So, this is kind of my challenge to myself. I'm writing one fanfiction for each episode of Merlin. Some are one-shots, some are longer stories. I ran out of ideas for fanfictions so this is how I'm dealing with that. If anyone has any prompts for me, feel free to leave it in a review and if I write it after I finish writing these 65 stories, I'll dedicate it to you… so, thanks. And I give you Season 1 Episode 13.
Summary: Arthur, confused by Merlin's strange behavior, follows Merlin to the Isle of the Blessed. He hears everything that happened between Nimueh and Merlin. When Nimueh dies, Merlin collapses. Arthur believes he is dead. Merthur.
Story 13: Until the Day I Die
Chapter 1: The Isle of the Blessed
"I'm happy to be your servant. Till the day I die," Merlin told Arthur seriously. Merlin almost felt guilty as he told Arthur that. He knew his life would be marked by hours, not years, but he wouldn't let his mother die on his account. It was his responsibility to keep Arthur safe, not hers.
"Sometimes I think I know you, Merlin. Other times…" Arthur said shaking his head. There was something strange about his manservant. Merlin always managed to surprise him.
"Well I know you. And you're a great warrior. One day, you'll be a great king," Merlin told him.
Arthur had to suppress the pride that swelled in him at Merlin's words. For some reason, hearing praise from Merlin was different than hearing it from his knights. Perhaps it was because he knew Merlin was brutally honest with him so when he handed out praise, he meant it. "That's very kind of you," Arthur managed to say.
"But you must learn to listen as well as you fight," Merlin warned. It was a weakness for Arthur to be incapable of taking criticism.
Arthur rolled his eyes. He was a great listener. He had no idea what Merlin was talking about. "Any other pointers?" Arthur asked him.
"No. That's it. Just… don't be a prat," Merlin requested.
Arthur stared at him. "Are you sure you're not trying to leave my service?" Arthur asked concerned. Merlin sounded like he was giving him his last piece of advice.
"Positive," Merlin told him. "Until the day I die." Merlin walked towards the door to Arthur's chambers. Right before he opened the door, he turned. "Goodbye Arthur."
With that, Merlin walked out the door. Arthur stared at the closed doors for a moment before he shook his head. He couldn't concern himself with Merlin's odd behavior. He had much work to catch up on since he had been unable to do work while he was unconscious.
Arthur tried to concentrate on one of the reports that had been passed on to him for review. He couldn't though. All he could do was puzzle over what Merlin had said. He spoke as if he were leaving.
Arthur pushed the thick parchment aside. It was futile trying to concentrate. He would just have to go speak with Merlin and sort out what was making him act so strange.
Arthur wandered towards the chambers that Gaius and Merlin shared. He opened the door and was shocked to see someone lying on Gaius's bed. Her infliction was obvious in the flickering candle light. After Arthur looked closer, he realized it was Hunith, Merlin's mother. No wonder Merlin was acting so strangely. His mother was dying.
Arthur tiptoed to Merlin's chambers with every intention of demanding why he had kept this from him, but when he opened the door, Merlin wasn't there.
Arthur started to leave Gaius's chambers when he caught sight of a piece of parchment on the wooden table. It had Merlin's name on it.
Arthur scanned the note and froze as pieces of it stuck out. He got the gist of the note. Gaius was going to sacrifice himself for Merlin, but how? And Gaius told Merlin he would become the greatest warlock ever, but that would mean Merlin has magic!
Arthur kept rereading that line as if he expected it would change the more times it was read. But it never did. It always said 'greatest warlock ever.'
Arthur threw the note aside. He couldn't even begin to comprehend the emotions going through him right now.
Arthur looked out the window in Gaius's chambers as if it would help him understand what he had just read. It was there that he saw Merlin preparing a horse at the stables.
Arthur didn't think, he just ran. He didn't know what he planned to do, he just knew he needed answers. He needed answers to questions he didn't even know how to ask.
When he got outside, it was to see Merlin tearing through the city. Arthur ran into the stables and hopped on a horse bareback. He hated riding like this, but right now it was necessary. He tried to ignore how uncomfortable he was already and how much pain he would be in later.
He followed Merlin with relative ease. Merlin was so distracted he didn't even notice that he had a follower. Though, Arthur credits some of that to his tracking skills refined through years of hunting.
Arthur knew when they were close, because he heard a woman chanting. Merlin picked up his speed. When Arthur heard Merlin shout, "Stop!" He stopped in his tracks. He was close enough to hear everything that happened. Arthur got off his horse, wincing as his sore thighs rubbed together. He didn't know how he rode a horse without a saddle when he was a child. It was almost unbearable.
"Back again so soon, warlock?" The woman asked. Arthur crept behind a giant piece of stone. He peeked around it and was startled that he recognized the woman. You never forget the face of the person who tried to kill you. She was the woman that had tried to lead him to his death when he had been searching for the flower to save Merlin.
"What have you done?" Merlin asked. He sounded heartbroken. Arthur risked another peek and immediately understood why. Gaius was lying against a slab of stone. He didn't look like he was breathing. Arthur understood and shared in Merlin's distress. Gaius had treated Arthur since he was just an infant. He had come to care for the elderly physician.
