Merlin fic: Nothing Has Changed (7a/8)
Title: Nothing Has Changed (7a/8)
Author: dk323
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Merlin/Arthur, Morgana, others
Spoilers: Merlin ~ Tag to season 1 finale, “Le Morte D'Arthur”
Disclaimer: The show “Merlin” is property of the BBC. The Dark Is Rising book series is property of Susan Cooper. No money being made.
Summary: Fearing losing control of his magic, Merlin gives his magic up. But then Arthur gets involved…
Part 7a: The rain will not stop unless Merlin leaves Camelot. He says his goodbyes, but then unforeseen events have the future literally visiting him. But by the end of it, Merlin feels a little bit better about his situation.
Author’s Notes: Chapter 7 turned out longer than expected, so I'm dividing it up into two parts. The second half of Chapter 7 should be shorter and feature Arthur more.
There will also be a crossover with another book series introduced in the final chapter.
It was a bit tricky to make this all work, but I tried my best.
For those unfamiliar with “The Dark Is Rising”, Merlin (his name is Merriman Lyon in the books, but for this story, I’m keeping it Merlin for clarity’s sake. And he’s the same person anyway -- just under a different name) is Will Stanton’s mentor.
Will Stanton is immortal and can do magic (obviously if Merlin’s his mentor). Merlin will be immortal (to fit with “The Dark Is Rising” ‘verse) in due time, but he won’t be yet in this chapter. And because of a fusion issue, I had to make an alternate reality with another Arthur. There’s still only one Merlin though.
The Old Ones are immortal, of course, and their human form is only their current form. Old Ones are formally addressed as “Old One” by some - like someone saying, “Your Majesty” or whatnot. They are of the Light and they serve the High Magic (likewise, the opposite pole - the Dark serves the High Magic as well). The High Magic itself is: "beyond Light or Dark or any allegiance - the strongest and most remote force in the universe."
Merlin is the first of the Old Ones and Will is the last, therefore he is the youngest of the Old Ones. When Will was born (in the 1960s), he was the first Old One to be born in 500 years. Will came into his powers when he turned eleven. He was assigned to retrieve the Signs of the Light (about the size of one’s palm - in the shape of a circle quartered by a cross).
Significance of the Signs: Though the Signs were collected in the 20th century, Arthur was able to take them back to use in his time (1500 years in the past) at the battle at Badon. The Signs aid King Arthur against the Dark during the days of Camelot. The power from the Signs was able to hold back the Dark for a dozen years in Arthur’s time.
All information on “The Dark Is Rising” from: http://www.rhymer.org.uk/dark/darkguide.html
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7a | Part 7b | Part 8a
Time after time,
And nothing has changed,
Time after time,
And we're still the same,
Day after day,
“Time After Time” by Elliot Minor
~ * ~
“When will this infernal rain stop? It hasn’t even let up since it started two days ago! The crops will drown under these conditions…” Uther fumed, his frustration showing through loud and clear.
“One can not control the weather, sire. The rain should pass soon,” Gaius attempted to reassure him.
“It better,” The king muttered. His words were a vow of challenge. “I will not stand for it. And if this is a work of sorcery, I will put an end to it,” Uther finished vehemently. He had a determined glint in his eye.
“Yes, sire,” Gaius said tiredly.
Merlin was in the same room. He had placed himself under an invisibility spell, though he still kept himself hidden behind a column. Just in case.
Now, he couldn’t resist swearing under his breath.
Merlin knew that he could not live with himself if this rain - the rain he had started - would hurt Camelot.
The sorceress Luna had been right - Merlin was absolutely certain that there was nothing he could do to stop the rain…
…without taking the only solution Merlin desperately did not want to take. But he had to keep to the unbreakable vow.
“The rain will not stop until you leave Camelot,” Luna had told him.
What concerned Merlin the most was Luna’s words regarding time travel. That she could not guarantee that Merlin would return to Camelot, to his time at the same moment that he had left. So that no time would have passed at all and no one - well, it was Arthur he was most worried about - would have the opportunity to miss him or realize his absence.
For all Luna knew - Merlin could return years later back to Camelot - Arthur without him during all those years. And Merlin, maybe, would have only spent a few days in the future.
Merlin could not bear the thought.
Time was fickle. However long Merlin needed to be away would be dictated by Time, by fate…by whatever higher powers were watching over them deciding matters… Luna’s words echoing in his mind and providing him with little reassurance.
And, in the end, no matter the uncertainty and the worry that Merlin felt deeply - he had to leave.
He had to make the rain stop. He had to honour the unbreakable vow… that was all there was to it.
He didn’t know if he could say goodbye for now (a small comfort that he would return) to Arthur. But Merlin had no choice.
When he saw Gaius leaving the chamber, Merlin followed his mentor out quietly.
~ * ~
Merlin had explained the situation to Gaius. As he had expected, Gaius did not take it well. But after Merlin had made it clear that he had little choice and that (though Merlin didn’t believe it himself, but Gaius didn’t need to know that) it could be beneficial for Merlin, his mentor grudgingly accepted what had to happen. Maybe Luna had been right - that seeing how the future was like would help him in some useful way.
Gaius was firm with him though - reminding Merlin that he had to be careful while in the future.
Yes, Luna had reassured Merlin that he would not be on his own during his time in the future. That he would have friends, but he wasn’t sure what she meant by that. Maybe he was only traveling a few years into his future? Maybe when Arthur was already king?
Really, the only thing he could depend on now was keeping his wits about him as Gaius told him.
Then again, sometimes even he didn’t trust himself.
At least he had his magic back. When all else failed, his magic was always his constant, what Merlin could depend on if he had no one else to turn to.
~ * ~
As Merlin walked down a corridor, he barely paid attention to Arthur who was rattling off tasks that Merlin needed to do. The only thing that Merlin could hear was the relentless rain falling outside. The oppressive rain had put an unwelcome halt to the usual castle routine. Any scheduled hunting trips had to be cancelled and there was worry that the crops would soon be unsalvageable under the rain’s onslaught.
Merlin had been surprised that Arthur wasn’t upset with him. The prince knew full well that Merlin had been the one to cause the rain. There was no denying that.
Still, Arthur did appear more tense than usual - most likely a result of the anxious atmosphere prevailing throughout the castle during the continuous rain.
Merlin knew that it would be selfish of him if he continued to stay in Camelot and let the rain continue as it was.
But Merlin absolutely dreaded saying his goodbye to Arthur. He wasn’t sure if he should tell him the truth or settle for giving him a half-truth - something that wouldn’t worry Arthur too much.
And then Merlin would have to hope that he came back to his time without anyone having the chance to miss him.
An earnest wish, but he couldn’t help it.
“Merlin? Merlin!”
Merlin stared at Arthur who, he now realized, was trying to seek his attention.
He turned to Arthur to show that he had his attention. “Yes?” Merlin asked.
Arthur’s hand was grasping his shoulder and his eyes were on Merlin. Merlin could see a tinge of concern in his eyes. The prince spoke, “Really, Merlin. You looked half a world away there. What has gotten into you?”
Merlin shrugged. Unable to help it, he brought up the one matter at the forefront of people’s minds presently. His guilt would not let him cast the problem aside. “I’m sorry about the rain, Arthur,” he said softly. His eyes were cast down, apologetic.
“Merlin, you said you tried everything you could. Maybe we just have to let nature have its way. I’m sure it will stop in due time. We’ve had rain before. It is nothing unnatural.”
