The sequel to Mended. Enjoy!

Merlin belongs to BBC

Merlin struggled to pry his eyelids open as he woke. In an instant he became aware of his bare skin, and more importantly, the feeling of the bare skin of another on his own. It was Freya. Here in his arms. Alive. Relief and joy washed over him as it registered all over again in his mind. Tears bit at the corners of his eyes, but he let one fall and land on her perfectly- parted lips.

Freya breathed to life before Merlin's eyes. She licked her lips and smiled as she tasted his salty tear. She heard Merlin's breath catch as she opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Freya, you're..." Merlin started. He couldn't say the word he left unspoken, as if the possibility of otherwise was too painful to consider. Freya nodded, "Thanks to you."

She kissed him long and deep, and the sting of sour regret she used to taste whenever she kissed him was replaced with a soft, sweet sensation. This feeling was so alien to her. What was it? Freedom. Suddenly Freya realized that she could no longer feel the beast that had been lurking right underneath the surface. Her curse. Gone. "It's gone," she gasped in relief. "What?" Merlin asked incredulously. Freya looked right into Merlin's eyes, "my curse." Merlin wrenched slightly away from her. "It's... really?" he asked in disbelief. Freya nodded, and Merlin pulled her face into his. They pressed their bodies together and moved rhythmically until they fell into a blissful sleep.

Merlin woke up to a soft murmur in his ear. He thought it was his name, but he couldn't tell. He looked over at Freya, but her eyes were closed and she was still fast asleep. Then he heard Freya mumble something inaudible. Merlin painstakingly untangled himself from Freya, making sure not to wake her, and retrieved his pants from the pile of clothing spread across the sleeping girl. He swiftly pulled them on and picked up the burnt-out torch on the ground. He walked around to the other side of where Freya lay, placed the torch carefully in front of him and sat down. His eyes flashed gold, and he lit the torch.

Merlin looked over at Freya and watched her sleeping face affectionately. Her sweet and perfect face, which always made him feel strong whenever she smiled, glowed in the firelight. To him she wasn't just a girl; she was special. He felt something he'd never felt before with her. He loved her. Freya didn't think him a fool or an idiot, like most, but she looked on him with adoration. To her, he wasn't useless; he saved her life and freed her from her curse. He was her hero, for lack of a better word, but yes; he was exactly that.

Freya moaned and rolled over to face Merlin, looked at him over the dancing flames of the torch and smiled. She sat up slowly and picked out Merlin's red shirt from the pile spread across her lap, then slipped it on over her head. Merlin's eyes followed Freya as she came over and sat beside him hugging her knees. They sat quiet for a while staring into the fire. Freya leaned against Merlin, and he wrapped his arm around her. Merlin's words cut the silence like a knife: "We should get you out of here." Freya shot him a knowing glance that told him she understood and agreed.

With a moment of hesitation she got up and changed into the gown Merlin had brought for her. Merlin gathered up his clothing too and got dressed. He snatched up the torch and took Freya's hand leading her through the tunnels. They turned a corner to find a dead end, and Freya looked dis-drought. Merlin placed a consoling hand on her shoulder, and lead her back the way they came. A few turned corners and two flights of stairs later they reached an exit. It was still dark out, and they each secretly thanked the stars as they fled into the woods.

Dawn was breaking as they reached the lake. The water was placid and calm, and a thin fog clouded the atmosphere. Hand-in-hand, Merlin and Freya walked to the shore. She turned to him, "This is where I must leave you." Merlin shook his head, "But I want to come with you." Freya took his face in her hands. "You know your place is here, Merlin. You have to stay." she said in a soft, but foreboding tone. "You're right." Merlin said as he blinked away tears. Freya took his hands and kissed them silently. "Don't be sad: I have no doubt we will meet again." she said before turning to the lake. She climbed into a small wooden boat and looked back at Merlin expectantly.

Merlin raised his arm and moved his hand in a forward-pushing motion as his eyes flashed gold. The little boat pushed itself off of the shore and started to sail towards the faint mountain range behind an ever-thickening fog. Merlin started to aimlessly wade out after it, but stopped before the water reached his knees. Before she dissipated into the mist, Freya said one last thing: "I love you."

So, that's it! I hope you enjoyed Mended.

Thanks for reading!

-Jesa