A/N: Warning Character death and mild swearing.

I blink and the world slips away. It's just me and him; him and I, dying in the mud, a hand on each other's shoulder. The silence is astounding as the battle rages around us. I should be hearing the hiss of blades, the cries of war, others screaming out in pain. But all I hear is my heart beat, pounding in my ears. His a slightly fainter echo.

Thud thud, Thud thud,

thud thud, thud thud,

thud thud, thud thud,

thud thud. thud thud.

I don't see the fear of death in his eyes, these eyes which are so young and yet are so filled with rage. He just stares strait at me as he twists his hands around the handle of his sword. I gasp out in pain but still refuse to look away from those deep blue eyes.

I draw him in closer to me and he struggles to hide the pain from his face. I won't let go and neither will he, this boy I helped escape my father's wrath so very long ago. He has brought me to my knees and I drag him with me.

My thoughts are as silent as my perception of the conflict surrounding us, and it is insanely comforting to go out in such a manner. No kicking, no screaming, no pleading for my life.

If Merlin could hear me now. And I smirk; the boy dying with me in my arms will never get his hands on my sorcerer now.

Merlin. We fought so hard to save each other's life on countless occasions before and this is how it ends, with him nowhere in sight? He is probably off risking his life for some silly unicorn that wondered onto the battle field. My smirk turns into an outright grin. The idiot.

I would have preferred to be curled up in his arms when I pass from this world to the next. Instead I am collapsing to ground with this treacherous bastard. At least I'm taking him with me.

Blood is soaking from the wound in my gut; from his as well. It's mixing in with the mud and the shit and the sweat of the churned earth. Joining with the blood of the rest of the fallen. The smell of death and gore assaults my nose and I'm gagging, reaching up the stale bread and cheese I had forced down in the morning, all over his face. He barely acknowledges the bile, continuing to stare me down. My head feels heavy, a fog is clouding my mind, I don't quite understand why he hasn't died yet, so I force my sword further into his black heart, twisting and turning as I go.

He groans, the strength isn't there anymore for anything else and he slips away from me. His left hand no longer holding me onto his blade, yet his right still tightly grips the handle. His movement is jerky and I can no longer hold onto this calm. The ring of battle rushes back to my ears as my eyes begin to fade. A deep blackness invades my peripheral vision.

I turn my head and I'm staring up at the dark grey sky, the clouds look bruised and are threatening to empty themselves upon us once more. For all the wonders I've seen in my life nothing compares to this moment. So angry, so violent in nature and yet it one of the most serene feelings I have ever felt. It's as if I'm at the centre of the storm with it crashing in on all sides and yet there is a profound stillness to it all. I do not hate the boy, Mordred, for doing this to me, this is how the Once and Future King should go out; in a blaze of glory defending his kingdom and all of her magnificent people.

I shut my eyes and bid the world goodbye.

In Arthurian legend, Arthur and Mordred kill each other in battle and thus this story was born when I was having some nasty stomach pains.

Now I know I'm obsessed with this show...