PAIRING: Merlin/Arthur from the Television Series: Merlin.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the TV Series. I am not making any money. This is for entertainment only. This did not happen. This story is slash fan-fiction. Slash means that the main characters are Gay. If you don't like this sort of story, don't read.
SUMMARY: Rating MA. Romance/Danger Arthur wants Merlin badly but isn't sure that Merlin feels the same so he decides to throw down a challenge. This takes place after Uther marries the Troll in Season 2. The story contains spoilers from that episode. Story contains an OC.. Story contains a male OC.
RATING: MA
AUTHOR: Rufferto9 (rufferto9 )
CHAPTER : 8 of 8 Two Sides of a Coin

The pain from absorbing that attack into the wristband was excruciating. Arthur felt like every nerve ending was on fire. He struggled to stay conscious as Merlin's arms clutched him. He desperately hung on. Never had he felt anything like that energy and wondered if this was what Merlin felt on a daily basis. It couldn't imagine it. Merlin's energy was different. Merlin's energy wasn't this dark twisted thing that squeezed his soul. He opened his eyes and they were dark blue pits to Merlin's gold. He couldn't hold on much longer. He looked up at the man who held him and Merlin sobbed.

Merlin was faded now, a ghostly image and then. "Arthur!" Merlin cried his name desperately.

Nothing

He was surrounded by nothing. Just a whishing mist that drowned out all other sound, and he fell.

"Merlin!"

He can't hear me. There must be someone who can help him. He could feel all the dark energy tied to the wristband. The thing glowed purple on his arm.

"Help me!" He called out to the mist.

It was a long time before someone or something answered.

"It's not time for you to die, young Prince. A voice, a strange voice rattled in his brain. You have things to do first.

"Who ARE you?!" Arthur cried out.

Arthur fretted in Merlin's arms and struggled to regain consciousness and mumbled incoherently. Merlin knew he was awake but he would have to act fast. He had to get that wristband off of Arthur before he was totally consumed by dark magic.

Nothing he did worked. Until quite suddenly and without warning it slipped off. Merlin viciously and it crackled and burned offensively.

They were not alone in the hall. Palace guards and several knights were still there, alert and watchful. They had witnessed the tail end and knew that Arthur had risked his life to save Merlin. One of the knights stared at it and poked it but it metal was no use against it. In fact, there was a crackling backlash and the Knight was blown across the hall and into a wall. Merlin would have helped him but Arthur. He held him tightly.

"Arthur.. Fight this!" Merlin commanded.

"I do this one time only. Without you, Merlin cannot become what he must become."

As Merlin stroked his hair and muttered words of encouragement a mist began to form around and within the castle. It just seemed to happen and came from below. This was such a mist that it chilled even Uther's bones.

"Know this, Young Pendragon. I will never help Camelot again."

Merlin too began to notice the mist and was instantly concerned that it might be because of the wristband. He had to destroy it! The guards in the hallway began to shout in alarm and start to fight against imagined opponents. Shouts broke out all over Camelot. People were caught up in the Dragon's Breath.

"One day I will burn I will burn it to the ground, but that day is not today. Today I will save you, for Merlin."

"The Breath of the Great Dragon, by all that is holy!" Uther swore. He had happened to run into Morgana when they met each other in the hall. Both were heading towards the hall that Merlin and Arthur were in. "I never thought to see it again." He drew his sword.

"This is what comes of your stupid hatred, Uther!" Morgana scowled. "Arthur!" She cried out and turned to rush away to look for him.

"Morgana, wait!" Uther tried to stop her but to no avail. The mist soon concealed her from his vision. "Have care of what you meet in the mist! Guards! Where is Arthur!" He started to move forward through the hallway to where he had heard the sounds of battle.

"This one time. "

"How can I repay you?" Arthur stood helplessly, lost in the mist. He reached out.

"Help him be."

"I don't understand. What is Merlin to be?"

"He will be the greatest sorcerer of all time in this life and the next, and every century after that!"

"How is that possible?" Arthur stuttered, almost in a comical mirror of when Merlin was first told about him. "Are we talking about the same Merlin? Merlin can't even go upstairs without stumbling. How can he possibly be the world's greatest sorcerer?"

