Title: It's Like Magic
Author: Kiki1770
Rating: T for Language
Setting: AU to 5x02 After Mordred stabs Morgana
Summmary: You…left…me." Merlin whispered brokenly. His eyes landed on Arthur, full of betrayal and unspoken despair.
A/N: Ahh, I can't believe all the reviews I got! I was sad at first because normally I get review updates on my phone, so when I didn't get any emails I was afraid you guys wouldn't like it. But oh my gosh, your response blew me away! I just had to wrie a sequel to it right away! So here is my treat to you, the sequel to Abandon:
Angst 8: No Man Left Behind
It was the dead of winter. It should have been colder, but with his mind numbed with pain killing potions and a warm fire burning before him, Arthur didn't feel the cold so much. And his aching shoulder didn't hurt him nearly as much as his restless mind. It was screaming at him that something was wrong—something was forgotten. But he pushed the feeling away.
Arthur sat with his knights around the blazing flames, laughing and sharing drinks, delighting in the return of his old men and their newest comrade: Mordred. He'd taken an instant liking to Mordred, even now as they shared funny stares and teased Mordred's naïveté, Arthur had his arm strung around the younger man's shoulders and ruffled his hair affectionately. Mordred had already warmed the hearts of the King and his knights. He was going to make a fine addition to Camelot's knights, Arthur thought with giddy excitement.
Then he heard a loud crack, the crunching of branches under heavy footfalls, too heavy for a beast.
"Who's there?" He cried, springing to his feet. Percival, Leon, Gwaine, and Elyan flanked to his sides almost immediately. Some of the older knights stood protectively over Mordred who had no weapon. Arthur briefly smiled at the scene before turning his attention to their perpetrator.
He saw the faint outline of a tall lanky man, thin as a stick, the barest of clothing covering him, and his frame swaying dangerously. Arthur recognized a blue neckerchief around the man's neck. No!
"Merlin!" Arthur cried. His manservant's body fell limply into his arms. He was cold to the touch. "Where have you been?" Arthur managed to settle Merlin on his back, and gasped as the fire brought his features to life. Merlin's thin body was frosted over and pale as a sheet. Crystals of snow hung from his eyelashes, and his eyes were puffy and red from angry tears.
"You…left…me." Merlin gagged and whispered brokenly. His eyes landed on Arthur, full of betrayal and unspoken despair. It was the look of hopelessness.
The weight of Merlin's words hit him hard and he realized exactly what he'd forgotten. He'd forgotten Merlin in the cold caves of Ismere where a dragon roamed the grounds and bandits scoured like weasels. He'd left Merlin for the cold. He'd left a man behind.
(A/N: I was gonna stop here) …..M…. (But that would have been too cruel. Enjoy!)
The brilliant fire no longer seemed bright and cheerful. Merlin's return hit Arthur, Gwaine, Percival, Leon and Elyan the hardest. They were his friends, and they'd completely forgotten about him! It was a miracle Merlin made it back alive at all. When Sir Bors, one of the elder knights, finished cleaning Merlin's blood, they bundled him up and kept him close to the fire.
Merlin had the luxury of oblivion for a few seconds before he'd been forcefully awakened in fear that he'd suffer a concussion. Aside from the tremors from his defrosting body, Merlin's face remained impassive. His glassy eyes stared above; watching but not really seeing. They remained open and unflinching as his scalp was slowly sown back together. They remained open and unflinching as Gwaine fell to his knees and begged for forgiveness.
Merlin remained silent.
"I don't understand how he survived the trek here sire," Leon whispered to Arthur in a hushed voice; the man in question less than four paces from where they stood. Arthur gritted his teeth and said nothing.
"L-Lancelot…" Merlin finally whispered. Gwaine rushed to his side with water flask and helped him sit up. Merlin reluctantly accepted the water and groaned when Gwaine lowered his body. "I heard Lancelot's voice. He saved me…" Merlin said with tears in his eyes.
"Merlin, Lancelot is—"
"My friend. The only one who's treated me as such."
"What are you—" But Arthur couldn't finish. Merlin gave him hard look that dared him to speak, dared him to prove Merlin wrong. Arthur couldn't think of anything.
"Lancelot wouldn't have forgotten me. Lancelot wouldn't tell me he believed in equality and then tell me to shut up. Lancelot wouldn't…." Merlin chocked and clamped his mouth shut. His were shut tightly but it didn't stop the tears from rolling out of his eyes. **
"Lancelot wouldn't have left me behind."
Arthur felt his heart break as he watched his friend, broken by his betrayal, drift beyond his reach, and was lost forever to him. And he knew. He knew this was on him. That this was the burden he would carry for betraying his friend like this. He knew.
I hope this ending was satisfying. Arthur's done a lot of stupid things that hurt Merlin, and Merlin took it all in silence. While I don't fancy a dark Merlin, I think Merlin deserves to mourn, to feel the betrayal and let Arthur know he's hurt. I was seriously angry when I re-watched this scene. It went from Mordred leaving Merlin behind, to Merlin asking about Arthur's bane for Arthur's sake despite being left, to Mordred's knighthood! Ugh, talk about an infuriating ending! Haha, it seems the Merlin writers like Merlin!Whump just as much as we do.
** Refrence to 3x13.
Arthur: Have seen the state of these boots? Well go get someone to clean em'.
Merlin: Why? They're your boots.
Arthur(Giving Merlin "the look"): Have you lost your mind?
Merlin(tsk tsk face): I thought you believed in equality.
Arthur: I'm sorry?
Merlin: At the round table you said-
Arthur: Shut up Merlin
Hehe, loved that scene either way.
Review, review, review!
Kiki1770