Good evening everyone !

Yes, youare not dreaming. This is me, actually publishing a one-shot ! Yay !

I have to admit that this is unexpected, even for me. The story is that during my holiday, this lovely person that is Aaaronna flooded my mailbox with reviews and ideas and I just had to write something (not to mentionned she just ignited this little bunny).

For those waiting for an Lighting A Fire chapter... I am sorry for the wait. The truth is that those days I'm in an Arrow/Flash frenzy that won't let me write a chapter! But I will fight it! I will. Promise! I'm planning an update for next week end. But I am hoping that this huuuge one shot will help you wait :) !

I can't wait to know what you all think for this :)

Enjoy!

Prompt by Aaronna: This (Chapter: 13. A Valuable Lesson) needs a follow up if you haven't made one already.

A lesson learned

The decision had taken only a fraction of second to be made but to Merlin it felt like time had stopped.

Or at least slow down so much that he had time to see everything in clear details.

The leader of the mercenaries was approaching Arthur with his sword held high, ready to strike. The king's own sword lay uselessly a few feet away.

Merlin could have used magic. Blast the leader away. But he knew there was no way he could do that without being discovered.

So really, in the end, it hadn't been so much a decision but an instinctual move. Protect Arthur. Protect his secret. There was only one way to do both.

He broke into a run and slammed all his force against the man menacing his friend.

He honestly hadn't seen the precipice behind him but when he did his heart started racing like nothing before. Instinct made him try to find a purchase even if he knew it was useless. He was already falling. All he managed was to scrub his hands against stones.

He just had the time to hear Arthur's panicked shout before the rush of air dominated all other sounds.

The fall seemed endless but finally Merlin hit the freezing water of the river down the cliff. His left shoulder and hip impacted painfully with it and he was immediately totally immersed underneath. The drastic change of temperature made him gasp as it stole his breathe. For a moment he thought for sure he would die. He was being pulled and pushed by the strong current, his body banging and bouncing on rocks and tree branches. He had no more air in his lungs and they seized painfully, willing him to take a breath that he knew would only be of water.

He knew he had to do something and quickly. Time was running out.

Pushing past the disorientation and pain he forced his legs and arms into action, kicking towards what he hoped was the surface.

He thought he wouldn't make it but just when his mouth opened to take a gulp, his head broke the surface of the water, thankfully saving him from inhaling water.

Quickly he drew two more breathes, savoring the fresh air as it filled his burning lungs. He thought he was safe but then he felt something collide with the back of his head and even if he fought it desperately, he fell into the abyss of unconsciousness.

He woke to pain. Unbearable, excruciating pain. He cried out and tried to blindly fight off whoever was hurting him only to find himself restricted. He wriggled desperately even if it made his nerve endings scream in the process.

"Let go of me!" He cried out, his magic rising to his help, burning in his veins, waiting his directions.

"Calm down!" An unknown masculine voice said over him. "You'll only hurt yourself more! I have to reduce the dislocation before things get worse!"

The medical terms caught his attention and he finally forced his eyes open, interrupting his struggle. His vision twisted and tilted so he closed them again before he lost the contents of his stomach.

"Good. You're with me? Can you tell me your name?"

The question seemed more difficult than it should to answer. Merlin frowned.

"Your name?" His companion pushed.

"Me-Merlin. My name's Merlin." He finally answered, his voice sounding far deeper than he remembered.

"Good. That's good. Nice to meet you, Merlin. I'm Teighan. I found you in the river. Now, as I said, I have to take care of your shoulder, okay? It is going to be painful, that's why I strapped you down earlier."

Still feeling confused and slightly sick, Merlin just hummed, not quite understanding what was said to him.

"Here, you'd better bite on that." The mysterious man said after a slight pause, pushing a cloth into Merlin's mouth. "Try and relax your muscles, it'll be easier if you do."

The warlock did as he was told and took a deep breath to relax. It was all for nothing, however, for the moment the man touched his arm, his whole side erupted in burning pain, making him gasp and struggle again with a pitiful whimper.

"I'm sorry. I'll be quick. Just relax."

Merlin really tried to do so but it seemed that his body just wouldn't comply. A few seconds later and the young man felt his articulation re-align with a spike of pain that sent him back into unconsciousness.

He came back to his sense only a few minutes afterwards. Teighan was bended over him, tightly binding his arm so his torso. He didn't seem to notice that Merlin had his eyes opened so he took his time to observe the other man.

He was middle aged, his face just beginning to be veiled by faint lines. His hair was brown and his beard unkempt. His clothes seemed worn too.

