Title: A Moment of Truth
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~
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~
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Comments
I love this as much as I did two nights ago. It's amazing what kind of amazing things you can write while someone is talking your ear off. (I'm using my new, appropriate icon in honour of this fac and your smoking habbits. :P)
What I love most about this is the casual way in which Arthur admits to having known about Merlin's magic all along (or at least for more than the last five seconds) and the way he, and Gaius, can accept death, and Merlin can't.
YAY for your new icon! :D
What I love most about this is the casual way in which Arthur admits to having known about Merlin's magic all along
I'm so glad you pointed that out. That was really the point of this.
Thanks again for the lovely review!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and respond!
It's so nice to have a reader that understands all the fandoms I'm involved in. You're an absolute star!
That was just lovely, in a heartbreaking way.
That happens to me frequently after I read your writing. ;) Of course I treasure every angsty minute.
Thank you for the kind review!
Just for that I'm posting something light and cracky. Granted it's Buffyverse, and I can't remember if you're familiar with the fandom, but still. Light and cracky! *G*
You've been holding out on me and being all secret squirrel :P Sneaky, sneaky you...
Love the emotion you've captured in such few words, one feels Merlin's pain and yet his confusion about not being allowed to 'make everything work to his own plans.' What a lot of growing up our boy has yet to do. And Arthur, already showing the strength and wisdom needed of a king.
If you're around tomorrow evening...I have something to share.
Have a fantastic day!
You've been holding out on me and being all secret squirrel :P
Holding out? Nah... This was so short I figured I'd toss it on my journal and not bother you with it. Yes, I know it's not a bother, but you know. ;)
I got the final word that I'm not working tomorrow evening. I am working this afternoon, though, so feel free to send me an email. :) Sharing is a good thing!
Thank you so much for the lovely review!
It was beautiful though... even if it ripped my heart out of my chest :( So much said in such a few words... and so well written!!
*squishes*
It was beautiful though... even if it ripped my heart out of my chest :( So much said in such a few words... and so well written!!
*tries to put your heart back together* :(
It was sad, but I thought it more bittersweet because Gaius was ready...unlike Merlin.
Thank you for the lovely review!
*hugs*