Too fast for freedom

Sometimes it all falls down

These chains never leave me

I keep dragging them around

-Delilah, Florence and The Machine

Merlin took a sip of his drink and stared out the window at the stormy sky. People were rushing around to get in their cars, and a few couples were strolling along under the shelter of an umbrella. Lightning flashed and they hurried inside the apartments on the other side of the street.

The bell on the door tinkled, and Merlin turned to look at who had come in. They were dressed in all black, with a hood covering their face, but black curls spilled out of it. She stood in the doorway for a moment and then came to sit at the bar. Merlin's eyes settled on watching his drink, not that it was very interesting. He took another sip.

"Vodka martini, please." She said to the bartender.

"That'll be all?" he asked, and the woman nodded.

The door tinkled again, and Merlin turned to look, catching sight of blonde hair. His breath hitched, and then he realized it was just his neighbor leaving. Merlin's gaze returned to his now empty glass.

"Waiting for someone?"

Merlin looked up to see it was the mysterious woman in black from earlier who had asked the question.

"No...well, sort of, but there's no chance they'll ever show up." he said bitterly.

"Why not?"

Merlin looked at her, but couldn't see any part of her face from under the hood. But that voice, he knew that voice.

"He's...how do I put this? Um, he's dead."

"Oh." The woman swirled her drink around with her finger. "Then please pardon my asking. How rude of me it was to pry."

Merlin was sure he recognized that voice. It had been centuries, but nothing could ever match it's beautiful clarity;or how cold it could be when angry.

Merlin chuckled wearily and sat back in his seat. "Well, it seems our little game of hide and seek is over now."

The hooded woman tapped her fingers on the counter, and Merlin could sense her smirking.

"You've found me, Morgana."

Now they were both silently sipping their second drinks and eyeing each other warily. Morgana had removed her hood sometime before, and the bartender seemed besotted with her. Her facial features hadn't changed a bit, if not improved since the last time she had seen Merlin. Merlin, on the other hand, had let his hair grow into a dark, unruly mop of curls and had the beginning of a beard on his chin. His blue eyes were sharp and piercing. There was no neckerchief to be found, and the only other way Morgana could describe him was that he was all grown up.

Thousands of years grown up by now.

And handsome as hell.

"I didn't think you'd have it in you." Morgana whispered.

"Have what in me?"

"I didn't think you would kill me. I always thought you were too soft and kind."

Merlin rolled his eyes, "Yes and I thought the same of you once, but we both changed didn't we?"

One swig of his drink and he had downed all of it. Merlin waved the bartender over and ordered his third glass. Morgana watched him with remorse in her eyes.

It would have been so much easier if he had joined her. She could have had this all to herself…

"But alas, Arthur died anyway. That's what I get for trying." Merlin said, his voice breaking. He looked utterly destroyed, and Morgana sucked in a wasn't going to be easy, but she'd had plenty of time to mull it over. Years of loneliness and regret were all she had experienced back in Camelot. She needed redemption, and she was sure she had been brought back for just that reason-to start really living.

"Merlin, I-I'm sorry."

He spit his drink out and slowly turned to meet her gaze, his eyes full of hatred. Morgana shrunk back, then scolded herself for showing so much emotion.

"You can't be serious. After you tried to kill innocent people who meant you no harm, after ruining all our lives?" His voice turned into a whisper, "After...after Arthur?"

Morgana's face was deadly serious as she replied, "Especially after Arthur. I have had plenty of time to think about this, and i'm completely serious."

"I'm not going to help you remake yourself, Morgana, so if you're not here to kill me, then leave."

Merlin left some money on the counter for the bartender and left the bar, with Morgana sitting alone with a dumbfounded look on her face. Merlin was the last person she would expect to turn her away. She had thought he would have been her saving grace.

That didn't matter, though, because Morgana would show him that she had changed.

Merlin kept stumbling over hidden roots on the path and slipping on leaves. He hated making this trip in the rain, but he needed it. The path ended on a little beach overlooking the lake. Merlin looked behind him and saw that the lights of the city were far behind him, even though he'd only been walking for five minutes. It was part of the magic.

Merlin took off his coat and put it on the muddy ground so he could sit. The rain still soaked him, but he needed to be here. Memories of that day washed over him, and he began to cry. He stopped and stood up abruptly when he heard the brush swishing. He couldn't see anything, and then she stepped into his view.

Her faded red dress, dirt covered body, and messy brown hair were so familiar to Merlin, yet it had been so long.

"Freya, what are you doing here? Are-are you alive too?"
Her eyes shone when Merlin spoke her name, but she shook her head sadly. "No, Merlin, I am just a vision sent to guide you, like in the crystal caves, when your father appeared."

"Oh."

"Do not despair, my warlock, for I bring good tidings."

"What it is it then, Freya?"

She smiled slightly, and the vision started to fade, but she pointed out into the water.

"One last thing: you must stand beside the witch if you are to defeat what is coming."

Merlin turned to look out at the lake and saw nothing. But then, lightning flashed in the sky above and revealed a sword sticking out of the water, and not just any sword.

Merlin said one word before his eyes rolled back in his head and he crumpled to the ground. "Arthur."

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooo how about that for a first chapter? I've been wanting to create an account and write this AU for a while now, so… HERE GOES NOTHING! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, please leave some reviews, I'm open to suggestions (wink, wink). I'll try to update every other day or at least a couple times a week. Let me know of any feedback and any mistakes I made in the writing!