Arthuriana: "Midsummer's Song", PG-13

[hsavinien]

Title: Midsummer’s Song

Author: H. Savinien

Pairing: Cai/Bedwyr

Rating: PG-13

Wordcount: 261

Summary: A song of lost times.  Bittersweet.

 

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Hand to hand and mouth to mouth, harsh breath between teeth and past tongues, the Midsummer madness heating their blood, mail coats abandoned across saddles, tribute to the oak king.  Come away and go to the wood, and we’ll disport us there.  Swords still at hand, for war breeds caution in the living who wish to remain so and Mordred’s army patrols this wood.  Call tribute to the Green Man’s fire, and love away all care.  War has dragged the corners of his mouth down and lined his forehead, greyed his lover’s hair at the temples and his chin.  Come, pretty youth, and glory, life, with Puck to lead your song.  Voices stilled to panting, rasp of a half-choked oath, muttered, loving imprecation, the rustling of movement stretched across a shed gambeson, laces knotted and fingers clumsy.  Rejoice and love by the midsummer fires all the sweet night long.  They have a moment, only, to companion themselves again against the ill, chill wind of their king’s would-be usurper, to touch and ease the aches inside them, unknot his brow and revive Bedwyr’s laugh.

 

Come away and go to the wood, and we’ll disport us there.

Call tribute to the Green Man’s fire, and love away all care.

Come, pretty youth, and glory, life, with Puck to lead your song.

Rejoice and love by the midsummer fires all the sweet night long.

 

Cai growls into Bedwyr’s mouth, hungering for him as he hungers for his cousin’s golden age that’s crumbling now to ash.  Bedwyr, at least, remains.  They can brace each other.