The Mourning Man

Prologue

AN: Welcome. This story is heavily inspired by a work of the same name by Breadisthebestofall on AO3. However I did change some things, and made it sort of my own.

Now in case you missed it: Merlin is immortal, and never died. Arthur was reincarnated. There is no Harry Potter in this story. There might be some Ron and Hermione but probably not. There WILL however be a Voldemort. This takes place in the year 2021, with no COVID, but during the HP books at the same time. So like basically Arthur is taking Harry's place, there may or may not be Ron or Hermione, and instead of it taking place in 1991-1997 it's taking place in 2014-2021.

Anyways: Enjoy

I sat there. I sat there as I watched the boat burn as it floated along the lake. The lifeless form of the love of my life being cremated upon it. The Great Dragon had long since left. His words replaying in my ears. Take heart young warlock, for when Albion's need is greatest Arthus shall rise again.

I pushed aside the emptiness. Arthur wouldn't want me to sit here and wallow. I had to go inform the queen of his passing. It would be about a day's walk from here back to Camelot. I gently fiddled with the ring Arthur left me with. His mother's ring. Take it. He had said, take it and everytime you look upon it, you will be reminded how much I love you. I stood, trying to fight the tears. My Emrys... My Merlin.

I reached the castle. I had long since lost the battle against my tears, and as I walked I could still feel them gently sliding down my cheeks. I ended up finding Gwen in Arthur's chambers. The room looked exactly as Arthur had left it. The red covers were neat on the bed. The desk strewn with papers and maps as if he had just stepped out for a moment. I had only looked at Gwen for half a second. Everything inside me combusted.

I collapsed onto the floor. Sitting on my knees, hands in my lap, head hung low. Practically bowing before the queen. I sobbed. The emptiness inside me spread like a wildfire. I sat there, practically laying on the floor, crying for the man I loved, the other side of my coin, missing him more than I could possibly express. I clutched the ring so tightly it would probably leave permanent indentations in my skin. I'm nothing without you, Arthur. I'm nothing without my other half. I sat there and cried, and cried and cried...

I felt gentle arms lift me up so that I wasn't trying to bury my face in my lap. I felt those arms wrap around me, bringing my head to rest gently on someone's shoulder. I knew it was Gwen, and so I wrapped my arms around her. She held me for hours as sobbed.

"Oh Merlin," she sighed gently, my sobs had dwindled, now I sat there clutching her tightly as I tried to catch my breath. "I'm so sorry Merlin." she ran her fingers through my hair.

"I know how much you two meant to each other. I knew that he loved you more than he could ever possibly love anyone else. I knew he didn't love me the way he wanted people to think he did. I knew he could never truly love me as a wife, even before we married." I couldn't help but respond,

"Why marry him then?" I managed to choke out, she smiled down at me with a fond gentle smile.

"I saw how he looked at you. I knew the only one he could ever love, was you. I wanted him to be happy. You as well of course, but I knew that if he married some princess, he'd be expected to force himself to have relations with her, spend time with her in a romantic sense. Pretend to reciprocate feelings he just couldn't feel for a woman." she explained, "I had lost my other half, I figured it would be best if he married someone who understood that he couldn't feel that way for them. Someone who wouldn't expect him to have relations with them. Someone who he wouldn't need to worry about learning of his preferences."