Where Reason Fades

Chapter 7

Arthur stood outside his private spaceship that the King had sent to collect him. His luggage had been taken off him by a uniformed lackey and the pilot was starting up the launch process, but he still hadn't boreded. He stood nervously in the port waiting for Merlin. He had barely seen the man since the aborted kiss the night before and wanted to say a proper goodbye to him. He shifted his weight from one muscular leg to the other as he stood next to Gwen and Lance, Leon already aboard the cool and air conditioned ship. Although he didn't dare to ask about the dark hair man, Gwen seemed to read between the lines of his thoughts.

"I know Merlin wanted to come," she started, drawing Arthur's attention.

"Did he?" he said mildly.

"He's run off his feet at the infirmary. There is an outbreak of flue amongst the orphans camp and Gaius begged for his help.... And, just between us, he has an awful hangover. The sun make him so sick" she explained.

"We all have awful hangovers, Gwen." snapped Arthur before composing himself.

"I'm sorry, you're right. I must go. I hope the orphans recover." He called sadly as he headed up the ramp to his space ship.

"Goodbye your highness." Gwen said with a small curtsey as Lance saluted.

"Goodbye, Tintagel" whispered Arthur under his breathe as the pod bay door swung shut and closed out the desert planet. Goodbye Merlin.

Arthur slumped in the plush seating of his private craft. Leon sat opposite him, and as a testament to just how professional his head of security was, he didn't once point out that Arthur was sulking like a child. As they took off in a cloud of red dust and shot smoothly into the void, Arthur's phone lit up with messages and missed called.

You have 194 missed calls from 'Sophia <3'

You have 231 text messages from 'Sophia <3'

Arthur sighed, tapped the screen to bring up her details and brought the phone up to his ear.

"Hey baby I-" he was cut almost immediately by a tiny screech.

"ARTHUR PENDRAGON WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? You were supposed to take me away last weekend!!!! Youd better be planning on making this up to me!!" Soohia Tir Mor had a sheik that could deafen a banshee and Arthur winced, holding the phone away from his ear.

"I was-" cut off again.

"I don't care. I want flowers sent to my house and the chalet booking again for this weekend" she said in clipped tones.

"Soph I-" Arthur started, to no avail.

"And I'm not talking to you until it's done." With that the connection disconnected with a click. Arthur sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in exhaustion. He was starting to miss not having signal.

----

Merlin was working late through the night in the infirmy. The void flu outbreak had cleared up more quickly than anyone had thought possible or likely but it had depleted Merlin's magical resources and the camp's medical supplies. Accordingly, Gwaine had made an early trip to visit the camp, recounting his adventures, cat nestled on his lap, while Merlin, Gwen and Gaius packed the supplies away. As much as she adored Gwaine's charms, his presense always worried Gwen slightly, even Lancelot, ridiculously noble as he was, didn't know the source of Gwaine's medical supplies- even if his crew did consist in part of her troublesome brother. The trio worked deep into the night, as Gwaine talked, until he noticed that Merlin was unusally quiet.

"What's got you so down? Misting the Space Princess?" asked Gwaine suggestively.

"No!" replied Merlin too hastily.