None of it was real. That was the only explanation he could think of for what was happening; none of it was real. He was just imaging the soaking fabric sticking to his skin and the chill that refused to part. He had simply made up the boy lying motionless on the cot before him and the blood that was dripping to the floor. His thoughts were morbid and cruel and filled with horror, but that's all it was, in his head. Everything was fine, because it wasn't real.

And he was so close to believing that lie; to wrapping himself up in the comfort of fantasy and pretending he was somewhere else entirely instead of the physician's chambers watching his entire world fall apart in front of him. He blamed it on the shock and the freezing water that had made half his body numb even as he stood practically in the fire. Why else would he be struggling to breathe at the mere sight of Merlin unable to answer Gaius' fervent questions?

He wanted to close his eyes, to look away from the scene unfolding before him, but no matter how hard he tried his gaze kept shifting between the same three things. First, his servant's face. Deathly white and tinged with blue, with eyes that refused to open no matter what his guardian tried. Second was the floor, the planks stained in a pool of crimson. That much blood was supposed to be inside a body, inside Merlin's body. Yet there it was, mocking him with its metallic stench and growing with each drop that continued to roll from the boy's open wound.

And finally, the third was Gaius. The elder worked feverishly in aiding the boy, his focus set entirely on his work. He'd not glanced up even once since he'd set to it, but still Arthur looked every few seconds, waiting for something, anything to be said to him. He wanted to help, wanted to be of some kind of use, but the first time he'd attempted to part with the hearth he'd nearly collapsed against a table filled with books and Gaius had snapped at him to go back.

That in itself should have been enough of a sign of how bad things were, Gaius rarely snapped and never at the prince. Of course Arthur could not hold it against him, not with the very life draining out of Merlin with each second that passed. And oh God, there it was again, that sense of dread so thick and heavy it threatened to cut off every last shred of sanity the young man had left.

He could feel it clawing up his throat, digging its claws in until he wanted to scream. But he didn't. He couldn't. He was the Prince of Camelot, and he was not going to lose his cool over the wellbeing of a servant. Over the wellbeing of his friend.

Clenching his teeth and forcing the beast back down his throat, Arthur returned to the only thing he could, the three gruesome scenes that never seemed to change. Over and over his eyes drifted, back and forth and back again, from friend to blood to physician. He was a statue, cursed to remain silent and powerless against the horror consuming someone who deserved more than such a fate.

And suddenly he could no longer do it. He could no longer contain the beast or remain sitting uselessly by the fire that did little to warm him when the dread was colder than ice. Before he could think better of it Arthur was staggering forwards, a numbed foot stuffed inside a soaked boot sliding across the floor while a bloodstained hand caught himself on the table.

One step. Then one more. There was no flower he could retrieve this time, no beast he could drag Merlin away from, but he could at least offer his assistance, make a show of strength to the physician who worked to stop any more blood from dripping to the floor.

And he might've done that, or he might've fallen, at the rate he was going Arthur really wasn't sure what would become of him. But before he could even try the doors were bursting open and the tense air was shattered by the booming voice of the king.

"Arthur." Looking to his father, the prince swallowed down the concern for his friend and forced on the mask that he'd spent years perfecting. "Are you alright?" Heavy hands clamped down on his shoulders but he felt disconnected from it all, even the man's voice sounding distant to him.

"I'm fine." He heard himself saying, his head turning as his eyes flickered between the three places again. Always the same three things. Something had to change, it had to.

"Gaius." The king's voice echoed, the volume nearly making Arthur cringe away as the physician looked up for the first time since he'd started aiding his ward.

"He's fine, Your Majesty, though he needs to rest." The elder's voice was distracted, and the moment the king looked away he was turning his attention back to the boy.

"You heard him, Arthur." His father urged, grasping his son's arm tightly and beginning to pull him towards the door. And despite the frozen nature of his limbs and the exhaustion that he struggled to win the fight against, Arthur found the strength to plant his feet and pull away from his father.

"No." He spoke, the defiance short but firm, his eyes never shifting from his servant.

"Arthur, you're frozen stiff and covered in that boy's blood, you need to return to your chambers and be taken care of before you make yourself ill." The king stated sternly, readjusting his hold and tugging at the blond's arm again as the prince wrenched himself free and turned a sharp glare towards his father.

"I'm not leaving until I know he's alright." He could feel his mask slipping, worry mounting higher and higher as the dread slid up his throat and wove into his words. He knew better than to allow his emotion to cloud his judgement, especially in the presence of his father, but something had broken in him when he'd been dragging the boy up the stairs and he found that he no longer cared.

