A/N: *States that she's doing all prompts in order* *does whatever she wants*
So... yeah. Anyway, you guys sure like to torment yourselves (and me). So many requests for Camlann stories...
This one is an alternate timeline where Merlin did not leave Arthur's side before the battle, stemming from a request for "Camlann role reversal" by poetrypendragon on tumblr (where you can see the graphic I made to accompany this).
Merlin woke, heart pounding so loud it temporarily drowned out the distant sounds of war.
"Gaius!" He started pulling the man up and pushing him toward the exit even before the elder was fully awake, shoving his kit into one hand. "The Saxons are attacking; they found a secret pass. You have to retreat down the mountain!"
"What? Merlin-"
The younger man paused briefly in his dash toward the king's tent.
"Where are you going? You don't have-"
"I know, Gaius! But... it'll work out." A brief smile lifted his lips before he disappeared into the night.
Pushing his way past the knights guarding the tent flap, Merlin set to helping the royal couple prepare the king for battle.
"What are you doing here, idiot?" Arthur said, impatience and worry evident as Guinevere belted Excalibur over his chain mail.
"My job," the servant replied, swatting the blond's fingers away from where they fumbled with a metal cuff.
"Fine, but you're getting yourself and Guinevere to safety as soon as I'm off."
Merlin didn't answer, focusing on calming his frantic movements enough to fasten the shoulder plate properly. Yes, he'd been without magic since Morgana had sent that... thing, but he couldn't abandon his friends now. Not here. Besides, if that dream he'd just had was accurate he should still be able to use his talents somehow. He is magic, after all. Certainly if Arthur's life were threatened it would work... wouldn't it?
The queen gave her husband a quick kiss before setting his helmet in place.
"You be safe." Her voice was strong despite the tears in her eyes.
Arthur nodded, hesitated slightly as he looked at Merlin, then hurried to the battlefield without further speech.
Taking up one of the king's spare swords, the warlock followed his master.
"Merlin!"
The queen's escort kept her from chasing after both of them and Merlin was relieved to see Sir Leon among them – he would be sure to keep Gwen and Gaius safe along with the other non-combatants.
"Arthur!"
Merlin ran faster as he recognized Mordred's enraged voice, throwing up one hand and begging for something to happen as the former druid advanced upon his king. Morgana stood to the side, smiling with cruel delight as Aithusa cut off Arthur's retreat – not that he would have tried to escape, but it made it difficult for help to reach him. Help that didn't happen to be a dragonlord, that is.
"Nun de ge dei s'eikein kai emois epe'essin hepesthai! Weas!" He roared, praying this one gift was left him at the least.
The white dragon reared up, startled at the sudden command, and shrieked in protest.
"Ithi!"
Aithusa leapt into the sky, wings laboring to carry her away. Morgana screamed.
Arthur risked a look over his shoulder, not knowing what to think when Merlin was the one standing there.
"What are you doing, Merlin?" He ground out between clenched teeth as he returned to pointing his sword at his sister.
"Saving your royal-"
"Emrys!" The witch raised a hand and Merlin flew through the air to crash against the cliff-side, falling to the ground in a daze.
The attack took just enough of Morgana's attention for Arthur to lung forward, his sword piercing her chest. She choked slightly but gave him a condescending smile.
"No mortal blade can slay me, brother."
"Arthur, behind you!" Merlin cursed, his cry clearly too weak to be heard over the din of battle. Come on, work! He desperately tried to cast his magic at Mordred, who was sneaking up behind the monarch.
"Ástríce! Ástríce; ástríce, ástríce, ástríce..." No, no, no, no, no. He panted a bit, then pushed. "Ástríce!"
His anguished cry filled the air as the spell released, feeling as if it had torn something from his very being. Mordred, a mere arm's-length away from killing The Once and Future King, was hurled out of sight.
He must have passed out for a moment since Arthur was now shaking him.
"Merlin! Merlin, wake up."
Groaning seemed an appropriate response – a good thing too, since that was all he could manage for the moment.
"There you are, dollophead – where are you hurt?"
"...ma-gic..." Yeah, that was going to help.
"We can talk about that after Gaius has you fixed up." Arthur reached an arm around Merlin's back and started lifting him up, affording the warlock a view of Mordred, once again creeping up on them.
Gathering what strength remained, he pushed it all out at once, body stiffening in anticipation of pain.
"Acwele!"
"He's glowing, Gaius."
"And you said this was the result of Morgana's spell?"
"That's what I told the men, but..."
...
"Are you saying he's dying? I can't accept that; there must be something we can do."
"Sire, he used magic when he should have had none; the only possible solution would be to replace that and- no... there just might be a way..."
…
"Merlin, I need you to wake up."
"Please, Merlin..."
