Myth and Legend
"Merlin, what on earth are you doing?" Trying to get up quickly, the manservant hit his head on the bottom of Arthur's bed.
"Uh, you see," he began, scrambling out from underneath the bed, "I thought I heard a rat."
"Did you find it?"
"No."
"You're useless," Arthur groaned. "Is my armor polished?"
"Yes, Sire."
"And the sword?"
"I can see my reflection."
"Careful, you might break it."
He smiled, collecting Arthur's laundry with haste. After a moment, he became serious again. "Um," Merlin began, almost timidly. Arthur knew it was uncharacteristic for his manservant, who was always so cheeky.
"What is it? Did I hurt your feelings?" he teased, despite the situation.
"Ha! As if! I was wondering if I could take the evening off. There is a matter of importance that I need to discuss with Gaius. It is urgent, Sire."
Arthur knew when Merlin was simply complaining about his workload and playfully asking for a day off. This was not one of those times. He nodded his head. "Go."
Merlin calmly walked out the door, then bolted to Gaius's chambers. "Gaius!" His finger scanned through the bookshelves, pulling off a big black book.
"What is it?!" Gaius asked as Merlin flipped the book open, going through the pages as quickly as he could. Seeing what he was looking for, he let the book hit the table as he let his finger rest on the page.
"The reaper," Merlin looked up to his guardian. "I saw it. Just like this, in Arthur's bedroom." He bit his lower lip.
"What? Are you sure?"
"Yes, Gaius, I am more than sure. I got this awful feeling when I heard its footsteps coming, and when it stopped at Arthur's room I hid under the bed. I tried to lock the door, but it just walked in anyway. I thought it was someone trying to get information, but then it turned around, and I saw its face." Merlin was borderline trembling now, and shook his head. "It had no skin, just a skull, with these eyes that were black as night."
"Perhaps it was one of Morgana's?"
"No," he said assertively, "it was different, much different. Gaius, when it looked my way, I couldn't breathe. It was as if my heart and lungs were trapped in a cage that kept getting smaller every time I tried to draw air. I thought I was going to die! Then it left. The moment it turned away, the feeling was gone."
Gaius nodded, listening intently. "Was it after you?"
"I don't think so… I think it was looking for Arthur."
"You need to watch over him, closely, then. But, Merlin, I am surprised you could see the reaper. It's rare for anyone except for the dead. If I'm correct, the last recorded sighting was over a hundred years ago."
"Then why did I see it?"
"I don't know."
"What do I do?"
"You can't stop a reaper, it's impossible. Just stay by his side and protect him, like you always do. But there's not much we can do about it until we know more." Merlin stood, on edge, pinching the bridge of his nose. Gaius stopped him as he began to pace. "Merlin, even though you saw it, that doesn't mean that it's going to take him, or anyone, anytime soon. It could wait for a hundred years for all we know. So you can't let yourself be consumed by it."
"Right, right." Merlin nodded, taking slow, deep breaths to calm himself.
"You've endured a great deal today. Get some rest." Merlin walked to his bedroom, and once the door closed behind him, Gaius took up the book about the reaper in his hands, taking it to his desk. He sat and read for a few hours before his old eyes grew heavy with sleep.
The days continued, and Merlin tried to forget. Despite that, he found himself putting extra effort into keeping Arthur safe.
"Merlin, I'm going to go down to the training field, if that's alright with you." Arthur said mockingly. The manservant sighed.
"Oh, shut up." He was tired and irritated, and always on edge. He'd barely slept, lurking near Arthur's bedroom instead of going home when he was dismissed. If something were to happen to him while he was away, Merlin would never forgive himself.
After following closely behind him down to the training field, then back up to Arthur's room, the prince suggested they go hunting.
"Tomorrow?"
"Is that a problem?"
"N-No. Not at all. I'll prepare the supplies." Reluctantly, Merlin began to make his way towards the door. Before he reached for the knob, Arthur called him.
"Merlin?"
"Yes, Sire?"
"When you're done with that, eat something and get some sleep." Embarrassed, Merlin nodded silently and prepared to make a quick exit, but Arthur called him again.
"And, Merlin?"
"Yes?"
"That's an order."
"I understand."
Merlin prepared the supplies, and as he did, an odd feeling of ease overcame him. He'd been so overcome with terror over losing Arthur that he wasn't being himself. So, once everything was packed, he went home to Gaius, where his guardian was surprised to see him home. The gentle smile on Merlin's face bewildered him even more.
"Is everything okay, Merlin?" He asked tentatively.
"Everything is great." The tone of his ward's voice made him relax.
"Wonderful. There is some stew I just cooked on the table, if you'd like some." To his immense relief, the young man sat at the table and ate. All of the worry he had for his boys began to melt away, and that night he and Merlin both slept well.
In the morning, Merlin finished the last of the preparations and met Arthur with a smile on his face. The prince was surprised, but nonetheless pleased.
They headed out, and it was a successful morning. Merlin felt lighthearted and was happy for the first time in almost a month. If the reaper hadn't made another appearance by now, then surely he wasn't going to. He had begun to believe that it was all in his head, and his fears had been just a result of exhaustion and being overworked. He was going to let go of that harbored paranoia.
