Luminescence ✺ Arthur Pendragon

The Moment of Truth [4]

Arwen lay in a grassy field, eyes staring up at the sky and the stars littered throughout it. She could feel the cold night air creeping over her, but she didn't care for it too much. Instead, she focused on her small moment of peace. In the days since their arrival, everyone had been so busy, so focused, that she hadn't had much time to appreciate being back home.

"You shouldn't be out here. It's not safe." The familiar voice had a small smile appearing on Arwen's face. She shouldn't be surprised by his presence, after all, before she left Ealdor, the two often liked to sneak away to this exact field.

"I was wondering if I'd see you again. Merlin said you're leaving?" Arwen rose into a sitting position, green eyes turning towards Will with a questioning look.

"I am." Will announced, trying to sound confident, but she easily caught the sliver of doubt spreading across his face as he said it. Either way, Arwen wasn't about to try and talk him out of it. They'd given everyone equal chance to fight, or to leave. It was Will's choice on which he wanted to do.

She could see his face, the look telling her he wanted to ask something else of her. And she knew what it would be. He had the same look on his face when she told him she was leaving for Camelot. He wanted to ask her to leave with him. "You know the answer." She told him, sparing them both the possibility of the question being posed.

"You really think you can do this?" Will asked in disbelief, moving over to sit next to her in the grass. Arwen looked away from his face, eyes turning back to the sky as she spoke.

"I know we can." Arwen said firmly. She believed in their chances. Now was not the time to give up, not before the battle's even begun. Giving up hope would be the first thing to lead to their downfall.

"You trust him that much? His plan?" Will asked, having a hard time grasping the faith his friends seemed to put in the Prince of Camelot. Will couldn't understand it, not at all.

"He didn't make the plan alone." Arwen reminded. She knew Will's anger with any royal clouded his mind and made it easy for him to put blame on Arthur for whatever may go wrong, thinking he didn't care for any of their lives.

"And he just let you? A low-born helping him make decisions about battle?" Will asked in surprise. He, of course, knew Arwen had been helping train the men, but that part wasn't too unbelievable. They did not only trust her, but all from the village knew she was the best fighter among them.

"Arthur isn't like other royals. I know it's easy to believe he is. At first, so did I." Arwen explained. "When my mother came to seek an audience with the King, Uther said no to sending us aid. But Arthur still came, knowing the danger that awaits him here, and knowing the wrath of his father he'd be facing upon our return home. But he still chose to do what he thought was right. Not for glory, not for fame or gratitude, but for us; Merlin and myself."

Arwen knew that if anyone said it in front of him, or asked, Arthur would deny it. But she also knew this wasn't the first time someone had come to Uther for aid he could not afford to give. Before, Arthur would have respected his father's wishes, but this time... He came.

"I should head back before anyone starts to worry about where I am." Arwen finally spoke after receiving no reply from Will to her words. She knew he still might not believe her, but also she knew that she couldn't convince him to change his mind if he didn't want to. "I hope I get to see you again some day, Will." She said, placing a soft kiss on his cheek before she rose to her feet and walked away, leaving him sitting in the field alone.

Walking through the village, Arwen could see many of the houses still had their candles lit and light spreading through them. People were spending what may be their last nights, surrounded by family and friends, soaking in any moment they could together.