“But not rain like this,” Merlin tried to get through to him.
Arthur sighed. “I’m just glad that you’re all right. That you feel like yourself again.” He nodded at him.
Merlin gave him a half-smile to show he appreciated his words.
He was about to say something when Morgana rushed up to them. She looked out of breath. Merlin noticed a passing dark look on Morgana’s face as her eyes caught Arthur’s questioning gaze. But then she turned her attention solely to Merlin, leaving Merlin to think that he imagined that odd, fleeting look.
Pointedly ignoring Arthur’s presence, she spoke to Merlin, “Merlin, I need to speak to you,” she demanded, her voice soft, but the order clearly heard in her words.
Arthur moved in front of Merlin. He folded his arms across his chest and his look was firm and unyielding when he directed it on Morgana.
“Anything that needs to be said to Merlin can be said in my presence.”
Morgana glared at him. She soon relented though and did not try to pull Merlin away. “If you must be difficult, Arthur, then all right.”
Merlin had to admit he was grateful for Arthur’s stubbornness in staying. He wasn’t sure he could handle an encounter with Morgana now - after all, she was the one who had placed him under the unbreakable vow.
Even though Luna had a hand in the spell, it was still Morgana’s face Merlin would see whenever he thought of who had forced him into this position. And that was something that wasn’t easily forgiven. Especially now that Merlin knew he wouldn’t simply be leaving Camelot, but he had to leave this time; which was a far more worrisome prospect than his original assumption. The future was uncharted territory and how one could ever prepare for that, Merlin did not know.
“What do you need to tell me, Morgana?” Merlin asked her.
Morgana pointed out the servants who passed them in the corridor. “I prefer we speak privately. It’s too open here as you can see.”
“Very well,” Arthur conceded. His gaze upon her was cold. He had a firm hold of Merlin’s upper arm - almost as if he would let go of his manservant, Morgana would swoop in and take him away. “We shall talk in my chambers.”
Merlin tried not to roll his eyes as Morgana retorted with a, “No, I initiated this conversation; therefore, I am allowed to decide where we should speak. And I say we speak in my room.”
Arthur eyed her. “And I am allowed to override your choice. It will be my room.”
Morgana glared at him.
Merlin knew that the two of them wouldn’t reach a resolution any time soon without his intervention.
“Oh, look! Here’s an empty room,” Merlin spoke up. He pulled Arthur with him into one of the currently vacant guest chambers.
Merlin saw Morgana smile smugly behind Arthur. She probably thought she had won this fight.
How Arthur and Morgana put up with each other as they were growing up was beyond Merlin’s understanding. They were far too fond of fighting like cats and dogs at any opportune moment.
Merlin shut the door once everyone was in the room.
With only two chairs in the room, Merlin sat down on the table. Arthur was seated in a chair behind him, his hand reaching out to entwine with Merlin’s on the table.
Morgana sat in front of them.
“What is it, Morgana?” Merlin prompted.
A fleeting uncertainty passed over her face before Morgana slipped her mask back on and she proceeded to speak. “The reason why I couldn’t see you, Merlin, is due to a vision I had.”
“What is this about?” Arthur cut in sharply. He looked to Merlin.
Merlin turned his head to look at him. He really didn’t want to go into this now, but he knew it couldn’t be avoided. “Before we went to see Luna, I went to see Morgana,” Merlin bit his lip, nervous, when he saw Arthur’s accusatory look. “Just to talk! Honest, Arthur. Gwen told me that Morgana didn’t want to see me.”
“So you do admit that, at one point, you did things other than talk with Morgana?”
Merlin could not hide the guilt he felt from showing outwardly then. He shook his head and tried to explain the situation in a way that wouldn’t raise Arthur’s ire. “Not having my magic was driving me mad, Arthur. Morgana knew this and she only wished to help.”
Arthur snorted in disbelief. “You expect me to believe it was out of the goodness of her heart?”
Merlin spoke fervently - wanting to reassure Arthur. “It won’t happen again. I--”
Morgana cleared her throat loudly to gain their attention. “The point of the matter is that I will not be seeing Merlin anymore. So you have no need to concern yourself with this, Arthur.”
“Do I have your word, Morgana?”
“Of course. You’re taking this far too seriously, Arthur.”
Merlin placed his hand over the prince’s mouth before he could reply.
“I promise what I did with Morgana will not happen again. I swear to that, Arthur,” Merlin reassured him, squeezing his hand tightly to confirm his resolution. Arthur squeezed back in return. He nodded at Merlin, accepting his promise.
Once she had Merlin’s attention on her, Morgana continued speaking.
“As I was saying, Merlin - I had a vision that showed how disruptive the outcome would be if we were intimate again… so, I wanted to prevent that from happening.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes at Morgana. “I’m not an idiot, Morgana. I know what you’re suggesting.”
Morgana hummed and she looked down, straightening her skirt reflexively. Then she looked up, giving Arthur an indulgent smile. “I hoped you might. I wasn’t up to explaining the matter word for word.”
“Morgana--” Merlin began, but she was already standing up and making to leave the room.
She did not turn around when Merlin beckoned her. Instead, her back to Merlin, she said, “It would be best if you leave soon, Merlin. I plan to leave Camelot and I can’t do so with the rain going on like this,” Morgana told him.
Merlin resisted the urge to groan. Did she have to go and say that? He could see the prince’s look of confusion, a question forming on his lips. Arthur would surely question him soon. Of that, there was little doubt.
Morgana turned her head - her eyes locking with Merlin’s -- before she spoke again, “I expect you have something to do with the rain.”
“Merlin, what is she talking about? About you leaving?” Arthur cut in.
Without another word, Morgana slipped out of the room as Merlin, uneasily, faced Arthur. There was no way out of it now.
~ * ~
“You have to leave?” Arthur uttered. He sounded incredulous and terribly frustrated all at once.
Merlin nodded solemnly. He had moved to the chair that Morgana had vacated, so he was directly across from Arthur. “The rain won’t stop if I don’t leave Camelot. It is the right thing to do. I have no choice.”
Arthur closed his eyes briefly, his fist clenching and unclenching upon the table.
“So you were enchanted? Why did you deny it?”
“I - I didn’t want you to do something you’d regret. I didn’t want you to do something rash when - when I accepted it…” Merlin swallowed, looking at him nervously, uncertain of the prince’s reaction.
Arthur narrowed his eyes. “You accepted it?”
“I was dying inside, Arthur, without my magic! Maybe not literally, but it certainly felt like I was close to death! I just managed to hold myself together so that I wouldn’t be compelled to end the pain! To - to--” Merlin could not continue, choking on the last word.
He felt tired and worn out from remembering the turmoil of emotions he had experienced during his time without magic.
“You should have told me,” Arthur said firmly, a soft note of concern in his words.
Merlin could not look Arthur in the eye. Instead, he stared down despondently at his hands, laid out flat on the table.
“I have my magic back. It’s all in the past now. The problem was that I did not wish to leave, but that was a part of the vow. Morgana would help me survive without my magic - for that, I was grateful -- but I also needed to leave when the time came. The memory loss was an accident; a side effect you could say - Morgana isn’t exactly practiced at this sort of magic, but no matter--” Merlin shook his head then. He continued on, more fervently now. “The last thing I wanted was to leave, Arthur. But I can’t back out of it. I doubt the rain will stop unless I do this.”
Arthur sighed. “All right. I understand. I don’t like it, but I understand that I have little say on the matter. You will be able to return though? Surely that is not a part of the enchantment as well.”
