Merlin: The chance to change fate

Wounded

"No, no, no, no, NO!" Arthur yelled as Merlin closed his eyes beginning to fall forward. Arthur dropped his sword and ran over to Merlin, catching his head just in time.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Arthur said, holding merlin's face in between his hands. He was shaking his pale face, "Merlin."
Merlin opened his eyes a little, blood began slithering down the side of his mouth. "Your going to be all right, you here me? I'm going to get you out of here. Then when we get back to Camelot, I'm going to make you polish all my armor, then sharpen all my swords just for scaring me half to death." Arthur said, chuckling a little at his own remarks, until he witnessed Merlin closing his eyes again.
"Hey! You don't get to die on me, I'm your king, you must listen to me.....Merlin?"
There was a brief moment when Arthur thought he had lost his friend.
"Ar...Arthur," Merlin managed to say, his voice sounding hoarse, eyes still closed.
"G...Go," there was a pause while Merlin took a deep breathe, "M...Mor..Morgana will find y-you... Leave me."
"I'm not going anywhere," Arthur replied, "Not without you." This time his voice was full with determination.
Arthur stood up and grabbed Merlin under his arms, quickly, but efficiently pulling him up and over his shoulder, Merlin's head and arms were dangling effortlessly over his back.
"I," Merlin managed to speak out, "I will ju-just slow you down."
"Your talking nonsense," Arthur replied.
A few minutes later Merlin starting choking, coughing up blood. Arthur felt the warm blood creeping down his back, he worriedly began to walk faster even though he knew all this rigid movement would make Merlin eventually choke himself to death on his blood. Arthur just had to make it far enough into the woods to be sure it was safe enough before he could let Merlin down. Once Arthur could no longer see the battle ground, he made it to a clearing, and he carefully slid Merlin off his shoulder. He sat Merlin up against a tree, blood everywhere on his tunic and the lower half of his face.
Merlin started coughing more, there was a lot more blood coming out now. It flew out of his mouth and landed about a foot in front of himself onto the grass, blending in with some of the vibrant red leaves.
"I, I..... Mmh," Merlin managed to say just before he closed his eyes and mouth, trying to prevent himself from coughing up  anymore blood. "I am dying."
Arthur open his mouth, just about to say something until he heard leaves crunch and twigs breaking. Arthur turned swiftly around to where he heard the sound come from. He smoothed his hand over the side of his hip, he felt around searching for his sword. When he didn't feel it he looked down to notice it wasn't there. Arthur slowly rose up, guarding Merlin, ready to defend off whoever it was the best he could with just himself. Arthur sighed in relief when he saw who came out in plain view.
"Gwaine!" Arthur yelled with a smile plastered across his face.
"Hey, I have be-" Gwaine abruptly stopped what he was saying, he slowed down his pace, and his smile was soon replaced by a frown. "Oh my god, what happened? Merlin!"
Gwaine picked up his pace again, he started running to his dying friend. When he got close enough he slid a few feet on his knees till his body reached Merlin. Gwaine held Merlin's face in between his hands, his eyes started to water, not soon after tears were streaming down his face. He grabbed Merlin's body and pressed him against his chest, Merlin's head rest on Gwaine's shoulder while Gwaine's hand was holding the back of Merlin's head. Gwaine wrapped his other arm around Merlin's back, he then started rocking Merlin back and forth, trying to comfort his friend. Gwaine was sobbing by now.
"Gwa-Gwaine," Merlin managed to speak out.
Gwaine gently pushed Merlin back upright, putting Merlin in arms length. "Yes, my friend?" His eyes were red, dry tear marks across his cheeks, he faked a small smile.
"The, the girl, your blonde friend, Eira, cannot...be... Trusted," Merlin replied tiredly.
"We-we know, I realized someone on the inside was working with Morgana, and I told Eira where we were going, so I knew it had to have been her. I told Guenivere, and she is going to have her execution arranged as soon as we get back to Camelot," Gwaine said sadly.
"I'm... Sorry," Merlin murmured.
Gwaine looked into Merlin's eyes and put his hand on his cheek, "there's nothing to be sorry for." There was just a moment of them staring into each other's eyes before Gwaine broke eye contact. "Oh, Arthur, I almost forgot, I found your sword." Gwaine slid out the sword that was on the opposite side of his own and handed it to Arthur. When he grabbed the sword out of Gwaine's hand, he stared at it, he observed the gold near the handle of the sword. He started remembering the day he got this sword. Merlin told him that only the true king of Camelot could pull it out of the stone. It was at that moment, one of the most important moments in his life that made him who he is, and he couldn't have done it without Merlin. Arthur started crying, he became angry, he held his sword and started cutting his way into branches and vines, taking his anger out on the forest.
"Arthur, Stop!" Gwaine screamed while running over to Arthur. He put his hand on Arthur's that held the Excalibur, and pushed it down. Arthur was breathing furiously, he turned around to see Merlin, holding his wound.
"Oh my god, I totally forgot," Arthur said worriedly as he rushed over to Merlin.
Arthur took his sword and cut a strip of cloth on his uniform. He then held it against Merlin's wound.
"Why did I not do this sooner," Arthur was suddenly panicking, "He's going to die because of me, he's losing too much blood," Arthur started to cry again, "He stuck up for me, he-he told Mordred to kill him instead, and so he did."
"Hey," Gwaine said softly as he starting making his way back to Arthur.
Arthur grabbed the nearest rock and chucked it at a tree, leaving a dent in the bark.
"HEY!" Gwaine yelled, putting his arm on Arthur's shoulder and violently turning him to face him. "Knock it off, you did not kill Merlin," Arthur broke eye contact and looked to the side. Gwaine gripped Arthur's chin tight and jerked his face forward to face him again. "Hey! Are you listening to me?! You did not kill Merlin, he is still alive!"
Arthur looked mad, and smacked Gwaine's arm away from his face.
"Dare to touch your king like that again and the punishment will be for treason," Arthur said defiantly. He got up and brushed Gwaine with his shoulder hard as he walked past him.
"Where the hell are you going?" Gwaine asked rudely while he turned around towards Arthur.
Arthur stopped in his tracks, and tilted his head to the side a little, his back still facing them. "Camelot, you coming?"
"Pft," was the sound Gwaine made with his mouth as he rolled his eyes. He turned back around and picked up the unconscious Merlin, this time, holding him with his two arms carrying him like you would a princess.