Arthur's grip on Merlin's wrist tightened to the point where he knew there would be finger shaped bruises appearing there shortly. Rage, confusion and fear shot through their bond, burning into Merlin's mind. "You did that." Arthur repeated, out loud this time.

"Arthur-" Merlin started, but Arthur cut him off.

"You did this." he insisted, motioning to the storm of arrows that had pierced the ground and bodies of fallen men around them. A perfect circle of the ground was untouched by arrows directly surrounding Merlin and Arthur. In his confusion and hast, Merlin had forgotten to shield others fighting for Camelot from the overhead attack. Men scattered the field, freshly killed by the very assault that Merlin had saved them from. This observation only fueled Arthur's rage.

"You have magic." Arthur said flatly. He didn't need to say anything at all, the bond they shared told it all.

Merlin tried to show him everything, to make him understand, but Arthur yanked his hand back. "Don't." Arthur spat, "Just... don't." he said.

Merlin didn't need the bond to feel the rage of his King. He flinched away from his burning gaze. Around them, the battle raged on. Shouting and the vibration in the ground from the pounding of thousands of feet reminded them of the dangers they still faced.

"Please Arthur, you've got to listen to me." Merlin said, making to grab his King's hand, but Arthur stepped out of reach.

"Go." Arthur said.

Merlin felt as if he'd been kicked. He'd been so sure he'd be able to make Arthur see someday that not all magic was evil, especially now with the bond between them. Blythe had promised it would help them.

"Go!" Arthur repeated.

"Where?" Merlin asked miserably.

"Deliver the message to the others, and if you were smart, you won't come back." Arthur told him, his face void of expression. "People go missing during a battle all the time. Slip away, because if you come back..." He wasn't able to finish the threat. He looked sad if anything.

Merlin swallowed and after a moment, nodded slowly.

Someone called for the King, and Arthur made to go to him. He took one last look at Merlin, then walked off in the direction of the battle.

Merlin felt like he was in a trance. He swayed slowly, then turned and ran. He didn't even look back, just directed his sprint towards of the second battle. There was no doubt in his mind what he had to do.

Even when his lungs felt as if they would burst, he continued to race towards the sounds of clashing metal, wielding Gwaine's heavy sword in his hand. Merlin found Elyan and some other knights at the back of the fighting, leaning over some maps.

Elyan greeted him pleasantly, but the smile slid from his face when he saw Merlin's expression. "What is it Merlin?" he asked, his eyes filled with worry. "Is it Gwen?"

Merlin shook his head then leaned over, gripping his injured ribs and catching his breath. As soon as he could, he righted himself and relayed Arthur's message about the fighting on the other side of the city.

Elyan cursed and he and the other knights immediately set to work at finding and regrouping the men and marching them in the direction of the main gate.

"What about the fighting here?" Merlin asked, still panting from his run.

"We'll leave some men here, but this battle is nearly won." Elyan said.

Merlin nodded. "I need a horse." he said. He couldn't make the run again. He also needed to make a quick stop.

Elyan nodded and pointed to some horses, which were tied to a post.

Merlin nodded, wished him luck and ran off. He untied one of the younger, slimmer looking horses and climbed onto it. He gave it a kick and the two of them shot off. Behind him, Elyan continued to group together and send off reinforcements.

Merlin pushed the horse to go as fast as it could in the direction of the medical tent. Once there, he jumped down and hastily tied the animal before rushing into the tent.

Once inside, it was easy to spot Gaius as he rushed around tending to people. He smiled to himself and went over to Gwen. She too was busy with people, a look of relief passing over her face when she saw him. "Thank goodness you're back, we really need the help." she said, smiling slightly as she knelt before a bloody soldier, applying pressure on a gaping wound on his leg.

Merlin shook his head. "The fighting is still going on." he told her, "I'm going to help, but I need you to do something for me first."

Gwen look at him wearily. "Merlin, you are still injured yourself, you shouldn't be going out there again."

"I have to." Merlin said.

Gwen just pressed her lips into a thin line, but didn't push any further. "What would you have me do?" she asked.

"If anything happens to me, tell Gaius that I tried but they still found out." Merlin said unsmilingly. He knew Gaius would understand.

