Fic: It's Okay [MerlinArthur]
It's Okay.
[PG]
662 words.
I don't own them. Unbeta'd. I wrote this a while ago after a prompt given to me by the wonderful denija. I've made it a little longer than the original and fixed up a few errors.
He wants to step through that doorway so very badly but something tells him that Merlin would not follow him.
Arthur’s dreaming.
He’s walking down an unfamiliar hallway and it’s beginning to get dark. The stone walls of the hallway are covered with vines and something deep within his chest tells him that he should be wary, should have his sword out, but he feels strangely at peace. Almost as if he’s home.
Passing a window, he’s hit with a strong gust of wind and the smell of the ocean beyond him. Arthur stops and smiles. He’s always liked the sea. It’s so vast and he’s heard many stories about the lands faraway only accessible by large ships. Only once has he ever stepped onto a boat and it was only a quick trip up the river to visit a neighbouring kingdom when he was eight. Arthur had enjoyed it immensely until his nursemaid became sick from rocking motion of the boat and almost fell overboard.
He breathes deeply, enjoying the cool breeze through his hair. He stands in the window with his eyes closed for what seems like an age before he hears a gentle humming coming from further down the hall. He turns his head and a door appears at the very end of the hallway, slightly ajar and a warm light shining through. He hadn’t realised how dark it had gotten. Arthur frowns and takes a few steps towards the door, the humming drawing him in like a moth to a flame. He’s heard it before, he’s sure of it. At first he thinks maybe one of his nursemaids sang to him, but remembers that none of them were particularly fond of singing and preferred telling stories at bedtime instead. This humming, it’s terribly soothing (more than any story he had been told as a child) and he’s beginning to feel tired. All he wants to do is sleep.
The humming slowly turns to words, soft and soothing and Arthur can’t understand the words but he knows that it’s a lullaby. And as much as he knows that, he knows he’s heard it before. But where? Arthur raises his hand to the wooden door, ready to push it open and sit with the woman on the other side as she sings to him. But as he lays his hand upon the door something stops him.
Arthur turns and sees Merlin standing by the window, staring at Arthur with a look of absolute devastation on his face. His mouth was moving frantically, but not a single sound reached Arthur’s ears.
“Merlin? I cannot hear you.”
Merlin continues to speak as he takes a step towards Arthur but this time, only one word is repeated over and over. Arthur stares carefully at Merlin’s mouth, trying to decipher the word.
Please.
Arthur shakes his head and turns back to the door, pushing it open. He sees a beautiful blonde woman sitting in a rocking chair, rubbing a hand over her swollen belly. She keeps her face turned away from him and never once stops her lullaby.
“ARTHUR! NO!”
Arthur spins around at Merlin’s scream, but does not take a step back from the door. He smiles at Merlin. “It’s okay Merlin. It’s all going to be okay.”
“Please Arthur, don’t leave me! I can’t do this without you.” Tears are streaming down Merlin’s face as he begins to sob uncontrollably.
Arthur’s heart breaks. Shatters even. He wants to step through that doorway so very badly but something tells him that Merlin would not follow him.
He would never leave Merlin behind.
Arthur walks back to Merlin and places a hand under his chin, lifting it so that he can place a gentle kiss on Merlin’s forehead.
“I’m here Merlin.”
He wakes suddenly, pain searing through his side and he’s lying on the wet ground in Merlin’s arms. Arthur raises a hand to cup his face, Merlin staring down at him in shock before he clutches Arthur tightly to his chest, burying his nose in Arthur’s hair.
“It’s okay Merlin. I’m okay.”
“Arthur.”