"I know you consider that boy your friend, but you must understand that your life is held in greater value as is your health." And there it was, the moment the prince understood the anger Morgana so often felt towards the king. Fortunately the man seemed to understand the weight of his words, his head snapping in Gaius' direction as the physician's gaze rose once more and met the king's almost guilty expression.

"Gaius, I mean you no offense, I know he's like a son to you." Reaching out for Arthur's arm once more, his father's fingers tightened around his wet sleeve. "But Arthur you're the prince and my son, I cannot stand by and allow you to make yourself sick. You must not let such feelings stand in the way of your own wellbeing."

Turning a reproachful stare towards him, Arthur opened his mouth to answer when the sound of Gaius' stool scuffing the floor drew his attention back to where Merlin lay. Confusion struck him first, his mind unable to determine what was happening though his chest began to constrict painfully as his mouth turned dry. Dread had morphed into panic, only he could not place why.

"What's wrong?" He questioned, taking a step closer that sent prickles of pain through his feet. "Gaius, what's going on?" He pushed, his voice tight as the physician began to pull away the blankets that had been piled around the boy.

"He's stopped breathing." The man uttered, the words strained as he began to push down rhythmically on Merlin's chest.

Arthur's own breath caught in his throat as his father pulled him towards the door, the prince unable to fight the motion as he stared at his friend, the boy's body jerking with each push of Gaius' hands. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. None of it was real. None of it was real.

EIGHT HOURS BEFORE

"I don't think this is part of my job." Merlin mused, his fingers carefully rifling through a stack of loose parchment while he hovered at the opposite end of Arthur's table.

"Your job is to do whatever I tell you to do." The prince retorted, not even bothering to look up from the scrolls stretched out before him.

"But weren't you told by the king to do this yourself?" Passing a sheet of paper towards the blond when he stretched out his hand, annoyed blue hues met the servant's.

"And why exactly am I being forced to go through all of this, Merlin?"

Ducking his head and fighting off his smile, the warlock returned to sorting through the seemingly endless stack. "Because you were late for patrol, Sire."

"And why was I late?"

"Because tormenting me with snowballs was more important apparently." He said coolly, hearing a book hit the table as he looked up and found the man's hardened gaze on him.

"If I recall, I'm not the one who pelted my father, the king of Camelot, in the back because I wasn't paying attention."

For two days the incident had been brought up in various conversations and spoken in hushed tones, though Guinevere's laughter had certainly made it worth it by itself, but this was the first time Arthur himself had brought it up since it had happened.

"I told you it was an accident. I was aiming for you." The boy shrugged, struggling to keep his composure as a scoff left the man on the other side of the table.

"And I told you to improve your aim. I'm in this mess because of you, so forcing you to sort through the last five years of taxes seems only fair."

"Fair to you, maybe." He grumbled, picking up another small stack of parchment and sliding a leaflet towards the prince who glanced over it distractedly.

"Would you rather be cleaning out my stables?"

"If it gets me out of another three hours of this." Moving around the table and sitting in the chair opposite Arthur, Merlin sat the stack down and began to separate it.

"You know, most people would be honored to work alongside their prince, Merlin, you should consider yourself lucky."

"I'll consider myself lucky if I don't get another papercut." He winced, jerking his hand away from the stack and pressing his thumb against a small slice in the skin of his index finger.

"Quit whining." Arthur muttered, leaning back and making a note on the open scroll beside him.

Suppressing a sigh, Merlin went back to work in categorizing the stacks, passing various scrolls and books to the prince as he needed them. Truthfully, he wasn't too bothered by it all. Though it was painfully boring and the old records were difficult to read at times, he'd take it over being out in the frigid weather again.

Their work went on undisturbed for a few minutes longer, the two working in relative silence until a sharp knock on the door caught their attention and Arthur was calling for them to enter.

"That's how you do it." The prince commented as the door began to open.

"Do what?"

"Knock."

Blinking, Merlin frowned and leaned forwards. "I know how to knock."

"Really? Given how rarely you do it, I'd have thought it was a foreign concept to you."

"I knock before coming in!" The warlock defended, catching the pointed stare from his friend before he was slouching back. "I knock occasionally."

"Prince Arthur." Lifting his head at the messenger clearing their throat, Arthur urged him forwards. "The king had requested your presence immediately for a pressing matter that has arisen."

Cutting his eyes towards Merlin, the prince nodded. "I'll find him, thank you."

With a low bow, the messenger departed and Merlin shifted in his seat. "Shall I continue this while you're gone?"