"Oh! You're awake! How are you feeling?"

Merlin thought about it for a moment, cataloging the hurts and aches.

"Hum…. Slightly dizzy. Like I've been trampled by a horse."

"How does the shoulder feel?"

"I don't know. I guess it doesn't hurt so much anymore… But it feels strange."

The man nodded. "Anything else hurts in particular?"

"My head… My side and left hip."

"Well, I think you've hit your head so it explains that, and the dizziness. I'll take a look at your side if you don't mind."

The warlock shook his head and tried to help push his clothes away.

"Those are some nasty bruises you have there." The man prodded at them, making Merlin his between clenched teeth. "But I don't think anything is actually broken. The best for you is to rest."

He patted Merlin lightly on his right shoulder before turning around. A few seconds later and the warlock was covered with a thick, warm blanket. It was only then he realized that he was, in fact, freezing.

"Thank you." He said softly, feeling drowsy.

"You're welcome."

"Wait. How long have I been unconscious?" Merlin suddenly asked, shaking his tiredness away.

"I don't know. A few hour maybe…"

"I can't stay here!" The servant said, trying to push himself up, remembering that he hadn't been alone. "My… My friends must be looking for me."

Teighan simply put his hand once more on Merlin's shoulder, stopping the man's feeble attempts.

"Stay down Merlin. It's too late to try and find them today and you need rest. You'll do no one any good if you collapse after two paces."

"But…"

"No buts. You rest for now and I promise you that tomorrow we'll look for them."

Merlin still hesitated. He knew how worried Arthur and the knights will be. But, in the end, his body choose for him and his eyes closed. Without even noticing, he fell asleep.

Meanwhile, in Camelot, Gwen had been working on the preparations for the harvest festival next month when a knock came at the door. She hadn't been waiting for anyone in particular but still bid the person entry.

She felt surprised to see his brother enter the room, grim faced.

"Elyan? " She asked, her heart beginning to beat faster as worry wormed its path in her mind. "I thought you were on the patrol…"

"I was." He answered, his voice sounding rough.

He came to sit down on the chair next to her, taking her hand. The queen swallowed. She had never seen her brother like that. She wanted to ask what was wrong but the words refused to leave her mouth. Maybe she didn't really want to know.

"Gwen." He began again after swallowing a few times, eyes shining in the candle light. "Something happened while we were away…."

"Is it Arthur? Is he okay?" She interrupted him.

"No, no, Arthur is… Fine. But… Merlin… He… He fell down a cliff and into a river… I'm sorry, Gwen… He couldn't have survived that..."

The queen blinked. The words not quite having meaning.

"I… I don't understand…" She whispered, her voice already rough with the tears that were filling her eyes.

"Merlin is dead, Gwen. I'm sorry." Elyan gripped her hand as her tears began falling.

"No. You must be wrong. It's… It's Merlin… He'll… He'll come back. He always does."

The look in Elyan's eyes clearly showed the impossibility of any miracle. She began sobbing and he got up to hug her tightly, shushing her softly and rubbing her back.

She cried for so long that she felt exhausted by the end of it.

"Come on." Elyan said, gently tugging her up. "It's getting late. You should try to get some sleep."

Gwen nodded but felt numb. How was it possible that she wouldn't see Merlin ever again? She could still perfectly picture his smile when he had run after Arthur that morning because he was late. She couldn't imagine a life where that smile wouldn't be present anymore. Merlin was a flame that burn in all his friends' heart and she couldn't believe that it had gone out. Just like that. In a single second.

She let Elyan guide her to the bed and lied down. Her brother bent down and kissed her forehead before leaving her.

She stayed unmoving, listening to the dull sounds of the castle settling down for the night. She couldn't stop silent tears from running down her face.

A little while later, she heard the door open and close silently. The rustle of metal told her it was Arthur. She didn't move. She wasn't sure what to say to him.

When he finally settled down next to her, she just turned towards him and snuggled into his warmth and embrace, comforting him just as she was seeking his comfort.

They were awake for a long time before Gwen felt sleep snatch her.

The next morning she wasn't surprised to find herself alone with her maid silently cleaning the room, breakfast waiting on the table.

"Good morning Sofia." She greeted softly, pushing herself up, feeling heavy with grief. She wouldn't see Merlin today. She wouldn't see him the next day either, nor ever again.

"Good morning my lady."

"Can you send someone from the kitchen with some food for the king? He should be in the council room."

"Of course." The maid bowed quickly and left Gwen alone.

The queen sat down at the table and picked absently at the food there, eating slowly. Her maid came back after some time and proposed to help her get dressed. Gwen sighed inwardly and instructed her to take out a black dress.

