Author: NightRider
Rating: PG
Fandom: Merlin
Characters: Arthur and Merlin
Spoilers: None
Warnings: Character death
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Merlin and no money was made from writing this.
Summary: "I could have saved him."
Dedication:
vail_kagami - she's never afraid to embrace the angst!A/N: This is unbetaed and rather depressing.
“I could have saved him.”
Arthur’s gaze didn’t leave Gaius’s body, his expression distant but not surprised. “No, Merlin. You couldn’t have.”
Merlin’s eyes darkened as his hand fell away from Gaius’s cold brow. “I could have saved him.”
“No, Merlin,” Arthur repeated. “You couldn’t have.”
Merlin shook his head. It shouldn’t have ended like this. “You don’t understand.”
Arthur sighed. “Yes, I do.”
“I could have saved him.”
“It was his time.”
Merlin met Arthur’s gaze for the first time, his eyes shining gold. “You knew.”
Arthur didn’t deny it. He didn’t tell Merlin that Gaius had asked him to take Merlin away from the castle for the day, had asked him to look after Merlin after he was gone. “Gaius was ready to die.”
“I could have stopped this. I could have saved him.”
“Magic isn’t always the answer,” Arthur said softly. Merlin froze, his eyes shining with unshed tears. Arthur paused with his hand on the door. “I’m sorry.”
~Finished~
