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Merlin, Arthur noticed, had been acting strange all day. He knew the castle was on edge for the up coming battle against Morgana, but this was more than that. Merlin was silent, obeying Arthur's orders and far more jumpy than usual which worries Arthur to no end. But it's when he gets to his chambers and sees his armour, chainmail and sword polished to perfection and layed out across his table, that Arthur goes from worried to downright terrified as to what could be causing Merlin's behaviour to be completely different to what he knows of the man.
As soon as Merlin is finished messing around with the final pieces, he turns with a slight smile that Arthur had never seen on his face in the 10 years that he's known him and says "I think that you'll find that’s everything, sire." before stepping back so Arthur could look over everything. The fact that Merlin was acting so much like George and calling him sire without its usual sarcastic edge, only caused Arthur's concern to rise to a point that he was becoming suspicious that Merlin had done something and was trying to stay in the king's good books by being a good servant for a change.
He can't help but compliment his good work, something that Arthur very rarely does, but he sees Merlin's eyes light up in a familiar way before he asks "so what are you after?" As casually as he can, wanting to catch Merlin off guard so he could figure out exactly what was going on with his friend whilst he tried to come up with an answer. Yet Merlin just seems as confused as he usually is, so he obviously hasn't been enchanted "Come on, Merlin. You’re the worst servant in the history of the world. Now suddenly this. Is it money?" Even as he asks the question, he can't help but scoff as he moves away, of course it isn't money, the man won most of his in the tavern last night and hadn't spent any of it!
He raises an eyebrow as Merlin starts getting that antsy, anxious look about him "is it time off?" He asks, then chuckles to himself, can't be that either the man hardly does anything, always in the tavern half the time! He hears Merlin sigh quietly behind him before he speaks "I just wanted to make sure you had all you needed for your journey to Camlann. For the days ahead." His voice is strangely quiet, and he isn't looking Arthur in the eye when the king turns to look at him in suprise "thank you" he says just as softly, before his mind catches up on the fact that Merlin had said 'your journey' and not 'our journey' as if he wasn't going with them, as if he was leaving Arthur's side at such an important time.
For the first time since Morgana declared war, Arthur feels scared and out of his depth "Merlin, what do you mean, my journey?" He asks, taking a deep breath and praying to any god that could hear him that Merlin wasn't abandoning him just before he faces the biggest battle of his life. But then he watches as Merlin shuts his eyes and almost seems to war with himself before he speaks "I'm afraid I won't be coming with you. Not this time. I'm sorry. I have an urgent errand to run for Gaius. Vital supplies that I can't attain here." Arthur feels his stomach drop, Merlin truly wasn't coming with them.
Merlin wasn't telling the truth as to why he wasn't going.
Arthur can't help but lean heavily on the nearest chair, causing Merlin to startle at his sudden change in behaviour "vital supplies, that's the best you can come up with?" He asks in a breathless, angry tone, watching as Merlin bows his head in either pain or shame before looking away "am I not worth a truthful answer?" He demands, standing at full height and trying not to show his devestation at the fact that Merlin feels the need to lie to him.
He notices the same devestation in Merlin's eyes "tell me! Tell me the real reason you Arn't coming" Arthur says, almost pleading for his friend to be truthful. Merlin closes his eyes tightly before nodding "I need to get something, it isn't something for Gaius it's something of mine" he begins and Arthur can see that even though Merlin is getting tenser the more he speaks, he's telling the truth "I'm getting something that was stolen from me, I have to go through the valley of the fallen kings to get it back" Arthur can't help but frown, what could possibly have been stolen from him that he needs to go through the worst part of Camelot to get back?
Arthur's concern is back in full swing "what was stolen? Who stole from you, Merlin?" He asks, protectiveness for his friend rises up as Merlin looks him up and down, takes a deep breath and says "magic. Morgana stole my magic" Arthur does a double take when he hears that, then takes a closer look at Merlin and notices that the man is paler than usual, his eyes are a darker shade of blue and don't have their typical sparkle and there's a shine of sweat on his forehead as if he was at the begining of an illness, perhaps he was for all Arthur knew.
The two of them stare at each other for awhile, Merlin getting increasingly more anxious and Arthur taking in his friend all over again "where do you need to go?" He asks, taking his friend by suprise as now it was Merlin's turn to double take and sit heavily in the chair in front of him, breathing a sigh of relief that Arthur hadn't kicked him out or run him through "the crystal cave" he whispers, causing Arthur to tilt his head in confusion "it's the birthplace of magic" he adds on with a fond smile on his face, which makes Arthur smile as it was something that he hadn't seen for awhile now.
Arthur can't help but feel slightly concerned as to how exactly Merlin was going to get to this cave, he'd already said that it was in the valley of the fallen kings and by the sounds of it, Merlin was defenseless without his magic, "take a knight with you" he says, taking himself and Merlin by suprise before the other man chuckles quietly and nods "I am, don't worry" he says and that familiar teasing tone was back, making Arthur relax slightly knowing that magic or no magic, Merlin hadn't changed.
They stay in their seats for awhile longer, before Merlin moves to stand, causing Arthur to follow his lead "I always thought you were the bravest man I've ever met, this just proves it" he says quietly. Not many people would tell their king that they'd lost their magic and planned to get it back, but then again Merlin wasn't like most people was he? Once again Arthur got to see Merlin's eyes light up at the praise Arthur was giving him, before he held out his arm "I'll get my magic back and be back by your side before you know it" he says in a promising tone and Arthur can't help but reach out and grab his arm, as he always does whenever Merlin makes promises like this, the two of them nodding at each other with small smiles on their faces.
Just as Merlin is about to leave the room, Arthur can't help but call out to him "Merlin?" The man turns back with a curious expression on his face "good luck" he says, causing Merlin to nod and smile a little bigger something that he hadn't been doing for the last few months before closing the door behind him. Arthur watches as he and Gwaine leave the courtyard 10 minutes later and continues to look even after they've gone out of sight.