True Peace

For Wil1969.

"Merlin?" a voice questioned, his tone strangely hesitant and the warlock looked up at his friend, no, his brother, in surprise at the tone. He tilted his head and the blond swallowed, a shadow of fear flashing in his vivid eyes. "Are we going to survive this fight?"

Merlin swallowed, feeling tears leap into his eyes. He knew what his brother was afraid of. "Arthur, you are not going to die. Not this time. I promise you that you won't—if it's the last thing I do." He smiled at Arthur, who looked like he had been kicked.

"Don't do anything stupid," he warned after a few moments of silence. "Morgana knows who you are now." Merlin flashed a grin at the Once and Future King and tilted his head.

"Who me?" his tone was innocent and Arthur raised his eyes to the darkening sky as he hefted his sword. Merlin sobered quickly and he breathed in deeply, "Ic the bebode thaet thu abifiast nu!" His voice grew deeper and louder with each syllable as he lowered to the ground and his eyes flashed golden. Arthur watched in slight awe as his friend slammed his palm against the Earth and everything began to tremble.

Then, as if he had been shaken out of his trance, Arthur darted forward, Excalibur dancing in deadly blue flames as he raised his sword and slashed down…

Several hours later, Arthur glanced over at his friend and smiled in relief when he saw Merlin standing, but then the smile slipped when he noticed that his friend was hunched over. He darted over to the warlock, his sky blue eyes concerned and Merlin suddenly collapsed with a pained gasp.

No, no no no! Arthur thought and he threw his sword to the ground and fell next to Merlin. Tears began to form in his eyes but he pushed them back and he stared at Merlin in shock, and then his gaze went down to the wound in his brother's side, and then he looked back up at Merlin's face. "Merlin?" he whispered shakily and Merlin cracked open one tired stormy blue eye and Arthur sighed in relief. "You're alright…" he breathed, gently moving over to lift Merlin's head up.

"Arthur…" Merlin whispered, his voice broken and the once king looked at his brother in confusion. Merlin shook his head sadly and smiled softly, "It's alright."

Arthur felt his eyes widen because Merlin was not going to just give up just like that! He cradled his brother and he shook his head. "You are not going to die, idiot," he rebuked softly. "That's an order, so don't you dare die on me!" Merlin chuckled sadly and his eyes slipped shut. "No, no, no! Merlin! MERLIN!" Arthur cried desperately, shaking the warlock and Merlin's blue eyes opened again.

"Arthur…" Merlin breathed and he smiled sadly. "It's alright, I've wanted this to happen for a long time… and now that you're here, I can finally rest in peace." Arthur felt the tears form in his eyes but he forced them back, because Merlin was not going to die.

"Merlin…" he whispered brokenly.

Merlin's eyes suddenly shone with a strength that he had known that he had always had, but this strength was shadowed with weariness and sorrow and… acceptance. "Arthur," his voice was growing quieter and his eyes were dimming. "You know that I no longer have a place in this world… I've been alive for so long that…" he coughed up blood and Arthur felt panic build in him.

"Merlin… please…" he pleaded uselessly but Merlin only shook his head sadly at him. A tear slipped out of his eye, but no more came as he hugged Merlin's body close to his chest. "What would I do without you?"

Merlin smiled sadly, his lips bloodstained. "You'll remember me, you prat, just like I did for you…" and then his eyes slipped close and his head fell back, a truly peaceful expression coming onto his face.

The tears finally slipped from Arthur's eyes.

Ic the bebode thaet thu abifiast nu!: I command you to be shaken. 5x04 (Thanks go to Teej for finding the spell.)

Author's Note: I will be posting a series of oneshots that aren't really oneshots but aren't drabbles either on my account. There will be a total of eight, each one gifted to a friend of mine on the Heart of Camelot. I would suggest for you to follow me if you want to read more of these ;).