to worry about, I wouldn't be in such bad shape," he jibed weakly, pressing a kiss to Arthur's cheek.
Arthur rifled his fingers through Merlin's thick hair. "You're indispensible to me," he said softly.
Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
Hot as a fever, rattling bones
I could just taste it, taste it
If it's not forever, if it's just tonight
Oh, it's still the greatest, the greatest, the greatest
You, your sex is on fire
And you, your sex is on fire
Consumed with what's to transpire
Merlin hung onto Arthur's shoulders with a desperation that neither of them voiced. His legs wrapped around Arthur, pulling him as close as he could manage. Arthur rocked up into him, eyes wide, staring at Merlin as if drinking him in. Their teeth clashed, and Merlin tasted the slight tang of blood before it was swiped away by Arthur's tongue. They panted into each other's mouths, and Arthur's fingers clutched bruises into Merlin's skin that would mottle the next day.
…To Die For - Hans Zimmer
[Instrumental]
Merlin knew. Arthur knew. And yet they raised their weapons, Arthur's sword and Merlin's staff, and went into battle.
Schindler's List - John Williams
[Instrumental]
In the pouring rain, everything looked grey. Lumps in the landscape could have been rocks or bodies alike. Merlin stumbled through them, unable to see anything through the icy splatter and his hair sticking to his forehead. He didn't need to see though, because he knew where he was going. He dropped to his knees besides a figure swathed in Camelot's red, whose hair was shining gold.
Unforgettable - Nat King Cole
Unforgettable, that's what you are
Unforgettable though near or far
Like a song of love that clings to me
How the thought of you does things to me
Never before has someone been more
The horses' hooves clattered loudly in the courtyard as the people were silent. Merlin looked up at the pyre, and wondered if he should go and see Arthur one last time. The servant lit the torch, and looked enquiringly at him. Merlin nodded. No, he decided.
Piano Concerto #2 in C minor, Op.18 - 1st Movement - Sergei Rachmaninov
[Instrumental]
Merlin looked at the empty throne, and bit his lip. He waited until he was back in their chambers before letting himself go, crying until his body wracked with his body curled around Arthur's pillow.
Merlin had work to do though. Arthur had died for Camelot, died for him. Merlin could only wish that he had died for Arthur instead. Living for him was so much harder. But live for him, Merlin would. He would take care of Camelot, make sure that it was in good hands, that it was on its way to restoring itself, and he would live his full lifetime before sinking into sleep, dreaming that Arthur had come for him.
What do I do now? - London Cast (A Slice of Saturday Night)
He's looking at me,
Looking at him looking at me who's looking at him
I wonder what he's thinking
What do I do now,
What should my next step be?
How should I react,
What should my strategy be?
There was just that feeling that someone was looking at him. Merlin turned around, and caught the eye of a blond boy. He bit his lip and blushed, the both of them looking away hurriedly. It was his first time here, seventeen and underage. He sipped a bit of his drink, using the motion to peer out of the corner of his eye, and found the boy looking at him again. He seemed familiar, but Merlin couldn't quite place it. He studiously looked away again, a smile sneaking over his lips.
Rating: R
Warnings: Angst, Reincarnation Fic, Character death.
Summary: Arthur's final battle. Written/mixed for restlessme for merlin_santa. Why yes, I am scraping the deadline. Hush. And why yes, this is a weird hybrid of fanmix, songfic and fic. Also, hush.
First, There Is Winter Soundtrack
Parallel Hearts - FictionJunction
[Translation]
We've seen
The power to change the future
In our dreams
I can hear your cries within the noise
I laughed at it and it only dispose all of my weaknesses
Only you can know where you were heading
While chasing a different skies
The weight of his new crown heavy on his head, Arthur sat down on his throne. It was a slightly different angle to his old one, the prince's throne, he noticed with a chill. It was almost the same, but the difference was what mattered. The court applauded for him, and he smiled at them. He gripped the arms of the hard, proud chair and swore to do well by them. As if sneaking into his thoughts, his look slanted to his right. Morgana was not here now, of course, and Arthur missed her. He missed her as much as he hated her. And then... And then, Merlin stepped forward, blocking Arthur's view from Morgana's former seat.
Merlin laid his hand on that throne, and it changed. Arthur could hear the court gasp as Merlin stripped away the old identity of that throne and replaced it with his own. A simple dragon carved itself onto the back, and two small wooden owls seemingly perched on the top. He looked at Arthur, and Arthur nodded at him. As Merlin sat down, Arthur exhaled collectively with his court. And it felt right.
Miserabile Visu (Ex Malo Bonum) - Anberlin
What disasters may come, whatever it may be
At the end of the age, it will land you and me
Tragedy may bring, whatever may fall
At the end of the world, you'll still belong
Arthur ignored Morgana as she taunted him, screamed at him from a distance he couldn't even judge. The entire court was ashen as their once beloved Lady smiled at them with not an ounce of happiness or love, speaking to them from the mirrored glass currently in the middle of the hall. "Break it, Merlin," Arthur said disgustedly in a low voice. Merlin flung out a hand, and the mirror shattered into shards, the sharp brittle sound of glass falling echoing around the room like Morgana's departing laugh. Arthur didn't know if what Morgana predicted was true, or something she had made up, or something that her twisted mind thought was true, but he didn't intend to let her words rule his life, or his kingdom.
