Title: Body Ache
Summary: Another sorcerer is out for revenge on Uther Pendragon, by killing his son, Arthur. But of course, that cannot be possible if his manservant is alive. Just like always, he somehow manages to save his prince's life, but not this time. So, the sorcerer enchants a curse on the boy, an excruciatingly painful and slow death of body ache. No slash, focuses mainly on Merlin and Arthur's bromance.
Chapter Two
Everything happened so fast. One minute, they were just having a one-sided conversation, and then the next...
"No, I a — "
Arthur shot up from the chair as his servant surged forward with a loud gasp escaping through his lips, grasping the edges of the table for support. He fell to the ground on his knees, his sharp cheekbones wet with flowing tears as he let loose a strangled sob. The sound was so light that it could have easily went unnoticed, but the immense anguish in the noise emphasized it.
Without a single clue what was happening and no idea on how to handle the situation, panic began to course through the prince's veins, causing his heart to pump faster as he watched the scene unfold ahead of him. He just stood there in shock and fear as the object of the current situation gave a blood-curdling scream, dropping on his side and curling up immediately against — what Arthur figured was — very excruciating pain, and judging by the way his arms came up to hold his thin body, the pain was either covering only his abdomen, or his whole body. He can't exactly tell.
The behavior was so foreign to him, because he had never seen his servant act in such a way, or anyone for that matter, hence why he was just standing there and gaping like a complete fool.
For a short period of time, everything was suddenly quiet, not a single word or movement from any of the two people in the room.
"A-Arthur," A small, broken whimper cut through the silence, his young voice sounding so vulnerable. He weakly rolled his head towards Arthur, staring through agonized slit blue orbs and twisted features, and the abnormal pallor of his skin did not go unseen by the prince, nor the instant bruises around his eyes.
The reliance in those eyes, the small lanky hand reaching out for him so feebly, it spread a kind of protectiveness inside his chest, the one he always felt for the clumsy, gangly and foolish, but bright and kind-hearted boy when he saw him hurt or scared in the woods.
Arthur rushed to the young boy, and dropped down on his knees beside him, holding on tightly to the pale, thin fingers stretching out to him.
"Guards!" The prince called loudly all the while trying to block the panic out of his voice, waiting and staring impatiently at the door. When nobody came, he yelled again, louder than ever. "GUARDS!"
In a few seconds, there were two men running inside the chambers, bowing slightly to their prince as they waited for their tasks.
"Call the court physician to my chambers quickly, and tell him it's urgent!" Arthur ordered firmly, his voice cracking a bit on the last word, but nobody seemed to have noticed the small mishap.
The guards nodded simultaneously, and with another bow, they left the room in a hurry.
He looked down at Merlin, who had his eyes pinched shut, and he felt the boy's hand tighten in his own.
Arthur got to action, going into his 'Prince Arthur' mode as Merlin would sometimes say it. The cold, hard ground was certainly not a comfortable place for him, so he encircled an arm around his slim shoulders and gradually lifted his side off the floor, laying his head against his own collarbone, his arm moving down to his back to hold him up. Merlin still didn't seem to be aware of what was happening around him, lost somewhere deeply into his anguish, and maybe Arthur was grateful that he was oblivious to his surroundings, because he did not want anyone — not even the person he was doing it with — to know that he was pretty much cuddling with his servant.
He gently pried off his curled up figure, and slid an arm under his knees.
And was actually shocked at how easily he could pick this man up, and not for the first time, he realized how skinny and underweight his manservant truly was. He vowed to himself that once they both came out of his inexplicable situation, he will find a way to force more food down his throat, even if he would have to give up his own lunch.
He was careful to try and not jostle the boy too much in his arms as he carried him to his own bed, since he wasn't sure of the diagnosis and he just didn't want to take the risk of causing him any more pain than necessary; It could be anything, ranging from something mildly serious to a major, life-threatening problem, and he cannot make it worse for him.
He didn't know why, but something inside him ached when he saw Merlin immediately turn over on his side and resume his fetal position. It just — felt so wrong, because this wasn't how he was supposed to be, lying on the bed helplessly, when he was mostly running around from one place to another without even stopping to take a breath, crying softly and burying his face into the pillow as if somehow that would stop the pain, when he was usually smiling as brightly as a sun, when he always found something to joke about, always managing to make Arthur laugh even when he didn't want to. This man right here, curled up and shaking like an earthquake, had always been his source of hope and strength. When he felt trapped, like there was no way out, like there was nothing he could do; he would never admit it to anyone, but he had always — dare he say it — turned to this bumbling idiot for his optimism, for that little spark of hope that always got him through. When he couldn't believe in himself anymore, when he thought that he could never be a great king; this clumsy fool always had the right words to remove that doubt.
He never thought he would miss his incompetent and energetic nature. He always found it to be annoying and irritating, but now, he couldn't wish for anything more.
He didn't know what was happening.
But he knew one thing.
Whatever was going on with him, whatever they were facing against.
He will help Merlin through it.
He will be there for him like Merlin was always there for him.
He will save him.
I promise.
Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the delayed update! I've been suffering this darn writer's block for freaking months now, and I just don't know what to do anymore. I try to write and then I just erase it and start all over, other times, I'm just staring at my screen like a complete fool. Do you know? This was approximately my eighth attempt at writing the chapter; yep, I know.
*Grins* So? What did you guys think? Was it awesome, good or eh, just fine? More bromance to come, so stay tuned! :D
I just watched the series finale . . . and I cried, and I'm about to cry right now just thinking about it. My eyes, they're freaking burning and I'm about to sob. ashjshsjda! I'm gonna die. They'll be the end of me.
To those who have review/favorited/alerted, or even simply read this story, thank you all so much. And to the new readers, please, please, please, review/favorite/alert this story! You guys are the only reason why I'm not throwing my hands up in the air and saying 'to hell with it!' at this stupid writer's block.