And Tell
Author: archaeologist_d
Title: And Tell
Rating: PG
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur
Summary: Merlin would have done anything to save Arthur. But it was already too late.
Word Count: 564
Camelot_drabble Prompt: 499, Kiss and Tell
Author's Notes: unbetaed,
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
------------------------------
Warning: major character death, suicide
------------------------------
Arthur’s lips were already cooling when Merlin hoped one last time to save Arthur. Trying everything else, from spells to begging the gods to exchange his life for Arthur’s to screaming at Kilgharrah to come and rescue them, had been in vain. Now there was only silence. No insults, no accusations of falsehoods and deception, nothing but the wind in the trees and Merlin’s choked sobs.
He begged Arthur to stay with him, telling him of devotion and destiny, but much as Arthur did try to fight, Morgana’s hatred had won after all. Now it was far too late for anything but the most desperate of measures.
Leaning forward, Merlin captured Arthur’s mouth in a kiss, hoping that even now true love’s kiss would change everything. It had before. And surely, Arthur couldn’t be dead, not if Merlin had to say anything about it.
But there was nothing. No movement, no lips seeking his, no breath wafting warm on Merlin’s face.
In desperation, Merlin shook Arthur. “Come on, clotpole, come on. You need to tell me what to do, you need to yell at me as you always do when I’ve done something stupid.” Lifting him up, cradling Arthur in his arms, Merlin whispered, “Come on, you can’t leave me. Please, please, no.”
And he kissed him again, but Arthur was already stiff, turning from a beloved friend into a lifeless corpse, Arthur’s mouth slack and cold. “I love you, you prat. I love you, and I never told you and… don’t… don’t leave me behind.”
Finally sitting back, feeling the weight of death in his lap, Merlin looked down at that beloved face. “I swore I’d be your servant until the day I died.”
When only the rustle of leaves in the wind answered, Merlin knew what he had to do.
With an ache that seemed to reach across millennia, Merlin stood up, slow and stiff, and began to gather flowers and pine, filling a nearby boat with everything that Arthur deserved. The scents of spring and warmth and love.
One last honour, one last duty.
Laying Arthur upon the sweet byre, he left a little room at Arthur’s side and climbed in, laying down next to him. A fitting place for a foolish servant that loved too much and not enough. Following his master into the great unknown.
With one final kiss, using his magic to push the boat into the lake, hoping that somehow the gods would honour Arthur, Merlin took Arthur’s sword, and a breathless moment later, plunged it into his own chest.
It should have been agony, it should have sent him screaming into the heavens, but instead, the pain was nothing, less than nothing to what he had already lost.
And as he lay down, the sword slipped from his hands and fell into the lake, lost in the depths, now cleansed and hidden from the realm of men. Merlin couldn’t be bothered to care. It was Arthur’s sword after all, and with him gone, there was no need of it.
Bleeding out, knowing that he would soon follow Arthur into the great beyond, he was content.
He had finally done something right.
With one last spell, one last breath, he set the boat alight, watching as the flames danced around them both.
Above him, a star streaked across the sky.
And then there was darkness.
Title: And Tell
Rating: PG
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur
Summary: Merlin would have done anything to save Arthur. But it was already too late.
Word Count: 564
Camelot_drabble Prompt: 499, Kiss and Tell
Author's Notes: unbetaed,
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
------------------------------
Warning: major character death, suicide
------------------------------
Arthur’s lips were already cooling when Merlin hoped one last time to save Arthur. Trying everything else, from spells to begging the gods to exchange his life for Arthur’s to screaming at Kilgharrah to come and rescue them, had been in vain. Now there was only silence. No insults, no accusations of falsehoods and deception, nothing but the wind in the trees and Merlin’s choked sobs.
He begged Arthur to stay with him, telling him of devotion and destiny, but much as Arthur did try to fight, Morgana’s hatred had won after all. Now it was far too late for anything but the most desperate of measures.
Leaning forward, Merlin captured Arthur’s mouth in a kiss, hoping that even now true love’s kiss would change everything. It had before. And surely, Arthur couldn’t be dead, not if Merlin had to say anything about it.
But there was nothing. No movement, no lips seeking his, no breath wafting warm on Merlin’s face.
In desperation, Merlin shook Arthur. “Come on, clotpole, come on. You need to tell me what to do, you need to yell at me as you always do when I’ve done something stupid.” Lifting him up, cradling Arthur in his arms, Merlin whispered, “Come on, you can’t leave me. Please, please, no.”
And he kissed him again, but Arthur was already stiff, turning from a beloved friend into a lifeless corpse, Arthur’s mouth slack and cold. “I love you, you prat. I love you, and I never told you and… don’t… don’t leave me behind.”
Finally sitting back, feeling the weight of death in his lap, Merlin looked down at that beloved face. “I swore I’d be your servant until the day I died.”
When only the rustle of leaves in the wind answered, Merlin knew what he had to do.
With an ache that seemed to reach across millennia, Merlin stood up, slow and stiff, and began to gather flowers and pine, filling a nearby boat with everything that Arthur deserved. The scents of spring and warmth and love.
One last honour, one last duty.
Laying Arthur upon the sweet byre, he left a little room at Arthur’s side and climbed in, laying down next to him. A fitting place for a foolish servant that loved too much and not enough. Following his master into the great unknown.
With one final kiss, using his magic to push the boat into the lake, hoping that somehow the gods would honour Arthur, Merlin took Arthur’s sword, and a breathless moment later, plunged it into his own chest.
It should have been agony, it should have sent him screaming into the heavens, but instead, the pain was nothing, less than nothing to what he had already lost.
And as he lay down, the sword slipped from his hands and fell into the lake, lost in the depths, now cleansed and hidden from the realm of men. Merlin couldn’t be bothered to care. It was Arthur’s sword after all, and with him gone, there was no need of it.
Bleeding out, knowing that he would soon follow Arthur into the great beyond, he was content.
He had finally done something right.
With one last spell, one last breath, he set the boat alight, watching as the flames danced around them both.
Above him, a star streaked across the sky.
And then there was darkness.