A bright light illuminated the entire cave, making both Arthur and Merlin cover their eyes until it was dim enough for them to look without hurting their eyes. Before them stood the priestess from the Isle of the Blessed. Merlin's heart, which was already beating faster than humanly possible, accelerated even further – this time, out of fear.
"Who are you?" Arthur asked.
"She's...she's the priestess who saved your life," Merlin replied, sitting up from Arthur's lap.
"You mean the witch who tried to take yours?" Arthur stood up and pulled his sword out of the hilt, but Merlin stopped him.
"Arthur, no. She did only what I asked of her. Calm down."
"I almost lost you, Merlin."
"Arthur, please! Sire, I beg you!" Arthur looked down at his pleading servant, perplexed at Merlin's generosity, even after the curse that the enchantress had put upon him. He put the sword back in its hilt and crouched down to face Merlin.
"Only because you asked me to. And I'm not your master anymore, Merlin."
"You will always be my master," Merlin replied, his voice deep and clear.
"Young warlock," the priestess said. Merlin stood up to face her.
"Priestess. What is your name?"
"My name is Diana. You have escaped your fate," she replied.
"I didn't know I would be escaping my fate."
"I know that," she said, "But the debt has not been paid now. And I am sorry..."
"Diana...I..."
"It was the kiss of true love," Diana replied, "And it saved you from your horrible fate. But the deal is still on."
"What are you asking?"
"A life for a life."
"Diana, please...I have just found Arthur...I have just found this love that saved me."
"Merlin, it is not my pleasure to part you from the one who has sacrificed the most for you and the one for whom you have sacrificed the most. I am bound by duty to obey the laws of magic, here and in the Other World."
"May I at least have one more night? I need to say goodbye."
"Merlin!" Arthur said.
Merlin looked back at Arthur, with tears in his eyes.
"One night," Diana replied. She stretched out her hand and Merlin reached for it.
"Merlin, no!" Arthur shouted, but Merlin took the sorceress's hand in his and the deal was struck. He could feel the bond that had just formed between them – it was a contract now and there was no escaping it this time.
"Forgive me, Merlin..."
"It's not your fault," he replied.
"You are an honourable man." She smiled sadly at him before moving back into the darkness and disappearing from the cave. Merlin turned around to face an extremely angry Arthur. His blue eyes seemed to be on fire, and his cheeks were a flaming red, his nostrils flared.
"How could you?" Arthur asked. Tears started streaming down his cheeks. He couldn't believe, after all that he had done for Merlin, that the young sorcerer was going to leave him on his own. He had the heart to slap him or to beat him senseless, but he couldn't – just looking into those wonderful bright blue eyes of his friend, or lover, Arthur's knees turned to pure jelly.
"Arthur, I still have to pay for changing the course of the future. I robbed them of a soul – of your soul. And I must pay them back with mine."
"Why do we have to be apart?" Arthur asked.
"Because life is cruel. The world is not a wonderful place, Arthur. It is full of hardships. But just think of this. When I am dead, you can go back to Camelot and tell your father that you have seen sense. Tell him that you left me in the Valley of the Fallen Kings to fend for myself and that you felt duty bound to take care of your kingdom. You can be prince again. You are the once and future king. It is your destiny."
"You are my destiny, Merlin!" Arthur shouted, falling to his knees before the sorcerer. He buried his head in his hands and sobbed his heart and soul out into his skin. Merlin crouched down in front of Arthur and held his shoulders.
"Arthur..."
"Leave me!"
"No. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Arthur. And I only have one night left to spend."
"I don't want to see you. You gave her your life and our future without a second's thought."
"Yes," Merlin replied, "Because I could never consider letting anyone take your life instead of mine. It was an easy choice for me to make."
"But you never even cared to ask what I wanted. I don't want to live if I don't have you to live with. What will my life be like without you?"
"The same as it was before. Go home to your father."
"Perhaps I should!" Arthur said, standing to his feet and glaring at the sorcerer, "I gave up everything for you. Everything. And you went and threw it all away. I should have let him have you hanged!"
Merlin's blue eyes shattered right before Arthur's face. It felt like the world had collapsed for Merlin. Arthur wishes I was already dead. His eyes filled up with tears and his face reddened. Arthur looked into his former servant's face, his heart already filling up with the guilt and regret of what he had just blurted out.
"Merlin..."
"It's alright," Merlin replied, shaking his head.
"No, Merlin-"
But Merlin lifted up a hand to stop him and said, "I will leave you now."
