A Different Ending

Devon

"Did you say Nimueh?!" said Arthur panicky. Merlin didn't hear him as he was already off to the closest flower cart. Arthur jumped off his horse when he saw it; Merlin was on the ground twitching from head to toe, his body had gone ridged, and his eyes had rolled back into his head. The seizure only lasted a few seconds but it was enough to make Arthur sick from worry

"Get him to Guais now!" yelled Arthur, and Percival carried the unconscious body to Guaises' hut. 

"Guais! He said he fought Nimueh to save me, that can't be a coincidence!"

"No I don't think it is sire. This is very troublesome, Nimueh is a very spiteful enchantress. However, this can't be Nimueh,  she was the life Merlin sacrificed to save you when you were bit by the questing beast" responded Guais thoughtfully.

Merlin rested on the physician's couch. Guais had been so happy when he had discovered Merlin to be alive. Gwen also came to see Merlin, having been sent by Lancerlot. Both hugged each other and now waited for Merlin to wake up so they could hold him.

Merlin had awoken several hours earlier with a splintering headache, but other than that he was fine. He was in Arthurs room now, they were cuddling on the bed together, Arthur was stroking his hair, "Damn it Merlin! Stop doing that you scare me half to death" Arthur said as his grip around the sorcerer's middle tightened.

"Sorry, I don't know what happened"

"Tell me what happened at the Isle of the Lost"

"Well you were dying and there was no cure, no way of saving you, I felt helpless...actually it was on that day that I vowed to never have to watch you die again" Merlin continued to explain how he had planned to give his life for Arthurs, what Guais then did, then how he ended up killing Nimeuh, and that it was the cup of life that saved Arthur,  "Arthur, after I saw you up and walking around after you were cured I knew that even if my life had been the one to bring you back it would have been worth it. I knew that if I needed to I would do it again for the future of Albion, for Camelot, for you" finished Merlin as he smiled and looked down at Arthur in bed. Arthurs brow was furrowed with concern for Merlin, "Merlin, please never save my life again. That helplessness you felt when I was dying, well that's how I felt when I learned you had died for me...losing you almost killed me. I don't have magic, I couldn't swap my life with yours, I was truly helpless. So promise me, no more trading lives. Please I'm begging you" Arthur breathed with tears falling down his cheeks. "I promise" said Merlin as he kissed Arthur's head.

"I don't know how Nimeuh has made her way back into our lives but I think we need to talk to Devon and find out more" Just then Merlin saw Nimeuh standing on the other side of the bedroom, Merlin sat up quickly, blinked, shook his head and she was gone.

"What is it?" questioned Arthur sitting up quickly with Merlin. When Merlin didn't answer Arthur continued slowly, "Merlin, the bandit, Devon, we captured told me they had been given information from Nimeuh"

"I need to talk to Devon now!" demanded Merlin with a scared voice