Till Death Do Us (Not) Part

by

Raining Sky Guy

First story in this fandom, hello there! Just some silly bickering between these two.

Enjoy.

Merlin fought to open his eyes, his body feeling heavy. There was a flash of excruciating pain making him shudder, a split second that made him wish for death and then…

Nothing.

He knew nothing until Arthur's anguished cry reached his ears. Startled, he fumbled with himself to move his immobile and unresponsive body, until he managed to sit up with a jerk, body surprisingly light out of a sudden.

His vision doubled over for a dizzying second, his surroundings blurring as if they were moving past him before Merlin could make the shape of Arthur bending over a limp body.

Worried over who had fallen, the young warlock struggled to his feet, the world still unsteady as he walked as quickly as he could to his prince's side (he was sure that if he ran, he would most definitively puke).

But as he reached the duo, it came back to him that there should be nobody else here, besides him, Arthur and the creature they were hunting.

And as he peered over the prince's shoulder, he saw him frantically shaking him, slapping the face and arms of the fallen boy…

He looked like Merlin.

It was Merlin.

…

"I'm dead?" Merlin demanded, indignation written all across his face. Arthur turned around, stunned and tripping over himself as he stared from the cooling body he held in his arms to the figure standing just beside him.

"Merlin-? Wha-? Who-?" The blond spluttered, frightened gaze finally settling on the Merlin that was staring at him, the same Merlin that seemed to be oddly… see-through. Like a… "G-g-ghost!"

"What? What do you-?" Merlin started confused as he once more tried to understand his master when he realized that, yes, he was a ghost. Apparently. In his defense, he had been dead for less than a minute, he couldn't be expected to be ahead of everyone all the time! Especially when it had something to do with him dying. "I am dead." He finally concluded, mouth open as his incredulity won once more. "I can't believe it! You got me killed!"

"What do you mean I got you killed? You were cowering as usual and I was trying to figure out a plan for…" Arthur immediately rebutted out of habit, both younglings falling into their usual diatribe without a second thought, as Merlin was still there, challenging Arthur, the words and accusations seemed to carry no more weight than usual. But they were still exposed. Arthur turned his head. Now that he thought about it… "Come on for now, we have to take cover, I lost sight of the nymph when you started your silly act, so we don't know when it'll attack again."

Ghost-Merlin moaned in frustration, "I got it."

"What?" Arthur asked, not following his servant's thoughts. "Anyway, Merlin, let's go before-"

Merlin harrumphed loudly and childishly. He ignored the prince's glower as he explained with no little irritation in his voice. "As I said, I got it, sire. I killed the nymph. No thanks to you."

"But that can't be! You're- you're- you're just Merlin! You aren't even injured-"

"I'm dead!"

"Uh- right…uh, about that…" Arthur's voice descended into a whisper, noticing with a start he was cradling Merlin's body close to him. His throat clamped up. But his feelings of guilt were trampled upon again by the sight of Merlin staring indignant at him a couple feet away from him. "Okay, this is confusing. Could you explain-"

"I am dead! …Sire."

"But how are you…here?"

"I do not know. Maybe it was the aftereffect of fighting the nymph or… I don't know. Maybe you're right. I am a ghost, brought back from the death to piss you off."

"Do you think… do you think it can be reversed? Maybe… maybe you're not…dead, just-"

"A ghost." Merlin said with a flat tone. His features softened almost immediately. "We should get you somewhere safer for now, my lord. These woods are plagued with other creatures."

That's how night found them, hiding inside a cave, Arthur, Merlin and… Merlin's body some meters away from the fire. The warlock had insisted (awkwardly) to leave the body behind but Arthur had been adamant. He seemed to have higher hopes in bringing him back to life than Merlin himself.

An ambient of solemnity seemed to want to settle over them, but their tempers continued to clash, even in this strange conditions that they were under.

"What do you mean it was my fault? Merlin, if you hadn't been hiding away, god-knows-where, I would have been able to protect you properly. What were you even doing?"

"I was protecting your royal hide! Stop treating me like I'm some… some stupid stable boy! Do you have any idea how many times I've saved your life? Do I get thanked? Oh no. Someone else always gets the credit. What I do get, is being burned, poisoned, imprisoned, humiliated, bombarded with rotten fruit and now- and now I've been killed! What a wonderful way to get payback, huh!" Merlin almost yelled, frustration and (again) indignation blossoming on his face, finally showing his accumulated resentment to his royal protégée. The boy huffed to regain his breath while Arthur frowned, trying to understand.

"Well, I mean, you have saved my life a couple times but… I have always credited you for it. Haven't I? Or do you consider your rewards to be beneath you, now?"

"Rewards? What rewards? I was forced to serve a pampered brat the first time I saved you! All the other times you've given me a-a pat in the back and sometimes a thanks, before ordering me to muck your stables or or something!" Merlin raised his arms, in a show of exasperation. "I am not getting paid enough for all the crazy stuff I have to go through to make sure you survive!"

"What do you mean by that? Merlin," here Arthur laughed briefly, "You're clearly exaggerating now-"

"How many times must I say it before it gets through your thick skull? I. Am. Dead! I was killed by the nymph who was going to kill you! So basically, it is your fault I am dead!"

