AN: This story was written for Merlin_canon on livejournal, and is posted to their collection. The episode I chose to do was 'The Coming of Arthur' and I suppose that this will be an AU of that episode. The original story I had intended for the fest was going to be titled 'The Fall of Camelot', and once that story is published, this little story will be considered the sequel of that one. The Coming of Arthur will definitely have more added to it in future. Feel free to review here or on A03. The story over there is posted under the name Aouregan.

The bright autumn sunlight trickled through the thick canopy of the giant trees that grew close together in the heart of the magnificent forest. Brilliant orange, red and yellow leaves twirled and glided upon a light breeze as they made their descent to a leaf strewn floor that came to life with splendid colour. Large rock formations jutted out majestically from the earth to tower upon those that walked near them, and to Merlin they seemed to watch him with bated breath as he approached them.

A large black crow cawed through the silence of the trees as a nervous rabbit peered out through the underbrush of a raspberry bush, its branches drooping slightly with the weight of the fat berries that hung off them. The drumming of a woodpecker was heard upon an ancient oak tree that had recently been struck by lightning, the black scorch marks marring the trunk appeared like hideous scars upon something that had once been so beautiful. The woodpecker ceased its search for food when Merlin passed by its tree, but quickly lost interest when it realised that he was not going to come any closer. The incessant loud knocks followed him as he continued down a forest path that had become so familiar to him.

A row of wild apple trees came into view as he rounded a bend that had been hidden from view by thick underbrush. The smell of rotting apples was a vicious assault to his nose, but he noticed that the spoiled fruit drew in wasps and honey bees with their foul stench. He crinkled his nose as he walked past the fruit trees, and paused only long enough to reach out and grab one of the enticing red apples that still hung upon a branch before he continued on with his prize. Merlin noticed that there was a battle of dominance going on between a wasp and a honey bee, and that the battleground consisted of a wrinkled old apple that appeared as though it had been squashed by numerous feet. Eventually the honey bee flew away dejected in search of something else that would be far better to bring back to its hive. He walked away quickly from the trees as he understood from childhood that bees became frantic as winter approached.

He felt his heart nearly stop as a hare darted out of the bushes in front of him, pausing only long enough to give him a frightened look before it disappeared into a hollowed-out tree stump that was covered in thick green moss that was slowly going brown for winter. The carcass of the tree that once towered over the ground was lying near it, providing a sufficient habitat for an assortment of mushrooms that slowly devoured it.

Merlin's eye caught sight of a lynx that prowled nearby. However, the cat quickly shied away and seemed to vanish with a swish of its short tail. He breathed a sigh of relief. Despite the fact that they were known for their natural nervousness of humans, lynxes were vicious creatures if threatened, and he was glad that this one chose to leave him alone.

The trees began to thin as the soft trickle of water was heard moving through the forest. He hesitated at the sound of it as he briefly wondered if he should continue on, but decided in the end that he had to if he wanted to find Arthur. As he debated with himself, Merlin realised it seemed colder by the river and couldn't help the shiver that went up his back. For a moment, he wondered about this fact, and tried to remember if the stream of his childhood had been different in temperature compared to the atmosphere of his village, but he knew that the memory would never come. His innocence had been destroyed the moment he had entered Camelot, though he had not realised it until it was too late.

Up ahead he could see the forest path disappear gently over a hill that led to the steep riverbank. With each step the soft trickle of water became louder until it filled his eardrums with its beautiful music. He hurried on as concern for Arthur overwhelmed his heart, and he soon approached the steep hill that made up the banks of the river. He carefully slowed his pace and looked down, his hand upon the trunk of a willow tree that leaned over the embankment towards the water. Below him he could see large moss covered rocks that glowered up at him from their spot in the stream. Two turtles basked in the sun together upon one of them, while a frog hopped off the edge of another as a heron flew over.

He watched the heron for a moment, marvelling at how graceful it was as it flew further downstream before it landed and disappeared around a bend in the stream. From his earlier explorations of the river, Merlin knew that the further it went the more dangerous the water became. Just around the bend was a long patch of white water and a series of small waterfalls that seemed to warn of the cataract that was to come later. However, the spot that lay just below was shallow and from his position he could see the rocky riverbed that appeared to glisten in the sunlight.

He sighed softly as he turned his attention away from the river and searched for Arthur instead.

It wasn't very often that the young prince left the safety of the cave that had become a safe haven over the last few weeks, but whenever he did, he was always to be found near the river. Merlin knew that Arthur preferred the solitude and the silence that being alone provided him, and that he enjoyed the stream very much compared to the cramped quarters that had become his home.

After a few seconds of looking up and down the river, Merlin finally caught sight of Arthur who was seated upon a boulder in the middle of the fast moving stream. He had removed his boots and had placed them on one side so that they were out of the way, and appeared as though he were enjoying the cool of the water by having his feet in the river. He looked so peaceful that it pained Merlin to interrupt him. Ever since Camelot had fallen and Arthur had realised he was incapacitated by injury, he had sunk into a depression that took Merlin by surprise. It had felt as though the young prince was rotting on the inside, as though he had given up his fight to reclaim Camelot from Morgana, and it was due to this hopelessness that had made Arthur sink deeper into himself.

