Arthur led in bed looking down at the raven haired man at his side, he was soaking up the sight, knowing it would be at least six months before he got to see it again. He would take a photo if it didn't seem so creepy. Worry clenched at his gut and he just wanted to clutch Merlin to him and not let him go. Which was stupid, Merlin was a Lieutenant in the British Army who had worked his way up from the ranks and knew just what he was doing.
Arthur knew this would happen one day, but it didn't make it any easier. They had been together for two years and married for one, so he had no real reason to complain. Up to now his husband had only been away for short periods at a time. But now, later today, he was leaving to go to Afghanistan on a six month tour and it scared the hell out of the blond. He knew that a great many soldiers were seriously injured if not killed in the war and selfishly he didn't want Merlin to become one of them. Merlin had tried to reassure him, after all he had already served in Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo in his ten years of service. But it hadn't worked Arthur would prefer it if his husband had a safer career, but he wouldn't interfere, he knew what Merlin did for a living when they first met and went in with his eyes open. But at least when in the UK the Welsh Guards were posted in London. With training trips to Salisbury Plain and the Brecon Beacons. Merlin had gone on an exercise to Germany and to Canada but this was the first War zone he had been to since they had got together.
Merlin stirred and opened his eyes and looked up see Arthur leaning on one elbow and staring at him "Hi awake already?" came the sleepy voice.
"I haven't slept well" Arthur admitted "I'm going to miss this, waking up with you next to me"
Merlin reached up and pulled Arthur down onto him "Then let's not waste time" he grinned.
An hour later they were both sitting at the breakfast bar eating a full English breakfast. Arthur insisting that Merlin eat well before they had to leave. Arthur was pushing his food round his plate hardly touching a thing. Merlin looked at him "Stop that and eat!" he glared "I need to know you will look after yourself when I'm not here."
"I'm not the stick insect" Arthur protested "It's you that's too thin" he knew that Merlin had a wiry frame that was deceptively muscular. Merlin was very fit he needed to be. Reaching across to touch Merlin on the cheek with his hand he tried to hide his concern. After all he was a Pendragon and they were made of harder stuff. "I worry without me to keep an eye on you, you will fade away"
Merlin snorted "Oh yeh! You forget I'll have Gwaine trying to mother me. He's worse than you!" Merlin smiled at the thought of his Sergeant "How the hell he keeps his Sergeant stripes I'll never know."
At first Arthur had been jealous of the Sergeant in Merlin's troop but soon learnt that the gregarious man looked on Merlin as a younger brother. He would do anything to keep Merlin safe. Even if his methods often got him in trouble with the higher ranks. But Merlin was just as loyal and fought for his friend. They were a close group and all looked after each other, Arthur had met several of them over the years. The fact that Merlin had risen through the ranks helped, he knew what his men were going through. Now Gwaine was a close friend to Arthur he trusted him to keep an eye on Merlin when he couldn't be there.
It was strange that Arthur should feel so protective of Merlin, who after all was fully able to look after himself and, the blond thought, was much braver than him. But in their personal and private life Arthur appeared to be the stronger character. Independently wealthy and the Vice President of a large multinational company Arthur had an air of leadership about him. Something Merlin liked when he was home. He led in the field with no hesitation but secretly liked the feeling of security he got from Arthur. The fact that he could let go and allow someone else to take charge. They were a well match couple.
Merlin had blossomed further due to the fact that Gays were now far more accepted in the military. When he had first joined up he had had to hide his orientation. There was still some prejudice but his commander and troop knew and were supportive
After breakfast they got in the car to drive to the barracks and say their final goodbyes. Hunith Merlin's mother, would meet them there. Arthur's sister, Morgana, was picking her up so she could see her son off. Arthur had invited her to stay with them but she insisted that the two men had time to themselves. The farewells were emotional and once Merlin was gone Arthur took Morgana and Hunith out to lunch although none of them felt like eating.
Arthur looked at his mother in law "How do you do it?" he asked
"I don't like it any more than you Arthur, I never wanted him to join up in the first place, but there was nothing for the young lads in Ealdor. Most of them joined the army. But with him being gay and having to hide his true self, it seemed the wrong choice. But it has done him good. He has so much self-confidence now, not like the timid youngster he once was. He was bullied a lot as a child, he wanted to get away" Hunith paused "At least now he hasn't got to hide his orientation, although it can still be difficult for him." she paused thinking what Merlin would have done had he met Arthur whilst homosexuality was illegal in the forces.
"I pray for him and just hope he comes home. When we lost Merlin's childhood friend Will in Iraq that was hard, I suppose that bought it home like nothing else did" Hunith hugged Arthur "We just have to believe, anyway now he has you to come home to!"
Morgana looked at her brother and Hunith "Come on Guys, Merlin wouldn't want this" she told them "At least you have Skype now, I suppose there was a time you would only have had letters"
In the following weeks and months Arthur threw himself into his work which at least pleased his father. Uther Pendragon was a hard man to please and their relationship had been strained since Arthur had come out. But at least in his own way he approved of Merlin, as much as he could of any man that was attached to his son that is. Arthur lived between one skype call and the next and the calls were always short and didn't really tell him anything. He visited his mother in law every weekend, after all he had promised Merlin he would look out for her.
But the months dragged by and Arthur's concern increased in line with the reports of injuries and deaths, so much so that he didn't watch the news for fear of what it would tell him about the fighting in Helmand. He could see the change in Merlin when they spoke and he didn't like it, he knew Merlin was trying to hide things from him, one because they couldn't discuss operational issues and also because he was trying to stop Arthur worrying. Morgana and Leon dragged him out once a fortnight for drinks, his sister refused to let him 'mope' although he knew she was also worried about Merlin. The empty side of their king size bed mocked Arthur every night and made falling asleep hard.
In Afghanistan Merlin was tired, and like all the men finding the fighting hard and brutal. The amount of men they were losing to IED (Improvised Explosive Devises) was growing. The loss of limbs and damage to the perineum's worried many of the men. So much so that many had taken to wearing tourniquets so they could be tightened quickly by their colleagues if the worse happened. The protective garments helped but even so there wasn't a troop that hadn't been hit one way or the other. The terrain made fighting extra difficult as was the heat. But they had one month left before they were due to fly home. Every day was now being counted. Now Merlin was a married man he also had to cope with the loneliness of not being with Arthur. Something when he had had to keep his homosexuality secret hadn't been an issue. Then home was for partying and drinking and visiting his mother.
One morning Merlin called his men together they were to take a chinook to an area that needed reinforcements. He found Gwaine and got him to round up the remaining men, they were a good team and Merlin knew them all well. He had been devastated when David had been killed a couple of weeks previously. The man had two small children. That was the trouble with working and living so close together it made any loss or injury that much more difficult to accept. Having come up through the ranks Merlin was even closer to his men than normal, he always said cut one of them and they all bled.
As they flew towards the drop area Merlin gave his men their orders and they made sure they were ready to exit the helicopter and hit the ground running. The Taliban was making life difficult in this area for the local civilians and it was hoped with the reinforcements they could push them back from the village before nightfall. As they headed towards the landing area they were fired on by land to air missiles and hit. The pilot did his best to control their descent but they hit the ground hard, even though he had been flying low. They were still several miles from where they were supposed to be. Dazed and not sure where he was hurting Merlin looked at his men. He could see Gwaine and a couple of the other men were up on their feet and checking the rest of the troop. Then his friend helped him to his feet