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It’s mocking him.
Just sittingon the avail waiting to be finished but he just doesn’t have the strength to. A sword fit for a king, or maybe two, but left without a handler since their new king decided to leave them. Instead of being an illusion created by Merlin, he was just a hedgehog with duties that aren’t in Camelot. Vulcan doesn’t know which is worst.
His father – a famous blacksmith during Arthur’s reign – used to speak highly of the king. A king that made time for his people; travelling all over to speak, hold feasts and be told stories of the lands that he walks upon. Even the knights never had a single ill word to say about King Arthur. Vulcan was only a baby during most of that time before their King became nothing more than a monster.
Thankfully, his father never had to see the king that he admire become that. He died when Vulcan was only six and left him alone since. It’s been hard and most thought it was foolish for a child to work so hard to become a blacksmith but Vulcan didn’t care; working tirelessly to become a respected blacksmith and even went on to make repairs for their new king.
This is why Vulcan thought to take on the task that had been abandoned by his father. A sword fit for a king that wasn’t Caliburn; probably not better but still worth noting about. Vulcan was going to present to King Sonic during the peace festival but he left. Leaving them all behind like trash, at least King Arthur wouldn’t have left them.
Even if he was a monster.
King Arthur was a monster that stayed and continue to fight for them.
And now, what are they to do? No one else can take the throne since no one else wants to. Sir Lancelot rarely speaks on the matter and the knights that do seem to be afraid of the idea of someone else taking over. Not that Vulcan can blame them. Most had put so much faith and trust into King Arthur and then King Sonic but they were still thrown to the dirt and struggling to pick up the pieces.
Frankly, Vulcan isn’t sure how to feel about any of this.
He never knew either king for very long but the hurt is still felt deep. Maybe it’s better this way…Vulcan had seen the way King Sonic had been pacing. Even in his workshop whenever the king comes to visit; always pacing, always moving even though there was nowhere else for him to go. It was like madness was trapped inside their king and had nowhere to escape.
It’s like trapping the winds.
They were building a hurricane which destroyed everything and when it finally disappears, it left everyone else to clean up the mess.
Vulcan doesn’t blame King Sonic…they should have seen the sign but it’s easy to miss when you’re trying to not fall apart. And they were falling apart after the loss of King Arthur…
“Vulcan…?” Galahad’s question trails off.
The blacksmith had to stop hammering in favour to stare at the sword fit for a king that’s not even here anymore. Quiet with tears trailing down his face and landing on the hot steel. His grip is so tight that it actually hurt when Vulcan lets go of the sword. It went tumbling to the floor along with his hammer; his knees grew weak and hurt when he met the stone floor.
“Vulcan!”
Galahad rushes to his side and places a hand on his shoulder; struggling to figure out what to do but there’s nothing the knight can do. And he knows as Galahad just pulls the child into his arms and allows the forge to be filled with cries of someone who had lived too much for one so young. For the knight knows what the blacksmith is going through.
Vulcan clings tightly and finally, allows his sorrow to overcome him.