In all his years as Arthur's manservant, Merlin had never seen the prince as broken and devastated as he was in the aftermath of losing Camelot to a woman whom he had loved dearly. It was true that Arthur treated Morgana more as a sister than just a regular noblewoman who lived at his father's court, and that this love for her was as fierce and protective as any brother's. Perhaps, there was a part of Arthur that still felt that way about Morgana, and he was unwilling to grasp the reality of his situation. Merlin observed that once he had found out just who was responsible for waging this war for Camelot, that it had certainly made things worse with Arthur. For weeks on end, the prince sat in silence, refusing to get out of bed, shoving bowls of food that Merlin had had left for him, and was so thoroughly miserable that he had hardly noticed Gwaine's arrival to the ruins of the castle they had sought refuge in for days.

"It's just as well," Gwaine had muttered to Merlin, throwing a cursory glance in Arthur's direction as the prince stared dejectedly at one of the ruined grey walls. "I bring terrible news from Camelot. You know that cup that we were searching for? Morgana has it and now she has an entire immortal army at her disposal. However, that isn't the worst news I heard. I heard rumour that Uther is due to being executed any day now."

However, within the following days of Gwaine's arrival, all thoughts of Camelot and Uther vanished when Merlin came across a patrol of soldiers wearing the dark coats of Cenred's mercenaries. They had been edging closer to the remains of the castle when he had happened upon them, and he had decided to take Arthur as far away as possible, to the forest on Camelot's border. He had heard from Gwaine a day later that it was a wise decision for not even three hours later, Morgause herself had destroyed whatever had remained of the castle with magic.

By the time that he had descended the steep embankment and upon a rock that was slippery with water. He removed his own boots and stepped into the water; wincing at how cold it was as he stepped upon a rocky riverbed that seemed to sparkle in the autumn sun. Arthur looked up at him suddenly on edge, but had relaxed when he recognised who it was that was coming towards him.

"We've been looking for you everywhere," Merlin said with a grimace. He had stubbed his toe on the uneven bed beneath his feet. "Gwaine thought that you might have gone to the village..."

"I was gone for less than two hours, Merlin." Arthur had turned his attention back to the drake and duck that he had been feeding with a loaf of three day old bread that had gone hard. Two swans that had been watching in interest upon the opposite side of the bank decided to come closer. He enticed them to come further by throwing a few small pieces of bread in their direction. The drake flapped his wings threateningly upon their approach, but was quickly put in his place by one of the swans who honked loudly. "It is dangerous in that village now that Morgana took over the kingdom. It would be foolish to leave this place for one that is closely allied with the new Queen of Camelot."

Merlin noticed how he had spat out the last three words as though they were disgusting swear words. He shook his head as he climbed up the boulder so that he was next to Arthur, his knees sunk into the thick moss that covered it so that he felt as though he were upon a soft blanket.

"We don't know if that is where their loyalty truly lies, Arthur." Merlin watched as the brown duck displayed her tail feathers as she upended herself to feed upon the plants that grew underwater. "Even Gwaine said it is hard to come to that conclusion when we don't really know what is going on."

Arthur was silent for a few minutes, his hands ripping apart the bread without really realising it. He threw the pieces to the birds that were watching him expectantly. He turned his head to Merlin, pain etched deep within his blue eyes.

"Why did she do it? She and I were so close growing up. She knows that I would do anything for her, and she repays me by declaring war. Did I do something wrong to earn her hatred of me?"

Merlin sighed softly as he thought of his answer. "You know that I can't answer that, Arthur. However, I do know that Morgana's heart has become corrupted over the years. Perhaps that is what led her down this path..."

"Was there any way I could have stopped it?" Arthur asked his voice cracking despite the fact that he tried to keep it steady.

Merlin winced at the question as though there were an accusation that was hidden deep within the words. He knew that there was something that he could have done that would have prevented all of this from happening. Arthur would still become king of Camelot if he only had the courage to step forward and tell the truth in front of all the court. He didn't know whether to feel more guilt over the fact that Arthur did not know his secret or the knowledge that he lost Morgana as a friend forever.

For a moment, he debated with himself. Wondering if he should finally tell the truth to a man that deserved to know who his friend really was. However, the hard look on Arthur's face was enough to deter him from opening his mouth to speak what was really in his heart.

He choked back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him, and looked out at the water that was oblivious to the pain and loss that two men felt. A golden leaf fell into the water and was immediately taken away by the current. Arthur and Merlin watched it as it disappeared over a small dip caused by the riverbed suddenly dropping away before reappearing on the other side.

"I wonder everyday if there was some sign that I missed, but the more I look back on it, the more I realised that I didn't know Morgana as well as I thought I did," Arthur said sadly as he played with the remaining loaf. He ripped it in half and gave one to Merlin so that he could feed the birds as well.

