The Battle • Merthur

The Mystery of Ealdor

Arthur's POV
***
"Always,"

I released a breath that I didn't even realise I was holding, I looked at Gwaine, he had a tear rolling down his face. We walked up a bit further so they could see us coming.

Truth is, I admired Merlin so much more now. It literally broke my heart seeing how upset they both were about this whole tragedy. Especially how upset Merlin was. I couldn't brace myself to speak, I just hope Gwaine has the guts to say something.

"Merlin?" Gwaine whispers, I see Merlin flinch as he looks up, not even trying to hide the fact that he was crying. I felt my heard shatter.

"What are you two doing here?" He says, still keeping an eye on Alice.

"We came to get you back home!" Gwaine says, I see Merlin look to the floor, I saw the pain in his eyes. Out of all of the wrongs I have done, this, this beats them all.

"I don't know where home is anymore," he says, very quietly.  My heart shatters again. This time into a thousand pieces. With Ealdor gone, Camelot is his home. It always has been.  I try and say that to him but I've lost my voice. I'm completely speachless.

"Camelot is your home," Gwaine says and nudges me to say something. I shook my head, I couldn't say anything. Gwaine sighs and walks over to the little kid, she gets up,

"Who are you?" She asks, almost cheerfully. Gwaine smiles,

"I'm Gwaine, a friend of Merlin's, whats your name?" He kneeled down to her level.

"I'm Alice!" She giggled, he laughed,

"Cute name!" I desperately wanted to say there was no time for chatting up girls but I felt like it wasn't the right time. "come on, lets see if there's any survivors," he says to her and they walk off. Leaving it to be just Merlin and I. He looks everywhere but me.

How can I talk to him? I don't know what feeling this is, but, I need to talk somehow. I need to get through to him.

"Does this thing still work?" I say through my mind. He looks up, kind of shocked how I was using magic. I smiled, reassuringly. He nods.

"Yes, unfortunately," he replies. I sighed.

"Merlin, I'm sorry! I didn't want to see you hurt, I guess I failed. I need you Merlin, please, come back to Camelot," I reply back, hoping he will say that he will. I noticed Merlin blushed slightly when I said I needed him. That made me happy. Maybe there's still a chance.

"I don't know if I can," I frowned.

"Why?"

"You, Arthur, you've been upset by Gwen's death for like a month, haven't paid any attention to anyone else, just, yourself. It pains me every day to see you and know, we can't be anything." I looked at him with a tear in my eye as I walked closer to him, he did the same thing.

"Merls, we will be a couple, one day, just you wait and we will lead Camelot into the golden age! Tell you what, I'll make magic legal, I know you said no last time, but you were scared. If I have you by my side we can get rid of all the evil in sorcerery." By the time I finished we were only inches apart from each other. I grabbed his hand, as a last plead for him to come back home.

For the first time in a while, I see Merlin grin from ear to ear. It made my heart leap with joy. He was happy. That's me done for the day, time for a nap. Joking.

"You'd do that, for me?" He says, excitement clearly in his voice. I nod.

"Yes, I would do anything for you, Merlin!" I replied, I leaned in. We kissed, I savoured every last second. I haven't kissed him in forever, it felt so good. We hungrily fought for dominence, but by this time it didn't matter. Merlin was the first to break the kiss, but I didn't mind. I leant on his forehead, we had each other, at long last.

"I'll come back home," he whispers, my heart melted as I got shivers on the back of my neck. I grinned. My Merlin, was coming back to me. And there was nothing Gaius could do.