Sorry it's been a while since I last updated this. I've been fixated on another fanfic. So thank you for your patience.
Enjoy =)
Arthur woke up that morning to find his father's ghost at the end of his bed.
"Why does Merlin still live?" Uther asked.
"Because he is my friend." Arthur defended.
"He is a sorcerer. He does not deserve your mercy let alone your friendship. He deserves to die the death of a criminal." He spat back.
"Merlin isn't evil and I am not you, Uther."
"How dare you! I am your father and king, and you will address me as such."
"Your dead. Just like Merlin almost was last week. Because of your evil reign and all the rubbish you shouted about how all people that practice magic are evil... Merlin tried to kill himself. Had I not been there he could have died." Arthur's eyes were becoming glazed with emotion. He hated that Merlin could feel so much self loathing to point where he thought suicide was the answer.
"Good." Uther answered cruelly. "You should have let the traitor die with his secret."
"No. You don't get to say that about something you do not understand." With that Arthur fled his chambers to speak with Gaius.
He burst into the room startling the old man. "Sire." He gasped.
"Gaius, my father's ghost has returned. How do we get rid of him?" Arthur asked in a flustered state.
"Did you use the Horn of Cathbhadh?"
"No. I did away with that accursed horn after the first time."
Gaius looked troubled at what he had just heard. "The only other reason for his I can think of... is..." He paused for a moment to process the thought. Then shooting Arthur a worried stare he asked, "Where is Merlin?"
"Is he not in his room?" Arthur replied. He was so sure that his friend returned here after their talk last night.
"I'm afraid I haven't seen him since he left for your chambers. Did something happen?"
"He told me about his magic and I didn't really react in the best way considering the circumstances. When he left I thought he'd come here."
"I'm sorry Sire, but if he had returned here I would have known."
Arthur is hit with a wave of fear and rushes to Merlin's room. His anxiety grew when Gaius' words were confirmed. Merlin's room was empty and his bed hadn't been slept in. He then left his physicians chambers in search of his manservant and friend.
Given last week it was on natural that Arthur assumed Merlin would try again. Terrified he made his way to the castle tower. Merlin wasn't there, so he went to edge hoping he wouldn't be over it. Slightly relieved he ran back down the steps and out of the castle. Wondering if Gwain or Percival could tell him if they had seen Merlin, he moved quickly through the people towards the tavern. As soon as he was inside he no longer needed to ask where his dear friend was. There asleep with his head on a table near the back, was Merlin.
Happy to see he was okay, Arthur tiptoed over to where he was sleeping and gently kicked his foot. "Merlin? I hope you know you are drooling all over Evoric's lovely table."
"I don't drool. I'm too cool for that." Merlin mumbled slowly sitting up and Arthur occupied the seat next to him.
"Of course you are." Arthur replied mockingly, rolling his eyes. " How are you feeling?"
"Why do you even care about how I feel? I thought you hated me now." The reaven haired boy said with cynicism in his voice, and disbelief clear on his face.
Arthur crossed his arms and said, "If I hated you I wouldn't have been running about the castle like a prat looking for you. I was afraid you might-"
"Try kill myself again." Merlin finished. "Don't worry yourself with such tiny matters."
"I do and I didn't come here to fight again. I want to apologize. So can you take down your bloody wall for five minutes." Merlin was taken aback by the fact that Arthur was apologizing. He nodded allowing his King to continue. "I know I didn't react well when you told me about your magic. I was just angry that you lied and kept it hidden from me all these years. I was even more angry at the fact you thought telling me about it knowing you were about to die was the best way too. You are more than my manservant Merlin, you are my friend and I would have been heartbroken had you succeeded in your attempt."
Merlin gave Arthur a sincere look of understanding. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that to you or Gaius, or Gwain. I know it was a dollop head thing to do."
Arthur grinned when his friend called himself a dollop head. "You're right it was, but I was a dollop head as well." Arthur then reached over and gave Merlin a hug.
Surprised Merlin asked, "What the hell is this? Why?"
Arthur pulled away before replying, "That is what is should have responded with yesterday, but if you tell anyone I will make sure that you are on horse mucking duty for the next month."
"What do you think you are doing fraternizing with this sorcerer? Why is he not in the dungeons awaiting his execution?"
Arthur and Merlin both whipped their heads around to see Uther's ghost standing at the tavern door.
"Arthur you are not the king I had hoped you would be. I cannot even begin to tell you how disappointed I am. You will be Camelots undoing."
Merlin stood to his feet using the table to hold himself up. "Arthur is the the greatest king Camelot has ever known. He is the once and future king and he will unite the lands of Albion." Merlin replied in Arthur's defence.
"You have no right to speak to me about my son, sorcerer." Uther spat back at Merlin. He then charged right through Merlin, knocking him to the ground.
The sensation of having a ghost walk through you was chilling. Merlin felt cold, terrified and as though his soul had been ripped from his chest.
Arthur jumped to the raven haired boy's defence, just as Merlin had done for him. "You have no power here, Uther. Now leave!" He demanded.
Uther shot his son and Merlin a cold glare and left.
Arthur helped Merlin to his feet, handing him his crutches. He rejected the crutches. "I don't need them." He said slowly moving to leave the tavern, but fell after a few steps.
Concerned the blonde scrambled to help him up again. "Merlin you don't have the strength to walk on your own yet. You lost a lot of blood last week and you only woke up a couple days ago."
Merlin pushed him away. "No. I can do this. We need to speak to Gaius and I need to become strong enough to face Uther. As long as he is around you are in danger and so is all of Camelot."
Arthur knew he wasn't going to be able to convince his stubborn friend. "Fine. At least let me help you to Gaius."
"Okay, but don't you dare carry me." Merlin warned. "I already feel helpless enough."
Arthur then gave Merlin his arm and he took it as they slowly walked back to castle.
Now that he thought about it, carrying Merlin yesterday probably shot his pride. If it were him he'd want to hold on to whatever dignity he had left.
No matter how much Merlin may fight him he was going to stand by him through this. Even though he would never admit it Arthur knew the raven haired boy wanted him to do just that. Stand by him.
Thank you so much for the reviews and for the follows. I will update when I can.
Until the next chapter.