My 'Arthur lives' story. I know it been done quite a bit before, but I wanted to take a crack at it.
A big special thank you to my beta for putting up with me. Shadowdragon1317 is fantastic and she makes my stories so much better.
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.
I'm not going to lose you – Chapter 1
"Goodbye, Morgana." the words flew effortlessly from his lips, but Merlin was terrified at seeing his former friend's blood seeping pools of red onto his fingers. He hated the driving force that drove this kind soul into such disarray.
Arthur continued to stare at Morgana's body as Merlin came over and hooked Arthur's arm around his shoulder. He turned his head to Merlin. "You brought peace at last."
"Come on." Merlin pulled Arthur up and they stumbled through the woods. The birds shrieked in horror, with the bones of the trees clanking together in a rattling pattern. The warlock hissed as he stumbles into a clearing, crashing to the floor in exhaustion. Merlin from carrying Arthur; and Arthur from succumbing to his injuries, the strength bleeding away like if sucked by a parasite. The leech being the magic that I have pumping like blood through me. The magic I share with Kilgharrah.
"We have to make it to the lake." Merlin desperately panted, exhaustion pooling over him in large waves. He choked it back like a bitter tonic and kept at dragging the dying prat with him.
"Merlin, not without the horses." Arthur replied breathlessly. "We can't, it's too late. It's too late..." he breathed, collapsing in a pile of shivers.
Merlin panted again, out of breath from carrying Arthur for so long. God, he was tired and all he wanted was to sleep away a month, but he was going to get to Avalon. His best friend was going to live, even if Merlin's life would be exchanged.
"All your magic, Merlin, and you can't save my life." Arthur light-heartedly joked, but the tone surprised him by sounding commanding and bitter.
"I can." He said defiantly, eyes glassy from holding his tears back, "I'm not going to lose you." Destiny be dead for all the warlock cared. Mordred was playing his last game with Merlin, putting Emrys in a tight checkmate. But the Druid Boy wasn't going to win. Arthur wasn't going to die over Mordred's frivolous revenge.
Merlin laid Arthur gently on the ground, ignoring the King's insistence that he was dying, and shakily got to his feet. Merlin had never before felt so aged when he wasn't Dragoon. A thousand years had passed since Camlann. Arthur and himself were the only ones left, and Merlin felt his unshed tears leak from his lids.
The dragon can save him. Kilgharrah has to! He must! Desperation clawed at his heart, tearing it open and made Merlin feel as if he were bleeding with no wound. He was going to drown in it. But not before the warlock saw the King healed. He felt the power grow inside him and he roared louder than any dragon ever did. "O drakon, e male so ftengometta tesd'hup anakes!"
Arthur eyed Merlin through half open eyelids. Arthur couldn't feel even his own heartbeat, or the warmth of the foliage beneath him. But he did feel the shiver after Merlin had spoken. It sounded like a demon clawing its way upwards from Hell. "What did you just do?" he asked
"I called the great dragon." Merlin replied, scanning the skies, hoping for that familiar silhouette to come beat out of the distance.
"The great dragon is dead, Merlin." Arthur stated, "I killed him. Remember?" and he tried to smile, but Merlin could tell he was in pain.
Merlin just turned to look at Arthur knowingly. A blink and Arthur realized the message.
"So, I didn't kill him." Arthur stated simply, a sigh of exasperation hidden in the meaning behind the words said aloud. "Any more secrets, Merlin?"
Before Merlin could reply, a flapping sound could be heard in the distance. However, Merlin did notice the slightly off rhythm, which he knew was to do with the aging dragon's injured wing. Merlin just hoped Kilgharrah could last one more important journey.
Kilgharrah came into land, stumbling slightly and he lost his balance. "Ah, young warlock." He started, "I see King Arthur knows the truth about you, although, he does not seem to look too well, Merlin?" Kilgharrah inquired as he glanced in Arthur direction. "What is it you ask of me this time?"
Merlin glanced at Arthur who seemed to be getting paler by the second. "Kilgharrah. I would not have summoned you if there was any other choice. Mordred has stabbed him with a sword forged in a dragon's breath. Only the magic of the Sidhe in Avalon can save him." He turned to Kilgharrah, with such a pleading in his voice that he felt the tears glisten in the silvery light. "Please will you take us there?" He begged.
"Merlin, my time is almost upon me. It is a great deal you ask of me." replied Kilgharrah; the great dragon knew it wouldn't be much longer. It was only a matter of conserving his energy.
"I beg you Kilgharrah." Merlin said fearfully. "He doesn't have much time left."
Arthur stared up at the dragon. He had forgotten how large the creature was. This was the beast that had killed innocent people all for revenge. It had taken months to rebuild what he had destroyed. Yet here Merlin was, talking to the dragon as a friend. If he had had the energy, he would have interrogated Merlin right then and there. As it was, he felt too out of it to even see straight. Shapes danced on the edges of his peripheral vision.
"I see this means a lot to you, young warlock." Kilgharrah spoke tiredly "I will do as you ask, for the once and future king."
Kilgharrah, slowly with his creaking joints, knelt down on the ground to allow Merlin and Arthur to board his back. He would do this one last thing for Merlin, his kin, his magically bonded brother.
Arthur's eyes rolled to the back of his head as Merlin lifted him with his magic. It was much easier than dragging the king across the forest as Merlin had been earlier. "Hold on, Arthur!" he said willingly. "It won't be long now." Merlin positioned himself behind Arthur to support him. It wouldn't be much good if he let the prat fall off now.
Kilgharrah took off and Merlin had to grasp Arthur tightly as the dragon jolted to the side.
It wasn't long before Merlin could see the ancient isle in the mist of Avalon, the source of the Sidhe power that Gaius had told him about. They were Arthur's salvation. Only the Sidhe possessed the power to draw the fragment of sword away from Arthur's heart so that he may live.
