End of Days
Chapter 10
~Fran Gipani
Disclaimer- So I obviously don't own Merlin no matter how much I'd love to and neither no I earn any money from this. This is just for funsies :)
Note from the Author- This is an 'Alternate Ending' fic for the Merlin Series Finale. Thank you for all the amazing and encouraging reviews; I am so glad you are all enjoying this and getting so involved with the plot. I was worried you would all hate me for what I did to Merlin in the last chapter but I was quite the opposite for most of you so thank you and I hope this chapter maybe makes you all feel a little better about what happened!. Anywho...on with the story and review at will! :)
~Fran xx
As the boat drifted out into the distance Arthur stepped back onto the shore and it was then and only then that he could let his emotions take over. Bone wracking sobs brought Arthur to his knees as hot tears ran down his cheeks. An anguished scream was wrenched from his throat as he curled in on himself and closed his eyes, willing for the darkness to take over, but it never did.
Merlin is gone. Gone forever.
~O~O~O~
The long walk back to Camelot was silent but uneventful. Arthur felt numb, like he was walking through fog, nothing else mattered but putting one foot in front of the other and trying not to think about Merlin.
The latter was hard though.
How could he not think about Merlin? Arthur had held his closest friend as he had died in his arms. Arthur missed him. Occasionally he would hear Merlin's voice and would whip around, but as he always expected there was no one there. He stopped as little as possible on the journey back, as hi sleep was riddled with dreams of his friend. Some he could handle, but others he couldn't, and would wake sweating with tears in his eyes.
It was those times when he woke up that Arthur walked the longest during the day, the ache in his legs kept his mind off his thoughts and he didn't want to delve back into the world of his nightmares where Merlin died again, and again and again. He just wanted to be back at home, with Guinevere who could comfort him and tell him everything would be fine.
~O~O~O~
It was mid afternoon when Gwen got the news that Arthur had returned, she had been reading through the notes from the last council meeting and had just been thinking about how much she needed Arthur to help and guide her through this kind of work. Gwen had jumped up from her seat and run out of the room to the stairs leading down into the courtyard. When she saw Arthur though, he looked a very different man to what he had done the last time she'd seen him; and Merlin wasn't with him.
Gwen ran down the steps towards her husband and when she reached him she folded him into an embrace. They stayed like that for a while, both with tears in their eyes and both relived to see each other again. Gwen was tactful enough not to ask about Merlin then but knew that when he was ready, Arthur would talk. Gwen could tell though what had happened; the fact that Merlin wasn't there and that Arthur seemed thinner and had red around his eyes told her all she needed to know. Gwen had no idea how long she had held her husband for before she pulled him up stairs so that he could wash, eat and then sleep. It felt good to have him back but Gwen knew that Arthur was far from alright and that it would take a while for him to be fine again.
That night while they were in bed, Arthur explained what had happened after all the men had gone back to the tent to get fixed up. By the end of the story Gwen had tears in her eyes; all Merlin had done for Arthur and had never once asked for thanks. They would have to tell everyone the next day and hold a ceremony, as everyone who cared for him needed to know, and needed their time to grieve.
~O~O~O~
Gaius had watched Arthur arrive from the balcony nearest his chambers. He had watched as Arthur had returned alone and felt as his heart had aced for his loss. Merlin had been like a son to him and there was nothing that could fill the hole that Merlin had left when he had died. Gaius felt tears prick at the corner of his eyes and he hastily wiped them away. He had to stay strong; he still needed to do his job. Though on the outside he kept the façade, on the inside he felt older and more lonely then he had before Merlin had come to stay. "Oh my boy." He whispered brokenly, "Why couldn't you have come home too?"
~O~O~O~
For Sirs Percival, Leon and Gwaine, when they had seen Arthur return alone their smiles faded and they fell silent. They all knew that meant they had lost another of the team that had bonded at that Round Table and Merlin's absence was noticed in every aspect of their day. They had all know the team would eventually split in some way or another, but Merlin had seemed to be invincible. Merlin had been the one constant when everything went wrong but now he wasn't there, and that created a visible gap that was noticeable to everyone.
~O~O~O~
Hunith had arrived two days after Arthur had returned, Gaius and Arthur had gone to her to explain what had happened and to say that they were holding a ceremony for Merlin; to properly say goodbye. Hunith had felt utterly and completely broken at the news of her son's sacrifice, she had sobbed openly onto Arthur's shoulder, and Arthur held her as that was what she had needed and probably what he had needed as well. After that though she seemed to go into shock as she rode the extra horse back to Camelot. None of them spoke. None of them needed to as each knew what the other was going through and none of them knew what to say.
~O~O~O~
"Today we are here to honour the life of a very special person; someone who changed the lives of all who knew him for the better. He didn't get the recognition he needed when he was alive so today we pay tribute him and the good deeds he has done. Merlin was, is, the closest friend I've ever had; though I never said it when he was still with us, I wish I had. He is the bravest man I have ever known, and the sacrifice he made will never be forgotten. Merlin made me the man I am today and I am thankful for the guidance and council he has willingly offered me throughout the time I have known him. Merlin's unwavering loyalty and love has touched every heart of every person he ever talked to."
"Merlin is someone we will never forget and who will stay with us in our hearts forever. To Merlin." Arthur raised his glass and the hall of people mirrored him and echoed back "To Merlin."
"Thank you my friend," Arthur whispered, a small smile twitching at the corner of his lips in memory of his friend. "Thank you for everything."
~O~O~O~
It was almost a year since Arthur had arrived back at the castle with out Merlin and Arthur had held the ceremony in his honour and memory. Gwen lay in her chambers, her belly bulging and her hand gripping Arthurs hand so tight it felt to him like it would drop off. She had found out she was pregnant shortly after Merlin had returned and now was the time for her to have her child.
A long agonizing time later a screaming child was brought into the world and now, Arthur and Gwen sat next to each other on the bed the baby boy wrapped in blankets between them. Both parents had warm smiles on their faces and were staring lovingly at the small bundle in Gwen's arms.
"What are you going to name him?" Gaius asked the happy couple, smiling widely at them both.
Arthur and Gwen shared a look; they both knew what the other was thinking so when Arthur opened his mouth and spoke they both knew it was the right decision.
"Merlin. We are going to name him Merlin."
Note from the Author- This was the last chapter before the epilogue so I hope you all enjoyed it, I found it rather hard to write so if you find any problems please let me know :) I will try and get the last chapter up as soon as possible :)
~Fran xx