Chapter 1 – Destiny Falls

Hey guys! This story came to me in a burst of genius just as I was falling asleep a couple of nights ago. Originally this first chapter was going to be a one-shot but it has now become so much more than that. I hope you like it, please be kind as it is my first Merlin fanfiction but don't hesitate to criticize, just not flaming please =P. I'm going to rate this teen for a death scene, general angst, and really not knowing what in the world is to come (also maybe the occasional bit of swearing, sorry I'll try not to but it might slip out). If anyone thinks that should change at any point let me know but I think it should be okay.

I always forget this with all my stories, but since I'm turning over a new, responsible(ish), leaf when it comes to my fanfiction I guess it needs to be said: Merlin does not belong to me *cries* but if anyone knows where I can send Colin Morgan and Bradley James a massive virtual hug and tell them they're the most amazing people ever much obliged =P.

Oh one more thing, you'll get a quote at the beginning and end of each chapter because they're my little indulgence and I love them sorry if they're a bother. Ooooh, here comes the first one now.

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.

Watch your words, for they become actions.

Watch your actions, for they become habits.

Watch your habits, for they become character.

Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. – Author unknown

Merlin was, of course, watching Arthur's backside. What else would he be doing? His eyes flashed gold and Arthur was saved from one of Morgana's swordsmen sneaking up behind him. He touched his head feeling the pain build. This wasn't right; it wasn't supposed to be like this.

His magic has never caused him pain before. He added some extra strength to Arthur's block so he was able to thrust his opponent off and paid dearly, the piercing pain in his skull becoming nearly unbearable. Still he stayed focused, watching Arthur's enemies. It only took one second, one mistake. He could heal Arthur but he doubted he could bring him back from the dead.

So focused was he on his friend that he never saw her coming. Never saw Morgana sneak up from behind and place a delicate finger on each of his temples. Merlin's vision rolled and he grabbed for her but it was too late. Everything went black and he fell to the ground.

XXXMERLINXXX

Merlin's eyes fluttered open. Arthur's face hovered above him, and the expression of relief would have been prime prat mocking material if the situation hadn't been so dire.

"Morgana!"

He scrambled to sit upright but spots danced in his eyes and he felt Arthur's hands pushing him back down.

"Calm, Merlin, she's not here. Not right now." Arthur helped him sit up more slowly and this time his vision stayed clear. He looked to his king who was in turn staring back at him.

"How did she manage it?"

"Manage what Merlin?"

"How did she get us here? Last thing I remember you were fighting and then it all goes dark." Arthur's expression turned grim. He didn't answer, just shrugged.

"Ooooh, so you choose NOW to keep that big mouth shut?" Merlin's face turned dark. "Arthur what did you do?" Arthur tried out his most mollified look.

"Why do you assume that I did anything? Don't you have any faith in my incredible good sense and ability to avoid danger?"

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "All I have faith in is your ability to get yourself into trouble not out of it." Arthur threw his hands up.

"You're impossible."

"Arthur…"

"Fine! She came to me, alright? She was carrying you and she said she'd kill you unless I came." He sighed. "That's how she got us here, alright? Are you happy now?" Merlin stared at him incredulously.

"No, no I'm not happy. What the hell were you thinking?" Arthur looked a little taken aback.

"I was thinking that good servants are very hard to come by." His attempt to lighten thing up only made them worse. Merlin felt anger, molten and hot, bubbling inside him.

"And were you thinking about Gwen, or that the knights need you there to lead them? Did you even consider that Camelot, that all of us, are fighting for nothing if you die?" He turned his eyes skyward to the cave ceiling cursing the gods that had given him his destiny. "Couldn't have been something simple like pick flowers or something?" His voice grew mocking. "Keep Arthur safe until he can unite Albion Merlin, protect him from Morgana Merlin. Can't bloody protect him from himself though can I?" Arthur looked at him like he'd grown an extra head.

"Merlin, are you quite alright?"

"Oh yes sire. Morgana will soon return and probably kill both of us. Camelot will be lost, and It'll all be because you decided to try and save the life of your servant. I'm just wonderful." His voice dripped sarcasm. Arthur protested.

"Well what did you want me to do?" Merlin flapped his hands in the air.

"Oh I don't know, let's see…" He snapped his fingers and his voice went cold. "Let her kill me. Let her torture me or rip my body apart I don't care take your pick just so long as you kept yourself safe!" Arthur's eyes softened.

"You know I couldn't do that. Merlin you're the most incompetent servant I've ever known but you're more than that. You're lazy, rude, slow, annoying, you give advice when it's not wanted and you're late so often I spend half my mornings waking you up. You seem to spend most of your time in the tavern," He let his shoulders fall. "And you've been one hell of a friend." The very Arthur speech threw buckets of water on his anger and snuffed it out. Merlin shook his head.

"God, you're such a clotpole."

The magic that Merlin had noticed sealing the mouth of the cave flickered and Morgana's appeared, wearing an emerald dress and her evilest smile. Both men sprang to their feet but Morgana just tutted like she hadn't a care in the world.