"You haven't told me to be careful all morning, Merlin. I'm surprised."
"Maybe you can take care of yourself for a change." Arthur smirked, about to return with another snarky comment when he froze. He held a finger to his lips to keep Merlin silent.
Fear gripped Merlin's heart, and he was on guard instantly. Seconds passed in complete and total silence.
Then the bandits came, quickly and in great numbers. They knocked Merlin off his horse, where he made sure Arthur wasn't looking before using his magic against them. He kept them back in as subtle of a way as he could, and the prince fought with his sword on horseback. Then they started coming from the other side.
One second. It was only one second. Merlin turned around to counter their new attackers, and he heard it. His head twisted around sharply to see Arthur slumping on his horse, and a glint of metal that he refused to acknowledge.
A yell escaped his throat, one that was so very unlike him. His eyes glowed with the golden powers of the magic in his veins, and with both hands he threw them all back a good distance. Each and every one of their attackers hit the ground, and they weren't getting up. Ever.
Merlin ran and caught Arthur as he slid off of the horse. "Arthur!" There was a dagger in his chest, directly into his heart. The point went straight through him, to where Merlin could see the tip protruding from his back.
"Hang on. You're gonna be okay. Just hang on." He turned, just in time to see their horses galloping off, frightened by all that had occurred.
And so Merlin started running, dragging Arthur with him. "Merlin…" A quiet voice muttered.
"Arthur! Can you hear me?" He stopped, letting the prince's head rest in his lap.
"It's okay, Merlin…"
"Don't. I'm going to get you back. Gaius will heal you." In his head, Merlin cursed himself for not learning more healing spells like his mentor had insisted. He had no knowledge that would help Arthur now, he only hoped that he made it back to Camelot.
Pulling him farther, Merlin began to shout. "Help! Someone, HELP! Anyone, I NEED HELP! Please!" Determined, he got on his knees and began to pull off Arthur's heavy chainmail and armor. Then, taking care to mind the knife, Merlin hoisted him over his shoulder. "We're gonna make it, Arthur."
So he staggered onward, Arthur's warm blood running down Merlin's back and chest and arms, soaking his shirt, staining his hands. Merlin tried not to think about it, how it was too much. He could not, would not, let Arthur die. So he kept moving, despite the strain on his knees, the pull of his back, he kept going towards Camelot. Towards home. Because once they were there, everything would be okay. It had to be.
It seemed like an eternity, it really did. When Merlin recognized the forest around them, he began to shout again, still walking. "HEY! HELP! IS ANYONE THERE?!"
He continued like that until his voice was raw and he could only whisper. Just when he'd given up, the Camelot Patrol rode through the trees, Sir Leon at the front. Merlin's voice caught in his throat, shock manifesting itself through his tears. "Help." He muttered, looking down at Arthur.
"No man is worth your tears," The prince slurred, very clearly on the verge of the unconsciousness that he'd been slipping in and out of the entire way. He was able to smile the softest, most genuine of smiles before Leon took him. Merlin couldn't remember the knight even getting off of his horse, and he got one short glance at Arthur before the horses galloped away.
It was only Merlin and another knight now, left behind to lead the young man back to the city. Merlin stood to his feet, quick to move towards Camelot. "Woah, mate, calm down there. You're not looking too well yourself."
"I have to get to Arthur, you don't understand." The man sighed and dismounted his horse, handing the reigns to Merlin. The manservant took them hesitantly, unsure.
"Go on then, take him. Just be careful, and don't fall off."
"Thank you, thank you so much!" With some difficulty, he climbed into the saddle and rode after the other knights.
By the time Merlin reached the city, the others had already been there several minutes. He got off the horse and handed it over to a stable boy, racing to Gaius's chambers because I knew he'd be there.
He shoved past several of the knights from the patrol before he could even get to the door. Once inside, he caught the eyes of Leon, who was out of breath. Tears spilled over and a pit formed in Merlin's stomach. Still pushing more people out of the way, he began to shout.
"Let me through! Please, let me through, I-" His voice caught in a strangled cry. Gaius was standing behind the table, upon which Arthur was laid, that dagger no longer in his chest. The court physician closed his eyes, sighing shakily as a tears streamed down his cheeks.
Merlin ran to Arthur's still form, fingertips gracing his prince's collarbone as the realization fully struck. "He's not gone yet. No. Gaius, do something!"
"I can do nothing," He replied hopelessly. Merlin grasped Arthur's shirt in his fists, beginning to sob. He kept expecting to feel his heartbeat beneath his hands, but there was nothing. No breath. No life.
He cried into Arthur's chest, and no one stopped him. No one told him it was inappropriate, because they knew. They knew how close the boys were, how they'd become friends. A few whispered rumors had even suggested more than that.
No one spoke, no one could find words that would have meant anything. It was as if they were all frozen in the horrific reality of what had unfolded before them. The only sound to pierce through the sickening quiet was Merlin's broken cries.
Finally, Gaius walked to the door. "I will…" He sighed. "I will go inform the king."