TW: alludes to su1c1de and a su1c1de attempt, so if this triggers you please don't read. stay safe xx
This is probably really cliche but I am honestly so proud of how this turned out. "Bold" is Arthur singing and "Italics" is Merlin speaking - just so it doesn't get confusing.
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A hunting trip is the perfect place for an ambush. Especially when the party had stopped in an open glade after an long morning's hunt, exhausted and exposed. The word must have been passed around across Camelot because no sooner than they had arrived, Arthur and his Knights were corned by a two dozen armed men.
The fight began quicker than the Camelotians would have liked. Armed with only their hunting gear the knights burst into action. The fight was at least three on one; because of this Merlin had been pushed out of harm's way by Arthur.
By no means did this mean he wasn't helping. Quite the opposite actually. His mind working a mile a minute, Merlin took every precaution to protect his King, disregarding the safety of himself and others in the process.
Branches fell around the battle field, trapping everyone in the glade. Shards of rock flew through the air slicing straight through the bandit's feeble armor. The bandits dropped like flies; the strategically placed wounds by Merlin leading the knights to believe they were the ones to take down their enemies.
It would seem Arthur was in no need of Merlin's assistance. Living up to the title of best swordsman in Camelot, Arthur had cut down five bandits and was now fighting a sixth. After minutes of grueling
He must have taken his eye of the fight for no more than a second when a deafening explosion rang out beside him.
Another sorcerer.
The blast sent Arthur flying into the center of the battle, hitting his head against a tree trunk. A faint trickle of blood laced its way down his forehead but overall the injury was insignificant. Arthur jumped back up only to find Merlin charging towards the sorcerer, his eyes a blazing gold.
Merlin sent a curse towards the sorcerer, knocking him back. Thick black vines sprouted from the forest floor, binding the sorcerer to the earth. The king was so stunned he could only stand and stare. Equally as shocked the sorcerer couldn't fathom a counter spell, rendering him useless in the soil.
Panting heavily Merlin risked a glance at Arthur a ghost of a smile on his lips.
"I bet you wished I stayed at home."
"I am so confused. " Was all Arthur could come up with, along with a huff of nervous laughter that broke any tension between them. Merlin approached carefully, well aware of the battle still raging around them.
"I should have told you."
"Now isn't the time. We can talk when we- Merlin move!" Arthur darted forward taking Merlin in his arms and spinning them. A bolt of green struck Arthur square in the shoulders and the two men tumbled to the floor.
Merlin struggled to break free from Arthur's grip but when he did he craved to be back in the safety of his arms. An alarming amount of blood was seeping through a gash in Arthur's armor. From this angle Merlin couldn't tell how deep the cut was or how much blood Arthur had lost.
He desperately felt around for a pulse and in his haste he found nothing. A deep cackle pierced his skull, bouncing around his head driving him absolutely crazy.
Merlin saw red. He yanked a hunting knife from a dead man's holster, throwing it so it struck the sorcerer in the leg rendering him motionless. Bandits and knights alike gaped in shock as Merlin grabbed the traitor by the neck and slammed him into a tree.
"That was a mistake." His voice shook with inexpressible fury, a guttural cry ripping his throat to shreds.
With a flick of his wrist, Merlin created a glittering silver knife and planted it deep within the sorcerer's chest. He watched as the sorcerer's smirk morphed into pure terror. Not wanting to wait a second longer, Merlin's eyes flashed gold and a sickening crack echoed around the glade.
Merlin let him drop to the floor giving a satisfied nod before running to Arthur's side.
He scooped the King up resting his head on his lap. The battle still raged around him but in that moment he didn't care. Arthur's pulse was weak and if it weren't for his heightened senses Merlin wouldn't even be able to tell the king was breathing.
A single tear escaped his eye and he brushed it away. Anger and grief only clouds the mind and that's the last thing Merlin needs.
"Þurhhæle dolgbenn" A gold hue appeared around the wound on Arthur's head but faded quickly. No effect.
