Until the Last Breath Leaves My Body

by Camelotpointe

A collection of short stories about the characters of 'Merlin'. Includes friendship, drama, comedy and more! Chapters 50 - 53: Too Much to Bear - Merlin is overwhelmed and struggling to cope with the weight of his responsibilities and the secrets he is forced to keep. Gwaine and Arthur are worried about their friend and try their best to help.

1. Until the Last Breath Leaves My Body

Until The Last Breath Leaves My Body

Hello! Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I have a lot of oneshots/ drabbles which I have written over the years so I should hopefully be able to update this fairly regularly. This collection will contain a variety of genres, including Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Drama, and even a bit of Comedy. I hope you enjoy reading!

This chapter is set in Season 5, when Arthur is King.

Disclaimer: The television show 'Merlin' does not belong to me, nor do any of the characters.

…

"I need a servant I can trust."

Merlin stared at him, completely floored. After all this time, all of the years he had served him, did Arthur still not trust him? He opened his mouth to argue, to prove to Arthur that he could be trusted, but the King held up his hand for silence.

"I know I can trust you, Merlin." The servant gave an internal sigh of relief, but Arthur was still speaking, his sky-blue eyes fixated on Merlin's own.

"I also need a servant who can trust me."

Merlin tried to look away, but Arthur's eyes bored into his own, staring into the depths of his soul. He had room for only one thought in his head. Arthur knew.

He wrenched his gaze away, frantically searching through his scattered thoughts for a plausible explanation – anything to keep him from being killed. He licked his dry lips, then swallowed.

"I…" He paused, peeking up into Arthur's face. The King watched him sombrely, a wary expression clouding his features, and Merlin's eyes flicked to the ground once more.

"Arthur, everything I've done…" He looked into his friend's face, his expression completely open for the first time in years. "It's all been for you." The King's eyes were filled with sadness and regret.

"Why, Merlin? Why practise magic?" Merlin looked into the face of the man who was like a brother to him, the man he had saved countless times, and repeated the words he had spoken to Arthur's father and uncle, the words that he would continue to speak because there was no other explanation he could give.

"I was born with it!" The words burst out of him, all the built-up pain and suffering of the past ten years overflowing as his cobalt eyes filled with tears.

"I was born with it", he repeated quietly. "I didn't choose it. I can't change who I am. But I have always protected you, Arthur. And I always will." The King was looking down, but Merlin caught him under the chin, forcing him to see the truth in his eyes.

"Until the last breath leaves my body."

….

Hope you liked this! Please leave me a review if you have time and let me know what you thought. I am also open to prompts, so let me know if you have an idea you would like me to write about and I will see what I can do!

Camelotpointe