Merlin could not bear to look at Arthur. He nodded. “Yes, I will return,” he said quietly, coming out more easily than he thought it would. While there was truth to his words, Merlin desperately hoped that Arthur wouldn’t inquire after exactly when he would return.
And then Arthur set a firm gaze upon Merlin, his blue eyes penetrating Merlin’s own - determination clear in his look. “Promise me that you will come back to Camelot once the rain has ceased.”
Merlin did not answer immediately and silence prevailed for a few, rather uncomfortable moments.
“Merlin?” Arthur spoke when the silence was becoming stifling. “Is there something else you’re keeping from me?”
He looked to Arthur, trying to hide his alarm. “No, no. It’s nothing. I’ll come back when the rain is no longer plaguing Camelot. As soon as I can.”
On his part, Arthur raised his eyebrow - not quite believing Merlin’s words.
“You know, Arthur, more than anything that I wish to stay in Camelot…” Merlin trailed off then, swallowing and feeling nervous all of a sudden. He wasn’t completely sure where they stood with each other in their friendship. Or was it something more? Merlin hoped so and certainly, Arthur’s accepting behavior toward him led Merlin to that conclusion. “…to be by your side,” Merlin finished quietly, daring to look at Arthur to discern his reaction.
He saw a rather tender, affected look in the prince’s eyes - Merlin’s words softening his countenance and if Merlin was not mistaken, then Arthur did feel the same way. He recalled Arthur’s previous words about how important Merlin was to him - and then he wondered how he could possibly question what he had with Arthur when it should have been so clear. Merlin shook his head of these thoughts for now, and he continued on, trying to calm Arthur’s fears. “You must trust me that I don’t like this at all. If there was another solution that doesn’t require my leaving, I would take it in a heartbeat,” he said earnestly, nearly pleading with him to take his words to heart.
This time, Arthur appeared to be quelled by Merlin’s reassurances.
But whether the prince was simply pretending to trust his words, Merlin did not know for certain.
This way was easier, Merlin resolved. No need to concern Arthur with the truth. He wasn’t sure that the prince would believe him anyway. Time travel was seen as a fantastical idea - widely viewed as preposterous.
He was doing the right thing.
Then why did he still feel absolutely miserable about it?
~ * ~
“I’m leaving Camelot,” Merlin informed the Dragon, his words echoing in the underground cavern.
The Dragon did not even look up. Loud snores continued to issue from the magical creature, which annoyed Merlin.
Merlin gave an impatient sigh. “I’m serious! I have to go. There was an enchantment and--”
The Dragon lifted his head up then and opened his eyes. “What ever mess you have managed to get yourself into, young warlock, is none of my concern,” He said brusquely, yawning soon afterwards. “You will come back. Your destiny can not be tampered with by any enchantment. You should not sound so upset about it.”
“But I don’t know when I’ll come back. I won’t just be leaving Camelot - I’ll be traveling to the future. It will be a different time period all together! That’s what the problem is!”
The Dragon just looked at him, seeming rather unconcerned by Merlin’s frustration. He had the irritating ability of making Merlin feel like he was a child throwing a tantrum.
“Very well. You do not know when you’ll return. You must release me then.”
Merlin stepped back, flabbergasted at the Dragon’s demand. Where had that come from?
“I don’t understand… what does my leaving have to do with your release?”
“If you do not release me now, then who knows how long I will have to wait to ask you again? You are leaving after all.”
“But where will you go? If you’ll threaten Camelot, then I won’t do it!” Merlin stood firm.
“Release me now, Merlin, and maybe I’ll respect your request.”
Merlin stared at him suspiciously. “Maybe?”
“If you wait to release me, then I will strike no such bargain.”
Merlin bit his lip, feeling unsure and anxious about what he should do.
Then,
He nodded slowly. “All right,” Merlin bit out roughly, finding it difficult to get the words out. “Tell me what I need to do.”
The Dragon gave him instructions and as night fell upon Camelot, the deed had been accomplished.
As the Dragon began to fly up to the surface, Merlin felt faint inexplicably. He didn’t know why he was feeling this way. To release the Dragon, he had to enchant a sword to break the chains keeping the creature in his prison. He hadn’t used especially strong magic that would cause him to feel so off-balance.
He collapsed to the ground. He tried to stay awake, but he couldn’t.
There was no telling what the Dragon would do.
“No,” Merlin cried, reaching his hand out. He attempted to stand up, using the rocky wall for support.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of the Dragon,” An unfamiliar voice said.
Merlin just managed to see the person now standing before him, a golden light surrounding the man. His eyes were resisting his attempts to keep them open, but Merlin was determined to not give in so easily. The stranger who had spoken was a middle-aged man - older than him by a decade or so? -- with light brown hair and blue-grey eyes.
A solemn, almost otherworldly look graced the man’s round face, which contrasted sharply with what he wore: a light, collared shirt with a loose, dark tie at the neck -- that looked as if he hadn’t had time to put it on properly -- and then gray trousers finished off the appearance.
The material of the clothing was a mystery to Merlin. It looked like nothing he had seen before.
The person turned to point his hand, his fingers straight and stiff, in the direction of the Dragon.
That was the last thing that Merlin saw before he succumbed to the darkness.
~ * ~
“Le Fay. What brings you here?” The man suppressed a groan before nodding at the woman who had appeared not far from him.
She pretended to dust off her denim to rid it of nonexistent lint. Walking toward him, she briefly glanced up to see a dragon frozen in mid-flight above them.
Once she reached him, she spoke. Her words were as smooth as silk. “You froze the dragon. Impressive.”
“I had a good teacher,” he said as he glanced at Merlin’s prone form.
The woman, Le Fay, followed his look. “He will wake soon?”
He nodded. “Yes, of course. It is only a temporary slumber - enough time to deal with the Dragon. I couldn’t have interference. And Merlin needs to go to the future after all. Everything begins with that event, you know that,” he said, looking to her. Then he muttered in annoyance. “Sometimes I think you know too much.”
“Merlin and I--” The woman paused, trying to think of the right word. “-have an arrangement. It has been this way for centuries.”
The man waved his hand. “Yes, I know all of that. I still don’t like you.”
“Well, I do not take sides. I apologize if this troubles you, Will Stanton,” she said, sounding more to be indulging him than anything else. A smile graced her lips.
“If there is a reason you’re here, then tell me and you can go. I have to talk to that blasted Dragon. It’s something I’m not looking forward to.”
“All right. Merlin gave me a list to give you.”
Will raised his eyebrow. “Why? He has already given me my instructions.”
She shrugged. “Merlin only wanted to make sure. And he was in the middle of some dismal ceremonial event - he needed a distraction, so he wrote out a list.”
And with those words, Le Fay pulled out a piece of black paper and handed it to Will.
He took it from her and peered down at the list.
Will looked up then. “A list of reminders and to pick up something to eat for Archimedes. Lovely. Thank you, Le Fay. Always helpful as usual,” he said, sounding quite annoyed. He rolled his eyes at her.
“Well, you didn’t know about Archimedes now, did you?”
“Oh yes, well, of course. Because that’s terribly important.”
“You know how much he cares for that phoenix.”
Will seemed to deflate then. He sighed, shaking his head. “What I would like to understand--” He waved the paper at her. “--is why he’s currently favoring gold metallic pens.”
She shrugged. “Living as long as Merlin has lived, you can not begrudge him small amusements.”
He gave a small smile then. “And what is Arthur up to? Did Merlin tell you?”
