"I was dying."

This one is quite long compared to the others in this collection. It is based off of 'The Tears of Uther Pendragon – Part 2' and the conversation Merlin and Arthur have when Merlin gets back to Camelot after being stung by a Serket. Some of the dialogue is taken from the episode.

Disclaimer: The television show 'Merlin', the episode 'The Tears of Uther Pendragon' and the characters from the show below to the BBC, not to me.

….

"What if I was dying?" he asked.

"I wouldn't be complaining!" the prince exclaimed angrily. "But you're not, so what's your excuse?"

"I was dying", Merlin said honestly. He didn't suppose Arthur would believe him – if his servant had been dying Arthur would expect to have heard about it from Gaius, and Merlin knew that the physician hadn't told the prince anything about where he had been or why he had gone. But Arthur could tell when his friend was telling the truth, and Merlin's face had been completely open.

"What?" The prince demanded. Merlin looked up, surprised.

"You believe me?" he asked.

"Sadly your lack of wit has educated me of the possibility that you could do something stupid and get yourself killed", Arthur said drily. "Yes, I believe you." There was a pause. "So", the prince said, attempting to keep his expression neutral, "what happened?"

Merlin paused, unsure of how much he should tell Arthur. Morgana was like a sister to the prince, and although he was not as blind to her faults as Uther was, he would not accept that somebody he trusted so completely could be conspiring against him.

"I was in the forest", he began.

"Why?" Arthur interrupted immediately.

"I followed someone", Merlin admitted, hoping that his friend wouldn't ask who. It would be much easier if his attackers could remain anonymous, as he was certain that Arthur would not take kindly to his news that Morgana had betrayed them.

"Who?" the prince asked. Merlin didn't reply.

"Merlin", Arthur said warningly. Merlin bit his lip, looking down at the floor.

"The Lady Morgana", he admitted quietly. Arthur cuffed his servant around the neck.

"Merlin, what have I told you about Morgana?" he asked. "My father would have your head if he knew you were courting her!"

"What – I – Arthur, I'm not courting Morgana!" Merlin insisted, shocked at how the prince could have come to this conclusion. "I followed her because I saw her sneaking out of the castle. I saw Morgause." Arthur froze at the mention of the enchantress who had tried to make him kill his own father.

"Morgana called her 'sister'", Merlin added. "Arthur, they are the ones responsible for your father's sickness! They enchanted a mandrake root and placed it under his bed. It is the cause of his visions!" Arthur remained silent, his thoughts swirling meaninglessly.

"On what grounds do you base these accusations?" he asked finally, his voice hollow.

"Arthur, I saw them", Merlin said, leaning forwards imploringly. "The mandrake root was under your father's bed; Gaius and I found and destroyed it." Arthur shook his head, still shocked.

"She's always been like a sister to me", he mused quietly. He took a deep breath, then looked up at Merlin. "My father has recovered, then?" he asked. He was careful to keep his tone expressionless, but Merlin could see the hope in his eyes. Arthur was becoming wiser, more mature, and he would be a great King someday but Merlin knew that now the prince needed his father. He needed Uther to be well again so that he had somebody to rely upon, and didn't have to carry the burden of running a kingdom and preparing for a siege.

"He will recover", Merlin said gently. "For now, Gaius says that he needs to rest. The enchantment is broken but he may still suffer after-effects for some days." Arthur nodded.

"Thank you, Merlin", he said, a clear dismissal. Merlin nodded and turned to leave.

"Merlin", Arthur said. The servant turned back, a questioning look on his face.

"Are you alright?" the prince asked. Merlin's mouth spread into a grin.

"I'm fine", he answered.

"You said you were dying", Arthur pressed. Merlin's smile disappeared. Arthur swallowed. "Did Morgana do that to you?" he asked. The two men stared at each other for a long moment.

"It was Morgause", Merlin said finally. "Morgana knew that I was following her, and they bound me with chains."

"They tried to kill you?" Arthur asked.

"The forest was crawling with Serkets", Merlin replied dully. "They left me for them to finish off." Arthur could not disguise his horror. He had never seen the beasts, but he had heard stories about them and his father had warned him never to attempt conflict with one of the creatures. Their main offensive weapon was a huge sting coated in deadly poison, and he didn't know what other powers they possessed.

"How did you escape?" the prince asked, fully aware of the fact that this time Merlin was the one who had faced a dangerous beast and lived to tell the tale. Merlin blinked.

"I don't know", he replied, trying to stay close to the truth without revealing his dragon lord heritage. "I was stung by one of the Serkets and… I passed out… and when I woke up I was in the forest near Camelot. Someone had helped me, but I don't know who it could have been."

"A Druid, perhaps?" the prince suggested curiously. Merlin shrugged.

"Possibly. I felt better, so I got up and walked back."

"Completely healed?" Arthur asked incredulously.

"Well…" Merlin trailed off, his thoughts travelling to the aching pain which he could still feel in his shoulder. "Pretty much", he said eventually. Arthur nodded, pensive. Merlin stood awkwardly, waiting for the prince to say something. When he didn't the servant cautiously turned, gathering up some of the clothing strewn across the dirty floorboards and moving towards the door.

"Merlin", Arthur called after him. He turned back, a questioning glance shaping his pale features. "Take some time off", Arthur told him. "Go get some rest." The servant hesitated for a moment, surprised at the prince's offer, then nodded, a smile growing over his tired face.

"Thank you, Arthur."

…

When I watched the episode, I wondered what would happen if Arthur actually believed Merlin when the servant said that he had been dying. I thought about it, and this story was born. Please let me know what you thought of it.