"No, Merlin, I think you've done plenty for today." Standing from his chair, Arthur tapped the table once. "You can go ahead and muck out those stables like I know you've been so anxious to go and do."

Feeling his mouth pull open in shock, a smug grin rose onto the blond's face before the warlock was pushing himself out of his own chair. "What do you think the king wants?"

"Another lecture I'm sure. He seemed to have more to say yesterday but was forced to cut it short." Arthur stated, striding for the door with the servant right on his heels.

"But he called it a pressing matter."

"Why are you so interested in what it is he has to say?" The man demanded as they walked through the halls together.

"I'm just curious."

"Is that it? Or is it that you want to know if he has anything more to say about you?"

"Doesn't matter, he's never going to not hate me." The boy muttered, hearing a short laugh leave his friend.

"Well you are an idiot, and you seem to act an even bigger one whenever he's around."

"No, I just-"

"Merlin!"

Stopping abruptly and turning to look behind him, the warlock spotted Morgana hurrying towards them, a hand holding a portion of the skirt of her dress while stray strands of hair flew around her face. "Morgana?"

"Merlin, don't go." Slowing to a stop in front of him, heavy breaths left the young woman as she stared up at him with terror in her eyes.

"Morgana, what has gotten into you?" Arthur demanded, looking the girl up and down as Merlin drew his brows together in concern. She looked as though she hadn't slept in days, her face drawn and pale with prominent circles beneath her eyes.

"Please, you have to listen to me, you can't go."

"Can't go where?" He questioned slowly only to hear Arthur heave a sigh beside him.

"Morgana this is getting out of hand, perhaps instead of creating a scene you ought to go and get some rest."

Furious green hues that seemed on the edge of unhinged flashed towards the prince, the woman taking a step closer and glowering up at him. "You never believe me but I don't care. This isn't about you, Arthur, you don't have to listen to me, but maybe Merlin will." Looking back to the warlock, Morgana's hand shot out and caught hold of his, her fingers wrapping tightly around his wrist. "Please, Merlin, don't go."

"Morgana, I'm not going anywhere."

"Whatever you do, don't leave the citadel, please you mustn't."

"Honestly Morgana, what is wrong with you?" Arthur snapped, receiving her frustrated glare once more as her fingers dug into the boy's skin.

"Don't worry," He began, twisting his arm out of her grasp as the girl's head snapped towards him while her hand fell back to her side. "I'm not going anywhere." And though he offered her a small smile the girl seemed unconvinced, her mouth opening to further speak when a voice called for her from a different hall.

"Morgana! Mor- oh, there you are." Slowing her steps and catching her breath, Gwen placed a hand to her chest and walked towards the three of them, her eyes flickering to Arthur before returning to Morgana. "My Lady, please, come back to your chambers."

"Was it another of those nightmares?" Arthur asked, his jaw tensing as Gwen's arm wrapped around the trembling woman.

"She hasn't been able to rest well the last few nights no matter what Gaius gives her." She spoke softly, looking to Merlin apologetically. Evidently Morgana hadn't saved the warning to give just to him.

"Please, don't go." Morgana's voice broke through the boy's thoughts, her eyes finding his before Gwen was urging her away, walking with her back through the corridor as their hushed voices faded with them.

"Well, at least she's directing it towards you this time instead of me." The prince grumbled, a perplexed expression on his face as the two watched the girls round a corner and vanish from sight.

"Arthur!" The sound of Uther's voice resounding through the corridor had Merlin stiffening, both of the boys turning to find the king striding towards them with a stern expression.

"Father, I was just coming to find you." Arthur spoke, taking a step towards him as Merlin's eyes fell to the ground. He wasn't afraid of the king, but the intimidation included with the knowledge of his short temper and personal disgust of his son's manservant kept the boy from wanting to draw any unnecessary attention to himself.

As the king came to a stop in front of them, blue hues dared the briefest look up and found the king frowning at him, clear distaste openly contorting his features as the warlock looked away again. It was just a snowball, was it really something to still be upset over?

"I want you to gather some of your men and go on a hunt."

"In this weather?" Arthur nearly scoffed, turning and gesturing towards the window where the cold chill hung in the air and the snow continued to create a thick blanket over everything it touched. "Surely you're joking."

"The outlying villages and those on the outskirts of the Lower Town have spoken of a beast ravaging their land at night, attacking their farms and making off with their animals. I suspect a wolf to be responsible and I want you to go and take care of it before it causes any further damage."

