InsaneJournal

Breaking Point (ficlet)
Title: Breaking Point
Rating: G
Pairing/Character(s): Merlin, Arthur
Summary: Merlin reveals his magic
Warnings: Violence
Disclaimer: Not mine - property of the BBC as far as I know. No profit being made on this fic.
A/N: This little ficlet was written for The Magical Reveal Meme






Arthur had had an awful week - wet, cold, filled with appalling people and impossible demands. He spurred his horse, he shouted at his knights and he lashed at Merlin with accusations of incompetence and stupidity.

Merlin looked up at him with those doe-eyes, wounded and suffering from the effects of his words and Arthur's temper snapped.

"Just get out of my sight!" he raged. "And don't bother to come back until you can behave like a proper servant!"

"Arthur," Merlin said placatingly, "Just let me..."

Arthur whirled and struck him with the gauntlet he was holding. Even as the blow struck he tried to pull it, knowing that he had gone too far.

"I won't be back," Merlin said, every word clear as a bell. His face was gaunt and hollow with shock. The blood on his cheek beaded where the gauntlet had struck him, not yet flowing down his cheek as his eyes went gold and he vanished in an explosion of light.

Alone, Arthur stared at the empty space where his servant had been. "Merlin?" he said faintly, and no onlooker could have said whether it was entreaty or elegy.