A/N:
Thanks again for the support! I had a few problems with this one, which is why it has taken me so long to write...but with the help of the lovely FranGipani6181 I finally have direction! Thanks honey, this one is for you!
*Insert standard 'I do not own Merlin' disclaimer here*
CHARACTERS: Arthur, Merlin, Knights, Gaius & The Cailleach
RATED: T
GENRE: Hurt/Comfort, Tragedy + Angst
WHAT IF...SE04EP2, The Darkest Hour – Merlin goes through the veil between worlds instead of Lancelot?
THE ADVENTURES OF MERLIN
Beyond The Veil
'This is my fault, and I'm sorry,' Arthur murmured to the ill young man as he lashed him to the steed.
Merlin rolled his blue eyes up to the Crowned Prince. 'Take me with you, please,' he beseeched lightly as tremors continued to wrack his lithe body.
The young regent pursed his lips. 'You'll die, Merlin,' he replied, his heart clenching with guilt at the pleading look in his friend's eyes.
'You don't understand...Please, Arthur,'
The Prince shook his head, amazed by the stubbornness of the man.
'Do you ever do as you're told?' he asked quietly.
Merlin shuddered, his blue lips trembling. 'I have to come with you,'
'Merlin...'
Merlin shook the memory from his head as they left Leon, Elyan and Percival to dispatch the Wyvern. It was still fuzzy – his memory between jumping into the path of the Dorocha and being cured by the Vilia, but now wasn't the time to be dwelling on such things. He could see the steely determination in Arthur's eyes as they approached the rift between worlds.
Silvery light danced gently around a gash of complete and impenetrable darkness, and it almost made the boy have second thoughts about stepping through.
Their footsteps echoed around the vast and crumbling courtyard, mingling with the mournful screams of spirits, good and bad, that had entered their world.
The old woman stood by the rip, her white face peering out from the cowl of her cloak. The four companions looked upon her with awe, and fear. Merlin remembered the banquet at Samhain, when all of this mess began...he could recall the sudden coldness that surrounded him and clutched at his heart with icy fingers, and its frosty tendrils were beginning to creep upon him now, as he stared into the deep soulless eyes.
'It is not often we have visitors...' The Cailleach said her voice as old as a tomb.
Arthur squared his shoulders and looked the crone straight in the eye, though it repulsed him to do so.
'Put an end to this!' he called over the noise of the screaming Dorocha. 'I demand you heal the tear between the two worlds!'
The gatekeeper held his gaze, pouring indifference from her eyes.
'It was not I, who created this horror. Why should it be I that stops it?' she inquired.
With a deep breath, Merlin stepped forward. 'Because innocent people are dying!'
'Indeed,' she said before breaking into a malevolent cackle that made the hair on the back of their necks stand on end.
With a growl, Gwaine rushed forward, his blade at the ready, but The Cailleach sent him flying with a lazy flick of the hand. The knight landed some feet away upon the flagstones, unconscious.
'Is that the best you can do?' she asked, amusement lacing her words.
'I know what you want,' Arthur said with a firmness that belied the rage simmering behind his eyes.
'Do you?' The old woman asked. 'And are you willing to let me have it?'
Arthur swallowed the lump in his throat. He could feel his manservant's eyes boring into the back of his neck, urging him to stop.
'I am prepared to pay whatever price is necessary,' he replied after a pregnant silence.
The woman smiled, her bent finger beckoning the Once and Future King to come forward. Merlin clenched his jaw and looked over at Lancelot.
The clot-pole was actually going to do it! He was going to kill himself when someone lesser than he was willing to give his life.
Not today, Merlin thought with some vehemence. His eyes swirled gold and he held out his hand.
'Forb Fleoghe!' he incanted, watching as Arthur jerked backwards and fell to the floor, his eyes closed.
The crone raised an eyebrow. 'So Emrys...you decide to challenge me after all...will you give yourself to the spirits to save your Prince?'
'It is my destiny.'
Movement to his left forced his eyes off the gatekeeper, just for a moment, as he saw Lancelot, striding towards the rift.
'Swefnu!' Merlin cried, directing his power towards the Knight. His eyes widened suddenly as he realised what the young Warlock was doing, before crumpling upon the floor in an enchanted slumber.
The boy did not waste anymore words on the crone, whom he was now studiously ignoring, but instead, raced towards the pulsating rip.
His heart was thumping in his chest and through the blood pounding in his ears; he thought he heard Arthur's call of despair.
As Merlin neared the entrance, he turned. He could see the look of horror upon his friends pale face, and he felt his heart clench.
Sorry Arthur
He gave the Prince a sad smile...and stepped into darkness.
*~*M*~*
Emrys...