"Licsar ge staðol nu" The light was stronger this time and Arthur's eyes opened a fraction before drooping closed once more. Merlin's chest felt about to collapse but he kept persisting.
"Wel cene hole. Come on Arthur, wake up." Merlin rest a shaky hand on Arthur's blood stained face. Merlin broke down when he realized the pulse was no longer there.
He allowed the grief to lash out in the form of magic. The ground shook, opening up under every bandit sending them falling god knows how many feet to their death.
Tears splashed on to Arthur's face creating morbidly beautiful swirls of blood against his blanched skin.
"Wake up"
---
"Merlin it's been three days. You have to eat something." Gwaine placed a plate of bread an cheese on the table
"I told you I will eat when Arthur wakes up." Merlin snapped, his voice hoarse from disuse.
Gwaine sighed in defeat. Merlin hadn't left Arthur's chambers since they arrived back from the hunt. He was pale, much paler than usual and the black bags under his eyes had tripled in size. If anything he looked worse than Arthur who, if not provided with any context, you would think was in perfect health.
The knight let Merlin be, allowing the boy to return to his grief.
Merlin drew his knees up to his chest, wrapping one arm around them whilst gripping Arthur's hand tightly with the other. Under his breath he began to hum a song he held close to his heart. It tugged at a memory he didn't possess, yet filled him with the upmost joy. The fact it came to mind at all given the circumstances was cruel. But maybe the fake nostalgia was exactly what he needed.
"I used to hear a simple song," A chance to fantasize what life might have been like.
"That was until you came along," If he only had had the courage to actually tell the King everything.
"Now in its place is something new," The courage to tell him about his magic. To tell him that, bound by destiny or not, he would be nothing without Arthur.
"I hear it when I look at you." To tell him that since the day he had laid eyes on him nothing has ever felt more right. More perfect.
Exhaustion mixed with despondency led Merlin to pass out, curled in a ball against Arthur's static chest. He was too deep in sleep to notice the fingers curling around his own.
---
On day four Gwen had managed to coax Merlin out of the room long enough for Gaius to perform a proper check up. Expecting no change, Gaius pressed his ear to Arthur's chest and nearly fainted out of shock. It was beating.
His heart was beating.
"Oh my god Arthur." Gaius sorted through his bag, drawing out his tattered book of spells. He thumbed through the pages settling on a simple yet effective healing spell he had used hundreds of times - many of which had been on Arthur himself long before Merlin came into his life.
"Expergiscimini." Arthur's hand twitched. It's strange how such a minute movement could provoke such a glorious reaction, but at this point any movement was a miracle in itself.
"Gaius what is it?" Leon stumbled into the room, being the first to hear Gaius' exclamation due to standing century outside the door.
"He's waking up."
"What!"
Arthur groaned drawing the men's attention once more. His eyes cracked open and he was blinded instantly, unused to light after days of unconsciousness.
"Too. Bright."
Gaius took this as a sign to close the curtains. He was slightly stunned by the fact that the king had managed to form a single syllable, let alone a coherent word.
"Better sire?" Arthur opened his eyes again and relaxed when he found the room in darkness. He nodded but the movement made him lightheaded. Black dots formed in his vision and for a moment he felt ready to throw up.
"Don't put to much strain on yourself. You still need time to heal." Gaius put his hand to Arthur's forehead thankful that he no longer had a temperature. The spell must have enhanced the countless slow working ones Merlin cast.
"Where...Merlin? Where's....talk. I need...Merlin." Arthur could barely get out a full sentence without stammering, a side effect of his coma that no doubt will take a couple of days if not weeks to wear off.
"Merlin is with Gwen. I can go get him sire." Leon offered and Arthur smiled gratefully, not wanting to risk nodding. Leon took his leave, setting off to find the servant who had disappeared to who knows where.
His heart sank when he bumped into a distressed Gwen running down the corridor.
"Gwen where's Merlin?"
"I don't know! I was trying to get him to eat and he ran off. He kept mumbling about wanting to be with Arthur." Tears laced her voice, the fear seeping out and latching on to Leon.
