**apologies for the late posting…don’t know what happened when I scheduled this…
it didn’t post when I set it to. đ **
Time for February’s song flash fic. This month’s song is “Angel With a Shotgun” by the Cab. Have a listen if you like:
I love this song, and have had something simmering about it since we chose songs for the year. I’m going to visit the world of my Albion’s Circle series for this one.
I’ve also written other flash fiction set in this world, if you’d like to have a read. đ
“Merlinâs Cave”
“The Hammers Coming Down”
“I Will Possess Your Heart”
“The Coldness”
“Ever The Same”
“Ghosts That We Knew”
Promptly Penned #20 – âOne Last Timeâ
âGhostâ
Hope you enjoy this one, and what the others have come up with for “Angel With a Shotgun”.
~Merlin~
I slowly walked down the stairs. Iâd slept longer than I planned. Hell, I hadnât planned on sleeping at all until Arthur pushed his way into my room and forced me. Iâd slept long and hardâif I didnât know better, Iâd suspect Arthur had magic and used a spell on me. Iâd clearly needed the rest. Physically, I felt better than I had in a while, and more importantly, my mind was well clearer.
Not that Iâd say or admit anything to Arthur. That would just get me his patented smug, knowing lookâhis fucking royalty bleeding throughâand more fussing in the future.
I followed the voices through the lower level to the kitchen. I stopped in the doorway, leaning a shoulder against the jamb, and bit back a sigh.
Not everyone was hereâthe newer members of our group were absent, as were some of the knights. I swallowed thickly as the face of one knight who would not join us again in this life filled my mind. Cursing inwardly, I shoved that aside, unwilling to spiral down that hole. Not now.
Arthur, Owain, and Lancelot sat at the large table, Owain pointing out something on his laptop screen to the others. Galahad and Will stood at the stove, playing grab-ass as they cooked. And AnnaâŠmy Anna was a few feet away, whisking eggs. I couldn’t see her face, but sadness radiated from her, and my heart ached. With the knowledge that Iâd had a large part in bringing about that sadness. That more would come. It was inevitable. It always was.
The weight of responsibility, of duty, pressed down on me. The oppressive feeling all too familiar. It was an old friend, my constant for hundreds of years, for lifetimes. Only a handful of times had I shamefully wished it away. Those moments of weakness, when grief and despair and loneliness had taken their toll, never lasted long. Because I knew, I remembered, what I was fighting for.
Humanity.
The Circle was formed for that, after all. We vowed our livesâevery one of themâto protect the world from Magical threat.
My friends. Those I loved.
ArthurâŠthe CircleâŠthose who had bound themselves to us, to help us in our quest. Those Iâd mourned again and again, and vowed to keep safe every time.
Her.
My Anna. Sweet Annwyl. I looked at her, heart aching still. Not with sadness, but with the depth of the love I had for this woman, the lengths I was willing to go to keep her safe and with me.
Then, slowly, she turned and met my gaze. And time stood still. It was only the two of us. She moved across the room and stopped in front of me. Eyes narrowed, she lifted her hands to cup my face and stared. Then, seemingly satisfied with what she saw, she nodded.
âBreakfast is almost ready,â she said softly, raising up on her toes.
I closed my eyes when her mouth pressed against mine. My magic pulsed and swelledâŠand rejoiced when hers answered, twisting and twining with mine, wrapping around the both of us.
âI love you,â I whispered.
âHmmm,â she hummed, pulling back. âI know.â
Her smile took my breath away, as always. Iâd stopped wondering long agoâso long ago, back in Camelotâif sheâd ever stop having that effect on me. Anna and her magic would always overwhelm me, take my breath away, and make my heart ache. I accepted that more easily than any other fact of my life.
âI love you, too.â She held my gaze a moment longer than turned away, moving back to help her brother and Galahad finish with breakfast.
Yes, the weight still pressed down on meâthe responsibility, the dutyâand I had so much to do, but I knew what I was fighting for. I knew who I was fighting for. I would take all the weight, all the shit thrown at me, all the shameful moments I had to bear for what I had here. For her.