Disclaimer: I do not own the Merlin series.
Merlin is running through the castle, trying to get Arthur's shirt for him in time. He runs into another servant, spilling wine on the front of Arthur's shirt.
"Are you…" Merlin mouths, but stops when he sees Lancelot walking towards him.
"You could try a bit of salt," Lancelot tells him.
"Arthur's going to kill me. He needs it for tonight," Merlin replies.
"Let me see," Lancelot says. He laughs as he takes a piece of the shirt. "I'm sure a man of your talents can think of something."
Merlin whispers a spell, cleaning the stain. He goes to Arthur's chambers to find him already dressed.
"You're dressed," Merlin notices.
"Yes, Merlin. I do know how to dress myself," Arthur tells him.
Merlin holds in his laugh as Arthur turns and sees the lower part of his back is exposed.
"Are you sure about that? Merlin asks.
He slides a finger over Arthur's bare skin.
"Merlin, I need to finish this speech," Arthur tells him. Merlin places a scroll on his desk. "What is this?"
"Your speech," Merlin replies. He looks down, a little embarrassed. "Wrote it while you slept last night."
Arthur grabs it and gives it a once over.
"Needs a polish," he says. "And you can say thank you. Not many servants get to write a prince's speech."
Merlin just walks out, not seeing the smile on Arthur's face.
xxx
Merlin in looking at Arthur in awe as he gives his speech later that night. The speech Merlin written.
"To the King," Arthur says, ending the speech as he raises his goblet.
That is when everything stopped for Merlin.
"Emrys,' a woman's voice says.
The old woman standing in the middle of the room repeats his name. Merlin drops the jug he was carrying and falls to the ground. Lancelot runs to him and picks him up.
"Is he going to be all right?" he asks Gaius as he lays Merlin on his bed.
"I have never felt someone that cold before. But, yes, he will make a full recovery," Gaius tells him.
Merlin does not wake up until later that night. He walks up to Gaius, blanket wrapped around him.
"When she spoke, her voice… it was as though it came from the depths of the earth. She looked so sad. Who is she?," Merlin asks.
"The Cailleach. Gatekeeper to the spirit world. If someone has torn the veil between the worlds…then God helps us all," Gaius replies.
xxx
The next morning, a young girl comes to the castle. Her village had been attacked. The way Arthur comforts the girl makes Merlin's heart warm. It goes away when the girl tries to explain what happened. Arthur decides to go to the village to look around.
As night comes to the village, strange sounds can be heard, not including the sound of Gwaine biting into an apple. Merlin walks alone when he hears the noise grow louder. He turns, smoke in the shape of a skull fly towards him. He tries to summon a spell, but cannot. Lancelot appears with a torch, and it disappears.
"What happened?" Lancelot asks.
"My magic. It doesn't work," Merlin tells him.
They go back to Camelot only to find these creatures, the Dorocha, Gaius called them, had arrived there.
"How do we defeat them?" Arthur asks.
"I don't know, sire," Gaius says.
xxx
Merlin is lighting candles when one of them rolls to a dark corner of Arthur's room.
"Aren't you going to get it?" Arthur asks when Merlin does not move to retrieve the candle.
"I thought I saw something," Merlin tells him.
"Should I get someone to pick it up?" Arthur asks.
"It's not funny," Merlin says.
Arthur sighs and places a hand on Merlin's shoulder.
"I know," he replies. Arthur walks over to the curtain and pulls. Nothing happens. Nothing is there. "I could never let myself look so spineless."
"I could never let myself look so heartless," Merlin retorts back. Arthur pins Merlin to the bed. "Definitely humorless."
"That's because you're not funny," Arthur tells him.
Arthur presses his lips against Merlin's. They both turn to the window as they hear a shrieking sound.
"You're not scared?" Merlin asks, arms still wrapped tight around Arthur.
"Oh, I am, Merlin. Maybe more than you," Arthur replies.
xxx
The next day, Arthur talks to Merlin, Gaius, and his uncle, Agrvaine.
"We need to find a way to defeat these creatures," Agravaine says.
"Gaius," Arthur replies.
"For the tear to be created it would have required a blood sacrifice. To seal it would require another," he explains.
Arthur thinks for a moment, and Merlin knows what he is planning to do.
"We ride before nightfall," Arthur replies.
"And the sacrifice?" Gaius asks.
Merlin is screaming inside at Arthur not to do this, but he knows he cannot in front of Gaius and Agravaine.
"If I must give my life for Camelot, then I will," Arthur tells them.
Merlin cannot hold it in as they go back to Arthur's chambers.
"You can't," he says, well, yells.
Arthur turns to Merlin and sighs.
"Merlin…" he starts to reply, but he stops when he sees the pain in Merlin's eyes.
"I won't let you," he replies.
"Merlin," Arthur yells. He pulls Merlin to his lips. When they pull apart, tears are falling down Merlin's face. "Make sure everything's ready."
xxx
As they journeyed to the Isle of the Blessed, Merlin recalls his talk with Gaius before leaving.
"It is my destiny to protect Arthur," Merlin had told him.
"How?" Gaius asked.
"Sacrificing myself in his place," Merlin said.
"No," Gaius replied.
Merlin would not forget the look in Gaius's eyes.
"I will gladly die, Gaius, knowing Arthur is alive and well. And that one day Albion will live," he replied.
Merlin shakes away his thoughts, remembering he is to be collecting wood for the fire.
"You shouldn't be here, Merlin," a voice says. Merlin turns to see it is Lancelot. "You have no powers."
"Like you care," Merlin smarts off, and he regrets it immediately.
"I don't want to see you hurt," Lancelot tells him.
"Your duty is to Camelot, not me. Like my duty is to protect Arthur. I thought you'd understand," Merlin says.
"I can understand that very well," Lancelot replies.
xxx
As night falls, they gather as much wood as they can, but it is not enough.
"I'll get more," Arthur offers.
Merlin follows Arthur as he gets up.
"I'll go with you," he tells him.
"You?" Arthur asks.
He laughs, but Merlin knows Arthur will give in and let him go.
"Since when have you known how to collet firewood?" Merlin asks, making the Knights laugh.
They go. Arthur holds the torch as Merlin collects the wood. They hear the familiar shrieking noise.
"Merlin, look out! Let's go," Arthur yells. They hide. "It's cold."
They get closer together.
"Np," Merlin mutters, but Arthur does not hear this.
"You remember the first time I kissed you?" Arthur asks.
"Don't talk like that. And I believe I was the one that kissed you," Merlin replies with a laugh.
Arthur also laughs.
"I've never worried about dying," he replies.
"I don't think you should now," Merlin tells him.
"You're a clot pole," Arthur says.
"That's my word for you," Merlin replies. He knows Arthur is only trying to lighten the mood. "And we will defeat the Dorocha. Together."
The shrieking gets louder.
"Kiss me," Arthur says.
"What?" Merlin asks.
"Just kiss me," Arthur tells him. They kiss. Arthur moves to face the Dorocha, but Merlin pulls him back. "Merlin, no!"
Merlin is thrown against the wall. When Arthur gets to him, he's frozen.