Always By Your Side

"Where's Merlin?"

The words rang out over the courtyard of the wasted city. Since it was difficult to see, Arthur swatted a hand in front of his face to clear the air of dust.

"Isn't he with you?"

Percival's voice came to Arthur out of the fog before his face.

Arthur scowled. "He was. Blasted idiot ran off in the middle of it." Although he was glad that Merlin had gotten out of the situation before he injured himself, he was also irritated that Merlin had disappeared to who knows where.

"Leon!" Percival called as the named knight approached them. "Have you seen Merlin?"

"Merlin?" Leon cocked his head to the side. "Wasn't he with Arthur?"

"For the love of," Arthur growled, turning to the side to use the cape of a barbarian to wipe the blood off his sword before sheathing it. "Someone find Merlin, for crying out loud." Leave it to Merlin to get lost in a city.

"Ahoy!" Gwaine called.

Now that the skirmish was over, the dust was settling down, and it was easier to see who was who - and the debris lying everywhere.

Arthur was only glad that most of the dead belonged to the barbarians instead of Camelot.

"Gwaine." Approaching him, Arthur clapped him on the shoulder. "Have you seen Merlin?"

Gwaine frowned. "Aren't you glad to see me alive, princess?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Yes, it's good that no one managed to land a blow on the island you call your stomach. Now. Have you seen Merlin?"

Gwaine jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "I was busy fending for my life against two of these big, burly brutes, but I thought I saw him running that way."

A thought crossed Arthur's mind about Merlin being such a girl, but there were other things for him to be concerned about.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Arthur asked, irritated. "Don't just stand around, go find him!"

Why was Gwaine prattling on when Merlin was still missing?

Gwaine shot him a look that Arthur was too busy to interpret before cupping his hands around his mouth and yelling, "Merlin!"

Oh. Arthur had not considered that as an option.

With the other knights, he took up the call. After one minute, they fell silent.

Nothing.

Arthur strode towards the nearest building. If he had to, he would go through every single blasted one to find Merlin.

Without an order, the rest of the knights followed his lead. Everyone once in a while, a stray "Merlin!" echoed throughout the city.

As their search continued, the townspeople emerged from their homes and hiding places to watch.

Arthur overheard Gwaine asking several, "Have you seen a tall fellow, really skinny, black hair and big ears?"

For saving their sorry hides, they were sure being uncooperative.

"Prince Arthur!

At the sound of Elyan's voice, Arthur whipped around.

Something was off about it - an emotion in it was thinly disguised.

He saw the slightly larger outline of Leon making its way down the street, carrying something in his arms.

A tall figure, really skinny, with black hair and big ears.

Relief washed over Arthur. Merlin was fine. It was just like his stupid, idiotic, good-for-nothing manservant-

"No!" Gwaine howled.

No, Arthur thought. Nothing was wrong. Merlin always made it out of difficult situations - he had more lives than a ruddy cat, there was no way-

Leon's head was bowed.

"No," he whispered as horror gripped him. "No, no, no!"

He turned and slammed his fist into the nearest wall.

Behind him, he heard Gwaine say, "Merlin, mate, come on, open your eyes. It's just a flesh wound."

"Gwaine, he's head," Percival whispered quietly, his voice cracking at the end.

Just a flesh wound.

Arthur closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against the wall. Merlin was always by his side, getting into trouble - he just didn't understand-

He could not look.

He would not look.

He would not see Merlin dead.