Chapter Text
“Will we at there before it is too late?” Arthur asked Merlin, worry in his voice.
He looked at the other Merlin that the other him was holding, carefully like the man in his arm was a fragile baby. His eyes were hard but worry was still visible.
He could easily understand what he was feeling since he knew the feeling. He had felt it when Merlin jumped infront of the dorocha. Arthur couldnt even prosses what had happened when he did it. His mind couldnt make a sense of it.
Merlin had just jump infront of a deadly spirit for him. He had sacrificed- The thought was unbearable.
“I hope so.” Merlin said, he too watched them with a sad expression. But there was something else in his face too.
“Come on, out with it. What is wrong?”
“I was just thinking how must it feel to be just so loved.” Merlin’s voice was barely a whisper.
“You are loved.” Arthur said.
Merlin didnt answer, he just continue to walk.
“Merlin.” Arthur said, stopping the boy. “I know sometimes i could be a little rough-“
“A little?” Arthur chuckled.
“-And be mean to you or act like i dont care at all sometimes but i hope you know that is not true at all.” He said. “It is just hard for me, to show emotion to the people that i care most deeply for.”
Merlin looked stunned before a smile creeped into his face. “Well, thank you, my lord. Though that care most deeply thing is not exactly mutual.”
Arthur huffed as Merlin laughed again, though their moment was short lived. He immidately draw his sword and pushed Merlin aside as a big creature that had the wings and head of an eagle combined with the body of a lion. A griffin.
The dragon had warned them that it would be dangerous. He hadnt been lying, he guess. He saw the other him dropping his Merlin to the ground carefully and draw his sword. But he didnt leave Merlin’s side. Arthur knew he wouldnt too. He learned his lesson after the rockslide.
The griffin ran towards them and attacked he managed to get himself to the ground when he first strike but it left him breathless So when the griffin raised one of his claws and made a move, Arthur couldnt get up or roll.
He was going to die until he wasnt.
“Get away from him!” Merlin picked up a rock and throw it at the creature , which stopped in the half way and turned to his servant.
And then the Griffin started to ran towards Merlin, who looked like didnt know what to do. Maybe he saved Arthur but it didnt looked like he could save himself.
“Merlin!” Arthur screamed and moved to stand but he knew that he wouldnt be able to ran that fast, so he threw Excalibur to the creatures back.
Griffin stopped when the sword struck his back. It fell down, just inches away from his servant who had fallen to his knees as well and never got back up again.
“Merlin!” He yelled again as he rushed towards him. “Are you alright?” He checked the boy for injures but didnt find anything.
“Yes.” Merlin breathed and smiled.
“What were you even thinking?” Arthur exclaimed. “Throwing a rock to a deadly beast?”
“What was i suppose to do, Arthur?” Merlin asked. “Let it kill you?”
“No, of course not.” Arthur said.
“Even when how you are behaving it is good to know you dont actually want to die. And you are welcome.”
Arthur rolled his eyes as he helped him stand up.
“We need to get going.” The other Arthur was already getting his Merlin to his arms again as he spoke. “We dont know how long he has.”
Arthur had forgetten that they were in another universe that Merlin and he was married. God, it still sounded ridiculous.
“He is right, Arthur. Come one, we cant afford to wait right now.” Merlin said.
Arthur nodded and started following them.
“How much?” The other Arthur asked for the 100th time.
“Not much.” Merlin just answered. Like he had just minutes ago. He understood this Arthur was worried for him but he was being a prat. “We wont be late, i believe.”
“You believe?”
“Hey,” His Arthur cut off the other one. “Merlin doesnt know anything else. If he did he would say it. “
It made the other Arthur stop and take a deep breath to calm down. “I apologize, i just-“
“I understand.” Merlin said. “You are nervous. Worried. You may be from another universe, but you are still Arthur after all. You two are the same in so many ways. “
And then continued their journey. Without even having a break for a minute. Merlin never remembered a time that his legs felt like that, he could see even Arthur looked dead on feet. Though they couldnt stop, he had said it himself.
They needed to the reach the scared place, so they could heal the other him. Who looked even paler and barely breathing at all. And the other Arthur started to lose his faith and started to get desparete, he could see it himself.