Standing straighter, Arthur nodded. "We'll begin tracking it at once, though I'll admit I haven't heard of a beast so daring as to venture so close to the people."

"The winter has been harsh for everyone, even the animals, but this cannot stand. Deal with this, Arthur, and reassure the people once you have. Letting them see that you'll take charge when these problems arise will help strengthen their view of you as their future king and leader."

"Yes, Father." Arthur nodded once more, bowing his head as Merlin glanced up again just as Uther's eyes fell on him.

"See to it that you do your job this time." He spoke sharply, a stare colder than the ice creeping up the panes of glass cutting through the boy as Merlin bowed his head and waited to lift it again until he heard the king's boots traveling back down the hall.

"I'd wager he still hates you." Arthur commented after a beat of silence had passed and Merlin sighed, his shoulders sagging.

"Yeah, I'd think so."

"Go on then, ready our packs." The prince waved as the warlock's brows shot up in surprise.

"You want me to go with you?"

"No, Merlin, I want to go hunt a starving wolf in the cold while carrying all of my own weapons. Of course you're going." He snapped, staring at the boy as if he'd grown a second head as Merlin's eyes darted to the corridor where Morgana and Gwen had been minutes earlier.

He'd already felt uneasy when Morgana had warned him as he knew her dreams were more than that, but now that he actually had reason to leave the citadel he could feel his nerves twisting around inside him. And unfortunately for him, Arthur seemed apt at reading him like an open book at the worst times.

"Don't tell me you actually believe that nonsense Morgana was spouting."

"No of course not." Merlin answered quickly, though he couldn't drag his lingering gaze back to the prince even when he heard him release a heaving sigh.

"Merlin."

"You have to admit that its strange timing." He defended, finally looking back to the blond who was shaking his head at him.

"You know as well as I that Morgana's dreams are nothing more than that, she probably just heard one of the knights mention it. Besides, it's a wolf not some large creature waiting to devour you. You'll be fine. Now go and get the packs, I'll ready the men."

Leaving no room for argument, Merlin bowed his head in compliance. "Yes, Sire."

Turning and making his way towards the back stairwell, the warlock tried to force his mind away from the growing unease building inside him. Arthur was likely right, it was just a simple hunt, everything would be fine. After all it was just a wolf, so how bad could it be?

There were few things that Arthur detested more than the cold. For as much as he had complained about the work earlier, he almost wished he were back sorting through the old documents that sent dust flying anytime a page moved. Not that he didn't enjoy a hunt, but it was different riding through snow that layered not just the forest floor but drifted down around them in large flakes that clung insistently to his cloak.

He'd never minded the snow, and after what happened with Merlin and his father he even found it more enjoyable, but they'd been tracking the nuisance for the better part of the day and he was growing more irritated with each second that passed. Not by the ride or even the chill, but by the boy on the horse beside him that was insistent on looking over his shoulder every few seconds, or shifting in his saddle, or readjusting his hold on the reins.

Unlike the vibrant red that he and knights he'd brought along wore, Merlin had a faded blue cloak that was wrapped tight around him and old looking gloves that he had no doubt were loaned to him by his guardian. The servant was cold and obviously on edge from the ridiculous notions of danger that Morgana had filled his head with, but as the boy readjusted in his saddle yet again Arthur could no longer take it.

"Would you stop that?" He snapped, the sudden break in silence startling the boy as Merlin's head jerked up and met the prince's irritated gaze.

"Stop what?"

"Your constant fidgeting. You're driving me mad."

"I'm just trying to stay warm." The words were muttered out quietly, his stare turning away while Arthur scoffed.

"Had I known you were going to be this annoying I'd have left you home."

"You act as though I volunteered for this." Merlin retorted, holding the reins tighter as their horses picked their way carefully through the snow.

"Are you really that much of a coward, Merlin?"

"I'm not a coward." He griped, glancing to the ground as if he too were looking for tracks, something that Arthur found rather amusing given he was fairly certain the boy had never even seen a wolf's track before. "I just don't like this weather." Glancing up to the sky, the snow continued to drift down and caught in the boy's dark hair as he blinked against the offending flakes.

"Quit being such a girl Merlin, snow can't hurt you." Smirking at the frown he could feel from the servant, Arthur looked to the ground again before he was tugging his horse to an immediate stop and lifting his arm to signal the knights. "I've found tracks, we'll leave the horses here and go the rest of the way on foot."

Climbing down from his stallion, he passed the reins to Merlin and took his crossbow, his eyes trained on the tracks in the snow as he silently began to follow them. It wasn't long though before he heard his idiotic servant stumbling after him, somehow managing to make as much noise with the soft snow padding his steps as without.