Emrys...
Merlin could feel the darkness swirling through him as he stood upon the threshold of the void. Ghostly fingers brushed his skin, sending painful bolts of electricity through his already shuddering frame.
Emrys...
The black mist churned about his throat, forcing out a cry of pain as it began to grasp his soul. It was agony like he never experienced – burning and freezing at the same time.
The hand of the Cailleach rested upon his shoulder.
'Emrys...you have made an honourable sacrifice for the once and future king...however, it cannot be accepted. Your time among men is not yet over...even if you want it to be,' she said gently, brushing the tendrils of mist away.
'What of the veil?' Merlin gasped his head pounding.
'There has been a volunteer...one who is willing to trade places with you in order to seal the void,' she responded. 'He is old...and not much longer for this world. It is a father's gift, although he is not yours by blood...'
Merlin's eyes widened in terror. 'No...GAIUS!' he cried as The Gatekeeper pushed him back.
'Goodbye Emrys...until next we meet!' the woman responded, as Merlin was launched into the air, crackling with electricity. His breath hitched...
And he knew nothing.
Arthur watched in horror as his serv-friend, ran towards the rip between worlds.
"MERLIN!' he cried despondently.
Please, no...
The raven haired youth turned, and their azure eyes met.
Merlin smiled...such a sad, yet hopeful smile – as he stepped into the threshold...and froze.
The young Prince fell to the stone, his head hung as tears broke free.
What is the life of a servant compared to that of a Prince?
Arthur remembered the words they had shared only days before, after Merlin survived the attack of the Dorocha. He really meant it – the boy would do anything for him.
His heart clenched painfully in his chest, expected the rift to be closed when he looked up again – but his friend still stood at the threshold, convulsing visibly as silver fingers touched him from within.
A cry of anguish met his ears and suddenly Merlin was hurled into the air by an invisible force, the veil shrinking rapidly.
Ignoring the supernatural event, Arthur clambered to his feet as Merlin hit the cold ground. Hard.
'Merlin!' The Prince called, running to the limp figure that lay in a crumbled mess, several feet away from the stirring form of Gwaine.
Once again, Arthur was on his knees, bent over Merlin's body – afraid to touch.
'What happened?' Gwaine asked, rubbing his head.
'My idiot of a servant tried to sacrifice himself to the veil...I don't know what happened.' He replied, rolling the boy onto his back.
'Does he live?' The Knight asked, his eyes blank as Arthur searched for any sign of life.
The Prince took a shuddering breath, and his shoulders slumped.
'I can't feel a pulse...and he's...not breathing,' the youth replied, his voice small. Tears spilled from his eyes as he gripped his friend's shoulders and shook.
'P-please Merlin,' Arthur sobbed, his heart breaking at the unmoving form. 'Don't do this! I need you to WAKE UP!'
The cry was animal as he bore his clenched fists down upon Merlin's chest...and miracle of all miracles – Merlin's eyes flew open and he shot upright, straight into Arthur's arms, gasping for breath.
'Oh gods, Merlin! If you ever do that again, I will kill you!' The prince promised, tears still trailing down his dirty face as Merlin gripped his tunic.
'Gaius...' he heard the boy mumble.
Arthur pulled the boy away to see a look of utter anguish upon his sharp features.
'The Cailleach would not let me sacrifice myself...but she took another,' he whispered, his emotions beginning to surface.
'Gaius...' Arthur repeated, feeling pain of his own.
That was when Merlin broke. He had lost so much, and done no harm to deserve it. The sweet, kind boy pulled away from his friend and began to pound the floor angrily, expletives flying from his lips. Arthur had never seen him in such a bewildering state, and could only stare blankly as the skin over his knuckles split, sending a spray of blood from the damaged appendage.
Gwaine and Lancelot, however, more used to such behaviour (although not necessarily from their clumsy, mild-mannered friend) raced over.
Sir Gwaine gripped the boy's wrist to stop him from damaging himself further, and pulled the wailing boy roughly into his chest.
Lancelot sat back and watched as the boy shook in the other Knight's arms, devastating sobs wracking his body. Gwaine rocked backwards and forwards with the boy, shushing him gently, rubbing small circles on his back to encourage deeper breaths.
As Merlin started to calm, Arthur made his way slowly to his friends. Not wanting to say something wrong, he merely grasped Merlin's dirty hand and gave it a tiny squeeze.
And they sat as such until the sun rose and beyond.
I hope this was acceptable Fran! And of course to all my readers out there! I know it was a short one but hopefully, it was satisfactory!
The next prompt goes to Synk – SE05EP8 The Hollow Queen – What if Arthur found Merlin in the Valley of the Fallen Kings?