Gwen started wrapping the man's leg."Found out what?" she asked him. Merlin said nothing, only silently handed her a fresh cloth soaked in clean water. Around them, people moved about busily, the sounds of battle far from softening. Finally Gwen looked up at him. "I will tell him Merlin, but I don't see why you don't just stay here where you are needed and not in any trouble. Then I wouldn't have to tell him this message."

Merlin couldn't help but smile. Staying here was the last thing that would keep him from trouble. "I have stuff to do, and you know it." he said lightly.

Gwen didn't look happy, but she nodded. "Good luck Merlin, I shall see you soon." she reached up and squeezed his good arm reassuringly.

There was never a question of what had to be done in his mind. Merlin climbed on the horse and took off. It didn't take long for him to reach the front gates of Camelot. The reinforcements had yet to arrive and Arthur's men struggled against the surge of people who flooded the front gates. Merlin abandoned the horse and rushed into battle, searching for his King. The search was hard, and soon the front-gate-turned-battlefield was swarming with reinforcements, but Merlin pushed on, knowing Arthur wasn't hiding in the back of the ranks.

When Merlin finally made his way to the more battle heavy area, he was taken aback by the horrors around him. Every step he took either soaked his boats with blood or sent him tumbling over a body. Which side they were on made no difference, all the faces and colours blended together until he felt like he was looking at a sea of faceless bodies around him, all wearing an expression of horror and fear that they had experienced in their final moment.

Just when Merlin thought he'd be sick, he spotted Arthur, surrounded by men who meant to kill him. Merlin rushed over, bringing down someone who had went to slash at Arthur from behind. He slew another before Arthur knew he was there.

His eyes went wide at the sight of Merlin, but an attack at his side brought his attention back to the battle. "I thought I told you do go." Arthur ground out from between clenched teeth after killing his opponent.

Merlin chanced a smile. "Your reinforcements are here, I did as you asked."

"Now is not the time for this Merlin, if you do not leave, I will be forced to see you before a court and try you as a sorcerer." Arthur said, not looking at his manservant, expression unreadable.

Merlin stepped into the line of view of his King. "Arthur, you know me." Merlin said, his voice sure and steady, "You saw that this is not something I can help. But I can help you now, and whatever decision you make later I will abide by." he said.

Arthur got angry at that. He shoved Merlin, who tripped over a body behind him and fell backwards, catching himself on his bad wrist. He cried out and clutched his injured arm, bringing it close to his chest and looking up at Arthur with big eyes. A flash of shame ran through Arthur, but it was quickly swept aside when a large man running at them with a broadsword. Arthur turned and met him in battle, the two of them exchanging glancing blows. It didn't take long for Arthur to gain the upper hand and killed the man with a clean cut the a separation between the man's chest plate and helm.

Arthur wiped the blood off his sword and reached down, offering his hand to Merlin. Merlin regarded him uncertainly for a moment, then took it with his good hand. He tried to show Arthur that he was being sincere, but the contact was broken before he had the chance.

Arthur frowned at a strong wind that cut through the battlefield and Merlin tried desperately to think of something to say so that the King would hear him out. It proved useless because someone else quickly claimed their attention.

"Hello dear brother." cooed a voice from behind Arthur.

Merlin's eyes widened as he took in the large heavy set spear that floated above Morgana's outstretched hand.

Arthur smiled. "I was wondering when you were going to show up. Cowardly of you to arrive now, after the work has all been done for you."

Morgana's answering smile could freeze fire and make grown men weep in fear. "The work here is not done, hence why I must make an appearance. These idiots couldn't complete a simple task, now I must do it myself." She whispered some words in the language of the Old Religion and her eyes glowed a golden colour, her hair whipping around her face madly. The spear shot from her hands at Arthur.

Without thinking, Merlin pushed the King aside and gasped in pain as the spear found its new mark in Merlin, sending him flying back a couple of feet. Some knights noticed Morgana and rushed to their aid, but she shouted a spell and sent them all flying back.

A pain like no other pierced Merlin's body, causing him to cry out. He tried to grip at the spear that had buried itself in his shoulder, but it was too heavy from him to lift. Merlin rolled onto the side which the spear was in and screamed again, but got the leverage he needed to grip the spear and pulled as hard as he could, but nothing happened. He took a moment, then tried again screaming, but knowing he needed to get back to Arthur.