Kilgharrah once again landed off balance, the time aided by the two passengers on his back. "You must be quick, young warlock." he began, "Time is of the essence."
Merlin took Arthur by under his arms and pulled him to the edge of the water. It only took a few moments before the leader of the Sidhe emerged.
"What is it you want from us, Emrys?" the leader asked.
"Please, you must help my friend" Merlin pleaded, "You must save him." Merlin looked worriedly down at Arthur. His breathing was becoming shallower as time wore on.
"And what will we get in return for using such powerful magic on your behalf?" the Sidhe questioned, "What will you do for us? You have wronged us in the past." two renegades and a corrupt king in power. He just was protecting himself and Arthur!
"Anything! I'll do anything, please!" begged Merlin. He could feel the burning of tears in his eyes. His fists clenched; magic swimming behind him to prepare himself if the deal goes awry.
"Anything?" the grin of the fairy creature was a twisted, snuggle-toothed version of a dog's.
"Be wary, young warlock." interrupted Kilgharrah, a growl beginning to rumble within the dragon's rusted throat. "You must be careful with what you say."
Merlin looked the Sidhe leader in the eye, calmness wrapping his facial expression in an unbreakable mask. "I promise you, no harm will come to any of you. Neither from me, or anyone. You will have the protection of Emrys." Merlin looked down at Arthur again, seeing his eyes flutter like a bird under their lids. "Will you save him?"
The leader looked to consider for a moment. To have a protection of Emrys was an offer he couldn't refuse. It would be foolish not to give into the warlock's demands. "We will do as you request. Stand back."
Merlin hesitated, not wanting to leave Arthur, his chest was barely moving now, but he reluctantly stepped away. What if went wrong?
Merlin felt the buzz of magic build up around him. Suddenly, a white light came from the lake and devoured Arthur until he could no longer be seen. Merlin fidgeted as he waited, leaning forward for just a glimpse of his king.
Slowly the light faded. "Emrys, it is done." Merlin heard as the Sidhe retreated "You must keep to your promise, or there will be consequences."
Arthur gasped as he took in a breath. He was staring at the sky and the suddenly Merlin face appeared from nowhere. "Merlin? What happened?"
"You're healed, Arthur!" Merlin said gleefully, the huge grin on his face that he was known for. He clasped Arthur in a hug so right that Arthur was choking on his own supply of oxygen.
"You did it?" asked Arthur in disbelief.
"I did it, dollophead." Merlin replied to which he got a thump on the head.
"Shut up, Merlin."
"Yes, sire."
Arthur abruptly jumped up. "We have to get back to Camelot." he said urgently "Guinevere!…"
"Kilgharrah!" Merlin turned as he called the great dragon.
"I'm sorry, Merlin" Kilgharrah said as he sagged to his knees. The foible that had begotten several months ago had grown into a constant strain to keep himself from the black void. Now he was ready. He hurt too much to carry on existing a half-life.
"That was my last journey."
"No!" said Merlin as he ran to Kilgharrah and put his hand on the dragon's nose, tears streaming down his face. Tentatively, the dragon nuzzled his warm scales into Merlin's hand like a cat. Life beyond death would certainly be boring without the young warlock beside him. His Dragon Lord had become his friend, one that will be impossible to replace. "Please don't leave me." Merlin whispered as the fire that had burned in the dragon's belly began to spark and die with its host's passing.
"Take care of Aithusa, Merlin. She needs you." Kilgharrah whispered, a ghost of the booming voice that had beckoned Merlin to that underground cave all those many years ago. For a dragon, when you blink a month passes, so their years aren't as long as humans would expect. But for the past couple, Kilgharrah had remembered every vivid detail from when a crisp afternoon breeze brushed along a trail of ivy spider-webbing overtop a tree trunk to the colours of a merlin bird's wing tips gently flapping against the sky. All because of Merlin, his Dragon Lord had made his freedom worth remembrance. Aithusa needed guidance, healing, a hand to gently guide her into her life. Merlin would do that and more.
"I will, I promise." Merlin swore. He kept his eyes shut; not wanting to see his friend's dying breath escape from between those old, scaly lips.
Kilgharrah's head came to rest on the ground. The fire blackened and withered until its ashes were only ghosts wrought upon the forest floor.
"Thank you, my friend" Merlin whispered in the dragon's ear. Kilgharrah began to feel his nerves go numb, and for once he was chilled to his wing bones. But then everything became so exquisite and beautiful. The perfect world, no pain. Only euphoria dripping from his veins. Kilgharrah clasped his wings in youthful enthusiasm. He soared like a bird, higher and higher until he touched the sun...
Silent screams louder than the roaring. The warlock was unsure about whether or not he could go on. For a moment, Merlin wanted to die along with Kilgharrah. But he couldn't.
Destiny wasn't kind enough for that mercy.
Merlin hastily rubbed his eyes with the sleeves of his shirt as he turned to Arthur.
"Come on, clotpole." Merlin spoke with hollowed words, but disguised with the familiar plaster smile that he'd long since perfected. His sadness so cleverly masqueraded, that even Gaius could be fooled.
Even after his secret was out in the open, more lies found their way into the open.
"Let's get you home."
Behind the pair of young men, the body of Kilgharrah was visited by a familiar crippled figure. Her splayed claw edged forward, putting it over the top of the older dragon's large talon. The white dragon cooed at the body, then set it alight in a flickery, white inferno.
I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter, the next four are already, practically written so I hope to get the next one up soon. There is lot's to come. Chapter 4 is good one ;) but you'll have to wait for it, I don't want to ruin it.
Please review, I'd love to hear your feedback.