A/N: One of my favorite (English) teachers always told me to write what you know. I had an absolutely awful day and couldn't stop feeling like I'm not working to my full potential-like I'm in a box and I just want to break out! It's really an awful feeling that was induced by my calc test that I worked hard for and didn't do very well on. I was so mad; my anger eventually led me to think about how Merlin would probably feel upset and suppressed by not being able to fulfill his destiny. This might suck because it's just me spouting angst, but hopefully it's emotionally accurate. I don't own Merlin; it's the property of BBC/NBC/SyFy/Arthurian legend writers.
There was nothing worse than this—knowing that something great was supposed to happen and having to play idle like a fool until it did. No one else understood how it felt—waiting to become the noblest wizard the world had ever seen, advisor to the once and future king.
And now, Merlin was only a manservant—Prince Arthur's foolish, bumbling serving boy who could never do anything right, even if he put all of his effort towards it. He hated the mediocrity that he was forced to endure on a daily basis, but what could he do about it? Even if he could admit to being a warlock without the threat of death hanging over him, no one would believe that a fellow so weak could rise to such heights. They'd just laugh and brush his words aside as if they were nothing.
Which was exactly what they appeared at the moment.
How could anyone with a destiny so epic just exist as a normal person without wanting anything more? Merlin's soul yearned to soar out of the box it had been jammed into for his entire life. He wanted to know the feelings of freedom and power!
The box was nailed shut. The Great Dragon had told Merlin too many times that he and Arthur were "two sides of the same coin" and that together they would unite Albion, but of course Merlin had to wait for it. He couldn't simply speed along the process without condemning himself to a life of eternal mediocrity. It was completely maddening! How could anyone bear it?
It'll all be worth it. Someday.
But what was the value of "someday?" It was a thing that was constantly moving ahead. "Someday" was an unattainable thing. He wanted it now—no more riddles or ridicule. Suppressing everything that he was good at—the things that he would one day be known for—was nearly unbearable. He knew that he could do more than he was doing now, but something greater than himself was pushing him down. Curse destiny.
The future held so many promises for Merlin…promises that were grand to dream about. Promises that reminded him of his very base existence.