The Once and Future Kings
Chapter 16:
Neither one moved. Both just stared at each other, motionless aside from their breathing. Neville... Arthur... Whoever he was, still knelt at the fireplace. Harry still stood, though his legs were staking terribly. He grasped for something, anything, to say, to break the tension.
But what could he say?
What could he possibly say to the one he had betrayed? The one who had put his faith in him, the one who he had sworn his loyalty to, only to turn against him?
Regardless of Morgana's manipulations, it had still been he who had betrayed him. Who had usurped the throne, and who had begun a terrible war that left the entire country in ruin. It had still been he to deliver the final blow.
This man's blood stained his hands. The blood of his king, the blood of his kinsmen, the blood of his uncle... The blood of his father.
He found that his legs could no longer support his wait. Trembling, he fell to his knees. His hands shook with the inordinate amount of grief which coursed through his very being, reaching the very heart of his tainted soul. His vision became blurred by the torrent of tears that now flowed from his eyes like twin rivers, falling from his face onto the floor in great drops of salty water. He let out an in audible sound, somewhere between a croak and a moan, before he gulped in more air and was finally able to speak clearly.
"I... I'm sorry."
It was all he could think to say. He knew that the words were not enough. No words could properly say what he felt. The endless ocean of remorse and regret that he found himself drowning in. No words could properly explain the depths of his sorrow. Nothing he could say would change what he had done. Could wash away the blood that stained his hands. Could heal the wounds that he had inflicted. No words could translate how he felt in that moment.
But this did not stop the words from spilling past his lips.
"I I was childish, and arrogant, and wrong. I I thought that... That I was doing what was best for Britain... I... I was a fool to think that I, a mere ch child knew what was best... I..."
A hand fell gently to his shoulder. Another shakily wiped away the tears from his face.
He looked up, only to meet the eyes of... He did not know at that moment. Was he still Neville? Was he Arthur? Or was he somehow both?
"I..." The other man sucked in a breath. "I do not blame you."
Harry blinked.
"What?"
The man sat back on his ankles, his own face filled with sorrow.
"I... I know the truth. That... That we were both fools."
Harry just blinked at him. He sighed and continued.
"After... After I... Died, I was met by my... My mother..."
"Lady Igraine." He gasped.
The other man nodded.
"She, she told me everything, about Morgana, about Merlin, about how both of us had been court up in their game."
Harry could feel the hand on his shoulder trembling.
"She told me about how... How Merlin was only using me to... To shape Britain in the way he wanted. And about how... How Morgana attempted to counter his attack, with you..."
He laughed bitterly.
"I suppose I was as much Merlin's puppet as you were Morgana's."
Harry gulped a lungful of air.
"But still, it is my fault." He argued. "It is my fault that Camelot fell. I stole your throne, I gave into Morgana's manipulations... I killed you."
The other man shook his head.
"No, I had the power to prevent all of this. We both began the war that destroyed Camelot, and my hands are as stained with your blood as yours are with mine."
He sighed.
"I could have done something long before. I was High King, I could have... Have demanded that you be raised in Camelot from infancy. I could have easily made you my foster-son or something, anything. But I didn't. Even, even after all that she had done to me, I let my sense of family cloud my judgement, and all of Britain paid the price for my foolishness."
Harry clenched his fists.
"I shouldn't have been so rash in my actions. I should have talked to you before jumping to conclusions... But I trusted so much in her words... I believed what she told me... That you tried to kill me as a new-born..."
He looked down.
"But all this time, it was Merlin who committed the crime."
"I know." The other said in barely a whisper. "My mother... Igraine told me."
He laughed bitterly.
"I don't even know who I am any more. Part of me still feels like Neville, but... But another part of me feels like Arthur."
He laughed again.
"Who would have ever thought? Me, barely more than a squib, Arthur Pendragon?"
Harry chuckled.
"About as likely as the boy who defeated the darkest wizard in a century being one of histories greatest traitors."
The other man looked at him seriously.
"I don't consider you a traitor."
Harry blinked.
"You don't?"
He shook his head.
"You are a victim, more than a traitor."
"We are both victims." Harry replied. "We were both victims of manipulations from people we considered mentors, people we loved."
Harry looked down, then clenched his fists again. He looked straight into the other man's eyes.
"But this is our chance." He said, strength building in his voice. "We have a second chance, to break the chains of fate and take control of our own destinies. History does not have to repeat itself."
The other man frowned.
"You speak as if history is going to repeat itself." He said, his voice laced with nervousness.
"That is because it is." Harry replied. "The conflict between Merlin and Morgana lives on, and we are yet again stuck in the middle of it."
He sucked in a deep breath.
"We are not the only ones who were reborn. Dumbledore is Merlin, and Voldemort is Morgana."
The other man's eyes widened.
"Bloody hell." He muttered.
"But don't worry," Harry continued. "Allies as well as enemies have been reborn, though only one remembers."
"Who?"
Harry smiled.
"Nimue."
The other man blinked.
"Of course, I might have known."
He chuckled.
"She and her mother were something else."
Harry chuckled.
"Yes, I know."
"But who is she?" The other man asked. Then a look of realisation appeared on hi; face. "Hang on, is it Luna?"
Harry blinked in surprise.
"How did you...?"
The other man grinned slightly.
"You didn't think anyone wouldn't notice the two of you becoming closer?"
Harry's face burnt.
"We were trying to make it look like we were friends, at least for the first few months."
"And you didn't think that at least someone wouldn't notice you sneaking off every single night?"
