Work Text:
It all happened far too quickly. One moment they'd been talking about bravery, about the possible future and Arthur wishing he'd called merlin his friend more. The next a dorrocha had flown right into their room, Arthur about to try his damndest to protect himself and Merlin, but Merlin had been quicker and had thrown himself directly into the path of the thing, all the while pushing Arthur back to safety.
How had he been so fast?! Arthur hadn't had time to react to his best friends body landing painfully hard and frighteningly still on the floor beside him, because the knights had busted through the door just a few seconds too late. Every single one of them had frozen in shock at the devastation on Arthur's face as he slowly moved towards Merlin, before Lancelot had sprung into action and turned the man over.
Arthur had never seen something so heartbreaking in his life. Merlin's final moments were frozen in time, he hadn't looked scared, no merely protective and shocked and that broke Arthur's heart because it was supposed to be him! He was the one who was supposed to sacrifice himself not Merlin!
It took all of them to lift him and move him to the fire, they all wanted to thaw Merlin's body even if there was no chance of getting him back, they had to try! They all became hypervigilant after that as they didn't want to lose anyone else. It wasnt until the sun began to rise the next morning that they realised something had changed with merlin, Arthur, who had stayed at his friends side all night startles when he feels Merlin's hand clench weakly in his.
He couldn't believe it! He'd been whispering "C'mon Merlin, dont leave me like this. We've been through much worse and got through it" since Merlin had gasped for air several hours earlier. He wasn't recovered in any stretch of the imagination and as much as it pained Arthur, he knew the man had to go back to Camelot whilst he and the other knights continued with the quest.
It truly is horrendous to watch as his best friend is carried to his horse by Percival. Arthur's never known Merlin to be quiet or still, yet the man is being the bravest he's ever seen a man be. When he's situated on his horse, Arthur moves to stand beside him ensuring he stays on whilst st the same time commiting his friend to memory.
It takes everything in him not to pull Merlin back off the horse and hold him close as he quietly begs to be allowed to continue on with them, dispite the fact that he's grey, can't hold himself up and can barely speak. He always knew Merlin was braver than he seemed, but still he sent him and Lancelot back to Camelot, not taking his eyes off of Merlin's horse until it was well out of sight.
He ends up having to close his eyes and take a deep breath before he can even think to head back to the rest of the knights. Leon does his best to reasure him that things might end up being okay and he did the right thing sending merlin back to Camelot and Gwaine's round about way of trying to make him laugh, if only for a few short moments are both welcomed and appreciated, but God's does he wish it was Merlin.
The group grows even quieter after they go through the same Wilddeoren infested cave that he and Merlin had traveled through all those years ago. They just about get out of the cave unscathed after Gwaine kills the one that had found him and caused the rest of the pack to grow aggressive.
They dont stop moving until they are a good distance away from the rather unsettling noises of the cave. Where they wash the Gaia berries off whilst Leon and Arthur stare at Gwaine with a mix of exasperation as well as wondering how the hell he's managed to live this long without ever coming across Wilddeoren.
When they set off again, Arthur can hear percival and Elyan grumbling at Gwaine for a few minutes before the group grows quiet again. They travel until the sun begins to set, thankfully stumbling across a large rundown structure to keep a fire burning throughout the night. Arthur isnt sure who does what in terms of lighting the fire and doing a precautionary sweep of the place, his mind going back to Merlin once again.
He stares into the fire, as if it could show him the answers to all of his problems, at least until Leon all but sits on top of him in order to get away from Gwaine and his awful smelling socks. He smiles for the first time in days at the mans antics as the knights relax and bicker amongst themselves good naturedly.
He soon grows silent and still when he picks up the sound of footsteps heading in their direction over the din of his friends voices "quiet" he orders, catching his men's attention just in time for the gate they themselves had come through earlier, to open.
They move as one, much to Arthur's amusement, Gwaine is barefoot as he joins the ranks. Its a tense few seconds before Lancelot reveals himself... without merlin. It'd only been a day and a half since they last saw the two, so the news was 50/50 at best.
He takes a deep breath in before he musters up the courage to ask "Lancelot? How's Merlin?" Lance's shoulders seem to drop slightly and his voice is grave as he says "bad news" no, gods no. Not merlin. Arthur's heart drops and hes seconds away from turning away from his men so they dont see how distraught he actually is, when a mischievous sparkle lights up Lancelot's eyes as he says "hes still alive" Arthur's genuinely never been happier to see Merlin back to his usual palor and on his feet again.
He stares at his friend, drinking him in and taking in the fact that he's alive and well and more importantly back by his side, where he belongs again. He is more than happy to wrap an arm around Merlin's shoulders and welcome him back into the fray, staying by his side and not letting him out of sight until their quest is done.