Help is Always Given

Chapter 16

The Fall of the King

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"Arthur!" Merlin says very loudly while shaking his sleeping friend. It had been getting harder and harder to wake him up. Arthur awakes with a start and, for a second, doesn't know where he is until he focuses on the trees and on Merlin's worried face.

They eat a quick breakfast and are on their horses again within the hour. Merlin picks up the pace today, but not too much. He doesn't need Arthur falling off his horse.

At about midday, Arthur starts mumbling something. Merlin turns around in his saddle and slows the horses. Arthur is slumped all the way foreword on his horse, sweating, and pale. Merlin jumps down quickly and reaches his hands up to steady Arthur.

"I can't. Merlin, I can't go on," Arthur barely gets out.

"Okay. We rest for an hour," Merlin drags Arthur off his horse and helps him over to a fallen tree, which Arthur lays against.

Merlin gathers some firewood, places them close to Arthur, and gets out his stone. After multiple attempts, it still doesn't light.

"Why don't you just use magic," it is both a question and a command, and Merlin is surprised that Arthur would allow such a thing.

"Habit, I suppose," Merlin does so and there is an instant fire burning. "Feels strange. Using my powers in front of you."

"Yeah," Arthur replies. Merlin takes Arthur's boots off and places them by the fire to dry, then gets out some stew. There isn't much left, enough for two people to survive on for two days. I don't need much, Merlin thinks.

Merlin feeds Arthur. He can't hold the spoon himself anymore, he's too weak.

"Why are you doing this?" Arthur asks moodily. "Why don't you just leave me? I'm going to die anyway, quit wasting your time."

Merlin feels the sting of Arthur's words like a frozen dagger to his heart. "I have to keep trying. Camelot needs you, Gwen needs you. And also because you're my best friend and I don't want to loose you."

They stay silent for the rest of the time, and after Arthur has eaten, he slips into unconsciousness. Merlin keeps the fire going and stays watch. He hasn't gotten much rest since before the battle, but he can't risk falling asleep. Not while Arthur is like this.

When the sun starts it's descent, Merlin shakes Arthur awake.

"Come on," he says quietly but with urgency in his voice. "We have to keep moving."

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To the Doctor's surprise, he reaches the White Mountains not long after dusk. Not wanting to stop, he continues until midday the next day. The Doctor takes out his sonic screwdriver and points it at the mountain side.

"Right in the middle," he says happily to himself. "That's good, really good. For once I'm making perfect time!"

He warms up a little stew and has a small lunch, wanting to save as much as he can, for as long as he can. Then, the Doctor lays down and sleeps. He likes to call them 'Speedy Sleeps' because he gets a full nights rest in only half an hour.

He mounts his horse again and calls the TARDIS.

"Yes?!" John answers.

"Are you in the maps room?" the Doctor asks quickly.

"Yes, what do you need, Doctor?"

"How far am I from Merlin and Arthur?"

The Doctor hears some muffled noises on the other end, he takes it to be calculations.