The day the gods chose to carry out their change of decision, turned out to be the year Camelot endured the most tragedy. The king's death was mourned by all in the kingdom, but no one could deny the concern that also existed for Camelot's future. But outside a village called Howden, happiness spread among all sorrow and anxiety. If at that very moment you chose to follow the hidden path just outside Howden's market, you'd eventually reach a small cottage and peeking through one of the windows, you'd see the reason for that said happiness.
At the time his soul gained a new life, Arthur remembered a bright light before taking the first breath by himself, but he was one of those newborn who made no sound when coming into the world. You know, he was one of those babies caretakers rushed to make sure they were alive, that everything was alright. But he was, alright there is. It's just, Arthur's upbringing when being a prince had always been about showing no emotions and that instinct followed into the new life, which left him mourning his lost life in silence.
When being born and the lack of sound from him, a caretaker worriedly grabbed onto him and his small wrinkled body was passed between hands carrying him around. But it didn't take long before soft skin met his cheek and the smell of safety found its way into his tiny nose. A big calloused hand caressed the blond tufts of hair on his head and Arthur's already blue eyes opened and was met with the softest pair of eyes. It was his new mother looking down at him, and that's when the first wail left his lips. The pang of sorrow was too much for his little heart, all the grief for the mother he never got the chance to meet in his lost life.
Soft fingers were quickly there and brushed at his chubby cheeks and the touch calmed his cries for the lost ones, and when Arthur opened his closely shut eyes he couldn't take them off his mother while small hiccups shook his body.
The only thing shifting his focus was a sudden gurgle, which sounded like someone's voice and another set of eyes met Arthur. Like the first pair, these were filled with as much kindness and Arthur's bottom lip started to tremble again, but the tears in the man's eyes stopped the cry which was on its way. This man didn't remind him of Uther, nothing about him looked like the father from his lost life, but his new instincts told him that this was a father of his. The brown warm color in his eyes had a calming effect and Arthur couldn't help himself, he grabbed onto one of his father's big rough fingers and to the smile of his new parents Arthur let the false sense of comfort make him sleepy, until sleep claimed him.
The new life was hard. His body couldn't handle the pain following his soul from the lost life and Arthur found his throat hurting by all the wailing and crying, leaving his new parents exhausted, but he couldn't help it. It was the memories haunting him and the nights were the worst. He would wake up and just feel the heart break when he realized what he'd been forced to leave and never could return to and he would cry until his tummy hurt. Each and everyone of them, their faces and voices would linger in his eyes and ears until his parents would pick up and comfort him with hugs and kisses.
-
But the dreams always returned and while Arthur learned how to handle them when growing older, he could never accept the truth and what they meant.
-
The sun was still up when Arthur came home from a usual day where he'd helped his mother on the field. Like always he stepped into his room to throw his fruit bag onto the bed, but this time his body just froze, hand still on handle and blue eyes widening by every second. He couldn't remember Guinevere's face.
There was never a special time or place when he would remember the ones he missed from the lost life, they were just there when he needed them, in his memories. As a baby he would scream and cry because his tummy and chest hurt when he remembered them, but now when he was a big boy, his lips would lift into a smile when he thought about them.
Arthur felt a sting in his eyes, maybe he was starting to forget who they were. He knew it was alright to cry, even for a boy, but Uther's words about showing strength were burnt and scarred into his soul and he quickly forced the tears away. Instead he walked into the room and sat down on the bed, his legs swinging above the floor, while thinking and when nothing came to mind his small fingers clenched the worn blanket.
Arthur remembered Guinevere's name, and he believed his ears still picked up voices who sounded like her, but the memory of her face was in a blur.
He pinched his eyes close and tried to picture her. First Arthur tried hair color, but no one of them felt truly right and it left him feeling even more upset than before. He knew he couldn't go to his parents, they would never believe him and he hadn't said anything about the memories, he didn't dare to, not since he accidentally mentioned Merlin's name. Arthur had been angry at something not working and suddenly just yelled Merlin's name and expected to have him show up, when he didn't Arthur asked his parents where his servant was and their eyes had stared back at him. The look in their eyes had shaken him enough to know he could never speak about his lost life in front of them.
Arthur heard footsteps outside his door before soft knocks "Artie, ya need to go to the market and buy some eggs for ya granny"
"Okay, ma" Arthur heard his mother's footsteps disappear into the kitchen again, but he didn't move right away. Biting into his bottom lip, Arthur couldn't let go of the fact that he'd forgotten one of the most important people to him, it was hurting his chest.
Before going he wanted to try with the others and quickly closed his eyes, his lip still hostage between his teeth, but to his surprise he could still see Leon, Gwaine, Gaius, Elyan and Percival. Like usual it was like they're standing right in front of him and Arthur slowly opened his eyes again and stared down at the wooden floor, his brows pinched close when wondering why it was just Guinevere.
