Merlin awoke with a start. It was light in the room… too light. He'd obviously overslept but as he realised whose bed he was in he quickly pushed himself up and turned to look at the empty spot beside him. Arthur was gone and Merlin smiled softly when he grasped at the idea Arthur must have gone out to do training and left him to sleep.

It was another snowy day outside, making the light in the room harsh and white, and as Merlin rubbed at his eyes groggily an audible panic started to sound down the halls of the castle. Hopping out of the bed still in his clothes and using magic to clean and put away the hardened chocolate and the few remaining strawberries Merlin spotted a note on the table. He pulled his concentration away from tidying the evidence of the night before and ambled over to the large oak counter and hesitantly picked at white slip of paper. Scrawled in a messy hand-writing was a message from his King.

Merlin, sorry for drugging you last night but I think I'm dying… And my only hope of living is through magic. I know that I am always so opposed to the use of magic, but I think my father may have been wrong: Not all magic is used for evil.

I am leaving Camelot to find Emyrs to see if there is anything he could do that may help, but I did not want you to come with me as I cannot bear to see you get hurt after everything that you've done for me. I may not always show it, but I value your friendship more than anything.

If I do not return I want you to make sure that Guinevere is provided for, but before anything, I want you to be happy.

Your friend,

Arthur.

Before he knew what was happening Merlin had thrown open the doors to Arthur's chambers ran out into the noisy crowd of people and pushed down the stone steps to the courtyard where a circle of people had gathered. Merlin scrambled through, mumbling 'sorry' and 'excuse me' every so often until he got so fed up that he was literally elbowing them out the way. When he reached the inner ring he saw what the commotion was about. Arthur had passed out on his horse when he'd ridden out and the stallion had returned to Camelot with its unconscious Master oozing a thick dark blood from his chainmail covered back. Merlin inwardly cursed the stupidity of the crowd that seemed to hover around Arthur like flies, as if he were already a rotting corpse. Merlin rushed forwards and waved his arms until all eyes were on him, "Arthur is still alive but barely. It'll take radical measures to save him, but the first thing I need is for you all to leave and go about your business."

The noise died down but they all whispered and eyed the dark haired warlock dubiously before they finally hurried off, stealing glances at the grey-skinned King. The Knights joined Merlin at Arthur's side and Percival pulled Arthur back from his slumped position and, under the orders of Merlin, carried him to Gaius' and his own chambers.

Arthur was placed carefully down on a bed that Gaius uses for very ill patients and then Percival and Leon watched Arthur breathe deeply as if in an intense slumber. The situation was explained to Gaius, though Merlin did not tell the two Knights that the wound had been caused by an enchanted dagger. Gaius was lost in contemplation when he then considered the two Knights soberly, "You'll have to leave me and Merlin some privacy unfortunately. This may take a while and will require complete attentiveness."
"Do you think he'll pull through?" Percival asked without tearing his eyes from Arthur, his brow creased in worry.
Gaius was humble, talking about how nothing is certain but hopefully with concentration and solitude that they be able to save Arthur's life. Taking the hint, Leon and Percival retreated, leaving Gaius, Merlin and the unconscious King alone.

An hour had passed, by which time Arthur had been stripped down to his breeches and Gaius had cleaned and dressed his ever growing wound. The blood was tinged black, the result of the magic poisoning his blood. The veins running through Arthur's body were tinted green and his skin had become pale and wax-like. Merlin ran a wetted cloth across the man's forehead, cooling his temperature in the already warm room.

The young warlock searched the back shelves frantically, looking for the book that held one of the only spells that might be able to save Arthur's life. He pulled the large blue hard-back volume of Magical Charms, Ailments and Treatments and plunked it on the table with a slight huff. Merlin flicked through the yellowed, old scented pages whilst Gaius paced around him, waiting for the spell to be found.