“He’s playing the red knight at Medieval Times - the castle in Canada this time. Well, he’s standing in for the actor," Le Fay explained. "Arthur’s not that interested in managing the company, much to his father’s chagrin. He much prefers participating in the tournament, though he dislikes playing the role of the prince. Merlin finds that rather amusing…”
Will nodded. “Yes, Merlin told me that Arthur found the prince was a boring role to play. He also said Arthur’s been trying to get a magician’s role into the event, but Merlin refuses. He’s sure it’s only so Arthur could laugh at him wearing a wizard’s hat.”
She chuckled. “Some things never change," she remarked, shaking her head in bemusement. "Anyway, I shall leave you. You know what you must do here?”
Will nodded. “Yes, of course. Tell Merlin that I do not need a babysitter, thank you. I may seem young to him, but I can look after myself. It has been twenty years now since I have come into my power after all.”
“You are the youngest of the Old Ones. He still thinks you need looking after sometimes. Goodbye, Will."
And with that, the woman was gone.
~ * ~
Merlin woke to the sound of soft, lilting music - it was almost enchanting. He sat up suddenly, feeling particularly startled when he found an old man with perfectly white hair and beard and donned in deep blue robes sitting not far from him. He stared incredulously as the older man was reading a book of all things. He seemed to be completely unaware that an underground cavern was the last place that one would expect someone to simply be reading a text.
“Who are you?” Merlin questioned and then he looked up and was completely taken aback.
The Dragon was gone - had the Great Dragon flown out of the cavern? He earnestly hoped that the Dragon wasn’t exacting his revenge on Uther by attacking Camelot. That was the last thing he wanted or needed right now. Maybe his request of the Dragon - to spare Camelot - would hold? Then again, he had only guaranteed Merlin a ‘maybe’ as to whether he would honor his wish. That was not much comfort at all, Merlin thought.
And then Merlin recalled that mysterious man who he had seen before falling asleep inexplicably…how the man had told him not to worry and that he would take care of the Dragon. Merlin was at a complete loss as to what that meant exactly and encountering another strange man in so short a time was not helping his burgeoning headache.
The man directed his gaze toward Merlin and then he, quite calmly, set the book aside on the hard ground next to him.
“I am a Dragonlord. I sent Kilgharrah away. He will not harm Camelot as you have feared that he would.”
Merlin shook his head in confusion. He stood up and cautiously walked toward to the other man to get a closer look at him. The man looked up at him with mild interest and Merlin was struck with such a familiarity with the man that he almost gasped at the shock of it. The man’s blue eyes were so bright; Merlin could almost swear that they were twinkling as the man observed him.
And the man did not appear old at all - true, he had white hair and beard, but his face was smooth and unwrinkled. It was as if he were wearing a costume - putting on a white wig and beard to play the role of a man well on in years. This was all rather strange, Merlin thought.
“I’ve never heard of a Dragonlord,” Merlin told him. “And I don’t know who Kilgharrah is…” He paused then, and realized that it all should be very obvious. If the man was a Dragonlord, then-“Kilgharrah is the name of the Great Dragon?”
The man nodded, smiling now. He stood up and closed the distance between him and Merlin. He placed his hand on Merlin’s shoulder, and he peered at him warmly. “Yes, that is correct. Kilgharrah is his name and the talent of a Dragonlord is to tame dragons. To talk to them, to understand them. It is a noble gift to have.”
“So you managed to talk him out of laying siege to Camelot?”
The man nodded, removing his hand from Merlin’s shoulder.
Merlin stepped back from him-trying to give himself some space to think. The other man did not seem overly concerned. Instead, he reached into his pocket and took out a small, rectangle-sized bar, which he proceeded to unwrap.
“But I don’t even know your name. How am I supposed to trust your words? I have to see it with my own eyes that the Dragon is far away from Camelot,” Merlin pointed out, suspicious of this man despite the strong familiarity he felt toward him.
And if the man was a Dragonlord, then he must be magic, a sorcerer as well. No one could speak to magical creatures and tame them without the person having magic of their own. It was the only logical conclusion after all.
The man started to laugh after Merlin finished speaking, but at Merlin’s uneasy look, the laugh turned into loud coughing.
Biting into the brown bar, - Merlin hadn’t the faintest idea as to what it was - the man gave him a curious look, observing him thoughtfully. To Merlin’s chagrin though, the stranger did not answer his doubts. “You are so very young. I almost can’t remember what it was like to be that young. Life was much simpler years ago, I think.”
“I don’t understand. What are you talking about?” Merlin questioned, feeling frustratingly puzzled. He had had enough cryptic talk from the Great Dragon or Kilgharrah as apparently he was called to last a lifetime.
“You know you must go, I hope? That you must leave Camelot so that the rain would stop? It is important that you do so.”
Merlin stared at him in shock. This man was making him uneasy, of that there was no doubt. He seemed to know too much - besides knowing about the rain, how exactly had he known that the Dragon would be released and when to come and stop it? -- and Merlin had been given no reason to trust him fully. “How do you know about all that? Who are you?” He demanded.
“Oh, come now. I thought you were clever. If you haven’t figured it out by now…” The man paused, and then he appeared to change his mind and continued on, “You saw a man here before, didn’t you? He was wearing a strange outfit - at least to you it would have been peculiar looking.”
Merlin nodded slowly. “Yes, he had brown hair and blue-grey eyes. He looked sort of average, though there was something about him…something different. He told me that I wasn’t to worry -- that he would take care of the Dragon. And I fell asleep after that inexplicably.”
“Shame he didn’t introduce himself properly. I must have a talk with that boy. He usually is more polite.”
“Who is he then? If you won’t tell me who you are--”
“His name is Will Stanton,” the man answered him easily, a smile forming on his lips as he spoke. “He is my assistant. He has been out of sorts lately, I fear.”
“What, he’s your magical apprentice then?”
He nodded at Merlin. “Yes, I suppose you could say that,” he mused, appearing to consider his words for a moment. "But he is my equal as well."
“Can you please tell me who you are? It is common courtesy after all. My name is Merlin; though I have a feeling you know that already.”
“I go by many names actually. My true name is--” The man stopped speaking abruptly. Merlin wondered if the other man had hopes of driving him mad in keeping him in such suspense.
“It is rather dark in here, don’t you think, Merlin?” The man remarked.
And before Merlin could say anything in reply, the man’s eyes glowed golden and the whole cavern was magically lit, the darkness of the cave diminished significantly due to the strong glow of the blue light.
“I am who you will become,” the man said simply. “Though it will not be for many years.”
Merlin could only stare at him. He should have realized. Of course…that familiarity, those blue eyes, his blue eyes…why didn’t he see it sooner? “You’re…me? From the future? Then will I see you when I travel to the future?”
The older Merlin nodded in confirmation and then he said, “Here, have some chocolate. There are things you should know. That is why I came here to assist Will. But we can’t discuss these matters on an empty stomach, now can we?”
Merlin felt his stomach protest at the lack of food. He hadn’t eaten since supper, so long ago it seemed now.
He took the chocolate that his future self offered him - he was uncertain as to how chocolate exactly tasted, but intrigued to find out.
His future self seemed to sense his puzzlement and said kindly, “Chocolate is sweet. I suppose you can liken it to fruit.”
Merlin bit into the chocolate and he immediately decided that this was the best thing he had ever tasted.
He suddenly felt a little bit better about traveling to the future. If only to stock up on chocolate and have Arthur, Gwen and Gaius taste it…
And with luck, he would return soon.
