Merthur One-shots

When The World Is Dark

Summary: “The fire...” He whispered, his voice quiet and thick with exhaustion, “the fire went out... I need to relight it.” 

“No!” Arthur exclaimed, immediately by his side and gently pushing Merlin back down as the warlock tried to sit up, “no... Just—just stay down. Stay down and r-rest... Okay? Just... Close your eyes, go back to sleep. I’ll relight the fire, don’t worry.” 

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Merlin took a shaky breath. In... Out... In... Out...  

“Merlin? Merlin, are you really awake?” Merlin’s eyes snapped over to Arthur, stinging and straining to see in the dark.   

His voice sounded oddly forced, and rough, as if he’d been crying.

Merlin opened his mouth to speak, but found the words unable to form. His eyes travelled back to the fire, which must have had gone out. It was so dark, and they were so far from home...

“The fire...” He whispered, his voice quiet and thick with exhaustion, “the fire went out... I need to relight it.” 

“No!” Arthur exclaimed, immediately by his side and gently pushing Merlin back down as the warlock tried to sit up, “no... Just—just stay down. Stay down and r-rest... Okay? Just... Close your eyes, go back to sleep. I’ll relight the fire, don’t worry.” 

Arthur paused. “We’ll... get home, soon. Tomorrow. We’ll get home tomorrow, both of us.” 

Now Merlin was sure, Arthur—his brave, composed Arthur... His voice was shaking. He was scared. Merlin frowned deeply. 

Why was he scared?

Merlin looked up to the sky and tilted his head. 

“Arthur?” Merlin hesitated, “Arthur why is it so dark? Where are the stars? Arthur, where are we...?” 

“Shhh...” Arthur shushed him, “don’t—don’t speak. It’ll be okay. It’ll all be okay... We’ll get you home, we’ll get you to Gaius... I’ll... I’ll explain it’s all my fault... You’re going to be okay.” 

“Why is it so dark...?” Merlin repeated, his voice softer than before, his exhaustion beginning to overwhelm him. “Why is it so...?”

The last thing he remembered before succumbing to the sweet embrace of sleep, was a heart-wrenching sob echoing through the dark camp.

“Is he going to be alright?” 

Arthur... Arthur’s voice. Arthur was talking. Who was Arthur talking to? Bed, was he in bed? There was a mattress beneath him but it felt too soft to be his... Where was he? 

Why was it so dark? 

“You’re lucky, Arthur...” Gaius. Gaius, why was Gaius there? Where was there? Why was Arthur lucky? What was going on? Why was it so dark? “He...He will make a full recovery. If you had gotten here a moment later...” 

A moment later what? What was going on? Why was no one telling him what was going on? Why was it so dark?!

“I know. I know... His sight would’ve been gone forever...” Merlin tensed when he heard the words from Arthur. Sight... Gone forever... His sight... His sight!