Morning dew shimmered across the green grass as Arthur opened his eyes to the early dawn. A crisp breeze made him shiver and cling the cover to his chin trying to preserve the comfortable cocoon of warmth. His sleep had been restless, haunted by conversations and revelations from the day. And today would be even harder. Today he was leaving Merlin behind forever.
Thinking of his friend, he crooked his head over his shoulder in search of him and chuckled. The idiot was splayed on his back, cover haphazardly draped across his stomach, head lolled toward Arthur, hair going in every direction, mouth agape with a bit of drool at the corner.
'The most powerful sorcerer who ever lived,' Arthur mused with a smirk.
But for all his magic, his friend was still an idiot. All he had given up, all he had suffered - to serve a fool. A king who couldn't discern friend from foe until armies were at his gate, a man who didn't see the signs his best friend was a sorcerer, a husband who fooled himself into thinking he understood love.
His gut roiled in disgust. Merlin was wrong in choosing to follow him, to be willing to lay down his life for an unworthy king. Arthur always knew the idiot had no sense of self-preservation (drinking from a poisoned chalice, throwing himself at the Dorocha, chasing after a dragon, for God's sake), but at those times Arthur had been in no position to stop him. Now though…
With a groan, he sat up, stretched his arms overhead, awakening his stiff muscles.
Now he could order Merlin to stay here, far away from him, far away from danger. It was the only way to protect him.
When Arthur crunched a twig upon standing, he held his breath as Merlin tossed, but the sleeping sorcerer simply rolled over, going back to sleep. Arthur looked upon him a moment - it was the last time he would see his friend so peaceful…perhaps the last time he'd see him at all.
Everything they'd been through together, everything they'd done for each other, how close they'd become…Merlin would always hold a place in his heart, even if he'd be the last person to admit it.
'Enough,' he steeled himself, knowing if these thoughts continued he may not be able to go through with what he had to do. 'Time to set things right.' With a sure resolve, he left towards Hunith's place.
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