Sofia looked surprised but didn't comment, just like a well-trained servant. Nothing like what Merlin would have done. Merlin would have asked and asked and asked again until she told him what was wrong with her.

She felt tears rise again but forced herself to stop them. She couldn't be weak like that. Merlin definitely wouldn't have wanted that. She breathed deeply and decided she should check herself on Arthur. He needed her support.

The next time Merlin woke, it was peacefully. His eyes blinked lazily and he took long seconds before he focused on the dark sky above him. He noticed that part of it was beginning to lighten so he guessed they were nearing dawn.

He shifted carefully, unwilling to disturb his still quiet injuries, and looked around him. He saw the reflection of the moon in the river at his left and a fire was burning lowly at his right. Behind it, the servant saw the form of the sleeping Teighan.

Still very carefully he began pushing himself into a sitting position. Movement was complicated by his still bound left arm and protesting bruises but he managed. However, he had to keep the cover grasped around him as he still felt chilled.

For the next hour or so, he observed the sky changing color as the sun prepared to rise. He was wondering when he should wake his companion. He was anxious to depart for Camelot as soon as possible as he knew they were pretty far, especially as they were on foot.

The decision was made for him when, just as the first orange streaks began appearing in the sky, Teighan began shifting.

A few more minutes of patience and Merlin was rewarded with his companion rising, lazily watching around him until his eyes found the warlock.

"Oh! You're already awake! How are you feeling?"

Merlin noticed that he had to clear his throat several time before he managed to speak in a slightly gravelly voice.

"Good enough I guess." And then he coughed wetly.

Teighan hummed, unimpressed with Merlin obvious underestimation.

"I suppose you want to search for your friends?"

Merlin nodded.

"Fine. But first I'll make some breakfast. Where should we be heading for?

"Camelot."

Teighan nodded, a weird expression on his face that the warlock couldn't analyze.

After some fruit and tea, the older man quickly cleaned the improvised camp before leaning down to slowly help Merlin to his feet.

After having spent so long lying down or sitting, Merlin found himself wobbly, hissing under his breath as his bruises pulled painfully. He also noticed that his left ankle twinge unhappily when he put weight on it.

"Lean on me." Teighan instructed, stepping next to him, arm extended to help Merlin.

"Thanks." The warlock said gratefully.

And so they began their walk toward Camelot's castle. The journey was spent mostly in silence, as they focused on walking to avoid jostling Merlin's injuries too much.

However, they stopped frequently to rest and drink and during those times, they talked a bit, Merlin telling the man about his work and learning that his companion was a poet that wanted to explore the world.

Merlin was amazed, remembering the few times when such travelers passed through Ealdor.

"You should definitely stay at Camelot for a while! You'll see it's majestic there!"

The man only smiled softly.

"Come on, we're not too far anymore, maybe we can make it before noon."

Merlin nodded and grunted as Teighan helped him up.

They followed the river and Merlin realized that he was beginning to recognize his surroundings as a place where Arthur liked to go when he needed to think alone for a bit. So, really, he shouldn't have been that surprised when he saw none other than the king sitting in the clearing they entered.

Merlin saw his muscles tense underneath his shirt as he got up and walked two steps towards the pair before stopping, frozen, face white as if he had seen a ghost.

"Arthur!" He cried out, hoping to shake the king out of his trance as they kept on limp-walking on the soft grass.

"Arthur?" He repeated, beginning to worry that something was wrong with his friend.

He was even more convinced that something was actually very wrong when the king took out his sword to point at him and Teighan, his eyes dark and angry.

For a moment, Merlin had a vision of the same thing happening if he revealed his magic and he shivered.

"Who are you?" Arthur asked, voice low and dangerous.

Merlin frowned confusedly. He hadn't been away that long, hasn't he? Did Arthur already forget him? Had he been enchanted in the day he hadn't been around? That would certainly be his luck!

"It's me Arthur… Merlin… Don't you… Remember me?" He finally asked softly, feeling strangely sad at the thought. Was he really so unimportant?

"You can't be Merlin. Merlin fell into a river to save me and no one could have survived this fall. So I ask you again, who are you?"

Merlin fought not to let his jaw drop. Arthur was sure he had died!

"Arthur, I swear it's me! Yes, I fell in the river but this man found me and saved me!" He hurried to explain.

"It's true Sire. I found Merlin in the river and pulled him out before he could drown. He was injured but I treated him as best as I could and then we set out for Camelot as he insisted he had to get back there as quickly as possible." Teighan added.

