Merlin's Suffering

Chapter Four

Merlin sat away from the other knights, and looked solemnly into the water. Arthur noticed from where he was sitting, laughing with the knights, and his smile fell.

"Aww. Is Arthur worried about Merlin?" Gwaine asked in a sing-song voice, trying to cover up his concern for Merlin. Arthur shifted uncomfortabely in his seat, and immediately denied it.

"No, I was just worried that Merlin was trying to slack off his duties." He said, but no-one believed him. Arthur remembered this moment and smiled slightly at the interaction that was to come.

Merlin dropped something into the water, as Arthur approached from behind him.

"Merlin." He said softly. Merlin looked round, but didn't say anything, until Arthur was next to him.

"How can they laugh and joke, hm? Don't they know what we will face in Ismir." Arthur crouched next to him.

"We always know what we're facing..." Leon started.

"We're just too stupid to run away." Elyan finished, seeing the dark mood and trying to lift it. The knights believed that this would be a dark conversation, but they were wrong, as Arthur looked back on this memory with fondness.

"Yes. Of course. But, a warrior learns to enjoy each day as it comes..."

"Because, he knows it might be his last." Merlin finished.

The knights looked at the screen, knowing how true that was, while Gaius and Gwen looked down, not liking that fact, at all.

Arthur shifted closer to Merlin, sitting down properly.

"Why are you so upset?" He asked.

"Morgana is powerful. She's dangerous."

"Yeah, but she's got nothing on you, mate." Gwaine said, remembering one of the clips from the previous videos.

"I know." Arthur said.

"And you don't care."

"Only about my men." He said, looking back at the knights. "They're more than friends, more than brothers. No matter what lies ahead of me, I won't abandon them. As I know, they would not abandon me."

"You do care." Percival muttered, but they couldn't tell if he was joking or not, so they pretended that they didn't hear him.

"I understand." Merlin said, not looking Arthur in the eye. "I wish I didn't, but I do." He finally looked up at Arthur, and they stared at each other for a few moments.

Arthur looked at the Merlin on-screen, and knew that he meant it. After seeing a fraction of what Merlin had done for him, that statement had a completely new meaning, and Arthur couldn't help the stupid grin that came over his face.

"Come and have some food." Arthur said, getting up, and leading Merlin to the campsite.

Gwen wiped a tear from her eye, at the sentimental moment, and many of the knights grinned at the screen.

"And you try to pretend he's not your best friend." Gaius shook his head at Arthur, but Arthur didn't even try to protest, still grinning at the screen. In that moment, he realised something. Even if he did push Merlin away, he would still try and protect Arthur, because they had an unbreakble bond. They were best friends. They were brothers.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Hi all,

I want to apologise to LovesickHeroReader for not using one of the videos they suggested. They sent me so many, and they were all amazing, but when I remembered this scene, I had to do it. The videos that they sent me were genuinely brilliant (One made me cry) and I want to thank them for sending them to me. And I promise to use on in the next chapter.

Many thanks,
H