Of Falcons And Lycoris (Merlin)

I'm-mortal

The darkness of the night leisurely departed, leaving in its wake the orange tint of the rising sun. The first glimmer of dawn shone like a beacon of hope in his despair.

His body slackened ever so slowly, as though the darkness was pulling with it, the enchantment that held merlin's body within its clutches.

Soon enough, but altogether an entire eternity later, his body stilled. The last remnants of control faded as his figure slumped, like a doll whose strings had been severed.

He fell into the snowy field, chest heaving with the effort to just breathe. Like a drowned man taking his first gulp of air for the first time. His lungs constricted and hitched with the agonizing effort. Raw and hot with pain as he tried to regain some semblance of control.

Consciousness slipped from his grasp like fallen grains of sand despite his greatest efforts at remaining awake and aware. Terror gripped him like a vice for fear of falling back into Morgana's clutches. Darkness overtook him once more, his head hitting the snow with a soft thud. A single tear escaped his eyes, falling soundlessly in the snow.

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Sun flitted into the room, rays of light shining through the delicate fabric draping the windows. Arthur groaned, grumbling under his breath as he shifted from his resting position. He felt strangely rested this morning. Peaceful, as he sat up, eyes fluttering with the effort to ward off his drowsiness.

The reason behind his unperturbed state was evident when he noticed two things simultaneously. The fire wasn't lit in his chambers and the curtains weren't drawn. Merlin was, therefore, nowhere to be seen.

Cursing his wayward manservant, he got up hastily, knowing that the strong sunlight meant only one thing. He was late. Exceedingly so. The council meeting he was supposed to take on in his father's stead would be already over. Not to mention the breakfast he planned to take in his father's chambers.

Shouting for the nearing maid to bring him his breakfast, he made quick work of getting dressed. Stumbling and thrashing against his garments as he tried to get ready for the day's work ahead of him. The northern patrol directed by Lancelot was supposed to come back today. Arthur needed their report. The Samhain feast was near, he needed everything to be in order. Some disturbances were spotted near some of Camelot's outlying villages, he needed to make sure that the matter was thoroughly investigated and resolved.

His idiot manservant was going to pay for this. His actions this time weren't going to go unpunished. The man has been absent-minded all week. Shirking his duties was just the tip of the iceberg.

With renewed anger, he marched out of his room, barely taking the time to strap his sword belt onto his waist as he headed for the physician's chambers. Intent on catching Merlin amidst his evident laziness.

Nodding at the guards as he passed them, he pushed the doors open, not bothering to reduce the strength he put into the action. Gaius immediately twisted at the noise, the old man starting at the sudden intrusion, words already forming on his lip as he turned to face him. "Merlin where have you-" Upon realizing just who it was that burst into his chambers, he straightened, his face contorting into a perfect mask of disinterest.

"Where is my idiotic manservant?" He asked, trying to ignore the worry the man so evidently tried to conceal.

"I'm afraid I do not know Sire, when I woke up this morning, he was already gone."

"Well, when he does deem us with his presence, be sure to tell that useless toad of a servant, he'll have hell to pay." With that, the prince marched out of the room.

Gaius watched the prince take his leave, eyes heavy with worry, as he wondered once again, what happened to his ward.

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