The other him didnt have much time. Without his magic, maybe. He stopped immidately.
“We need to take a break.” He finally said the words he wanted to for hours.
“We cant.” The other Arthur protest. “He doesnt have-“
“We have to. Kilgharrah said that this place is dangerous and if we dont have the strenght to even lift a finger, we cant protect ourself and if we die we cant save him either.”
“It is not garante that something dangerous would attack us.” The other Arthur pressed on. “Rest if you want. I wont.”
He stopped the other Arthur by touching his arm when he tried to get pass him.
“He wont make it there, “ He whispered so his Arthur couldnt hear it. “Not if i dont use my magic and slow the poison in his vein a little. But i cant do it here. “
The other Arthur’s eyes were wide and the hope inside them started to appear once more. He nodded. “Alright, we are taking a break.”
Arthur looked at him like asking how he had done that.
“I have many secrets and talents, my lord.” He answered before he went to prepare the camp place.
He finally managed to send Arthur to collect some woods so he could do what he needed to.
“Will it buy us enough time so we could get him there?” The other Arthur asked with worry in his voice.
“I cannot know for sure.” Merlin answered. “But i hope so.”
“Then just do it.” He said as he brushed his other self’s cheeck. Merlin said the spell and prayed that it would work at the same time.
After a second, Merlin’s breathing seemed more normal and he looked less in pain. Arthur laughed and kissed his other self.
Merlin tried not to make a face that made him looked like he wanted to vomit but failed. He still couldnt wrap his mind around him and Arthur of all people.
“You really love him?” He asked. “Like you are really in love with him?”
“I could never imagine it 5 years ago either.”
“I cant imagine what could have happen to make me fall for you either.” Merlin said.
“Cant imagine you falling for me? I’m the king, of course you would fall for me.”
“It never mattered to me.” Merlin answered. “That you are king, i mean.”
“And maybe that is why i fell for you.”
“Ok, i take back what i said. My Arthur and you are compeletly different person.” He said. “He hates when i talk to him like a friend.”
“I’m sure that is not true.” The other Arthur said.
“I’m not saying he doesnt see me as a friend or doesnt care about me. He just gets angry when i speak my mind or he acts like i lost my mind or says i’m an idiot.”
“Hey, even when we were friends.” Arthur said. “My favorite thing about you, the reason i befriended you was because you spoke your mind with me. And there is the fact that you were - are braver than any man i met. “
“Do you think he thinks so too?” Merlin asked.
“Yes, i’m sure.”
And that was the time Arthur finally came back with woods in his hands.
“Finally.” Merlin feared something happened to him. He would never forgive himself if something happened to him. He had send him there after all. “I was getting worried that a tree fall down and killed you when you were trying to get some wood.”
Arthur smiled. He must have seen the worry in his face. “Your worry touched me, Merlin. Maybe the dearest thing wasnt mutual, huh?”
“You can only wish it in your dreams, sire.”
“Come on.” Merlin said to other him. “Tell us your- our love story.”
Now it got his attention. He really wondered how his servant and him started dating and then get married too.
“I dont know what i could tell you. I was betrayed by both Guinevere and Agravaine. I was in such a bad state. I pushed everyone away, reading that they would betray me, too. But Merlin didnt listen and broke the wall every time i built it. I actually dont know where i actually fall for him.”
“Then tell us how you got together.” Merlin said.
The other Arthur smiled. “That i can do.” He said. “It was just after i learned about his magic. I was so angry and the betrayel i felt like was nothing i ever felt before. I didnt talk to him for weeks, said very awful things now i regret deeply.
“One day we were on a patrol and we were looking for a witch. We found her but she was prepared. She threw a spell to me but Merlin-“ His voices changed as he looked at his Merlin’s paler than ever face. “He jumped infront of me. Even though i was angry, the love i developed for him didnt vanished. I rushed to his side, praying and begging he was alright.
“But he wasnt breathing nor his heart beating. He was dead.”
“What?” Arthur exclaimed. “Then how is he alive right now?”
Merlin looked confused as well and the other Arthur’s eyes widen when he saw the look in his face.
“You dont know?” The other him asked.
“Know what?” Merlin asked.
