Merlin: The chance to change fate

Free to be you and me

"Merlin?" Arthur said nervously as he peered over from behind a tree. Merlin looked up at Arthur from where he was standing.
"What are you doing here?" Merlin asked sounding a bit irritated.
"I think you should come back inside, it's pouring out here and your going to get yourself struck by lighting, and if that happens I don't have the time to find a new servant by the morning." Arthur said jokingly.
Another lighting bolt ripped through the sky followed by a loud boom. Both jumped a little as they stood there still looking at each other.
"Well, then you better start looking for one." Merlin said with no remorse.
"What are you saying?" Arthur asked with worry.
"Arthur, I'm leaving." Merlin said sadly.
Arthur just stood there staring at him for a moment.
"Good one Merlin, now come on, get back inside," Arthur said as he started to walk back towards the way he came but soon stopped once he realized Merlin wasn't following him. He turned around to see Merlin still standing in the same place.
"Merlin?"
"I'm sorry Arthur, I can't expect you to understand, but you will manage to do find without me. Just, Make sure you keep an eye out on your surroundings."
"So that's it!" Arthur yelled, "Your just going to leave me because I didn't have control over my body? Look Merlin, you couldn't even begin to understand what I'm feeling now knowing that I did that to you. But it wasn't me Merlin, it was the Formorroh."
"Arthur, listen, I'm not leaving because of what you did to me, I'm leaving for other reasons." Merlin replied.
"Merlin, I have Knights, a wife, my council members, servants, but there is one thing that I also need, sometimes more than all the rest and that is a friend, that is you, Merlin." Arthur said sincerely. Merlin stood there, contemplating Arthur's words. "What I said before was wrong, untrue. I regret saying them, and I was always taught that a king can't be friends with his servant, but somehow, I became friends with you. Your like a good luck charm, I never really fail when I'm with you, and when I'm on the brink of death, and your there, death never seems to consume me. And I'm always safe, like your there to look after me, and I need that, and I need my best friend."
"The last part is true, but I can't tell you how I protect you," Merlin said, making Arthur very confused.
"I have done so much for you all these years and the job of worrying about you, and keeping you alive is tough especially when your constantly in danger. I was so blinded by the prophecy that I failed to realize the effect it had on me. I have devoted my life to you, to help you become who you are today, and now that you aren't really in danger anymore, I can finally live my own life."
At that, Arthur felt like his whole world came crashing down. His friend was practically telling him that he was quitting, that he was leaving him.
"Y-you really want this?" Arthur asked, he was shaking a little.
Merlin realized how much he just hurt Arthur.
"I was just your servant Arthur, if you admit we were friends, then I guess we were. But you have Leon, Percival, Gwaine, Gaius, and especially Guenivere. You will do fine without me as I will do fine without you.
Arthur almost fainted as Merlin said those words. Arthur tensed up and brought his head up high, it took every fiber in his body to hold back his tears.
"Well," Arthur started, "are you certain that this is what you want?"
"Yes," Merlin said.
"Then I here by declare that you Merlin, are relieved of your duties as my personal servant." a tear slowly made its way down his cheek, but Arthur quickly removed it. "Now, if you'll excuse me."
Arthur said as he turned around and headed back to the castle. He thought to himself, you never really realize how much someone truly means to you until their gone.