NO Price Too High
(1)
His hands shook and his knees buckled but strangely he remained standing, heart steady and regret-free.
His eyes remained glued to the spot where the man he just killed lay in a burned heap. Satisfied the sorcerer was indeed dead and therefore of no more threat, he finally allowed his eyes to leave his victim. Slowly, he turned and faced the prince of Camelot… his friend.
Arthur was still on the ground, still bleeding and still very conscious. His eyes, wide with disbelief and some other emotion Merlin didn't even want to identify, were fixed on him.
Long and unbearable silence enveloped them. Merlin watched as Arthur's face changed from emotion to emotion. Unable to stand the silence nor the accusing stares of his friend, Merlin wet his lips and spoke carefully, "Arthur…"
Words seemed to abandon him all of a sudden and he faltered.
Arthur's eyes deep, piercing and painfully judging bore deep into his soul. Merlin spoke again, "Arthur, I…" but again he could not continue. Hell, what was wrong with him?! He knew this day would come; in fact, he came here ready to expose himself to save Arthur. Why is he being such a coward?!
All thoughts of himself vanished in an instant as he watched Arthur's eyes suddenly roll-up into his head and his body stagger back.
"Arthur!!" With panic, he rushed to his friend's side.
Supporting the prince's body with his, he demanded, "Let me see!" Without waiting for permission, Merlin began to tear the bloody material away and expose Arthur's wound. The injury seemed bad – oozing blood and dirt heavily. What scared Merlin more than anything was Arthur's shallow and labored breathing.
He shook him urgently, "Arthur, open your eyes!"
Arthur's eyes fluttered and he managed with effort to keep them open. He stared at Merlin with eyes glazed with pain.
"You're going to be okay." And without a second thought, he held his hand above Arthur's wound and began chanting what he hoped was the right spell. Arthur thrashed and shook and tried to weakly pry himself from Merlin's grip, but Merlin held him down with ease. By the time he finished chanting the spell, Arthur's breathing seemed to improve, and so did his strength. Merlin did not expect Arthur's sudden shove nor did he expect him to be able to stand on his own feet so quickly.
"I get it you're feeling better!"
"You idiot!" But Arthur's furious remark was accompanied by a troubled stare toward the group of men surrounding them. Merlin seemed to suddenly come aware of his surrounding and of the fact that the entire army had witnessed his use of magic. This time he was not surprised to see all weapons being pointed at him.
He looked up at Arthur who returned his look. The young wizard, however, was unable to read the look masking his friend's ashen face.
TBC.