There can be no place for our love in Camelot [MERTHUR]

Breaking Point

WARNING: You may cry, I know I shed some tears while writing it :'(

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A few days pass and nothing in particular happens in Camelot, Arthur attends knight training as usual, Merlin takes it easy while Arthur fails to look after himself and Uther continues to give the boys dirty looks whenever they are together. Four days after the incidence with Uther, and Arthur can’t seem to find Merlin anywhere in the castle.

“Merlin!” Arthur shouted calmly as he left his chambers and charged down the hall.

It was around afternoon-tea time so he headed for the kitchen as Merlin could be picking up Arthur’s food at this time. The prince barged into the kitchen and spoke to the closest dinner lady he could find, “Has Merlin been to pick up my food yet?”

“I apologize sire but he has not as of yet. I can bring your food up to you if you wish” The aging woman replied through yellow teeth.

“Oh no, it is fine. Please help yourself to my food as I have other arrangements” Arthur offered and the dinner lady politely smiled. The women then thanked the prince and bowed before him as he left the kitchen. Next stop in the search for his man-servant was Gaius’ place. Arthur calmly walked down the packed streets, waving politely to anyone who recognised him but he felt an incredible sense of impending doom. It seemed silly for Arthur to be worrying about his man-servant so soon but since the incidence with Uther, Arthur had been especially protective of Merlin. The prince arrived at Merlin’s little brown door and he knocked twice. When no one came to the door Arthur decided to let himself in. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been in Merlin’s and Gaius’ house before but he still felt like he was breaching his lover’s privacy as he searched each of the rooms calling out Merlin’s name softly. The prince searched the entire house until he walked up the rickety old stairs and came to a small storage-type room with a window on the far wall. Gaius was sitting in a chair by the window, staring out onto the town.

“Ah Gaius! Why didn’t you come to the door when I knocked?” Arthur asked curiously. The old physician nearly jumped out of his skin once Arthur spoke.

“Gosh boy did no one ever warn you not to sneak up on an old man?!” Gaius lectured sternly, turning to look at the prince.

 Arthur looked around, “I didn’t sneak up on you… I knocked on the door but no one opened it”

“I’m sorry sire but I’m getting old and you have to knock louder” Gaius instructed still grumpy, looking back out the window.

 Arthur just nodded before continuing in his search for his man-servant, “Have you seen Merlin? I have not seen him all day”

The physician shook his head, “No sorry, I thought he was looking after you. I mean he has spent practically the whole last week in the castle looking after you”

“He didn’t tell you?” Arthur wondered out loud.

“Tell me what?” Gaius replied. The prince stared at the physician and wondered whether or not to tell him about what Uther had done.

“No, nothing.” Arthur said, making up his mind. “He just accidently got injured so he has been resting in my chambers while I looked after myself” Arthur beamed proudly. “So you haven’t seen him today?” The prince repeated.

“Sadly not” Gaius replied.

“Well I shall keep looking” Arthur announced as he turned and walked down the stairs.

The old man stood up from his chair and shouted, “When you find him tell him to come see me!”

“Okay!” Arthur called back as he closed the front door behind him.  The prince wondered around the street for a little bit, not knowing where else his man-servant would be. He kept asking himself the same question, “Where would Merlin go at this time of day?” But nothing else came to mind. He was still deep in thought when he walked past a disgusting, dark alleyway. He heard a quite whimper coming from the far corner of the alleyway so he turned and looked into the darkness. It took a while but after his eyes adjusted he saw a man hunched over on the floor just behind a small cart but he couldn’t see his face. Arthur wasn’t the type of person to just leave another human being alone as they cried in a dark alleyway so he took a few steps closer into the alley.