literature

Merthur - Chapter 8 (END - EDITTED)

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Merlin was driving himself mad.

He was thinking of all the things he could have done to prevent this, and making himself feel worse and even guiltier.

The cave floor was starting to be indented from all the pacing he was going, but Merlin just wanted Arthur back.

Kilgharra had stopped trying to urge him to eat, instead stocking up the pile of food and leaving it there to tempt him.

He just wasn't hungry. The very thought of eating while Arthur was still in his coma-like state, made him feel ill.

Every so often, Merlin would allow himself to cry over Arthur, but it was becoming less and less often. He was becoming numb to everything; the pounding in his head, the pain of hunger. The only thing that he could still feel was guilt and worry for Arthur.

                                                                                 *.*.*.

It had been roughly a month, and Merlin was beginning to give up hope on Arthur ever awakening. He knew everyone in Camelot would be looking for Arthur, and that Gaiuss would be worried sick, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

Sitting down cross-legged, he watched Arthur float gently in the healing water.

Burying his face in his hands, he wept silently. So much guilt…

There was a slash of water, and before Merlin could register what that meant, a pair of strong arms wrapped around him; comforting him in their embrace.


"Why are you crying?" Arthur asked softly, pressing his nose into Merlin's black hair and inhaling deeply.

Turning in shock, Merlin looked up at Arthur's face; his hair was dripping with water and his warm blue eyes were concern.

"Arthur!" He yelled happily, tackling Arthur to the floor and hugging him tight.

Chuckling, Arthur squeezed Merlin to him.

"Where are we?" Arthur asked in confusion, looking around the cave.

Before Merlin could answer, Kilgharra poked his head through the cave entrance, making Arthur jump up, shoving Merlin behind him and reach for belt where his sword usually was. His sword was actually on the floor on the other side of the pool.

Kilgharra's eyes widened as he saw Arthur awake, and looked at Merlin, golden eyes glowing. "It is good to see the prince back on his feet," he addressed Merlin, grinning.

Arthur, not being able to understand and spotting his sword, leapt across the pool. "He is still as much of an idiot as he was before this whole thing happened," Merlin said, grinning as he watched Arthur.

"Maybe he would feel better if he had something to eat?" Kilgharra said in amusement, studying Arthur with a critical eye, then turning to Merlin. "And you too, young warlock."

Merlin's smile dropped, and he walked over to Kilgharra, ignoring Arthur's panicked shout. He placed his hand on the great dragon's large nose, bowing his head.

They both closed their eyes, emotions flowing between the two. Merlin could feel Kilgharra's happiness that the prince was back, as well as his sadness for the state of Merlin's health. He assumed Kilgharra could feel Merlin's emotions as well.

He was suddenly ripped away from Kilgharra, and Merlin's eyes snapped open. He had forgotten about Arthur for a moment.

"No Arthur!" he yelled, as Arthur lifted his sword up to strike. "Duratus!" his eyes glowed gold and he jerked his head to the side, sending the sword out of Arthur's hands and to the other side of the cave.

Pulling Arthur away from Kilgharra he pressed Arthur against the wall to stop him from trying to attack the dragon again. "Arthur, listen to me!" Merlin bit out, struggling to keep Arthur pinned against the wall as Arthur tried to get between Merlin and the dragon. "This is Kilgharra, he won't hurt us!"

Arthur stopped struggling and eyed Merlin sceptically.

"Trust me," Merlin whispered, leaning forward and softly pressing his lips to Arthurs, smirking slightly when Arthur went limp and completely relaxed.

He heard Kilgharra chuckle, and pulled back, looking over at the dragon. "It seems the once and future king has a very large attachment to you, young warlock," Kilgharra laughed.

Merlin grinned over at him, winking. "Let's just hope it stays that way."

"H-how long have I been out?" Arthur asked, stuttering slightly, his cheeks slightly pink.

Merlin glanced over at Kilgharra. "A month," the dragon replied.

"A month," Merlin translated.

Arthur's eyes widened in shock.

"Do you want some food?" Merlin asked, nodding his head towards the pile of food near the entrance of the cave.

Arthur's stomach rumbled before he could respond, and Merlin laughed, pulling away from the prince and going over to the pile of food.

Muttering a spell under his breath, too jittery to do it by hand, the pile of food turned into a cooked feast, fit for any King or spoilt prince.

Muttering another spell, two wooden trays appeared, and Merlin placed food on both of them, giving Arthur the larger share.

Heading back over to Arthur, Merlin nodded at Kilgharra, and the dragon bowed his head, leaving the cave.

Giving Arthur his tray, his eyes flashed gold once more, and a set of knives and forks appeared on the trays.

Grinning at Arthur's shocked and bemused expression, Merlin waited for Arthur to start eating before he did.

Merlin had never tasted any food that tasted half as good as this did. Maybe it was because he hadn't eaten in a month, but whatever the reason was, this food tasted like heaven to Merlin.

"You haven't eaten, have you?" Arthur asked suddenly, and Merlin glanced up at him to see him looking over Merlin with a scrutinising glare.

Merlin shifted uncomfortably and avoided Arthur glare, instead choosing to stuff some more food in his mouth to avoid having to answer.

"Merlin," Arthur said in a low warning tone. It was obvious that he wouldn't stop pestering him until he got an answer.

Merlin swallowed his food slowly before he answered, still not meeting Arthur's eyes. "No."

He heard Arthur mutter something under his breath which sounded suspiciously like, "clotpole."

"Why?" Arthur asked in a rough voice, and Merlin caught his gaze.