“I thought my Merlin was dead but after a minute he came back and that was when we figured out he was immortal. He could only be killed by powerful magic even beyond humans.”
Arthur felt like someone threw cold water to his face. And all the blood seemed to left Merlin’s body. Arthur remembered Merlin saying he couldnt easily be killed but this?
“What? No- you must be mistaken. If he is immortal than i-“
“I thought you would figure it out by now.” The other Arthur said.
“I knew that i couldnt easily be killed that my ma- dragonlord abilities were protecting me but you mean i cant die like ever? Like i will live forever? Watch everyone i love die?”
Arthur felt his heart break for his servant. Though he also felt a little relieved. At least he would never have to lose him. Still, this Merlin was near death so it wasnt certain. He wished there was a way to collect every weapon that could harm him and destroy them.
Though he knew the news was breaking Merlin.
“Is there any way to undo it, somehow?” He asked.
“Yes, when we found out Merlin was destroyed so asked the druids and they told us about a ritual.”
“What ritual?” Merlin looked hopeful now.
“They told us if Merlin’s life was bound to a mortal he would be one, too.”
“Bound to a mortal?” Arthur asked. “Like if the person he bounded dies, he too?”
The other him nodded. “Though, if he dies the person bounded wouldnt die. It just bounds him to that person. Not that person to him. Then they both would be immortal.”
“So is there someone your Merlin is bounded?” Arthur asked.
“Yes. Me, of course.” The other him said.
“Well, you are married.” Merlin said. “Makes sense. Though who would want such thing with me?”
“I’m sure there are a lot of people who cares for you, Merlin. And it isnt like it effects them in any way.” The other him said.
“But it is still being bounded to someone. And the only person i think would do that for me is Gaius and i cant bound myself to him if i want to live more than ten years.”
“You have a lot of time before you. “ The other Arthur assured him. “And there isnt something that ritual would not work if you are in a certain age. You cant bound yourself to a dying old man when you are an old man too. “
“Yes.” Arthur said as he put a comforting hand to his servant’s shoulder. “We will figure this things later. And i believe you were telling a story?”
“Oh yes.” The other him said as he remembered he was telling them the story of them getting together. “Well, there isnt much after that. Just i realized how much i exactly love him when i thought he was dead and decided i dont ever want to lose him. To feel like that. So i kissed him when he woke up and he kissed me.” He was smiled softly, clearly thinking about their first kiss.
“This is super cliche, you know?” Merlin asked and Arthur couldnt help but laugh.
They all woke up to another creatures attack. It was a serpentie but with many heads.
“It is a hydra!” The other Arthur yelled.
“Those creatures really exits?” He heard Merlin shout in disbelief.
“Well, you can see it with you own eyes right now, cant you?”
Merlin picked his sword and throw it to Arthur.
“How do we kill it?” He asked to them.
“We need to cut of it’s head and then set it on fire before it grows back!” Merlin answered.
“And how are we gonna do that?” He asked.
“I’m gonna get it’s attention and made it ran after me. “ The other Arthur was the one answered. “And you, Merlin, will light a fire and you,” His otherself turned to him. “Will cut of his heads. And they will fall into the fire. Get it?”
They nodded. “Look after my Merlin, too.” Arthur commended before running towards the hydra. Arthur ready his sword as Merlin prepared to light the fire.
The other Arthur ran and the creature followed it, everytime it looked like it got him, Arthur saw Merlin hold his breath. He never had the chance to look at Merlin when he was in danger, normally so he saw Merlin’s worry for him for the first time openly.
His worry for his otherself, he corrected himself. Arthur was touched that he was thaf worried for even this Arthur.
And the other Arthur finally was close to them. “Now!” He shouted.
He jumped to another direction but hydra was going so fast, it failed to stop immidately. He took advanges of the vulnerable state and get his sword down on it’s neck. All of it heads was seperated from his body and they fall to the fire that was made by Merlin.
“We did it!” He laughed and Merlin laughed too.
“Come on.” The other Arthur called. “I think it was telling us, we need to get going.”
They nodded and followed him once more after he once took his consort on his shoulder.
Meanwhile the others had arrived to citadel one night ago.
Guinevere watched Gaius from this universe watch outside from the window. He was waiting his ward to come home, she could see.