Merlin sent him a grateful look even if he had very well heard the man's disapproval at his decision to travel before having rested more. He then turned towards Arthur. He saw that the king was still conflicted.

"Oh come on Arthur! Stop being such a cabbage and stop pointing that sword at me! This is getting ridiculous!"

Instantly, Merlin regretted his outburst but he was tired and hurting and his best friend refused to believe that he wasn't dead despite him standing right in front of him. His words, however, seemed to have an effect on Arthur as the pointy steal finally lowered.

"Merlin? This is really you?" He asked, sounding strangely emotional.

"Of course, you clotpole, who else?" Merlin smiled.

The Warlock didn't have more time to think before he found himself grabbed in one of the tightest hugs he ever received.

"Oh god Merlin! I thought you were dead! Never do that to me again!" Arthur ordered still clutching Merlin, right on his bruises and recently dislocated shoulder.

"Ow Arthur!" He struggled to say. "I promise but could you please let go, you're hurting my arm."

"What? Oh! Of course yes!" Arthur stepped back quickly, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks. "What happened?"

"Dislocated shoulder and some nasty bruises but he should be fine, if he takes it easy for a few days." Teighan said before Merlin had the time to claim he was fine.

"Thank you for patching him up." Arthur said, keeping an arm round his friend's back to support him. "Come back with us in Camelot and you will be rewarded!"

"Oh no my Lord, I couldn't accept any reward. I just did what I had to. In fact, I'll take my leave now that Merlin is in good hands." Teighan bowed and turned towards the black haired, smiling softly at him. "Take care Merlin. Goodbye."

"Goodbye Teighan." Merlin answered with a grateful nod.

They watched as the man walked away, quickly disappearing between trees. Arthur clapped gently on Merlin's unharmed shoulder.

"Come on my friend. Time to go back to Camelot and give everyone else a heart attack."

Merlin suddenly felt guilty for what he put his friends through. They all thought him dead. He could only imagine how he would feel if something like that happened to any of them.

"I'm sorry Arthur." He said softly after a few minutes walking.

"What for?"

"I know you felt terrible for what happened. I didn't want you to go through that."

For the corner of his eye Merlin saw his friend look down, eyes shadowed.

"Yeah… Well… I'm just glad you're alright my friend. And I learned a valuable lesson."

Merlin lifted a skeptical eyebrow at him, making Arthur sighed before explaining himself.

"You're the best friend I have and I couldn't bear to lose you."

Merlin stopped in his limping forcing Arthur to follow his example, avoiding his gaze. The secret warlock just stared at the king. He would never have even hoped to hear that. He was totally speechless and yet he felt he should say something. Because Arthur meant the world for him. Not only because of his destiny but because he was a great and honorable man that deserved trust, friendship and love.

"You're my best friend too." Merlin finally answered, voice rough with more than the lingering effect of his dip in a freezing river.

Arthur stared at him for a moment before shaking his head and forcing Merlin to move again.

The rest of the walk was spent in a comfortable silence as Arthur helped Merlin to limp towards their beloved castle.

Back in Camelot, Gwen watched as Gaius brewed another new batch of potion. He had been doing that for the last two hours. She knew it because she had been helping him, ignoring the fact that she was the queen.

She understood this was his way with coping with Merlin's…. Disappearance but she was worried. It was clear the old man hadn't slept all night. He was so pale he looked grey. She could see how much his hands were shaking even if he tried his best to hide it by always keeping busy.

She had spent the whole time wondering what she could say to him but her mind stayed blank. Nothing she could say could make his pain better. Merlin had been like a son to him. In everything but blood.

"Gaius." She finally said, interrupting the physician in his mindless stirring by taking his wrinkled hands in hers.

"I will have to write a letter to his mother." He whispered, almost as if talking to himself.

Gwen's heart squeezed so hard it hurt. She hadn't thought about that. Hunith. How could she survive such news? Merlin was her only son. She couldn't imagine the pain she would go through. The queen almost cried again and saw how the man in front of her was also fighting tears.

She stepped forward and put her arms around him, hugging him as tightly as she could, feeling him do the same.

"I don't know what I'm going to do without him Gwen." Gaius admitted after stepping back, sitting down heavily on the wooden stool behind him, rubbing his face tiredly.

Gwen sighed and sat down herself.

"I know, Gaius. Trust me, I know. I'm not sure either." She paused for a moment, her eyes falling on the open door that lead to her best friend's bedroom. "What I'm sure, however, is that Merlin wouldn't have wanted us to grief forever. He would want us to go on with our lives. To keep on making Camelot a better place to live in."