~ * ~
Author: dk323
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Merlin/Arthur, Morgana, others
Spoilers: Merlin ~ Tag to season 1 finale, “Le Morte D'Arthur”
Disclaimer: The show “Merlin” is property of the BBC. The Dark Is Rising book series is property of Susan Cooper. No money being made.
Summary: Fearing losing control of his magic, Merlin gives his magic up. But then Arthur gets involved…
Part 7a: The rain will not stop unless Merlin leaves Camelot. He says his goodbyes, but then unforeseen events have the future literally visiting him. But by the end of it, Merlin feels a little bit better about his situation.
Author’s Notes: Chapter 7 turned out longer than expected, so I'm dividing it up into two parts. The second half of Chapter 7 should be shorter and feature Arthur more.
There will also be a crossover with another book series introduced in the final chapter.
It was a bit tricky to make this all work, but I tried my best.
For those unfamiliar with “The Dark Is Rising”, Merlin (his name is Merriman Lyon in the books, but for this story, I’m keeping it Merlin for clarity’s sake. And he’s the same person anyway -- just under a different name) is Will Stanton’s mentor.
Will Stanton is immortal and can do magic (obviously if Merlin’s his mentor). Merlin will be immortal (to fit with “The Dark Is Rising” ‘verse) in due time, but he won’t be yet in this chapter. And because of a fusion issue, I had to make an alternate reality with another Arthur. There’s still only one Merlin though.
The Old Ones are immortal, of course, and their human form is only their current form. Old Ones are formally addressed as “Old One” by some - like someone saying, “Your Majesty” or whatnot. They are of the Light and they serve the High Magic (likewise, the opposite pole - the Dark serves the High Magic as well). The High Magic itself is: "beyond Light or Dark or any allegiance - the strongest and most remote force in the universe."
Merlin is the first of the Old Ones and Will is the last, therefore he is the youngest of the Old Ones. When Will was born (in the 1960s), he was the first Old One to be born in 500 years. Will came into his powers when he turned eleven. He was assigned to retrieve the Signs of the Light (about the size of one’s palm - in the shape of a circle quartered by a cross).
Significance of the Signs: Though the Signs were collected in the 20th century, Arthur was able to take them back to use in his time (1500 years in the past) at the battle at Badon. The Signs aid King Arthur against the Dark during the days of Camelot. The power from the Signs was able to hold back the Dark for a dozen years in Arthur’s time.
All information on “The Dark Is Rising” from: http://www.rhymer.org.uk/dark/darkguide.html
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7a | Part 7b | Part 8a
Time after time,
And nothing has changed,
Time after time,
And we're still the same,
Day after day,
“Time After Time” by Elliot Minor
~ * ~
“When will this infernal rain stop? It hasn’t even let up since it started two days ago! The crops will drown under these conditions…” Uther fumed, his frustration showing through loud and clear.
“One can not control the weather, sire. The rain should pass soon,” Gaius attempted to reassure him.
“It better,” The king muttered. His words were a vow of challenge. “I will not stand for it. And if this is a work of sorcery, I will put an end to it,” Uther finished vehemently. He had a determined glint in his eye.
“Yes, sire,” Gaius said tiredly.
Merlin was in the same room. He had placed himself under an invisibility spell, though he still kept himself hidden behind a column. Just in case.
Now, he couldn’t resist swearing under his breath.
Merlin knew that he could not live with himself if this rain - the rain he had started - would hurt Camelot.
The sorceress Luna had been right - Merlin was absolutely certain that there was nothing he could do to stop the rain…
…without taking the only solution Merlin desperately did not want to take. But he had to keep to the unbreakable vow.
“The rain will not stop until you leave Camelot,” Luna had told him.
What concerned Merlin the most was Luna’s words regarding time travel. That she could not guarantee that Merlin would return to Camelot, to his time at the same moment that he had left. So that no time would have passed at all and no one - well, it was Arthur he was most worried about - would have the opportunity to miss him or realize his absence.
For all Luna knew - Merlin could return years later back to Camelot - Arthur without him during all those years. And Merlin, maybe, would have only spent a few days in the future.
Merlin could not bear the thought.
Time was fickle. However long Merlin needed to be away would be dictated by Time, by fate…by whatever higher powers were watching over them deciding matters… Luna’s words echoing in his mind and providing him with little reassurance.
And, in the end, no matter the uncertainty and the worry that Merlin felt deeply - he had to leave.
He had to make the rain stop. He had to honour the unbreakable vow… that was all there was to it.
He didn’t know if he could say goodbye for now (a small comfort that he would return) to Arthur. But Merlin had no choice.
When he saw Gaius leaving the chamber, Merlin followed his mentor out quietly.
~ * ~
Merlin had explained the situation to Gaius. As he had expected, Gaius did not take it well. But after Merlin had made it clear that he had little choice and that (though Merlin didn’t believe it himself, but Gaius didn’t need to know that) it could be beneficial for Merlin, his mentor grudgingly accepted what had to happen. Maybe Luna had been right - that seeing how the future was like would help him in some useful way.
Gaius was firm with him though - reminding Merlin that he had to be careful while in the future.
Yes, Luna had reassured Merlin that he would not be on his own during his time in the future. That he would have friends, but he wasn’t sure what she meant by that. Maybe he was only traveling a few years into his future? Maybe when Arthur was already king?
Really, the only thing he could depend on now was keeping his wits about him as Gaius told him.
Then again, sometimes even he didn’t trust himself.
At least he had his magic back. When all else failed, his magic was always his constant, what Merlin could depend on if he had no one else to turn to.
~ * ~
As Merlin walked down a corridor, he barely paid attention to Arthur who was rattling off tasks that Merlin needed to do. The only thing that Merlin could hear was the relentless rain falling outside. The oppressive rain had put an unwelcome halt to the usual castle routine. Any scheduled hunting trips had to be cancelled and there was worry that the crops would soon be unsalvageable under the rain’s onslaught.
Merlin had been surprised that Arthur wasn’t upset with him. The prince knew full well that Merlin had been the one to cause the rain. There was no denying that.
Still, Arthur did appear more tense than usual - most likely a result of the anxious atmosphere prevailing throughout the castle during the continuous rain.
Merlin knew that it would be selfish of him if he continued to stay in Camelot and let the rain continue as it was.
But Merlin absolutely dreaded saying his goodbye to Arthur. He wasn’t sure if he should tell him the truth or settle for giving him a half-truth - something that wouldn’t worry Arthur too much.
And then Merlin would have to hope that he came back to his time without anyone having the chance to miss him.
An earnest wish, but he couldn’t help it.
“Merlin? Merlin!”
Merlin stared at Arthur who, he now realized, was trying to seek his attention.
He turned to Arthur to show that he had his attention. “Yes?” Merlin asked.
Arthur’s hand was grasping his shoulder and his eyes were on Merlin. Merlin could see a tinge of concern in his eyes. The prince spoke, “Really, Merlin. You looked half a world away there. What has gotten into you?”
Merlin shrugged. Unable to help it, he brought up the one matter at the forefront of people’s minds presently. His guilt would not let him cast the problem aside. “I’m sorry about the rain, Arthur,” he said softly. His eyes were cast down, apologetic.
“Merlin, you said you tried everything you could. Maybe we just have to let nature have its way. I’m sure it will stop in due time. We’ve had rain before. It is nothing unnatural.”
“But not rain like this,” Merlin tried to get through to him.