"Hello brother." She inclined her head, turned toward Merlin and hesitated for half a moment then inclined it again. "Emrys." Merlin flinched. How did she know? Who could have told her?"

Arthur studied him out of the corner of his eye, attention still on Morgana.

"Merlin? Why is she calling you Emrys?" Morgana laughed.

"I figured you hadn't come clean yet." She addressed Arthur but she kept her eyes on Merlin. "Since you're going to die, I figure you deserve to know the truth first." She shot Merlin a look. "Would you like to tell him or should I?"

Merlin shook his head. "Let him go. This fight is between you and I, Morgana, I think you know that." He paused. "If you know who I am, then you realise I'm destined to destroy you." He stepped forward trying to appear the picture of confidence. He could see the nervousness in her eyes and it gave him hope. "You can change that. It doesn't have to be this way. Let Arthur go and I'll give myself over to you. No tricks, nothing. I swear it on the old religion." He drew in a breath. "I can't kill you if I'm dead."

Arthur took a predictable step forward. "Morgana he's just a servant." He took another step and stopped, smashing into an invisible wall. Morgana smirked as Arthur pounded on it. "What could he possibly mean to you let him go!" Morgana turned back to Merlin.

"Oh my poor naïve Arthur, Merlin is so much more than you give him credit for, aren't you Merlin? So much loyalty. Always there, always risking your life. For whom? A man who would order you dead if he knew the truth. I don't understand." Merlin felt a profound sadness course through him. His worst fear was that Arthur would hate him when he found out the truth. After everything they'd been through together...He let a laugh escape his lips but even to his own ears it sounded wrong. Too cold. "Of course you don't understand Morgana, because you don't know what it means to be loyal to a friend. To risk everything time and time again for them because that's what they're worth." He carefully kept his eyes from meeting Arthur's.

Morgana's, meanwhile, filled with barely concealed rage. "Let's test that loyalty then, shall we?" She snapped her fingers.

She struck.

Not at him, at Arthur. The dagger flew through the air and he realized with a pang that he was too far away, he'd never get himself in front of it.

There was only one way.

Merlin's eyes flashed gold. The dagger stopped in mid air and reversed towards Morgana who held up a hand. It stopped in midair then clattered to the floor. With a shout he sent Morgana crashing into the wall of the cave breaking the enchantment on Arthur who seemed to be frozen anyway simply out of shock. He ran to him.

Are you alright?" He put a hand on Arthur's shoulder but the king shook it off and when he turned to face Merlin his blue eyes were filled with anger, hurt, and betrayal. Worst of all, though, was the fear he saw there.

Merlin's stomach clenched. Arthur leapt backwards away from him. "You." He pointed a shaking finger at him. "You're a sorcerer?"

"Warlock, born with it." Merlin muttered under his breath but Arthur ignored him. Understanding flashed in his eyes.

"You just like her, you're all alike. I trusted you! I thought you were my friend. I bet you planned this from the start. Thought you'd get a good laugh in as you plotted together. You knew I'd come if I thought you were in danger."

"Arthur it's not like that!" He tried to convey the urgency of what was happening through his voice. They didn't have time for this; Morgana was already struggling to her feet. He had to finish her. "If I wanted you dead wouldn't I have just let that dagger hit you? Wouldn't I have had plenty of opportunities as your servant? I only ever tried to protect you!"

"You lied to me!" Arthur shouted back.

Morgana started to clap slowly. "And so the hypocrisy begins. See what they think of us? Merlin things will never change while he's alive."

"You're wrong." Merlin placed himself squarely between Arthur and Morgana. "I said I'd give myself to you now just let him go!" Arthur pushed past him, expression hard.

"I don't need your help." He launched himself at Morgana who sent him crashing backwards. Merlin turned, using his magic to soften Arthur's fall.

It was all the distraction Morgana needed. Arthur screamed his name but Merlin wasn't quick enough. He felt pain engulf him as a ball of energy barrelled into his side and he screamed falling to his knees as the darkness took him.

"Merlin." Arthur was calling him, shaking him. He fought hard for consciousness as his vision danced with black spots and Morgana came closer. He tried to move but he couldn't, watching in horror as Morgana stepped over him and pulled out a dagger. It was the same one Arthur had given her for her birthday all that time ago.

Arthur was done. He no longer had his sword and Merlin was right there destined, it appeared, to be absolutely useless when his king and friend needed him most.

"So, Arthur Pendragon, are you ready to die?" Arthur, noble to the last, did not cower. Still on his knees Merlin watched through blurred vision as he held his head high.

"I'm not afraid of you." Morgana let out a laugh.

"Never were the brightest." Her voice wasn't mocking anymore. It sounded sad, like the old Morgana was shining through. "It's time to join Merlin now."

Merlin felt panic spiral through him bringing a moment of clarity to his pain filled mind. Arthur couldn't join him, not where he was going.

His fingers twitched. He couldn't speak but he wasn't just a sorcerer, he was a warlock.

He and magic had always been on better terms than that.

The ball of fire grew in his hand.

