#arthurlot.

[teamxdark]

I thought I was prepared to witness this...

@vee-skies took my request and understood the assignment! Thank you so much 💙💙💙💙 My little knight is feeling his heart get ripped apart ✨

[teamxdark]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[teamxdark]

Arthurlot AU where Sir Lancelot of France and the disguised King Arthur of England first meet in an international jousting tournament. Arthur's identity is revealed halfway through the tournament and people keep withdrawing rather than face him, and he gets frustrated.

Until Sir Lancelot decides that he'll give King Arthur a run for his money. Their competitive spirit flares and their match proceeds.

It ends in a draw, neither holding back.

They congratulate each other as they both advance in the tournament.

Every time they're matched together in a tournament, they give it their all and it always ends in a draw. Their sense of competition grows stronger and they keep trying harder and harder. King Arthur appreciates the genuine challenge that Sir Lancelot poses to him, and Sir Lancelot enjoys the contest to his title as the Ultimate Knight. Over and over they clash, unable to defeat each other, and yet they look forward to their duels the most.

And then one day, Sir Lancelot lands a blow that knocks King Arthur off his horse. It's the first time either of them has won a tournament against the other.

King Arthur takes his defeat in stride, meeting Sir Lancelot with his hand outstretched and a smile on his face. "Congratulations, Sir Lancelot. You've finally bested me."

Their hands meet, holding on a little too long.

"Name your prize, Sir. You've earned it."

Sir Lancelot grips the hand in his and sinks to a kneel. He kisses his hand, where his ring would be, peering up at King Arthur through the slits in his visor.

"Name me as one of your own."

The crowd gasps. A French knight, bequeathing himself to an English king? A stir ripples through the stands as King Arthur grins at the request.

"It is done, my Lancelot."

[teamxdark]

Thinking about Arthur having a four poster bed and drawing the curtains at night to keep warm.

Also thinking about Lancelot sneaking into Arthur's chambers when they're still trying to keep their relationship a secret and they're kissing each other's breath away but then there's a knock at Arthur's door saying that there's an urgent message for him so Arthur has to untangle himself from Lancelot and smooth his spines down and convince the messenger that he's out of breath because he decided to run laps around his room to de-stress before bed; meanwhile Lancelot is trying make himself look as bundled-up-blanket-like as possible behind the curtains and catch his own breath without gasping or making any movement.

The urgent message wasn't even urgent at all, it was just addressed as such so Arthur would read it sooner rather than later and the messenger apologises profusely for disrupting His Majesty when he's already retired for the evening and Arthur knows not to shoot the messenger (especially when they've done no wrong) but there is very obvious strain in his smile as he tells them that it's no trouble and dismisses them.

[teamxdark]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Is done!

[teamxdark]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[teamxdark]

*points at Lancelot* Pathetic man.

[teamxdark]

In the modern day, many people know about the legend of King Arthur and his brave deeds, but so much has been lost to time, either through a loss of oral history, or the destruction of older manuscripts and images. Scholars and historians argue over whether he was real or a myth meant to inspire the people of so long ago.

A special gallery is created to store the precious few pieces of his history, such as a few of his belongings, his broken sword, a fragment of what might have been the Round Table, various documents, and some paintings.

One day, someone notices something peculiar about the paintings. They are all done by different artists at different times, and all feature King Arthur in them, but there's one other thing that ties them all together. A knight in dark armour.

In group pictures of the legendary king and his knights, it's easy to spot him, but then he appears in the background of other paintings, such as one celebrating King Arthur and Queen Guinevere's wedding, or a painting of Arthur in town, in every battle depiction... Even in the king's solo portraits, a shadowy figure can be seen in the background, faintly, watching over him.

Some argue over who this knight might be. Is he a member of the Round Table? Is he Arthur's guardian angel? Is he a metaphor of greatness or death that follows the king throughout his years? Was he a secret lover? No one can agree on an answer, and the texts hold no clues.

Whether intentional or not, all history on this knight was destroyed, and the name Lancelot erased from memory.