The Shadow of the Moon

Chapter 11

Merlin looked at Arthur in shock expression as white as clement water. The king shook his head.

"Not a cure excatly. But a way to change someone back to human when they're a wolf." Arthur explained.

"Is that how you...." the dark haired man began to ask. Arthur snorted.

"Only requited love can make a werewolf re-human" the king said. His eyes, downcast, missed the look on Merlin's face as he gazed at the blonde man.

"Oh...OH, you mean-" Mertlin started, his milky skin luminous with joy and vibrating with excitement.

"Yes. I meany ou and Gwaine." responded the king, forcidly stioc even as he felt like his world was crumbling around him. He'd been so lonely since Merlin left. He was resigned that he'd be lonely forever.

"Gwaine?" A bust of laughter escaped Merlin in shock. Arthur gritted his teeth and glowed at the floor.

"There's no need to rub it in-" he said jaw handsome and tight.

"What would I want with him? I love you." Melrin argued, standing up and moving in front on the king. Arthur's jaw dropped. He sat slack mothed in shock, his azure eyes twinkling the the slivers of moonlight that broke through the netting of trees and cloud. When Merlin realised the other man would not stand with him, he kneeled down in front of his king in the dirt. With careful long hands he delicately wove their fingers together, awestruck by the pattern of tan and ivory.

Merlin looked at Arthur isn the eyes and he did the same. They looked into each other eyes as they both had a realisation dawn at the same time.

"And you love me back!" he whispered, his voice more gentle than a spring as he spoke the secret. His cerulean eye glistered silver the moonlight and unshed tears of hope. His heart splintered, a ancient and fractured tree hewn apart in a rough storm at the knowledge of what could never be. It hurt him to know he would hurt him.

"Merlin...." the king replied as if the words where being wrenched from his heart.

"Arthur I'm sorry. I can't." The wizard said, taking his hands off, his eyes a mass of sadness. He closed his eyes as his heart shattered.

"Wh-what?" The king asked, finally standing and pulling Merlin up with him. He felt all his hope escape from him like a gasp of air out of a deflating balloon.

"Arthur, I can't let you take that risk. You saw me! I....I'm a a monster. What if I'd hurt you? I could have ripped you apart!" Merlin cupped Arthur's face and stroked his thumbs along the king's cheekbones eyes desperate.

"You didn't! You couldn't" Arthur insisted, eyes crest fallen, wrapping his hands around Merlin's wrists.

"We can't. I love you but I cannot come back with you to Camlot. It's the only way I can keep you safe. I have to protect you" Merlin insisted, wriggling out of the blonde man's strong hand and turning his back, shoulders slumed and face dejected. Arthur prowled up to him, laying a calloused hand on the bony shoulder and turning Merlin around as he spoke with ernest eyes.

"This is why you left isn't it? You idiot! You're only a wolf one night a month. What if you get hurt on one of the other twenty seven?" He asked, attempting to keep the pleaing tone out of his regal voice. Merlin felt his heart crack in two, a jagged line running through it like a chasm and pulling it apart like the plates of the earth.

"I heal fast. You saw it." He said, his eyes glimmering with sadness and starlight.

"Mordred's attack. It should have....Killed you?" Arthur asked, listening to the whispers that had wrapped themselves about his heart.

"This condition it gives me super healing. I don't think there isn't a wound I wouldn't recover from. Except....losing you" the jet haired man whispered, his voice a heart wrenching caress in his King's ears.

"You'll never loose me, dollop head." Replied the man with sunlight hair.

"I....you saw me. I was wild I couldn't control it! IT's too dangers for you to be around me" Merlin cried.

"But I could!" Arthur shouted back. Merlin froze. The king stepped forward and wound his hands and arms around his sorcerer's waste.

"I could....and as long as we love each other I have no need to fear." He ended, pulling the lither man into his strong chest and kissing his rose lips with gently. He heard the other man let out a little sigh of bliss.

"So will you? You'll come home with me?" He asked when their kiss was at an end. Merlin smiled like the late summer sunset, spreading peaceful light across his face.

"Arthur....when I'm in you're arms I'm already home" Muttered the sorcerer, leaning in for another gentle kiss, Merlin felt his magic unfurl like the dark wings of an eagle and rap about the two of them in the protective cocoon of a fragile butterfly changed from a small caterpillar the same way Merlin felt himself changed and renewed from a monster to a man by Arthur's love.

The king cleared his throat.

"As much as I would love to continue this. We have a long day ahead of us. We need sleep." He pointed out, with resigned sensibility. The wizard grimaced in agreement and laced their hands together in a tight clasp as they made their way back to their clamp.