Arthur was currently being held up at an incredible height in the air, trying his best not to scream. Morgana laughed beneath him, enjoying every moment that she spent tormenting her brother.

Merlin pried the spear from his body and blood began to pour from his wound, but at least now he could sit up properly and see what was happening. He felt light headed, and he tried to apply pressure on his wound, but yelped in pain as he did.

Morgana heard and looked over at him, a wicked smile playing at her lips. "I'm going to enjoy this." She told him, calling forth another spear.

Merlin didn't think, he looked down at a sword that had fallen from a nameless soldier's hand and sent it flying at Morgana with his magic. She realized it too late and her magic flickered for a moment, dropping the spear and nearly losing Arthur. The sword was batted downwards, but continued at Morgana. It landed a blow at the Priestess' leg, slicing open the bottom part of her dress and the side of her thigh, finally plummeting into the ground.

This time Morgana did lose hold of Arthur as she screamed in agony and fear. She collapsed onto the ground and clutched desperately at the wound, but like Merlin, she was losing blood fast. Unlike Merlin, she hadn't been suffering for as long. Morgana was instantly pulled up and dragged away from the losing battle by a handful of her men before anyone else could reach her.

Meanwhile, Arthur was falling quickly. Merlin mumbled some words under his breath, momentarily pausing his freefall, but quickly lost hold on the spell as his head swam and he began to black out. Through a blurred vision, he watched as Arthur crashed head first into the ground.

Merlin tried to cry out, but it was drowned out by a quiet sob. Knights of Camelot rushed out to help their fallen King. Merlin himself felt himself being picked up, but found that he couldn't hold on to consciousness long enough to find out by who.

...

When Merlin finally woke up, he found himself in his own bed, with a very disapproving Gaius leaning over him. "Merlin," he said sternly, "that was very stupid of you."

Merlin's responding laugh turned into a moan as pain shot through him. "Haven't I suffered enough?" he said.

Gaius smiled above him. "Yes, plenty enough for everyone it would seem."

Merlin smiled and looked around, then he remembered about Morgana. He tried to sit up, but found he couldn't. He began panicking. "Where is Arthur?" he said.

Gaius frowned. "In his chambers, why? And what is this Gwen told me? Merlin, I'm very worried. "

Merlin let out a sigh of relief. "He's safe." he breathed out.

"And does this have anything to do with the injury that you sustained? No one was able to give me a straight answer about what happened." Gaius said, sitting down next to Merlin on a chair that had been pulled up. He offer Merlin a cup of hot broth, which he eagerly accepted.

Merlin took a sip and settled back into the bed. "Morgana showed up." Merlin told him.

"So I heard." Gaius said.

Merlin told him what had happened with Morgana. When he finished Gaius frowned. "What does this all have to do with what Gwen told me?"

Merlin paled. Laying here in his warm bed with Gaius and hearing about the survival of his King had cheered him to the point where he had completely forgotten what had happened. "Arthur knows." Merlin whispered.

Gaius cocked an eyebrow and leaned back into his chair. "About your magic?" he asked.

Merlin nodded, avoiding Gaius' gaze, instead taking another sip of his broth. "He found out on the battlefield. I shielded us from an arrow attack and he just..." Merlin shrugged then winced at the pain that the movement had cause him. "He just knew."

Gaius frowned.

"What is it?" Merlin asked, hope blossoming in his chest. "He didn't mention it?"

Gaius looked slightly pained. "Merlin, you might find this a little bit difficult, but..."

Merlin froze. "But what? What's happened?"

"Everyone saw it, Arthur fell from a great height."

Merlin nodded. "I tried to stop him, but I couldn't. You said he was okay. Is he injured?"

Gaius shook his head. "He's recovering fine. He's in bed, but he'll make a full recovery."

Merlin frowned. "Then what's wrong?"

The old man shook his head, his full age showing at that moment. "Arthur has suffered some severe memory loss. He can't remember the events of the past couple of days."

AN-Sorry! Oh my, so sorry. But it's up! And there will be one more chapter! So next chapter will be the last one, and I love you all! Although you all probably hate me right now. Kisses duckies!