This fanfic is based on the song 'One of Us' from lion king 2:simba's pride.
I do not know when this is set. I know that the knights of the round table are present, Uther is still king, and in his right mind, and Morgana is evil.
I do not own Merlin
AN) thank you to all who read this
to Magic Cabbage: wait and see
to Tagrea: what about it do you like?
To Jaz-LiL-Bai-Kay: of course I will write more.
To everyone else who favorite storied it or put a story alert on it: thank you very much.
Now back to the story:
Last chapter-
"WE'RE LOOSING HIM!"Gaius shouted as the knights scurried around to gather supplies. Suddenly Merlin's eyes shot open and he bolted upright
"Holy sh-" Arthur shouted falling down, the now very much alive Merlin nearly head butting him. Gaius stood clutching the robes over his heart as a few knights dropped whatever they were holding. Merlin gave a painful shout and dropped back down to the bed shaking.
"Merlin!" Arthur exclaimed getting to his feet.
"Hold him down!" Gaius ordered. Grabbing the needed supplies to stitch Merlin's side. Merlin gave a painful cry as the knights tried to hold him down. Merlin's eyes were wide with pain, tears glistened in them. Merlin's hand found Arthur's arm and ha clutched tightly to it, as if it were the only thing keeping him from screaming.
"This is going to hurt." Gaius warned as he pored a liquid onto Merlin's wound. Merlin screamed, his hold on Arthur's arm tightening, his back arching up.
Arthur was trying his best to hold himself together, as were the other knights. None of them would say it but Merlin was the strongest out of all of them. They would make fun of him and he would laugh along then throw back a comment. He would get hurt and laugh it off, or blush terribly red. But to hear his blood-curling scream, to see him writhe in agony, to see him so... weak.
A tear escaped Merlin's eye as Gaius hastily stitched him back up.
An hour later Merlin was sleeping peacefully on his own bed and the knights were collapsed against the wall in the main chambers. Arthur was sitting in Merlin's room with Gaius who was lost deep in thought.
"Gaius?" Arthur asked startling the elder man from deep thought.
"Yes, Sire?" Gaius asked.
"Merlin should be dead, shouldn't he." He said, it wasn't a question but a statement.
"Yes he should be. It just missed his heart by hairs. You did good Arthur." Gaius said placing a reassuring hand on the young prince's knee.
"You're exhausted, go to bed Arthur." Gaius said, but Arthur only shook his head.
"I'm not leaving Merlin's side till he is awake and not dieing." Arthur said looking at his pale manservant. Gaius stood and stretched. "try to sleep if you insist on staying here." Gaius said and he left the room.
Arthur thought hard about how much Merlin was a friend to him.
"No It's fine." Merlin said. He held the goblet as if toasting everyone the drained it's constants.
"He's all yours" Uther said, just before Merlin started choking and collapsed to the ground.
Arthur was really scared then, probably the most he'd ever been scared for his friend.
Arthur remembered when they were in Ealdor
"Have you always slept on the floor?" He remembered asking Merlin.
"Yeah. The bed I've got in Camelot's luxury by comparison." Merlin answered. "Must've been hard." He said sympathetic. "Mmm. It's like rock." Merlin joked. "I didn't mean the ground. I meant, for you. It must've been difficult." He scolded. "Mmm. Not really. I didn't know any different. Life's simple out here. You eat what you grow and everyone pitches in together. As long as you've got food on the table and a roof over your head, you're happy." Merlin said "Sounds...nice. " He mumbled "You'd hate it." Merlin admitted "No doubt. Why'd you leave?" He asked "Things just...changed." Merlin whispered. "How? Come on, stop pretending to be interesting. Tell me." He said, putting his feet in Merlin's face "I just didn't fit in anymore. I wanted to find somewhere that I did." Merlin shrugged. "Had any luck?" He asked hopeful. "I'm not sure yet." Merlin said.
Arthur was disheartened, he had hoped Merlin thought he fit in back home in Camelot. "We'll start training the men tomorrow. It's gonna be a long day. Get the candle." Arthur said.
Then he remembered something he thought was strange. A discussion between Merlin and Hunith, it was strange
"Arthur'd do the same for any village. That's just the way he is." Merlin's voice said. "It's more than that. He's here for you." Hunith had said to him, in a motherly way. "I'm just his servant." Merlin's voice said resentfully. "Give him more credit than that. He likes you." Hunith continued to try to reason with him. "That's because he doesn't know me. And if he did, I'd probably be dead by now." Merlin said. "You don't really believe that, do you?" Hunith had askedArthur paused in his thinking. 'what did he mean when he said, "That's because he doesn't know me. And if he did, I'd probably be dead by now." 'Is there something I don't know about. Or was he just exaggerating?' Arthur pondered. 'If merlin was telling the truth would he kill his friend'