"Merlin, no!"
But the sorcerer was already on his way out of the cave and into the forest. Arthur chased after him, but Merlin was nowhere in sight. The disowned prince's heart started beating ferociously in his chest. Why had he been so rash? What if something were to happen to Merlin? Arthur knew he would never forgive himself if they parted on this note. He had been stupid. He should have appreciated every last moment he had had with his friend and lover. He walked further out of the cave and closed his eyes, wishing and hoping that some sign would guide him to Merlin. A still, small voice inside his heart told him to head to the Lake of Avalon. Arthur ran as fast as he could, and true enough – when he reached the lake, he saw the figure of Merlin, hunched over on the grass, clearly sobbing. His back was shaking vigorously, and his face was buried in his knees.
Arthur's heart went out to the young black-haired boy. He rushed over to his side and wrapped his arms around him, letting his own warm tears escape.
"I'm so sorry, Merlin," he said, "Forgive me."
Merlin lifted his face from his knees and turned around so that he was facing Arthur. He nodded and claimed the prince's lips. Arthur responded readily. His heart was now racing like never before, and he could hear its rhythmic beating inside his head. He felt his face flushing and sweat beads forming on his forehead. But most importantly and most essentially, he felt himself hardening in his most special place.
"Merlin," he whispered.
"I love you," Merlin replied.
"I want to take you," Arthur whispered hungrily inside the sorcerer's ear.
"Then what are you waiting for?" Merlin replied, a strong sense of urgency in his voice. He clung to the prince's body and consumed his lips once more. Arthur pushed Merlin down onto the grass and removed both of their jackets and Merlin's neckerchief. Merlin's hand went up to Arthur's shirt, and he undid the laces and let Arthur pull it off. Looking at the prince's toned bare chest, Merlin's mouth started to water. He sat up and pressed hot, burning kisses on every inch and corner of skin he could find. Arthur nipped at Merlin's neck, sucking at the delicate marble-white skin. His warm breath tickled Merlin, but the sorcerer buried his face in Arthur's shoulder rather than pulling away. Arthur removed Merlin's shirt, and the latter blushed. When compared to Arthur, he had no trace of muscle in his body. He wanted to hide himself forever from this man, but he wanted him too much to even try concealing his thin frame.
"You are beautiful," Arthur whispered in his ear.
"You're perfect." Arthur smiled at Merlin's compliment, and pushed him back down onto the ground. He undid the laces on his friend's trousers – well his trousers, but Merlin was wearing them – and Merlin fumbled with the laces on the trousers that Arthur had on. He pulled them down his legs and Arthur took the rest off before fervently removing Merlin's trousers. Now they lay bare to each other. There were no inhibitions anymore. It was just them in their barest and purest forms; open to each other. Arthur's eyes feasted on Merlin's pale body which glowed beneath the moonlight – on his beautiful skin and on every little – or large! – body part that he could see. At the same time, Merlin was still befuddled by Arthur's naked glory. He had watched the prince bathing many times, but this was different. Now both of them knew how they felt about each other.
"Kiss me, Arthur," Merlin whispered, looking into the prince's eyes. Arthur supported himself on his elbow and pressed his lips to Merlin's, cupping his head in his hand and caressing his silken black hair in the process. Merlin returned the kiss and deepened it with furious wanton passion. Arthur climbed on top of him and let his tongue enter the sorcerer's inexperienced mouth.
"Take me," Merlin whispered.
"Are you sure you're ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," Merlin replied. He smiled at Arthur before turning around. The prince pressed kisses all down Merlin's back and on his round, white butt-cheeks. Merlin was glorious, and Arthur wanted him. He was already moist enough, so slowly and gently, he entered Merlin – becoming one with him at last. The moment they connected, they knew that they had changed forever. Merlin felt like he had finally found the missing part of him that he had been searching for all along. Everything seemed to fit now – the world was perfect, and there was nothing that could change the way that he was feeling. Arthur had never felt so whole in his life. He had always felt like there was a gap in his heart, but now Merlin had filled it with his beauty, his innocence and his love. Arthur knew that there was no throne and no crown that could ever replace this wonderful feeling of being one with Merlin. Arthur thrust himself slowly in and out, planting kisses on Merlin's shoulders and back every time he lowered himself.
"Am I hurting you?"
"A bit," Merlin replied, "But please don't stop."
