The next day dawned bright and clear. Merlin was awoken by Arthur peeling his cheast from his back and releasing him from the embrace he had maintained all night. Despite the already warmth of the dawning day the absense of Arthur's personal heat made him shiver. He got up and dressed noticing that Arthur had remained shirtless as he freed the map from the saddle bagds and poured over it intently. He took the oppurtunity to admire the sheen of sweet forming on Arthur's body from the fire and the heat and also Marlin's bodyheat.

Thay ate quickly and left on their hourses, riding away from the rising sun and towards Haepsfleet and the beast they were fated to destroy. They rode hard into the mornig sun in the shadow of the forest until they reached the crest of a large hill and stopped.

"Look, that's the quarry of Haepsfleet" said Isabella gesticuling with the grand sweep of her hand to the quarry which could be seen distanly. Merlin could see a great gash in the land, white rock carved out of the ground and he could imagine all the fields and forests that much have been destroyed for such a thing. He sighed at such destruction of nature.

"We will be there by nightfall" Arthur said and clicked on his horse down the hill and back into the woods with Merlin and Isabella following on their horses. They had become quieter and quieter as the day wore on, and, as if to mirror their emotions, the clouds finally closed in over the sky, obscuring the brilliant sun that had shone for so many days at a time and causing the air to become thick with moisture. And as they improached the quarry where the Chimera lay in hiding, all cocerned abour their own futures and each other.

It was dark by the time the trio pulled up by the quarry. They tied their horsed to a nearby cluster of trees. Carrying their torches they approached the quarry quietly. On the ride they had come up with a plan to fight the chimera. Isabella had mentioned that it was a heavy sleeper and so they decided that the cover of the dark night would afford them there best chance to kill the beast. A twig snapped gentley under Merlin's shoe and Arthur shooshed him.

"This is supposed to be a stealthy approach Merlin" he whispered and Merlin pulled a face. Arthur, Merlin and Isabella stood tensly in the silence of the night. Not even a cricket stirred or bird chirped in the distance. The silence was total. Suddenly a great sound shredded throgh the air, not a a roar but almost a scream of a thousand souls in hell. From the darkness of a cave at the far end of the quarry was the chimera, emerging dreadly and angry from its slumber.

"Get bejind me!" Ordered Arthur as he pulled out his sharp sword and stepped towards the danger. To his left, Merlin saw Isabella draw hers too. He swallowed down his fear and followed his prince. It was his destiny to protect him and Merlin would not abandon him to monsters.

"On me!" screamed Arthur as he charged forward and he was too quick for Merlin, and for Isabella, but now for the chrimera, and with one terrid swipe of its paw, Arthur was sent flying, landing in a sprawling heap, with a crunch that made Merlins heart sick.

"N-no!!" Merrlin cried and started toward Arthur's limp and shallow body as it lies on the rough ground but with a tremousdous leap and skid the chimera is blocking his path and gravel is sent flying in all directions. Itr reared up onto it's back legs, heads snapping in all directions and prepared to strike. Merlin gathered his magic and prepared to blast into it's soft underbelly but suddenly Isabella shouted

"Duck!" and indistingly Merlin crouched the ground. Leaping from the ground, and launching herself off of Merlin's shoulder's, Isabella mounted the beast's back, hacking with her sword, she parried into the animal's flank. At that moment, the snake head tail reared up and struck with furocious might, claiming her in its jaws, as posion seeped into her.

Ina flash Merlin felt a rage raise up in him unlike any he had felt ever. First Arthur and now Isabella! This beast could not be defeated by mortal means. He felt his magic buzzing and stinging his skin desperare to be set free like it might tear his skin from his bones.

"Metodsceaft eÓten!" He screamed and a torent of magic exploded from his hands to strike the monster before him, his eyes burning gold, his voice echoing as if the words had been spoken by the very earth itself. The beat let out a final scream of anguish and exploded, shreds of its mortal form swirling in the eair as a great wind wipped across the quarry very briefly before it died as Merlin sighed to the ground with a great exhale, robed of his strength.

In the silence that came after he seemed to Arthur as though he were covered in gold and as he pulled himself up from his wounds he paused for a moment to stare at Merlin. It was more than enough, as in that breif time, Merlin looked over at him, and their eyes met, the light dropping from Merlin, and his colour draining, as he reilased whay he'd done.

"Isabella" Arthur said as he scrambled to his feet and oer the ground to where Isabella lay prostate on the ground, her burning hair across her face like a curtain of blood.

"Isabella!" He cried again as he reached her and crashed to the ground on his knees beide her.

"Is she okay?" asked Merlin from behind him. But Isebella wasn't okay. She turned her hea to face then and they saw the blood shine spattered on her lips.

"Arthur...Merlin..." she croaked horsely and Merlin came to kneel beside her on the other side to Arthur and grabbed her hand. She smiled at them weekly.

"My time has come." She whispered.

"No! I can heal you!" Said Merlin as tear began to roll down his face. Arthur knew he had magic now: he'd seen it in his face when he turned and Arthur had been staring at him after he slayed the Chimeara. If he could show him again magic being used for good, to help, maybe he could make Aurthur see it wasn't evil.

