Stranded - Merlin/Harry Potter Crossover Imagine

Part 4 [Arthur]

(Y/N) watched the flickering sunlight pierce through the leaves of the towering trees, breathing in - for what she hoped would be the last time - the smell of the damp earth and fallen leaves. It was far different from the gross stink of the Dark Woods back home, and she found herself graciously welcoming the distracting ambiance of Camelot's forest. 

However, there was one thing that she felt she could do without. 

She wasn't mad at Merlin for having forced Arthur to be the one to take her to meet the mysterious recluse in the middle of god knows where. No, she was more annoyed at him for refusing to come with. She didn't want to be alone with Camelot's very own 'prince' any more than he wanted to be alone with her.  

It irked her how much his obnoxious comments about magic got under her skin. She wished she had time to show him that magic was nothing to fear because even though her mind trembled in disgust when she thought about him, she'd rather educate him than let him go on hating those who didn't deserve it.  

She subconsciously bunched the fabric of Arthur's shirt in her fist as she thought about the witches and wizards of Camelot, and the heartache they were facing under their monarchy. She wished she could take them with her, so they could live a life without fear and know the wonders of modern magic. But even her going home was questionable. 

Could she trust this mysterious man that Merlin claimed to be so honest? She could trust Merlin; she knew that for sure. All the stories she read about him as a child, she was certain that Merlin was a force of good in this disordered land of biased views.  

But not everyone was morally right. Even those with magic had their faults. But was it fair that the King of Camelot and his heir decided to judge an entire group based on the actions of a few? Of course, it wasn't. It wasn't fair- 

"Um... we're here." Arthur's voice jolted her out of her thoughts, and she realized the change in her surroundings. The once towering trees and puddles of water were replaced with smaller, budding trees and a neatly kept field where a single cabin sat on a small mound. She wasn't aware of how long she'd been in her head, or even when she stopped paying attention to the environment around her. She tried to gather her thoughts, but the only thing her mind comprehended was the fact that she was currently perched on top of a horse, her hands bruising Arthur's chest as her own was forcibly pressed against his back. 

Arthur hadn't realized just how close she'd gotten to him either, not until he heard her mutter something about the citizens of Camelot in his ear. He turned his head to look at her, but as he did so, his cheek came in contact with her forehead, and he quickly snapped his head away from her as much as he could. His body tensed up, and the rest of the way, all he could do was concentrate on the beating of her heart against his back. He tried to distract his mind with useless things, like how much he hated Merlin for making him do this, but he kept getting drawn back to the strangely hypnotic rhythm of her heartbeat.  

"This... is it?" (Y/N) furrowed her eyebrows, eyeing the run-down cabin that sat in the middle of the grassy embankment, seemingly abandoned. Its roof was slanted and falling apart, and the multicolored stones that walled its exterior were beginning to lose the battle against the ever-growing moss. The fact that the cabin was still standing was astounding to (Y/N). From first glance, it seemed that even the smallest wind would send it crumbling to the ground, and she couldn't help but wonder if maybe there was some sort of magic keeping it in place. 

"Yes. Now let go of me," Arthur demanded. If there was anything more surprising than witnessing a rickety cabin defying the laws of gravity, it was realizing just how nonexistent the space between (Y/N) and Arthur had become.  

Horror set upon (Y/N)'s features, and she quickly backed away from Arthur, almost as if his back had been set aflame and scorched her. "Ohgod, I'm so sorry-"