Gaius love for his ward was the only thing that never changed, no matter the universe.
“Gaius?” She asked, Gaius clearly didnt expect him. It was easy to tell by how he nearly jumped when she talked.
“He will be fine.” She said. “You will see.”
“I hope so.” Gaius said. “Not just for my sake but for the kingdoms. I dont think Arthur could survive losing him. “
Guinevere nodded. “It is something i never thought of before. Merlin and Arthur? It must sound ridiculous to them even now.”
“To them? It doesnt sound to you?” Gaius asked, clearly suprised.
“Well, i dont think either of them love each other other than like friends or brothers but i could see why Arthur can fell in love with him and Merlin with him.”
There was a silence followed and Guinevere prepared herself to the question she was about to ask.
“Our Merlin is not just a dragonlord.” Gaius eyes widen. “He has magic too, right?”
Gaius seemed like he didnt know what to say but eventually he squeezed his eyes and nodded before opening them once more. “Merlin was born with magic. He is like no other i saw. And he had a destiny. There is no way your Merlin is not one. “ He said. “But i assure you, Merlin would never hurt Arthur.”
“I know.” Guinevere said without dobut. “I’m pleased, Gaius.”
They had finally arrived after three hours.
“This is the place?” The other Arthur asked, he too looked amazed. Even his Arthur looked like that.
The water was blue-green and clear as a glass, and behind it stood a statue of a beatiful girl. He assumed it was the daughter of the legend. That the dagger was gifted to. The tomb’s owner. He wasnt sure if he should call it a tomb anymore though. It didnt look like it.
“Kilgharrah told us we need bathe him to the water.” Merlin said and the other Arthur walked forward and gentely lowered the body into the water.
“So, what?” Arthur said. “Will he just heal right now?”
“Kilgharrah didnt say.” Merlin answered. Minutes had passed and his otherself was no better. Should he do something? A spell?
When Merlin felt he was losing his lost a sudden light appeared. Which revealed a girl that looked like a spirit. That was the same girl in the statue he realized.
“Why have you come to my scared resting place?” She asked, her voice was eternal.
“My consort.” The other Arthur spoke. “Got stabbed by your dagger. We were told this place have the power to heal it.”
The spirit looked towards his otherself’s body and smiled.
“If you agree to heal him, i would give you anything.” The other Arthur said but Merlin quickly protest.
“Not his life obviously.” He said.
“My life too-“
“There is no need for that i’m not interested in taking none of your lives and i will save him.”
“You will?” The other Arthur looked at the girl like she had given him the moon.
“Yes.” She nodded. “The only thing i want you to do is that you hide my dagger, somewhere no mortal could find.” Merlin understood what she meant. Take it to the lake of Avalon.
“I will.” The other Arthur promised. He must have known too, since he knew about Merlin’s magic and it made him also know about Excalibur or maybe even Freya.
She nodded as she rested her hand to Merlin’s cheek and stroke it gentely before his body began to glow. When the glow faded. The wound in his chest was like it never even existed.
He groaned in the water. “Cant i sleep a little longer? I felt exactly like i’ve been stabbed.”
The laughed that escaped the other Merlin was mixed with a sob as he gathered the boy in his arms. The Arthur from his universe would never dare to show that much emotion, it felt weird.
The eyes of his otherself opened wide when he saw where he was and with who. He had forgetten that this him didnt know about universes at all.
“Am i dreaming?” The other Merlin asked.
Well, it would be fun to explained it.
His wife ran towards Arthur and wrapped her arms around him when she saw them.
Arthur could see the weird look on the ones from another universe. “Thank god, you did it!” She smiled as she looked at the healed Merlin.
The knights from another universe came and hugged Merlin then. Gwaine first and then the others.
The knights from their universe came after that too. “Well, this time you actually managed to save him, mate.” Gwaine said to Merlin. “I thought you might decide to, you know, stab him in the chest once more.”
“How funny, Gwaine.” Elyan said and Leon shot him a warning look.
“What are they talking about?” The other Merlin asked.
“We were in another universe before this one. Merlin stabbed his otherself in the chest. “
All of their eyes widen.
“What! Why would you?” The other Arthur exclaimed.
