Years Go By Chapter 3: Hold You Eternally Close To Mine, a merlin fanfic

3. Hold you eternally close to mine

"Arthur, Arthur…" Merlin was mumbling half conscious, but without enough energy to form actual sentences or even open his eyes. Arthur had carried him in a small cave he had found and was now trying his best to make Merlin more comfortable. He had taken off the arrow from Merlin's upper arm and after throwing his chainmail off of him he ripped his own shirt now to make a bandage for the wound. Merlin looked awful, his face was gray and lips were blue, he was shaking all over maybe because of the still wet clothes, but also because of all the lost blood.

Arthur felt so hopeless, he had no idea what he should do. He couldn't possibly carry Merlin back in to Camelot, the journey was way too long for that. Merlin could not walk on his own, maybe even days. They had no food, no water, no fire, nothing. Their best chance was to wait for Arthur's men to find them, because surely they were already looking for him. But that could take days and Merlin needed Gaius's help as soon as possible.

Arthur scratched his hair in frustration and sat down on a log next to Merlin. He too was shaking because of all the wet clothes and as the sun had already set, the air was starting to get chilly. There was no point even trying to light a fire though, because all the wood outside was wet after the storm before. Arthur closed his eyes and sighed deeply, he let his body relax and his mind to wander. His head was full of questions and chaos, but the biggest question mark forming was Merlin's magic. He had seen and felt Merlin using magic earlier, when he saved them both from the bandits even though he was badly wounded. Arthur of course had been surprised, but at the same time he hadn't thought about it at all, he just grabbed Merlin on his shoulders to take him somewhere safe. And right now his head was aching way too much to think about the matter either, so he pushed that question mark farther behind so he could just ignore it. He should concentrate his energy on saving them both right now, he could deal with the magic stuff later.

Arthur must have fell asleep, because the next time he opened his eyes the cave was so dark he couldn't see a thing at first. For a moment he panicked, but then made himself to calm down so he could think properly. The first thing he realized was that everything was quiet, he didn't hear Merlin's breathing or rattling teeth anymore and soon his body was in a panic mode again. In the dark he felt his way to Merlin and tried to feel a pulse on his neck. It was difficult though, because his own pulse was quick and his fingers were trembling, but he let out small puffs of air and tried to concentrate hard. He had to try many times, but at last he felt very small pulse under his fingers and he let out the breath he had been holding. Merlin was still barely alive, but he had to get him back to Camelot and the sooner the better.

He crawled out of the cave in to the cold night air and inhaled heavily few times. He felt horrible, his clothes were now damp, his stomach was rumbling and his mouth was dry, but all he could think was that Merlin must feel about ten thousand times more awful. Luckily he was still unconscious, so Arthur could try to focus on their saving. And right then he heard it, someone yelling farther away. He quickly jumped back in the cave and observed the situation from there, he was so worried the remaining bandits were back and that would be their end for sure. Slowly he reached for his sword and without almost breathing at all he tried to see every slightest of movements in the pitch black forest, but there was absolutely nothing. For a moment he thought maybe he had only been imagining, but then he heard footsteps very near the cave they were hiding in. He held his breath and wished Merlin wouldn't wake up right now. The footsteps got nearer, passing the cave and in just seconds he could see for whom the feet belonged to… It was a Camelot knight!

"Thank God!" He breathed out and crawled out of the cave again, calling the knight to stop. After a quick briefing the knight nodded and walked back to get his horse he had tied on a tree. Arthur went to get Merlin and carried him outside, where together they got him on the back of the horse and started walking back to Camelot. Soon Arthur was left to walk alone though, because the knight had to go search for the rest of the knights to inform them about the finding of their King.

A Million Nights by Sturm Und Drang

youtu. be/jvb_IM8sliE

So many darkened days have passed
So many lonely nights I've had to last
Distance to light and happiness
Feels infinite, I couldn't joy in this less

Closing my eyes I can see your face
But the feeling of warmth is long gone

I would fly, leave this solitude far behind
Hold you eternally close to mine
Get away from these million nights of winter
I would, if I only could

Trying to cope with how it is
Till one day I'll feel joy and nothing of this
Though with my mind that is frozen by this cold
I can still recall what you are to hold

I close my eyes and I wait for when
The feeling of warmth will return

I would fly, leave this solitude far behind
Hold you eternally close to mine
Get away from these million nights of winter
I would, if I only could