Merlin sat on the log by the lake he had been on earlier that afternoon. Arthur was hiding behind a bush down the river with Liz snoring next to him. For the plan to work everything would have to be as quiet as a normal 3 o'clock in the morning for a small village.
"So, ready to be killed, Warlock?" A voice broke the silence loudly.
Liz suddenly opened her eyes, very alert at Andrews words and she looked at Arthur, searching his face for confusion, angry, sorrow but instead, she saw a small smile grow on his face, and she realized how much the two cared for each other and how much Arthur really accepted Merlin, all of Merlin.
"And are you ready for me to kill you for using my mother?" Anger laced his words and Merlin used no attempt to keep is rage or magic under control. Merlin picked himself off the log and glared the warlock.
"How do you plan to do such a thing?" Andrew laughed mockingly.
Merlin pointed his arm at Andrew and enchanted a spell. His eyes flashed gold and a lightning bolt shot out of his hands and charged at Andrew.
The warlock stepped to the side and the lightning bolt missed him by mere inches, but that didn't seem to faze Andrew all he did was chuckle and looked at Merlin, amusement playing on his features. "Is that the best you can do?"
Merlin glanced over to the bush where Arthur was. He knew that the prince must have seen the magic he had casted, and knew he'd have to explain himself. He knew that it meant permanent banishment… or worse.
What he wasn't expecting was for Arthur to run out from the bush and stand in front of protectively and this is precisely what Arthur did.
Arthur screamed, his arms up in protection.
"You can't have him! If you want him, you'll have to go through me." Arthur drew his sword.
"That can be arranged." Andrew grinned, his tone clearly indicating that he'd take great pride in murdering both of them. He casted a spell that lit his hand with fire and the fireball was sent towards Arthur with great speed.
The prince seemed paralyzed, his eyes widening as the flames approached him quickly. Merlin pushed Arthur out of the way of the fireball and fell to the ground as the fireball struck him. His body made a harsh thump as it hit the ground.
Arthur threw his sword at the distracted warlock. Andrew gasped as the sword pierced his chest; the end of the sword could be seen poking through his back. He fell to the ground, catching himself weakly with his hands. "I'm not the only one who wanted Merlin dead," he jeered weakly, "I'm sad to see this world not turn to darkness in my lifetime. I'll leave that to my brothers…" The warlock's arms crumpled and he fell silent.
Arthur's attention turned to where Merlin lay on the ground. Liz was already at his side trying to wake him. She had seen the whole thing, she was sobbing by his side. She had just found and lost her best friend again in the last 24 hours.
Arthur stumbled towards Merlin and grabbed his head, resting it on his lap. He checked the boy's pulse and shook his head. "Merlin, you idiot!" He shouted. "I was supposed to get hit! I loved you!" Arthur hugged the lifeless body against him. "Merlin…" he said in a choked whisper.
Merlin's mother came running out of the house once she heard Arthur's cries. She fell on her knees beside her son and cried. Gaius knelt next to Andrew's body, seeing the original face of Andrew that haunted his dreams. Gaius swore.
"Curse Lawson." Arthur pushed Merlin's body gently off him and kissed his cheek softly. He stood up and ran off into the wilderness not paying particular attention to where he was going.