Harry spluttered.
"I'd have you know, we were talking, nothing more."
The other man raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, maybe some cuddling and kissing, but no more intimate than that." He admitted.
He then cleared his throat.
"We have also been making plans for the future."
The other man nodded, the mood instantly becoming more serious once more.
"Yes, we have much to do." He agreed. "If what you say is true... But do you know if either Dumbledore or Y, oh, bugger it. If Voldemort have their memories back yet?"
Harry shook his head.
"We don't think Voldemort does. Dumbledore is a whole other matter. We think that his memories have partially returned, as he seems to be up to his old schemes again. But we don't think he can recognise who's who, otherwise I might have been dead a long time ago... Errr, again."
He then turned back to the other man.
"We were waiting for you. Luna feels that you will be vital in rewriting the stars and ensuring we come out of this on top."
His eyes filled with conviction.
"And I agree."
He looked at the man, who many in both the magical world and non see as a legendary hero. A man who had inspired thousands and who all of Britain had once stood behind.
"You can unit us together." He said. "You did it once, you can do it again."
But the other man shook his head.
"No, I..."
"Yes, you can." Harry interrupted. "Neville... Arthur... Whoever you are now, you have the strength to do it. The magicals know you as a great hero, and even the non-magicals regard you with reverence. Do you even know what they call you?"
He looked at him seriously.
"In the non-magical world, you are known as "The Once and Future King". It is said that you will rise again in Britain's greatest need."
He raised a hand to grasp the man's shoulder.
"And I know you can do it. Even as Neville, you have proven yourself to be brave, and noble, though many still cannot see it. With the added memories and experiences of Arthur, I know you can do it."
And yet, the other man still shook his head.
"No, I can not do this alone." He argued.
He met Harry with a steady gaze.
"If I am to be the leader once more, then I will need you by my side."
"Of course." Harry replied. "I served you once, and this time, I will not betray you."
But he shook his head again.
"No, you misunderstand. I do not need you as a knight, as someone to serve under me. But someone to be my equal."
Harry blinked in surprise.
"What? But... You can't be suggesting that..."
"Yes," He replied seriously. "I am saying that we must both be kings."
Harry shook his head.
"No, there can only be one true King."
"Who says?" The other retorted. "Harry... Mordred... I cannot do this alone. We are both to sides of the same coin. Back in Camelot, we inspired many. Each of us appealed to different people, or the different wants and desires of people. But if we stand together, both as Kings in our own right, then... I think... I think we can unit all of Britain as one."
He then looked down.
"And just think, if Dumbledore and Voldemort do gain back their memories, how their faces would look when they realised their puppets had united against them both."
Harry chuckled.
"I... I am honoured that you would suggest such an arrangement, after all I have done." He said.
"So this is how it shall be." The other said. "Two Kings, ruling as equals."
"Standing together as one." Harry agreed. "And we're going to take the Ministry by storm."
The other chuckled.
"The Ministry is riddled with corruption. It appears that we shall be cleaning house, much as I did with Uther's old court."
Harry chuckled.
"What shall people know you as? Will you keep the name Neville Longbottom, or retake the name Arthur Pendragon."
The man looked into the dying embers of the fire for a long time. Finally, he replied.
"Neville. It's the name that I am most comfortable with. But, I will not forget the part of me that is still Arthur."
Harry smiled.
"Good, because it is a part of you, just as much as Mordred is a part of me. Luna and Nimue are practically one and the same."
Neville looked up at him.
"Yes, I was just wondering, concerning who has returned..."
Harry smiled.
"No one remembers yet, besides the three of us. However, I have managed to spot all of my brothers, Lot and Galahad."
"Ah." Neville replied. "Has... Has there been any sine of... Of Lancelot and Guinevere?"
Harry shook his head.
"So far, no. Luna hasn't said anything about them returning, and she seems to know the most at this point. However, with all her power, she is still not all knowing."
Neville let out a shaky breath.
"I hope they weren't." He admitted.
"Yeah, me too." Harry agreed. "They would most likely complicate things even more than they already are."
He then turned to Neville questioningly.
"I thought that you had mended ties with Lancelot? Wasn't he fighting with you during Camlinn?"
Neville shook his head.
"That may be so, but I only did it out of desperation. He was a mighty warrior, and, even after word spread of his actions, he was still well liked by many. I hoped he would inspire the soldiers."
Harry shook his head.
"I hope Lancelot does not return. I don't think I could bare to look into those eyes again, especially after he killed Ris at Camlinn."
Neville nodded.
"And what of Guinevere?"
Harry snorted.
"What of her?"
Neville raised an eyebrow.
"Did you not wed her a week before Camlinn?"
Harry scoffed.
"Only out of desperation. And anyway, it was never consummated."
Harry grinned.
"Though that was not what I told Lancelot. Oh, you should have seen his face. He was furious."
Both chuckled. Neville then sighed.
"I do hope they don't return." He began. "I don't want to see them again. They cannot be trusted, not even in desperation."
Harry sighed.
"I am aware. Yes, it would be best for all if they stay dead."
They sat in silence for a long time. Finally, Harry looked to the window.
"The sun is beginning to rise." He observed.
"Do you think breakfast is being served yet?" Neville wondered.
Harry shrugged.
"Maybe. But if not, then perhaps we could tell Luna the news. She's always up early."
Neville nodded.
"Yes, and maybe we can begin planning, together."
Harry smiled.
"Yes, together does sound nice."