"No Merlin, even you cannot help me now. I go beyond the vail. Remember! ...you are two sides...of the same coin..." she gasped her last breath and he glitering eyes slide shut, glittering no more.

"Nooooo!!" Arthur screamed in agony his heart torn in two by Isabella's passing. As the tears coursed freely down Merlin's face, the skies opened and rained poured into the quarry. After a moment Arthur cmae back himself, his princely soldier façade taking the front from his raw emotions.

"We need to find shelter. We're too far from Haespleet to travel now." He stood and scooped Isabella's body in his arms bridal style.

"The cave. The Chimera is gone it'll be safe." Merlin said pointing behind him to the dark shadows cut into the side of the rock. Inside the cave Arthur placed Isabellas body gently on the floor.

"Light a fire then, Merlin" he said glancing at the other man. Merlin fumbled with his hands and his pocket to get a flint and Arthur rolled his eyes at his inconpitence.

"Are you magic or what?" he said and merlin stilled suddenly wide eyes like a dear staring down the sharft of a hunter's crossbow.

"No! I'm not magic that's rediculous." Merlin continued trying to light the fire with the flint, staring at it in terror, as if lighting the fire with it would make all his problems go away and Arthur unnotice his magic.

"Merlin, I just saw you kill the chimera. With magic." Arthur spoke gently but emphaseized these last two words.

"No. You didn't." Said Merlin in a nervous stutter. He looked around desperately for an explanation before remembering the flint in his hands. He held it up to Arthur.

"I used this." He said in a tone that was not convincing. Arthur raised his eyebrows and tried not to smirk.

"You used a flint." He said. Merlin nodded

"To kill a Chimera." Arthur confirmed. Merlin nodded again still terrified but clingling to finale hope hat Arthiur would ould believe him. Arthur rolled his eyes so hard that Merlin thought he'd injure himself.

"Don't be an idiot, Merlin. I know you have magic you are the least sutble sorcereer to ever walk the earth. You have been doing magic right in front of me since the day we met, it's a good thing your life was never in any danger because if it was you would have been excecuted before you ever walked through the gates of Camelot. If you were any more transparents I would shove you in a hole and call you a window!"

"Oh Arthur!" Merlin swooned. His head was swimming with apologies he wanted to fling at Arthur, like leaves in the winde, but he could see from his loves expression that no apolgoy or explantion was necessary. He steepped up from the now roaring fire and into Arthur's waiting arms which embraced him.

"I love you, idiot, I'm not going to let anyone execute you" Clarified Arthur before kissing him passionatly, Melin melted into his arms with a soft sigh.

------

As they rode away from Haepfleest the next day, smoke from Isabella's funeral pyre dancing in the sky behind them, the sun came out again, bathing the pair in its golden ras, in a way that seemed disjointed from the sad scene behind them.

They had ridden out early that morning to bring Lord Sebatins the bittersweet news of the twin deaths of the chimra and his beloved daughter having thought it best not to intrude on such a private moment.

"All this death has caused me think. Life is short. You must make the most of it while you can and not waste a precious moment." Arthur mused from the back of his horse, Degore. Merlin agreed.

"It's beat to appreciate everything you can while you can! Look at the sun, the fresh leaves, feel the breezy on your face"

"We should get married" Arthur said aprubptly causing Merlin to almost from his horse

Merlin nearly fall off his hoarse.

"What?" he squwaked startled. Arthur was crushed. He'd been so sure about there love he didn't ever think Merlin might not want it. Arthis pulled up his horse and stopped.

"Don't you want to marry me?" He asked folron. He hid his softness so daily that he was already bracing himself to pretend that he was unaffected by Merlin's rejection.

"N-no! That's not what I-" Merlim strammered but Arthur cut him off and Merin besaw the protective iron bars slam down in Arthur's eye's stopping Merlin from seeing the hurt in his soul.

"Fine. it was a stupid idia. You don't want to. I get it." He said, urgeing his horse on again and leaving Merlin behind. Merlin blinked stunned. With a confused look in his face started up his horse to catch up with Arthur.

"Of course I want to marry you, clotrpole!"Merlin cried. He couldn't help but smile as Arthur pulled his horse to a stop inshock. Arthur was shocked, his eyes were wide and his jaw slack in surprised and his nose was still. Merlin turned his hoarse around to face him.

"Really?" He asked too stunned to believe it could be true.

"Oh of course, it's everything I've ever wanted!" Merklin said and smiled widely at Arthur who had a sensetive small smile spreading across his face as he realise Merlin was not lying, he meant it, he wanted to get marrid to him, Arthur Pendragon, crown Prince of Camelot. Arhtur's smile grew at the thought until he was beaming so hard that his face split in two. To Merlin it was like looking into the sun.

"Fine, Merlin, if you insist we'll get married. No need to be such a girl" he smirk and teased. Merlin grinned right back and pulled his horse parrallell to Arthur's so they we nose to tail. Both men leaned towards each other, placing a chaste and genlte kiss on the other's lips. As they pulled away, Merlin smiled wider still.

"You're the one telling Uther." he joked. And they rode on towards Camalot; their home.