Goodbye for Now (BBC Merlin FanFiction)

Chapter 3

The next day, Merlin woke up in his bed. Except this time, it was Merlin inside of his own body, not the other way around, like it was the day before. Gaius was calling his name from the other room. Merlin got out of bed and walked out of his room, and the scent of grits was blasted into his face.

            “Better hurry up and eat. Arthur is requesting your presence,” Gaius warned Merlin, who was now stuffing himself with spoonfuls of grits. Merlin quietly finished his meal and got up from the chair. “Merlin? Whatever happens today…don’t blame yourself.”

            Soon Merlin found himself standing in front of Arthur’s door, hesitant to knock. He was unsure of what Arthur would say to him. Certainly he wouldn’t sentence Merlin to death! Merlin and Arthur had been best friends for three years now. Unless…Arthur never considered Merlin a friend. Merlin shook the silly thought away and knocked on the door. Arthur welcomed Merlin inside.

            “Ah, Merlin, I have some things to tell you,” Arthur took his shirt off and walked behind his dressing screen, “We’ve been friends for quite some time now. I am upset that you never told me that you had magic, but I understand why you never said anything. Hand me a shirt, will you? And a clean one, too!” Arthur poked his head out from behind the wall and watched as Merlin quickly grabbed a shirt for Arthur, “Thanks. As I was saying…I know too much about you now,” Arthur stepped out from behind the dressing screen and grabbed the red leather jacket that he wore when he wasn’t wearing his chain mail, “Too much to be able to keep it a secret. I could accidentally blab to someone about how my clumsy nitwit of a servant was actually watching out for me and…saving my life every now and then,” Arthur clapped his hands together.

            “So…are you going to turn me into Uther?” Merlin swallowed.

            “No! I’m not stupid, Merlin! But look…I can’t trust myself to keep such a secret. And if I said something, I’d never be able to persuade my father that you’re using magic for good. Soo, I’m going to tell Uther that I found out you had magic and I killed you.”

            “KILLED ME?!” Merlin exclaimed.

            “Ah, yes. Don’t worry, you won’t die. You are going to leave Camelot for good,” Arthur said.

            Merlin’s eyes watered, “But…Arthur! I can’t leave! I’m your servant…you’ll never be able to keep up with every—“

            “Why would I do the chores? I’d get another servant, that’s all,” Arthur reassured his friend.

            It was that Merlin was bothered about not being Arthur’s servant. In fact, he’d rather not be his servant! The only problem was that Merlin had his destiny to look after Arthur. What could happen now?

            “How long do I have?” Merlin asked.

            “Until nightfall. You might want to start packing,” Arthur answered. 

            “Will I be able to come back?” Merlin asked another question.

            “…wait until I’m King, Merlin. When I’m King things will be changed,” Arthur said. Merlin nodded, and then turned to leave. “Merlin?” Merlin turned around once more. “Thanks,” Arthur looked as if he wanted to say something else, but he never said anything. Merlin smiled at Arthur, gave a little wave, and then left the room. Arthur never saw him again.