Arthur sighed. “I’m just glad that you’re all right. That you feel like yourself again.” He nodded at him.
Merlin gave him a half-smile to show he appreciated his words.
He was about to say something when Morgana rushed up to them. She looked out of breath. Merlin noticed a passing dark look on Morgana’s face as her eyes caught Arthur’s questioning gaze. But then she turned her attention solely to Merlin, leaving Merlin to think that he imagined that odd, fleeting look.
Pointedly ignoring Arthur’s presence, she spoke to Merlin, “Merlin, I need to speak to you,” she demanded, her voice soft, but the order clearly heard in her words.
Arthur moved in front of Merlin. He folded his arms across his chest and his look was firm and unyielding when he directed it on Morgana.
“Anything that needs to be said to Merlin can be said in my presence.”
Morgana glared at him. She soon relented though and did not try to pull Merlin away. “If you must be difficult, Arthur, then all right.”
Merlin had to admit he was grateful for Arthur’s stubbornness in staying. He wasn’t sure he could handle an encounter with Morgana now - after all, she was the one who had placed him under the unbreakable vow.
Even though Luna had a hand in the spell, it was still Morgana’s face Merlin would see whenever he thought of who had forced him into this position. And that was something that wasn’t easily forgiven. Especially now that Merlin knew he wouldn’t simply be leaving Camelot, but he had to leave this time; which was a far more worrisome prospect than his original assumption. The future was uncharted territory and how one could ever prepare for that, Merlin did not know.
“What do you need to tell me, Morgana?” Merlin asked her.
Morgana pointed out the servants who passed them in the corridor. “I prefer we speak privately. It’s too open here as you can see.”
“Very well,” Arthur conceded. His gaze upon her was cold. He had a firm hold of Merlin’s upper arm - almost as if he would let go of his manservant, Morgana would swoop in and take him away. “We shall talk in my chambers.”
Merlin tried not to roll his eyes as Morgana retorted with a, “No, I initiated this conversation; therefore, I am allowed to decide where we should speak. And I say we speak in my room.”
Arthur eyed her. “And I am allowed to override your choice. It will be my room.”
Morgana glared at him.
Merlin knew that the two of them wouldn’t reach a resolution any time soon without his intervention.
“Oh, look! Here’s an empty room,” Merlin spoke up. He pulled Arthur with him into one of the currently vacant guest chambers.
Merlin saw Morgana smile smugly behind Arthur. She probably thought she had won this fight.
How Arthur and Morgana put up with each other as they were growing up was beyond Merlin’s understanding. They were far too fond of fighting like cats and dogs at any opportune moment.
Merlin shut the door once everyone was in the room.
With only two chairs in the room, Merlin sat down on the table. Arthur was seated in a chair behind him, his hand reaching out to entwine with Merlin’s on the table.
Morgana sat in front of them.
“What is it, Morgana?” Merlin prompted.
A fleeting uncertainty passed over her face before Morgana slipped her mask back on and she proceeded to speak. “The reason why I couldn’t see you, Merlin, is due to a vision I had.”
“What is this about?” Arthur cut in sharply. He looked to Merlin.
Merlin turned his head to look at him. He really didn’t want to go into this now, but he knew it couldn’t be avoided. “Before we went to see Luna, I went to see Morgana,” Merlin bit his lip, nervous, when he saw Arthur’s accusatory look. “Just to talk! Honest, Arthur. Gwen told me that Morgana didn’t want to see me.”
“So you do admit that, at one point, you did things other than talk with Morgana?”
Merlin could not hide the guilt he felt from showing outwardly then. He shook his head and tried to explain the situation in a way that wouldn’t raise Arthur’s ire. “Not having my magic was driving me mad, Arthur. Morgana knew this and she only wished to help.”
Arthur snorted in disbelief. “You expect me to believe it was out of the goodness of her heart?”
Merlin spoke fervently - wanting to reassure Arthur. “It won’t happen again. I--”
Morgana cleared her throat loudly to gain their attention. “The point of the matter is that I will not be seeing Merlin anymore. So you have no need to concern yourself with this, Arthur.”
“Do I have your word, Morgana?”
“Of course. You’re taking this far too seriously, Arthur.”
Merlin placed his hand over the prince’s mouth before he could reply.
“I promise what I did with Morgana will not happen again. I swear to that, Arthur,” Merlin reassured him, squeezing his hand tightly to confirm his resolution. Arthur squeezed back in return. He nodded at Merlin, accepting his promise.
Once she had Merlin’s attention on her, Morgana continued speaking.
“As I was saying, Merlin - I had a vision that showed how disruptive the outcome would be if we were intimate again… so, I wanted to prevent that from happening.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes at Morgana. “I’m not an idiot, Morgana. I know what you’re suggesting.”
Morgana hummed and she looked down, straightening her skirt reflexively. Then she looked up, giving Arthur an indulgent smile. “I hoped you might. I wasn’t up to explaining the matter word for word.”
“Morgana--” Merlin began, but she was already standing up and making to leave the room.
She did not turn around when Merlin beckoned her. Instead, her back to Merlin, she said, “It would be best if you leave soon, Merlin. I plan to leave Camelot and I can’t do so with the rain going on like this,” Morgana told him.
Merlin resisted the urge to groan. Did she have to go and say that? He could see the prince’s look of confusion, a question forming on his lips. Arthur would surely question him soon. Of that, there was little doubt.
Morgana turned her head - her eyes locking with Merlin’s -- before she spoke again, “I expect you have something to do with the rain.”
“Merlin, what is she talking about? About you leaving?” Arthur cut in.
Without another word, Morgana slipped out of the room as Merlin, uneasily, faced Arthur. There was no way out of it now.
~ * ~
“You have to leave?” Arthur uttered. He sounded incredulous and terribly frustrated all at once.
Merlin nodded solemnly. He had moved to the chair that Morgana had vacated, so he was directly across from Arthur. “The rain won’t stop if I don’t leave Camelot. It is the right thing to do. I have no choice.”
Arthur closed his eyes briefly, his fist clenching and unclenching upon the table.
“So you were enchanted? Why did you deny it?”
“I - I didn’t want you to do something you’d regret. I didn’t want you to do something rash when - when I accepted it…” Merlin swallowed, looking at him nervously, uncertain of the prince’s reaction.
Arthur narrowed his eyes. “You accepted it?”
“I was dying inside, Arthur, without my magic! Maybe not literally, but it certainly felt like I was close to death! I just managed to hold myself together so that I wouldn’t be compelled to end the pain! To - to--” Merlin could not continue, choking on the last word.
He felt tired and worn out from remembering the turmoil of emotions he had experienced during his time without magic.
“You should have told me,” Arthur said firmly, a soft note of concern in his words.
Merlin could not look Arthur in the eye. Instead, he stared down despondently at his hands, laid out flat on the table.
“I have my magic back. It’s all in the past now. The problem was that I did not wish to leave, but that was a part of the vow. Morgana would help me survive without my magic - for that, I was grateful -- but I also needed to leave when the time came. The memory loss was an accident; a side effect you could say - Morgana isn’t exactly practiced at this sort of magic, but no matter--” Merlin shook his head then. He continued on, more fervently now. “The last thing I wanted was to leave, Arthur. But I can’t back out of it. I doubt the rain will stop unless I do this.”
Arthur sighed. “All right. I understand. I don’t like it, but I understand that I have little say on the matter. You will be able to return though? Surely that is not a part of the enchantment as well.”
