"Stay here."
"But - "
"No buts, Merlin! Stay!"
"I'm not a dog," Merlin hollered after him.
"Of course not." Quieter, to himself: "You're my best friend."
And considering how quickly Merlin had died in his last life, there was no way he was letting him come on this mission.
. . . . .
The group got captured by bloodthirsty rebels. They were scheduled to be executed.
The knights were worried about being executed.
Arthur was worried because Merlin would never let him live it down.
They tried - and failed - to escape. They were led to the gallows. Arthur was first.
He mouthed along with the executioner as his head was forced down onto the block and a countdown was shouted out.
"Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!"
Arthur considered pretending to be surprised when the executioner went up in a ball of fire, but really, it took far too much effort.
"Ostentatious much?" he yelled up at Merlin.
"Ooh, big word. Maybe I'll have to change my opinion of your mental capacity after all."
Arthur allowed himself one moment to hope.
"Nope, definitely a dollophead. Every time! Every time you go somewhere without me - "
"Lecture later, Merlin!" Arthur ducked a wild swing from one of the rebels and jumped back from another. He really needed a weapon.
"What? Oh." Merlin flung out a hand. The rebels collapsed into an enchanted sleep. "Now. Where were we?"
Arthur groaned.
. . . . .
A/N: An Arthur and Alternate Realities fic