Merlin listened in silence. He felt the pain that Arthur felt as though it were his own pain. Yet all the words that he could possibly say to make his king feel better were lost amongst the guilt that moved deep within his own heart.

"There isn't anything that you could have done," Merlin said slowly, cursing the emptiness of his words and the way he sounded as though he were free of any blame. "Even if you did know what Morgana really was, the result would have been the same."

Arthur appeared dubious, but didn't seem to want to voice what was really on his mind. It wasn't until Merlin prodded further, that he finally broke down and began to tell him what was really in his heart.

"Have you ever heard of a weak king, Merlin?" Arthur asked as he and Merlin threw the remainder of the bread to the waiting birds. "That is what I am. I am not even fighting for my kingdom. What kind of good king would forget his people so quickly after a defeat and allow them to suffer while he hides himself away?"

Merlin hesitated to answer the question right away. He struggled for the right words to say as he watched the swans slowly swim back towards where they had come from. The wind had gotten suddenly chilly as he sat there in the middle of the river. He shivered as he watched some small fish quickly move away from the ducks that had lost interest when they realised that no more food was coming.

"You are a great king, Arthur," Merlin said carefully. He turned his attention back to Arthur and sought to make eye contact. "There always comes a point in our lives when we find ourselves struggling against enemies both human and otherwise. The fact that you've lost Camelot for now does not mean you are a terrible ruler. When you get your kingdom back, the people of Camelot will know that even when it seems that you've forgotten them, that you fought hard for them."

Arthur shook his head and met Merlin's eyes for the first time. "How am I to do that? I've got no army, no supporters and I most certainly don't have any allies. You can't expect to win a battle when the other side has more than you do."

"But you did have more than Morgana did," Merlin said fiercely, his eyes boring deep into Arthur's as though his very life depended upon it. "And you have more than she ever will. She will never be the true ruler of Camelot because those that support you will never acknowledge her as such until they've lost all hope for your return. They know that you will come back and fight for them and your kingdom, and as long as they've got that hope, Morgana has nothing."

When Arthur made no response, Merlin continued on, his voice as strong as ever. "Arthur, listen to me. You've got allies and supporters that are loyal to you and your cause. They've heard of your greatness and are eager to come at your call to help you fight for what is yours. You've only got to believe in yourself and you can achieve anything no matter how difficult it may seem at first."

Arthur nodded his head absently, but didn't make any comment. Merlin sighed as he got to his feet, his knees cracking when he stood up.

"We should go back before the bad weather comes." Merlin shivered as he looked up at the sky. Despite the fact that it was still sunny, the wind had picked up until he felt as though it reached deep into his bones. He felt his magic boil deep in his veins, feeling the power of the storm that was quickly approaching them before he even knew what it was. It would arrive before the sun set, and it was unwise to remain outside when it did. "Gwaine is most likely searching for us..."

Arthur snorted in amusement, his old humour returning as suddenly as the wind. "Knowing Gwaine, he is most likely more interested in that bottle of mead you managed to smuggle back to the camp and had hidden in your saddlebag."

"Let's hope not," Merlin said with a mock expression of terror on his face. "That bottle is supposed to last us until I can visit the town that is not too far from here."

"Why didn't you pick up two of them?"

"Because the tavern owner was beginning to search for the first one that I stole from under his nose."

"That is why you are so terrible at stealing, Merlin." Arthur jumped off the rock into the stream, nearly slipping on the smooth rocks that made up the riverbed. When he righted himself, he turned to Merlin with a grin on his face. "It's why you need somebody else to go with you each time."

Merlin snorted at this. "Says somebody who has never stolen anything a day in his life."

"That isn't true Merlin, and you know it." Arthur taunted him as he put his boots back on and began to climb up the hill before him. "I stole a few things from under my father's nose like keys to the prison when you were wrongfully convicted of being a sorcerer."

"So only once then?"

"I don't make a habit of stealing something unless I have to, Merlin." Arthur wildly grabbed for a root when his foot slipped and he slid a few inches upon his stomach. "You do the same thing when it comes to survival." He threw a mischievous look behind him at where Merlin struggled to maintain his footing upon a difficult spot on the hill. "Unless you've stolen before you found yourself in this situation and I don't know about it."

Merlin ignored his jest, focusing instead on climbing what appeared like a mountain to him. He couldn't believe that he hadn't noticed just how high of a hill it was to the river, but he could see the top where the trees grew. Several minutes later, he stood panting alongside Arthur who had waited for him at the top.

"You know what, Merlin?" Arthur asked, watching the water below him with his brows knitted together in thought. "The more that I think about what you said earlier, the more I feel that Morgana is winning if I keep thinking of myself as completely worthless. If I don't take a stand now against her and her army, then I will lose a war that I never declared."

Merlin felt deep pride at these words, though he didn't dare show it. He placed a hand upon his king's shoulders and squeezed them gently. "When that day dawns and we find ourselves in battle, you will not be fighting alone. I guarantee it, Arthur."