"Would you be quiet?" He hissed once the boy had grown closer, Merlin's steps stopping abruptly as he teetered awkwardly where he stood in an attempt to keep his balance. Rolling his eyes at the boy's antics, Arthur continued on, looking back to his knights and gesturing for one to go one way and two to go the other while Merlin kept close behind him with his sword and quiver of arrows in hand.

"Where do you think it is?" He questioned in a pathetically weak attempt at keeping his voice low that only succeeded in grating on the prince's nerves as Arthur glared at him again.

"I don't know, but if you don't shut up we'll find it when it runs!"

Clamping his mouth shut in response, Merlin focused on his steps while the blond moved forwards. "Arthur?" Gritting his teeth, Arthur's hand flew backwards and made contact with the side of the boy's head, Merlin's soft grunt of discomfort followed by an offended look. "What-"

"Shut. Up."

"There's more tracks." He hissed quickly before shying away, evidently expecting another strike that the prince seriously considered before his words were sinking in. Following the servant's line of sight, a second set of tracks appeared across from them and ventured off to the right.

Lifting a hand and flagging down his men, Arthur made a silent motion to the tracks and the knights nodded, veering off to follow them. Looking back to Merlin, the boy wore a pleased expression that disappeared the moment he caught the blond's scowl.

Continuing on beside the first set of tracks, the two walked for some time before the silence of the forest was broken by the noise of rushing water as they approached a stream in the distance. The thought of traipsing through the freezing water was less than ideal, but Arthur was preparing himself for the deed when Merlin's hand shot out and he was pointing to the other side of the bank.

Half hidden behind the trees was an outcropping of rock that formed what looked to be a cave, and while the prince's initial plan had been to kill the creature while it slept, something had alerted it to their presence. The animal crept slowly along the tree line, gleaming eyes staring back at them above a set of teeth that were curled into a snarl.

Crouching down and aiming, the wolf's head turned suddenly, looking at something to its left before Arthur was firing and the arrow was striking its target, the animal falling into the snow and disappearing behind a tree. Lowering his weapon and waiting to see if it would rise, Arthur stood and shoved the crossbow towards his servant.

"Was that the only one? Are we finished?" Merlin asked softly as Arthur turned, his brows pinched together in frustration.

"Are you that eager to return home?"

"I just.. I have a bad feeling."

"If you're so anxious to get back why don't you go and see if it's dead."

"Me?" The boy stared, his mouth hanging open.

"No, the person behind you. Yes, you, Merlin, and fetch my arrow while you're at it."

Merlin's eyes darted to the other side of the stream before he was looking down at the rushing water and then back up to the prince, a look of disbelief clear on his face. "You can't be serious. What if it's not dead?"

"Merlin, I'm an exceptional shot, if it's not dead we have bigger problems to worry about."

"If you're so sure of yourself then why do I need to go check?"

"Because you're annoying me and I want my arrow. Now go." He instructed, making a shooing motion with his hand that earned a frown from his servant before the boy was dropping his weapons and trudging reluctantly towards the bank while muttering to himself. "Oh, and Merlin, try not to fall in!" Arthur called out, unable to help himself as blue hues shot him a dirty look to which he grinned in response to.

The prince watched as the servant approached the bank and paused, looking for the safest way across. It wasn't too far to the other side, but the water was flowing swiftly along its course and Arthur knew he was about to be given a show as the boy began his attempt to cross. Stepping closer and leaning against a tree, the blond's arms folded across his chest while Merlin tugged at his cloak before he was stepping out onto a rock that jutted out of the water.

A quiet curse floated towards him as the edge of the boy's cloak turned a shade darker, spots of water clinging to his clothes as his arms stretched out on either side of him to keep his balance as he stepped onto another stone.

"Hurry up, Merlin!" Arthur shouted, his laughter uncontained as the servant stiffened a moment, obviously considering turning back before he pressed on, jumping awkwardly to the next stone and wobbling back and forth.

Regaining his balance a moment later, Merlin scurried over the last two stones that provided a path before he was jumping onto the other bank and scrambling up. As he disappeared behind the line of trees, Arthur craned his neck in an effort to see him before the boy was jumping back up like a rabbit, a bloodied arrow in hand.

"It's dead!" He shouted, his voice barely reaching him over the distance and the sound of the stream.

"Clean it off before you come back!" The prince called back, his lips curling into another smile at the sudden deflation the boy had at his command.

Trudging back to the stream, accusatory blue eyes looked at him as the arrow twisted in his hand. "Can't it wait until we're back?"

