Merthur - Arthur's Secret

Chapter 26 - I Can Die Happy

Arthur's POV

"Promise you'll kill me."

Those four words rang loudly over and over again in my head. What is he saying? I must have heard him wrong. That's right. I didn't hear him properly over Gwaine's snoring.

"What? Could you say that again?" I ask, letting out a fake laugh.

Merlin sucks in another deep breath. "I said, promise me you'll kill me if I lose control again," he says more sternly this time.

"No, Merlin," I rise to my feet. "I won't let that happen. Don't even think of the possibility."

"We're facing Morgana, Arthur! For all I know the Fomorroh might not even be in Camelot! I don't want to hurt anyone Arthur! I don't want to hurt you..." Merlin turns away from me. He starts to fidget with the hems of his tunic.

"Merlin." I grab his shoulder and force him to look at me. "We. Will. Find. It. You don't have to worry. "I promise you we'll all walk out of there alive and well."

Merlin sniffles. He reaches a hand up to his eyes, wiping away a tear. "Thank you. I'm... I'm afraid, Arthur. I'm sorry."

I smile at him. I wipe the rest of his tears from his face. "Don't be sorry. Everyone's afraid."

I cradle his head in my arms. I rock back and forth gently in an attempt to calm him down. His shoulders eventually relax, his hands stop shaking. He smiles up at me warmly.

I give him a small grin before leaning down to kiss the top of his head. I hear him chuckle and stand. He gives me a wide grin.

"Do you want to practise some magic together?" He asks.

"Of course."

-----

"No, not like-"

Crack!

A bolt of white hot lightning shoots down from the sky. The loud crack piercing through the twilight. It strikes a tree, obliterating the entire top half. I shield my head from the splinters of wood that rains down on us.

"-that..." Merlin finishes his sentence.

I look up at the tree. The only visible part of the tree left is the bottom of the stump, and even that is almost ripped to shreds.

Merlin shakes his head, his hand placed firmly on his forehead.

"How did you summon a bolt of lightning?! I was teaching you how to make a flower!" Merlin exclaims, exasperated.

I shrug my shoulders, "You're not a very good mentor Merlin," I say.

Merlin sighs. "Well, knowing how to summon lightning isn't bad. It could be useful. Can you remember how you cast it?"

I nod. "Yes,"

"Alright, now let's try that flower again."

Merlin tries his best to explain the spell. He repeats the incantation slowly to me until I memorize the words. Next, he demonstrates the spell. He cups his hands together and whispers into them. I watch his eyes glow gold. I smile. They look beautiful, like the yellow sun in the sky.

Merlin opens up his hands. Inside, sitting on his palm, is a bright white flower. He looks up at me. The flower dissipates in his hands.

"Now you try."

I look down at my palms. I close eyes and say the incantation. I picture the flower in my head as vividly as possible, trying to imagine every crease every petal. I open my eyes and they flash the same gold as Merlin's. I look down at my palm. A small rose blooms scarlet.