Thanks to my beta TheJunebut1218

Merlin's smile

This is wrong. Absolutely, the totally wrong thing to do.

Arthur looked at the pyre and a cold shiver passed through him.

She was just a healer. Magic, yes, but a healer. Only a healer. She hadn't done anything wrong in her life.

He looked his father who stood in the wall, watching how the witch was burning. Arthur couldn't stand there, beside him, when he felt that his father was doing wrong thing. He stood in the window of his room.

Arthur looked the sea of faces. All of them were quiet.

How many of these people know her? How many people out there she must have healed and saved?

There was Merlin, in the archway's entrance, leaning in the wall.

And Merlin was smiling. He really was smiling. He was smiling when he watched how the innocent woman was burned. And then he covered his mouth and laughed.

Merlin?

Arthur was running before he even noticed what he was doing. He had to see it. See, was that it was really Merlin. His Merlin? His innocent helpless careless Merlin who never ever harm even the fly.

Arthur found the way in the archway and slowed his speed.

Then he stopped.

Merlin? How…? No…

But it was Merlin. Arthur looked the back. He was able to recognize those ears anywhere.

Arthur opened his mouth, but he couldn't say anything in some time. But then..

I have to know…

"How you can smile Merlin?"

He looked how Merlin froze and then slowly lifted himself off the wall and straightened. But he didn't turned to face Arthur. His right hand fussed nervously in his jacked lapel.

"I want to know what is so funny when innocent people are executed. Tell me that I can smile too, because right now I really can't feel like I could smile for anything."

"Arthur." Merlin's voice surprised Arthur. It was full of sadness.

"Merlin, look at me and tell me. " Arthur commanded.

But Merlin didn't turn.

"I thought that I knew you. You are a kind, a caring man. You have saved me, Camelot, my father many times. Sometimes you speak like a old wise man. But when I saw you smiling and… laughing… when there was people crying over their loss… What I supposed to think of you?"

But still he refused to look Arthur.

"Merlin, please, tell me." Arthur begged.

The hand stopped to fuss.

"I.. can't, sire." Merlin's voice was a whisper.

"Then get out of here. I don't want to see you, if you can't answer my question."

Arthur's furry rose again. He grasped his hands in fist. " Go, now."

Merlin shivered all over. He didn't turn to say anything anymore. He just walked away. Disappearing to the crowd. Arthur shut his eyes.

How I ever could said that he was my friend?

()

Night was falling.

There was some people in the pyre. Arthur looked them. Relatives maybe?

Then he recognized Sir Leon who oversaw them. He said something to the other knight and turned to look over the place. He saw the Prince and started to walk his way.

"Sire, there is something what I want you to know." Sir Leon said. He looked more serious than ever.

"What is it?"

"We didn't find it."

"Find what?"

"The corpse, sire. The witch's corpse."

"What?"

"There was no corpse in the ash. No any sign that there has been any person in the pyre. There is always something. When relatives come to find something to bury, there is always something. And that woman, there should be his necklace that she wore. But there is absolutely nothing."

Arthur stood still. And he remembered Merlin's happy smile.

"That idiot."