The King

BROTHERS

Arthur shakes his head and runs his hand in his fair roughly "Look at the kind of situation you've put me in..." he laughs bitterly "You're making me choose"

"don't do it" he says "they can't bully you like this-" 

"What's the alternative? Watch you die?"

"Can't you just disregard this whole thing somehow?"

"I have a council to answer too! What would people say if I let the man who supposedly rapped by to be betrothed go free without a trial? and we both know if this goes to trial, there's no way in hell they're letting you walk- god damn it!"

Arthur presses his fingers against his eyes tightly, wincing in pain. Bell frowns. Is he in pain? 

"Are you okay-" Luke starts to say. Wrong question. 

"Of course I'm not okay!" shouts Arthur, angry "I can't live in this castle full of vultures without you! I need you, you're my right arm!-" Arthur suddenly hits the bars in frustration "first George and now you?!"

Suddenly Arthur freezes, his angry eyes turning almost into uncertainty and...fear. 

"Are you crying?!" asks Arthur in disbelief "why the fuck are you crying?!"

He's giving them his back as he hides his tears from them both and tries to control the sound of his sadness. Bell is shocked to say the least. She never thought she'd ever in her life time see Luke upset, let alone crying with actual tears slipping out of his eyes.

"get the key" suddenly Arthur snaps to someone behind Bell

She turns around only to see the guard standing there, looking pretty horrified himself. How long has he been standing there?

"your highness?" he asks, uncertain

"The key!" snaps Arthur "get it"

"But...He'll escape..."

"and go where?!" shouts Arthur "I will ask only once more"

Suddenly another guard yanks the keys from the fearful looking guard and walks straight to Arthur, handing it over.

"my king" he says and steps back. Arthur nods to him and opens the cell only to stand by the door awkwardly, not knowing what to do now that he's in. He glances at Bell uneasily and for some absurd reason...it completely warms her heart. The fact that he's looking at her for help somehow. She smiles at him despite her own tears threatening to spill and she nudges him forward with her head. He looks back at Luke and suddenly walks straight to him. He grabs him by the arm

"stop crying" he orders  "we'll figure it out"

"I'm sorry" he says but Arthur doesn't let him continue because he suddenly pulls him into a hug.

"we'll figure it out" he says again, patting him hard on the back 

Luke hugs him back desperately and you can just see how much they care about each other.

She smiles sadly at them both. Two brothers betrayed and hurting. Without even meaning too, she finds herself crying along with him as she feels for them deeply.

"You're fine Luke" says Arthur but he honestly doesn't look fine. She's never seen a man so crushed in her life. She's pretty sure Arthur is holding him up as his body shakes.

Absurdly Bell finds herself observing the different way men hug and cry. Their hugs are awkward and rough. Not almost as heartfelt and gentle when two women hug each other and their crying is somehow laced with their need to stop. Luke lets go, pushing himself away and wiping his face roughly.

Arthur grabs his shoulder hard "You're not dying for this" he promises "not as long as I'm on this goddamn throne. They think they landed a blow on my authority by taking you away. If they think I'm going to sit in misery because of this their dead wrong, I'm gonna find a way out of this"

He grabs his face and says "wipe your tears. We're not defeated yet"

Arthur smiles and Luke nods, looking away. He pats him on the arm then walks out of the cell, his confidence restored. He throws the key to the guard and says "lock it" then he looks at the other guard who refused to give him the key and he says to the other guard "deal with him would you?" 

The man nods "your highness" 

The guard gulps in fear as he walks past him. Arthur looks back at Bell and she follows after him. The minute they're  out of the dungeon and walking up the staircase Arthur staggers, leaning on the wall and closing his eyes. Bell is instantly alert but she doesn't push him. She looks at him as he's suddenly consumed with weakness. Either he just felt weak or he was this tired the entire time but was covering it up somehow. She waits until he regains an ounce of his strength back then he's walking up the stairs looking like nothing had happened.

----------------------------

I'M SO LATE I'M SORRYYYY

On another note. Guys. Guys. 

We're almost at 30k. 

Whaaaaat? It's like yesterday it had 400 views. 

ENJOOOYYY