"Because of you, Arthur Pendragon, all I ask is that you Be."

The Dragon's breath now covered the entire city and was thick around them. Merlin held Arthur close and kissed his forehead. "I love you, Arthur."

Uther saw Ygrayne as she stood in the mist. A figure all in white just like she was on their wedding day. His heart caught in his throat and his sword remained drawn. "Who are you!" Uther demanded.

"I am your Ygrayne." The spirit moaned.

"You are dead. The dead do not walk and speak." Uther swore under his breath. "Begone, wraith!"

"I have a warning for you!" Ygrayne told him. The hollow in her eyes made his heart ache. They were so cold, so lifeless.

Uther gripped his sword handle tight, not one to balk at the ramblings of a spirit. "Say what you will." His eyebrows knitted together and he curled his lip. So like Sorcery to use his wife against him.

"Do not get between them." Ygrayne's eyes changed briefly to plead.

"Of whom do you speak?" Uther wanted to reach out, to touch her. She wasn't real, he knew. Just as he knew that the instant he touched her she would vanish.

"Merlin and Arthur, their fate is to be together. They are two sides of one coin."

"That is ridiculous!" Uther ground his teeth into a growl. "I will not listen to such nonsense. Keep away, Wraith!"

"Heed my Words, Uther Pendragon. Leave the boy alone. Heed them or it will be your undoing."

Uther glared at her. "I will allow no servant to come between me and my son. If you know all you know I have already told Arthur I will not stand in his way."

"Keep to those words. Still your temper and will rule for many years to come." She reached forward as if to touch his cheek. "Break them, and your Kingdom is lost." She was close enough now to touch his lips and he didn't move away.

The kiss did not happen, she hissed and vanished into the mist just as he came to his senses and moved to swing his sword at her.

Morgana rushed through the castle trying to find the hallway the guard had told her Arthur was. She knew it so why couldn't she find it! She hoped everything was going alright between Merlin and Arthur, she really did. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw Gwen. "Gwen!" She cried out and turned to the form. Instead of Gwen, Mordred stood calmly and held out his arms to her.

"Morgana!" Mordred's smile was both beautiful and the most terrifying thing she had ever seen. "I'm waiting for you."

Morgana shrieked and began to run but to every place in the castle she ran, Mordred was there and he reached for her every time. All she knew was that if she took his hands, she would be lost to Camelot. She would never see Arthur, Merlin and Gwen again. She would become the darkest version of herself.

She was found later, curled up into a small ball and shaking like a leaf.

Gaius was in his chambers. He'd locked himself in a soon as he noticed the rise of the mist. The old man knew exactly what it was and exactly who the man who appeared to him was.

The man held out his hand and made a few simple sigils in the air. Sigils he did not need to make for Gaius knew who he was. This was a man that would never be spoken of if he had his way.

Merlin's father simply stared at Gaius.

Gaius pretended not to hear or see anything at all. Just as he always did.

Gwen huddled in the corner of her father's home. She had a terrible feeling about the mist. It was not dangerous to the body and it seemed to be affecting people differently from all the commotion she heard outside. She had bolted her door and remained hidden.

All her work to avoid being found was for not. No one could escape the Dragon's Breath.

"I love you above all others." Lancelot stood before her. "Forever"

She did NOT see him. She did not. He was not there. He would never return. She closed her eyes and sobbed her heart out.

While the rest of Camelot experienced terrible things while the Dragon's Breath roaming freely Merlin held Arthur protectively in his arms. He looked down at Arthur's arm and his eyebrows climbed in confusion. The wound was beginning to recede and Arthur's skin was turning back to normal. His attention was caught by a glow and the wristband began to combust into blue fire in the mist. Within a moment it became dust on the ground.

At that point the Dragon's breath began to dissipate Merlin could see Arthur's face clearly now and he was awake. Confused, but awake. "Arthur! How?!" He let out a joyous whoop and didn't care who saw. Arthur's lips were parted in a soft question and he claimed them. The kiss was a short one, but not without considerable heat that left them both breathless.

The Dragon laughed and laughed. Fate, it seemed was full of surprises.