"'M 'wake..." he mumbled through lips reluctant to part, catching only snatches of sound as his consciousness flickered in and out, eyes remaining stubbornly closed.
"I need you to call the dragon back, Merlin."
His mind didn't seem to be able to grasp the meaning of those words at this moment, particularly as they were spoken by Arthur Pendragon, of all people. A calloused hand gripped the back of his neck and warm breath tickled his skin as someone touched their forehead to Merlin's own.
"Merlin; call that dragon or you'll be in the stocks until you're permanently stained tomato red."
Threats were still understood. He took a deep breath and formed the words as clearly as he could, voice barely audible.
"O drakon, e male so ftengometta tesd'hup'anankes..."
"That is not the same dragon."
That's all Arthur could think when the giant beast landed in front of them. He had been expecting a relatively small, white creature. This one looked suspiciously similar to the dragon Merlin had claimed he'd slain - but that was something to be examined another day. It was better this way, regardless; he'd been uncertain the other one would even be able to carry Merlin let alone the both of them.
"Kilgharrah," Gaius stepped forward and beckoned Arthur closer as well. "Merlin needs to get to the crystal cave as quickly as possible."
"So I see," the ancient voice rumbled, startling the king. "Lay him before me and I shall carry him."
"I'm coming as well." Arthur insisted, the dragon surveying him with a jaundiced eye before huffing.
"If you must." He crouched down so the warrior could climb onto his back before grasping the gently-glowing warlock, occasional sparks of magic detaching from his skin and floating off on the breeze. With no further warning they took to the air.
It was several rapid heartbeats later when Arthur managed to open his eyes, the wonder of the starry sky only managing to take the edge off his tension. Entirely too much had happened in the past hours. Merlin... he wanted to be mad about the magic, but it was hardly appropriate now – especially if even half of what Gaius had told him turned out to be true. Why did the idiot have to be such a martyr? He'd probably kept everything to himself out of some foolish desire to save others trouble. He's such a... turnip head! If he hadn't been so high up he would have kicked something.
Come to think of it, hadn't they been higher before? Even as he thought it, the dragon dipped further down.
"Are we getting close?"
"I regret," the creature – Kilgharrah – wheezed, "that I can bear you no further."
"Wha-"
They landed rather roughly, the dragon striving to spare his lord the impact and causing himself further distress in the effort. Once down he relaxed into the ground, breathing heavily.
"Are you alright?" Arthur asked, though his concern was truly directed toward his unconscious friend.
"I am old, young king, and my time comes soon. If you would, tell Merlin... I am sorry, but we may not meet again."
The monarch nodded, not quite sure if he should feel guilty as he left the creature behind; heading toward the Valley of the Forgotten Kings as Gaius had indicated.
"Arthur..."
He froze as the weak voice issued from the body slung over his shoulder.
"Merlin?" He settled the man against a tree and took out his waterskin. "Here, drink."
The servant did so, gazing at him strangely.
"Why are you doing this?"
A lot of answers came to mind, but if ever there was a time for sincerity this was it.
"Because you're my friend and I don't want to lose you."
There was silence between them for only a moment.
"Why did you never tell me?"
Merlin's lips quirked.
"Wanted to... but you'd have taken my head off."
"...I'm not sure what I would have done."
"And I didn't want to put you in that position."
"That's what worried you?"
Merlin tilted his head back to stare his master straight in the face, the most movement he'd managed since he'd been carried to Gaius.
"I was born to serve you, Arthur... and I'm proud of that."
"I... Merlin?" The warlock's eyes had closed once more, head lolling to the side. "No; I can't lose you..."
Too afraid to check for breath, Arthur instead pulled his friend back up and over one shoulder, stumbling into the valley with a procession of magic sparks leading the way.
He felt a sort of humming in his bones when he entered the cave – and this had to be the place. Crystals glowed blue all around him and there was a golden mist collecting around the ceiling, more bits joining the cloud as they left Merlin.
What was he supposed to do now?
"Give him to me."
The dragonlord appeared before him, blue as his father's ghost had been.
"Balinor?"
"I will take him," the apparition held out its arms and Merlin's body drifted into them, Arthur just barely preventing himself from grabbing hold and refusing to surrender his friend.
"You're his father, aren't you?"
The spirit only glanced at him before carrying Merlin deeper into the cave, disappearing into a tunnel that radiated blue light.
Without an immediate task to perform, Arthur collapsed in an exhausted heap, falling asleep without intending to do so.
"Arthur."
He woke to a familiar face, grinning down at him. It was like the perilous lands all over again, just... more blue.
"Merlin..." he pulled the younger man into an embrace, squeezing tightly.
The servant laughed, happily returning the hug.
The serious discussions could wait until later.