"I was just with Arthur. Merlin hadn't...." Leon and Gwen exchanged a terrified look and bolted down the corridor. They threw open every door they came across, yelling at the top of their lungs for Merlin. No answer.
Passers by caught on quickly and soon there was a castle wide search for the boy. News reached Gaius and Arthur quickly and the fear was almost enough to put Arthur back under. Almost.
"I need to help."
"Arthur you can barely stand up." Gaius tried to push Arthur down on to the bed but Arthur pushed back harder.
The adrenaline coursing through his body took the brunt of the dizziness and he stood up. Clinging to the bed frame Arthur shuffled towards the door, grabbing a shirt so he was decently covered up.
"Arthur stop."
"No! I need to help M-Merlin."
Pushing through the pain each step shot through his body Arthur continued to the door. He knew exactly where Merlin would be. There was a time they jokingly called it there spot because they knew no one in their right mind would ever venture up there. The north tower: the highest point in Camelot. From there you could see the entire kingdom, from the lower town to the rolling forests that kissed the horizon.
It was their escape. A place for them to be friends without the judging eyes of the castle who thought servant and master should be just that. Up there they were free to be together - only not in the way they both desperately craved.
Now Merlin was seeking permanence. To be together for eternity. What's more poetic than ending it where it began. The place their relationship bloomed.
Arthur stumbled up the winding stairs, cursing himself for ever choosing this tower. The cold bite of the wind hit him full force when he eventually reached the top. His heart dropped to his stomach when he saw Merlin sat on the edge of the wall, legs hanging off the edge.
Wind whipped through his tousled ebony hair making him look ethereal. The image of Merlin as an angel however terrified Arthur more than he would care to admit. The king managed to catch bits of a monologue - no a song - and he edged out of the shadows.
"With simple songs, I wanted more
Perfection is so quick to bore
You are my beautiful, by far
Our flaws are who we really are."
The tune was one the king recognized but couldn't place. Yet somehow the lyrics came naturally. As gently as possible he joined in.
"I used to hear a simple song.
That was until you came along"
Merlin's head shot up and he spun around so violently he almost lost his fitting. Even in his state, Arthur's reflexes were as sharp as ever. He grabbed Merlin's waist and pulled him off the ledge. Arthur's legs buckled beneath him and they fell to the floor. Despite his shaking, Arthur managed to pull Merlin on to his lap cradling him as he sobbed.
"I've got you. I've got you." Merlin cupped Arthur's face in his hands and stared until his eyes stung.
"H-how? I saw you...you were dead. You died." Merlin hit Arthur's shoulder in a panic fueled frustration then instantly drew him into an embrace he never wanted to leave.
"I'm sorry." Merlin tucked his head into Arthur's neck.
"Merlin what are you doing up here?"
"I needed to be with you. I couldn't take it." Arthur gripped hold of Merlin tighter as if scared Merlin would try to run.
"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." Merlin let out a shuddery breath, taking fistfuls of Arthur's shirt to ground himself. After a few moments Merlin smiled to himself, unaware that Arthur could feel his smile against his neck.
"What?"
"You knew the song." Merlin rest his forehead against Arthur's, lacing his fingers with his counterpart.
"I used to hear a simple song,"
"That was until you came along," Arthur smiled into the song, moving closer so their noses brushed.
"You took my broken melody," A stray tear fell down Merlin's cheek and Arthur swiped it away. Staring into each other's eyes they finished the song in unison.
"And now, I hear a symphony."
As soon as the words escaped their lips they surged forward, meeting in the middle. All the passion and love they felt for each other came bursting out. Merlin held Arthur as if he would disappear any second, in doing so deepening the kiss.
They stayed out on the roof long after parting, too scared to return to normal life after what had just happened. Every feeling coursing through their bodies was utterly terrifying, but they couldn't ignore them any longer.
It was like the song said: they had taken each other's broken melody and conducted it into a beautiful symphony.