Merlin could not bear to look at Arthur. He nodded. “Yes, I will return,” he said quietly, coming out more easily than he thought it would. While there was truth to his words, Merlin desperately hoped that Arthur wouldn’t inquire after exactly when he would return.
And then Arthur set a firm gaze upon Merlin, his blue eyes penetrating Merlin’s own - determination clear in his look. “Promise me that you will come back to Camelot once the rain has ceased.”
Merlin did not answer immediately and silence prevailed for a few, rather uncomfortable moments.
“Merlin?” Arthur spoke when the silence was becoming stifling. “Is there something else you’re keeping from me?”
He looked to Arthur, trying to hide his alarm. “No, no. It’s nothing. I’ll come back when the rain is no longer plaguing Camelot. As soon as I can.”
On his part, Arthur raised his eyebrow - not quite believing Merlin’s words.
“You know, Arthur, more than anything that I wish to stay in Camelot…” Merlin trailed off then, swallowing and feeling nervous all of a sudden. He wasn’t completely sure where they stood with each other in their friendship. Or was it something more? Merlin hoped so and certainly, Arthur’s accepting behavior toward him led Merlin to that conclusion. “…to be by your side,” Merlin finished quietly, daring to look at Arthur to discern his reaction.
He saw a rather tender, affected look in the prince’s eyes - Merlin’s words softening his countenance and if Merlin was not mistaken, then Arthur did feel the same way. He recalled Arthur’s previous words about how important Merlin was to him - and then he wondered how he could possibly question what he had with Arthur when it should have been so clear. Merlin shook his head of these thoughts for now, and he continued on, trying to calm Arthur’s fears. “You must trust me that I don’t like this at all. If there was another solution that doesn’t require my leaving, I would take it in a heartbeat,” he said earnestly, nearly pleading with him to take his words to heart.
This time, Arthur appeared to be quelled by Merlin’s reassurances.
But whether the prince was simply pretending to trust his words, Merlin did not know for certain.
This way was easier, Merlin resolved. No need to concern Arthur with the truth. He wasn’t sure that the prince would believe him anyway. Time travel was seen as a fantastical idea - widely viewed as preposterous.
He was doing the right thing.
Then why did he still feel absolutely miserable about it?
~ * ~
“I’m leaving Camelot,” Merlin informed the Dragon, his words echoing in the underground cavern.
The Dragon did not even look up. Loud snores continued to issue from the magical creature, which annoyed Merlin.
Merlin gave an impatient sigh. “I’m serious! I have to go. There was an enchantment and--”
The Dragon lifted his head up then and opened his eyes. “What ever mess you have managed to get yourself into, young warlock, is none of my concern,” He said brusquely, yawning soon afterwards. “You will come back. Your destiny can not be tampered with by any enchantment. You should not sound so upset about it.”
“But I don’t know when I’ll come back. I won’t just be leaving Camelot - I’ll be traveling to the future. It will be a different time period all together! That’s what the problem is!”
The Dragon just looked at him, seeming rather unconcerned by Merlin’s frustration. He had the irritating ability of making Merlin feel like he was a child throwing a tantrum.
“Very well. You do not know when you’ll return. You must release me then.”
Merlin stepped back, flabbergasted at the Dragon’s demand. Where had that come from?
“I don’t understand… what does my leaving have to do with your release?”
“If you do not release me now, then who knows how long I will have to wait to ask you again? You are leaving after all.”
“But where will you go? If you’ll threaten Camelot, then I won’t do it!” Merlin stood firm.
“Release me now, Merlin, and maybe I’ll respect your request.”
Merlin stared at him suspiciously. “Maybe?”
“If you wait to release me, then I will strike no such bargain.”
Merlin bit his lip, feeling unsure and anxious about what he should do.
Then,
He nodded slowly. “All right,” Merlin bit out roughly, finding it difficult to get the words out. “Tell me what I need to do.”
The Dragon gave him instructions and as night fell upon Camelot, the deed had been accomplished.
As the Dragon began to fly up to the surface, Merlin felt faint inexplicably. He didn’t know why he was feeling this way. To release the Dragon, he had to enchant a sword to break the chains keeping the creature in his prison. He hadn’t used especially strong magic that would cause him to feel so off-balance.
He collapsed to the ground. He tried to stay awake, but he couldn’t.
There was no telling what the Dragon would do.
“No,” Merlin cried, reaching his hand out. He attempted to stand up, using the rocky wall for support.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of the Dragon,” An unfamiliar voice said.
Merlin just managed to see the person now standing before him, a golden light surrounding the man. His eyes were resisting his attempts to keep them open, but Merlin was determined to not give in so easily. The stranger who had spoken was a middle-aged man - older than him by a decade or so? -- with light brown hair and blue-grey eyes.
A solemn, almost otherworldly look graced the man’s round face, which contrasted sharply with what he wore: a light, collared shirt with a loose, dark tie at the neck -- that looked as if he hadn’t had time to put it on properly -- and then gray trousers finished off the appearance.
The material of the clothing was a mystery to Merlin. It looked like nothing he had seen before.
The person turned to point his hand, his fingers straight and stiff, in the direction of the Dragon.
That was the last thing that Merlin saw before he succumbed to the darkness.
~ * ~
“Le Fay. What brings you here?” The man suppressed a groan before nodding at the woman who had appeared not far from him.
She pretended to dust off her denim to rid it of nonexistent lint. Walking toward him, she briefly glanced up to see a dragon frozen in mid-flight above them.
Once she reached him, she spoke. Her words were as smooth as silk. “You froze the dragon. Impressive.”
“I had a good teacher,” he said as he glanced at Merlin’s prone form.
The woman, Le Fay, followed his look. “He will wake soon?”
He nodded. “Yes, of course. It is only a temporary slumber - enough time to deal with the Dragon. I couldn’t have interference. And Merlin needs to go to the future after all. Everything begins with that event, you know that,” he said, looking to her. Then he muttered in annoyance. “Sometimes I think you know too much.”
“Merlin and I--” The woman paused, trying to think of the right word. “-have an arrangement. It has been this way for centuries.”
The man waved his hand. “Yes, I know all of that. I still don’t like you.”
“Well, I do not take sides. I apologize if this troubles you, Will Stanton,” she said, sounding more to be indulging him than anything else. A smile graced her lips.
“If there is a reason you’re here, then tell me and you can go. I have to talk to that blasted Dragon. It’s something I’m not looking forward to.”
“All right. Merlin gave me a list to give you.”
Will raised his eyebrow. “Why? He has already given me my instructions.”
She shrugged. “Merlin only wanted to make sure. And he was in the middle of some dismal ceremonial event - he needed a distraction, so he wrote out a list.”
And with those words, Le Fay pulled out a piece of black paper and handed it to Will.
He took it from her and peered down at the list.
Will looked up then. “A list of reminders and to pick up something to eat for Archimedes. Lovely. Thank you, Le Fay. Always helpful as usual,” he said, sounding quite annoyed. He rolled his eyes at her.
“Well, you didn’t know about Archimedes now, did you?”
“Oh yes, well, of course. Because that’s terribly important.”
“You know how much he cares for that phoenix.”
Will seemed to deflate then. He sighed, shaking his head. “What I would like to understand--” He waved the paper at her. “--is why he’s currently favoring gold metallic pens.”
She shrugged. “Living as long as Merlin has lived, you can not begrudge him small amusements.”
He gave a small smile then. “And what is Arthur up to? Did Merlin tell you?”
