The path was treacherous. The snow was deep and the horses would struggle getting through the terrain… had they not Merlin on their side.
Arthur was a little bit dumbfounded as he watched Merlin melt the path before them with a single magical sentence and a glow of his eyes. It almost seemed that every time he saw him perform magic he was still surprised.
"Sir?" Leon asked softly as Merlin rode slightly ahead to melt the snow.
"Hmm?" Arthur wondered if the size of the baby hurt Merlin, every now and again he'd see him wince, but it was very rarely.
"Sir." Leon tried again.
"What is it, sir Leon?" Arthur asked, glancing at him.
"Are you sure this trip is wise? What if Merlin gets hurt?" He asked.
"If father gets to the dragon egg first he could use it against us, or worse, destroy it." Arthur said.
"True, but if Uther has left Camelot, isn't it the perfect time to advance and take it?" Gwaine asked.
"Sounds like a great idea…" Arthur said looking at all of them. "Are we all in agreement that we turn around and march the army to Camelot?" He asked. The knights nodded and Arthur nodded. "Perfect. You can decide which one of you tells Merlin."
Everyone shut up and focused on the road ahead. They made camp under the protection of a cavern entrance, where the snow had not reached and the cold winds could be hidden from. He noticed Merlin take out a handheld book with blank pages. A third of it had already been written in.
When he finished, Arthur saw him struggling to get up and came closer, offering him his hand. Merlin looked at his hand as if considering his options before taking it and getting on his feet.
"Gaius says I'm going to get even bigger… how am I going to be able to do anything later on if I can barely stand up now?" Merlin grumbled.
"Merlin, you have the most important task in the world right now. If you struggle, I will be right there to help you." Arthur said, threading his fingers with Merlin's, leaning in to kiss him. Merlin hesitated and turned his head away. Arthur smiled and kissed him on the cheek softly. "What's that you're writing?" Arthur asked.
"Oop, look at the time, I should start dinner." Merlin said, heading for the fire.
"That won't be necessary, Merlin." Leon said.
"Yeah, we can cook." Gwaine shrugged.
"Right… it may be the worst time to break all your little notions of yourselves, but none of you can cook." Merlin said. The knights turned to him, affronted.
"I most certainly can." Elyan said. "I've lived for years on my own."
"As have I." Lancelot said.
"And what about me?" Gwaine said.
"I admit it, I cannot." Leon said. "Last time I tried to boil some potatoes they disintegrated in the water." He winced at the memory.
"I remember that, a little salt and it would have been fine." Percival said with a shrug.
"See Merlin? Naturals." Arthur said with a shrug.
"Oh, don't even get me started on you. Don't make me tell everyone about the time you tried to cook a whole chicken with a glare alone."
"Dear god, Merlin, who knew you'd be so mean while pregnant?" Gwaine teased and Merlin's eyes glowed with magic. A few minutes later, Gwaine was buried just outside under the snow and all the knights had allowed Merlin to continue.
Arthur refused to let him continue on his own and knelt by his side.
"What are you doing?" Merlin asked as he took out the ingredients, water already boiling.
"You want to make fun about cooking, then teach me." Arthur said simply. Merlin looked at him concerned but Arthur wasn't going to let Merlin bully him away.
"Fine." Merlin said amused. "You can help me peel the potatoes." Merlin said and handed Arthur a knife.
"I can do it, easy." He said, starting to copy Merlin. However, while Merlin's potato peels came quickly and thinly, Arthur's came thick and slowly. "Alright, maybe it's a little harder than I anticipated."
Merlin took the potato from his hands and finished it off, cutting it to smaller pieces directly into the pan. "Just goes to show that you should never contradict me." Merlin smiled at him. Arthur smiled back, looking at him endearingly. It must have shown too clearly on his face because Merlin hesitantly looked back at his work and kept cooking. Arthur helped out where he could, enjoying Merlin's little jabs at Arthur's hopelessness.
Arthur watched Merlin closely, almost missing the way the knights were looking at him. As if they wanted to tell him the truth but had no clue how to even start. At some point Gwaine crawled back in, shivering and pale, warming up slowly as they all ate.
"Thank you, Merlin. It was delicious." Arthur said, taking Merlin's plate.
"Um…"
"I believe the expected response is 'you're welcome'." Arthur said.
"No, I know. It's just so strange hearing you say it." Merlin teased. "You shocked me into silence." Merlin said. Arthur reached out to caress Merlin's cheek and Merlin broke eye contact, his smile flickering away.
"It's time for a story." Arthur declared. What Merlin didn't know was that some of their stories, Gaius had already told him when Arthur asked him. "How about you tell me the story of the Questing Beast? I was close to death then, wasn't I?" Arthur asked.
"Was Arthur's recovery your doing?" Leon asked in awe at Merlin who seemed to look away. Arthur knew this story would hit him harder. Gaius mentioned it was a time where his absolute loyalty to Arthur shone through.
"I…"
"Come on Merlin, I want to hear it." Percival said and Merlin glanced at Arthur, looking uncertain.
"As do I, don't be a spoilsport Merlin." Arthur declared.
"Well… when Arthur was bitten, Gaius told me that there was no cure. The poison would kill Arthur." Merlin said. "I learned of the isle of the blessed. Apparently I could pay a price in order to save Arthur." He said. "Gaius told me not to go. Told me the price could be too great." Merlin said and stared at the fire, rubbing his stomach slowly. "I said I would pay any price to save Arthur." He said.
Arthur felt the tightness in his chest as Merlin's eyes filled with such determination.
