Merlin drove the dagger in deeper, staring at his own blood escaping the wound. He couldn't live. Not anymore. He didn't want to. Not without Hunith. Not without his mother.
He stopped. His mother wouldn't want him to do this. She wouldn't want him to join her under such circumstances. And that was enough to make Merlin stop.
He threw the dagger into the leaves on the ground whilst he sat in the ditch in the forest, listening to the wind blowing the dry leaves. He suddenly realised that he hurt. Not from the cut. His heart. He cryed. Long and hard, until he started choking on his tears. Merlin shut his eyes and started howeling.
Someone came.
A hand rested on Merlin's shoulder: Arthur. Merlin knew it was him from the touch. He'd know his firm hand anywhere, especially on his shoulder.
"Ssshhh. Calm down, Merlin. Calm down." Merlin shrank away from him then and looked at him in disbelief.
"Calm down? Calm down? How can I calm down? My mother is dead, Arthur. Dead!" Merlin broke down again. Arthur hugged him close.
"I'm sorry. Truly I am. But she wouldn't want you to cry, Merlin." Merlin looked up at Arthur and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. Arthur saw the red on Merlin's blue shirt.
"Merlin you didn't." He said, shocked. He yanked up Merlin's sleeve. Merlin looked away from Arthur. "You did!" Merlin started weeping. He realised that it did actually hurt.
"It hurts." He said softly between sobs. Arthur snorted.
"I'll bet it does! Oh, Merlin. You shouldn't do this. Just talk to people. Gaius? Me? Anyone! Just... I hate to see you like this." Merlin nodded. "Please. Stop cutting yourself. You have scars here." Arthur pointed out. "Which means you've been doing this for a while. Please, Merlin. Stop." Merlin muttered something. "Huh?"
"I... I will. I-I don't w-w-want to." He stuttered out. Arthur just shook his head.
The 2 friends sat there, in the forest, for a good long while in silence, until the raven had calmed down.
"Come on." Said Arthur, standing up and offering Merlin his hand. Merlin nodded and took it. He stood up and the 2 walked in step with each other, back to Camelot. A few shoulder nudges were exchanged... a few insults... a few grins... and by the time the 2 men had reached the town, they were laughing and smiling and teasing, and every person the 2 passed could easily tell that the 2 were the strongest of friends.