Arthur was furious. He felt betrayed. He felt alone. The one person he thought he could call his friend had magic. Merlin had just stopped a man from killing Arthur, but that didn't even occur to him until it was too late. Arthur looked down at his sword which was now wedged in his best friends chest. He had acted on his anger without thought and was only just now realizing what he's done. Quickly he pulled his sword out of Merlin and threw it to the ground as if it was the most disgusting thing that has ever existed. He watched, horrified, as Merlin's body dropped to the floor. He grabbed his friend and held him close, begging him to forgive him, to stay. Merlin did nothing. His once bright, lively blue eyes, lost everything that ever made them worth looking at. They were frozen in fear and sadness, an expression that did not belong on the man's face. Arthur sobbed over the man's body. He pulled the body closer to him as if that would be able to bring him back. He closed Merlin's eyes not wanting to see the fear in them any longer. Arthur then remembered that his knights wife and physician were also in the room. Reluctantly he looked up to them. Most of them looked scared or surprised, except for those who knew Merlin best. Gwen was bawling as she stared at her best friends body. Gwaine looked about as mad as Arthur was earlier, but it wasn't Merlin he was mad at. Gaius looked the worst though. Merlin had become like a son to him, and now he had to watch him die. Arthur couldn't bear any of it any more, so he just closed his eyes and sobbed. Everything seemed to lose its life and color at that moment, as if the Earth itself was mourning. Finally, after what felt like hours of silence Arthur spoke. "This isn't the first time he's saved us, is it?"
Everyone stared at Arthur for a little while until Gaius answered him. "No, sire."
The silence continued as everyone began to make sense of old memories with this new information.
"He will be given a proper burial." Arthur said before leaving to be alone.
