Hopefully this ones a little bit better then the last one. I felt like I had more to write this time. Hope you're still enjoying it!

Prompt: Merlin saves Arthur from drowning.

Idea by: Myself :P

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN MERLIN!!! Only the idea is mine!
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Merlin's POV

Branches smacked Merlin in the face as he ran for his life, Arthur and the Knights hastily following him close behind.

Morgana's men pursued after them, and they weren't giving up. Would they chase them all the way to Camelot if it came down to it? Either way, he knew there wasn't going to be any escaping anytime soon. Arthur and his Knights were out numbered. Staying behind to fight would be suicide. Even with Merlin's magic, could he take them all out in order to protect his friends?

They all stopped behind a tree to catch their breath.

"We must keep going, Sire," Merlin said, pushing him along. He knew stopping for even a second would put them in a bad situation. "They'll catch us if we stop."

Arthur must've known he was right because he quickened his pace once more.

As they continued to run, four men dressed in black suddenly jumped out from behind a tree causing Merlin and the others to come to an abrupt stop. Arthur and the Knights swiftly drew theres as Merlin stepped aside as fighting commenced.

Sounds of metal clanging together echoed throughout the forest. It wasn't long until the rest of Morgana's men who pursued them caught up.

Merlin glanced frantically back and forth from the Knights to Arthur. His destiny was to protect Arthur, but that didn't mean he had to watch one of his friends die either. He stood ready to attack anyone with his magic who dared to try and hurt his friends.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the attention of a man sneaking up on Arthur from behind his back. "Arthur!"

Arthur was too busy trying to defend himself from a man with a two headed ax to notice the man behind him.

Merlin didn't have much time to react. He thrust his hand forward, and sent the man flying forward off to the side.

The sound of a battle cry peeked his ears. He swung himself around just as a sword sliced through his side. As the man yanked his sword from Merlin's flesh, he reared back in pain. He clenched his side and fell to his knees, too shocked to fight off his attacker. The world around him grew fuzzy.

He slowly raised his head in enough time to see the man standing over him, his sword pointing straight down to drive into Merlin from the back.

"Merlin!"

Unexpectedly, Gwaine rammed into the man that threatened to kill Merlin. He then plunged his sword into the attacker ending his life.

"You alright, Mate?" Gwaine asked, kneeling beside Merlin.

Merlin, finally waking out of his daze, nodded his head. "I'll be fine. Where's Arthur?"

Gwaine and Merlin both looked around. Arthur was no where in sight. Merlin reached up, and gripped Gwaine's forearm. Thankfully, the Valiant Knight recognized it as a sign that he needed help standing.

Once Gwaine had helped Merlin to his feet, Merlin took off to find Arthur, limping as he glanced around.

Off in the distance, he found two of Morgana's men pulling along their King, who wasn't fighting back.

Merlin crouched down low, and followed close behind the men dragging Arthur, Gwaine glued to Merlin's hip.

The sound of rushing water filled his ears as they continued following Morgana's men. Where were they taking Arthur?

Merlin burst through the tree lines right as the two men threw Arthur over the edge of a cliff down into a raging river.

"Arthur!" he shouted. He thrust his hand forward once more, no longer caring if Gwaine noticed him, sending the man flying into the river himself.

Thankfully, Gwaine never noticed. He was too busy taking down the other man. As Gwaine pulled his sword from the lifeless man, Merlin ran towards the cliff.

He had to save Arthur! He had too! Arthur didn't look conscience. He could drown!

Strong arms grabbed him by the waist causing him to hold back a yelp as he winced and inwardly screamed.

"No, Merlin!" Gwaine shouted, pulling him away from the edge.

"Gwaine, let me go!" Merlin screamed. "He'll die!" He flung his head around to face the Knight who kept him from saving their King. "There's a riverbed about two miles down from here. I'll try to aim Arthur in that direction. Get the others and save our King!"

Gwaine nodded his head. "Good luck, Merlin!"

Gwaine let go, and Merlin raced toward the edge, took a big leap, and plummeted down into the raging rapids. The water felt like daggers as he smacked its surface, sending shooting pain through his side around the wound.

