"ARTHUR" A scream tore through the forest, bandits had attacked them while Merlin and Arthur were out hunting, and, unfortunately, an arrow had embedded itself into Arthur.

He grunted and fell; as he looked to the bandit that towered over him, Arthur couldn't help but think that he couldn't protect Merlin from this and that at least he would be able to make it out alive, with his blood dripping down his side. The bandit was getting ready to chop his head off he knew he wouldn't make it out of this.

He could hear Merlin screaming. So with the last of his strength, he found his eyes trailing towards him, what he saw shocked him. Merlin was in the middle of what looked to be an intricate dance; only the flora around him was moving to the same song; it was beautiful, and it was captivating. It was bending.

Bending was a form Camelot had banned, on penalty of death, the fire benders get drowned, the air benders get beheaded, the earth benders get hanged, and the water benders get burned.

Burned. Burning. Fire. Fire. Fire. Merlin up in flames, choking on smoke and screaming for somebody to help him. He couldn't let that be his fate; he couldn't let his servant's destiny end in red and black.

He tried to get up; he absentmindedly realised the bandit he had been fighting was now screaming and running away. From him? No. From Merlin. A piece of him wanted to shout to the world that Merlin would never hurt anyone; he was too innocent, too caring, he wears his heart on his sleeve for avatar's sake.

But as he watched Merlin's dance come to an end, and Merlin running towards him, and catching him when his knees buckled, he couldn't help but stare at Merlin. With a look of determination on his face, he held his free hand up and made a sweeping motion on the ground next to him; he could feel the grass wilt from under him and the morning dew seemed to magnetised towards Merlin's hands.

He saw the water engulf Merlin's palms and Merlin placed them on his chest, where Arthur had broken the arrow and pulled it out, must've been when he was getting to Merlin.

He watched mesmerised as the water glowed and a blue tint seemed to give Merlin otherworldly features, ethereal in the light his skin looked paler and more fragile, and his eyes held more than the pools of blue, he thought he could see flecks of gold as well darting around the iris. "I love you" he whispered, unsure if he wants Merlin to hear it or not.

Merlin paused in his healing, before returning, "You have to stop doing this, you prat," he bit his lips as he completed the last stages. He dragged his fingers through his hair. his dark raven coloured hair, Arthur wondered if it was as soft as it looked, and, oh, it was, he tucked a loose strand behind his ears which always worked to make the rest of his features mousey in comparison.

"I love you," he said again, this time with the strength that came from Merlin's water bending, he lifted himself and wrapped his arms around Merlin's waist, and rested his forehead against his "I'll protect you" from his father, from Morgana, from Morgause, he will protect him.

"I know."

THE END