New Day's Dawn - HYDE
Say, what's your choice
The die is cast
No going back now
What's your choice
The die is cast
Fake a 'God bless you'
New day's dawn - let's start the game
Worship the winner
So come on - let's start the game
Your turn awaits you
He had never forgotten. It had been years ago now, and Camelot had flourished in the years of Arthur's reign. But Arthur had never forgotten Morgana's prophecy, and neither had Merlin. And slowly, they had mentally prepared for it. Arthur looked out over his kingdom and wondered where his sister was. He wondered how the years had been for her. He wondered how many of the snatches of rumour they had heard about her were true. But he didn't wonder if she would really kill him if it came down to it. Because he knew that she would.
And when Arthur stood, staring out of the window for too long, Merlin would come and draw him to bed.
This Fire - Franz Ferdinand
This fire is out of control
I'm going to burn this city
Burn this city
If this fire is out of control
Then I
I'm out of control
And I burn
They saw more and more fires as they marched through Camelot. Arthur watched Merlin as he set his jaw, refusing to cry as they helped the people as best as they could, pointing them towards the nearest strongholds, doling out what diminishing supplies they had. It was a good thing that Arthur had warned his lords, gathering all the most capable magic users for the last few years to boost their harvests. Winter was coming on, and everyone knew it would be the worst time for a battle. It was out of their control though.
Raising a hand, Arthur signalled to set camp for the night. He would continue to command what little he had left under his control though, and he would do it to the best of his ability. He watched the men settle, and only then let Merlin drape a blanket over him and smooth the frown off his face.
Out of control - Hoobastank
Where should I go?
What should I do?
I don't understand what you want from me
Cause I don't know
If I can trust you
I don't understand what you want from me
Merlin caught Leon's attention, and sharply signalled for him to take over command. Arthur started as Leon apparently usurped his place, and protested as Merlin led his horse away. "Merlin! I have to lead the army!" Arthur reached for his reigns, but Merlin cut him off with a dark glare.
"Arthur. Dismount. Now." Merlin stopped both of their horses and refused to let Arthur carry on.
Frustrated, Arthur flung himself off his horse. "Well?"
Merlin sighed, and dismounted himself, walking up to Arthur and pulling him into a crushing hug. "You're riding in a daze. You barely eat or sleep. You're making yourself even more vulnerable to illness and stress."
A bitter laugh hacked its way out of Arthur's throat. "What about you? You're even skinnier than I am."
Merlin stroked a hand across Arthur's cheek, feeling the uneven stubble. "I'm not indispensible like you are," he said gently, without reproach. He buried himself in Arthur's arms, Arthur's scent. "And if you stop giving me so much to worry about, I wouldn't be in such bad shape," he jibed weakly, pressing a kiss to Arthur's cheek.
Arthur rifled his fingers through Merlin's thick hair. "You're indispensible to me," he said softly.
Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
Hot as a fever, rattling bones
I could just taste it, taste it
If it's not forever, if it's just tonight
Oh, it's still the greatest, the greatest, the greatest
You, your sex is on fire
And you, your sex is on fire
Consumed with what's to transpire
Merlin hung onto Arthur's shoulders with a desperation that neither of them voiced. His legs wrapped around Arthur, pulling him as close as he could manage. Arthur rocked up into him, eyes wide, staring at Merlin as if drinking him in. Their teeth clashed, and Merlin tasted the slight tang of blood before it was swiped away by Arthur's tongue. They panted into each other's mouths, and Arthur's fingers clutched bruises into Merlin's skin that would mottle the next day.
…To Die For - Hans Zimmer
[Instrumental]
Merlin knew. Arthur knew. And yet they raised their weapons, Arthur's sword and Merlin's staff, and went into battle.
Schindler's List - John Williams
[Instrumental]
In the pouring rain, everything looked grey. Lumps in the landscape could have been rocks or bodies alike. Merlin stumbled through them, unable to see anything through the icy splatter and his hair sticking to his forehead. He didn't need to see though, because he knew where he was going. He dropped to his knees besides a figure swathed in Camelot's red, whose hair was shining gold.
Unforgettable - Nat King Cole
Unforgettable, that's what you are
Unforgettable though near or far
Like a song of love that clings to me
How the thought of you does things to me
Never before has someone been more
The horses' hooves clattered loudly in the courtyard as the people were silent. Merlin looked up at the pyre, and wondered if he should go and see Arthur one last time. The servant lit the torch, and looked enquiringly at him. Merlin nodded. No, he decided.
Piano Concerto #2 in C minor, Op.18 - 1st Movement - Sergei Rachmaninov
[Instrumental]
Merlin looked at the empty throne, and bit his lip. He waited until he was back in their chambers before letting himself go, crying until his body wracked with his body curled around Arthur's pillow.
Merlin had work to do though. Arthur had died for Camelot, died for him. Merlin could only wish that he had died for Arthur instead. Living for him was so much harder. But live for him, Merlin would. He would take care of Camelot, make sure that it was in good hands, that it was on its way to restoring itself, and he would live his full lifetime before sinking into sleep, dreaming that Arthur had come for him.
What do I do now? - London Cast (A Slice of Saturday Night)
He's looking at me,
Looking at him looking at me who's looking at him
I wonder what he's thinking
What do I do now,
What should my next step be?
How should I react,
What should my strategy be?
There was just that feeling that someone was looking at him. Merlin turned around, and caught the eye of a blond boy. He bit his lip and blushed, the both of them looking away hurriedly. It was his first time here, seventeen and underage. He sipped a bit of his drink, using the motion to peer out of the corner of his eye, and found the boy looking at him again. He seemed familiar, but Merlin couldn't quite place it. He studiously looked away again, a smile sneaking over his lips.