Work Text:
Arthur sighed heavily as he surveyed the scene before him. Lance stood, eyes blazing, in front of the pirate – Mordred – shielding him from Arthurs men. Besides him, he could hear Gwen’s nervous breathing as she looked between them, and he knew that should he look at her he would see her pleading face, begging him to save the boy they both loved so much. He swallowed, and met Lance’s eyes.
“I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill-conceived escape attempt, Mr. du Lac, but not from you,” he said, trying to keep the affection out of his voice and sound stern. How was he to keep them both safe, if they constantly insisted on this kind of nonsense? And for what?! For a bloody pirate?!
Lancelot at least had the decency to look chastised, both by him and the Governor’s words, berating him for throwing in his lot with a pirate. But then he squared his shoulders and raised his head, looking Arthur straight in the eyes, the apology clearly visible. He’d always had more honour than sense, that boy.
“He’s a good man.” He said, eyes pleading with Arthur to help him once more, “If all I’ve achieved is here is that the hangman will earn two pairs of boots instead of one, so be it, at least my conscience will be clear.”
Arthur could not repress the slightest eyeroll. Lance had never known how to quit when he was ahead, and he supposed it was too much to ask for he did so now. He was about to answer, when Gwen stepped in besides Lancelot, taking his hand and staring defiantly into his eyes. Of course she couldn’t just let him handle it. When did these two ever let him handle anything? Some trust would be nice…
And then everything happened extremely quickly. Mordred started a whole spiel about grammar (really?) as he stumbled back along the battlements, and after a lot of chaos fell down the exact same cliff Gwen had, weeks ago. With a lot less difficulty than expected, he managed to save both Gwen and Lance from repercussions, although her father looked ready to skin the young man.
It all ended rather anticlimactically, and as everyone left the three of them were left behind together on the battlements where he had once asked for Gwen’s hand. For a moment, no-one spoke, and then both of them started to apologise rapidly for getting him into any trouble and any anger or frustration he might have felt before evaporated. He laughed softly and drew them both close. Gwen tucked her head under his chin and he felt Lance’s hand squeeze his own in thanks.
They would solve everything else tomorrow, figure out their situation and see what providence had in store. For today, he was content to watch a pirate ship sail away into the setting sun in the knowledge that the real treasure was right here, in his arms.
~