All-in all, this had most likely been the most hectic 3 days someone could ever experience. Magic was lost and found again, friendships were made and broken forever, sacrifices were made, but most of all battles were won. Not only the one in Camlann. No, there were far more indeed. Battles of the soul. Inner turmoil that reigned within each man and woman. People had to pick a side. They had to choose their way to freedom. Because in the end, it's not the number of men in your army that secures your victory, it is their loyalty.

And now, after everything Merlin and Arthur had been through, they fell to the cold hard ground together. A place so close to their goal. Yet so far away, as Arthurs' final words were whispered…

"Thank you."

Arthur's grip weakened. His eyes closed and his breath slowed. He went quiet. Everything simply went quiet. There was no longer a sound made by the animals that inhabited the forest. No sound of hoofs. No singing of the birds. Not even the buzzing of little insect wings was noticeable.

It was as if time stood still. As if the earth was mourning the loss of their Once and Future King.

Merlin missed all of this. For he could not hear past the sound of his own blood ringing in his ears. Pumped by his rapidly beating heart.

"No." he rasped. His voice rough with unshed tears.

"No." he said again, louder. Now, the tears ran freely over his face. They flooded his eyes and blurred the image of Arthur.

He began searching for something, anything. His hands flew to Arthurs' neck feeling the soft, sweat soaked skin and…

… a heartbeat!

It was faint but it was there! And as long as there was breath in his body and blood running through his veins, there was hope.

"You're going to be alright, everything is going to be alright." he whispered into his kings' ear. And in that moment he knew it to be true. Never, in his life, had he ever felt so sure about something. He felt it in his whole body. Down to the very core of his being. And despite the situation, he smiled.

"We're going to be alright." He whispered into the cool air.