Thank you all for the reviews! I love getting them. Here's the new chapter. Warning, spoilers from the 2nd episode. The dialogue in italics is from this clip: /b-GPu3yM6xk. Enjoy! Please review! I love hearing what you all think.
After a painfully long and sleepless night, the sun rose with the dawn. In the light, Percival examined me. My eyes were open, but I wasn't focused on anything, and my head was off to one side. My head felt too heavy to keep up.
"He's not much better," Percival said to the group.
"We have to get him back to Gaius," Arthur announcesas he glances at my shivering form.
I shiver more at that. I don't want to go back. I can't. I have to sacrifice myself in place of Gaius.
"And abandon the quest?" Leon asks.
He can't do that! Albion would fall. I make a noise – a slight moan – and everyone looks at me for a moment.
"He saved my life, I won't let him die," Arthur replies in a firm voice.
What if I have to die? If Arthur goes, I know what will happen. I'll never forgive myself for letting that event come to pass.
"Sire, if we don't get to the Isle of the Blessed, hundreds more will parish," Leoninterjects. I wish I could thank him. Those were my thoughts exactly.
"Let me take him," Lancelot begs as he goes over to Arthur. I hate that idea. Who will save Arthur? Who would stop him from sacrificing himself? None of the knights should die in his place either. They're needed and it's not their destiny to die for the Prince.
"Carrying a wounded man alone it will take you two or three days to reach Camelot." Arthur warns. My lips twitch at his words. Arthur's right. It would take quite a long time to get home. The Isle of the Blessed is closer. Besides, the dorocha are still out there. What if Lancelot got attacked and there was no one to help us?
"Not if I go through the valley of the fallen kings. You cannot give up on the quest," Lancelot replies. At this, I groan. That trip will be even more dangerous than traveling to the island. I honestly don't want to go, but I don't have the strength to interject.
"Sire, he's right," Leon adds.
It was settled – at least in the minds of the knights and Arthur. Lancelot would take me back to Gaius while the rest of them continued onwards. I don't think any of them liked this solution, most of all Arthur, but in their minds it was the only way.
I feel Percival pick me up. He carries me gently with one arm under my shoulder blades and the other supporting my knees. As the blankets and cloaks fall off me, I shiver more. I didn't realize how cold I was until then. There'd been so many layers and quite a hot fire over the night that I'd nearly been warm. At my horse, he puts me on the saddle and loosely binds me to it.
"This is my fault and I'm sorry," Arthur says to me as he tightens the straps.
I believe those words whole-heartedly. I want to tell him not to be apologetic because I willingly came and sacrificed myself, but I can't. Instead, I whisper as I focus my gaze on Arthur, "Take me with you, please." I have to go. He doesn't understand.
"You'll die, Merlin," Arthur replies quietly. His voice is firm, but gentle. He's scared, but holding his emotions at bay.
"You don' understand, 'rince Arthur…" I mumble. My strength is waning, but I must try to explain.
"Do you ever do what you're told?" Arthur interrupts me. He's trying to lighten to mood. It almost works.
"I have to go with you," I say. It's my last attempt at trying to convince him to let me go. However, I don't get to say anything else because I'm interrupted.
"Merlin…" Arthur begs. To anyone else it would've sounded snappish and harsh, but not to me. Arthur is scared, no terrified, of loosing me and he's trying not to show it.
"We need to leave," someone behind me says and then Lancelot and I ride off. The last thing I see before going over a hill is Arthur staring at me with worry shining in his eyes.