When Arthur is kissed by Merlin it doesn't take many of the guards by surprise. After all, everyone in the castle knew they had a thing. They just never spoke of it. It was obvious from the start and no one wanted to get their head chopped off for mentioning it. So they tactfully looked away while lowly servant Merlin kissed Prince Arthur solidly and only let him up when the mist finally went away.

"I don't know." Arthur said softly as he sat up with a dizzy shake of his head. "I heard a voice in my head."

"It was the Great Dragon." Uther spoke calmly at the end of the hall. Whether or not he bore witness to said kiss, he did not say. The look on his face told all, and Merlin's first instinct was to shrink from that look.

"The wristband is destroyed." Merlin whispered to Arthur and looked at Uther. He brushed at Arthur's back gently. "It's over."

Uther came over to help Arthur to his feet and pointedly didn't look at Merlin. "We must put this unfortunate incident behind us." He declared. "I'm sending the guards to make sure that no one was harmed."

He looked between the boys, eyed Merlin, grunted, and stalked off.

"I think Uther actually acknowledged me." Merlin smiled shakily and exhaled.

"Idiot." Arthur smiled fondly and drew him into a hug.

Later that evening they were both exhausted from their trials and Merlin just simply lay with his head in Arthur's lap on that big bed. There was a knock on their door. It was Gwen. When they didn't move from the bed she sighed. At least they were fully clothed. She closed the door behind her. "Morgana is sleeping. She had a terrible time today. I am very worried about her." She bit her lip. "That is not why I'm here. I'm more worried about you two. Your father has a very bad temper, Arthur. Surely you see that—"

"Uther knows." Arthur cut her off with a sigh. "There's no point hiding it." It would take a great deal too much energy to hide his love for Merlin.

Gwen shook her head. "Honestly Sire. If you weren't a Prince!" She looked over at Merlin. "If you do anything to hurt Merlin, I'll-"

"As if he could." Merlin mumbled, not willing to give up his comfy lap pillow even for Gwen. "I'm fine, Gwen."

Arthur stroked his curls, "Go back to sleep." He smiled at Gwen beatifically. "Really, I love him. I'd never hurt him."

Gwen just huffed and shoved a finger at him. "Arthur Pendragon, you had better know what you are doing! A little discretion never hurt anyone!" As she slammed out of the room she looked back at them both and smirked. "By the way Merlin, your door does not conceal sound." She was secretly pleased to see them both together. That meant she was free for Lancelot. Perhaps she could find a way to write to him. Perhaps everything would work out.

Merlin's mouth opened into a little 'o'. "She heard us." His eyes were round as saucers.

"Apparently" Arthur laughed.

"Now everyone knows!" Merlin blushed. He didn't know how he felt about his friend Gwen knowing he was involved with his... his Prince, his Arthur. He smiled slowly as he began to realize the significance of that.

"Yeah" Arthur kissed the top of his head. "They all know that you're the worst servant ever."

"Pratt." Merlin snarked.

Arthur smirked at him and cuffed his ear. "Think you're strong enough?" The words were thrown out a little casually but Merlin knew exactly what he meant.

"We just did that this morning." His body still ached.

Arthur growled low under his breath and whispered in a sultry tone that made Merlin's palms tingle. "Tonight I can take my time."

"I want to hear you ask nicely. After all, I'm the one who has to move around tomorrow and it was hard enough moving today." Merlin mock complained.

"Merlin!" Arthur gave him another growl.

"I'm not sure I think I'm too tired tonight, honestly." Merlin pretended to yawn and snuggled against a certain part of Arthur that went from half-aroused to full in record time.

"Merlin!" Arthur's growl became a plaintive whine.

Merlin chuckled. "Oh alright, I think I can find some energy." He gazed at Arthur's lower lip. "That pout gets me every time."

"I DO NOT POUT!" Arthur pouted adorably.

"Of course not, sire."

The sarcasm didn't help.

Arthur carefully adjusted Merlin from his lap and spun around until he was on top of him in the bed. "You're mine. Don't ever forget it."

"Of course not, sire." Merlin couldn't help but tease.

That night and for years later Arthur made sure that no matter what trials they faced and what came between them he always made his way back to Merlin.

FINIS

Rumors fly that these visions are hurting her and the Court Physician was called to treat the Princess. Martin went to see her and she seemed to be much calmer in his presence.