"Not unless you want to clean the blood from every arrow in my quiver." He challenged, taking another step to the other bank as Merlin frowned and knelt to the ground. Tugging off the worn gloves and setting them to the side, the boy stuck the arrow in the freezing water and started at the cold, his face scrunching up while he began to clean away the blood.

"Prince Arthur." Turning, the blond spotted one of his knights returning.

"Did you find where the second set of tracks lead?"

"No, but the others are still tracking it. We did come across more however, leading further into the forest."

"We must have alerted them, Merlin's fault no doubt, though if they return to their original hunting grounds I'm not that concerned." He stated, glancing back at his servant where Merlin had balanced himself carefully at the edge of the bank. "We'll continue when the others return, make certain they're cleared from this area at the very least." Arthur decided, looking back to the knight who nodded in understanding, though his own eyes were settled on the boy.

Before another word could be said the man's expression changed and he was lurching towards the stream. "Prince Arthur!"

Whirling around at the urgent call of his knight, Arthur's eyes found Merlin still at the bank only to have movement behind him draw them away. A dark shape crept low to the ground behind the edge of the trees, moving with precise steps towards the oblivious boy.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted, scooping his crossbow off the ground and retrieving an arrow. The boy's head lifted in response, the clean arrow in hand as his eyes landed on Arthur. At the noise, a low snarl ripped free from the beast and startled the boy, Merlin letting out a yelp of surprise as he tried to stumble back and create distance between himself and the creature.

Barely taking the time to steady his shot, Arthur released the arrow just as the wolf lunged towards Merlin, the boy raising his arms to shield himself before he was falling backwards into the stream. The yelp of the creature mingled with the splashing of water, the prince's arrow sticking out of the wolf's side as it lumbered backwards and took off into the trees.

"Go after it!" He yelled, waving the knight off. "Find it!"

As the man took off, Arthur dropped his crossbow and took off running. Reaching the edge of the bank he spotted Merlin flailing in the water, the cloak he wore caught on something beneath the surface as he struggled to free himself.

Without another thought Arthur unhooked his own cloak and let it fall to the ground before he was darting across the same stones Merlin had, albeit with far less caution, and stopped in the middle as he grabbed hold of the boy's arm and tugged him towards him.

The water worked quickly in freezing his fingers and legs, the cold chill sweeping up his sleeves and trousers as the stream soaked into his clothes. Managing to unhook the clasp of his cloak and tug at Merlin's shoulder once more, the boy scrambled onto one of the stones and spluttered water out of his mouth.

"Come on!" Arthur barked, his voice tense as he pulled one of the boy's arms over his shoulder and helped him to stand on the uneven surface. With some effort the two made it back to the bank where one of the knights had returned and was waiting, taking hold of Merlin's other arm and tugging him up and onto the snow as Arthur climbed out after him.

"Only an idiot like you would actually fall in the water!" The prince chided, sinking down next to his friend who was shivering and soaked from head to toe. The water had left his hair plastered to his face with droplets rolling down his neck and his teeth were chattering between the coughing fits that occurred as his body tried to expel the water from his lungs.

When he didn't respond to his remark, Arthur leaned closer and grabbed the boy's shoulders, shaking him once in an attempt to get him to focus. "Merlin." He called, shaking him again until dazed blue hues lifted to his face.

"C-Cold." He stuttered out with a grimace, his head falling as water splattered against the blond's hands.

"Bring me my cloak!" Arthur demanded, the knight stepping back to retrieve it as the prince's attention returned to the boy while he looked him over. "You're lucky you didn't hit your thick head again." He scoffed, glancing up as his knight returned and reaching out for the cloak.

"Sire, you're bleeding." The man stared as Arthur paused, turning his hand around to see crimson smeared across his palm.

"No.." He mumbled, confusion floating around him as he tried to block out the cold and determine if he'd injured himself without realizing. "I don't think it's mine." He finished, turning back to where his servant was curled in on himself and still trembling uncontrollably.

Arthur kept one hand on his shoulder and he quickly scanned him over again. Water dripped down his face and his clothes but along his left arm and shoulder he found the tunic was darkened not just by the water, but by his blood.

"Merlin, did that wolf attack you?" He demanded, spotting a tear in the fabric and ripping it wider as the boy groaned and leaned forwards.

"It's c-claws." He forced out, his breathing fast and sharp as Arthur drew back in horror at the sight of the injury, deep gouges cutting through Merlin's arm and bleeding out onto the snow now that the tunic was out of the way. Tightening his hold around the boy's other shoulder the prince snatched his cloak from the knight.

