*AUTHOR'S NOTE* I had an idea for the next chapter whilst watching telly, so I had to write it. I've now written the chapter, I decided to be nice and give you two chapters in one day! I'm too nice to you all! Enjoy! 3
Merlin rode the horse into the courtyard and leapt from it. Supporting Arthur's head, he ran to Gaius' chambers. "Gaius!" He shouted, setting Arthur down on the same table he had lain on those long months ago. "Help him!"
Gaius ran over and lifted Arthur's hand. Immediately he started wadding it with material in exactly the same way he had done for Merlin.
"Merlin?" Arthur was staring upwards and was ashen faced. Cold sweat was pouring down his face.
"Arthur, I'm here, it's okay." Merlin was struggling to keep back the tears, and he suddenly realised this was exactly how Arthur must have felt as Merlin lay dying. "Arthur, you won't go, you can't."
"Merlin…Merlin, thank you. "
"For what?"
"For being there, for not leaving me. Even if you are an idiot." Arthur smiled and laughed a little, but grimaced from the pain.
Merlin knew Arthur was dying, and sighed. "Gaius, what do we do?"
"We must tell the king" Gaius lifted Arthur's head and tipped some kind of medicine into his mouth. "Swallow, Arthur, this will help."
Arthur's breaths were slowing now, and Merlin knew death was near, he could sense it. Merlin sighed and looked at the still bleeding wound. A rush of instinct whispered through his mind, like it had that day he had taken the dagger. The day he had died. He stepped forward, now certain of what he needed to do. "Gaius, I think I can save him."
Gaius looked up, face sullen. "Merlin, we can't. There is nothing I can do."
"Gaius, I have magic, remember?"
Gaius looked up. "The king will be here any minute!"
Merlin leant over Arthur. "Arthur? Can you hear me?"
"Merlin…you still there?"
Merlin smiled. "Yeah, yeah I'm here." He looked at Gaius. "Trust me, Gaius. I'm not giving up on him, not now, not after…" He trailed off. "Trust me" he said it again, and looked deep into the old physician's eyes.
Gaius stepped back and sighed. "I trust you."
Merlin took in a breath and placed a hand, flat, on either side of Arthur's chest. Steadying himself, he welled up the energy inside him. One word rushed through his head. Live. He let the energy well further, until it was a burning pressure. He released it with a cry of "Akwele Vitae!" Merlin backed away, head pounding with the immense loss of energy. Using the table for support, he leant over Arthur. "..Arthur?"
Arthur opened his eyes and smiled. "Merlin?"
"Arthur, you're okay!" Merlin smiled and let the prince wrap his arms around him.
"What did you do?"
Merlin looked at him and sighed. "The only thing I could think of."
"Not…Magic?"
Merlin nodded. "I know, I'm sorry."
Arthur sighed. "It's okay"
At that moment, Uther flung the doors open and ran over to Arthur. Merlin leapt away from him like a startled fawn, and stood next to Gaius, heart beating a mile a minute behind his ribcage.
"Arthur! Are you okay?" Uther pulled his son into his arms.
"Father, I'm fine! I just…" He trailed off when he saw the look on his father's face. Before he had stopped him, he turned to Merlin. "You used magic, didn't you?"
Merlin knew he couldn't deny it. Wordlessly, he nodded.
"I warned you!" Uther's face was set in a hard, impenetrable mask. "I warned you of the consequences. I should have had you executed in the first-"
"Father!" Arthur's voice cut through Uther's. "He saved my life. I was dying. He healed me. If it wasn't for Merlin, well, I'd still be lying dead and face down on the border." Arthur crossed his arms over his chest and jutted his chin defiantly.
"He still disobeyed me. The laws of Camelot must be abided by."
Merlin knew what was going to happen. He sighed as he sat in the hay, back to the wall. "Well done, Merlin, you've really outdone yourself this time!" He picked up a handful of hay and started to shred it.
"Merlin" A voice called from the barred door.
Merlin looked over to see Arthur leaning against the door. "Arthur." He got up and moved over to sit by the door.
Arthur squatted on the other side and slid a hand through the grille and took Merlin's hand in his. "I'm sorry. If there was any way, any way I could stop him I would."
"It's not your fault." Merlin resisted the urge to sob. "It's really not your fault."
They talked for hours, and by the end both prince and manservant were in tears. Merlin sighed, and smiled. "Look at us!" He laughed. "Crying over eachother! I never thought that would happen!"
Arthur laughed and got up. "I have to go, father is insisting I train this evening."
Merlin sighed. "Goodbye, Arthur."
"Bye, Merlin."
"Prat" Merlin winked.
"Idiot." Arthur tried not to sob.
"Dollop-head!" Merlin couldn't help but laugh, provoking a snort from the prince. Arthur sighed again. "I'll miss you." He started up the stairs.
"Don't forget me." Merlin wavered and turned his back to the stairs, rested his head in his hands, and sobbed.
Morning slowly broke, the dark sky gently lightening as the first of the sun's rays kissed the valley. Merlin blinked in the brightness as he was lead from the dungeons to a raised stage-like structure in the centre of the courtyard. Uther stood at the balcony, Arthur by his side. "I will never speak to you again." He growled to his father. "I meant what I said."
Uther looked at his son. "You need to learn; laws are made to be abided by. Your manservant is no exception." He turned back down to look at the scene unfolding. Arthur turned away and retracted back into the room.
Merlin stood as his 'crimes' were read out, eyes fixed on the king standing above. Arthur was nowhere to be seen. He supposed that was for the best. A small crowd had gathered and Merlin sighed. At the executioner's instruction, he knelt down and rested his head on the faded block. A shiver rippled down his spine as he felt the cold edge of the axe brush against his neck. He shut his eyes, took in a breath and heard the whoosh of the falling axe, a sharp pain, and then everything went black.
Arthur heard the sharp thud of the axe falling, and flinched. Uther sighed and turned away from the balcony. Arthur glared at him and turned his back. He was never going to talk to his father again.
Merlin was floating above the courtyard. Looking down, he could see his own body, sickeningly decapitated. Suddenly, He was rushing down towards the ground. He woke up with his face pressed to the stone floor of the courtyard. Pain seared through every limb, and as he came to, he started to scream at the memory of what had just happened.
Arthur looked up. He knew that scream. Without thinking, he got up and ran towards the courtyard. People were crowded around something on the floor, and whatever it was was making that familiar, blood curdling scream. Arthur pushed through them to see Merlin writhing on the floor as his neck reformed, blood pooling around him. The scream just carried on, emanating from him and echoing round the suddenly chasm-like walls of the courtyard. "Merlin!" Arthur put a hand on his manservant's face, shuddering at the coldness of it. "Merlin, can you hear me?"
Merlin broke the scream and took in a few quick breaths. "Arthur" He gasped. "What happens now?"