Arthur covered Merlin's hand with his, and continued to gently move deeper into Merlin and then pulling himself out. His heart was palpitating, and he was sweating all over. Arthur knew that if he didn't speed up now, some sort of artery in his body would explode. The tension inside of him was tighter than the string on a lute. He thrust himself powerfully into Merlin, making the other man groan, and then pulled out and pushed in again, this time going faster and harder.
"Yes!" Merlin moaned. Arthur smiled upon hearing his lover's pleasure in his voice. He bent down and kissed Merlin on the ear and in his hair, going faster and harder until he felt himself coming closer to the edge.
"Yes, Arthur! Yes!" Merlin screamed.
"Ugh!" Arthur released himself inside of Merlin, filling him with the warmth of his juices – his seed. Upon feeling the sweet, warm proof of Arthur's love inside of him, Merlin erupted, heaving as he trickled out his pleasure. Arthur turned him around and joined their lips, before trailing kisses all down Merlin's jaw, neck and chest.
"Oh Merlin! I love you so much!"
"I love you too," Merlin replied. Arthur moved so that he was next to Merlin. He held the sorcerer in his arms, caressing his hair and kissing him on the temple every few seconds.
"I don't want to lose you." Arthur had started crying again.
"But you must," Merlin replied, "Don't ever forget this memory. Promise me!"
"I promise you," Arthur said, "That I will never love another. You are and always will be my one and only love, Merlin."
"I don't want you to be alone because of me."
"Would you move on to someone else if it were me dying?"
"No," Merlin replied, "How could I find someone half as good and perfect as you?"
"Then you should understand how I feel. Besides, how can I possibly give my heart to another when my heart belongs to you?"
"Oh Arthur! I wish we had known sooner of our feelings. Maybe then, we would have had more time like this together – just talking and being open with one another. I feel so close to you, Arthur!"
"You are close to me, Merlin. You are the closest person – the one I trust and love the most. I would have spent my life with you if this tragedy wasn't upon us. I would have lived with you as only a married couple would. I would have taken care of you until my dying breath. Merlin, I have no purpose anymore. This night will be the only memory that keeps me going."
"I will always be with you. My spirit will always be around you – caring for you, watching you, protecting you from evil."
"But I want you here with me, body and soul – in all of your perfection. Merlin, can we be together if I die too?"
"I don't know," Merlin replied, "But I will not let you die – I will not risk your life for something I am unsure of."
"What's the use of staying here? I would rather risk it than stay here all alone for the rest of my miserable life."
"Let's not think of that...let's just enjoy the time we have left."
"How much time is that?"
Merlin looked up at the sky. The darkness had already subsided, and dawn was already breaking before their eyes. Merlin's eyes filled up with a fresh set of tears, and he cuddled up and snuggled into Arthur's arms.
"Not much."
"Merlin, please! Do something so you can stay with me!"
"I would do anything! But there is nothing I can do..."
Arthur held Merlin close to him, and kissed him deeply and repeatedly, until both of their lips were swollen from the kissing.
"You are beautiful, Merlin, and I love you so much. With all my heart and soul, Merlin. Do you know that? I would do anything for you!"
"So would I, Arthur. So would I!"
They were quiet for a few minutes. Arthur felt Merlin shifting in his arms and looked down to find the young sorcerer looking up at his face.
"What is it?"
"I'm sorry I was such a horrible servant," Merlin said, "And sorry for calling you a prat and a clot pole."
"And a dollop head," Arthur replied, smiling, "I loved you for that, Merlin. As a friend, I mean. I respected your honesty and you were a wonderful servant – always risking your life just to make sure that I was safe, always protecting me, sometimes even from myself. And now, as my lover, I love you more than life itself, Merlin. You are my one true love."
"So are you, Arthur. You were the best master I could have been given. And now, you are the most precious gift I have been endowed with; more precious than my magic could ever be, no matter how handy it has proven itself in the past."
They remained in each other's arms, until the sun had risen, and that's when Merlin knew his soul would be claimed. He felt a presence and looked at the Lake behind him. A lady stood on the waters. She was wearing a shimmery sky blue dress with a hood that covered her hair. Her face was visible. She was beautiful; pale skin - much like Merlin's – blue eyes that matched the dress, and pink lips. A few tendrils of light blonde hair were visible from beneath her hood. She extended a hand towards Merlin and motioned for him with her finger to join her. The boys stood up, and Arthur clung to Merlin as if for dear life. Merlin embraced his lover and pressed his lips to his for one last time and then departed towards the lake.
"Wait!" Arthur shouted, before jumping ahead of him and reaching the Lady first, "I want to trade."