"We've got to get him back to Gaius immediately. Bring one of the horses, now." He instructed, watching the man turn and run before he was looking back to Merlin, the boy's eyes partially closed and head falling into his chest as he quickly wrapped the cloak around the servant's shoulders.

"I'm f-fine, A-Arthur."

"You're not fine, you're an idiot." He scowled, pressing a portion of the fabric against the injury as the boy inhaled a sharp breath and jerked forwards, his forehead colliding with the prince's shoulder.

"S-Stop." He groaned, pale fingers digging into the snow as the prince grit his teeth and pressed harder.

"I need to stop the bleeding, and you ought to learn to pay attention to your surroundings."

"Bit h-hard when I-I've got a p-prat yell-yelling at me." He stuttered, his body sagging into the blond as Arthur shook him.

"Merlin you can't fall asleep out here." He warned, his head tilting to try and catch the boy's eye only to find them fully shut.

"..m not." He mumbled weakly as warmth began to spread across the prince's hand, blood seeping through the fabric of his cloak.

"I'm serious, Merlin, don't go slacking off just because you got a bit wet." He scolded, shaking him again and only receiving a quiet groan in response. Fear wrapped around the man's heart with each minute that passed until he heard the sound of his knight returning, looking up to find the horse slowing as the man swung off midstride and led it the rest of the way.

"Help me get him up." Arthur spoke the moment he was within earshot, grabbing hold of the boy's injured arm as a cry of pain voiced Merlin's discomfort. Ignoring the quiet grumbles and fearing the moments of silence, the two managed to get the servant on his steed only for him to lean forwards, his fingers unable to curl around the reins as Arthur cursed softly.

"Go find the wolf." He muttered, his voice low and cold as he regarded his knight. "I want you to find it, to kill it, and to bring me its pelt." Turning round without another word, he mounted the horse behind his servant and caught the boy's dazed expression watching him in confusion as a question began to part his lips. "Not a word." He spat out, reaching around him for the reins and urging the horse forwards with his heels.

At the movement Merlin's body crashed back into Arthur, a weak attempt given at muffling his groan as the boy clutched desperately at his arm. Water and blood had soaked through the majority of the cloak draped around him, and as it pressed against the prince he could feel the cold seeping into his own tunic. Suppressing his own shudder at the numbness working its way over his own body, Arthur urged the horse to go faster as the boy's head lolled back against his friend.

"Hold on, Merlin." He mumbled, forcing his eyes on the path in front of them despite the haggard breaths that jolted the servant's slight frame every few seconds. This wasn't how it was supposed to go, he wasn't meant to have been injured.

"Come on!" He yelled, pushing the horse faster as snow kicked up around them. Merlin had mentioned having a bad feeling but he'd simply brushed it off as the boy being foolish, just giving the prince a hard time about being in the forest, but perhaps he should have listened.

Glancing down at his friend, he cursed again and shook the boy's arm, no longer drawing out even a sound of complaint. Panic began to spread while they rode, the citadel further than needed with the boy's blood staining his hands as Arthur murmured a silent plea on the boy's behalf.

Everything was cold and dark. It felt like he was floating, drifting along in a river he couldn't see or feel but allowing himself to be carried away all the same. There was a sense of pain in the back of his mind, like an ache from a dream that had ended but still lingered in his head.

He tried to think back, to figure out when he'd fallen into the darkness or why he was drifting along, but he could not make sense of how it had happened. Instead he kept floating, further and further and further away until all he could feel were the invisible waves beating against his back and carrying him somewhere far away.

"Merlin! Merlin, can you hear me?"

A seizing pain struck the warlock at the voice, a distant yet broken sound that cried out for him from someone he cared for and respected. But why was Gaius shouting for him? Where was he? He wanted to open his eyes and pull himself from the water, but the harder he tried the more the waves worked to drag him down. A heavy weight settled on the boy's chest, and he knew he needed to wake.

"Bring that here, set the water down. We must stop the bleeding."

Something had happened, someone was injured. Was that why Gaius was shouting for him? Did he need his help? He wanted to be of use to his mentor, but the weariness that urged him to stay was so tempting.

Just a little longer, it begged, just a few minutes more. And he wanted to give in, wanted to drift along with the waves willing to sweep him away. After all, the water that pulled him soothed the pain he felt, pain that the more he struggled to wake the stronger he felt. Why should he fight against it if all that awaited him was further misery?

