My Comfortember 2022 contribution for the prompt : A Quiet Moment.
I'm sorry for the mistakes, English is not my native language. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer : Merlin belongs to Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy.
A Quiet Moment
Merlin strode along the halls of the castle, worried. He could not find Arthur. After blowing into the horn to return Uther's spirit to the afterlife, Arthur left without saying a word. After all that had happened, Merlin could not imagine how Arthur might feel. If he were him, if his father had told him how disappointed he was and that he had tried to kill him, he would be at his worst. Arthur should not be left alone, Merlin thought.
He opened the doors of the great hall where the Round Table was. Arthur was there. He stood with his back to him and he was in front of the table. Merlin thought he was foolish for not immediately thinking he was here. After all, the Round Table was the symbol of change. Arthur's reign had begun around this table. It was normal that the king wanted to take refuge in this place. Merlin approached him.
"Arthur," he said quietly, almost in a whisper.
"What do you want Merlin ?"
Arthur had not turned, preventing Merlin from seeing his face, but he could hear the turmoil in his voice. After all these years spent with him, he knew all his tones by heart. When he was annoyed or angry, Merlin had often bored the brunt of that anger. When he was happy or when he was sad. Merlin stood next to him.
"I came to see how you were doing."
Arthur's gaze was fixed on the Round Table.
"I needed a quiet moment for myself."
Arthur took a deep breath before speaking :
"I will never be the king my father wanted me to be. I tried. But I realized a long time ago that I'm not him and that I will never be. And I don't regret any of the decisions I made since I've been king. But even so, to hear him saying that he disapproved of my choices and how disappointed he was in me..."
He stopped talking for a few seconds before adding :
"And when I blew the horn, it was like killing him a second time."
Merlin said nothing. He knew Arthur did not need reassurance or comfort. He needed to talk and he would be there to listen. He put his hand on his shoulder, showing him that he was there for him in this adversity and that he would always be there. Arthur put his hand over his and squeezed it. They remained silent. It was a comforting silence where only the presence of the other was enough. Merlin could not tell how long their hands had been linked, but what mattered to him was giving Arthur all the strength he needed to keep moving forward.
The end