"Why did you even confront the nymph? I told you I would take care-"

"Could you, please, just once, listen to me? Gaius and I both told you and Uther that nymphs carry a magic of their own. Just like trolls, it is not easy to face them. The best bet against these creatures is a couple sorcerers and a lot of knights. But do you ever listen? It must run in the Pendragon blood to be so near-sighted! If you had not aggravated the nymph or or if you had brought along your troops none of this would have happened!"

"Merlin, you better watch your tongue or I'll have no choice but to…"

"What? Flog me? Incarcerate me? Arthur, I have died! What else could you possibly do?" When the prince did not answer, once more taken aback, the young ghost continued on. "The nymph was going to unleash a powerful attack against you that would have killed you if I hadn't intervened."

"You keep saying that but how…" Merlin flinched and looked away and just made Arthur's suspicions grow. "Merlin, if you want me to believe you, I need some proof. Tell me the whole story. What exactly did you do? Is there anything you've been keeping from me?"

The black-haired youth hesitated one more moment, before glancing at his dead body. "Well I suppose there's nothing else you could do to me in this state." At Arthur's questioning glance, he inhaled deeply and let it go with a sigh. "I'm a warlock."

A beat of silence.

Arthur snorted. "You? A warlock? Merlin-"

"Oh my god! See!? This is exactly what I'm talking about! You ask me for advice and you dismiss it! You ask for my 'honest opinion' and you go and get angry at me! And of course, now that you ask me for the truth, you mock me in the face!"

The prince's face clouded with doubt. "But Merlin… if you were a warlock… a powerful sorcerer, you wouldn't be polishing my shoes, or my armor or mucking my stables. Hell, you wouldn't even be near Camelot! "

"Well, I didn't think I'd become your servant either." Merlin muttered sullenly, but Arthur kept going, kept shaking his head, unbelieving.

"Merlin… you've saved me, and my father. You've helped us fight against magic… there's no way-"

"Not every magic holder is on the same side." Merlin stated somberly, an edge of something flitting across his face, surprising his lord. He continued in a calmer voice. "And for all his vices, Uther is your father. And saving you…"

"What? Got anything to say, say it!"

"You have a great destiny to fulfill. And it is my destiny to keep you safe. To make sure you accomplish it."

"…What?"

Once those words had finally escaped his lip, the words continued to flow out. Arthur wanted the truth and Merlin was more than happy to oblige. "The moment I was born, I was chosen as your ally. As your protector. As your shield. To protect you, and so, protect the future you shall bring."

"But how come I didn't notice?" The crowned prince asked.

"Because your skull is as thick as a troll's thigh!"

"Just because you're dead does not give you permission to insult me, Merlin!"

"It's your fault I'm dead!

Several hours later they had finally calmed down enough and a stilled silence permeated the ambient. Finally the royal blond looked up from his hands, still sitting a couple meters from the fuming spirit. "Merlin?" He called, hesitant. "…Is it true then? You're a magician?"

Merlin grunted as way of answering, back still turned to Arthur, arms crossed.

"And… you've saved my life… with your magic?"

The budding warlock turned, face inscrutable and as cold as stone. "Yes, sire. Most if not all of the times."

Arthur nodded several times, not saying anything as he stared at his hands again. Merlin sighed with defeat, but then the prince mumbled, "thank you."

"What?"

"I-I'm giving you my thanks for saving my life."

"Despite the fact I used magic?"

Arthur quietened again. And then he re-surged with his bullheaded tenacity. "Yes. I know you, Merlin. Well, at least I think I do. You're not evil. You're not… you wouldn't… I mean, magic doesn't always have to do with evil as my father says, does it?"

Merlin looked up in surprise. "You're right! Do you really think so?" Making the prince grumble in turn. "Well, then, I'm glad for you, you have a brain in there, ha!" He laughed while ducking a stone the prince had pelted but did not avoid the kick aimed at his butt. Thing was, that since Merlin was currently incorporeal, the leg went right past him, making the crowned prince stumble and fall on his ass.

Ignoring the death threats, Merlin stared at his charge in silence. "You'll be a great king." He finally muttered much to Arthur's embarrassment. "A just, kind, great ruler."

"A-anyways, I think we should sleep! We'll be leaving early morning."

With that said, the soft smile on Merlin's face melted into a cheeky smirk.

"Can you prepare your own bed?"

"Of course I can! If you do it, it shouldn't be all that hard. And it's not like you're of much help lately."

"Try dead. Unless you're a necromancer, I doubt dead people are of any use to anyone."

"Merlin?"

"Yes, Arthur?"

"Shut up."

He would not have thought ghosts could sleep, but morning caught Merlin by surprise, the rays of the sun passing through him, distorting his image. But the boy paid that no mind, as he saw his master hoisting himself up his bridled horse, a limp and unmoving body strapped just behind the rider. "Hey, Merlin! I see you're up."

"What do you think you're doing? And with my body?"

"Well…" Arthur started as he reigned in his nervous horse. He made it turn, facing Merlin. "You say I'm destined for great things, right? And I am not king yet. I'm not planning on skipping my duties to my destiny, and neither are you! You can't protect me dead, can you? You're not getting rid of me that easily!" That said, the horse whinnied, bucking and standing on two legs –making Arthur look frankly majestic and making Merlin's body flop about like a sack of potatoes—and the future king, ruler of the great land of Albion and the chosen one for the great destiny rode off with barks of laughter as a stupefied, left-behind Merlin stood open mouthed and unbelieving.

"ARTHUR!"

End

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