Oh, lovely. This is short but perfectly formed, with a kind of not-quite symmetry between the two scenes, and spot-on characterisations, and you've just packed such a punch into so few words, with so much going on, I'm completely in awe.
This in particular I loved:
When he left the King’s chambers for the last time, Merlin was occupied with staring, unmoving at Arthur’s chalk white face, being just as useless a servant as Arthur always claimed he was, and Gaius gripped Merlin’s shoulder and wheezed into his ear. “I couldn’t save him. I couldn’t save any of them.”
It was a plea for absolution as much as a warning, but Merlin was for Arthur alone that night and heard neither.
But really, I could quote each line at you as being wonderful :) Really well done <3
hee, I'm so glad you liked it. I was afraid it might have been a little too heavy handed, considering the whole 'rocks fall, everyone dies'-ness of it. The taste of symmetry was just what I was going for, since its such a theme in the canon, so I'm glad it worked for you.
Touching and atmospheric. This is a very beautiful fic; I enjoyed reading it :)
I'm a bit sad for Gaius and Merlin's mum, but there's no growing up (in fictional terms) without some loss, so it works perfectly. I also love the fact that Arthur buries his father himself and won't be helped, very in character
Loss is definitely the part of the heroic archetype that pains me the most. For Arthur, it an especially difficult thing considering the complexity of his relationship with Uther, but with Merlin and his mum, it's just pure, unconditional love. :/
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This in particular I loved:
When he left the King’s chambers for the last time, Merlin was occupied with staring, unmoving at Arthur’s chalk white face, being just as useless a servant as Arthur always claimed he was, and Gaius gripped Merlin’s shoulder and wheezed into his ear. “I couldn’t save him. I couldn’t save any of them.”
It was a plea for absolution as much as a warning, but Merlin was for Arthur alone that night and heard neither.
But really, I could quote each line at you as being wonderful :) Really well done <3
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Thanks for commenting! <3
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I'm a bit sad for Gaius and Merlin's mum, but there's no growing up (in fictional terms) without some loss, so it works perfectly. I also love the fact that Arthur buries his father himself and won't be helped, very in character
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Thank you for the comment!
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I especially loved Merlin's hope that if it were for Arthur he could do anything and how he didn't stop Arthur from digging. ^_^
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