Haunted
Morgana was smiling.
That was all it was – a smile – but made his blood chill.
Merlin tried to move, but he was bound. He tried to use his magic, but he couldn't feel it – the spell that tumbled out of his mouth was just words without his power.
"As you once did to me, old friend"
She was beautiful and terrible, but wasn't paying attention to him anymore: her eyes were on the fallen figure on the ground, and Merlin looked although his insides told him not to.
Arthur.
Dead Arthur. There was blood all around, Excalibur buried deep in his chest.
And as he screamed in horror, the three he was tied to opened up to swallow him, his voice dying on its thick wood, silenced for all eternity with their dreams of a better future.
Merlin woke up, with Arthur's warm arms around him, trying to calm him down as he whispered soothing words and sent out the guards asking if something had happened.
"It was just a nightmare. It never happened. You saved us, remember?" the King whispered into his ear, and slowly, his heart calmed down a little as he felt the intimate touches that were his only link to sanity since that day.
Forever and happily ever after didn't always walk together after all.