"How much longer are we going to be out here? It's going to be dark soon!" Arthur scooped up a rock and turned around throwing it at his raven haired friend.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For whining 3 hours straight. You're such a girl Merlin." It has been 5 hours and 37 minutes since Arthur had pushed Merlin to go on a hunt with him. He needed the relief that hunting always brings to him after a tiring day of court with his father. He really wished that he could just be left out of the boring speeches at least. Then maybe they may have be bearable. Not only that, but with restless nights, drowsing off had been harder to resist then normal and Arthur really did want to sleep. But not if he was going to wake up screaming in the middle of the meeting. So that wasn't an option.

Lately, Arthur's dreams were plagued with nightmares. Ones he doesn't remember the minute he's awake. Good, he won't have to talk about them to anyone. Still, it's unnerving to not know what it is that has him terrified of sleep.

So now here they are around midday. Hunting boars, bears, deers, and rabbits. So far though, thanks to a certain clumsy idiot (As Arthur likes to say), they've only managed to catch rabbits. Small rabbits.

"Besides," Arthur continued. "If you hadn't been bumbling around, we could have gone back earlier than still being out here to catch something more... decent than a few measly rabbits."

"It's better than nothing! So can we please just go back, sire?" Merlin looked at Arthur with the biggest, sad, puppy dog eyes he could pull. And maybe it was just the trick of the light, but... Arthur could have sworn he's seen a little tint of gold flash in Merlin's eyes.

"Sure." He smiles, actually agreeing with Merlin's plea! Merlin grinned happily, though a tint of guilt had flashed the young boy's features. How strange.

xXxXx

Three miles from the castle, Arthur and Merlin spot a woman crouched on the ground crying and weeping. Cautiously, they approach the woman, taking in her rag clothes, brown greying hair, and her wrinkly tan hands.

"Miss?" Merlin lays a gentle hand upon the woman's shoulder. Then, with a tone of worry in his voice, he adds,"Are you alright?"

The woman didn't move, except for her shaking shoulders from her weeps and moans of sadness and despair. She didn't even flinch at the touch of his hand, didn't look up.

"Please Miss, what's wrong? Did you lose something?" Merlin asked again. Getting no response, the Prince stepped forward and crouched down next to the woman.

"Mi'lady, is there anything we could do to help?" The prince asked. At this, the woman did move. She looked up at Arthur with alarming heated golden eyes. Both servant and master gasped in surprise and moved to back away from her when she waved a hand, hissing in a language Arthur did not understand.

"Arthur!" Merlin shouted. The woman blasted Merlin with the spell and sent him flying back into a tree.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted back. He moved to run to his servants side, until he was forced to his knees. The woman standing in front of him.

"Your father will pay Arthur Pendragon!" She shouted. "He's slaughtered so many of my kind and yet has not paid the price!" The woman's strong glare bore into Arthur's head making him feel as if she could burn holes through his head.

The woman raises her right arm, aiming in the Prince's direction.

"Pendragon blood will be spilled tonight and Uther will mourn the loss of his precious son!" She started to chant again the palm of her hand filling with a green mist like smoke. Arthur tried to move, but he couldn't. Almost as if he's been paralyzed. The palm of the witch's hand grows brighter and bigger.

The spell has been let loose aiming at Arthur. He closed his eyes hoping that if he did die, it would be fast and peaceful.

THUMP

He heard something hit the ground and wondered why he finds himself still kneeling in the same place. Upon opening his eyes, he pondered why the witch has disappeared. At least, he was until he finds her unconscious on the forest's floor. Arthur was even more confused to find Merlin collapsed by his knees.

Then it occurred to him. Merlin took the shot that was meant for him.

"No...no..nonononono Merlin! You idiot!" Arthur yelled wrapping his arms around the small frame and cradles Merlin to his chest. "What's the matter with you!" Merlin turned his head and stared up at Arthur through half lidded eyes. They were open enough for Arthur to see the gold shine in them. Arthur froze in shock.

"...Mer...M-Merlin?"

"M'sorry...Ar...thur...M'sorry...I-I didn't...tell you..." Merlin's body went limp into his master's arms, his breathing stilled and silent.

"No..." Arthur whispered. "No...no..." His hand trembled as he holds the body tight to his.

"NO! Merlin! Wake up you idiot!" Arthur shook Merlin's shoulder, even slapped him a bit, but nothing worked. The sickly pale boy was still and cold.

"Wake up! You incompetent, ill-mannered, selfish man-servant! A-and if you don't wake...You'll muck out the horses for the rest of the year!" Merlin didn't stir. It became clear now to Arthur. The truth. The reality. Merlin...is dead.

xXxXx

Arthur sat up breathing hard, skin all sweaty and silky. The dream was too vivid today. It felt too real. Tears were pouring out of his eyes and his heart felt as though it was being crushed. He wrapped his arms around himself and cried into his pillow.

"Merlin..." he whispered into the dark. "Please...be alive..."

-The End-

A/N: First fic up here. Came out better than I expected. I would like to give a shout out to Wolf of Dawn. You've been a fantastic friend and I honest do not deserve you. So thank you, thank you, thank you!

Favorite if you enjoyed the little fic. And do tell what you thought of it in a review. Don't worry, I don't bite. ;D