"Goodbye brother." Morgana raised the dagger. Before she could bring it down Merlin unleashed the fireball, putting everything he still had into it.

Morgana burned, screaming, from the inside out. Merlin smiled as he felt death pull at him and closed his eyes.

Arthur was safe, Morgana was gone. Merlin had fulfilled his destiny. Arthur hated him but he could live…er…die…with that as long as the prat was alive. He was so tired and finally, finally, he could just rest. He embraced what was coming and let it envelop him. So comfortable, so soft, like sleeping…

"Merlin."

God damn it he knew that voice. Arthur couldn't let him sleep in just this once?

"Merlin!"

No, apparently not. He probably needed some armour polished or his room cleaned. There was no one messier in all of Albion. Gods, he couldn't remember ever feeling this tired.

"Merlin I hereby order you not to die on me! You wouldn't disobey a direct order would you?"

The darkness faded just a little, he could feel consciousness tugging at him.

What in the name of Camelot was Arthur talking about? Merlin wasn't dying, he was sleeping. And he bloody well didn't get enough of it!

"Merlin please." There was an edge of hysteria to it.

Alright, alright!

He let the voice pull him upward back into the world of pain and destinies and hardship as everything came rushing back.

The first thing he was aware of was that someone was holding him. The second was that that person was speaking to him, and that they were crying.

Crying?

"Merlin I'm sorry."

Sorry? That was it, he'd definitely woken up in some alternate universe. His friend was struggling to breathe through his sobs and Merlin wanted to tell him not to be upset but he still couldn't make his voice work. "Sorry that I didn't see, sorry for never listening. I'm sorry for acting like a clotpole and a dollophead." His voice cracked.

"And a prat." Merlin's retort was barely audible. Arthur stopped.

"Merlin?" Merlin got his eyes open so he could look at him because if they were going to do this then they were going to do it properly and damn it Arthur did always seem to get what he wanted didn't he?

"You once told me no man was worth your tears." He smiled that classic, goofy Merlin smile but it took effort. "I guess that makes you a clotpole, a dollophead, and hypocrite your pratliness." Arthur's breath hitched in a laugh that turned into a cry of joy as he squeezed Merlin tight in a rare display of affection.

"Merlin you're okay!" Merlin fixed him with piercing eyes.

"Okay is a relative term. Why do you care?" He mumbled the words a little, already fighting not to be pulled back under. Arthur's eyebrows arched in confusion.

"Because sorcerer or not you're my friend."

"I broke the law; I'm an enemy of Camelot." Arthur shook his head.

"You saved my life and I was wrong I hope you know that. I…I just wish you'd told me." Merlin's vision was going black around the edges and he could feel his strength slipping away but he didn't think he'd ever been happier. Arthur didn't hate him, Arthur understood. There was so little time and so much he wanted to say.

"Promise me you'll talk to Gaius, he'll explain everything." Arthur frowned.

"You can tell me yourself."

Merlin shook his head. The world darkened a little more. "Not this time. I've done all I can, now it's up to you to unite Albion. You're a great king Arthur, I know you can do it." Arthur pulled away from Merlin panic filling his face.

"I need to find Gaius; he'll be able to help you." He turned to go but Merlin held out a shaking hand.

"Please just stay." He knew enough from helping Gaius to realise his guardian would never make it in time, and he didn't want to die alone. Arthur shook his hand off.

"You're forgetting that I'm the one who gives the orders, and I'm ordering you to hold until I can bring help." He turned away.

"Arthur!" The king swivelled back around. "You're being a prat again." The words were laboured now as he fought against the darkness and the pain. "Please…don't give an order I can't follow."

Arthur looked at him, really looked, and the truth seemed to sink in then as he collapsed beside his friend. Merlin wanted to wipe away the tear sliding down his friend's cheek but his body didn't seem to want to respond at all to him now.

"Can't you use magic to heal yourself?" Merlin shook his head.

"This is magic, doesn't work that way." Defeat crossed Arthur's face.

"What am I going to do without you Merlin?" Merlin did his best to keep things light.

"I'm sure George would love–" a fit of coughing and pain spiralled through him and then the front of his neckerchief was stained red. Arthur bit his lip.

"It'll be alright Merlin." If Merlin could have rolled his eyes he would have.

"Never understood why." He wheezed in his lungs feeling impossible to fill. "You tell dying people that." He coughed again and more blood appeared. He closed his eyes and felt Arthur take his hand. "I'm not afraid, but I'm glad you're here with me." The darkness surrounding him was thicker now than it had been before. Less like sleep and more recognisable for what it really was.

This time, he wouldn't be coming back.

"G'bye Arthur." He wasn't sure if he'd said the words out loud but apparently he had.

"Goodbye Merlin." He was ready, he just wished he could take the pain in his friend's voice away. The darkness enveloped him completely cutting him off from Arthur.

It was time to see what came next.

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. - Winston Churchill

I'd love to know what you think! Love it? Hate it? Continue or don't? (okay, I'll probably continue even if you tell me not to).

I am so excited to write this story! You have no idea what I have in store for you, stick with me!