The love between a king and his serving boy (merthur)

Chapter 11

Arthur's POV

After many hours of riding, we had arrived. I shivered slightly in the cold and rode to the centre of the island. There was a beautiful woman standing there, as if she was expecting us. She looked at me and smiled, not even glancing at Merlin laying weak and awkwardly on his horse. But her face was soft and hair cascaded down her back in dark brown waves. In her arms was a small baby with brilliant green eyes and fluffy brown hair, it was sleeping. She greeted me as if I was an old friend and even helped me get off my horse.

"Arthur Pendragon. I knew you would come, and I have been looking forward to meeting you. My name is Priscilla and I am the last of the high priestess's" she spoke softly and her voice was friendly, I knew that I could trust her.

"Priscilla, I have come to-" I started.

"I know what you have come for. You wish to set your servant free of his agony, but there is a price to pay dear child. If the price is not paid, then I will die where I stand as I would've failed as a high priestess. Are you prepared to pay the ultimate sacrifice?" She seemed sad, but I don't know why. I also didn't know about high priestess's dying when they didn't perform a sacrifice right. "To bring Merlin back from the brink of death, the one who caused the goblins spell must die to break it, and save the person they love most. Arthur Pendragon, are you sure you want to go through with this?" I nodded in response, not trusting my voice.

"Arthur.... A... Arthur please," Merlin gasped, but nothing he could say will stop me. I can't bare to see the love of my life in so much pain, it was unbearable. I just smiled slightly at him in a reassuring manner. Priscilla began to speak, her voice was deep and relaxing. I closed my eyes hoping that it wouldn't hurt. Then I opened my eyes again and found myself staring at Merlin straight in the eyes. His eyes were full of hurt and pain and something else undetectable. I've always found his eyes rather enchanting and mysterious. Time seemed to slow down and everything went slightly fuzzy. It was a kind of happy feeling. But then time speed up and as I fell to the ground, I heard one sentence before everything went black.

"Arthur, you can't die, I am in love with you!"

He would never know how much I love him back.

Merlin's POV

All my physical pain disappeared, but emotionally, I was in more agony than I was before. Arthur fell to the ground as I confessed my love for him. He was dead. I ran to him, as fast as I could, tears burning in my eyes. His skin was pale white and ice cold. He was dead. I knelt by him and placed his head in my lap and I stroked his sand coloured hair.

"Arthur, wake up you prat, stop it, just open your eyes. It's not funny dollop head, you need to get up now and get back to Camelot. Arthur. Please," I cried, tears streamed down my cheeks and onto his hair with which I was brushing with my fingers, feeling it's softness. I couldn't accept it. He can't be dead. Not Arthur.

But he was. The king was dead.