Arthur startled when his mother yelled his name, reminding him of his chore and he quickly jumped down from the bed, snatching his cap on the way and pulling it on while throwing the bedroom door wide open. His too short legs for his age, ran towards the table in the kitchen and gathered the coins needed to buy eggs.
"Remember to not take the shortcut through mister Highwayne's farm" mother's smooth fingers straightened the too big cap on Arthur's head, her eyes softened "Ya know, ya father would've thought ya look handsome in his cap" and the fingers stopped at the scarred patch in the leather caused by Arthur dropping a torch. Her brown eyes searched Arthur's blue ones and softly brushed her hand against his cheek. He held his breath, but pain tugged at his heart when her eyes became distant and the hand disappeared. She turned away "Now ya needn't let ya granny wait".
Arthur couldn't move his feet. Like every day since the incident, he wanted to say sorry to her, but the words got stuck and he lowered his head in shame. There was no idea in trying and he left her alone, but one glance over the shoulder told him she was crying, hunching over the cold stove with trembling shoulders and a hand over mouth to stop the sounds.
Arthur left with a deep sigh and let the scents of forest envelope him.
The market was still bustling with people and Arthur stopped right outside of it, keeping himself hidden by a tree. Blue eyes searched the faces of people, but when not seeing what he searched for Arthur let out a sigh of relief and made his way towards the different kinds of stalls.
"Well who have we here?" a deep voice came from one of the stalls to Arthur's left "Isn't it ou' Artie!" Arthur turned to smile at the man, Williem, who was the baker in the village. Williem rested his arms on one of the boxes, the muscular man looking anything but kind, but his eyes gave him away "So, I was just trying a new recipe an' now looking for-"
"Yes!" Arthur interrupted him with eager nodding and eyes sparkling with anticipation and Williem chuckled at the adorable kid he'd made a special task to look after as much as he could.
The soft and sweet bread tasted so good that Arthur hummed pleased and Williem smiled softly at him, but then his lips lowered.
"So, how's ya mather?" he tried to sound normal and not showing any of the worry he felt towards the kid, but Arthur just shrugged, not giving anything away in his face.
"I da' know," Arthur stuffed the rest of the bread roll in his mouth, chewing while talking around it "working".
Williem hummed "I hope ya help as good as ya can" and pointed at Arthur "ya soon big enough to take over all the man's work", but Arthur only snorted at the older man without acknowledging what he said.
Arthur hurriedly dried his hands on the pants, nodding at Williem "Thanks for tha bread, see ya!" and Williem sighed and rested his head against his hand, knowing the kid would react like that, but he couldn't ignore his instincts to show he cared about the small family living outside the village.
"Why the hurry?" Williem raised his voice towards the retreating back of the kid.
"Ma granny needs some eggs" Arthur answered over the shoulder while zig zagging through the crowd gathering by the stall with fresh caught fish.
Arthur quickly ducked under an outstretched arm next to a stall, Williem was one of the few adults he considered was alright. He couldn't remember a time where he didn't like the grim looking man. Since the beginning he'd shown honesty towards Arthur and always listened with sincere interest to whatever Arthur chattered about, and that he was a baker was only a bonus.
The coins clinked when paying for the eggs and Arthur gave a polite smile to the lady selling. The sun seems to be setting faster than he thought and Arthur carefully cradled the eggs while quickening his feet towards the center of the village where his grandmother lived.
"Oumphf" Arthur had barely left the market when crashing into something, or someone and the force pushed him onto the ground.
Arthur scrunched his face when rubbing his sore backside, but stilled when a shadow lurked over him. His blue eyes raised until looking into green ones, Gerence. The effort Arthur put down to not be seen by him was in vain.
"Oh, it's just Misfit" Gerence crossed his arms, the usual grin on his face and usual gang behind him. Arthur kept his trembling hands clenched to not show how he was affected and nodded at them.
"Pigface" Arthur freezed, that wasn't what he meant to say and the green eyes looking down at him widened and Gerence arms uncrossed.
Being dragged by the neck wasn't the most painful, it was the kicks into his stomach and Arthur quickly covered it with his arms to get away.
"Why. Can't. You. Be. Normal" with every word Arthur's arm was met with a kick and he could hear the snickering from the others while Gerence took out his anger on Arthur.
The chosen alley couldn't be reached by the lowering sun and wasn't somewhere folks usually paid attention to, and Gerence knew this. He eyed the pathetic excuse of a human being. Something with Arthur had always irked Gerence and just by looking at the other boy made him grab onto the blond tufts, angling the head backwards to meet Arthur's eyes. Gerence wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words and instead he raised his fist.
With great force Gerence angled to hit the face, just to have it stopped inches from making contact.
"Children. Always someone being the punching bag" the voice came from behind and lifting his head Arthur noticed how he suddenly was alone and turned around with a bloody nose, to see a frail old man standing and looking back at him.
