HEY GUYS! I'M BACK FOR THE FINAL CHAPTER OF YE HAVE LITTLE FAITH AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT IT ANY UNIVERSE OWN MERLIN!

Chapter 13

Arthur and his knights were frozen to their chairs staring hopelessly at a pained king and a sobbing witch.
"But how-why did-what happ-" Arthur was at a loss for words and the ones he could salvage together were choked.
At seeing their king in distress the knights jumped in. Leon spoke first. "But how did he survive?"
Morgana laughed humourlessly. "Emrys, dear knights, means immortal in Druid tongue. He survived because he was not born to die."
There was a long silence after that particular proclamation.
The king sighed and rubbed is eyes. He looked miserable. "Now that you have heard my tale, learned it was indeed my fault, I wish that you leave me in peace."

And suddenly Arthur and both groups of knights found themselves back in the throne room, all quiet and sullen. The silence was deafening, for something so quiet it spoke an age about the previous conversation. Arthur was looking at each of the knights faces, watching their expressions and trying to figure out if they were as shocked and numb as he was.
"You need to speak." Arthur recognised the voice as Morgana's. He looked at her. "You need to talk about it."
Arthur felt his shoulders sag as he opened his mouth. "I ca-can't. I don't have any words."
Lancelot stepped forward his face pale and eyes dull. "This is the perfect time to find some."
"How can I?" Arthur shot back, his temper rising. "How can I explain how I feel about myself practically killing my best friend?! How can I find the words to say that I feel so disgusted with myself right now that I would rather die than have to face my life again!? How am I supposed to talk about the fact that I will never be able to look at Merlin the same way again!? How can you expect me to because I SIMPLY CAN'T! THERE IS NO WORDS! My chest aches and my stomach is in knots because of how guilty I feel! You can't ever hope to feel what I feel right now! My best friend is gone because I couldn't get over being lied to! And you have no idea how hard it will be to look him in the eye every single day and not seeing what I turned him into!"

Arthur took a deep breath, letting his fury out in strangled gasps. Morgana tearfully smiled and gestured for her knights to follow her out of the large oaken door, they followed silently.

Arthur turned to his knights, waiting for one of them to snap back at him. But they didn't. Arthur was grateful and a little surprised when they each nodded at him and lay down on the wooden floors ready for sleep. After a moment, six sleeping mats and blankets appeared and Arthur let himself drop to the comfort of sleep, soon followed by his knights.

Their dreams filled with blood, home and the one face they would never forget.

They woke the next morning to the sound of warning bells clashing against each other, their symphonies crying danger and death. Arthur and the knights sprung out of their slumber, every one of them racing towards the giant doors. Arthur could hear screaming women and the frantic souts of the guards. Something bad had happened.

With little conversation, Arthur and his knights rushed around the castle until they came to a large mass of servants and guards alike. They were all trying to catch a peek into the room and Arthur soon recognised it as the King's chambers.
He summoned as much strength as he could muster and bellowed loudly. "Everyone!" All eyes turned to him in surprised gasps. "Step aside and would you please get back to work."
They did as they were ordered. He may not have been their proper King but he was still above them.

Arthur pushed past the servants to enter a room surrounded with despair. There was blood everywhere. On every wall, every corner and every piece of furniture. The pillows were ripped and feathers were layered across the flagstones.
"What-" Arthur's words died in his throat as he spotted the pale and lifeless figure on the bed.

The King sported his now blood red crown and his neck was distorted sickeningly. His eyes were wide and haunted, no doubt stuck from staring at his attacker. His chest was slashed and it only took a moment for Arthur to realise the flesh had been cut into an 'E'.

Arthur looked up to see Morgana silently staring at the bloodied figure on the bed. She met his gaze and burst into tears.
"I don't know how! It was impossible! I never-it was impenetrable-I'm so sorry!" She gasped in a lungful of air as she softly cradled her brothers cold-stone hand.
Arthur stepped forward, only to sink to his knees. He couldn't feel anything, his whole being was struck-numb. His knights were silent behind him, save for a few choked coughs and sputters.
"Who did it?" Asked Leon, his voice scratchy.
Morgana wailed and cried. "It was Merlin!" That shocked them into silence. "He escaped, and I don't know how! He used the weapon I used to stab him all those years ago. A sword named Mordred!"

A cruel laugh echoed from around them. "Your king is gone, Witch. His kingdom will fall, crumbling to ruins."
Morgana glared all around her, murder present in her green eyes. "How dare you! You were meant to protect him! You killed the one man who could save us all!"
Another laugh. "Oh but apparently there is more than one King in this room."
Morgana shot a look towards Arthur, horror flashing over her features. "No you will not get him!"

Arthur understood the implications that he was next to die but he couldn't feel scared or worried about it. He couldn't feel much of anything anymore. He felt like a part of him had died while being there and he welcomed death.

There was another humourless laugh and Morgana's eyes flashed gold.

Arthur's brain was whirring at speeds none could grasp and he felt himself sway. It was only when he heard Gwaine swear and felt his head crack against the stone floor that Arthur realised he had collapsed. He let himself fall to the void of sleep, wanting to think of nothing else.

Arthur woke to a cool cloth being dabbed against his forehead. He groaned when he felt the throb of a headache taking over.
"Arthur."
Arthur bolted up at the voice. "Merlin?!"
Merlin jumped back off the bed, a storm blazing behind his eyes. "Where the hell have you been!? You go to the tavern and next minute you're missing for five days!"
Arthur opened his mouth to speak, but Merlin shushed him.
"Do you know how worried everyone has been!? And don't think you'll be getting away with half excuses you prat because you need to tell me where you have been!?" He paused and glared at Arthur. "Well?"

There was long silence.
"Honestly? I can't remember."

And so fate was set in stone once again and the story would be played and acted out like it was before. Over thousands of years, books and stories would tell the story differently. They would say that the young Warlock was the King's protector from then until forever, when actually he was the cause of his downfall. They would say that the witch locked Emrys away so she could kill the king but really, she imprisoned him to keep the king safe. And they would say that a Druid named Mordred would be the King's end, when it was just the name of the blade.

Those stories would tell the legend as best as they could but they never got to the underlining emotions. The books say it was Mordred that caused Arthur's death and physically he did, but the cause for Arthur's downfall was something that occurred long before.

He lost the man who had stuck by him.

He lost a best friend.

He lost a brother.

And that's what really killed him.

THANK YOU FOR READING! WE HAVE REACHED THE END AT LAST! I HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED READING AS MUCH AS I HAVE ENJOYED WRITING! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! LOVE YOU GUYS!

UNTIL NEXT TIME!