Is He Gone For Good?

Arthur,

I just can't take this anymore. I'm leaving Camelot for good. Don't try to come and find me, it will be a useless search. I can't take hiding and sneaking around just to be with each other. The stress is too much to bear anymore and with your father pressing you to get married to some fluffy princess makes it all worse. Please understand why I'm doing this, it is best for you. You will become a great king someday, I know you will. Trust yourself, I trust you.

I love you and the darkness is calling, it will be easier, trust me.

Merlin

Arthur read this in disbelief. So he read it again. One line caught his eyes, 'the darkness is calling'. He knew Merlin meant death. When he came to that revelation, his heat shattered like glass into a thousand tiny pieces, with no hopes of repair. He was sobbing uncontrollable on his bed, lulling himself to sleep by the sound of his sobs. So he did not notice the letter fall to the floor as he slumbered restlessly.

o(x)o

The next day came and Arthur never showed up for breakfast, not totally unusual as he ate in his room a lot of the time. But when he did not show up for training, Sirs Leon, Kay, and Gwaine started to worry. They had snooped around and found no one had seen him since yesterday. They went to Morgana and she was just as worried with that news.

"We should go check his room, he may be unwell." Morgana said

"But Merlin would of gotten Giaus." Sir Kay put in

"He would, but he went home to visit his mum for a bit." Sir Leon told Kay

The four of them went to Arthur's room and knocked on the door and got no answer. They debated and finally went on in to find an unexpected sight. Arthur was in his outfit from the day before, including the boots, rumpled hair, and he was facing away from them on his perch looking out the window. "Arthur?" Morgana asked

Arthur looked over at Morgana with his eyes on the way to being bloodshot, nose red, and tears staining his handsome face. He looked like he had been crying for a while and had been through hell.

"Oh, Arthur! What happened?" Morgana cried and hugged Arthur, who just sat there unmoving.

Leon noticed the note and picked it up, he read it with Gwaine and Kay reading over his shoulders. All three sets of eyes widened in shock at how Merlin seemed suicidal and that the two were anything but just friends.

Morgana had stopped hugging Arthur and went to read the letter, "Poor Arthur!" she exclaimed as she finished, "Poor Merlin!"

"Who knew that if Merlin left for good, this would happen." Leon said

"It makes sense, if you think about it." Gwaine said, "Those two bickering like they do and how Arthur puts up with everything Merlin does. C'mon, we all know Arthur was an ass before Merlin."

"True." Kay said, "Hey, look…." He pointed at Arthur. He had pulled his legs up to his chest and he was resting his head on his arms.

They were about to try to get Arthur to talk, when Uther strode in, "Where is Arthur? He's supposed to be at a meeting with me and King Redroth." He asked Morgana

Morgana simply pointed to Arthur in his position by the window, "He received a not from the one he loved and they seemed to have thoughts of killing themselves because of their and Arthur's situation romantically."

Uther's eyes softened slightly, "Leave us." The four left, leaving Uther with his son. "Arthur?"

Arthur lifted his head to look at who was speaking, saw it was Uther and he frowned, and turned away. Uther's heart ached to see his son like this, in this hopeless state. "Arthur, do you truly love whoever left you this note?" Uther received a nod in return, "Then why are you still here, go after her!"