How Merlin Should Have Ended

The Supplies

With Gwen healed it was time to begin their journey back to Camelot. Arthur's attention was fixed on his wife, as it should be. Merlin couldn't help but smile when he saw the happy looks on his friends' faces as they gazed at each other.

"I owe you a great debt," Arthur said when he finally took his eyes off Gwen to look at Merlin.

"I'll add it to your tab," Merlin chuckled. "We should probably get going. Who knows when Morgana will come looking for us?"

"Right you are," Arthur said, and they all began walking back the way they'd come.

Their supplies had been lost when Morgana attacked. A sparse trip home was a small price to pay for saving Guinevere.

They made their way back through the rocky terrain in relative silence and found the horses right where they'd left them. After about an hour's ride on horseback, Arthur was the first to ask Merlin if there was anything to eat.

"The supplies are gone. Or did you not notice the lack of floating bags behind me?" Merlin replied.

"Wait! There's no food!" Arthur exclaimed. "Like at all." Merlin shook his head. "But it's almost a three day journey."

"Correct," Merlin replied easily.

"Well, can't you do something about it?" Arthur asked.

"Like what?" Merlin scoffed.

"Like using magic to get us something to eat," Arthur whined.

"Magic doesn't work like that," Merlin laughed. He had to admit seeing Arthur so distressed about the prospect of three days without bread was highly amusing.

"But I'm pretty sure you've magically filled water flasks before," Arthur countered, as if winning the argument would get him dinner.

"I can summon nearby water, but it has a very short range, and I have to be familiar with the water source," Merlin explained. "Or don't you remember when the unicorn's magic destroyed all the food and water in Camleot while I couldn't do a thing about it?"

"Oh right," Arthur grumbled. "Well, can't you summon food from Camelot then?"

"It's too far away," Merlin replied.

"What are we supposed to eat then?" Arthur exclaimed. If just the idea of going hungry was making him this cranky, Merlin hated to think what kind of travelling company he'd be by the time they got home.

Everyone else in this group knew what it felt like to go hungry and could probably make it the two and a half days without becoming a ball of rage. King Arthur did not fall into this category.

"Why don't we go into the woods and look for something to eat," Gwen suggested kindly. Merlin was grateful Gwen had been a blacksmith's daughter before her rise to royalty. If anyone could find something to feed the King it would be her, and Merlin really didn't want to deal with a hungry Arthur.

At once, Arthur's spirits returned. He started talking about all the types of animals they might find in this area that he could hunt.

"Though it will be rather tricky with only a sword," Arthur continued. "We really should have brought a bow."

"We could set traps," Gwen suggested. Arthur seemed much happier to go along with her suggestions than Merlin's, but Merlin didn't mind. It made things feel a little more normal when Arthur teased him, and Merlin didn't want to lose that part of their friendship.

Even if they did manage to catch something, Merlin knew he'd be cooking it. That is, unless Gwen offered to help. Somehow, Merlin doubted that. Maid Gwen might have, but Queen Gwen had trained herself out of such behaviours.