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Arthur stands before the group of men armed with swords, wearing vibrant red and Pendragon crests. “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” He looks over to the other side of the court, staring at the unaware Merlin and the smiling knights that surround him. Arthur moves, making his way over to his friend. “Sorcerer!” He exclaims, faux excitement in his voice as he now stands before the man.
Their eyes meet, and suddenly, both men are startled by memories of an old life flooding their minds. Merlin looks over at Arthur, memories of their old life together now fresh in his mind. "Arthur," Merlin calls expectantly to the man in greeting, a small smile now playing on his lips. Both are remembering, both knowing now the roles they must play in one another's life. Merlin tilts his head downward, hand grabbing the others, lips meeting the back of Arthur's hand gently. "Arthur?" he calls for him again, noting the hesitance in Arthur as he too remembers his position. They remembered now; they knew.
Arthur looks up, staring into the eyes of his old friend. A second life that they now live, and Arthur knows, he remembers the role he must play.
"...Arthur," Merlin repeats the name quietly, begging, tilting his head up, eyes closed, ready. Arthur closes his eyes as well at the sound of his friend's pleading voice, leaning up. They remembered, they knew, they lived this second life together, knowing what must be done. Knowing what the other must feel. “Do what you came for, friend,” Merlin whispers, breath warm on the other man's skin.
Merlin's lips meet Arthur's.
Merlin burns with a newfound feeling of hope filling his heart for his old friend, words of forgiveness from their old life at his lips, already ready to be given.
Arthur feels Merlin's forgiveness through the kiss, words are not needed. The kiss, the forgiveness, it burns at Arthur. Arthur kisses up in fervor, as he burns in guilt, in love, in sorrow. The heat of their kiss, of their passion, cleaning and absolving him of his past sins. Arthur misses Merlin. He misses what they once had as he kisses the other man, betrayal at the ready-seconds away, knowing their parts. Arthur knows he must betray, as it is part of his father's, the king's-Uther's plan. Arthur burns against Merlin's love for the world, for humanity, for magic, and for Arthur. Merlins' love knows no bounds, and it burns at Arthur.
This is it. Arthur burns and knows this must be his hell, his punishment for betraying Merlin. He kisses his old friend desperately. They have only seconds now. Arthur wonders how he must have wronged the gods, to be tortured by the lips of his love. Arthur wonders why they let him love again, why Merlin forgives him, and why Arthur must do as Uther commands.
Arthur wonders why his fate is to love and betray his love, only to be forced into life once more to be forgiven and made to betray again.
Arthur allows it to burn, he revels in the feeling. Revels in his punishment, as he kisses the other man. He begs Merlin with his lips to save him from this fate, to save him from this torture. Arthur begs with his lips for forgiveness, for love, to never be parted again, and to always find one another in all their lives to come.
They pull apart. Merlin looks up at Arthur, "You are forgiven, my friend." He whispers softly, hand stroking his cheek. "All is forgiven. Always, for eternity. For our last life, for this one, and all the others to come." Arthur cries in relief, in anger, in sadness, at the words. He reaches his lips up to meet the man’s again. He does not want to part, for they only have seconds left before Merlin is pulled away from him once more.
They had roles to play, they knew this. Merlin was made to love and forgive. Arthur to betray and to burn.
Arthur would burn for Merlin, would take his place on the pyre if given the opportunity, his betrayal at the front of his mind. Arthur hates that he knows Merlin must be betrayed, and must leave the mortal realm to be brought back again for the sake of magic. Arthur knows Uther's almighty plan. He also knows that The Tripple Goddess plans for Merlin to live again, and Arthur will be forgiven and loved once more.
They live this second life, this second opportunity to love one another again, and they kiss zealously. They will live a third life and a fourth, and a fifth, and so on. A cycle of love, betrayal, forgiveness, and death for the Once and Future King and his Immortal Sorcerer.
Merlin will live these lives for The Triple Goddess, for magic, for humanity, to absolve all of Albion of Uther's sins, but also for Arthur. Merlin will live to die over and over again simply for the chance to love Arthur once more. Arthur has no choice in this, as he is merely a pawn in Uther's plan, but if he was given a choice, he would continue the cycle. Arthur would live again because now he knows it is for the greater good and that they need to play out their story again for the sake of magic, but also simply for the chance to love Merlin once more.
Arthur loves Merlin and hates him at the same time. Hates knowing that he must betray him and that Merlin will love and forgive him each time despite it. Merlin loves Arthur and hates that Arthur is the only one he is incapable of saving from his coming sacrifice.
They pull apart from their kiss, and the kings’ knights seize Merlin, arresting him. They pull him away from Arthur. Arthur burns knowing he has betrayed Merlin, has sentenced him to the pyre, a sacrifice Merlin takes willingly for the sake and love of magic. The cycle repeats.