“He’s playing the red knight at Medieval Times - the castle in Canada this time. Well, he’s standing in for the actor," Le Fay explained. "Arthur’s not that interested in managing the company, much to his father’s chagrin. He much prefers participating in the tournament, though he dislikes playing the role of the prince. Merlin finds that rather amusing…”
Will nodded. “Yes, Merlin told me that Arthur found the prince was a boring role to play. He also said Arthur’s been trying to get a magician’s role into the event, but Merlin refuses. He’s sure it’s only so Arthur could laugh at him wearing a wizard’s hat.”
She chuckled. “Some things never change," she remarked, shaking her head in bemusement. "Anyway, I shall leave you. You know what you must do here?”
Will nodded. “Yes, of course. Tell Merlin that I do not need a babysitter, thank you. I may seem young to him, but I can look after myself. It has been twenty years now since I have come into my power after all.”
“You are the youngest of the Old Ones. He still thinks you need looking after sometimes. Goodbye, Will."
And with that, the woman was gone.
~ * ~
Merlin woke to the sound of soft, lilting music - it was almost enchanting. He sat up suddenly, feeling particularly startled when he found an old man with perfectly white hair and beard and donned in deep blue robes sitting not far from him. He stared incredulously as the older man was reading a book of all things. He seemed to be completely unaware that an underground cavern was the last place that one would expect someone to simply be reading a text.
“Who are you?” Merlin questioned and then he looked up and was completely taken aback.
The Dragon was gone - had the Great Dragon flown out of the cavern? He earnestly hoped that the Dragon wasn’t exacting his revenge on Uther by attacking Camelot. That was the last thing he wanted or needed right now. Maybe his request of the Dragon - to spare Camelot - would hold? Then again, he had only guaranteed Merlin a ‘maybe’ as to whether he would honor his wish. That was not much comfort at all, Merlin thought.
And then Merlin recalled that mysterious man who he had seen before falling asleep inexplicably…how the man had told him not to worry and that he would take care of the Dragon. Merlin was at a complete loss as to what that meant exactly and encountering another strange man in so short a time was not helping his burgeoning headache.
The man directed his gaze toward Merlin and then he, quite calmly, set the book aside on the hard ground next to him.
“I am a Dragonlord. I sent Kilgharrah away. He will not harm Camelot as you have feared that he would.”
Merlin shook his head in confusion. He stood up and cautiously walked toward to the other man to get a closer look at him. The man looked up at him with mild interest and Merlin was struck with such a familiarity with the man that he almost gasped at the shock of it. The man’s blue eyes were so bright; Merlin could almost swear that they were twinkling as the man observed him.
And the man did not appear old at all - true, he had white hair and beard, but his face was smooth and unwrinkled. It was as if he were wearing a costume - putting on a white wig and beard to play the role of a man well on in years. This was all rather strange, Merlin thought.
“I’ve never heard of a Dragonlord,” Merlin told him. “And I don’t know who Kilgharrah is…” He paused then, and realized that it all should be very obvious. If the man was a Dragonlord, then-“Kilgharrah is the name of the Great Dragon?”
The man nodded, smiling now. He stood up and closed the distance between him and Merlin. He placed his hand on Merlin’s shoulder, and he peered at him warmly. “Yes, that is correct. Kilgharrah is his name and the talent of a Dragonlord is to tame dragons. To talk to them, to understand them. It is a noble gift to have.”
“So you managed to talk him out of laying siege to Camelot?”
The man nodded, removing his hand from Merlin’s shoulder.
Merlin stepped back from him-trying to give himself some space to think. The other man did not seem overly concerned. Instead, he reached into his pocket and took out a small, rectangle-sized bar, which he proceeded to unwrap.
“But I don’t even know your name. How am I supposed to trust your words? I have to see it with my own eyes that the Dragon is far away from Camelot,” Merlin pointed out, suspicious of this man despite the strong familiarity he felt toward him.
And if the man was a Dragonlord, then he must be magic, a sorcerer as well. No one could speak to magical creatures and tame them without the person having magic of their own. It was the only logical conclusion after all.
The man started to laugh after Merlin finished speaking, but at Merlin’s uneasy look, the laugh turned into loud coughing.
Biting into the brown bar, - Merlin hadn’t the faintest idea as to what it was - the man gave him a curious look, observing him thoughtfully. To Merlin’s chagrin though, the stranger did not answer his doubts. “You are so very young. I almost can’t remember what it was like to be that young. Life was much simpler years ago, I think.”
“I don’t understand. What are you talking about?” Merlin questioned, feeling frustratingly puzzled. He had had enough cryptic talk from the Great Dragon or Kilgharrah as apparently he was called to last a lifetime.
“You know you must go, I hope? That you must leave Camelot so that the rain would stop? It is important that you do so.”
Merlin stared at him in shock. This man was making him uneasy, of that there was no doubt. He seemed to know too much - besides knowing about the rain, how exactly had he known that the Dragon would be released and when to come and stop it? -- and Merlin had been given no reason to trust him fully. “How do you know about all that? Who are you?” He demanded.
“Oh, come now. I thought you were clever. If you haven’t figured it out by now…” The man paused, and then he appeared to change his mind and continued on, “You saw a man here before, didn’t you? He was wearing a strange outfit - at least to you it would have been peculiar looking.”
Merlin nodded slowly. “Yes, he had brown hair and blue-grey eyes. He looked sort of average, though there was something about him…something different. He told me that I wasn’t to worry -- that he would take care of the Dragon. And I fell asleep after that inexplicably.”
“Shame he didn’t introduce himself properly. I must have a talk with that boy. He usually is more polite.”
“Who is he then? If you won’t tell me who you are--”
“His name is Will Stanton,” the man answered him easily, a smile forming on his lips as he spoke. “He is my assistant. He has been out of sorts lately, I fear.”
“What, he’s your magical apprentice then?”
He nodded at Merlin. “Yes, I suppose you could say that,” he mused, appearing to consider his words for a moment. "But he is my equal as well."
“Can you please tell me who you are? It is common courtesy after all. My name is Merlin; though I have a feeling you know that already.”
“I go by many names actually. My true name is--” The man stopped speaking abruptly. Merlin wondered if the other man had hopes of driving him mad in keeping him in such suspense.
“It is rather dark in here, don’t you think, Merlin?” The man remarked.
And before Merlin could say anything in reply, the man’s eyes glowed golden and the whole cavern was magically lit, the darkness of the cave diminished significantly due to the strong glow of the blue light.
“I am who you will become,” the man said simply. “Though it will not be for many years.”
Merlin could only stare at him. He should have realized. Of course…that familiarity, those blue eyes, his blue eyes…why didn’t he see it sooner? “You’re…me? From the future? Then will I see you when I travel to the future?”
The older Merlin nodded in confirmation and then he said, “Here, have some chocolate. There are things you should know. That is why I came here to assist Will. But we can’t discuss these matters on an empty stomach, now can we?”
Merlin felt his stomach protest at the lack of food. He hadn’t eaten since supper, so long ago it seemed now.
He took the chocolate that his future self offered him - he was uncertain as to how chocolate exactly tasted, but intrigued to find out.
His future self seemed to sense his puzzlement and said kindly, “Chocolate is sweet. I suppose you can liken it to fruit.”
Merlin bit into the chocolate and he immediately decided that this was the best thing he had ever tasted.
He suddenly felt a little bit better about traveling to the future. If only to stock up on chocolate and have Arthur, Gwen and Gaius taste it…
And with luck, he would return soon.
~ * ~