A/N – Well, this is it guys! The last chapter. I've really enjoyed writing this, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Au revoir!
"You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful."
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
The knights stared at Merlin in shock, their mouths hanging open. He had explained the events of earlier in detail, with interjections from Gaius and Arthur when he missed a particularly heroic bit out. They were sitting around the table in the centre of the room. The knights looked almost comical, squashed together on the small benches.
"So she was a- a werewolf?" Gwaine asked again.
"Yes. Her and Ignitrus. Their adopted father locked their wolf forms inside this amulet." Merlin held up the amulet, which was now dull and lifeless.
Leon's brows furrowed as her thought. "How come you could kill her with a normal blade then? That's just Arthur's normal sword isn't-"
"My sword is not normal."
Merlin ignored Arthur, who was still slightly confused from the lack of oxygen earlier.
"It is, yes. Gaius was able to kill her - it - because the magic only worked for a human form. When she changed, she was no longer human and was able to be killed."
Another knight asked a question and Merlin thought for a moment before answering. Tarrian watched from the back of the room.
I should have known, he thought. When he locked us in that room what feels like years ago, I should have noticed then. I failed. I almost let Merlin be killed.
He didn't notice Gaius come to stand next to him, and jumped when the old man spoke.
"I know what you're thinking."
"You don't."
"You're thinking that you failed and that this is your fault. You might even be thinking of leaving Camelot as penance." Gaius looked right into the deep, dark pools of Tarrian's eyes through older, wiser eyes.
"I'm not that guilty," he replied gruffly.
Gaius laughed. "I see your wit is just as sharp as ever!"
Tarrian smiled back and walked slowly out of the room, barely making a sound on his well-worn boots. Gaius thought, for a second, about buying him some new ones, but then realised that he probably liked them like that.
Arthur was sitting on the side of his bed, unlacing his shirt. He pulled off his riding boots and lay back on the bed. Just as he was about to close his eyes, there was a knock at the door.
"Enter."
Merlin walked in and smiled at him.
"It's time to sort out the last piece of this mess. The visits to Gwen, or what you think is her." He said quietly.
Arthur's face immediately became tense and he started to breathe quickly.
"Merlin... I – I don't know if I..." His hands gripped the side of the bed tightly.
"Yes, you can. I'll help you. First, we need a picture of Gwen. I know you used to draw her secretly while she was still alive, I found the drawings stuffed into a flower pot. Did you draw her again after she died?"
Arthur was taken aback. "I- er- yes." He opened a drawer and pulled out the charcoal drawing. "Here."
Merlin took the drawing and studied it closely.
"This is perfect," he said. "Now, lie down and close your eyes."
Arthur did as he said, and when he opened his eyes again, he was surrounded by fog. He looked round and saw Merlin behind him.
"Merlin! How did you get here?"
"A simple dream spell. You'll need me further on."
Merlin walked forward to stand beside him, shoulder to shoulder. The fog cleared slightly, and they found that they were on top of a mountain. The view was breathtaking. They waited together, staring into the horizon, until they began to be able to hear Gwen's voice behind them.
"Don't turn around." Merlin hissed, grabbing Arthur's wrist to stop him.
Merlin held up the picture in front of them. "This is what Gwen looks like, correct?"
"Yes, Merlin, that's what she looks like." Arthur looked at him as if he was stupid.
"You're absolutely sure that that's what she looks like?"
"For God's sake, Merlin! Yes, I am!" Arthur replied exasperatedly.
"Then who is that?" Merlin asked, turning round to look at what was standing behind them.
At first, it resembled a group of features thrown together in a hurry by someone who didn't really know what a human looked like. After a few seconds, Arthur began to recognise areas that looked like Gwen but had been contorted horribly.
"Arthur?" The thing asked.
"I'm sorry, Arthur. Your addiction to these visits has grown, meaning that in your mind, Gwen has become more and more beautiful until she became this. When you drew this picture, she was still quite normal. Since then, she has changed almost beyond recognition."
"He's right, Arthur. Just let me be at peace. I want to rest." Gwen spoke now, resting a ruined hand on Arthur's shoulder.
"I need you. I don't want to go."
"Come on Arthur, you can. You must let go." Tears filled Merlin's eyes, matching Arthur's.
Arthur slowly closed his eyes and stepped backwards, away from Gwen.
"Take me back." He whispered to Merlin.
"Good-bye, my love," Gwen called out to him as he faded away.
Arthur awoke the next day and had a few seconds of blissful relaxation before the memory of the day before hit him like a spear in the chest. He curled up tight in a ball, shutting his eyes and trying to rid himself of it before it overwhelmed him.
"Shhhh, Arthur, it's okay." Merlin's voice reached out to soothe him.
Arthur opened his eyes slowly and looked up at Merlin.
"You did it, Arthur. You let go. And now, you can be a king. Look outside." Merlin motioned to the open window. The drapes billowed around it, the fresh spring breeze blowing them away from the window.
Arthur walked over to it slowly and looked out.
The minute he looked out of the window, the world exploded into sound.
Thousands of people were in the courtyard, screaming with joy. Arthur staggered back from the window for a second.
"What...?"
"They're here to celebrate, Arthur. We've taken back the castle for good, and you are King again." Merlin laughed, the edges of his eyes curving upwards as they did when he was happy.
Arthur stepped back towards the window as the crowd below began to chant his name. He breathed in, and the fresh warm air felt like pure gold, spreading through his body to the tips of his fingers. He looked down to see the knights, Tarrian and Ignitrus chanting with the crowd, grinning and cheering.
Arthur would remember that day always.
Merlin stood in the long shadow that Arthur cast, and smiled.
- The End -