It was full of worry and concern for Merlin. Arthur's eyes travelled over Merlin's face, taking in his hollow cheeks and the dark bags under his eyes.

"Because I didn't know if you were ever going to wake up," Merlin admitted, flushing lightly and looking down at his plate.

He heard Arthur sigh softly, but didn't look up, instead resumed eating his food.

                                                                                 *.*.*.

"We better be going, Camelot is sure to think I am dead," Arthur said, smiling and standing and stretching.

"Sure," Merlin agreed, "but we are going to need a ride if we want to get there as soon as possible."

Arthur looked suspicious as Merlin walked to the front of the cave and called the great dragon.

"We need to get back to Camelot as soon as possible," he said as the dragon landed on the ledge of the cave.

The dragon nodded his head, smiling as he understood what Merlin was asking. "Just this once, young warlock," he rumbled, bending low so Arthur and Merlin could climb onto his back.

"No way," Arthur protested as he saw Merlin about to hop on Kilgharra's scaly back.

"Come on, Arthur, don't be such a princess!" Merlin teased, hopping on Kilgharra's back and extending his hand towards Arthur.

"You spend too much time with Gwaine," Arthur muttered, taking Merlin's hand and allowing him to pull Arthur up onto the dragon's back. Hugging Merlin around the middle so he didn't fall off, Arthur got comfortable on the dragon's back.

Without warning, Kilgharra took off into the air, making Arthur tighten his grip on Merlin.

"Scared?" Merlin gasped, teasing, but not being able to breathe from Arthur's tight hold.

Arthur's grip loosened slightly, "of course not."

Merlin grinned. "If you say so."

                                                                                 *.*.*.

"This is as far as I go," Kilgharra said, landing in the clearing two hour's ride from Camelot's gates.

"Thank you," Merlin said gratefully, putting a hand on the dragon' great head for a moment before sliding off the scaly back, and onto the soft grass of the clearing.

His legs screamed in protest as he stretched out the cramped muscles. Looking over at Arthur, who was watching Merlin, he grinned.

Kilgharra left in a whirl of wind, speeding away to wherever he lived.

Going over to Arthur, Merlin pressed a kiss to his lips, loving the way Arthur completely relaxed.

Pulling back, Merlin took Arthur hand, interlacing their fingers and tugged him back to Camelot.

                                                                                 *.*.*.

Walking behind Arthur like a servant would, he followed Arthur as he climbed the stairs and into the court room.

Opening the doors loudly without announcing himself, Arthur strode into the room not looking back as Merlin followed a respectable distance away.

The King was in the middle of a meeting, knights surrounding him as they pointed to different points on a map, talking quietly to themselves.

Merlin guessed they were seeing where they had looked for Arthur and where else they could look.

The King looked up as the doors opened; his face haggard.

His eyes lit up at the sight of his son, and he strode over to the prince, hugging him tightly. "You're back!" he exclaimed happily.

"I am," Arthur agreed, grinning widely as his father stepped back.

"What happened to Lord Conrad? Last I heard, he and you went out on a hunt before you disappeared," the King asked curiously, eyes glinting slightly.

"Lord Conrad was a traitor," Arthur declared, standing taller, "he took me straight into an ambush and then tried to kill me. If it wasn't for the Druids, I wouldn't be alive."

Merlin disguised his surprise when Arthur gave the Druids credit.

"The Druids?" The King repeated in surprise, leaning on the table in shock.

"Yes, they took me to a healing pool or something, and it healed my wounds. Now I'm as good as new! The journey back was long, and that is why I took so long in returning, father," Arthur half-lied, leaving Merlin and Kilgharra out of it.

The King dismissed the council, and Merlin bowed and left as he was dismissed too. He was shocked at having to leave the room, but was determined not to go far, so he didn't repeat his last mistake of leaving Arthur on his own.

Sitting down on a bench across from the doors, Merlin waited.

Gaiuss came striding down the halls, and smiled when he spotted Merlin. "I heard that Arthur had returned, I was hoping you would be with him." Gaiuss said, sitting next to him on the bench.

Merlin grinned. "I was off saving Arthur, and, as usual, don't get any credit for it," Merlin teased.

Gaiuss laughed and they sat in companionable silence.

"I had better go get Arthur his dinner," Merlin said, breaking the silence.

Arthur would be safe with the King, besides he wouldn't be leaving the palace for a while.

                                                                                 *.*.*.

Arthur was sitting in his chair, thinking, hands laced together and elbows on the table, when Merlin walked in with the prince's dinner.

Smiling and setting it down in front of the prince, he admired the way the sun cast light's on the blonde hair and sighed happily. Merlin sat down in a chair next to the prince, content to just watch.

When the prince started eating, Merlin shuffled around a bit, searching through his pockets. "Here," he said happily, placing the wooden puppy on the table between them. "I made this for you."

Arthur set down his fork and picked up the puppy as if it were the most precious thing in the entire world.

"It's amazing," Arthur breathed, tearing his gaze from it and grinning brilliantly at Merlin. "Thank you."

Arthur leaned forward and kissed Merlin deeply.

No matter how many times they kissed, it always took Merlin's breath away and made him feel loved.

And he never wanted that to change. Ever.
Ok, so I decided that I was drawing this out for waaay too long and making it pathetic with no plot like all my other stories ( -.- ) so I editted the end and made it ... end.

Sorry! But there is another Merthur story on the way~!
© 2012 - 2024 Jayfeathe-r
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pandaXgurl's avatar
This fanfic made me feel so bubbly-happy I can't..the feels >.<