"Your mother is safe. Isn't that what you wanted?" The woman asked. Arthur closed his eyes. This was how Gaius was sacrificing himself for Merlin. It didn't seem right that a sorcerer got to live while a man that spent his life serving the royal family had to die.
"Have you killed him?" Merlin asked. Arthur could hear the hysterical tone in Merlin's voice that indicated he was fighting tears. Gaius had called Merlin the son he never had, so Arthur was sure Gaius was like a father to him. Arthur's anger was combatting with his grief. He didn't know whether to be angry at Merlin or mourn Gaius's death.
"It was his wish," the woman told him. Arthur thought she was getting far too much pleasure out of the pain she had inflicted.
"I bid my life for Arthur's, not my mother's, not Gaius's!" Merlin yelled. Arthur froze where he was. He couldn't move if he tried. In a moment of clarity, Arthur considered everything that had happened. He had been told that his wound should have been fatal. And apparently it had been. Whatever Merlin and Gaius had given him had been altered by magic to save him from death. Merlin had been willing to sacrifice his life for Arthur's.
Suddenly Arthur swelled with anger. He dropped to his knees, unable to support himself with everything running through his head. He was happy he remembered how to breathe. Merlin had known that he was going to die. He had planned it. That's why he said all that mumbo jumbo about serving Arthur until the day he died. Arthur experienced a fury unlike any other. How dare he? Did he think that no one would care? Did he think by withholding this from Arthur it would make it easier for him to leave? Arthur knew if Merlin died he would never be the same. He thought his manservant realized how much Arthur needed him.
"The Old Religion does not care who lives and who dies! Only that the balance of the world is restored. To save a life, a life must be taken. Gaius knew this," the woman said.
"It is not the Old Religion that has done this. It is you," Merlin said, his voice quiet. The hairs on Arthur's neck stood on edge. He had never heard Merlin sound so dangerous before.
"Come now. We are too valuable to each other to be enemies," the woman told Merlin.
Arthur cocked his head listening intently. He wasn't sure how he felt about Merlin's magic. Part of him had already forgiven him for his magic. It's hard not to when you hear the sacrifice someone has made for you. But he was still angry Merlin had kept it from him for over a year. He wasn't sure what Merlin would say to the witch's claim.
"No!" Merlin shouted. "I share nothing with you!"
Arthur let out a sigh of relief. He hadn't doubted Merlin, not exactly. But he hadn't been certain until that moment that Merlin deserved his trust. Now he knew.
"With my help, Arthur will become king," the woman declared. Arthur had to suppress his snort. He was pretty sure laughing would give him away. The idea of this woman helping him become king was ridiculous. She would probably kill him and take the throne as soon as he became king.
"I will make Arthur king. But you will never see that day," Merlin warned. Arthur listened as Merlin said a strange word. He looked around the stone pillar and saw Merlin shoot fire at the sorceress.
The witch was able to catch the fire he had thrown towards her. "Your childish tricks are useless against me, Merlin. I am a priestess of the Old Religion," she said. She muttered something that sounded like it was the same language Merlin had used before. She launched a fire ball at Merlin. He easily dodged it. "You, too, are a creature of the Old Religion. You should join me."
Arthur didn't understand how Merlin was a creature of the old religion. Sure he had magic, but many people did. That didn't make them creatures of the Old Religion. Or maybe it did. Arthur wasn't very familiar with their rituals.
"You think I would join forces with such a selfish and cruel magic? Never," Merlin spat. Arthur felt pride rise up in him. The witch was offering Merlin the chance to be free. Yet he refused her for Arthur. Arthur was almost surprised that he could feel so proud of a sorcerer.
"So be it," the woman said. She used the same spell Merlin had. Instead of a constant stream of fire like Merlin's spell, she formed a fire ball in her fist. She threw it and it hit Merlin square on the chest. Arthur watched with horror as Merlin was thrown backwards several feet.
He wanted to call out and help in some way, but he knew that would be useless. The witch turned and started to walk away. He knew the witch was stronger than him and capable of using magic but that didn't stop Arthur from entertaining the notion that he could sneak up on her and stab her with his sword before she noticed.
It turned out that Arthur didn't need to. Merlin rose and sent the witch a look that Arthur hoped would never be directed towards him. "You should not have killed my friend," Merlin told her. Merlin sounded like he had nothing more to lose. He raised his hand towards the darkening sky and summoned lightning. The lightning moved slowly and fast all at once. It struck the witch with such a force that in a matter of seconds, she was gone. If Arthur had blinked, he would have missed it, yet he felt like it had lasted forever. Arthur had seen the look of pain, fear, horror, and shock that mixed together to form the witch's expression. It was a look that made Arthur's blood turn icy cold and made him feel as if he had just seen death itself. It was a look he hoped to never see again.
Arthur stared. He never would have guessed of the power Merlin possessed. It was frightening. For the first time, Arthur was grateful he wasn't Merlin's enemy.