“The me of the other universe was an evil sorcerer that his main goal to kill Arthur. What was i suppose to do?”
“Oh.” This made them went quiet.
“Well, i guess i cant judge you for that.” The other Merlin said.
“I’m sorry but is it just me having trouble believing that there is a universe which Merlin wants to kill Arthur?” The other Gwaine asked.
“Like you said another universe, Gwaine.” Percival said. “They cant love each other in everyone.”
“But it is hard to imagine Merlin betraying Arthur.”
“It wasnt willingly anyway.” Arthur said and the eyes turned to him in confusion.
“Did someone forced him?” Elyan asked. “But he is Merlin-“
“Doesnt mean he is unstoppable.” Leon cut him off.
“But still!”
“No, the other me of the universe traded his soul for Morgana’s.”
“What?” Arthur exclaimed. “Why would i-“
“Dont say it like he did it on purpose. “ Merlin from their universe said. “He didnt know.”
“I still believe it is his fault.” Arthur said.
“Wait, i dont know. Couldnt you fixed him or give them their souls back?” The other Elyan asked.
“The disir’s spell made it impossible.” Merlin explained. “The only way was to kill him. Which i did. I cant regret it. It saved people’s life.”
“Just come inside.” His wife said. “You must be tired you can have this chat after.”
Arthur walked close to Merlin who was watching the city from the castle, clearly something in his mind.
“What are you thinking?” He asked.
“The ritual.” Merlin answered. “About who i can do with. “
The ritual, of course. He actually wanted ritual not to be done in a close time. He would have one less thing to worry about. Though Merlin didnt seem to know what Arthur was thinking.
How could he anyway? He couldnt read people’s mind. At least he assumed. Dragonlords couldnt read people’s mind he hoped. But it would explain how his servant knew everything before he said outloud.
“What did you decided? Or did you decided?” He asked.
“I was thinking about one of the knights.”
“Is it a good idea?” Arthur asked. “The knights could die any day.” And then Arthur would have to not just worry about his servant but the knight that he bounded like he worried about Merlin.
“Who else would want to bound with me? I could hardly bound with Guinevere. She is your wife and if something happened to her i need to be here. If i won, who would look after you?”
He was right, if he lost Guinevere and Merlin in the same day, he didnt think he could survive that.
Then he finally said the words he wanted to say from the moment he heard about the ritual. “You can bound with me.” He said.
Merlin’s eyes widen in shock as he said that. “You are alright with that?” He asked.
“It doesnt even effect me in anyway, Merlin, as i said. I wont die if you do or anything that would make it a sacrifice in my behalf. It just makes you a mortal.”
“So you really want to be bound with me?” Merlin asked once more.
Arthur didnt know what was so shocking. He had told Merlin in the last days he had valued him greatly. He must have known that he would do it for him.
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, Merlin. But i must warn you. People try to kill me everyday. The real question is do you want to be bound with me?”
Merlin smiled. “I already promised i would protect you or die at your side, didnt i?”
Arthur smiled fondly at his friend.
“The ones here told me they could do the ritual this night if i decide with someone.” Merlin said.
“And the sun is nearly set. “
“Come on then.” Arthur throw one of his arms around his servant shoulder. “We have a ritual to attend. “
When they told people about the bound the other Gwaine asked them if they were in love.
“Stop talking like they should be in love to do such. Not every Arthur and Merlin is in love.” Elyan had said.
“That is something i will never believe.”
“Then it is your problem. “ Percival said.
And they stayed there for 2 days after that but now the time to go had come.
“All of us will miss you greatly.” The other Arthur said.
The other Gwen even had tears on his face.
Merlin didnt want to go either. In this place magic was legal. He didnt need to be afraid. He wished he could stay in here. But he knew he couldnt leave Arthur no matter what and Arthur couldnt stay here. He could see Mordred was thinking the same. He actually hold himself back not to tell him to stay here.
“We will too.” Arthur bowed a little for respect before taking the artifact out.
They had asked the druids and the other’s about how could they go to their own universes. No one knew but Kilgharrah assured them that the artifact will send them to their universe when their job is done. What job? Merlin didnt actually know. The only thing he could do was live and see.
He closed his eyes and prepared himself when the light ate all of them once more.