Help is Always Given

Chapter 16

John lets out gasp and Sherlock returns to the sweet spot his neck, sucking so hard John knows he'll have a bruise there for days.

"Oh God, Sherlock," John pants, his voice gruff. He has one hand in Sherlock's hair and one on his back. He tugs on those luscious locks and receives a groan from his detective, along with a harsher grind. John doesn't hold it back, he moans loudly and starts mumbling all sorts of nonsense.

"John, you're so beautiful like this," Sherlock's voice is even deeper than John could ever imagine. "All fragile and a mumbling mess."

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Against his own wishes, Merlin had slept late into the night and wasn't awakened until the sun was almost directly overhead.

"Great," Merlin scolds himself. "Just great. Arthur is dying and I'm still useless."

He doesn't even bother to neatly pack up his things, he just puts them on the horse and rides. Merlin tries to think of a spell for a horse's stamina, or something of the like. He can't think of one for a horse, but he knows one that gives energy to humans.

Merlin decides to try it. He kicks his horse to go faster and it takes off at top speed with a jolt. Huh, should've tried this a lot sooner, Merlin thinks to himself, glad that it worked.

After what Merlin believes to be two hours, the horse suddenly stops dead in his tracks, almost throwing Merlin from the saddle.

"What the hell was that??" Merlin yells at the horse. The horse pants in return. "You need a rest," Merlin realizes and gets down. "I need to wrack my brain for a stamina spell."

Merlin lets the horse rest for an hour before he starts again. To give the horse a little more rest, Merlin leads him for another two hours. He isn't worried about time because the spell he'd used had almost gotten them to the middle of the white mountains, to the secret path he remembers. He can't think of a stamina spell, so he just gets on his horse and rides slower now.

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Arthur awakes feeling much better. Not only did that drink help with the fever, it had also helped with the pain. Or perhaps I'm just starting to go numb, he thinks to himself.

Merlin had already packed everything away. All that is left to do is douse the flames and get Arthur onto his horse. It's a harder task than it was before. Arthur can't really feel his own body, so he isn't much help to the struggling Merlin.

"I know I've made fun of you for being fat before," Merlin grunts while trying to push Arthur up onto the horse, "but this is just ridiculous."

"I'm sorry, Merlin," Arthur says softly. Once he's finally mounted and Merlin is giving him the reigns, Arthur admits in a whisper, "Merlin. My body is numb. I can hardly feel a thing."

Merlin, who was checking to make sure the saddle is tightly secured, stops and looks up at Arthur. Merlin searches in his head for side effects of the Andrographis herb, but doesn't find any. Arthur's body is starting to shut down. What if he has too much internal bleeding? What if he's paralyzed? Merlin worries.

"We'll go slower so you don't fall off your horse then," Merlin says. "We don't have far to go."

To Merlin's disappointment, the forest had started to thicken, making it difficult for two horses to ride through. He dismounts and transfers their remaining supplies onto Arthur's horse. Merlin magically puts a map and an order into the horse's head to make its way back to Camelot, or the closest village.

Merlin leads Arthur on his horse for a few more hours, using Excalibur to help clear more of a path, but the woods are against them and Merlin does the same to Arthur's horse as he had done to his own. Merlin puts the half-full bag of food over his shoulder and ties a blanket to it. He puts Excalibur through his belt loop, then helps Arthur up from the ground to continue.

Merlin knows they aren't far. Half a days walk, maybe. Arthur is getting heavier and heavier with each stride, his body finally failing him.

"Merlin, I can't. I can't go on. Please," Arthur begs in a whisper.

Merlin, half dragging him, doesn't stop. There's a clearing just ahead and he's determined to reach it.

"Arthur we don't have far to go, just hold on a little longer," Merlin pleads. Just one more step, just one more.

They reach the clearing. Just two more steps . . . three . . . Arthur can't fight it anymore, he doesn't have enough energy to continue, he can barely keep his eyes open.

Beneath the crush of Arthur's weigh, Merlin falls to the ground with Arthur on top of him.

"No!" Merlin says through gritted teeth, struggling to rise again. "Arthur, please . . ."

Arthur puts his hand over Merlin's which is covering his chest, "All your magic Merlin . . . you can't save me." Merlin knows it isn't an accusation, but it tears his heart in two anyway. He must save Arthur. It is his destiny.

Merlin shifts so Arthur's head lays in his lap. He puts an arm under Arthur's head for support and without thinking tangles his fingers into that beautiful blond hair.

"Merlin," Arthur struggles with speech. "Everything you've done. I know now. For me, for Camelot, for the kingdom you helped me build." He's trying so hard to be brave, for Merlin, to get out this one last thing that he needs to say. Because he can feel it. Arthur feels himself slipping away, and he has to get these words out. "There's something I need to say, something I've never said to you before." He uses what little energy he has to shift his head and lift his arm to grab onto the back of Merlin's neck, to comb his fingers through the dark hair and ever so slightly pull it down. Arthur puts every ounce of compassion into his last words to the man he loves and has always loved, "Thank you."

With the final bit of energy he feels within him, he tugs down just a little harder, and thankfully Merlin understands, because he feels a light brush of lips against his own, which have gone partially numb. Just as soon as they were there, they disappear and are replaced by something cold. A bottle. Liquid pours down Arthur's throat and he feels it travel all the way down. Arthur starts to feel strange, his breathing slows, and his eyes shut.

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First off - IM SO SORRY FOR WHERE I LEFT THIS I REALLY AM!!!!! Believe me it's soooo emotional to write. Sorry this is short, just thought I should post since I haven't in a long time. School is starting up again so idk when I'll be able to write but I'll try to squeeze in some time :) hope you're enjoying! If you are I'd LOVE a comment or a vote!