If he continued to float away, would what he felt fade away entirely? But there was something there, a presence that urged him to rise, to fight. It was familiar, reaching out to him and begging him to listen. His chest constricted just at the thought, pressure beginning to build as his breaths rattled out in harsh and shallow gasps that made his ears ring.

The waves were no longer a comfort but a danger, the water pulling him beneath the surface as he flailed about, struggling for his freedom. His feet touched the ground as he fought and the moment they connected everything came to a crashing halt. From the pain to the chill to the ragged gasps that failed to be enough. Even the current had faded to nothing, everything holding its breath as a peace settled over him.

Let go.

Just let go.

The darkness prevailed but the warlock was no longer lost. He was standing, teetering on the edge of an unseen precipice, and everything inside him was telling him to go. Just step forward. Just let go.

"Please.. no.."

Merlin's body froze, the voice as clear as day jarring him as he sucked in a breath. He'd never heard that much desperation in the voice before, the words drifting around him as the pull he felt from before grabbed onto him like a vice.

His foot shuffled back a single step, shifting away from the edge and back towards a destiny that wasn't yet complete, a destiny that begged for him to stay. He was no longer confused, his thoughts flooding back in pieces as his hand lifted to his arm, pain bleeding through while a warm breath of air struck him.

"Your destiny is to protect the young Pendragon until he claims his crown," The Great Dragon's voice washed over him, the tendrils of a memory wrapping around and pulling him further from the edge. "and when he does, magic can be returned to the realm."

His destiny.

His friend.

His future king.

He could not let go now, he could not leave Arthur. Two sides of the same coin, that's what was said about them, one side that still needed the other. He'd made his decision, yet he was met only with the same empty darkness that continued to surround him.

When would he wake? The edge was still perilously close, his body still wavering near the abyss and he was torn between his destiny and a fate he could not control. The ground beneath him trembled and he wobbled unsteadily, the open maw of what awaited him after his drop urging him closer, a loss he could not explain denying him of his wish as he began to fall.

"Seópan ærest wearð feasceaft funden. Denum æfter dom.Dreamleas gebad he gewann langsum."

Light broke through the darkness in patches, the echoed words pulling at the warlock and surrounding him in a tight embrace before he was being wrenched backwards, the precipice disappearing with the current and forcing him to the surface of his pain.

The agony that struck him was blinding, his eyes tightly closed while he grimaced, unable to stop the groan that worked past his lips. A heavy hand tightly grasped at his own, and as Merlin worked to see past the burning haze, the shadow of a figure hovered above him.

"Merlin?" The voice that spoke was closer now and heavy with grief as the boy blinked away the daze and focused on the face above him. "You're alright, Merlin, you're alright." The voice soothed while the face of his guardian settled into focus and the warlock's own rasping tone filled the room.

"Wh-What happened?"

"You nearly died." The hand on his tightened as the boy pressed his head into the pillow beneath him, another wave of aching misery coursing through him as he shut his eyes tight in an effort to combat the nausea that followed the pain.

His dream was fading quickly, the feelings and thoughts dispersing as fast as sand through his fingers, but one thing remained at the forefront of his thoughts and he opened his eyes again to look to the physician. "Gaius.. Did you use magic?"

An answer was not even needed, the look on the elder's face more than enough to confirm what the boy had thought. "You had stopped breathing, Merlin, it was the last thing I had that I could try." He admitted softly, squeezing the boy's hand fondly.

"Thank you." He murmured, exhaustion creeping up through his bones and tugging at his thoughts as the man smiled.

"Try and rest, my boy. You've been through quite an ordeal and I'm afraid your swim in the stream only made things worse after the blood you lost." As the elder began to rise, Merlin's fingers tightened around his hand and made him pause, curious eyes aged with wisdom glancing him over. "Merlin?"

"You pulled me back." He spoke, the words scratching painfully at his throat. "I was letting go.. I was.. I couldn't fight it.."

"Merlin-"

"You pulled me back.. you didn't let me go.."

A tense expression crossed onto the physician's face and a second hand wrapped around the boy's as Gaius quieted him. "Rest now, Merlin." He urged, keeping hold of the young warlock's hand as if it were a lifeline. "Just rest."

A/N

The ANGST. Also this somehow turned into some epic snow saga and I ain't even mad about it. Tell you what though, in all the random things I've learned while doing research for these stories, the fact that people actually hunt wolves for fun made me incredibly sad.

Hope you guys enjoyed this story, it kinda came out of nowhere but ties beautifully with my next one which I'll be posting on New Year's Eve! (Or day, it depends tbh) But anyway leave a comment if you'd like and I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!