Concoction (Finished)

Statues and swallows

A/N I don't own any of this, I have simply edited it to suit Merthur! Enjoy!

The stature stood heroically over the town, the large column elevating the golden leaf covered Prince. His solid gold cape seemed to flow and twist with the wind – but never actually moved. It fell around the Princes impressive frame, creating an impressive sight that all the people were proud of. A thick band of gold was shaped snuggly around his waist to act as a belt – on the loosest hole – and strapped the impressive sword to his hip. The sword, Excalibur, was dangerously sharp and a giant ruby was settling into a perfectly shaped crevise on the handle, and it gleamed in the evening sun.

It's springtime in the city, the flowers blooming on the grass banks and lambs bouncing around the lush grass fields in the distance. A group of swallows -route to Egypt- fly overhead leaving behind one of their own. This particular swallow, a sweet young male, has fallen in love with a local Reed bird. They spend the summer together, enjoying the warmer climate and plentiful supply of food, however their love is short-lived, and the crushed swallow starts heading back to her friends. The poor reed bird – who's name was Freya – had expectantly passed away.

After a solid day of flying, the swallow is exhausted and begins to look for a place to rest. He happens upon the prince and decides to make her bed there for the night under the shelter of the statue. He fluffs up her feathers and shuffles about a bit, finally getting comfortable, when a drop of water falls on her. He's confused; even in the fading light it's clear that the sky lacks any clouds. It's then that he looks around, her brown eyes finding the damp eyes of the Happy Prince, which are filled with tears.

Concerned, he perches himself onto the statues shoulder, offering some comfort. The prince reluctantly tells the bird that he is unused to this sadness, because – when he was alive -everything around him was wonderful. Now that he is up high above his people, he can finally see the sadness and troubles of the people. This makes his lead heart hurt for his people, and his incapability to help is making him feel useless.

He becomes the statue's messenger – his innocent heart hurting as he finally realises the suffering- and agrees to remove the jewels and the gold from the Happy Prince in order to bring contentment. He flies often, dropping the precious jewels into people's purses or gardens. He gives the largest gem, the ruby, to the seamstress on the lane corner whose sick brother can't afford medicine to rid him of his pain. She was a lovely girl called Gwen. He sits on the fence as the woman sobs in delight, holding the ruby like fragile glass before snuggling back into his prince's arms to hide away from the biting cold and wind that threatens to blow him of his perch. Over the course of summer and autumn they help the financially struggling and ill, finding joy in helping them together. They gradually fall in love, Merlin (the swallow) softs and naive personality counteracting the princes reckless and hot temper.

As Arthurs gold and jewels are taken and given among the poor, he is ecstatic to no longer see the poor struggling around him. He knows it is elsewhere, as he is not as blind to the sufferings of others as he once was. Even without eyes to see, he knows that it exists. He misses gazing upon his sweet Merlin, but the emeralds had helped a struggling family of six whose father was recently injured. But he could still imagen his soft features and silky feathers.

However, all that is good does not last forever and the cold climate catches up to his sweet defenceless Merlin and one snowy night he lays at his feet, freezing. His limp form doesn't awake the next day, and the Prince realises that his lover died from the cold later in the night. He never made it to Egypt because he found a new purpose in life-to bring help the poor with him. Arthur sobs every minute for his lost love, and his heart aches for him. Merlin always said that he couldn't give away the most beautiful part of him -him kind and giving heart.