His head bobbed in and out of the water as he searched for Arthur trying to keep himself afloat. He glanced around frantically. Where was he? Had Arthur already drowned, sinking to the bottom? Merlin couldn't see him floating on top of the water.

He dove down into the river, but still could not find Arthur through the mirky water. As he emerged to catch a breath, he spotted Arthur a few feet in front of him. Arthur tried helplessly to stay above water. Thankfully he was conscious. The cold water must've been enough to waken him.

Merlin flailed his arms and kicked his legs furiously trying to reach Arthur as his head went under water, his side aching from the swift movement.

"Arthur!" As Merlin reached his King's side, he wrapped his right arm around Arthur to keep him afloat, while he paddled with the other arm. He could feel the wound on his left side ripping wider with each movement. It was a challenge to keep them both above the waves, but he managed.

He glanced over his best friend as he tried to keep them both above water. Arthur had a nasty gash on his forehead, and wasn't fully conscious.

Merlin's attention was drawn ahead as a rock formation stood in their way, splitting the path into two different streams.

He knew that the path on the right would take Arthur to the riverbed he had explained to Gwaine, but he had no idea where the path on the left would lead. He knew that he was too weak to get them both onto the right path in time before they passed it by. The current was too strong and pulled them both to the left. With how weak he felt, it would be a miracle even getting Arthur across.

Merlin summoned what little strength he had left, and used his magic to guide Arthur through the waters over to the right path. It was just enough. As his eyes faded from gold to their azure blue, Arthur disappeared out of sight as Merlin traveled down the left path.

After a few miles of helpless paddling, he landed on the bank of unknown land in the mud. He had never been here before. The forest looked dark and spooky. Like someone lived here that you never wanted to meet.

He propped himself up on his elbows, and tried standing to his feet. The wound on his side throbbed as he stood straight. It was too much pain to bare causing his legs to buckled underneath him, sending him back into the mud.

He rolled over on to his back and grasped his side as he panted. He had experienced worse pain before, but for some reason... he couldn't keep himself from wanting to cry. He felt broken and alone.

As a few tears ran down his temples, he wished for nothing more than to die. Die before whoever lived in this unknown land found him. Would Morgana find him? Could she be hiding out somewhere not far from here?

He wanted the pain to go away, but it never did. He wanted to be home right now, fellowshipping with the Knights and Arthur, but he wasn't.

And what about Arthur? Did he make it? Could Gwaine find him? Was he safe? The thought of Arthur troubled him greatly. He hoped he had made the right decision sending him on his own.

With Arthur on his mind, he closed his eyes and the world around him went dark.

Arthur's POV

Arthur sprang upright as he gasped for air, his five loyal Knights stood close to him. How did he get here? How was he not dead by now?

An imagine flooded into his mind. Merlin! Merlin was there. Merlin saved him.

"Sire, take it easy."

"Where's Merlin?" Arthur asked, not paying attention to whomever spoke.

His Knights glanced at one another. Arthur's heart dropped knowing that was never a good sign.

"Sire," Percival began. "Merlin wasn't with you when we dragged you from the water."

"We don't know where Merlin is," Leon finished.

Arthur stood to his feet hastily, his head throbbing as the world spun. Lancelot gripped his forearm steading him.

"Sire, you need to rest," Lancelot informed him.

Arthur didn't have time. He had to get to Merlin. Had to save him! Merlin could be dead for all he knew. "There's no time for rest. We must head down stream. We'll find him." He marched off toward following the direction of trickling water.

"Sire," Elyan spoke. Arthur stopped in his tracks. "The stream ended where we found you."

Arthur shook his head. "No," he said sternly. "There must be another riverbed or something. Merlin has to be out there. I can't accept losing him! He saved my life! Do you just want me to sit here and accept that he is gone? No! I can't bare to lose him."

He couldn't bare to lose his best friend. Not after he had just lost his father. He couldn't lose someone else he cared about. He and Merlin may have fought in the beginning, but that's what made him feel like a little brother.

"Then we'll continue going South." Gwaine stepped up beside him. "You're right. Merlin wouldn't give up that easily on us, and he certainly didn't give a second thought about jumping into that river to save your life. We'll find him, Arthur."

