Hey everyone! This is my first Merlin fanfic so don't expect anything amazing but I'll give it my best shot! In New Zealand, where I live, Merlin season 3 only just finished airing after three years of waiting for it! So as soon as it was done I watched seasons 4 and 5 on the internet and only finished season 5 last night. I don't know about you guys, but the final ruined my life and broke my heart! Writing this seemed to ease my pain a little so I'll try and write lots more! Please R&R!

Disclaimer: I really, really wish I did but I do not own Merlin :(

Chapter 1 – The Triple Goddess

Merlin idly ran his fingers through his long white hair, his eyes staring into space as his mind floated away into memories of days long past. He hadn't always been this old. He remembered a time when he was young and clever and brave. Now what was he? An old man, living in a small hut beside a lake. Merlin smiled as he thought of the lake, despite the wave of sadness that washed over him. The Lake of Avalon, though none now knew it by that name, was the only thing left of what had transpired so many hundreds of years ago; the only memory that was truly solid for Merlin. He did have a few keepsakes left, like his sidhe staff and his magic book, but the lake was different. It had witnessed everything that had come to pass just as Merlin had. It had seen the rise and fall of Camelot, the birth of a legend, and its death. Arthur's death. That memory still pained Merlin and he turned his eyes to the ground as the pain of loss and grief welled within him.

"You still miss him Emrys?" Merlin's head jolted up at the voice.

Standing in the middle of the room was a woman unlike any other Merlin had ever seen. She was tall and elegant, her voluptuous figure framed in a long green dress that was torn and frayed at the hem and sleeves. Long brown hair fell to the small of her back in thick wavy strands. Her face was narrow, with defined cheekbones and a small nose. Her eyes were deep set and shone a burning gold, lighting up the dimly lit room. In her left hand she held a great ash staff and upon its tip sat the triple moon; the symbol of the triple goddess. Upon her head sat a wreath of ivy. She smelled of earth and the ocean and her face seemed ageless and without expression. Her voice was like the whispering of the wind.

Merlin was unsure of what to say for a moment before he spoke, his voice harsh and bitter. "You."

The woman tilted her head. "You know who I am?"

"How could I not?" Merlin glared at the woman. "You killed my best friend."

The woman arched an eyebrow. "Arthur was responsible for his own fate; he chose to ignore my warnings and the importance of the old religion."

"No." Merlin shook his head. "It was you. You couldn't have been patient; you couldn't have waited for Arthur to accept magic of his own free will. You tried to force it upon him and when he would not accept you sealed his doom."

The woman's face remained emotionless. "It was not I who convinced him to turn aside from the path of magic. You did that."

Merlin shook his head, forcing down the guilt and pain her words caused him. "Uther deserved such a fate! Not Arthur." Merlin took a calming breath before continuing. "He was pure of heart; but that didn't matter to you did it?"

The woman raised her head slightly and watched Merlin with a cool gaze. "Believe what you will Emrys. I do not need to explain my reasons to you. The reasons of a god are too complicated for your weak mortal mind."

Merlin looked upon the Triple Goddess with resentment. She was the goddess of magic, and he felt deep down that he should respect her. She had made him what he was, given him the powers that made him who he was; but he could not ignore what she had taken from him. "What do you want?" Merlin asked. "If it is forgiveness you seek you'd best leave now for I have none to offer."

The Goddess laughed. Her laugh was like the clinking of glass. "Do not be foolish Emrys. A goddess does not require forgiveness." Her voice was filled with contempt.

Merlin turned his head from her and instead stared into the fire. It had been a long time since he'd had any connection to magic. He rarely even used it these days. His magic's purpose had been to protect Arthur. Now, there was no Arthur to protect. Now, there was only one purpose for it. It had to keep him alive. Keep him alive until Arthur's return, but even his magic could not keep him alive forever. He was old now and his end was growing nearer and nearer. He was beginning to doubt whether he would be alive long enough for Arthur's return.

"At least tell me this." Merlin said turning from the fire to gaze once more upon the Goddess. "When will Arthur rise again?"

The Goddess smiled. "Sooner than you think Emrys." She lifted the staff and her whole form seemed to blaze with light. Merlin lifted his arms to shield himself from the burning brightness. After a few seconds he lowered them and frowned at the smiling Goddess who was now returned to her human form.

"A gesture of good faith." She informed the baffled warlock. With a flick of her wrist, a mirror flew from the wall and floated just before Merlin's face. He gaped at the sight that greeted him. His hair was short and black, his eyes bright and blue. All wrinkles and signs of age had faded from his skin. He brang his hands up to his face and felt the smoothness of his skin. He was young again. He almost couldn't believe it.

"The time of Arthur is near at hand once more Emrys." The Goddess's voice was sharp and grim. "A sickness is coming, a sickness that will envelope the land and devour lives beyond count. Arthur has always been destined to rise again in Albion's time of greatest need and this time will soon be upon you."

Merlin stood and stared at the Goddess, stunned and at a loss as to what to say.

"No words are needed." The Goddess smiled. "Farewell Emrys. And do remind Arthur that this is his second chance." The Goddess' form blazed with light once more and when Merlin opened his eyes she was gone as though she'd never been though the shattering of a mirror as it fell to the floor and his regained youth told him otherwise. He looked out the window at the lake of Avalon, his mind churning over what the Goddess had told him, but one thought kept repeating itself through Merlin's mind. Arthur would return. Soon.

I don't know about you guys but I couldn't bare a permanent old Merlin so I asked the Triple Goddess to make him young again! :D

Should I continue? Please review!