Gaius half-smiled.

"You're right. He always had been too selfless for his own good."

It took then more than an hour to finally reach their destination and by that time Merlin felt exhausted. Exhausted and hurt.

Despite their very slow pace, his ankle, hip and shoulder were throbbing, sending flares of pain along his nerves. He had refused, however, to ask for a break as he wanted to get back to his other friends as soon as possible to show them he wasn't dead.

When they finally began traversing the lower town, some people stopped what they were doing to stare at them. It's true they must look like quite a pair. The King of Camelot half-dragging his limping, injured and supposedly dead servant.

Maybe they thought he was some kind of ghost. The thought almost made him laugh.

Climbing up the stairs proved itself to be a whole new struggle. His hips felt too stiff to move the way they were meant to in order to pass from one step to the next and that was without mentioning his ankle which was threatening to collapse if he put his whole weight on it. The result was he was already panting at the first landing. And the panted irritated his already unhappy throat, making him cough.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked, sounding worried.

Not yet having his breathe back, Merlin just waved his hand to indicate that he was just fine. Arthur just watched him, shaking his head as he waited for Merlin's lungs to cooperate.

It took long minutes and many more stops but finally both men arrived in front of the physician's doors. Arthur politely knocked and waited for an answer. It came with the door opening, revealing none other than the queen.

Her eyes almost immediately fell on Merlin and widened before she gasped and threw herself at him.

"Oh my god Merlin!" She cried out, squeezing almost as strongly as her husband had, making the young man stagger with a soft grunt that went unheard as Gwen began sobbing on his shoulder.

Thankfully, Arthur proved himself observant and gently steered his wife away from the servant. Merlin thanked him with a nod and when he looked back in the room he saw Gaius staring at him with the same stunned expression he had seen on Arthur's face a few hours ago.

"Merlin?" He breathed, his voice wobbly.

Merlin had never heard or seen his mentor so shaken, so he forced himself to take the few steps needed to stop in front of him.

"Hello." He said and the older man took his turn to hug the warlock, admittedly with more care to his obvious injuries than the other.

"My boy!" He whispered to his ward. "This time I really believed it was the end. Never do that to me again!"

The effect of the scolding was lost by the watery thickness of his voice. Merlin clutched the old man with his valid arm as guilt engulfed him. He had never seen Gaius cry before.

"I'm sorry Gaius. I didn't mean to disappear like that!"

They stayed for a long time like that, both basking in the warm feeling that came with the fact that they were together. Alive. Gaius finally cleared his throat, taking a step back.

"Looks like you didn't come back entirely unscathed though?" He teased.

Merlin looked down at himself with a small smile and shrugged with his right shoulder.

"Well sit down on the patient bed so I can have a look at you and see myself how bad it is."

Merlin obeyed without even considering arguing, he was honestly exhausted and really relieved to be able to get off his feet.

"We'd better go inform the others." Arthur suggested and forced Gwen to follow him with a hand on his arm.

"I'll come by later." She said before leaving, still looking a bit shocked but also very happy by Merlin's return.

Once alone, Gaius helped his ward slowly take off his shirt and took a very long time prodding at him, verifying that no bones had been broken and that his bruises weren't life threatening before applying healing salves. He then spent much time on his ward's left shoulder before nodding to himself and rebinding the articulation.

"Well, it looks like this Teighan knew what he was doing." He judged, turning back to his shelves to find a painkiller. "Here, take this and then you're going to lie down and rest."

Once more, Merlin didn't even think about protesting and drowned the foul potion, washing the taste away with a cup of water. The herbs seemed to work very quickly as he could almost instantly feel warm numbness spread through his tired limbs.

He let himself fall down gently back onto the bed, his eyes automatically closing as his muscles relaxed. He felt a thick blanket being draped over him and hummed, opening one eye.

"I mean it though, Gaius, I'm really sorry for upsetting you." He mumbled, already half-asleep but needing to apologize again.

"I know, my boy, I know. Now sleep." Gaius said gently, letting his hand soothe back Merlin's dirty dark locks in a fatherly way that made Merlin smile before he fell asleep.

And even after that, the older man stayed for a long time near his ward, enjoying the fact that Merlin was alive, even if he was battered and bruised. He definitely never wanted to live again in a world without the warlock.

Those hours had been so dark and sad. Gaius had never felt so much pain. Not even when he had to let Alice flee Camelot. He sighed. He had never expected his old days to be so eventful. Yet, he wouldn't change it for the world.

Happy? You liked it? Leave a little comment if you want (it seems to have a magical effect on thos plot bunnies of mine).