Arthur gazed out into the distance. "I hope you're right, Gwaine."

Merlin's POV

Merlin awoke to find that the sun had already set. He slowly lifted himself to a sitting position, trying to regain his feet as his head spun. It took him five tries before he finally stood without falling.

The wound in his side oozed blood as he shuffled his feet through the leaves and dirt. He took off his neckerchief and placed it against his side to stop the blood flow, but it did little to nothing.

He had no sense in direction at this point. No idea which way to turn. The sun was his only guide, and it was gone. He just hoped and prayed that he was going in the direction of Camelot. He wondered if he should just stay and wait to see who found him, but he didn't know if Arthur and the others were even searching for him. Why would they? They would have no reason to believe he was still alive.

He stumbled, falling to his knees and sometimes to his stomach many times. He felt his wound rip open wider with each fall. He knew that he was losing too much blood, but what could he do to stop it? His neckerchief was already soaked through. He had noting else.

He wished that Arthur would find him, that he knew that Arthur was alive and well. Did he do the right thing? He didn't know what he would do if he lost his best friend — although, he knew Arthur would never admit to being his best friend.

Merlin pushed through the branches of trees, and a dim light shone in the distance. His heart beat rapidly against his chest as hope arose. He tumbled over bushes, and stumbled his way toward the light.

Arthur's POV

"Gwaine, light a torch would you?" Arthur watched as the sun began to set. "We need to be able to see where we're going. Night will be upon us soon."

About a half hour later, he was correct. Pitch black darkness would've surrounded them if he hadn't informed his Knight. Unfortunately for them, they only had enough materials for one torch. They had to stay extremely close to one another or else they'd be tripping over their own feet, but he wasn't going to stop. Not until he found Merlin. He wouldn't give up.

"Arthur," he heard Leon's voice from behind. "You know how much we all want to find Merlin, but stumbling around in the dark is not going to help us."

Arthur glanced back at the other Knights. Gwaine and Lancelot looked like they were ready to pounce on Leon for requesting such a thing.

"No one is stopping until we find my servant," he replied. To his surprise, the Knight's seemed okay with his answer.

He jumped with startlement, drawing his sword as the sound of twigs breaking, and bushes rustling sent him and his Knights on high alert. Some of the Knights placed a hand on their hilts and others drew their swords completely.

Arthur gripped the hilt of his sword. He didn't know which Kingdom they were in, but it sure wasn't Camelot. He had to be careful. Anyone could be lurking in these woods.

As he slowly stepped closer to the rustling bushes, Merlin tumbling out landing in the dirt at Arthur's feet.

"Merlin!" Arthur exclaimed joyfully. His heart raced with excitement. They had found him! He grabbed ahold of Merlin's arms, and yanked him the rest of the way out of the bushes. Merlin shouted in pain as he did so.

Arthur knelt down cradling Merlin in his arms. He looked down to see Merlin pressing a bloodied hand against his side. Arthur removed his hands to see the large gash. It needed to be cleaned out immediately.

Arthur shook his head as he chuckled. "You really jumped in that river to save me with this wound the way it is?"

Merlin let out a soft laugh as he grinned. "Trust me, if I knew how bad it was going to get, I would've just let you die."

A smile spread across Arthur's face as he snickered. Merlin still tried to joke, even being as badly injured as he was.

The Knight's rushed to Merlin's side, Elyan with a medical bag. Merlin let Elyan clean his wound, but not without wincing and yelping in pain.

"Why did you come after me, Merlin?" Arthur asked his servant more seriously. "Why didn't you just let me drown in the river?"

Merlin's eyelids drooped, and his body began to grow limp in Arthur's arms indicating that he was exhausted. "Because I would give my life for you, Arthur." His voice came out in a whisper. "I would have rather saved you and died in your place. You are our King." His panting began to slow to a steady breathing as his eyes slowly closed. Had he fallen asleep or fallen unconscious? Arthur didn't know.

He held Merlin close to him. Merlin was his best friend. He never wanted to let Merlin go afraid that something would happen to him. Almost losing Merlin made him realize just how much he needed his servant.  

A/N- Hope you enjoyed this part! It was fun to write! Please make sure to vote and comment if you have any ideas you would like me to do!