The battle was finished, Camelot won obviously. Arthur stood on a hill surveying the battle scene, men scattered across the land, either dead or slowly bleeding out from the wounds inflicted by their enemies.
The waste of human life was horrible, the sight burned his eyes until he had to look away. Turning away he looked over to his surviving knights, and Merlin. That made him smile again, Merlin was okay. He didn't know what he would do if Merlin died in a battle, especially one like this. A battle that was Arthur's fault, he would be the one that effectively killed Merlin even if he wasn't the one who actually stabbed him or shot him... No, the point was that Merlin was alive and so were some of the knights.
Arthur walked over and sat on the log next to Merlin who was happily chatting with Gwaine who managed to get away with only a small wound on his shoulder from an arrow that narrowly missed.
"Oh, Arthur. I was wondering where you'd gone off to." Gwaine said causing Merlin to turn his head and smile at Arthur, clearly pleased that Arthur had no apparent injuries.
"Just went for a walk..." Arthur replied, not wanting to worry Merlin with the fact that he'd been looking over the battle field, feeling guilty. This response did not look like it worked though as Merlin's brow furrowed as he looked at Arthur with a look that told Arthur that he knew where he was.
"'Scuse me." Arthur said, getting up and leaving, trying to get away from Merlin's knowing gaze.
He walked off into the nearby forest that surrounded the scene of the battle and sat down by a river that ran through the woods. He put his head in his hands and looked at the floor, wishing that he could have stopped this war. It was all his fault and now his knights had paid the price, even if they did win was it worth the cost of life?
The log moved beneath him as someone sat next to him, it was Merlin, he knew without looking up. No one else would have invaded his privacy like this, Merlin was never concerned about it and just waltzed in wherever whether he was wanted or not. However at this moment, he was wanted. Just knowing that someone he cared for was okay and didn't judge him made him feel a bit better.
They didn't say anything as they sat there, Arthur with his head in his hands, Merlin entranced by the running water in front of them.
'It will be okay,' Arthur thought, 'As long as I've got Merlin to support me.'
With this he turned towards Merlin, smiled and stood up making his way back to the rest of the knights to organise them getting back to Camelot and dealing with the dead. 'It will be okay... as long as Merlin lives...'
Aithusa (the white dragon) appeared behind Arthur exclaiming, "I'm a dragon!" before flying off into the distance, no doubt to join Kilgharrah.
"What was that?" Arthur said turning to face the noise and then back to Merlin.
"Umm... nothing, how about we just go sort out getting back to Camelot." Merlin suggested as he ushered Arthur away, praying he wouldn't notice that there was a dragon flying away from the battle scene.
A/N: Sorry about the last bit. It was another conversation that got out of hand :) I get too many conversations like that. Oh well please review :D