"There I made a deal with Nimueh. She had tried to hurt Camelot before but… I had to save Arthur. She told me a life had to be given, I offered my life in exchange for Arthur's, gladly." He said looking directly at Arthur when he said that. "I brought water from the cup of life and gave it to Arthur. He recovered and I prepared myself to go surrender my life." Merlin said.
"So when you came to see me, you were saying goodbye." Arthur said softly. Merlin looked up at him with tears in his eyes, jaw set, trying to keep the emotion at bay but failing miserably as he gave a stiff nod.
"I… afterward…"
"No." Arthur stopped him. "Tell me what you said then." Arthur said.
"Wh-why?" Merlin asked.
"Storytelling purposes." Arthur said, pointing at the rest of the audience, who were watching them both intently. "You came in, requesting to talk." Arthur said. "You asked how I was doing. I said fine."
Merlin managed to smile. "You told me you were the one that decided when we talk, I said not this time."
"And you called me a prat."
"A royal one."
"Insulting me again." Arthur pointed out. "It almost sounded like you were quitting and then you told me… you were happy to be my servant… till the day you died." He said. Merlin looked at him intently and nodded. It was almost like Arthur could now read perfectly between the lines, because with that look alone, Merlin was trying to say the same again. "You were going to leave, and never explain. You'd leave me thinking you were still alive, and just left, irresponsibly. You'd let me believe that you were a liar and weren't true to your word." Arthur said, accusing. Merlin looked away, more tears forming. "But that was then, I'm glad I know now, how loyal you can be." Arthur said simply.
"I am." Merlin said looking at him.
"I'm glad next time you have to say goodbye you'll say it to my face." Arthur said, looking intently at Merlin, who began to look at the knights nervously. "It means so much to me, that the person I care most for in this world, is able to rely on me so much." Arthur said. "I can't imagine how much of a failure I would feel like if you didn't feel you could rely on me. Good thing that's not the case." Arthur stood and walked out, needing to get some fresh air.
oOoOoOo
Merlin stared at the fire, tears still blurring his vision. "He knows. How?" Merlin whispered. The knights shook their heads. It was clear they didn't know.
"You should go to him." Lancelot said softly. Merlin looked down and reached up, Lancelot taking his hand and helping him to his feet.
Arthur was just outside the cave, staring at the snow coming down, covering their tracks. He turned to look at him and Merlin felt a knot form at the back of his throat, seeing Arthur's dejected expression as he looked away.
"Arthur…"
"Yes, Merlin?" Arthur asked, loudly and clearly, turning to look at him, waiting for him to continue.
"The sorceress that started this whole mess, Lana, she's working for your father." Merlin said.
"How unfortunate. My father resorting to magic and from an evil sorcerer." He once more declared, clearly not giving a damn about that part of it.
"We all assumed the old religion took her life in exchange for the child… but she's alive. There's been no life given… yet." Merlin said. Arthur came closer to him and Merlin had to look away, unable to keep eye-contact with him. "When the child is born… I'll likely die." He said, looking up, tears in his eyes.
"Are you crying for you?" Arthur asked softly. Merlin sobbed and shook his head.
"I'm crying for you. I'm going to bring you even more pain." Merlin whispered. "Even if you don't love me… I know that-"
"I love you, Merlin." Merlin looked up at him horrified. "I love you, dearly. Even if I didn't, you've still meant more to me than anyone else in the world for… months, years!" Arthur exclaimed holding onto Merlin's shoulders. "Don't you get it? My life seemed to start the moment you stepped into it."
"I'm sorry." Merlin whispered. Arthur leaned into him and Merlin let him. He kissed Arthur with as much desperation as the other was holding him in return.
"We'll find a way around it… I'm not letting you leave me." Arthur said simply, holding him close. Merlin sobbed.
"But if I do."
"You won't."
"But if I do!" Merlin insisted. "You'll tell the child about me?"
"Merlin. I'm not my father… of course I would." He said. "But you're not going anywhere." Arthur said. "You're my best friend and the person I love most in this world. I'm not about to let the old religion take you." Arthur said. "After we get the dragon egg, we'll properly look into solutions."
Merlin looked down, feeling the child under his hand. Arthur's hand came to rest over his and Merlin closed his eyes, their foreheads pressed together.
"I love you, Arthur." Merlin whispered for the second time in his life.
"I know." Arthur said and kissed him again.
oOoOoOo
Uther stared at the enormous tower appearing into view. Truly a structure of majesty, as high as a mountain. No doubt built with magic itself. Despicable.
"Are you sure the sorcerer will come to us?" He asked, addressing the sorceress he'd had to accept help from.
"Absolutely, your majesty." She said. "A dragon lord is duty bound to protect dragons. He'll come."
Uther looked away from her in disgust. To think he had to lower himself to accept such a thing's help. The woman had come to his court after Arthur declared war to him. She offered to help, supposedly believing in Uther's plight to rid the world of magic. As if he would believe such a boldfaced lie. However, he had no choice the moment practically half of Camelot's army deserted their king in favour of their crown prince. If it had been just the younger knights that walked away maybe he would have blamed their youth, but no. A great number of them weren't.
The most shocking alliance had been Agravaine. They had barely spoken since Ygraine's death, but when he offered to join forces with him to bring Arthur back home, Uther was genuinely surprised and grateful. Ygraine would have wanted the two of them to reconcile, he knew that.
He had to kill Merlin. That boy was the cause of this whole mess. Arthur would never have dreamed of opposing him otherwise.