"Here it is," Merlin pointed to the page, following the lines of writing with his eyes. He had a somber tone to his voice and despite his seemingly calm composure Merlin felt as if his stomach had been filled with stones that never ceased their churning movements.
Gaius prepared some smelling salts and held them under Arthur's nose, causing him to splutter slightly and his eyes to flicker open. He looked like a little lost boy, his eyes wide and confused as Arthur struggled to sit up. Gaius held him down, "Sorry Sire, you are too ill to get up."

The King inhaled sharply then let the breath out jaggedly, trying his hardest not to succumb to sleep once more. As his eyes surveyed the room it almost seemed like he hadn't heard Gaius at all and that he didn't have any idea where he was, he even started to fight against Gaius a little as if being restricted against his will, but when Merlin stepped forward and laid a hand on Arthur's shoulder and the King's eyes met his servant's he seemed to relax. His cloudy gaze became clear.

He spoke suddenly, though he spoke in the tone of a man that had no hope. "I'm glad you're here Merlin. I'm sorry I couldn't live to be the King you always said I would be."

Gaius slowly let go of Arthur and this time the golden haired beauty didn't even attempt to rise. "Arthur, I went to see Emyrs," Merlin began, knowing full well that he was Emyrs himself, "And he's given me magic limited to midnight. I'm going to try and save you."

Arthur managed to shake his head despite the pain it caused him, "Can't he do it himself?"

Gaius interjected before Merlin had time to speak, "Considering what happened with your Father he did not want to risk performing the spell himself; but don't worry Merlin is perfectly capable."

Merlin started to quake slightly so he withdrew his hand from his friend's shoulder, keeping all negative outcomes from his mind.
"But Merlin's not a warlock…" He turned his eyes back to study Merlin's impassive face, "You're not a warlock Merlin. Do you really want to try this?"

Merlin nodded but held his tongue in fear of breaking down under the pressure. The secrets he held were killing him.

"Then once again my life is in your hands Merlin. But whatever happens, we will meet again."

Gaius turned his face away to spare Merlin the modesty as his slender hand shot up to his face to catch a falling tear. Merlin stood at the head of the bed and rested his hands on the King's shoulders before muttering the incarnation that would extract the magic from Arthur's blood. Arthur's back arched and an agonised groan escaped his lips as Gaius returned to the bedside to hold Arthur still. Merlin's limbs felt strained and as Arthur's shouts grew louder Merlin's chanting voice raised. His eyes were lastingly golden.

Gaius muttered and reached for the smelling salts, holding them under Arthur's nose to stop him from passing out under the pain. Merlin's eyes were trained in front of him but his expression made it seem as if he was looking into another dimension or seeing realities that were not of his world, but all he saw were reds, greens and blues fluttering across his vision. Arthur screamed, his back arching further and his spine twisting in pain, he was too far gone into the anguish to faint now so Gaius fixed his concentration on holding the King down. The bandages and crumpled white sheet Arthur was laid upon began to stain around his back where a heavy filter of blood was now exuding from his wound. The colours in Merlin's vision began to grow in vividness and Arthur's eyes were clamped shut and his mouth hanging open. Merlin was drawn from his focus when a black liquid began to seep from Arthur's nostrils and his eye sockets became worryingly grey.
"Don't stop!" Cried Gaius, "It's working! The magic poisoning his veins is leaving his body; you'll kill him if you don't resume."

The effort was too much for the young warlock but he began to chant once more, this time it felt as if the pain was entering his own body. He struggled to speak the words through clenched teeth and a tear rolled down from his closed eyes when he felt like he was failing. The colours built up once more and crashing symbols seemed to echo inside Merlin's head despite the room being silent apart from the ragged breath of Gaius pinning Arthur to the table and the shaking of the table's legs as Arthur tried to thrash about. Then all went silent and black.
Merlin was thrown back from Arthur by an inward force, his head smacking into the wall as Gaius raced to his aid. Merlin was unconscious… and Arthur lay motionless on a blanket of blood and liquid magic.


Sorry for the long wait guys! I've not been allowed online much recently as my Step-Dad is punishing me for not having a job :P But I'll upload when I can and I hope you're enjoying it. Feel free to suggest things!
And for an apology here's an amazing Merthur pic: Made by eppy7 on DeviantArt