SOULMATES | Merthur Soulmate AU

Chapter 8 | Thank you

„That's my word."

Arthur turns to where the weak voice was coming from, he wasn't able to come up with a proper response to his servants comment.

„Merlin!" A huge wave of relieve fills his body, just a second ago he had heard his heartbeat stop.

Merlin tries to sit up, holding his side and making a pained expression. Arthur leans forward and holds Merlin gently down.

„You should rest." He said, he resisted the urge to hug the smaller boy, fearing it would hurt him even more.

Merlin doesn't answer, just lets out a shaking breath before falling back on the, rather uncomfortable mattress, every mattress turns uncomfortable if you lie on it with a stab wound for several hours.

There where a few minutes of silence between the boys, they knew there where so many unspoken words, so many things to be told, there where so many secrets revealed.

„Not your story to tell, huh." Arthur begins, he doesn't look at Merlin.

„There wasn't a lot else I could have said I that moment." Merlin answers, he as well doesn't dare to look the other in the eyes, there was nothing he did wrong but it was also nothing Arthur would take lightly.

„You could have said the truth." He almost sound hurt while saying that, now finally turned to Merlin.

„And take the risk of getting killed or to leave Camelot. Leave all of you?" He laughed lightly at his own words but it was clear to both of them how much pain, how much truth they held.

„I wouldn't have killed you, Merlin."

Of course he wouldn't Merlin had hoped he would say that, but he knew there had always been a chance.

„But you would have thought about it, you probably did and I didn't want that."

There was silence again, because it was true, even if it was just for a moment, Arthur had thought about it, thought about simply leaving Merlin on the ground for him to die and even as he was in Gaius' chambers, while he was sleeping and vulnerable he had thought about just taking his sword and end this sorcerers life.

But he decided not to comment about it, it would have been right to apologize, but he couldn't bring himself to admit that he had those thoughts.

„Would you really have left Camelot after this." Arthur asked instead, his eyes where again pinned on the floor.

„Even if I wanted to sooner or later destiny would have brought me back."

Arthur chuckles lightly at this, confused by those words coming from his servant.

„You seem awfully silent for a person that just found out his friend is a sorcerer."

Friend. There where so many things to discuss.

„I feel betrayed, I truly do and hurt and disappointed that you didn't trust me." The king stood up frustrated, walked a few steps an let himself fall down to the chair again „But I am too scared of loosing you and I know there is no evil in your heart, I saw it." He tries a smile and as the other smiles back, a true smile for the first time in this conversation, he feels his heart pick up speed, he really couldn't loose him.

„This isn't the first time you saved me is it."

„Well, you don't always make my job easy." Merlin says with a chuckle and again Arthurs heart beat faster, he just hoped Merlin couldn't feel it. At this point he wouldn't even need his soulmark, the night around them seemed so silent after all this chaos, and Arthur feared Merlin would just hear his heart beating.